Naruto: They are all reborn.

Chapter 14 Asma's Resolve

"Stop it, everyone. If you keep making a scene, the police will be here."

Yasuo Tanaki looked in the direction of the sound, and his gaze was immediately drawn to Kakashi's short, silver-white hair.

"It's Lord White Fang's..."

He looked behind Kakashi and saw a group of children of similar age standing there, staring intently at him.

"No wonder those two brats resorted to underhanded tactics to ambush me... What bad luck!"

Yasuo Tanaki clenched his fists, his eyes deep in thought, lost in thought.

"I'm not wrong, I'm not a coward, or rather... there are no cowardly ninjas in Konoha."

Kakashi's gaze swept over the ninjas sitting at the same table as Yasuo Tanaki, finally settling on him: "I didn't say you were wrong."

"Oh!"

Shi Xu walked up to Kakashi, his eyes practically overflowing with contempt and disdain.

Obito followed closely behind, angrily retorting, "I truly wish Lord White Fang hadn't gone to save you! You'd look far better lying beneath the Spirit Tablet than sitting here spouting such nonsense!"

Tanaki Yasuo was taken aback by those words, his expression shifting several times before he finally insisted, "I'm not wrong! A ninja should prioritize the mission! Lord White Fang's choice caused losses to the village, and even I didn't want to see that!"

He's stupid, but also smart.

He wasn't saying these words to Kakashi and the others, but to the other ninjas sitting on the wall watching in the barbecue restaurant.

"I told you long ago he doesn't deserve to listen. What's there to say? Let's go back." Shi Xu pulled the two of them and walked back.

As soon as they returned to their seats, Yasuo Tanaki and the others at the next table paid their bill and left. The barbecue restaurant became much quieter, and no one dared to mention the words "White Fang" again.

Kakashi didn't pick up his chopsticks again, but instead took a big gulp of water from his cup, as if he were drinking alcohol.

"Shi Xu, when do you think this will finally end?"

Shi Xu thought about it carefully for a moment and replied, "It should be soon, probably in the next day or two."

"Why?" Kakashi was somewhat surprised, wondering why he was so certain.

Shi Xu turned to look at the Hokage Rock outside the window: "The Hokage can't just sit idly by and watch things develop. Even though this matter has become a big deal, as long as the Hokage takes action, he can stop it quickly."

Kakashi nodded thoughtfully, but just then, Asuma suddenly asked a question.

"Shixu, what do you think... the Hokage will do?"

"I don't know the Hokage at all, how could I possibly guess?"

Shi Xu shrugged, picked up a piece of grilled meat and stuffed it into his mouth: "However... if I were the Hokage, I would probably punish Uncle Sakumo and criticize him or something. Of course, the punishment itself is not important; what's important is to make the villagers accept it."

Upon hearing this, Asuma seemed delighted and quickly asked, "How exactly do you do it?"

Tokio swallowed the grilled meat in his mouth, thinking, "Asuma is the Hokage's son. He's asking so urgently now; he'll probably tell the Hokage when we get back. In that case, I need to think this through carefully."

So Shi Xu pinched his chin and began to think seriously.

"Hmm... Uncle Sakumo has half of the Hokage's sleeve, right? That's very important, isn't it? I think it should be enough to put it back."

The title of Hokage was the honor that Sakumo Hatake was most proud of.

For ninjas who value honor, taking back the Hokage's sleeve is undoubtedly a severe punishment.

To be honest, Kakashi had always envied his father's Hokage title, but he didn't see it as something he couldn't live without; rather, he regarded it as a goal.

"If this half of the Hokage's sleeve can end this turmoil in the village... then take it."

Kakashi gave Asuma a meaningful look, his eyes filled with expectation. He wasn't the only one; everyone at the table was looking at Asuma with the same expression.

In that instant, Asma suddenly felt his heartbeat quicken and his shoulders feel heavy.

"I must do something to live up to their expectations."

Asma immediately stood up and said, "I have other matters to attend to, so I'll take my leave now."

After leaving the barbecue restaurant, Asuma rushed home, only to find his mother alone; Sarutobi Biwako was there.

"Huff! Huff! Mother, where is Father?"

Seeing Asuma struggling to breathe, Biwako quickly patted his back gently: "Why are you in such a hurry? Is there something you need to talk to him about?"

Asma nodded repeatedly: "Yes, I have something to tell my father."

"He hasn't gotten off work yet, you... hey? Slow down!"

After getting the answer he wanted, Asuma turned and ran, completely ignoring the shouts behind him.

He had just run into the Hokage Building when he was stopped by the Anbu: "Wait a moment, the Hokage is meeting with guests."

"How long will it take?" Asma asked anxiously.

The officer looked directly at him and said, "I don't know. Please wait patiently."

With no other option, Asuma forced himself to sit down on a chair to the side.

After a while, he got up from his chair and paced in the corridor, sometimes walking to the window to look outside, sometimes walking to the office door and staring intently at the doorknob.

As time ticked by, Asuma even started making noises on purpose, trying to disturb the people in the office.

Just then, the door to the Hokage's office opened, and several ninjas dressed in strange costumes walked out.

Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single look!

They were very tall and had dark skin, and did not appear to be from the Land of Fire.

Asma had to hold his head up very high, and his neck even hurt a little, before he could barely make out the headband insignia on their foreheads.

They are ninjas from Kumogakure. What are they doing here?

The Cloud Village ninjas ignored Asuma's actions and left directly, accompanied by the Anbu.

Then, Asuma looked at the ANBU members by the door and asked, "May I go in?"

"Can."

As soon as the ANBU nodded, Asuma rushed in impatiently.

"Father! Father! I have something important to tell you."

Hiruzen Sarutobi picked up a piece of white paper and covered the documents on the table: "What brings you here?"

Asuma excitedly said, "I have a way to solve Lord White Fang's problem."

Ok?

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression stiffened slightly, then he chuckled and said, "Oh? Let me hear what your brilliant ideas are?"

While Asma was waiting outside, he had already rehearsed the words a thousand times in his mind, just waiting for this question.

"Father, I think the most important thing now is to end this quickly and stop everyone in the village from talking about it. Therefore, the village should give Lord White Fang a punishment that the villagers can accept."

Hiruzen Sarutobi raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of surprise in his expression: "Oh? What kind of punishment is that?"

"Take back Lord White Fang's armband," Asuma replied immediately.

"That's good, I'll consider your opinion."

Hiruzen Sarutobi patted his head, then took a pipe from the table and calmly stuffed it with tobacco.

But Asmar didn't have that patience: "Then... Father, when will the punishment results be announced?"

"Not yet."

Hiruzen Sarutobi lit a cigarette and took a deep drag: "Let's wait a bit longer, it's not the right time yet."

Asuma was puzzled. Why keep delaying when a decision had already been made?

"Father, what are you waiting for?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi walked to the window, holding a pipe in one hand and the other behind his back.

"Asma, do you know what an iceberg is?"

Asuma replied, "The Land of Fire is like spring all year round, so where would glaciers come from? However... I have seen them in a book."

"The part of the glacier that floats on the water only accounts for a small portion of the entire glacier; that's the case with White Fang. You only see the gossip in the village, but you don't think about... where these gossips come from."

After saying that, Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his head slightly, his gaze falling on the few Cloud Village ninjas through the window.

"These are turbulent times..."

(End of this chapter)