Enraged

43. Enraged

A week had past after the rescue mission. Visiting Shikaku everyday to play shogi already became Hoseki routine. After a week of playing Shikaku, Hoseki already had his momentum in the game. But he still didn't had any won against Shikaku.

While Kurenai and Raido gave up playing the game, Asuma on the other hand, really obsessed with the game. Even, he got into the game later than Hoseki, his loosing streak almost double Hoseki's already.

Hoseki wondered why Asuma is so obsess with the game when he was so bad at it.

That afternoon , Hoseki walked along the main street on his way home.

On the streets, a piece of news came out which make Hoseki boiled with anger.

A news came out saying his uncle, Sakumo had caused big loss for village. His decision to save her had caused his team mission to failed and even caused bigger disaster for Konoha.

The rumour were small but Hoseki was angry as he felt that someone was fanning the rumour.

As for a shinobi failing his mission, his failure, didn't suppose to be spread to village. Why would someone spread his fail mission to the normal villagers.

Hoseki decided to go to Sakumo house to asked about the situation.

As he arrived at Sakumo house, Kakashi was also there.

Hoseki directly asked of what was going on. Instead, Sakumo refuse to let any information about his mission. He only told him about his circumstances he had during the mission.

He told him about his important decisions to choose between his mission and his teammates who had been caught. As his teammates was already caught, the mission was considered partially failed.

As the mission was considered a highly secret, dead shinobi was better then alive when they were caught. As a dead shinobi will never spill the beans, an alive brain will risk the person to spill the beans even without his willingness or consciousness

In the end, Sakumo was caught in conflict to kill his teammates to keep the mission as a secret or abandoned the mission to save them. As he choose the later, he had abandoned the mission and returned with failure.

Of course when he was abandoned his mission, it was known to Kumo that they were from Konoha. The Kumos came out more aggressively on Konoha which causes huge lost. In the end, they pinned the blamed on Sakumo for their lost as he was the one who failed the mission and incited the Kumo.

Hoseki and Kakashi heard the story silently.

In the end, Kakashi told Hoseki that he won't leave his house until rumours stop.

.

.

As the days went by the issue became bigger. The story become more and more ridiculous and exaggerated. Some villager were even shouting to accuse Sakumo as a fail shinobi. Some began to disowned him as he should not be apart of village shinobi. Some asked for Sakumo to be crippled and exile from the village.

To make it worse, even one of the teammate which Hoseki and his team saved back in the days, blamed Sakumo by saying him not worthy as a shinobi.

He came to the crowds and told them the story Sakumo was being a failed shinobi . He accused Sakumo for not having a principle as a shinobi.

When, Hoseki heard that, he was enraged by the accusations and ran towards the streets. As he was arrived he heard the man's accusations by his own ears.

Suddenly, a portion of a memories came to him. He saw the death of his uncle, Sakumo under the depression and betrayal of his comrade.

Hoseki eyes was suddenly bloodshot. After his parents death, Sakumo was his nearest family.

He was the one who taught and guided him, he was the one who really care for his well being. The one who really believed him.

For Hoseki, Sakumo was a father figure for his life. The one who he really loves after his own parents.

Hearing the accusations and saw the future death of Sakumo, Hoseki blood was boiled with anger.

"SHUT UP!!! " he suddenly scream in the crowds.

Hoseki came out of the crowds with anger. He walked to the betrayer.

" You ungrateful idiot, my uncle save your life and this is your repayments?" Hoseki shouted in anger.

The man turn to him and saw Hoseki.

He snicked on Hoseki and said, "Oh, look who is here. The nephew came to protect his uncle honor. Your uncle had failed as a shinobi and now you came to direct your anger to me?"

"Hahaha" the public laughed hearing the man's was teasing Hoseki.

Hoseki breath heavily trying to calm down his anger as he understood the the situation was not on his side.

"Then, how about you? You was compromised and caught during the mission, leading uncle Sakumo to save you. If I see it correctly, you being a captive, had led the mission to fail. If you was not caught, uncle Sakumo had no need to save you, let alone to abandon his mission." Hoseki replied.

"Heh, what do you know. Being caught was my mistake, but you uncle decision on abandoning the mission to save me was a disgraceful act as shinobi. He should let me die and continued the mission. That was the creed as a shinobi." the man answered.

"Creed as a shinobi? Isn't saving and protecting a comrade is also a creed as a shinobi?"

"Let me asked you a question. You better answer it carefully. During the time, should uncle Sakumo let you die or he needed to kill you himself if he wanted to continue with mission?" Hoseki gave him a question.

" What.. That.. " the man was stuttering to answer the question.

"Hump, why don't you answered my question? It it you are not sure? or you really don't know? Then let tell you. My uncle would have to kill you back then, if he decided to continue with the mission." Hoseki told him the cruel fact.

The crowd was silent by the answer.