As Sasuke travelled through the portal, he gathered his final thoughts about his journey so far~
***
In a situation where there is no script, the true nature of a person will come to the surface.
Freedom and strength... ...they are not something light that all humans can easily shoulder.
A reality where you cannot even have the illusion of hope, that's what you call a dead end.
Some believed that being ruled over was comfortable... ...
There were also times where one wanted to cling on order and faith... ...
Certainly, it might be a heavy burden. But, those are something that should be shouldered with the help of comrades.
***
Thing's spiral. Thing's pick up.
We make mistakes, we suffer the consequences.
We try our best, we fail.
Through my travels, I've come to learn that life isn't really about having it all together, and that nobody really has it all figured out.
Nothing's set in stone and nothing's for certain.
Plans made ages in advance can evaporate in the blink of an eye and one can never be fully prepared for anything.
Life's unpredictable nature will continue to present us with an array of surprises and rude shocks alike, and sometimes, there is really nothing we can do about it.
I've spent too long discrediting the ups and being too consumed with the downs.
***
Madara once said this~
The selfish desire to preserve peace causes war. Hatred is born from wanting to protect love. There's no such thing as peace in this accursed world.
This world is full of things that don't go as you wish. The longer you live, the more you realize reality is just made of pain, suffering, and emptiness. As long as the concept of winners exist, there must also be losers.
A world of only victors, a world of only peace...a world of only love. When a man learns to love, he must bear the risk of hatred. To protect something, another must be sacrificed...
Wherever light strikes, there is always shadows.
***
What he said indeed sheds light on the truth.
Someone has to handle the darkness lurking in this world.
I took it upon myself to protect the world from it's shadows, and that is something I will continue to do so for the rest of my life.
A future where light will forever illuminate & shine upon...
And...
I will always be there to fight in the shadows.
Just as my brother, Itachi once did.
That is my duty.
No... ...perhaps, that is my destiny.
The wages of sin is death.
However, I have been given a second chance to make things right.
But, Naruto...
I can't do things like you.
You know that better than I do.
Just as you have your ninja way, I have mine.
We have to keep enduring, no matter what, until things come to pass.
***
Be it our world or any of those that I have encountered in my journey...
Self Sacrifice.
To uphold peace from the shadows, unknown to all.
This is what it means...
To be a true Shinobi.
***
My name~
Is Uchiha Sasuke.
And this...
***
Is just the start of my Journey.