Naruto:The avenger of the uzumaki clan

Chapter

61: Intentions and Questions

Menma pondered why they had to

continue the mission. He doubted Kakashi was motivated by passion and justice,

concepts that seemed incompatible with a ninja's existence. The profession of a

ninja is about fighting, and concepts like passion and justice seemed absurd.

The truth of the ninja world, as revealed in the conversation between Nagato

and Naruto during the invasion of Konoha, was a stark reminder of the reality.

The three ninja world wars were real, and the sufferings of many small

countries were not false. Kakashi, a ninja with blood on his hands, was not a

charitable person. There had to be a profound reason for continuing the mission

in the Land of Waves.

While it didn't seem like a crucial

issue, Menma wanted to understand. Holding onto this curiosity was

uncomfortable. But with Sasuke taking the opportunity first, Menma could only

wait. The night was long, and there was plenty of time.

Kakashi and Sasuke returned quickly,

and on the surface, Sasuke still looked calm. It was likely Kakashi had told

Sasuke the truth of the past, as it wasn't something that needed to be

concealed.

Kakashi led Sasuke outside, the cool night air helping to

calm the tension. They walked a little distance before Kakashi stopped, turning

to face Sasuke.

"Sasuke, I know you have questions about the

Sharingan," Kakashi started, his tone gentle yet firm.

Sasuke nodded, his eyes intense. "How did you get it,

Kakashi-sensei? You're not an Uchiha, so how is it possible?"

Kakashi sighed, his visible eye softening with a hint of

sadness. "It's a long story, Sasuke. I received this Sharingan from a dear

friend, Obito Uchiha, during the Third Ninja War. It was his dying gift to

me."

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, a mix of shock and

curiosity. "Obito Uchiha? But why would he give it to you?"

Kakashi's expression grew somber. "Obito was a

comrade, a teammate, and a friend. During a mission, he was crushed by a

rockslide. With his dying breath, he asked Rin to transplant his Sharingan into

my eye socket. He wanted his legacy to live on through me."

The weight of Kakashi's words hung in the air, and Sasuke

felt a pang of empathy. "So, you carry his will... his legacy."

"Yes," Kakashi nodded. "It's a heavy burden,

but it's also a reminder of the bonds we share as comrades. The Sharingan has

allowed me to protect those important to me, just as Obito wanted."

Sasuke looked down, contemplating the gravity of Kakashi's

story. "Thank you for telling me, Kakashi-sensei. I understand now."

Kakashi placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder. "Remember,

Sasuke, power comes with responsibility. The Sharingan is a tool, but it's the

bonds we form that truly define our strength."

With that, they returned to the house, Sasuke carrying a

newfound understanding.

"Hey, Menma, do you have any questions for me?"

Kakashi asked with a smile as he returned, his hands in his pockets.

"Uh? Yes, Kakashi-sensei, if you don't mind explaining

it to me," Menma replied after a moment of surprise.

"Well, come on," Kakashi nodded, leading the way

outside again. Menma stood up and followed.

Naruto and Sakura, who remained inside, exchanged surprised

glances. "Eh? Menma also has questions for Kakashi-sensei? Hey, Sasuke,

what questions did you ask Kakashi-sensei?" Naruto asked, curious.

"Nothing," Sasuke replied indifferently, walking

to the windowsill and sitting down, unwilling to say more. Naruto realized this

might involve personal issues and didn't press further, muttering to himself,

"What a cold guy."

Kakashi and Menma reached the edge of the coast on the left

side of the house. "If I'm not mistaken, you want to ask me why I continue

to carry out this mission, right, Menma?" Kakashi asked with a firm tone.

"Yes, Kakashi-sensei. The attack by the hostile jonin

from the Hidden Mist Village explains the problem. It's understandable if

Naruto is a little more passionate, but Kakashi-sensei, you have no reason to

do this, right?" Menma looked directly at Kakashi, not hiding his doubt.

"I understand your attitude. The reason is very

simple, Menma. The Land of Waves is too close to our Konoha, and the first

attacker was a Mist Ninja. With your intelligence, you should understand what I

mean, right?" Kakashi asked.

"Strategic location, right?" Menma replied

thoughtfully after a moment of surprise.

The Land of Waves may be small, with a population of less

than tens of thousands, but its geographical location was vital. For the Hidden

Mist Village, this was an important strategic location. After the destruction

of the Whirlpool Country and the Whirlpool Village, the Land of Waves became

the most contested bridgehead for the Mist Ninja to invade the Land of Fire. If

the Mist Ninja could control the Land of Waves, they could easily invade the

Land of Fire. This was something Konohagakure did not want.

As a ninja village in the center of the ninja world,

Konohagakure already bore significant defense pressure and did not want to

increase it further. Menma's thinking had been restricted before, but now he

understood.

"That's what I mean. We need to confirm this

situation, but I didn't expect a traitor like Zabuza. This was unexpected and

my mistake," Kakashi admitted. He was confident in himself, believing he

had everything under control and that it was good to give Menma, Naruto, and

Sasuke more training. However, the subsequent events were beyond his

expectations. The battle results were good, but if Kakashi knew from the

beginning the enemy would be Zabuza, he would have thought twice.

"Renegade ninja? So does that mean zabuza was no

longer affiliated with the Hidden Mist Village?" Menma asked, his

curiosity piqued.

"Well, it can be said so, but it's not completely

certain. We better stay here for a while and escort Tazuna-san to finish

building the bridge," Kakashi explained.

"Then why don't we go directly to the person in

question, Kakashi-sensei," Menma suggested, his gaze sharp.

"Hmm? The person in question?" Kakashi was

slightly stunned.

"Yes, the big businessman attempting to control the

Land of Waves - Gato. From him, we can get the most comprehensive and detailed

information, right?" Menma smiled slightly.

"Well, this is indeed a good choice," Kakashi

agreed. Gato was just a businessman, but with Menma's suggestion, Kakashi

realized Gato might have valuable information. A businessman like Gato without

a certain official background would find it difficult to get by.

In this world, the combination of capital and power was

common. Menma believed there would be no exceptions.

"Then how do you think we should find this Gato?"

Kakashi asked, interested in Menma's plan.

"As long as Mr. Gato's goal remains unchanged, it is

still very easy to find him. There must be a 'companion' of Mr. Gato in this

town," Menma said confidently.

"Haha, then the investigation work is left to you,

Menma. There should be no problem, right?" Kakashi smiled.

"No problem at all, Kakashi-sensei. He's just an

ordinary person. Just wait for my good news!" Menma said confidently, his

head raised.