Chapter 99: 95: Kakashi and the Will of Fire (1)
You can support me, read free and 50 advanced chapters on my Patreon.
patreon .com/chizihn
-------------
As Orochimaru walked through the dim and moist wooden corridor, the intersections at each end plunged into profound darkness.
This corridor dangled above an abyss, with nothing but endless darkness below. It was just one of many intersecting passages in this maze-like place.
He advanced steadily into the dark corridor, eventually reaching the end. Orochimaru pushed open a door and entered a room where others awaited his arrival.
"Danzo, why have you summoned me at this hour?" Orochimaru inquired, addressing the individuals seated in the room.
Officially, he was a new member of 'Root,' serving as Danzo's deputy. In reality, however, he was the tool that Sarutobi Hiruzen, his teacher, had placed within 'Root.'
His role was to monitor and limit Danzo's aggressive actions, ensuring they didn't escalate.
Danzo didn't impose the same restrictions on Orochimaru that the typical 'Root' members endured. He wasn't controlled by seals, retained his name, and wasn't treated as a mere machine, unlike other members of 'Root.'
"Take a look at this first," Danzo said, unfazed by Orochimaru's informal address. In truth, Danzo didn't have the means to compel Orochimaru to do anything against his will.
Seated at the desk in front of Danzo, Orochimaru glanced at the document presented to him. His expression shifted subtly upon seeing the plan's title.
—Wood Release Cultivation Plan.
"What is the purpose of this new village research project?" Orochimaru inquired, his voice low, as he carefully observed Danzo's intentions.
"It's aimed at cultivating ninjas capable of inheriting the First Hokage's legacy, using the Wood Release. I hope to gain your assistance," Danzo explained in low voice, watching Orochimaru's expression closely as he spoke.
"Is this related to the Tailed Beasts?" Orochimaru quickly deduced the plan's purpose.
Wood Release, like Sharingan, possessed the ability to suppress Tailed Beasts. However, since the death of the First Hokage, Wood Release had vanished from the ninja world, and no other Wood Release users had emerged.
While Sharingan had been passed down through the Uchiha clan, Danzo, leader of 'Root,' was strongly opposed to the Uchiha clan as a whole.
Unable to control the Sharingan, cultivating Wood Release was an alternative, and it would be easier to manipulate under his command.
"It's not solely for Tailed Beasts; it's also a deterrent against rogue ninjas within the village. We need the power of Wood Release for this purpose," Danzo elaborated. He made it clear that he hadn't eased his vigilance toward the Uchiha clan, and when necessary, he would resort to extreme measures to constrain their influence.
"Really? What an interesting project."
Orochimaru acknowledged, wearing a faint smile. His voice, hoarse and magnetic, resonated in the room.
"The village lost many exceptional ninja in the previous Ninja War. We can't predict when the next war will occur. This is also an investment in the village's future. The power of Wood Release, which has quelled troubled times, will become a sharper weapon than White Fang's" Danzo explained, his tone resolute.
Sakumo's death had dealt a severe blow to Konoha, as he had been responsible for disrupting enemy rear lines during the war. He posed a significant threat to all nations. Now, they needed a formidable weapon to replace White Fang and deter other nations while securing Konoha's defense.
"Is Tsunade aware of this plan?"
Orochimaru questioned, aware that the cultivation of Wood Release required the extraction of cellular energy from the First Hokage's remains, a practice that defiled the sage's remains. Given Tsunade's character, she would never condone such a procedure and might even create a significant controversy in high-level meetings.
"Of course, she mustn't find out. Her knowledge of this would only complicate matters," Danzo replied with a stoic expression, his thoughts hidden behind a facade.
"So, Sarutobi-sensei has approved of this plan, then?" Orochimaru speculated.
Without Hiruzen's approval, Orochimaru couldn't believe that Danzo would have the audacity to tamper with Wood Release. Moreover, the Root's power alone wouldn't be sufficient to study this unique ability.
"You catch on quickly; you truly are the most talented among the three of you. Your intellect, knowledge, and understanding of ninjutsu play a crucial role in advancing this project," Danzo complimented Orochimaru's talents without hesitation.
