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As Orochimaru walked through the dim and moist wooden corridor, the intersections at each end plunged into profound darkness.
This corridor dangled above an abyss, with nothing but endless darkness below. It was just one of many intersecting passages in this maze-like place.
He advanced steadily into the dark corridor, eventually reaching the end. Orochimaru pushed open a door and entered a room where others awaited his arrival.
"Danzo, why have you summoned me at this hour?" Orochimaru inquired, addressing the individuals seated in the room.
Officially, he was a new member of 'Root,' serving as Danzo's deputy. In reality, however, he was the tool that Sarutobi Hiruzen, his teacher, had placed within 'Root.'
His role was to monitor and limit Danzo's aggressive actions, ensuring they didn't escalate.
Danzo didn't impose the same restrictions on Orochimaru that the typical 'Root' members endured. He wasn't controlled by seals, retained his name, and wasn't treated as a mere machine, unlike other members of 'Root.'
"Take a look at this first," Danzo said, unfazed by Orochimaru's informal address. In truth, Danzo didn't have the means to compel Orochimaru to do anything against his will.
Seated at the desk in front of Danzo, Orochimaru glanced at the document presented to him. His expression shifted subtly upon seeing the plan's title.
—Wood Release Cultivation Plan.
"What is the purpose of this new village research project?" Orochimaru inquired, his voice low, as he carefully observed Danzo's intentions.
"It's aimed at cultivating ninjas capable of inheriting the First Hokage's legacy, using the Wood Release. I hope to gain your assistance," Danzo explained in low voice, watching Orochimaru's expression closely as he spoke.
"Is this related to the Tailed Beasts?" Orochimaru quickly deduced the plan's purpose.
Wood Release, like Sharingan, possessed the ability to suppress Tailed Beasts. However, since the death of the First Hokage, Wood Release had vanished from the ninja world, and no other Wood Release users had emerged.
While Sharingan had been passed down through the Uchiha clan, Danzo, leader of 'Root,' was strongly opposed to the Uchiha clan as a whole.
Unable to control the Sharingan, cultivating Wood Release was an alternative, and it would be easier to manipulate under his command.
"It's not solely for Tailed Beasts; it's also a deterrent against rogue ninjas within the village. We need the power of Wood Release for this purpose," Danzo elaborated. He made it clear that he hadn't eased his vigilance toward the Uchiha clan, and when necessary, he would resort to extreme measures to constrain their influence.
"Really? What an interesting project."
Orochimaru acknowledged, wearing a faint smile. His voice, hoarse and magnetic, resonated in the room.
"The village lost many exceptional ninja in the previous Ninja War. We can't predict when the next war will occur. This is also an investment in the village's future. The power of Wood Release, which has quelled troubled times, will become a sharper weapon than White Fang's" Danzo explained, his tone resolute.
Sakumo's death had dealt a severe blow to Konoha, as he had been responsible for disrupting enemy rear lines during the war. He posed a significant threat to all nations. Now, they needed a formidable weapon to replace White Fang and deter other nations while securing Konoha's defense.
"Is Tsunade aware of this plan?"
Orochimaru questioned, aware that the cultivation of Wood Release required the extraction of cellular energy from the First Hokage's remains, a practice that defiled the sage's remains. Given Tsunade's character, she would never condone such a procedure and might even create a significant controversy in high-level meetings.
"Of course, she mustn't find out. Her knowledge of this would only complicate matters," Danzo replied with a stoic expression, his thoughts hidden behind a facade.
"So, Sarutobi-sensei has approved of this plan, then?" Orochimaru speculated.
Without Hiruzen's approval, Orochimaru couldn't believe that Danzo would have the audacity to tamper with Wood Release. Moreover, the Root's power alone wouldn't be sufficient to study this unique ability.
"You catch on quickly; you truly are the most talented among the three of you. Your intellect, knowledge, and understanding of ninjutsu play a crucial role in advancing this project," Danzo complimented Orochimaru's talents without hesitation.
"It appears that Sarutobi-sensei placed me in Root not only to monitor you, but also to contribute to this cause" Orochimaru remarked, having understood the situation. As long as it benefited the village, he was willing to proceed.
The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, whom Orochimaru admired greatly, had developed numerous forbidden jutsus through human experimentation. These techniques had given rise to various schools of ninjutsu and benefited many Konoha ninjas.
In this village, many things remain hidden, and most of these concealed secrets have secret origins.
