Chapter 100: 96: Kakashi and the Will of Fire (2)
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Kakashi's new team stood at Konoha's gate
"This mission is classified as a B-rank mission" .
The Jonin addressed his three team members with a grave expression.
"A B-level mission? That's quite rare," one of the Chunin said, clearly surprised by the Jōnin's words.
The other Chunin in the team nodded in agreement. Typically, missions were of the C-level, with B-level missions involving actual battles between ninja.
"Who's the target we're escorting?" Kakashi inquired, more concerned with the mission's details than its level.
In response to Kakashi's question, the two Chunin exchanged glances and subtly took a step back, clearly hesitant to be closely associated with him.
The Jonin sighed inwardly, expecting this reaction. He had assigned Kakashi to his team out of necessity. On one hand, it was a directive from the Hokage, and on the other hand, his team needed an enhancement in combat capabilities.
Adding Kakashi to the team was meant to address this deficiency. Unfortunately, Kakashi's problem wasn't a lack of strength. His promotion to Chunin at such a young age was a testament to his prowess.
"We're protecting a caravan from the Land Of Ghost" the Jonin replied.
"Land Of Ghost? Isn't that quite far away?" Kakashi and the others frowned upon hearing this.
The Land Of Demons, a neutral country in the world, bordered the Land of Snow and the Land of Earth to the north, the Land of Hot Springs and the Land of Bears to the south, and faced the Land of Water and the Land of Thunder across the sea to the west. Despite its proximity to many countries, it did not share a border with the Land of Fire.
The Land and the Land of Fire were separated by several countries, requiring a long journey to reach.
"Don't worry, we won't need to go all the way to the Land Of Demons. Our task is to rendezvous with the caravan in the Land of Rain" The Jonin explained.
"Due to the considerable distance between the Land of Fire and the Land Of Demons, the client has hired Iwa Ninjas to handle the journey from the Land Of Demons to the Land of Rain. Our Konoha team will take over for the second part of the journey. Hokage-sama and Tsuchikage-sama have discussed this matter in secret, so there should be no diplomatic issues."
After listening to the explanation of the Jonin, the three of them finally understood.
Indeed, at the beginning of the last ninja war, Iwaakure was also a participant in the war. They had fought against Konoha a few times in the Land of Rain, but Iwa's main force was to deal with Hanzo of Amegakure, so the friction with Konoha wasn't deep.
However, Konoha and Iwagakure were not allies, and their relationship has always been lukewarm.
Given the different paths taken by Konoha and Iwa, it was essential for the leaders of both villages to coordinate such missions to prevent potential diplomatic disputes.
"If there are no further questions, let's depart now."
........
In the vast Forest of the Land of Fire, the team of four sprinted forward.
"By the way, Captain, why is a Land Of Demons caravan coming to the Land of Fire?" one of the Chunin inquired as he caught up with the Jonin.
During the journey, conversation was a welcome distraction from the boring travel.
The Jonin responded, "Actually, this time, the escorted caravan is establishing a presence within Konoha."
Kakashi and the other Chunin were surprised by this revelation.
"The Purple Rose Medical Company. Have you heard of it?" the Jonin asked.
"Yeah, I've heard of it. Although it's a relatively new company, their drugs are superior to others on the market. They've even gained sales in several neighboring countries, making quite a profit," one of the Chunin acknowledged.
"That's correct. The caravan we're escorting is a delegation from the Purple Rose Company. They plan to open a branch store in Konoha, a decision approved by both the Daimyo and Hokage-sama."
"That's impressive. It hasn't even been half a year since the company was founded" the other Chunin marveled.Ñøv€lRapture marked the initial hosting of this chapter on Ñôv€lß¡n.
"This is the skill of others. If the drug they developed was ordinary, they wouldn't get the consent of the Daimyo or Hokage-sama."
The neutral status of the Land Of Ghost provided significant advantages in this endeavor. Had the company been associated with powerful countries like the Land of Earth or the Land of Wind, or even backed by the Daimyo of the Land of Fire or the Hokage, they would likely have faced opposition.
