Chapter 546

"However... what is paradise for others is hell for us."

What does that mean?

"Perhaps, to most people, the empire led by the emperor is wonderful. But to his enemies and adversaries, he is a naked butcher, a demon. Naruto, do you understand?"

Kushina looked intently at her child.

"Amakawa Akito was indeed very kind to ordinary people, but it's also a fact that he destroyed Konoha. Lord Jiraiya it's equally true that he killed Sannin..."

Kushina offered words of comfort.

"It's perfectly normal for someone to be kind to their own people and cruel to their enemies. Naruto... think about it carefully. You're Konoha ninja; you should be protecting the village and Konoha people. Now, Amakawa Akito has already destroyed the former, and now he wants to destroy the latter completely. Do you think you can accept this outcome?"

Konoha has no politics.

They don't teach political science either.

But at this point, Kushina had already begun to consider the issue of ideology.

She tried to persuade Naruto using this argument.

Moreover, having witnessed the Black Prison, Kushina was well aware of the darkness within the Amegakure Emperor's heart.

The emperor cared for his subjects, but that did not prevent him from being ruthless towards his enemies.

This is not a contradiction, but rather two normal sides of a person.

"I..."

Naruto thought of the death of the perverted sage.

I thought of Kakashi- sensei... Iruka- sensei...

If it weren't for Nagato sacrificing his life to revive Kakashi and the others...

Soon.

Naruto then gave his reply.

"I... don't want to see everyone die!! No matter how nice the emperor's words are, or how beautiful his actions are, he still killed the lustful immortal!"

"Naruto shouted."

"That's right, exactly." Kushina nodded immediately. "The people or things you cherish are precisely what you must protect. Your dream..."

"My dream is to become Hokage!"

Naruto shouted again immediately.

"Thank you, sister! I feel like I've finally overcome the darkness within me... no, to be precise, I've convinced myself!"

Naruto leaped up, left the bench, and quickly ran towards the real waterfall.

"Naruto."

Seeing her son regain his faith, Kushina felt extremely gratified.

Soon, Kushina realized that someone was coming.

They must have noticed Naruto wasn't in the dorm, or their shouting earlier had attracted them.

Kushina took one last look at Naruto, silently blessing her son, before departing and disappearing once more...

When Kakashi and the others arrived, they found that Naruto had already begun his training at the True Waterfall.

The spiritual world.

"Here we go again, what an annoying guy." Dark Naruto said with a displeased expression.

"This time... I've found the answer."

Naruto looked at his other self with a serious expression.

"Oh?" Dark Naruto raised an eyebrow. "Tell me about it."

Both of them knew.

From the very beginning, they were not each other's real enemies.

Rather, it was the insurmountable obstacle in Naruto Uzumaki's heart.

In other words... psychological barriers.

"I've decided to defeat that guy, Amakawa Akito!"

Naruto Uzumaki placed his fist over his heart, making a firm declaration.

"Why?" Dark Naruto frowned. "Don't you know that people would live better lives if that guy ruled the world?"

That's true, but "people" doesn't include us.

Naruto shook his head.

If it comes at the cost of the complete destruction of Konoha and the exiles, then I will absolutely not accept it!

"Amakawa Akito has been our enemy from the very beginning."

"Hmph, that's because Konoha invaded Amegakure in the past," Dark Naruto retorted dismissively. "Konoha's destruction was retribution."

"Even so, I cannot forgive him for killing everyone, and I certainly cannot condone his further actions."

Naruto looked at the ground, then looked up.

"Tsunade is still in prison, and she'll likely be publicly executed like the Perverted Sage. I must become stronger and then save Tsunade."

"Ah, it seems that mutual understanding between people doesn't bring peace after all. You understand Amakawa Akito, but you still choose to be his enemy. That's how it is... And yet you keep talking about mutual understanding between people?"

Dark Naruto stepped forward and pressed for an answer.

"Just like when you defeated Kakuzu. Why don't you try to understand Kakuzu, instead of expecting the Raikage to understand you? Isn't that a huge double standard, Naruto Uzumaki?"

