Jokichi returned to the street, following the flow of people toward the cemetery.
He liked quiet, so he slowed his pace, wanting to wait until others finished their respects and left before arriving.
Suddenly, a drop of water fell on his head.
Sensing something unusual, Jokichi looked up.
Under the dark clouds, a continuous drizzle fell incessantly, forming puddles on the ground.
The people around quickened their pace, coming and going, appearing somewhat rushed.
Jokichi opened the borrowed bamboo umbrella and walked slowly, appearing somewhat out of place with his surroundings.
As if he were in a different world.
As he slowly moved forward, the rain fell heavier and heavier, landing on the roofs, the ground, and the umbrella, making a pitter-patter sound.
The people around covered their heads and fled one by one, and soon not a single figure could be seen on the street.
People just harbor a fluke mindset.
Jokichi shook his head slightly.
The sky was densely covered with dark clouds; it was obvious it was going to rain.
But everyone thought about quickly finishing their business and going home, so they did not bring umbrellas, and Jokichi was the same.
Fortunately, someone lent him an umbrella on the way.
About half an hour later, Jokichi arrived at the cemetery.
Just in time to see the last remaining young couple who had finished paying their respects hurriedly leave, covering their heads.
Jokichi smiled slightly, came to his parents' tombstone, and looked at the names on the stone, a faint sorrow rising in his heart.
"Father, Mother, thank you for letting me be born into this world."
He bowed deeply to the tombstone.
Jokichi straightened up, let out a deep breath, then squatted down to clear the surrounding weeds, and carefully placed the flowers in front of the tombstone.
After doing all this, his clothes were basically soaked by the rain.
The feeling of being wet was very unpleasant. Jokichi frowned and prepared to leave.
Suddenly, a burst of footsteps rang out in the rain.
The sound was very loud, especially the sound of stepping into muddy puddles, which was clear even in the heavy rain, and it was getting closer and closer.
Jokichi stopped his footsteps and looked towards the direction of the sound.
On the road he came from, in the pouring rain, a blurry figure appeared in his field of vision.
The speed was very fast; it was a ninja.
While he was thinking, the person had already brushed past him.
In the splashing rain, wearing Anbu attire, his body was covered in mud and dark red bloodstains, and a streak of silver was exceptionally dazzling.
Ah, Kakashi!
Jokichi suddenly realized.
No wonder he did not see him earlier; it turned out he just rushed over after executing a mission.
In the past, whether it was windy or rainy, Kakashi would always be here early to pay respects to Obito and Rin, and he would always stay for a long time before leaving.
Jokichi shook his head slightly and resumed his steps.
"Thud!"
It was the sound of a heavy object smashing into the mud.
Jokichi turned his head and saw Kakashi planted headfirst into the mud.
"Are you alright!"
Jokichi was greatly startled and hurriedly rushed over to help him up.
It was then he noticed that the clothes on Kakashi's left ribs were soaked bright red.
This guy, returning injured from a mission, did not even go to the hospital and came straight here.
"I will take you to the hospital."
Jokichi threw the umbrella away and was about to carry Kakashi on his back, but was stopped by him reaching out a hand.
Kakashi opened his eye to a slit, somewhat weak, but did not let his guard down.
"It is you."
After seeing Jokichi's face clearly, Kakashi seemed to relax, and said in a somewhat hoarse voice, "I am fine, just the bandaged wound tore open. Help me over to that cemetery to take a look."
That cemetery...
Although he did not specify which plot, the two who met here every year on October 10th already knew who the other was paying respects to.
Jokichi looked at Kakashi. Seeing that his gaze was weak yet extremely firm, he could not help but nod.
"Alright."
Jokichi picked up the bamboo umbrella, supporting Kakashi with one hand and holding the umbrella with the other, hobbling forward, and arrived in front of Obito and Rin's graves.
Kakashi leaned on Jokichi, quietly looking at the names on the tombstones. His pitch-black eye was dim and lightless, revealing sorrow and guilt.
Obito, Rin...
It is all my fault. I harmed you, and I did not fulfill my promise. I am a useless piece of trash.
Jokichi could feel the sadness permeating from Kakashi.
He looked up at Kakashi and said, "The dead have passed away, and the living must still work hard. Your friends will also cheer for you from the netherworld, right!"
"Cheer for me..."
Kakashi revealed a bitter smile.
With Obito's personality, perhaps it would be like that!
But, I cannot forgive myself.
Seeing the look in Kakashi's eye, Jokichi did not continue to console him.
He was not Naruto; he did not have that conviction to stick to his true self and strive upward no matter what he encountered, so he also could not use Talk no Jutsu on Kakashi.
He looked up at the sky. The wind and clouds changed, and the rain was falling heavier and heavier.
Jokichi said indifferently, "I will take you to the hospital!"
Kakashi looked at Jokichi and glanced at the clothes on his body; most of them were soaked.
A single bamboo umbrella could not cover both of them at all, and Jokichi had given most of the space to him.
"Mhm."
Just like that, Jokichi supported Kakashi and walked toward the Konoha Hospital.
Because he was quite a bit shorter than Kakashi, walking was somewhat difficult.
Fortunately, Kakashi's injuries were not critical. It was just that rushing back to Konoha to pay respects to Obito and Rin had caused severe physical exhaustion; he could still exert some strength himself.
The two hobbled along in the rain.
Kakashi suddenly asked, "You are a student at the Ninja Academy, right!"
"Yes."
"Why do you want to be a ninja?"
"Because I want to gain power."
"What do you want to do by gaining power?"
"To prevent tragedies from happening around me."
"Is that so!" Kakashi looked up into the distance, his gaze dazed, "That is a very difficult thing to achieve. You must firmly remember your feelings at this moment."
"Mhm!"
...
After delivering Kakashi to the hospital, Jokichi said goodbye and left.
Half an hour later, he returned home.
Opened the door, closed the door, turned on the light.
Ignoring his soaking wet clothes, Jokichi stretched out his bloodstained hand.
This was stained while supporting Kakashi, and had been diluted a lot by the rain.
"I clearly shielded it carefully."
Jokichi was somewhat annoyed, but there was nothing he could do.
In such heavy rain, a bamboo umbrella simply could not block it all.
[Ding! Detected special material "Undefeated Blood", can forge special items "Domain Mirror", "Soul of a Genius", "Chains of Guilt", "Secret Technique: One Thousand Years of Death", "Innocent Youth", do you wish to forge?]
"As expected of Hatake Fifty-Fifty, he can actually forge so many items."
Hearing the system prompt in his mind, Jokichi could not help but sigh with emotion, and at the same time became even more annoyed.
Because when he first came into contact with Kakashi's blood, the items the system prompted that could be forged were far more than these.
Obviously, the blood on his hand was diluted, leading to insufficient materials to forge the remaining items.
After sighing and complaining, Jokichi silently chanted "Forge" in his mind.
Instantly, several items appeared in his hands.
A palm-sized mirror, very ordinary, no different from the mirrors sold on the street, with a plastic frame.
A white cluster of light.
The light cluster was very familiar, similar to Tenten's Weapon Soul.
Seeing this thing, Jokichi associated it with many things and immediately checked it.
"Soul of a Genius: There are many ninjutsu geniuses in this world. The Soul of a Genius houses the owner's talent. After absorption, one will also possess the original owner's talent."