Chapter 102: The Mission Suddenly Ends, and Bad News Follows
"Haa!"
Asuka had just walked out of the forest when he suddenly heard a soft sigh beside him.
Following the sound, he saw a child leaning against a large tree, imitating an adult with a thoughtful expression on his face.
A four-year-old brat. What could he possibly be thinking about all day?
When Asuka had been four, he had already been leading his clan's children in fights against the children of the Hyūga clan.
"Good morning, young clan head!"
Itachi heard someone greet him from nearby and quickly stood up, replying politely,
"Good morning."
As soon as he spoke, he looked up and realized that the person who had greeted him was Uchiha Asuka.
Itachi hesitated.
But his good upbringing made him unwilling to simply turn around and leave.
Although his mother had warned him not to speak or play with this man, Itachi felt that Asuka didn't seem as evil as his mother had described.
"Young clan head, what are you doing here so early in the morning? Training?"
Asuka looked around and didn't see Uchiha Mikoto anywhere, so he walked over to Itachi and started chatting with him.
"No."
Itachi shook his head.
Recently, he had been feeling somewhat frustrated while studying because there were many things he couldn't understand.
That was why he had come to the forest under the excuse of doing his morning exercises—to think about the questions troubling him.
"Jōnin Asuka, may I ask you another question?"
"What do you want to ask?"
Itachi leaned against the large tree and gazed at the first light appearing along the horizon.
His voice was filled with doubt.
"Does marriage have any meaning?"
"Marriage?"
Seeing a four-year-old child pondering marriage, and remembering the high praise the village had always given Itachi, Asuka couldn't help spitting toward the direction of Tsunade's house.
You're all four years old.
When I was four and thinking about these things, you called me an evil Uchiha, and not a single person in the village who knew the truth contradicted you.
But when it's four-year-old Uchiha Itachi, suddenly he's mature beyond his years, thoughtful, and wise.
A bunch of hypocrites.
After cursing inwardly for a while, Asuka looked at Itachi's confused expression and shrugged.
"Whether marriage is good or bad, I can't tell you that."
"But I can tell you some of the popular sayings circulating in the shinobi world and let you use them as a reference."
"After all, you've already got the mindset of an adult, so you should be able to tell right from wrong."
Itachi was silent for a moment before asking for guidance.
"Jōnin Asuka, please tell me."
"The first saying is that the essence of marriage is the exploitation of women."
"After getting married, women have to give birth and raise children, turning themselves into exhausted old women, while the men might not even continue treating them well."
"Some men even need their wives to coax them and take care of their emotions."
"That means women have to do everything after marriage—and might not receive anything in return."
"Before marriage, they're princesses. After marriage, they're housekeepers."
"So what's the point of getting married?"
Itachi unconsciously clicked his tongue.
Why does he feel like this person is talking about his mother?
He thought of how hard his mother had worked for the family over the years.
She had to consider not only his father's feelings but also those of the entire clan, forcing her to suppress many of her frustrations instead of expressing them.
He had heard that his mother hadn't always been this gentle.
After a moment of silence, he looked up at Asuka.
"Are there any other sayings?"
"The second saying is that the essence of marriage is the exploitation of men."
"Many men have to work hard to support their families after marriage. They have to discipline themselves, and some women even demand control over their husbands' income."
"Men may need their wives' permission before spending money."
"Then, during divorce, the property is divided between the two parties. That's another loss for men and could even leave them with nothing, reducing them to poverty overnight."
Itachi blinked, somewhat confused.
Why does marriage always seem to mean that either the man or the woman gets the short end of the stick?
Isn't there a marriage where neither side loses?
With that thought, he looked at Asuka in confusion.
"Is there a situation where neither side loses?"
"Yes!"
Asuka nodded firmly.
Then he pointed proudly toward his own house.
"According to what I've heard, when my parents got married, neither side lost anything."
"They both felt they had gained something."
The corner of Itachi's mouth twitched.
He couldn't argue with that answer.
Then he saw Asuka lightly tapping the bark of the tree behind him, his tone becoming somewhat hesitant.
"Jōnin Asuka, the books say that the Senju clan disbanded and merged into Konoha."
"What does it mean that they married ordinary people?"
Seeing Itachi ask the question so indirectly, Asuka thought of the notebook Kana had drawn and explained,
"If we follow what you just said, then the purpose of marriage is reproduction."
"The reason everyone in the Senju clan formed families was to have children and strengthen Konoha."
"However, having children doesn't necessarily require marriage."
"You'll understand when you grow up."
After saying that, Asuka waved toward Itachi and left.
This time, he wasn't afraid that Mikoto would come looking for trouble at his house.
He hadn't taught Itachi anything bad.
He had merely given him some of the most popular sayings in the shinobi world and let him decide for himself.
There was no way anyone could accuse him of injecting his personal bias into the matter.
