"I've learned some things... I heard from my reincarnated self, Senju Hashirama, that you support the view of mutual understanding leading to peace, and have created the Will of Fire that The Konoha Village deeply admires..."
Asura sighed gently and slightly bowed to Sarutobi Hiruzen: "I'm sorry, my impulsiveness disturbed your rest... I'm just feeling very confused inside and wanted to seek your help in analysis..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen felt a joy in his heart. Indeed! He guessed it right...
"Peace, of course, requires mutual understanding among people... Lord Asura, if that's the case, you don't need to feel confused..."
The previous vigilance of Sarutobi Hiruzen dissipated as he smiled kindly, his loving gaze resembling that of a benevolent old man seeing a lost child, eager to guide him home.
"Please have a seat. Although this old man doesn't have significant skills, managing Konoha with thousands of people for decades has given me some understanding of the Will of Fire..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen stroked his beard, casually sitting on the grass, and patted beside him: "If it doesn't bother Lord Asura, this old man would like to have a conversation with you..."
Asura's eyes lit up!
Senju Hashirama, true to his reincarnation, never misled him!
The amiability Sarutobi Hiruzen displayed in his words and actions made Asura feel from the bottom of his heart that he was a person who yearned for peace, possessing great wisdom...
"Where, where should I start?" Asura carefully sat beside Sarutobi Hiruzen, and sighed, feeling a bit lost.
"No rush, Asura... Today's weather is perfect for chatting and fishing..." Sarutobi Hiruzen leisurely cast his fishing rod again, speaking softly:
"Take your time to talk, this old man has plenty of time... When the fish comes up, you can taste this old man's culinary skills; my fish soup is quite tasty."
"This... will talking disturb the fish?" Asura, interested yet worried, looked at the fish beneath the water.
"Fishing is all about willing participation..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen chuckled: "It has nothing to do with our conversation. It's just a cultivation concerning one's mind, don't get entangled, Lord Asura."
Asura savored Sarutobi Hiruzen's words.
He felt that the words of the old man beside him were deeply cultured and meaningful, truly embodying a demeanor of humility and wisdom!
"So, here's the situation..."
Asura took a deep breath, realizing that with the Nine-tails having already revealed ancient events, Senju Hashirama, after hearing, would lead to everyone knowing...
There wasn't any confidentiality left.
Thus, sharing with Sarutobi Hiruzen should be fine, right?
"I want to know, why my father chose me as the inheritor of the Ninja Sect back then? Was it because of his preference or the support of the crowd? And does my subsequent millennium-long conflict with my brother have any meaning?"
Asura began to recount his story.
The classic lineage of the Ninja Sect, battles between Chakra and Indra...
Among them, Asura was most concerned about two points.
One was whether mutual understanding or the pursuit of power was correct, and the other was whether he had harmed the Ninja World...
Sarutobi Hiruzen listened quietly, absorbing key information while quickly evaluating Asura's mindset.
After hearing, Sarutobi Hiruzen's lips slightly turned up.
He had to admit, Asura's simple mind shattered his filter for the Immortal. A so-called Immortal possesses strong power only because of bloodline proximity to Kaguya.
But in terms of intellect, they are inferior to us mortals, even less than a mature Jonin of this era; at most, comparable to Hatake Sakumo before his salvation by Aomi.
"If you want me to say..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen started slowly: "The concept of mutual understanding and pursuing power leading to peace doesn't inherently conflict..."
"Like a blade, in a good man's hands, it can make a delicious fish soup for hungry children; in an evil man's hands, it can lead a village's women and children into hell..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen's gaze was sharp, and his voice slow yet powerful:
"From this matter, if I may speak frankly, your father claimed concern for the peace of mortals yet never seriously possessed the vision to see the earth's living beings."
"Asura, your father saved the Ninja World before—I am very grateful to him... Had he and Sage Hamura not sealed Kaguya, there would be no future events in the Ninja World..."
"But because of this, he feared power and believed that those possessing power would invariably lose their minds and stray into the wrong path..."
Asura's heart quaked; was it really so?
But Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't give him time to react.
"Perhaps the Six Paths Sage forgot... It was because he possessed strength that he protected the Ninja World from Kaguya's Infinite Tsukuyomi..."
"And Indra considered the Chakra meant for understanding and creating Ninjutsu, a tool for conflict, is a serious misunderstanding."
Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled, a trace of nostalgia in his eyes and tone:
"Sometimes I feel that the Ninja World is fortunate... With our Chakra and Ninjutsu, in a very short time, we can cultivate enough wheat fields to feed everyone, grow enough cotton for everyone to use…"
"But unfortunately, Ninjutsu has always been used for fighting... Lord Tobirama once said, he didn't understand why, in that era, the Ninja World always seems to produce two exceptional descendants of Uchiha and Senju, leading the Two Extremes in battle..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at Asura, speaking softly: "Sir, why do you think this is?"
The answer is indeed simple.
In truth, world affairs alternate between unity and division...
The Ninja society, not numerous initially, should have a period of unity within such a lengthy timeframe.
But there wasn't...
Whenever such a trend arose, the reincarnated forms of Asura and Indra would tear apart the status quo, maintaining the Ninja society's binary opposition.
No choice, the two must compete for supremacy...
"It's, it's because of me!" Asura suddenly clenched his fists.
At this moment, Asura thought of so many things...
Just as Sarutobi Hiruzen said, power itself isn't the issue; in the hands of the right person, it can be the best tool to benefit the Ninja World...
Why was father so fearful? Why did he distrust the Ninja world's ninjas?
It's known, when the Otsutsuki Clan came for reckoning, it was the mortal Aomi who stood up, saving everyone amid such adversity...
This demonstrates that power can protect everyone... And those possessing power won't lose sight...
"Such a pity... If only Aomi could defeat the consciousness of the Otsutsuki Clan..." Asura sighed deeply:
"But he had already reached the limit... Faced wind and frosty blades, single-handedly sealed grandmother Kaguya, repelled so many Otsutsuki..."
Asura covered his face and cried: "Someone like me, who blindly thought my ninjutsu-inventing brother was wrong, truly can't demand any more from Aomi!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen's corner flashed a hint of amusement.
Actually, he had just been spouting nonsense... Who doesn't know? Ninjutsu is convenient for farming; researching attacking Jutsu to steal others' produce is even more convenient?
The Otsutsuki Clan's Divine Tree plantation method adheres to this principle.
But no way, Sarutobi Hiruzen immediately saw that Asura loved hearing this...
"Do you really think Aomi was influenced by Otsutsuki Chakra?" Sarutobi Hiruzen sighed deeply, with swift eyes and hands he caught a big fish amidst Asura's sobs.
"Enough talking, let's eat first."
But as Asura heard this, he stared with reddened eyes at Sarutobi Hiruzen: "No, I beg you to tell me, was Aomi not influenced?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen shook his head slightly.
"I maintain what I said, let's eat first... Lord Asura, my words are just one view, not the truth... I hope you calm down and think..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen continued scaling the fish, speaking softly:
"I believe in you, can independently think of an answer... Perhaps I can discuss matters of Aomi with you."
"First, have a bowl of fish soup, don't rush in decision-making."
Asura sharply awakened.
At this moment, he felt Sarutobi Hiruzen was someone possessing wisdom surpassing even the Six Paths Sage!
And Sarutobi Hiruzen being so enlightening... How then would Aomi, whom he advocated for, contemplate matters concerning the Ninja World?
Asura couldn't wait to find out!