"So, I've been wondering," Naruto began, his eyes searching Ryu's face for answers. Ryu glanced over at him, raising an eyebrow in curiosity. "What's on your mind?"
"Why am I still here?" Naruto's voice was tinged with confusion and frustration. "On the battlefield, everyone else fought desperately, but I just froze. Yet, I came out unscathed, while others lost their lives. Why?"
Ryu pursed his lips, considering the question. "Well, you could call it luck, I suppose," he mused, absentmindedly tracing circles on the ground.
"But it wasn't just luck," Naruto countered. "It was because of you."
"And you had me by your side because you were lucky," Ryu replied, a thoughtful expression on his face. "In the end, everything boils down to luck—or a higher power, if you believe in that."
Naruto furrowed his brow. "I don't understand... Yes, meeting you was fortunate, but that can't be all there is to it, can it?"
Ryu shook his head. "Of course not. Nothing in this world is absolute. But more often than not, luck plays a major role in our lives."
"But if luck is so important," Naruto pressed, his voice wavering with uncertainty, "why do we even bother honing our skills? If luck determines so much, why try anything else?"
Ryu leaned forward, his eyes serious. "Luck provides opportunities, but it's up to you to seize them. You can't rely solely on luck to succeed. And keep in mind, luck isn't just about opportunities. It shapes who you are—your parents, your upbringing, the people you meet, even your personality. Luck works behind the scenes."
Naruto pondered Ryu's words. "So, are you saying that luck is the reason I'm here, and they're... not?"
"Yes. Don't think you're the only one who trains hard, who's brave, who has a good heart. You're special because of the tailed beast inside you, the genetic lottery you won, the people you've met—including me—and because you're a reincarnation of a damn demi-god," Ryu chuckled drily.
Naruto's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?" He stared at Ryu, unsure if he should take him seriously.
Ryu merely smirked. "I never told you, did I?" As he spoke, his eyes shifted into the distinctive pattern of his Mangekyo Sharingan, a black ring surrounding the black pupil against a red sclera.
"What happened to your eyes?!" Naruto gasped, his heart racing.
Ryu's expression remained calm. "This is my Mangekyo Sharingan. It's the evolved form of a mature Sharingan, and each eye grants a unique ability. One of mine allows me to learn anything about what I'm looking at, as long as I use enough Chakra."
"That's not fair," Naruto grumbled, his face contorted with envy.
Ryu scoffed. "Says the actual son of a god!"
"What do you mean?" Naruto demanded, his eyes wild with confusion. "What tailed beast? What about my parents? I need answers!"
Ryu sighed, rubbing his temples. "Alright, alright. Just... give me a moment. This is going to take some time." He braced himself, preparing to share the truth with Naruto.
---
Naruto stared at Ryu, his eyes wide with disbelief. "...Are you serious?" he stammered, struggling to process the information he'd just been given. Ryu sighed and nodded. "I'm afraid so. You can confirm what I've told you about Kurama and your father with the Hokage. He'll back up my story."
"So the villagers hated me, and my life has been miserable up until now because I was unknowingly protecting them from disaster?" Naruto's voice was tinged with pain and confusion.
"Yeah. Ironic, isn't it?" Ryu's tone was heavy with empathy. "And the Hokage just stood by and let it happen? He tried to comfort me with personal visits instead of actually addressing the issue?!" Naruto's voice cracked with emotion.
Ryu hesitated before answering. "Seems that way."
"And my parents' sacrifice for the village, their wishes for me to be cared for and grow up well, were just... ignored and forgotten?!" Anger surged through Naruto, making his words tremble.
Ryu looked at him solemnly. "Do you still want to become the Hokage, after all this?"
"I... I need time to think." Naruto's voice quivered with uncertainty. "You said the Hokage will confirm all this, right? If this is some sick joke, I swear I'll never speak to you again." Deep down, Naruto desperately hoped that Ryu had been lying to him.
Ryu's expression was filled with regret. "I wish I were lying, Naruto. I really do." Naruto couldn't take it anymore; he stormed off towards the Hokage's location, leaving Ryu to watch him go.
'This isn't going to end well... If Naruto's emotions get the better of him, the fox might break loose. The only reason he's holding it together is the hope that Hiruzen will say it's all a lie. I should be nearby when the truth comes out.' With that thought, Ryu followed Naruto from a distance.
Ryu watched as Naruto attempted to barge into the Hokage's makeshift base—a large green tent surrounded by shinobi. As expected, Naruto was denied entry. However, when he shouted that Ryu had told him the truth about his parents, Hiruzen quickly emerged from the tent, ready to speak with the distraught young ninja. His war council looked on with annoyance.
'Please, Hiruzen, handle this with care,' Ryu silently pleaded. 'If you just apologize weakly as usual, Naruto might lose control right here in the camp, and he'll be ostracized forever. Use your skills as a diplomat. You must have some, right?' Ryu could only hope that luck was on their side.
But a terrible roar from within the Hokage's tent shattered any hope Ryu had held onto.
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I tried experimenting a bit with this chapter, did you like it? I think I'll put more emphasis on Ryu's ideology in the future since I find it interesting. I'll also explain the ideology and why Ryu believes in it more clearly in the future if it's not obvious. Hope you enjoyed the chapter.