"Everyone, stop! If you keep making a fuss, the Anbu will come."
Pengmu Kangfu looked in the direction of the voice, and his gaze was immediately drawn to Kakashi's silver-white short hair.
"It's White Fang-sama's..."
He looked behind Kakashi, where a group of children of similar age stood, staring intently at him.
'No wonder those two brats used underhanded tricks to ambush me... How unlucky!'
Pengmu Kangfu clenched his fists, his eyes downcast, unsure what he was thinking.
"I wasn't wrong. I'm not a coward, or rather... there are no coward Ninja in Konoha Village."
Kakashi's gaze swept over the Ninja sharing a table with Pengmu Kangfu, finally resting on him: "I didn't say you were wrong either."
"Hmph!"
Toki walked up to Kakashi, the contempt and disdain in his eyes almost overflowing.
Obito followed closely, scolding, "I truly wish White Fang-sama hadn't saved you. You'd look much better lying beneath the Hero's Monument than sitting here spouting nonsense!"
Pengmu Kangfu choked on those words, his expression changing repeatedly, but in the end, he stubbornly insisted, "I wasn't wrong! A Ninja should prioritize the mission! White Fang-sama's choice caused the Village to suffer losses, and even I don't want to see that!"
He was foolish, but also clever.
His words weren't meant for Kakashi and the others, but for the other Ninja in the barbecue restaurant who were observing.
"I already said he's not worth listening to. What's there to talk about? Let's go back," Toki said, pulling the two of them to leave.
As soon as they returned to their seats, Pengmu Kangfu and the others at the next table paid their bill and left. The barbecue restaurant also became much quieter; no one dared to mention the words "White Fang" again.
Kakashi didn't pick up his chopsticks again; instead, he picked up his cup and took a large gulp of water, his movements like he was drinking alcohol.
"Toki, you say... when will this matter end?"
Toki thought seriously for a moment and replied, "It should be soon, probably in the next day or two."
"Why?" Kakashi was a little surprised, curious why he was so certain.
Toki turned his head to look at the Hokage Rock outside the window: "Hokage-sama cannot constantly sit by and watch the situation develop. Even though this matter has become a big deal, as long as Hokage-sama takes action, he can quickly stop it."
Kakashi nodded thoughtfully, but just then, Asuma suddenly asked.
"Toki, what do you think... how will the Hokage handle it?"
"I don't know Hokage-sama, how could I guess that?"
Toki shrugged, picked up a piece of grilled meat, and put it in his mouth: "However... if I were the Hokage, I'd probably punish Sakumo-sensei and criticize him. Of course, the punishment itself isn't very important; what's important is to satisfy the villagers."
Upon hearing this, Asuma seemed very happy and quickly pressed, "How exactly would he do it?"
Toki swallowed the grilled meat in his mouth, thinking, 'Asuma is the Hokage's son. He's asking so eagerly now, he'll probably tell the Hokage when he goes back. Since that's the case, I need to think carefully.'
So Toki pinched his chin and thought very seriously.
"Hmm... Sakumo-sensei has half a Hokage sleeve, doesn't he? That's very important, right? I think taking it back should be enough."
The Hokage sleeve was Sakumo Hatake's most proud honor.
For a Ninja who values honor, retrieving the Hokage sleeve would undoubtedly be a very serious punishment.
To be honest, Kakashi had always envied his father's Hokage sleeve, but he didn't see it as something that couldn't be lost; rather, he saw it as a goal.
'If this half of the Hokage sleeve can end this Village-wide storm... then let him take it.'
Kakashi gave Asuma a meaningful look, with a hint of expectation in his eyes. It wasn't just him; everyone at the table looked at Asuma with the same gaze.
In that instant, Asuma suddenly felt his heart beat a little heavier, and his shoulders became weighted.
'I must do something to live up to their expectations.'
Asuma immediately stood up and said, "I have something to do, so I'll take my leave first."
After leaving the barbecue restaurant, Asuma ran home without stopping, only to find his mother, Biwako Sarutobi, there.
"Huff! Huff! Mother, where is Father?"
Seeing Asuma out of breath, Biwako quickly patted his back: "Why are you in such a hurry? Do you need to see him about something?"
Asuma nodded repeatedly: "Yes, I have something to tell Father."
"He hasn't gotten off work yet, you... Hey? Don't run so fast!"
Asuma, having gotten the answer he wanted, turned and ran, completely ignoring the shouts behind him.
However, as soon as he ran into the Hokage Building, he was stopped by an Anbu who appeared: "One moment, Hokage-sama is meeting with guests."
"How long will it be?" Asuma asked anxiously.
The Anbu looked directly at him: "I don't know. Please wait patiently."
With no other option, Asuma forced himself to calm down and sat down on a nearby chair.
After a while, he left the chair and paced the hallway, sometimes walking to the window to look outside, sometimes walking to the office door, staring intently at the doorknob.
Time passed minute by minute, and Asuma even began to deliberately make some noise, trying to disturb the people inside the office.
Just then, the Hokage Office door opened, and several Ninja in strange clothes walked out.
They were all very tall, with dark skin, and did not seem to be from the Land of Fire.
Asuma held his head high, even feeling a pain in his neck, before he could barely make out the forehead protector symbols.
They were Ninja from Hidden Cloud Village. What were they doing here?
The Kumogakure Ninja ignored Asuma's actions and left directly, accompanied by the Anbu.
Then, Asuma looked at the Anbu at the door and asked, "Can I go in now?"
"You may."
As soon as the Anbu nodded, Asuma eagerly rushed in.
"Father! Father! I have something urgent to tell you."
Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up a blank piece of paper and covered the documents on his desk: "Why are you here?"
Asuma excitedly said, "I have a way to resolve White Fang-sama's matter."
Hmm?
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression stiffened slightly, then he chuckled and said, "Oh? Let me hear your brilliant idea?"
While waiting outside, Asuma had organized his words a thousand times in his mind, just waiting for this question.
"Father, I think the most important thing right now is to end this quickly and make everyone in the Village stop discussing it. Therefore, the Village should implement a punishment for White Fang-sama that will satisfy the villagers."
Hiruzen Sarutobi raised an eyebrow slightly, feeling a bit surprised: "Oh? What kind of punishment?"
"Take back White Fang-sama's armband," Asuma immediately replied.
"Not bad, I will consider your suggestion."
Hiruzen Sarutobi patted his head, then picked up his pipe from the desk and unhurriedly stuffed tobacco into it.
But Asuma had no such patience: "Then... Father, when will the punishment be announced?"
"Not yet."
Hiruzen Sarutobi lit the tobacco and took a deep puff: "Wait a little longer. It's not time yet."
Asuma felt confused. He had already made a decision, so why keep delaying?
"Father, what are you still waiting for?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi walked to the window, holding his pipe in one hand and his other hand behind his back.
"Asuma, do you know about icebergs?"
Asuma replied, "The Land of Fire is spring-like all year round, so there are no glaciers. However... I have seen them in books."
"The part of a glacier floating on the water only accounts for a corner of the entire glacier, and White Fang's matter is just like that. You only see the rumors in the Village, but you haven't thought... where these rumors come from."
After speaking, Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his head slightly, his gaze falling through the window onto the Kumogakure Ninja.
"A time of trouble..."