Hatake Kaede completely disregarded her father's emotional distress ().
He devoted himself wholeheartedly to practicing swordsmanship, and never hesitated to ask his father for guidance on anything he didn't understand.
Hatake Kaede knew that his father had rich experience and profound expertise in swordsmanship, so he made full use of this valuable resource and constantly learned knowledge and skills from his father.
Whenever faced with a difficult problem, Hatake Kaede would pounce on his father like a hungry wolf cub, seizing every opportunity to learn.He would ask his father detailed questions about swordsmanship, including techniques, postures, breathing, and so on.
Before the elderly father, Hatake Sakumo, had even been in a state for long, he was completely defeated by Hatake Kaede's thirst for knowledge.He patiently answered Hatake Kaede's questions and even took the initiative to share some of his own cultivation insights and experiences.
Hatake Kaede treasured every word of his father, Hatake Sakumo, and diligently practiced them in his training.He paid attention to every detail, striving to fully absorb his father's experience and transform it into his own strength.
And so, Hatake Kaede went further and further down the path of swordsmanship, while his father's experience was gradually "drained" by him.
Finally, Hatake Kaede let his elderly father go.
However, before Hatake Sakumo could even catch his breath, he received an urgent order from the Hokage's office.
"Lord Sakumo!" The ninja who came to deliver the message stopped in front of Hatake Sakumo, bowed respectfully, and said, "The Hokage has ordered that you go to the Hokage's office immediately to see the Hokage."
Hatake Sakumo's brow furrowed instantly, a sense of foreboding washing over him.He thought to himself, "Being summoned at this time must mean something urgent has happened."
After all, he is currently the captain of the Third Hokage's ANBU, and he doesn't usually need to personally handle ordinary missions.
With this in mind, Hatake Sakumo didn't dare to delay for a moment.He quickly organized his equipment and then sped off towards the Hokage Building without hesitation.
Hatake Kaede, standing nearby, ignored the departing Hatake Sakumo, focusing all his attention on honing his swordsmanship.
Time passed by, and as night fell and dinnertime approached, Hatake Kaede finally stopped what he was doing.
Just then, he noticed his father, Hatake Sakumo, appearing at the doorway, looking unusually tired.Hatake Kaede's heart tightened, and he quickly went to greet him.
At the same time, Hatake Karin, Hatake's mother, also walked over quickly.Seeing her husband's exhausted appearance, she immediately showed a worried look on her face and hurriedly reached out to take the equipment from Hatake Sakumo.
However, Hatake Sakumo waved his hand and said softly, "No need, no need.The mission isn't over yet.I just came back to eat something and rest a bit." His voice revealed an undisguised weariness.
Hatake Hanako's hand paused slightly in mid-air.She stared at her husband and asked anxiously, "What happened that's causing such trouble?"
Hatake Sakumo slowly walked to the table, sat down heavily, and then sighed deeply.
After a long while, he slowly spoke, "Alas!Indeed, a very urgent matter has occurred.Inside the village, a fellow member of the ANBU has been tragically murdered.After a detailed investigation, we suspect that this was the work of a spy from Kumogakure, and that this spy may have successfully infiltrated the ANBU."
Hatake Hanako's expression instantly turned serious.She stared wide-eyed at Hatake Sakumo in disbelief.
Hatake Sakumo continued, "The Third Hokage ordered a full-scale self-inspection to uncover the spies hidden within the ANBU.As the captain of the ANBU, I need to be stationed there to ensure that nothing like this happens again during the self-inspection."
Hatake Hana's brows furrowed, her face filled with disbelief.She muttered to herself, "Is it really that serious?Those barbarians from Kumogakure are too arrogant; they've actually managed to infiltrate the ANBU." Her voice revealed a hint of anger and worry.
Hatake Sakumo, standing beside her, also wore a serious expression, staring intently at his wife.Both were lost in thought.They were completely unaware of their son following behind, who was bowing his head and trembling slightly.
Upon hearing his father's words, a thought suddenly flashed through his mind—the wristband engraved with a psychic spell that he kept in his room.He didn't dare to look up, afraid that he would burst out laughing.
Hatake Kaede never imagined that the casual killing of Danzo's subordinate would cause such a huge uproar.He originally thought it was just a minor matter, but the development of events far exceeded his expectations.
In the following days, the once peaceful village was shattered by frequent battles.The villagers often heard shouts of battle and the clash of weapons in the distance, which filled them with fear and unease.
Meanwhile, Hatake Sakumo was busy from dawn till dusk every day, working on investigations and combating espionage.His figure moved through the streets and alleys of the village, leaving no suspicious corner unchecked.Sometimes, when he returned late at night, his clothes would be stained with blood of unknown origin.
After this thorough investigation, many spies from other countries were discovered in the village.
These spies were extremely well hidden; some came from Kumogakure (Hidden Cloud Village), some from Sunagakure (Hidden Sand Village), and others from Iwagakure (Hidden Stone Village).However, what was most unexpected was that Kirigakure (Hidden Mist Village) had the fewest spies.
Besides the spies from the five great nations, what was even more surprising was the discovery of spies from Amegakure (the Hidden Rain Village) in the Land of Rain.This discovery surprised Konoha's leadership, yet also seemed perfectly reasonable.
After all, in the past few years, rainHidden Village has been relentlessly pursuing its goal of becoming the "Sixth Great Power." Their continuous expansion of military equipment and strengthening of military power are clearly preparations for an impending war.
Looking around at the surrounding environment of the Rain Kingdom, one will find that the other small countries are too weak to satisfy the Rain Kingdom's ever-expanding ambitions and appetite.
In contrast, while the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth possess vast territories, they are extremely impoverished due to their natural limitations.Attacking these two countries would not only require a significant expenditure of manpower, resources, and funds, but the returns would likely fall far short of expectations, making it a truly unprofitable endeavor.
However, on this continent, one country stands out remarkably—the Land of Fire.It occupies the central part of the continent, boasting a uniquely advantageous geographical location and abundant resources.
If Amegakure can successfully carve out a piece of "fat meat" from the Land of Fire, it will provide a powerful impetus for the continued development of the Land of Rain, ultimately helping Hanzo of the Salamander realize his ambitions.
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