Kakashi seemed to know who had arrived. A faint trace of surprise flickered across his face, as if he hadn't expected this particular person to appear in a place like this.
Uchiha Zoro stood behind him, dressed in a black coat that blended into the gray of the rain. Without a word, he raised the umbrella slightly, shielding Kakashi from the relentless downpour. Then, with quiet respect, he lowered his head toward the small, unmarked mound of earth before them.
Stepping forward, Zoro knelt on one knee. He did not care that the wet ground soaked through his clothes, the mud clinging to the fabric of his coat. From his hand, he carefully placed a bouquet before the grave—flowers meant for a fallen hero.
"What are you doing here?"
Kakashi's voice was low, carrying both confusion and guarded caution. The name Uchiha Zoro had already spread throughout Konoha. Some even claimed he was the greatest genius the village had ever produced.
Zoro did not answer him.
He simply remained there, his gaze fixed on the mound of earth, calm and unmoving.
Time had passed since Sakumo Hatake's death, and Kakashi's emotions had dulled compared to before. If this had been in the immediate aftermath, he likely wouldn't have even turned his head—he would have left without a word, unwilling to let anyone approach or judge his father.
"He was a hero."
Zoro's voice was steady, devoid of hesitation, as if he were stating something self-evident.
Kakashi's pupils contracted instantly.
"A hero? What a ridiculous hero." Kakashi let out a faint, cold laugh. "He was just a coward who broke the village's rules, then killed himself out of guilt."
Hearing him speak like that, Zoro shook his head slightly.
He understood.
Kakashi wasn't mocking his father—he was resenting him. Resenting the fact that Sakumo had left him behind and chosen to die alone.
"Uncle Sakumo's swordsmanship was exceptional. If he were still alive, I would have wanted to learn from him."
From the corner of his eye, Zoro caught faint movements within the shadows surrounding the cemetery. His gaze remained steady, but his thoughts sank slightly.
As expected.
The Third Hokage had never truly taken his eyes off Kakashi.
With ANBU watching, Zoro couldn't speak freely.
Hearing that unreserved admiration, Kakashi's expression flickered.
For a brief moment, it felt as though he had returned to the past.
Back then, he had been proud of his father.
Everywhere they went, people spoke of Sakumo Hatake with admiration. His name carried weight. Respect.
But now—
His father had become someone reviled by the entire village.
In the end, he wasn't even granted a proper tombstone.
All because of a single stain.
A stain called abandoning a mission for the sake of his comrades.
And with that, everything he had ever done was erased.
Kakashi said nothing for a long time. His eyes dimmed, sinking deeper into memories he could neither escape nor fully accept.
"Your father deserved respect. I think you should feel the same. And his love for you… you must have felt it too."
Zoro's quiet voice pulled him back.
The sound of rain filled the air, heavy and chaotic, mirroring the conflict within Kakashi's heart.
"But at least you experienced that love once. Even if it's gone now, those memories are still yours, aren't they?"
"Zoro-kun…"
Kakashi froze slightly, a hint of surprise crossing his face.
"Sorry. I made you remember something painful."
Seeing Kakashi respond like this—apologizing, even trying to comfort him—Zoro knew the moment he had been waiting for had arrived.
"It's fine. My father was an excellent inheritor of the Will of Fire… even though I never met him."
Zoro's smile carried a trace of bitterness.
If not for his grandfather's position within the clan, he could already imagine what his childhood would have been like.
Perhaps even worse than Naruto's.
The Uchiha valued strength above all else. Without protection, the weak had no place there. They disappeared quietly. Forgotten.
"The Will of Fire…"
Kakashi murmured the words unconsciously.
As he looked at the faint bitterness in Zoro's expression, something heavy pressed against his chest again and again, like a dull hammer.
His father had abandoned a mission for his comrades.
And for that, he had been condemned.
Then what exactly was the Will of Fire?
Was it the will to complete the mission no matter the cost—even if it meant sacrificing those same comrades?
If so…
what did it even stand for?
Seeing the confusion begin to take root in Kakashi's eyes, Zoro knew his purpose here had been fulfilled.
"Kakashi-kun, we're both in difficult positions. I hope you can find your way out of this. While we're still alive… we should at least try to do something."
Zoro reached out and gave him a light pat on the shoulder, then pressed the umbrella into Kakashi's hand.
Without looking back, he stepped away, letting the rain soak into his own clothes as he left the cemetery.
After his departure, silence returned.
Only the sound of rain remained.
Hidden in the shadows, several pairs of eyes quietly withdrew as well, their presence fading without a trace.
Back in the Uchiha compound, just as Zoro had expected, a summons arrived.
From Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"I wonder what you called me here for."
After being searched by ANBU, Zoro entered the Hokage's office.
Inside, Hiruzen sat behind his desk, holding his pipe, smoke curling slowly into the air.
"I heard you went to see Kakashi Hatake. How is he doing?"
Hiruzen spoke first, his tone mild, as if it were simple concern.
"Kakashi is an excellent ninja. I believe he'll recover soon."
Zoro answered calmly, his expression unchanged, his gaze steady.
"Mm. That's good."
Hiruzen nodded, taking a slow draw from his pipe.
"Then tell me—what do you think about the death of the White Fang?"
The corners of his eyes narrowed slightly.
The question sounded casual.
But it wasn't.
This was a test.
If Zoro's answer didn't satisfy him, gaining the Third Hokage's trust would become far more difficult.
Zoro's mind moved quickly.
This was the moment he had anticipated.
He could choose to echo the village's stance—condemn Sakumo Hatake, align himself with public opinion, and earn Hiruzen's approval.
But—
what if Kakashi was listening?
Hidden somewhere in this very room?
If that were the case, everything he had done earlier would collapse.
He might even turn Kakashi into an enemy.
As expected of someone like Hiruzen.
The trap was subtle.
Fortunately, Zoro had already prepared for this.
Almost immediately, he answered:
"Regarding the White Fang… I don't know much beyond the rumors. It's said he chose to take his own life. And the fact that he made that decision for the sake of the Will of Fire—at the very least, I believe that deserves acknowledgment."
"Mm? So you're saying abandoning a mission is something worthy of acknowledgment?"
Hiruzen pressed further.
That only made Zoro more certain.
Kakashi was very likely listening from somewhere nearby.