Kapitel 104: Chp-104: I, Kakashi, Did Not Kneel
That afternoon, the Konoha reinforcement forces began their march towards the Stone Shinobi battlefield, heading towards the Land of Grass.
Unlike last time, as soon as Hyuga Satoru arrived, he drew countless gazes filled with shock and a hint of indescribable complexity.
"Is that... Hyuga Satoru, the one who defeated Rasa? He looks so young..."
"The first dual bloodline of the Hyuga clan, surpassing ordinary Magnet Release with his second bloodline ability, rumoured to be called... Public Magnet Release?"
"Though the name is a bit... off-putting."
Some ninjas suddenly recalled Chiyo's miserable state, shivering at the thought. Their gazes towards Satoru carried a touch of reverence.
"Satoru! Late again?"
"When have I ever been early?"
Satoru rolled his eyes at Uchiha Rin, who stood before him with arms crossed.
Being late wasn't due to his fondness for tardiness; he simply used every available moment to gain experience. After all, level 4 electromagnetic force wasn't invincible. However, as he advanced, gaining experience became increasingly difficult. During wartime, he couldn't afford to use the multi-shadow clone technique that would drain him for days, so progress was slow. Still, every bit counted, and Satoru always maintained his image as a diligent and frugal man.
His gaze shifted, and he noticed an old acquaintance. Shibi Aburame was engaged in a cordial conversation with Minato Namikaze. It seemed that, for the first time since their separation, the members of Team 3 were reuniting.
"Minato, your Team 7 is full of exceptional geniuses, especially Kakashi. He's almost a Jonin, right?"
"Thank you, but your Team 3 is the real group of geniuses!" Minato smiled. Shibi Aburame, being slightly older, was a well-known ninja in Konoha, and it was only natural for them to exchange pleasantries when they met.
Suddenly, Minato's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Especially Satoru. His 'Cyclone Jet Armstrong Cannon is incredible', especially the name!"
"Arm... what?" Shibi was confused. Did Satoru name something like that? How come I didn't know?
Minato repeated the name joyfully. "I didn't expect Satoru's naming sense to be so good. It's almost as great as my Light Wheel Storm Thunder Zero Style!"
Shibi's face turned strange. He felt a wave of secondhand embarrassment. Why did I bring this up? He already had mild social anxiety, and being stared at made him feel as if he were naked.
Behind them, Satoru swallowed hard. Is this social death? Minato, why do you remember every word I said?
He planned to greet Shibi but now decided to retreat, hoping not to be noticed.
"Satoru, that name is so long!" Rin said, amazed.
"What name?"
"The name you came up with, did you really think of it?"
Satoru's scalp tingled, quickly changing the subject. "Rin, did anything happen when you returned to your clan?"
"Actually, yes," Rin hesitated, "but the elders told me not to tell you."
"Why?"
Rin looked at Satoru, her cheeks turning slightly red. "Elder Setsuna said I should try to get closer to you."
"Elder Setsuna?" Satoru's heart tightened. He knew Setsuna was a hawkish elder, lingering since Madara's era, always trying to push for an Uchiha Hokage. This old guy probably knew how to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan. Is he planning to use me as a sacrifice?
"Rin, if he told you not to say, why are you telling me?"
"Why should I listen to him?" Rin crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, mimicking Satoru's habitual gesture.
Well, that's very Rin, Satoru thought, deciding to drop the matter.
A delighted voice suddenly broke through the crowd. "Satoru! Why didn't you come say hi?" Minato waved enthusiastically.
Satoru noticed Shibi's resentful glance and felt a wave of embarrassment, so much for a touching Team-3 reunion.
...
In the Land of Grass, the Konoha camp was abuzz with activity. The reinforcement troops had arrived, and many ninjas came out to welcome them. Satoru saw Minato leading Team 7. Obito Uchiha stood in front, waving excitedly.
"Minato-sensei, over here!"
Since Minato had been deployed to the Sand Shinobi battlefield, Team 7 had been left on their own. Satoru noticed Kakashi standing in the back, slightly turned, isolated from the rest. Even Obito's excitement didn't affect him. It was as if he was in a different world from the welcoming ninjas.
Satoru realized Kakashi was staring at him, not just a passing glance but a focused gaze. Their eyes met.
"Just as Guy said, Kakashi has indeed changed a lot," Satoru thought. It seemed his presence had caused some unexpected transformation in Kakashi. Initially, after the White Fang's suicide, Kakashi became a relentless prodigy, breaking all of Konoha's records until he started mingling with Obito and Guy. Now, the title of top new-generation talent was gone. Satoru publicly defeated him, and strange rumours circulated in the village. Satoru was unsure which way Kakashi was heading. Had he switched from one kind of darkness to another?
Back in his tent, Satoru hadn't been there long before there was a knock on the door. He opened it to find Kakashi.
"You don't seem surprised," Kakashi said, his voice emotionless. No, it was more like he was devoid of any emotion, almost mechanical.
"I guessed you'd come, so I'm not surprised."
"Come in."
Satoru gestured for Kakashi to sit. After a moment of silence, he asked, "I'm curious: Those ridiculous rumours in the village—why haven't you clarified them?"
Perhaps due to the White Fang's son's reputation, strange rumours had been circulating since Satoru publicly defeated him. Some were slightly better, like: "Shocking! White Fang's son couldn't defeat Hyuga Satoru and did that in public?"
"Kakashi knelt and begged for mercy? Is White Fang's son all talk?"
More outrageous ones were: "Kakashi cried publicly! The untold story between him and Hyuga Satoru!"
"The White Fang's son and the White-Eyed genius, who betrayed whom?"
Satoru couldn't help but feel these rumours were absurd.
...
"I thought you wouldn't care about those petty rumours," Kakashi sneered. They were just the gossip of idle people, self-amusement for the useless. Was he supposed to shout in public, "I, Kakashi, did not kneel"?
"I came here to ask you something."
His gaze turned serious as he stared at Satoru.
"You said my father died to uphold his will. What exactly was his will?"
Kakashi's eyes remained fixed on Satoru, filled with anticipation.
"So, you've been pondering this all along," Satoru said with a faint smile.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein