MTLNOVEL Chapter 125: Clashing Ideals
But he quickly adjusted his mindset, letting go of his desire for victory and instead focusing on observing Sakumo Hatake's sword techniques, hoping to extract useful skills and essence from them. At the same time, in this blade contest, he was also witnessing each other's will.
Therefore, as soon as Sakumo Hatake finished speaking, Shiyu Uchiha immediately went on full alert. However, even with his triple-comma Sharingan, he could only catch a flash of white lightning. Sakumo's speed was truly astonishing.
He couldn't help but startle, but his body reacted instinctively. His short blade swiftly swung out, executing "[Crescent Moon]," one of the thirty-six forms of the Great Flame Slash, trying to block that streak of white lightning.
At this moment, Sakumo Hatake's tanto also stabbed forward fiercely, colliding with Shiyu Uchiha's blade and producing a crisp metallic sound.
However, when his blade came into contact with that White Fang, Shiyu Uchiha felt an overwhelming force that involuntarily pushed him backward. Soon after, they exchanged blows multiple times, each clash sending shockwaves through the surrounding air.
Sakumo Hatake's swordplay was like lightning—swift and ferocious—each strike carrying intense power and a threatening force. Although Shiyu Uchiha did his best to defend, he couldn't completely withstand Sakumo's attacks and had to rely on the Shifting Body Technique to evade. Through Sakumo's sword techniques, Shiyu Uchiha sensed an immense will.
Sakumo's swordsmanship wasn't just fast—it was extremely precise, as if predicting every move Shiyu Uchiha made.
The physical force behind Sakumo's strikes was secondary; Shiyu Uchiha could still endure it even while unleashing his full strength. However, the Blade Intent carried within Sakumo's blade made it extremely difficult for Shiyu Uchiha's relatively immature Seven Killings Blade Intent to resist. This was despite the fact that Sakumo was not at his peak—the Blade Intent was scattered and no longer fully unified.
In this fierce sword duel, Shiyu Uchiha gradually realized the gap between himself and Sakumo Hatake. This battle had undeniably given him a rare learning opportunity.
Through continuous clashes, Shiyu Uchiha's Seven Killings Blade Intent grew stronger, while Sakumo Hatake felt the boy's potential and rate of growth. He realized that, given time, Shiyu Uchiha would truly become a powerful warrior.
As the fight continued, Shiyu Uchiha's Seven Killings Blade Intent steadily stabilized—he began better resisting the pressure of Sakumo Hatake's Blade Intent.
Under Sakumo Hatake's relentless pressure, Shiyu Uchiha had to give everything he had just to resist the impact of his Blade Intent. Through this most direct form of confrontation, both sides further understood the very essence of each other's Blade Intent.
To Shiyu Uchiha, Sakumo's Blade Intent burned like raging flames, illuminating the next generation and the entire village—an embodiment of the Will of Fire. Yet, his achievements and honor had been stolen by others.
To sum it up in one sentence: Hiruzen Sarutobi merely spoke the words, while Sakumo Hatake embodied the Will of Fire through action.
In the eyes of Sakumo Hatake, Shiyu Uchiha's Blade Intent not only inherited the Will of Fire but also carved out a unique path of his own.
He had expected it to some extent, but he never thought that Shiyu Uchiha's Blade Intent could refine and elevate the Will of Fire even further. Thus, Sakumo Hatake's sword techniques became the perfect complement to Shiyu's own sword techniques.
Sakumo held nothing back; instead, he actively sought to assist. During fierce combat, he intentionally revealed the most refined aspects of his sword techniques to Shiyu Uchiha, allowing him to learn and incorporate these insights.
This allowed Shiyu to draw upon Sakumo's experience with swordsmanship, further perfecting his own techniques and nurturing his Blade Intent.
Never could Sakumo Hatake have imagined that Shiyu Uchiha actually possessed unique perspectives from another world. Therefore, for Shiyu, such matters were not complex at all—he stood upon the shoulders of giants.
Faced with the Will of Fire, he didn't even need to use his full strength to dismantle its flawed foundation. In fact, this phenomenon wasn't hard to understand. The path Shiyu walked followed precisely the classical Confucian framework from his past life:
Self-cultivation through constant enhancement of one's abilities to achieve self-perfection;
Establishing harmony within the clan by uniting the Uchiha Clan and forging strong cohesion;
Leading the village as Hokage, fully managing and developing Konoha Village to make it flourish;
Bringing peace to the world by subjugating the other four great villages, bringing true peace and tranquility to the Ninja World.
Moreover, Shiyu tailored this philosophy to the realities of the ninja world and eventually reached the conclusion: "The greater one's ability, the more power they wield, and the heavier their responsibilities become." This theoretical system developed progressively in mutual support.
And among all of this, the most important foundational element—capability—encompassed not only physical might but also wisdom.
The Will of Fire, however, was merely a narrow philosophy that emphasized sacrifice while neglecting power and status. In contrast, Shiyu's thinking was more mature and comprehensive, easily assimilating and absorbing the Will of Fire. Thus, in Sakumo Hatake's eyes, Shiyu had successfully elevated the Will of Fire into a higher form of belief.
Shiyu's ideals clashed with the reality of Hiruzen Sarutobi's rule alongside the other three elders, and this conflict filled him with an inner drive for change—his Seven Killings Blade Intent reflected this perfectly.
Sakumo believed Shiyu wanted to reshape the world to match his ideal vision. However, regarding whether Shiyu's path was correct, Sakumo now felt confused and uncertain.
If it had been his younger self, he probably would have tried to stop Shiyu. But now, caught in a period of confusion in his life without having found answers of his own, he couldn't bring himself to side with either camp.
Even so, Sakumo was deeply moved by Shiyu's intense willpower. He began to question whether the "Will of Fire" he had always upheld was truly strong enough.
Perhaps, he realized, his own beliefs still required further refinement and elevation. And thus, he decided to leave Konoha Village behind and explore a broader world in search of his own ultimate truth.
With these thoughts, Sakumo Hatake found his once turbulent mind gradually settling into calm, and even felt a sudden urge to go out for a walk.
But first, he decided to help Shiyu Uchiha refine his Sword Techniques and make proper arrangements concerning Kakashi.
In this intense battle, under Sakumo's deliberate suppression, Shiyu Uchiha was gradually approaching his limits.
At that moment, Sakumo spoke softly, asking, "Shiyu Uchiha, what do you believe is the right path?"
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