Naruto: From Fake to Real, Deceiving the Ninja World.

Hyuga Kumokawa knew very well that if everyone with a strong attachment stayed here, then given the chaotic and distorted state of the ninja world, the 'Gap' would be extremely crowded.

It's impossible that only Nohara Rin and Hatake Sakumo had such obsessions in the entire ninja world.

Therefore, the reason why Kakashi Hatake was able to accurately encounter Sakumo Hatake after being killed by Pain must be because other necessary conditions were met.

Given the Sage of Six Paths' wish to "transform chakra into bonds connecting people," this necessary condition is self-evident.

The moment that Xiang Yunchuan simulated the chakra aura belonging to Hatake Kakashi, which gradually spread out.

hum!

Like a pebble thrown into a lake, ripples spread across the calm surface, extending into the boundless darkness.

Finally, Hinata Kumokawa smiled and said softly, "I've found you."

He felt that the "ripples" were like touching a reef, with an extremely faint yet exceptionally clear wave pattern returning to him.

Without the slightest hesitation, Hinata Kumokawa followed that faint connection and stepped forward.

Moving forward in this absolutely flat void, devoid of any reference points, is not about relying on footsteps, nor on sight or hearing, but rather a kind of "approach" at the level of the soul.

His movement did not last long; in the depths of the impenetrable darkness ahead, a faint light gradually appeared.

The light had a warm orange-red hue.

That's the color of flames.

As Hinata Kumokawa approached, the firelight gradually became clearer and larger.

A lone campfire burns quietly in the darkness, its flames swaying even without wind, its warmth dispelling the surrounding desolation.

Those few pieces of firewood seemed to burn endlessly, becoming the only source of light in this void, creating a small visible area of ​​about a few meters in radius.

Beside the fire, on a rock, sat a figure.

The person had their back to Hinata Kumokawa, with a white armband embroidered with a red pattern on the cuff of their left arm, and short, silver-white hair that gleamed warmly.

He sat there quietly, like a stone statue frozen between life and death, the firelight casting a long shadow of him against the boundless darkness and silence behind him.

That figure from behind overlapped with the figure in Hinata Kumokawa's memory.

Konoha Shiroka - Hatake Sakumo.

A powerful soul that should have entered the Pure Land to rest in peace, but is bound by unresolved regrets and guilt, and lingers here.

"Is that Kakashi?"

Sakumo Hatake, still with his back to Hyuga Kumokawa, stared at the ball of fire. A voice that seemed calm, numb, and relieved reached his ears.

Hinata Kumokawa did not answer, but walked to the rock next to him, brushed away non-existent dust, and sat down beside him, his movements as natural as if it were the only way he should.

"you……"

At this moment, Hatake Sakumo realized that the figure beside him with the same aura as Kakashi was not the person he knew. He was stunned for a moment and opened his mouth in surprise.

"It's incredible that he could endure more than 20 years of loneliness and suffering in such a place by himself."

Hinata Kumokawa's gaze fell on the stubbornly burning flames before him. As if speaking to the flames or talking to himself, he sighed and exclaimed, "It's really amazing."

This space is, without a doubt, a place through which all the dead souls must briefly linger before entering the Pure Land to slumber.

However, no one would stay in such a desolate place, where there is nothing and no concept of time, for long.

There was no light, no sound, no sense of the passage of time, and no sensory feedback.

This feeling is akin to being locked in a dark and silent room, where every second spent there is a terrifying and painful torment.

Therefore, the fact that Sakumo Hatake could stay in such a horrible place for more than 20 years shows just how deep his obsession with Kakashi Hatake was.

Even Hyuga Kumokawa couldn't help but sigh at the sheer force of this unwavering determination.

Hmm, this near-madman, if he could be transformed into 'Void'...

"More than twenty years?"

Upon hearing this, Sakumo Hatake's body trembled almost imperceptibly.

Time here has long been confused, blurred, and even distorted. If Hinata Kumokawa hadn't pointed it out, he himself wouldn't have been able to accurately perceive how long he had been here.

