Chapter 542

Naruto Uzumaki's forehead began to sweat.

Because he had already realized something.

Everyone has a dark side they don't want to show to others.

Naruto Uzumaki... naturally has this side to him too.

And the deepest darkness within him, the Naruto Uzumaki of this world... clearly harbors hatred for the Emperor.

"That guy destroyed the village."

Dark Naruto stared at the real Naruto.

"He killed many people... and his subordinates, the Amegakure Alliance ninjas..."

Dark Naruto recounted his painful past experiences at length.

He spoke of the destruction of Konoha.

The text mentions that Jiraiya beheaded and his head displayed to the public.

It talked about... everything from the past.

Little by little, it accumulated from the very beginning. Over the long years, the hatred has grown as high as Mount Sumeru and as deep as the ocean.

"How do you plan to resolve these grievances?"

Dark Naruto grinned.

Unable to overcome the hatred in my heart.

There was absolutely no possibility of controlling the Nine-Tails Chakra.

In the end, they will only become monsters corrupted by the Nine-Tails Chakra and lose their minds.

Naruto of this world.

They encountered entirely different problems.

Konoha was destroyed; most of its inhabitants died.

The remaining people regarded him as their savior.

Therefore... Naruto Uzumaki in this world has no need to hate the exiles.

In contrast, the object of his hatred not only destroyed everything.

Even...

"You'll never be Hokage."

Dark Naruto laughed.

"After all, the village is gone... That guy ruined your dreams."

Naruto Uzumaki: "!"

Naruto Uzumaki's biggest dream is to become Hokage.

Now, that dream is out of reach.

It became an eternal regret.

"I will defeat him."

Naruto Uzumaki clenched his fist and hissed.

"And then... Konoha was rebuilt!!"

"That's right, that's it! Hate them, ha ha ha!"

Dark Naruto burst into laughter.

"But... establish Konoha? What are you thinking? Didn't you see the news...? That guy has already taken control of the entire Land of Fire. Under his leadership, the people will live happier lives. Do they really want to go back to the era of Konoha's rule? Everyone calls the Land of Rain 'Heaven on Earth'... In that case, to the people of the Land of Fire who are living a good life, you'll be the villain."

Dark Naruto stepped forward and pointed to his own head.

"Think carefully... about the truth of the Uchiha Clan. Would people love Konoha like this?"

"I..."

Faced with Dark Naruto's questioning.

Naruto Uzumaki was at a loss for what to do.

His deepest hatred was revealed by Dark Naruto.

I'm afraid... it's a past that can never be returned to.

It is the present that is not recognized.

It is a future that cannot be created.

"I... fear that guy will lead people to a better life... because if that happens, there will be no need for Konoha and the Hokage to exist..."

Naruto Uzumaki murmured.

This is his deepest fear.

Soon, Naruto Uzumaki emerged from his meditation on the Real Waterfall.

"Naruto, what's wrong?" Yamato asked hurriedly.

"..."

Naruto Uzumaki remained silent, his head bowed, and like an old man, slowly left the place.

"I think... Naruto needs to think this over carefully."

Kakashi patted Yamato the shoulder.

Kakashi understood from Naruto's somber expression.

Perhaps, the practice of truly understanding waterfalls is not something that can be achieved so easily.

462. The First Kiss of Asuka, the Lingering Echo of Negative Emotions

New Konoha.

The dark underground.

Where there is light, there is shadow.

The former Shimura Danzō has been partially converted into a prison.

"I personally set up the barrier; it can withstand attacks from Tailed Beast Bomb..."

"We are using the energy source of the Ancor Vantian Sky Fortress; Your Majesty needs to consider the power output..."

"Apart from the guards at the entrance, the prison uses a fully automated, unmanned, interconnected security system..."

The Asuka recounted each item as they slowly passed by.

Her next task.

Based on "New Konoha", the "Negative Emotion Absorption Formula" was deployed throughout the Land of Fire.

This is a massive project.

After all, the Land of Fire is more than ten times the size of the Land of Rain.

This will require a great deal of engineering and effort.

Fortunately.

After absorbing 20 million strands of negative emotions, Asuka's strength increased dramatically.

It can simultaneously create countless Water Clones and simultaneously perform spellcasting.

This is a national-level project for a major country.

It is also the best time and means for Asuka to test their own strength and adapt to these forces.

"Asuka, thank you for your hard work."

Walking down the aisle.

Akito said to Asuka.

Thinking about it carefully, it has been almost 18 years since the two met.

Because of the Dark Chakra and Dark Medical Ninjutsu, Asuka's appearance and voice remained unchanged.

She still looks like a 16-year-old girl.

Matter determines spirit, and spirit can also influence matter.

Therefore...

The changes in Asuka's inner world are far less than those of its peers who grow normally.

She... is still the same girl I used to know.

Certainly.

The actual passage of time is real.

Asuka's introverted personality, her childhood experiences, and her restraint...

This caused her to keep her true feelings hidden.

"With the great cause unfinished, I dare not consider marriage"—this was a phrase often used by people in the Akito.

This was to avoid the people's demands for their emperor's marriage.

So.

To some extent, Asuka might understand and bury her feelings deep in her heart, maintaining the status quo only as a subordinate and in a work-related manner.

That concludes the report.

The conversation ended, and silence fell over the room.

Akito and Asuka walked in front, with the Slug Immortal following behind.

The atmosphere thus became increasingly tranquil.

After the Asuka leaves, I will begin to inscribe the absorption spell.

This is necessary.

This was also to consolidate the rule of the Land of Fire.

By extracting all the negative energy from an entire country, the spark of resistance will be reduced to freezing point.

"Asuka."

The Akito suddenly spoke.

Let's... hold hands.

"?!"

The Asuka froze, before she could react.

The Akito then reached out and grasped the Asuka's soft hand.

The fair fingers felt slightly cool to the touch and were very smooth.

The Asuka stood stiffly, somewhat... at a loss.

The accident happened so quickly that she probably didn't expect it either.

"..."

The slug fairy followed behind, lost in thought, but no one paid any attention to her at the moment.

The Akito ignored the slug fairy's presence and simply held the Asuka's hand.

As time passed, the Asuka's stiffness gradually softened.

She relaxed a little.

"Um."