“You're not human!”
It was already noon.
Konan's breathing was extrely unstable as she collapsed weakly onto the bamboo mat.
“You're not human at all...”
"I'm the first... You must know this...”
Her face flushed crimson, but Konan ultimately couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.
“Sorry, too.”
Hakken gave her a calm glance.
She hadn't needed to push herself this far, but the mont she snapped out of the genjutsu, she'd been consud by the urge to take Hakken down with her.
Hmm.
Only now, after escaping the genjutsu, did she finally abandon those suicidal and murderous thoughts. Or rather, she simply lacked the strength left.
Had she not been driven by the need to uncover the truth behind Nagato's eyes, she likely would have collapsed unconscious. Pure willpower alone had sustained her through that entire series of high-difficulty maneuvers.
“And mind you, I was only responsible for lying down the whole ti.”
Are you trying to kill with words? Konan's breath ca in gasps. She seed so refined before—how did she turn into such a scoundrel here!
“Alright.”
He sprang to his feet, his black martial arts uniform already draped over Hakken. The sake flask and katana hung at his waist. His gaze shifted from the playful amusent of 27 back to its usual state. Such things never affected him.
“Yahiko's death was a conspiracy.”
Leaning against his daughter's shoulder, Hakken inhaled the scent of an unfamiliar shampoo before uttering a single sentence and turning to leave.
“Yahiko's death was a conspiracy?!”
Konan's pupils contracted sharply. A buzzing sensation nearly sent her reeling into unconsciousness.
Her comrade's death had always been a wound in her heart. It was precisely because she had killed Yahiko with her own hands that Nagato had beco the tornted shell he was today.
“That's all?”
Eager to hear more, Konan disregarded her disheveled nightgown and grabbed Hakken's hand, urging him to continue.
“Rest well. Your attitude in serving over the next three days will determine whether I continue.”
Hakken smiled gently, running his fingers through Konan's pale blue hair.
“If one day you can be mindful without needing genjutsu, I'll tell you everything.”
“You're not human at all!”
A furious cry, and Konan collapsed, unable to hold on any longer.
Shaking his head, Hakken tucked the blanket around her before turning away.
The process of reduction takes ti.
Genjutsu would fade soday. Hakken's plan was to completely eradicate the other's thoughts of self-destruction before that day ca.
As for the truth, anticipation was essential. What if hearing it only deepened her despair?
Essentially, she wasn't evil—she'd rely followed Nagato into deeds she shouldn't have done.
He'd given her the chance. Whether she could “seize” it was up to her.
Stepping out of the room, Hakken didn’t even form the seal. He simply bit his finger and slapped the ground.
“Summoning Jutsu!”
“Yugito Nii!”
Thud.
White smoke dissipated, revealing Yugito Nii dazed as she held a kitchen knife, looking around. To be honest, she was in the middle of making lunch for her master's older sister.
“I have a mission for you.”
“There's a woman in the room. Rember to bring her als on ti. If she wants to go out, accompany her.”
Bajian pinched the cat-ear accessory on Yugito's head as he spoke.
Compared to the other one inside, Yugito's understanding was far superior. She even slipped into the maid role much more naturally than the others. A very capable cat-eared girl.
Nodding to her, Hakken vanished from the spot with a Body Flicker Technique.
Curious, Yugito entered the room. Five minutes later, she burst out, her face flushed crimson.
Just looking at them, you could tell what happened!
Oh my god, if Anko ever found out about this...
Shaking her head violently, Yugito swallowed hard, refusing to let her mind wander any further.
Cheating?
You’ve finally t your match.
Rolling her eyes, Yugito put away the kitchen knife and went inside to help tidy the room. What could she do? He was her master.
And witnessing that scene, she suddenly realized that little brat had grown up.
Which ant she herself was...
Danger!
…
“Let’s talk.”
Konoha Training Grounds.
Due to yesterday's mission taking up much of the day, so of the original training plans hadn’t been completed. As a result, Kakashi decided to intensify the training for the reserves today.
Known as the Devil Instructor, Kakashi himself took to the field today.
A voice called out. Kakashi nodded in response and walked over to a nearby tree.
Today, Owl seed a bit different than usual.
Hmm, he’s matured a lot. Probably even more handso now.
Taking the gourd of sake handed to him by Hakken, Kakashi pulled down his mask and took a swig.
“Let’s talk.”
It had been ages since he’d spoken like this with Owl.
The mutual understanding between them remained.
But training new recruits was ti-consuming, after all.
Patting Kakashi’s shoulder, Hakken’s expression turned serious.
“If Obito Uchiha were still alive and sought to destroy the world, to destroy Konoha—would you strike against him?”
Minato Namikaze already knew about the masked man who had impersonated Madara Uchiha in Konoha, attempting to release the Nine-Tails.
But he had told Minato to keep it a secret from Kakashi for now.
Back then, Kakashi was just a teenager.
Even though he’d experienced much and matured,
compared to the shock and anguish he felt when encountering Obito during the Fourth Shinobi World War in the original story, he had adjusted much more quickly to the change.
Therefore, Hakken hadn’t directly told him that Obito was still alive.
But now, Kakashi had already seen Obito while en route to Agakure.
Whether that familiar feeling would resurface was uncertain, but the ti had co to tell him.
Because soon, this debt would be settled once and for all.
It was essential for Kakashi to ntally prepare himself beforehand.
“You only need to answer this: will you strike him down?”
Seeing Kakashi freeze in surprise, Hakken repeated the question.
Obito.
A na buried deep within his mories.
Gripping Hakken’s sake flask tightly, Kakashi finally exhaled deeply.
“If he truly intends to do that, I will stop him.”
“As a ninja of Konoha, your subordinate.”
“Owl, you needn’t worry about my resolve.”
Even if it ans dying in battle.
He would never betray the na of Night Owl Team, Unit 497.
This was Kakashi’s resolve!
“Good.”
Hakken patted Kakashi’s shoulder, a satisfied smile spreading across his face.
People change.
Kakashi’s ANBU chapter had turned the page. He was now a true Konoha ninja.
Every Konoha ninja possessed the spirit to fight to the death for what they needed to protect.
This was the true Will of Fire.
“Obito didn’t die. He saw you kill Rin.”
“But he understood your reasons. He just rejected this world entirely and beca twisted.”
“You know how ssed up the Uchiha are. When their beliefs crumble, turning to darkness is only natural.”
“Especially for those who cherish emotions the most.”
Two sentences revealed what likely drove Obito from light to darkness.
“But I can tell you more than that.”
Re-examining Kakashi’s eyes, Hakken leaned closer to his ear.
“He was nothing more than a pawn. I can assure you with certainty: from this day forward, carry no guilt whatsoever for killing Rin.”
“Because it was all a conspiracy targeting Obito.”
Rising to his feet, Hakken snatched the flask and strode forward.
Only Kakashi, left behind, perked his ears to catch the man’s final words before he vanished.
“Live well, Kakashi. You owe nothing to anyone!”
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