In the distance,
The Hokage Rock.
Directly above the nailed corpse of Minato, in an inconspicuous patch of empty space, a curved light field unfolded, completely obscuring the scene within and erasing it from everyone's view.
Within that invisibility field formed by Bakudo #26, Kyokko, Sora stood clad in his white haori, standing still in the void.
He looked at the distant Konoha, plunged into mad chaos, a subtle smile appearing on his face.
"I didn't expect the Night of the Massacre, brought forward by a full seven years, would still feel so exhilarating. What feelings are in your heart, Kakashi-kun, as you watch this apocalyptic scene?"
Sora spoke slowly, asking with great interest.
Beside him, the person standing silently in the void was none other than Hatake Kakashi.
The fourteen-year-old Kakashi stood beside Sora, looking completely like a young, immature boy. Yet, his eyes held a somehow revealed cold, murderous intent.
And at this moment, Kakashi's gaze was focused precisely on Minato, nailed to the Hokage Rock.
"This way…"
"Can it truly bring peace?"
A golden seal was engraved on Kakashi's soul, yet his will and thoughts were independent.
Looking at the apocalyptic scene of Konoha, a sense of doubt inexplicably rose in his heart.
After all, this was the village he had lived in for fourteen years. Even his father had given his life for this village.
"Kakashi-kun, you and I both know this world is filled with whirlpools of hatred. Just like the struggle for interests, hatred is also the driving force for warmongers to start wars."
"So…"
"To truly end war, we must not only resolve the distribution of interests but also deal with the will of hatred."
Sora said lightly, "When conflicts of interest dissipate, and when the whirlpools of hatred are ended, then peace will truly arrive."
"End hatred? How can we end hatred?"
Kakashi posed a soul-searching question. It was a problem he had pondered for months without finding an answer. From his perspective, this problem seemed fundamentally unsolvable.
Because hatred was like a chain, binding everyone in this world. The more you struggled, the tighter the chain of hatred bound you.
"The end of hatred is fear."
Sora said with a subtle expression, "Wanting to eliminate the hatred in every person's heart is an impossible task from the start. The only thing we can do is amplify the hatred in everyone's heart, amplify it, and amplify it again. When these streams of hatred ultimately swell into an emotion called fear, then we have a chance to end the hatred in everyone's hearts."
"Because…"
"The nature engraved in human genes is to band together out of fear. Just like tens of thousands of years ago, when humans had to live together in groups due to fear of wild beasts, one day in the future, through our efforts, all beings in the Ninja World will also spontaneously embrace each other out of fear. When everyone, due to immense fear, ignores the hatred in their hearts and focuses solely on survival, then the most equal peace will arrive."
"And we are the pioneers of peace. What you and I must do is create a fear great enough to make everyone forget their hatred."
"Great Fear."
It was probably the urge to confide that inevitably exists in everyone's heart.
Facing Kakashi, Sora rarely spoke of many of his own conceptions for the future. It was a rather comfortable feeling, at least for the current Sora, it seemed that way.
"Create a Great Fear?"
Kakashi's tone was noncommittal. He looked up at the Fourth Mizukage standing beside him, a flicker of indescribable anticipation flashing in the depths of his eyes.
Perhaps…
It was his soul-deep loyalty to Sora that made Kakashi instantly immerse himself in the path to peace that Sora had depicted.
Especially this unprecedented theory of hatred and fear made Kakashi feel novel while also inexplicably feeling a sense of trust.
…
Within the curved light,
They spoke of the understanding of peace, but in reality, what was happening was the confirmation of hatred.
Uchiha Clan's Compound.
Kushina, clad in a deep red Chakra Cloak, had finally arrived.
Although she hadn't completely lost her rationality, the rage in her eyes still fluctuated like tidal waves.
Passing through the defensive lines of the Konoha's Ninjas, Kushina's gaze went straight into the oppressive interior of the Uchiha Clan's compound.
"Tell Uchiha Fugaku to come out and see me."
Kushina suppressed the killing intent in her heart and issued what could be considered her final 'peaceful' ultimatum with so-called goodwill.
"Oh? Isn't this the village's Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki? Coming to the Uchiha with this attitude, do you want to arrest our clan head directly?"
"Hahahaha, what's so great about that? With Fugaku-sama here, all the losses you've made the Uchiha suffer these days will be paid back sooner or later!"
"Uzumaki Kushina, this is the Uchiha Clan's compound, not a place where you can act recklessly!"
The Uchiha Ninjas on guard duty directed mocking or scolding words at Kushina. Under the immense pressure of recent days, the Uchiha's internal attitude towards Konoha had undergone a fundamental change.
Under extreme suppression, many clansmen had already firmly adopted the stance of seizing power through a coup, waiting only for Fugaku to give the order to make the Uchiha great again.
However,
The Uchiha, famous throughout the Ninja World for their arrogance, had never been very good at reading the room. Just like these three Uchiha guards, they ignored the deliberately suppressed savagery on Kushina's face and uttered words they shouldn't have.
Naturally, they paid the price for these radical remarks.
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
The deep red Chakra Cloak suddenly transformed into sharp blades, accompanied by a fierce wind that swept through the air, severing the heads of all three guard ninjas.
"So arrogant!"
Kushina growled low. The malicious fire accumulated from Minato's sudden death seemed to have finally found a release.
The next moment, the deep red figure rushed in at extreme speed, directly charging into the Uchiha Clan's compound.