Aomi and Asuma smoked in silence, gazing at the distant Konoha.
Asuma took deep drags, as if trying to exhale the bitterness in his heart with each puff, his brows knitted in worry.
Aomi let the cigarette in his hand burn, and the sight of Asuma reminded him of a famous Uchiha.
His name was Uchiha Itachi…
Now, he was probably still in Uchiha Mikoto's womb…
At four years old, Uchiha Itachi was taken to the battlefield by Uchiha Fugaku, and since then, he began to ponder the meaning of life and peace.
When Uchiha Itachi was later required to become a double agent, he became obsessed with the Will of Fire, believing that the Uchiha Clan was evil, ultimately turning his blade on his clan, his loved ones, and his parents.
Simply put, he was a paranoid brat, who, after being provoked, was brainwashed by the enemy, becoming a demon who recognized no kin.
In some ways, Asuma and Uchiha Itachi were quite similar.
Although Sarutobi Hiruzen was not as abstract as Uchiha Fugaku, he too failed to do what was needed, allowing the astute and attentive Asuma to sniff out the village's dark side from various clues, causing him to question his own origin.
One could only say that a ninja, taught from a young age only how to kill, is born to be a blade.
If a paranoid blade starts to think, it's hard to say whether it will strike the enemy or an ally…
After all, what correct conclusions can a blade come to while thinking?
In the Ninja World, truly clear-headed ninjas are few and far between, not just among the Uchiha Clan, but among most ninjas who are fearsomely paranoid.
When Uchiha Itachi was young, he encountered Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo, and betrayed the Uchiha Clan.
As for Asuma, due to being the Third Hokage's son, he was well-protected and merely spent his youth drifting and wasting time.
But now things were different, as Asuma had found Aomi.
Aomi could serve as both a sharp blade and the one wielding it…
"Asuma, since you distrust the Will of Fire and remain skeptical of the village, why did you come to me?"
Aomi gazed at the Hokage Rock in the distance, looking at Senju Tobirama's figure, and said slowly:
"You believe I embody the Will of Fire; shouldn't you be distancing yourself from me?"
Asuma shook his head, his eyes revealing a contemplative expression:
"I don't think the Will of Fire is bad… I just think the current people representing it are too hypocritical; what they say and what they do are completely different."
"Aomi, may I call you that?"
Upon gaining Aomi's approval, Asuma seemed somewhat relieved and continued:
"In my eyes, you are the true practitioner of the Will of Fire, strong, humble, and willing to help. Even though you're an Uchiha, your existence and story inspire many classmates."
"Especially on that day when I saw you helping Inada Kojiro, I couldn't help but want to talk to you."
"You didn't push him to be a ninja but helped him open a shop he loves. The smile on his face was genuine…"
"But even if it were me or any regular Ninja Academy teacher wanting to help him, our thoughts would lean towards how to assist him in becoming a ninja…"
"From that moment, I knew you were different, Aomi."
Asuma turned his head, looked seriously at Aomi, and said solemnly, "So, I came to you."
Aomi nodded knowingly and posed a question:
"Asuma, do you think sacrificing the happiness of some in Konoha to gain happiness for others is worth it?"
"It's like your friends who joined Root. Some might want to walk in the light, and others might just want to open a shop like Inada Kojiro, but they all ended up in Root."
"Although they sacrificed their lives, it increased Konoha's defensive power…"
Asuma squinted his eyes and, after a moment, shook his head vigorously:
"My friends didn't volunteer! Although Konoha grew stronger, it wasn't the right kind of strength and, in my opinion, it can't last."
"The First Hokage said that Konoha was established for unity against other village invasions…"
"But actions like Shimura Danzo's, attacking his own people under the pretense of combating other villages, I absolutely disagree with!!"
Asuma clenched his fists tightly as he spoke, his voice almost a low roar.
Aomi chuckled and said slowly: "If that's the case, Asuma, then let me ask you another question…"
"Suppose the Third Ninja World War broke out and Konoha was at a disadvantage. At this point, if the enemy village proposed that Konoha hand over some not-so-powerful ninjas to establish a peace agreement, if you were the Hokage, would you agree?"
Asuma was about to speak.
Aomi gestured for him to wait and added more context:
"If the battle continues, hundreds or even thousands of Konoha ninjas would die, but if you agreed, the enemy would at least cease hostilities for ten years, bringing a relatively long peace."
"Think carefully about this equation before telling me your choice."
Asuma hesitated visibly, contemplating the situation.
Senju Tobirama squinted his eyes. Compared to the hesitant Asuma, his response was much more straightforward:
"What a silly question. If any higher-up in Konoha handed over ninjas for a ceasefire agreement, I would personally execute them! Neither Monkey [Hiruzen] nor Danzo would be foolish enough to make such a mistake…"
"It's not about how many Konoha ninjas die; it's about the village's spirit and will!"
"If we lack the courage to fight for our comrades, then Konoha has no reason to exist!"
Aomi watched Senju Tobirama with interest and asked with a smile:
"What if during the first Ninja World War, a similar situation happened and the hostages requested by the enemy were Uchiha?"
"Brat, who do you think I am?"
Senju Tobirama sneered disdainfully:
"It's true I have prejudices against the Uchiha Clan because I monitor every internal and external instability factor in the village."
"But that doesn't mean I'll resolve internal Konoha conflicts by external means."
"If I did, I wouldn't deserve to be the Second Hokage!"
Aomi clapped for Senju Tobirama and said softly, "I believe in you, Tobirama."
And at this moment.
Faced with Aomi's advanced problem, Asuma, amidst his struggle, made his decision, as if he were the Hokage himself, saying word by word:
"Aomi, I wouldn't hand over a Konoha ninja, not even a Genin!"