Chapter 769: The Joy of Two Becoming One!
After Lux left, the atmosphere at the scene lightened.
With Tenshou Sennin present, Naruto and the others didn’t dare fully relax even for a moment.
Soon after, Orochimaru took his Isshiki-version Yamata no Orochi test subject, preparing to store it at his secret base.
Naruto, with Six Paths chakra, helped Kawaki regenerate and repair his arm.
But due to earlier intense pain and massive mental energy consumption, Kawaki likely wouldn’t wake soon.
During this time, Minato also examined Eida, and only after confirming no further abnormalities did he feel slightly relieved.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"Dad, is your world really getting unified?" Naruto asked Minato curiously.
Who’d have thought his own father was also pursuing such a dominant path? This was beyond Naruto’s expectations.
"A lot happened in my world too. Though I wasn’t fully on board at first, I slowly realized unification might not be bad. At least maintaining the status quo can’t prevent wars from breaking out. So, it’s better to try another path. Blindly following ancestors’ traditions isn’t necessarily good. Decades ago, the concept of ninja villages didn’t even exist; Hashirama-sama and Tobirama-sama agreed on this too..." Minato recounted calmly.
Don’t think he seemed noble now—he’d faced many hardships before.
Grand principles aren’t easily grasped, but experiencing suffering firsthand etches them into the heart.
Just like Naruto now.
Before Hinata and Sasuke’s incidents, Naruto was hesitant and conflicted; but after the crises hit, he wished his punches weren’t fast enough!
Not ruthless enough!
If it continued like that, Boruto might have to give a ’sermon at his father’s grave’ someday.
Silently cursing his father for not punching fast or hard enough!
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
At the same time, Sasuke struck precisely:
"Naruto, I told you. Compromise won’t bring lasting peace."
"After the Fourth Great Ninja War ended, all nations should’ve been abolished, and a new system established!"
Sasuke wasn’t criticizing Naruto’s ideals, just better understanding reality’s cruelty.
Compared to Naruto, who’d been Hokage for years, Sasuke had long wandered alone, witnessing too much greed and dirty conspiracies.
Naruto’s kindness and compassion didn’t deter criminals and evildoers; instead, it emboldened them to act worse.
Thus, a degree of unification and deterrence could significantly reduce crime and war’s emergence.
After all, maintaining the original fragmented state, with nations parallel and non-interfering, meant even a strong Naruto couldn’t easily meddle in another nation’s affairs or invade to catch criminals.
But with a unified world, that issue vanishes.
Criminals committing crimes, no matter where they fled, would be within capture range.
Like Kumogakure in the past—though Sasuke disliked the Raikage, no one could deny their village had the fewest traitors and criminals.
The reason?
Everyone knew if the Raikage got angry, he’d actually hunt you down! Meanwhile, offending Konoha and Hokage Naruto might not even be considered a crime. Over time, deterrence naturally weakened.
Not to mention other benefits post-unification.
Even just unifying currency could greatly boost the world’s economic development.
Maybe that stingy Black-Faced Guy would laugh and crawl out of his grave!
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"Ouch—"
"I just didn’t want to hurt my friendships with old friends..." Naruto muttered with a sigh, knowing deep down which path was right.
But often, the future doesn’t always develop toward what’s right, only toward the least resistance.
Change inevitably requires overcoming obstacles, undoubtedly demanding much blood and tears, paying a steep price!
Sometimes, the more bonds Naruto had, the easier he was shackled.
"You don’t need to hurt them. The other four major villages are basically crippled; next, you just raise your hand, and you can swallow all nations and villages!"
"That... doesn’t feel right, does it?"
"Do you have a better way?"
"Uh..."
"Then do it like that. At least after unification, next time danger comes, you won’t need to bother with a Five Kage Summit, slowly organizing a Ninja Alliance again."
"That’s true. But under what name do I take in other nations and villages?"
"That’s easy—use the name of fighting the Kara Organization."
"Huh? Kara?"
"Next, I’ll use Isshiki’s identity and name to secretly control the Kara Organization, maintaining a threat to the world. That way, you can easily gather and absorb all nations and villages under the banner of opposing Kara. Small nations and villages that refuse to join—I’ll use Kara to crush them!"
