On the rooftop of Konoha Hospital, Kakashi Hatake stood alone, leaning against the railing. In the distance was a dim sky, and beneath it, a hazy, gray Konoha shrouded in a thin mist. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't see clearly into the distance.
In truth, Kakashi's eyes weren't focused on anything at all.
He was lost, but it was more than just being lost. In the past year or two, Kakashi had lost almost everyone close to him. First his teammates, then his teacher… Just as Kakashi in his twenties wasn't as sharp with his jutsu as Kakashi in his teens, the teenage Kakashi didn't possess the maturity and composure of his older self.
At times like this, it was hard to know whether Kakashi needed to be left alone or if someone should approach him and offer comfort.
Then, another person arrived on the rooftop.
There were uneven, shuffling footsteps, one light and one heavy, and the sharper sound of something hard tapping against the ground… It was Habara, making his way with "two feet and a crutch."
Habara's eyes widened slightly in surprise when he saw Kakashi standing there… He must be here to visit someone, Habara thought, as he continued walking towards him.
It was unclear if Kakashi noticed the person approaching from behind, but he didn't turn around. However, as Habara drew closer, Kakashi seemed to raise his hand to wipe at his eyes.
Regardless, Kakashi Hatake was only fourteen years old at this point… Fourteen, there was still hope for him.
"Often, I've thought that those in positions of power are just…symbols. That the so-called 'sacrifices' around me were the ones who were truly alive. Now, looking back, that kind of thinking was somewhat biased and arrogant."
Habara hadn't initially intended to ensure the Fourth Hokage survived the Nine-Tails incident. But now that the Fourth Hokage had truly sacrificed himself, Habara felt a sense of loss, perhaps influenced by the overall atmosphere in Konoha.
Kakashi Hatake glanced back at Habara, but he didn't respond to his words.
Kakashi had been an exceptionally talented student since his time at the Ninja Academy. On the battlefield, his status as the son of the White Fang and a student of Minato made him stand out even more, and his own abilities far surpassed those of his peers. In a sense, he had always been the kind of "person in a position of power" that Habara was referring to.
Everyone has a different perspective on the same event, so it was difficult to say whether Kakashi could understand Habara's feelings.
Seeing that Kakashi didn't respond, Habara didn't mind. He was a kind person, and he felt that Kakashi was worth saving, so he decided to try.
"Kakashi Hatake, what I'm about to tell you is top secret. Listen carefully, but never repeat it to anyone. The due date of the Hokage's wife was absolute top-secret information in Konoha. How did the mysterious person who invaded Konoha last night obtain such intel? Is it possible someone deliberately leaked the information? It's worth noting that the mysterious person used an outstanding space-time ninjutsu. He could sneak into any place without a sound. So, is it possible that someone was talking to themselves about the date, and the mysterious person overheard them, for example… in a graveyard?"
Yes, although it was an attempt to help, Habara was starting off with shock therapy.
Habara's words made Kakashi whirl around, suddenly feeling a dizzying sensation…
"Graveyard… graveyard…"
Truthfully, Habara's words were baseless, but in this situation, Kakashi would inevitably start overthinking and torturing himself.
"You… where did you get this information? Right, you fought that enemy…"
Habara frowned slightly; it seemed news of his activities last night had spread quickly as well. "I was the first person to encounter the enemy. How do you think he appeared behind us without a sound?"
At this moment, Kakashi Hatake felt his thoughts becoming increasingly clear, yet also increasingly chaotic. He felt like he was suffocating, his breathing involuntarily quickening. He had clenched his fists so tightly that his fingernails were digging deep into his flesh, but he didn't even notice.
Then, Habara suddenly gripped Kakashi's shoulder firmly, ignoring his current state of confusion, and began to speak about a second matter:
"Another piece of information, concerning the Uchiha clan… Above the three-tomoe Sharingan, there exists another type of eye, called the Mangekyo Sharingan. This Sharingan possesses incredible power, but because the conditions for awakening it are so harsh, even within the Uchiha clan, few know of it. To awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan, one needs to subject the brain to extreme stimulation. So, generally speaking, the specific method of awakening it is… to personally kill someone close to you, someone you cherish."
Kakashi Hatake looked up again, not because he cared much about the Mangekyo Sharingan, but because he reacted to Habara's last phrase: "personally kill someone you cherish."
What the Mangekyo Sharingan was about, Kakashi would have to wait until he calmed down to contemplate the meaning of this information that Habara shared.
"The Mangekyo Sharingan can make a ninja incredibly powerful," Habara said finally.
See, after the Fourth Hokage, the person who was truly best to Kakashi Hatake was actually Habara. What is "truly, for your own good?" This is "truly, for your own good."
It's just that the kindness Habara was offering was a bit… unique. Next, either Kakashi Hatake would start to evolve, or he would follow the fast track of his father, Sakumo Hatake's, life and commit suicide with his sword.
However, Kakashi's spirit should be quite resilient. In a way, he and Habara were alike – both were teammate killers, and teammate killers have very strong spirits.
Kakashi Hatake's mind was a complete mess. The information Habara had given him was extraordinary, both in terms of quantity and impact. After a long while, when Kakashi finally recovered enough to raise his head and ask further questions, he found that Habara was long gone.
...
After leaving the rooftop, Habara let go of the matter of Kakashi Hatake and continued to ponder the rumors circulating in the village about the identity of last night's enemy.
If he wasn't mistaken, this was likely an arrangement left behind by the Fourth Hokage, as it was very much in line with his style of doing things. Simply protecting the Uchiha? That was impossible. The Fourth Hokage at least knew he was attacked by a Sharingan user. To still consider the Uchiha so much in that situation? Honestly, while the Fourth Hokage was kind, he wasn't stupid.
Minato Namikaze made this decision from the standpoint of the Hokage, with the goal of maintaining the overall stability of Konoha. Because in his view, external enemies were not frightening; the division of Konoha was the most deadly.
However, would this idea be accepted by other high-ranking members of Konoha?
When Habara returned to his hospital room, he found an ANBU ninja waiting for him.
"Chunin Habara, the Third Hokage summons you," the ANBU ninja said immediately upon seeing Habara.
"The Hokage? Understood," Habara nodded.
The person in front of him was clearly his teammate, Kazeri. It was obvious he was being very particular about how he addressed Habara… Wearing the mask, it was "Riku," without the mask, it was "Habara."
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