In the original story, Sakumo Hatake, during a secret mission, chose to abandon it to save his comrades' lives.
Because the mission failed, Konoha Village suffered enormous losses.
Later… for some unknown reason, what should have been top-secret information became common knowledge.
The villagers of Konoha accused Sakumo Hatake of being trash who couldn't even complete a mission, and even the comrades Sakumo Hatake saved came forward to criticize him.
Under a torrent of curses, Sakumo Hatake chose to commit suicide.
Unexpectedly, a similar situation was playing out in reality.
At night, Uchiha Yuzuru entered Sakumo Hatake's room and saw Sakumo Hatake kneeling on the ground, motionless, with a dagger in his hand.
Seeing this, Uchiha Yuzuru spoke first: "Sakumo Hatake… we meet again."
As soon as he finished speaking, Sakumo Hatake suddenly turned and thrust the dagger at Uchiha Yuzuru's chest.
But in the next second, Uchiha Yuzuru grabbed Sakumo Hatake's wrist.
"Sakumo, from your swordsmanship, I see confusion."
"The current you is no match for me."
Uchiha Yuzuru didn't even activate his Mangekyo Sharingan.
Just as he had said, the current Sakumo Hatake couldn't launch any decent attacks.
"Why do you repeatedly infiltrate Konoha?"
"Nothing much, just to enjoy your ugly faces, failing yet unwilling to admit defeat."
Hearing Uchiha Yuzuru's taunt, Sakumo Hatake remained silent.
Uchiha Yuzuru's abilities were too strange; even in the heavily guarded central area of Konoha, he could infiltrate at will.
If it weren't for Uchiha Yuzuru, they wouldn't have failed so easily in the war against Hidden Cloud Village.
But now, he no longer wanted to deal with these matters.
Sakumo Hatake knelt again, placing the dagger and a towel in front of him: "If possible, I'd like to ask you not to disturb me."
"This is the last moment of my life; I want to leave peacefully."
"For you, losing an enemy like me should be something to celebrate, right?"
Seeing this, Uchiha Yuzuru chuckled: "I once said that you were destined to become a casualty of political struggle, and it seems I was not wrong."
Sakumo Hatake said coldly: "This is my own choice, it has nothing to do with politics."
Hearing this, Uchiha Yuzuru couldn't help but laugh.
Sakumo Hatake asked, puzzled: "What are you laughing at?"
"I'm laughing at how naive you are," Uchiha Yuzuru snorted lightly, "Have you never considered why you became universally reviled overnight?"
"Just yesterday, I remember the villagers were still condemning Hiruzen Sarutobi."
Sakumo Hatake froze for a moment, asking in confusion: "What do you mean?"
"What I mean is…" Uchiha Yuzuru's dark eyes fixed on Sakumo Hatake, and he said coldly, "All of this was arranged by Hiruzen Sarutobi; you are the scapegoat he pushed out!"
"I don't know what nonsense you're spouting."
After hearing Sakumo Hatake's words, Uchiha Yuzuru said indifferently: "Konoha's recent series of changes has caused discontent among everyone, so someone must step forward to bear the brunt of their anger."
"That person was originally Hiruzen Sarutobi, but now it's you."
"I walked the streets of Konoha, and everywhere people were speaking ill of you in front of the villagers; otherwise, how do you think you became a criminal in the villagers' eyes in just one day?"
After hearing Uchiha Yuzuru's explanation, Sakumo Hatake couldn't help but retort: "I am the Anbu Commander personally appointed by Hokage-sama, and I was once granted the qualification to wear the 'Hokage's haori' by Hokage-sama."
"Even if he needed a scapegoat, Hokage-sama would never choose me."
Looking at Sakumo Hatake's confident appearance, Uchiha Yuzuru chuckled lightly and said: "Do you think just anyone can divert the villagers' anger from Hiruzen Sarutobi?"
"This person must have high prestige and high status!"
"Most importantly…" Uchiha Yuzuru activated his Sharingan, and the Mangekyo pattern glowed crimson.
He stared unblinkingly at Sakumo Hatake and said in a deep voice: "At this time, if the villagers were to choose someone to succeed as Hokage, you would be the best candidate."
"By ruining your reputation and losing the best candidate to inherit the Hokage position, even if the villagers are still dissatisfied with Hiruzen Sarutobi, they won't be radical enough to force Hiruzen Sarutobi to step down."
Looking at Uchiha Yuzuru, Sakumo Hatake asked, unwilling to give up: "Ultimately, these are all your deductions; what evidence do you have?"
"The evidence is that Hiruzen Sarutobi has not said a single word in your defense until now!"
Uchiha Yuzuru shattered Sakumo Hatake's last shred of illusion; he slumped to the ground, his eyes vacant, as if even his resolve to die to prove his innocence had been taken away.
Seeing Sakumo Hatake's state, Uchiha Yuzuru extended his hand: "Sakumo, leave Konoha with me."
"The roots are rotten; they must be pulled out completely to be cured."
Sakumo Hatake didn't expect Uchiha Yuzuru to make such a request and instinctively shook his head. Just as he was about to speak, Uchiha Yuzuru interrupted him: "Sakumo, even if you don't consider yourself, don't you consider Kakashi?"
"You can simply die, but Kakashi will be pointed at by everyone as the son of a criminal."
"You should know that child's personality, unyielding and stubborn; he will definitely live a very hard life."
"And…" Uchiha Yuzuru feigned curiosity and asked, "Do you think Hiruzen Sarutobi, who used you as a scapegoat, would allow Kakashi, a child who could become a hidden danger, to grow up safely?"
Although Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn't do that, and he might not even have expected Sakumo Hatake to contemplate suicide in this incident.
But what did that matter?
Sakumo Hatake didn't know Hiruzen Sarutobi's true thoughts; now Uchiha Yuzuru could say whatever he wanted.
Without giving Sakumo Hatake a chance to think, Uchiha Yuzuru continued: "As Anbu Commander, you must have witnessed a lot of darkness."
"Have you ever really thought about what it is you are sacrificing your life to be loyal to?"
"The will of fire? That's just Hiruzen Sarutobi's method of manipulating people."
"Konoha Village? The Senju Clan that founded Konoha Village has disappeared, the Uchiha Clan also chose to leave, and what reason do you, despised by everyone, have to remain in Konoha?"
Sakumo Hatake stood frozen, unable to find any reason to refute.
Uchiha Yuzuru extended his hand again: "Come, follow me, be my subordinate, and together we will establish a new order."
"Let these ungrateful people regret it!"
This time, Sakumo Hatake took Uchiha Yuzuru's hand.
That's right.
He hadn't done anything wrong and believed he had done enough for Konoha.
Since becoming a Ninja, to protect Konoha, he had walked the line between life and death countless times and rendered countless services to the Village.
Why did these people he had always protected have the right to criticize him condescendingly?
What had those bastards cursing him outside done for him?
Anyway, from the Hokage to the villagers, everyone had abandoned him.
Since that was the case, why not leave Konoha, just like the Uchiha Clan!
If he could one day see their regretful eyes, that would probably be the happiest thing in the world for him.