"Do you just sit back and watch like this?"
Yahiko's fists clenched.
In his view, Jingyi didn't understand the suffering of small nations he stood on the side of the great powers, looking down from above. It made Yahiko sick.
But Jingyi didn't rise to the bait. He shook his head and responded calmly, "You say you're trying to bring peace. What's your solution?"
"The wars between the great nations have left our smaller ones in ruin. But with the strength of Amegakure, if we unite the smaller villages, we can form a power bloc strong enough to force the great nations into a truce," Yahiko said earnestly.
"Why?" Jingyi asked.
"What?"
"Why should the smaller countries listen to you? Why should Hanzō follow your lead? And why would the great nations care what you say?"
Jingyi spread his hands.
He wasn't mocking he was being brutally honest.
Akatsuki's goal was noble. But with just a handful of idealists and a dream, they wanted to pressure titans like Konoha and Iwa?
Nice idea.
But ultimately just a dream. Unless Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan could reach the level of Hashirama and Madara, it was nothing more than fantasy.
And even if they did reach that level… would they still need Hanzō's support?
If they were that powerful, they wouldn't need anyone's help.
"This benefits small nations. Why"
Yahiko paused, the words catching in his throat.
He realized something was wrong mid-sentence.
"You think it's beneficial," Jingyi cut in, "but do all the smaller nations agree? Take Takigakure, for example."
"Takigakure…?"
Yahiko was stunned.
He hadn't considered that.
Takigakure, after all, once held a Tailed Beast. Among the minor nations, they were arguably the most powerful perhaps even stronger than Amegakure.
Would they follow his lead?
Many small nations were under the shadow of great ones. They received aid and resources. Even with shinobi villages of their own, they managed to maintain relative peace.
Some even dreamed of surpassing the great nations one day like Taki.
How could you unite so many conflicting ambitions?
He had no answer.
"One more question," Jingyi said. "Suppose your alliance succeeds. Who's in charge Hanzō? Or you? From what I've heard, you and the so-called 'Demigod' don't exactly see eye to eye."
Again, Yahiko had no response.
Would the smaller nations accept him as their leader?
Probably not.
But without unity, how could they resist the great nations?
"You don't even know what these other nations want. You don't know your allies from your enemies. And yet you think you're ready to bring peace?" Jingyi said bluntly. "You're not building peace. You're inviting disaster."
He sheathed the Thunder God Sword.
Minato, silent until now, was visibly shaken.
Jingyi's wordsbcutting, but not without purpose.
Even he found himself wondering how he would've answered.
"That's all I have to say. Minato-senpai, he's yours. I'm just a newly promoted jōnin I wouldn't even know how to report this."
As the words left his lips, Jingyi's figure dissipated in a puff of mist Shunshin no Jutsu.
Minato blinked.
You dropped the hard truth and left me with the fallout? Seriously?
He looked at Yahiko, then at Konan and the unconscious Nagato in the distance. Fortunately, the two hadn't reacted aggressively.
"Wait!"
Yahiko finally snapped out of it.
Jingyi had vanished too quickly.
He turned to Minato, hesitated, and then said, "Senior Minato, can Konan take Nagato back? I'd like to go with you. I… I want to speak with that jōnin again."
"This…"
Minato hesitated.
Jingyi had raised important, painful questions. The kind you couldn't answer in a single conversation if you even could answer them.
Still…
Nagato had strange eyes dangerous ones. And Konan's paper ninjutsu combined with explosive tags posed a real threat.
Yahiko, at least, had kept a level head.
Minato could respect that.
He saw in Yahiko the same dream that Jiraiya-sensei carried. his own dream too.
Peace.
No, it wasn't something to laugh at.
"I understand. I was… too emotional before," Yahiko admitted. "I thought I could bring peace to the world just by working hard enough. But now… I'm not sure."
He looked down.
Not only could he not unite the nations he might not even be able to convince Hanzō.
Yes, Nagato and Konan trusted him. But that trust came with a burden he could no longer take lightly.
Minato sighed.
If not for Jingyi's group arriving by coincidence if not for chasing those bandits into this region this encounter would never have happened.
He scratched his head, deep in thought.
"All right," he finally said. "Come with me. Konan can take Nagato back. I'll make sure your people are safe."
"Thank you!" Yahiko bowed deeply.
He knew this was difficult for Minato bringing him back to a Konoha base wasn't a decision to take lightly.
But Minato had still agreed.
That meant more than words.
"Yahiko, are you sure…?" Konan asked.
"Take Nagato and go. I'll return soon."
Konan's eyes flickered with unease.
She didn't think about these things as deeply as Yahiko. She only wanted a peaceful life with Yahiko and Nagato.
But Yahiko had his dream.
A dream born from the suffering of war. A dream their sensei jiraiya had passed on to them.
Akatsuki was founded on that dream.
Yet just a few words from Jingyi had shaken Yahiko's resolve.
Konan couldn't answer the questions he now wrestled with. All she could do was trust him to find those answers.
She wrapped Nagato in her paper cloak and watched as Yahiko walked away with Minato.
---
As soon as Jingyi left, he headed toward Asuma and the others.
He heard shouts and the sound of movement in the distance but not a battle. It sounded more like pleading.
He wasn't worried.
Minato was just a shadow clone, but it was Minato Namikaze the man who would one day be known as Konoha's Yellow Flash. If even a few bandits gave him trouble, that would be the real shock.
"The teacher's back!"
Kurenai Yuhi immediately noticed Jingyi's chakra approaching and smiled brightly.
Minato had taken good care of them but it just wasn't the same without their own teacher nearby.