Chapter 199: I’m Back, For Those Who Can’t Come Back

“All right, shinobi. Think it over yourself. I’m leaving.” “…You…” Kakashi really wanted to blurt out, Kyoichi, isn’t your damn home right here in Konoha? What the hell are you pretending for?! But… Thinking about his own mental state just moments ago, and recalling some of the things Tsunade had said, he kept quiet. Even though he knew full well this was Kanda Kyoichi, the different appearance really did make things feel different. If it had been Kyoichi’s real face, he probably wouldn’t have said this much. It was… strange. Kakashi fell into silence. After a while, he asked, “Can I ask a few more questions?” “Go ahead.” Kyoichi sat back down. If someone’s willing to talk, that’s always a good sign. He hated dealing with those shut-in types who just give up and shut down. Kakashi had been exactly that kind of person before. Honestly, this whole “putting on a disguise” idea had been brilliant. For someone as weird as Kakashi, Kyoichi showing up himself might’ve only made the resistance worse. It was basically Kakashi hitting his rebellious phase. Kakashi stayed quiet for a long time, then finally spoke: “I have a friend. Ever since he became a ninja, he’s never really had any friends. He doesn’t seem to work well with anyone. Would it be better for everyone if… he just left?” “You’re talking about that friend… but you mean yourself, don’t you?” “…Uh…” See-through but not called out. Hey, didn’t I also not call you out for being Kanda Kyoichi? Kakashi felt the urge to flip the table but, remembering the ease with which the other had defeated him, he quietly nodded without saying anything. Endure it! “If you already know the problem is with yourself, why don’t you try to change instead of running away?” Kyoichi really found Kakashi’s line of thinking baffling. To be honest… Even in the original timeline, he’d had a lot of thoughts about Kakashi. It was bad enough that others neglected Naruto, but Kakashi—who was Minato’s student—had never once thought about looking after him. All just because of what Hiruzen and Danzō said? Raising a child like that… weren’t they afraid Naruto would go dark and become the next Uzumaki Menma? And even later on, Kakashi was still lacking as a guide. Sёarᴄh the NôvelFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Of course… That just showed how messed up the whole team under the Third Hokage really was. From top to bottom, none of them had much sense; they all carried a little bit of mental instability. Kakashi fell deep into thought. He couldn’t think of a rebuttal. “If you won’t face things head-on, you’ll always be a deserter. Your father, at least, faced his choices. That’s why I said the one who’s the ‘radish’ here is you, not your father.” Kyoichi spoke calmly. Kakashi’s core knot was his father, Hatake Sakumo. Only medicine for the heart could treat wounds of the heart. Before, whenever Sakumo came up, Kakashi had always been extremely defensive. But today, that sharp resistance wasn’t there. That’s why… They’d been able to talk this long. Otherwise… Once Kakashi joined the ANBU, he’d really find out what it meant to be a lone wolf. “…Thank you. I understand now. Will there be another chance to talk with you again?” “Not so easy.” Kyoichi stood up. Psychology wasn’t his specialty. A few offhand remarks were fine, but any more… He wasn’t likely to slip up, but it really was mentally draining. Besides… If he micromanaged everything himself, wouldn’t that just kill him with exhaustion? “Oh, one last thing. I acknowledge your father as a great ninja, but I don’t agree with his actions. Committing suicide to atone… in some sense, that’s also a form of escape.” With that, Kyoichi waved his hand, slung his sword over his back, and walked away, fully embracing the wandering swordsman vibe. Even though Kakashi saw right through him, the disguise allowed them to talk openly. If he’d shown up as himself, Kakashi probably wouldn’t have been ready for it. … Back in Konoha. Kakashi stood there, momentarily lost. “Sakumo was a great ninja.” That was an answer he’d never expected. Kyoichi had mentioned it before, but Kakashi had always felt like the man didn’t know how to phrase things properly. Only today had he had the patience to listen carefully to the reasoning. And the result? Kyoichi’s words had successfully convinced him. Yes… He’d always known. Hatake Sakumo’s will wasn’t weak. That’s why it had puzzled him so much why his father chose suicide. But now, Kakashi could finally understand a little. The belief in treasuring one’s comrades had led Sakumo to save his teammates. And the suicide? That was because the failed mission had ultimately caused even more comrades to die. “Choice… choice…” Kakashi muttered under his breath as he walked down the road—just in time to encounter Might Guy leading a group on a team jog. Guy had come a long way. Back in the day, Might Guy used to chase after Kakashi, demanding to challenge him. But now, he had a whole bunch of ninja running behind him, doing laps around the village—a full-on performance art spectacle. It was an eyesore just watching it. But… The one thing that hadn’t changed was that Guy still called out to him every time. “Yo, Kakashi! Let’s have a passionate match! Three hundred laps around the village, winner takes all! Loser runs two hundred laps on their hands—what do you say?” “Sorry, not in the mood today.” Kakashi half-closed his eyes, glancing around—and caught sight of a familiar yet strange figure. “…Uh… Obito?” He hadn’t paid attention for a few days, and now this guy was confidently wearing that green jumpsuit? Aren’t you afraid the Uchiha are going to call you in for a clan meeting?! Kakashi stared in disbelief. “Kakashi! One day, I’ll definitely beat you!” Obito shouted. He didn’t feel the slightest bit embarrassed, because as long as you work hard and persevere, you can become a great ninja—that’s