You all say I colluded with the Uchiha, so I will grant your wish.
The expressions of the villagers who read the line changed drastically. After glancing around nervously, they formed hand seals and vanished from the spot.
Hokage Building.
Sarutobi Hiruzen had just appeared at the entrance when he saw an ANBU member rushing toward him.
"Lord Hokage, bad news!"
"Understood?"
The ANBU ninja immediately straightened up. "Yes!"
Only then did Sarutobi Hiruzen nod in satisfaction. Walking toward the Hokage's office, he asked, "Speak. What do you have to report?"
The ANBU ninja cleared his throat and spoke methodically. "When I went to Hatake Sakumo's home today, I found a message on his wall."
The ANBU repeated the message on the wall to Hiruzen, then continued, "I checked inside the Hatake residence. I found no trace of Hatake Sakumo or Hatake Kakashi."
Scarcely had the ANBU finished speaking when he saw Sarutobi Hiruzen sway on his feet.
"Lord Hokage, what's wrong? Did you not rest well?"
Hiruzen could no longer hear the voices around him. He felt as if his head were about to explode; a constant buzzing filled his ears.
He had never imagined that making Hatake Sakumo take the fall would lead him to defect directly...
Even if he had grievances, he could have come to discuss them first! How could he take such extreme measures?
And if he was going to defect, fine—but what was the meaning of joining the Uchiha clan?
He was doing this just to spite him!
Sarutobi Hiruzen was already mentally and physically exhausted from the recent events. Finally unable to hold on any longer, he spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted on the spot.
Land of Fire.
Uchiha Yuzuru, Hatake Sakumo, and Hatake Kakashi were moving rapidly toward the Land of Lightning.
A smile remained fixed on Uchiha Yuzuru's face.
Originally, he had only wanted to visit Konoha to watch the drama unfold. He hadn't expected to unexpectedly gain Hatake Sakumo's allegiance.
Although the strength of a Kage-level powerhouse was merely icing on the cake for Yuzuru, the thought of thoroughly sickening Sarutobi Hiruzen and those ungrateful wolves in Konoha made him happy.
After all, losing a Kage-level fighter along with the most talented child of the new generation was a price even Konoha would find hard to bear.
Sometimes, Yuzuru couldn't help but wonder: even if he did nothing, would Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo eventually play themselves to death?
After thinking for a while, Yuzuru looked at Hatake Sakumo and Hatake Kakashi beside him. "Why are you two so serious? Smile a little."
Hearing this, a bitter smile appeared on Sakumo's face. "Yuzuru, from now on, Kakashi and I are rogue ninjas of Konoha."
For a man who viewed honor as more important than life, bearing the title of a rogue ninja was difficult to accept.
"Besides, once I bring Tsunade, Orochimaru, the Hyuga clan, and the rest to Kumogakure later on, who the real rogue ninjas are will be up for debate."
Hatake Sakumo shook his head. Yuzuru was treating him like a three-year-old. Even Kakashi wouldn't believe such a thing.
"Hmph!"
"Keep dreaming."
Sakumo didn't speak, but Hatake Kakashi responded from the side.
"Oh?"
"Dead fish eyes, so you can talk?"
Seeing Uchiha Yuzuru's curious gaze, Hatake Kakashi said angrily, "I'm not a mute, and I don't have dead fish eyes!"
"You tricked my father into becoming a rogue ninja. You don't look like a good person."
After speaking, Kakashi looked at Hatake Sakumo and asked in confusion, "Father, why didn't you try to explain things to Lord Hokage?"
"If Lord Hokage stood up to clarify things, those people blaming you would surely realize their mistake."
Hearing this, Hatake Sakumo sighed. "Kakashi, things aren't as simple as you imagine."
"The reason I was criticized and reduced to a state where everyone wanted to beat me is actually because the Third Hokage was fueling the flames in the dark..."
Since they had already left Konoha, Sakumo naturally couldn't let Kakashi harbor any illusions about the village or Sarutobi Hiruzen. So, he told Kakashi the truth of the matter.
"Kakashi, now you know. Last night, if not for Yuzuru, I might already be dead..."
After listening to Sakumo's account, Hatake Kakashi was so shocked he couldn't speak for a long time.
That kindly old man who spoke of the "Will of Fire" on the podium when the Academy opened—he could actually do such a thing?
Thinking of this, Kakashi bowed to Uchiha Yuzuru and said sincerely, "Thank you for saving my father. I was wrong just now, please don't be angry."
Yuzuru smiled indifferently. "Who would get angry with a brat?"
"If you really remember my kindness, then work hard for me in the future. One day, I will lead you back to slaughter your way across that land."
"If you want revolution, bloodshed and sacrifice are unavoidable."
Yuzuru explained patiently, "Don't always think about being a nice guy. Your father's experience should be proof enough of that."
Recalling the villagers cursing at his doorstep not long ago, Kakashi said gravely, "I understand!"
