Task or teammate… So Kakashi is still struggling with this question, huh?
Nasuhiko felt a tinge of helplessness in his heart.
After all, such dilemmas are like the age-old question, "If your mom and your girlfriend fell into the ocean, who would you save first?" There is no perfect answer.
However, seeing Kakashi's young face marred by deep frowns and heavy sorrow, Nasuhiko sighed lightly and then responded:
"Unfortunately, Kakashi, I can't give you a definitive answer either."
"Because depending on the circumstances, even the same person might give entirely different answers."
"For example, someone who prioritizes the mission above all else wouldn't sacrifice their teammates for a simple cat-catching task."
"But if it were a mission critical to the village's survival, there would be countless people willing to sacrifice not just their teammates but their own lives without hesitation."
"Of course, these are extreme examples. Most of the time, the weight of the mission and that of your companions aren't so starkly different."
"So until the moment arrives where they must be placed on opposite ends of a scale, no one can truly give a precise answer."
Nasuhiko spoke as he glanced at Kakashi again, his tone tinged with teasing:
"Just like before, when I clearly told you to stay out of my fight with Kakuzu. Yet, thinking I had died, you launched a suicidal attack against him…"
Kakashi lowered his head in frustration, evidently still grappling with what had happened.
It was unclear if he felt shame from his misunderstanding, fear from nearly losing his life, or confusion for violating the ninja code.
Seeing this, Nasuhiko ruffled Kakashi's hair into a messy white nest and chuckled:
"Don't look so glum. As the leader of this mission, I was indeed angry about your rash behavior. But as your teacher, I was quite comforted by it."
"Besides, you've seen for yourself—Kakuzu had modified his body to the point where he was practically a monster. He wasn't someone you could defeat with a single successful sneak attack. So there's no need to blame yourself so much."
"Actually, if I had explained my plan to you from the start, you wouldn't have faced such danger, and your chakra short blade wouldn't have been broken…"
At this, Nasuhiko lightly slapped his forehead.
"Ah, I nearly forgot—I have something to give you."
Hearing this, Kakashi finally looked up. To his surprise, Nasuhiko pulled out a handkerchief and unwrapped it, revealing a broken blade!
It was, without a doubt, the missing half of Kakashi's White Fang blade.
Earlier, when this piece of the blade was knocked away by Kakuzu's arm, Kakashi hadn't had the chance to retrieve it.
Even after the battle, the large-scale ninjutsu bombardments had left the battlefield unrecognizable. With everything in ruins, Kakashi hadn't wanted to delay the group's departure for his own sake, so he let it go.
He'd assumed that the piece was lost forever. Never did he expect the two halves of the blade would meet again.
"I actually spotted this after the battle," Nasuhiko explained, "but with everything else going on, I forgot to return it to you."
"Unfortunately, once a chakra blade like this breaks, it's nearly impossible to repair unless it's reforged. Whether you want to reforge it or keep it as a memento is up to you."
As he spoke, Nasuhiko handed the broken blade to Kakashi.
But Kakashi hesitated, his expression conflicted. After some thought, he didn't take the blade. Instead, he extended the hilt of the blade he'd been holding to Nasuhiko.
"Sensei, I recall that chakra metal has many applications in sealing techniques," Kakashi said. "Rather than reforging or leaving it idle, I think it would be far more useful in your hands."
Nasuhiko raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure, Kakashi? Even broken, this short blade is worth millions of ryo—practically the equivalent of one or two Asumas."
"It's fine," Kakashi replied calmly. "Compared to what you've taught me and the life you've saved, this broken blade is nothing."
"Besides, during this fight, I realized this blade might not suit me. Its breaking might actually be a good thing—it'll give me time to explore and learn new skills."
Saying this, Kakashi placed the hilt on the handkerchief.
"Well, if you insist," Nasuhiko said, wrapping up the blade pieces and tucking them away with swift movements.
Though Kakashi had made up his mind, he had expected Nasuhiko to refuse a few times before accepting. Seeing him take it so readily left Kakashi a bit bewildered.
"Haha, I was just joking," Nasuhiko said with a grin. "Teaching you and saving you—those are my duties as a teacher and team leader. Accepting such a valuable gift would be inappropriate."
"But your decision to step away from blade techniques for now and focus on learning other things isn't wrong."
"So let me hold onto it for now. I'll also see if there's any way to perfectly restore it."
"Honestly, I've always been curious about the chakra blades White Fang used in battle. Now, I finally get the chance to examine one closely."
After some thought, Kakashi nodded, showing no objections.
The two then chatted for a while longer, with Kakashi seeking Nasuhiko's guidance on sealing techniques. Nasuhiko patiently answered his questions.
Eventually, Nasuhiko stood to leave.
But after a few steps, he stopped, turned, and said:
"Oh, by the way, about your original question…"
"Though it's not a true answer, I'd say the best solution is to ensure that the day when such a choice is required never comes."
Nasuhiko smiled and elaborated:
"Rather than agonizing over what to do then, focus now on training hard. Build enough strength to tackle any challenge, and you won't need to choose between mission and teammate."
"But…" Kakashi started, only to falter. Nasuhiko's answer clearly didn't resolve his dilemma.
After all, even a man as powerful as that one—a man who made even the Sannin bow their heads—had faced such a choice.
Sensing Kakashi's unease, Nasuhiko smiled knowingly.
"—Of course, this is an ideal scenario."
"No matter how much effort you put in, there may still come a day when you have to make that choice."
"But when that day comes, at least you'll be able to act without regret, knowing you gave it your all."
"Do your best and leave the rest to fate. That's probably my answer."
At this, Nasuhiko pulled out the handkerchief holding the broken blade again and added:
"You know, chakra-metal weapons aren't as durable as people think."
"Their incredible strength comes from their ability to channel chakra. A weapon's toughness relies heavily on the user's chakra control."
"So it's not that this blade couldn't stand up to Kakuzu's Earth Release, but that your chakra control was too weak at the time. Your emotional state also made it worse, reducing your control even further."
"Chakra, after all, is a combination of mental and physical energy. Emotional fluctuations heavily impact its use."
"While many have tapped into surges of power from strong emotions to achieve victory, using chakra blades may require a calm and steady mindset."
"I only met Sakumo a few times, but seeing how he earned the name 'White Fang,' dominating the battlefield with just a short blade, it's clear he must have been incredibly composed in battle, never acting impulsively."
"He may have been gentle on the surface, but once he made a decision, nothing could sway him."
"No matter how others view him, I believe Sakumo never regretted his choices, even in his final moments…"
With that, Nasuhiko turned and left. Kakashi remained seated atop a large boulder, gazing at the silver-white full moon, lost in thought.
(End of Chapter)