Shiraishi came out of the laboratory and came to the corner of the research building, near the windowsill of the corridor, where few people usually passed, and only the surveillance equipment installed in the surrounding area played a role as a warning.

Sasuke followed Shiraishi closely behind him to a remote corner of the building, where the two of them were surrounded by a quiet atmosphere, and a refreshing breeze blew in through the open window.

"Not surprisingly, in mid-October, the Fifth Shinobi War will officially begin. It's still autumn, but if you want to fight in winter, you can't avoid it."

Shiraishi looked out the window, the air was gradually refreshing, slowly moving away from the summer heat, the weather was a little cooler, and the season was transitioning from summer to autumn.

Considering that the autumn in the war zone is very short, and there are two more months, it will be a cold winter.

In such a cold season, even if a ninja is out for a long time, it will inevitably be affected.

Listening to Shiraishi's words, Sasuke nodded slightly, he knew that in order to deal with this situation, the country of ghosts had already prepared all kinds of supplies for winter operations.

Theoretically speaking, now that the Ghost Country has taken the initiative to go to war, it can directly have a huge impact on the Five Great Powers Alliance and Xiao, because under the premise that the other two parties are not fully ready, the Ghost Country has already completed the reserve of materials and soldiers, and can play a great advantage in the early stage, and then use tough means to make this advantage last for a long time.

However, in this way, it will inevitably be attacked by the cooperation of the other two parties. Therefore, although it is true that you can gain an advantage by attacking first, you will also lose more, and the situation will quickly become uncontrollable.

After all, neither Xiao nor the alliance of the five great powers could take a blitzkrieg and annihilate in a war.

Moreover, the melee situation of the three parties also makes the situation much more complicated than the past ninja wars, and the specific end time is still unpredictable.

"I've been prepared for this kind of thing. For me, this war is also an opportunity." Sasuke said in a firm tone.

Compared to the war era, the speed of promotion in peacetime is too slow, and the military merits that can be obtained are very limited, and there are great restrictions for ninjas of his level.

The most important thing is that he is still a halfway person from the sky, even though he has accumulated a lot of credit from Orochimaru, but it will take a little time to fully digest it.

And war has no such troubles.

He had checked the comparison of the ninja wars in various countries and the information on the promotion speed of ninjas in peacetime, and these words were also said to Shiraishi after thinking.

"Sense of anticipation? This is indeed very much in line with the values of most young people who are enthusiastic and want to make contributions. However, to be mentally prepared for this, I would like to ask, are you really prepared for this?"

While Shiraishi felt amused, he looked at Sasuke slightly, and there was a hint of seriousness in his smiling eyes.

As if sensing the distrust and doubt in Shiraishi's eyes, Sasuke would not be angry by such a provocation, but replied in an indifferent tone, "Whether it is the attack on Konoha or the experience of the border for a while, I also have my own set of rules of conduct."

"Really? Okay, if you have any questions, just ask directly, seeing that you look preoccupied, there should be something to tell me."

Shiraishi said.

"I do have some questions that I want to solve."

Speaking of this, a complicated color appeared in Sasuke's eyes. "Is it because of your brother Itachi Uchiha?"

Shiraishi's gesture made Sasuke feel slightly uncomfortable, but he nodded and acknowledged it.

"Your older brother Itachi was born in the year I left Konoha and then entered the battlefield at a young age under your father's guidance. His idea of being confident that he could carry everything alone and deny this troubled era was forced to form in that extremely cruel environment."

Shiraishi's words made Sasuke slightly surprised, and then frowned and asked, "Have you checked Itachi's memory?"

Itachi's body was now recovered by him and buried in the form of an unnamed monument on a piece of land in the mountains behind Nanga Shrine in Onituni Country.

But

Before that, Itachi's corpse had been in Shiraishi's hands, and if he had taken the Kaleidoscope Writing Wheel Eye at that time, he had read Itachi's memory with ninjutsu by the way....

"No, I didn't read his memories." Shiraishi shook his head and said, "My judgment about Itachi is only based on information from all sides. Ninjas who have the same idea as him are not uncommon during the war years, but most of them die in the war, and they don't have too strong will and talent after the war, so even if they have such ideas, they can't put them into action and scribble their lives. But your brother Itachi is different, he has the will to fulfill his ideals, and he has a super talent..... That's why he stands out."

「.... That's right."

Sasuke didn't know what to say.

He hadn't witnessed the war era, but Shiraishi was someone who had seen it and was deeply involved in it. People like Itachi .... Was it a lot in times of war?

"Peace and that kind of thing.... Is there really any hope of it?" Sasuke asked the question that had been bothering him for a long time.

He used to hate Itachi immensely, and although he still hated it now, after learning about Itachi's whole experience, he felt a little more pity and sympathy while holding hatred.

