As for the rumors circulating among civilians and low-ranking Ninja, Tsunade had been too busy recently, not even having time to drink, and no one would actively gossip in front of her, so she had no contact with them at all.
The only sounds in the entire room were the monitoring equipment and the rustling of a pen on paper.
"Because of me... I'm an Uchiha...?"
Hearing the faint murmur behind her, Tsunade's writing paused, then she continued writing as if nothing had happened, pretending to be impatient and interrupting him.
"Don't think too much, kid, it has nothing to do with you."
Not hearing him speak again, Tsunade turned to look and found Naraku had fallen asleep again.
He must have been too severely injured to stay awake for long.
"Ah ah ah ah— Seriously, they're all so troublesome!"
Tsunade complained in a very low, exasperated voice, throwing the medical record book onto the soft blanket, one hand on her hip, the other pointing at the oblivious Sakumo.
Her cursing volume was still very faint, but her tone was extremely agitated.
"Why do I have to clean up the mess you left behind!"
"I haven't been to the gambling den in a week!"
"How the hell are you going to compensate me for my emotional distress!"
...Kakashi stayed outside Konoha for three or four days. Although most of the time was spent traveling, not hearing gossip indeed made his mood lighter.
As he neared Konoha, he reconfirmed that the souvenirs he bought for Naraku and his father were fine, and unconsciously quickened his pace.
The weather wasn't good today; it might rain after sunset.
Hurrying, he finally entered Konoha's gate before dark.
He had been a bit nervous, worried that the villagers were still talking about his father, but as he walked along the road, he no longer heard rumors about that matter.
Indeed, as his father had said, by the time he returned, everyone would no longer be interested in it.
That's great.
Kakashi's steps became much lighter. When he got home, he found no one there, and the bedding in the bedroom was left unmade.
Perhaps his father went to the Hospital to take care of Naraku and didn't have time to tidy up.
He decided to take a shower first, wash off the dust and sweat, and then go to the Hospital to visit Naraku; otherwise, he would be too dirty and disheveled.
After a cold shower and changing into his regular clothes, Kakashi packed the souvenirs for Naraku, put them in his bag, and left the house.
The sky was already very dark, and the evening wind carried a hint of coolness, brushing against people and taking away the last bits of warmth.
Passing a small shop selling dango, he looked at the freshly made, steaming dango and hesitated whether to buy a few skewers to take with him.
Two villagers walking together, carrying things, were chatting and laughing as they passed him.
"Did you hear? About White Fang?"
"Mmm, yes, I know, it's because he abandoned the mission, right...?"
Kakashi's recently improved mood plummeted again.
He thought, here we go again, everyone still hasn't let his father go.
When will it ever end?
"Not that."
One of them, who had initiated the conversation, subtly glanced over, making eye contact with Kakashi through the distorted reflection in the metal sign at the storefront, a red light flashing briefly.
After a fleeting, almost illusory glance, he leaned in conspiratorially to his companion and said in a mysterious tone,
"I heard that White Fang seems to have committed suicide out of guilt because of the last incident."
What are they saying?
Kakashi stared at the ground, unaware that he was trembling slightly.
The other person's voice kept coming, distant and ethereal, yet seemingly right beside his ear.
"The mistake he made was simply too severe... As a Ninja, to abandon a mission to save someone..."
"They say he's still in the intensive care unit at the Hospital... and won't wake up..."
What exactly are they saying?
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