novelraw Chapter 504 Special Training? Menma's Preaching
Chapter 504 Special Training? Menma's Preaching
Chapter 504 Special Training? Menma's Preaching
Sasuke and Naruto trembled violently, their eyes meeting.
In an instant, countless fragments of memories and countless inexplicable emotions, like a disturbed swarm of bees, rushed into my mind, and collided and exploded in an instant!
The initial disbelief and absurdity in Sasuke's black eyes quickly receded, replaced by an anger controlled by invisible threads.
He looked into Naruto's eyes, now filled with immense confusion and shock, and what flashed through his mind was Naruto's dazzling blond hair and annoying smile from their first meeting by the Konoha River, and Naruto's foolish, perpetually bottom-of-the-class student at the Ninja Academy—a picture of Naruto's unwavering, foolishness.
And just today, this guy stood at his own doorstep, showing that silly yet sincere smile.
What is this?!
Is it a ridiculous puppet show that has lasted for a thousand years?!
And he, too, was just a "puppet" caught in the middle of this drama?!
A surge of furious anger at being fooled, and a loathing for this so-called "fate," welled up in Sasuke's chest like magma.
His hands were clenched into fists at his sides, his knuckles making a slight "crackling" sound from the force, his nails digging deep into his palms, bringing sharp pain, which barely allowed him to maintain a sliver of sanity.
Naruto's bright blue eyes, which were always brimming with sunshine and vitality, seemed to be shrouded in a thick fog at this moment.
He stared blankly at Sasuke, at the surging anger in the other's eyes.
Indra?
Asura?
Chakra reincarnation?
I?
And——Sasuke?
He couldn't quite grasp these complex concepts, which sounded like myths.
All he knew was that he and Sasuke had disliked each other since childhood and would argue whenever they met.
But I don't know when it started, but this guy who always had a sour face and was so self-righteous seemed to have changed a little in his heart.
A long, deathly silence fell over the laboratory.
Upon hearing this terrifying secret, which spanned thousands of years and involved mythological figures and the reincarnation of souls, the two men's expressions became extremely serious, and a fine layer of cold sweat involuntarily seeped from their foreheads.
The ninja education they received in Konoha, although it included history lessons, mostly focused on the turbulent changes in the short few decades after the establishment of Konoha. The Warring States period and even earlier history had long been blurred and reduced to a few vague legends in textbooks.
But now, Menma tells them that they are not only living individuals, but also the latest link in a tragic cycle that has lasted for thousands of years—
"So," Menma slowly began, breaking the suffocating silence.
"That's why I didn't force either Naruto or Sasuke to leave Konoha back then."
"Because your entanglements are too deep."
He looked at Sasuke, then at Naruto.
"So profoundly that it almost becomes part of some kind of causality and balance in this world."
"Therefore, the best approach is to wait. Wait until you are older, have more experience, more thought, and more judgment of your own, and then create opportunities to guide you to make your own choices."
"Choose whether to know the truth, choose whether to face fate, choose—how to walk the road ahead."
Mianma's explanation was very rational, even carrying an almost cold-blooded consideration of the big picture.
However, the respect for Sasuke and Naruto's own will, and the effort to return the "right to choose" to them, calmed the turmoil in their hearts a little.
So that's why—there was this reason behind it?
Because the implications are too deep, they dare not act rashly, fearing it might trigger an even worse chain reaction.
Even so, the fact that the chakra of Indra and Ashura so profoundly influenced, and even potentially "shaped," each other's perceptions and relationships still made the proud Sasuke feel a strong sense of unease.
He raised his head, flames burning in his black eyes, staring directly at Menma: "Then—is there any way to sever, or—eliminate this damned chakra reincarnation?"
"My hatred, my path, I will decide for myself! I will not be led by the nose by the obsession of an old ghost who has been dead for thousands of years!"
His question also echoed Naruto's thoughts.
Naruto nodded vigorously, his eyes filled with the same longing.
They yearn to confirm their own existence and to break free from the invisible shackles of fate.
Menma looked at the defiant spirit in Sasuke's eyes, a hint of approval flashing in his own.
He nodded, giving an affirmative answer: "Of course."
"Indra's obsession with the chakra stems from his disapproval of his younger brother Ashura's path. He believes that the rule of power and solitude is the only truth, while Ashura's love and bonds are weakness and illusion."
