The night in Konoha was dotted with scattered lights.
The rumors that had been fermenting for several days hung over the village like a heavy fog, making even the air feel thick and oppressive. Yet, inside Ryo's home, the atmosphere was completely different.
The living room was brightly lit and filled with warmth.
Kushina was holding a roll of newly bought fabric, holding it up against Mikoto to see how it matched. Tsunade lounged lazily on the sofa, sipping warm sake, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.
Little Rin nestled in Ryo's broad chest. She tilted her face up, her sapphire-like eyes full of worry.
"Ryo-nii, are the things those people outside are saying true? About Kakashi's dad... Is it all real? Kakashi hasn't even been to school these last few days."
Her small hand unconsciously clutched Ryo's collar, her voice soft with concern and pleading.
"Can you... help Kakashi? Or maybe help his dad?"
Kushina, Mikoto, and Tsunade all looked over at once.
Kushina put down the fabric and stepped closer, her red hair bouncing under the warm light, a mischievous grin on her face.
"My my, Rin-chan, you're so worried about Kakashi, huh?"
Mikoto also smiled gently, her gaze teasing with understanding.
Tsunade, being the most direct, raised a brow and smirked.
"Rin, don't tell me that brat Kakashi is your little crush?"
Rin's cheeks instantly flushed crimson, like a freshly steamed bun.
She suddenly sat up in Ryo's lap, shaking her head frantically.
"No way! Kakashi is just a classmate!"
"Rin," Ryo's voice was low and steady, carrying a comforting power. "About Kakashi's father, the village leaders, especially Hiruzen, are already handling it."
"Really?" Rin looked up, her eyes full of hope.
"Mhm," Kushina nodded, her tone firm. "Grandpa Hiruzen is really amazing. He'll definitely get to the truth and give everyone an explanation. We have to trust the village, and trust Hokage-sama too."
Her voice sounded sincere, but a flicker of complexity passed through her eyes.
They all knew that Hiruzen might not deliver the kind of "justice" Rin was hoping for.
"Trust the village... trust Grandpa Hiruzen..." Rin repeated softly, the worry on her face slightly easing.
She deeply believed their words. In her small world, Ryo, Hiruzen, and the others were the most reliable people she knew.
She snuggled closer in Ryo's arms, finally relaxing, letting out a small yawn. The day's worries seemed to melt away in the warmth of the room.
Ryo shifted slightly, making her more comfortable.
Kushina and Mikoto returned to the sofa to continue discussing the fabrics. Tsunade swirled the sake in her glass, her gaze turning toward the dark night beyond the window. The flush on her face faded, replaced by a deeper, more thoughtful look.
With a kind lie, they had built Rin a temporary shelter from the cruel storm outside.
Under the same night sky, at the entrance of the Hatake clan compound.
The dim streetlamps cast a yellow light across the tightly shut gate. In front of the narrow courtyard, over a dozen figures had gathered.
Leading them was the very shinobi whom Hatake Sakumo had risked everything to save during that S-rank mission.
There wasn't a shred of gratitude on his face. Instead, his eyes were filled with hatred and twisted righteousness.
"Hatake Sakumo! Come out!" he pounded on the gate, his voice sharp and grating in the stillness of the night. "What kind of hero hides inside his house?"
"What was the point of saving me? Now I'm just a joke, a shame!"
The others behind him chimed in, their voices rising.
"You disgraced Konoha! Disgraced all shinobi!"
"A failure like you doesn't deserve to be a ninja!"
"You gave up the mission for a worthless comrade. You're nothing but a weak, naive fool!"
Their harsh words struck the door like shards of ice.
Inside, Sakumo leaned against the cold wall, his form cloaked in shadows.
His tall figure was hunched slightly. The once brilliant silver hair now looked dull. His lifeless eyes stared blankly at the ceiling.
Every word from outside cut into his already shredded heart like a dull blade.
He wasn't afraid. He was exhausted. He felt utterly abandoned by the world.
His fists clenched so tight that his knuckles turned white.
"Shut up! Don't talk about my dad like that!"
A childish but sharp voice tore through the filth of the night.
Returning from the academy, Kakashi's small frame appeared at the corner of the street.
The moment he saw the scene at his doorstep, he charged forward like a little silver-haired leopard. Standing in front of his family gate, he glared fiercely at the man who led the mob. His voice trembled with anger.
"You?! My dad saved you! How can you say that?!"
"You brat!" The man's hatred grew at the sight of Kakashi. "What do you know?! Your father ruined my life! I would've rather died on that mission than live with the label of 'the one who dragged down White Fang!' His rescue doomed me!"
"You're wrong!" Kakashi stood tall, his back straight. His voice carried unwavering resolve. "My dad is a real hero! He saved a comrade. You're just a coward who forgot gratitude!"
The man's face twisted with fury. "You little bastard! You need to learn what being a ninja means! Let me teach you some rules today!"
He lunged to grab Kakashi by the collar.
Just as his hand was about to make contact—
BANG!
