I Hate This Era—Isn't That the Fault of Your Era?

Mito Uzumaki was shaken.

The Nine-Tails' answer from within her was painfully harsh!

Yet it was also painfully true. Why should Konoha expect goodwill from someone who did not even care about the Sage of Six Paths?

"Lord Shirou."

After hearing the Nine-Tails' explanation, Mito Uzumaki realized her own arrogance and felt somewhat ashamed, wanting to step forward and explain herself.

"I'm truly sorry..."

"My question was far too abrupt..."

Mito Uzumaki felt apologetic for her rashness.

The Nine-Tails' explanation only deepened her guilt, making her regret asking that question without thinking.

And now...

The Nine-Tails had given an answer that made people feel ashamed of themselves.

It made Mito Uzumaki vaguely feel that she and the people of this era could barely hold their heads up before Shirou Emiya.

"Mito's perception must be wrong!"

Hashirama Senju hurriedly stopped his wife. He still held some idealized admiration for the role model of his childhood and loudly explained, "The first time using the Nine-Tails' Chakra must have—"

"There's no mistake."

Shirou Emiya smiled magnanimously. As though unaware that Mito Uzumaki could learn the answer from the Nine-Tails, he waved it off without concern. "The question you wanted to ask also sounds familiar. I remember someone asking me that a long time ago..."

Mito Uzumaki felt a little embarrassed.

Because the Nine-Tails had indeed asked that question, and she already knew the answer. She was considering how to smooth things over.

However...

Mito Uzumaki could never have imagined...

That this question and its answer...

Were one of the reasons Shirou Emiya and the Nine-Tails had first come into contact.

Because Nine Tails Chakra Mode could sense human goodwill, evil, and hostility, Shirou Emiya had noticed this potential hidden danger and taken precautions to avoid trouble in the future.

However, Shirou Emiya had not expected...

That a question which should have arisen decades later would be asked of him now. Perhaps this was also the result of the friendship he and the Nine-Tails had formed.

"Your attitude wasn't abrupt."

"I even think you were being a little too gentle."

Shirou Emiya soothed Mito Uzumaki's emotions, but his voice gradually turned cold. "I don't know exactly how capable your perception is. Perhaps you should have sensed that I don't merely bear goodwill toward you. I may even feel some disgust..."

"!!!"

Everyone present was startled.

"I don't despise you for destroying my corpse, or for smashing the Crystal Coffin I left behind for future Medical Ninjas. Nor do I despise you for disturbing the peace of my soul. I am even somewhat fortunate to have returned to the living world."

Shirou Emiya spoke frankly of his thoughts. He spread his arms slightly and looked at his own hands.

"It would have been better if, during battle, I hadn't discovered that this forbidden technique used to return me from the Underworld to the living world had sacrificed a living person's life..."

"Tobirama..."

Hashirama Senju looked at his younger brother once more.

"This was my failing."

Tobirama Senju did not care much about his own mistake and explained indifferently, "The ninjas of our era are clearly different from those of Lord Shirou's era. Our methods toward enemies are extremely harsh. We don't care how their lives are used..."

Was that...

Really worth being so surprised about?

It was simply a difference in values between two eras.

"Perhaps."

"Perhaps I'm simply too sensitive."

Shirou Emiya seemed to accept Tobirama Senju's explanation and calmly said, "However, someone using living people as sacrifices to create a forbidden technique means they do not respect life itself. They merely treat human lives as tools and expendable materials..."

A trace of unease appeared on Tobirama Senju's face.

No...

Wasn't that accusation...

A little too serious?!

"I'm sorry."

"Actually, I somewhat hate this era."

"As a Medical Ninja, saving a person's life is a difficult thing."

"But for ninjas of your era, killing is as natural as breathing. To you, killing is a normal state of affairs that I cannot understand or accept..."

Shirou Emiya looked at the ashamed Hashirama Senju and Mito Uzumaki, then at the grim-faced Tobirama Senju, and spoke the words he had most wanted to express today.

"If you think I bear little goodwill toward you, or even feel some disgust toward your actions, then please do not find it strange."

