Ninshu and the Fire Temple

A thousand years ago, after the Sealing of Princess Kaguya by the Sage of Six Paths and his brother, the Sage of Six Paths traveled the continent alone. To explain his understanding of chakra, he founded Ninshu, whose purpose was to face what lay before them, foster mutual understanding and love, and preserve order and peace.

Before his death, the Sage of Six Paths named his younger son, Asura, as Ninshu's successor. Passing over the Eldest Son in favor of the Second Son provoked Indra's resentment. After the Sage of Six Paths died, Indra and Asura fought over the right to inherit Ninshu, and their struggle continued even after their deaths.

According to accounts passed down across the continent, Ninshu had fallen apart centuries ago. Because of the wars, people no longer knew its precise teachings. Only a few secret texts explained that Ninjutsu originated from the Ninshu Secret Texts, so ninja considered themselves its inheritors.

Kazemori Masaki, however, knew that Ninshu's teachings had never advocated Ninjutsu for combat. The Ninjutsu that ninja now used to kill should have originated with Indra, the first person to create Ninjutsu that could be used in war.

Kazemori Masaki was not entirely clear on how Indra and Asura's personal battle had ended. In any case, they had continued fighting even after death. But from Ninshu's perspective, Indra had won an utterly decisive victory. He had destroyed everything about Ninshu, until even his father's teachings were no longer known to the world. More ironically still, everything Indra created had come to be regarded as Ninshu's continuation.

It was not just Ninshu. Even the descendants of Asura and Indra had been reduced to serving at the nobles' beck and call, though the two brothers' standing had been equivalent to that of sons of God. A thousand years ago, the Ninshu founded by the Sage of Six Paths had commanded the faith of the entire continent. Even rulers had adopted it as their state religion. Yet a thousand years later, Ninshu no longer existed, and the descendants of those two sons of God had fallen to their present state. It was a sobering thought.

Kazemori Masaki learned from Hashirama that the place carrying on Ninshu's teachings today was the Fire Temple in the capital, which claimed to have inherited the ideals Ninshu preached. In Kazemori Masaki's view, however, they were probably borrowing Ninshu's name under false pretenses. After all, they proclaimed that the Sage of Six Paths had been a monk. Knowing the Sage's past, Kazemori Masaki naturally scoffed at that.

But their claims were not entirely false. After Ninshu was destroyed in the wars, some of its surviving Classics were inherited by the Fire Temple or temples in other countries. Some of those were genuine Ninshu Secret Texts, and they contained unique Ninjutsu, such as a secret technique called Sage Talent.

"Come to think of it, that secret technique was part of the inspiration for my True Several Thousand Hands," Hashirama said with a smile. "When I first went to the capital for an audience with the Daimyo, I spoke with the Fire Temple's abbot. I saw him use that technique then, though I only imitated its form."

Kazemori Masaki also knew of the secret technique Sage Talent. Its form did indeed resemble True Several Thousand Hands, but their power was worlds apart. A monk from the Fire Temple could not B with Hashirama. What interested Kazemori Masaki, however, was the word "sage" in the technique's name.

"Sage" was not a word to be used casually. Ninja were very particular about the names of their secret techniques, and Ninshu should have been the same. Kazemori Masaki vaguely suspected that the Fire Temple might truly hold clues to the Sage of Six Paths' Sage Arts, but there were some questions he could not explain.

If secret texts on Sage Arts really existed, why had not a single monk from the Fire Temple learned them? There were three possibilities: such texts did not exist; they were too difficult for anyone to master; or they did exist, but were so obscure that no one had recognized them.

Whatever the answer, Kazemori Masaki felt he should visit the Fire Temple. But he could not do so now. Without a mission, people were generally forbidden from leaving the village without permission. This had originally been an unspoken rule everyone understood, but after the Madara Uchiha incident, Tobirama explicitly decreed that anyone who left without permission would be treated as a rogue ninja.

Kazemori Masaki did not want to risk sneaking off to the Fire Temple. As the Hokage's disciple, he would surely have opportunities to visit the capital openly in the future. There was no need to rush there now. Besides, he still had some troublesome matters to deal with.

