They fell silent, absorbing everything that had just been said. Their eyes widened, as if they had just realized something they had long ignored.
They had never thought that to achieve peace, they needed to think like a cunning leader.
The masked man stood tall, slightly parting his cloak before continuing. "I will not reveal my true name to you. If you know me, then you will trust me. And never be too quick to trust others. Trust only those who are truly worthy of it; do not let trust become your weakness."
The masked man's gaze flicked toward the outside of the cave. The rain was beginning to ease, and from a distance, the sound of wind rustling through the leaves could be faintly heard.
After a moment of silence, the masked man spoke again, this time his tone sounded a bit sharper.
"Yahiko..." said the masked man, staring at the young leader with a piercing look, even though it was hidden behind the mask. "You are weak... Too weak."
Yahiko clenched his fists, feeling offended, but he remained silent.
"But you are not alone. Do not bear all that burden by yourself. You have Nagato and Konan who care about you," the masked man continued.
The masked man's gaze shifted to Nagato. "Nagato... You are just like Yahiko, except you are more willing to share the burden with others. But in the end, you are still not much different from Yahiko."
Then, the masked man turned to Konan. "Konan... You are beautiful... But you are also weak and naive. If you do not want to be a burden to the two of them, then at the very least, you must become stronger. Strong enough that even if Yahiko and Nagato are nearly killed, you can carry them away with your own strength."
Konan bit her lip, feeling both embarrassed and challenged by those words.
The masked man began to walk out of the cave, leaving them in heavy silence. However, his steps suddenly halted when Yahiko, with a curious tone, asked something that startled the man.
"Are you a student of Master Jiraiya?"
As if struck by lightning, the masked man stumbled over his own feet.
"Baam!"
"Ouch! Damn it!" The masked man quickly got up and shouted in frustration. "Why should I be a student of that perverted man?!" he said angrily before finally exiting the cave.
Nagato and Konan exchanged glances, then looked at Yahiko, who still appeared confused.
"... You asked a stupid question, Yahiko," Nagato finally said, his voice sounding strange.
"What's wrong with that! Besides, that man knows us well! Doesn't that mean he is also a student of Master Jiraiya? Because only Master Jiraiya knows us well!" Yahiko protested with a confused expression.
"Haah... Forget about that," Konan said with a sigh. "I think... we can follow some of the advice and suggestions from that man."
Yahiko fell silent for a moment before finally smiling. "That's true... The advice that man gave made me realize... that there are many ways to achieve peace. And I believe that peace for Amegakure will soon be achieved."
Nagato and Konan, hearing this, exchanged glances and then smiled faintly. In their hearts, a new determination began to grow.
And in the distance, the masked man paused for a moment under the remaining drizzle.
"This world is cruel... If they want to achieve peace, they must be ready to face that reality," murmured the masked man before disappearing into the shadows of the rain.
...
...
...
The masked man, or more precisely Aoki, had now left the Village of Amegakure. Aoki's journey back to Konohagakure began after he had settled all his affairs there. The sky above Aoki began to change color, from bright blue to a tinge of orange, signaling the dusk that was slowly sinking into the darkness of night.
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[Announcement: A New Novel Has Been Added!
The Puppet Maker in the World of Naruto
A man who is a scientist, researcher, and expert mechanic in robotics dies in a massive explosion that occurs in his laboratory while developing an advanced robot project. However, instead of experiencing death as he thought, the man awakens in another world—a strange place with vast stretches of desert.
There, the man is surrounded by people who can jump high, calling themselves ninjas. The confusion he initially felt grows as he realizes that this world is not unfamiliar to him. This is the world of Naruto! However, there is one thing that surprises him.
"Isn't this Sunagakure? Why am I not in Konoha? This poorest village... Oh my God, this is serious!"
Now, in the midst of a new life filled with danger and uncertainty, the scientist must find a way to survive in Sunagakure, a harsh place full of limitations. With his robotic knowledge, can the man change his fate in this ninja world, or will he fall along with the village?]
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