Chapter 37 – Whispers in the Leaf
Konoha was a village of silence when it wanted to be cruel.
No one openly insulted Sakumo Hatake. No one dared to. He was still the White Fang, a hero whose blade had cut through countless enemies. But the weight of whispers was sharper than steel.
"That's him."
"The man who abandoned his mission."
"Because of him, Konoha suffered heavy losses."
The rumors bled into the marketplace, the training grounds, even the academy. Merchants gave hesitant smiles when Sakumo passed by, then shook their heads when his back was turned. Shinobi who once saluted him now averted their eyes.
Kakashi felt it most sharply. At the academy, two boys leaned too close as he walked by.
"His father failed. He's no different," one muttered.
"The White Fang's shame will follow his son," the other sneered.
Kakashi's knuckles whitened around his books. He wanted to fight, to silence them, but all he could do was keep walking. He refused to let them see him break.
Akira, from his desk, watched every flicker of emotion on Kakashi's face. His mind churned: It's starting. The weight that will bury him.
Outside the academy, Sakumo's presence in the village grew smaller. Missions assigned to him dwindled. Councils no longer consulted him. Even casual greetings dried up.
One evening, Sakumo entered a tea house. Conversations hushed as he sat, and though no one said a word, the stares told the story.
He left his cup untouched.
At home, the silence stretched. Kakashi trained harder, longer, until his hands bled. He spoke little, afraid his voice would betray him.
Sakumo tried to smile, but each night his shoulders seemed heavier.
And Akira… Akira saw the danger clearly.
The whispers are cutting deeper than blades. This is no enemy he can fight—it's his own people. If this keeps up, the story will repeat. He'll start believing the lie they're feeding him…
The boy clenched his fists. He wasn't ready yet—not fully. But when the time came, he would speak the words Sakumo needed most.
For now, he waited, watching the storm gather over the White Fang.
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✨ End of Chapter 37 – Whispers in the Leaf
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