Konoha Village Shouldn't Be Like This!

"Chujiu-senpai, regarding the Execution Line you told me about yesterday, is Konoha truly that dark?"

"Itachi, Konoha is an incredibly powerful existence. Its radiance is enough to illuminate the entire ninja world, but you must know that the brighter the light, the darker the shadow it casts."

"Of course, the shadows in Konoha right now... are indeed a bit too large."

"Senpai, what would it look like if the shadows weren't so large? Would it be a paradise of pure light?"

"No, pure light and pure darkness are no different. Heaven and hell are of the same origin; only a world filled with vibrant colors is a happy human realm."

"I don't understand..."

"Do you love your younger brother?"

"I do, I love him very much!"

"Haha, you don't hide your affection for your brother at all."

"Then, when your brother grows up and you play hide-and-seek together, will you prepare little pranks to scare him?"

"Of course I will."

"That, too, is darkness."

"How could it be?"

"Because darkness and light cannot define themselves; they rely on each other to determine their own meaning."

"If you pursue absolute light and eliminate all true evil, then harmless little pranks will become darkness simply because they aren't gentle enough."

"...Chujiu-senpai, what do you think the best version of Konoha looks like?"

"Hmm, vibrant, with fair opportunities and equal dignity. Even if there are still dark places, the light is always striving to penetrate them, allowing even those who suffer the most tragic lives to see hope."

"That sounds wonderful... Senpai, tell me about the shadows of Konoha. Is it the Third Hokage?"

"Not exactly, but Hiruzen Sarutobi is the root that reflects such a massive shadow."

"In other words, if the Third Hokage is killed, Konoha can be saved."

"..."

"You cannot think like that. Itachi, the world isn't that simple. It isn't just black and white, and it certainly isn't a problem that can be solved by killing one person."

"Does Senpai mean that killing Hiruzen Sarutobi now would actually make things worse?"

"Correct."

For the first time, Yamanaka Chujiu felt that sometimes, a child who is too clever is even more maddening than one who is completely dull; even the train of thought of a lunatic might not shift as smoothly as this.

His original plan was to instill information and knowledge to overload Uchiha Itachi's brain, thereby causing the dream to collapse gently.

But Uchiha Itachi was the kind of peerless genius who understood everything at a single hint, mastered things instantly, and could draw inferences about other cases from one instance.

No matter how difficult the social knowledge Yamanaka Chujiu instilled, he could quickly understand and accept it.

The pleasure of teaching that resulted from this was so intense and intoxicating that he had unknowingly said far too much.

When Yamanaka Chujiu inadvertently remarked, "As the Hokage who holds power, Hiruzen Sarutobi needs to be responsible for all the problems in Konoha."

"This is what they call: With great power comes great responsibility!"

After that, their conversation could never escape the topic of the Third Hokage, and Uchiha Itachi listened with wide, round eyes, completely focused.

Hiruzen Sarutobi is not a bad person, but he is not a qualified Hokage—at least, not the current version of him.

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

He vigorously promoted the popularization of ninja education, expanded the enrollment scale of the Ninja Academy, and greatly increased the number of ninjas in Konoha.

Using commoner ninjas as his base, he utilized mission distribution and resource allocation as tools to ease conflicts between ninja clans, promote rapid economic development, and ensure sufficient supply of materials.

He vigorously promoted the "Will of Fire," using spiritual inspiration to unite the hearts of Konoha's ninjas, making Konoha's strength even greater and solidifying its status as the strongest ninja village in the world.

Although Hiruzen Sarutobi never left Konoha and did not directly participate in wars, his title of "Shinobi Hero" was well-deserved.

But as Hiruzen Sarutobi grew older, his strength no longer reached its peak, and his self-confidence gradually faded.

The most iconic turning point was the suicide of the White Fang of the Leaf. The person who died that day was not just Hatake Sakumo, but also the man nicknamed the "Shinobi Hero," Hiruzen Sarutobi; in his place remained only the "Professor of Ninjutsu," the Third Hokage.

The Third Hokage is a collection of contradictions.

He used sophisticated, gentle means to win over ninja clans, yet allowed Shimura Danzō to persecute clans like the Uchiha.

His kindness toward children remained sincere, yet he would send children under ten to the battlefield.

He vigorously supported Namikaze Minato while simultaneously suppressing the rising prestige of Orochimaru.

He exhausted himself handling the village's official business, yet did not hesitate to hollow out the authority of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato.

He demanded strict standards from his own son, yet turned a blind eye to the expansion of the Sarutobi Clan.

He held high the banner of the "Will of Fire," yet indulged the Hokage Advisors in monopolizing power.

What the ninjas of Konoha found most unbearable, however, was the Third Hokage's increasing weakness toward enemies.

After Konoha won the war, the Third Hokage took the initiative to negotiate peace with Ōnoki, abandoning war reparations and vast tracts of land, simply to reach a peace agreement more quickly.

Unprincipled compromise did not move Ōnoki; instead, it allowed the Fourth Raikage to see through Hiruzen Sarutobi's weakness and emboldened the opportunistic nature of Kumogakure.

The war dragged on for much longer as a result, and Konoha ended up paying an even heavier price.

As the victor, Konoha had become so destitute that it even began to default on pension payments.

Yamanaka Chujiu knew that what he said within the dream would influence Uchiha Itachi, yet it would not leave behind any specific memories.

Therefore, he spoke with an open heart: "Itachi, do you think a Third Hokage who was wise at first but grew muddled later—someone who could be completely described as a Xuanzong—should finally step down for good?"

Uchiha Itachi said firmly: "Senior Chujiu is right; the Third Hokage should have stepped down long ago!"

"Konoha should not be defaulting on pensions, there shouldn't be any Execution Line, and it shouldn't be threatened by war... In short, Konoha should not be the way it is now!"

"For the sake of Konoha, the incompetent Third Hokage must be overthrown!"

As Uchiha Itachi solidified his conviction to overthrow the Third Hokage, Yamanaka Chujiu watched with satisfaction as the dream world of Tsukuyomi began to change.

The red moon quietly transformed into a silver moon; although the sky remained red, its brightness had increased significantly.

More importantly, the sludge of flesh and blood on the ground began to diminish rapidly, disappearing completely under Yamanaka Chujiu's gaze.

However, Yamanaka Chujiu was also surprised to find that Uchiha Itachi himself had not become clean; his body was still covered in mud, his face stained with blood, yet his eyes shone brightly.

Uchiha Itachi looked at Yamanaka Chujiu with a resolute gaze and said: "Senior is right. Only by becoming brave and facing the bloodshed and brutality of war head-on can I ensure that peace and tranquility lie behind me."

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

Coincidentally, Yamanaka Chujiu was one too, which was why they could understand each other.

A true man of Huaxia spends his whole life looking for an opportunity—an opportunity to make his death full of ritual and to leave his name in history.

He just wouldn't sacrifice himself for the sake of Konoha.