Chapter 191 Those who cannot obey themselves must obey others
Dong…Dong…Dong…
As the sound of bells from the clock tower echoed in the sky above, pigeons flew up and down in the morning light.
The hazy streets were illuminated by dim lights. Many people were already starting a new day. A strange pair was walking on the street, but they did not attract any attention at all.
"Boss, you said you would take me to Valhalla to meet my old friends. What do you mean by that?"
Kumokawa held Ayumi, who was in the form of a black cat, in one hand, and stroked the cat's fur with the other hand very skillfully.
The aura he had already mastered completely allowed him to blend perfectly into the ordinary.
"You've been asking about this all time along the way." Kumokawa glanced at Yahiko beside him and said calmly, "Didn't I tell you? You'll know when you get there."
Yahiko followed behind him, scratched his head in annoyance, and complained: "Going to Valhalla to meet old friends, and, they are 'some' old friends. It feels like you are going to snap me off and send me to meet them."
Kumokawa withdrew his gaze and looked at the streets on both sides. He no longer saw the disgusting garbage and dirty water from before. Except for some small vendors setting up stalls along the streets, the entire City of Dawn could be said to be unusually harmonious and clean.
It's hard to believe that such an environment would exist in such a small, rainy place.
"Ayumi, the city sewage treatment is well done."
Kumokawa first praised the black cat, rubbed the soft fur on its neck, and then continued to ask, "Is there any news about the 'Priestess' I asked you to inquire about?"
Hearing this, Ayumi, who had been comfortably holding her head up and squinting her eyes, suddenly lowered her head.
"It's not that simple, Brother..."
Ayumi spread his paws and said helplessly: "Apart from the few words found in the classics, the priestess is something that only exists in the Land of Demons, right?"
"Although the people I sent should have arrived at the Land of Demons, they haven't sent back any news yet. And considering the high status of the 'Priestess' in the Land of Demons, I'm afraid there isn't much hope of inviting that 'Priestess' to come, nyan."
"Then I don't care."
Kumokawa pinched her neck and said with a self-willed smile: "The Hall of Heroes has been built. When the first large-scale battle begins, if you haven't found anyone yet, I'll let you go up and be the chief priest, okay?"
The chief priest usually refers to the person who plays a major role or holds a leadership position in a sacrificial or memorial ceremony. They are the organizers and leaders of the ceremony.
They are responsible for preparing and organizing the entire sacrificial or memorial ceremony, including determining the time, location, participants, etc. During the ceremony, they act as the host and are responsible for guiding the ceremony, such as reading sacrificial texts and reciting prayers.
Ayumi certainly can't do this kind of work.
"Oh, yes, yes, I'll try my best. If it doesn't work, I'll just go to the Land of Demons by myself."
Life is not easy, Ayumi sighed and said in a curious and distressed tone: "But speaking of which, Brother, why do you insist on looking for a 'witch'? There should be many people who understand religious sacrificial rituals, right?"
"Because I don't like those bald asses and religious people who always talk about God and Buddha."
Kumokawa pressed her cat head down and said with a smile: "In comparison, the priestess who worships heaven and earth barely meets the standards I want to worship."
In Valhalla, the name of every soldier who died in battle will be engraved on the monument in front of the hall. It is the final resting place of the souls of all the "dead". If nothing unexpected happens, a time will be set and sacrifices will be held on this day every year.
Although Kumokawa doesn't care much about things like faith, it still plays a big role for most people.
In his opinion, only deep-rooted hatred and unshakable faith can support the determination to face death head-on.
Faith can provide people with a spiritual sustenance, allowing them to find comfort and support when facing difficulties and challenges, seek spiritual peace and tranquility, and alleviate inner anxiety and uneasiness.
It can also serve as a "fashion" to guide people to make the right choices. It is also an important tool for education, which can enhance people's cohesion and sense of belonging and make them understand that they are part of a whole.
Through this shared belief and values, he was able to bring most people together to form a close bond and to regard fighting and dying in battle as an honor.