This situation was like the Land of Iron opening a ninja tool shop in Konoha. The Land of Iron's neutral stance in the ninja world war and its esteemed reputation allowed Konoha to extend a warm welcome.
Moreover, many ninja villages hosted weapon merchants from the Land of Iron who set up branches, offering high-quality weapons to ninja.
The Purple Rose Company used a similar approach, leveraging its good reputation, neutral status, and exceptional drug research and development capabilities to gain approval for settlement.
"I've heard their monthly turnover of the company is staggering. It's probably a figure beyond the imagination of ordinary ninja like us" one of the Chunin commented.
"Well, then let's work diligently to complete this mission," the Jonin encouraged.
"But Captain, the pay for these missions isn't much" one of the Chunin complained.
Indeed, missions at the D-level and C-level didn't yield substantial rewards. After purchasing necessary ninja tools, there was often little money left.
"That's the way it is. Perhaps you can find part-time work during your free time"
"That's not possible. We need to focus on training in our spare time. Ninjas need to build their strength to tackle higher-level missions, which offer greater rewards," Kakashi explained.
"Good point," the Jonin nodded.
In the ninja world, the lower a ninja's strength, the lower the level of missions they could undertake, resulting in smaller rewards.
Upon careful reflection, the life of a ninja isn't exactly lucrative. It's only when you're at the level Jonin that things could start to change slightly.
Completing an A-level mission pays a minimum of over a hundred thousand taels, and S-level missions can fetch several hundred thousand taels for a successful completion.
"What did you say? Do you have the guts to say that again? Aren't we teammates?" One of them challenged, grabbing Kakashi's collar.
"As I mentioned, I believed that the two of you had the situation under control, and that expeditiously neutralizing the enemy was the most critical course of action." Kakashi retorted.
Unwilling to prolong the argument, Kakashi turned away, confident that his decision had been correct.
The Jounin intervened, scratching his head and attempting to alleviate the escalating tension among the team members. "Alright, you three, let's not escalate things further. I was observing the situation too, and I can assure you that none of you were in immediate danger."
"We can't get along with him"
The two Chunin reluctantly relented, proceeding to tend to their wounds.
"I simply aimed to minimize the risk of mission failure," Kakashi stated, still convinced that his decision had been the right one.
The Jounin, scratching his head in exasperation, understood that dealing with Kakashi was more challenging than he'd anticipated. He had to concede that Kakashi's psychological issues were more complicated than he'd initially thought, and he gave up on correcting him.
Perhaps it was best if some seasoned Jōnin could properly mentor this prodigious young ninja and send him on missions independently. Otherwise, if things persisted as they were, forming a cohesive team would be impossible.
The Jonin laughed in a light-hearted manner as he said, "Well, I'm sorry Kado-san, you've witnessed an embarrassing side of Konoha."
"It appears that being a Jōnin is no easy feat," Kado sympathetically responded, prompting a wry smile from the captain. He recognized that Kakashi's issues ran deep, and he'd need more than basic correction.
.....
Two days had passed, and the Jonin captain arrived at Konoha, having successfully escorted the mission's target.
After releasing Kakashi and the other team members, The Jonin proceeded to the Hokage Building to submit his mission report.
"Thanks for your hard work" The Hokage greeted the Jonin with a warm smile.
"It's nothing. Although we encountered a minor incident on the road, it has been resolved, and the issue wasn't significant" the Jonin replied.
"I believe I have a good grasp of the situation" Hiruzen stated, his expression turning serious as he reviewed the captain's report.
"Hokage-sama, is there anything else you'd like to discuss?" the Jonin inquired.
However, Hiruzen had a different question on his mind. "Kakashi, is there truly no way to address his issues?" he asked, concerned.
"With my current abilities, I cannot help him overcome his problems. I can't predict how long he can remain on the team in this state, but it's likely that I'll need to find a replacement within a month" the Jonin admitted.
