Chapter 59: The Kakashi Incident, Part 2
"What happened?"
Genichi stopped in his tracks, his mind going blank for a moment.
Kakashi's teammates were all killed in action. That meant the Jonin, Mimura Yōkan, the future commander of Konoha's border defense force, was also gone.
What kind of dangerous mission could have resulted in such severe losses? Mimura Yōkan was an elite Jonin. And besides Kakashi, the other members of his squad, Sarutobi Fufū and Hyūga Haru, were also top-class chunin.
Shizune shook her head. "I'm not sure about the specific situation. Lady Tsunade didn't disclose any details either."
Genichi took a deep breath to calm himself. "I understand."
"I'll go see Kakashi first. You don't have to come."
Shizune nodded and watched Genichi leave.
In a hospital room, when Genichi arrived, his master, Hatake Sakumo, was already there.
"Sensei!" Genichi greeted him softly, then looked at the vacant-eyed Kakashi on the bed. "How are Kakashi's injuries?"
Sakumo said, "There are no major issues."
"Let's go outside to talk."
The two of them turned, left the hospital room, and closed the door.
Standing in the hallway, Sakumo said, "During the mission, Kakashi and his captain had a disagreement. He insisted on rescuing a comrade who was surrounded by the enemy. Yōkan, after completing the mission objective, died covering Kakashi's rear to save him."
Genichi's mind buzzed. So, he had changed Sakumo's fate, and as a result, Kakashi had not become the man who spoke of nothing but a ninja's rules. Instead, under Sakumo's influence, he had come to value his comrades more than the mission. So, he had gone against his captain during a mission, willing to abandon it to save a comrade on his own. But Kakashi had gotten himself trapped as well, which led to Mimura Yōkan's death?
Sakumo continued, "His comrade was deeply surrounded, and there was no possibility of rescue. Kakashi insisted on doing so, which ultimately led to Yōkan's death as well... so Kakashi feels extremely guilty."
"This is the statement Kakashi made to Lord Third after he returned."
Genichi couldn't help but scratch his head. In this kind of situation, it was impossible to figure out who was right and who was wrong. Especially since only the survivor, Kakashi, knew what really happened. But Kakashi's statement was from his perspective. The course of events might be correct, but the details might not be. For example, when his comrade was surrounded, was it really impossible to save them? If Mimura Yōkan had also taken action at that time, could they have been saved?
Of course, thinking this way was disrespectful to the fallen Mimura Yōkan. This was likely why Kakashi was blaming himself for everything.
"Sensei, have you tried to console him?" Genichi asked.
Sakumo shook his head. "There is no right or wrong in this matter. Kakashi can only rely on himself to think it through."
As a father, and with his own code of conduct, he naturally wouldn't think Kakashi had done anything wrong. But he couldn't say so, because that would be detrimental to the deceased Mimura Yōkan. Sakumo was also incapable of doing such a thing.
"I believe in Kakashi. He can get through this!" Sakumo said with absolute certainty.
Genichi smiled wryly to himself. He believed it too. But how long would it take? And how long would Kakashi be downcast because of this? Especially since the Kannabi Bridge incident might still happen in the future...
After a moment of contemplation, Genichi said, "Sensei, let me go and talk to him!"
Sakumo smiled. "Alright." He had great faith in this disciple.
So Genichi entered the hospital room alone. He sat down by the bed and said with a solemn expression, "Kakashi, do you know where you went wrong?"
The dazed Kakashi turned his head.
Genichi said, "You weren't wrong for not abandoning your comrade. You were wrong for not being strong enough."
"If you were a little stronger, Kakashi, then Yōkan-senpai wouldn't have had to die covering your retreat."
"And if you were even stronger, you could have saved your comrade."
Kakashi's dead-fish eyes moved slightly.
Genichi continued coldly, "Do you think Yōkan-senpai saved you just so you could lie here blaming yourself?"
"Shouldn't you be training hard to make yourself stronger, so that when you encounter the same situation again, you won't have the same outcome?"
"Kakashi, ideals require strength to be put into practice!"
As he spoke, Genichi stood up and walked out. "In this matter, no one was wrong."
"Everyone was just acting on their own beliefs."
Opening the door and about to leave, Genichi heard a voice from behind him. "Thank you!"
Stopping in his tracks, Genichi turned his head slightly. "Pull yourself together quickly. Don't let Yōkan-senpai's sacrifice be in vain."
"Where the leaves of Konoha dance, a fire also burns."
"Yōkan-senpai burned himself to complete you."
"You are a young leaf of Konoha. You should inherit the will of your predecessors."
Leaving the room and closing the door, Genichi saw his master, Sakumo, and Hiruzen not far away, looking at him with approving eyes.
"Lord Third Hokage!" Genichi quickly bowed in greeting.
Hiruzen nodded slightly. "It's very good that Kakashi has a friend like you."
"Go on, you can get back to your business."
Genichi nodded, exchanged a glance with his master, and then left. He knew that although Hiruzen hadn't said much, he had definitely scored some points.
"I hope Kakashi really listened..."
Genichi arrived at the laboratory. After a quiet sigh, he cleared his mind of distracting thoughts and began to get busy.
Fortunately, Kakashi did not disappoint. He checked out of the hospital the next day and began to train like a madman.
And just like that, Konoha Year 44 passed.
"Combining two Four Symbols Seals (Shishō Fūin), one inside the other, to form a more precise seal... it is indeed a very good idea," Uzumaki Kushina said, pinching her chin in serious thought. "But it won't be easy to achieve!"
"By the way, Genichi, how is your head put together?"
"Is it any different from ours?" As she spoke, Kushina grabbed Genichi's head with both hands and looked at it from the left and right.
Genichi rolled his eyes helplessly. "Kushina-neesan, why don't you just cut my head open and have a look?"
"That's a good idea, too!" After saying this, Kushina couldn't help but put her hands on her hips and burst out laughing.
Genichi sighed helplessly. Her sense of humor was really a bit much.
"Kushina-neesan, be serious. We're discussing a very serious problem here," Genichi emphasized.
Kushina stopped laughing. "Don't be so serious."
"I'm already thinking about it very seriously."
Just then, a voice came from the door. "Thinking about what?"
The two of them turned their heads and saw Minato Namikaze walking over.
Kushina immediately went up to him. "That guy Genichi just proposed a brilliant idea! To combine two Four Symbols Seals (Shishō Fūin) to form an even more precise seal."
Minato looked at Genichi in surprise and smiled. "It seems our ideas are the same!"
"I have also been thinking about this problem."
Genichi was overjoyed. "Then that's great! It seems the direction should be correct."
Hearing this, Kushina's hair stood on end, flying about. "Hey, Genichi, you brat, you don't trust me at all?!"
Genichi pursed his lips. "Of course I trust you." He had to say this, or he was afraid he'd get beaten up. If those Adamantine Sealing Chains (Kongō Fūsa) came out, all he could do was take a beating.
(End of Chapter)
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