Konoha, the White Fang's Dilemma
The office was silent except for the faint crackle of the lantern flame. Shadows clung to the walls, stretching and bending as the firelight swayed. Stacks of scrolls crowded the desk, a small mountain of responsibilities awaiting the man seated before them.
Sakumo Hatake pressed his palms against his face, dragging them down slowly. His silver hair slipped through his fingers, gleaming faintly in the lamplight. He was exhausted — not from battle, but from the endless decisions, the ceaseless balancing act between duty to the village and duty to the truth.
But this report… this single piece of parchment had cut through him more sharply than any kunai.
He lowered his hands and stared at it again, the words almost mocking him.
Mission report: Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swordsmen engaged.Casualties: Four swordsmen dead.Konoha casualties: One.Cause of engagement: Combat against Might Duy (Genin).
His jaw tightened. The Seven Ninja Swordsmen… He knew their reputation well. They were not simply a squad — they were a force meant to terrorize, to overwhelm even Kage-level opponents through sheer synergy and brutality. Their blades, each a relic of war, each a nightmare, were enough to turn battlefields red.
And yet… a single man, a Genin, had brought half of them to their graves.
Sakumo closed his eyes. The image rose in his mind — Duy, smiling that ridiculous, unshakable smile. Always standing in the corner during village gatherings, always offering cheerful greetings while others dismissed him.
The Eternal Genin. A title spoken with scorn. Sakumo had never joined in mocking him, but he hadn't defended him either. That guilt now gnawed at him.
"Duy…" he whispered, voice low. "You carried a fire none of us saw until it burned the brightest."
A knock at the door snapped him from his thoughts.
"Come in," Sakumo called, voice weary.
The door slid open to reveal a chunin courier. "Lord Hatake, the council is demanding clarification regarding the mission report. They request your presence first thing in the morning."
Sakumo gave a bitter smile. Of course they do. The elders of Konoha loved nothing more than controlling narratives, bending truths to suit their politics. A Genin embarrassing their hierarchy? That was an inconvenient story.
"Tell them I'll be there," Sakumo said flatly.
The chunin bowed and left. The door closed, and silence swallowed the room again.
Sakumo leaned back, staring at the ceiling. His chest felt tight, as though invisible chains wrapped around him. How do I explain this without letting them erase him? They'll want to call it a fluke, or worse — claim it was my misjudgment for allowing him into such a mission at all.
His gaze softened slightly. Guy…
Somewhere in the village, Duy's son still lived. Sakumo remembered the boy's fiery eyes, his clumsy but earnest determination. He clenched his fist. I'll make sure he knows what his father gave. Even if the council tries to bury it, I'll carve Duy's story into this village's memory.
The White Fang exhaled heavily, returning to his papers, but his thoughts lingered — not on politics, not on reports, but on the sacrifice of a man no one believed in.
Deep in the Forest — Trial of the Blade
Far from Konoha's whispers, beneath a canopy of ancient trees, Kaito stood in silence. The world around him was alive with the steady hum of cicadas and the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind. The smell of earth, damp and rich, filled the air.
In his hands, he held Kibō to Shinkō.
The reforged blade gleamed faintly in the dim light, the once-worn steel now radiant white, almost ethereal. Its edge seemed to drink in the world, to radiate a quiet hunger.
Soka leaned casually against a tree, her crimson hair brushing her shoulders, her gaze sharp and calculating. Her expression was calm, but there was an anticipation in her eyes, as if she, too, was waiting to see what the sword had become.
Kaito inhaled slowly, closing his eyes for a heartbeat. He could feel it — the subtle tremor in the hilt, the faint vibration as if the weapon were breathing with him. Not a sword, but a partner.
"Let's test it," Kaito murmured. His voice was low, almost reverent.
Soka smirked faintly. "Try not to tear down the entire forest. I like the shade here."
