Jiraiya grew curious about what Yefire was writing and leaned in to take a look.
He saw that the notes recorded what they had just discussed.
Then beneath it, there was a line:
Government ↔ Shinobi
And below that:
Civilians
Two arrows extended downward—from shinobi and government—both pointing directly at civilians.
"What does this mean?" Jiraiya was baffled.
He had been there the whole time. Aside from abandonment and shame, what else had happened?
Naruto scratched his head.
"What does that mean? I don't get it… thinking is such a pain!"
"Take it slow, Naruto," Kushina said gently.
Tsunade frowned.
"I despise shinobi who abandon women like that. They're nothing."
"This is what you call corruption?"
Madara scoffed.
"I don't see it at all. 'Tip of the iceberg'? That's just alarmist nonsense!"
Hashirama laughed.
"Madara, did you abandon someone before? Is that why you're reacting like this?"
Madara's face darkened.
"Hashirama, are you insulting me? A shinobi of my caliber would never have children with a civilian!"
The Fourth Raikage snorted.
"I don't see corruption either. But I wouldn't do something like that."
Unlike the others—
Nagato, who had lived as a civilian before awakening the Rinnegan at eight, felt something faintly stir within him.
He sensed it—
But couldn't fully grasp it yet.
That gap…
Was the difference.
"Can you explain what this means? And what you meant by the 'tip of the iceberg'?"
Jiraiya asked, his tone sincere.
He no longer saw Yefire as a child—
But as a scholar uncovering truths.
Sharp. Grounded. Insightful.
At this point, Jiraiya was almost ready to believe—
This boy might truly be the Child of Prophecy.
"The government and shinobi are the ruling class. Civilians are the weaker group."
Yefire smiled faintly.
"In this place, even if a shinobi abandons someone after using them, there is no punishment."
"Even if you report it, you'll only hear something like—"
'Being favored by a shinobi-sama is your good fortune.'
"That is privilege."
"And for civilians, it is profoundly unfair."
"Look around."
He gestured lightly.
"You can clearly divide the people here into three types."
"Those slightly hunched over—that's civilians."
"Those dressed well, loud and arrogant—that's merchants."
"And those with their chins slightly raised, detached from the rest—that's shinobi."
Jiraiya instinctively looked up.
And in that instant—
The entire street changed.
People he had never truly seen before…
Now stood clearly separated into three distinct groups.
Each with their own posture.
Their own presence.
Their own place.
Jiraiya's heart trembled.
Just from a few sentences—
Yefire had peeled reality apart.
And even more terrifying—
Every description matched perfectly.
"Having power or privilege isn't inherently wrong."
"After all, shinobi and government officials do protect civilians."
"But…"
Yefire's tone sharpened.
"That power has expanded too far."
"And there's something even more important."
"What is it?" Jiraiya asked.
"Lack of oversight."
Yefire's eyes burned like flames.
Blindingly bright.
"If miners work in a gold mine without supervision…"
"Almost all of them will steal using their advantage."
"Because no one will discover it."
"And no one will punish it."
"That's terrifying."
"Over time, it becomes a habit."
"People begin to think it's correct."
"That it's natural."
"That it's justified."
Yefire raised his head slightly.
"Jiraiya… tell me."
"Are these things justified?"
Jiraiya froze.
He knew these behaviors were wrong.
But—
He had never had the power to change them.
"These things… might be a little… corrupt, I guess."
He scratched his head awkwardly.
"But the problem doesn't seem that serious…"
Yefire let out a soft laugh.
"Not serious?"
"In reality, the problem is enormous."
"Because those civilians…"
"Don't even realize how low they've been pushed."
"They believe they were born to live like this."
"Whether facing shinobi or wealthy merchants."
"And now I ask you—"
"What caused this?"
Inside the screen—
Jiraiya fell silent in thought.
Outside—
The entire world did the same.
What caused it?
No one knew.
Wasn't it always like this?
Wasn't this just… normal?
"What caused it?"
The Fourth Raikage frowned.
"What's there to cause? Civilians are just born like that."
Madara narrowed his eyes.
"I can understand the most complex ninjutsu…"
"But I don't understand this at all."
Hashirama laughed loudly.
"Haha! That's why I became Hokage, Madara!"
Madara sneered.
"Oh? You understand? Then explain it."
Hashirama crossed his arms smugly.
"Why should I tell you? Hahaha!"
After a long silence—
Nagato spoke.
"It's because they lack power."
"They don't know ninjutsu."
The moment he said it—
Many nodded.
That's right!
The difference before and after Nagato learned ninjutsu…
Had been like heaven and earth.
"That's it!"
"That must be it!"
Inside the screen—
Jiraiya spoke uncertainly:
"They live like this… because they can't use ninjutsu?"
"Strength can change a person's presence."
Yefire shook his head.
"But that only applies to a few lucky individuals."
"For civilians…"
"Learning ninjutsu is extremely difficult."
He paused.
Then spoke clearly—
Firmly—
"So the true reason civilians live like this…"
"Is knowledge."
"Knowledge changes fate!"
"If they had knowledge—"
"They would realize how narrow their world is."
"If they had knowledge—"
"They would know how to protect their own rights."
"If they had knowledge—"
"They might even learn ninjutsu on their own… and become shinobi."
"So the real reason they live in such humility…"
"Is because of knowledge."
"They don't know a better life exists."
"So all they can do…"
"Is live exactly the way their parents did."