Chapter 136 – Countermeasure
Watching Yūsuke's departing figure, Taichi couldn't help but sigh at the unpredictability of fate.
Who would have thought that one of the key figures who, in the original timeline, contributed to Hatake Sakumo's psychological collapse would now become one of his staunchest supporters?
Life truly turned on the smallest variables.
As Taichi walked home, he pondered his next move.
Only one critical figure remained—
Kakashi.
It had been a while since he'd seen him. Was Kakashi even in the village right now? And if he was… had he already said something hurtful to his father?
The thought gave Taichi a headache.
Why was he, an outsider, worrying about a father-son relationship?
But then he remembered—
The selfless guidance Sakumo and Kakashi had given him when he first began learning swordsmanship.
The patient instruction Sakumo had offered just yesterday.
The years of friendship he shared with Kakashi.
Taichi sighed again.
Fine.
Maybe he really was just born with a hard-working fate.
Just as he resigned himself to that thought, a familiar chakra signature drifted in from around the corner ahead.
---
Kakashi walked down the street with his hands in his pockets, brows furrowed beneath his silver hair.
He had wandered the village for the entire morning.
Even without trying to listen, the venomous rumors kept reaching his ears—like whispers from demons, constantly scraping against his nerves.
Sakumo might not care about the gossip.
But as his son?
How could Kakashi allow others to slander his father so freely?
The problem was how to deal with it.
No matter how hard he thought, he couldn't find a viable solution.
His first thought was to seek outside help.
Obito and Guy came to mind immediately—the two who had fought beside him yesterday.
But he quickly dismissed that idea.
Setting aside the fact that neither of them was particularly suited for strategic planning… their "physical builds" weren't exactly suited for something like this either.
He considered his current squad members next—and shook his head again.
Perhaps his luck really was terrible.
Since graduating, he'd already gone through two different teams. His current teammates had only been with him for a few months. There was no trust deep enough yet to involve them in something this personal.
Then—
Another name surfaced.
Taichi.
Sharp mind.
Strong enough.
Definitely someone who could "plot great things" together.
But where would he be now?
He'd heard that this mission of his father's had succeeded largely thanks to Taichi's help. Otherwise, it might have failed entirely—and the consequences would have been far worse.
Just as Kakashi turned a corner—
He froze.
"Kakashi!"
"Taichi!"
They shouted each other's names simultaneously, their voices ringing clearly even in the bustling street. Passersby turned to stare.
Taichi noticed the dark circles under Kakashi's eyes—visible even beneath the mask.
Kakashi noticed the dust on Taichi's clothes—clearly not the result of training.
"I was just looking for you," Kakashi said first, urgency rare in his voice. "About the rumors—"
"I know," Taichi cut in calmly. "I went to your house yesterday. Saw Sakumo-senpai. Just now I also met his teammate—the one he saved. Yūsuke."
Kakashi's pupils tightened.
He hadn't expected Taichi to care this much.
Looking again at the dust on Taichi's clothes, it was obvious he'd been running around for this matter.
Warmth rose in Kakashi's chest.
First Guy and Obito.
Now Taichi.
They were all helping him without hesitation.
"Thank you," he said sincerely.
Taichi rubbed his ear dramatically as if he'd misheard, stepped forward, hooked an arm around Kakashi's neck, and shook him vigorously.
"Unbelievable! Hearing the word 'thank you' from your mouth is a once-in-a-lifetime event. Too bad Obito isn't here—he'd faint from shock."
Kakashi struggled twice but failed to break free. In the end, he just let Taichi hold him like that.
"About my father… I know he says he doesn't care about the rumors. But I'm still worried—"
"Honestly?" Taichi grinned. "After hearing you say that, I'm not worried about Sakumo-senpai anymore."
He had worried for nothing.
This version of Kakashi was still solid.
"But you're right," Taichi continued more seriously. "The rumors need to be dealt with. If we let them fester, they may not kill—but they'll rot everything from the inside."
Kakashi's eyes sharpened.
"Do you have a plan? I've been thinking all morning and couldn't come up with anything good."
Taichi guided Kakashi into a quieter alleyway.
He expanded his sensory field briefly—confirming no one was nearby.
Then he turned to Kakashi and asked calmly:
"Do you know who's spreading the rumors about your father?"
Kakashi shook his head blankly.
"Do you know why they're spreading those rumors?"
Another helpless shake.
"Then have you thought about how to avoid retaliation from the people behind this? Someone capable of orchestrating something like this won't be easy to deal with."
Kakashi was starting to shut down.
So stopping rumors required thinking about all of that?
Taichi looked at Kakashi's dejected expression and suppressed a laugh.
He was still young. Still inexperienced. Otherwise he wouldn't be so easily overwhelmed.
It was rare to see Kakashi at a loss. Normally he wore that aloof, superior expression.
Too bad there wasn't a camera. This moment would've made excellent blackmail material.
Clearing his thoughts, Taichi combined what he knew from his past life with his recent investigation and carefully explained the entire situation.
Kakashi frowned deeply.
"I suspected someone was pushing things from behind the scenes… but I didn't expect it to be Root. Why would they do this?"
Taichi let out a cold laugh, tapping a finger against a tree trunk.
"Because Sakumo-senpai's reputation is too high. The title 'White Fang of Konoha' is enough to make even the Sannin cautious. Let alone certain rats who hide underground."
He lowered his voice deliberately.
"And Danzo has always coveted the Hokage seat. If he can eliminate a potential competitor under a perfectly justifiable excuse, why wouldn't he?"
Kakashi stared in disbelief.
