"Capture Sarutobi Hiruzen alive and return him to the village for trial!"
Exiting the group chat, Sakumo Hatake, better known as the White Fang of the Leaf, turned to face Sarutobi Biwako and her son, Sarutobi Asuma, with a cold sneer.
"Hiruzen has fled. It seems he's abandoned you both."
Biwako's eyes widened in disbelief, her voice quivering slightly as she replied, "That's impossible… Hiruzen would never leave his wife and child behind."
Sakumo scoffed, folding his arms across his chest. "You haven't checked the group chat in a while, have you? Take a look. See for yourself."
Unnerved by his words, Biwako quickly accessed the Shinobi Network's group chat. As the messages loaded, her heart sank:
> [Third Raikage]: Hah! So this is the man Konoha calls Hokage? He abandoned his own family to save himself!
> [Fourth Kazekage - Rasa]: Not going to lie, that's disgraceful—even for a shinobi.
> [Fifth Mizukage - Terumi Mei]: Abandoning your wife and son? That's not just cowardly—it's inhuman.
> [Fourth Raikage - A]: Survival or not, no real man—no real Hokage—would choose himself over his family.
> [Second Hokage - Tobirama Senju]: This is my mistake. I should never have chosen him as my student…
> [First Hokage - Hashirama Senju]: No, Tobirama, this isn't on you. You taught him strength—he chose weakness.
> [Uchiha Izuna]: Or maybe your real mistake was trusting someone who never truly understood loyalty.
Displayed on the public map was a red marker—Hiruzen—darting toward the forest's edge, clearly trying to escape while his family remained behind. Biwako stood frozen, her breath caught in her throat, staring at the undeniable evidence. Her hands trembled.
"You see it now?" Sakumo asked, his voice grim.
Her eyes burned with fury as she whispered, "Hiruzen…"
Rage erupted in her chest. She gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. The betrayal hit harder than any kunai ever could.
"Kakashi!" Sakumo barked. "Secure Biwako and Asuma. I'm going after Sarutobi Hiruzen!"
"Yes, Father!" Kakashi replied without hesitation. With swift precision, he restrained both Biwako and Asuma using chakra binding wire, keeping a watchful eye on their movements.
Sakumo took one final glance at the map before vanishing into the trees, chakra flaring around him as he dashed after the fleeing Hokage.
As he vanished into the distance, Kakashi activated a viewpoint relay with the system.
"System," he said calmly, "keep a live perspective on my father's pursuit."
Kaito stood on one side, observing the battlefield from Kakashi's perspective as he followed in the footsteps of the White Fang — Sakumo Hatake.
With precise movements and battle-hardened instincts, the White Fang swiftly tracked down his target — the former Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"No way… how did you find me so quickly?"
Hiruzen's eyes widened, equal parts fear and disbelief flashing across his aged face.
"Hah! You've only got yourself to blame," White Fang said coldly. "Too ashamed to see what the villagers were saying, you chose to ignore the group chat. If you'd paid attention, maybe you wouldn't have abandoned your so-called 'pawn' and run like a coward."
Hiruzen's expression faltered. He quickly shifted his consciousness into the chat group—only to be greeted by a flood of messages: harsh criticisms, betrayal exposés, and raw public outrage.
His laughter erupted suddenly—bitter and maddening.
"Hahahahaha…!!"
White Fang narrowed his eyes. That laugh — it was the sound of a crumbling legacy.
Moments later, Hiruzen stopped laughing. His eyes, once wise and composed, now burned red with rage.
"You… White Fang! You destroyed everything I built! You'll pay for this!!"
"Five Nature Release: Elemental Barrage!"
Hiruzen roared, flashing through a series of rapid hand signs. Five chakra-infused projectiles — representing Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, and Lightning — launched toward White Fang in a synchronized assault.
"Tch."
White Fang remained calm. Sparks of electricity erupted from his body as he countered,
"Lightning Style: Thunder Wave!"
A surge of lightning surged from his palms, intercepting the elemental barrage mid-air.
"BOOM!!"
The chakra blasts exploded in a massive shockwave above them. Before the smoke even cleared, White Fang had already vanished from sight.
Appearing behind Hiruzen in a flash, he struck with precise force, rendering the aging Hokage unconscious.
As Sarutobi collapsed, White Fang took out a chakra-suppressing rope and bound him tightly.
Killing him? No. That would be too merciful.
He intended to drag him back to Konoha — to let the truth be revealed and justice delivered. Just as Hiruzen had once shamed and discarded him, White Fang would now see the fallen Hokage judged by the very village he once ruled.