"Asura's obsession lies in wanting to correct his brother's misguided path and bring him back. He believes that his brother's path is the root of error and suffering."
"Therefore, the method to break this cycle of obsession that has lasted for thousands of years is actually quite simple."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over Sasuke and Naruto's faces, before giving his answer: "As long as one of you uses absolute strength to completely subdue the other and win their heart, that will be enough."
"
"When one side completely overwhelms the other in strength, will, and even path, causing the loser to accept the victor's choice from the depths of their soul, then the chakra obsession of Indra and Asura, which exists based on 'opposition' and 'disapproval,' loses its foundation."
"The cycle of a thousand years has naturally been broken."
In the end, Mianma even casually shrugged.
"It's that simple."
Sasuke and Naruto were both stunned.
The way to break the cycle of fate that has lasted for thousands of years is to fight?
Whoever wins, whose decision should be followed?
This sounds incredibly frivolous!
But it also fits the logic of ninjas: strength determines everything.
After a brief moment of surprise, Sasuke was the first to react.
He slightly turned his head, his eyes, now calm again, glancing sideways at Naruto beside him. A clearly provocative smile curved his lips, and he spoke slowly in that arrogant Uchiha tone:
"Is beating this guy into submission enough?"
Sasuke's gaze swept over Naruto, sizing him up and down.
"It looks pretty simple."
"!!!"
Naruto had just recovered slightly from the huge shock of fatalism when Sasuke's contempt and provocation instantly ignited his anger!
"Damn it! What did you say?! You arrogant Sasuke! I'll beat you to a pulp! I'll show you who can beat whom!" Naruto jumped up instantly, pointing at Sasuke's nose, his eyes wide open, his face showing a furious expression like a fox whose tail had been stepped on.
"What Indra or Asura?! I don't care! I, Naruto Uzumaki, am going to beat this arrogant bastard to a pulp today! I'll make you submit!"
"Hmph, a loser is a loser, all he does is talk big." Sasuke sneered, crossed his arms, and raised his chin slightly. His irritating look successfully fueled Naruto's anger.
"Who are you calling a loser! I'm really strong now!"
"Oh? How strong?"
"you!!!"
As the tension between the two intensified, the previously oppressive atmosphere of "fate" was quickly replaced by a familiar, head-to-head banter.
Menma stood to the side, watching the two boys who had quickly broken free from their philosophical confusion about "who am I" and returned to their mutual dislike, a faint smile with a hint of helplessness curving upwards at the corners of his mouth.
The chakra of Indra and Ashura may be influencing them, but the souls of "Uchiha Sasuke" and "Uzumaki Naruto" are undoubtedly independent.
"alright."
Menma spoke up at just the right moment, interrupting the argument between the two.
His voice wasn't loud, but it instantly silenced the two angry boys, who turned to look at him.
"If you want to fight, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future. But not now, and not here." Menma looked at the two of them, his expression becoming serious and earnest again.
"Now that you know part of the truth and have some initial motivation," he glanced at Naruto, who was still glaring angrily at Sasuke, and Sasuke, who seemed calm but whose fighting spirit had not diminished.
"So, next, I will give you special training. I will systematically and specifically improve your strength, help you better master your power, and prepare you for the 'problem-solving' methods you may need in the future."
Upon hearing the words "special training," Naruto and Sasuke's eyes lit up almost simultaneously!
Sasuke yearns to become stronger and seek revenge, Naruto longs to prove himself, and Menma's strength is unfathomable. To receive his personal guidance is undoubtedly a dream come true!
However, Menma's next words instantly shattered the excitement and anticipation on their faces.
"Of course, in addition to combat training," Masa continued, "you will also need to attend at least three cultural theory classes every week at the Star Capital Ninja Academy. These will include history, humanities, philosophy, and necessary practical learning."
"W-What?! We have to go to school?!" Naruto was the first to shout, his face full of resistance and disbelief. He pointed at himself and then at Sasuke, his voice rising with excitement.
"Menma-kun! We graduated from the Konoha Ninja Academy almost a year ago! We're officially genin now! We even took the Chunin Exams! Why do we still need to go to school?! Didn't we learn all that stuff at the Ninja Academy?!"