Itachi's original tragedy was created by his father, Fugaku.

Then came the malicious guidance of Danzang, which led Itachi deeper astray. The hesitation of the three generations of Hokage, Itachi can only make his own choice.

When the weight of the clan was weighed against the weight of "peace" in his heart, he found that the weight of stopping the war was even greater, so he did not hesitate to abandon the family.

But after that, Konoha sees Itachi as a traitor.

Sasuke couldn't understand what Itachi was thinking when he was carrying everything so heavily? At the end of his life, was he still fantasizing about the "peaceful" world he had in mind? Konoha ..... In the end, did he complain?

However, with Itachi's death, Sasuke will never know. War.

Peace.

Carried out the tragedy of the weasel and the life of the sinner.

It seems that as long as such a dream is fulfilled, no matter how many things you have, you can give them up. But only ...... In the end, he let his brother go.

The only downfall.

There is no absolute loyalty to Konoha. The practice of ideals is not thorough enough.

Being strong is an excuse for him to whitewash his weakness, and what he really wants to do all ends in failure. In Sasuke's opinion, Itachi is a complete loser.

Even if you have extraordinary willpower and strength, you can't hide this fact. So, he wanted to ask Shiraishi, this one who was successful.

Compared to Itachi, what Shiraishi did could indeed be called a success.

Although many people hated him and cursed him to die quickly, they believed that the sixth great power he created had upset the international balance and made the otherwise stable international environment chaotic.

But in Sasuke's view, the idea of relying on balance to keep the peace is the self-righteousness of some people. At least at the moment of the rise of the Oni Country, the means of the five major powers to suppress many small countries were much restricted. There are many small countries that have become more flexible and richer with the support of the Oni Country.

Although in the process, a lot of victims were also created.

However, Sasuke, who traveled through those countries as Kakashi, found that the people there did not have any resentment towards Shiraishi and the country of demons, but instead began to take the initiative to support them. Even now that the five great powers have formed an alliance and begun to secretly provoke and threaten, these countries still firmly follow the ghost country and completely break with the five major powers.

If there was anyone in this world who could answer his doubts, Sasuke thought that Shiraishi was the most likely. This man is the most resented and hated man in the ninja world.

"Peace, when you asked this question, I almost thought you were Konoha's Nine-Tails Pillar Force." Shiraishi didn't answer directly, but laughed teasingly.

Sasuke's mind also remembered the stupid face of a certain yellow hair, although he knew that Shiraishi was teasing, but he had to say that it was very vivid.

Immediately shook his head and put such fantasies

Throw it away.

"In my opinion, no matter how bad order is, it is better than disordered freedom. The same applies to peace and war."

Shiraishi turned his head and put his hands on the edge of the window, looking at the blue sky in the distance. Sasuke chewed on the meaning of those words.

"However, the current trend in the world is either in war or in the preparation stage for war. Everyone is saying that peace can only be achieved by destroying the enemy. But there is no exact number of what an enemy is, how many enemies are to be destroyed, and who is the enemy. At least in my opinion, peace in the true sense of the word, there is no possibility of achieving it at the moment. All I can maintain now is the relative peace of the Oni Country and some of the allies. Even then, it was barely maintained. As a result, the Fifth Ninja War is approaching, and everything has to be started all over again."

Shiraishi's tone was not heavy or flat, but it made Sasuke's heart feel extremely dull, heavy, like a mountain pressing down.

"In other words, is it impossible?"

"It depends on the benchmark. Everyone has their own opinion on such a thing as peace. Even Jiraiya, one of the three ninjas, has his own purpose, and although I don't agree with it, it is also a way to practice his ideals. I ask you, Sasuke, what is the peace in your heart right now? Was it Itachi's will, or did you do it on your own?"

Shiraishi turned his head and stared at Sasuke with a deep gaze.

Sasuke's face was stunned, and he opened his mouth to say something, but found that he couldn't say a word. yes, what is your own peace?

What you want to achieve is Itachi's ideal?

Suddenly, Sasuke found himself never really thinking deeply about such a question. Even thinking about war began to be at a loss.

"You're sixteen years old, and at this age, in this era, neither outsiders nor yourself can treat you as a child anymore. But relative to the power you have now, the will you have is not firm, and you don't know where to go. Even the so-called peace is something that Itachi brings to you, not your own. You can't be truly independent by applying other people's ideas all the time."

Sasuke wanted to refute Shiraishi's teachings, but he still couldn't say a word of refutation in his head...... No, I can't think of anything to refute Shiraishi.

Ignoring Sasuke, Shiraishi said to himself, "In the past, I didn't like the Will of Fire.... In other words, I don't like the Konoha high-level leaders led by the three generations of Hokage who practice the will of fire, so I chose to leave Konoha. But at that time, I had a different idea than now, when I left Konoha and could only go to the country of ghosts to live in the snail, and I was a mouse for more than ten years. Even if you want to tell yourself that you want to bring something good to the world with the strength of your hands. However, at that time, compared to these fantasies, the oppression and survival of reality were the first things I had to consider. When people are busy and struggling, they forget everything, including their ideals."

