"I'll go negotiate."
Naruto took the initiative, walking toward the group of Leaf shinobi stationed to guard the memorial grounds. His voice was calm but firm as he explained his intentions.
Of course, he couldn't tell them the full truth — that he intended to exhume the grave of Hatake Sakumo, the famed White Fang of the Leaf. Instead, Naruto told them that it was for a crucial matter concerning the future of the shinobi world — a resurrection experiment involving an important senior who had contributed greatly to Konoha's legacy.
The guards looked uneasy at first, but most of them already knew about Naruto's history. After all, this was the same man who had somehow brought peace to the entire ninja world. The Uchiha clan had been revived through his efforts, and the idea of Naruto performing resurrection-related rituals had become... almost ordinary.
Moreover, everyone knew the current Lord Hokage trusted Naruto completely. If he said it was necessary, few would dare object. So, after a brief exchange, the tomb guards respectfully bowed and withdrew from the site.
Once the area was clear, Kabuto smirked and said, "All right, Naruto — we're good to go."
Naruto nodded, stepping closer to the tomb. His blue eyes softened as he looked at the engraved stone. "Restore it carefully after we're done," he said. "If Kakashi-sensei comes here to pay respects and finds something off, he might notice. I don't want him to suspect anything before tomorrow."
Kabuto gave a confident grin. "Heh. Don't worry, leave it to me. I'm a professional at this."
After another few minutes, the grave was discreetly opened and restored. Naruto, along with Kabuto, Orochimaru, and the carefully exhumed remains of the White Fang, returned to one of Orochimaru's hidden bases — the same one that once housed the White Zetsu reserves collected after the war.
Inside the dimly lit cavern, Orochimaru began preparing the Edo Tensei (Reanimation Jutsu). He carefully drew the sealing array with his brush, his pale fingers precise and deliberate. Kabuto stood nearby, placing Sakumo's bones within the circle while Naruto descended deeper into the cave to capture a White Zetsu.
After sealing it into a scroll, he returned and tossed it toward Orochimaru. "Here. Use this as the vessel."
Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed with excitement. "Excellent. Then let's begin."
He clasped his hands together and pressed a sealing talisman to the ground.
"Kuchiyose: Edo Tensei! (Summoning: Reanimation Jutsu!)"
The seal flared with bright chakra, spreading across the circle. The light poured into the Zetsu's body and Sakumo's remains. The White Zetsu screamed as the transformation began — its flesh morphing, the bone structure shifting until a familiar figure slowly took shape.
Moments later, standing within the smoke, was Hatake Sakumo — the White Fang of the Leaf.
Orochimaru formed another hand seal, speaking coldly, "Obey my command!"
For a moment, Sakumo's body stiffened as his soul was bound to the vessel. His expression was distant, eyes glazed — until consciousness returned. He blinked and looked around, confusion flashing in his calm gray eyes.
"Where... am I?" he muttered softly, glancing around the cavern. Then his gaze fell on the pale man standing before him. "Orochimaru...?"
Orochimaru gave a small, amused smile. "It's been a long time, Lord White Fang."
Hatake Sakumo — once Konoha's most respected elite jōnin — looked both shocked and wary. "I know you. One of the Sannin… the Third Hokage's disciple."
He frowned. "But... I died. Why am I here?"
Sakumo's mind raced. The last thing he remembered was the warmth of the fire in the place beyond death — a quiet void where he had spent years reflecting on his past mistakes. Yet now, here he was, summoned back to the living world.
Naruto stepped forward with a gentle smile. "Hello, Uncle Sakumo. My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I'm a disciple of your son, Hatake Kakashi."
"Kakashi..."
Sakumo's eyes widened, the confusion replaced by recognition. "You... you're my son's student?"
Naruto nodded brightly. "Yes. You've been gone for more than ten years. Kakashi-sensei has grown strong — he's now one of Konoha's finest jōnin."
