055 Reborn as the Third Kazekage

"Look at you now—defeated, wallowing in despair, and reeking of alcohol. You're a disgrace! Is this what remains of the proud, ambitious Konoha's White Fang who struck fear into the hearts of shinobi across the Five Great Nations? Damn it!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen swept the sake bottle off the table with a furious motion. The contents splashed onto Hatake Sakumo's face, and the bottle spun a few times before smashing on the floor into countless shards.

"One failure does not define you forever. The shame you carry from the battlefield can only be cleansed on the battlefield. That's what it means to be a shinobi."

The icy cold liquid snapped Sakumo out of his drunken stupor. For a man as proud as he, the weight of disgrace was something he struggled to bear.

"Lord Hiruzen, I—"

"Enough!" Hiruzen drew a short blade and drove it into the table. The blade bore intricate black patterns, and under the dim light of the tavern, it didn't reflect any shine.

"I may have broken your White Fang blade, but I refuse to let your spirit shatter along with it. This is a custom-forged blade I acquired at great cost. It's nearly identical to your original in design, but its defining feature is its subdued edge and exceptional durability.

"The war is upon us once again. I don't have the time to waste here. Think carefully—wash yourself, shave that mess of a beard, and report to the Hokage's office with this blade tomorrow morning. If you can't find the resolve…"

Hiruzen tossed the scabbard onto the table beside the blade.

"Then use this blade to take your own life."

With that, Sarutobi Hiruzen turned and left the tavern without looking back. As he reached the door, he paused to ruffle the hair of a young boy peeking nervously at his father—Kakashi.

"Where leaves dance, fire burns brightly. We must be the ones to set an example for the next generation."

Hatake Sakumo stared at the blade in front of him, the haze of intoxication lifting from his eyes. Slowly, he reached out and gripped the hilt…

"Captain! Captain!" Sakumo was jolted awake by a firm shake.

"What time is it?" Sakumo's transition from deep sleep to full alertness was almost instantaneous.

"Three fifty."

"Perfect! Let's move!"

Stretching his limbs, Sakumo checked his gear for readiness. In one swift motion, he leaped onto a boulder, the faint moonlight illuminating his figure. He carried his newly acquired blade on his back and a coil of steel wire at his hip. Like a nimble monkey, he scaled the cliff face, using cracks and outcroppings to pull himself upward. Another shinobi followed closely behind.

Within minutes, the two reached the mountaintop. They uncoiled the steel wire from their waists and secured it tightly around a sturdy tree. Sakumo glanced at his watch—it was exactly four o'clock. Taking out a lighter, he flicked it on and signaled across the opposing peak with two quick flashes.

The wire began to stretch taut, eventually forming a straight line, clearly pulled from the other side.

"Captain, this is genius. You've saved us so much trouble," the accompanying shinobi whispered in admiration.

"It's nothing. Just using what's available," Sakumo replied quietly, a confident glint in his eyes even in the darkness. "The strategists love drawing up plans on maps without ever stepping foot on the ground. If we'd stuck to their original route, we'd be too exhausted to fight by the time we reached the top."

Suddenly, the sounds of battle—clashing steel and cries of combat—echoed from up ahead. The noise grew louder and more chaotic by the second.

"They're here! Get ready!"

"Hold the line! Don't let them through!"

Shimizu Reno swung his blade wildly, barking orders amidst the chaos. The mountain hideout was in complete disarray, with people running in every direction.

"Lord Reno! Lord Reno! The enemy is scaling the northern cliffs!" A panicked subordinate tumbled into the room, breathless.

"What?! Impossible! How many of them?"

"A… a lot! Too many to count!"

"Useless fool!" Reno kicked the man aside. Despite the panic, his battlefield instincts kicked in. He wiped the sweat from his brow, thinking furiously.

They were surrounded. Fighting could be heard from the east and south, and now the northern cliffs were under attack. It didn't take a seasoned warrior to realize that their position was lost.

"All units! Fall back to the rear mountain!"

The terrain there was rugged and dense with vegetation. Once they disappeared into the forest, even an army of ten thousand would struggle to find them.

"You think you can run? Not so fast…"

Before Reno could react, a blade slashed across his chest. Only his honed reflexes saved him; he twisted his body just enough to avoid a fatal blow, but the blade still left a six-inch gash. Blood poured from the wound, soaking his clothes.

Ignoring the pain, Reno quickly shifted his stance to defend. His blade met another—a short sword with a dull, unremarkable edge.

"Kenjutsu? You're Konoha's White Fang!"

"You've got a sharp eye. And you… you must be Shimizu Reno."

"That's right."

"Hah! The heavens are smiling on me today! I'll be taking your head and paying off two years' worth of bar tabs!"

With a feral grin, Sakumo launched a relentless assault. His movements were sharp and precise, each strike flowing seamlessly into the next. The dull blade in his hand didn't flash or gleam, making its angles harder to predict.

Reno struggled to keep up, parrying desperately. New wounds appeared on his body with every exchange.

Suddenly, a loud explosion shook the area. The main gates of the hideout had been blown open with explosive tags, and Konoha's forces poured in. Reno's loyalists, mostly Mist shinobi, fought back fiercely, determined to buy time for their comrades to escape.

"I can't get bogged down here, or it's over!" Reno muttered under his breath. With a sharp cry, he thrust his blade at Sakumo, forcing the man to block. At the same time, Reno formed a one-handed seal.

"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!"

A massive surge of water roared toward Sakumo, but he didn't flinch. Twisting his body, he performed an iron bridge maneuver, arching backward to avoid the attack. With one hand braced against the ground, he raised his blade and sliced the water dragon cleanly in two.

When Sakumo regained his footing, Reno was already fleeing. He moved to pursue but was intercepted by four of Reno's men, their eyes filled with resolve.

Watching Reno vanish into the distance, Sakumo clenched his jaw in frustration.

"Damn it! Get out of my way!"

The blade in his hand seemed to hum in response to his rage. With a roar, Sakumo charged into the fray, cutting through his enemies like a whirlwind.