He understood why Kakashi had become the way he was, but he couldn't allow one team member to disrupt the teamwork of the entire team. His responsibility was to safeguard the team's collective interests, not cater to Kakashi alone.
"I see. I'll carefully consider this matter. You may leave for now," Hiruzen replied.
"Please excuse me, Hokage-sama" the Jonin said, bowing respectfully before exiting the office.
Once the captain had left, Hiruzen fell into deep thought. "Are we really considering placing him in Anbu?" he pondered, his brow furrowing.
Kakashi was still too young, lacked experience, and had not yet reached the required level for Anbu. Furthermore, Hiruzen had reservations about inducting Kakashi into Anbu in his current state.
He grappled with a difficult question: which was more important, the mission or the teammates? The answer to such a question...
Hiruzen sighed inwardly. It was a question he felt ashamed to answer. Telling Kakashi one answer would mean denying the other. How could he explain the death of Sakumo? It was an incredibly conflicting question, and Hiruzen himself didn't possess a definitive answer.
"Hokage-sama, Kado, the representative of the Purple Rose Company, wishes to meet with you" an Anbu reported as they entered the room.
"I understand. Please, let him in," Hiruzen said, straightening his expression. Purple Rose Company had entered into a crucial business partnership with Konohagakure, collaborating with both Iwagakure and Sunagakure, and establishing branch stores in these ninja villages.
This had significantly alleviated the medicine shortages in those villages, yielding substantial results. Thus, this business alliance was of great importance to Konoha, and Hiruzen couldn't afford to be rude to their guest.
....
In the evening, at the Konoha Cemetery, Kakashi stood alone before the grave of his father, Sakumo Hatake. He gazed blankly at the black and white photograph displayed there, where his father's eyes held a gentle smile, radiating love for the world.
However, that loving gaze sent an unsettling shiver through Kakashi. He felt like a stray dog, impeccably dressed but ultimately lost and homeless.
"Father, please tell me... why..." Kakashi murmured, his eyes distant.
He couldn't comprehend it. He didn't know what was right or how to proceed. His father had saved his comrades, but in return, he had been dishonored, slandered, and ultimately chosen to end his own life. Then, Kakashi had prioritized the mission over his comrades, but why did they still reject him?
Kakashi grappled with this question, struggling to find an answer. He was baffled, a young ninja who had graduated from the academy at an astonishingly young age, yet this was the first time he had been so confused.
The Will of Fire he had been taught emphasized that everyone in the village was like family. They were comrades, akin to a family, to be protected at all costs, even if it meant sacrificing one's life.
Yet, his father had taken his own life due to his choice to save comrades, which had led to a mission failure. In other words, ninja should prioritize missions; comrades were merely tools for accomplishing those missions. When necessary, their lives could be discarded without hesitation.
So, what was the point of the Will of Fire he had learned in the academy? Kakashi wondered, his thoughts spiraling into absurdity.
As he grappled with these contradictory ideas, Kakashi's mind seemed to split in two. The concepts of "comeades" and "mission" relentlessly clashed in his thoughts, pushing him to the brink.
Suddenly, Kakashi clutched his head, his face contorted in pain. The pain was excruciating, and it felt like his skull was about to burst.
Which path was the correct one? Why had he chosen the mission, yet still faced rejection? If he was wrong, then his father's choice was right. But why had his father committed suicide?
Should he prioritize companions or missions? What truly was the Will of Fire?
Tormented by these conflicting thoughts, Kakashi finally succumbed. He knelt before his father's grave, his hands pressed to the ground, cold sweat beading on his face.
"Damn it... My head... Tell me, Father... What's the right path..."
In the woods next to the cemetery, a figure leaned against a tree, with only half of his face exposed, while the other half of his face was shrouded in darkness.
It was the face of a young male... Shiraishi.
He was leaning against the tree , with his hands in his trouser pockets, quietly listening to Kakashi's vaguely painful moans.
He stopped there for a while, then disappeared from behind the trees without leaving a trace.
