Sakumo-sensei is back, so I head straight for him, but as I approach, I notice his empty eyes.
I leave Samui and Mabui to explore the rest of the market and go straight to him.
So the mission failed, huh?
I look around, trying to see if there are any bad rumors, but it's just idle chatter or talk about store supplies. Apparently, they haven't started yet, or I'm far from the source of the rumors.
"Sakumo-sensei."
I call out to him, but he doesn't answer, as if his body is moving only out of pure habit.
"Teacher!"
I lean close to his ear, but he continues to ignore me.
At this point, I have no choice.
I make hand seals and create a shadow clone that tries to steal his sword. When Sakumo-sensei senses this, he immediately punches it, making it disappear and finally paying attention to me.
"Hello, sensei," I say with a mocking smile as I approach him.
But I notice that his expression is still just as dark, so I can deduce what happened given the date we're on.
"Ah, hello, Kenji."
I stare at his expression for a while, so I decide to start moving immediately.
"I wanted to tell you that you are a great teacher and worthy of admiration."
I notice that when I say that, his gaze brightens a little, but I know the effect is minimal.
"Ah, uh, thanks, I guess, haha."
He laughs awkwardly as he scratches the back of his neck, letting me know that he's a little embarrassed.
"It's good to see you back, see you later."
"Uh, yeah, bye."
After saying goodbye to Master Sakumo, I return to Samui and Mabui and take them home, but I feel my brow furrow and begin to plan my own move.
Once home, I let Samui and Mabui go to their rooms to unload their things, and I begin to mutter to myself.
Sakumo-sensei should have failed by now and his spirits are low. Danzo will make his move to defame him, and from the look on his face, I think he was scolded by the elders of Konoha.
I take out a sheet of paper and begin to write in my native language as I sit at a table.
I need to send my insects to keep watch so that as soon as the rumors start, I can send my people to spread counter-rumors that portray him as a hero.
The general idea would be that Sakumo saved his subordinates out of love for the village.
I send a chakra signal to command my wasps and ants, so that no malicious voices will escape me.
If the rumors start, my insects will sniff them out first. And when it happens... I'll already have a counter-story ready.
I return to my sheet of paper and complete the action plan.
-Maki
She comes quietly and bows before me as she leaves a glass of iced tea on the table.
-Yes, young master.
I hand her the sheet of paper and look at her decisively.
"Deliver this order to all the staff. I want it done as soon as possible," I say in a firm, authoritative tone.
She nods and bows to me.
"It will be done, young master."
She walks away, and I remain seated at the table, enjoying my iced tea.
"Ugh, it's bitter," I complain as I add about three spoonfuls of sugar.
General POV
"Hey, I heard that White Fang failed a mission. Isn't that unfortunate?"
Malicious voices began to be heard throughout Konoha, where slander abounds in their words.
"If she hadn't prioritized saving her teammates over the mission, this wouldn't have happened," growled one of the chunin, frowning and staring at the ground.
A younger genin slammed his open palm on the table, unable to contain himself.
"Doesn't she know that the mission is the priority? Why save them?"
But before he could receive support, other voices rose around him, interrupting him.
"Are you an idiot?" another one jumped in, his teeth clenched. "If that were the case, then why go on a team mission if, at the first sign of danger, you would abandon me? I think White Fang did the right thing."
There was a murmur of approval. An older kunoichi, her face hardened by war scars, spoke firmly.
"Thanks to White Fang's actions, those subordinates were able to reunite with their families instead of just receiving condolences."
A heavy silence followed, but soon another voice rose from the back of the room, shaking his head in frustration.
"If it weren't for White Fang's actions, any ninja who prioritizes the mission over the lives of their comrades would create more orphans. And what would that be? A problem for all of us."
Another agreed.
"Thanks to White Fang's actions, those subordinates were able to embrace their families again. Would you rather see orphaned children around you?"
Some nodded, but a jounin with a cold stare stepped forward and replied harshly:
"But if it weren't for White Fang's mistake, the situation with Iwagakure wouldn't be so tense."
Glances were exchanged, some with anger, others with disappointment.
"The situation was already tense anyway," someone interjected from the window, in a tired and resigned tone. "Who cares now?"
