Chapter 314: The True Will of Fire
On the chaotic streets of Konoha, everyone was busy with reconstruction. During the war, Konoha had endured thousands of Heavenly Transfer bombardments. Except for areas protected by barriers, other regions were basically leveled.
For Konoha citizens, their emotions were complex.
There was resentment over the defeat, relief at surviving, and both hope and worry for the future. Calling it a mix of flavors was an understatement.
Especially when they put down their tools to wipe sweat, they could still see the towering fortresses left outside the village.
But life had to go on, houses needed repair, and Cloud ninja had even become the main force in rebuilding Konoha.
This feeling of being enemies one second and colleagues the next was truly hard to describe.
Sakumo Hatake put down his hammer and turned to look at the despondent Kakashi behind him.
"Oh, Kakashi. You're finally back."
Sakumo had naturally left a Flying Thunder God mark on Kakashi. Perhaps not knowing how to face his son, or feeling Konoha's situation was too complicated, he thought it might be better for them to return later. So he never interfered with Kakashi's journey, only sensing the mark occasionally to ensure they were safe.
Under his mask, Kakashi bit his lip hard. His father wasn't wearing the Hokage robes he thought were the coolest, but plain hemp work clothes suitable for labor.
His most loved, most proud, most admired father...
Seeing such a drastic change, Kakashi suddenly felt lost.
Holding back tears took all his effort; he couldn't say a word.
Sakumo patted Kakashi's shoulder and ruffled his hair.
"Come give me a hand. Do you remember this dango shop? I brought you here when you were little. The Cloud Construction Ninja finished the main structure, but we still need to build the stove ourselves..."
A middle-aged woman lifted the curtain and smiled kindly. "Oh my, little Kakashi is back. It's so good that you're safe... Hokage... Sakumo-sama, sorry to trouble you. At my age, I'm really no good at physical labor..."
Sakumo smiled. "No, no, don't say that. It's almost done. You rest first..."
"I'll go make some dango for you!"
Kakashi clenched his fists tightly.
"Father... how can you..."
"When you are lost, start by doing small things that are definitely right. Even if they are small... helping everyone in Konoha get back on track as soon as possible is definitely the right thing."
Sakumo handed a nail to Kakashi. Clearly, he wasn't the one who was lost.
Kakashi silently took the nail and held it upright on the wooden board.
Sakumo hammered the nail in rhythmically.
CLANG!
CLANG!
CLANG!
With every strike, a tear fell from Kakashi's eye.
But Sakumo said nothing, just focused on the work at hand.
The sun set. Two hours later, father and son finished their work. They installed the stove for the old lady and left the dango shop amidst her thanks.
Walking to the street corner, they saw a boy wearing goggles handing out flyers.
"Hello! My name is Obito Uchiha! Please support me to become Hokage!"
"Hello! Please support me for Hokage! I will definitely lead Konoha to glory!"
"Little sister, my name is Obito Uchiha! Remember to vote for me! Don't cry, I'm not a bad guy!"
The depressed Kakashi had no heart to care about what nonsense this idiot was up to, but Sakumo smiled...
"Seeing such energetic young people in the village... makes me feel the First Hokage was right... These children have the right to grow up... Kakashi."
"Kakashi, if you have doubts, that child is the answer... Comrades are the most important, aren't they? Let's go. Your mother hasn't seen you in a long time. We should pay our respects properly."
"Father... I am proud of you! Forever!"
"Ah, me too, Kakashi. I am proud of you!"
The two walked toward home, leaving behind the energetic shouting.
"Mister, vote for me as Hokage! I'm super amazing!"
"Grandma, do you need to cross the street? Let me help you. Would you like to know about the Hokage election?"
Night fell. Obito sat tiredly on a pile of materials to rest, holding the flyers he had rushed to make by hand.
"This won't do."
Master Obito, busy all day, began to reflect.
"With handmade flyers like this, I can only draw a few dozen a day... I can't let enough people know how amazing I am! There isn't enough time!"
"It's over! Will my Hokage position die prematurely because I draw too slowly...? I'm not resigned to this!"
Just as Obito was pulling his hair, a voice interrupted him. "Young man, lift your butt. I need the slate you're sitting on!"
"Ah, sorry, getting up now... Eh? You're that... uncle with the cracked face!"
"Although I know my face is cracked, having it pointed out every time is a bit annoying..."
Obito scratched his head apologetically. "Ah... sorry, sorry. I don't know your name."
"Call me Hashirama."
Suddenly remembering something, Obito handed a handmade flyer to the cracked-face uncle.
"Hashirama-Oissan (Uncle), interested in the Hokage election? Please support me to become Hokage!"
Hashirama put down the wood, curiously took the flyer, and read:
"My name is Obito Uchiha! Please zupport me to become Hokage! I will definitely lead Konoha to glary!"
And next to it was a drawing of a butt.
"...There are typos here. And why did you draw a butt?"
Obito said urgently, "That's the Uchiha Fan! It's our clan crest! Uncle, you're so rude!"
Hashirama scratched his face awkwardly. "A descendant of Madara, huh... So you want to become Hokage? But you might be a bit too young."
Obito kicked a stone away, hands behind his head, nonchalant. "What does age matter? I am the man destined to become Hokage!"
Hashirama shook his head and laughed. "Young man! Too naive! The Hokage has to lead the entire village and protect everyone. Without enough experience, you can't shoulder that responsibility!"
"Uncle, your expression is so smug... like you know a lot about being Hokage."
"Well, I know a little. I can tell you about it."
Although his face was tsundere, Obito obediently took out paper and pen to take notes.
Shouting about becoming Hokage since childhood was just a boy's dream. As for what a Hokage actually did...
Since I'm about to take office, knowing in advance is good too.
"So tell me, what are the requirements for a Hokage?"
Hashirama said proudly, "First, you need endless chakra!"
Obito: Panic! Failed the first condition!
Outwardly calm, he wrote it down and asked, "And then?"
"Second, you need a life-and-death friend. Preferably someone you've known since childhood who can help you."
Obito breathed a sigh of relief. He met this one.
Kakashi and Guy should support me becoming Hokage... right?
"Third, you need to be able to clap your hands and summon whatever you shout for!"
"Uncle, what are you talking about?"
"Just... clap your hands, BOOM! and lots of stuff comes out?"
"Hah?"
"Fourth, you need to know how to skip stones!"
Hashirama rambled on for a long time, finally concluding, "In short, becoming a Kage isn't easy, even in this new era!"
Obito was confused but dutifully wrote it all down. scratching his head, he said, "Well, although I don't quite understand, thanks, Uncle. Uncle, you're actually a good person. During the day, you said something about being dead; you scared me."
Hashirama put his hands on his hips and laughed heartily. "Hahaha, glad I could help. But I really am a dead person! I didn't lie to you, young man!"
Obito: "...Ahahaha... It's getting dark, Hashirama-Oissan, don't joke around. It's creepy."
"Hahaha."
"Hahaha."
...Awkward silence...
Obito: "Hey! Say it! Say you're joking! The timing is passed! It won't be funny if you wait longer!"
Hashirama: "Not a joke! I've been dead for decades... Have you ever seen a living person with a cracked face?"
...Suffocating silence...
Hashirama: "Look, I can pull my hand off!"
Click.
"And this... look, my eyes have no pupils!"
Click, clack...
Obito's legs were shaking like a sieve.
"GHOST!!!! STAY AWAY FROM ME!!!"