The executor of Konoha's darker operations asked, "Where can I locate the 'materials'?"
"Don't worry about this. Volunteers from the village have already been screened and will cooperate in the experiment"
"Good, that's one less concern for me" Orochimaru acknowledged, nodding.
"The experiment is scheduled for next week. I need to review the details and make necessary preparations." Orochimaru stated before departing the meeting room with the plan in hand.
As he walked out of the secret room, Orochimaru surveyed the path ahead shrouded in darkness. He then glanced down at the plan and mused to himself, "Wood Release... I wonder how many lives will be sacrificed this time... Life is so fragile and cheap."
After briefly reflecting on these sentiments, he lifted his head, fixed his gaze forward, and stepped confidently into the enveloping darkness.
...
October had arrived, and the weather grew colder. In the forest, a group of four individuals were racing through the terrain.
"Hey, Kakashi, slow down!" a Konoha ninja in a Chunin uniform called out to Kakashi, who was leading the charge.
Kakashi turned his head for a moment to glance back at his Chunin teammate, who was carrying an injured ninja on his back, obviously struggling to keep up.
Kakashi stopped and stated indifferently, "Throw him away, the three of us will continue to complete the mission."
"Wh-what? What did you say?""
The Chunin stared at Kakashi in disbelief. This was unexpected coming from Kakashi.
Kakashi had often spoken provocatively in the past, but this time, he had crossed a line for this Chunin.
"You're kidding, right? Do you even understand what it means to be a Konoha ninja? How can you say something like that?" the Chunin angrily retorted.
"Are you truly a ninja? You should revisit the basics of ninja training in the academy. Remember, completing the mission is a ninja's ultimate purpose. Since he is a burden, with no combat power, and he will only drag the three of us, so don't worry about him, just leave him here. Or... kill him."" Kakashi retorted coldly.
Kakashi took out a kunai and threw it at the Chunin's feet, letting him make a decision.
His father, Sakumo, chose to save a companion during mission, he was slandered by rumors. And the suicide also proved his father's guilty conscience and fragility.
So, what he has to do now is to choose the mission.
A companion who has been seriously injured in the mission, unable to provide combat, or even dragging his teammates down, should be abandoned with the mission taking priority.
This was Kakashi's thought for the right path now.
"You…!, do you know what you're talking about? You are also a Konoha ninja, how could you say such thing?"
"Are you really a ninja? You should go back to the academy for your naive thoughts. Don't forget that completing the mission is the path that a ninja should really choose."
Kakashi stared at the Chunin coldly.
"You brat!!!"
The Chunin reacted and roared angrily.
The Chunin clenched his teeth, visibly agitated. Kakashi offered no further response, instead, he turned and walked away, his White Fang on his back. He moved forward alone.
"Captain, did you see that? He actually said that! He's so frustrating! Despite his talent, he's insufferable!" the Chunin complained, his frustration evident.
"Let it go. Kakashi doesn't mean any harm; the mission is what's important," the Jonin captain replied, shaking his head. In theory, Kakashi's suggestion was a valid choice.
However, he couldn't easily disregard a teammate's life.
"Captain, when we return, please request a replacement for Kakashi. He's a black sheep on our team" the Chunin requested.
"I'll bring it up with Hokage-sama," the captain assured him.
"Captain, you've mentioned this to Hokage-sama several times, but Kakashi remains the same. He's just not a good fit for our team. Let's give up on him; he's not suitable as a companion" the Chunin urged helplessly.
Captain Morin hesitated for a moment under the Chunin's pleading gaze before nodding in agreement.
"Alright, when I return, I'll apply to Hokage-sama for a transfer order to move Kakashi to another team," the captain conceded.
"Please hurry; I don't feel safe with a teammate like him," the Chunin concluded.
The Chunin with the injured ninja on his back, as well as Kakashi's indifferent attitude towards his comrades, had pushed him to his limits.
Even an ordinary chunin with average abilities would be preferable to such a ruthless, genius chunin.
...
Transfer order.
Seated in his office, Hiruzen felt a headache coming on as he reviewed the transfer request from a particular Jounin. The application sought to transfer Hatake Kakashi to a different team, citing Kakashi's inability to coordinate with teammates and work as part of a team.
After reading the transfer request, Hiruzen retrieved a similar application form from his desk drawer. Every previous application was from teams Kakashi had been assigned to, and in each case, Kakashi had remained for only a short time.
The Jonin captains of these teams believed that such a talented Chunin would be better off without their squad, fearing that Kakashi's presence would be a burden.