"And what .....happened to you?"

"Of course, it was a step-by-step trial, but fortunately I was lucky, although some unpleasant and unexpected things happened along the way, but overall, there were no major mistakes. My ideals are not as far-reaching and great as peace. I never think about peace, war, in my opinion, this is the inevitable thing that the development of the times will go through, and it is nothing more than a question of long-term pain or short-term pain. People are like beasts in the primeval jungle, and it's normal for them to fight each other for food."

"But alas, we are human."

"Yes, we humans will give excuses for fighting, both before and after, in the name of justice, and beasts will not. This is where our cleverness and hypocrisy lie."

Sasuke chose to be silent.

Shiraishi's words were already clear that in his eyes, peace and war were inevitable things that would come when they should come and disappear when they shouldn't.

"After that, I experimented with economic, political, and military reforms in the Land of Demons..... To be honest, I can only be satisfied by the whole, but there is no such thing as perfection, and I can only try my best to maintain it. But at that time,

I don't have any big goals, and I don't act for world peace, I just want to do my part."

"Your part... It's terrifying." Sasuke was a little speechless.

After all, looking at the growth path of Baishi, there are many stepping stones, which also involve the rest of the big countries.

"Since the country of ghosts has taken off in my hands, and the countries that have just ended the Third Shinobi War have begun to notice the situation in the country of ghosts.... I know that in that case, the exposure of the Oni Country is only a matter of time. Instead of sitting back and waiting, it is better to take the initiative and firmly grasp the initiative in your own hands. While the countries are still recovering, they dare not launch the Fourth Ninja World War at will, and give an excuse as quickly as possible, and declare war on the Land of the Wind before the countries have time to react, and lay the foundation for the Land of Oni to become a great power with the defeat of the Country of the Wind."

Shiraishi said it very lightly, but Sasuke could understand that there was a lot of risk.

But the country of ghosts, which is exposed to the eyes of various countries, is no longer possible to hide, and Shiraishi's decision at that time is not absolutely correct, but at least it makes the future path of the country of ghosts much smoother.

However, just because it is possible that it will be targeted by various countries in the future, it will take the initiative to start a war and break the blockade, and this psychological reaction is inevitably a bit excessive.

Sasuke remembered that many people said that Shiraishi was a war maniac who was keen on fighting, but now it seems that there is something wrong with it.

However, it is also possible that Shiraishi is too familiar with the operation of the five major powers, so he is absolutely convinced of the five powers' suppression of the country of ghosts, which led to the emergence of the war of the country of the wind.

After all, he was once a member of the Five Great Ninja Village system, and it was impossible not to know what the Five Great Powers would do against the new Great Power.

"Fortunately, this operation, I succeeded, and I don't have to defect to the country of ghosts again." Shiraishi's self-teasing, Sasuke didn't take it seriously.

Although it seems adventurous, Shiraishi walks very calmly at every step.

At that time, taking advantage of the vigilance and jealousy of the countries towards the Fire Country and Konoha made it impossible for the five major powers to merge into one, and bribed the Land of Thunder and Yunyin in advance, so that at the armistice meeting, the Land of Wind was isolated. Moreover, the collapse of the belief of the four generations of Wind Shadow Luo Sha is also the main reason why the morale of the sand Yin has declined and he does not want to fight again.

"What are you doing so for?" That's what Sasuke wanted to ask.

"Ideal?" "Well, yes." Sasuke looked at Shiraishi seriously.

"That kind of thing.... I didn't. Maybe there were, but I thought it was too thin, so I threw it away." Shiraishi glanced at Sasuke and gave this very surprising answer.

"No?"

"Why do you have to have such a thing? I have a wife and children, I can be regarded as a happy family, I also have a job that I am satisfied with, and I usually have some hobbies of my own, and my life has been fulfilled. If this is an ideal, isn't it the best ideal?"

Shiraishi asked rhetorically. "But...," Sasuke was tempted to say.

As the minister in charge of the military of the Oni Country, how could he be so casual? "Why are you bothered with these things?"

"I just can't believe that someone in your position doesn't have their own ideals." Sasuke thought it was a joke about Shiraishi, but looking at Shiraishi's appearance, it was definitely not a joke. However, don't people live for the sake of ideals?

If you don't have ideals, aren't you the walking dead?

But looking at the appearance of Shiraishi, it is not a walking corpse.

"Man only goes with the flow, no matter what exists, there is never a layer of change. In a world where drastic changes can happen anytime and anywhere, it is the greatest ideal to live well and then do what we can do." "Unbelievable."