The words fell like a sharp blow. The response was not long in coming:
"Will you take responsibility if there is a war?" asked another, with an accusing finger raised and a voice full of anger.
A bitter laugh echoed through the group.
"There will be one anyway, don't be naive, do you think this peace is forever? Whether it's because of the white fang or a simple genin, Iwagakure will find any excuse to go to war," he said with a mocking smile on his face.
The room fell silent. Only the heavy breathing of those present could be heard, as if each one carried the doubt of what it meant to be a ninja: to fulfill the mission at any cost, or to protect those around them?
It was a war of public opinion, where several debated whether he did right or wrong, but after
Kenji's insects detected the Root ninjas, they began their actions.
Thud
The root ninjas fell inexplicably and were then killed by a small silhouette that, after killing them, cut out their tongues marked with the cursed tongue seal and stripped them of their equipment with the excuse that the materials were expensive and he preferred to recycle.
The corpses of those Root ninjas were not found as they had been devoured by "wild beasts."
In the Hokage's office, the situation was tense, both because public opinion was getting out of control and because there were some voices accusing him as Hokage of passivity in the post-war period.
The more Root bodies disappeared, the stronger the faction defending White Fang became.
"If it weren't for the Hokage's naivety, he would have done everything possible to force the other nations to leave us alone, but because of his timid actions, we have to endure constant skirmishes and tensions between the great nations."
A group began to redirect public opinion toward Sarutobi Hiruzen, shouting and blaming everything on the third Hokage.
"Because of the third Hokage's passivity, the other ninja villages think they can trample on us."
And another voice was heard loudly
"White Fang has more honor and love for the village than the Third Hokage."
And many more voices began to shout as if they were at a demonstration.
"The Third Hokage will cause the Third Shinobi World War."
"It's all the Third Hokage's fault."
"White Fang is a hero, not a traitor!"
In the end, both sides of public opinion were arguing, but as more root ninjas fell, the winning side was the pro-White Fang faction, and the target of blame was successfully redirected to the Third Hokage.
The enemy was no longer Iwagakure or the external shadows, but the internal fracture caused by that shadow that started this war of words.
Now inside the office, Hiruzen was arguing heatedly with Danzo.
"Danzo, how did the issue shift from White Fang to me? Do you have any idea what you just did!?"
Hiruzen shouted angrily at the advisor Danzo, his face red with rage and his veins bulging from how exasperated he had been all week.
"It wasn't me. Why are you yelling at me if I'm not to blame for this?"
But Danzo refused to take the blame.
"Do you think I don't know about your ambitions? Danzo, I know you want the position of Hokage, but this time you've gone too far."
Danzo's face grew more bitter the more the Third Hokage yelled.
"Hiruzen, stop blaming me for everything that happens in the village."
But the Third Hokage refused to let it go.
"Don't give me that nonsense," he stood up and slammed his fist on the desk, "if it weren't for you starting those rumors about the white fang, the situation wouldn't be like this."
This time Danzo said nothing, knowing that this was true.
"Besides, your Root ninjas have been spotted spreading that rumor, so you can't say it wasn't you."
Danzo's face darkened as he remained confused.
"My root ninjas? But I haven't ordered them to do such a thing," he muttered to himself.
"We've also found some who were using transformation jutsu to spread them. It's obvious that it was you, Danzo."
Danzo was shocked. How could his root ninjas be so stupid as to use such a jutsu in such a visible place? Furthermore, how did they obtain the root equipment if they were ninjas in disguise? Something didn't add up.
"Whatever. I didn't do any of that, so I won't accept any of these slanderous accusations."
But Hiruzen looked at him with resignation.
"Danzo, I am the Hokage. Clean up your mess."
Danzo's grip on his cane tightened, and he shouted his famous phrase.
"You'll regret this."
And he left the office with heavy footsteps, slamming the door behind him.
A few minutes passed after Danzo left, and Hiruzen lit his pipe to relax.
"Rou."
An ANBU ninja came down from the ceiling and knelt in front of Hiruzen, who is also his son. Rou Sarutobi and future father of Konohamaru.
"Tell me, Lord Hokage."
Hiruzen took a puff on his pipe and spoke.