Is this the fourth time... or the fifth?
At that moment, there came a knock on the office door.
Hiruzen called out, "Enter."
A Konoha shinobi entered after a polite knock, bowing respectfully to Hiruzen. "Hokage-sama."
Hiruzen had placed Kakashi's information upfront, and the Jounin present picked it up and started reading.
"So, what's your assessment of Kakashi?" Hiruzen inquired.
The Jounin had only two words of evaluation: "A genius."
"I recall a teammate in your squad died. I'm thinking about placing Kakashi on your team. What's your take on this?" Hiruzen asked.
Upon hearing this, the Jounin's expression immediately changed, but he quickly composed himself and replied, "Hokage-sama, I'm not equipped to mentor a genius like Kakashi. Adding him to my team would only bury his potential. It would be best to allow him to flourish in another squad."
The Jounin knew Kakashi's name well. Recent rumors regarding Kakashi had circulated among the Jounin leaders, and not all were favorable.
Although he wasn't explicitly informed, he'd heard about it.
While his team did require additional members, introducing Kakashi might disrupt the entire squad, let alone teamwork.
Hiruzen didn't press the matter and allowed the Jounin to decline.
Then, another Jounin entered, and Hiruzen posed the same question. This Jounin also politely refused, though his demeanor changed slightly. He cited his own inadequacy, saying he lacked the capability to instruct such an exceptionally talented Chunin.
Subsequently, the Jounin ordered by Hirizan all provided similar euphemistic responses. They were unanimous in their opinion that they had no chance with a genius like Kakashi and lacked the ability to guide someone who had graduated from the Konoha Academy at such a young age.
Clearly, they may have exchanged views among themselves, and they were unwilling to accept a person like Kakashi who disrupted team dynamics. Even if they were geniuses, they unanimously preferred to keep their distance.
"Hokage-sama, I'm willing to take Kakashi on, but if he disobeys orders and disrupts teamwork, I will remove him from the squad" the 21st Jounin declared.
It took until the 21st Jounin for Hiruzen to finally find a Jounin willing to accept Kakashi. However, the Jounin attached a condition: if Kakashi followed orders and didn't damage team relationships, he'd accept this gifted Chunin into his team for missions.
Hiruzen smiled and replied, "Rest assured, Kakashi will obey your orders, Jounin."
The Jounin smiled wryly; he knew Kakashi would follow orders. In fact, other ninjas hadn't refused Kakashi because he didn't obey orders, but because his presence disrupted team dynamics and soured relations among teammates. This was why many were hesitant to accept such geniuses.
For a Jounin, maintaining strong team relationships was crucial.
Kakashi had broken that bond, making him unwelcome.
"I only hope he can hold his place in my team," the Jounin added. He didn't expect Kakashi to contribute significantly to the team; he merely wished for Kakashi not to disrupt team dynamics. That would be a win.
Hiruzen, after listening, nodded in agreement, accepting the Jounin's terms.
"To be honest, Hokage-sama, I don't believe Kakashi is well-suited for standard team missions. He'd be better placed in units like Anbu or Root," the departing Jounin offered.
As he left, he shared this sincere opinion.
Hiruzen pondered this suggestion. Leaving aside Anbu, the power of Root had been steadily growing.
In such matters, Hiruzen had a discerning eye. He could rely on Root, but only if it didn't surpass his expectations in strength.
Kakashi's talent was undeniably exceptional.
Enrolling at age four, graduating at five, and becoming a Chunin at six. Even if he achieved Jounin status at ten, Hiruzen wouldn't be surprised.
Such a sharp weapon mustn't fall into Danzo's hands to increase Root's power.
Hiruzen could see this clearly.
Though Anbu was indeed a good fit for Kakashi's exceptional talent, he wasn't yet at the minimum age requirement for Anbu.
Moreover, Anbu wasn't an educational institution, and there would be no one to teach Kakashi combat skills and ninjutsu, hindering his development at this stage.
However, Hiruzen was troubled. Regular teams were unwilling to accept Kakashi. Anbu wasn't an option yet. Root couldn't have him.
Should he make Kakashi a team captain? It was likely that team members would soon perish on missions.
Kakashi, who prioritized the mission above all else, was undoubtedly capable of such a thing now.
Never had a Chunin given Hiruzen such a headache. Hiruzen was unsure of where to place him, so for now, he'd assign Kakashi to a team and observe.
....
