Chapter 455: Die Two Days Early? The Walking Dead's Ka Palace!
"Tetsuya... you shouldn't have come."
Inside the house, a chill permeated the air. Under the gaze of Fujiwara Tetsuya and Kakashi, Sakumo Hatake emerged from the shadows.
His face was pale and lifeless, expressing an indescribable weariness.
"Sakumo-senpai, whether I come or not is not something you can decide, nor is it something anyone else can decide..."
"Besides... I was afraid that if I arrived too late, I might not even get to see you one last time."
The moment Fujiwara Tetsuya's words fell, Kakashi's body trembled abruptly, his gaze towards Sakumo Hatake filled with confusion... As for Sakumo Hatake himself, his pupils constricted, followed by a helpless bitter smile.
"Tetsuya, it truly is you... to be able to anticipate my intentions."
"I'm sorry, Kakashi... what I'm doing is indeed too selfish~"
Sakumo Hatake did not feel that he owed anything to Konoha, or even to the entire Hatake Clan.
All the favors, all of everything... he had repaid them completely in the twenty-odd years since he became a Genin.
If there was truly anyone difficult to face, it was only Kakashi~
"One can only say that Sakumo-senpai, you are simply too pure~"
"Wh-why?"
"Why would someone as powerful as you have such a cowardly thought?"
Kakashi's roar interrupted Fujiwara Tetsuya's words... and made Sakumo Hatake's eyes even more complex.
"Kakashi! Calm down, sit down~"
"Pour us some sake~"
Patting Kakashi's trembling shoulder, Fujiwara Tetsuya sat down cross-legged, holding a sake bottle... It seemed like a sign of a farewell.
"Your father is a great Ninja~"
"For a man like Sakumo-senpai, who possesses strong convictions... you shouldn't show such an attitude towards a decision made after countless struggles and pains~"
"No... I won't accept it, I will never accept it~"
Crash~
With a loud crash, Kakashi burst through the door and rushed into the distance.
Only the somber Sakumo Hatake remained, and... Fujiwara Tetsuya, who had just opened the sake.
"Sakumo-senpai, it seems you hold a very important place in Kakashi's heart~"
"If you were truly to die, I believe Kakashi... would be deeply entrenched in the pain of your death, and even live forever under that shadow."
"For Kakashi, are you truly not going to reconsider?"
Looking at Sakumo Hatake, Fujiwara Tetsuya directly tossed the entire bottle of sake over.
"Gulp~~~"
"Kakashi is an excellent Ninja, and I believe that one day in the future, he will understand me~"
"Likewise, I also believe that temporary pain cannot stop Kakashi's progress."
"Besides, don't you still have him?"
"Speaking of which, having inherited Chidori... in a sense, he can be considered half your disciple. You definitely won't ignore him, right? Tetsuya?"
"Who knows about such things?"
"However..."
At this point, Fujiwara Tetsuya also grabbed a bottle of sake and drank it furiously, as if venting something, or perhaps weighing something.
"However, to place your future hopes on others, that's really not like you~ Sakumo-senpai."
While Fujiwara Tetsuya and Sakumo Hatake were drinking heavily and exchanging words.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, Danzo... and many high-ranking members of various Shinobi Clans, arrived one after another at the outskirts of the Hatake Clan compound.
Seeing such a grand procession, the Ninja and Villagers who had chosen to remain outside the Hatake Clan's gate immediately felt at ease, as if they had gained immense courage.
"Danzo..."
Facing everyone's gaze, Hiruzen Sarutobi did not say much.
However, Danzo understood the underlying meaning, which was nothing more than blaming him for causing too much trouble, making the situation increasingly agitated and complex.
"Hiruzen, don't worry... I understand, I will make sure they know their limits."
In fact, with things having progressed to this point, Sakumo Hatake... was destined to have no connection with the Hokage position.
But, stopping at a certain point was not Danzo's nature.
Since he was going to do it, he would see it through completely, at least... ensuring Sakumo Hatake would never have the chance to wield power again in his lifetime.
It would be best if he could retire early and withdraw from the ranks of Ninja... Time was passing by, minute by minute.
The sake Fujiwara Tetsuya brought was completely consumed by the two of them in less than twenty minutes of heavy drinking.
"Boom~"
The moment the sake bottle smashed, it instantly shattered into countless tiny ceramic pieces scattered across the floor.
Under the anesthetic effect of alcohol, Fujiwara Tetsuya's eyes... gradually became sharp.
"Sakumo-senpai, indeed... I still cannot just watch a powerful man like you choose such a humiliating way to die..."
"You want to die, I will give you that chance, but... it won't be by suicide."
"Half an hour should be enough for you to make your final arrangements. Half an hour later, I will be waiting for you at the Hatake Clan training ground..."
"If you insist on dying, then let me send you off on your final journey... with the pinnacle of swordsmanship~"
Fujiwara Tetsuya did not give Sakumo Hatake a chance to refuse or argue. The moment his words fell, he slammed the door and walked towards the Hatake Clan training ground.
"To personally send me off?"
"This is truly... I had originally thought to wait two more days, for the commotion outside to grow larger before committing suicide..."
"It seems~ I'll have to die two days earlier."
Looking at the silent room, Sakumo Hatake shook his head with a bitter expression, took off his White Fang, and slowly walked out of the house... "What... Sakumo, how could this be?"
"Why would you engage in a death match with Lord Tetsuya?"
"Also, we just heard from Kakashi about your decision to commit suicide."
"No matter what, we will not agree to you making such a choice~"
Listening to Sakumo Hatake's "final" instructions, the high-ranking members of the Hatake Clan stood up in a panic.
Their eyes were also filled with confusion.
Was upholding one's beliefs... truly more important than living?
"I know... you won't agree."
"So, I didn't intend to ask for your opinion~"
"In any case, Kakashi will be in your care from now on."
"Although the paths are different, the destination is indeed the same~"
"Tetsuya is doing this out of good intentions, simply not wanting me to die in such a pathetic way."
"Kakashi... and everyone, if... I unfortunately die at Tetsuya's hands, please do not hate him."
"Because this is my final choice on life's last journey..."
Facing Sakumo Hatake's instructions, Kakashi's face was pale, his eyes vacant, as if he had lost his soul... becoming a walking corpse.
As for the other Hatake Clan members, they simply fell silent... because they knew just how stubborn this man before them was.
"We... understand~"
"I will have all the Clan members go and watch the battle~"
"However, I still don't agree with your views, Sakumo."
"Do you truly believe that your death... can really change the rigid order of the Ninja World?"
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