“Testing, testing…” Guy’s voice came through the loudspeaker, tinged with static interference.
Everyone looked up at that speaker.
White Fang looked up too.
Then he heard his name.
“White Fang-senpai, Sakumo Hatake-senpai!” White Fang’s whole body went stiff.
All around him, gazes snapped toward him like a whip.
Stinging stares.
Curious stares.
Mocking stares.
Gloating stares.
White Fang lowered his head.
He instinctively took half a step back.
He wanted to run.
He wanted to hide.
He wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
But his feet felt like they were filled with lead.
He couldn’t move.
The voice from the speaker continued.
“Three days ago, Sakumo Hatake-senpai was on a mission when he encountered shinobi from the Hidden Stone Village!” White Fang clenched his fists.
“He could have completed the mission!
All he had to do was abandon his comrade, and he could have come back to report success!” Murmurs rippled through the crowd.
“Yeah, he should have just abandoned them.” “Saving a comrade and failing the mission?
How stupid.” White Fang’s face turned pale.
He didn’t dare look at anyone.
He just kept his head down, staring at the ground.
What was that kid going to say?
Get revenge on him?
Stab him one more time in front of everyone?
After all, his own son had beaten that kid up.
It was only natural for the kid to want payback.
White Fang closed his eyes.
Fine.
Let him say whatever he wanted.
He was already this far gone anyway.
The speaker fell silent for a few seconds.
Then it continued.
“But!
Sakumo Hatake-senpai did NOT abandon his comrade!” “He chose to turn back!
To save that person!” “The mission failed!
But that person survived!” White Fang froze.
Slowly, he raised his head.
“That person’s name is Tobitake Kaede.
He’s still alive today!
He can still carry out missions!
He can still serve Konoha!” The crowd grew quiet.
Some people began to whisper among themselves.
“Tobitake Kaede?
I actually know him.
I saw him just last month.” “Yeah, I heard he was the one White Fang saved.” The voice from the speaker pressed on.
“The Lord Third once said: what is the Will of Fire?
It is protecting the people you cherish!” “White Fang-senpai did exactly that!” “He protected his cherished comrade!” White Fang’s lips trembled.
He wanted to say something.
But his throat felt blocked.
“But—” The speaker’s tone suddenly shifted.
“Now everyone is cursing him!” “Saying he brought shame to Konoha!
Saying he’s unworthy of being a shinobi!” “Saying he should just go and die!” White Fang’s body swayed.
He’d heard these words countless times over the past few days.
Every single time, they cut like knives.
“I ask all of you!” Guy’s voice suddenly rose.
“Was he wrong?!” The crowd fell silent.
No one spoke.
“Who among you has never been saved by someone?!” Still no one spoke.
“Who among you has never saved someone else?!” The aunties exchanged glances.
One uncle opened his mouth, then closed it again.
“If your own family member was captured, would you abandon them, or would you save them?!” White Fang stood there, dazed.
That kid…
what was he saying?
“Failed missions can be redone!
But can a dead comrade be brought back to life?!” Guy’s voice grew louder and louder.
“What matters more: village rules, or human lives?!” No one answered.
Only the wind blew through.
Then, Might Guy’s resolute voice rang out from the speaker.
“In the world of shinobi, those who break the rules are called trash!” He took a deep breath, and with all his strength, roared out the final line: “BUT!!!” “Those who don’t value their comrades are even worse than trash!!!” “White Fang-senpai!!
You were right!!!” The voice echoed through the entire street.
Bouncing off the walls.
Bouncing off the trees.
Bouncing into everyone’s ears.
Time stood still.
The entire school gate fell into dead silence.
White Fang stood frozen in place.
He looked up at that speaker.
His eyes went from empty, to dazed.
From dazed, to shaken.
To tears streaming down his face.
Inside the broadcast room.
Guy’s hands were trembling after shouting that last line.
Outside the school, White Fang stood in place.
Tears kept flowing.
He’d heard it.
Every single word that kid had said.
He’d heard all of it.
Someone walked up beside him.
A hand pressed down on his shoulder.
White Fang looked up.
Duy stood before him, eyes red-rimmed.
“White Fang-senpai.” Duy gave a thumbs-up, his teeth gleaming.
“I always knew you were right.” White Fang opened his mouth.
“Duy…” “Back when you saved me, did you ever stop to think whether it was worth it?” Duy grinned.
“I was holding you back back then, but you never looked down on me.” “You said: everyone has their own way of living.” “Your way is saving people!” White Fang looked at him.