In Konoha Village, inside the barbecue shop, Shiraishi had invited Kakashi to have some meatballs.
"Kakashi, it's quite rare to see you these days. How have you been? I heard rumors that you've been having conflicts with your teammates lately" Shiraishi said as he held a bunch of skewers, took a bite, and smiled at Kakashi seated across from him.
When Shiraishi looked at Kakashi, he felt an unusually cold and distant aura emanating from him. There was a lack of the usual liveliness in his eyes.
Shiraishi had seen such an expression before, but it was only in the eyes of Root ninjas. It was a look devoid of a name, a future, or even a life. It seemed as if they existed solely to carry out their assigned tasks, operating like machines following preset procedures.
Kakashi responded in a cold tone, not touching the meatballs in front of him. "It's fine. It's just that there have been more burdens in my recent missions."
"They are your teammates, don't say that about them, teamwork is very important in missions."
Shiraishi sighed. It was evident that Sakumo's death had deeply affected Kakashi. He was still grappling with the question of whether the mission was more important or his comrades were. This question didn't have a definitive answer.
Kakashi's current state genuinely concerned Shiraishi.
"I can't cooperate with them at all. They care too much about trivial matters and are easily distracted by external information. A ninja's primary objective is to complete the mission," Kakashi stated firmly.
"Have you ever heard of the Barrel Principle?" Shiraishi asked.
"I don't want to hear your lectures, especially since you're only a Chunin now. You don't have the authority to preach to me. If you want to preach, wait until you become a Jonin" Kakashi retorted, hitting a nerve.
"..."
Furthermore, he continued, "If they can continue to fight, I will naturally support them. But if they can't contribute to the mission, it's only logical to leave them behind. As a ninja, the most crucial aspect is mission completion. When necessary, abandoning your comrades is part of the job, and no one should criticize me for it."
"Do you genuinely believe that?" Shiraishi questioned.
"The person who chose his comrades is no longer here. I don't want to repeat his mistakes" Kakashi replied, reasoning his stance.
This logical and well-founded response left Shiraishi speechless.
"But your comrades hate you, don't they?" Shiraishi inquired.
"That's not your concern. I'm just following the principles that a ninja should follow" Kakashi replied coldly.
"Is that so?"
Shiraishi recognized that it was futile to change Kakashi's mindset, which appeared to be on the brink of collapse.
He took out a bag from his ninja pouch and placed it in front of Kakashi. "This is a special military ration pill of mine and some antidotes. You can use them. Since you prioritize the mission above all else, you must ensure your own safety. Because once you're injured on a mission and can't fight or move, your comrades will abandon you."
Kakashi was momentarily surprised but didn't reach for the bag containing the pills and antidotes.
"Why? Isn't this the path you've chosen for yourself? It's a completely different path from Sakumo-sensei's. Now isn't the time to hesitate," Shiraishi said calmly and with a slight smile.
Kakashi silently accepted the bag and softly said, "Thank you."
"You're welcome. It's what I should do. After all, I watched you grow up. Now that Sakumo-sensei is gone, I'll look after you wholeheartedly. If necessary, I'll inform Ruri that you'll join her team for missions."
"No, that's too much trouble for you. I'll take care of myself," Kakashi declined Shiraishi's proposal.
Shiraishi didn't insist and continued eating his skewers quietly.
"If there's nothing else, I'll head to practice," Kakashi announced as he stood up.
Just as he was about to leave, Shiraishi's voice called out from behind, "Kakashi, do you think Sakumo-sensei made a wrong choice back then?"
Kakashi responded, "Yes, that's why I'm taking a different path from him."
With those words, he had essentially rejected the path his father Sakumo had chosen.
A path he considered wrong.
The route Kakashi was now taking was what he believed a true ninja should follow.
"It appears that his psychological issues are more severe than I thought, this unlikable kid. He and Sakumo-sensei are polar opposites. Are they really father and son? When Sakumo-sensei was at Konoha Hospital, he couldn't have made a mistake, could he?" Shiraishi mused while finishing his meal.
Although Kakashi hadn't been very likable before, he had never uttered such cold words with such a stoic expression.
But the time was nearing; it was the time when one might question the Will of Fire.
In other words, after experiencing these events, Kakashi's heart may have begun to waver.
His aloof demeanor was perhaps a facade, a disguise of inner strength.
What had triggered Kakashi's conflicting thoughts was undoubtedly the current atmosphere in Konoha.
A boring and twisted village.
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