Watching the few Spirit Beasts lazily basking in the sun on a bench across from him, Yuhara gradually began to doze off as well.
At a time and in a scene like this, it really was easy to get sleepy.
Yuhara was not especially vigilant. His relaxation was genuine, because even if something suddenly happened in Konoha, it could not possibly be aimed at an insignificant nobody like him.
Not long after Yuhara had fallen asleep, he suddenly sensed someone approaching him. He immediately opened his eyes and saw an old man sitting at the other end of the bench.
After seeing what the other man looked like, Yuhara clearly froze for a moment. Then he calmly looked away and continued staring straight ahead at the Spirit Beasts... The old man sitting beside him was not an ordinary old man. He was a retired old man with a pipe between his lips.
Perhaps it was precisely because he had retired that he had some free time and had begun exploring how to live out his retirement. There was nothing strange about this encounter, after all. They were simply two people with far too much free time.
"A ninja? Looks like you are. Why are you so slovenly at such a young age? You should look more spirited—at the very least, you should look energetic. Otherwise, how will good luck ever favor you?"
The old man spoke differently from how Yuhara remembered him. In Yuhara's impression, this man should have been more of a "good-natured old man." Still, what he was saying now did have a certain "old man" quality to it.
There was nothing wrong with what he had said, either. Yuhara did look a little slovenly... Ever since coming to this world, he had barely taken proper care of himself.
"You are right. Young people really should look more spirited."
Some things really were rather mystical. People who lacked vitality truly did not seem to have much luck. Wasn't there a common saying for that—"wearing a look of misfortune"?
Yuhara had meant to express his agreement, but the old man found his words rather strange. Then he realized what was wrong... This young man had changed sides awfully quickly. How had he suddenly started criticizing young people along with him?
"You just came back from the front line?"
"Yeah. I went through some unpleasant things."
"War is unpleasant by nature. Every ninja experiences all kinds of helpless situations. I was the same when I was your age."
Yuhara thought for a moment before trying, "There are still some differences. Our strength is certainly different, but more importantly... I have gone to the front line several times, yet no one has ever taught me even a single ninjutsu."
Of course, not all ninjas were the same. Some people were disciples of the Hokage and could basically learn whatever they wanted. But what about someone like Yuhara?
He could learn jack squat. He had even taught himself everything from elementary school onward.
The old man did not think much of it. Young ninjas often complained about their lack of strength and unfair treatment.
"In any case, the war is nearing its end. Even if some unpleasant things happened in the past, you can now start imagining how you want to live in the future, because that future is no longer an unreachable luxury."
Hearing this, Yuhara turned his head and looked at the old man's face, where wrinkles had begun to appear.
"Have you ever heard a story like this? Once, there was a religion. When it had just been founded, its priests would earnestly and equally spread its teachings to believers and those who might become believers. But as the religion established a church and became highly organized, its hierarchy began to divide. The authority to interpret the doctrine was firmly seized by the church. Although ordinary believers were also members of the church, all they could do was pray.
"Isn't that somewhat contradictory? The teachings of the god were supposed to be spread equally, yet those who received 'divine revelation' first monopolized that right. Isn't that unfair? Whether someone is wise or foolish, capable or incapable—if that is determined solely by who came first, isn't that unreasonable?"
"A discussion about religion? Things certainly would not develop so simply, but in general terms, there is nothing seriously wrong with what you said."
The old man had stepped straight into the trap.
Yuhara nodded, then continued, "According to legend, in ancient times, the Sage of Six Paths founded the Ninja Sect and began spreading the essence of Chakra equally among the people. But that equality was only the equality of that time. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the equality of that time created the inequality of today... Today, the difference between civilian ninjas and clan ninjas is enormous. Yet weren't clan ninjas also civilian ninjas many years ago?"
In fact, aside from the Otsutsuki family, everyone had been a civilian ninja.
"In the current Ninja World War, civilian ninjas are not sitting idle on the battlefield. Yet even if they risk their lives without hesitation, the role they can ultimately play is limited. Why is that? Because they have benefited only from Chakra's spread, not from the spread of techniques... Techniques have never been spread.
"So if you ask what I want to do after the war ends, I have only one small wish: to prove that, given the same education and training conditions, civilian ninjas will not be inferior to clan ninjas..."
Although there was already a living example proving this, that case was usually treated as an extreme exception.
You are supposed to be a slovenly young man, so why do you have such a sharp-edged idea, one almost tinged with killing intent...? The retired old man finally understood what Yuhara was talking about.
He had merely been bored and intended to chat with someone at random, showing concern for a young ninja's mental well-being. He had not expected to run into such an unexpected situation.
Although Yuhara's final words sounded like the stubbornness of youth, what he truly wanted could be described with two more fitting words—"equal rights."
Hadn't his story begun with the Sage of Six Paths?
So what Yuhara meant was: the Sage of Six Paths' great undertaking had collapsed before it was half-built. The rest would be left to him.
The retired old man was a little dumbfounded. He hoped young people would have ideals, but this ideal was a little too grand. The old man's feelings could therefore be summed up in one sentence...
Fuck, you did not become successful by teaching yourself elementary school. You dropped out of art school, didn't you?
Faced with such an ideal, the retired old man felt as if he had become the representative of the "backward, conservative forces."
"The idea is good, but you are bound to encounter enormous resistance."
From the Hokage's perspective, Yuhara's proposal would certainly receive support. From the perspective of the clan leaders, however, it would certainly meet with opposition.
"I have nothing else to do anyway. I might as well give it a try." Yuhara spoke casually.
Whether people supported or opposed him, Yuhara did not actually care. He had merely been telling a story.
Konoha was already rotten enough, so why not try stirring it into the most rotten mess possible?
He had nothing else to do anyway. Even if he failed, there would be no real loss.
Before you continue