On the day of Hiruzen's funeral, a heavy rain fell.
The sky was overcast, icy raindrops shrouding the entire Konoha village in a sorrowful and deathly silence.
Shinobi dressed in black gathered beneath the Hokage Rock.
No one held umbrellas, allowing the rain to soak their clothes and slide down their cheeks.
Silence. Stillness.
In this oppressive atmosphere, the two leading Konoha's Advisors, Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, stood solemnly at the front of the crowd, their aged faces appearing even more grave amidst the curtain of rain.
Their gazes occasionally drifted towards the edges of the crowd, as if waiting for something.
Moments later, a masked figure appeared soundlessly behind them… an Anbu.
"How is it?" Homura didn't turn around, his voice hushed low by the rain.
"...We couldn't find him." The Anbu's voice held a trace of confusion, "Danzo-sama's presence... it's completely vanished."
"Furthermore, all of the Root's bases are empty, cleared out. No traces were left behind."
The bodies of the two elders stiffened almost imperceptibly.
They exchanged a glance, seeing deep shock and a well-concealed gravity in each other's eyes.
"Dismissed." Koharu waved her hand, her voice still steady.
The Anbu acknowledged the order and melted back into the rain.
"Just what is going on..." Homura's voice held a note of barely suppressed bewilderment, "Danzo... is he truly dead?"
"The scene only left behind an inexplicably massive crater, no signs of a struggle. Even Root has disappeared along with him."
Koharu's eyes turned cold, "This doesn't seem like Orochimaru's work, nor something the Sunagakure's Shinobi could accomplish."
Her gaze swept inconspicuously over the figures standing tall and straight at the back of the crowd, figures who, though grieving, maintained their posture.
"After Hiruzen's death, who are the most unstable elements in the village, besides Orochimaru?" She asked meaningfully.
Homura understood her implication instantly, a flicker of trepidation crossing his aged face, "You mean... the Uchiha survivor? And the White Fang's son?"
"One displayed power far beyond reason during the invasion, and the other just happened to be absent from everyone's sight during that very period." Utatane Koharu's voice was devoid of emotion, "I'm not drawing conclusions, but the timing of Danzo's death is far too convenient for them."
Homura fell silent.
He knew this was mere speculation, without any proof.
But as a higher-up of Konoha, he had to consider the worst-case scenario, 'If it really was them...'
"Pursuing this now is meaningless." Koharu's eyes turned sharp, filled with the decisiveness unique to politicians, "Hiruzen has just fallen. The village absolutely cannot afford a scandal about high-level internal strife and assassination. It would shake Konoha's foundations to the core."
Homura understood her meaning immediately, his brow furrowing tightly. "You mean to..."
"An inexplicably massive crater, Danzo who disappeared along with Root." Utatane Koharu spoke slowly, each word like a cold raindrop, "And... a powerful enemy who invaded the village."
She paused, her voice still emotionless.
"Connecting these events... doesn't it seem perfectly logical?"
"Danzo died by the enemy's hand. And he could only have taken the enemy down with him."
Homura was silent.
But he also knew this was currently the only choice, the one that best served the village's interests.
After a moment, he gave a heavy nod.
The rain fell harder.
Finally, Koharu stepped forward, facing all the mourning Shinobi. Her aged voice, amplified by Chakra, clearly reached everyone's ears.
"Everyone, while we mourn Sandaime Hokage-sama, I have another piece of grievous news to announce."
Her voice was filled with precisely measured sorrow.
"During the recent Konoha Crush, one of the Hokage's Advisor, Shimura Danzo, in order to protect the village, fell in battle against the invading enemy."
These words, like a massive boulder, sent towering waves through the already grieving crowd.
"What?!"
"Even the Hokage's Advisor..."
"Damn Sunagakure and Orochimaru!"
Discussions and suppressed roars of anger rose one after another.
Koharu looked upon this with satisfaction and continued, "In the final moments of the battle, Danzo-sama fought the enemy to the death, using his own life to protect Konoha's final dignity." "
"He, too, is a hero of Konoha!"
'Hero?'
Sasuke, lurking in the shadows, curled his lips into a mocking arc.
'Molding a butcher whose hands were stained with the blood of my clansmen into a hero who protected the village?'
'This village... it was truly rotten to the core.'
Kakashi slowly closed his eye, unwilling to watch the performance of the two elders any longer.
Not far from them, Naruto stood with Konohamaru and the others, his small face full of sadness.
He listened to the discussions about Danzo around him, his eyes filled with confusion.
Although he didn't know that old man called Danzo, if he sacrificed himself for the village just like Hiruzen did, then he must have been an amazing person too, right...
Thinking this, the hatred in his heart for the Sunagakure grew a few degrees stronger.
