Chapter 471: A War with Different Starting Points!

"Hey, Grandpa Six Paths, why did you make me leave first?!"

"I haven't even stopped Uncle yet!"

In the dense forests of the Land of Sound, Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha darted quickly through the treetops. Naruto's expression was full of confusion and frustration as he muttered under his breath. Not far ahead, Sasuke remained silent, his gaze fixed forward—clearly also waiting for the Sage of the Six Paths' response.

Just as the two were engaged in fierce battle with Uzumaki Raiden, the voice of the Sage had echoed in their minds, instructing them to retreat. Though confused by the sudden message, the two, clearly at a disadvantage in battle, reluctantly accepted the advice and escaped.

Now that they'd put some distance between themselves and the battlefield, Naruto finally had time to ask the Sage why.

"Sigh..."

In Naruto's consciousness—a place once home to Chōmei's seal—an elderly phantom now hovered beside the Tailed Beast. Dressed in white robes, with a necklace of magatama and a long beard, the Sage bore the Rinnegan in the center of his forehead. A deep helplessness filled his eyes.

"You two fought that man for so long and still didn't realize the gap?"

"And I'm not just talking about power. There's a difference in experience… and a gap between your hearts."

When the Sage spoke of Uzumaki Raiden, his expression became solemn. He hadn't expected to encounter someone like him in this world—a man who had fully awakened his bloodline abilities and wielded them with remarkable mastery. A man with not just power, but vision and battlefield experience.

The Sage had thought Raiden, as the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki, would be vulnerable without the beast's strength. But even without the Nine-Tails, Raiden remained overwhelmingly strong.

"I know there's a gap!" Naruto retorted. "I knew Uncle was stronger than us."

"But just because someone's stronger… are we supposed to stand back and do nothing? Just watch the world burn?"

Naruto's voice trembled with conviction. After seeing the horror and suffering caused by war, he'd developed a deep hatred for it—and in his mind, Uzumaki Raiden was the cause. To him, stopping Raiden meant ending the war. And ending the war meant peace.

"Sigh..."

The Sage of the Six Paths sighed again, his expression growing more troubled.

He looked at Naruto and asked, "Let me ask you—why are you trying to stop him?"

Naruto didn't hesitate. "For peace, obviously!"

"My uncle started the war. If we stop him, peace will return."

The Sage lowered his gaze, then turned to Sasuke.

"What about you, Uchiha Sasuke?"

Though the Sage had given his chakra to both of them, now that their energies were linked, their thoughts were shared. Sasuke heard the question clearly.

"Even if we defeat Uzumaki Raiden," Sasuke said calmly, "there still won't be peace in the ninja world."

"Is that what you're trying to say?"

Naruto turned to him, puzzled. "What are you talking about, Sasuke? Uncle is the Fourth Hokage—he started the war! If we beat him, the war ends. That's peace!"

"Sigh..."

"And that," the Sage said, "is the gap between your hearts."

"Naruto, even if your strength is close to Raiden's, your spirit isn't ready. And spirit matters just as much."

"I never expected to find someone like your uncle in this age. He truly is remarkable."

The Sage's gaze grew distant, as if recalling memories from long ago.

"Grandpa Six Paths… what are you and Sasuke even talking about?"

Naruto scratched his head, still not understanding.

"Head southwest."

"Eh?"

"Go visit the lands your uncle has brought under his control. I want to see them for myself."

"And while we travel, let me tell you a story. Maybe then you'll understand what we need to do next."

The Sage floated upward, and in both Naruto and Sasuke's consciousness, a layer of chakra extended around their bodies.

"What's this?" Naruto asked, sensing the new chakra cloak.

"A disguise," the Sage replied with a faint smile. "So your uncle doesn't find you right away."

"Let's go southwest."

With that, Naruto and Sasuke changed direction, heading toward the Land of Iron.

"You know, a thousand years ago… the world was engulfed in war, just like it is now."

"Except back then, there were no ninja."

And with that, the Sage of the Six Paths began his story.

Thousands of years ago, humans waged endless war against each other. In that chaotic age, Otsutsuki Kaguya had been sealed on the moon by her sons, Hagoromo and Hamura.

With Kaguya's rule gone, the world spiraled into conflict once more—the beginning of the Warring States Era.

Hagoromo remained on Earth to lead humanity toward peace, while Hamura went to the moon to guard Kaguya's sealed body—the Gedo Mazo.

To guide humanity, Hagoromo introduced chakra.

