Naruto Bloodline Theory? Just Trash

The war had not been launched for the time being.

What about Hizashi Hyuga, then?

Was Haku's death meaningless?

Did he deserve it?

Was Neji Hyuga supposed to lose his father from childhood???

Kumogakure had clearly been the ones who committed the crime.

Why, instead, did the Hyuga Clan have to apologize?

A murder had taken place on Konoha's own soil, yet their own people had to take responsibility???

What kind of spineless regime and logic was this?

"Nagato, how did your parents die back then? Have you forgotten?"

Mingren struck straight at Nagato's heart.

"!"

Nagato's pupils constricted.

The most painful thing in his life was the death of his parents.

During the last Ninja World War, he had still been a child.

Two Konoha shinobi had broken into his home and killed his parents...

Because of that, the incident had remained a deep, unresolved wound in his heart.

"Ise and Fusang were a married couple. One was a renowned doctor, while the other was a housewife..."

As Mingren calmly recounted the story,

everyone relived the tale of Nagato's parents once more.

"When the Second Shinobi World War broke out, Ise and Fusang disregarded their own safety and insisted on treating the civilians and shinobi of the Land of Rain. In the end, they died at the hands of Konoha shinobi..."

Mingren's words made Nagato recall that tragedy once again.

His breathing quickened, and his gaze began to tremble.

"So... your parents deserved to die? They deserved to lose their lives for your so-called greater good? Why should innocent people pay for the sins committed by Konoha's invaders?"

"You refuse to deal with Konoha's invaders. They killed your parents, yet you refuse to deal with them too. Instead, you turn around and say... that if you resist Konoha's invaders, people will get hurt and die in the future... What kind of bullshit logic is that? Is your brain full of shit?"

"I... I..."

Nagato staggered back several steps.

His pupils dilated, and his breathing became even more ragged.

The interrogation of his heart, coupled with the tragedy he did not want to remember, had clearly destabilized his mind.

"Nagato...!"

Konan immediately supported him, her face full of worry.

Yahiko's brow furrowed tightly as well. He suddenly realized that in tonight's verbal clash, their side had probably... lost.

"This world... is far too cruel to Good People and far too tolerant of evil people!"

Mingren took another step forward.

The Akatsuki Organization members actually began to feel as though they were the ones in the wrong.

"Evil people deserve to die! Only Good People have the right to live in this world! I will kill every last evil person, so that the moment they even think of doing evil, they'll be too terrified to sleep..."

"Fate... truly is strange..."

As Mingren continued his rebuke,

Hanzo Shook His Head.

Ise and Fusang.

Hanzo remembered their names and had met them before.

That couple had been extremely famous back then.

They had been selfless figures active on the battlefield.

Many civilians and shinobi of the Land of Rain had received treatment from them, gaining the chance to survive.

Hanzo studied Nagato's red hair and could not help sighing. "He looks so much like her..."

That hair color was exactly the same as his mother's...

Yet he had never expected

that Ise and Fusang would be killed by Konoha shinobi, meeting such an end.

"Perhaps..."

Perhaps they could try handling the Akatsuki Organization through negotiations.

It would also count as repaying Ise and Fusang.

As Hanzo pondered,

Mingren's rebuke had not yet ended.

"To be honest... I utterly despise your 'Akatsuki'!"

Mingren said, pointing at Yahiko's nose.

"What did you say?!"

Already humiliated and enraged, the Akatsuki Organization members had been left unable to respond to the scathing criticism. Now that he was openly condemning them, they grew even angrier.

"You're clearly a group of shinobi who refuse to obey Hanzo, yet you wear Amegakure forehead protectors. If that isn't ridiculous, what is?!"

Mingren swept his gaze across each of their foreheads, his eyes filled with disdain.

"If you think Hanzo is unfit, or even want to overthrow him, then raise your own banner. Instead, you secretly call yourselves Akatsuki while acting under the identity of Amegakure shinobi!"

"That... is indeed a problem."

Hanzo nodded faintly.

This was, in fact, the knot in his heart.

These young people from the Akatsuki Organization were certainly capable.

Yet they insisted on wearing Amegakure forehead protectors.

They were not Amegakure shinobi, nor did they obey his command, so why did they wear those forehead protectors...

Mingren said, "I get it now... When you do good deeds, it's Akatsuki's work! When you do evil, it's Amegakure's fault, right!"

If they were not trying to dump the blame while having it both ways,

then why would they do this?

"You...!!"

The Akatsuki Organization members glared furiously at Mingren.

They wanted nothing more than to rush forward and beat him senseless.

But faced with Mingren's criticism, they had no way to refute him.

Because... from the standpoint of righteousness, Akatsuki truly did have a problem in this regard.

"Petty behavior! With the way you conduct yourselves, you'll never accomplish anything great!"

And that was indeed the truth.

In the Original Work, the Akatsuki Organization's final outcome had been total annihilation.

Amegakure had also been reduced to ruins.

Therefore...

Mingren had never considered handing the Land of Rain over to Akatsuki to protect.

Nearby, Asuka

let out a slight breath of relief.

Hearing Mingren's rebuke of the Akatsuki Organization,

she was completely reassured.

Because she had understood.

Amakawa Mingren... would absolutely never join Akatsuki.

"So... Amegakure still has hope, doesn't it?"

Asuka decided

that once tonight's incident had concluded, she would personally invite Amakawa Mingren to join Amegakure.

Because if a peer with such firm resolve, astonishing potential, and clear sense of right and wrong joined them,

he would surely inspire even more of Amegakure's younger generation to rally behind Amegakure.

Perhaps that was the most suitable future.

Three-Way Interrogation

While Mingren debated Yahiko and the others,

inside a nearby warehouse...

Pakura and her group had also formed a three-way standoff with Minato Namikaze and Kitsuchi.

Dim yellow light cast the prisoner's shadow across the room.

Pakura had just led her subordinates in capturing an Akatsuki Organization member for interrogation.

In the process, they had also drawn out several little tails that had been following them.

Kitsuchi and the others stopped hiding as well, stepping directly out of the shadows.

Before long, Minato Namikaze's group also chose to reveal themselves. He stood together with his disciple Kakashi and Orochimaru.

The three groups sized one another up.

Each judged whether they should make a move.

The Akatsuki Organization member caught in the middle felt immense pressure because of it.

Every party present consisted of shinobi renowned throughout the Ninja World.

Hero of the Sand, Pakura of Scorch Release.

The Yellow Flash, Minato Namikaze, and one of the Three Sannin, Orochimaru.

The son of the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki.

Powerhouses from three hidden villages had gathered here, forming a triangular standoff.

After exchanging hard stares for a while,

all three sides ultimately decided on courtesy before force.

Pakura said, "You're also here because of the Underground Exchange, aren't you..."

In front of Pakura sat the Akatsuki Organization member, bound to a chair.

To confirm whether Akatsuki had been responsible, capturing someone for interrogation was undoubtedly the simplest option.

"Then it seems our objectives are the same." Kitsuchi glanced around, estimating that a fight would not break out anytime soon.

"The Ninja World War is already nearing its end. Continuing to fight is meaningless."

Minato Namikaze stepped forward.

With Mr. Orochimaru joining them, their side was undoubtedly stronger and had more say in the matter.

"Why don't we share intelligence? That way, everyone can complete their missions perfectly."