Therefore, the position of the chief priest is very important, and it is better to have nothing than to have something inappropriate.
Kumokawa looks down on those weird believers and bald monks.
Instead of believing in those so-called gods and Buddhas, it is better to believe in heaven and earth and respect our ancestors.
"But you don't have to worry too much about this."
Kumokawa touched the back of Ayumi's neck soothingly and said jokingly, "From what I know, the 'witch' in the Land of Demons seems to have a mysterious ability to predict the future."
"Maybe, before we decided to look for her, she had already seen this 'future'. If she wanted to see us and wanted something from us, she might have been on her way."
Hearing this, Ayumi did not feel relieved, but frowned instead. Even Yahiko, who had been listening nearby, felt a little uncomfortable.
"Prophecy..." Yahiko's expression was somewhat complicated, and he whispered, "Doesn't that mean that our future has already been determined? Does fate really exist?"
If he had not met Kumokawa before, he would have asked about the future excitedly and curiously, wanting to know what his future would be like.
But now Yahiko has already decided to use his own power to change this country and this ninja world.
If fate and the future are already determined, no matter what, the future will go to that predetermined ending. What's the point of trying to become stronger? The ending will not change because of him alone.
Just as Yahiko's mind was full of thoughts, he suddenly felt a hand falling on his head.
He subconsciously raised his head with a blank look and saw a face with a playful smile.
"You didn't really believe it, did you?" Kumokawa patted Yahiko's head in amusement, "This is not like your character."
"If you can't obey yourself, you have to obey others. Don't you understand this simple truth?"
Yahiko might not know, but how could Kumokawa not know?
If the so-called destined future and destiny is the story of two saviors in the "original work" saving the world from the ambitious and villains, then this so-called "future" and "destiny" are really ridiculous.
After he came to this world, everything he said and did had already changed the original future beyond recognition. It was not certain whether Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto would be born. Perhaps it depended on his mood.
If it weren't for the fact that Otsutsuki Hagoromo and Otsutsuki Hamura were still hiding in the Pure Land and on the moon and hadn't died completely, Kumokawa could have taken advantage of Fugaku's young age and asked the Yakushi hiding in Konoha to find an opportunity to castrate him.
However, even if Fugaku and Minato were castrated, it would be of no use. The old man Six Paths is not dead yet, and Black Zetsu is hiding in the dark and has not come out.
Although these two old bastards are opposed to each other, they both attach equal importance to the reincarnation of Ashura and Indra. Even if there were no Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke, there would be "Senju Naruto" and "Kaguya Sasuke".
Getting rid of the parents of the two so-called "children of destiny" too early would not do Kumokawa any good. Instead, it would make the identities of the children of destiny unknown, thus losing control over them and the advantage of foresight.
Kumokawa is indeed confident in his own abilities, but he is not stupid enough to dig a hole for himself.
By that time, he had finally dealt with the five major countries, but suddenly two "Senju Naruto" and "Kaguya Sasuke" appeared out of nowhere, and even an "Otsutsuki Hinata", followed by two old grandfathers who gave them cheats.
How about shouting about friendship and bond and "breaking through" to the level of the Six Paths, and defeating him, the "villain" who is hostile to the five great ninja countries?
Therefore, it is better to subtly influence the parents of the two "children of destiny", control them in his own hands, and keep them under his own noses, and wait for the reincarnation of Ashura and Indra's chakra in the future before making plans.
"Boss…"
Yahiko didn't know his boss had thought so much, he just thought he was comforting him, his expression suddenly became firm: "Don't worry, I understand!"
To hell with fate!
No matter what happens, he will try his best to make the future the one he wants.
"Hmm?" Kumokawa came back to his senses from his thoughts and looked at him strangely.
What do you understand now? Your fate is determined by you, not by God?
After expressing his determination, Yahiko calmed down and curiously asked, "Boss, I've always been curious about how you arranged the pensions for those who died in the war?"
