Konoha's Mission Master

"enough!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi, wearing a straw hat and the Hokage's robe, stood in front of Danzo, glaring angrily at Sakumo Hatake.

"Attacked an elder of Konoha Village in broad daylight, Sakumo Hatake, do you intend to betray the village?"

brush!brush!brush!

Members of the Dark Division and Root Division leaped out from the shadows, standing silently in the rain, subtly forming a circle to protect the three.

"Shimura Danzo colluded with bounty hunters to attack my son, Hatake Kakashi. His actions are tantamount to treason. As the head of the Anbu, what's wrong with me correcting the wrongs?"

Sakumo Hatake withdrew his White Fang. He hadn't originally planned to kill Danzo here directly. He knew that Hiruzen Sarutobi had arrived long ago and was just hiding in the shadows, watching the fight unfold.

"Do you have any evidence?"

"Of course... members of the Yamanaka clan of the Anbu separately investigated the memories of two Jonin who were leading the bounty hunter teams. The ones who met with them and brought them into Konoha were Root ninjas, and the place where they were hiding was Root's safe house!"

Sakumo Hatake spoke with reason and evidence, and at that moment, two ANBU ninjas wearing fox masks stepped forward to testify for him.

"What do you have to say about this, Danzo?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi asked with a hint of disappointment.

It's as if it's asking: Can't things be done more cleanly?

…I'm always the one cleaning up their messes!

Suddenly, two Root ninjas escorted a middle-aged man into the arena... This was Danzo's pre-prepared explanation, his scapegoat.

"Just now... someone reported the results of their investigation to me. This person was previously expelled from the Anbu by Sakumo Hatake..."

"And then?" Hiruzen Sarutobi asked.

"Later, I took pity on his difficult life and recruited him into the Root, but I never expected that he would hold a grudge and actually collude with... cough cough... bounty ninjas to plot an assassination... how hateful!"

Sakumo Hatake looked at the man kneeling in the mud. He didn't remember ever kicking this man out of the Anbu. Moreover, there was no fear of death or desire to live in the man's eyes, only indifference and coldness.

"Hey."

He knew that since Danzo had pushed him out as a scapegoat, the records about him within the Anbu must have been fabricated flawlessly.

"Danzo, how do you explain Kakashi falling into a dream and becoming unconscious? Could he possibly control your personal summoning beast... Baku?" Sakumo Hatake continued to press.

"Of course he can't control the Baku... but Kakashi's condition... maybe he's under a genjutsu?"

Danzo countered, "The medical ninja is using the Palm Healing Technique to treat his wounds, but the wounds are still bleeding."

At the moment of impact, Hatake Sakumo injected a large amount of lightning chakra into Danzo's body.

This directly led to... Danzo being seriously injured.

Chapter 105: Both debts have been repaid; there are no more debts owed.

The rain subsided slightly, and the sun began to appear on the horizon.

Sakumo Hatake looked at Danzo, whose face was pale. He was not satisfied with this explanation, after all, Kakashi had almost died.

“I hope…the investigation into this matter will continue.”

Sakumo Hatake said to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Upon hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at Sakumo Hatake, then looked back at Danzo, whose face was pale.

"Now that the mastermind has been found, let's leave it at that. Shimura Danzo... for mismanagement, he is fined six months' salary. Hatake Sakumo's unauthorized attack on the Konoha elder was a serious mistake, but considering his protectiveness of his son, he is punished with ten days of confinement."

Hiruzen Sarutobi remained as biased as ever.

“That’s not enough…” Sakumo Hatake shook his head.

He straightened his back and stared directly at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

This is Hiruzen Sarutobi's last chance...

"I am the Hokage."

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke in an unquestionable tone, severing the last vestige of his relationship with Sakumo Hatake.

“Heh…” Hatake Sakumo suddenly laughed.

It was as if a tremendous burden had been lifted from his shoulders in that instant…

He felt incredibly relaxed all over, and his mindset gradually changed. He calmly gazed at the dim sky.

"At that time, the Hatake clan was on the verge of decline, and its lineage was coveted by others... It was a precarious existence, and I was constantly facing a life-or-death crisis... It was the Third Hokage who protected me, which prevented the Hatake clan's lineage from being broken. This is the debt of gratitude for his protection."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked puzzled... Danzo took a half step forward and listened carefully to Sakumo Hatake's words.

"After graduation, it was the Third Hokage who, against all odds, recruited me into the Anbu. Even during the Second Shinobi World War, he entrusted me with important responsibilities, which allowed the Hatake clan to regain its name in the shinobi world. This is a great kindness he showed me."

"I have sworn to repay the kindness of the Third Hokage, even at the cost of my life."

At this point, Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled.

