The Scalding Resolve

The night in the Land of Waves was bitterly salty with sea wind.

At Tazuna's dinner table, aside from Naruto slurping noodles, it was as quiet as though they were eating their last meal before execution.

Ye Tian held his bowl, but his divine sense was analyzing the plate of steamed sea fish.

Spiritual energy was practically zero, but the protein content was decent. It would do for replenishing blood and vitality, he muttered inwardly.

"Why are you trying so hard?"

The one who broke the silence was a kid. Inari pulled his hat lower, his voice as gloomy as if he had just crawled out of a well.

"It's useless. In a country without heroes, effort means nothing except making your death look a little uglier. You ninja will leave in a few days, or... die here."

"What did you say?!" Naruto slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet.

The two argued fiercely, one shouting about his dream of becoming Hokage, the other roaring that "heroes always die." In the end, the kid ran away crying, and Naruto lost his appetite too.

Ye Tian unhurriedly finished the last sip of soup and set down his bowl.

"Thank you for the meal. The fish was a little too fishy. Next time, add thicker slices of ginger."

He stood up, ignored everyone's complicated looks, and slowly shuffled out the door.

On the seaside reefs, the waves struck the land again and again with dull thuds.

Inari sat there hugging his knees, sobbing silently.

"If crying worked, this sea would have been filled with tears long ago."

Ye Tian sat down behind him, his posture casual.

"What do you know?! You don't know what despair is at all!" Inari turned around and roared.

"I really don't." Ye Tian shrugged. With a flick of his fingertip, a cluster of faint blue True Fire sprang into existence, looking eerie yet warm against the pitch-black shore.

Inari froze. "A magic trick?"

"Something like that." Ye Tian looked at the flame on his fingertip. "You said that once someone dies, there's nothing left. You're half right. The body decays; that is the cycle of heaven, and no one can escape it. A title like hero really is something the living invent to comfort themselves."

Inari could not hold back. This cruel line of thought struck his sore spot more easily than Naruto's fiery pep talk.

"But."

Ye Tian turned his head. Firelight reflected in his dark eyes, unfathomably deep.

"When the body dies, some things need to be like this fire. They need kindling to keep burning. Look at the sea."

His fingertip moved slightly. Drawing on the pitifully small amount of spiritual energy within him and the moisture over the sea, he performed the lowest-grade illusion technique.

[Mirror Flower Water Moon: Miniature Version]

Over the sea, shattered waves of light suddenly gathered like a movie screen. Mist rose and slowly formed the outline of a tall man. It was Kaiza. He stood atop the water with his arms spread wide, revealing the brilliant smile that had once illuminated the Land of Waves.

"D-Dad?!" Inari desperately tried to rush toward the sea.

"Don't move." Ye Tian's voice was calm. "That's fake. I merely borrowed your memories."

The image flashed away and darkness returned.

"He really is dead. Maybe fish ate him, or maybe he rotted into mud." Ye Tian's words were as blunt as knives. "But if fear makes you extinguish the fire in your heart with your own hands, then you'll have killed him a second time."

Inari stood there blankly.

"Your hands and feet still work, and you run pretty fast too." Ye Tian rose to his feet and dusted off his backside. The blue True Fire drifted gently before Inari, flickering between bright and dim.

"You can keep crying here and wait for Gato to crush you like a bug. Or..."

Ye Tian reached out and patted Inari's fisherman hat twice, with considerable force.

"Try to catch that torch. Even if it burns your hands, even if you end up as ashes, at least you'll be warm until the flames die."

After saying that, Ye Tian covered his mouth and gave two weak coughs before turning to shuffle away.

"Cough, cough... This sea wind is making my bones ache. I need to go back and drink some hot water."

Inari stood on the reef, watching that hunched, sickly figure who somehow seemed steadier than a mountain.

He reached out and carefully touched the little flame that was about to go out. Genuine warmth spread through his fingertips.

"I'm not afraid of getting burned..." he gritted out, whispering to the figure disappearing into the night.

"I'm... not afraid of getting burned!"

At that moment, Ye Tian sensed the kid's emotions violently fluctuate through his divine sense, and a calm smile crossed his lips.

The seed has been planted. Another useful pawn. Being a savior is too exhausting. I'd rather be a 'firebearer' and earn some karma points on the side.