After speaking, Shirou Emiya lowered his head slightly toward Mito Uzumaki in apology, hoping she could forgive his honesty.

From now on...

Surely no one would suspect him again.

The only future concern was that when the truth came out, besides Black Zetsu, there might be some others who would not be in a very good mood.

Mito Uzumaki hurriedly took a few small steps back.

After all, she knew this was not Shirou Emiya's fault.

"This isn't Lord Shirou's problem."

Hashirama Senju sighed, shame also visible on his face. "It is the fault of our era. We are the ones who should feel most ashamed..."

"Even so..."

Tobirama Senju frowned. In the end, he did not defend himself and merely sighed. "This is still the best era in a thousand years."

"Hmph..."

"Just listen to what he says."

"Anyway, he has always cared about those patients and weaklings."

The Nine-Tails lay within Mito Uzumaki's Sealing Space. Relying on the fact that Shirou Emiya could not hear it, it mockingly ridiculed him without concern. "We should still do whatever we need to do..."

"That guy is too naïve..."

"There are plenty of people in this world who deserve to die, yet Shirou Emiya always insists on clinging to that stupid idea of respecting life..."

"How naïve and foolish..."

"Back in the Ancient Era, he saved plenty of people who should not have been saved. Slug had to secretly follow them and kill that group of ill-intentioned bastards!"

"But..."

Mito Uzumaki frowned and could not help defending Shirou Emiya within the Sealing Space. "Respecting life isn't Lord Shirou's fault..."

"Hmph..."

"He's far too softhearted!"

The Nine-Tails grinned, revealing a malicious smile. "I wanted him to become a Jinchuriki just now because I hoped that guy would learn how to kill..."

"You should know..."

"A good person like him..."

"Will definitely be used by bad people."

After saying that, the Nine-Tails immediately used Tobirama Senju as an example. "Even now, his soul cannot rest in peace in the Underworld. Isn't that because you Konoha people used him?"

Mito Uzumaki felt even more ashamed.

"Tobirama."

"Release Lord Shirou's Impure World Reincarnation."

Hashirama Senju's voice calmed somewhat. "People of our era should no longer disturb Lord Shirou's soul. Bringing his soul into our era is a stain upon it..."

Generally speaking...

The calmer Hashirama Senju was, the more resolute his attitude was.

"Hashirama..."

Mito Uzumaki looked at her husband with concern.

"Brother!"

Tobirama Senju wanted to persuade his older brother to calm down and hurriedly offered a reason. "The situation within the village is still unstable, and the other ninja villages have always coveted the Land of Fire where Konoha is located..."

Hashirama Senju's attitude was exceptionally firm, and his expression turned especially stern. "If I cannot change the Shinobi World before I die, then that will be my failure!"

"And Madara's threat..."

Tobirama Senju brought up Madara Uchiha's threat once more.

"I will resolve Madara's problem before I die!"

Hashirama Senju's determination was unwavering.

Shirou Emiya fell a little silent.

Had he...

Gone a little too far?

"Fine!"

As Tobirama Senju slowly brought his hands together to form seals, he cast Shirou Emiya a sidelong glance and spoke as though casually. "Even if Brother dies someday, Madara destroys Konoha, and the Shinobi World falls back into the Warring States Period because of it, I will still stake my life—"

"Don't do that."

Shirou Emiya hurriedly stopped Tobirama Senju.

Fortunately...

Tobirama Senju had voluntarily offered him a way out!

Even if Tobirama Senju had not offered him one, Shirou Emiya had intended to persuade them himself. Still, it was smoother to step down when someone provided the opening...

Perhaps those who enjoyed scheming understood one another without words.

Shirou Emiya felt that he and Tobirama Senju occasionally worked quite well together. His eyes lowered slightly.

"First Hokage of Konoha, I learned your story from your younger brother. He was right about one thing: your life is tied to the peace of this era..."

"As it happens..."

"I also want to remain a while longer..."

"To see whether I still have the ability to change this era..."

Shirou Emiya reminded everyone present not to care about any ill will he might feel toward them. "I hope that while we are together, you will not mind that I may dislike your way of doing things..."