what Minato-sensei’s teacher had said. “…Ah. Good luck.” Kakashi half-squinted as he walked away. After a few steps, he suddenly glanced back at Obito, and Kyoichi’s words flashed through his mind. Sometimes, the ones who seem weak on the surface may be the ones who stand strongest when it matters most. And some people… There was no point in asking Obito about the “choosing comrades” question. Talk is cheap. Only when you truly face it do you understand who’s the egg, and who’s the daikon. But… There was one thing he was sure of now. He arrived at the Hokage’s office, bowed deeply to Tsunade, and said, “Tsunade-hime, I’m very sorry to have troubled you. About my application to join the ANBU… I’d like to reconsider.” “No need. Actually, Kyoichi never approved it in the first place. Oh, by the way, there’s a mission in a few days you’ll need to join. I’ll explain the details then.” “…Ah—yes!” Kakashi blinked in surprise, took back his application, and then suddenly realized— Of course… If it had been approved, Kyoichi-sensei wouldn’t have needed to show up and lecture him in the first place. … For now, Kakashi’s matter was settled. With the application withdrawn, at least in the short term, Kushina and the others wouldn’t be bothering him again. Meanwhile, Kyoichi, in the ANBU headquarters, was reviewing the latest reports. As expected, Danzō was making moves! “How many people are in Root altogether?” “Captain, Root is technically just one squad within ANBU—so officially, it should be seventeen people. But counting Danzō’s personal operatives, the total is obviously far higher. Even now, with the Aburame and Yamanaka clans pulling their members back, the numbers are still over the limit,” reported Gekkō Hayate. “Hold off for now. We can’t take down Root on these grounds alone.” Kyoichi tossed the intel aside. Just recalling a portion of Root’s old members would only make Danzō lay low for a while. Taking him out for good would be far trickier. A guy like that… Once you make a move, you’d better be ready to kill him—so thoroughly that even Koharu, the Third Hokage, and Mitokado Homura couldn’t plead for mercy. Kyoichi already had a plan forming. One involved Kabuto Yakushi. The other… Yamato. Right now, Orochimaru had been stripped of everything, his power base basically wiped clean. Even in his lab, Mitokado Homura was keeping watch—that was the price of his research. But Danzō… As both the sponsor and the true beneficiary, you should be the one to face punishment. “Tomorrow’s succession ceremony — we must guarantee its security. Sweep the surrounding villages’ ANBU clean.” “And the Uchiha side…?” “No need to monitor them. Pull everyone back.” “Yes, sir!” Gekkō Hayate scratched his head but still nodded in agreement. Everything was ready; all that was missing was the eastern wind. Kyoichi narrowed his eyes slightly. Danzo, Black Zetsu, Madara — all of you, jump out together. Only after cleaning up the inside can we properly focus on developing outward. Especially Madara… If Uchiha Madara would just reveal even the slightest clue, something Kyoichi could trace back to his hidden lair, that would be perfect — though the chances were almost zero. But at the very least, the Uchiha problem could be resolved. Kyoichi pondered quietly. —— Back home… Konan’s initial excitement had long faded. The admiration she once felt had evaporated in just two or three days. Tsunade’s image at home left little room for worship; if anything, it left people with mixed feelings. The Number One Kunoichi, the Number One Medical Ninja. And yet… This was what she was really like?! That sense of shattered image made it hard to summon up enthusiasm. But still… When she saw Tsunade standing on the stage, draped in the Hokage cloak, Konan couldn’t help but think— What a cool kunoichi! Love it, love it. “No wonder they call her Tsunade-hime!” “Heh, weren’t you all moody and uninterested just a while ago? That’s because from the start, I dragged you right into the deep end, so what you saw of Tsunade was only one side.” Kyoichi chuckled. Konan thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement. True… It was all Kyoichi’s fault! Oh, and Shizune’s too… “If you admire her that much, why not go back and compete with Yahiko for the top spot?” “No, I only envy their presence — I could never become like them. Besides, helping Yahiko has been my dream since I was little.” Konan gave a sweet smile, then fell silent, turning her full attention upward. —— “After the war, I once lost all direction, wandering through the shinobi world. During that time, I saw much death, much turmoil.” Tsunade stepped forward to the front of the stage. Below, the crowd was utterly silent. She turned to look up at the Hokage Rock. And then… “Now I’ve returned! For those who can never return — they died in war, but their will remains — I will carry their will forward, I will carry this village forward.” With that, she turned back to face the crowd. She pulled back her hood, a smile spreading across her face as her golden hair danced in the wind. “Starting today, I will govern Konohagakure. I am the Fourth Hokage!” A wave of cheers erupted below. Konan listened, unconsciously falling into reflection. For those who can never return… “…You wrote that line, didn’t you? Tsunade-sama — I feel like she wouldn’t normally say something like that. Probably just the last sentence was her own.” Konan laughed softly. “It was really good! Thank you…” “Why are you thanking me?” “In Amegakure, many people dream of change. We want to wipe out the bad spirits, but the good will and spirit — those we have to carry on and pass forward. That way, they won’t have died for nothing.” Konan closed her eyes as she spoke. In her mind’s eye, countless shinobi from Amegakure seemed to flash past. But… Rather unfortunately, a burst of cheers from below broke her train of thought. “…This isn’t the time to overthink things.”