Uchiha Madara's words were sharp and incisive, leaving Najenda virtually no room to retort.
She furrowed her brow, her gaze at Uchiha Madara filled with both confusion and indignation.
Ignoring Najenda's complex expression, Uchiha Madara leaned back in his seat, tilting his head slightly as he gazed into the void, offering his own unique insight:
"I must admit, your intentions are good. After all, you all rose from the lowest depths. As one who once struggled at the bottom of the Empire's society, the corruption and darkness of the Empire, and the suffering and hardships of its people, are things I've witnessed firsthand.
"But to change this utterly bleak situation, brute force alone isn't enough. Besides possessing formidable power, you also need sufficient wisdom and planning.
"Taking a step back, even if your 'Night Raid' truly succeeded in 'Seven-Four-Three' and overthrew the Empire, then, facing such a crumbling Empire, facing a populace with nowhere to turn, what could you do?
"How would you establish a new regime? And once established, how would you govern this new regime? Furthermore, how would you ensure that this new regime wouldn't become like the Empire of today!?
"These are all problems you will face in the future. They cannot be avoided; they must be solved.
"If these problems are not resolved well, even if you overthrow the Empire, the ultimate outcome will still be destruction."
Faced with Uchiha Madara's questioning, Najenda's eyes flickered. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but ultimately, she still remained silent, her expression one of utter despondency.
Seeing Najenda's expression, Uchiha Madara immediately understood:
"Najenda, I know what you want to say!
"Your meaning is: if it weren't for me destroying the Revolutionary Army and establishing a new regime, everything could have been handled by the Revolutionary Army, right?
"Heh, it's not that I look down on the Revolutionary Army. What kind of virtue do the higher-ups of the Revolutionary Army possess? I witnessed it firsthand back then. Those good-for-nothings, do you think they could seize the land and then guard it?"
Najenda had nothing to say, for what Uchiha Madara said was the truth. However, it was clear she had another opinion:
"Even without the Revolutionary Army, after overthrowing the Empire, we could gather all the ambitious and knowledgeable individuals from across the Empire to establish a truly benevolent government!"
"If that were possible, then of course, that would be for the best!
"But, Najenda, you must recognize a problem: as long as there are people, there will be selfishness! As long as there is selfishness, there will be a feeling of imbalanced benefit distribution. And as long as benefit distribution is imbalanced, conflicts will arise!
"When conflicts develop to their extreme, it leads to corruption, darkness, rebellion, unrest, and war—just like the Empire is now!
"Even if this benevolent regime you speak of is very upright and fair, that's only at the beginning. What about afterward? Afterward, are you sure these so-called ambitious and knowledgeable individuals won't change their hearts?
"Taking another step back, hundreds of years from now, with generations inheriting it, will their descendants still be as selfless and public-minded as you? Not necessarily! It's impossible!
"As a general of the Empire, the Empire's historical records undoubtedly inform you that the founding emperor of this thousand-year Empire was truly a wise and benevolent ruler. Back then, under his reign, the Empire flourished and grew strong. But a thousand years have passed, and the Empire is in its current state!
"From prosperity to decline, from peace to chaos, then from chaos to peace, and from decline back to prosperity—such a cycle endlessly repeats...
"Najenda, this is a dead knot, an unsolvable dead knot. As long as there are people, they cannot escape this dead knot. As long as there are people, they can only struggle within this cycle of contradiction. The only difference is whether a person is lucky enough to be born in a prosperous era or a chaotic one."
Uchiha Madara thoroughly and completely dissected the essence of this world for Najenda to see.
It wasn't just Najenda. Uchiha Madara's voice was very clear. Leone, Sheele, Mine, Chelsea on the crucifixes, Lubbock in the mud, Bulat over there who was paralyzed, and Akame lying behind all of them heard Uchiha Madara's dissection.
One had to admit, Uchiha Madara's analysis struck their hearts like a bolt from the blue.
In an instant, the values, worldview, and outlook on life of Night Raid and the others were completely overturned!
Najenda stared blankly, her entire being completely paralyzed, her heart churning like turbulent waves.
Indeed, it was truly as Uchiha Madara had said...
If that were truly the case, if they were indeed caught in such an endless cycle, then what was the point of all the desperate efforts of Night Raid and the others?
For a time, Najenda's mind was unsettled by Uchiha Madara's vast and unparalleled theory of the dead knot. Even her own will felt subtly on the verge of collapsing!
It wasn't just Najenda; the rest of Night Raid were in the same state, some even worse than Najenda.
Seeing this situation, Uchiha Madara spoke again:
"What? Your will has collapsed? Do you feel that everything you've done is useless? Do you feel that your small 'Night Raid' is as insignificant as a speck of dust, unable to resist the surging tide?"
Uchiha Madara's questioning pulled Najenda and the others of Night Raid out of their trance.
His voice suddenly grew stern as he roared loudly, snapping them awake from their daze:
"Facing such a surging tide, it is indeed despair-inducing. But why do you dwell on this thousand-year cycle of contradiction and forget the present?!
"Right now, how corrupt and dark is the Empire? How much pain and suffering do its people endure? Have you forgotten your initial resolve?
"Even if in a thousand years, everything will once again descend into chaos, you can, through your effort and desperate struggle, secure a few hundred, or even just a hundred, years of peace for the people who come after you!
"That's much better than giving up in despair right now!
"Otherwise, the people of the Empire would not know how long they would have to struggle!"
🚨 Note: Consider supporting this story on Patreon.com/Flokixy to access 400+ advance chapters and 2 new chapters daily! (Full story bundles also available without a subscription).