Only Hatake Sakumo was different. His White Fang title had been earned through sheer effort and dedication!
Hatake Sakumo's body had already been taken by the medical team for an autopsy to confirm the absence of foul play.
"Kakashi, are you alright?"
Jiraiya asked, noticing Kakashi's spirit had dimmed and his gaze had grown cold.
"I'm fine, Lord Jiraiya. A ninja must prioritize missions. My father broke the rules, so he chose…"
Kakashi's words ended abruptly as he turned and walked away.
Inside the house, ninjas were busy checking for spies or signs of infiltrations.
Only Jiraiya remained, brows furrowed.
He had a mission to complete, and only Tsunade and Orochimaru had visited recently.
Little did he know that this farewell would be permanent.
"Old man," Jiraiya muttered with a sigh.
That was why he avoided staying in Konoha long-term, preferring to travel in search of materials and to locate the Child of Prophecy.
Although Konoha's trees were lush, with sunlight streaming through, dappled shadows still pierced the leaves.
"Heh heh… giving up on life, how foolish.
Sakumo's understanding of the world is even weaker than that Uchiha brat."
Orochimaru appeared, followed closely by Tsunade.
"Shut up, Orochimaru," Tsunade said, frowning. Being comrades from the same village, Orochimaru's sarcasm was unpleasant.
Orochimaru glanced at Tsunade's clenched fist and fell silent, noting the faint veins beneath her fair skin.
He then turned his gaze toward the Uchiha clan.
"The strong chose death under Konoha's winds, while the weak chase after them, seeking life and a future."
Was Uchiha Raizen one of his kind?
Orochimaru's curiosity deepened—he too was chasing Konoha's winds.
Several days passed, and Hatake Sakumo's death seemed to change nothing at first.
Yet gradually, the condemnation and gossip in the village diminished.
Rumors began circulating: Hatake Sakumo had been a hero, bravely sacrificing himself to protect Konoha.
"Raizen, will you graduate with me?"
Kakashi asked, his deadpan eyes reflecting single-minded obsession.
"Have you finished filling out the application?"
Raizen threw a shuriken. It sliced through the air and embedded itself deep in a tree trunk.
Three of its four corners were sunk firmly into the bark.
After several days of training, Raizen had mastered shuriken throwing. The power behind each throw had increased by 10%, just as the skill description promised.
"Hmm…"
Kakashi's voice was flat, devoid of emotion. He handed Raizen a form.
Raizen glanced at it—it was merely a request to graduate early.
Kakashi had long mastered the Three Body Techniques, yet had remained at the academy, unable to graduate.
He could even unleash Earth Release: Earth Wave, let alone the Three Body Techniques.
"Then I'll finish it as soon as possible," Raizen nodded.
The Three Body Techniques were required for graduation.
But the Ninja Academy didn't teach only the techniques; Raizen also needed to familiarize himself with theoretical knowledge. His time in the ninja world had been too short.
"…Is that so?"
Kakashi took back the form, eyes visible just above his mask, showing neither disappointment nor any other emotion.
Since his father's death, Kakashi had kept his distance from everyone—Nohara Rin, Might Guy, Raizen, Obito…
He invited Raizen because he knew that being with him increased the chances of mission success.
A ninja's ultimate responsibility was to ensure the mission succeeded. Those who couldn't follow that principle were useless.
Remember to tell me your thoughts after graduation. We can spar from time to time," Raizen said.
Besides swordsmanship, Kakashi might have entries related to Lightning Release.
In the future, after losing his Sharingan, Kakashi didn't return to Sakumo Hatake's swordsmanship. Instead, he developed new Lightning Release ninjutsu.
This shows that Kakashi's abandonment of swordsmanship wasn't simply about severing ties with the past or inheriting Obito's Sharingan.
Perhaps his talent in swordsmanship wasn't entirely inherited from Sakumo.
"Okay," Kakashi nodded, turning to submit his application.
Raizen's gaze followed him.
"This afternoon, I might go check on things."
He threw another shuriken, embedding it even deeper into the tree.
The extremely concerned Nohara Rin would likely come to him for help.
Raizen thought to himself: Well, what should I do then?
His right eye—a dark pupil glowing red—curved into a slight, confident smile.
Nohara Rin should survive.
At the same time, performing well would also help manage Obito.
Of course, Nohara Rin had been good to him. He couldn't allow her to repeat the same mistake—dying in the trap set by Uchiha Madara as in the original timeline.
Uchiha Madara was no longer someone Raizen or anyone else could face lightly; who knew what tricks he had left after removing the tube from the Gedo Mazo?
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