How does one gain such vision?
How does one see clearly?
Roy stared at Maha across the rocking chair. The old man seemed to read the doubt in his eyes and chuckled. "It's simple. Give it your all... and hit me."
A person is not born powerful, nor are they born with all the world's knowledge. The people they meet and the things they experience eventually reflect in their perception.
Coincidentally, the very foundation of awakening Nen originates from perception.
The old man and the young boy sat quietly in the dim room. A breeze caught the corner of the curtain, letting in a few slivers of bright light that fell upon them.
Zeno, who had not yet walked far; Silva, who was supporting Kikyo and calling for Tsubone to take her back to her bedroom; they all seemed to feel a sudden pull of intuition. They stopped in their tracks, looking back through the heavy stone walls of the ancient castle.
Stunned by Maha's words, Roy fell into deep thought.
His all? What exactly was his "all"?
'I have the travel abilities granted by the [Gate of Cognition]. I have the Book of Mimicry that copies the talents of others through the [Monster Encyclopedia]. I have Nen properties derived from the Yin-Yang and Five Elements, along with various ninjutsu. I have my Hidden Release, the Swamp Space, the Sharingan, Genjutsu, and... LV4 Mastery of Domain Swordsmanship.'
There were too many things. Was this what people called the "burden of choice"?
No, Roy knew his great-grandfather. The old man loved to joke around, but he never spoke without purpose.
Furthermore, this was Kukuroo Mountain—the Zoldyck family's ancestral castle for nearly a century and the very room where Maha spent his retirement. If they fought here... wasn't the old man afraid Roy would destroy their home?
His thoughts churned, and his brow furrowed. Roy felt lost.
The boy lowered his head, staring blankly at his palms. Suddenly, a sharp flick to his forehead snapped him back to reality. When he looked up, Maha had stood on his tiptoes to grab Roy's head in his hands.
"Child, have you forgotten what you just told your younger brother?" Maha gently stroked the boy's forehead. Bathed in the sunlight, his withered frame seemed to grow taller. He looked at Roy with profound meaning. "To love others, one must first love oneself."
"You said you've gained some insight and met some people. I believe you. But..."
"What about you?"
"Where have you placed yourself?"
"And where have you placed the followers who believe in you, rely on you, and push you forward?"
It was like a sudden clap of thunder in a clear sky!
The realization exploded in Roy's heart. He stared at Maha, and for a fleeting moment, he saw a giant who reached the heavens, wielding a hammer of lightning. One strike...
The hammer shattered the mist in his mind, punching a hole through the confusion and revealing ten thousand rays of rising dawn light.
"I understand."
"Tell me, then."
"You want me to clarify my own heart and define my position."
"And?"
"And..." The confusion vanished from Roy's eyes, replaced by a brightness more intense than ever before. He looked at Maha and smiled brilliantly. He asked a question in return: "Great-grandfather, do you believe in the light?"
Maha laughed. He laughed happily and with great satisfaction. A withered old hand slid from the boy's head to his shoulder, patting it twice. "Of course!"
"My grandson must be the light. He has to be. Only light can bring hope to people, to life, and to this world."
The old man let go of Roy and turned back to lie on his rocking chair. He looked out the window at the vibrant sunlight, the birds, and the flowers. He saw figures moving about—Milluki, Luka, the butlers, the beasts, and the masters. All of them, through their different identities and roles, formed the "Zoldyck Family."
He spoke with a deep, haunting tone. "Managing a family is hard, leading a team is harder. What then of a city or a country?"
"Roy, if you, as a leader, are blurred in your own positioning, I suggest you give up on the path of [Faith] as soon as possible."
A revolution needs a manifesto, just as Nen cannot exist without the heart. Roy bowed respectfully to the old man. "Thank you for the lesson, Great-grandfather."
Maha waved him off dismissively, his eyelids drooping once more. Roy took his cue to leave, turning around and quietly closing the door.
Creak—The door opened and shut.
The sound of footsteps gradually faded.
A moment later, Nen surged around Maha. A gentle, hazy silhouette emerged, watching the boy leave. She looked down and gave Maha a reproachful glance. "The child is still young. Couldn't you have waited?"
"No." Maha opened his eyes, his expression solemn. "You saw it too. He doesn't have that much time."
