"Because we understand, because we accept. We have seen each other's evil, yet we do not care."
Hearing this, the Sage of Six Paths froze.
There was a time, long ago, when he first began spreading chakra across this planet. Back then, people used chakra to connect mentally, sensing each other's innermost thoughts.
Later, everyone gradually grew reluctant to accept that feeling of being completely exposed, silently agreeing to stop those chakra connections. After all, everyone has personal thoughts and secrets.
"So you're saying, in your heart, he is extremely important..." The Sage gazed intently at Hiroki, as if trying to figure out what kind of charm he possessed.
"Enough nonsense. Our mother-son relationship ends here!"
Kaguya's fingers pierced into the Sage's head, the coldness on her face instantly gone.
Naruto Uzumaki widened his eyes and looked upward.
Before his eyes, the Sage's body transformed into streams of energy pillars, without the slightest resistance.
Naruto immediately felt shocked, his mind filled with doubts.
Why didn't the Sage fight against them?!
The greatest hope for our side against Kaguya Otsutsuki had given up—then why should he keep fighting?
What were the purposes of those who had died before? Had they truly died in vain?
Thinking about these things, Naruto's anger burned like fire inside him. He couldn't help but feel that Jiraiya and the others had died for nothing—just like his own life had been a waste.
Had all those years truly been meaningless? Why is my life like this!
Before his emotions could settle, Naruto felt his body rising.
He started floating midair, followed by the sensation of chakra draining away.
With a bitter smile, he closed his eyes in despair.
Then, after an unknown amount of time, he felt the restriction disappear from his body.
When he opened his eyes again, he had already landed firmly on the ground.
Only a trace of chakra remained within him, insufficient even to form a Rasengan.
Naruto stood still, stunned.
"Uzumaki Naruto, come along!"
Hiroki called out in Naruto's direction, then quickly looked away.
He was no longer a danger.
The Ten-Tails slowly walked toward Konoha's inner regions.
There, Tsunade had gathered numerous surviving ninjas, already waiting.
...
After a moment of silence, Naruto complicatedly followed forward.
In the following days, the ninjas lined up one by one to have their chakra taken back.
Learning that their powers would be confiscated, everyone became restless.
Though they harbored deep resentment, the sight of the colossal Ten-Tails immediately drained their will to fight.
Some tried persuading their village leader to lead resistance efforts. However, Tsunade and others simply kept silent. Rasa and Onoki were directly restrained.
Fortunately, the Ten-Tails didn't take their lives, leaving behind just a bit of chakra—so minimal that not even a single D-rank technique could be used.
Only Tsunade, Terumi Mei, Hyuuga Hinata, Nii Yugito, and Yugao Uzuki showed no signs of chakra loss.
Naruto moved into a small house assigned by Tsunade.
Every day, he would stand beside the Ten-Tails for hours, silently watching it draw chakra.
Not for any other reason than to remind Hiroki and others not to forget their promises.
Take him to find his father, Minato Namikaze!
...
After a few days, Konoha began reconstruction again.
Only this time, progress moved much slower.
It wasn't just the lack of chakra reducing efficiency. The villagers worked under a heavy cloud of gloom, sighing bitterly as they went, muttering about old-era terms like "old-timers," "the glory of ninja," "the Ninja Way," and "the Will of Fire."
Might Guy carried a massive log on his shoulder and patted some colleagues' shoulders. "Don't worry, we'll rebuild from scratch if necessary. Besides, none of us have to go to war anymore, right?"
"Ahh..." everyone responded with bitter smiles.
They'd spent their whole lives in fear. Everything they'd been taught and experienced told them one thing — the weak were doomed to be erased. Weakness meant losing control over your own life. Without power or purpose now, their anxiety was understandable.
Although there remained the path of natural energy cultivation, such high-difficulty, dangerous training clearly wouldn't suit everyone.
Among these people, those who adjusted their mentality fastest were physical fighters like Might Guy, who didn't rely heavily on chakra.
As for ninja from other villages, they also looked dejected, leaving one after another to return home.
For now, no one could bear the thought of simply becoming ordinary civilians.
"Hokage-sama, perhaps Konoha doesn't need to exist anymore," Karin asked the person beside her while watching the retreating figures.
"Are you planning to leave too, Karin?" Tsunade smiled slightly.
Karin shook her head. "If everyone else stays, I'll stay too."
Tsunade smiled again.
Not just Konoha — after this incident, probably all ninja villages would disappear.
Even if they technically survived, they'd become hollow shells.
The original purpose of ninja villages was military value, and isolating ninja from normal citizens.
Picture this: nobles and daimyos certainly wouldn't welcome repeated incidents of "brawlers bending the law" near their palace gates.
So they grouped all ninja together, letting them fight among themselves.
Nowadays, with no difference between ninja and commoners, the functions of the ninja villages naturally disappeared.
Many Konoha residents might even proactively leave Konoha, integrating into regular towns.
Realizing this, Tsunade began to mumble anxiously, ticking off numbers on her fingers.
"...Huh? Then what will support Konoha's economy next? The Daimyo won't fund us anymore. Can I still afford to pay my salary as Hokage?"
Shizune sighed, facepalming as she held Tonton. "Is Lady Tsunade having another brain-freeze moment...?"
"Looks like you're really fond of being Hokage, after all," Hiroki chuckled. "Once they adapt to this new life, Tsunade, Mei Terumi, Hinata, Yugito, and Yugao Uzuki — you'll all come with me."
Yugao Uzuki turned to look at him.
Hiroki continued, "You few are the last remaining individuals in this world who wield extraordinary power. If you also develop ambitions like Madara Uchiha, this world will be thrown into chaos once again."
"Where are you taking us?" Yugito asked with a frown.
"Hiro-nii, will peace return here after we leave?" Hinata also spoke up.
"Peace..." Hiroki pondered for a moment before calmly saying, "How can two people get along as equals? One way is for both to be equally strong. The other is for them to realize how fragile they really are — and respect each other."
"Lasting peace only exists in dreamland. To achieve it, we would have to erase everyone's emotions and make them live like robots — like White Zetsu, those artificial beings created by Madara."
"But such a species essentially loses its necessity for existence — they won't progress or produce civilization anymore."
Everyone fell silent for a while.
"You're planning to leave — so what about the rest of us?" Izumi Uchiha suddenly asked.
She had already regained her normal memories, transplanted a new pair of eyes, and regained her vision.
"You're talking about leaving — then what about me? I can't even perform a single jutsu right now, and so many people know that I'm associated with you. Once their chakra is extracted, if they harbor vengeance and hatred, there's absolutely nothing I can do about it. Not to mention Orochimaru, Shimon Hiruko, and what's left of Akatsuki… those people still have strong ability to cause trouble, even without chakra!"
Karin clung onto Izumi's arm as she listed out a series of potential dangers.
Kimimaro looked toward Hiroki, hesitating as though wanting to speak.
"I never said we'd leave immediately — you're all rushing for nothing," Hiroki replied with a slight shake of his head.
Naruto Uzumaki stood not far from the group, staring fixedly in a certain direction.
Over there, Kaguya was sealing the Ten-Tails.
Right now, as Hiroki and the others talked in harmony, Naruto stood apart, filled with bitterness.
He irritably poured cold water on the conversation, scoffing, "Madara Uchiha is still alive. Isn't it too early for you to be chatting about these things?"
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