Although Sasuke didn't shout like Naruto, his furrowed brows and pursed lips clearly expressed his rejection and indifference towards "going back to school."
In his opinion, it would be better to spend that time practicing the use of the Sharingan and improving his strength.
Menma glanced at Naruto's expression of utter despair, then at Sasuke's look of wasting time, and his brow twitched.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the frustration and anger rising within him, and tried his best to explain patiently: "Naruto, Sasuke, do you think that becoming a powerful ninja, a qualified ninja who knows why he fights and where his power should be used, is simply about knowing how to fight, how to kill, and how to complete missions?"
His gaze sharpened as he swept over the two men.
"Thoughts, culture, understanding of the world, knowledge of history, and comprehension of humanity"—these are also indispensable parts of power, perhaps even more important ones.
"A beast that only knows how to wield a knife may be ferocious for a time, but in the end it will only bring destruction, whether it destroys others or destroys itself."
"In the Land of Stars, the ninja training system is completely different from that of traditional ninja villages. We not only teach combat skills, but also the philosophy of the stars," guiding them to understand why this world is full of war and injustice, and to understand how power should be used correctly—for what to protect and what to change.
"You need to learn real history, not just the history of Konoha, but the rise and fall, the blood and tears of the entire ninja world over the past thousand years. You need to understand the culture and people's lives of different countries, and you also need to participate in practical activities regularly, go down to the grassroots level, and see how the most ordinary people live, what difficulties they face, and what they need."
"Not only the people of the Star Kingdom, but in the future, you may also have to go to see the people of the Fire Kingdom, the Earth Kingdom, and even more distant countries."
Mianma's voice carried a sense of responsibility that bore countless expectations.
"Only in this way can you truly understand what the power you pursue and possess really means."
"So that in the future, when you stand at the crossroads of choices, you will know which way to go, instead of being swept away by hatred, desire, or those outdated fates and traditions, and going astray."
He spoke earnestly, looking at the two of them with sincere eyes.
However, judging from Naruto's increasingly vacant gaze and his tendency to look around, and Sasuke's increasingly furrowed brows as he listened, clearly indicating that he did not fully agree, the effect of his words seemed insignificant.
Finally, a raised tic-tac-toe mark appeared on his numb forehead.
He realized that for these two hot-blooded teenagers whose minds were only focused on becoming stronger, seeking revenge, enjoying the thrill of battle, and proving themselves, a long lecture on moral education would be like casting pearls before swine.
Naruto was getting impatient, so he simply crossed his legs, plopped down on the cool, smooth metal floor, propped his chin up with his hands, and made meaningless "uh-huh" sounds.
Although Sasuke was still standing, he silently moved his feet to a position a little further away from Naruto, put his hands back in his pockets, and looked out at the boundless desert, adopting a silent posture of non-violent non-cooperation.
"In short!" Menma raised his voice, making a decisive conclusion that brooked no argument and shattered the two's passive resistance.
"Academic subjects and ideological practice are indispensable and absolutely essential components of the special training program!"
"The standard ninja education in the Land of Stars is nine years, and graduates don't officially graduate from the Ninja Academy until they are fifteen or sixteen years old. However, every qualified graduate possesses overall qualities and average strength that would place them at least at the Chunin level in other traditional ninja villages!"
"Not to mention those exceptionally talented graduates who are able to graduate early! Now that you've come here, if you want to gain greater power, you must abide by the rules here and receive comprehensive training!"
Seeing that the two of them still had long faces, looking like they didn't understand what she was talking about at all, Menma finally gave up on trying to persuade them.
"Since that's the case, then don't blame me for being impolite." Menma closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and then slowly exhaled.
When he reopened his eyes, a sly smile suddenly appeared on his face.
"Since you're so resistant to academic subjects, acting like you only care about combat training—" Menma drawled, watching the two men's gazes refocus as his tone changed, and said slowly.
"Then, let's start with the simplest and most direct combat training course."
"Really?!"
"Very good!"
Naruto and Sasuke spoke almost simultaneously, their faces instantly brightening and their eyes sparkling with renewed excitement.
As long as they weren't immediately forced to go back to books and blackboards, fighting? Training? They'd be more than happy to do it!
"Hmm~" Menma nodded with a smile and said to Naruto, "Let's start with Naruto. I'll teach you how to control that big fox."