Sakumo Hatake paused for a moment, looked around at everyone, and continued speaking.

“But…Kakashi is my son…I once swore an oath to the heavens at my beloved wife’s grave to protect her for the rest of my life.”

"But... Danzo ordered Root to become Kakashi's homeroom teacher and repeatedly plotted and instigated Kakashi to graduate early. This move undoubtedly touched my sore spot!"

"But... Danzo ordered his men to collude with bounty hunters to ambush Kakashi here, severely injuring him!"

"The former violated the ironclad rules set by the Second Hokage, and the latter was an act of treason. The Third Hokage chose to show favoritism to both of them without any reason!"

Sakumo Hatake abruptly changed the subject, his words like a sharp spear aimed directly at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Don't talk nonsense!" Hiruzen Sarutobi scolded.

"Good, good, good." Hatake Sakumo laughed several times.

The laughter carried a hint of mockery…

It's unclear whether this was self-deprecation or a sarcastic jab at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"...Then consider it as me talking nonsense."

Sakumo Hatake coughed lightly and slowly emphasized his tone.

"Both of these incidents point directly to... Kakashi, and I intend to kill him. I will not pursue the matter further... This will be considered as repaying the Third Hokage's kindness and protection."

Sakumo Hatake paused slightly, his gaze locking onto…

Hiruzen Sarutobi.

He spoke in a loud voice.

"At this point..."

"...I, Hatake Sakumo, have no more debt of gratitude to you!"

Today, Sakumo Hatake, Danzo, and Hiruzen Sarutobi...

A formal...breakup!

Hiruzen Sarutobi was not angry upon hearing this. In an instant, he understood why Sakumo Hatake had been so calm last time. This sword had become different... his personality had undergone a complete transformation.

Just then... Reiko Aoyama carried Kakashi out of the earthen house, with a pale-faced Yakumo beside her.

Reiko Aoyama spoke to Sakumo Hatake.

"The toxins have been completely removed. Kakashi will be fully recovered within three days. The treatment was very successful."

"Thank you..." Sakumo Hatake whispered his thanks.

Reiko Aoyama's appearance was perfectly timed, breaking the tense atmosphere.

Reiko Aoyama nervously looked around...

Being scrutinized and observed by so many high-ranking Konoha officials at the same time was unpleasant, especially with over forty Anbu members wielding weapons around him. Perhaps only someone like Hatake Sakumo could remain calm and talk eloquently.

Perhaps... that guy can also...

Reiko Aoyama subconsciously turned to look at Yakumo…

They noticed that his face had become even paler, and there were even a few drops of cold sweat on his cheeks, and his legs were trembling involuntarily.

"Wow... what a drama queen!"

Reiko Aoyama chuckled to herself, finding herself less tense than before. She arched her back against Kakashi's back and decided to... continue watching the show.

"Sakumo, have you forgotten... the Will of Fire?"

A glint flashed in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes... and he suddenly asked a question.

The Five Elements Fusion Ninjutsu and Summoning Jutsu: Enma are not his strongest weapons. The Will of Fire, proposed by the First Hokage, perfected by the Second Hokage, and perfected by him, is his strongest and sharpest spear.

"Heh heh heh, the Will of Fire..."

Sakumo Hatake gave a cold laugh, then took a deep breath, as if trying to inhale all the surrounding air into his lungs, before speaking rapidly.

"To collude with enemy spies and betray the interests of one's own ninja village—is this the Will of Fire?"

"Sacrificing one's own ninjas and children to exchange for benefits with enemy ninja villages—is this the Will of Fire?"

"Is this the Will of Fire—plotting to frame first-year students who haven't even graduated from the Ninja Academy?"

"To harm the interests of the Land of Fire and export food at 70% of last year's price in exchange for so-called peace, is this the Will of Fire?"

"To cooperate with bounty hunters and set a trap to ambush and kill the children of one's own village—is this the Will of Fire?"

"—None of these are it!!!"

Sakumo Hatake paused slightly before continuing.

"You, who spout the Will of Fire all the time, are the one in the entire Hidden Leaf Village who has most betrayed the Will of Fire!!"

Sakumo Hatake roared at Hiruzen Sarutobi, as if he had gone mad, yet also seemed to be interpreting some kind of worldly truth.

"The Will of Fire represents protection, dedication, sacrifice, and inheritance; it is absolutely not a means of brainwashing or a tool for abusing power!"

"Shut up, you're insane...!!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi shouted, his face flushed red…

But he simply couldn't do anything to Sakumo Hatake... Confronting the Hokage wasn't enough to bring down Sakumo Hatake, who had distinguished himself in the military and held great power, unless he had a more reasonable excuse.

"You're so angry and telling me to shut up..."