[Uchiha Itachi applied to return to Konoha]
Ryosuke looked at the words on the letter, his expression not surprised.
Ever since he personally killed Danzō, he had already thought that this day might come.
That Uchiha Itachi wanted to return to Konoha this matter could be said to be within reason, yet beyond expectation.
Why within reason? Because this brat… this man was different from other rogue ninja. He left the village because of his deep feelings for it.
Itachi, under Danzō's manipulation, chose to slaughter the Uchiha clan, then infiltrated the Akatsuki alone, becoming a spy who provided information to Konoha.
His starting point was protecting the village and protecting Sasuke, and it was this mental anchor that supported Itachi's activities outside.
Now that Danzō was dead, and the cause and consequence of Itachi's clan massacre were known to the world, he no longer had a reason to stay outside.
Although Pain's ideology suited Uchiha Itachi's taste, if given a choice…
He wanted to be a good man.
He wanted to return to the village.
So, this application was within reason.
As for beyond expectation…
Ryosuke really hadn't thought that Uchiha Itachi could shamelessly, after doing such a beastly act, still pretend like nothing had happened, and want to return to the village to go on living.
Tsunade was Hokage. Who defected, she couldn't control, but who wanted to come back, she could still make the final decision.
With Tsunade's personality, she naturally would not accept Uchiha Itachi's return.
A person who could even kill his own parents, who knew if one day, after listening to someone else again, in the name of "great justice," he might kill his comrades or superiors?
Of course, Konoha's two advisors still raised an objection, "Uchiha Itachi's strength is not to be underestimated. He could be taken back."
"On ordinary days, confine him in prison as a sinner, and when there's a mission too difficult to solve, release him to act."
To this, Tsunade's answer was, "Can he fight?"
"What the hell's the use of him fighting!"
If such a person appeared openly in the village, the Konoha that had just basked in sunlight would once again return to its old damp and gloomy atmosphere.
Tsunade wouldn't do this kind of sticky, unclear thing.
If in the future they never crossed paths, then fine. But if he really appeared in Konoha again, he would still be handled as a rogue ninja, punished severely without leniency.
The purpose of this letter was to confirm with Ryosuke, one of the victims of the Uchiha massacre, and ask if he had any other opinions.
To this, Ryosuke naturally had none.
Even if this decision would cause Konoha to lose a powerful combat strength, and possibly make Uchiha Itachi, who had lost his mental support, completely turn to Pain.
Ryosuke still could not accept someone like Uchiha Itachi becoming an "ally."
The mastermind was Danzō?
Yes, indeed.
But if killing the mastermind meant the executioner could escape punishment, then after wars there wouldn't be so many invading officers sent to military courts.
If one committed evil, one had to pay the price.
No matter whether the reason for "evil" was stupidity or blindness.
"I was the one to take Danzō's life first. As for Itachi… let Sasuke be the one to handle him."
Thinking this, Ryosuke closed the letter. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kakashi walking out of the camp, heading toward the other side of the sand dune.
That was Granny Chiyo's resting area.
She used the excuse of being old and a light sleeper, so she did not rest with the others.
But rather than shallow sleep, Ryosuke felt more that she found Kakashi an eyesore, so simply, out of sight, out of mind.
———
Kakashi crossed over the sand dune.
Granny Chiyo had laid down a mat and was sitting cross-legged on it, dozing.
In front of her a fire was burning, and on the flames a teapot was bubbling furiously. Clearly, the tea water had boiled, and if it boiled any longer, it would overflow.
Kakashi hesitated for a moment, then still walked over quickly and picked up the teapot.
"What a pity."
Granny Chiyo said darkly, "This pot of tea has been touched by you. If I drink it, in my dreams my son and daughter-in-law would strangle me by the throat, demanding I spit it back out."
Clack!
The teapot was set down gently to the side.
Kakashi was not someone skilled with words.
To casually crack a few jokes was fine, to comfort teammates in low spirits he was capable.
But when it came to his own problems, Kakashi had no idea how to begin.
There was too much he wanted to say, and too much he could not say. In the end, the two tangled together, stuck in his throat, like a cat unable to spit out hair, only able to retch dryly.
Granny Chiyo gave him a sideways glance, "If you've got nothing to say, then scram."
Kakashi sat down on the ground. After days of traveling, his state of mind had gradually recovered. Looking at Granny Chiyo, he asked his first question, "My father… what kind of man was he really?"
Granny Chiyo hadn't expected that after she had scolded him like this, Kakashi still had the face to ask.
She stared at him for a long while, then poured a cup of tea from the teapot and handed it over, "Drink while we talk."
Looking at the cup being handed over, Kakashi hesitated.
Who was Granny Chiyo?
The most skilled person in the world at using poison, and also the most skilled at detoxifying. No one knew if there was poison in this tea.
But in the end, Kakashi still took it and drained it in one gulp.
With that one drink, his expression changed.
'Damn, it's way too hot.'
Granny Chiyo rolled her eyes and said, "Your father, he was the enemy's nightmare. To be precise, Konoha's White Fang was the Ryosuke of that era."
"More low-key, and more terrifying."
"After all, when Ryosuke kills, he gives warning first, slowly taking his time. But your father wasn't like that. He was a pure ninja. Many people killed by him, even at death, didn't know how they had died."
She poured another cup of tea, holding it in her hands. For an old woman, the desert's night wind was a bit too chilly.
Granny Chiyo's face showed reminiscence, "I heard Konoha's White Fang was driven to death by rumors. Honestly, many people were really angry."
"If this demon died so easily, then what about all the people he killed?"
She shook her head.
"I'm no detective, and I've no interest in your father's private life. This is my understanding of him, a hybrid of demon and coward."
"Coward…"
"Is there a problem?"
Granny Chiyo said, "The slander in the village was certainly terrifying. But because of this slander, he abandoned his son and died. If that's not a coward, then what is?"
If Hatake Sakumo had not died, if Kakashi had trained in swordsmanship under his father, would he have been able to break through the siege? Would Obito not have died?
During the Nine-Tails' rampage, the Fourth wouldn't have fought alone. Perhaps Minato Namikaze would not have died either.
If in the village there had been the Third Hokage, the Fourth Hokage, and Konoha's White Fang, would the Uchiha clan still have been able to stir trouble? Would Uchiha Itachi have needed to slaughter the whole clan?
And Danzō's Root would have gradually had its power suppressed. Many outstanding young people in the village, like Yamanaka Kaze, could have trained normally, and wouldn't have gone to extremes.
Granny Chiyo blew gently at the steam on her cup of tea, "Many times, when I look at the way you people in Konoha handle things, it feels like watching a woman wake up at four in the morning every day, lighting the fire, washing the vegetables, chopping, cooking, busy until daylight, and in the end serving nothing but pickles. Ridiculous."
"I… I think I understand."
Kakashi thanked her sincerely and prepared to go back and rest.
Before leaving, he glanced at the teacup in his hand.
"There's no poison in this, right?"
Granny Chiyo sneered coldly, lowering her head to continue sipping tea.
Kakashi nodded slightly, feeling sorry for his offense.
Even if she wanted to kill him, with Granny Chiyo's status, how could she bother with such petty tricks?
He thought this as he took one step forward, then his body tilted, and he collapsed to the ground.
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