Chapter 34 – The Weight of a Mission
The dawn broke pale over Konoha, but already the gates bustled with shinobi preparing for deployments. Among them stood Sakumo Hatake, his white hair catching the morning sun like steel. His presence alone commanded respect—The White Fang of Konoha, a name feared even in the distant lands of Iwa and Kumo.
Kakashi stood by his side, silent, small hands clenched at his sides. He tried to keep his face unreadable, but his eyes betrayed him. He didn't want his father to go.
Sakumo rested a hand on his son's shoulder. "A shinobi's path isn't easy, Kakashi. But remember… it isn't just about missions or orders. It's about the people who walk beside you. Never forget that."
Kakashi nodded stiffly. He didn't understand all of it—but he would remember the words.
From a distance, Akira watched quietly, having come early to the academy. He saw the way Kakashi's eyes followed his father, full of pride yet heavy with something else—fear. Akira didn't speak. He didn't intrude. But in his chest, something stirred: a recognition of the same feeling he carried for parents he barely remembered.
The gate guards saluted as Sakumo passed. Whispers followed him like shadows.
"That's the White Fang…"
"A legend…"
"If he's leading the mission, it's as good as won."
But among the whispers was another tone, quieter, colder. "Dangerous. Too dangerous. What if he fails?"
Sakumo felt it. He always did. The weight of reputation, the unyielding standard of perfection. A mission was no longer just a mission when the White Fang's name was tied to it—it was destiny carved in stone. And destiny, Sakumo knew, was merciless.
As the gates closed behind him, Kakashi and Akira stood together, both silent.
Kakashi's voice finally broke the air. "My father never fails."
Akira glanced at him. There was no arrogance in Kakashi's words—only conviction. Yet beneath it, Akira could feel the same unspoken fear that haunted him.
He wanted to say something. Something to ease it. Instead, he simply said, "Then he'll come back."
It wasn't a promise. But it was enough for Kakashi to nod.
Far beyond the walls of Konoha, Sakumo and his team moved swiftly into the forests, the mission unfolding like a storm. A storm that would test the very core of what it meant to be a shinobi.
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✨ End of Chapter 34
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