Sasuke spoke coldly and decisively, as if mentally prepared.
To speed up unification and help Naruto build a grand empire, Sasuke didn’t mind continuing to play the villain.
Unexpectedly, the thrill of posing as an Ōtsutsuki, being a bad guy, freely eliminating anyone he disliked, was truly liberating.
Really fun!
It made Sasuke a bit addicted.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"Sss—!"
Naruto quietly sucked in a cold breath, glancing at those around him. After confirming they were all his people, he relaxed slightly.
Admittedly, Sasuke was too ruthless.
Even with Isshiki dead, he’d keep faking his identity to control Kara, pressuring the world and creating urgency.
This tactic was too sinister!
But he had to admit, it was a good method.
"Sasuke, isn’t that too cruel? Even without Kara’s threat, we could slowly achieve unification, right?"
"Slowly? How long will you delay? Until real enemies come again, then scramble for solutions? Or until the village’s destruction repeats?"
"No, no... That’s not what I meant. Alright, do it your way!" Naruto shivered.
Recalling the pain of losing Sasuke and the entire village, he snapped awake, not daring to hesitate, and agreed.
Sasuke’s rush to decide was also to push Naruto.
Naruto was easily swayed and too kind-hearted.
If delayed too long, he might gradually weaken his resolve for unification, swayed by greedy, powerful daimyo.
Only by giving the world a high-pressure enemy, making everyone feel death’s threat, could unification be achieved quickly, making the rice into porridge!
This villainy, only Sasuke could bear.
Of course, there was one thing Sasuke didn’t explain in detail.
Nor was it suitable to explain to Naruto.
Because Sasuke, more than Naruto, knew Tenshou Sennin likely hoped unification would be completed as soon as possible.
Sasuke, inherently sensitive and emotional, vaguely sensed Lux’s implied message.
If careless Naruto kept delaying, it’d be too long and slow...
Though it was a great thing benefiting the village and world, Sasuke didn’t want to ruin Tenshou Sennin’s goodwill over this. After all, he’d revived him and greatly helped Naruto.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"But after unifying all nations and villages, how do we actually complete the unification?"
"Build a bigger village? Or a larger nation?"
"Will we still need daimyo positions? Or the Hokage role?"
"What should I do...?" Naruto had many questions and doubts.
As an adult, he understood the vast gap between fiery passion and practical governance.
How to unify? What kind of nation to build? What system to use? How to manage people from various nations and villages? And so on...
These were all major issues!
Naruto knew nothing about this, or rather, had no clear plan.
Though he’d gained much experience managing the village over the years, Naruto’s talent in this wasn’t high, not as adaptable as Tobirama.
"Don’t ask me about this—discuss it with Shikamaru and the others," Sasuke replied with a frown, stating he wasn’t an expert either; handle it yourself.
Naruto recalled something, looking back at his father.
"Dad, how will you unify the world there? What system are you using?"
"I’ll establish the Fire Nation Union."
"What’s a Nation Union?"
"It’s complex—I’m still exploring and building it. I consulted the Lord, who said it’s a unified nation structure of multiple political entities, emphasizing local autonomy and centralized power."
"Huh?" Naruto asked, confused.
"Simply put: military power is centralized, while some governance is delegated to regions."
"Oh?"
"Dad, is there a simpler explanation?"
"Simpler? My plan is, after establishing the Fire Nation Union, all ninjas will be centrally selected and trained by the nation, while regions handle economic development. Also, all daimyo and noble positions will be abolished, replaced by a senate system. The Lord said this system has pros and cons but should suit my world. I plan to implement it while refining it..."
"Kind of get it, but not fully..." Naruto scratched his head. Humans struggle to imagine new systems and nations they’ve never seen.
Like ninjas in the Warring States Period, imagining the specific form of the ninja village system was hard.
Though guided by Lux, Minato could only envision a vague outline, only becoming reality after implementation.
"No worries, we’ll have plenty of time to communicate, sharing experiences daily, discussing slowly," Minato said, recognizing the space-time wind chimes. With this treasure, he could talk with Naruto across space and time daily, so no rush.
Kushina grew impatient: "Me too! Minato, don’t try to monopolize talking time with Naruto!"