Kazemori Masaki discussed Sage Arts with Hashirama. With their horizons broadened, they proposed various ways to use them, but abandoned many as impractical or too slow. Kazemori Masaki noted down some methods they considered feasible, intending to try them when he returned.

When Little Tsunade saw her grandfather absorbed in talking to a stranger and forgetting to play with her, she immediately began kicking up a furious fuss. Small as she was, she was surprisingly strong, and Hashirama, whose health had declined, could barely keep her under control.

"What a troublesome child," Hashirama said as he soothed the angry Tsunade. He seemed exasperated, but his eyes were full of affection for his granddaughter.

"Hopefully she won't be this unruly when she grows up," Kazemori Masaki said.

"Of course. Children always grow more mature as they get older," Hashirama said with a hearty laugh.

Hashirama wanted to continue his discussion with Kazemori Masaki. He was now eager to teach everything he could, for after his death, these young people would have to protect the village. But he had barely said a few more words before Tsunade began squirming and fussing in his arms again, forcing him to soothe her.

Only moments ago, Hashirama had confidently declared that Tsunade might settle down in the future. Seeing her now, however, he muttered inwardly, Would she really?

Seeing this, Kazemori Masaki said, "Lord Hashirama, it looks like she's had enough too. I'll head home for now. I have a few things to take care of there."

"Ah, you mean Satomi," Hashirama said. "Zhenghui, you need to give her a proper apology. Satomi isn't the sort of girl who only listens and never speaks her mind."

"I understand," Kazemori Masaki said.

After bidding Hashirama farewell, Kazemori Masaki headed home, thinking about what he should say to Satomi. He had inadvertently dismissed her resolve, and he admitted that the fault was his. Although he still did not want Satomi to enter the battlefield, he decided not to refuse her again. As a ninja, she had every right to shoulder her responsibilities.

As soon as he entered the house, Kazemori Masaki sensed Satomi inside. He stepped forward and pushed open the door. Satomi turned her head, and upon seeing him, said rather coldly, "You're back?"

Kazemori Masaki nodded, gently closed the door, and sat beside Satomi. Seeing that she had no intention of driving him away, he let out a small breath of relief. It seemed she was only sulking.

"I'm sorry. I was wrong," Kazemori Masaki apologized before Satomi could speak, his expression sincere. "I shouldn't have forgotten that you're a ninja too, Satomi. Just like me, you're willing to fight to protect Konoha. I shouldn't have insulted that resolve."

Satomi had intended to coldly question him about what had happened earlier, but Kazemori Masaki had apologized outright, leaving her anger with nowhere to go. She drew in on herself a little and muttered, "As long as you understand..."

"Satomi, I understand that you want to fight for Konoha," Kazemori Masaki said, looking at her. "But I don't want anything to happen to you either. So I'll ask Lord Tobirama to let you fight alongside me."

At first, Kazemori Masaki had wanted Satomi to handle logistics, but assigning someone of her ability to such duties would be a waste. If he actually suggested it, he would probably anger her again. After thinking it over, he had only one choice: have Satomi fight in his squad, where he could protect her from close by. Satomi was not weak. On the contrary, she was exceptionally talented. Studying under Senju Toka had already given her considerable skills, and training with Kazemori Masaki had raised her strength another level. Zetsu was certainly not someone who would hold them back.

Kazemori Masaki and Satomi also worked together with great coordination. Operating in the same squad would improve both their combat strength and their chances of survival considerably.

If—if one of them died, or both of them did, he would rather be there to see the other's end, or die together, than be worlds apart without a chance to reunite.

Kazemori Masaki did his best to consider Satomi's wishes, and she was not unreasonable. Moreover, his thoughts coincided with her own, and her anger gradually faded. Still, she wanted to teach him a lesson so he would not simply decide things on his own, so she continued to pretend to be angry.

How could she fool Kazemori Masaki? Seeing what she was doing, he was happy to play along. He spent the entire evening coaxing her until her anger had completely subsided.

(End of chapter)