Since that day, Kakashi had not come to school. Yoshinaka Yuki said he had taken a long leave.
During this time, the rumors in the Village grew more and more, from izakayas and ramen shops to even while bathing in the hot springs, they never stopped.
Toki didn't understand why everyone was discussing Sakumo's abandonment of the mission, as if Konoha Village was destined to be surrounded by enemies and face dire consequences for him.
He was clearly a hero of Konoha, yet he ended up like this.
And among them, the one most affected was not Sakumo Hatake, but Kakashi, who refused to be known as "Sakumo's son" in people's mouths.
Could he accept himself, transforming overnight from the son of a hero to the son of a criminal?
There was no news from Kakashi for a long time, and Toki felt increasingly uneasy, so he asked Tsunade for a day off after school today.
Passing by a bookstore, Toki paused for a moment, went inside, and bought a copy of the ninja code.
The Hatake family's residence was similar to a small villa, three stories high, with stone walls around the yard, a standard Japanese-style detached house. It even had a doorbell, which made Toki feel a long-lost sense of familiarity and yet strangeness.
Toki pressed the doorbell, and in a moment, Kakashi's figure appeared from behind the door.
"Why are you here?"
Toki didn't answer his question, but instead said, "What happened to you? Your hair is a mess."
Kakashi took out a pair of slippers from the shoe cabinet: "Come in and sit for a while, I'll go wash my face."
Toki changed his shoes and had just sat down in the living room when he heard a somewhat dejected voice from upstairs.
"Do we have a guest?"
Sakumo came down the stairs, and upon seeing Toki, a smile appeared on his face.
"Toki, you've come. Where's Kakashi?"
Toki stood up and bowed respectfully: "Uncle Sakumo, Kakashi said he went to wash his face."
"Honestly, he didn't even prepare a cup of tea. What poor hospitality."
Sakumo took out tea leaves from a nearby cabinet and poured them into the teapot, then picked up the thermos, but the water that flowed out had no heat at all.
"Cold water..."
For a moment, he felt a bit dazed.
Toki stepped forward and took the thermos from his hand: "Uncle Sakumo, come and sit for a while. I'm just a kid, and I don't like drinking tea anyway."
"I'm so sorry." Sakumo smiled, letting Toki pull him over to sit down.
Just then, Kakashi came out of the bathroom. He saw his father sitting by the table, and his normally calm expression showed a slight change.
Then, Kakashi walked over and sat next to Sakumo, calling out, "Father."
"Mm."
Sakumo replied nonchalantly, and there was nothing more to be said between the father and son.
This is not good...
Toki couldn't help but complain in his heart, then took out the ninja code he had bought on the way.
"Kakashi, do you remember what we talked about the first time we discussed this book?"
Logically, he should have been more polite and indirect, but he was too anxious and really wasn't in the mood to beat around the bush.
Moreover... he believed Kakashi wouldn't be unable to withstand even this much of a blow.
Kakashi opened the ninja code, and the memories in his mind turned to the day Toki enrolled.
"I remember. You said, 'What if the order requires me to kill or betray a comrade?' And I replied, 'The Village would never issue... an order to kill a comrade.'"
Kakashi's speaking speed grew slower and slower; he no longer had the confidence to say that sentence.
He wasn't an idiot, nor did he understand nothing.
A few seconds later, he spoke again: "Toki, you were right."
"Sigh!" Toki let out a long sigh, saying grumpily, "What do you mean 'I was right' or 'wrong'? What exactly did you understand?"
Upon hearing this, Sakumo Hatake's eyes brightened slightly, and his gaze fell upon the ninja code on the table.
He was curious to hear what insightful remarks Toki would make.
Then, Toki asked again, "Kakashi, what do you think a Ninja is?"
Kakashi thought seriously for a long while before answering: "A Ninja... is a proud... profession."
He spoke with difficulty, especially the last two words.
"A Ninja is just a profession, that's all."
Toki, however, had no reservations, tearing away all the seemingly grand disguises and directly pointing to the essence of a Ninja.
"Kakashi, your father is a Ninja, your friends are Ninja, everything around you tells you how great and proud Ninja are."
Every word, every sentence, every detail is impeccable!
"But I'm different. Because Ninja wars bring hunger, cold, and death, I have no good feelings for Ninja at all. In my opinion... Ninja themselves are no different from farmers or merchants; they are all just a profession."
Toki picked up the ninja code from the table and shook it, as if what he held in his hand was not a code that many Ninja lived by their entire lives, but an unimportant piece of scrap paper.
"In other words, the ninja code is just a set of professional rules. What if you violate the rules? At most, you just stop being a Ninja. You take it too seriously."
Kakashi instinctively argued: "But... Father's matter is far from that simple. Even if your explanation could be accepted by the villagers, what then?"
The problem with Sakumo Hatake's matter was not abandoning the mission, nor was it saving comrades; the real key was that his choice caused the Village to suffer losses!
"When did I mention Uncle Sakumo?"
Toki suddenly retorted, directly leaving Kakashi speechless.
"You came to visit at this time, and you're holding a ninja code, you... you're not... isn't it obvious?"
Toki raised his hand to signal an interruption, then took a deep breath and stared seriously into his eyes: "Kakashi, I'm saying these words to you."
Kakashi was stunned for a moment: "What?"
Toki placed a mirror in front of him: "You don't think Uncle Sakumo is the only one affected, do you? Look at your dejected appearance, your hair unwashed for days... I even think throwing you into a garbage heap wouldn't be out of place at all."
Toki's target was originally Kakashi. As for Sakumo Hatake... he was an adult. What kind of ups and downs hadn't he experienced?
And it had been so long; the Hokage would definitely make a move. He couldn't wait forever.
"You guy..."
Kakashi rolled his Byakugan, raised his hand, and covered the mirror, but felt a warmth in his heart.
Toki smiled and took out the snacks he had bought on the way: "Uncle Sakumo, let's eat some together."
"Alright, thank you."
Sakumo readily agreed, looking at Toki and Kakashi in front of him, his eyes becoming much gentler.
'With a friend like Toki, I can rest assured about Kakashi. As for the outside matters... it's time for them to end.'
He was very clear about how big the trouble he had caused was.
Currently, the villagers' focus of discussion was still on him. If more time passed, the villagers might discover the conflict between the Will of Fire and the ninja code.
Both are very important, at least more important than himself, so there must be absolutely no problems.
The trouble I caused, I will resolve it myself.