Naruto: Starting as the Third Hokage with Tears in His Eyes

Chapter 504 A Long-Awaited Embrace

He was knocked back half a step by the sudden force, and felt the familiar scent of his son against the solid chest.

His eyes, which could capture any deadly trajectory on the battlefield, lost focus for a rare moment at this instant.

Immediately, a very faint yet incredibly genuine smile appeared at the corner of his lips.

The hand that had been used to holding farm tools and stained with countless drops of blood and fire paused almost imperceptibly as it slowly rose and gently covered its son's back, embracing his slender body.

"Kakashi."

His voice was no longer that of the calm and collected Konoha White Fang on the battlefield, but rather the whisper of a father, stripped of all his sharpness.

"……Um."

Kakashi buried his face in his father's vest and mumbled something, but his voice was too soft and was blown away by the wind.

Sakumo Hatake did not ask any further questions.

He simply stroked his son's soft, slightly disheveled silver hair on the back of his head with his palm. The touch from his fingertips brought him more peace of mind than any scroll of war achievements.

"You've lost weight."

Sakumo Hatake's voice was deep, and the warmth of his palms emanated through the thin fabric.

"no."

"Have you got a meal yet?"

"……Um."

"that,"

Sakumo Hatake looked down at Kakashi's slightly bloodshot eyes above his mask, his tone now carrying the professional concern of a farm manager, "How's the food at the camp?"

"Hmph~"

Kakashi's answer was calm and confident: "With members of the Akimichi family, it's impossible for them to be bad."

Upon hearing this, Sakumo's smile deepened, a smile brimming with satisfaction that only Kakashi, standing right next to him, could perceive.

Almost at the same moment, the tranquility on the other side of the camp was shattered by a loud shout.

"Jiraiya-sensei—!!!"

Like a bursting sun, Yahiko charged forward with boundless enthusiasm and energy, grabbing Jiraiya's waist tightly.

"Awooo—!"

The spot on Jiraiya's face where his teacher's "iron fist of love" had kissed him was still throbbing. The force of the impact made him grimace in pain. "You brat! Take it easy! Want to completely ruin your teacher's handsome face?!"

Amidst the noise, a quiet blue-purple figure circled around Yahiko from behind, and Konan, like a falling feather, quietly stood to Jiraiya's left.

She didn't rush forward; instead, she tilted her head back, her amber eyes reflecting her master's somewhat comical face in the firelight, her gaze filled with unwavering peace and dependence.

The girl carefully took out an exquisitely folded paper crane from her ninja tool bag and handed it over with both hands.

"For the teacher."

Jiraiya took the paper crane; it felt slightly heavy in his hand. He examined it from all angles. The crane's wings were folded with exquisite detail, and the curve of its tail feathers was so beautiful that not a single burr could be found, as if it carried the purest blessing of a young girl.

"...This skill is getting better and better." He exclaimed sincerely.

Nagato walked over last, and the red-haired boy remained silent, simply standing quietly beside Yahiko, giving Jiraiya a slight bow—a silent yet extremely solemn greeting.

"Nagato,"

Jiraiya freed one hand and casually patted him on the head, laughing, "Alright, stop bowing, it's making things so formal."

"good,"

Nagato raised his head, his deep, dark eyes, as clear as the night sky, fixed intently on Jiraiya. His lips moved slightly: "Teacher, does your face still hurt?"

"...It doesn't hurt."

"The Hokage's fist looks very heavy."

Nagato stated the facts straightforwardly.

"I said it doesn't hurt—"

"let me see!"

Yahiko leaned closer, curiously reaching out to poke the swollen medal.

"Don't touch it~"

A cool female voice drifted from the side. Tsunade had walked over unnoticed, arms crossed, eyebrows slightly raised: "I just treated it with medical ninjutsu. If you touch it again, your master's face might be swollen to the size of your head tomorrow~"

Jiraiya grabbed Yahiko's restless fingers, his expression a mixture of pain and helplessness: "You brats, can't you at least give your teacher some dignity?"

"~"

Yahiko withdrew his hand, chuckling without a trace of apology on his face.

By the campfire not far away, Obito silently squatted down, resting his chin on his hands, his orange goggles pushed up to his forehead, revealing a pair of bright, sparkling black eyes that shimmered in the firelight.

His gaze, like a butterfly chasing two clusters of warm light, would sometimes fall on the quiet yet inseparable backs of Kakashi and his father, and sometimes drift towards Jiraiya, who was surrounded by his disciples, noisy yet full of happiness.

As he watched, the corners of his mouth unconsciously turned down, and pure envy almost overflowed from his eyes.

"...That's wonderful."

Obito Uchiha muttered something softly, in a voice only he could hear, tinged with bitterness.

A pair of soft boots stopped beside him. Nohara Rin slowly squatted down next to him, wrapped her arms around her knees, and gently rested her chin on them.

She didn't speak, but simply watched quietly with him. The firelight danced on the purple marks on her cheeks, as if it too were tinged with a gentle warmth.

Silence is sometimes a more profound comfort than any words.

After a long silence, Nohara Rin said softly, "They...are all very happy."

"You can also go and say hello to Lord White Fang and the others."

"That's different!"

Obito turned his head, his voice filled with a sense of grievance he himself was unaware of, "I mean... that feeling... like, the feeling of having my father by my side."

Nohara Rin looked at him quietly without saying a word.

The sparks from the campfire crackled and popped. Sakumo finally released his hand from rubbing his son's head. He turned his head and his gentle gaze fell on the two children not far away.

"You two must be Kakashi's teammates."

Obito Uchiha sprang to his feet like a spring had been released, his back ramrod straight, his voice so loud it made Sakumo's ears ring: "Ah—"

"Yes! I am Uchiha Obito! Hello, White Fang-senpai!"

Nohara Rin also stood up and bowed respectfully, her movements precise and elegant: "Nohara Rin. Hello, Sakumo-senpai."

Sakumo bowed slightly and returned the bow in the same manner.

The gesture bore the mark of the strictness left from his time in the Anbu, but his tone was so gentle that it didn't sound like that of a legendary ninja who had shaken the ninja world.

"Kakashi has always been well taken care of by you all."

"take care of?"

Obito's eyes widened, and he instinctively retorted, "Senpai, you've got it backwards. It's him who takes care of us! But after every mission, he always insists on dragging Rin and me to discuss this 'Konoha Ecological Farm Quarterly Briefing'..."

"Ahem, Obito."

Kakashi's calm, unwavering voice came from the side, successfully cutting him off.

"hey-hey."

Obito shut his mouth, and like a duck being choked, he reflexively took half a step back.

Sakumo smiled, took out a small cloth bag from his ninja tool pouch at his waist, stuffed it into Obito's hand, and then took out another one and handed it to Kakashi.

"Take it."

Obito paused, looking down at the heavy cloth bag in his hand: "This is...?"

"Freshly dried fruit from the farm, to eat on the road."

As Shuo Mao spoke, he magically produced a pink cloth bag embroidered with small flowers and handed it to Lin, saying, "You get one too."

Lin accepted it with both hands, blinked her beautiful brown eyes, somewhat flattered, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

"Thank you, senior."