Amidst the curtain of rain, the portrait of Hiruzen was hung high. His face, which always wore a smile, now seemed somewhat blurred in the rain.
Homura stepped forward and began to read the prepared eulogy.
Sasuke didn't listen further.
He took one last look at that hypocritical portrait, then glanced at Naruto, who was immersed in grief not far away.
'What a pathetic world.'
Sasuke turned around, used Shunpo, and left, finally melting completely into the endless curtain of rain.
…
Hiruzen's funeral had ended, but the dark clouds hanging over Konoha had not dispersed.
In the Hokage's Office, the chair symbolizing the village's highest authority stood empty.
The rain tapped against the windowpanes, intertwining with the oppressive silence inside the room.
The Konoha's Advisors, Koharu and Homura, had faces as dark as the storm outside.
Before them, Kakashi stood quietly.
Naruto, however, was like an enraged young beast, his fists clenched tightly, barely restraining himself from lashing out.
In the corner of the room, Jiraiya stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the wall.
"The matter of Orochimaru's escape can no longer be delayed." Koharu finally broke the suffocating silence.
"And at the heart of that commotion, one person's actions demand an explanation."
Homura took over, his voice cold, "Hatake Kakashi, as a Jonin, why did you stand by and watch the murderer of the Sandaime Hokage leave?"
"And why did Uchiha Sasuke, as your student, attack his comrades and openly obstruct the pursuit?"
"He didn't attack!" Naruto couldn't hold back any longer, taking a fierce step forward and roaring, "Sasuke, he…"
"Naruto." Kakashi's voice was soft but firm, stopping him.
Kakashi slowly raised his head, meeting the scrutinizing gazes of the two elders, his tone calm, "Uchiha Sasuke's actions did indeed fall outside the scope of the mission."
"Outside the scope?!" Koharu slammed her cane heavily on the floor, "He let an S-Rank Missing-nin, the Hokage's killer, escape right in front of everyone! This is an unforgivable grave crime!"
"Not only that," Homura added, "He attacked you and the Anbu with that bizarre Lightning Release Ninjutsu. This is an act of outright rebellion!"
"Couple that with his declaration of 'I only stand on my own side', it clearly demonstrates his dangerous stance of being beyond the village's control!"
"A dangerous element like this must no longer be tolerated!"
Koharu's voice turned sharp, "I propose that Uchiha Sasuke be immediately designated an S-Rank Missing-nin. Issue a highest-level bounty, dispatch assassination squads, and completely eliminate this major source of instability!"
"I object!" Naruto's voice even drowned out the sound of the rain outside.
He glared fiercely at the two elders, his eyes burning with anger, "You know nothing!"
"Sasuke saved me! In the Land of Waves, during the Chūnin Exams, he protected me! He's not a bad person!"
A flicker of disdain passed through Koharu's eyes, "Personal gratitude is insignificant compared to the village's safety."
"I believe in him!" Naruto's voice trembled, "He just has his own ideas! I believe he would never betray the village!"
"Naive emotionalism" Homura coldly assessed.
Just as Naruto was about to argue further, Kakashi's hand rested lightly on his shoulder.
"Naruto." Kakashi shook his head, then turned back to the two elders, his expression returning to its usual calmness.
"With all due respect, Honorable Advisors." Kakashi's voice was steady, "Regarding the proposal to eliminate Uchiha Sasuke, I would like to ask one very practical question."
He paused, his usually droopy eye now sharp as knives.
"Who will go?"
This question made the two elders' expressions stiffen slightly.
Kakashi didn't give them time to think, continuing his analysis, "Given the level of power Sasuke has currently displayed, sending a few standard Anbu's teams to enforce this bounty would be equivalent to sending them to their deaths."
"This, I believe, the Anbu present understand better than I do."
His gaze swept over the hidden Anbu in the corners of the room, they remained silent in unison.
"Then, should we dispatch stronger forces?" Kakashi's tone held a trace of sarcasm, "At a time when the village has just suffered heavy losses and is at its weakest, to hunt down a companion with Kage-level strength?"
"This would trigger a civil war, one that Konoha absolutely cannot afford right now."
"Furthermore..." Kakashi's voice lowered, "To completely push a top-tier asset like Uchiha Sasuke to the opposite side of the village, to make him a true enemy of Konoha..."
"Can we afford that loss?"
Each word struck home, filled with utilitarian and realistic considerations.
Homura's face turned extremely sour, he wanted to refute but found he had no effective arguments.
"A power we cannot control is not an asset, Kakashi," Utatane Koharu's voice remained cold, "It is a blade that could be turned against us at any moment."
