章節 84: Contempt

"Chen, Nawaki, enough!" exclaimed Mikoto, trembling with frustration as she stood between the two. "Can't you see that your fights lead nowhere?"

Chen turned sharply, his eyes burning with barely contained anger. "Mikoto, you don't have to persuade me," he growled. "This is between the dreamer and me."

Turning to Nawaki with his voice loaded with contempt. "Hokage? Seriously? Wake up already. Dreams are for children, and reality... reality is cruel. Stop living in your fantasy world."

Taking a step forward, his voice lowering to a threatening whisper. "If you die out there chasing your stupid illusions, do you know what will happen? Nothing. The world will keep turning. Only your sister will cry for you, and not even she will be able to save your memory from oblivion."

His selfishness is absolute. He considers himself the center of the universe.

Others are mere satellites in his orbit. He cannot conceive of another way of seeing the world.

Nawaki, on the other hand, pursues dreams beyond himself. This is incomprehensible to him.

It irritates him that Nawaki ignores his family for his ambitions. He cannot understand such sacrifice.

With clenched fists and a tense jaw, Nawaki broke the silence.

His voice, though shaky at first, gained strength with each word. "You wouldn't understand, Chen. I want to protect the village that grandfather left us. It's his legacy, his most precious treasure. You... you simply can't understand it."

Chen let out a dry laugh. "Understand you? Ha! Of course I can't. You can't even protect your own, and you talk about protecting others?"

With a brusque gesture, he pointed towards the members of the Senju clan. "Look at them, Nawaki! Look at your people out there. Do you think they'll return? Don't you care if the Senju clan becomes extinct? Is this how a 'qualified' young patriarch acts?"

Upon hearing these words, he faltered, the weight of Chen's words visible on his shoulders.

But then, as if a flame had ignited within him, he stood up straight. "I... I want to protect them all. The Senju clan, the other members of Konoha... they're all part of the village. They all deserve protection."

Chen observed Nawaki, a strange smile curving his lips.

Then, to the surprise of all who were watching this spectacle, he let out a laugh. "Hahaha... Nawaki, you have a heart too big for your own good. I am selfish, you are a dreamer. We are different, you and I. I was naive to think I could make you change your mind."

As Nawaki said, he really couldn't understand him.

For him, Nawaki's actions are pure foolishness and stupidity.

Incomprehensible, Nawaki's devotion to his ideals.

However, others see nobility in his sacrifice.

Nawaki's selflessness inspires respect among many.

A gap in perspectives: madness for one, heroism for others.

The silence that followed his words was heavy. Nawaki, with his gaze fixed on the ground, seemed to be struggling internally. Chen, for his part, observed him with a mixture of frustration and something that almost seemed like concern.

Finally, he exhaled deeply, as if letting go of something. "Look, Nawaki," he began, his voice softer than before, "As long as you don't regret your choice today, I guess nothing I say will matter."

He paused, running a hand through his long hair in a gesture of weariness. "Just... do what you think you must do."

Nawaki looked up, surprised by the change in Chen's tone. For a moment, it seemed he was going to say something, but then he simply nodded.

Chen waved his hand dismissing him. "Go. Do what you have to do," he muttered, turning his back.

The young Senju looked at him one last time before turning and walking towards the camp.

The thoughts of both people obviously go in opposite directions and it's useless to continue.

Chen remained motionless for a moment. Then, as if coming out of a trance, he turned to the three kunoichi.

His expression softened slightly, an uncharacteristic vulnerability peeking through his eyes.

"Do you think... I'm too selfish?" he asked in an almost whisper.

The three exchanged glances, each weighing their response. Finally, it was Kushina who broke the silence.

"I don't think you're selfish, because you are," she blurted out surprisingly.

Chen's face instantly crumbled, a shadow of pain crossing his features.

For a moment, it seemed he was going to reply, but before he could do so, Kushina let out a laugh.

"I'm kidding, silly!" Giving him a punch on the arm. "You're only selfish with others, not with yourself. If you were really a selfless person and always thought of others, I would be the one who would be jealous!"

He blinked, confused by the sudden change in tone. Kushina, noticing his perplexity, continued with a mischievous smile. "As long as you treat me well, it's enough and... if you start treating others too well, that's when I'll go crazy!"

"Actually, Chen, we all have that selfish psychology to some extent. For us, you're not a selfish person at all." Mikoto, observing the exchange with a smile, intervened.

Konan, who had been listening attentively, jumped into the conversation with enthusiasm. "Onii-chan is the best person in the world! How could he be selfish?" Her orange eyes shone with adoration as she looked at him.

The tension in Chen's shoulders began to dissipate. The irritation he had felt from his argument with Nawaki seemed to vanish into the air.

"Chen, Nawaki isn't entirely wrong. He simply values his dreams too much and cares a lot about the village. You shouldn't blame him for that." noticing the change in the atmosphere, Mikoto took the opportunity to add softly.

He exhaled slowly. "I don't blame him, Mikoto," he finally said.

"It's just that... I can't understand him. Maybe it's because our ideologies are so different." He shook his head with an ironic smile.

He didn't consider Nawaki's pursuit of dreams to be inherently wrong, nor did he disapprove of his desire to protect the village.

The conflict arose from Chen's inability to understand how Nawaki could prioritize these ideals above his own clan.

