It was when the sun slanted west. On the empty street, two teenagers faced each other. After quite a while, Kakashi's dead-fish eyes finally moved. Without saying a word, he brushed past Otonashi.
"Hey, wait." Otonashi called out. He understood what the teenager was thinking, but what was with this look of not wanting to face me?
Isn't it just because you dropped the ball during the Kannabi Bridge battle, leading to a near-death situation? Is it worth avoiding me like I cuckolded you?
The teenager, having walked two meters past, stopped and turned his head slightly: "What do you want?"
"I'm going to pay respects at Obito's grave. Are you coming?"
Mentioning Obito, Kakashi's pupils slightly contracted. Seeing Otonashi walk off on his own, he gritted his teeth and followed.
The memorial stone would be built after the war. For now, all the fallen were buried outside the village. Leaving the village, the road was filled with an endless stream of people paying respects, much livelier than inside the village.
The cemetery was built on a flat piece of land, looking somewhat like Arlington National Cemetery in America. Anyway, it was densely packed, and for a moment, it was impossible to count how many people were buried there.
After asking the ninjas stationed there, they quickly found the place where Uchiha Obito was buried among the dense rows of tombstones.
A small tombstone recorded the dates of birth and death, name, and nothing else.
"People are like this. Whether you die early or late, you have to die. A small box is the final destination." Otonashi muttered to himself, placing the flowers he bought on the road onto the tombstone.
"We didn't find Obito's body," Kakashi added abruptly.
"Makes no difference. Few people buried here have complete corpses." Otonashi clasped his hands together and mumbled a few words, then added, "Ninjas are destined to die on the battlefield. Whether it's you, me, or even Minato-sensei, no one can guarantee they'll survive this damn war."
"So what are you trying to say?" Kakashi frowned.
"Don't put too much pressure on yourself. The death of companions and mission failures are common occurrences. Why take it all upon yourself?"
He meant this sincerely. If blame were truly to be assigned, it could only be blamed on the enemy being too cunning. Who knew the three villages would ally? Thinking further, Otonashi felt this blame fell on himself.
The Battle of Shirakawa was significant. While reducing trouble for Konoha, it also affected everything afterward like a butterfly effect.
Kakashi was silent, slightly clenching his fists: "I'm just unwilling."
"Unwilling? Right, you were indeed somewhat careless." Otonashi wasn't here to pour chicken soup today, pointing out seriously, "And a bit hot-headed. Using that 'Chidori' before it was completed directly, giving the enemy an opportunity."
Otonashi knew Kakashi's ninjutsu was not inferior to his own. If he had played it steady, he probably could have held out until his rescue. But the battlefield changed rapidly; who knew reinforcements were coming?
"But using the strongest jutsu to break out, there's nothing wrong with that either."
"Minato-sensei already warned me about the same thing, just on the way to Kannabi Bridge." Kakashi felt angry just thinking about it. Minato clearly told him not to use it, but in the heat of the moment, he still used it.
Chidori was a straight thrust with rapid impact. The relative speed was too fast to clearly see the enemy's movements, and the straight thrust was too straightforward, easily dodged by masters.
Either specialize in combat like Otonashi, forming muscle memory, or possess eyes that see through everything.
"So I don't use Chidori anymore." Kakashi gently stroked the short sword on his back, "Consider it learning from you."
Otonashi knew that foot-long short sword was Kakashi's father's keepsake. Like his own small tachi, it was made of chakra metal. Back then, the 'White Fang of Konoha' used it to make the entire ninja world tremble in fear.
Without the Sharingan, Kakashi couldn't become the Copy Ninja in this life. But a genius is a genius; he quickly found a new path.
"Nintaijutsu?" Otonashi didn't say much more. He remembered the Sharingan would cause a heavy burden for this guy; following the path of the 'White Fang of Konoha' was also good.
The setting sun descended west, casting a blood-red glow over this cemetery, making it appear even more ancient and desolate. The two looked at the tombstone without speaking. Finally, Otonashi broke the oppressive atmosphere.
"Where's Rin?"
"Helping at the aid station, hasn't returned yet." Kakashi replied concisely, frowning, then asked back, "Are you planning to go to the eastern or western front?"
The east front was Mist ninjas, the west front was Stone and Cloud ninjas. Anyway, neither side was easy.
"Don't know. Maybe neither." Otonashi stared straight at the tombstone, seemingly having made a decision.
Kakashi's frown deepened. He had just returned from the front line and knew how badly the situation had deteriorated. It was truly a meat grinder, probably the final sprint before the war's end. How could they not use a strong person?
Before he could ask, Otonashi spoke proactively: "I originally wanted to apply for a transfer to Team 7, to fight alongside you and Rin."
"If you came, Minato-sensei would be very happy." Kakashi's heart moved. If Otonashi joined Team 7, they would be virtually invincible.
"But today there's a new option. I plan to go to the ANBU."
"ANBU?" Kakashi paused, then shook his head, "Maybe not quite suitable for you."
The feeling Otonashi gave was that he was born for the battlefield, a small tachi stained with blood.
"I know, but I'm tired of killing back and forth too. Even if this sword kills another thousand people, it's useless." Otonashi looked at the blood-like sunset, slowly clenching his fists: "So I want to find a path."
"A path?" Kakashi felt something, yet seemed not to understand.
"Yes, a path to stop these damn things from happening again, a path so Obito didn't die in vain." Otonashi lowered his head, his eyes filled with tombstones and softly weeping people. And outside other ninja villages, perhaps countless people were also mourning their loved ones.
Feeling perplexed by the killing, understanding the truth from the darkness.
He didn't have the innate sense of mission some people had. As the saying goes, one only gets tired of death after seeing too much of it. Being a ninja sounded cool, but killing from age ten to sixty, fighting several more world wars—who the hell could stand it?
Everyone struggled in a sea of blood, everyone had experienced the feeling of losing friends. Kakashi didn't say a word, just nodded silently.
"Blindly killing down indeed can't change anything."
"So you must survive this great war." Otonashi turned around, seriously patting his old friend's shoulder, "Don't think too much, it's the same old saying."
"People are very simple. Dead, offer incense; alive, eat. After eating your fill, shouldn't you pursue something?"
"So you've eaten your fill now?" Kakashi's words sounded somewhat like scolding, yet he seemed to realize something.
"Pretty much. Although I'm not strong enough now and will leave many regrets, as long as I'm willing to use my brain and work hard, someday I will leap over the dragon gate and find a path."
"Perhaps you will only find despair in the end," Kakashi said expressionlessly.
"Stopping thinking is despair." Otonashi smiled confidently and walked away without looking back.
He needed to find a place with great authority, secret movements, and the ability to leave Konoha. Staying with the Yellow Flash and Kakashi every day, he couldn't do anything.
Night fell. The office beneath the Hokage Rock was still brightly lit. The Third Hokage, having just finished reading today's list of casualties, stretched. Just as he was about to lie down on the sofa for a nap, a knock came at the door.
"Come in."
"Yes."
Otonashi strode in, his face full of determination.
"Made up your mind?" A kind smile appeared on the Third Hokage's face.
"Yes." Otonashi nodded heavily and said resolutely, "I accept!"