Chapter 172 Need to be completed alone

Puck's normally calm expression was now one of disgust as he watched the kunai disappear into the mud, swallowed up by the supernatural substance that was eager to devour everything.

"This is too terrible." It roared. "Why did your ancestors leave such a dangerous thing here?"

"Because strategically, there's no place in the world safer than here," Kakashi answered without hesitation, then sighed as Puck was startled by another approaching will-o'-the-wisp and retreated back from the narrow path.

Kakashi walked forward and picked it up, while lowering his head to avoid another blue fireball that bounced back.

"Okay, Parker."

Puck snorted, but relaxed in Kakashi's arms, clearly feeling much safer than staying in that narrow path.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi," it whispered. "Thank you."

Kakashi nodded.

"Why do you say it's safe here?" asked the ninja dog, now closer to Kakashi, speaking in the same low voice.

Kakashi whispered:

"The door we just passed through is a barrier. It is connected to my bloodline, so I am the only one in the world who can open it."

Parker nodded in agreement and growled:

"That makes sense. I thought you were worried that the kids might stumble across this place and rob the vault. But then how did I get in here without any harm?"

"Because I summoned you." Kakashi said firmly. "There is a blood contract between us. This gate will regard you as a part of my body, just like my hands and feet."

"How convenient." Puck muttered, leaning over Kakashi's shoulder and looking at the rows of tombstones. "Are they really all buried here?"

"Since the founding of the family, all the remains of the Hatake clan members that could be found have been buried here," Kakashi confirmed.

Except for one person.

He didn't say it.

Sakumo was buried in the ninja cemetery in Konoha.

Kakashi was too young and too sad to know how to process his father's death, and to be honest, his memories of that time were very vague, with the only thing he remembered being Minato Namikaze.

Kakashi had only been on his team for a few months, and he still had no idea what kind of person Minato Namikaze was.

He was angry, cold, stubborn, and difficult to get along with. He couldn't tell the man in front of him from the legend - he couldn't tell the great ninja from the guy who was a little clumsy in interpersonal communication.

But that's not to say that Sakumo's attitude had any effect on Minato Namikaze; as far as Kakashi knew, Minato Namikaze was the kindest person in the world.

His brave, smart, occasionally foolish teacher took care of everything for him: family affairs, funerals, property declarations, and various expenses.

That day, he also bought Kakashi a new apartment - a small, modest place in the ninja living area just south of the Hokage building - where Kakashi spent nearly twenty years calling it home.

Until a year ago, three children broke into his life with the impact of a meteorite hitting the earth.

Kakashi took a deep breath, looked straight ahead, and lowered his chin slightly. Because he came here for them.

For those three hearts that shine like supernovas.

For the warmth of home that he thought he would never have again.

For those three powerful, foolish, yet miraculous young men.

He was willing to go through mountains of swords and seas of fire for them, so what was a mere tomb?

Finally, the end of the path appeared before him, like an ominous omen, where the purpose of his journey, his responsibility, and his heritage were located.

It was a huge scroll, made of black obsidian and rusty steel, and looked extremely sharp.

It was almost as tall as Kakashi, and had no stand or case.

It lay casually upon a large, bloodstained stone, poised upon its jagged top, as if suspended in midair, enveloped by the only protection it needed.

"Oh, no..." Parker gasped, his eyes widening as he stared at the huge stone supporting the scroll. "Tell me it's not what I thought it was."

Kakashi tried to force a smile but it came out more like a facial twitch.

"Sorry, Parker, that's what you think."

The stone was roughly round, pale, and full of holes, like an old bone, but stained black by blood. It was half a meter taller than Kakashi, with a rope tied around the middle and a heavy seal hanging every twenty centimeters. It was a killing stone.

"Your ancestors really like to joke around, don't they?" Parker complained. "How are we going to get that thing off?"

Kakashi shook his head.

"We won't take it."

"what?"

Kakashi turned around and deliberately faced away from the sacrificial stone.

He could still feel it behind him, smelling eerie and foreboding, but he tried to ignore the fear that wanted to crawl up his spine and into his stomach as he leaned down and lowered Parker back onto the path.

He looked his oldest psychic directly in the eyes, his piercing silver gaze meeting loyal droopy brown ones.

"Thank you," he said sincerely, "for coming this far with me."

Parker shook his head and paced anxiously.

"Impossible," he cried. "Don't even think about it, idiot. If you expect me to run back with my tail between my legs, you are making a big mistake."

Kakashi couldn't help but smile, and this time, the smile reached his eyes as well.

The little pug had always been a steadfast companion at his side, a tiny creature with great powers.

"I appreciate your kindness, Parker, but this is not something you should be involved in."

He stood up slowly and straightened his back.

Parker must have read something in his eyes, because he went quiet, his mouth slightly open, but he didn't say anything in rebuttal.

Kakashi never took his eyes off his summoning beast, because despite the fear that had spread to his stomach, his determination was even stronger. His voice was calm and firm, leaving no room for doubt.

"I have to do this part alone."

Parker could only nod, speechless.

Because there was an unprecedented light shining in Kakashi's eyes, as sharp and bright as a knife in the sun.

They seemed to be lit from within - one platinum, one copper-gold - as if filled with some kind of chakra, but the likes of which Parker had never seen before, it was violent and dazzling, as if his gaze itself was a weapon.

Kakashi himself didn't seem to realize this. He gently curled the corners of his mouth, and when he turned away, the smile under the mask made people feel at ease.

"Can you help me check on the kids?" he asked, patting the ninja dog on the head. "I'll be back soon."

This time, Parker chose to believe him.

---

Kakashi waited until the sound of Puck's footsteps completely disappeared before turning around and facing the Killing Stone.

His approach seemed to trigger some invisible switch, some ripple of consciousness, and the sealing talisman around the stone began to shake, as if lifted by an invisible force.

He took another step forward, moving steadily closer, knowing full well that even the slightest contact would kill him instantly.

There was another wave in the air, this time stronger, and Kakashi felt something brushing across the back of his head, like fingernails scraping across a closed door.