The White Fang Incident!

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The atmosphere in the Hidden Leaf Village shifted subtly as whispers of an impending crisis began to spread. Among the villagers, gossip about Tsunade and Asuma quickly faded into the background because something far more significant had arisen—Sakumo Hatake, the legendary "White Fang," was now embroiled in controversy.

As the Princess of the Senju Clan, Tsunade's personal life was always a topic of discussion, but even that couldn't overshadow the scale of this incident. During a critical mission, Sakumo had chosen to save his teammates over completing the objective, resulting in the failure of the mission. Upon returning to the village, he faced widespread criticism from both civilians and shinobi alike. The failed mission had caused substantial losses for the village, and instead of gratitude, his teammates publicly condemned him for prioritizing their lives over the success of the task.

Almost overnight, the once-celebrated hero of Konoha became a pariah. Wherever he went, Sakumo was met with disdainful glares and harsh words. The scandal drowned out any lingering chatter about Tsunade and Asuma's relationship issues.

"I can't believe the White Fang would do such a thing."

"Yeah, it was supposed to be a top-priority mission, but he abandoned it just to save his teammates."

"The village suffered greatly because of this failure."

What was once admiration for the "White Fang" turned into scorn. The man who had been hailed as one of Konoha's greatest warriors was now treated like a common criminal. It was hard to imagine how much pressure Kakashi must have been under. Though Kakashi often regarded Ronglin with his signature deadpan stare, they were still among the few friends Ronglin had made since arriving in this world. If possible, Ronglin didn't want to see Sakumo take the path that history foretold—but alas, there was little he could do to change fate.

"Mission postponed. Another team will handle it."

After months of intensive training, Team Tsunade was finally ready to embark on missions again. However, when they gathered at the meeting point, Tsunade arrived in haste only to leave just as quickly.

Given the uproar caused by the White Fang incident, it was no longer appropriate for someone of Tsunade's stature to lead missions while the village dealt with the fallout.

"How disappointing… We trained so hard for nothing, and now our mission is delayed again," lamented Haru Ame, her voice tinged with frustration. Shikimura Ei remained as stoic as ever, offering no comment.

Not everyone received special treatment like Ronglin did. While Tsunade had personally overseen his rigorous training, she merely provided casual guidance to Haru and Ei. They practiced basic techniques, leaving them far behind Ronglin in terms of progress.

"It's probably because of the White Fang incident," Ronglin explained, glancing at the two. "You've heard how tense things are right now. As one of the village's leaders, Lady Tsunade has responsibilities she can't ignore."

"Does that mean we'll be stuck in the village?" Ei asked—a rare moment of speech from the usually silent boy.

"That's unlikely," Ronglin replied confidently. "Even though the White Fang incident is causing chaos, essential missions won't stop. The village's development can't afford to pause. Putting all missions on hold would harm both the village's growth and its reputation. I think we might get a temporary replacement instructor until Lady Tsunade returns."

Ronglin's foresight surpassed that of his teammates. In times like these, it was logical to expect another Jonin to step in and lead the team temporarily. The village wouldn't allow its operations to stagnate, especially during this fragile period following the Second Shinobi World War, when recovery and rebuilding were paramount.

"By the way, Ronglin, what kind of training did you undergo these past few months? I haven't seen you around much," Haru inquired curiously.

Ronglin chuckled lightly, shaking his head. He couldn't reveal the specifics of his training—it would only invite accusations of favoritism toward Tsunade. Even if no one dared say it openly, rumors alone could tarnish her reputation.

"I've got something else to take care of. I'll see you two later when our next mission begins."

Before a temporary instructor could be assigned, the trio was confined to the village. As Ronglin bid farewell to Haru and Ei, a familiar figure came to mind, prompting him to head toward the training grounds.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Several kunai flew through the air, striking targets positioned at tricky angles. Kakashi panted heavily, oblivious to the sweat pouring down his face. His relentless training served as an escape—a way to drown out the noise of the outside world before it drove him mad.

"Your body's already reached its limit."

Watching Kakashi's stubborn figure, Ronglin felt a pang of pity. It wasn't Kakashi's fault directly, but as Sakumo's son and heir to the Hatake clan, he bore the brunt of the backlash regardless.

In recent days, members of the once-active Hatake family had become reclusive, preferring to stay within their compound rather than face the public's scorn. The criticism weighed heavily on them all, yet Kakashi channeled his anguish into training—a better outlet than hiding indoors like most six-year-olds might have done.

Huff...

At Ronglin's words, Kakashi collapsed onto the ground, utterly exhausted. Sweat mixed with dirt clung to his silver hair, dulling its usual luster.

Admiring the iconic white locks inwardly, Ronglin approached slowly. Still, he harbored no desire to join the Hatake clan—their defining trait was their abysmally low chakra reserves. For instance, despite achieving elite Jonin-level combat prowess later in life, Kakashi's chakra capacity would pale in comparison to someone like Sasuke or Naruto. Neither the Uchiha nor the Uzumaki clans could be matched in terms of raw chakra potential.

"Here, drink up."

Handing over a canteen, Ronglin sat beside Kakashi, eyeing the targets struck by kunai. "Not bad. I doubt I could hit those angles so easily."

Kakashi rolled his eyes, skeptical of Ronglin's praise. He'd secretly observed Ronglin's own training sessions—they were far more grueling than anything Kakashi endured. Gulping down the water greedily, Kakashi glanced at the canteen clipped to his belt, his expression darkening.

"Preparing for a mission?"

"Yeah," Ronglin nodded, taking back the canteen and securing it. "Unfortunately, due to Uncle Sakumo's situation, everything's been put on hold. Lady Tsunade is tied up, so we might get a temporary sensei soon."

"...I'm sorry..."

Kakashi clenched his fists, guilt evident in his voice. Though not directly responsible, he still felt accountable for the mess surrounding his father.

"Hahaha..."

To his surprise, Ronglin burst into laughter. Kakashi frowned, irritation flashing across his face as he turned to glare at Ronglin, silently demanding an explanation for his reaction.

"Kakashi, listen—what's done is done, isn't it? No one can undo the failed mission or erase the village's losses. But what matters now is finding ways to make up for it."