Uzumaki Mito's heart trembled.
How harsh was the Nine-Tails' reply! Yet, it was also so true. A sage who didn't care about the Sage of Six Paths... why should Konoha expect to receive his goodwill?
"Lord Emiya," Mito stepped forward, full of shame. "I'm truly sorry. My question was a bit too abrupt." She felt sorry for her own rashness. And because of the Nine-Tails' explanation, her guilt deepened.
Now look what happened... the Nine-Tails gave an answer that made one feel inferior, as if she and the people of this era couldn't hold their heads up in front of him.
"Mito's perception must be wrong!" Hashirama quickly stopped his wife. He still had a filter for his childhood role model. "Using the Nine-Tails' chakra for the first time must have—"
"There's no mistake." Shirou smiled magnanimously. As if he didn't know Mito could get the answer from the Nine-Tails, he waved his hand dismissively. "The question you wanted to ask is also somewhat familiar. I remember someone asked me a long time ago."
Mito was a bit embarrassed. Because this question had indeed been asked by the Nine-Tails, and she already knew the answer. However, what she would never have expected was that this question was one of the reasons for their initial contact.
Because the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode could sense human good and evil, Shirou had noticed this possible hidden danger back then and had taken measures to avoid future trouble.
He just didn't expect this problem, which should have appeared decades later, to be asked of him now. Perhaps this was also a result of the friendship he had formed with the Nine-Tails.
"Your attitude is not abrupt," he said, soothing her emotions, his voice slowly turning cold. "I even think your attitude is a bit too gentle. I don't know what your sensory ability is like. Perhaps you should sense that not only do I not hold goodwill towards you, but I might even have some disgust."
Everyone present was shocked.
"I am not disgusted with you for destroying my body, for smashing the crystal coffin I left for future medical ninjas, nor am I disgusted with you for disturbing the peace of my soul. I am even somewhat glad to have returned to the world of the living."
He spoke his thoughts very frankly, his arms slightly spread as he looked at his own hands. "It would have been even better if I hadn't discovered during the battle that this forbidden jutsu used to bring me back from the Pure Land sacrificed a living person's life."
"Tobirama," Hashirama looked at his younger brother again.
"This is my fault." Tobirama didn't care about his mistake and explained nonchalantly. "The ninjas of our era have a clear gap with the era Lord Emiya was in. Our methods of dealing with enemies are very harsh, and we don't care how we use their lives."
Is this sort of thing even worth making a fuss about?
This was a difference in ideals between two eras.
"Perhaps," Shirou seemed to believe him. "Perhaps I'm just being too sensitive. However, someone used a living person as a sacrifice to create a forbidden jutsu, which means that person themselves does not respect life, but only treats human life as a tool and a consumable."
A hint of unease appeared on Tobirama's face.
Wait... this accusation... isn't it a bit too heavy?
"I'm sorry. Actually, I kind of hate this era. As a medical ninja, saving a person's life is a difficult thing. But for the ninjas of your era, killing is like breathing. It's a norm I cannot understand or agree with."
He looked at the ashamed Hashirama and Mito, then at the grim-faced Tobirama, and said what he most wanted to express today.
"If you think I don't have much goodwill towards you, and might even be somewhat disgusted by your actions, please don't be surprised." After speaking, he bowed his head slightly towards Mito as a sign of apology.
From now on, I believe no one should doubt him anymore. The only remaining trouble is that when the truth is exposed in the future, besides Black Zetsu, some other people might not be in a good mood.
Mito quickly took a small step back. After all, she knew this was not his fault.
"This is not Lord Emiya's problem," Hashirama sighed, his face also showing some shame. "It is the fault of our era. We are the ones who should be most ashamed."
"Even so," Tobirama frowned. He ultimately didn't argue, but just sighed. "This is still the best era in a thousand years."
"Hmph. Just listen to what he says," the Nine-Tails mocked from within Mito's sealing space. "Anyway, he's always concerned about those patients and the weak. We should just do what we need to do. That guy's disposition is naive."
" There are many people in this world who deserve to die, but he always likes to cling to that foolish idea of respecting life."
"So naive and foolish. Back in the ancient era, he saved many people who shouldn't have been saved. It was the slug that secretly followed and killed those ill-intentioned guys!"
"But," Mito couldn't help but defend him within the sealing space. "Respecting life is not Lord Emiya's fault."
"Hmph. He's too soft-hearted!" the Nine-Tails grinned, a malicious smile on its face. "Just now, I wanted him to become a jinchuriki, hoping this guy would learn to kill. You know, a good person like him will definitely be used by bad people."
It immediately used Tobirama as an example. "Now his soul can't even rest in peace. Isn't he being used by you people from Konoha?"
Mito felt even more ashamed.
"Tobirama, release Lord Emiya's Impure World Reincarnation." Hashirama's voice had calmed down. Generally, the calmer he was, the more resolute his attitude. "The people of our era should no longer disturb his soul's peace. Having his soul appear in our era is a defilement."
"Hashirama," Mito looked at her husband with some worry.
"Brother!" Tobirama wanted to persuade him. "The situation inside the village is still unstable, and other ninja villages are still eyeing our Land of Fire."
Hashirama's attitude was exceptionally firm. "If I cannot change the ninja world before I die, it is my fault! And there's the threat of Madara."
"I will solve the trouble of Madara before I die!"
Shirou was a bit silent. Did I go a bit too far?
"Alright!" As Tobirama slowly formed hand seals, he glanced sideways at Shirou and said as if unintentionally, "Even if my brother dies one day, Madara will destroy Konoha, and the ninja world will fall back into the Warring States period because of it, I will also put my own life on the line."
"There's no need for that," Shirou quickly stopped him. Fortunately, Tobirama had offered him a way out. Even if he hadn't, Shirou was planning to speak up, but it's always smoother to step down when someone gives you a ladder.
Perhaps it's like-minded people who like to play tricks. I feel that he and I are quite in sync at times.
His eyes lowered slightly.
"First Hokage of Konoha, I learned your story from your younger brother's mouth. He was right about one thing: your life is tied to the peace of this era. Coincidentally, I also want to stay a little longer to see if I still have the ability to change this era."
He reminded everyone not to mind his malice towards them. "I hope that when we get along, you won't mind that I might not like your ways."