Betty fell silent. She sat beside Maha's legs. Unfortunately, as a "Post-Mortem Nen" entity attached to Maha's body by a thread of obsession, she no longer had a physical form. She was merely a wandering soul.
Thankfully, a wisp of Nen light enveloped her. Maha, his hand infused with [Ten], reached out to take her hand and pulled her into his embrace. The man and the ghost shared a moment of warmth in the small room on this bright morning.
As she always did, Betty pressed her head against Maha's chest, listening to his heartbeat and sensing the heavy thoughts on his mind.
She looked up and cupped his face. "Is it... because someone has projected themselves into this world?"
Maha frowned and remained silent. Betty understood. "Is it... a [God]?"
"They cannot descend."
"Then... his followers?" Betty pressed further. "A [God-servant] or an [Angel]?"
"It's unclear for now. Silva is investigating."
"Regardless of who it is, crossing Lake Mobius and penetrating the human world is no easy task. They would lose at least eighty percent of their power in the process..." A rare, dangerous gleam flashed in Maha's weathered eyes. He added one final sentence.
"I can handle it!"
Betty said nothing. She tried to smooth the wrinkles on Maha's face, but they reappeared immediately. She sighed softly. Her lover had, after all, grown old.
As for her, she was a remnant. She wanted to help but was powerless. If only she could be resurrected—if the thousands of comrades who had died alongside Maha could be brought back...
Perhaps then, Maha wouldn't have to face these burdens alone.
Unfortunately, there were no "ifs" in this world.
A gust of wind blew, causing the willows in the courtyard to sway.
Meanwhile, in the parallel space of the Naruto world.
Inside the Hokage Building—which looked like a giant rice cooker turned upside down in the middle of the village.
Hiruzen Sarutobi had returned from the Academy to his office. He immediately ordered the Anbu to summon Fugaku Uchiha to discuss Roy's "school bombing" incident.
However, before his rear could even warm the chair, he was stunned by the scroll Fugaku abruptly handed him: the [Limb Regeneration Technique].
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. He glanced at Fugaku, then lowered his head to study the scroll carefully. Waves of shock crashed through his mind. The first thing he thought of was a certain forbidden jutsu called—
"Reanimation Jutsu!"
That S-rank Interdimensional Summoning jutsu, developed by his teacher, the Second Hokage Tobirama Senju, could call back the souls of the dead and restore them to life in physical forms. It had shone brilliantly during the Second Shinobi World War. It had made Chiyo sigh and was evaluated as "despicable" yet coveted by the Second Tsuchikage, Mu. It truly deserved its S-rank status, and even a "Professor" of ninjutsu like himself found it amazing.
But right now, in this office, that jutsu didn't shock him nearly as much as the [Limb Regeneration Technique] in his hands!
One must understand that a shinobi must use hand signs to channel chakra and perform jutsu. Even the "God of Shinobi," the First Hokage, could not avoid this. This showed how vital a pair of hands was to a ninja!
Especially considering the many disabled veterans in Konoha who had lost limbs in the war and were forced to end their ninja careers... Hiruzen pressed his hand firmly on the scroll on his desk and looked deeply at Fugaku. "Fugaku, you have truly given me a massive surprise."
"Limb Regeneration is exactly what it sounds like. With this jutsu, every disabled person in Konoha will owe you a personal favor from this day forward."
"It was a lucky find on the battlefield, Lord Hokage. You overpraise me." Fugaku Uchiha maintained his usual stiff, cold demeanor. His expression masked his emotions, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking.
'A find on the battlefield?' If an enemy ninja had possessed such a technique, why had no one seen it performed?
Hiruzen mentally reviewed the battle reports from the front lines. He didn't recall any mention of an enemy regenerating limbs or showing extraordinary self-healing abilities.
He suddenly thought of someone. He chuckled softly and said in a neutral tone, "Let's talk about Jin."
"At such a young age, not only is his [Fire Style] impressive, but he could even develop a [Limb Regeneration Technique] on his own. Fugaku..."
Hiruzen stared intently at Fugaku's face, not missing a single micro-expression as he praised him. "You truly have a wonderful son."
