ryethenovel Chapter 81 Died Again from Rumors
Chapter 81 Died Again from Rumors
Some say his title of "White Fang of Konoha" is undeserved.
Some say he didn't fail, but rather abandoned the mission midway to save the lives of Baiyun Mountain and another Jonin.
The rumors intensified, and the label of incompetence was like a heavy hat pinned on his head. Even the vegetable vendors who used to greet him warmly now looked down on him.
For the people of Konoha, it's acceptable to lose to other top-tier Jonin, or even to Sakumo Hatake, but they cannot tolerate him losing to some unknown ninja.
They felt that Sakumo Hatake was a disgrace to Konoha. How dare he come back alive with such a low level of skill? He should have just died out there.
Those past battlefield exploits were probably just boasting, right? Or was it possible that he was rescuing fallen teammates?
That's really unfair to his teammate. He died without any credit, and his wife and children weren't heroes. They could only live on a meager pension.
Initially, Sakumo Hatake didn't pay attention to such rumors, believing that he had a clear conscience about what he had done.
He stayed indoors, wiping the short knife that had been with him for many years. The blade gleamed, reflecting his pale face.
Three-year-old Kakashi peeked out from the inner room, looking timidly at his father.
"dad……"
Sakumo Hatake looked up at his son's innocent face, smiled, and ruffled his hair.
"It's nothing. Dad's thinking about something."
Kakashi nodded and retreated back inside. He couldn't understand why his father, a hero, was being so insulted by outsiders for just one defeat.
But he knew that his father must be unhappy right now.
A few days later, Hiruzen Sarutobi personally visited, and Sakumo Hatake knelt on the tatami mat, bowing his head in greeting.
"Lord Hokage."
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat down opposite him, remaining silent for a long time before finally speaking: "Sakumo, I believe in your character and your strength. The contributions you have made to Konoha are genuine."
Sakumo Hatake didn't look up; he just listened quietly.
"But... as you know, there's a lot of talk about this in the village right now. The war has just ended, and everyone is recuperating and needs a stable environment. At this time, someone needs to step forward to quell this storm. I want you to temporarily resign from all your posts and lay low for a while. Once this storm has passed, I will reinstate you to your original position."
Sakumo Hatake did not object, but simply obeyed the order, saying, "I will obey the Hokage's orders."
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at him, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. He wanted to say something, but in the end he only sighed, got up and left.
This was the best way to quell the villagers' grievances; the pent-up emotions, anger, unease, and hatred from the post-war period needed an outlet.
That evening, Sakumo Hatake sat at home with the short sword in front of him. His gaze was calm, as if he were contemplating something important.
Kakashi was already asleep. The room was quiet, with only the chirping of insects outside the window.
He picked up the knife and gently wiped it. This knife had been with him for twenty years. It had accompanied him through countless battlefields, slaying countless enemies. It had protected his comrades and guarded his village. He thought he was doing the right thing. But now, he suddenly wasn't sure.
Did those who died truly die because of their choices? Did those who live truly live because of their choices?
He didn't know; all he knew was that he was tired.
He slowly pressed the dagger against his abdomen, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.
Then—make a forceful stroke.
Blood splattered on the tatami mat, slowly seeping in. The short sword lay to one side, its blade still reflecting his final expression.
Calm, relieved, liberated.
The news sent shockwaves through Konoha once again—Sakumo Hatake had committed suicide!
Those who had once talked about him, mocked him, and slandered him suddenly fell silent.
They just wanted to vent their emotions; they didn't really want anyone to die.
But soon, another opinion emerged: those who can't even withstand this much pressure are truly fragile and can't stand up to the strong.
They don't want their children, and they don't even want to protect the village. What a waste of Konoha's years of nurturing and the Hokage's years of valuing them.
Three days later, Baiyun Mountain, dragging his severed arm, personally arranged Hatake Sakumo's funeral. He stood in front of the mourning hall, watching the three-year-old child kneeling before his father's portrait, without uttering a word.
"From today onwards, I will accept you as my disciple."
Baiyun Shanjian walked up to Kakashi, knelt down on one knee, and looked him in the eye.
"Your father was the most skilled ninja I ever knew. He shouldn't have died like this. But I can't save him; I can only take care of you in his place."
Kakashi looked up at him, his eyes empty, devoid of tears.
A sharp pain shot through Baiyun Shanjian's heart. He gripped Kakashi's shoulder tightly: "I will teach you everything I know. Swordsmanship, ninjutsu, the laws of survival. The sword your father left you, you must cherish it."
Kakashi lowered his head, looking at the short sword in his arms, the last thing his father had left him, and he gripped it tightly.
In the secret chamber of the Root organization, Shimura Danzo's face was grim. He had painstakingly planned this scheme to suppress Hatake Sakumo's reputation and pave the way for his own people, but he never expected things to turn out this way.
Sakumo Hatake died, but his death caused an instant reversal in public opinion. Those who had previously criticized him now began to criticize those who had criticized him.
"Sakumo Hatake, I never thought you were even weaker than Hiruzen!" Danzo felt a deep contempt for such a person.
In the Hokage's office, Danzo pushed open the door and entered: "Hiruzen, Kakashi Hatake—genius disciples filled with rage—are destabilizing factors within the village. Entrust them to Root to raise; we will surely cultivate them into the sharpest blade!"
"Shut up, Danzo!" Hiruzen Sarutobi showed anger for the first time: "You're the one who's been manipulating public opinion behind the scenes to create this situation. Kakashi is a martyr's remains, and I won't allow you to destroy them any further."
"Furthermore, the Jonin of Mount Baiyun, with the full strength of his clan, accepted him as his disciple, and this matter ends here."
"Hiruzen, you're too weak! Don't you bear any responsibility for Sakumo Hatake's death?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi, sitting in front of his office, suddenly looked up and slammed his fist on the table: "Danzo, that's enough! I am the Hokage!"
"Haha, you're getting angry now!" Shimura Danzo laughed. "Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"
After saying that, he slammed the door shut and left.
Hiruzen Sarutobi stood alone by the window, gazing at the Hokage Rock in the distance. There, the portraits of the Hokage of each generation were carved, including his own. But suddenly, he felt that he was unworthy of the Hokage's position.
-
Inside the underground palace on the other side.
Aburame Shisei looked at the newly sent message, then tossed the intelligence report aside: "I never thought I'd die from rumors in the end."