Chapter 35: I Will Use My Eyes to Illuminate the World!
"Hidan, do you still remember your ninja way?"
Tsukasa's eyes became sharp, staring directly at the silver-haired youth before him.
Under this sincere and fervent gaze, Hidan's eyes unconsciously looked away as he murmured:
"My ninja way..."
"Yes!"
"YOUR ninja way!"
"You pointed your nose to the sky and confidently jabbed your thumb at your chest!"
"You shouted that you—someone with nothing—wanted to become the leader of Yugakure, end the chaos in the Land of Hot Water, drive out all foreign shinobi from this land, and become the next demigod!"
Tsukasa looked directly at Hidan, the corners of his mouth curving into a slight smile as he teased:
"Those were your exact words. Do you need me to help you remember?"
A trace of embarrassment crossed Hidan's face, his expression complicated as he stammered in reply:
"That... that was just..."
However, before he could finish, Tsukasa interrupted with a cold tone:
"You want to say it was just big talk? Empty words? Lies?"
"That the real world is far crueler than your dreams?"
He grabbed Hidan's collar, the tomoe swirling in his scarlet eyes with overwhelming intensity.
"Don't be ridiculous!"
"You deny your own heart, your own will, your own dreams, then accept harsh reality, filling your empty head with false hope, pushing yourself toward the executioner's block while shaking your head and begging mercy from beings more powerful than Yugakure!"
"What's the difference between living like that and being dead?"
"Wait, I..." Hidan choked on his words, as if desperately trying to justify something, searching for legitimate excuses for his actions, trying to convince Tsukasa that his path was correct—the best option when no other choices existed.
But Hidan couldn't continue.
Because deep down, he knew that the Jashin Cult's philosophy of "kill to stop killing, slaughter everything" was nothing more than drinking poison to quench thirst.
Tsukasa exhaled deeply and spoke gravely:
"Hidan!"
"You're a determined man, ready to die. You want to sacrifice yourself in exchange for Lord Jashin's blessing!"
"But I'm telling you—this is just escape!"
Tsukasa's words struck like a hammer against Hidan's heart, shattering the protective barriers he'd built around himself.
Stripping away the Jashin Cult's sugar coating revealed nothing but rotting filth beneath!
This forced Hidan to confront reality.
His face flushed, then paled, veins bulging across his forehead. His hand suddenly grasped Tsukasa's grip on his collar.
He tried to pry it loose, but with his strength, how could he possibly match Tsukasa, already a skilled genin?
Finally, his face burning red, he lashed out at Tsukasa:
"Enough! Tsukasa, enough!"
"Get away from me! I don't need your pity! I don't want your lectures!"
"I've heard all this countless times in the Land of Hot Water over the past ten years!"
"How could you possibly understand my situation, my suffering?"
"I should have expected this from a shinobi of the Great Nations!"
"Don't you find that condescending expression of yours disgusting?!"
Yet facing Hidan's hysteria, Tsukasa smiled.
"Really?"
He grabbed Hidan by the collar and slammed him to the ground, his expression growing increasingly fierce.
Then, like a final boss confronting a Level 1 hero wielding a starter village sword, he crushed the boy's so-called dreams as worthless!
Tsukasa's eyes flashed with ferocity as he shouted:
"Listen to me, boy—"
"I'm not preaching to you—I'm proving to you—"
"My ninja way is superior to yours!"
Tsukasa released Hidan, stood up, and gazed at the full moon in the boundless night sky. His eyes gradually grew profound.
He remained silent for a moment, then looked down with defiant indifference:
"Hidan."
"The Land of Hot Water, as you see it, is merely a tiny corner of the entire shinobi world!"
"Your goal is just a small fragment of my ninja way—something I'll accomplish eventually!"
"And my ninja way—"
Tsukasa suddenly opened his crimson Sharingan wide, his tone shifting dramatically.
In a voice cold and emotionless, he spoke calmly:
"Is to overthrow the existing Five Great Nations, unify the entire shinobi world, and end the endless wars that have plagued us since the Warring States Period!"
"To bring eternal peace to this world!"
"This is what I must accomplish, even if it means facing life and death!"
"I will use these eyes of mine to illuminate the entire world!"
As those words fell, sudden silence descended around them.
Hidan stared in shock, along with the girl with long reddish-brown hair, and Shinnō, who had been sitting quietly in the corner as if he barely existed—
All simultaneously fixed their gazes on Tsukasa.
Their eyes flickered, as if deeply moved by his declaration.
Hidan swallowed hard, looking at Tsukasa with amazement.
"Tsukasa, you..."
Before Hidan could say anything more, the girl with long reddish-brown hair stood up from the tree stump beside them, calmly examining Tsukasa as if he were completely insane.
Then she asked coldly:
"What will you use to fulfill your ninja way? What makes you dare promise such things? What gives you the confidence to accomplish something that's never been done before?"
"Standing before you are the Five Great Nations—the entire shinobi world!"
"Sarutobi Hiruzen, known as the Professor and strongest Hokage; A, the Third Raikage with the ultimate spear and shield; Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage who's transcended bloodline limits to reach Dust Release; the Legendary Sannin, the demigod Hanzo, the Tailed Beasts, the Jinchūriki"
"So many renowned shinobi, legendary beings, wouldn't dare utter such boasts!"
"What makes you think you can?!"
The girl's words rang out powerfully, her accusation like a sharp blade pressed against Tsukasa's throat, leaving him no room to maneuver.
Yet Tsukasa didn't even consider avoiding this question.
As someone sent from another world with a clear purpose, his mission had been determined from the beginning. Therefore, he could speak without hesitation and with absolute determination:
"The important thing was never what you say, but what you do! It's not about escape!"
"No one stands at the top from the beginning. No matter how difficult the task, it's achieved step by step."
Then he looked at Hidan with his shocked expression and said calmly:
"Hidan, you and I are no different."
"Compared to the entire shinobi world, all I have is this insignificant life!"
"But I just need to ensure my feet are set firmly on this path."
"As long as I stand at the front of this road, my back will naturally attract countless people to follow me!"
"Even if I fall, there will be thousands more like me standing behind me!"
Tsukasa spoke with certainty and unwavering resolve, without any evasion:
"In the end, this dream will become reality!"
"And I've already taken the first step toward realizing my ideal!"
"Now it's simply a matter of taking the second step—"
"Starting from the Land of Hot Water!"
"Starting from right here!"
"I will end the chaos in this land!"
"Bring peace to this country!"
[System Notification: You have accepted a new mission - Personally end the Hot Water Rebellion.]
End of Chapter 35
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