In Jōdo.
Minato Namikaze searched through the members of Live Chat Group Two, but no matter how carefully he looked, he couldn’t find Sakumo Hatake’s name.
That left him deeply puzzled.
As far as he knew, there was no possibility that Sakumo had faked his death.
If his soul wasn’t in Jōdo…
Then where could it be?
Surely no one had used a forbidden technique like the Impure World Reincarnation to drag his soul back into the world of the living.
Before Minato could think any further, the screen began playing Sakumo Hatake’s story.
[Around Konoha Year 40]
[Sakumo Hatake was assigned a highly classified mission.
As the captain of his squad, he infiltrated enemy territory with his comrades in order to complete the objective.
However, during the mission, he was forced to make a difficult choice.
Complete the mission…
Or save his comrades.
According to the shinobi rules of that era, abandoning a mission was unacceptable.
Even so, Sakumo chose to save his comrades and called off the operation.
The mission’s failure resulted in severe losses.
After returning to the village, Sakumo was condemned by his fellow shinobi.
Even the comrades whose lives he had saved turned against him.
Under the weight of the criticism, Sakumo’s mental and emotional state deteriorated.
Then, on a stormy night, he took his own life, bringing his tragic life to an end.]
The moment the short video ended, both chat groups erupted.
No one had expected the legendary White Fang of Konoha to meet such a humiliating end.
He had been ostracized and condemned by the very village he had spent his life serving.
In the end, unable to endure it any longer, he had chosen death.
If there was ever someone worthy of being called tragic, Sakumo Hatake certainly qualified.
His life should have amounted to far more than this.
With his strength and accomplishments, he could have remained one of Konoha’s most respected shinobi for years to come.
Yet because he had risked everything to save his comrades—
Even the very people he saved had turned their backs on him.
His future had been destroyed because of a single decision.
Live Chat Group One immediately exploded with messages.
[Naruto Uzumaki: I don’t get it!
Why was saving his comrades considered wrong?
Why did everyone blame him for it?!]
[Shikamaru Nara: The video already explained it.
Back then, completing the mission took priority over everything else.]
[Naruto Uzumaki: But does that mean you’re supposed to let your comrades die just to finish a mission?
Which matters more—the mission or their lives?]
[Sasuke Uchiha: Idiot.
If a shinobi can’t even follow the rules, how can they call themselves a proper shinobi?]
[Naruto Uzumaki: Maybe people call anyone who breaks the rules trash.
But someone who abandons their comrades is even worse, isn’t that right?]
Kakashi froze.
Those words struck him harder than anyone else.
[Kakashi Hatake: You’re right, Naruto.
If I’d understood that back then…
maybe some things could have turned out differently.]
[Ōnoki: As someone from another village, perhaps I shouldn’t interfere in Konoha’s affairs.
But I still have to ask—do you people not teach your shinobi anything beyond how to follow orders?
Because from where I’m standing, some of Konoha’s people seem remarkably ungrateful.]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: Don’t twist the situation.
The people of Konoha carry the Will of Fire in their hearts.
They are willing to sacrifice everything—even their lives—to protect the village and those who live within it!]
[Ōnoki: Then explain Sakumo Hatake.
He completed hundreds of missions and rendered enormous service to Konoha, yet he was ultimately driven to his death by his own people.
Yes, the classified mission failed, but he still protected shinobi from your village.
He saved his comrades.
Shouldn’t someone willing to defy the rules to save his people be called a hero?]
For once, even the Fourth Raikage agreed with Ōnoki.
[Fourth Raikage: I don’t usually agree with that old man, but he’s right this time!
In Kumogakure, strength earns respect.
Someone as powerful as Sakumo Hatake wouldn’t have been mocked and pushed around by people weaker than him!]
[Fourth Raikage: Living in Konoha must have been miserable for him.
To think a shinobi like that was pushed so far that he took his own life…]
Danzo’s expression darkened.
[Danzo Shimura: You outsiders should stop using this as an excuse to attack Konoha.
Sakumo contributed greatly to the village, that much is undeniable.
But he also caused Konoha tremendous losses by abandoning that mission.
His achievements and his mistake are two separate matters.]
[Fourth Raikage: I’m not attacking Konoha.
I simply don’t like what I’m seeing.
And since Ōnoki already asked one question, I’ve got one of my own.]
[Fourth Raikage: If Sakumo Hatake was carrying out a classified mission, how did the entire village learn that he was responsible for its failure?
Normally, only a handful of high-ranking officials should’ve known what happened.]
Koharu’s face tightened.
[Koharu Utatane: Are you accusing Konoha’s leadership of leaking the information?]
[Darui: Boss never said that.
He’s just curious.
If you don’t want to explain it, nobody’s forcing you.]
[Koharu Utatane: Sakumo Hatake’s failed mission was indeed classified.
But secrets have a way of getting out.
We never discovered exactly how the information spread.]
[C: I see.
Then would it be fair to say that Konoha’s leadership failed to contain confidential information, allowing the entire village to learn about Sakumo Hatake’s failed mission…]
[C: …and then failed again by allowing public hostility toward him to grow unchecked until he was ultimately driven to suicide?]
[Homura Mitokado: That’s an accusation!
We admit we failed to give Sakumo enough support at the time, but we did not simply stand by and do nothing!]
At last, Hiruzen cut in.
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: Enough.
Stop arguing.]
There was a long pause before his next message appeared.
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: The truth is, I do bear some responsibility for what happened.
As Hokage, I failed to foresee how serious the situation would become.
That was my mistake.]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: Konoha lost an exceptional jōnin…
and young Kakashi lost his father.]
Kakashi remained silent for several moments.
Then he finally responded.
[Kakashi Hatake: Lord Third, you don’t need to keep blaming yourself.
After all these years, I’ve come to understand both why my father made his choice and why the people in the village reacted the way they did.]
[Kakashi Hatake: I only have one request.]
[Kakashi Hatake: Please move my father’s grave into the village cemetery.
Don’t leave him buried alone in some forgotten corner anymore.]
Hiruzen answered immediately.
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: Of course.
I’ll have it arranged at once.]
As the younger generation watched the argument unfold, people like Shikamaru and Choji began to understand Konoha in a way they never had before.
Perhaps the adults who smiled at them every day weren’t always as kind as they appeared.
But Naruto and Sasuke already knew that better than most.