"A person will never think they have too much food."
"No one will ever think their house is too big."
Uchiha Ryu gestured lightly with his hands as he spoke to Itachi, his tone calm and steady.
"When someone has a small house, they want a bigger one."
"When they get a big house, they want a larger piece of land."
"And once they have land, they want more."
"They will use every possible means to get it."
"Whether those means are cruel and ruthless—
or wrapped in the language of benevolence and morality."
"All for one purpose."
"To plunder more resources."
Ryu looked directly into Uchiha Itachi's eyes and spoke with certainty.
Itachi froze.
He stood there for a long moment before finally asking in confusion,
"Uncle… how can people be like that?"
He truly didn't understand.
The values taught to him by adults were simple:
share your toys, help others in need, and never take more than you can use.
That was what the adults had told him.
So why couldn't people follow it?
Although Itachi couldn't fully understand Ryu's words, out of trust and respect, he thought about them seriously.
"Itachi," Ryu said gently,
"human desire is like a boulder rolling down a mountain."
"Once it starts moving, it can never be stopped."
"Ah… but why?" Itachi asked anxiously.
"We all know you shouldn't take more than you need."
"People have many natures," Ryu replied.
"Greed is just one of them."
"Itachi, have you ever seen a child unwilling to share with others?"
Ryu asked quietly.
"…."
Itachi fell silent.
He had seen many such children.
Some even used their stronger bodies to snatch toys from weaker kids.
Ryu was right.
"But… but…"
Itachi wanted to argue, but his voice grew weaker.
He couldn't find an answer.
"Itachi," Ryu said slowly,
"the greatest difference between humans and beasts is this—"
"Humans can think."
"They have reason."
"And they can restrain their instincts."
"Greed may be one of humanity's strongest natures,"
"but it is not impossible to overcome."
"However…"
"People who can truly do that are extremely rare."
Ryu gently took Itachi's hands and looked straight into his clear black eyes.
"Itachi."
"You may become such a person one day."
Knowing Itachi's future path, Ryu believed this with absolute certainty.
"Eh? M-me?"
Itachi pointed at himself in surprise.
"I… can I really?"
"Yes," Ryu replied firmly.
"If it's you, Itachi—there shouldn't be any problem at all."
Ryu released Itachi's hands.
"Uncle…"
Itachi looked at him with bright eyes and asked happily,
"Then… are you that kind of person?"
"Me?"
Ryu smiled softly and didn't answer.
Not yet, he thought to himself.
Itachi stared at Ryu for a long moment, thinking deeply.
The two fell into silence beneath the cherry tree.
After a while, Itachi spoke again.
"Uncle… can I ask you one more thing?"
"Of course," Ryu nodded.
"Go ahead."
"Uncle… is life really meaningless?"
Itachi asked cautiously.
Some time ago, while mourning fallen ninja on the battlefield, he had met Orochimaru.
Orochimaru had told him that mourning the dead was meaningless.
That death only had meaning if it could be used.
When Itachi asked him about the meaning of life—
Orochimaru told him that life had no meaning at all.
Those words, coming from one of the Legendary Sannin, had shaken Itachi deeply.
Since then, he had been constantly thinking about whether life had any meaning.
He found no answer.
A frightening thought had even appeared in his mind—
If life is meaningless, then why live at all?
That was why he had been so lifeless these past few days.
But his uncle's words had already loosened a knot in his heart.
Now, he desperately wanted to know Ryu's answer.
And yet—
He was afraid.
Afraid that his uncle would say the same thing.
If that happened…
"Heh."
Ryu chuckled softly.
"Itachi… someone once told me that falling leaves are like human death."
He reached out and caught a falling cherry blossom petal.
Looking at it in his palm, he spoke gently.
"Uncle… why compare people to leaves?"
Itachi asked eagerly, staring at the petal.
Whenever his uncle spoke like this, Itachi always gained a new understanding.
"Because they will fall eventually," Ryu replied lightly.
"Just like death—it will come to everyone, sooner or later."
He rolled the petal between his fingers.
Itachi's pupils suddenly widened.
He stared intently at the petal.
Yes—
Leaves falling were exactly like death.
No matter what happens, leaves will eventually fall from the tree.
Just like people—
No matter how they live, death will eventually arrive.
"Uncle… then what is the meaning of a person's death?"
Itachi asked anxiously, forgetting all manners.
"Itachi," Ryu said gently,
"it's too early for you to think about that."
He tapped Itachi lightly on the forehead.
He didn't answer directly.
"Uncle…"
Itachi protested softly.
Ryu only laughed.
Then he slowly bent down.
He placed the cherry blossom petal beneath the tree.
Scooping up a bit of soil, he gently covered it.
He clapped his hands clean, looked at the buried petal, then turned to Itachi.
"Tell me, Itachi,"
"Is the life of a leaf only meant to return to its roots?"