"Kakashi, don't be impulsive!"
Minato's voice rang out sharply, cutting through the tense air. He stepped forward, his hand half-raised as though he could physically halt the momentum building between the two men.
A death match.
It wasn't just a fight — it was a life-and-death duel, invoked when the conflict between two ninjas could no longer be reconciled through words or compromise. Once declared, it was a battle that ended only when one party lay dead, their life extinguished.
It wasn't simply about winning or losing. It was about survival.
Blood would be spilled. Death was inevitable.
And because it was so brutal — so merciless — it had long been banned within the village. Years ago, the Third Hokage himself had declared it abolished, believing it went against the peaceful future Konoha sought.
And yet, here he was… bringing it back into the open.
Everyone in the room could see the intent behind his words. The Third wasn't just making a dramatic threat; he was using this forgotten law as a weapon, a political cudgel meant to pressure Kakashi into backing down.
Kakashi could, of course, refuse. There was no rule forcing him to accept. But refusal would be seen for what it was: submission.
And if Kakashi backed down now, it would ripple outward through the political sphere. The clan leaders — those caught precariously between their loyalty to the Third and their support for the Fourth — would read the message loud and clear. They would quietly step back, choosing neutrality, becoming "peacemakers" who simply let things pass.
If that happened, Minato's fragile political support would collapse, leaving him alone in his position.
And with that… Kakashi's broader goal — to bring down the two remaining Hokage's advisers and even force Hiruzen to step down from his role as elder — would die before it even truly began.
The Third's eyes gleamed as he saw Kakashi's stillness. "Haha… Kakashi, you truly are brave," he said with a grandfatherly chuckle. "I will grant you this — after the battle, I will not kill you. After all, you are the future of this village… the hope of Konoha."
He gave the younger man a look that was part warning, part lecture. "But youth should not be so reckless. Today, I will teach you the rules of conduct — on behalf of your father, Hatake Sakumo."
The condescension in his tone was unmistakable.
To the clan leaders watching, it looked like a mentor preparing to "discipline" a wayward student.
To Kakashi, it was an insult.
"Oh?" Kakashi's lips curled into a cold half-smile. "If a young man has no energy, no fire, then what's the point of calling him young?" His eye hardened. "As for teaching me on behalf of my father…"
He took a slow step forward.
"…you don't deserve it."
The Third's brows knit. "Kakashi—"
"That's exactly what I came here to ask you," Kakashi cut in, his voice rising, the tension in the air crackling. "Danzo admitted it himself before he died. When he saw my father — a hero of the Second Great Ninja War — gaining too much respect from the people, he personally designed a 'secret mission.' He sent a man of Kage-level strength like my father, but gave him only two ordinary chūnin as teammates."
The room began to shift with whispers.
"And those two chūnin?" Kakashi's voice grew icy. "They were death soldiers, trained in secret by Danzo. The mission was never meant to succeed."
He let the words sink in.
"I think everyone here knows what happened next. Something went wrong during that so-called mission, and within days the entire village was buzzing with the news. The story twisted — it became a scandal. People whispered that my father abandoned his mission to save his comrades, violating the ninja code and shaming Konoha."
The Third inhaled as if to speak, but Kakashi's voice snapped like a whip:
"Don't bother explaining. I know what you're going to say — that you blocked the details from spreading, that the villagers never knew the mission's specifics. But what's the point? The moment the entire village believed my father had betrayed his duty, the truth no longer mattered."
Kakashi's gaze softened for a fleeting second, his voice dipping into regret. "The damage was done."
He straightened, his one visible eye locking onto Hiruzen's. "So I'm asking you now — as the Third Hokage, as the man my father trusted most — did you know it was Danzo's conspiracy? Did you know that mission was a complete scam?"
The Third's expression faltered. For a moment, his commanding presence cracked.
"Kakashi," he said at last, "I'm sorry for what happened to Sakumo. When I realized public opinion was spiraling out of control, I ordered the news suppressed. Danzo… only meant to hide him from attention. He never imagined that Sakumo would…" His voice lowered. "…be so desperate as to take his own life."
Kakashi laughed.
It wasn't warm. It wasn't amused.
It was bitter, sharp, and tinged with grief.
"Hahahahahaha… desperate? My father? That's your excuse?" His laughter stopped abruptly. "Danzo confessed everything before he died. After destroying my father's reputation, he threatened my life. He forced my father to swallow his pride and admit to crimes he didn't commit."
He took a breath, his voice trembling not with weakness, but with fury. "My father was torn apart inside. As a warrior, his pride would never allow him to yield. As a father, my safety mattered more than anything. And as a ninja… he was loyal to you."
The words struck like blows.
"Oh, my wise and mighty Third Hokage," Kakashi spat. "Do you really think a mere public scandal and two ungrateful comrades could drive my father to his death? No. What truly broke him… was you. The man he admired most. The man he swore to serve until the end."
Kakashi's voice rose, grief and accusation tangled together. "Yes — my father was naive. He thought the Third Hokage, the one who preached the Will of Fire, would stand up to Danzo, expose the truth, and clear his name. And what did you do? You didn't even give me — a five-year-old boy who'd just lost his father — a single word of comfort."
His chest heaved.
"Oh, my dear Third Hokage. You knew my father's character — stubborn, proud, and utterly loyal. You knew Danzo's nature — despicable, underhanded, without morals. You knew… and you did nothing."
He took another step forward, his voice now cold as steel.
"When the birds are gone, the good bows are hidden. That's what they say. In your heart, maybe you wanted Danzo to suppress my father's fame. You kept playing your political games, balancing power between factions… and in doing so, you ignored the heart of a man who would have given everything for this village."
Kakashi's voice wavered, but not from weakness.
"It's pitiful. It's tragic. My father died without hearing a single word from you. And I agree with him — he chose the right path. It's just sad that the village could not see it. Sad that he would rather die, preserving his loyalty, than betray the village he loved."
He lifted his chin, meeting the Third's gaze without flinching.
"Oh, Hokage-sama, so devoted to the Will of Fire… you don't understand. My father's death was not just surrender — it was a message. He hoped his death would remind you to abandon your intoxication with power, to show no mercy to a man like Danzo, who endangered the very foundation of Konoha."
The hall was silent.
Kakashi's accusations were like arrows, hitting their mark one after another. The clan leaders shifted uneasily, each recalling whispers they'd heard about Sakumo's death. They had always assumed Sakumo's "extreme" decision was the result of his own pride. But now… now they saw the truth.
Danzo.
Danzo had murdered a loyal man for nothing but selfish ambition.
If he were still alive, he would deserve to be executed.
The Third's face was pale. The aura of authority he had worn so easily minutes ago had faded. Inwardly, his thoughts churned.
Yes… he thought bitterly. I knew.
He could no longer hide from the truth in Kakashi's words. If any other ninja had been involved, he would have launched a full investigation without hesitation. But because it was Danzo — his oldest comrade — he had "handled" the situation with caution, given a token warning, and left it at that.
And he had never once sought out Sakumo to understand his pain. He had never tried to comfort the man who trusted him most. He had simply ordered the suppression of rumors… and done nothing more. Even after Sakumo's death, there had been no full inquiry, no justice.
As for Danzo's threat against young Kakashi… no, Hiruzen truly hadn't known. But ignorance did not absolve him. Not when Sakumo had still looked to him for support… and received only silence.
Am I truly worthy of Sakumo's trust? he asked himself.
And the answer, he feared, was one he could not bear to say aloud.
patreon (Obito_uchiha)