Sixteen Years Old, The Fourth Generation of Mizukage

"So, is this the reason why you came to me with Uchiha Itachi's examination pass certificate and Hatake Kakashi to inquire about course-related matters?"

Seeing the uninvited Hatake Kakashi and Jiraiya, they were placing the classified literature scrolls on the bookshelf in the independent library specially set up for the course of restoration and research of the history of the ninja world. Kaguya Rei's clone turned her face sideways and asked with a speechless expression.

"Well, don't be too serious about this kind of thing, Mizukage-sama..."

Jiraiya said haha ​​very skillfully, and said with an awkward smile:

"That child is just a six-year-old kid after all. Even if his family agrees to let him come to Kirigakure to participate in an exchange program due to various reasons and concerns, I, the leader of the Konoha exchange group, will still Or do you want to help him check before he makes a choice?"

"Are you telling the truth?" Kaguya Rei didn't pay attention to Jiraiya's tricks, but looked at him calmly and asked.

"The Uchiha clan is the Uchiha clan of Konoha, not the Uchiha clan of Kirigakure... At least that's the case now."

Jiraiya also stopped joking and answered with a serious face.

"It seems that you still quite approve of the ninja village system created by Senju Hashirama... It has only been officially established for a few decades, but you have already ignored or even forgotten that the major ninja clans have developed in the past few decades. A few years ago, it was still a matter of fact that each of them was fighting independently."

Kaguya Rei was not too surprised when Jiraiya came up with the answer of Ninja Village's position. He just took a volume written by the seniors of the Oniden clan from the bookshelf at hand and recorded it. A scroll of documents about some events when Kirigakure was first established came down, and he spoke unhurriedly while flipping through it.

"Times are developing, and we ninjas must also learn to accept new things... It is very dangerous to always hold on to the hatred and ideas of the past and refuse to let go."

Hearing what Jiraiya said, Kaguya Rei first sneered disdainfully, then squinted his eyes and asked maliciously:

"Oh? It sounds like Jiraiya seems to think Konoha has done a pretty good job in this regard?"

"Should... at least be above a passing grade, right?" Jiraiya touched his nose and gave the grade in his mind as low as possible.

"Passing grade? Then your grading standards are really surprisingly loose, Jiraiya."

Kaguya Rei looked at Jiraiya with somewhat pitiful eyes and sighed:

"If Konoha really succeeds in letting go of hatred and inherent ideas, then Uchiha Madara, who has been convinced by Senju Hashirama, should become one of your Konoha Hokages. , rather than being forced to leave the family and run away from the village alone.

Similarly, in the core advisory team of the Third Hokage, there should also be elites from the Uchiha clan, instead of being left to Danzo Shimura, Koharu and Mito Kaden who only know how to suppress and target the Uchiha clan. The guy gave total control. "

"Even the second-generation Hokage Senju Hashirama, who is relatively better in this regard, still has the ability to force Uchiha Madara, whose core combat power can be influenced and changed by Senju Hashirama, into a This is a serious mistake made by a rebellious ninja who hates Konoha..."

Having said this, Kaguya Rei paused for a moment, then looked at Jiraiya, whose face was as black as the bottom of a pot, and Hatake Kakashi, who was standing next to him with a helpless smile, and asked with a slightly raised tone:

"Now, do you still think Konoha can get a passing grade or above in letting go of old hatreds and ideas, Jiraiya?"

"Sure enough, I was right not to let Uchiha Itachi come to find you..." Jiraiya patted his cheek helplessly, so that his face could recover from the numbness after being slapped several times by Hollow, " If you let that kid who hasn't even formed his own ideas stay with you for a long time and be nurtured by you, he will definitely fall faster than Uchiha Shisui."

"Lies never hurt, truth is the sharpest knife."

Kaguya smiled playfully, narrowed her eyes and said:

"If Uchiha Itachi can develop anger and hatred for Konoha just because he sees the truth that has been artificially covered up, it only shows that there are big enough problems with Konoha's own practices... …Do you still remember what I said to you on the first day you came to Kirigakure?”

"I have thought carefully about what you said." Jiraiya shook his head and said firmly: "Although Konoha and Kirigakure have not yet emerged from the flames of war in the Warring States Period, they have both inherited a lot of things. There are some misconceptions and traditions that have been passed down from that era, but... there is still a difference between the two."

"If there is really a difference, why did Danzo Shimura and his 'roots' develop and grow?"

Kaguya Rei blew a frivolous whistle, and then teased lightly:

"Don't forget, the mastermind behind Kirigakure's transformation into the Blood Mist is Madara Uchiha, a ghost who survived the Warring States Period, and the 'root' rooted in the deepest darkness of Konoha was led by the Second Hokage. His disciple, Shimura Danzo, who inherited his own will of fire, personally founded and developed it..."

"Think about it, being able to give birth to something like Shimura Danzo and 'Gen' from within that does not treat fellow villagers as human beings, does your so-called Will of Fire really have any merit? It has long become an excuse and tool used by your Konoha senior officials to eliminate dissidents and fight for power and gain."

Jiraiya had never felt such intense hatred for Danzo Shimura and the existence of the "roots" as he did now.

He is not a hypocritical person who can turn a blind eye to the truth that has been put in front of him. When Danzo Shimura, who can be said to have shouldered all the darkness in the ninja world, was put on the table as proof of Konoha's Fire When he saw evidence that his will had become corrupted, no matter how many reasons he had in his mind to excuse the Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen and Konoha, he could only swallow them all back in his stomach with great reluctance, and finally turned them into a cry A long sigh.

However, what Jiraiya didn't expect was that Kakashi Hatake, who he thought would show some dissatisfaction or even anger because of this, now maintained a high level of consistency with him, and was even more calm. , or indifference. Now that he has to take continuous deep breaths to calm down his breathing and emotions, he has never felt any anger or dissatisfaction from the beginning——

It was as if what Jiraiya and Kaguya Rei were talking about were not his hometown and Konoha, which he once wanted to burn everything for, but villages such as Sunagakure and Iwagakure that had nothing to do with him. Same thing.

Rei Kaguya also noticed the abnormality of Kakashi Hatake. He turned his attention with interest to the number one technician in Konoha who had greatly changed his life path, and asked with a little guidance:

"Don't you have anything to say, Hatake Kakashi?"

"Is there something you want to say?" Hatake Kakashi tilted his head. For some reason, a somewhat empty expression slowly appeared on his tired and immature face, "Mizukage-sama said that Konoha's fire His will has no merit, and has become a tool used by senior officials to eliminate dissidents and fight for power... Then, do you think it had no merit from the beginning, or did it become worthless after it deteriorated? What about?"

"Well, that's a good question."

Kaguya Rei showed a somewhat surprised expression. He looked up and down at Hatake Kakashi, who looked listless and depressed, and replied thoughtfully:

"The will of fire after it has deteriorated is indeed worthless, but we may be able to explore when it started to deteriorate."

"How should we investigate, Mizukage-sama?" Kakashi Hatake's empty tone was filled with curiosity.

"Just ask the people involved who experienced that era."

Kaguya Rei put away the scroll in her hand and replied with a chuckle.