Few days later
In the pouring rain Kakashi was standing in front of Obito's memorial stone.
Without looking behind him Kakashi asked.
"Are those for Hayate" Kakashi
She walked towards him.
"Better make it quick the Hokage's funeral has already begun." Kakashi
''And you Kakashi. Paying respects to Obito. Instead of constantly inventing new excuses for being late. Why don't you simply come here earlier." Yugao
Yugao bend down in front of the memorial stone. She placed the flowers she brought in front of it. And payed her respects
"I did. I have been here since dawn. This place reminds me of the mistakes I made in the past. And i have made so many of them." Kakashi
Jiraiya watched them from behind a memorial stone.
After Yugao paid her respects to Hayato she went to the funeral.
After Yugao left. Jiraiya walked up to Kakashi.
"We should get going. The funeral has already begun." Jiraiya
Before they went Kakashi filled in Jiraiya about Naruto.
Unbeknownst to them a certain masked individual was watching them.
With his Sharingan he was able to read their lips.
"Capturing him may be harder than expected." Tobi thought before disappearing
At the funeral
The elders and most of the leaf shinobi were in attendance.
The parents of the Sternritters were shocked to see how much they have grown.
Hiashi wanted to scold Hinata but he decided to do it after Hiruzen's funeral.
Sasuke stared at Shino. Sasuke was felt pissed but he decided to push that feeling aside for another day.
"May I have your attention. I want to say a few words." Danzo
All payed attention to him.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was a great Hokage but more than that, he was an excellent man," an old shinobi was saying, his face covered by a half-mask of black porcelain, his voice carrying well over the entire cemetery. "He was an excellent father, brother and friend and he was that to us all. Some would say he was so because he believed in the Will of Fire of our founders but Hiruzen was greater even than that."
Hiruzen loved us all and it is from this love that his Will of Fire was born. He was never duty-bound to love us, rather his love bound him to his duty. Time and again, he led this village to victory because it meant the safety and the prosperity of those he held dear. Tired and burdened, he led us all again when Yondaime fell, the fire of his love still burning strong in spite of his old age."
Danzo smiled crookedly. "Hiruzen loved corny sayings." He chuckled; . "As a long-time friend of his, I can testify and so can Homura and Koharu behind me." Behind him, two old ninjas, a shinobi and a kunoichi, nodded with fleeting smiles. "So as corny as it might sound, I believe the best thing we can do for Hiruzen today is to uphold what he lived for. He loved us, made it his Will of Fire. Let us love each other and make it our Will of Fire."
The assembled people inclined with their heads.
"Konoha stands today like it did yesterday thanks to the love we bear for those we hold dear. For this village to stand tomorrow, it must still be so! Like Hiruzen, we must fight to victory for it means the safety and prosperity of the people we love. Like Hiruzen, let our love bound us to our duty. Like that, we honour our brother, our friend, our father. Like that, we honour our own life. Like that, the Will of Fire is eternal and burns brightly."
