On the other side, at the Hatake residence.
Kakashi's face was filled with despondency, his entire being like a lost soul, his eyes vacant as he pondered something.
Clearly.
This rumor had dealt him a heavy blow.
"Kakashi, cheer up!"
"No one believes the rumors outside, everyone knows you're not that kind of person!"
"Yes, Kakashi, don't be sad!"
"…"
His friends had all come over, trying their best to persuade Kakashi.
But, unfortunately.
At this moment, Kakashi couldn't hear a thing.
Instead, his true friend, Might Guy, didn't say much, but his face had lost its sunshine and youth, and he began to grow silent.
Because he could empathize and clearly understood the immense impact of this rumor on Kakashi!
Of course, he also wanted to persuade Kakashi to look on the bright side, but he just couldn't bring himself to say it, because he knew Kakashi would absolutely not let it go.
What to do?
He didn't know!
He silently stayed by Kakashi's side, not saying a single word from beginning to end!
Time slowly flowed by.
To the persuasion of everyone present, Kakashi remained unresponsive, as if his soul had left his body.
Two hours later.
Everyone left one after another!
After all, everyone had their own work and life; they were no longer in their school days, so it was naturally impossible for them to stay with Kakashi all day.
"Guy, you should go back too."
"I want to be alone for a while."
Kakashi spoke, his voice a little hoarse.
Hearing this, Might Guy opened his mouth as if to say something, but ultimately chose to remain silent.
Finally.
He just nodded, then chose to leave.
He could feel his best friend's mood and thought he should give him some private space.
At this point.
The entire Hatake residence returned to quietness. Kakashi sat blankly on the steps in front of the house, silently looking at the White Fang Short Blade left by his father, his palm gently caressing the broken part on it.
It had broken during a battle. Although he found the best repairman, traces still remained on it.
It was precisely because of that incident that he completely gave up his family's sword techniques!
At this moment, he was like a statue.
He sat from morning until noon, and from noon until evening.
By the time the sky was completely dark, and the bright, pale moonlight shone down, Kakashi finally muttered hoarsely to himself.
"Father!"
"It's not like that…"
"Those rumors—are false!"
Kakashi's face was ashen, and his eyes were incredibly obscure.
Finally.
He stood up!
He first created a Shadow Clone to buy groceries on the street, then he went to the kitchen to clean.
Yes!
Since his father's suicide, he hadn't cooked at home, so the kitchen was naturally covered in dust.
Kakashi got to work.
His cleaning movements were gentle, as if caressing a blade.
Twenty minutes later.
By the time he was almost done cleaning, his Shadow Clone had also returned with the groceries.
Kakashi picked up the spatula and made himself a meal of four dishes and one soup.
In the living room, at the dining table.
Looking at the neatly arranged meal, he felt as if he had returned to his childhood.
He first clasped his hands together solemnly.
"I'm going to eat!"
After saying that.
He took a deep breath and began to eat.
At this moment, he ate very seriously, his eyes filled with memories, as if his father was sitting right beside him.
Half an hour later.
After eating, Kakashi washed the dishes and neatly put them away again.
He took one last look at the Hatake residence, solemnly closed the courtyard gate, and his eyes instantly sharpened like blades.
Whoosh!
He directly drew the White Fang Short Blade, his eyes filled with bloodlust.
"Father, wait for me!"
"I'm going to avenge you now, and Danzo is the first!"
After speaking.
He immediately pushed his Body Flicker Technique to its limit, transforming into a white flash of light, and rushed directly towards the Root Base.
Along the way.
Because he concealed his tracks, no one discovered him... Half an hour later.
Danzo, in front of the Root Base, was cursing incessantly.
"Fu Yamanaka."
"Haven't you finished cleaning up yet? I need to know exactly how much was lost!"
"Speed it up!"
Danzo leaned on his cane, his eyes filled with anger.
Root was his life's work, and this confrontation had ruined it all.
Although he carried the most important items with him, the things within the Root Base still represented a large part of his wealth. So, after his falling out with Hiruzen Sarutobi, he gathered the remaining Root members and came directly here to organize the Root Base.
And, in response.
Fu Yamanaka's expression changed. After bowing and retreating, he began to direct everyone to clean up.
His heart was very uneasy.
Clearly.
He hadn't expected that after merely going out to execute a mission, the Root Base would turn into this mess upon his return, and even his clan brother, Yamanaka Kumo, had died.
He had been busy all day today!
Because Root's losses were too immense, and almost all of its stationed personnel had died, he could only urgently recall personnel secretly stationed in other Villages, the Land of Fire's capital, and various other locations, as the reconstruction of Root could not proceed without them.
Moreover... once the Root Base was restored, he might even have to recall intelligence agents, as rebuilding the Root Base as quickly as possible was more important than investigating other ninja Villages' intelligence.
Yes!
For these Root members, the Village's missions always took second priority; helping their Lord Danzo rebuild Root was the most important thing.
Whoosh!
It was at this moment that a white light suddenly flashed.
Danzo's heart suddenly trembled, and he instinctively dodged, only to find his left arm had been severed.
Ugh, good thing!
Fortunately, it wasn't his right arm, which possessed the Sharingan and Hashirama's cells, that was lost; otherwise, his overall combat power would have been greatly reduced.
"Who's there?"
Danzo instinctively roared, then saw the assailant: "You are—Kakashi Hatake!"
And, in response.
Kakashi's eyes gleamed with killing intent. He couldn't be bothered to answer and instead charged directly at Danzo again.
"That Hiruzen, he was wrong again!"
"Attack, kill him!"
Danzo snorted coldly, leaped backward, and then shouted out.
Immediately after.
All Root members present instantly dropped their work and charged towards Kakashi.
"Wind Release: Wind Cutter Technique!"
'Earth Release: Earth Flow Spears!'
'Secret Technique: Mind Body Disturbance Technique!'
'…'
Everyone present made their moves.
Kakashi was, after all, only an elite Jonin. Without Obito's Mangekyo activated, he simply couldn't reach Kage-level.
Therefore.
After only three minutes, although he had killed six or seven people, he himself was in a desperate situation.
No choice!
His Chakra reserves were too low, especially with the Sharingan, a major Chakra consumer, which made it impossible for him to last long.
'Chidori!'
Using the last bit of Chakra in his body, accompanied by a sky full of blue lightning, he charged directly at Danzo.
He succeeded!
Danzo's heart was directly pierced by him.
He also failed!
Because two minutes later, Danzo resurrected.
Izanagi!
Although his Three-Tomoe Sharingan had suffered significant losses, and collecting Sharingan had become very difficult, the problem was that Danzo had caused the deaths of too many Uchiha during the Third Great Ninja War, so he naturally still had some in stock.
"Ah, I failed!"
"It seems my life is truly full of tragedy."
"Father, don't blame me, I tried my best!"
"But, this is good too!"
"Let it end like this!"
Kakashi collapsed to the ground, choosing to completely give up resistance.
He tried his best!
The Root members naturally wouldn't let him go, and they charged directly at Kakashi.
Just as Kakashi was preparing to die, he suddenly heard a voice that was very familiar to him.
"Open Gate, Open!"
"Rest Gate, Open!"
"…"
"Gate of Wonder, Open!"