Fugaku felt a jolt of alarm, but outwardly, he looked like a parent frustrated beyond belief. "Lord Hokage is making fun of me. Jin doesn't know his own strength. Destroying the Academy walls in public must be strictly punished!"
"When I return, I will immediately strike him from the school registry and hand him over to the Police Force for trial and detention!"
'Is it really not him?' Hiruzen looked suspiciously at the apparently furious Fugaku. He stopped his musing and waved a hand with a chuckle. "He's just a child. There's no need to be so serious."
"In my opinion, not only should he not be punished, but he should also be encouraged."
"I think staying in the Academy is a waste of his talent. I authorize his early graduation."
"Lord Hokage, this... this goes against the regulations."
"Regulations are static, but people are dynamic. When necessary, we make exceptions."
Hiruzen made the decision final. He waved his hand and spoke warmly to Fugaku. "You've been up all night as well. I grant you a day off to go back and rest. Once I've settled on a selection for his jonin instructor, I will notify you and Jin."
Fugaku bowed. "I understand."
He turned and left the room.
Creak—The door to the Hokage's office opened and shut.
The sound of footsteps faded. After Fugaku left, Hiruzen leaned against the edge of his desk with his back to the bright window. After a long while, he pulled open a drawer and took out a scroll containing Roy's detailed information. He spread it out and stared at it for a time. He instinctively reached for his crystal ball, but halfway there, he silently withdrew his hand.
'The Hokage's fire is just fire. It cannot cover the Uchiha, nor can it cover the shinobi world.'
The boy's face, those eyes, that sentence, and that massive fireball that covered half the training ground—it was all still vivid in his mind. Hiruzen whispered to himself, "Is it really not you?"
He picked up a brush and added a note next to Roy's name, "Jin Uchiha."
'A genius Uchiha with immense talent and potential. Suspected to be the true creator of the [Limb Regeneration Technique]...'
Hiruzen stopped writing. After the words "Perhaps he could...", he found himself unable to continue.
He knew clearly that the boy understood the Will of Fire. But did that Will of Fire include the Uchiha? Just as he had felt on the training ground, Hiruzen hesitated.
"You're back?"
"Mm."
Fugaku arrived at the entrance, taking off his shoes as he asked Mikoto, "Where's Jin?"
"Asleep."
Mikoto Uchiha took her husband's combat vest and sighed helplessly. "He said the midday sun is perfect for sleeping. He even told Itachi not to let anyone disturb him. He's just like when he was little—a real sleepyhead."
Fugaku smiled. He wanted to wake the boy up to talk, but ultimately decided against it.
"Let him sleep."
"I'll eat first."
"I saved some for you." Mikoto accompanied Fugaku to the dining table and sat with her chin in her hands, watching him eat. Thinking about the Academy, she asked, "What did the Hokage say?"
"Early graduation," Fugaku said concisely.
Mikoto was surprised. "This early?"
'Precisely because it's early... it draws too much attention.'
Fugaku put down his chopsticks and sighed. "I used to hope he was a genius so he wouldn't embarrass the Uchiha. Now... I wish as few people knew about him as possible."
"What's wrong?" Mikoto asked. "Isn't it good that our son is successful?"
"It is, of course. But I'm afraid certain people will start overthinking." Fugaku recalled the sudden probe from Hiruzen in the office. Fortunately, his reaction had been quick enough to fake anger and brush it off. He took a napkin and frowned as he wiped his mouth. "Jin cannot and must not come to harm. His importance to the Uchiha is beyond anyone else."
"At least..."
"At this stage, I don't want too many eyes on him."
"This is the unanimous opinion of myself and Elder Yashiro."
"It's also why I claimed the [Limb Regeneration Technique] was a find from the battlefield."
"Can you really keep it hidden?" Mikoto asked.
"No." Fugaku gave a bitter smile. "He blew up the school and graduated early. It's impossible not to be famous now. We'll just have to see who the Third Hokage assigns as his jonin instructor."
Mikoto fell silent.
She had never imagined that one day she would worry because her son was too outstanding. She sighed along with him.
"Regardless, Anata, you should sleep too."
Mikoto winked playfully at Fugaku. "While the children are all asleep..."
She sat on Fugaku's lap and wrapped her slender arms around his neck. Fugaku's eyes widened.
'I finally get a day off, and you want to...'