"In that case, it seems strange that I don't have ideals, so do you have ideals?" Shiraishi asked with a smile.

"Of course I...," Sasuke suddenly froze. What is my ideal? World peace? Revenge?

Peace, just the goal of the Itachi.

Revenge, that is for the sake of dead relatives and clansmen, not for yourself. My own ideals are:

What?

Sasuke looked at Shiraishi's smiling face, was dazed again, and then began to doubt life. Do I have ideals? Sasuke kept asking himself.

"However, I have my own set of rules."

While Sasuke was confused, Shiraishi said suddenly. "Code of Conduct?"

"I guess it's a creed of life. That is, no matter where a person is, or what ideal he is pursuing, or interpreting a certain belief, he must clearly tell himself what the truth is and what the truth can bring to the truth. Whether what you believe is in the same direction as what others believe. Are those who are willing to believe willingly, or are they succumbing to some kind of violence, and they are forced to swallow their anger for fear and are forced to obey. Never be fooled by what you believe and what others believe. Only by adapting measures to the conditions of the people, the times, and the local conditions can practice have the right to speak."

"Practice One" Sasuke is confused again.

"The times I've been through, and the things I've worked on, can't be taught as experience, because that's my stuff.

The will will will be constantly distorted and misunderstood by people in the process of transmission, and even if you learn it, it is impossible to copy the exact same, and it will change in the experience. Just like the will of fire that has been passed down from generation to generation in Konoha, some people regard it as a creed in life, some people regard it as the weight of life, and some people use it as a political tool.... The will has been distorted, can the ideal remain pure?"

Shiraishi's words were like a hammer, and they smashed into Sasuke's heart with great ferocity, causing his body to tremble.

"Rather than useless things like wills and ideals, I think the most important thing to do is to consider practical problems. If someone doesn't have enough to eat, then think about how to produce more food; If someone is trapped in poverty, then guide them to create more wealth; If someone is bullied, then give the weapon to protect themselves. If someone wants to destroy me, then go and destroy the enemy. So I never believe in any will, I don't believe in ideals, I only believe in what I can get through practice."

These words were exchanged for Sasuke's long silence.

He didn't know if Shiraishi's approach was right or wrong, but he thought that in the other party's heart, it was something more noble than his will and ideals.

With such things, will and ideals are no longer necessary, but dispensable.

When he was still confused, the other party had already passed the age of asking who he was, and he persevered in implementing it, never confused.

For 'growth', Sasuke has a sense of awe from the inside out.

"Finally, let me ask you the simplest question, you responded to me before, you are ready for war, are you really ready? Or do you tell yourself that you can bear that weight based on what you see in a book?"

Shiraishi looked Sasuke directly in the eye and made him look up and look at him.

Sasuke felt that Shiraishi's terrifying gaze was so dazzling that he couldn't help but want to close it. A stubborn temper came up.

"Of course, I have practiced these things myself, just like you said. I've experienced the cruelty many times."

Sasuke thinks he's good enough at this. At the same time, he was dissatisfied with Shiraishi's contempt for him.

"Really? I'll allow you to reorganize the language a little bit more." What is this? When was he a student at a ninja school?

Sasuke exhaled deeply and stared at Shiraishi's eyes seriously. "No, I don't."

"Really? Then, in your opinion, you must think of war as an act of mass killing." In a questioning tone, Shiraishi affirmed Sasuke's thoughts.

"Isn't it?"

"No, that's right. No matter what form a war is waged, it is killing, and this cannot be changed. But you know what, killing isn't the most cruel thing."

Shiraishi shook his head.

"What's the cruelest of all that?" Sasuke asked with a frown.

The corners of Shiraishi's mouth were slightly hooked, revealing a strange smile that reminded him of nightmares.

"You know what? On the battlefield of the Second Shinobi War, I was

Seeing a hill full of corpses, Ruri, Ayane, and the deceased Sensei didn't think it was strange, but instead got used to talking about what to eat tonight at the foot of the mountain of corpses, as if we were at home. I only had one thought at the time, that human life was as cheap as meat in a slaughterhouse that was hooked up."

When Sasuke heard this, his pupils suddenly shrank, and a cold chill rushed up his spine.

I just imagined the scene of myself sitting in front of the hill of corpses, talking and laughing with a group of people about what to eat for dinner.

Is this romantic? No, I just feel that there is an indescribable weirdness and distortion.

Sasuke shuddered suddenly, his whole body stiffened and he couldn't move, and even the idea of wanting to make a name for himself quickly began to become self-loathing.

"Sasuke, if you can do this kind of thing with a normal mind, you can barely pass. Remember, no matter how reluctant a peace is, it is happier than the most just war."

With these words in mind, Shiraishi stepped forward down the hallway, drifting away from Sasuke's line of sight.