Uchiha Itachi watched Asuka's departing figure and slowly closed his eyes.
Recently, he had read many magazines about the Senju clan and their efforts to "strengthen Konoha," and he couldn't help developing some doubts.
Why had the Senju clan fought day and night without regard for their own safety, all for the sake of increasing Konoha's strength?
Their clan had been willing to abandon their families for the sake of the village.
That was the Will of Fire.
Their clan head, the First Hokage, had once said:
"Whether it's a friend, a brother, or even my own family…"
"I will never forgive anyone who opposes the village!"
That was also the Will of Fire.
Village.
Family.
An hour later.
Asuka sat on a small stool beside Uchiha Madara, listening attentively.
The old man had begun filling his head with his own personal biases.
He knew this old bastard definitely had ulterior motives.
This old man and Hashirama founded the village to protect the people who mattered to them and allow them to live in peace.
But now, generation after generation of your descendants have died.
I've heard that the connection between people of your generation was even severed.
"Yes!"
Asuka nodded heavily.
Within the enormous Uchiha clan, there was only one shinobi who was exactly eighteen years old.
That was him.
The Third Great Ninja War had nearly wiped out several generations of clan members.
"Heh."
Uchiha Madara sneered.
Ever since Hashirama became Hokage, Konoha's Will of Fire had become a mistake.
At first, for the sake of peace between the two clans and to eliminate their hatred, Hashirama had been willing to sacrifice his own life.
That had been Hashirama at his greatest.
But later, after Hashirama became Hokage, he changed.
For the sake of the village, he became cold and ruthless.
He used the sacrifices of others to achieve his so-called peace.
That so-called peace.
Hashirama had forgotten his original intentions.
When this old man's Eye of the Moon Plan succeeds, I will revive Hashirama and let him see it.
After reaffirming his plan in his heart, Madara turned toward the thoughtful Asuka and slowly spoke in his aged voice.
"Have you ever thought about when the shinobi world will finally achieve true peace?"
Hearing this, Asuka answered without hesitation.
"Permanent peace is a false concept."
Ever since transmigrating into this world, he had considered almost everything.
The one thing he had never seriously considered was peace.
Increase productivity?
In his previous life, even wealthy regions were still plagued by war.
Unify the shinobi world and establish an authoritarian regime?
Everyone eventually dies.
Even if someone could achieve immortality, who could say whether that dictator might eventually destroy his own country with his own hands?
In any case, those transmigrators who came to the shinobi world intending to establish peace weren't particularly reliable.
They were too idealistic.
Wherever humans existed, conflict would exist.
Unless everyone uploaded themselves into computers and lived separately in isolated spaces.
But…
Wouldn't that just be Infinite Tsukuyomi?
Damn it!
Asuka cursed inwardly while looking at Uchiha Madara with admiration.
That's definitely my great-grandfather.
His thinking is far beyond that of the shinobi world.
Madara thoroughly enjoyed Asuka's admiring gaze.
Although he didn't know why this great-grandson had suddenly started looking at him with such admiration, it proved that he still commanded respect in the boy's heart.
Then Madara stood up from his chair and stared intently at Asuka.
He spoke solemnly.
"What if this old man told you that permanent peace could truly be achieved?"
As he watched Asuka's expression gradually change from calm to surprise, and finally to deep suspicion, Madara chuckled.
"Go practice your Sharingan."
"You're still too weak right now."
After saying that, Madara waved Asuka away.
This man's current thoughts were the same as Hashirama's.
He simply wanted the people around him to obtain peace.
Only after his thoughts had settled would it be time to tell him about the Eye of the Moon Plan.
Time passed.
June disappeared in the blink of an eye, and July arrived.
The date was July 22.
Asuka lay sprawled in a chair, staring listlessly at the sky.
After nearly a month of brutal training, his ocular power had improved significantly.
Although he still hadn't awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, he wasn't far from it.
The free ride was a success.
He had even learned two decent jutsu from Uchiha Madara.
But…
A chill ran through Asuka.
Madara's current attitude was strange.
He neither demanded anything from Asuka nor forced him to do anything.
He simply kept teaching him all kinds of things.
If Madara wanted him to carry out the Eye of the Moon Plan, Asuka would mentally prepare himself.
But the old man wasn't asking him to do anything.
Instead, he continued giving him benefits.
"Hmm."
Remembering the long-lost fan of the Uchiha clan, Asuka muttered to himself,
"Uchiha Reflections looks pretty cool!"
The next moment, as Asuka fell into thought, his body suddenly stiffened.
He looked somewhat confusedly at the empty air in front of him before calling out,
"System?"
"Congratulations, Host!"
Before the words had even finished, Asuka suddenly saw a black ninja cat appear in front of him.
The black ninja cat narrowed its eyes at Asuka.
Its aged voice carried a trace of sadness.
"Asuka…"
"Old Ryoichi has passed away."