Sora overheard the meeting between Hatake Sakumo and the other Jōnin, quickly speculating that this mission could be the one that ultimately led to Hatake Sakumo's suicide.
As the commander of Konoha's forces in the Land of Grass, Hatake Sakumo's primary duty was to organize troop deployments and oversee the overall situation. Given the current stability in the Land of Grass, there was no reason for him to personally lead a mission.
Yet now, he was directly heading the operation to intercept Iwagakure's scroll. This strongly suggested that this was the mission.
And it was an important one.
If the intercepted scroll truly contained Iwagakure's strategic plans for the war, Konoha gaining possession of it would have a significant impact on the ongoing conflict.
At that time, Hatake Sakumo had the opportunity to secure the scroll but lost it because he chose to save his comrades. This decision inevitably led to discontent among Konoha's higher-ups.
However, Sora was more curious about who had leaked this information, turning Hatake Sakumo into a target for widespread criticism within Konoha.
Even someone as cunning as Danzō wouldn't have done something like this at such a critical time.
Although Danzō was known for his ruthless methods, he was still undeniably loyal to Konoha. He understood Hatake Sakumo's importance in the war effort.
Destroying Konoha's White Fang—who was on par with the Sannin—at this juncture would only weaken Konoha, which wouldn't benefit Danzō either.
After all, if Konoha fell, no matter how unscrupulous Danzō was, all his ambitions would be meaningless.
But in the end, none of this had anything to do with Sora. He was merely an observer, watching events unfold and collecting witness points.
Just as he continued eavesdropping on the discussion, Hatake Sakumo suddenly turned toward him.
"Sora, you're quite mobile. Are you interested in joining me on this mission?"
Sora frowned.
He was only here as a spectator—he had no intention of getting involved in this mess.
If he stepped into these muddy waters, it could have lasting consequences. Kakashi might never truly see him as a companion after this.
After all, the fool who was saved by Hatake Sakumo would go on to resent him.
And the same would apply to the other teammates.
Even if Sora played no part in the backlash against Hatake Sakumo, people would assume he did.
If he chose not to condemn Hatake Sakumo, others would believe he secretly agreed with those who did.
For that reason, Sora could not participate in this mission.
He declined politely. "I'm sorry, Lord Sakumo, but I'm currently in the middle of developing an important technique. The main reason I returned to the base was to work on it in peace.
"Additionally, Lord Orochimaru is expected to contact me soon via Summoning Jutsu regarding a separate matter. As much as I'd love the opportunity to carry out a mission with you, I won't be able to join this time."
Hatake Sakumo nodded.
Although Sora had come to the Land of Grass as part of the support forces, Sakumo had always assumed he was here on a special assignment and never considered him a subordinate.
So when Sora cited the development of a new technique and a possible summons from Orochimaru as reasons to decline, Sakumo didn't press him further.
His invitation had been extended purely because Sora was strong enough to contribute.
At the same time, this mission had the potential for significant merit. If Sora participated, he would gain a share of the credit.
And since Sora was currently training his son, Kakashi, Sakumo was naturally inclined to help him where he could.
But if Sora refused, there was nothing more to be done.
Finally, Hatake Sakumo concluded, "Then it's settled. I will lead the team. The three of you will accompany me, along with a sensory-type shinobi. We leave in one hour.
"While I'm gone, Shen Jie, you'll be in charge of command. This is a classified mission—only those of us here need to know about it."
This Shinsuke was also from the Nara clan and had the clan's signature pineapple-shaped hairstyle.
After the meeting, Hatake Sakumo turned to Sora and said, "Sora, thank you for your hard work during this time. Thanks to you, we discovered a large number of Iwagakure's hidden strongholds. I never expected that group of Iwagakure shinobi to establish so many secret bases.
"If war truly breaks out, these strongholds could inflict heavy losses on us."
Sora responded modestly, "This is my mission and my duty to fulfil."
Hatake Sakumo gave a weary smile and said, "The last time I saw Kakashi, he'd grown much stronger. He's lucky to have you as his master. I'll be counting on you to continue guiding him.
"I'm heading out for my next mission now, so Sora, take it easy and rest while you're at the station."
Sora nodded and replied, "Understood, Lord Sakumo. You don't need to worry about Kakashi."
As Sora left the room, he saw Kakashi waiting outside.
Kakashi looked up and asked, "Teacher Sora, is the meeting over?"
Sora gave him a strange look before nodding. "Yeah, it's over. Go see Lord Sakumo."
"Got it," Kakashi replied before stepping into the room.
Sora let out a quiet sigh.
After this mission, the situation for Konoha in the Land of Grass would shift.
Losing a key leader meant losing a crucial pillar of support, making it easier for problems to arise.
During Hatake Sakumo's absence, Sora had no intention of continuing his search operations. He would wait and observe the situation.
Even though he felt a bit sorry for Kakashi—knowing what was about to happen to Hatake Sakumo—there was nothing he could do to change it.
A man with such a deep belief in the Will of Fire wouldn't abandon a mission or his comrades just because of a few words.
In fact, if Sora tried to intervene, Hatake Sakumo might even turn against him.
The only thing Sora could do was stand aside and watch.
That night, Hatake Sakumo and four other shinobi quietly set out on their mission.
Aside from a select few, no one knew that Hatake Sakumo had personally taken on this task.
Sora returned to his quarters and pulled out a map covered in markings and crosses.
He planned to use this time to double-check his findings and fill in any gaps, ensuring he knew what areas still needed to be searched when the opportunity arose.
Time passed quickly.
A full week had gone by since Hatake Sakumo left on his mission.
During these seven days, Nara Shinsuke had been in charge of the station, and everything remained quiet.
In the meantime, Sora spent his days training himself and teaching Kakashi.
That Evening
Hatake Sakumo finally returned from his mission.
Five shinobi had set out.
Five shinobi had returned.
But all of them were injured.
One of them was missing his right arm, and his legs were a mangled mess—blown apart by an explosive tag or something similar.
The moment they arrived at the station, Hatake Sakumo immediately called for the medical-nin.
Sora leaned against a shadowed wall, silently observing the situation.
Now, he was absolutely certain—this was the incident that led to Hatake Sakumo's suicide.
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