"How could he dare? Doesn't Lord Hokage know about this?"
But when he looked up and saw Taichi's meaningful expression, realization struck.
If this was happening… it likely had the Hokage's approval.
"But my father doesn't even want to become Hokage," Kakashi muttered stubbornly.
"You believe that. I might believe that. But do you think the Third Hokage and Danzo would?" Taichi clapped him firmly on the shoulder, as if trying to shake him awake.
"And even if he didn't want it—when the time comes, it's not always your choice to refuse."
"Where's the proof?" Kakashi's voice trembled. Everything Taichi said was dismantling his worldview.
"When I went to see Yūsuke just now, two ninja were trying to pressure him into testifying against Sakumo-senpai. Who do you think sent them?"
Taichi grinned darkly.
They had hidden themselves well—but under his sensory perception, that distinctive dead silence unique to Root operatives was unmistakable.
"And when you walked around the village today… didn't you notice any patterns among the people spreading the rumors?"
Kakashi closed his eyes, thinking back.
Yes.
The fleeting flashes of cold calculation.
The stiff, mechanical movements.
All traits he'd heard associated with Root members.
His fists clenched. His chest rose and fell heavily.
His worldview was cracking—then painfully reconstructing itself.
After a long moment, he forced himself to calm down. He buried the darkness deep in his heart.
Right now, the priority was stopping the rumors.
Taichi smiled confidently.
"Rumors spread with a single mouth. Refuting them takes breaking your legs."
"The lies have already spread through the whole village. We can't cut them off at the source anymore."
"There's only one solution."
He paused deliberately.
Kakashi understood the cue.
"After this, I'll treat you to barbecue."
Taichi grinned.
"The best way to defeat a rumor is with a new rumor. Preferably one even more explosive."
Like lightning splitting the night sky, Kakashi instantly grasped the brilliance.
You don't argue—because to those who believe rumors, explanations sound like excuses.
You don't need total truth—because the blur between truth and fiction is what fuels chaos.
If the village becomes flooded with multiple sensational rumors, attention will scatter.
And attention is limited.
Focus on one thing, and you can't focus on another.
As for manpower?
Shadow Clones plus Transformation Technique.
The perfect tool.
If discovered—disperse the clone. No evidence left behind.
They finalized the strategy and even crafted several "explosive" rumors about Danzo before parting—one heading east, one west.
---
Taichi began in the eastern district.
In a secluded corner, he created two shadow clones and transformed them into unfamiliar faces.
"Go. Spread the word about Danzo. The wider the better."
The clones melted into the crowd.
"Have you heard? Advisor Danzo has been conducting human experiments—"
"Shh! Keep your voice down! I heard it was Wood Release research—"
"Wasn't that project banned?"
"They say he's sacrificing the village's interests for his own ambitions—"
"Seriously? Isn't he an elder of Konoha?"
"I heard he still wants to compete for the Fourth Hokage position."
---
Meanwhile, Taichi recovered chakra and repeated the process elsewhere.
"Danzo sacrificed countless comrades during missions—"
"They say he abandons even his own people without hesitation—"
"No wonder he opposed Sakumo-senpai saving his teammate. He's that kind of person."
"I heard that's why the Second Hokage never chose him."
"Ohhhh…"
---
After circling most of the village, Taichi regrouped with Kakashi on the opposite side.
Kakashi was pacing back and forth, unusually energized.
"How did it go?"
Taichi flashed an OK sign.
He had cast Shadow Clone six times—meaning twelve Taichis were currently spreading rumors.
Kakashi had eight clones active.
"Let's go," Kakashi said, slinging an arm around Taichi's neck. "Barbecue. I really owe you."
"One meal isn't enough," Taichi shot back. "At least two."
"No problem. However many you want."
---
Inside the barbecue restaurant, once the meat arrived, Taichi quietly cast a soundproof barrier.
"Today we won't see results yet," he said, wrapping golden grilled meat in greens and sauce before stuffing it into his mouth. "But by tomorrow, discussions should start appearing."
"We'll need to do this again tomorrow. Maybe even the day after," Kakashi said eagerly. "Should we recruit more people?"
"Yes—tomorrow and the day after," Taichi nodded. "But no new people. The fewer who know, the better. Don't even tell Sakumo-senpai."
"We're not doing something righteous here. If we're exposed, the consequences won't be pleasant."
Kakashi nodded.
The original rumors had taken days to reach scale. With only two of them, even with shadow clones, progress required patience.
He finally relaxed.
But when he looked at the grill—
Only three tiny scraps remained.
"Taichi! That's outrageous! I haven't eaten a single piece yet!"
"That's what happens when you're distracted. You snooze, you lose."
Taichi laughed shamelessly and ate the last pieces.
The exaggerated chewing sounds nearly broke Kakashi's composure.
Taichi dropped the barrier and shouted:
"Waiter! Same order—another round!"
Seeing Kakashi's aggrieved expression, Taichi chuckled.
"Don't worry. If you're treating, I'm not leaving hungry. This was never enough for the two of us."
"Fine. You win," Kakashi muttered, finally focusing on eating.
Taichi watched him quietly, satisfied.
From the moment they met today, Kakashi had felt like a bowstring pulled too tight.
If that tension continued, he would snap long before the rumors faded.
That's why Taichi had teased him nonstop.
To make him loosen up.
And now—it was working.
Soon both of them were battling over meat with flying chopsticks.
Only after finishing their third serving did the war finally end.
Leaning back with full stomachs, they looked at each other's utterly undignified posture—
—and burst into laughter.
The sound rang out bright and carefree.
For the first time in days, the weight in their hearts finally lifted.