Karin didn't ask Nanami why she was doing all those seemingly unrelated things. Honestly, it was kind of nice—not having to think, just following orders.
She simply didn't want to be separated from Nanami, but she kept those feelings to herself.
The people chasing after the Box of Ultimate Bliss came in waves. Following Nanami's instructions, Karin tossed the box onto a route the Iwagakure ninja would be sure to take. If they still couldn't get their hands on it, then frankly, they were just too stupid, and it wouldn't really matter if someone else picked it up.
It was worth mentioning that Orochimaru had been drawn in as well. His subordinates were scouring the ruins in the Land of Grass, and there were even White Zetsu lurking underground, all hunting for the box's whereabouts. Karin moved carefully to avoid them, heading toward the Land of Rain.
...
The village of Konoha was still lively and cheerful on the surface, but something had changed beneath it all. The kids might not notice, but the older shinobi could feel it deep in their bones—a certain confidence was slipping away.
After three Great Ninja Wars, even though Konoha had technically emerged victorious each time, the truth was they hadn't gained anything from them. In fact, they'd only kept losing.
The balance of power had shifted. What was once "one superpower and four strong villages" had become five strong villages. Back in the days of Hashirama and Madara, Konoha's shinobi had ruled the ninja world like kings—no one would dare cross them. But now? Kumogakure had openly provoked them multiple times, and everyone could feel the difference. For the elders who had lived since the founding of the village, the change was almost physically painful.
No matter how clever the political maneuvering, it couldn't hide the nature of appeasement policies. Once or twice, maybe people could let it slide. But the more it happened, the harder it became to swallow.
Hiashi Hyūga was growing uneasy. His nephew, Neji, was getting closer and closer to the last surviving Uchiha, and it was starting to look like they were best friends. That wasn't exactly a comforting sight for Hiashi.
The Uchiha were a massive pit of unresolved issues, and Hiashi wanted nothing to do with them. He'd tried to hint to Neji a few times, subtly warning him off. But Neji just pretended not to understand. And Hiashi couldn't exactly activate the Caged Bird Seal to control who Neji befriended.
Hiashi did feel some guilt toward Neji. The other elders of the main family wouldn't dare mistreat him either—everyone knew what had happened back then. If they treated Neji poorly, the Hyūga clan's reputation would be shattered.
As more and more people in the village found out how close Neji and Sasuke were, it only became harder for Hiashi to interfere. At this point, it would just make him look guilty.
...
After another day at the Academy, Sasuke and Neji walked side by side down the street. In front of the school building, there was a swing tied to a tree. A boy wearing a worn-out orange jacket sat there alone in the shade. Normally so mischievous, today he looked strangely quiet and lonely.
Naruto's eyes lit up with hope as he watched the two approach—but Neji and Sasuke completely ignored him as they passed.
There was a warning, after all—that Naruto might carry some kind of memetic contamination capable of distorting human perception. It was best not to interact with him. Best not even to think about him.
Sasuke fought the urge to look at Naruto. Only once they were far away did he let out a deep sigh.
"What's wrong with you now? Getting all emotional again?" Neji teased mercilessly.
Sasuke's voice was heavy. "Neji... what should I do?"
"Do about what?" Neji asked flatly.
Sasuke bit down hard on his lip. "I know the so-called Will of Fire is just this sickening, hypocritical slogan. Shisui and Itachi were brainwashed by it until they turned against humanity itself. And yet... sometimes, I can feel the warmth of the Will of Fire. I can even find myself drawn to it."
He gritted his teeth. "We suffered because of Konoha. I should hate it. So why—when I meet people like Iruka, Guy-sensei, or the old lady who sells dango—why can't I hate them? Sometimes, I even feel like I understand Itachi a little. Neji... doesn't that make me pathetic?"
Neji nodded without hesitation. Sasuke really was broken beyond repair. You couldn't let an Uchiha sit and think too long—disaster was guaranteed.
Neji clapped Sasuke on the shoulder, like a big brother comforting his little brother.
"You're not pathetic, Sasuke. Hating Konoha and not hating Iruka are two completely separate things. There's no contradiction there. You're old enough now to understand the difference between a 'group' and an 'individual.'"
It was a truth Neji had learned a long time ago. He resented Konoha, sure—but he didn't resent Tenten or Rock Lee.
"A person doesn't represent an entire group, and a group doesn't fully represent every individual. The Will of Fire you feel from Iruka might not even be the same Will of Fire the elders believe in."
Sasuke looked baffled, as expected. "I don't get it."
Neji threw a question back at him: "Do you think the 'Will of Fire' that Danzo followed is the same as the 'Will of Fire' that Iruka believes in?"
That example hit home immediately. Sasuke's eyes widened in sudden realization.
"I get it now. The Will of Fire is just this vague slogan. Everyone interprets it differently. On the surface, they might all 'believe' in it, but underneath, their thoughts are completely different. What I hate is the version of the Will of Fire the village leaders follow—not the one Iruka and the others live by."
Neji gave him a look that said finally, you're getting it.
"In the end, the real problem is with the Will of Fire itself," Neji said calmly. "It's supposed to be the ideological backbone of a village, but it doesn't have any clear guidelines, no standards or measurements, no starting point, no focus, no destination, no accountability system—nothing! It's just a bunch of flowery words. Honestly, if you didn't know better, you'd think it was some cult's brainwashing slogan."
The Will of Fire had probably been first proposed by Senju Hashirama. And, well... you could trust Hashirama's character, sure. But trusting his brain was another story.
Sasuke stared at Neji like he was seeing him for the first time.
"You're only one year above me at the Academy. How the hell do you know all this?"
Neji looked just as shocked at Sasuke's ignorance.
"Haven't you ever asked that person for guidance even once?"
Both the dark figure and the ancestor of the Hyūga clan were avatars of demonic spirits. Neji understood very well that he had been chosen by some unknown entity. Since resistance was futile, he might as well wring every last bit of advantage out of it.
Sasuke stood there dumbfounded. Suddenly, it felt like Neji was leagues ahead of him, and the realization left a bitter taste in his mouth.
...
Even though Sasuke could now kill the innocent without batting an eye, a single question kept gnawing at him, tying his thoughts into knots. Maybe... it was time for him to seek out that dark figure too.
At a crossroads, the two parted ways. As Neji walked off, the friendly look on his face disappeared, replaced by a chilling coldness.
"Master," Neji murmured, "we have to be careful with Sasuke. I'm afraid he might betray us at the worst possible moment."
"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."
The Sage of Six Paths' interference had stirred Indra's chakra. It was natural for Sasuke to be affected. If it weren't for the need to use Indra's power to create more chaos, the demon would have swallowed him whole long ago!
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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