"Yesterday's mission was really dangerous. Luckily, with Ryuken's support, things didn't get out of hand for me."
"Haha, we're comrades, after all. I'm not like Kakashi, who ignores teammates for the sake of the mission."
"Speaking of Kakashi, I heard recently that his squad suffered heavy losses during a mission. Only the Guiding Jonin and he survived. It's tragic."
"Teaming up with that guy brings misfortune. I'm glad I left early; otherwise, our squad might have faced the same fate."
After training, Kakashi dragged his exhausted body home and happened to run into some old teammates chatting on the way.
Hearing their conversation, Kakashi's thoughts on the Breathing Technique were suddenly interrupted.
Kakashi didn't intentionally hide his presence, and as his former teammates noticed him approaching, they instantly fell silent.
"Ahem, Kakashi, good evening." His former teammates weren't sure if Kakashi heard them, but since he didn't show any reaction, they just greeted him.
"Mm, good evening." Kakashi nodded expressionlessly in response, then continued heading home.
"That was awkward. I wonder if he heard us."
"Whether he heard us or not, it doesn't matter. He probably doesn't have a good impression of us anyway."
Kakashi, with his sharp hearing, could still catch faint whispers even after he walked a distance away, but he didn't have the heart to pay attention.
Kakashi didn't get angry about his old teammates talking behind his back. If he got mad over such things, he would've been furious when his father committed suicide because back then, no matter where he went, he could feel the strange looks.
Besides, they weren't entirely wrong. For Kakashi, mission priority was indeed the highest. During missions, even if they got injured, Kakashi still prioritized the task.
Ever since becoming Teacher Mokgetsu's disciple, except for the very beginning, Kakashi seldom pondered what it meant to be a qualified ninja or if a ninja should prioritize missions above all else.
Because under Mokgetsu's intense cultivation regime, it was either learning advanced ninjutsu like Pseudo-Darkness Purple Lighting or Secret Technique Kinjutsu like Breath of Thunder Armament Aura. With such rigorous training, it was hard to have the energy to think about anything else.
Moreover, with Obito constantly tugging at his emotions, Kakashi had to allocate some of his leftover energy to deal with Obito.
The words of his old teammates made Kakashi once again ponder about missions, ninja duties, and teammates.
"The reason why my father was criticized by everyone was because of a mission failure. So, a ninja who completes missions is a qualified ninja," Kakashi thought to himself.
Then Kakashi shook his head, recalling Mokgetsu's words, that White Fang followed his own Ninja Path and wasn't a failed ninja.
Although Kakashi hadn't known Mokgetsu for long, he greatly admired him. Not just because of Mokgetsu's strength but also because Mokgetsu excelled in all aspects as a teacher, unlike any other teacher he had met before.
So Kakashi was willing to listen to and believe in Mokgetsu's words.
Kakashi's eyes revealed a trace of confusion. On one hand, there was the established fact of his father's suicide due to mission failure and criticism; on the other hand, there was the affirmation from a respected teacher that White Fang was actually a ninja worthy of respect.
Kakashi kept thinking, ate dinner, and found himself pondering until eleven at night without reaching any conclusion.
Lying in bed, Kakashi couldn't fall asleep for a long time. Even though he was exhausted and wanted to sleep, as soon as he closed his eyes, his mind would involuntarily drift to those matters, making it impossible to sleep.
Eventually, Kakashi didn't even know when he fell asleep, but upon waking up and seeing the sun high in the sky, Kakashi realized one thing: he was late.
Kakashi quickly got ready, grabbed some food to eat on the go, and hurried to the Southern Border Forest.
When Kakashi arrived, the other disciples were already in the middle of their training. Obito and Shisui were sweating profusely while running with Full Concentration Breathing. Might Guy was struggling with Yin Release Nature Transformation, while Nohara Rin was near some injured fish and broken trees.
Running by, Obito noticed the late-arriving Kakashi and, wiping the fatigue off his face, called out with a laugh:
"Yo, isn't this Kakashi? How come you're two and a half hours late today?"
"Did you stop to help some elderly folks, perhaps?"
Saying this, Obito felt oddly refreshed, and his weariness seemed to dissipate.
Usually, he was the one late and scolded by Kakashi, but this time, the tables had turned.
"I just overslept," Kakashi explained expressionlessly, then walked over to where Mokgetsu was.
"Tsk, late, yet still so cocky," Obito muttered as he continued his training.
"Teacher Mokgetsu, I'm sorry," Kakashi apologized. "I didn't sleep well yesterday, so I woke up late and arrived late today."
"It's okay; occasional lateness is no big deal. Unexpected things happen after all. Start your training," Mokgetsu said with a smile.
Kakashi nodded, then began practicing the Breath of Thunder under Mokgetsu's guidance.
Whether it was because of last night's lack of sleep or for some other reason, Kakashi found it exceptionally hard to get into the rhythm of training Breathing Technique today. After the morning's practice, he felt no progress at all, and it was the same when he practiced Armament Aura in the afternoon.