Aburame Shibi took a deep breath. With Uchiha Seiryu's actions, he was essentially presenting them with two choices.
Either join the Uchiha camp from now on or side with the Hokage faction. Wanting to stay uninvolved as before, simply providing one or two clan prodigies to the village, was no longer possible.
"Clan Leader Seiryu, I want to confirm one more thing," Shibi said after a while, taking off his sunglasses and looking at Seiryu directly. "The Police Force will definitely not recruit children who haven't graduated from the Ninja Academy, correct?"
"Of course," Seiryu, hearing Shibi's concern, replied with a smile, "As someone who was sent to the battlefield at the age of nine, I only gained my current status through battlefield achievements, but honestly, that experience was a real damn mess."
Seiryu spoke from the heart, and for the first time since entering, the usually solemn and polite man even cursed, his emotions completely genuine.
"Kids should be in school at that age, learning in the Ninja Academy. Don't you agree, Clan Leader Aburame?" Seiryu smiled as he met Shibi's gaze.
"I understand." Shibi nodded seriously.
He was from the generation that grew up under the protection of the Second Hokage. During his youth, ambitious men like Danzo had yet to rise, but just as he came of age, Aburame Torune was forcibly taken from his cousin, who was the clan leader at the time, by Danzo. On his first day as clan leader, the previous leader took him to the clan shrine to see their family history, where he saw the names of those who, at a young age, were taken away and officially expelled from the clan—Torune was the last on that list.
"Remember these names," the former clan leader had said sternly before the clan emblem, "It was them, who could not even have their names spoken at our ceremonies, who willingly stepped into darkness so that the clan's flame could burn until now. If you ever face such a choice, even if it's your own child, you must not hesitate."
Shibi was deeply moved at the time and remembered those words. However, his upbringing still left him questioning that past—back when the First and Second Hokage were alive, the clan survived just fine without such sacrifices.
So at this moment, hearing Seiryu's promise, Shibi was moved. During the Third Great Ninja War, Shibi was on the front in the Land of Water, where the Uchiha clan fought the most. He knew Seiryu's strength better than others—this was a man who had wiped out fifteen squads of Mist Jounin on his own years ago. Plus, after seeing his Mangekyo Sharingan at the village gate, Shibi felt that this was a man whose power rivaled that of the First Hokage, now making a promise to him and his clan.
Having made his decision, Shibi picked up the evidence of the three clans' crimes from the table and said, "From today on, the Aburame clan will follow the Uchiha's lead."
"Clan Leader Aburame is a smart man." Seiryu snapped his fingers with a smile. Sparks of electricity flashed, and the evidence against Aburame Torune burst into flames, turning to ash in moments. "Send someone to report to the Police Force tomorrow. As for when to act, wait for my order."
"Understood." Shibi nodded and personally saw Seiryu out.
…
While Seiryu was visiting the Aburame clan, the Akimichi clan's barbecue restaurant—Yakiniku Q—was hosting a large gathering.
Kakashi's official retirement from the Anbu was announced today; from this day forward, he will no longer serve in the Anbu.
The first thing Kakashi did after retiring was to invite most of the ninja who had done missions with him in the Anbu for a meal, under the pretext of thanking them for their help over the years.
Kakashi booked the entire Yakiniku Q, inviting as many as sixty people. The weakest among them was at least a Tokubetsu Jounin. Most were of civilian origin or from small ninja clans like the Hayate clan.
As the village's largest barbecue restaurant, Yakiniku Q wasn't as extravagant as the luxury restaurant Seiryu had taken everyone to previously, but it wasn't cheap either. With Anbu salaries, it was affordable as an occasional treat, but not for frequent visits. So, when invited, everyone came without hesitation.
During the meal, Kakashi mimicked Seiryu, raising his glass and clearing his throat. Seeing this, everyone put down their chopsticks.
"Everyone, during my time in the Anbu, I've received much help from you all. Even though I'm retired now, I will always remember the times we worked together."
"Kakashi-sama, you're too modest," a civilian ninja spoke up. "We should be the ones thanking you for your care. On previous missions, if you hadn't saved me, I'd probably be dead."
"That's not how it is. As captain, rescuing my team is my duty," Kakashi said. "I know my own personality. During missions, I may have neglected your feelings. Some may even find me cold. Before I officially retire, I want to sincerely thank you all for putting up with my temperament for the Will of Fire and ensuring our missions' success. A toast to you all!"
Kakashi removed his mask and solemnly downed his drink.
Everyone followed suit, draining their glasses in response.
At that moment, Nagai Seiichi, who had pledged loyalty to Seiryu and guessed at Kakashi's close relationship with him, stood up: "Captain Kakashi's words humble us. We were the ones lacking, forcing Captain Kakashi to do more. But you still look for your own shortcomings. What is the Will of Fire? This is the Will of Fire! Everyone, I propose we all toast Captain Kakashi! Though he's retired, we'll always remember his kindness in our hearts!"
Another round of drinks followed. Kuroki Ryuta, who had also participated in the Orochimaru pursuit mission, stood and said: "Though we're sad to see Kakashi-sama retire, we wish him health and victory in his future ninja career!"
As the drinks flowed, Kakashi's face was reflected in the sake cups, empty and refilled over and over. For the first time in his life, he had voluntarily removed his mask in front of so many people.
By the end of the party, everyone was visibly drunk. After it ended, Kakashi watched as they left one by one, soon finding himself alone in the vast Yakiniku Q.
After sitting by himself for a while, he finally got up to leave. As he walked out, he instinctively reached for his mask, but after a moment's thought, put it away. Carrying the meal he had packed for Naruto, he headed toward the Hatake home.