Tazuna sighed deeply. "That child's father was killed for trying to stand up to Gato."
"He used to look up to his father so much, admired him greatly. Who would've thought..."
After Tazuna finished recounting the story of Inari and his father, Kakashi and the others finally understood.
"Kakashi-san, the bridge connecting us to the mainland is crucial. If we can't complete it, the Land of Waves will forever remain under Gato's control. Our people will never escape his cruel tyranny."
Tazuna's voice trembled as tears began streaming down his face.
"Father, with Kakashi-san and the others here, the bridge will definitely be completed," Tsunami said softly, trying to comfort her father.
Watching Tazuna's expression, Yoruha's feelings were conflicted. The plight of the powerless... Those with strength can dominate the shinobi world, but those without it are nothing more than ants, even in times of peace.
What kind of despair must ordinary people feel during times of war?
For the first time, Yoruha deeply felt the weight of powerlessness.
To him, Gato was nothing more than a pest he could easily squash, yet to the people of the Land of Waves, Gato was a mountain pressing down on them, suffocating and inescapable.
The Land of Waves was too poor, without even a shinobi village of its own. It wouldn't take a jonin—just a few chunin, or even genin, to completely subjugate this nation.
Yoruha also began to understand why, in the end, Tazuna named the bridge "The Great Naruto Bridge."
To others, Naruto might just be a genin.
But to the people of the Land of Waves, Naruto was a hero who saved their entire country.
Kakashi glanced at Yoruha, noting his thoughtful expression, and nodded inwardly.
This is exactly what I wanted Yoruha to understand. In this world, so many people live humbly and struggle just to survive. The power he now possesses places him far above most others. But how he chooses to use that power—to oppress the weak or protect and uphold order—is entirely up to him.
Sasuke and Sakura, however, didn't seem to feel much about Tazuna's plight.
Although Sasuke had experienced the tragedy of his clan's destruction, the special care he received from the Third Hokage due to Itachi's actions meant that Sasuke had never truly felt the crushing weight of oppression.
At least, not within the village.
As for Sakura, her experience was even more sheltered. The orderliness of Konoha, combined with her opportunity to attend the ninja academy, ensured that no one dared to bully her.
After chatting with Tazuna for a while, Kakashi suggested they all rest for the night.
Late at night, Yoruha sat on the second-floor balcony, bathed in the moonlight, soft and white like fine sand scattered across the wooden floor.
In the distance, the chirping of insects and calls of birds from the forest created a noise that paradoxically felt peaceful.
Yoruha stared blankly into the dark horizon, his eyes fixed on the shadows, even though there was nothing to see.
After a long while, he felt someone sit down beside him.
Without turning around, Yoruha spoke in a soft voice. "Kakashi-sensei, what kind of person do you think I'll become if I one day become the strongest in the world?"
The person beside him—Kakashi—paused for a moment, then lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought.
"I believe in you," he finally said.
There was no mockery of Yoruha's aspiration to become the strongest, nor any attempt to answer his question directly.
But Kakashi's words brought a faint smile to Yoruha's lips.
"Kakashi-sensei, do you really believe in me that much?"
"Honestly, the power I've gained over these past few days has left me feeling a bit empty," Yoruha said softly. "I really don't know what kind of person I'll become when I grow even stronger—perhaps stronger than anyone else. What kind of person would I be then?"
"Human desire knows no bounds. Tell me, why hasn't the shinobi world ever seen a single individual capable of suppressing an entire era?"
"If such a person existed, what would their mindset be like?"
Yoruha's voice carried a tinge of confusion.
He knew he had a system, and he knew that one day, he might very well become the strongest shinobi in the world. The possibility was exceedingly high.
But when that day came, would he really be able to stay true to himself? Or could he truly claim to have no desire for power?
When you gain the ability to control an entire world, could you really maintain the same outlook you had in your youth?
The pinnacle of strength inevitably brings the pinnacle of power.
The thought of easily deciding the life and death of others, of having the ultimate authority over every individual in this world—it was intoxicating just to imagine.
Yoruha wondered if he would still be able to maintain his current, carefree mindset when he reached that level of strength.
People's perspectives change as they gain more resources and power at different stages of life.
Perhaps when he held ultimate power, he would look back on his current attitude of living day by day and find it foolish.
After all, he was still too weak now to understand the allure of absolute control.
Naturally, it made sense for him to believe he could remain as he was.
But was that really true?
Could he really hold onto this mindset forever?
Doubt crept into Yoruha's heart.
Kakashi glanced at him, sighed lightly, and joined him in gazing at the distant mountains and forests.
"Although I can't predict what kind of person you'll become in the future, I do know one thing: you won't become someone consumed by greed and ambition," Kakashi said firmly.
"I trust my judgment when it comes to people."
Yoruha turned to look at Kakashi and smiled faintly. "How can you be so sure?"
"Because I believe in you," Kakashi replied with unwavering conviction.
Yoruha didn't respond further, his thoughts a mystery.
Kakashi continued, "The other night, the Third Hokage told me about the era of the First Hokage. Want to hear about it?"
"Mm," Yoruha nodded slightly.
Though he had some fragmented memories of that time, it had been twelve years, and the details were long forgotten.
"In the era of the First Hokage, his power was so immense that people revered him as the God of Shinobi..."
Kakashi began recounting the story of the First Hokage's era, his voice steady and clear.
Yoruha listened intently, absorbing every word.
After a long while, Kakashi finished his tale and turned to Yoruha. "Yoruha, I believe you'll be like the First Hokage one day. I used to worry that the power within you might pose a threat to the village."
"But I'm more willing to believe that you'll use that power wisely. That you'll become a hero who protects the village, not a demon who destroys it."
"That's why I'll teach you everything I've learned in my lifetime. I'm betting everything on you."
Yoruha chuckled softly. "If I become the latter, Kakashi-sensei, you'd be in for a major loss."
"Then so be it," Kakashi replied calmly. "If that day ever comes, even if I'm no match for you, I'll lay down my life to stop you."
"But I have faith. I'm confident that in the future, you'll make me proud as your teacher—not leave me condemned for eternity."
With that, Kakashi patted Yoruha's shoulder before heading back inside.
Watching Kakashi's retreating figure, Yoruha smiled faintly.
"Who cares? The future can wait for itself. For now, I just need to stay as I am."
Yoruha didn't know what the future held. Maybe as he grew stronger and his desires grew, his carefree nature would change as well.
But for now, living in the present was what mattered most.
After all, worrying about things that hadn't happened yet was pointless and only added unnecessary stress.
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