Kakashi Hatake gazed coldly at his unexpected visitor, Kagetsu Nara.
He had just parted ways with his teammates on bad terms over a mission issue. Although it didn't bother him much, Kagetsu—who he barely had any interaction with before—suddenly showing up left Kakashi feeling a bit confused.
"Is there something you need, Kagetsu?" After a brief silence, Kakashi finally spoke up. He noticed how Kagetsu had been scanning the room continuously since stepping in.
He didn't have time to waste here; he still had training to do.
"There's some information concerning you. I thought you had the right to know," Kagetsu said, finally letting his gaze settle on the slender young man with wild white hair that spiked up like a hedgehog. Kakashi's masked face betrayed no emotion.
"Is it related to a mission?" Kakashi asked.
"No, it's related to your father, Sakumo's death," Kagetsu replied, taking out a scroll from his cloak and placing it on the table, gently pushing it towards Kakashi.
Immediately, a chilling aura emanated from Kakashi's entire being.
"Aren't you going to take a look?" Kagetsu, seemingly unaware of the terrifying pressure Kakashi was radiating, merely pointed at the scroll and reminded him.
"My father died by suicide after a mission failure," Kakashi said flatly.
"Is that what you truly believe?" Kagetsu questioned.
"Everyone says so. My father's death itself proved it." Kakashi's visible eye revealed a deep-seated pain. His father's death was a wound that had yet to heal with time. A strange sense of fear welled up within him as he looked at Kagetsu and the scroll on the table.
"Ninja missions, especially those carried out by someone like White Fang Sakumo Hatake, are generally classified, aren't they?" Kagetsu rested his elbows on the table, propping up his chin with his hands, his voice lazy.
"For such missions, aside from the higher-ups and those involved, no one else should have any way of knowing the details, right?"
Kakashi's eyes twitched slightly at Kagetsu's words. Having completed numerous missions with the Anbu, he was well aware of the confidentiality procedures.
"So you understand. Then, consider this—Sakumo's mission failed, and immediately the whole village knew about it. Even regular villagers who aren't ninjas knew. Did you ever question that?" Kagetsu pressed.
"It was leaked by my father's teammates. They believed his actions led to the mission's failure." Kakashi clenched his fists tightly.
"Every ninja has mission failures on record. Even the Sannin or the village leaders. I believe that Sakumo was a seasoned ninja who must have considered the impact of abandoning the mission and the loss it would cause to the village before making his decision.
Unless it was a mission on the scale of triggering a world war, given Sakumo's contributions and capabilities, he shouldn't—and wouldn't—have been blamed by the entire village like that," Kagetsu shook his head and said.
"It was his teammates who thought that a ninja should always prioritize the mission," Kakashi repeated, his tone growing colder once more.
"Do you enjoy getting along with your teammates, given how much you prioritize missions?" Kagetsu suddenly asked.
"Such things don't matter. As long as the mission is completed, that's enough," Kakashi said, closing his eyes.
"Then I suggest you take a good look at this intel. At the very least, don't you want to know the real reason why Sakumo chose to take his own life?" Kagetsu pushed the scroll to the edge of the table, right within Kakashi's reach.
Kakashi's expression shifted unpredictably, but under Kagetsu's gaze, he finally reached out with a trembling hand, picked up the scroll, and performed the seals he'd learned from Anbu to unlock classified information.
It didn't take long to read through the intel, but the contents of the scroll evidently delivered a severe blow to the still-young Kakashi. His pupils quivered violently, and tears streamed down his cheeks, leaving two deep trails on his face.
"Is this really true?" Kakashi asked, closing the scroll and forcing himself to suppress his surging emotions. He looked at Kagetsu with tear-filled eyes.
"It's from the interrogation unit, provided by Yamanaka Inoichi," Kagetsu mentioned the interrogation division as a source.
"Why would they do this?" Kakashi felt as if a large part of his heart had suddenly been hollowed out. He had always believed that it was his father's mistake that led to everything that had happened.
But now, the intel revealed that the overwhelming condemnation from the village and the mission's failure were all a result of internal politics and darkness within the village.
"Because Sakumo-san's reputation was too high," Kagetsu replied frankly. "He blocked others from becoming Hokage."
"Blocked others?" Kakashi looked at Kagetsu in shock.
"My master Orochimaru, Jiraiya, Lady Tsunade, and a man named Danzo Shimura," Kagetsu said, noticing Kakashi's expression change when he heard the last name. "You've heard of him, right? He's the one in charge of the Root, a training division for Konoha's Anbu members."
"I… yes, I know Danzo." Kakashi felt his strength fading as he spoke, each word heavy and burdened.
"Orochimaru-sensei said Danzo is someone who works in the shadows and will do anything, no matter how dirty, to get what he wants. And under his ideology, the Root is the same way," Kagetsu explained, using Orochimaru's name to make his point more convincing.
"So, he's the one who spread those rumors?" Kakashi clenched his teeth as he remembered the dark old man who once tried to recruit him, wanting to pull him entirely into the Root.
"Who else could do it? The Root holds the same responsibilities as the Anbu, and Danzo understands every mission that every ninja in the village undertakes. Not even my teacher Orochimaru could manage something like that!" Kagetsu affirmed without hesitation.
"And what about the Third Hokage?" Kakashi's eyes were bloodshot as he stared blankly at Kagetsu.
"Let's just say Sakumo-san was never the Third Hokage's choice for Hokage. Maybe he just wanted to suppress Sakumo-san's influence, but he didn't expect Sakumo-san to be so unyielding," Kagetsu murmured softly.
"What's your goal in telling me all this?" Kakashi suddenly asked.
"I have no particular goal. I just want you to know the truth and not be swallowed by darkness. My teacher informed me that Advisor Danzo has always wanted you to officially join the Root. As long as you know who he is and what he's done, I've achieved everything I came for."
Kagetsu stood up and said goodbye. "I think you need some time alone, so I'll take my leave. You should destroy that information. Danzo has just been punished by the Third Hokage, and he might summon you soon. If you don't want to join the Root, you could try applying directly to the Hokage's personal Anbu unit."
The head of the orphanage, Nonō Yakushi, looked nervously at the sudden visitor—Orochimaru. As someone skilled at gathering information, she knew better than anyone how dangerous and troublesome the pale-skinned man before her was.
"Orochimaru-sama, this place is very simple and I have nothing to offer you," Nonō said. Her demeanor was gentle and warm, giving others a feeling of being bathed in sunlight. There was something naturally endearing about her, making it easy for people to rely on and trust her.
"I know. I'm here to invite you to join my newly established Technology Development Department," Orochimaru said casually, unaffected by Nonō's wariness. If she hadn't been cautious, he would've found it odd.
"Sorry, I haven't heard of this department," Nonō Yakushi said, shaking her head.
"This is the appointment order from the Third Hokage," Orochimaru said as he pulled out a scroll and tossed it over. "I believe you should be able to tell if it's genuine."
Nonō took the scroll, carefully examining it before confirming its authenticity.
"What can I do?" Nonō returned the scroll. "Do you really need someone like me, a spy?"
"No, no, no," Orochimaru denied her assumption with a shake of his head. "What I value is your medical ninjutsu. 'The Wandering Nun' is quite a well-known figure in the shinobi world."
"I belong to the Root," Nonō stated.
"I can transfer you here. During this time, I have the authority to recruit personnel from various divisions to build the Technology Development Department. I know you care about that orphanage. I can offer you more funding than Root ever could," Orochimaru said softly.
"You're still so skilled at getting to people's hearts," Nonō thought of the children at the orphanage, those pitiful yet lovable kids in her eyes. Her heart softened immediately.
"I know you're not like Danzo. You care about these children, don't you? Danzo sees these kids as leverage to control you, and what you've done for him is far more than what he's given you in return. Join me, and you won't have to bear the agony of being a spy anymore. All I need is your medical skills to assist and train some personnel," Orochimaru licked his lips as he extended his invitation.
"Is it really that simple?" Nonō looked at Orochimaru.
"Of course. As long as you can do one thing for me, I'll fulfill everything I promised!" A faint smile appeared on Orochimaru's pale face.
"What do you want?" Nonō let out a sigh of relief. She was worried Orochimaru wouldn't make any demands at all.
"You should be quite familiar with Root's collection, right? Tell me about them! Whether it's the cells of Hashirama Senju, other research materials, or any of Danzo's activities that posed a threat to the village, tell me everything you know," Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with interest.
"You need all that?" Nonō frowned slightly but soon relaxed.
"Root no longer needs any of it. From now on, all scientific research will be under the Technology Development Department. I just think Danzo will hide something and won't hand everything over obediently. I don't have the time or patience to play hide-and-seek with him," Orochimaru replied.
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