IMPORTANT: For every 30 POWER STONES there will be an extra chapter!
15 Power stones left!!!
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Everything within sight was changing. This was a war that required no dialogue from afar. The vitality that had been restored over more than a decade was once again thrown into the flames of war.
And whenever there is war, the small countries caught in the middle will once again suffer hardships.
This war, which had arrived as expected, was not something Nagato wanted to get involved in. The Six Paths techniques he obtained from Ye Zi, along with his own understanding of the Six Paths, made him eager to master everything. Only by mastering power could he possess the ability to change everything.
"Four more bodies for the Six Paths..." Nagato held a book in his hand, his expression ice-cold, but a sense of urgency flickered in those eyes, which looked like rippling rings.
Ye Zi once thought Nagato wasn't urgent enough about his plans because he focused on building Amegakure. In reality, Ye Zi was wrong. Maybe Nagato was indeed impatient with the progress, but Nagato was the same. Or rather, if the time was right, Nagato even wanted to use this war as a trigger to control the world and allow peace to be born out of suffering.
However… his power was still far from enough.
Rather than recruiting allies, he trusted his Six Paths more. So when it came to gathering the Six Paths or recruiting allies, he prioritized the former.
Konan silently accompanied him, noticing the streaks of white in Nagato's long hair, feeling a twinge of pain in her heart.
Nagato looked up into the distance, with two dull-skinned individuals standing on either side of him, both possessing the same eyes as his.
"Let's go."
After leaving the tasks of building Amegakure to those under his control, he took Konan and set out to search for the people written about in Jiraiya's novels. He would use these people as material for the Six Paths.
Four figures headed into the distance. Everything, from nothing to something, from slow to urgent, had changed drastically due to Ye Zi's arrival.
A terrifying organization was quietly developing in the shadows, while the major ninja villages focused their attention on the impending great war. The clues left behind by Kato Dan's death had been temporarily set aside.
Orochimaru had once again been entrusted with an important task, and he gladly accepted it.
"War, huh..."
He sat in the quiet courtyard, gazing up at the moon, a cold smile appearing on his lips.
The conflicts between people would never end, no matter how many heavy prices were paid. They continued to follow their nature, endlessly repeating that cruelty.
Now, Orochimaru's thoughts were mostly focused on his research. Since the war was imminent, he would have to temporarily set that aside and concentrate on leading the army to fight the enemy.
As a ninja of Konoha, Orochimaru never forgot the responsibility that rested on his shoulders, even if he used Konoha's people as experimental material…
He stood up, bathed in the moonlight, his figure as cold as frost, blending with the withering garden around him. In the silence, he seemed completely out of place with the world.
All the ninjas were preparing for the upcoming war.
War would reduce human lives to mere numbers, and sacrifice was inevitable. The farewells before heading to the front lines were also unavoidable.
Konoha had enough strength, so as a jinchūriki, Kushina was not sent to the front lines but stayed in the village. By tomorrow, the basic supplies and personnel would be fully allocated. Tonight was the last night for Konoha's ninjas to stay in the village.
At Kushina's residence, Minato walked under the moonlight. In this final moment before their separation, he finally summoned the courage to speak the words in his heart to Kushina.
Kushina was slightly surprised by Minato's visit and invitation. After hesitating for a moment, she decided to follow him outside.
The night sky was filled with brilliant stars, with few clouds in sight. The starlight connected into a beautiful constellation around the bright moon.
The village streets were quiet at this time, the moon casting a silver frost over the roads.
Walking side by side, Minato and Kushina remained silent all the way.
Looking back, even though they had spent a considerable amount of time on the same team, the opportunities for them to be alone together were rare.
"Kushina…"
After walking to the outskirts of the cherry blossom garden, Minato suddenly stopped.
"Hmm?" Kushina also stopped, turning her head to look at Minato, sensing that he was about to make a decision.
"I will definitely become Hokage and clear Ye Zi's name." His gaze slowly fell on Kushina's face, his expression serious.
Kushina was slightly taken aback, looking at Minato's serious demeanor. She thought of the figure that had long since passed away in her heart, and the thorn that remained lodged within it. A faint smile appeared on her face.
"Thank you."
Minato took a deep breath, as if to gather all his strength, then continued, "So… when I become Hokage, can I… can I date you? I really like you."
After finally getting the words out, Minato said to himself in his heart: Minato, you're so sly…
Faced with this sudden confession, Kushina's eyes slowly widened, then she lowered her head, avoiding Minato's serious gaze to conceal her momentary confusion.
All along, she had vaguely sensed Minato's suppressed feelings, but she had deliberately avoided acknowledging them.
Minato watched as Kushina lowered her head, silent, her beautiful red hair cascading down. He patiently waited for her response, though his heartbeat slowly began to accelerate uncontrollably.
"…I'm sorry…"
After a long silence, the apology came, causing Minato's heart to clench as he foresaw the rejection.
"I…"
Kushina slowly raised her head, meeting Minato's slightly disappointed gaze. She said seriously, "Before I can forget him, I think… it's too hard for me to easily like someone else."
As she spoke, the sadness in her eyes became more and more evident.
In the end, she had been unable to convey her feelings to that person, and now, there was no longer any chance.
"I'm really envious of Ye Zi." Minato sighed with a touch of melancholy, but a gentle smile appeared on his face as he looked at Kushina. "But I'll wait—until you let go of that sadness."
Perhaps it was Minato's smile that affected her, as Kushina also smiled.
"It's late. Let's go back," Minato said with a smile.
"Mm."
They walked back along the path they had come from, the silent cherry blossom garden behind them, bathed in moonlight.
It wasn't the season yet, so there were no cherry blossoms in the garden.
Minato's thoughts slowly drifted to the season when the cherry blossoms would bloom.
He was up on the tree; Kushina was beneath it and Ye Zi was heading in the opposite direction.
The determined voice of the girl under the tree, with her torn red strands of hair fluttering in the wind.
As his thoughts continued, they morphed into another scene.
Ye Zi, covered in blood, leaning against the tree trunk as if he had already died.
A cold expression, standing in front of everyone, devouring human flesh, turning into a barrier with just one blade.
Minato sighed softly in his heart. Sometimes, he really wished that person could be him.
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Currently on Chapter 227 - Times Flies