Let Peace Descend

"Minato, tell me, is it difficult to achieve true peace?"

"It is!"

Minato might have possessed the naivety of a young man, but he was by no means foolish. Having experienced war firsthand, he understood with chilling clarity that bringing about permanent peace was a task as difficult as crossing a chasm.

"In this world filled with war and hatred, there is only one way to achieve peace, and this is the only way."

Shiraishi paused here. He gazed intently at Minato before him and said slowly, "Completely unify this continent."

"Unify?" Minato's eyes widened. At the mere mention of these two words, he could already foresee the countless wars and deaths that would follow.

Shiraishi continued, "Other than this, there is no other way. Because the struggles between nations and villages have long since ceased to be mere disputes over land; they are wars concerning survival."

"For a ninja, what is the foundation of survival?"

Faced with this question, Minato pondered for a moment before answering uncertainly, "It is missions."

Shiraishi nodded. "You are half right. For the ninjas of today, only a sufficient number of missions can guarantee their income."

"For a ninja village, only by accepting enough mission requests can it maintain its scale and safeguard the security of its nation's territory."

"Therefore, whoever can capture the largest share of the mission market can maintain the largest number of ninjas and possess the greatest strength."

"This is the fundamental reason why Konoha remains powerful, and it is also the reason why other ninja villages frequently launch wars against Konoha."

"Because Konoha, bearing the title of the strongest ninja village, possesses a natural advantage in the competition for the mission market."

"For those neutral merchants, the daimyo of small nations, and the nobility, if they are to spend the same amount of money, they will naturally prefer to choose the strongest village to receive the best service."

Minato listened silently to Shiraishi's explanation, nodding from time to time. He deeply agreed with Shiraishi's analysis; for a ninja, obtaining more mission requests was the most critical matter concerning survival.

"In such a competition for survival, wanting to achieve peace through naive ideas like mutual understanding and letting go of hatred is nothing more than a daydream."

"There is only one path to achieving peace, and that is unification—sacrificing one generation to trade for a century, or even several centuries, of peace."

"Such unification must never be merely a unification of force. That kind of unification will not bring peace; it will only bring oppression and rebellion."

"Therefore, to achieve peace, one must do as the First Hokage did when he pioneered the ninja village system: establish a more advanced system, and then, using powerful force as a foundation, achieve institutional and cultural unification."

After Shiraishi finished speaking, he watched Minato, who had fallen into deep thought, and did not disturb him.

His conversation with Minato today was all laying the groundwork for the future.

Shiraishi supported Danzo to stir up war, but with Danzo's stubborn and extreme ideology, as well as his aging body, he lacked the ability to become the leader who would unify the entire world, let alone become the ruler of a unified empire afterward.

Compared to Danzo, Minato was younger and more receptive to new ideas, coupled with his own exceptional talent and strength.

Shiraishi felt that he possessed such potential, so he was willing to spend time guiding him and influencing him through subtle means.

Shiraishi's schemes and goals had never changed. He was not the kind of short-sighted demonic cultivator who would drain the pond to catch the fish; he wanted long-term, stable yields.

A large-scale war of unification was already enough to satisfy Shiraishi's needs for recovering his injuries and cultivation.

And after unification, what he would need was more advanced management methods and the development of productivity to ensure an explosive growth in population after the war.

Shiraishi had ample time to wait for the fruit to ripen; he did not need to be short-sighted and rush things.

"Shiraishi, are you telling me this because you have already thought of a more advanced system model?" Minato looked up at Shiraishi and asked expectantly.

"This requires all of us to think about it together. I just feel that you shouldn't limit your vision to Konoha or the position of Hokage. You have the potential to accomplish a much greater cause," Shiraishi encouraged.

Minato's heart trembled. He had not expected Shiraishi to hold him in such high regard and place such great hopes upon him.

"I..." For the first time, Minato worried whether he would live up to Shiraishi's expectations.

"I believe in you, just as you trusted me back then," Shiraishi said with a sincere smile.

"I will work hard with you, work hard to let peace truly descend upon this world." Minato extended his right fist.

Shiraishi understood Minato's meaning, and he followed suit, extending his own fist to collide with Minato's.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, dappling the two of them. Minato's blonde hair shone with a golden luster under the sun's rays.

"This is the future Hokage I want to see. Every step we take must be down-to-earth, but our gaze must never be confined to the small patch of land beneath our feet."

"The Hokage should only be a stage in your life's pursuit; it must never become a prison that binds you."

"Beyond Konoha, there is a larger, more beautiful world out there."

"Minato!" Shiraishi looked at the man before him, filled with expectation. "Your future should be to stand on the shoulders of giants like the First Hokage and Konoha, to realize the vision that even the First could not achieve, to lead Konoha to unify the world, and to let peace truly descend upon this world."

Minato couldn't help but shudder; a surge of heroism welled up within his heart. He looked at Shiraishi and couldn't help but ask himself: Can I do it?

"I believe you can do it, Minato!" Shiraishi, like a demon who understood the human heart or a prophet offering enlightenment, spoke to Minato with encouragement and expectation.

Minato nodded firmly. He looked at Shiraishi and promised solemnly, "I will work hard toward this goal!"

No one had ever recognized Minato to this extent before. Even Jiraiya's praise for Minato was nothing more than calling him the most excellent ninja and the only choice for Hokage.

But today, Shiraishi's words seemed to have opened a new door for Minato, telling him that his future should be far more expansive.

"Shiraishi, let's work hard together!" Minato gazed at Shiraishi.

Shiraishi smiled. "Yes! Let's work hard together."

As the words fell, Shiraishi took a step back, his body falling into the shade of the trees. Minato stood where he was, bathed in sunlight, as if draped in a brilliant golden cloak.

Shiraishi watched Minato calmly and said in a low voice, "Minato, if one day I am no longer here, please carry my expectations and continue to work hard! You must let peace truly descend upon this land filled with blood and tears."

Upon hearing Shiraishi's words, the determination and excitement on Minato's face vanished in an instant, replaced by a look of concern.

"Shiraishi, what's wrong? Did you run into some kind of trouble?"

Shiraishi shook his head and said calmly, "You forget, I am a ninja of Root; the missions I carry out are the most dangerous in the village."

"If one day I die on a mission, do not investigate the cause of my death, do not seek revenge for me, and carry my share of the dream forward as you continue to strive. I will be watching over you from the heavens."

Minato's expression froze completely, his open mouth seemingly stuck as if something were lodged in his throat. He had so many things he wanted to say to Shiraishi, but in the end, all those words condensed into a single sentence: "That won't happen; we will fulfill this dream together."

Shiraishi smiled and said one final thing: "I have placed all my hopes for achieving peace upon you; do not let me down."

"I promise you." Minato had never been so firm and earnest in his life.