Chapter 99 - Chapter 99: Konoha Likes Double Standards, Even Naruto Had One

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"In such a situation, I think Nagato's actions were understandable. After all, Nagato had his own Kushina. He had his own Rin."

Minato listened to Obito's words and could only sigh helplessly, "Indeed, from Nagato's perspective, Jiraiya-sensei was the invader. His actions were not unjustified, and I can't blame him."

"Jiraiya-sensei once told me that people can understand each other, but it seems... that is very difficult to achieve."

Obito sighed, "Yes."

"Nagato is actually a very emotional person. Perhaps when he saw Jiraiya-sama, he also hoped that his teacher could eliminate the gap between them."

"But what he received was not concern and understanding. Only predetermined accusations and harsh criticism."

"Maybe from that moment on, he suddenly realized that Jiraiya-sama did not understand him, nor did he want to understand him. He was merely representing Konoha's interests, wanting to eliminate him."

"He must have been very disappointed at that time."

Minato suddenly felt awkward, "Obito, Jiraiya-sensei is truly a good person."

Obito shook his head slightly, "Minato-sensei, I don't deny that. But Konoha's arrogance is ingrained in its very bones. It's a worldview and mindset formed from childhood."

"Konoha's shinobi, from top to bottom, whether good or bad, seem to have adopted a way of thinking. Any action that is detrimental to Konoha is absolutely unjust."

"So sometimes, some of the things Konoha's shinobi do give me a strange feeling."

Minato was startled, "What kind of feeling?"

Obito glanced at Minato-sensei and slowly said, "I'll give an example. When a shinobi from another village kills a Konoha shinobi, Konoha believes that person deserves to die."

"But when the situation is reversed... when a Konoha shinobi kills a shinobi from another village, Konoha considers it justified and even advises others to let go of their hatred."

Minato suddenly felt embarrassed and cautiously asked, "It's not that extreme, is it?"

Obito seemed to recall something amusing and said, "Minato-sensei, let me use Uzumaki Naruto as an example. He is the one person I've seen who truly practiced Jiraiya-sama's ideals. Someone who genuinely let go of hatred and understood others."

"He did it better than anyone, even Jiraiya-sama himself."

"He forgave Nagato, forgave me, and this forgiveness was built upon his deep understanding of us."

"Perhaps because he truly understood us, that's why we were genuinely convinced by him."

Minato immediately became curious, "Obito, you once said that Naruto forgave you. Did he later forgive Nagato as well?"

Obito nodded and continued speaking, "I'll explain that later. First, let's return to Konoha's double standards. Under this kind of worldview, even Naruto was influenced and did something that, in hindsight, seemed quite hypocritical."

Minato couldn't help but ask, "What was it?"

Obito laughed, "Minato-sensei, Naruto and Sasuke are very close. You know this. Later, Sasuke learned the truth behind the Uchiha clan's massacre and decided to seek revenge on Konoha. You know this as well."

"Sasuke was once manipulated by me to capture the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki from Kumogakure, which led to the Jinchūriki's disappearance."

"And the Eight-Tails' Jinchūriki and the Raikage share a bond like you and Kushina—cherishing each other deeply."

"As a result, the Raikage was furious and planned to personally take action to kill Sasuke. Minato-sensei, can you guess what Naruto did?"

Minato roughly guessed Naruto's response but was unsure, "Did Naruto try to persuade the Raikage to let go of his hatred?"

Obito chuckled, "Exactly. But do you know how Naruto tried to convince him?"

"Naruto said that he didn't want Sasuke's actions to cause a war between Konoha and Kumogakure. That vengeance would only breed more vengeance, so he begged Kumogakure to let go of their hatred."

Minato was momentarily speechless.

'At that time, hadn't Sasuke already defected from Konoha? Why would Konoha go to war with Kumogakure over Sasuke?'

Obito laughed, "Minato-sensei, you should understand the underlying message in Naruto's words. He was essentially telling the Raikage, 'If you dare to kill Sasuke, I'll dare to kill you.'"

"That was a threat."

Minato awkwardly said, "I believe Naruto would later realize that approach was wrong."

Obito glanced at Minato-sensei and sighed.

"Indeed, he did. That's why he knelt before the Raikage. But the Raikage shut him up with a single sentence."

Obito paused and slowly said, "The Raikage's response was: 'I will kill Sasuke. When the time comes, you can let go of your hatred and forgive me.'"

Minato sighed,"Yes, setting a saintly standard for oneself but failing to live up to it, while expecting others to abide by it—that is indeed wrong."

Obito nodded, "That's why, when Nagato came to Konoha to capture the Nine-Tails, he was so triggered that he unleashed a massive Shinra Tensei, destroying Konoha and letting them fully experience pain."

"Sigh, when I unleashed the Nine-Tails attack back then, it was for a similar reason."

Minato was shocked, "Obito, Nagato destroyed Konoha?"

Obito nodded, "Yes, with one attack, he turned all of Konoha into a giant crater. Every building was reduced to rubble. But later, Naruto returned, having mastered Sage Mode, defeated and convinced Nagato, and Nagato used the Rinnegan's Rinne Tensei to revive everyone he had killed in that battle."

Minato let out a breath of relief and couldn't help but feel a lingering fear, "As long as no one died, that's what matters. If they survived, Konoha could always be rebuilt from the ruins. The Rinnegan truly is the Sage of Six Paths' eyes—its power is terrifying."

Then, Minato asked, "Obito, there's something I've wanted to ask for a while. Nagato's goal wasn't Infinite Tsukuyomi, was it? Why was he capturing the nine Tailed Beasts?"

Obito thought for a moment, "I actually mentioned this before. Nagato wanted to achieve peace through military deterrence."

"Simply put, he wanted to use the Ten-Tails' power, which could wipe out an entire village in one attack, to forcefully intervene in the great shinobi villages and make them stop warring. If anyone started a war, he would destroy them."

Minato immediately frowned, "That ideology is too dangerous and extreme. Did he want to become a god?"

But then, Minato reconsidered, "Actually, it is a valid strategy. If the wielder of such power was a true peacekeeper, then the Five Great Nations, fearing destruction, indeed wouldn't dare to act recklessly."

Obito nodded, "It is indeed a possible solution. But Minato-sensei, why do you find it dangerous?"

Minato was taken aback and then said, "Probably because... no one can guarantee how the one wielding that power will think?"

Obito chuckled, "And that is the classic Konoha mindset. Whether or not it truly brings peace to the world, as long as something might threaten the village, it is deemed dangerous and must be eliminated."

"Of course, this isn't wrong. No one wants to entrust their survival to someone else's decisions. But Konoha always likes to wrap this reasoning in a nobler facade, which is why it feels so hypocritical."

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