Chapter 399: Humans Have Their Limits
"So spreading these stories isn't just to lure out the Ōtsutsuki… it's also to draw out Kakashi's former teammate?"
Nara Shikamaru seemed to have figured it out.
"Exactly. When that person realizes his original plan has gone off track and he has no choice but to personally obtain the Rinnegan…"
"Who do you think he'll choose to approach? The leader of the Akatsuki, or Sasuke?"
Senju Tobirama stroked his chin and smiled faintly.
There might be a few people in the ninja world who had principles and moral limits.
But the masked man was definitely not one of them.
From what Shiromo had told him about how the Fourth Great Ninja War originally ended, the masked man had been willing to abandon a straightforward victory and instead use substitutes like the Eight-Tails' tentacle and Kinkaku and Ginkaku in place of the real Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails.
That alone proved it.
He would stop at nothing to achieve his goal. Things like the so-called "honor of the Uchiha clan" meant nothing to him.
He only had one objective.
To achieve the Infinite Tsukuyomi.
In that case, between Nagato, an experienced, powerful ninja, and Uchiha Sasuke, who not long ago was still a genin, even frightened stiff by Orochimaru…
Which one would he choose?
Would the masked man spare Sasuke just because he was a fellow Uchiha?
Would he spare him because he was still a minor?
Don't be ridiculous.
During the Uchiha massacre, it wasn't just Uchiha Itachi doing the killing.
Itachi cried bitterly when killing his parents and felt heavy-hearted about killing his clan.
But the masked man?
The more he killed, the more comfortable he probably became.
If his own grandmother had been there, he might have killed her along the way too.
So there was no need to worry about whether he would take the bait.
He had no choice.
The real question was that once the masked man took the bait, that itself could serve as bait to lure out Ōtsutsuki Isshiki.
"Wouldn't Sasuke be in great danger then?"
Shikamaru frowned.
"Danger?"
Tobirama laughed.
"You're worried about a reincarnation of Indra's chakra, a Sasuke who now possesses the Rinnegan?"
"Why don't you first worry about yourselves, your families, your friends? With their strength, can they survive against the Ten-Tails or the Ōtsutsuki?"
"..."
His words were blunt and harsh.
The lively atmosphere from earlier faded into silence.
It was like being hit with a cold truth.
Under the power of the tailed beasts, they could barely protect themselves.
And Sasuke?
With space–time abilities, he could escape at any moment.
"Wouldn't this be like… when the sky falls, the tall ones hold it up?"
Kiba spoke softly.
"No. This is about everyone fulfilling their role. The greater the ability, the greater the responsibility."
Aburame Shino shook his head.
"Sasuke has obtained great power, so he serves as the bait. And we aren't doing nothing either. We need to spread these stories. That's also a crucial part."
"Yeah. Sakura and I are working hard to train in medical ninjutsu under Tsunade-sama, precisely so we're no longer cannon fodder, so we can protect our companions and families."
"But…"
Yamanaka Ino paused and turned to look at Haruno Sakura.
"It's time we wake up. Effort and hard work don't necessarily lead to success."
"Lee and Neji have said this before too."
"If a loser works hard, but a genius also works hard, the loser still can't catch up, unless they work ten times harder."
"But what if the genius also works ten times, or even a hundred times harder?"
"And besides… humans have limits."
"Ino… what are you trying to say?"
Sakura was caught off guard.
This didn't sound like something Ino would normally say.
"I've realized that what my parents used to criticize as 'taking shortcuts' or 'crooked paths'… might actually be the real path. What do you think, Sakura?"
Ino looked at her meaningfully.
Sakura followed her gaze downward.
In an instant, she understood.
Technology changes fate.
"I'm glad you can think like this. It shows Tsunade didn't choose her students poorly."
Tobirama nodded in approval.
"Imagine two people trying to cut down a tree. One picks up a stone and starts smashing the trunk. The other chooses to make an axe."
"While the second person is making the axe, ignorant fools might accuse him of being lazy. Even if he explains himself, they'll say he's taking shortcuts."
"But once the axe is completed, his efficiency increases exponentially. And not only can he use it, others can benefit as well."
"Ino, you…"
"Sakura, you were willing to take risks and seek out Orochimaru's drugs just for something as trivial as that…"
"..."
Sakura's concerned expression froze instantly.
Was it really okay to say that out loud in front of everyone?
And what did she mean "trivial"? People who have enough don't understand those who don't.
"If you could make that decision, then what's wrong with us pursuing power in order to protect our families, or even just to survive?"
Ino continued her "speech."
In Konoha's traditional teachings, they were told to grow stronger to protect the village, yet they weren't allowed to pursue power purely for its own sake, or they would be criticized.
"Well said. So what do you intend to do?"
Tobirama remained expressionless.
He could tell what she was thinking.
This girl from the Yamanaka clan likely didn't want to go out and spread those stories, so she was trying to avoid the task.
But at the same time, she genuinely wanted to improve herself.
"I want to learn Sage Mode too."
Ino's expression was firm.
Everyone was stunned.
Then they all inhaled sharply.
Tobirama paused for a moment and stroked his chin, considering the feasibility.
If it were something like Orochimaru's curse-mark-based pseudo Sage Mode, then it would be easy. With a bit more refinement, it could be made safe and accessible.
But that kind of power wasn't truly one's own.
True Sage Mode, like that of Mount Myōboku or Ryūchi Cave, was another matter entirely.
The Yamanaka clan's techniques required precise chakra control, making them highly compatible with medical ninjutsu.
Sage Mode, on the other hand, required both large chakra reserves and strong mental energy.
The Yamanaka techniques trained the latter, while Tsunade's Strength of a Hundred Seal trained the former.
In theory, it was a perfect match.
"Not bad…"
"You're going to take off too, Ino?!"
Kiba suddenly took a few steps back in shock.
Not long ago, they had seen the censored footage of Naruto entering Sage Mode.
Kiba couldn't imagine how Ino would achieve it.
Was she going to go to Orochimaru and have something implanted?
That was terrifying.
(End of this chapter)