"It appears that Sarutobi-sensei placed me in Root not only to monitor you, but also to contribute to this cause" Orochimaru remarked, having understood the situation. As long as it benefited the village, he was willing to proceed.
The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, whom Orochimaru admired greatly, had developed numerous forbidden jutsus through human experimentation. These techniques had given rise to various schools of ninjutsu and benefited many Konoha ninjas.
In this village, many things remain hidden, and most of these concealed secrets have secret origins.
The executor of Konoha's darker operations asked, "Where can I locate the 'materials'?"
"Don't worry about this. Volunteers from the village have already been screened and will cooperate in the experiment"
"Good, that's one less concern for me" Orochimaru acknowledged, nodding.
"The experiment is scheduled for next week. I need to review the details and make necessary preparations." Orochimaru stated before departing the meeting room with the plan in hand.
As he walked out of the secret room, Orochimaru surveyed the path ahead shrouded in darkness. He then glanced down at the plan and mused to himself, "Wood Release... I wonder how many lives will be sacrificed this time... Life is so fragile and cheap."
After briefly reflecting on these sentiments, he lifted his head, fixed his gaze forward, and stepped confidently into the enveloping darkness.
...
October had arrived, and the weather grew colder. In the forest, a group of four individuals were racing through the terrain.
"Hey, Kakashi, slow down!" a Konoha ninja in a Chunin uniform called out to Kakashi, who was leading the charge.
Kakashi turned his head for a moment to glance back at his Chunin teammate, who was carrying an injured ninja on his back, obviously struggling to keep up.
Kakashi stopped and stated indifferently, "Throw him away, the three of us will continue to complete the mission."
"Wh-what? What did you say?""
The Chunin stared at Kakashi in disbelief. This was unexpected coming from Kakashi.
Kakashi had often spoken provocatively in the past, but this time, he had crossed a line for this Chunin.
"You're kidding, right? Do you even understand what it means to be a Konoha ninja? How can you say something like that?" the Chunin angrily retorted.
"Are you truly a ninja? You should revisit the basics of ninja training in the academy. Remember, completing the mission is a ninja's ultimate purpose. Since he is a burden, with no combat power, and he will only drag the three of us, so don't worry about him, just leave him here. Or... kill him."" Kakashi retorted coldly.
Kakashi took out a kunai and threw it at the Chunin's feet, letting him make a decision.
His father, Sakumo, chose to save a companion during mission, he was slandered by rumors. And the suicide also proved his father's guilty conscience and fragility.
So, what he has to do now is to choose the mission.
Enrolling at age four, graduating at five, and becoming a Chunin at six. Even if he achieved Jounin status at ten, Hiruzen wouldn't be surprised.
Such a sharp weapon mustn't fall into Danzo's hands to increase Root's power.
Hiruzen could see this clearly.
Though Anbu was indeed a good fit for Kakashi's exceptional talent, he wasn't yet at the minimum age requirement for Anbu.
Moreover, Anbu wasn't an educational institution, and there would be no one to teach Kakashi combat skills and ninjutsu, hindering his development at this stage.
However, Hiruzen was troubled. Regular teams were unwilling to accept Kakashi. Anbu wasn't an option yet. Root couldn't have him.
Should he make Kakashi a team captain? It was likely that team members would soon perish on missions.
Kakashi, who prioritized the mission above all else, was undoubtedly capable of such a thing now.
Never had a Chunin given Hiruzen such a headache. Hiruzen was unsure of where to place him, so for now, he'd assign Kakashi to a team and observe.
....
In Konoha Village, inside the barbecue shop, Shiraishi had invited Kakashi to have some meatballs.
"Kakashi, it's quite rare to see you these days. How have you been? I heard rumors that you've been having conflicts with your teammates lately" Shiraishi said as he held a bunch of skewers, took a bite, and smiled at Kakashi seated across from him.
When Shiraishi looked at Kakashi, he felt an unusually cold and distant aura emanating from him. There was a lack of the usual liveliness in his eyes.
