Aomi slowly knocked on the door of Hatake Sakumo's house.
Along the way, Aomi activated Perception Ninjutsu, enhancing his five senses, listening to the village rumors.
The situation was worse than Aomi had imagined.
Not only were the students of the Ninja School talking about it, but even the ordinary villagers began discussing the matter, the intensity rising as if an invisible hand was pushing it all.
This topic indeed had a sensational element, touching upon the Will of Fire and the ninja code.
In the current Ninja World, it was akin to a moral dilemma like the trolley problem, with no easy choice.
Senju Tobirama's face grew increasingly grim; he had once proven with his life that the Will of Fire held warmth, but now someone seemed to be denying his sacrifice, wanting ninjas to return to the era of being cold tools...
After a long while, the door to Hatake Sakumo's house slowly opened.
The sight before him was a man with hair as messy as a bird's nest, eyes dim and devoid of light.
Previously, Hatake Sakumo was like an unsheathed sharp blade, always smiling calmly, standing tall and confident, appearing as a man worth entrusting—steady and self-assured.
But now, although his clothes were still neat, his eyes were filled with chaos and confusion, and his posture was unconsciously downtrodden, as if afraid of being discovered by others.
This intense contrast left Aomi somewhat surprised.
"Please come in, Aomi-kun."
Hatake Sakumo forced a smile, walked inside, and poured Aomi a cup of tea: "Sorry, Aomi-kun, for letting the younger generation of the village see me in such a bad state."
Aomi glanced around the house; Kakashi was not home.
"Sakumo-san, I want to ask you about the current rumors in the village."
Aomi looked directly at Hatake Sakumo and spoke straightforwardly:
"Can you tell me what happened at the time? If there's an issue, I will promptly report it to the Third Hokage. You are a hero of the village and shouldn't be subjected to such criticism."
Upon hearing Aomi's words, Hatake Sakumo helplessly lowered his head: "Aomi-kun, thank you for your concern..."
"Since my mission failed, you are the first person to come see me, and I am very grateful."
"There's nothing much to say about this. I indeed messed up the mission, causing losses to the Land of Fire and the village, and potentially provoking a war. These are punishments I deserve."
Aomi furrowed his brows.
Hatake Sakumo's sincerity seemed even more than he had imagined...
War is not something that can be caused by one or two failed missions.
Usually, ninjas from the Anbu and Root of various Hidden Villages would clash at the borders, sending spies into each other's villages, and when has that ever started a war?
If a war were truly desired, even with so-called peace treaties, they would be straightforwardly torn apart.
This kind of scene had been played out since the First Ninja World War...
Aomi did not believe that even if Hatake Sakumo was naive, he would be unaware of this issue.
Something else must have truly shaken his heart.
"Sakumo-san, this matter is very important to me..."
Aomi pondered for a moment before speaking slowly:
"Honestly, if I found myself in the same situation, I would choose to save my comrades without hesitation, even if the mission failed."
"In my view, breaking the rule that ninjas prioritize missions above all else is problematic, but if we don't even value our comrades, then what is the point of the Will of Fire that we've been learning all along?"
"So, Sakumo-san, it's not just your problem. It's a matter concerning the future and beliefs of the village."
Hatake Sakumo slowly lifted his lowered head and silently gazed at Aomi.
After a long time, a hoarse voice came from his mouth, recounting the events of that day—
"I received an order from the village to lead a squad to investigate the recent situation of the Hidden Sand Jinchuriki. According to recent intelligence, all major Hidden Villages were starting to develop their Jinchuriki, which made the village nervous..."
"But we encountered an ambush. As we approached The Hidden Sand Village, we were exposed, and two comrades were surrounded by the enemy. I had no choice but to act, only to meet enemy reinforcements."
"In the end, I managed to lead them out of the encirclement, but my identity was exposed as well..."
"The Hidden Sand strongly protested to the village and conveyed it to the Ninja World. The Hidden Rock, Hidden Cloud, and Hidden Mist also followed the Sand's protest, accusing Konoha of attempting to start a war, demanding sanctions."
Hatake Sakumo lowered his head again:
"Aomi, you don't need to persuade me. As a ninja, failing to complete a mission and receiving punishment is the rightful consequence."
Aomi observed the tormented Hatake Sakumo and shook his head.
For a ninja like Hatake Sakumo, this indeed was a deadlock.
Having emerged from the Warring States Era and carrying a Samurai's influence, he was like a member of Shimura Danzo's Root, who had nothing on his mind except missions, recognizing himself merely as a sword.
If the sword can't cut anymore, then it's discarded.
But the issue is, Hatake Sakumo wasn't a root hidden in the dark; he absorbed some light, felt a hint of warmth brought by the Will of Fire, enriching his heart.
If he saved his comrades, then the mission failure and the idea that ninjas revolve around missions would torment his heart.
If he didn't save them, then his inner Will of Fire would question him.