The Hand of God Creates the Strongest Hidden Mist Village

Chapter 74 The Hand of God - Rinnegan!

"strength?"

Upon hearing this, Yahiko frowned slightly, his tone carrying a hint of disapproval.

"Mr. Cheng, you just said that to build trust, we need to rely on dialogue and action..."

"Don't misunderstand, Chief Yahiko."

Makoto Karatachi waved his hand: "The power I'm talking about isn't about bullying the weak, or forcing others to submit through force. That kind of power is ultimately fragile; it breeds resistance and creates new hatred, just like the ninja world is like now."

"The power I'm talking about is the power of 'protection,' the power of 'making people sit down and listen to you,' and the power of 'making malice dare not approach easily.'"

Makoto Koji pointed to himself, then to Yahiko, and finally to the ordinary civilians who were dispersing from the square.

"To give an example."

"Chief Yahiko, if your companions, such as that red-haired brother or that lady handing out eggs, are being attacked by a group of vicious ninjas who covet your mission rewards or simply dislike your ideals, and their lives are in imminent danger."

"At this moment, do you choose to rush forward, 'talk' to them with your ideals, and beg them to stop, or... use enough power to repel or even defeat them and protect your comrades?"

Yahiko opened his mouth, but was speechless for a moment.

"Or," Makoto Karatachi continued, "if one day, the armies of Iwagakure or Konoha really decide, for some reason, to raze this place to the ground, plunder resources, or simply for a strategic buffer."

"Do you think it's more likely that if you led the Akatsuki members to the front lines, using your ideology to try and persuade the enemy commander to 'war is bad, let's coexist peacefully,' the enemy would heed your advice to lay down their weapons, or that you would demonstrate a power that would make this large army wary, even at a heavy cost, forcing them to think twice before taking action?"

"Ideas without the power to protect them are like gold without walls; they will only attract greedy wolves and will eventually be trampled and plundered."

"Chief Yahiko, the world you envision is beautiful, but the path to that world is fraught with thorns and traps. You need a sharp enough 'knife' to cut through the thorns and traps, and a strong enough 'shield' to withstand both open and hidden attacks."

Gouju Cheng sighed.

He looked up at the distant sky, his voice carrying a sense of remoteness.

"The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, ended the Warring States period, established Konoha, and brought about a brief period of peace. People say it was because of his advocacy of peace and his personal charisma."

"But what truly made the various ninja clans put aside their long-standing feuds and sit down to listen to him, and what truly made the other ninja villages dare not easily provoke Konoha, was his unparalleled power as the 'God of Shinobi,' and the absolute strength with which he and Madara Uchiha could sweep away all enemies!"

"First, there was the power to silence and instill fear in everyone, and then the idea of ​​peace had fertile ground to take root and sprout."

"Even if this peace cannot last, as long as Hashirama Senju is alive, as long as this power exists, the world will always be at peace, won't it?"

Yahiko fell into a long silence.

Makoto Goji's words were like a key, unlocking a lock in his heart that had always been subtly present but which he had deliberately ignored or avoided.

He thought of the suffering in the Land of Rain, and of his compatriots who were wailing in the flames of war.

Hanzo was revered as a demigod because he stabilized the situation in the Land of Rain for a time with his powerful strength. Although his methods were ruthless, they did make the great powers wary.

Despite their noble ideals, the Akatsuki organization has limited capabilities in the face of true power and large-scale warfare.

Power... the power to protect... the power to make people listen to you...

These words swirled in his mind.

He wasn't unaware of the importance of strength; as a ninja, he himself possessed considerable power.

He had always believed that force should be a last resort, a choice made only when absolutely necessary, while ideals and dialogue were fundamental. But now, this mysterious Shimizu Makoto was telling him that force was the foundation, the guarantee that ideals could be spread.

Isn't this putting the cart before the horse?

But upon closer reflection, the truth of this world seems to actually require this upside-down concept.

"I... need to think about it."

Yahiko said in a low voice, his voice somewhat hoarse.

"certainly."

Kojima nodded understandingly, a smile returning to his face: "I was just saying, Chief Yahiko, don't take it too seriously. I've accepted the eggs and listened to what you said; I've learned a lot. It's getting late, I should find a place to stay."

He picked up the bag of eggs and bowed slightly to Yahiko.

"I wish Akatsuki all the best in the Land of Waterfalls, and I hope that your ideals can truly find their own path."

"Thank you, Mr. Cheng!"

Yahiko sincerely thanked Kariju.

Gouju Cheng chuckled, then stopped lingering. Holding the eggs, he waved to Xiaonan Nagato who was looking over, then turned and merged into the dispersing crowd, quickly disappearing into the winding streets and alleys of the town.

Yahiko stood there, gazing in the direction where Makoto had disappeared, remaining silent for a long time.

Konan walked up to him without him noticing and asked softly, "Yahiko, that person seems a bit complicated."

"Hmm." Yahiko nodded, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "What he said... was very impactful. Minami, what do you think? Were we too naive?"

Xiao Nan paused for a moment, looked at the Nagato standing quietly in the distance, and then looked at her other companions who, though young, had firm eyes.

"I don't know if he's right. But Yahiko, no matter what the future holds, we'll walk with you."

"Whether it's an idea or a force, we will support your decision."

Yahiko felt a warmth in his heart and nodded vigorously.

"Thank you. But there are some issues... I really need to think them through."

……

After leaving the square, Makoto Kariju did not actually look for a hotel.

He weaved through the dense forest on the edge of the town, making sure no one was following him, before disappearing into the shadows.

Beside a secluded waterfall pool, he removed his disguise and revealed his true appearance and clothing.

"Phew... chatting with idealists is really exhausting."

He scooped up a handful of cool waterfall water and washed his face.

Makoto Karatachi admires Yahiko, even though his ideals are almost impossible to realize in this world, and even though his ideas are laughably naive, Makoto still holds him in the highest esteem.

The reason is simple: Yahiko actually did it!

As long as you take action, there will be a future, regardless of the outcome.

How can a young person who constantly strives for their goal not be worthy of respect?

"Hopefully these words will be of some use to him."

Gouju Cheng shook his head, pulling his thoughts back.

Next, let's see what their true purpose is in traveling all this way to the Land of Waterfalls.

The Hand of God.

Rinnegan!