Chapter 214: Look at the Expression on Itachi's Face—How Exquisite
Yasushi tilted his head back slightly, gazing at the brilliant sunset bleeding across the horizon. He drew in a deep breath, then asked with leisurely amusement, "Jiraiya, you people always preach about mutual understanding between humans."
"You make it sound so simple—like everyone just needs to sit down with open hearts, understand each other for a moment, and suddenly all hatred vanishes into thin air."
"But this isn't some fairy tale world. Making people truly understand each other, truly empathize with one another? That's fundamentally impossible!"
"So let me ask you now—can you understand me? Can you understand my hatred? Can you understand my pain?"
"Tell me honestly—I killed Tsunade, I killed Sarutobi Hiruzen, I killed Gamabunta, I killed so many of your friends and loved ones. Do you hate me or not?"
"Are you willing to abandon your hatred and make peace with me?"
"If you can't even do that, then stop spouting that childish bullshit in the future!"
Jiraiya remained silent for a long moment before finally raising his head and answering with absolute sincerity, "Yasushi, if you're willing to make peace, then I can let go of my hatred and reconcile with you."
"I know the village wronged the Uchiha clan in what happened. But hasn't your revenge been enough already?"
"Too many people have died in the village. I don't want to see more deaths continue."
"Yasushi, can we make peace?"
"Oh?" Yasushi lowered his head in surprise, carefully studying Jiraiya's face. Seeing his complete earnestness, no hint of deception, genuinely wanting reconciliation—Yasushi couldn't help but burst into laughter again. He laughed until he doubled over, laughed until tears streamed from his eyes.
"Jiraiya! You really are full of surprises! Everything I just said went completely over your head, didn't it?"
"I told you—this isn't a fairy tale world where two people bump lips and everything gets a happy ending."
"You say you want to reconcile with me? I believe you're serious, but do you think that's even possible? This hatred was never just between the two of us!"
"Come on, turn around right now. Look at those shinobi clans behind you. Look at the hatred burning in their eyes."
"Ask them—are they willing to make peace with me? Then ask Uchiha Itachi over there—is he willing to reconcile with me?"
"If you make peace with me, you'll have to publicly admit to the entire world that the village's massacre of the Uchiha clan was wrong, that it was a sin committed by the village leadership."
"Then what does that make Uchiha Itachi, who carried out the extermination? What does that make the Itachi who still believes he slaughtered his clan for the good of the village?"
Jiraiya's expression went rigid as he stiffly turned his head. Sure enough, every shinobi was staring at him.
Those faces were filled with cold expressions, clearly furious that he would dare discuss reconciliation with Uchiha Yasushi without their consent.
As for Uchiha Itachi, his condition was even worse.
He stared at Jiraiya in shock, Yin Release chakra fluctuating wildly around him, his Mangekyo Sharingan spinning continuously. Even his Susanoo could no longer maintain its form.
He had always believed that eliminating the Uchiha clan was right, that it was entirely for the village's benefit, for the village's peace, to spare the villagers from war.
The Third and others had always supported him through their actions, strengthening his conviction.
But now the next Hokage was publicly admitting before numerous shinobi that the village had wronged the Uchiha clan.
How could he possibly accept this?
"I..." Jiraiya opened his mouth, wanting to persuade the village shinobi to let go of their hatred and agree to peace with Yasushi, but the words died in his throat.
He was someone who could put himself in others' shoes. Having experienced pain himself, he could understand the suffering of others.
But while he could choose to abandon his own hatred, he couldn't make that choice for others.
He couldn't speak those words, couldn't morally blackmail others using the village's interests.
This left him frozen in place, completely at a loss.
"Hahaha..." Yasushi laughed even more delightedly.
"Jiraiya, do you see it now?"
"Someone with high moral standards can't be Hokage!"
"The politics and compromises you despise are the very foundation of Konoha's continued existence!"
"Those things you personally cherish—justice, righteousness, compassion, mutual understanding—they're completely incompatible with a place like Konoha!"
"Shouting slogans about the Will of Fire is fine, but you can't actually take it seriously!"
"Jiraiya, Konoha has been rotten to its core for ages. Are you sure you still want to keep rolling in this cesspool?"
Jiraiya couldn't help but clench his fists tightly, falling into silence.
"Alright, little Jiraiya, don't overthink this, and stop doing unnecessary things." Shima Sage gently patted Jiraiya's shoulder, consoling him.
"That guy up there is obviously provoking you. He never intended to truly reconcile with Konoha."
"He's trying to drive a wedge between you and the village, wanting you to taste what it feels like to be abandoned by everyone."
"You need to understand—once hatred is born, it's extremely difficult to eliminate."
"You're not exactly the smartest person either, so don't waste your brain cells on this."
"Let's just start fighting. That's much simpler."
"No, no, no, my target was never Jiraiya." Yasushi had found something far more interesting now and had no desire for combat. He quickly interrupted Shima Sage, grinning maliciously.
"My target is Itachi! Look at Itachi over there—the expression on his face is so exquisite right now."
Jiraiya hurriedly turned to look at Itachi. The man had completely dimmed, his eyes lifeless, his previously straight back beginning to hunch forward.
"What happened? What's wrong?" Jiraiya was completely confused, unable to understand why Itachi had suddenly become like this.
Had he just misspoken? But that shouldn't cause this kind of reaction. Besides, the village and Yasushi hadn't successfully reconciled anyway.
"Hahaha..." Seeing Jiraiya's bewildered expression, Yasushi laughed so hard he nearly fell over.
"Jiraiya, you really aren't suited to be Hokage!"
"Though you haven't had the succession ceremony yet, Jiraiya, you've already become the de facto Fifth Hokage of Konoha."
"Perhaps you haven't realized it yourself, but the moment you accepted Sarutobi Hiruzen's dying request, you stopped being that independent Pervy Sage."
"You're now the backbone for all of Konoha's shinobi. Your every word, every action, every move is watched by everyone, analyzed by everyone, as they try to understand the hidden meanings and purposes behind your statements."
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