TSSITWON Chapter 199: Why Are You Laughing?

The laughter of the masked man echoed in the cold night, sounding so ironic in the midst of this serious situation.

Nagato stared at the masked man with a sharp gaze. "Why are you laughing?"

Yahiko remained silent, his eyes fixed on the masked man, trying to understand what lay behind that laughter.

The masked man finally stopped laughing and let out a long sigh. "No, it's nothing... Yes, peace may be achieved in this world. But..." The devilish masked man looked at the three of them with an unreadable expression. "...that doesn't mean every village will share in that peace. One of them is Amegakure."

Konan, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up. "Why do you say that? If the ninja world is at peace, won't Amegakure also be at peace?"

The masked man chuckled softly. "Heh... The peace of the ninja world may be achieved, but nothing is eternal. Even if the entire world reaches peace, Amegakure may still not obtain it. If Hanzo dies or is killed, this village will fall into chaos. Its people will panic, lose their way, and eventually... civil war will break out. Not from outside enemies, but from within."

As the masked man looked at each of them, the expression of the devilish masked man remained hidden behind his mask, but there was something cold and undeniable in his words.

"You want to save Amegakure, but you never think about what will happen afterward. You believe in peace... but what kind of peace are you seeking?"

Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan did not answer immediately. For the first time, they felt that the idealism they had held onto so tightly... might not be as strong as they thought.

...

...

...

After a silence that felt like an eternity, Yahiko looked at the devilish masked man in front of him with a gaze filled with determination. The campfire in the middle of the cave flickered gently, the light of the fire dancing on the damp stone walls. The sound of the rain roaring outside added to the sense of stillness in the room, as if the world was holding its breath waiting for Yahiko's answer.

"I..." Yahiko took a deep breath, his fists clenched tightly on his thighs. "I want a peace where everyone doesn't have to live in fear of war. I want a world where children can play freely without worrying about losing their families. I want a world where no more blood is shed just for the ambitions of a few!"

Yahiko's voice was filled with emotion, his serious tone echoing in the narrow cave. He was not just speaking for himself, but for everyone who had lost everything due to war. Yahiko's eyes, full of conviction, stared straight at the devilish masked man, waiting for his response.

Nagato, sitting next to Yahiko, fell silent for a moment, then slowly smiled. A smile full of hope, as if Yahiko's words had reignited the flame of determination in Nagato's heart. On the other hand, Konan, who had been quiet, now looked at Yahiko with an expression that was hard to describe—a mix of admiration and hope. Yahiko was a light for them, someone who always believed that the world could still be saved.

However, the devilish masked man remained silent. The gaze of the masked man, hidden behind his mask, seemed sharp, looking at Yahiko with a critical eye. The campfire flickered once more, and the flash of light from the flames seemed to reflect something indescribable in the man's eyes.

Suddenly, the heavy voice of the masked man sounded, so cold and flat, yet behind it lay a trace of emotion that was hard to decipher.

"If that is what you want," said the devilish masked man in a low voice, "then you must become stronger... much stronger than anyone. Do you know Hashirama Senju?"