Hope of the Ninja World

"Tsunade-sensei, how has your wandering life been these past few years?"

Uchiha Naro stepped forward, his tone as casual as if he were greeting a neighbor. Uchiha Shisui followed behind him, dutifully fulfilling his role as a subordinate, much like he once had behind Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Tsunade was in the middle of a standoff with Nagato. She heard the footsteps, but never imagined it could be someone she knew. However, hearing the word "sensei" left her puzzled. She turned her head, frowning as she studied him for a few seconds.

"Who are you?"

She searched through her memories, yet failed to recognize the man before her.

This was to be expected. When Naro had been a grunt in the medical corps, he was only nine years old—weak, unremarkable, and still possessing the roundness of childhood. Years had passed; he had grown significantly taller, and his features had sharpened from youthful softness into defined angles. Coupled with his calm, unruffled expression, he looked nothing like the quiet, hardworking genin from back then.

"It's only natural that Tsunade-sensei doesn't recognize me." Naro walked to the edge of the clearing and sat on a rock, turning the current situation into a four-way standoff. "After all, it's been several years."

Tsunade stared at him, her brow furrowing deeper.

Orochimaru leaned against a stone pillar, his golden slit pupils narrowing as he sized Naro up. Suddenly, the corners of his mouth curled into a smirk.

"Uchiha Naro." He licked his lips as he spoke the name. "Graduated from the Konoha Ninja Academy, sent to the Land of Rain battlefield at nine, worked as a grunt in Tsunade's medical corps, later assigned to a combat squad. Returned to Konoha after the Third Shinobi World War and was assigned to the Uchiha Police Force. His file is utterly mediocre; no outstanding achievements, no special contributions."

"Orochimaru-senpai is certainly well-versed in the records of the Uchiha Clan." Naro nodded, acknowledging Orochimaru's memory.

"I have always paid close attention to the Uchiha. I've seen your file, but I didn't expect to see you here." As Orochimaru spoke, his gaze fixed on the young man behind Naro—short black hair, sharp features, dressed in dark clothing, standing quietly like a servant.

"What interests me more," he said, recognizing the man, "is Uchiha Shisui. You're still alive? I recall my intelligence reports stating that you were dead."

Shisui bowed slightly, his expression calm and devoid of any abnormality. He did not answer any of Orochimaru's questions, remaining perfectly still.

Orochimaru stared at Shisui for a few seconds. Seeing no response, he didn't press the matter. Yet, he knew in his heart that his intelligence never failed. This Shisui was either a fake or had used some method to crawl back from the brink of death, but now was not the time to investigate.

Nagato sat on his paper chair, not sparing a glance at Shisui. He had no interest in the Uchiha Clan, nor in the people and affairs of Konoha.

"Why did you summon me here?" Nagato's voice came from the west, low and calm. "How do you know about Yahiko? Are you one of Danzo's men?"

"Danzo." Naro scoffed, turning to look at Nagato. "He isn't fit to lead me."

"Then why did you call me here?" Nagato's voice remained calm, yet carried a hint of pressure.

Orochimaru also dropped his smile, staring at Naro. "Indeed, I'd like to know as well. You brought our two groups together—no, including Tsunade, that makes three groups. Surely this isn't just to reminisce."

Tsunade had learned Uchiha Naro's identity from Orochimaru, yet she still couldn't reconcile the child she remembered with the youth before her. Still, she crossed her arms, lifted her chin, and spoke: "Speak. What exactly do you want?"

Three pairs of eyes—one set of golden slits, one set of purple Rinnegan, and one pair of amber eyes—fixed on Naro simultaneously.

Naro waved his hand unhurriedly. At his signal, Shisui stepped to his side and pressed his palm downward. A tea table appeared, topped with a pot of clear tea and six cups.

Uchiha Shisui placed his hand on the teapot. Within three or four breaths, steam began to rise. He filled the six cups, handed the first to Uchiha Naro, then picked up the remaining five and walked toward Tsunade.

"No need to rush, the three of you." Naro took a sip of tea and set the cup on the table beside him. "Before we discuss business, I'd like to tell a few stories."

"Stories?" Tsunade reached out and took a cup from the tray, frowning at Naro. The way Shisui had manifested the items out of thin air left everyone present baffled.

"Yes, stories." Naro faced Tsunade, his gaze calm. "Let's start with Tsunade-sensei."

