The Day of Sakumo Hatake's Funeral
The sky was overcast, and a light drizzle fell over Konoha.
Regardless of how many villagers had once whispered behind Sakumo Hatake's back, condemning his actions, his death weighed heavily on them.
He was a hero of the Second Great Ninja War, one of the strongest in Konoha, rivaling even the Legendary Sannin—Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Orochimaru. With Tsunade having left the village and Jiraiya wandering the world, only Orochimaru remained among them. And now, Konoha's White Fang was gone.
A towering figure who had once shielded Konoha from countless dangers had fallen—not in battle, but under the weight of the very village he had sworn to protect. The irony was not lost on those who had spoken ill of him. Now, regret lingered in their hearts.
Because of this, the turnout at his funeral was immense.
Konoha's highest-ranking officials, ANBU operatives, clan leaders, and nearly all available shinobi gathered to pay their respects. Even the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, personally carved Sakumo Hatake's name into the memorial stone.
One by one, attendees placed flowers before the monument.
Kakashi Hatake knelt silently in front of the stone, head bowed, lost in thought.
Then, a murmur spread through the crowd.
A path opened as a lone figure approached, holding a black umbrella.
Uchiha Tunan walked through the gathered shinobi, his expression unreadable. He stopped just behind Kakashi, standing in silence before the engraved name.
The tension in the air grew thick. Many of the older shinobi who had fought alongside Sakumo Hatake glared at Uchiha Tunan's back with resentment.
"He's a coward, isn't he?"
Kakashi's eyes twitched as he recognized the shoes of the person speaking.
Uchiha Tunan bowed toward the memorial stone and spoke softly, "You don't understand White Fang."
At those words, Kakashi's fists clenched. His voice trembled with grief and anger as he shouted, "He wasn't a coward! He didn't die because of a few villagers' words!"
Uchiha Tunan's gaze lowered slightly. Then, without warning, he tossed his umbrella aside, grabbed Kakashi's collar, and shook him.
"White Fang didn't die because of the villagers' gossip—he took responsibility with his life.
He made a choice, one he believed in. And he accepted the consequences without fear.
That is what it means to be a true ninja. That is what it means to be a warrior."
The summer rain continued to fall, mist rising from the ground. Kakashi's eyes blurred with emotion.
Uchiha Tunan let go of him, exhaling slowly. Kakashi collapsed onto the ground, his body drained.
Tunan picked up the umbrella, casually brushing off the dirt, and sneered, "With the way you are now, I highly doubt you'll ever live up to your father's legacy."
Then, he turned and cast a sharp glance at Kakashi.
"Oh, and by the way—"
"I won't be coming over to train with you anymore."
"If you want revenge, challenge me anytime. But if you can't pull yourself together—"
"You'll never be my opponent."
With that, Uchiha Tunan stabbed the umbrella into the ground beside Kakashi, providing him shelter from the rain.
Then, he strode away without looking back.
The villagers and shinobi, who had previously looked at him with disdain, now saw him in a different light.
Minato Namikaze knelt beside Kakashi, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"Kakashi," he said gently, "cheer up. White Fang would want you to surpass even Tunan one day."
Kakashi slowly lifted his head, his voice barely above a whisper.
"...That bastard..."
There was a slight choke in his voice.
---
The Uchiha Compound
After leaving the funeral, Uchiha Tunan returned home.
He had done what needed to be done.
Now, with nothing else on his schedule, he decided to pay a visit to the Uchiha clan elder. After all, in front of the elder, he could drop his mask—at least a little.
The sound of wind chimes echoed through the wooden corridors as warm air from the rainy afternoon swept through the compound.
Inside a spacious room, Uchiha Tunan and the elder sat across from each other, sipping tea.
The elder sniffed the fragrant aroma of his tea and remarked, "The village is saying that you killed Sakumo Hatake."
Uchiha Tunan took a sip and smiled faintly.
"I merely crossed paths with him at the right moment," he said. "So, I gave him the send-off he deserved."
The elder chuckled. "I like your mindset. You don't act like a typical Uchiha."
Tunan set down his cup, picked up the teapot, and respectfully poured more tea for the elder.
"If one wants to achieve something in life, they must break free from preconceptions and continuously evolve," he said.
The elder narrowed his eyes, studying him.
"Still," the elder mused, "I don't quite understand. Killing White Fang didn't benefit you. If anything, it caused trouble and worsened your relationship with Kakashi.
Don't tell me you did it out of respect for him. I doubt he could push you toward evolution."
Uchiha Tunan swirled the tea in his cup, then leaned forward slightly, a knowing smile playing on his lips.
"Was White Fang strong?"
"Of course. He was incredibly strong," the elder admitted.
Tunan's smile widened. "But his surname wasn't Uchiha."
"It was Sarutobi."
The elder burst into laughter, finally understanding what Tunan meant.
Raising his cup in amusement, he toasted, "Well played."
Their cups clinked softly.
At that moment, the quiet was interrupted by the rapid pitter-patter of small feet.
A toddler ran along the wooden corridor, his tiny fingers in his mouth, his round eyes filled with curiosity.
"Grandfather," the boy called out.
"Come here, my boy," the elder said warmly, lifting the child into his arms.
Tunan took another sip of tea and glanced at the child. "Your grandson?"
The elder smiled. "Yes. His parents are busy, so he's staying with me for now."
"Shisui," the elder said, looking down fondly, "say hello to Tunan-san."
The child blinked up at Uchiha Tunan and, after a short pause, called out sweetly, "Tunan-san~"
Tunan's expression softened slightly. "Shisui is adorable."
The elder chuckled. "Children are like that. Give him a few years, and he'll be as stubborn as the rest of the Uchiha."
"No," Tunan said, shaking his head. "Shisui will grow into a kind and gentle soul. I have a good eye for people."
The elder raised a brow. "You think so?"
Tunan reached into his robe, pulled out his wallet, and casually counted 800 ryo into a small red envelope. He handed it to Shisui.
"Here. Pocket money from your big brother."
Shisui stared at the envelope, then glanced up at the elder for approval.
The elder laughed. "Go on, take it."
Shisui accepted it with both hands. "Thank you, Tunan-san!"
Tunan ruffled his hair gently.
"I like well-behaved children," he said. "And Shisui seems quite talented."
The elder smirked. "You can't tell that from a toddler."
"Perhaps," Tunan replied, gazing at Shisui with a thoughtful smile.
"But talent isn't everything."
He took another sip of tea.
"Today's tea," he remarked, "is excellent."
The elder's smile faded slightly, an uneasy feeling settling in his chest.
Tunan simply smiled.