Chapter 398: There's Another Master
"Second Hokage-sama, the earlier parts of the story were so exciting. Why is the part about Naruto and Sasuke so short?"
Inuzuka Kiba smacked his lips, clearly still wanting more.
It wasn't clear whether it was because he had used Beast Imitation techniques too often, or because he had been mentally warped after being hit by Naruto's "Snow Release: Rasengan", but Kiba had even started having strange thoughts about Akamaru's "food."
"The reason Naruto and Sasuke's story is short comes down to two points."
Senju Tobirama spoke calmly.
"First, how old are they now? Their lives have only just begun. Naturally, they can't compare to the previous generation, who have already lived out their entire lives."
"Second, their story is happening right around you. Everything they've done, you've witnessed firsthand. Do I really need to repeat it for you?"
"Just like how I personally witnessed the relationship between my brother Hashirama and Madara."
"You… will also become the narrators of this history in the future."
As Tobirama spoke, he even encouraged them a little.
But when he mentioned that everyone present had witnessed Naruto and Sasuke's story, everyone except the outsider Shigaraki Tanuki instantly recalled the same scene.
In the classroom, Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke had made each other "shut up" without using their hands.
That was what they had witnessed with their own eyes.
And when they connected it with everything Tobirama had just said…
They realized they had already become part of history, and witnesses to it.
"That… should just count as an accident, right?"
Haruno Sakura spoke with a complicated expression.
That scene was something she had always tried to forget. Yet now that it had been brought up again, she suddenly realized her mindset had changed.
In the past, she would have clenched her fists in anger and wanted to beat Naruto up to vent her frustration.
But now?
She didn't even feel that strongly anymore. She had gotten used to it.
"Of course it was an accident. But the force behind that accident wasn't your classmate, it was the invisible hand of fate."
"Fate has already twisted their life paths together like a rope."
"One incident is an accident. Two incidents are still accidents."
"Do you really have to wait until Naruto and Sasuke 'accidentally conceive' before you realize it's not an accident?"
Tobirama shook his head and sighed.
The phrase "accidental pregnancy" echoed in their minds.
In the past, that would have been unthinkable.
It shouldn't even exist as a description between two male ninjas.
Yet now, no one found it strange. Instead, they felt… enlightened.
Everyone had their own thoughts.
Some thought about the classroom scene, about Naruto and Sasuke's constant bickering that now seemed oddly warm.
As for Shigaraki Tanuki, he had only spent a short time with Sasuke.
But that short encounter had nearly ruined him for life.
It was something he would probably never forget.
At the same time, he fully agreed with Tobirama's conclusion.
Uchiha Sasuke was someone inherently evil… and inherently "righteous."
As everyone knew, the Uchiha clan, descendants of Indra, were naturally evil, while the Senju clan, descendants of Asura, were naturally "righteous."
Now that Sasuke had absorbed Asura's power, he had become both evil and righteous.
That was why, even in dreams, Sasuke could do such things to him and Sai.
And according to Tobirama, Sasuke hadn't yet absorbed enough of Asura's power. He still needed to continue.
Which meant Sasuke wasn't yet at the level of Uchiha Madara.
Even so, he was already like this.
What will happen in the future?
They had to keep Naruto and Sasuke tied together, no matter what, to prevent either of them from causing trouble elsewhere.
Everyone had different thoughts.
But one thing was the same.
They had all become more cautious.
Tobirama said they were witnesses to Naruto and Sasuke's generation.
But they feared that if they weren't careful, they might go from witnesses… to participants.
Just like Uchiha Izuna in the era of Hashirama and Madara, or Ōtsutsuki Hamura in the time of Asura and the Sage of Six Paths, or even the countless ordinary people caught up in those chaotic "group events."
"Oh, right. I almost forgot. There's one more person's story I haven't told you."
Tobirama suddenly spoke again while everyone was lost in thought.
"Huh?"
Is there another one?
Everyone looked up at once.
But then they thought about it.
Madara had already been covered, Sasuke too.
Those two were connected.
Could it be someone from before Madara's time?
But that wouldn't make sense, Tobirama shouldn't know that.
"Ōtsutsuki Isshiki is lurking in the shadows of the ninja world. But before him, there was someone else hiding in the dark."
"That person inherited Madara's name and mission. He also inherited Madara's 'justification' and evil."
"He was once a teammate of Hatake Kakashi, and the original owner of Kakashi's Sharingan."
"Now, he wears a mask, wandering the ninja world, orchestrating conspiracies."
"What? Kakashi-sensei was involved in this too?"
"No wonder he can write such… 'justified' novels…"
"A mask? Could it be the kind person who gave us clues when we were at Kakashi's house last time?"
No one expected Kakashi to be part of this.
But thinking about it, it oddly made sense.
After all, when it came to being "that way", Kakashi was a genius among geniuses.
"In the earlier part of the story, I told you that aside from the original Indra, whose bloodline was pure and had no side effects, the rest of the Uchiha would gradually lose their eyesight from using the Mangekyō Sharingan."
"Eventually, they would go blind."
"This isn't just about how many times it's used. Even a single use at extreme intensity can cause severe damage."
"In extreme cases, a powerful ability might only be usable a few times before blindness sets in."
"But as far as I know, your Kakashi-sensei has used his Mangekyō multiple times to save Konoha, yet he hasn't suffered any side effects at all."
"Do you know what that means?"
"…Kakashi-sensei, like Sasuke, also took something from Naruto…"
Sakura hesitated, her tone filled with despair.
"…That's not the case. Hatake Kakashi was fed something by that masked man."
"The masked man? He has that too?"
"Pay attention. Indra represents evil, Asura represents 'justification.' Second Hokage-sama already said the masked man inherited both. That means he possesses the corresponding power."
Shikamaru glanced at the others.
"Exactly. The Nara boy is right."
Tobirama nodded.
"That masked man has half of his body composed of my brother Senju Hashirama's cells."
"So all he needed to do… was feed Kakashi a part of himself."
(End of this chapter)