Chapter 439 Naruto Gets Beaten Again

Sasuke was the first to shake off that uncomfortable feeling.

He let out his characteristic cold snort, carrying both detachment and defiance. Crossing his arms over his chest, he lifted his chin slightly and looked toward the distant silhouette of Konohagakure in the darkness.

"None of that matters."

Sasuke deliberately spoke in a tone of complete indifference.

"Anyway... I think that guy was right."

By "right," Sasuke did not necessarily mean that he completely agreed with Indra's obsession or Black Zetsu's sinister manipulation.

Rather, it was a wounded resonance with the harsh reality of "power above all else" and the idea that "understanding" was nothing more than an illusion.

The Uchiha Clan massacre, his own loneliness, and his thirst for strength made it easier for him to accept the notion that the world was cruel by nature.

Naruto, standing beside him, was only nine years old. He had yet to experience the pivotal events that would later shape his nindō, nor had he developed the complete system of beliefs he would one day hold—one centered on never giving up and understanding his comrades.

Yet for some reason, after watching the Sage of Six Paths' long journey through the Heavenly Curtain—from restoring the world, to founding the Ninshū, to seeing his ideals questioned and rejected by his own son—Naruto felt a strange and heartfelt sense of agreement welling up within him.

It was not agreement with the Sage of Six Paths' later desire for immortality or his plans involving the Pure Land.

Rather, Naruto resonated with that original, simple wish:

A hope that people could understand one another, and that the world could become peaceful and better.

That wish strongly resonated with Naruto's deepest instincts—his longing to be acknowledged, his desire to connect with others, and his hatred of loneliness and conflict.

Upon hearing Sasuke's words, Naruto almost immediately shook his head vigorously. His little face tightened, all traces of his usual carefree expression disappearing as a rare seriousness and stubbornness filled his features.

"Sasuke, that's... wrong."

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable determination.

"Heh."

Sasuke gave another cold laugh and turned toward him, his dark eyes sharp in the night.

"What's wrong with it? Open your eyes and look at the shinobi world today! Look at Konoha! Look at everything outside!"

"Did the Sage of Six Paths' idea of 'mutual understanding' succeed?"

"The shinobi world has been fighting and killing for more than a thousand years! He's been dead for so long—what has his philosophy actually changed?"

"It's nothing but empty words meant to fool people!"

"He changed nothing!"

Sasuke's questions were sharp and painfully realistic, striking directly at the heart of the issue.

Naruto didn't immediately argue back. He pressed his lips together, his small fists unconsciously clenching.

He was thinking too.

The thousand-year conflict shown by the Heavenly Curtain, the friction between nations he had heard about in reality, even the faint divisions between different factions within the village—all of it seemed to demonstrate just how difficult the path toward "understanding" truly was.

But after a moment, Naruto raised his head. His gaze was clear and resolute as he met Sasuke's slightly mocking eyes.

"That has nothing to do with whether the Sage of Six Paths' ideals... were right or wrong."

Naruto seemed to be struggling to organize his thoughts, trying to express a feeling that was still vague but incredibly strong.

"The ideals themselves... are right."

"Wanting people to understand each other, live in peace, and work together to make the world a better place... what's wrong with that?"

There was something childishly instinctive in Naruto's tone—a fierce defense of something simply good and beautiful.

"It was just... later on, no one truly inherited his ideals and kept working to make them happen. That's why the world ended up like this."

Naruto tried hard to recall what he had seen in the Heavenly Curtain.

Then he straightened his small body. A faint light, almost like a sense of mission, shone in his eyes—the unique light of Naruto Uzumaki, who could believe in possibility no matter how difficult his circumstances became.

"So... what we should do isn't question whether those ideals are right."

"We should... carry them forward!"

"We should believe that people... can understand one another!"

"And then..."

He vigorously waved his small fist, as though encouraging himself while also painting a picture of the future for Sasuke.

"One generation after another, we keep doing it! We keep moving things forward!"

"We work to help people understand one another, reduce conflict, and help those who need help!"

"That's... what's most important!"

The two nine-year-old boys stood facing each other.

Meanwhile, Sakura looked from one to the other!

A thousand years ago, Indra and Asura had gone their separate ways because of their conflicting ideals, eventually turning brother against brother.

A thousand years later, their reincarnations—Sasuke and Naruto—had likewise developed a clear and profound... disagreement over their ideals.

History seemed to be repeating itself, yet it wasn't quite the same.

"What nonsense!"

Sasuke's expression suddenly turned cold as he glared fiercely at Naruto.

"No wonder I've felt uncomfortable around you from the moment I met you. Now I finally understand why!"

Sasuke's icy words were like poisoned shards of ice, brutally shattering the atmosphere created by Naruto's passionate declaration about carrying on ideals and persevering toward understanding.

"Why are you making it personal now?!"

Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, Naruto instantly exploded. He hurriedly protested, his face turning red with both indignation and grievance.

"If you can't argue against me, just admit you can't argue against me! What's with this?! Let's settle it with reason!"

"Can't argue against you?"

A flicker of anger at being looked down upon flashed through Sasuke's eyes.

Then that anger quickly settled into something colder and sharper—something openly aggressive.

He looked Naruto up and down, taking in the sight of him still completely absorbed in his own "correct ideals," with that earnest, almost naïve expression on his face.

The irritation and rebelliousness that had been building inside Sasuke—the frustration brought on by the fate revealed by the Heavenly Curtain, by his own experiences, and by his instinctive rejection of all this talk about "understanding"—suddenly found an outlet.

He said nothing more.

"Fine."

Sasuke's voice was terrifyingly calm, carrying the determination of someone who intended to make another person face reality.

"Then I'll make you... admit it."

Before the words had even faded, he moved!

Without the slightest warning, swift as lightning!

Sasuke clenched his fist and, while Naruto was completely off guard and still glaring at him indignantly as he tried to argue his case, drove it straight into Naruto's unprotected left eye!

Bang!

A dull thud rang out, followed by Naruto's startled scream.

"AAAH—!!"

Naruto had been beaten by Sasuke again!!

Blinding pain exploded from his eye and shot through his nerves!

Naruto had no time to block or dodge. The solid punch sent him stumbling backward before the pain forced him to crouch down. He desperately covered his injured eye with both hands as tears and involuntary moisture flooded from his eyes, leaving him able to do nothing but suck in sharp breaths and groan in pain.

"Naruto!"

Sakura, watching from the side, was completely dumbfounded.

Just moments ago, she had been watching her two teammates debate the ideals that had persisted for a thousand years with considerable interest.

She had even thought Sasuke's "realist" perspective, though cold, had some merit.

And Naruto's "idealism," though naïve, was filled with hope.