Tragedy and Hope

Uchiha Clan Compound - Naka River

The river meanders from the distant valleys, slowing its pace as it reaches this area.

The water was flat and calm, the surface of the Naka River shimmering with a dark golden light in the twilight. On the opposite bank were the scattered rooftops of the Uchiha Clan Compound, everything peaceful and serene.

"Clatter."

Two pebbles flew off the riverbank and skimmed across the water almost simultaneously.

The first pebble bounced a few times on the surface of the water, creating ripples, before sinking to the bottom.

The second pebble followed closely behind, causing ripples on the water's surface once more. It then bounced even further away before finally settling slowly in the middle of the river and sinking into the waves.

Ban stared intently at the spot where the two pebbles landed, his face grim.

His expression was like that of a child who had lost a game of chess, clearly unwilling to accept defeat but unable to find a way to turn the tide.

"Hmm... looks like I won again."

Kō gazed at the now calm river surface, then turned to look at the spotted figure beside him, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"You're still as bad as ever, you old man!"

"That damn brat..."

Ban gritted his teeth and muttered to himself, but on the surface, he simply turned his head away disdainfully, as if he didn't want to see Kou's arrogant appearance.

"What, can't accept defeat again? You're really competitive!"

Kou chuckled softly, bent down, picked up a pebble from beside his feet, and weighed it in his palm.

He held the pebble between his fingers, his arm arcing through the air, and the pebble flew from his fingertips.

It bounced once, twice, three times, four times, five times on the water's surface, jumping quite a distance before finally landing on the grass on the opposite bank.

"Well, I don't really have the right to say that to you."

Looking towards the pebble that had reached the other side, his voice softened, as if he were talking to himself:

"After all, I practiced a lot in private back then in order to beat you."

I even had to use arithmetic to finally beat you at skipping stones.

"It seems rather childish now, but seeing your unwilling look on your face back then, I couldn't help but laugh. I almost couldn't resist pressing my face against yours to mock you."

As he spoke, he glanced at Ban beside him and said teasingly:

"Now, I've made up for the regrets of back then."

"... snort!"

Ban snorted coldly, then turned his head and said with an unfriendly expression:

"I've had enough of your nonsense, it's time to get down to business."

"What exactly are you trying to achieve by making me do all these pointless things?"

The smile on Kokoro's face slowly faded. He didn't directly answer Madara's question, but simply turned to face the gently flowing river.

"Hey, do you know... why I rejected your Eye of the Moon Plan?"

Why do you ask that?

Ban's gaze lingered on Kou's profile for a moment, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes:

"Because you're satisfied with your current life, isn't that your previous answer?"

"Yes, that truly reflects my innermost thoughts."

"But there's actually another reason. For various reasons at the time, I couldn't explain it to you."

Under Ban's questioning gaze, Kou put his hands behind his head and lay back on the grass on the riverbank.

His black hair was spread out among the green grass. He looked at the darkening sky above, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

"What you said earlier was indeed correct. I should have been the one most convinced that the Ninja World was beyond saving and that the Eye of the Moon Plan was the most appropriate."

"After all, I, like you, have personally experienced the cruelty of the Ninja World."

They tried their best to change everything around them, but ultimately failed to achieve the results they desired.

"And feeling lost, they chose to escape."

He turned his head to look at Ban standing to the side:

"Although everything I've experienced has been largely due to your intervention."

Just like what you did to Obito, let us see the cruelty of this Ninja World, just like you, and ultimately walk the same path as you.

At this point, a hint of emotion crept into Kou's words:

"If you had appeared when I left Konoha and explained your New Moon Eye Plan to me..."

Back then, I think it's not impossible that I would choose to stand on your side.

"Now that things have come to this, what's the point of discussing these things?"

Ban stood on the riverbank, looking down at Kou lying on the ground, his gaze calm and serene.

"I lost to you fair and square in our final battle, and that is the reality before us."

If you think I would feel remorseful about what's past because of your words, aren't you underestimating me?

"... That's true."

Kou stood up, brushed the grass clippings off his robes, faced the quiet river, and gazed at the reflections of the two figures on the water's surface:

"But there are some things we can't deny, can't we?"

"If it weren't for the Nine-Tails Incident, the old man who runs the ninja tool shop would probably be running a dango shop now, living a peaceful and happy life."

"If you hadn't misled Obito back then, he would still be that silly guy who always made everyone around him happy."

He shifted his gaze from Madara's face to the tranquil Uchiha Clan Compound across the river, and shook his head with a wry smile.

"If I hadn't chosen to leave Konoha back then, the Uchiha Clan Massacre massacre could actually have been avoided."

Ban's brows furrowed deeper as he stared intently at Kou, asking the same question he had repeated several times along the way:

"... What exactly are you trying to say?"

"What, you still don't understand?"

Everything I've said has been about the same thing from beginning to end.

Kou shook his head, refocusing his gaze on Ban's somber face:

There is no such thing as fate in this world.

"Tragedy is not something that is destined to happen from the very beginning."

"And since tragedy is not inevitable, then this Ninja World, which we believe is built upon countless tragedies—"

"And why would it be concluded that... there is no hope of change?"