章 16: Chapter 16: Manipulating Fate
The night deepened, wrapping the forest in a blanket of shadows. A faint wind rustled through the trees, carrying with it the scent of damp earth. Zaky leaned against a moss-covered log, eyes narrowed as he stared into the flickering campfire between him and Toneri. The low crackle of burning wood filled the air, a small comfort in the vast silence.
He poked at the fire absentmindedly, his mind drifting between thoughts. Memories of the past—both Urashiki's and his own—sat heavy in his consciousness. They weren't just fragments anymore; they felt like pieces of a larger puzzle, waiting to be assembled. He could almost see the edges of it now, a grand web of events intertwined not just by action but by fate itself.
But fate is never fixed.
Zaky understood this now. The narrative of this world, the fate of its characters—Naruto, Sasuke, the villages—it all moved along a delicate thread, bound by choices that could be nudged, twisted, or broken.
The system's words echoed in his mind, a reminder of the power at his disposal: Fate is not your master. You are its architect.
Zaky smirked at the thought. That was the game now. He wasn't just a piece on the board—he would learn to rewrite the rules. But for that to happen, he needed to plan carefully. Each action, each move would have to be precise, subtle. If he rushed, if he tried to force things, everything could unravel.
Toneri sat across from him, the firelight casting sharp shadows across his pale features. The former Otsutsuki exile had fallen silent, lost in his own thoughts. Zaky studied him for a moment, gauging his value. Toneri wasn't exactly an ally, not yet, but he was useful. With the right guidance, Toneri could become a powerful asset—a pawn in Zaky's growing strategy.
But Zaky knew better than to trust too easily. If there was one thing anime had taught him, it was that alliances were fragile. Everyone had their own agenda, and people like Toneri—those haunted by the past—were unpredictable.
Still, there was a shared understanding between them now, a bond forged not out of friendship but out of necessity. Both of them were outsiders in this world, misfits walking a thin line between redemption and destruction.
"You've been quiet," Toneri said at last, breaking the silence. His voice was calm but edged with curiosity.
"Thinking," Zaky replied simply, shifting his gaze to the fire.
Toneri gave a small, knowing nod. "Planning your next move, I assume."
Zaky smiled faintly. "Always."
They fell into silence again, the fire between them popping and hissing as the wood burned low. Zaky tapped his finger against his thigh, thoughts swirling. He needed to start moving pieces soon, but rushing headlong into conflict would be reckless.
"What do you know about manipulating outcomes?" Zaky asked suddenly, his voice quiet but deliberate.
Toneri tilted his head, considering the question. "Outcomes? You mean events?"
"Yeah," Zaky said, leaning forward slightly. "The way things play out—fate, if you want to call it that. What if you could steer it? Nudge things just enough that they shift in your favor?"
Toneri's expression was unreadable, but his eyes gleamed with interest. "That's not an easy task. Fate resists interference. The more you try to control it, the more it pushes back."
Zaky nodded. "I know. But there's always a way. You don't fight fate head-on. You work around it. You make subtle adjustments—small changes that lead to bigger ones."
Toneri's gaze sharpened. "You're talking about strategic manipulation. Shaping the narrative without revealing your hand."
"Exactly." Zaky's voice held a quiet intensity now, his mind already running through possibilities. "It's not just about winning battles. It's about making sure they never happen the way they were supposed to. If you know the story, you don't play by its rules—you rewrite them."
Toneri sat back, his expression thoughtful. "You're playing a dangerous game."
"Every game worth playing is dangerous," Zaky replied, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "But it's not about risk. It's about control."
He paused, letting the words hang in the air. The fire crackled softly between them, casting shifting shadows across the ground.
Toneri studied him for a moment, as if weighing his next words carefully. "What's your goal in all this? You speak of control, of shaping fate... but what do you really want?"
Zaky's smile faded slightly, replaced by something more serious. "What I want is simple. I want to make sure no one dictates the outcome—not the shinobi, not the Otsutsuki, and definitely not the narrative."
Toneri's eyes narrowed slightly. "You think you can change the course of things? Just like that?"
Zaky shrugged. "Why not? The future isn't set in stone. It's just a series of choices, stacking on top of each other. Change a few, and the whole thing shifts."
He glanced at the fire, watching the embers swirl upward like fleeting sparks. "And I've got the advantage of knowing how things are supposed to play out. That's a head start most people don't get."
Toneri fell silent, digesting Zaky's words. He was beginning to see the truth in them—that the future wasn't as fixed as it seemed. And in a world where gods and legends walked the earth, the idea of manipulating fate was both thrilling and terrifying.
"How do you plan to begin?" Toneri asked quietly, his gaze steady.
Zaky leaned back, his smirk returning. "Carefully. One move at a time. And we start small—small enough that no one notices until it's too late."
Toneri gave a slow nod, his expression thoughtful. "And what do you need from me?"
Zaky's eyes gleamed. "Information. Connections. And when the time comes... a distraction."
Toneri's lips curled into a faint smile, the kind that hinted at mischief and danger. "I think I can manage that."
Zaky chuckled softly, feeling the first spark of satisfaction. This was how it began—small, quiet moves. Nothing flashy. Nothing that would draw attention.
And yet, with each subtle adjustment, the pieces would shift.
The key was patience. He would sow the seeds now, plant doubts in the right minds, disrupt alliances just enough to create cracks in their foundations. No one would even realize what was happening—until the moment he chose to strike.
Toneri stood, brushing off his cloak. "The shinobi world has no idea what's coming, does it?"
Zaky smiled, slow and deliberate. "Not a clue."
They stood together in the quiet forest, two unlikely allies bound by shared purpose and ambition. The path ahead was uncertain, and danger loomed at every turn. But Zaky felt no fear.
This was his story now.
And he was going to write it his way.
One move at a time.
One manipulation at a time.
Because fate wasn't a chain to be obeyed.
It was a thread to be unraveled.
週次パワーステータス
-- 推薦
ランキング 
-- 推薦
チケット