The door to the Hatake residence was flung open.
A wave of killing intent, cold as death itself, burst forth like a flood.
It engulfed the entire group in an instant.
Sakumo stood in the doorway, tall and silent like a mountain of snow.
His silver hair fluttered slightly in the night wind. His once lifeless eyes were now icy and sharp, like blades that sliced through the dark.
The air froze.
That killing intent, soaked in blood from countless battles, crushed every word, every breath, into silence.
The outstretched hand paused midair, then recoiled as if electrocuted.
The mob's faces turned pale. Some trembled, paralyzed in place, unable to move.
Cold sweat poured from the leader's forehead. He tried to hold onto his bluster but failed. His voice trembled.
"Y-You... Hatake Sakumo! Don't get cocky! Hiruzen-sama will punish you. Just wait!"
Not daring to look into Sakumo's eyes again, he barked at the others behind him.
"Let's go!"
They fled, bumping into each other as they scrambled away, vanishing down the darkened street like they were being chased by demons.
Silence returned to the doorstep.
Only the dim streetlight remained.
Sakumo's killing intent slowly dissipated. His tall frame, under the lamp's pale glow, looked more alone than ever.
He turned and looked down at his young son.
The sharp eyes that once terrified enemies now carried sorrow and vulnerability.
"Kakashi..." His voice was hoarse, weighed down by despair. "Is your father... really that useless?"
The glory of White Fang, shattered by public scorn and duty, now seemed meaningless.
Kakashi ran forward, wrapping his small arms tightly around his father's leg.
Looking up, his eyes mirrored his father's but were filled with unwavering trust.
"Of course not!" Kakashi's voice was loud and clear, full of a child's absolute certainty. "Dad is the best! You're a hero! Rin was right. Real comrades never leave each other!"
He paused, then added with innocent confidence, "And Grandpa Hiruzen will definitely clear your name. He's the Hokage. He'll make things right!"
In Kakashi's world, the Hokage was justice itself.
Sakumo looked at his son's small, sincere face. His words and trust melted the ice that had taken root in his heart.
His tall body trembled slightly as he knelt and pulled Kakashi into a tight embrace.
Give in? Bow his head?
Abandon everything he believed in for some fake, soulless "forgiveness"?
His fingers unconsciously tightened around Kakashi's small hand.
His son's hand was so small, soft, and full of life.
A child's future shouldn't be ruined by his father's shame.
Kakashi should grow up with pride. He should be able to declare to the world that he was the son of White Fang.
Not be forced to protect a disgraced father with his small body.
For Kakashi...
That thought sliced through the final threads of doubt.
Kakashi's hopeful gaze pierced Sakumo's heart.
He couldn't let that light die.
He took a deep breath, as if to swallow the cold night and all the despair with it.
When he raised his head again, his pain and confusion were buried beneath a quiet, tragic resolve.
His movements were stiff, but his hand reached out with rare tenderness to ruffle Kakashi's soft silver hair.
"Yeah," he murmured, his voice low and heavy, like a sigh that carried a decision. "Kakashi is right. Dad understands now."
He held him tightly, not wanting to let go of this warmth.
After a long while, he stood up, holding Kakashi's shoulders.
His gaze slowly turned toward the brightly lit Hokage Tower in the distance. Hiruzen was there.
For Kakashi... Sakumo's eyes turned sharp.
Kakashi was still a child. He had a long road ahead.
For his son to live with his head held high, without being weighed down by his father's disgrace...
Sakumo would have to give the village, and Hiruzen, a statement.
A heavy, final answer that would silence the masses.
A decision took root in his heart.
Inside the Hokage Office, the lights were still on. Smoke curled in the air.
Hiruzen sat behind his wide desk, brows furrowed. The ember in his pipe flickered with his frustrated breaths.
The stacks of documents on his desk were nothing compared to the pressure weighing on his mind.
The Hatake Sakumo incident.
He was deeply troubled, utterly so.
This case was like a tangled knot. The harder you pulled, the tighter it became.
Danzō… Hiruzen gritted the name in silence.
This time, his tactics were brutal and precise.
Using the iron law of "mission first," he had turned White Fang's choice to save a comrade into...
Public opinion was inflamed. The village roared with judgment. The once-heroic White Fang was now the target of hatred.
The sheer malice behind it sent chills even down Hiruzen's spine.
It was a deadlock.
On one side stood the foundation of the shinobi world: the absolute principle of completing the mission, no matter the cost.
No matter how noble Sakumo's intent, in terms of rules, he had broken the ultimate code.
Danzō latched onto that, fanned the flames, and weaponized the will of the people.
On the other side, was the soul of Konoha that Hiruzen had spent a lifetime preaching: the Will of Fire.
Protecting comrades. Treasuring bonds.
Sakumo's actions were the purest embodiment of that will.
To support Sakumo would be to trample the village's rules. To abandon him would be to betray everything Hiruzen stood for.
Hiruzen murmured, "Sakumo... what should I do with you?"
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
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