Konoha Shouldn't Be Like This!

"Senior Chujiu, the Execution Line you told me about yesterday—is Konoha really that dark?"

"Itachi, Konoha is an incredibly powerful place. Its light is bright enough to illuminate the Shinobi World. But you have to understand that the brighter the light, the darker the shadows it casts."

"Of course, Konoha's shadows right now... are a little too big."

"Senior, what would it be like if the shadows weren't so big? Would it be a paradise filled with nothing but light?"

"No. Pure light and pure darkness are no different from each other. Heaven and hell are two sides of the same coin. Only a world full of color is a happy place to live."

"I don't understand..."

"Do you love your little brother?"

"I do! I love him so much!"

"Haha, you don't hide how much you love your little brother at all."

"So when he's grown up and you're playing hide-and-seek together, will you play little tricks to scare him?"

"Of course."

"That's darkness too."

"How can that be?"

"Light and darkness can't define themselves. They depend on each other to establish their meaning."

"If you pursue absolute light and eliminate every truly evil thing, then harmless little tricks will become darkness simply because they aren't gentle enough."

"...Senior Chujiu, what do you think Konoha should be like?"

"Hmm. Full of life, with fair opportunities and equal respect for everyone. There may still be dark corners, but the light is always trying to reach them, so that even those whose lives have been the most tragic can still see hope."

"That sounds wonderful... Tell me about Konoha's shadows, Senior. Is it the Third Hokage?"

"No, but Hiruzen Sarutobi is the root cause of the enormous shadow."

"So if we kill the Third Hokage, Konoha will be saved."

"..."

"You can't think of it that way. Itachi, the world isn't that simple. Things aren't just black and white, and killing one person can't solve everything."

"Do you mean that killing Hiruzen Sarutobi now would only make things worse?"

"That's right."

For the first time, Yamanaka Chujiu realized that sometimes a child who was too clever could be more maddening than one who was incredibly stupid. Even a lunatic's thoughts might not turn so smoothly.

His original plan had been to stuff Itachi with information and knowledge until his mind overloaded, causing the dream to collapse gently.

But Uchiha Itachi was a peerless genius who understood anything with the slightest explanation, learned anything at once, and could draw inferences from a single example.

No matter how difficult the social concepts Yamanaka Chujiu tried to teach him were, he understood and accepted them in no time.

The thrill of teaching him was simply too intense, too addictive, and before Chujiu knew it, he'd told him far too much.

When Yamanaka Chujiu casually remarked, "As the Hokage, the one who holds power, Hiruzen Sarutobi has to take responsibility for all of Konoha's problems."

"That's what they mean when they say: with great power comes great responsibility!"

After that, the conversation always seemed to circle back to the Third Hokage. Itachi listened intently, his eyes wide and round.

Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't a bad person, but he wasn't a fit Hokage either. At least, not anymore.

In domestic affairs, he continued the Second Hokage's policy of "supporting civilians and suppressing the shinobi clans."

He vigorously promoted civilian access to shinobi education, expanded enrollment at the Ninja Academy, and greatly increased the number of shinobi in Konoha.

With civilian shinobi as his base, he used mission assignments and resource allocation to ease tensions between the clans, drive rapid economic growth, and ensure an adequate supply of goods.

He heavily promoted the "Will of Fire," uniting Konoha's shinobi through its ideals, strengthening the village, and solidifying its position as the strongest shinobi village in the Shinobi World.

Although Hiruzen Sarutobi never left Konoha or took part in battle directly, his title of Shinobi Hero was well deserved.

But as Hiruzen Sarutobi grew older, his strength faded from its peak and his confidence gradually ebbed away.

The most notable turning point came when White Fang of the Leaf killed himself. That day, it wasn't only Hatake Sakumo who died. The man known as the Shinobi Hero died too, replaced by the Third Hokage, Professor of Ninjutsu.

The Third Hokage was a mass of contradictions.

He used deft conciliatory tactics to win over the shinobi clans, yet let Shimura Danzō persecute the Uchiha and other clans.

His love for children remained genuine, yet he sent children who weren't even ten years old to the battlefield.

He strongly supported Namikaze Minato, while aggressively suppressing Orochimaru as his reputation began to rise.

He devoted all his strength to handling the village's affairs, then without hesitation stripped the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, of his authority.

He held his own son to strict standards, yet turned a blind eye as the Sarutobi Clan grew ever more powerful.

He held the banner of the "Will of Fire" high, yet let the Hokage Advisors monopolize power.

What the shinobi of Konoha found hardest to tolerate was the Third Hokage's growing weakness toward their enemies.

Konoha won the war, but the Third Hokage took the initiative to negotiate with Ōnoki, giving up war reparations and vast swaths of land simply to reach a peace agreement sooner.

His spineless concessions didn't move Ōnoki. Instead, they revealed Hiruzen Sarutobi's weakness to the Fourth Raikage and encouraged Kumogakure to take a chance.

As a result, the war dragged on, and Konoha paid an even higher price.

The victorious Konoha was so strapped for cash that it had even started delaying compensation payments.

Yamanaka Chujiu knew that what he said in the dream would affect Uchiha Itachi, but wouldn't leave him with any specific memories.

So he spoke openly. "Itachi, this Third Hokage started out wise and ended up foolish—he could be called the Xuanzong of Konoha. Don't you think it's time for him to step down for good?"

Itachi replied firmly, "You're right, Senior Chujiu. The Third Hokage should have stepped down long ago!"

"Konoha shouldn't delay compensation payments. There shouldn't be any Execution Line, and the village shouldn't be threatened by war... In short, Konoha shouldn't be the way it is now!"

"For Konoha's sake, we have to take down the incompetent Third Hokage!"

When Itachi resolved to take down the Third Hokage, Yamanaka Chujiu watched with satisfaction as the Tsukuyomi World changed.

The red moon quietly transformed into a silver one. The sky was still red, but it had grown much brighter.

More importantly, the bloody muck covering the ground was rapidly disappearing. Before Yamanaka Chujiu's eyes, it vanished completely.

But Yamanaka Chujiu was surprised to find that Itachi himself hadn't been cleansed. Mud covered his body, blood stained his face, and only his eyes shone brightly.

Itachi stared at Yamanaka Chujiu with a determined gaze. "You're right, Senior. Only by becoming brave and facing the bloodshed and brutality of war can I make sure that peace and tranquility lie behind me."

As expected, at his core, the kid was a martyr.

As it happened, Yamanaka Chujiu was one too, so they understood each other.

A good man of China spent his whole life searching for an opportunity to make his death meaningful—an opportunity to be remembered throughout history.

He just wouldn't sacrifice himself for Konoha.