181.Sōsuke Explanation

Thank you to Miguel razo, Isk0, WhiteBeard for their support and becoming a patron on p@treon.

You can read 40+ chapters ahead of everyone on p@treon.

P@TREON - p@treon.com/lessaservantofcosmos

(just replace the "@" with "a")

Check Out My Other works: Omniscient Reader: Different Way to Live

ps: Please support me on P@treon. I can really use your help!

--------------------------------------------------------------

Within the borders of the Land of Rain.

The sky was slightly overcast, with dark clouds drifting in the sky, accompanied by the solemn sound of thunder.

In a secluded area within the Rain Shinobi Village.

A brown-haired young boy was diligently practicing.

"Heh!" "Ha!"...

In front of him were several wooden stakes, and the boy was vigorously kicking and striking them. The ropes on one side of the stakes had already withered and become spotted, but his little face still showed determination as he continued to kick and strike!

After leaving Konoha and coming to this village, he had witnessed many things that challenged his previous beliefs.

Bones littered the ground, famine spread, and countless people were displaced by war.

Those dilapidated houses—did they once house people who smiled like the villagers of Konoha?

If so, who destroyed their homes and left them with cold corpses? Was it Konoha?

Nawaki didn't dare to think about such questions at his tender age.

Boom—

The sky rumbled, and with a sudden shake, a fine rain began to fall.

In this somewhat gloomy rain curtain, Nawaki slowly stopped his kicking movements, and the drizzle quickly wet his hair and clothes.

He raised his complex expression, and his slightly narrowed eyes looked towards the sky, allowing raindrops to gently strike his cheeks.

Has this village always been like this? How many rains have passed...

Konoha... Is it necessary to wage war against this village that always weeps?

Thinking of this, Nawaki slowly lowered his small head, his face showing an unknown confusion.

Since following everyone to this place, he had discovered that the path he had been persisting on for so long might be wrong...

"Pat, pat!"...

With the sound of gentle footsteps, a tall figure slowly appeared in the rain curtain, filling the air with a sense of melancholy.

Hearing the sound, Nawaki, who turned to look, immediately showed joy upon seeing the figure and exclaimed.

"Sōsuke-niichan!"

Sōsuke approached Nawaki with light steps, smiling gently at him and asking.

"Nawaki, are you adapting well here?"

Upon hearing Sōsuke's words, Nawaki's eyes slightly lowered, and he hurriedly explained.

"It's... it's okay."

In response, Sōsuke gently took his hand, leading him to a nearby corridor, where he used chakra to steam off their damp clothes.

The two sat down slowly, one wearing a pristine formal kimono, and the other in a light green short-sleeved outfit. They sat there quietly, gazing at the rainy scene outside the corridor.

Only then did Sōsuke continue to smile and softly speak.

"What happened, Nawaki? Why are you hiding something from me?"

Hearing Sōsuke's words, Nawaki's little face tightened, and he hurriedly defended himself.

"There's nothing, Sōsuke-niichan. It's just that..."

Seeing Nawaki's worried expression, Sōsuke raised his eyebrows with interest, waiting for his answer.

"Sōsuke-niichan, why did you choose to leave Konoha and come to the Rain Shinobi Village?"

At this point, Nawaki seemed concerned that Sōsuke might interpret his question as blame. He quickly added, "I... I don't mean to blame you. I just don't understand why... I've been thinking a lot today... I feel like the village's actions are so different from Grandpa's intentions."

Listening to Nawaki's words, Sōsuke didn't immediately answer but instead showed a keen interest and asked.

"The intentions of the First Hokage?"

Nawaki nodded slightly and whispered.

"Grandpa's teachings in the family were about dedicating oneself to achieving peace in the ninja world. His goal was to build a ninja village without war. But... since I came here, everything seems so different from what Grandpa imagined."

"This... Rain Shinobi Village... the enemy ninja village I used to hate... I didn't expect its existence to be so tragic."

"Grandpa successfully founded Konoha, and the villagers I saw in Konoha always had smiles on their faces. But... here, the people live in such hardship... Grandpa's goal has not been achieved after all."

At this point, Nawaki lowered his small head, showing a dejected expression.

"Pa..."

At this moment, a large hand gently stroked his little head.

"The First Hokage... was a truly great ninja."

Sōsuke's warm and magnetic voice slowly reached Nawaki's ears. Hearing Sōsuke's words, he gently looked up at Sōsuke.

Sōsuke's face wore a warm smile, but his eyes were focused on the rain outside the corridor, as he softly recounted.

"Nawaki, more than a decade ago, in the Land of Fire, there was a child even younger than you. He was probably very happy; his parents loved him very much. Although life was simple, the warmth of familial love was incomparable."

"Until one day, ninja who suddenly invaded shattered this peaceful life... the child's parents died."

Hearing this, Nawaki's little face also showed sadness, feeling sorry for that child.

Sōsuke continued, suddenly lowering his head to look at Nawaki, asking softly.

"If that child had the power to kill those ninja at that time, could he have preserved the peaceful and happy life of his family?"

Nawaki furrowed his little brow, gently nodding in thought.

However, Sōsuke gently shook his head, ruffling Nawaki's small head and softly saying, "Power... it means responsibility. If the world is in chaos, should one choose to avoid it or participate in the war to protect their family? Either way, the once peaceful life no longer exists."

"The First Hokage possessed immense strength, enough to bring a brief period of peace to the ninja world. However, after his death, war inevitably resurfaced."

"Even the village he devoted his heart to, Konoha, had to be caught in the torrent of war under these overwhelming circumstances."

Hearing his words, Nawaki couldn't help but feel a bit disheartened, his voice filled with sorrow.

"Is there really no true way to bring lasting peace to the world..."

Upon hearing this, Sōsuke's eyes flickered with a faint smile as he gently stroked Nawaki's soft hair.

"Nawaki is truly a kind-hearted child."

Pausing for a moment, he continued with a slightly solemn expression.

"Such a method does exist."

"When there is a formidable force, akin to the First Hokage, capable of subduing the nations, the pattern of this war will naturally crumble."

"The world will be reshaped, and all the turmoil will be eliminated."

"And this... is also the reason why I chose to leave Konoha and come here."