5 Chapter 5
"Do you hate me?" Hiruzen asked, his voice low and his face looking down to the floor.
That single question made Orochimaru's eyes look up, the shock he had was palpable as he was unable to understand why his Sensei would ask him anything like that.
"Why would I hate you?" Orochimaru asked, confusion evident on his face.
"I told you that you were the perfect person to become the Hokage. I raised you believing that you would take over the position after me. I taught you the skills needed to both be a great leader and a great Shinobi, with the weight of both being equal.
You represented a genius that surpassed anyone I have ever seen and I still think you represent that.
You were I and Biwako's first child, even if it was not by blood, and the closest thing we had to a child for years, and the person we felt would serve as the future Hokage.
But, I failed on my end. My wish to end the war as soon as possible led to me accepting treaties that didn't maximize our benefits, though I can attribute that to me getting sentimental in my old age.
I thought the inevitable fate would be you taking my position upon my resignation, but I didn't expect an anomaly of an untold degree appearing: Minato.
While I had full faith in his combat ability, I assumed that the majority of Shinobi would still support you after your feats in the prior two wars.
That was my mistake. With the support of the Uchiha, Yamanaka, Akimichi, Nara, and Hyuga Clans as well as the entirety of the Civilian Populous, the one thing that you were fated for no longer was given to you.
And for that, I view it as my fault. I am sorry. If you do hate me, I couldn't blame you." Hiruzen finished, his sorrow showing on his face as a tear threatened to fall.
The amount of sorrow he felt at knowing that his son lost the Hokage race, which was the one thing he always felt he deserved more than any other.
He felt like he betrayed Orochimaru. And to betray your child, that was something that hurt more than any wound that he had to endure.
"I could never hate you. If the position of Hokage was not given to Minato, it is likely that we would be facing a Civil War right now, or at the minimum, civil unrest that could threaten the entirety of the Village.
This was not your fault. I assumed that you were disappointed in me. After all, I didn't live up to the expectations that you and Biwako set for me. I failed. I became a failure. I wasn't able to do the one thing you wished for me to do. I simply felt that it was best for me to place my focus on the branches of Jutsu rather so that I could prove it wasn't a waste of your time to train me." Orochimaru said as he looked up.
However, at an immense speed, Hiruzen was hugging Orochimaru, with Orochimaru's eyes growing wide as he felt his Father in all but blood holding him.
"You will NEVER be a failure. And I would never be disappointed in you. You are the Son who embodied my entire will, and I will never regret making that decision.
If anything, I may be disappointed in myself, because I always compared Shiminosuke and Asuma to you, something that I shouldn't have done. I failed Tsunade by not being there when she needed me when Mito, Nawaki, and Dan died one after another.
I failed Biwako by not being there properly for our children, with me always being busy with my position and the many issues that arose in the Village.
I failed my Village by not honoring the sacrifice that every Shinobi made during the Third Great Shinobi World War and allowing the other Village to not pay as much as they should have, simply because I didn't wish to allow any more of my Shinobi to perish.
But you, you are the greatest Shinobi that the Leaf will ever produce in my eyes. And that will never change. You are the one person whom I have not yet failed. Please don't allow that to change." Hiruzen said.
Orochimaru seemed to be prepared to say something, yet when he felt the wetness on his back, he closed his mouth and simply hugged his father back, the two standing silently in the lab.
No one knew, but this seemingly inconsequential reconciliation between a father and his son led to a change, one that ended with the Snake Sannin not becoming the biggest threat that ended the life of his father, but continued to make him proud far into the future.
~
Danzo arrived at the home of the White Fang, with him walking slowly on his cane as he contemplated on how he would recruit Kakashi, yet when he thought about it, he figured that doing it in a similar way that his original self acted may be beneficial.
If he didn't changed Kakashi's behavior, then the boy would simply stay a simple shell of his former self.
Because if one were to compare the many geniuses inside of Naruto, Kakashi Hatake stands nearly at the forefront due to his high level of battle IQ and Combat Skill.
From his memories, Danzo knew how powerful Sakumo was, as well as how he could be viewed as the Minato Namikaze of the Second Great Ninja War, as it was his immense strength that single handedly pushed the Land of Wind back to their own border as well as ruin the plans of Iwa continuously.
And originally, Kakashi seemed to be far more talented than even him, as his skill in battle allowed him to contend against weaker Jonin by the age of 12.
Yet, nearly three years after the end of the war, the boy simply wallowed in self pity, his strength stagnating while his Sensei pushed him minimally.
Danzo couldn't allow that. He wanted Kakashi to become the Second Coming of The White Fang. He NEEDED Kakashi to become the Second Coming of The White Fang.
Because the Leaf would need someone of that level, even after he was gone, to ensure that it's strength and longevity would be maintained, even as the era changed from one of Shinobi into one of Technology and Aliens.
