Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 205 Happy New Year

Naruto couldn't sleep all night after receiving the blueprints and prototype; he thought about things even more than his predecessors.

In the future world, weapon development has never been separated from chakra. Even he himself had never imagined that something beyond scientific ninja tools could cause such destructive power. Now he has seen it, he has seen another path that humanity may take. When the struggle is no longer limited to ninjas, it is still unknown whether the scale of war will decrease or increase, but the appearance of this gun almost clearly indicates the second possibility.

More effective and lethal weapons will allow anyone to take to the battlefield, and their expansion is almost inevitable; even ordinary ninjas will no longer be able to stop them. They will inevitably continue to evolve, becoming longer and more powerful. Humans have always been incredibly adept at killing their own kind. If this is stifled, the world might head down that old path, but since this thing can be created, it's not unique. No one knows if there will be a second Mahan, a second Xia, who will bring this thing back to life. Just like in a world without Hui, the radio was invented, and later developed into televisions, handheld devices, and so on.

Can they really determine the course of history based on a meeting and the subjective judgment of a few people?

“My suggestion is to bring Mahan and Xia into the research department, establish a dedicated firearms research and development department, and train and supply talent for them.” Naruto stated his decision in an extremely cold voice. “We may not use this kind of thing, but we cannot be without it. There are more than two billion people on record in this world. There can’t be only one Mahan and Xia. If they can make it, it means that others can also make it.”

"In addition, training on firearms is essential, but before that, regulations for the army must be established. We must build an army to protect the people, arm them with faith, and ensure that the muzzles of the army's guns never lose their way."

Naruto's statement was certainly more systematic and comprehensive than that of his predecessors who only learned about the matter on short notice. As a leader who had witnessed destruction, the moment he received a new weapon, his thought was never about suppression, but about ensuring our absolute advantage.

This speech, as always, was thought-provoking. After debating until late into the night, the seniors unanimously decided to stop there for the day. They needed to go back and think things through, each writing a proposal before continuing the discussion. Because tonight was New Year's Day, even if the atmosphere was tense to the point of being on the verge of conflict, the festival still had to be celebrated. At the very least, Naruto needed to rest for a night and clear up some of the dark circles under his eyes.

There were more dead than living people at the base, but a New Year's feast still had to be prepared, albeit in relatively conservative quantities. Naruto, disguised as the Golden Wheel, ate at the cafeteria. The teenagers, far from being timid, almost spontaneously surrounded their leader, launching into a cacophony of their "glorious deeds." Indeed, some children were sent to schools around the world, but others, more interested in becoming ninjas, stayed behind. The joint training of the Uchiha and Senju clans was undoubtedly superior to any other ninja academy in the world, and their home was here; even if they began taking on missions, they would eventually return.

"Golden Wheel, Golden Wheel! I completed a 5-kilometer weighted cross-country run in under 25 minutes today!"

"Ha, that's a failing grade, okay? My invincible whirlwind kick is the coolest!"

"It's actually pretty cool to get dizzy and crash into a tree, huh?"

"You're all so weak! See my Earth Dragon Bullet? A three-meter-long dragon!"

"You spent several minutes forming hand seals, and you still have the nerve to complain! I could have beaten you down several times over!"

"I...I'll be able to use it after a little more practice!"

"Hmph~ My Junjie can lead a team on missions, can you guys do that?"

"That's because your brother is good, what are you so proud of!"

"I! Want! To! Become a powerful ninja like my brother someday!"

Children's desires are simple: to surpass one or two others, to receive praise from family, and to show off their new toys. Only when sitting among the children does Naruto truly realize that he's getting old. Physically, he's actually their age, yet he finds no topic to join the conversation, nor does he have the desire to. He simply smiles and responds, displaying friendliness like a puppet on a string.

He was a little tired. Normally, he would have listened carefully to the wonderful ideas these kids had in their heads.

A slight nudge to his arm made Naruto turn his head, revealing a pair of bright, sparkling eyes. This woman was clearly a classic Uchiha beauty, with a more demure and obedient appearance.

"These are dried peaches that Kazuma-neechan loves to eat. Please try some."

"Thank you, Yuuma." Naruto accepted the little girl's kindness. Just like Fugaku, he knew everyone here.

Yuuma was rather timid and cried terribly that night, thankfully her older sister comforted her. The girl named Kazuma was also eighteen, with a face similar to Yuuma's, but she had a passion for wielding a knife and was incredibly skilled at it, earning her the reputation from Fugaku as one of the most outstanding children of her generation. She seemed to have volunteered for the New Year's patrol, so she finished her meal early and left.

"Yes, you're welcome, Brother Jinlun. Sister Hezhen always feels better after eating dried peaches when she's in a bad mood, so please cheer up soon too."

Yuuma's words startled Naruto. He quickly realized that he was probably so exhausted that he was in a daze and couldn't even control his emotions, which the children had inadvertently noticed. They gathered around him, trying their clumsy way to cheer him up, but he was so tired that he didn't even realize it.

"I told you long ago, if you don't rest, you'll eventually become so disoriented that you'll get stabbed in the back." The voice of a certain fox after the fact came out. His senses were not completely connected with Naruto's, but he could still see what was happening outside, so he naturally wouldn't miss this good opportunity to teach him a lesson.

"Why are you so tense at the base?" Naruto retorted, unconvinced, but he had to admit he needed a rest. It was strange; he used to be able to stay awake for five or six days straight, but now he couldn't even go a day without sleep?

"Keep being stubborn." Kurama got up and fired a weakened version of the Tailed Beast Cannon into the sky of his mental space. A burst of red light exploded outwards, falling like petals from a shower of flowers.

"Alright, the fireworks are over. You've made it through the night. Happy New Year! Go back to sleep now!"

Naruto was both amused and exasperated. He wanted to say that the important thing wasn't the fireworks but the time, but his fighting eyelids wouldn't allow him to be willful. He lay down in Hokushin's "home" for the first time and fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.