Seeing the look in Kakashi's eyes, Yuzuru nodded in satisfaction.
Taking Kakashi back with him might mean that guy Obito wouldn't bother him all day long, right?
The three traveled for another half day. While passing a small hill, they suddenly heard a woman's suppressed sobbing and the loud laughter of several men.
Uchiha Yuzuru and Hatake Sakumo exchanged a glance and walked toward the source of the sound.
Taking only two steps, they saw several male corpses lying on the ground. A woman was having her clothes torn by three large men, while not far away, an infant cried on the ground.
Seeing Yuzuru and Sakumo appear, a bearded man hoisted a long saber onto his shoulder and said coldly, "Who are you?"
The answer he received was a blade flash fast to the extreme.
In just a few breaths, the three large men were decapitated.
Hatake Sakumo placed a bag of food pills in the woman's hand and said softly, "Take these to eat. Be careful on the road."
Watching the woman leave with her child, Uchiha Yuzuru said flatly, "You see, Sakumo."
"This shinobi world needs a revolution!"
Deep meaning swirled in Yuzuru's pitch-black eyes.
Along the way, they had encountered many similar incidents.
He wasn't a saint, but the education he had received before transmigrating made it impossible for him to turn a blind eye to all this.
In the current shinobi world, the people at the bottom lived in dire straits every day.
Although his goal was to become the strongest and achieve eternal life, he didn't mind effortlessly improving the current state of the world along the way.
Perhaps the order he would establish in the future would also have flaws, but at least there wouldn't be situations where bandits ran rampant and human lives were treated like grass.
Thinking of this, Uchiha Yuzuru spoke to Hatake Sakumo. "Sakumo, it's not just these ordinary people."
"Even shinobi live precarious lives every day."
"For missions, today you kill me, tomorrow I kill you."
"Hatred continues, eventually evolving into war..."
"Just like a cycle, endless and unceasing."
"No matter how I think about it, I only come up with four words..."
Sakumo asked in a deep voice, "Which four words?"
Yuzuru's aura erupted as he said coldly, "Stop killing with killing!"
Hatake Sakumo fell silent for a moment, then looked at Yuzuru seriously. "Yuzuru, I understand your intentions."
"From now on, I will obey your orders and build a new order with you!"
Uchiha Yuzuru patted Sakumo's shoulder and nodded.
With those words, even if they went to war with Konoha in the future, Sakumo certainly wouldn't be soft-hearted.
Calming his mood, Yuzuru turned to look at Hatake Kakashi behind him and suddenly asked, "Kakashi, why is your face red?"
"You didn't just see something you shouldn't have seen, did you?"
Hearing this, Kakashi's eyes panicked, and he stammered, "I-I-I absolutely didn't see anything!"
"No matter what it was, if I say I didn't see it, I didn't see it."
Seeing Kakashi's guilty look, Yuzuru took out a book and quietly stuffed it into Kakashi's hand.
"Be careful when you read it. Don't let your father find out."
Kakashi curiously flipped a few pages, then immediately hid the book in his shirt.
"Hahahaha..."
Uchiha Yuzuru laughed aloud.
Although he was suspected of corrupting a minor, interacting with characters from the original story like this was truly interesting.
Kumogakure.
Raikage Building.
Raikage's Office.
The Third Raikage looked at Hatake Sakumo and Hatake Kakashi, asking with a face full of disbelief, "Yuzuru, you really abducted Hatake Sakumo?"
Then, the Third Raikage burst into laughter, slapping Yuzuru heavily on the shoulder. "Yuzuru, you are Kumogakure's lucky star!"
Hatake Sakumo's strength was acknowledged by every shinobi village. Even with the Third Raikage's domineering personality, he had once helplessly issued the order to "abandon the mission unconditionally if you encounter Konoha's White Fang."
Now, such a powerhouse was actually willing to bring his son and join their Kumogakure...
It was simply like a dream!
First the Uchiha clan and the Uzumaki orphans, and now Hatake Sakumo and Hatake Kakashi...
Those guys in Konoha, is there actually something wrong with their brains?
Throwing the thought aside, the Third Raikage said to Sakumo, "Sakumo, settle down peacefully in Kumogakure from now on. If you have any issues, find Yuzuru, or find me."
The Third Raikage's attitude put Sakumo's heart, which had been in suspense, at ease.
After all... among the shinobi he had killed in the past, there was no shortage of Kumogakure's finest.
After chatting briefly, Uchiha Yuzuru and Hatake Sakumo left the Raikage Building.
Walking on the street, Sakumo couldn't help but say, "Yuzuru, I didn't expect you to have such great authority in Kumogakure."
Recalling how the Third Raikage and Uchiha Yuzuru had interacted just now, Sakumo felt it was somewhat inconceivable.
-----
Read up to 20 advanced chapters on my P@treon.
[email protected]/fanfictionsimp