"Tsunade-sensei is the granddaughter of Senju Hashirama, the last direct bloodline of the Senju Clan. She was gifted from a young age, her medical ninjutsu unmatched, her taijutsu top-tier. She once had a younger brother, Senju Nawaki, who worshipped his grandfather and always said he would become Hokage when he grew up."

Tsunade's expression flickered slightly.

"The siblings were very close. Nawaki always followed his sister; wherever she went, he followed. Tsunade-sensei had planned that once he grew up, they would lead the Senju Clan together. She believed the glory of the Senju would not fade just because the First and Second Hokage had passed."

Naro's voice was light, as if he were discussing something mundane.

"But Nawaki died. He died on the battlefield, right in front of his teacher, Orochimaru-senpai. Tsunade-sensei was on another front at the time; she couldn't reach him in time to save him."

Tsunade's fists clenched. At Uchiha Naro's words, she couldn't help but recall the past—the memories she dared not revisit.

"Later, she met Dan Kato at a jonin meeting. At the time, all the jonin opposed her proposal for a medical team, even her comrade-in-arms, Jiraiya. There was only one person present who supported her, and that person was..."

"Dan Kato." Orochimaru took over from Uchiha Naro, naming the sole supporter.

"Exactly. Like her, Dan Kato had ideals, talent, and a desire to become Hokage to protect those around him. She fell in love with him, thinking that this time, there could be a happy ending."

Naro paused here. He tossed the tea in his hand into the air; under the watchful eyes of Orochimaru and the others, the tea did not fall, but dissipated into the void.

In the blink of an eye, a fine, drizzling rain began to fall over the ruins of the Land of Whirlpools.

"Release!" Everyone present, save for Naro and Shisui, performed the hand seal to dispel a genjutsu, but the drizzling rain continued to fall upon them—it wasn't a genjutsu!

"Dan died, too. Just like now, with a light drizzle falling. Dan died on the battlefield, his internal organs shattered. She watched him die, and once again, she could do nothing."

"Enough." Tsunade's voice was low, laced with anger. She didn't know what Uchiha Naro was trying to achieve. She wanted to strike, but the thought that these two were Uchiha held her back.

Naro did not stop his narrative because of Tsunade's protest.

"From that day on, Tsunade-sensei changed. She left Konoha after the war, took up gambling, drank heavily, and piled up mountains of debt. She developed hemophobia and could no longer pick up a scalpel. She turned herself into a wreck because she felt she couldn't save anyone, and she couldn't change anything."

"I said enough!" Tsunade slammed a palm onto a nearby stone monument, shattering it into flying debris.

Naro stood there, motionless. The stone fragments flew past him, not even touching the hem of his clothes.

"I didn't say these things to pick at Tsunade-sensei's scars." Naro looked at her. "I wanted you to see the person you could have been, and what you have become instead."

Tsunade gritted her teeth, her chest heaving, but she remained silent.

"Orochimaru-senpai, it's your turn." Naro shifted his focus to Orochimaru and waved his hand. The drizzle over the ruins vanished, as if the scene had been a mere illusion, leaving only the damp ground as evidence of the rain's reality.

The smile on Orochimaru's face vanished, replaced by wariness. Most of what happened to Tsunade was known to those who had returned from the front lines of Konoha, but her hemophobia was a secret known only to those closest to her—not to mention Uchiha Naro's ability to summon and dispel rain.

"He was a genius as a child; that's what everyone said." Naro continued in that same flat tone. "The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, valued him highly and groomed him as a successor. He, along with Tsunade and Jiraiya, were known as the Sannin, and they earned great merit during the Second Shinobi World War."

"Back then, everyone believed he would become the Fourth Hokage. He would have taken over his teacher's position and led Konoha toward a more glorious future. He had the ability, and he had the ambition. That was until that day, when his very first disciple—the disciple he recognized above all others, Nawaki—fell before him, his body shattered and broken..."

Orochimaru did not speak, but his slit pupils constricted slightly.

"He changed," Naro said. "He had witnessed death many times before; he thought he no longer feared anything. But that night, for the first time, he began to fear death. For the first time, he began to contemplate the meaning of life."

"Afterward, with his teacher's help, he began researching forbidden jutsu, conducting human experiments, and using living people as test subjects. After the Fourth Hokage passed away, the Third Hokage discovered his research. The Third did not kill him; he let him go. He became a rogue ninja of Konoha, hunted by everyone."

