Hiruzen Sarutobi stood before Sakumo Hatake's grave. Regret gnawed at him.
He never should have blamed Sakumo so harshly back then.
Sakumo could have intercepted that Iwa scroll. He chose to save a life instead. Hiruzen had been furious. During the disciplinary hearing, he'd stripped Sakumo of all his duties. Ordered him to reflect at home.
The regret Hiruzen felt now wasn't for the man. It was for the loss of a powerful weapon. A high-end combatant gone.
Now, he had to find someone else to hold the line in the Land of Grass.
News of Sakumo's death would reach Iwa's ears soon. Those cunning rock-nin would start moving. They'd smell blood in the water.
Hiruzen sighed heavily, then turned and left the cemetery.
At home, Qianyu helped Kushina Uzumaki prep the ingredients. She nudged him with an elbow. "Kakashi locked himself in his room the moment he got back. Go check on him. Comfort him. I've got this."
Qianyu shook his head. "He won't hear anyone right now. I'll talk to him when he's more stable."
Kushina planted her hands on her hips. "Less talking, more doing. Go check on him. Even just watching him is better than nothing!"
She was terrified. Terrified Kakashi might do something stupid. Terrified of another tragedy.
Qianyu sighed and put down the kitchen knife. "Alright, alright. I'm going."
He dried his hands and went to Kakashi's room.
Kakashi sat on the edge of his bed. A wooden puppet. Motionless. His eyes stared into nothing.
He didn't react when Qianyu entered. Didn't even seem to see him. Just kept staring.
Qianyu sat beside him. Said nothing. Just sat.
Kakashi, in this state, didn't need comfort. Forced words might make it worse. Only when he accepted his father's death would any comfort matter.
Silence filled the room. The faint sounds of Kushina cooking drifted in from outside.
Not long after, her voice came. "Food's ready! Come eat!"
Qianyu spoke softly. "Alright. Let's eat."
Kakashi stood up woodenly. Followed Qianyu to the living room like a ghost.
Kushina shot Qianyu a questioning look.
He shrugged. No change.
She rolled her eyes.
Qianyu snorted inwardly. Did she think it was that easy? A snap of the fingers and Kakashi would be fine?
"Come on, wash up. I made sukiyaki today!"
Qianyu led Kakashi to wash his hands, then they sat at the table.
Kushina piled food onto Kakashi's bowl. "Kakashi, you're young. You need to eat to grow. Have more."
Kakashi's movements were mechanical. His eyes were glazed. Chopsticks scraped the bowl. Whatever was in it went into his mouth. A couple of chews. A swallow. Repeat.
Qianyu finally stopped Kushina. He was worried Kakashi might eat himself sick.
After the meal, Kakashi went straight back to his room and lay down.
Kushina's room.
With Kakashi using Qianyu's room, Qianyu was now on a futon on her floor.
Kushina sighed. "Who knows when he'll come out of this."
Qianyu stared at the ceiling. "Coming out of it… that'll take a long time. Right now, he's lost. That's not easy to fix. But getting his spirit back up? That should be possible."
"How?" Kushina asked, curious.
"Distract him. Give him a new goal. Something else to focus on."
Several days passed. Kakashi still didn't speak. A cloud of gloom clung to him.
Qianyu and Kushina hadn't taken any missions. They just stayed with him.
One afternoon, as they debated what to make for dinner, a knock came at the door.
Qianyu opened it to find an ANBU.
"Qianyu. The Hokage summons you to the Hokage Building."
"Understood."
He called over his shoulder, "Kushina! Heading out!"
Alone, Qianyu entered the Hokage's office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked tired. Faint dark circles under his eyes.
News of Sakumo's suicide had spread faster than he'd expected. The Iwa-nin in the Land of Grass were already on the move.
Nara Shinsuke was managing a temporary command, but without a true leader, they could only defend. React.
If this continued, the stable front in Grass would crumble. The Kumo-nin in the Land of Hot Water would surely join in.
A chain reaction. That could trigger the full-scale war they'd all been dreading.
Hiruzen had already sent Jiraiya from the Hot Water front. With Orochimaru there, it should hold.
He'd called Qianyu here for one reason: it was time to get back to work.
Qianyu's strength was solidly high-tier Jonin now. Part of the village's elite combat force. He couldn't be allowed to idle at home.
But Hiruzen couldn't say that outright. He knew Qianyu was Kakashi's sensei. After such a tragedy, it was only right for the sensei to be there.
Hiruzen felt a thread of guilt towards the Hatakes. Sakumo had given so much to Konoha, only to end like this. A suicide meant no name on the Memorial Stone.
That's why he'd waited these days before summoning Qianyu.
And Qianyu knew exactly why he was here.
Hiruzen took a puff from his pipe, his tone concerned. "How is Kakashi?"
Qianyu sighed. "Not good. He's drowning in grief. Won't come up for air."
Hiruzen's expression was pained. "I never thought Sakumo would choose to end his life… like that."
Qianyu remained silent.
Hiruzen continued. "But… life must go on. I believe Kakashi will overcome this tragedy. He will inherit Sakumo's will. The Will of Fire."
Inherit the Will of Fire?
Qianyu wanted to laugh.
Who shattered Sakumo's faith? Who drove him to the edge?
Wasn't it them?
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