Chapter 165: Kakashi's Enlightening Moment
Chapter 165: Kakashi's Enlightening Moment
"Captain Hanyu, has anyone ever told you that you have an exceptional talent for concealment?" Kakashi turned around to find Mu Yue sitting beside him, speaking with a smile.
"Concealing oneself is a basic skill for ninjas," Mu Yue chuckled in response.
Kakashi, his gaze fixed on the river ahead, asked, "Captain Hanyu, are you aware that the White Fang of Konoha wasn't a casualty of duty but a suicide? He took his own life due to the failure of his mission and the ensuing blame from everyone."
"Why do you admire a failed ninja like the White Fang?" Kakashi turned to look into Mu Yue's eyes, his voice intense.
Instead of answering the question, Mu Yue refuted Kakashi's statement. "I don't agree that the White Fang was a failed ninja."
"Why isn't he considered a failed ninja? If a ninja fails a mission due to personal reasons, how is that not a failure? Do you understand him better than I do, despite never having exchanged a word with your father?" Kakashi countered.
"Perhaps," Mu Yue replied with a shake of her head. "My perspective is the opposite of yours. I believe the White Fang embodied the true way of the ninja."
"What did he embody? I thought the ninja code prioritized missions above all else?" Kakashi was incredulous, thinking Mu Yue was talking nonsense.
"Since we're talking about the ninja code, do you know the origin of ninjas?" Mu Yue asked with a smile.
Kakashi racked his brains but eventually shook his head.
"Then, how about the Sage of the Six Paths? Do you know about him?" Mu Yue continued.
"The deity who created the ninja world in legend?" Kakashi had some knowledge about the Sage of the Six Paths.
"The creation deity is a legend, but the Sage of the Six Paths was indeed a real person in history," Mu Yue explained. "The Sage created the ninja arts to foster world peace, hoping that through the connection of chakra, people would understand each other. And that's how ninjas came to be."
"Back then, there were no distinctions of genin, chunin, or jounin among ninjas, nor were there any missions involving murder and theft of secrets. Everyone shared the same goal of world peace."
"If we're talking about the ninja code, then safeguarding peace is the true code of ninjas. By that standard, every ninja in the world today has broken the ninja code," Mu Yue elaborated.
This wasn't just Mu Yue's conjecture. The origin of ninjas in the world of Naruto was quite different from what he knew from his previous world. Indeed, ninjas were meant to be bringers of peace, which explained why even the major antagonists in the Naruto world obsessively sought to create a peaceful world. After all, peace was the very foundation of the ninja way.
"So that's how ninjas came to be..." Kakashi's gaze at Mu Yue held a hint of surprise.
"I like to read history books in my free time, so I know a little more than the average person," Mu Yue said, adjusting her glasses with a smile.
She wasn't revealing anything too secretive. While records about the ninja arts were scarce, there were still some related accounts to be found.
"It might be excessive to hold today's ninjas to the standards of a millennium ago, but I believe ninjas shouldn't just be machines that complete missions. They should have their own thoughts and beliefs.
The White Fang failed his mission, yes, but he successfully rescued his teammates. He stayed true to the convictions of his heart, and that's why I don't consider him a failed ninja!" Mu Yue asserted earnestly.
"Stay true to one's convictions..." Kakashi felt a sense of dizziness wash over him.
Hadn't he said something similar years ago about the importance of comrades?
It was strange to hear someone outside the family reprimanding him for speaking ill of his own father.
"Flagwood Sakumo, of course, I know," Mu Yue replied.
"Flagwood Sakumo, Kakashi Hatake... Could it be that..." Mu Yue feigned a thoughtful expression.
"You're actually related to White Fang?"
Kakashi: ...
For a moment, he couldn't tell if Mu Yue was joking or genuinely hadn't guessed, and if it was the former, her sense of humor was rather twisted.
"Just kidding, I know you're White Fang's son. Don't be late this afternoon," Mu Yue smiled.
Pretending not to know would be underestimating Kakashi's intelligence. After all, it was obvious that a team composed of a Chunin and two Genin, who were also acquaintances, was intentionally arranged by the Third Hokage.
As Mu Yue walked away, Kakashi's gaze flickered.
"A father to look up to... Was he specifically chosen by the Third Hokage?" Kakashi wondered.
Afterwards, Kakashi made his way to the library, heading straight for the history section. After perusing numerous ancient tomes, he indeed found some historical records related to the Ninja Sect, although they were scarce and fragmented.
This discovery alleviated some of Kakashi's suspicions, as he had initially thought that Mu Yue made up the story to comfort him.
At 1:30 in the afternoon, Kakashi arrived punctually at Training Ground 22.
"Kakashi, you're early. Do you want to compete in handstands?" Might Guy, who was already at the training ground practicing handstands, asked.
"No thanks, I pass." Kakashi, who had spent the morning reading, wasn't interested in such frivolous competitions.
When it was almost 1:40, Obito rushed over, panting as he explained his tardiness.
Due to the morning's incident, Kakashi didn't question Obito's words this time.
"We completed three missions this morning. How many do you think we can do this afternoon?" Mu Yue asked with a smile.
Although each mission was only worth 30 points, every little bit helped.
"Five!" Obito declared ambitiously.
"Then let's set our goal for five," Mu Yue decided.
To save time, Mu Yue accepted three missions at the start, which normally wouldn't be allowed. However, given their impressive efficiency in the morning, the registrar made an exception.
This time, Mu Yue had Obito and the others work together. With Obito's connections, Kakashi's resourcefulness, and Might Guy's physical prowess, the trio completed missions at a rapid pace.
With their combined efforts, the three missions were completed in less than two hours.
By 6:00 p.m., Mu Yue's team had finished seven D-rank missions, exceeding their target.
Obito and Might Guy were delighted with their substantial earnings, and Mu Yue was pleased with the 300 chakra points she had gained.
The only one who didn't seem overly excited was Kakashi, who planned to continue researching after they disbanded.
"Everyone did a great job today. Tomorrow morning, we won't take on any missions and will train here at the training ground instead," Mu Yue announced.
He intended to try and recruit Kakashi as his disciple, thereby increasing their mission profits. Otherwise, he always felt like he was losing out.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
