Naruto : Konoha Light

The Next Morning

As soon as he stepped into the classroom, the room erupted with cheers that echoed across the campus.

"It's Mizuki!"

"Mizuki is back! Our second grade is finally complete again!"

Seeing the bright smiles around him, Mizuki felt a strange warmth inside, though he didn't quite know how to respond. He thought to himself, If I act too indifferent, it might make Shimizu distant... But what should I do now? How would Shimizu handle this?

With that thought in mind, he forced a small, awkward smile. "Thank you... Thank you, everyone."

The room fell into stunned silence for a moment.

"Huh? Mizuki just smiled?"

"He can smile?"

"Haha, Mizuki actually changed!"

"Well, his smile is kind of ugly, but it's still better than that cold, expressionless face!"

One of the students turned to Mizuki and asked eagerly, "Mizuki, tell us! What exactly happened to you two?"

Mizuki, who had been feeling slightly overwhelmed, suddenly perked up when he heard this. His tone turned serious as he began, "You guys probably don't know, but Shimizu—"

"!?"

"He turned into a frog? No way! That's awesome!"

Amid the gasps and chatter, Asuma crossed his arms, looking slightly annoyed. "Tch... Not fair. You should've taken me with you!"

Ebisu, ever the sarcastic one, smirked. "Taken you along? And what, have you try to master medical ninjutsu?"

Meanwhile, Shizune's eyes sparkled with admiration. "Shimizu-sama is amazing… He actually pulled off such a high-difficulty surgery!"

Shimizu sighed. "It was too dangerous. If Mizuki hadn't insisted, I actually would've waited until I had more confidence before attempting it."

Kurenai bit her lip, lowering her voice. "Mizuki didn't want to fall too far behind us…"

Shimizu leaned back in his chair and stretched. "Well, in any case, it's all over now."

Just then, the classroom door burst open as Ryousuke Takeya, the self-proclaimed class informant, dashed inside, his voice full of urgency.

"Breaking news! Big news! Kakashi Hatake from first grade has applied for early graduation! And not just that—he specifically requested to challenge the class leader again!"

The room instantly erupted into chaos.

"What?! He's graduating already?!"

"And challenging the class leader? Didn't he lose last time?!"

Takeya shook his head dramatically. "You guys don't know the full story. Last night… Kakashi Hatake's father took his own life at home."

Root Headquarters – Underground Chamber

"Suicide, huh?" Danzo Shimura frowned, then sneered. "What a disgrace. Does someone like that even deserve to be called a shinobi?"

A voice echoed from the shadows—a black-robed Aburame Torune. "Perhaps the weight of falling from hero to traitor was too much to bear."

Danzo scoffed. "This is exactly why the weak-willed do not belong in the shinobi world. True shinobi should cast aside unnecessary emotions. Even if they are hated and misunderstood, they must uphold their duty with unwavering resolve."

Torune's usually cold eyes burned with zeal. "Yes, Lord Danzo. A shinobi does not belong in the light. Only Root—the true foundation of Konoha—embodies what it means to be a shinobi."

Danzo turned and walked deeper into the darkness. "Tell the Root operatives to lay low for now. Hiruzen is bound to use this as an excuse to act against us."

Hokage's Office

A masked ANBU knelt before the Third Hokage.

"Hokage-sama, I bring urgent news."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression was grim. "…It was my fault. I led Sakumo to this fate."

The ANBU hesitated before responding, "Hokage-sama, please don't blame yourself. Sakumo Hatake's death was entirely due to his own weakness."

Hiruzen forced a sad smile. "Weakness? Do you really believe that?"

The ANBU nodded firmly. "The rumors were enough to break him. He let mere whispers determine his fate. A true shinobi should not be so fragile."

Hiruzen sighed deeply. "Sakumo was not weak. In fact, he was stronger than anyone."

The ANBU was caught off guard. "Hokage-sama…?"

Hiruzen folded his hands, gazing out the window. "He was too kind, too noble. He saw through Danzo's trap, but rather than fighting back, he willingly walked into it… to protect the very people who condemned him."

The ANBU tensed. "The people who condemned him…? You mean his own comrades?"

Hiruzen nodded. "Yes. A shinobi of his caliber could have completed his missions alone. Instead, he was deliberately assigned a team—one that would slow him down and increase the likelihood of failure."

The ANBU's eyes widened in realization. "So that's why he kept coming back from missions wounded… He was forcing himself to complete the tasks while also protecting his team?"

Hiruzen exhaled a cloud of smoke. "Even someone as powerful as him couldn't accomplish the impossible."

The ANBU clenched his fists. "And when he failed… the very people he saved turned against him."

"That's not all." Hiruzen's voice was heavy with sorrow. "His death wasn't just because of their betrayal… It was because of me."

"Because of you, Hokage-sama?"

"You've heard the rumors, haven't you? That I was considering making Sakumo the next Hokage."

"Yes," the ANBU confirmed. "It was said that you were deciding between him and Lord Orochimaru."

"In truth," Hiruzen admitted, "I always favored Sakumo."

The ANBU was surprised. "Then why—?"

Hiruzen sighed. "Danzo's schemes made me realize one painful truth—Sakumo was too good to be Hokage."

The ANBU furrowed his brow. "Too good?"

Hiruzen nodded. "The Hokage carries the fate of the village on his shoulders. A kind heart can lead to hesitation at the worst moments. If Sakumo had been Hokage… he might have made decisions that were right but not practical for the village's survival."

The ANBU's voice was quiet. "So… you had to let him fall?"

Hiruzen's shoulders sagged. "I couldn't protect him. And worse… I think he believed I was behind it all. He thought I supported Orochimaru over him… That I was helping pave the way for Orochimaru's rise."

The ANBU was stunned. "He… misunderstood your intentions?"

Hiruzen let out a weary chuckle. "My own student… never believed in me."

A long silence settled between them.

Finally, Hiruzen waved a hand dismissively. "Go. Erase the rumors. At the very least… let Sakumo Hatake be remembered as a hero."

The ANBU turned to leave, but Hiruzen spoke one last command.

"And make sure Root stays in line."