Minato scratched the back of his head with an awkward smile.
"You're not wrong," he admitted. "But we're all comrades in the same village. Isn't being too strict… a bit cold?"
Jin's expression lost its earlier ease.
"Minato," he said quietly, but with weight, "if you were just an ordinary shinobi, that mindset would be admirable. Worth encouraging, even."
"But as someone who may hold power one day…"
His gaze sharpened.
"You'd better sever that instinct now."
He paused, then amended:
"No. Keep the compassion."
"But never allow compassion to override judgment."
Minato straightened instinctively. "Is it really that serious?"
Jin fell silent for a moment before speaking again.
"Have I ever told you about the origins of the Uchiha?"
Minato blinked, thrown by the sudden shift. "Not in detail."
Jin folded his hands together.
"Our ancestor was the elder son of the Sage of Six Paths—Indra."
Minato's eyes widened. "The Sage of Six Paths… was real?"
Jin nodded calmly. "Our clan's records are quite clear on the matter."
He didn't elaborate further.
"That's not the point today. What matters is what came after."
Minato listened carefully.
"The Sage founded Ninshū—the original path of chakra. He had two sons: the elder, Indra… and the younger, Asura."
"Indra was a genius. The first to develop hand seals and ninjutsu. A natural prodigy."
"Asura, by contrast, was slow to mature. Less talented. Less gifted."
"In every measurable way, Indra should have inherited Ninshū."
Jin's tone deepened.
"But their philosophies differed."
"The Sage sought to connect hearts through chakra. To create a world without war. A world governed by mutual understanding."
"In simpler terms—love."
"Asura inherited that belief."
"Indra questioned it."
He looked directly at Minato.
"Indra believed peace required order. And order required structure. Discipline. Law."
"Their conflict simmered—until one incident forced it into the open."
Minato leaned forward slightly.
"A boy named Taizō," Jin continued, "Asura's childhood friend."
"One day, he persuaded Asura to use ninjutsu to cut down a section of forest belonging to the village. He claimed he needed help clearing it."
"But after Asura left, Taizō sold the lumber."
"For money."
"To treat his mother's illness."
Jin's voice remained even.
"The forest was communal property. Cutting and selling it was explicitly forbidden."
"In other words—he broke the law."
"Indra's stance was simple: punish him."
"Asura and the Sage argued otherwise. They believed the circumstances warranted leniency."
Jin's eyes settled on Minato.
"If you were there—what would you have done?"
Minato smiled awkwardly.
He didn't answer.
Because he knew.
And he knew Jin knew.
Jin sighed faintly.
"Let me add context."
"First, Ninshū already provided medical care to villagers free of charge. Taizō chose not to seek help because his mother distrusted the Sage's teachings."
"In other words—this wasn't desperation without alternatives."
"It was a choice."
"Second, that village was one of the most peaceful places in the world at the time. Taizō was young and able-bodied. There were ways to earn money legally."
Jin's voice softened—but did not waver.
"I'm not denying the power of compassion."
"Most people can be guided."
"But humans are not purely rational beings."
"We are driven by self-interest."
"There will always be those who cannot be reformed through kindness alone."
"That is why law exists."
He leaned back slightly.
"The Sage and Asura believed love alone could shape the world."
"History proved otherwise."
"Ninshū faded. The Warring States Era followed."
Silence settled between them.
Minato's expression had grown thoughtful.
Jin continued, more quietly now:
"Whether a world ruled by love alone can exist—I won't judge here."
"But history is a mirror."
"And history tells us that human darkness never disappears."
"If you lack the certainty and strength to reform everyone through compassion…"
"Then you must rely on law to restrain what cannot be reformed."
His tone sharpened again.
"Punish one to warn a hundred."
"Execute one to caution ten thousand."
"For those in power, every decision echoes."
"We can create policies to support the vulnerable."
"We can write better laws."
"But we cannot excuse violations after the fact."
"Let the law be clear."
"Let enforcement be certain."
"Let violations be punished."
"That is the foundation of a village's longevity."
He finished simply:
"The law may sometimes be flawed."
"But impartial enforcement never is."
The room fell quiet.
Minato exhaled slowly, as though releasing something heavy from his chest.
"…I was naïve."
He smiled faintly.
"In some ways, the Uchiha really are born to be enforcers."
Jin didn't smile.
Because in his eyes—
That wasn't praise.
It was inevitable.
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