Kaito's lips tugged upward. Then, without another word, he shifted into stance. His aura thickened, chakra surging, veins in his arms glowing faintly as he poured energy into the blade.
"Kenjutsu… Destruction of Faith."
The swing looked simple. Too simple. But the air itself screamed in protest.
CRRRRRAAAACK—
The pressure split reality — wind howled violently, the ground fissured, and a sharp whistle echoed through the clearing. Dozens of trees, some thicker than three men combined, were sliced clean through. Their trunks groaned, then collapsed in unison with thunderous crashes, sending a storm of leaves and splinters into the air.
The cut carved through the earth, leaving a gash deep enough to swallow a man whole.
Silence followed, broken only by the distant echoes of falling wood.
Kaito lowered the blade, his chest rising and falling steadily. He gave a small, satisfied smile. "Stronger than expected."
Soka's eyes widened slightly despite her usual composure. She stepped forward, brushing her fingers along a severed trunk. The cut was smooth, cleaner than any surgeon's scalpel.
"That wasn't just strength," she said softly. "That was judgment. Like the world itself had no choice but to yield."
Kaito glanced at her, amusement flickering in his gaze. "Then let's see what it does when I stop holding back."
He shifted again, chakra roaring louder this time. The blade glowed faintly, pale light running along its edge like liquid lightning. His stance sharpened, every line of his body honed with intent.
"Kenjutsu… Destruction of Hope."
And then the storm began.
The sword vanished into motion, arcs of steel flickering too fast for the eye to follow. The air split in dozens of places at once, echoes layering over one another like thunder rolling across the sky. Afterimages trailed each slash, overlapping until the clearing was drowned in phantom blades.
SHHHHRRRAAAK!
Shockwaves tore outward. The ground exploded into ragged scars, trees shattered into fragments, earth and stone ripped apart by relentless strikes. Bark and soil rained from above, the forest itself screaming as it was reduced to ruin.
When at last the storm ceased, Kaito stood amidst devastation. The once-lush clearing was a wasteland of broken stumps and torn ground. Dust and leaves drifted slowly in the air, settling over the carnage.
Kaito exhaled, lowering the sword. His grip was steady, his expression calm, though satisfaction glimmered in his eyes.
Soka stepped forward, her mouth slightly open. "…That wasn't kenjutsu anymore. That was annihilation."
Kaito gave a faint smile, sealing the blade back into the storage seal on his wrist. "It's enough for now. Kibō to Shinkō is ready."
He turned toward her, the last light of dusk reflecting off his crimson hair. "Our next step is Kumogakure."
Soka blinked, surprised. "Kumo? Why there?"
"Their Lightning Chakra Mode," Kaito replied, his tone calm but deliberate. "If I can learn its principles, maybe I can forge my own version — one that fits me. Faster. Sharper. Beyond anything I have now."
Soka crossed her arms, considering. "And you think they'll just let you learn it?"
Kaito's lips curved slightly. "They don't have to. Watching, analyzing, testing… it's enough. Besides…" His eyes narrowed faintly. "It's time we stop hiding. Kumogakure is strong, and strength attracts strength."
For a moment, Soka was silent. Then she nodded, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "Fine. Maybe I'll find something for myself too. Water, fire — maybe even a hybrid technique."
Together, they began walking, their footsteps crunching softly against broken earth. No disguises this time, no transformations. Their crimson hair caught the last rays of the sun, swaying openly in the wind like banners of defiance.
The world would see. The Uzumaki walked again.
And somewhere, in the shadows, forces stirred — watching, waiting, whispering.
The storm was coming.
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I saw that most of the votes were for Kaito to be a villain and to explore the world or form his organization, so I'll do that. I'll see if he will form his organization or not depending on your votes.
If you review or give a Power Stone, I'll give you an extra chapter.
A Power Stone: an extra chapter.
A positive review: an extra chapter.
This would help me a lot and would also attract more people, so I'd make more chapters per day.