Everyone turned to Orochimaru in shock.
His serpentine eyes were deep, thoughtful. Slowly, he began speaking.
"If what Naruto-kun says is true—and based on some discoveries of my own—it is indeed so."
"The world is vast. The more we learn, the smaller we become… like dust."
"You may not believe it, but the world we live on is just a sphere—just like the moon created by the Sage of Six Paths in legend. A sphere! The moon is also a sphere, though somewhat smaller than our own."
"According to the theories Naruto-kun mentioned—those I have verified—the stars we see at night may be worlds just like ours."
"We are merely a single grain of sand among countless particles within the universe."
His words, spoken so calmly, hit everyone like thunder.
In the beginning, Orochimaru had been the same. When he learned this truth, his body trembled uncontrollably—trembling with excitement, with dread, with disbelief.
And so, his desire for immortality only intensified.
But he also understood something crucial: he could not reach such heights alone. Naruto's mysterious nature and unfathomable wisdom gave him a glimmer of hope.
"How is this possible? The true world… is the universe? There are countless worlds like ours?"
Everyone's worldviews cracked and splintered under the revelation.
Only Sasuke appeared unsurprised. Ever since he had been following Naruto, he had seen and learned things far beyond the ordinary.
Naruto shook his head.
"Not every star is a world like ours. Let's temporarily call planets like ours 'Earths.' We are on an Earth—one of the rare living planets. Not all celestial bodies in the universe can sustain life."
"Living planets are extremely rare. And every one of them has immense value."
He paused and swept his gaze over everyone.
"Now you understand why the Shinobi World has never known true peace."
Tsunade folded her arms, tapping her chin thoughtfully.
"Unequal distribution of resources—profit."
Snap!
"Exactly."
Naruto snapped his fingers lightly and continued:
"For example: the Land of Wind is mostly deserts, severely lacking in resources—water itself is a luxury. The Land of Lightning is mountainous, with violent storms and a harsh climate—thus, its people are hardy and aggressive."
"The Land of Earth has a poor natural environment, but its mineral resources are abundant—far better than the Land of Wind. The Land of Water is a group of islands, rich in aquatic resources but lacking in others."
"And the Land of Fire—thanks to the First Hokage—is blessed with everything. Mineral resources, water, agriculture, lush forests, wildlife… its total resources rival several great nations combined."
"That is why Konoha has been repeatedly targeted in the past Shinobi World Wars. Its prosperity is simply too tempting."
Everyone fell silent. Naruto's explanation hit too close to the truth.
"At its core, it has always been about resources and interests. Hatred only adds fuel to the fire."
Tsunade sighed inwardly. Hatred was precisely what prevented the Five Great Nations from ever standing together.
Umbrella, however, was different.
Umbrella's influence spread everywhere—into every corner of the Shinobi World.
This happened because countless ordinary people willingly joined Umbrella, spreading its ideals and beliefs on their own.
Naturally, such actions drew the eyes of local rulers. They either attempted to recruit Umbrella's members… or suppress them outright.
The rulers of the Five Great Nations scoffed at Umbrella, believing their Great Ninja Villages ensured their dominance. Their confidence also came from the wealth generated by the Seven Colors Trading Company, and the long-established power of their noble bloodlines.
Even someone like Senju Hashirama—a man revered as a God of Shinobi—still bowed to the Daimyō. Bloodline supremacy ran deep in this world.
Thus, Umbrella was easy to underestimate. And those who did grasp the terrifying power hidden in its ideology chose silence—choosing to observe, to wait.
The greedy, meanwhile, happily indulged in the benefits Umbrella provided, unaware that their choices were shaping Naruto's strategy.
It was no different from the early days of the Yellow Turban Rebellion in the Three Kingdoms era: Zhang Jiao grew believers rapidly, yet the authorities hesitated—watching, waiting—until the moment they could no longer ignore the threat.
By then… it was already too late.
Umbrella's situation was eerily similar to that of past revolutionary movements. For now, it remained quiet… but once ignited, a single spark could set the entire Shinobi World ablaze.
"And our ambitions will not remain confined to this small pond we call the Shinobi World," Naruto said, his eyes gleaming with unwavering determination. "Our goal lies in the sea of stars!"
His words carried a weight that stirred something deep within everyone present. A dream so vast that even the night sky felt small before it.
"To see the stars themselves as a new battlefield… a new horizon…"
Perhaps that was the essence of Naruto's vision.
"But… can we truly reach the stars?" Neji suddenly interjected, his voice serious and doubtful.
"We haven't even unified the Shinobi World yet."
His words splashed over the group like a bucket of ice water. Even Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Sasuke hesitated.
Naruto didn't seem perturbed in the slightest. A faint smile curved his lips as he glanced around at them.
He wasn't going to say it outright, but the future would unfold in ways far beyond their expectations—elevating the Shinobi World's power to unimaginable heights.
He had the strength right now to make his move. But if he openly stepped forward too soon, Akatsuki would use the chaos to seize the fruits of his labor—drawing all eyes toward themselves instead.
Naruto planned to let Akatsuki take the spotlight first.
Then Umbrella would strike like lightning—swift and total—bringing every nation under its control before anyone could react.
After that, the true threat—the Ōtsutsuki—would serve as the perfect external pressure to unify the Shinobi World. With absolute power and overwhelming force, unity would become reality.
Nothing hidden. Nothing in the shadows.
A perfectly open strategy.
"Neji," Naruto said casually, "you've been training so hard you've lost sight of the bigger picture."
He pointed to the table map.
"With our current combat power, our covert bases spread across every nation, and the massive civilian foundation supporting Umbrella… all we need now is one opportunity."
Those words snapped Neji back to clarity. Tsunade, too, felt a surge of emotion.
Yes… Umbrella truly could do it.
And with Konoha backing them?
Her grandfather's lifelong dream—peace and unity—might finally be achieved.
"O—opportunity?" Neji murmured. His eyes unfocused as countless scenes flashed through his mind. Everything Naruto said connected perfectly, like puzzle pieces falling into place.
A fierce, dazzling sense of purpose erupted in his chest.
Naruto saw the change in him and smiled.
"Nothing is impossible," he said quietly but firmly.
"For the future… I wish you all the strength to seize it."
...
TN:
⚒️ Pa-treon-com/LordMerlin (Support me! 😊)