Shiraishi had seen such an expression before, but it was only in the eyes of Root ninjas. It was a look devoid of a name, a future, or even a life. It seemed as if they existed solely to carry out their assigned tasks, operating like machines following preset procedures.
Kakashi responded in a cold tone, not touching the meatballs in front of him. "It's fine. It's just that there have been more burdens in my recent missions."
"They are your teammates, don't say that about them, teamwork is very important in missions."
Shiraishi sighed. It was evident that Sakumo's death had deeply affected Kakashi. He was still grappling with the question of whether the mission was more important or his comrades were. This question didn't have a definitive answer.
Kakashi's current state genuinely concerned Shiraishi.
"I can't cooperate with them at all. They care too much about trivial matters and are easily distracted by external information. A ninja's primary objective is to complete the mission," Kakashi stated firmly.
"Have you ever heard of the Barrel Principle?" Shiraishi asked.
"I don't want to hear your lectures, especially since you're only a Chunin now. You don't have the authority to preach to me. If you want to preach, wait until you become a Jonin" Kakashi retorted, hitting a nerve.
"..."
Furthermore, he continued, "If they can continue to fight, I will naturally support them. But if they can't contribute to the mission, it's only logical to leave them behind. As a ninja, the most crucial aspect is mission completion. When necessary, abandoning your comrades is part of the job, and no one should criticize me for it."
"Do you genuinely believe that?" Shiraishi questioned.
"The person who chose his comrades is no longer here. I don't want to repeat his mistakes" Kakashi replied, reasoning his stance.
This logical and well-founded response left Shiraishi speechless.
"But your comrades hate you, don't they?" Shiraishi inquired.
"That's not your concern. I'm just following the principles that a ninja should follow" Kakashi replied coldly.
"Is that so?"
Shiraishi recognized that it was futile to change Kakashi's mindset, which appeared to be on the brink of collapse.
He took out a bag from his ninja pouch and placed it in front of Kakashi. "This is a special military ration pill of mine and some antidotes. You can use them. Since you prioritize the mission above all else, you must ensure your own safety. Because once you're injured on a mission and can't fight or move, your comrades will abandon you."
Kakashi was momentarily surprised but didn't reach for the bag containing the pills and antidotes.
"Why? Isn't this the path you've chosen for yourself? It's a completely different path from Sakumo-sensei's. Now isn't the time to hesitate," Shiraishi said calmly and with a slight smile.
Kakashi silently accepted the bag and softly said, "Thank you."
"You're welcome. It's what I should do. After all, I watched you grow up. Now that Sakumo-sensei is gone, I'll look after you wholeheartedly. If necessary, I'll inform Ruri that you'll join her team for missions."
"No, that's too much trouble for you. I'll take care of myself," Kakashi declined Shiraishi's proposal.
Shiraishi didn't insist and continued eating his skewers quietly.
"If there's nothing else, I'll head to practice," Kakashi announced as he stood up.
Just as he was about to leave, Shiraishi's voice called out from behind, "Kakashi, do you think Sakumo-sensei made a wrong choice back then?"
Kakashi responded, "Yes, that's why I'm taking a different path from him."
With those words, he had essentially rejected the path his father Sakumo had chosen.
A path he considered wrong.
The route Kakashi was now taking was what he believed a true ninja should follow.
"It appears that his psychological issues are more severe than I thought, this unlikable kid. He and Sakumo-sensei are polar opposites. Are they really father and son? When Sakumo-sensei was at Konoha Hospital, he couldn't have made a mistake, could he?" Shiraishi mused while finishing his meal.
Although Kakashi hadn't been very likable before, he had never uttered such cold words with such a stoic expression.
But the time was nearing; it was the time when one might question the Will of Fire.
In other words, after experiencing these events, Kakashi's heart may have begun to waver.
His aloof demeanor was perhaps a facade, a disguise of inner strength.
What had triggered Kakashi's conflicting thoughts was undoubtedly the current atmosphere in Konoha.
A boring and twisted village.
#######
You can support me and read advanced chapters on my Patreon.
patreon .com/chizihn