Looked at this Eternal Genin.
This dead last that everyone always laughed at.
This idiot in faded green clothes.
Tears welled up again.
“I…” He couldn’t find the words.
Duy patted his shoulder.
“You don’t have to say anything.” He turned and pointed at the foot of the utility pole.
“That kid is my son.” “What he said is exactly what I wanted to say.” With that, Duy turned and ran toward the broadcast room.
“Guy!!!” Duy burst through the door and wrapped his arms around Might Guy.
“My boy!!!
You said it so well!!!
Dad was crying listening to you!!!” Guy was squeezed so tight he was seeing stars.
“Dad…
let go…
I can’t breathe…” “I won’t!!!” Duy was crying messily, tears and snot smearing all over Guy’s face.
Guy struggled, but couldn’t break free.
Then a voice came from the side.
“Hey, hey, hey.
I’m still here, you know.” Duy froze and turned his head.
Iruka-sensei stood at the doorway, holding a cup of tea, looking exasperated.
“You two, try to keep it decent.” Guy took the chance to wriggle out of his father’s embrace, gasping for air.
Duy quickly wiped away his tears and snot, grinning sheepishly: “Iruka-sensei…” Iruka waved his hand and walked over to the window.
He pushed it open and looked outside.
In the middle of the crowd, White Fang stood there.
Head lowered, shoulders trembling slightly.
Iruka raised his teacup and gave a small toast in his direction.
He didn’t say anything.
Just nodded.
Then he turned and looked at Guy.
“Next time you use the loudspeaker, give me a heads-up first.” Guy blinked.
Iruka curled his lip.
“I didn’t say you couldn’t use it.” He took a sip of tea.
“And…” He looked back out the window.
“White Fang-senpai really didn’t deserve to be treated that way.” Iruka murmured to himself.
Outside, the murmuring continued.
But the wind had shifted.
“White Fang did save someone.” “I would’ve saved them too.” “But what about the failed mission?” “The mission failed, but the person lived.
That’s better than the person dying.” Some people began to nod.
White Fang stood in place, listening to those voices.
He looked up at the sky.
The sunlight was blinding.
He hadn’t seen the sun in three days.
It turned out it was this bright.
Kakashi stood not far away.
He’d been standing there the whole time.
Watching his father.
Watching Guy.
Watching the expressions on people’s faces shift little by little.
He clenched his fists.
Then he walked over to Guy, stopped in front of him, and stood still.
The two of them locked eyes.
Guy grinned: “So?
How was it?” Kakashi was silent for two seconds.
Then: “Thank you.” The voice was tiny.
But Guy heard it.
He scratched his head.
“For what?
I didn’t do anything.” Kakashi looked at him.
Covered in wounds, face swollen, clothes still stained with blood.
This was “didn’t do anything”?
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something more.
But Guy had already turned around.
“Alright, alright.
We’re going to be late for class.” He walked forward.
After two steps, he looked back.
“Back hill after school.
Want to go again?” Kakashi blinked.
Then he nodded firmly.
“Yeah.” Guy smiled.
Thumbs-up.
White teeth gleaming.
The bell rang.
Students flooded into the classroom.
Iruka stood at the podium, looking at the seat by the window in the back row.
Guy was slumped over his desk, catching his breath.
Kakashi sat in the front row, turning his head to glance at him.
Their eyes met, then both looked away at the same time.
Iruka smiled.
He picked up a piece of chalk and wrote on the blackboard.
“Today, I’ll tell you a story.” He paused.
“A story about a shinobi…” Outside the window, the sunlight was just right.
White Fang stood at the school gate, looking inside.
He looked for a long time.
Then he turned around.
He walked toward home.
His steps were much steadier than when he’d arrived.
[Hidden Quest Completed: Sakumo Hatake’s Fate] [Reward: Monk Points +100] [Reward: Special Training Item: The Weight of a Man (Pair of Leg Weights)] [Attribute: Equip to automatically adjust weight from 0 to 10,000 jin.] “Weighted leg weights?
Nice!” Might Guy’s eyes lit up inside the classroom.
With these, his rate of progress would speed up even more.
Guy clenched his fists.
Now that White Fang’s fate had been changed, he was even more convinced that his path was the right one.
“Next up, Dad!” Three years.
Three years at most!
The Third Great Ninja War would break out.
During that war, Might Duy would open the Eight Gates to save Might Guy, and die because of it.
“But this time, the ending is going to be different!” Might Guy’s eyes burned with unwavering determination.
End of Chapter 12