'In the world of ninja, those who break the rules are called trash, but... those who don't value their comrades are worse than trash!'
These words, spoken by Obito, constantly echoed in Kakashi's mind, forcing him to question and challenge.
--Should a ninja be influenced by feelings? And how should one view the sacrifice of comrades?
But now, Orochimaru's answer made him see the truth he had never deeply considered—who exactly is this 'comrade'?
In the battle of Kannabi Bridge, Rin, who was taken by the enemy, was a comrade. Then, were the Konoha chunin who died on the battlefield because of the mission failure also comrades?
The problem he had been struggling with was wrong from the beginning. It was not a choice between comrades and the mission, but a choice between the comrades in front of him and the comrades he couldn't see.
"Uchiha Obito doesn't seem as confused as you are."
Orochimaru smiled, "He was decisive and firm, willing to break with you to rush to rescue Nohara Rin."
"But Uchiha Obito may also just be too foolish to see the comrades behind the mission."
"So you might as well guess, if on that day, you used what I am saying now to refute him, would he be speechless and obediently carry out the mission, or would he say something like, 'I won't give up on any comrade', save Nohara Rin first and then do the mission."
Kakashi was silent. Based on his understanding of Obito, without a doubt, that somewhat naive guy who often talked about ideals would choose the latter.
Not abandoning, not giving up, saving everyone... But these words can be said, and it's okay to treat them as ideals, but they are not reality.
The reality is that if Minato-sensei hadn't arrived in time to repel the Iwagakure Ninja troops, Konoha would have paid an even heavier price for their mission failure.
"Don't listen to what a person says, look at what they do."
Orochimaru looked at Kakashi and said slowly, "On the battlefield, opportunities are fleeting. If you can really seize them and achieve a win-win situation, that's fine, but when there is a conflict between sacrificing comrades and the mission, all ninja villages advocate prioritizing the mission."
"Because you don't know what price the village will pay if this mission fails."
"..."
Orochimaru's words, the facts he presented, and the reasons he gave were very persuasive. Kakashi was speechless and couldn't find a place to refute.
The problems he had been struggling with and confused about had answers, but Kakashi didn't feel as relieved as he had imagined. Instead, the boulder pressing on his heart became heavier and heavier, making it hard for him to breathe.
At this time, it was already dawn, the night dew was condensing, and the breeze was slightly cold, but the forest was still immersed in the darkness. The lush green was dyed with jet black. Kakashi looked at Orochimaru's expression hidden in the shadows and took a deep breath.
The cold invaded his chest, and even the gloomy air settled in his nerves was dispersed a little. Kakashi's tone was bitter,
"What you said is right, but ordinary ninja are fine, but my father should have understood this, why would he make such a choice?"
Whether it was knowingly breaking the rules, abandoning the mission to save comrades, or the final suicide... this was completely different from Kakashi's previous understanding of his father.
Too weak!
As a ninja, unable to bear the sacrifice of comrades and move forward, and then defeated by gossip, he chose the most cowardly way to resist.
This was not the father in Kakashi's heart.
"Sakumo's choice at that time was a bit more complicated than Obito's headstrongness."
Orochimaru seemed to be recalling extremely distant past events, with some sighs in his eyes, but he quickly came back to his senses and said slowly,
"Returning to the previous question, you are not the kind of idiot who is only intoxicated with ideals, you should understand that the village cannot protect everyone."
Kakashi's mind flashed with the face of an idiot, and he nodded slightly.
"This principle is not only known to you, but also to Danzo, Utatane Koharu, and the village elders."
Orochimaru glanced at Kakashi and said lightly, "Then, as the Hokage who leads them, what choice did he make?"
Where the leaves dance, the fire burns.
This short poem engraved in the ninja school and on the memorial stone floated into his mind, and Kakashi suddenly understood something.
"Sacrifice to protect."
Orochimaru repeated it heavily, his expression unusually serious for a long time,
"The First Hokage established the ninja village, the Second Hokage established the laws, but it was the Third who truly developed Konoha to its current state."
"Sacrifice to protect, this is the basis for his achievements."
"In fact, there is nothing wrong with this approach. If you can't protect everyone, then protect some people. This idea is reasonable."
Kakashi also thought so. The more he understood, the more he could understand the difficulties of the village elders. If it were him, he might not be able to do better.
Seeing Kakashi's attitude, Orochimaru shook his head,
"But there is a problem here. Over time, after decades, including the old man, the village elders have become accustomed to the righteousness of 'sacrifice'."
"They forgot that sacrifice is a way to choose the lesser of two evils and do what is necessary."
"Instead, they used 'sacrifice' as a means."
Kakashi's heart was shaken, and his eyes changed constantly, but he suddenly understood why he felt so depressed.
"So, do you understand?"
Orochimaru looked at Kakashi and said slowly, "Before that, there was a period of time when the village ruthlessly used ninja as consumables in order to extract greater benefits, exchanging them for lives."
"Sakumo's mission happened during this period. He discovered the filth behind it, so he chose to abandon the mission."
Kakashi's expression remained unchanged, but he clenched his fists tightly.
"Unlike Obito's case, it's not about how important the comrades being rescued are, but Sakumo's resistance to the village elders' philosophy."
Orochimaru spread his hands and said lightly,
"You also know the result, it was a complete failure. Not only the village, but even the ninja who was rescued turned around and accused him."
"Because he truly recognized that if it could be exchanged for benefits, he should be sacrificed."
"The whole village was immersed in the righteousness of sacrifice, completely forgetting that if the elders were not greedy for greater benefits and issued such a mission, no one would be sacrificed."
"The concepts in the minds of the villagers and ninja are stubborn, rigid, and unbreakable. Sakumo chose suicide after realizing this."
"Not because of mission failure, not because of gossip, suicide itself was an act of resistance."
Kakashi stood there blankly, his nose a little sore, but he didn't know how he felt.
"Sakumo's actions took everyone by surprise. The village elders also found it difficult to bear the loss of a Hokage-level powerhouse like that and kept reflecting."
Orochimaru's expression was also a little complicated. He slowed down his voice,
"After this incident, although the philosophy of 'sacrifice to protect' remains, when issuing missions, the elders have become a bit more cautious, except for Root, and dare not be as reckless as before."
He patted Kakashi on the shoulder, "So, you can hear Uchiha Obito say such naive things."
"This wouldn't even be considered a choice in the past."
"Although it's not obvious on the surface and the reputation has never changed, your father, Hatake Sakumo, is a great ninja."
"He sacrificed his life for the village, showing what it means to sacrifice to protect!"
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