Minato: "Hahaha, of course, of course. Just, when we discuss important matters, I hope you..."
Kushina raised an eyebrow: "Hmm? What do you mean? Only you can talk important stuff? I can’t? Aren’t Boruto and Himawari’s marriages important?"
Minato surrendered.
In terms of family position, Minato had plenty of experience.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
"In short, building a new system can be done step by step."
"Naruto, your most urgent task now is rebuilding the village quickly."
"For true unification, you can’t avoid negotiations and talks. Even signing documents can’t be done in a big crater," Minato shifted the topic, urging prioritizing village reconstruction.
"Alright. I’ve mastered Mokuton and Chibaku Tensei—I should be able to rebuild the village quickly!"
This time, rebuilding Konoha was a massive project.
Most crucially, filling the giant crater destroyed by the Expanding Truth-Seeking Ball, thousands of times larger than the one Pain made.
Fortunately, Naruto now had the nine-tomoe Rinne-Sharingan and could use Mokuton and Chibaku Tensei.
Moving a few mountains from elsewhere, then activating Kurama to level the ground, should fill the crater.
So-called moving mountains and filling seas, for Six Paths Naruto now, was indeed easy.
"Enough, enough, you’re talking so much—shouldn’t you think about Boruto’s issue? The Kama threat in his body is still there!" Kushina interrupted the father-son talk, lovingly lifting Boruto.
These foolish men, after becoming Hokage, were all the same, eyes only on the village, village—how long had they neglected their beloved grandson, Boruto?
Aren’t you ashamed as a father and grandfather?
The unconscious Boruto, in his consciousness space, was deeply communicating with ’Momoshiki.’
But this ’Momoshiki’ was also terrified by the ninja world’s strangeness, especially before Six Paths Naruto and Sasuke, not daring to appear.
Even when Kawaki’s Kama activated earlier, he tried his hardest to suppress Boruto’s Kama, not daring to trigger resonance.
Momoshiki resolved: as long as Boruto’s father, Six Paths Naruto, lived one more day, he’d be a ’good Momoshiki,’ protecting the ninja world with Boruto!
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
On the other side.
After Lux returned to his starting point space.
He reexamined the unconscious Kaguya from Parallel World 7, whom he secretly moved.
Though he told Naruto and the others that Kaguya, after being controlled to activate Rinne Tensei no Jutsu, lost her immortal body, that wasn’t true.
Activating Rinne Tensei no Jutsu couldn’t fully disable Kaguya’s immortal body, only significantly delayed her revival.
If Parallel World 7’s Kaguya were killed now, she might need months or years to revive and recover.
Though not as fast as her original revival speed, her fundamental immortality remained.
Like Kurama.
Though activating Baryon Mode, he didn’t truly die, still having a revival chance.
Let alone Kaguya, with a higher life level than Kurama?
Truly killing her was very difficult...
Unless...
Another Kaguya directly devoured and merged with her!
But this was good news for Lux, proving that he, also having eaten the Divine Tree’s fruit, wouldn’t lose his immortal body even if he activated Rinne Tensei no Jutsu once or twice.
However, this forbidden Rinnegan jutsu’s life force and chakra consumption was permanent.
Unless forced, he wouldn’t activate it personally.
For some revivals, using a Disguise Card to exploit a bug for Rinne Tensei no Jutsu was enough.
As for this Parallel World 7 Kaguya?
Lux decided it was better to let his Parallel World 4 Kaguya devour her.
Though having two Kaguyas was fun, merging two into one for greater, longer-lasting joy wasn’t bad either!
Especially this unfamiliar Parallel World 7 Kaguya, who lost her Rinne-Sharingan and committed many crimes, had little value.
How could she compare to Lux’s plump, elegant Parallel World 4 Kaguya he was raising?
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Lux brought Parallel World 7’s Kaguya to a palace under construction, finding Parallel World 4’s Kaguya decorating her new home.
When Kaguya saw Lux suddenly appear with a smaller, weaker ’version of herself,’ her not-so-sharp brain froze:
’When did I give birth to a daughter? Wait... Can men give birth too?’
Kaguya was filled with doubt, utterly shocked.