As an Uchiha I became the Jinchuriki of Senju Tobirama

Kazuki looked at the tormented Hatake Sakumo and shook his head. This is indeed a dead end for a ninja like Hatake Sakumo.

If he saves his companions, the mission will fail, and the ninja's thoughts about the mission will torture his heart.

If he doesn't save them, then the will of fire in his heart will question him.

Kazuki shook his head. This is the ideological conflict caused by the change from the Sengoku Period to the Shinobi Village Period.

Since the establishment of Konoha, various shinobi clans and civilians have gathered into a village and become companions to each other. Shinobi have also gradually transformed from cold tools who had to go to the battlefield at a young age in the Sengoku Period to 'people' pursuing an everyday life.

But the fundamental identity has not changed.

In order to ensure the reputation of the employer, Konoha still has to declare the slogan of mission first to the outside world, and in order to win people's hearts and establish ties internally, it has played the card of the will of fire.

Sakumo, in this context, was a figure caught in that contradiction, exposed at the height of the change of era.

"Sakumo-san, I want to ask, do you regret it?" Kazuko said softly: "If you could choose again, would you complete the mission or save your companions?"

Sakumo opened his mouth, trying to say save, but the word stuck in his throat.

"Sakumo-san, I have a question, why do all the villagers know about this now?"

"You should be carrying out confidential missions. Even if you fail, it should be a top secret that only the top leaders and elite jonin would know about."

Kazuki changed the subject and looked at Sakumo, who seemed even more disturbed. "I think this is not so simple. Maybe there is someone using the rumors to discredit you."

Hatake Sakumo laughed miserably. "It doesn't matter, Kazuki..."

The protests from other shinobi villages and the mission were classified matters, as Kazuki said. These reports were secret and were to remain in the Hokage's office.

As an Elite Jonin of Konoha, Sakumo knew well that if Hiruzen wanted to stop the rumors, he could do so easily. He would just need to send some ANBU and issue a statement to resolve the situation.

All this only proved that the Third Hokage also had opinions about him.

Hatake Sakumo slowly closed his eyes, with mixed feelings in his heart.

This was the first time in his life that he failed a mission.

But the problem is that he is not the first Konoha shinobi to fail a mission.

This makes Hatake Sakumo confused, why only he has to be treated like this?

Kazuki looked at Hatake Sakumo who was getting more and more depressed and laughed in his mind.

Just as Kazuki expected...

It's not just a matter of the shinobi code and the will of fire. Hatake Sakumo, as a powerful fighting force in Konoha, this matter finally made him see his position clearly and experience the taste of injustice...

Why, why is he the only one who is criticized like this?

In the end, shinobi are not heartless tools. Even though he knew he was not someone in the Hokage's direct circle, it was inevitable that this thought would cross his mind; he is human after all.

Especially compared to the Sannin, Sakumo had been a hero during the Second Great Shinobi War, achieving impressive feats...

If they didn't recognize his merits, they could at least value his efforts, right?

Sakumo did not ask for great rewards or high positions, but it was unfair that because of a situation like this, Konoha's top brass allowed the entire village to attack him without reservation.

He hadn't expected much, just a small show of compassion, a little understanding... but he hadn't received it.

Kazuki looked at Hatake Sakumo's increasingly depressed face and whispered: "Sakumo-san, you don't have to blame yourself for the mission failure. The Hokage has also failed."

Hatake Sakumo's eyes flashed. "Kazuki, some things can't be said casually..."

Kazuki shook his head. "Although I don't know why the Third Hokage didn't take action to stop this rumor, I think he should be able to understand your entanglement. Maybe there is another hidden story, but it is still under investigation..."

"Sakumo-san, you should know that in the First Great Shinobi War, the Third Hokage, Advisor Danzo, Advisors Homura and Koharu, and my grandfather Kagami, were part of the Kage Guards, and were ambushed by Kumogakure troops."

"As Kage Guards, I think the only task should be to protect the Hokage."

"So I think the Third Hokage has experienced the entanglement between the Will of Fire and the Shinobi Code. Please don't be impatient, things will turn around..."

Hatake Sakumo's breathing became heavier.

Even when Sakumo felt unfair in his heart, he only thought of Orochimaru, Tsunade and Jiraiya as comparisons when they failed their mission to stop Hanzo.

He hadn't even considered figures like Danzo in that comparison, but Kazuki's words broke through his last internal defense and made one obvious fact clear to him:

Could the Third Hokage, Danzo, and the other higher-ups of Konoha understand his feelings?

