Dazuna let out a heavy sigh. "That child's father was killed for standing up to Gato."
"He used to admire his father more than anyone… but then…"
After Dazuna finished telling the story of Inari and his father, Kakashi and the others finally understood everything.
"Kakashi-san, that bridge connecting us to the mainland is extremely important. If it isn't completed, the Land of Waves will remain under Gato's control forever. Our people will never escape his oppression."
As he spoke, Dazuna couldn't hold back his tears.
"Father, with Kakashi-san and the others here, the bridge will definitely be completed," Tsubasa said softly, trying to comfort him.
Orion watched silently, his expression complicated. "This is the tragedy of the weak. Those with power can dominate the world, but those without it are like ants. And this is still peacetime… In war, how much more desperate must ordinary people feel?"
For the first time, Orion truly felt a deep sense of helplessness.
To him, someone like Gato was nothing more than an insect he could crush at any moment. But to the people of the Land of Waves, Gato was an insurmountable mountain.
The country was so poor it didn't even have its own ninja village. A handful of chūnin—or even genin—could easily take control of the entire nation.
At that moment, Orion finally understood why Dazuna would later name the bridge after Naruto.
To others, Naruto might just be a genin. But to the people of the Land of Waves, he was the hero who saved their entire country.
Kakashi glanced at Orion and saw the thoughtful look in his eyes. He nodded inwardly.
This was exactly what he wanted Orion to understand—that many people in this world lived fragile, insignificant lives. Orion already possessed power that placed him above most people.
How he chose to use that power—to bully the weak or to protect them—would be determined by a single thought.
Sasuke and Sakura, however, didn't feel much. They couldn't truly empathize with Dazuna's situation.
Sasuke had experienced the destruction of his clan, but because of Itachi's existence, the Third Hokage had taken special care of him. He had never truly experienced the helplessness of being oppressed, at least not within the village.
Sakura even less so. Konoha was a structured and orderly place, and as someone who could attend the academy, she had never been bullied either.
After talking with Dazuna for a while, everyone went to rest.
That night, Orion sat alone on the balcony of the second floor. Moonlight, pale as sand, spilled across the wooden floor. In the distance, the forest was filled with the sounds of insects and birds—noisy, yet strangely peaceful.
Orion stared into the darkness, unmoving, as if trying to see something that wasn't there.
After a long while, he sensed someone sit beside him.
Without turning, he said calmly, "Kakashi-sensei… when I become the strongest person in this world, what kind of person do you think I'll become?"
Kakashi paused for a moment. He lowered his head, thinking, then said, "I believe in you."
He didn't mock Orion's ambition, nor did he directly answer the question. But his words made Orion smile faintly.
"You trust me that much?"
"To be honest… the power I've gained these past few days already makes everything feel a bit unreal. I don't know what I'll become when I grow stronger—maybe even stronger than everyone else."
"Human desire is endless. Why do you think there hasn't been someone in history who could suppress an entire era?"
"If there was… what kind of mindset would that person have?"
Orion's voice carried a trace of uncertainty.
He knew he had a system. He knew there was a high chance he would become the strongest ninja in this world.
But when that day came… could he still remain true to himself? Could he really resist the temptation of absolute power?
When someone could decide life and death at will, when they could control everything—would they still think the same way they did when they were weak?
Ultimate strength brought ultimate authority.
And that kind of power… was intoxicating.
Orion wondered if, when he reached that level, he could still maintain his current, easygoing mindset—or if he would one day look back and see it as foolish.
After all, he was still too weak to truly understand what it meant to control everything.
Could he really remain the same forever?
For the first time, Orion wasn't sure.
Kakashi looked at him and sighed softly, then turned his gaze toward the distant forest.
"I don't know what you'll become in the future," he said. "But I do know one thing—you won't become someone blinded by greed."
"I trust my judgment of people."
Orion turned to look at him and smiled. "How can you be so sure?"
"Because I believe in you," Kakashi replied seriously.
Orion fell silent.
Kakashi continued, "That night, the Third Hokage told me about the era of the First Hokage. Do you want to hear it?"
"…Yeah."
Orion nodded.
Though he still remembered some things, twelve years had passed, and many details were long forgotten.
"In the First Hokage's era," Kakashi began slowly, "his power was so great that people called him the God of Shinobi…"
Kakashi recounted the story of that era in detail. Orion listened attentively.
After a long while, Kakashi finished and looked at him.
"Orion, I believe that in the future, you'll become someone like the First Hokage. I was once worried that the power inside you might bring harm to the village…"
"But I'd rather believe that you'll use that power properly. You'll become a hero who protects the village, not a demon who destroys it."
"That's why I'll teach you everything I know. I'm betting everything I have on you."
Orion smiled. "If I turn out to be the latter, Kakashi-sensei… that'll be quite the loss for you."
Kakashi shrugged lightly. "If that day comes, even if I'm no longer your match, I'll stake my life to stop you."
"But I'm even more certain that you'll become someone your teacher can be proud of—not someone who makes him a sinner in history."
With that, Kakashi patted Orion on the shoulder and returned to his room.
Watching him leave, Orion's lips curled into a faint smile.
"Whatever… I'll deal with the future when it comes. As long as I don't change now, that's enough."
He didn't know what kind of person he would become. Maybe as his power grew, so would his desires. Maybe his easygoing nature would change.
But worrying about a future that hadn't happened yet was meaningless.
Living in the present—that was what truly mattered.
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