"Well, the families of those victims can be exempted from various taxes until their children are eighteen years old and are able to be self-sufficient. They can also allow their children to attend school for compulsory education, no matter what they study."
Kumokawa said casually, "If their child is under fifteen, in addition to the five years of pension they receive, they will receive one year's salary for each year their child is younger. If they don't have children, their parents will receive the pension on their behalf, which is a different price."
Yahiko exhaled with some emotion, knowing that the boss would not treat those people unfairly.
By exempting various fees, supplementing a certain amount of salary, and providing a few years of pension, plus free compulsory education, the child can be raised almost completely and be enough to give a family a new pillar.
It sounds like that's the idea, but these conditions are already better than those offered by the five major ninja villages. The main reason is that their troops are too large. If they offer more favorable conditions, Kakuzu, the Minister of Finance, will probably have to sell everything he has.
"But this is just the pension under normal circumstances." Kumokawa suddenly added, as if he had thought of something.
"Eh?" Yahiko was stunned for a moment and asked in confusion, "What is the normal situation pension? Are there normal and abnormal situations for pensions?"
"You'll know when you get to Valhalla."
Kumokawa smiled and perfunctorily said something, then lowered his head and touched Ayumi's head, reminding him: "I almost forgot, remember to tell Shinnō and the others to ask those legion members who are retiring, whether they are retiring due to disability or age, to go to the Hall of Heroes to pay homage before retiring and then apply for retirement."
"Those who have just joined the legion must also go to Valhalla to pay their respects, and then they will be assigned to different legions. In short, they must be made aware of the existence of Valhalla and the existence of those who sacrificed their lives."
Kumokawa's tone was rarely so serious. Knowing that his elder brother took it very seriously, Ayumi did not answer in a half-asleep and yawning manner as before. she nodded with a serious expression on her cat face: "Okay, I will tell them."
"...Really? Why are you trying to fool me with this sentence again?"
Seeing how serious the two were, Yahiko, who was about to complain, stopped talking and muttered something in a low voice with a strange expression.
He shook his head, which was held down by the big hand, awkwardly, feeling a little dissatisfied that the boss treated him like a child.
Although he doesn't have his own subordinates yet, he feels that his strength is now good enough to rank among the best.
However, for the boss, if he wants to get subordinates and departments, it seems that it is not only about strength, but also other more important things...
"What on earth is that?" Yahiko scratched his head, the red-haired blindfolded kid appeared in his mind, and he complained in his heart, "Am I inferior to that guy Nagato in any way?"
Just when he was worried, Kumokawa suddenly stopped and said, "We're here."
Hearing this, Yahiko suddenly realized that something seemed to be wrong around him.
He didn't know when it started, but he seemed to no longer hear any noise, including the hawking in the streets around him, the chirping of crickets in the grass, and even the noisy and bustling sounds that should have been there...
He couldn't hear anything now, and the whole world was as silent as if the mute button was pressed.
Realizing this, Yahiko looked up.
He saw a silent and dead black.
Black door, black wall, black pillar, black figure...
The entire exterior of the Hall of Heroes was completely black, with the morning light faintly reflected on the surface. It did not appear dark or cold, but rather solemn, dignified, and mysterious...
The two people guarding outside Valhalla were also dressed in black, with silent and solemn expressions. They looked like people reciting eulogies in front of a tombstone.
After seeing Kumokawa, the two of them just bowed their heads slightly in respect and did not speak, as if they were worried about disturbing the dead souls in the hall.
Seeing this scene, Yahiko and Kumokawa no longer had the playful atmosphere of bickering and joking. Instead, there was a frozen solemnity, as if someone had opened a corner of the coffin, and any prying eyes would be silent and awed.
"Let's go."
Kumokawa nodded slightly to the two people guarding outside, then took Yahiko to the gate of Valhalla, and reached out to push open the several-meter-high closed door.
Click! Click!
As the door slowly opened, the shadows of Kumokawa and Yahiko were illuminated by the morning light behind them and stretched out to the ground inside the hall. They stood together quietly.
(End of this chapter)