What worried him most was Nawaki's apparent lack of self-awareness about his own limitations.

Despite being aware of his weakness, Nawaki insisted on participating in the battlefield.

If Nawaki decided to withdraw now, not even Hiruzen could object. However, driven by his vision, Nawaki was rushing into danger as if the battlefield were a simple game.

If he wanted to become Hokage, he didn't necessarily need to expose himself to the direct dangers of combat!

What Chen didn't know was the significant influence Hiruzen had had on Nawaki's mentality.

Before departing for the battlefield, the Hokage had had a conversation with Nawaki. Hiruzen had impressed upon Nawaki the idea that being Hokage meant protecting the village in its entirety, watching over all its inhabitants.

This act of protection was the way to gain the recognition and trust necessary to lead.

This revelation shed new light on Nawaki's motivations. His decision to go to the battlefield no longer seemed an act of youthful recklessness, but a calculated attempt to prove his worth and commitment to the village.

The march of Konoha's forces towards the battle front was a long process. After a brief period of rest, the army resumed its advance.

The journey extended for several days, due to the vast expanse of the Land of Fire and the considerable distance that separated Konoha from its borders.

Until reaching the more rugged regions that signaled the proximity of the border with the Land of Rain.

The presence of the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, at the front of the troops, was a powerful symbol of the seriousness of the situation and his commitment to protecting their borders. Hiruzen didn't limit himself to leading from the rear; he moved among the ranks, his figure instilling courage and determination in every ninja he encountered.

In this atmosphere of growing anticipation, the arrival of Sakumo Hatake, along with the Sannin, marked a crucial moment.

Their presence not only added formidable combat power to Konoha's forces, but also served as a potent moral boost.

"Tsunade! Over here!" Kushina waved her arms energetically.

Tsunade turned towards the voice, her eyes scanning the group. Her gaze stopped on Chen, and for a moment, she seemed to forget to breathe.

She frowned, more out of confusion than annoyance, and approached with hesitant steps.

"Chen..." she murmured, "What are you doing here? This is no place for..." she interrupted herself, biting her lower lip.

Noticing her uneasiness, Chen sketched a smile. "If I tell you I'm here to protect Konoha, would you believe me?"

Tsunade stared at him, her eyes searching for something in Chen's face.

But finally she shook her head. "I can't believe it."

"The enemy is at Konoha's gates. You should... you should be safe, not here."

"Well, do I have such a bad impression in your eyes?" Chen pretended to be hurt.

Tsunade visibly tensed, a blush coloring her cheeks. "Are you still thinking about the impression you have in my heart?", she replied, her voice trembling slightly.

Chen's eyes lit up. "Then... do you still like me?", he asked, moving closer to her.

Tsunade's blush intensified, extending to her ears. She took a step back, stumbling over her words. "L-like you? You? I... I just... when you confessed, you looked so... so pathetic. I didn't want to hurt your feelings, so... so I agreed to be your girlfriend. That's all!"

"Oh, Tsunade" Chen couldn't contain a broad smile, "Why are you like this?"

"Hmph!" Tsunade snorted, crossing her arms over her chest.

Her eyes deviated, seeking a distraction, and landed on the small figure next to Chen. "And who is this girl?".

Konan, who had been observing the exchange with curiosity, took a shy step forward. Chen put a protective hand on her shoulder.

"Ah, this is Konan, my little sister," he said softly. "Konan, hurry up and greet your sister."

Konan took a step forward. She looked at Tsunade shyly, before exclaiming, "Sister Tsunade is good!"

Tsunade's expression visibly softened at Konan's innocence.

She leaned down, getting to the child's height, and with a genuine smile, gently caressed her head. "Yes! Konan is good too!", she responded with her maternal voice.

However, Tsunade's smile gradually faded as she processed the situation. She slowly straightened up, her brow furrowing with concern.

Her eyes met Chen's.

"Chen", she began in a low voice, "Why did you bring Konan to the battlefield? It's dangerous here for a child."

He opened his mouth to respond, but seemed to think better of it. Instead, he extended his hand, pointing towards a distant point in the camp. "Before we talk about us," he said softly, "look over there."

Nawaki, who had been paying attention here. A glimpse of his youth and inexperience was revealed when he noticed his older sister's gaze. The instinct for self-preservation activated in him.

With a quick movement, he tried to sneak away through the crowd.

However, Nawaki's efforts to go unnoticed proved unsuccessful. Tsunade's sharp eyes located him easily and her reaction was immediate: a mixture of anger and deep concern was reflected on her face.

Although a part of her felt uncomfortable with the idea of Chen, Kushina, Mikoto, and even little Konan being in a danger zone, her concern for them was mitigated by the knowledge of their abilities. She considered them capable of defending themselves and protecting each other in the heat of battle.

Nawaki, on the other hand, represented a completely different concern. In her eyes, her younger brother lacked the experience and strength necessary to survive in this.

The idea of Nawaki on the battlefield did not evoke images of a warrior, but of an innocent lamb among wolves.

The presence of other members of the Senju clan only served to exacerbate Tsunade's anger and concern. Seeing her clan, her family, potentially exposed to danger, awakened in her a fierce protective instinct.

Driven by a mixture of emotions, Tsunade set herself in motion.

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