"Kindergarten?" The expression on Yahiko's face froze instantly.
He had no idea what this kindergarten referred to, because no such institution existed in the Shinobi World.
But he was no fool. Even a fool could have heard the mockery in it.
"Mr. Yūto!" Yahiko frowned. "What do you mean by that? Are you mocking our ideals?"
"It's not entirely mockery." Yūto's expression remained calm. "I just think your dreams are admirable, and very naive. Unfortunately, they can never come true."
"Why can't they?!" Yahiko retorted heatedly. "As long as we hold to our convictions and stand united, sooner or later..."
"Because you're too weak." Yūto cut him off without ceremony, looking Yahiko straight in the eye. "The road to peace has never been about wishes and ideals alone. Countless enemies will stand in your way, enemies more powerful than you can imagine. And you..."
He paused briefly, his tone growing heavier. "You can't even deal with your first enemy in your own Land of Rain."
"An enemy in our own Land of Rain?" Yahiko frowned, not understanding what he meant. "Who is our enemy? Who are you referring to?"
"Who else?" Yūto countered. "Hanzō of your Land of Rain, of course. He's standing right in the path of your dreams."
"Lord Hanzō?" Yahiko immediately shook his head in denial. "Impossible! Lord Hanzō longs for peace too. He's the Hero of the Land of Rain! Why would he target our Akatsuki? You don't understand him at all!"
Yūto slowly shook his head, a trace of pity in his eyes as he looked at Yahiko. "Hanzō may be a Hero in your eyes, but he's the leader of Amegakure, the de facto ruler of the Land of Rain. You say he longs for peace. Perhaps he does. But that's peace in his