"I want you to silence all those rumors, whether it's by provoking some other event to divert attention or by getting rid of those who spread those rumors, but do it."
Rou Sarutobi bowed slightly.
"It will be done, Lord Hokage."
And he left as quickly as he had arrived.
Meanwhile, in other parts of Konoha.
After the rumors about the Third Hokage were spread, I ordered my staff to withdraw, as I know that at this point they will begin to hunt them down.
Another thing that surprised me a little was that Mabui took the initiative to inform the Kumogakure agents to cooperate, so that, unintentionally, Kumogakure supported me in my public opinion war, so if they capture any troublemakers, the problem will be redirected to Kumogakure.
I offer a prayer of thanks to the Kumo ninjas in my heart.
I suppose it was because it suits them to have internal conflicts within Konoha, so they will happily cause trouble when they have the chance.
Now that the public opinion battle is coming to an end, it's time to go to Sakumo-sensei.
When I go to Sakumo-sensei's house, I notice that he is quietly training with Kakashi, his face not looking the same as when he returned. He seems to be in better shape after these months of war of bullshit-no-jutsu.
"Young master, what makes you so happy?"
This time I brought Samui with me since today was a holiday, so there was no school, and as I remembered, she was good with the sword.
"Seeing my sensei better gives me peace of mind."
Samui tilted her head in confusion, but then nodded and acted as if nothing had happened.
Sakumo-sensei noticed us and invited us in.
"It's good to see you better, sensei."
He smiled gently and said,
"Thank you."
...
Did he notice? Eh, well, better to play dumb.
"I don't know what you're talking about," I say as I look at Samui next to me, patting her head to divert the subject and attention.
But Sakumo-sensei understood immediately and didn't pursue the subject, instead going along with me and asking,
"Who is this girl you brought with you?"
Now that the subject has changed, I move Samui forward a little.
"This is Samui, a girl I found on one of my bandit hunting missions."
Samui looked at Sakumo-sensei and bowed slightly as I introduced her.
"I enrolled her in the ninja academy, but I would like her and another girl who came with her to train with me."
Sakumo-sensei examines her closely, then looks at me and nods.
"She and her companion can come train with us, but remember to take responsibility for them."
That statement brought a smile to my face.
"Yes!!"
And from that day on, I was able to train alongside Samui and Mabui.
POV Sakumo
The weight of the sword on my back no longer feels the same as before. Before, carrying it was a source of pride, but now it is a constant reminder of the cold gaze of the elders... and of the lives I chose to prioritize. I don't regret it, and yet that decision still gnaws at me.
My mind is still trapped in the echo of the words they threw at me: "You failed as a shinobi, you put your heart above the mission."
As I walked through the shopping district, I heard someone calling my name, but my mind feels so clouded that I don't pay attention.
It wasn't until I felt a tug on my sword sheath that I reacted with a punch, but when it landed, a cloud of white smoke revealed that it was a shadow clone.
Then I saw Kenji approaching me, his gaze feeling as piercing as a sharp kunai.
I forced a smile at him, trying to hide my regret.
"Ah, hello Kenji."
But his gaze felt even stronger. I really can't hide anything from him, can I?
"I wanted to tell you that you are a great teacher and worthy of admiration."
Huh?
For a moment, I feel something inside me ignite, like a spark reminding me that there is still someone who believes in me. My lips curve into a nervous smile, the kind of smile you make when you don't know what else to offer the world.
"Ah, uh... thanks, I guess, haha."
The boy says goodbye quickly, as if he knows I shouldn't take on more than I already have. I watch him leave, accompanied by the two girls who are now in his care.
I stand still for a second. Alone, again.
I take a deep breath, my hand brushing the hilt of my sword. That sword that no longer feels like mine.
Maybe my mistake wasn't choosing to save lives instead of a mission... maybe it was believing that Konoha would value that sacrifice.
The weeks passed and the voices echoed endlessly in my mind. No matter where I hid, they were always there, like blades wearing away at my spirit.
"If you hadn't prioritized saving your comrades over the mission, this wouldn't have happened."
The words came to me like a cold, faceless judgment, but with a crushing weight.
"Don't you know that the mission is the priority? Why save them?"
Another blow, another poisoned dart.