"What are you trying to say?" Orochimaru's voice was raspy. He squinted at Uchiha Naro; his fear and his contemplations were things he had never shared with anyone, not even Tsunade or Jiraiya.

"You were meant to be the Fourth Hokage of Konoha, yet now you are an S-rank rogue ninja wanted by the entire shinobi world." Naro looked at Orochimaru, shaking his head as he spoke. "It wasn't because your ability was lacking; it was because your ability was too great."

Orochimaru remained silent for a few seconds, then laughed. But there was no warmth in that smile.

"Too great? How do you know if my current ability is enough or not? And what is your purpose in appearing before me?"

Naro did not answer Orochimaru's question, shifting his gaze instead toward Nagato and Konan.

"Uzumaki Nagato."

Hearing his identity exposed, Nagato showed no emotional fluctuation, merely staring at him with his Rinnegan. Konan, however, wanted to say something, but was stopped by Nagato.

"He was an orphan in the Land of Rain during his childhood, his parents killed by Konoha ninjas. Later, after escaping a battle between ninjas, he met two other orphans, Yahiko and Konan. The three of them relied on each other for survival, barely clinging to life amidst the flames of war."

"Eventually, the three met Jiraiya. Jiraiya saw Nagato's Rinnegan and thought of the Great Toad's prophecy; he believed Nagato might be the Child of Prophecy. Jiraiya taught the three of them ninjutsu and the principles of being a person."

"After Jiraiya left, the three of them, led by Yahiko, founded the Akatsuki organization, hoping to change the Land of Rain and the shinobi world through peaceful means. Yahiko was the visionary who became the leader of the organization, Nagato possessed the Rinnegan and was the strongest combatant, and Konan handled logistics. The three of them were the perfect partners."

The expressions of Nagato and Konan flickered.

"But Yahiko died. He died in a conspiracy involving Hanzo of the Salamander of the Land of Rain and Konoha's Root. Nagato could only watch him die, unable to do anything."

Nagato gripped the armrests of his paper chair tightly. Konan gripped Nagato's shoulder from behind; she knew of Nagato's remorse and feared he might lose control of his emotions. At the moment, they did not understand Uchiha Naro's methods, and since the others present were Konoha ninjas, they could not strike first.

"From that point on, Nagato changed. Nagato began to believe that only by making everyone feel the same pain could true peace be brought about. The Akatsuki organization transformed from a peaceful group into a terrorist organization. Under the suggestion of others, the organization sought to collect the Tailed Beasts to create a massive jutsu, forcing the entire world to experience the pain he had endured, so that a peace born of suffering might follow."

Nagato remained silent for a long time, only speaking once his emotions had stabilized. "Why are you saying all this?"

Naro faced them all, observing the distinct expressions on their faces.

"I say these things because the three of you could have been the hope of the shinobi world. Tsunade could have been the pillar of the Senju clan, leading them to continued glory; Orochimaru could have been the Fourth Hokage, leading Konoha toward a better future; Nagato could have been the savior of the Land of Rain, leading the Akatsuki organization to achieve true peace."

He reached out, pointing toward the ruins of the Land of Whirlpools not far away.

"Just like the once-prosperous Land of Whirlpools, war and conspiracy have turned everything—and all of you—into what you are now. Tsunade became a wandering gambler, Orochimaru became a rogue ninja, and Nagato became a terrorist. You lost everything and became the people you least wanted to be."

The clearing was quiet, save for the sound of the sea breeze blowing through the ruins.

Nagato stared at Naro for a few seconds, then looked at the old site of the Land of Whirlpools, patting Konan's hand on his shoulder. His tone was calm. "I don't care about what you've said. The past is the past. I only want to know why you brought me here."

Tsunade also snapped out of it at Nagato's words, turning her attention back to Uchiha Naro. "Right, stop beating around the bush. I don't want to hear about those old stories anymore."

Orochimaru licked his lips. "State your purpose directly, brat."

"Fine, I'll be direct." Naro looked at the three of them, the corners of his mouth curling upward slightly.

"I called the three of you here to give you an opportunity—an opportunity to change the shinobi world."

"Change the shinobi world?" Hearing words similar to Jiraiya's, Tsunade frowned in displeasure. "And you think you can?"

"I can," Naro said. "I have spent many years researching and have successfully created a system entirely different from chakra cultivation. I call it—the Luck Cultivation System."