He was the first to understand its true nature and spread the teachings of ninshū—believing that chakra could connect strangers and foster understanding. If people could empathize with one another, then peace would surely follow.

With this dream, he traveled the world and taught others.

Eventually, he had two sons: the elder, Indra, and the younger, Asura.

Hoping to entrust his teachings to them, he watched them grow.

Indra, blessed with natural talent, was powerful from birth. Asura, in contrast, had no such gifts. But Asura gained strength through effort and cooperation. His journey taught him the value of unity.

Hagoromo saw in Asura a new path—one rooted in trust and shared effort.

When the time came, Hagoromo named Asura the heir to his will, believing Indra would support his younger brother. But Indra rejected this decision.

And so began a feud that echoed through history.

Indra—who inherited the Sage's eyes—sought peace through power.

Asura—who inherited the Sage's body—sought peace through love.

Their descendants, caught in this cycle, fought endlessly. Though their bodies perished, their chakra lived on—reincarnating through time. And as chakra spread, it became not a tool of understanding—but a weapon of war.

For a time, the fighting paused.

When Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha—reincarnations of Asura and Indra—founded the first Hidden Village, other clans followed. The world saw peace.

But with the death of Hashirama and Madara's rebellion, war returned.

Though less savage than the Warring States Era, the ninja wars still brought immense suffering.

Even after his death, the Sage's chakra endured—watching the world's descent. Yet he didn't interfere. So long as Kaguya remained sealed, there was hope.

But then came Uzumaki Raiden.

A Jinchūriki from the Uzumaki Clan, Raiden sought out the Fourth Great Ninja War—something that stunned the Sage. Through Sasuke's eyes, the Sage saw scenes of devastation.

He feared Raiden might push the world beyond recovery.

And so, he intervened—passing his power to Naruto and Sasuke, hoping they could stop Raiden.

But the unexpected happened: even with his gift, the two couldn't defeat him.

Raiden had become something terrifying.

But more than that, the Sage heard Raiden's reasons—his vision of peace—and was moved.

For a thousand years, love alone had failed to end conflict. Perhaps Raiden's method—peace enforced by overwhelming strength—was worth testing.

Not cruelty. Not conquest.

But unity through dominance—and peace reinforced by compassion.

This idea intrigued the Sage. And that was why he pulled Naruto and Sasuke from the battlefield.

As Naruto and Sasuke approached the Land of Iron, the Sage finished recounting the ninja world's long and painful history.

He explained the ideas of Hagoromo, Asura, and Indra—and the failure of every generation to truly achieve lasting peace.

Along the way, Naruto fell silent.

He had learned the truth. The truth of history. The truth of sacrifice.

Even if the predecessors failed, their lessons still mattered.

Naruto felt his perspective shifting—his worldview expanding. As Hiruzen once said: a Hokage must see the bigger picture.

Though Naruto still didn't agree with Raiden's methods, he began to understand them.

And in that understanding, his determination wavered.

He no longer knew how to face Raiden. He hadn't yet found his own answer. Until then, how could he stand before someone who had?

This… was what the Sage meant by a gap in the soul.

Naruto and Sasuke fought Raiden because they believed defeating him would bring peace.

But Raiden believed he had found the path to peace—and he was willing to do anything to see it through. Even use someone like Deidara if it served the greater good.

"You two must be confused right now. Truth is, so am I."

"But I think… if you observe the nations Raiden has taken, you'll begin to understand."

As they entered the Land of Iron, the Sage fell silent.

It didn't take long for Naruto and Sasuke to cross the border.

Once inside, they approached a random village. They removed their forehead protectors and ninja tools—symbolic items of the shinobi world—and stepped into the town.

It was the middle of winter. Snow blanketed the roads.

This was a small village near the border. Because of the cold, the streets were sparsely populated.

But what Naruto saw shocked him.

There were no signs of war. No destruction. No fear.

The village wasn't wealthy—but it was peaceful.

Villagers went about their business with calm faces. No one panicked. No one trembled.

Even though two strangers had entered, the villagers only offered a few curious glances before returning to their routines.

Everything felt… tranquil.

"Let's go. There's more we should see."

The Sage observed the village through Naruto's senses and nodded in approval.

As he suspected, Raiden's war wasn't about domination. His goal and ambition were far greater than that.

The Sage had seen the victors of past wars enslave and massacre the defeated.

But Raiden was different.

Everything he did…

He did for the greater good.

(End Of Chapter)

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