But soon, a deeper chill seeped from the bottom of his heart, a chill that even the flames in front of him could not warm.

"who are you?"

Sakumo Hatake spoke again, his voice even drier than before. He slowly turned half of his face to the side, the firelight outlining his resolute yet weathered profile.

Those eyes were fixed on the strange figure beside him, filled with an instinctive vigilance and scrutiny honed in his previous life.

"I know what Kakashi means to you."

Hyuga Kumokawa ignored Hatake Sakumo's reaction, his gaze remaining fixed on the flickering flame, his tone calm and unwavering: "You want to see him, Hatake Sakumo."

"You gave up the chance to enter the Pure Land and find peace, and instead endure endless pain and deathly silence here, simply because you can't let go of that deep-seated guilt in your heart, and..."

"I want to confirm one last time whether the son you abandoned, who was only a few years old, is still alive and whether he is living like a human being."

Every word Hinata Kumokawa uttered was like a scalpel, precisely cutting into Sakumo's most painful scars.

Sakumo Hatake's eyes narrowed, and he raised his hand from his knees.

However, Hinata Kumokawa's next words made his body stiffen instantly.

"I will take you away and back to the ninja world."

"Of course, this is a declaration, not a request."

Having said that, Hyuga Kumokawa slowly stood up, looking down at Hatake Sakumo, who was caught in the massive impact, his voice carrying an almost cruel truth:

"I will erase all your memories, emotions, and personality, and I will even make you go to Konoha to kill Kakashi Hatake with your own hands..."

Hinata Kumokawa might not actually do that, but he needs Hatake Sakumo's strong conviction to ensure that the other party gives his all in the battle of the 'Hollows'.

"you!"

Hatake Sakumo was jolted awake from his daze, his eyes instantly turning sharp and fierce, and he instinctively wanted to attack the guy.

However, the next moment, he found that his body could not move, and a cold chill seemed to freeze his soul.

"You have no choice, Sakumo Hatake."

Hinata Kumokawa slowly raised his right hand, without forming any hand seals or saying anything, and the shadow beneath his feet seemed to come alive.

This shadow, manifested from the depths of his soul, had already silently crept up onto his ankle before Hatake Sakumo even noticed it.

"Who are you, and what do you want to do to Kakashi?!"

The usually calm and composed Hatake Sakumo finally revealed the violent and ruthless nature deep within his soul after hearing that this guy was planning to attack Kakashi, and his face became ferocious and distorted.

“If you don’t want that to happen,” Hinata Kumokawa’s face, shrouded in shadow, smiled, “then continue to struggle and fight in pain and despair.”

"Let me see how far you can go."

"Please don't let me down."

As he spoke, the viscous black shadow rapidly spread upwards from Hatake Sakumo's legs, enveloping him, little by little, until it reached his knees, waist, chest, silver-white short hair, and face...

The flames gradually dimmed.

And at the very moment that Sakumo Hatake was completely swallowed by darkness.

The flame that had stubbornly burned for more than twenty years, as if having lost its last bit of strength, suddenly went out with a soft sound.

Hatake Sakumo's figure vanished without a trace, and Hyuga Kumokawa withdrew his hand, his figure disappearing silently into the darkness like a stroke of ink.

After he disappeared, a faint gaze swept across the area, lingering on the extinguished fire.

"Any new changes?"

The aged voice seemed to drift from afar, its tone carrying a thoughtful calm.

Chapter 127 The Uchiha Clan are Cowards Who Only Bully Their Own Fools

As evening fell, the setting sun painted the houses of Konoha with a warm orange hue, and the wind carried a touch of warmth and the aroma of cooking food wafting from every household through the streets.

The lights of the shops on both sides of the street lit up one after another, casting dappled shadows in the darkening evening sky, as most villagers had already gone home to rest.

The Eighth Hokage of Uchiha, accompanied by three members of his Uchiha clan, was conducting a routine police patrol as usual.

Several children chased and played as they ran across the alleyway, their joyful laughter carried long by the breeze, while adults stood on the street, laughing and joking.

