Naruto: Mizuki The Savior

Chapter 223: The Enemy of Mankind

Hearing Jiraiya's words, Mizuki finally understood—those with strong self-awareness possessed an equally strong desire to assert their will.

"So it seems... humanity is destined to walk the rebellious path to the very end."

He had long realized that this world held no affection for humanity. The schism between humans and the will of the ninja world had been growing ever since humanity accidentally came into conflict with it. But after gaining control over chakra, humans refused to remain mere stones on the roadside. Their collective unconscious—the drive to control their own will—had gradually become dominant.

> Then, chakra reclamation actually aligns with the world's interests. What Kaguya Ōtsutsuki tried to do mirrors the will of the world itself. It's just that Kaguya, the enforcer, is even less accepted than humanity.

"So, are we now locked in a struggle over the control of chakra?"

"Fundamentally, yes," Jiraiya affirmed. "To gain more chakra and control it—that's our goal. Sage Mode exists for that very purpose: to use our own chakra to tap into natural energy. Aside from Tailed Beast chakra, this is the most effective method known. Unfortunately…"

"Sage Mode grants us tremendous power, but it also comes with dangers. Natural energy constantly invades us. Merging with nature carries a hidden risk—while we exploit natural energy, it silently changes us."

"Fighting against an enemy we don't even fully understand… this is going to be troublesome. Jiraiya-sama, have we made any real progress in this battle?"

"Progress?" Jiraiya smirked. "Haven't you seen it already?"

"Seen it?" Mizuki blinked, then his eyes widened in realization.

"Of course… the jinchūriki. So obvious, and yet so easily overlooked."

Tailed Beasts—immortal sources of chakra under human control. As long as humanity existed, these beasts could be reborn indefinitely. And jinchūriki were humanity's greatest assets.

Mizuki recalled the Sage of Six Paths splitting the Ten-Tails. Originally, they were meant to become humanity's guardians. But, driven by greed and base nature, humans had chosen a more violent method—using these divine beings in internal warfare without hesitation.

"So you understand now? Talking to someone smart like you is such a relief. Explaining this to Naruto would take ages."

"You flatter me," Mizuki replied.

Jiraiya's hint about the jinchūriki gave Mizuki new insight into why the Uzumaki clan's physique was so valued—not only for their vitality and sealing techniques, but also for something deeper. It explained why Tsunade overlooked many of Mizuki's past faults just because he had saved a little girl carrying the Uzumaki bloodline.

"I've gained much from this conversation. Thank you, Jiraiya-sama."

Jiraiya waved it off.

"No need for thanks. Know this—on the surface, the five great nations maintain a fragile balance. But in the shadows, fighting an unknown enemy, we are sorely lacking in manpower. And those who do help are all proud and difficult to work with. Having a reliable ally is rare and fortunate."

"In that case, I look forward to working together more closely."

"Same here. Any last questions?"

"Just one more… About the Summon Sanctuaries—like Mount Myōboku—what's their position in all this?"

"They?" Jiraiya hesitated, then answered carefully.

"They can be trusted—but not relied upon."

He clearly didn't want to go into detail.

"You must've noticed something to ask this. But I'll be clear: at least for now, they bear us no malice. These intelligent non-human beings have helped us greatly, like with Sage Mode. As for the tricks involved in summoning contracts, we can consider them a form of payment. Even some shady behavior, so long as it doesn't cross a line, can be ignored."

"I see…" Mizuki nodded. Though Jiraiya didn't elaborate, his stance was clear.

"So for now, we can consider them allies."

"Correct. They need us too."

"I understand. When the sky falls, the tallest shoulders carry the weight."

"Huh?" Jiraiya was confused for a moment, then laughed.

"That's actually a perfect metaphor. When the heavens fall, those who stand tallest must bear it first. And we humans—are the tallest of all. They won't let us collapse."

It was a complex web of relationships, but Mizuki thought of a fitting expression from his past life:

> "When Qin lost the deer, all under heaven chased it."

The invasion of the God Tree had stripped the ninja world of control over itself. Chakra was the manifestation of that loss. Once, sentient non-human beings had no power to resist, but once they gained chakra, they began to desire more. After the world lost full control of its chakra, reclaiming it became almost impossible. Humanity, being the most rebellious species, was also the most constrained. That explained why training Sage Mode was so outrageously difficult. Other intelligent beings, due to shared interest, temporarily aligned themselves with humans. Though not entirely trustworthy, they were still comrades—for now—until either humanity fell or prevailed.

"Then I assume, Jiraiya-sama, your main concern right now is the Akatsuki?"

"Yes." Jiraiya's expression turned serious.

"A group that targets Tailed Beasts and jinchūriki from the start—they're our enemies by definition."

"I understand." Mizuki nodded.

As long as he remained aligned with Tsunade and Jiraiya, Konoha would support him. And since the Akatsuki sought the Tailed Beasts, they weren't just enemies of villages—they were enemies of all mankind.

Mizuki and Jiraiya's conversation went on for quite some time. In the past, their differences in status and understanding left them with little to talk about. But now, discussing natural energy, Sage Mode, and senjutsu, they found themselves surprisingly in sync.

"So then… what should I do, Jiraiya-sama? If my body and spirit both reject merging with nature, is borrowing Tailed Beast chakra my only option for sensing natural energy?"

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