Buzz—
As soon as [Water Release Mastery] was activated, a faint buzzing echoed inside Kei Yamanaka's mind.
An overwhelming wave of training memories and jutsu experiences crashed into him all at once, chaotically flooding toward his Memory Palace.
The sudden influx of massive memories sent a throbbing pain through his skull. Unconsciously, he couldn't help but let out a stifled groan.
"Ughh…"
"Kei, uh… I remember you once said something about turning back before it's too late, and that repentance can lead to great redemption…"
Minato Namikaze's voice came from outside the shaky little hut's door.
???
"What the hell?! Are you seriously saying this?!"
Kei was momentarily stunned.
Then he quickly realized—Minato, that innocent little golden boy, had actually been brainwashed by that pervy old man Jiraiya and his twisted gutter mind!
What the heck was he even implying now?!
Did he seriously think something *you know* went down between him and Pakura in here?
Come on!
Although Pakura indeed had an amazing figure and stunning looks.
Her smooth, jade-like back exuded sensual allure.
She could easily rank among the top beauties in the ninja world.
But since when did Kei Yamanaka look that desperate?!
So…
Jiraiya!!
You damn bastard really deserves to die!
Grabbing the worn-out door, Kei yanked it open and dragged Minato straight into the hut.
Realizing he'd misunderstood, Minato—who still hadn't developed that thick skin some people were blessed with—turned crimson from neck up under his friend's furious stare.
Trying to keep a straight face, he scrambled to change the subject.
"Er… Well… Everything's covered, right?"
"What do you think?" Kei shot back through clenched teeth.
If it wasn't for this entire mess being his own damn idea—a last-minute decision to snatch Samehada—
And if he hadn't planned to ask Minato to help cover things up in the mission report after returning to the village,
He would've definitely interrogated Minato further.
Did Jiraiya rope Minato into standing lookout while he was "entertaining" those women in Kabuki Town?
Otherwise, how could one quiet groan possibly lead to *that* kind of assumption?
"Aaah…"
A pained groan slipped from Pakura's unconscious lips.
Minato's face, which had just started to cool down from its earlier embarrassment, burned even redder than before.
Kei rolled his eyes.
He gave a silent hand signal—time to fall back.
Too embarrassed to care anymore, Minato hurriedly followed his dear friend's lead and vanished instantly from the hut.
Shortly after they left, Pakura struggled free from her nightmare and woke up.
Rubbing her aching head, she warily surveyed her surroundings. Then recalling the scene from before she lost consciousness, she rushed out of the nearly collapsing hut.
Gazing at the battlefield littered with fallen comrades and Mist shinobi,
She stood there frozen, motionless for a long time.
Only when civilians gradually returned, cautiously checking the aftermath of the battle,
Did Pakura finally stagger forward, overcome with sorrow, beginning the somber duty of recovering her fallen comrades' remains.
Sigh...
Leaning against the railing of the three-masted sailboat making its way back to Konoha, Minato Namikaze let out a long sigh.
Maybe it was empathy for someone enduring the same kind of fate—or perhaps the sadness Pakura had shown then was simply too profound to forget.
Every time he recalled that moment before he left, a dull ache would settle in his chest, a heavy, stifling irritation.
"Still thinking about Pakura?"
Kei Yamanaka noticed Minato sigh again. He strolled over and leaned casually against the railing next to him, his eyes closed as he soaked in the gentle sea breeze.
"...Kei, what exactly is the point of ninjas?"
"Conflict."
"You really don't care about crushing my spirit, do you?"
Minato looked at his friend's indifferent expression with slight frustration. He knew full well that, though Kei's words were harsh, they rang true.
No matter how ninjas came into existence in this world, through a thousand years of tradition, conflict has always been the core of their existence.
Money, beauty, land, hatred, affection, greed—
all desires spark conflict, and conflict leads to confrontation, violence, bloodshed, and death!
How did ninjas grow stronger throughout history, replacing warriors, strongmen, priestesses, monks, onmyōji, and other professions to become the mainstream of this world?
Isn't it because ninjas are just better at fighting each other?
"Stop thinking about things that don't matter. You feel sympathy for Pakura, but aren't the civilians who lost their lives during those battles pitiful too? What about the innocent people whose homes were destroyed?"
Kei lazily yawned.
Possessing a soul from the modern era, even after living in this world for nineteen years, he still struggled to empathize with ninjas.
In his opinion, ninja villages were basically a mix of mercenaries and terrorist groups—militarily powerful, indifferent to life, brutal, and bloody.
At five years old, they entered the Ninja Academy for brainwashing and training in killing techniques; by eleven or twelve, they graduated and started missions, shedding blood under their instructor's supervision.
In his past life, which country's regular army would even do something so insane?
"Ninjas huh..."
Minato sighed again, deeper than before. Rather than comforted, he seemed even more downcast.
A long time ago, he'd once asked Kei,
how could world peace ever be achieved?
Kei answered bluntly:
Under the premise that social productivity can satisfy the survival and material needs of the vast majority of people, only three paths could lead to a period of relative peace.
First: possessing power like Hashirama Senju's, using overwhelming strength to force temporary peace upon everyone.
Second: launching a unification war, merging all nations and ninja villages into one, standardizing writing systems, transportation, education, and culture.
Third: facing an enemy threatening the entire ninja world's survival, shifting internal conflicts outward.
Minato considered himself somewhat of a genius, but possessing strength like Hashirama Senju's—he couldn't even begin to imagine it.
As for the unification wars...
Only Danzo Shimura among the Konoha leadership might have such thoughts.
Putting aside his own hatred for Danzo Shimura, let's just say Konoha's current strength is nowhere near capable of achieving that.
But one thing though...
"If Madara Uchiha were still alive—now there was a man who could rival the First Hokage—he must wield power capable of threatening the entire ninja world, endangering us all!"
"Huh?!!!"
Kei Yamanaka suddenly heard Water Gate's words and froze stiff.
The hell?!
Bro!!!
What are you saying?!
Old bastard Madara's actually still alive?!
We're all still in our growth phase. Isn't it better to stay low, play our game, and power up with the rest of the newbies?
Don't go stirring up trouble!
What if that old guy gets worked up by your talk and decides to show off, dropping [Heavenly Obstacle: Quaking Star] on you for a little mental shock!
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~ Every 50 Powerstones = **4 Bonus Chapters** on the weekend!