Strange Stronghold

Inuzuka Ryo looked at Uchiha Meikyō and asked:

"But now, in order to complete the mission, we have to kill these poor people with our own hands, then send those things back to the Lord's Mansion so he can continue oppressing and exploiting the residents of Tetsuseki Town day after day, year after year. And after that, as expected, he'll keep grabbing more townspeople and forcing them to become miners, endlessly exploited in those dark mines."

"Tell me, is that right?"

Aburame Nami remained silent, standing motionlessly where she was as she too turned a curious gaze toward Meikyō.

She also wanted to know what kind of answer Uchiha Meikyō would give in the face of such circumstances.

"Ryo, we are ninja."

Meikyō silently shifted his gaze toward the Stronghold ahead.

"Ninja have never been good people. If you want to be a good person, that only means you haven't adapted to your identity as a ninja yet. In the world of ninja, there is no right or wrong. Or rather, a ninja's right and wrong differ from mainstream values."

"Why do ninja have to be different from everyone else? We're all people! Living, breathing people with feelings!"

Inuzuka Ryo could not help retorting.

What no one noticed was that at the edge of the woods not far away, a spirit body that could not be detected by ordinary means floated in the air, carefully watching and listening to their conversation.

Dan Katō knew that although these disciples of his were outstanding and had successfully become Genin, they were still one final step away from becoming true ninja.

Though he too did not believe such things were right, as a Jonin of Konoha, he knew very well what a qualified ninja should do.

After all, he had walked this very path himself.

All of a sudden, Dan Katō became curious about what his most valued disciple truly thought deep down about this question.

"Your true thoughts?"

Inuzuka Ryo and Dan Katō had the same thought, and Ryo asked Meikyō.

"Do you remember what Article Twenty-Three of the Ninja Handbook says?"

Meikyō asked in return.

"No matter what unexpected situation arises, ninja must regard mission completion as the supreme rule."

Inuzuka Ryo answered quickly.

After all, it was a required course at the Ninja Academy.

"Then what about Article Twenty-Five?" Meikyō asked again.

"As ninja, no matter the circumstances, we must not reveal emotion. The mission comes before all else. Ninja do not believe in tears."

"Are those two rules your answer?"

"No. What I want to tell you is that those two principles in the Ninja Handbook are wrong."

As he said this, Meikyō silently drew his Wakizashi.

The snowy-white blade radiated a faint chill beneath the moonlight.

"Perhaps ninja themselves are a malformed creation. Perhaps the First Hokage realized this, which was why he changed the ninja system of the Sengoku era and founded Konoha. But unfortunately, although the First Hokage accomplished many things ordinary ninja could never accomplish, this alone was something even he, the God of Shinobi, could not change."

"But whether you want to keep following this path or find a way to change these things, you must first obtain sufficient strength. Or, in your words, to accomplish this, you would at least need to become Hokage."

"But don't you think all that is still far too distant from you? Even becoming a Jonin is quite far away for us right now. At the very least, what you should do now is bury all your unnecessary thoughts deep in your heart, then do what everyone believes is right. Keep doing it—either until you have the power to change these things, or until, like other ninja, you ultimately die on some mission. That depends on you."

"At least learn to control your heart. For ninja, the most important word is endurance."

After rambling on for so long, perhaps he was trying to persuade Inuzuka Ryo, or perhaps Meikyō was trying to persuade himself more convincingly.

Having said that, Meikyō no longer cared whether Inuzuka Ryo still had any sentimental feelings. He opened his Sharingan, held his Wakizashi in a reverse grip, and strode toward the Stronghold.

Aburame Nami silently glanced at Inuzuka Ryo before following him forward. At the same time, she released a large number of insects to lurk around the Stronghold, preventing anyone from escaping.

Inuzuka Ryo sighed and looked at the white-furred dog beside him.

"Tetsu Maru, let's follow them too!"

Perhaps a ninja's life was supposed to be like this, but Inuzuka Ryo absolutely could not accept it.

Maybe he was being too naive.

Just as Uchiha Meikyō had said, if he wanted to change all this, he had to at least become Hokage before he would be qualified to accomplish the great feat that even the First Hokage had failed to achieve.

Though he was confident in his talent, and like many others his age in Konoha, had made becoming Hokage his ambition, there were also many people in the village who were no worse than him—some even more talented.

For example, Uchiha Meikyō.

Could he... really do it?

After entering the Stronghold, Meikyō was quite surprised.

This was actually an abandoned Stronghold. Even the figures standing watch in places like the guard towers were merely Scarecrows dressed in tattered linen clothes.

However, there were not no living people here.

With the help of Aburame Nami's insects, they successfully found the only living person in the Stronghold.

In the Hall of the Stronghold, a tall yet somewhat gaunt, dark-skinned Big Man sat in the central seat with his eyes closed, seemingly dozing.

Meikyō silently took out a photograph from his Ninja Tool Pouch.

This man was the target of their mission—the Bandit Leader, the former leader of those miners, Okamoto Ichiro.

"You've finally come."

Apparently having heard their footsteps, Okamoto Ichiro opened his eyes and looked at the three of them standing in the center of the Hall.

"You knew we were coming?"

Meikyō stopped his two companions beside him and asked Okamoto Ichiro ahead.

Okamoto Ichiro did not answer.

But Meikyō had already formed a guess.

"If I'm not mistaken, you have someone in the Lord's Mansion, don't you? Otherwise, you wouldn't have sent all the bandits away in advance. I just don't understand why you stayed behind."

Okamoto Ichiro's body suddenly stiffened before he opened his mouth and said:

"It's not that I have someone in the Lord's Mansion. Rather, even among the people in the Lord's Mansion, there are those who are equally dissatisfied with Hida Yuichi—who even hate him."

"I understand."

Meikyō nodded.

It seemed Hida Yuichi truly was no good.

"Then what about my second question? Since you knew we were coming, why didn't you leave with them? Or why didn't you try to resist?"

Okamoto Ichiro lowered his eyes and said:

"If I tell you, can you grant me one request?"