"..."

Naruto Uzumaki remained silent.

"Hmph." Dark Naruto sneered, "It seems you've realized it too. You're not as virtuous and righteous as you think. In essence, you're just like the Third Hokage —a hypocrite. If you want to play the Byakuren victim, you need someone else to take the blame for you. The Third Hokage and Shimura Danzō... So... Naruto Uzumaki, who will be your scapegoat?"

You live a peaceful and serene life.

It's because someone is bearing the burden for you.

You look down at the scenery.

It's because someone is being ridden like an animal by you.

This is the Will of Fire.

This is the truth behind the so-called benevolent Konoha Ninja.

466. Naruto Uzumaki, now completely black.

Even so, I still want to become Hokage.

In response to Dark Naruto's statement.

Naruto Uzumaki remained solemn, showing no sign of wavering.

"Konoha has many mistakes, but I still love it. I love Sakura and Kakashi- sensei, I love everyone."

Naruto Uzumaki pointed to his heart.

"I want a place with a Hokage, a place called Konoha, a place where everyone can go back."

Anyone can say nice things.

Dark Naruto shook his head vigorously.

"For example, if you were to become Hokage one day, would you publicly expose the crimes committed by the Konoha High Command against the Uchiha Clan?"

"Won't."

Naruto Uzumaki denied it.

He won't make this public.

The other Five Great Nations powers will not either.

Just as Gaara wouldn't publicly reveal the persecution of Sunagakure by the Pakura leadership.

Mei Terumi, Ōnoki, A... they are all similar figures.

We, the Five Great Nations... are all the same kind of people.

"So you've realized... that you Five Great Nations are the real villains," Dark Naruto mocked.

Just as samurai were pushed off the stage of history by ninjas.

The Five Great Nations... are no longer suitable for the progress of the times.

The Amegakure Alliance represents true justice!

"Everyone has flaws. Does the Land of Rain Pan-Alliance established by Amakawa Akito have no flaws at all?"

Naruto Uzumaki reached out his hand in rebuttal.

"How can you decide solely based on whether someone is a villain or not?"

If you think Konoha is bad, then go and rebuild it.

If you don't like the higher levels, then try to join the Anbu and climb up step by step.

If you think other Konoha Ninja lack manners, then start by becoming a high-quality Konoha Ninja yourself.

If you feel that Konoha has too many mistakes, start with yourself and change the people around you. They have flaws, and we should work together to correct them, instead of just cursing, complaining, and running away.

The place where you stand is your own Konoha.

Your fate determines Konoha's fate.

What you are, that's what Konoha is.

If you bring light, then Konoha will not be dark.

"If your opposition to Konoha is wrong in terms of its actions or attitude, then you should correct it and remedy it, not oppose it, destroy it, or even risk destroying Konoha Ninja and thus the entire life of Konoha! Everyone knows that destroying Konoha's entire life is destroying your own life and the eternal lives of your descendants for generations to come. The implications are far too great..."

Naruto Uzumaki earnestly expressed his innermost feelings.

After saying this...

Dark Naruto was completely stunned.

"Oops..."

Naruto Uzumaki suddenly shrugged and grinned.

"But I don't want to talk to you anymore. Really... I'm not good at talking, I'm really not suited to lecturing!"

The next second, Dark Naruto began to dissipate.

Because there is no truly separate self.

How real a waterfall can be is simply a matter of self-examination.

It is ultimately not a waterfall that turns a person into a good person.

Rather, it is a place for a person to develop self-awareness and self-acceptance.

When a murderer believes that killing is justified and there is nothing wrong with it.

So...

Any condemnation or questioning of his conscience will do him no good.

Just like right now.

By advocating the Will of Fire to its extreme, Naruto Uzumaki achieved a kind of "self-affirmation."

This is also why the darkness in his heart "dissipated".

Perhaps the darkness has not truly dissipated.

Because Naruto Uzumaki was completely black.