Chapter 172: Nagato’s ‘What If’—Scorched Earth Tactics

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Thirdly, though he wasn't sure if it would ever—be relevant, Gojo Kaigetsu, having consumed vast quantities of—literature, had compiled a comprehensive list of cliché plotlines.

What if—

....

....

[Nagato, burdened by the Uzumaki clan and Amegakure's shared hatred, arrives in Konoha seeking revenge. He's confronted by dozens of Uzumaki and Konoha's elite Shinobi. Driven by his convictions, he unleashes Shinra Tensei, attempting to destroy Konoha. He fails. Konan, disgusted by his extremism, abandons him. The battle destroys his—mobility device. His Shinobi way shattered, his friend gone, Nagato, like a stray dog, throws himself into the river.]

[But by a twist of fate, he survives. He's rescued by a kind farmer's daughter. "Why—why did you save me? I'm a Shinobi!" Nagato asks. "Because—your hair is red," she replies. "I read in a book that red hair is unique to the Uzumaki clan. And the Uzumaki are kind, they value life. You must have been—upset by the attack on Konoha, by the loss of innocent lives. But please—don't give up. Everything will be alright."]

[Lies don't hurt; truth is the sharpest weapon. Nagato, consumed by shame, realizes he's become the very thing he once despised. He'd been nurturing not peace, but pain. He asks the girl to take him to Konoha's outskirts and, after exhausting his chakra resurrecting Konoha's fallen Shinobi, dies, consumed by regret for betraying his clan, for disrupting peace.]

What if? What if that were the actual scenario?

Would a kind-hearted farm girl save a suicidal Nagato?

They said you shouldn't introduce—unnecessary props in a story. If a gun appeared, it had to be fired. And Gojo Kaigetsu had already—loaded the gun, aiming it at Nagato's—forehead.

Unlike Iki's neutral tone, The Forest Reader took a more—direct approach, publishing articles that—highlighted certain villages'—flaws.

He waited.

…

…

Silence hung heavy in the dessert shop.

Kushina Uzumaki and Mikoto Uchiha, having read "Turning Out the Lights for the Uzumaki Clan" and "Konoha's Right to Sunlight," were speechless.

"Kushina—is this—how the Uzumaki are?" Mikoto asked, a hint of amusement in her voice.

'We—we're not like that!' Kushina wanted to say, but the words died in her throat. She glared at Mikoto.

"You—you think this is funny?!" She lowered her voice. "We're not like that at all!"

"What's going on? Is it—fake?" Mikoto asked, her curiosity piqued.

Kushina frowned, lost in thought.

She'd been six when she was sent to Konoha as the next Nine-Tails jinchuriki.

The Shinobi world had been relatively peaceful then. Born after the First Shinobi World War, they'd enjoyed a golden age of peace. The Second War hadn't begun yet.

Uzushiogakure was still—thriving.

Her memories were—faded. But "Sunlight Rights?" Did that even—exist? She remembered the adults regularly airing out their—food supplies and clothes.

Entire lawns covered. No one cared about—sunlight.

And shutting down the entire nation's power grid for a single child? Uzushiogakure didn't even have a power grid.

So where had Tobirama Senju—experienced these things?

And why had Shūkan—confirmed it?

The Truth was in the—numbers.

And this Three Years at the Shinobi Academy—it was published by Konoha, by the Hokage Tower. Surely they wouldn't—fabricate such things.

That would be—sacrilege.

"It's—true. We're—like that," Kushina mumbled, her face burning.

She'd never felt so—embarrassed to be an Uzumaki.

Most of the patrons in the dessert shop were—well-off.

And even the Shinobi present carried copies of Three Years at the Shinobi Academy.

"Is this—a joke? Who charges a fine for—blocking sunlight?" a Shinobi scoffed.

"It's like the Uchiha," his companion replied. "The crazier they are, the stronger. Perhaps that's—the secret to their sealing jutsu."

"...."

Mikoto Uchiha's face darkened.

.....

"The Uchiha are—passionate. The other day, I walked past their compound. They were chanting about 'loyalty' and 'gratitude.' If they keep this up, I don't know how we'll ever—lose a war."

"Perhaps the Uzumaki are the same. Next time you visit their compound, you might hear them chanting about—'saving' and 'healing'—They're—a bit much."

"Ugh, that's—true. I just came from Konoha Hospital. There's an Uzumaki doctor there. Everyone's saying he's a surgical genius, sending him—thank-you banners. He already has two."

Even good-natured ribbing had its—limits.

Doctors, after all, were—respected. No one wanted to risk offending a skilled surgeon.

And the Uzumaki's reputation was growing, thanks to—word of mouth.

"Kushina, the Uzumaki have—medical-nin?"

"I—I don't know." Kushina chewed on her straw, feeling—lost. So much had happened while she'd been—confined.

"Anyway—congratulations, Kushina. You, Minato, and your—future child now have the backing of a powerful clan."

"A powerful clan?" Kushina scoffed. "That's—overstating it."

.....

Before her marriage, she'd often complained to Mikoto about the Third Hokage, Danzo, and Koharu Utatane.

Especially Koharu, who'd constantly lectured her about being independent and finding a better match than Minato Namikaze.

She'd even suggested—other clans.

And then, she'd told Kushina to be—rational, to control her emotions.

As the village's jinchuriki, Kushina's—stability was a concern.

She was utterly devoted to Minato.

And the elders' greatest fear? Kushina losing control. If something happened to her, the Nine-Tails' power would be—lost. And no one in Konoha could—teach the next jinchuriki.

To control a jinchuriki, one had to—control their heart.

Kushina's unwavering loyalty to Minato had forced the elders to—relinquish some of their power.

"I didn't want to do it—I wanted to—reason with them—but didn't Koharu Utatane just want to use me as a—tool, to bind me to the village? She thought Minato was—weak, without clan backing."

'If only the Uzumaki were still here,' she'd often lamented. 'Would the elders treat us this way?'

And now—the Uzumaki had returned.

Though only a small group for now, more would follow. They would be—her family, Minato's allies.

The Hokage Tower's influence, the Hokage's authority—it would reach unprecedented heights.

"A powerful clan? That's—too much," Kushina said, her usual boisterous laughter echoing through the shop.

Mikoto Uchiha smiled.

…

…

"My child! My child!" A woman, her face pale, lay on the hospital bed, her trembling hand reaching towards the nurse carrying her newborn away.

"By order of the Fifth Kazekage, this child will be trained as a jinchuriki!"

Baki, believing in—'Scorched Earth' tactics, had eliminated Rasa's immediate family. He'd intended to—purge Rasa's entire lineage.

But Baki wanted to become the Strongest Kazekage.

And for that, he needed—powerful Shinobi.

Kankuro and Gaara, though Rasa's children, possessed undeniable talent. With proper training, they'd become valuable assets.

Baki looked at the two children before him — Kankuro, two years old, still sucking his thumb, and Gaara, a newborn, still—crying.

He forced a smile. "Call me—Father."

Kankuro, barely able to speak, mumbled, "Fa..ther."

"Good boy. Much better than your—disloyal sister. She didn't even return for her father's funeral. Disgraceful. I'll—discipline her myself when she returns."

"Should we—send her a message? Perhaps—a Kazekage decree?"

"No need. She'll come crawling back."

Baki, it seemed, was—confident.

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