I closed my eyes, but found no silence. The murmur turned into heated arguments.
"Are you an idiot? If that were the case, why go on a team mission if at the first sign of danger they would abandon me? I think White Fang did the right thing."
A different voice, courageous, with a glimmer of hope. I would have liked to thank him, but... what was the point?
"Problem," "mistake," "war." Words that haunt me and pierce my heart like a kunai.
"But if it weren't for White Fang's mistake, the situation with Iwagakure wouldn't be so tense."
I clenched my fists. The mistake. That's what they called me now. A mistake with a first and last name.
My steps felt heavy as I crossed the village again. Every whisper that had once crushed me with contempt and distrust was now transformed into a different rumor, something I almost dared not believe.
At first, I thought it was another round of accusations... but soon the voices began to take on a different tone.
"If it weren't for the Hokage being so naive, he would have done everything possible to force the other nations to leave us alone," I heard a group arguing heatedly.
For a moment, my instinct made me cringe, thinking that they would once again drag my name through the mud. But, like an unexpected bolt of lightning, the conversation took a turn.
"Because of the third Hokage's passivity, the other ninja villages think they can walk all over us," one accused.
Then another voice burst out forcefully:
"White Fang has more honor and love for the village than the third Hokage!"
I stopped dead in my tracks, almost breathless. The crowd that had previously condemned me now seemed to be ignited with a fervor I had not expected.
"The Third Hokage will cause the Third Shinobi World War!"
"It's all the Third Hokage's fault!"
"White Fang is a hero, not a traitor!"
The words struck my chest like an unfamiliar echo, warm, almost painful in its unexpectedness. My heart, hardened by months of loneliness and shame, began to feel something different: relief, disbelief... hope.
My hands, which used to tremble with rage and contained grief, now trembled with emotion. Could it be real? Could it be that not everyone had abandoned me?
For the first time in a long time, his lips tried to curve into a faint smile.
"Maybe... there's still a place for me in this village."
Then, for a moment, I saw one of Kenji's servants put on ANBU gear different from the one I knew, then use transformation jutsu and keep shouting things like "White Fang is a hero, not a traitor."
Thinking that Kenji was behind those rumors makes me feel comforted.
After a few weeks, the Third Hokage sent his ANBU to silence the rumors against him, so Kenji's agents also ceased their activities.
One day, I was training with Kakashi when I saw Kenji approaching with a blonde girl.
It's the same one from that day, isn't it? I see she's grown a little over these months.
"It's good to see you better, sensei."
With these words, I was able to confirm that it was really him who deflected the bad rumors that slandered me.
So I put a smile on my face, thinking how grateful I am for his efforts to help me with this.
"Thank you."
His expression changed to one of surprise and then he became nervous, but then he turned to the blonde girl next to him and began to stroke her head.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said as he looked away.
I laughed to myself, noticing that he wanted to play dumb, so I went along with it and looked at the blonde girl next to him.
He introduced her to me and asked if she and another girl could train together, to which I agreed after examining her a little to check her physical condition.
After he left, I turned to look at the sky, which was clear, and the autumn leaves were flying in the wind.
"Dad, let's continue."
Kakashi called me, and we went back to what we were doing.
I'm glad I didn't make that bad decision. If I had, I would have left my son alone and wouldn't be able to watch him grow up.
Thank you
Author's Note: And here ends the first volume, tell me, what did you think?
Well, I want to tell you that for the second volume I plan to focus on technological advancements, as I have recently been studying chemistry, mechanics, and other things that I would like to introduce into this story.
In the area of relationships, I have no idea, i'm a lonely virgin who never had a girlfriend even at his second half of 20's so I would need your reviews and comments to know what you would like to happen in the future with Samui and Mabui. Also, with the timeline I have, the third shinobi war should be in a few years, so I plan to write about that in the next volume (2nd) or perhaps in the third volume, what do you think?.
But in the end, thank you for your support and for reading up to this point.
I will try to plan things better so I don't end up improvising at the last minute.
Also, keep in mind that I am a novice writer, so I may make several mistakes and not realize it, which is why I greatly appreciate your comments.
Without further ado, thank you and see you next time.
Written by: LeoCreepy