Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 263 Divergence

She saw it—a monster emanating dark power.

It's so cold, so dark. Has she been eaten by a monster? Her senses seem to be clouded by a chilling power; everywhere she looks, there are those disgusting things! Who can save her?

No, she'd messed everything up; the world was about to end. She shouldn't have prayed for someone to come; she should have begged them to run as far away as possible when they noticed something was wrong! Even if it meant clinging to life, she didn't want them to die so soon...

But before her tears could fall, her instinctive wish—a wish she absolutely did not want to come true—came true.

A gap appeared in the malice that filled every inch of her senses. The monster that had devoured her shared its vision with her with a wicked sense of amusement. She saw a volcano crater churning with lava, and a lone figure walking towards her from the opening.

"That man has a repulsive odor." The deep voice echoed with a murmur, like the groan of a demon. "Perfect, let him be the first. I'll show you what he looks like when he dies."

Her fear finally reached its peak, and she shouted with all her might, "Don't come any closer! Run!!"

But that person was still walking towards her unhurriedly, even though she was now a monster with several heads.

"Don't be afraid."

The voice seemed to belong to the blond ninja, who was still walking this way, but the monster was already poised to strike. The demon's resentful energy was a poisonous filth; even the slightest touch would turn even the most resolute person into a puppet, a tool of the demon. Before, the demon hadn't acquired a body, which was why it hadn't displayed these characteristics, but now things were different!

The demon heard her thoughts and laughed maniacally as it propelled its branches forward, even sharing the view of the head at the very front. She saw the ninja almost upon her in an instant, yet he didn't even make a defensive stance, continuing to advance.

no no!

"Naruto!!"

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It is well known that most rulers of nations in the world today adhere to the so-called theory of bloodline. However, upon closer examination, in this world where ninjas with extremely powerful abilities appear from time to time, their "noble" bloodlines are actually no different from those of ordinary people.

However, there are exceptions. Besides feudal autocratic systems, there is another form of governance based on faith. The rulers of these countries are often truly capable, but their influence is limited, and their territories are pitifully small. Even large countries choose to keep their distance from these nations, because no one knows if some extraordinary individual might emerge and bring a powerful impact to the world.

Unfortunately, this world has gained a number of young people who enjoy breaking with tradition and are reckless in their actions. Small countries are simply no match for these people's all-encompassing invasion. After all, people are pragmatic; everyone desires a better life, and outdated religious rule simply cannot provide that.

Since Naruto was once again included in the Chunin Exams examiner team, with everyone's unanimous agreement, most of his affairs in Hira were temporarily handled by the team, except that he had to attend the summary and report meetings at fixed times.

"The Western Development Plan is progressing steadily. The countries along the way are all unremarkable small countries. The recapture has been very smooth, and there have been no unexpected incidents."

"Why does the latest report seem to have fewer pages? Didn't you used to provide separate project analyses for each region? Now it's just glossed over?"

"The existing systems are just a few variations, so shouldn't we use the accumulated experience in this way?"

"Experience isn't a panacea. Every place has its own unique problems, so we can't just generalize like that. The military's R&D spending this month is so high, isn't it a bit too much?"

"The soldiers are handling guns for the first time, and training their shooting accuracy alone is a huge expense. We are trying to find a way to develop more cost-effective training ammunition."

"Some areas in the western part of the Wind Kingdom are very suitable for grain cultivation. We have obtained the land deeds through 'legal' means and are preparing to develop it into a new granary. Part of that treasure land is located on the western border. The small country there is almost entirely religious and still uses an outdated religious system of governance, which meets our development standards. The first phase of promotion has already begun, and I believe that it will soon undergo a complete transformation."

What's the name of that country?

"Hmm... the name isn't very auspicious, it's called the Land of Demons."

Jinlun, who had been looking down at the report, looked up. He felt the name was all too familiar, but unfortunately, he had too many memories, and his mind was full of the report he had just been given, so he couldn't recall it for the time being. By the time he dug out a purple-eyed witch from the depths of his memory, the meeting was almost over.

"No, don't touch that country yet!" Jinlun slammed his hand on the table.

The people at the table looked at him with some curiosity, after all, it was rare to see Lord Jinlun so excited.

Realizing he had lost his composure, Naruto quickly composed himself and said in a very reliable manner, "Have you thoroughly investigated the history of this country? To occupy such a fertile land without being annexed by a major power must be extraordinary."

"It's most likely that their ruler is related to the daimyo of the Land of Wind by blood. This situation also occurs in countries like the Land of Silk..."

"So there was no background check?"

Now, no one at the table spoke, because they genuinely couldn't answer. With such a significant expansion of power, few can remain true to their principles and thoroughly understand a country, from its history and culture to its people and customs, before conquering it. They used to do this well because the disparity in military strength forced them to analyze a country step by step to take it down; the situation is different now.

“I know you are all dissatisfied and feel that it is unnecessary for a small country to make such a fuss. But do not forget that we are made up of small countries one after another. If you are so indifferent to the history of a small country today, you will be indifferent to the people living on that land tomorrow.”

The reprimand startled some people, who lowered their heads, while others were provoked into trying to defend themselves.

"That's too harsh. Understanding it after the treatment is complete is just as good..."

"Is that so?" Naruto tilted his head and said, "You've all been to the doctor, right? You should know that although quack doctors and famous doctors are both doctors, the results of their treatments are worlds apart. Famous doctors will prescribe medicine based on the subtle differences in symptoms, while quack doctors will prescribe all kinds of medicine when they encounter similar symptoms. When it comes to treating illness, time is life. During the time that quack doctors are testing medicines, the patient's condition may worsen, or even develop into a fatal illness."

"What you're doing now is no different from a quack doctor treating patients."