"Have you forgotten what he himself said? 'I only stand on my own side.' That is the clearest declaration of betrayal."
"I haven't forgotten."
"I haven't forgotten." Kakashi replied calmly, "But that is also precisely his greatest value to the village at this moment."
"What?"
"A powerful individual who fights only for himself will not be easily swayed or recruited by any external village force."
"In a sense, he remains a deterrent belonging to Konoha."
The intense debate reached a stalemate.
All eyes finally fell upon the white-haired man who had not spoken a word until now.
Jiraiya let out a long sigh and finally stepped out of the shadows.
His gaze fell upon Naruto.
The boy still stood there stubbornly, his eyes filled with trust for his companion.
Even though that trust had been verbally denied by the other party himself.
"Naruto is right."
Jiraiya's voice was low, yet carried an undeniable weight, "The most important thing now is to protect the people who are still alive, not to engage in meaningless internal strife here."
He slowly turned around, his eyes revealing the pressure befitting one of the Legendary Sannin.
"Your concerns are not without merit." Jiraiya's tone was calm, "But Kakashi's analysis is also fact. Forcing a conflict with that kid is the worst possible strategy."
He paused, delivering the final verdict.
"The matter of Uchiha Sasuke is tabled for now."
"Until the village recovers its strength…"
Jiraiya's voice echoed in the empty office.
"Maintain the status quo."
…
Soon, Naruto and Kakashi left, but Jiraiya was asked to stay behind.
"…That's the situation," Koharu's voice was resolute, "Hiruzen has fallen in battle. The village cannot go a single day without a leader. Jiraiya, the position of Godaime Hokage is yours and yours alone."
Homura also nodded, his tone grave, "This is the unanimous opinion of myself, Koharu, and the Daimyo."
"In this current period, only the reputation of you, one of the Legendary Sannin, can deter those neighboring villages who are itching to make a move."
Jiraiya remained silent, merely lowering his head further.
After a long while, he finally spoke, his voice carrying a lingering weariness.
"I refuse."
"You don't have the right to refuse!" Utatane Koharu's cane struck the floor heavily.
"I'm not Hokage material, and you know that better than anyone." Jiraiya raised his head, "My mission is to travel the world, to find the 'Child of Prophecy' who will change the world, not to be locked away in this office, reviewing endless paperwork."
He stood up and walked to the window, looking out at the somewhat bleak village.
"However, I do have a more suitable candidate in mind."
…
The air in Training Ground 3 after the rain was fresh and clean.
Naruto sat alone on a swing, gently swaying. Those eyes, usually full of vitality, were now filled with confusion.
"Kakashi-sensei..."
He looked towards the silver-haired figure not far away, who was quietly gazing at the sky, his voice a bit hoarse, "Why did Sasuke... leave the village?"
Kakashi didn't turn around, his gaze still fixed on the gray sky.
"Sasuke left for revenge."
"Revenge?" Naruto gripped the swing ropes tightly, his face full of confusion and a sliver of hope, "Then... once he gets his revenge, he'll come back, right?"
Kakashi's shoulder twitched slightly.
'Come back?'
'He will.'
'But not to return home. It will be to burn this place to the ground.'
This cruel truth was something he couldn't voice.
He slowly turned around, looking into Naruto's hopeful eyes, and ultimately chose a vague lie.
"He might."
Naruto seemed to grasp at this lifeline, the gloom on his face lightening considerably.
But he soon remembered something else.
"Sasuke said... he was looking forward to seeing how I'd react when I learned the truth..." He looked at Kakashi, asking cautiously, "What truth was he talking about?"
This question made Kakashi's eyes become incredibly complex.
'About Naruto's origins, the truth of the Kyubi, the wrongs this village had committed against him...'
'These heavy things… did I have the right to tell him?'
'Perhaps it should be told by the person who was twelve years late, in his own words.'
"Naruto."
Kakashi slowly crouched down, meeting Naruto at eye level, his gaze gentle.
"That is a very long, and very heavy story." His voice was soft, "And to be honest, I'm not the one qualified to tell you."
"Huh?" Naruto looked at him, puzzled.
Seeing the disappointment instantly fall over Naruto's small face, Kakashi continued, "But there is someone who can, someone more suitable than I am."
"Jiraiya-sama… he will tell you everything."
He reached out and gently placed a hand on Naruto's golden hair.
"He is not only your teacher, but also..." Kakashi paused, swallowing the words 'your teacher's teacher' and replacing them with a gentler phrase.
"...someone who can truly guide you."
He stood up, turning his gaze back to the gray sky. His own 'Will of Fire' became exceptionally clear in his heart at this moment.
As for himself... he would act as the final buffer between Sasuke and the village.
Until the day he could no longer hold him back.
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