Absolutely.

As for why the rumors were not cleared, the answer was obvious.

The Will of Fire only protects the disciples of the Hokage, not ordinary ninjas like him. Even war heroes with outstanding achievements will be questioned.

Senju Tobirama listened to Kazuki's words silently, and the anger in his heart grew more and more vigorous.

Just as Kazuki had said, the lives of his disciples had been preserved under the will of fire, how could they allow rumors like these to fall on another without lifting a finger?

It wasn't just Danzo, whom Tobirama suspected of being the instigator behind the scenes; he also saw Hiruzen's inaction as alarming.

What was this Third Hokage doing? Why didn't he put an end to those rumors?

At this point, even if Hiruzen decided to punish Sakumo, that would be more understandable.

All it would take would be a clear statement from the higher-ups, a firm position, and all gossip would automatically dissipate; everything would be done according to the Hokage's will.

Silence is the biggest harm.

Even if a strong man like Hatake Sakumo has a humble heart, it is difficult for him to tolerate the discussion of the whole village.

Or, it is precisely because Hatake Sakumo is humble that it is more difficult for him to accept the feeling of being under the scrutiny of everyone.

"Kazuki, don't comfort me anymore..."

Sakumo showed a slight improvement in his countenance, but his words sounded almost like a final sigh.

"Perhaps I have had problems understanding the village and the will of fire from the beginning, and it is only because of my naivety that I have come to this point today."

"I am a little tired, Kazuki, can you let me rest for a while?"

Kazuki looked at Hatake Sakumo silently, and the strange free and easy tone in his voice sounded like a feeling of world-weariness...

At that moment, Kakashi arrived at the house, pale and breathless.

"Kazuki, you are here too..."

Kakashi seemed visibly affected, his lips trembling and his gaze lost, as if he did not dare to look directly at his father.

"Father, something happened..."

Kakashi looked at Kazuki, and a surge of courage inexplicably surged in his heart.

Everything he had heard and seen in the village… if Kazuki hadn't been there, he wouldn't have had the courage to say anything to Sakumo.

"Speak, Kakashi." Sakumo replied, his tone calm and resigned.

Kakashi lowered his head and whispered in a broken voice: "Father, two of the companions who were with you on the mission… have committed suicide. And the others… also blame you."

"They say... they say that they had already decided to sacrifice themselves to protect the reputation of the village and that, by intervening, you exposed their identities and that they really didn't want to fail the mission..."

"I... don't understand why... but now everyone knows. The village is in an uproar..."

Kazuki frowned. "Did they commit suicide? Are you sure, Kakashi…?"

"Kazuki, I didn't believe it either, but it's true. I saw them carrying the corpses out of their houses…"

Kakashi looked at Kazuki blankly, and then looked at Hatake Sakumo. "Father, I don't know what to do."

Kazuki couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

If Sakumo's companions had been manipulated into committing suicide, this was truly ruthless.

If there is no comparison, even if public opinion is directed, there will still be people who will speak for Hatake Sakumo and discuss the conflict between the will of fire and the shinobi code...

But with the comrades committing suicide, this precedent would cause the wind to change in a brutal way.

"Kakashi, do you know who are the two people who committed suicide?" Hatake Sakumo spoke slowly.

Kakashi blankly said the names of the two people. Although he didn't know them, everyone in the village was talking about them.

After hearing this, Hatake Sakumo laughed. "Did they commit suicide? They are really the roots of Konoha..."

"Sakumo-san, what does this have to do with the roots of Konoha?" Kazuki said in confusion, but did not get an answer.

At that moment, Sakumo seemed to understand many things.

From the ambush on the mission, the behavior of his companions, the silence of the high command after the failure... everything made sense.

The companions Kakashi mentioned were actually agents of Danzo's root…

Danzo thought that his hidden agents were extremely secretive, but he didn't know that they couldn't escape Sakumo's extremely sharp eyes, and he had already noticed some abnormalities.

The Root shinobi, due to extreme training and brainwashing, emanated a particular presence, difficult to hide.

Even though they disguised themselves well, Sakumo could tell the difference.

He didn't think so much at first, after all, it was not the first time that the Root shinobi went on a mission with him.

But the news of the suicide, coupled with the moments in which she faced Danzo and could see his cold anger... everything pointed to an obvious conclusion.

Some people want to destroy him.

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