Danzo knocked on the door, him already sensing Kakashi inside as he opened the door, his sole showing eye-widening in surprise as he saw Danzo standing there with his usual expression that was still stuck between a displeased frown and a grimace.
"Lord Danzo, is their something I can help you with?" Kakashi asked.
"Aren't you going to invite me in for tea, preferably Green?" Danzo asked in response, with Kakashi helplessly inviting Danzo in before going to fix him tea.
Danzo sat at the kitchen table as he appraised the house, with him noticing that nothing inside the home had changed and that it was exactly the same as when Sakumo owned it.
Danzo watched the boy sit across from him, with Kakashi looking at him with an expectant gaze.
"You have been through alot." Danzo began, his voice laced with a small semblance of pity, with his sentence making Kakashi's eyebrow raise as he didn't understand where Danzo was going with this.
"But so have a large plethora of other people. Kakashi Hatake, son of Sakumo Hatake and Ayame Hatake, was a prodigy who graduated from the Ninja Academy at the youngest recorded age in history at 5, became a Chunin at age 6, and became a Jonin at the young age of 12. You were faced with the death of your Mother before you could remember her face, your Father while you were 5 and he was villanized in the eyes of the Village. Your two Genin Teammates died one after another, with you even being forced to take the life of one of them at her own decision, showcasing a true embodiment of the Will of Fire.
I hate that you went through those things, Kakashi Hatake, but it is about time you moved past your trauma and went on with your life. I will not allow a talented Shinobi of Konoha to waste their talents. Many have been through what you have, with some going through even worse, yet none of them faltered, with them having the drive to continue moving on with the hardships of their lives." Danzo stated, with Kakashi growing angry as he heard the man before him demean the deaths of his loved ones, as if they didn't matter.
He dared to act as if the losses he faced were inconsequential, as if they didn't matter or were merely irrelevant. That fact alone made him nearly channel his Lightning Chakra to his hand and end the man before him, as he felt that he was simply being mocked by Danzo.
"I lost the love of my life before my eyes, with me being helpless to save her as she was beheaded by a Kumo Shinobi." Danzo said with his eyes closed, his words making Kakashi's anger cease as he stared at the man with surprise.
Not many even knew about the existence of Elder Danzo due to him not being in the public eye, with even fewer knowing about his personal life.
"During the First Great Ninja War, she and I were on a team together, with my Sensei giving us the mission of blowing up a supply line. But, the intel was leaked due to a high ranking spy, with us inevitably falling victim to the trap.
Leading the assault was the future Third Raikage, and it was up to me to contain him, as I was the only one even close enough to being able to stop him. But, one of the Jonin under his took advantage of the chaos to sneak up on Kaya, with him stabbing her straight through the heart, killing her instantly.
In a rage, I consumed every drop of my Chakra, imbuing my Wind Style with immense power and destroying the Supply Line as well as the enemy Shinobi. Even after the Kumo Shinobi left, it didn't change the fact that I failed. I succeeded in the mission, yet at what cost?" Danzo seemed to question himself, his voice seeming to gain a sliver of emotion near the end before he immediately opened his eyes and regained the icy and cold appearance that he was known for.
"But I didn't allow that to stop me. I moved forward, and I used that grief towards ensuring that the Village that we both loved was safe, no matter what cost I would have to pay. And I believe that it is time for you to do the same.
You no longer train as you feel that the day you die you would finally get to join your friends and Father in the afterlife. You don't seal your Sharingan because you feel that your friend always deserves to see the world through you, crippling both your Chakra Reserves and your skills. You don't train in the swordsmanship that I'm sure your father left for you, as you feel you don't deserve to learn after you disappointed him for so many years.
Well, I do not care how you feel. The safety of this Village supersedes that, no matter what your personal grievances or issues may be. So..." Danzo said, before his words trailed off.
Suddenly, Kakashi found himself unable to breathe, as an oppressive feeling overtook him, with him not even able to think properly under such pressure.
He could not even instruct his body to move under the pressure, with him unable to grab his nearby Kunai in case Danzo wished to kill him.
"Will you continue to disappoint those who believe in you, Kakashi Hatake? Or will you finally live up to your full potential." Danzo asked as he stared at the boy with cold eyes.
Kakashi gritted his teeth while digging his nails into his hand, with that being enough for him to regain some semblance of control over his body as he began to reach for his kunai.
At that moment, the pressure disappeared.
Kakashi swiftly grabbed the kunai and threw it to Danzo's position, yet the man was no longer there, with Kakashi feeling a hand on his shoulder, the sheer strength from it so immense that it stopped him from moving.
"No need for that, young man. Meet me at Training Ground 7 tomorrow morning. I expect you to be there. Don't let down my expectations." Danzo said, with him then exiting the home completely.
'I wonder which emotionally stunted and psychologically demented teen I should meet next. Perhaps Kurenai?' Danzo thought, with his slight chuckle making both of his guards shiver.
