She's back

"What's the difference?" Jiraiya inquired, although he already had a faint idea. His curiosity spurred him to seek Fugaku's detailed explanation.

Fugaku nonchalantly shrugged, his demeanor composed. "The difference is simple. In a short span, you employ absolute force to quell the chaos and unite the ninja world. Following that, you employ gentler methods to gradually stabilize it. You grasp what I mean by absolute force, don't you?"

Jiraiya nodded cautiously, his mind delving into profound contemplation.

Fugaku sported a subtle smirk but chose not to press the matter further. He recollected that there were, indeed, three individuals who had attempted or aspired to follow this very approach—Danzo, Pain, and Kaguya-hime.

Danzo, in Fugaku's estimation, proved too feeble for such an ambitious endeavor. Despite wielding the formidable Rinnegan, Pain still fell short of the necessary strength. The sole triumphant practitioner of this method was Kaguya herself.

However, Kaguya's triumph proved short-lived as her two ungrateful sons sealed her away, plunging the world into an even greater state of chaos. This revelation struck a chord with Fugaku, particularly during his initial foray into watching the anime.

Under Kaguya's rule, the annual sacrifice to the God Tree numbered a mere hundred individuals. Although cruel and selfish, Kaguya justified it as preparation for the impending threat of the Otsutsuki clan.

In contrast, the era of the Sage of Six Paths and his brother, while seemingly benevolent, betrayed their mother, resulting in a world marred by incessant wars. The conflicts claimed over thousands of the lives each year.

Kaguya's era, on the other hand, witnessed an absence of wars, with only a hundred annual casualties.

The post-Six Paths era was marked by unceasing warfare and countless deaths.

The stark contrast between the two periods was evident; one was characterized by strength, the other by weakness.

However, Fugaku grappled with understanding and endorsing Kaguya's methodology. Why didn't she share chakra with civilians, opting instead to use them for the creation of Zetsu?

As Fugaku delved into the complexities of Kaguya's choices, the answer became clear.

Human hearts have a natural tendency to resist authority. When ordinary people are given extraordinary power, they often become arrogant and rebellious, as she learned from her own son's betrayal. This pattern would likely repeat itself with others who received such power.

In this tumultuous landscape, Black Zetsu stood out as the exception—a loyal entity that did not betray Kaguya.

"So, what about the long-term solution?" Jiraiya interjected, breaking into Fugaku's contemplative thoughts.

Anticipating the question, Fugaku smirked, "Strength is still essential, albeit not as urgently as in the quick fix. You agree with that, right?"

Jiraiya nodded without hesitation, a conviction apparent in his demeanor. He understood that when dealing with formidable nations, strong force is a prerequisite.

Consider an average ninja, lacking notable skills, attempting to persuade the Raikage to cease hostilities, advocating for the benefits of peace and the inevitable civilian casualties of war.

Such an endeavor would likely end abruptly, with the Raikage dismissing the plea and potentially executing the messenger for disrupting his army's morale. In this harsh reality, the strength to back up words held paramount importance.

"After we achieve temporary peace, let's leverage inter-village marriages on a large scale!" Fugaku declared, his expression sly.

"Marriage?" Jiraiya's curiosity was piqued. While he comprehended the concept of marriage, the idea of implementing it on a grand scale left him intrigued.

Fugaku proceeded to elaborate: "Imagine if Kumo wanted to instigate a war with Konoha, but they had three thousand ninjas married to Konoha ninjas, and vice versa. Could they still fight?"

His inspiration stemmed from ancient political marriages, but Fugaku recognized that a conventional approach wouldn't suffice in the ninja world. Ninjas, akin to spies, rendered the marriage of one or two princesses or princes ineffective in preventing war—they could be sacrificed and easily replaced like Hokage.

However, Fugaku believed that a large-scale marriage would yield a different impact, potentially averting wars. Acknowledging the enormity and complexity of such a project, he emphasized that the effect of quelling war could be achieved, though it presented significant challenges.

He was taken aback by his audacious idea; it was completely unexpected, and he found it hard to believe.

"You have quite an imagination," Jiraiya finally uttered, his gaze fixed on Fugaku's grinning visage.

He was momentarily rendered speechless. Credit where it was due; he had to admit Fugaku at least had a plan.

"Hey, it's a silly thought of mine. But let's not discuss this now. It's not the time for these matters. Forget about your prophecy. War is imminent.

Assist me on this mission, and we'll return to Konoha together. How does half of the reward sound?"

Half of the reward? Jiraiya's mouth twitched, giving Fugaku a perplexed look. Since when did he become so generous?

"You still haven't answered me. Do you have any new prophecies from the toad sages?"

"Of course not!"

"Really?"

"Why would I lie to you? I'm the honest toad sage, Jiraiya!"

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On the outskirts of a small town in Grass Village, a cluster of isolated three-story buildings stood apart.

Miyamoto furrowed his brows upon hearing the report from the ninja standing before him. "She's back?

The ninja nodded, kneeling on the ground. "That's what the border guards say. The samurai is vigilant, and my men couldn't tail him."

"He's useless now, but she still wants to see her mother! Ha, what a joke! I'll make them all pay in the Hōzuki castle!"

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3. on 300 power stone = +3 bonus chapter

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