However, walking in this seemingly peaceful and warm atmosphere, the four Uchiha members felt no sense of belonging.

Because every time they made brief eye contact with the villagers, they could sense the wariness and alienation that quickly faded from their eyes, making them, who were already sensitive, feel an even heavier weight in their chests.

"Hachiman, did Lord Fugaku actually tell the Third Hokage that we should go to the front lines...?"

Uchiha Inaho, looking annoyed, opened her mouth, about to ask Uchiha Yashiro something, but Yashiro suddenly raised his hand and interrupted her without turning his head.

Uchiha Inaho instinctively shut his mouth, and like the other two Uchiha clan members, followed the Eighth Hokage's gaze to look into the distance.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, a group of people gathered around a street lamp that had just been lit and was emitting a soft glow.

At the center of the crowd was a figure that even the Uchiha clan now knew well.

—Hyuga Kumokawa.

He wasn't wearing his ninja battle uniform today, nor was he wearing the Hyuga clan's clothes; he was simply dressed in plain white casual wear.

His arm was wrapped in thick bandages and hung in front of him, with a few faint red spots of blood showing through, clearly indicating that the serious injury had not healed or was even more severe.

His face was pale and sickly, which made his white eyes appear even more gentle and warm in the light.

"Lord Yun Chuan, how is your injury?"

"Yes, yes, I heard that you captured the commander and the monster of Kumogakure all by yourself."

"That's truly amazing! If it weren't for you, who knows how many more people would have died in our village..."

"Please take these fresh fruits to nourish your body! They're not worth much, but they're a token of our goodwill!"

"Wow, big brother, can I touch your knife?"

The villagers surrounded Hinata Kumokawa, their smiles sincere and warm, their words filled with undisguised gratitude and respect.

Some people offered words of concern and care, others brought fresh fruits and vegetables, and even children tiptoed closer to Yun Chuan.

"Thank you so much for your concern, my injury is much better now..."

"No, no, it wasn't just me. It was everyone in Konoha who helped me complete that ninjutsu, and many of my comrades sacrificed themselves..."

"Grandma, protecting the village is the duty of every Konoha ninja. I was just doing my job. Please don't be so polite..."

"Sure, but don't pull it out, it's very sharp..."

Hinata Kumokawa's voice was calm and gentle, without any hint of arrogance.

His face always wore a gentle and humble smile, even with a touch of just the right amount of shyness, as he bowed slightly and patiently responded to every villager who came to talk to him.

After a child expressed a desire to see the sword at his waist, Hinata Kumokawa even took it out openly, allowing everyone to look at the sword and exclaim in amazement.

The soft light bathed him, outlining a slightly thin yet upright figure, which, together with the villagers' concern, created an exceptionally harmonious and warm scene.

But no one noticed that, at some point, the pupil on the hilt of that sword had opened.

The power of "greed," the "cognitive domination," was activated at this moment.

Hyuga Kumokawa smiled as he addressed the crowd, but his senses were focused on the four members of the Uchiha clan in the distance.

Encountering the Uchiha clan was somewhat of a coincidence, but it wouldn't hurt to make some preparations in advance.

"..."

The four Uchiha stood in the shadows not far away, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords as usual, but their knuckles were white from the force of their grip.

They all recalled the cold stares they received during their usual patrols and the villagers' deliberate avoidance and alienation.

Looking at the scene of "stars surrounding the moon" in the distance, and listening to the emotionally charged words of praise, the group felt as heavy-hearted as if their hearts were filled with damp straw.

"Hmph, the Hyuga clan, they really know how to put on an act..."

Uchiha Tekka's voice was squeezed out bit by bit from between his teeth, like a bitter fruit soaked in lemon juice, carrying a sour and resentful tone.

"Iron Fire".

A slightly deep voice entered his ears, interrupting Uchiha Tekka's words.

Uchiha Hachimoku stood in front of the three, feeling resentful and bitter, but he just silently looked at Yun Chuan over there.