Sakumo was silent for a moment, and then a soft smile appeared on his lips. "That's... wonderful. Kakashi... you really made it." His eyes grew moist with emotion. "I always hoped he would become someone great, even after what I put him through."
He lowered his head slightly, his voice trembling. "After I... took my own life, I couldn't bring myself to face anyone — not even your mother, Kakashi. I stayed in that quiet place, away from the memorial stone, thinking about what I'd done. I kept the fire burning there, as if it could warm the regrets in my heart."
Naruto's expression softened. "You've suffered enough, Uncle. But the reason you're here now isn't to relive that pain. Orochimaru brought you back through Edo Tensei — but it's for something important."
Sakumo's eyes flickered with recognition at the name. "Edo Tensei? The Second Hokage's forbidden technique..."
Orochimaru gave a thin smile. "Correct, Lord White Fang."
Sakumo took a deep breath. "So you used that technique... to bring me back. But why?"
Naruto smiled gently. "We resurrected you so you could be there for Kakashi-sensei's most important day."
"Important day?" Sakumo raised an eyebrow. "Is he... getting married? Who's the lucky girl? A kunoichi, I assume?"
Naruto quickly waved his hands. "No, no, Uncle — Kakashi-sensei isn't married yet. He doesn't even have a partner."
Sakumo's shoulders slumped, disappointment spreading across his face. "Ah... that boy. Always focused on training, never on himself. Typical."
Naruto scratched his head, thinking, Why do all parents think about marriage first?
After a brief pause, Sakumo looked up again. "If it's not marriage, then what could it be?"
Naruto's smile returned — warm and proud. "Tomorrow, Kakashi-sensei will take office as the Sixth Hokage."
The words hung in the air, echoing through the cavern.
A silence followed — deep and still.
Sakumo's eyes widened, disbelief freezing him in place. "What... did you just say?"
Naruto repeated with a grin, "I said, tomorrow, Kakashi-sensei will become Hokage."
Sakumo stared at him for a long moment before finally whispering, "Is that... true?"
Naruto nodded. "It's absolutely true. That's why we brought you back — so you could witness his inauguration. When a man finally stands at the peak, having his father's recognition means everything. We didn't want Kakashi-sensei to carry any regrets."
For a moment, Sakumo said nothing. His eyes shimmered faintly as he looked up, exhaling deeply. "Hokage... my son became Hokage... I truly never imagined this day would come."
Naruto smiled. "Uncle, let's go then. You should see him with your own eyes."
But Sakumo raised a hand, stopping him. "Wait."
Naruto blinked. "Hm?"
Sakumo shook his head slowly. "I... can't go."
"What?" Naruto asked, confused.
Sakumo's gaze was steady but heavy. "I was branded a disgrace to Konoha. My name still carries that stain. If I appear now — as one of the reanimated dead — people will be afraid. It could even cast a shadow on Kakashi's moment. I won't risk tarnishing his honor."
Naruto stood still for a moment, then gave a small, knowing smile. Fathers truly were the same everywhere — always putting their children first.
"It's okay, Uncle," Naruto said quietly. "The village isn't the same as it was back then. People have changed. And you were never wrong — not for saving your comrades."
Sakumo looked at him in surprise.
Naruto's eyes shone with conviction. "Yeah — in the ninja world, those who break the rules are called trash. But those who abandon their friends are worse than trash. That's what Kakashi-sensei taught me the very first day I became a genin."
For the first time since his resurrection, Sakumo's expression softened completely. He looked at Naruto, and in his son's student, he could see Kakashi's spirit — his growth, his ideals, his heart.
He smiled faintly. "So... he's carrying on my will after all."
Naruto nodded, his voice firm. "Yes. And tomorrow, he'll carry Konoha's will too."
Sakumo closed his eyes, a peaceful smile forming on his lips as the candlelight flickered across his reanimated form.
For the first time in decades, the White Fang of the Leaf felt proud — not of his strength, but of the man his son had become.
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