Chapter 52: Talking All Night, Tricked Successfully
Chigo shook his head slowly, locking eyes with Uchiha Tonan in a piercing gaze. At last, he spoke quietly but firmly:
"Ordinary people may not see through your mask of hypocrisy, but I can sense the darkness beneath it. You're right—you are pure. So pure, in fact, that I don't think I stand a chance converting you."
Tonan looked up to the night sky, inhaling deeply as a faint smile tugged at his lips. "Master, do you think tonight is a good night to kill someone?"
Chigo's eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to silence me to protect your secret?"
"Do you think I wouldn't?"
"You won't."
"Why not?"
"Because you're still young and weak, and you want to keep that hypocritical mask intact."
Tonan shook his head, laughter bubbling up as he met Chigo's steady gaze. "Tell me this—how do you judge good and evil? By thoughts, or by actions?"
Chigo furrowed his brow, pondering deeply.
Tonan pressed on, "A kind-hearted person with blood on their hands, or an evil-minded person who helps others perform good deeds—who's truly good, and who's evil among them?"
Silence fell between them. Finally, Chigo sighed, "If you're the latter, then I believe you are good. Tell me your story. I want to understand why your heart is so dark."
Tonan bowed his head, voice turning somber. "It all began back at the Ninja Academy…"
Hours slipped away as Tonan unfolded his tale. Chigo listened intently, drawn in with every word—his brow furrowing in pain at times, at others heavy with sorrow. When Tonan finished, Chigo sighed deeply, "It's been a cruel fate you've borne."
Tonan offered a bitter smile, staring toward the slowly brightening horizon. "The moment I took Mina's life with my own hands, I plunged into a shadowed abyss. But if I hadn't, wouldn't I be betraying the memory of the fallen Chiryo? How could I live up to the Will of Fire I've always sworn to uphold?"
Chigo regarded Tonan's slight frame gently. "Some ties are hard to sever—it's not your fault." He reached out to pat the boy's shoulder. But Tonan shook him off, trembling as he roared, "If I'm not wrong, then why do people always shun me? Just like you, Master—everywhere, everyone guards themselves against me!"
Chigo blinked, taken aback. "I… I suppose it's because I haven't mastered Buddhism as well as I should."
Tonan took a deep breath, waving a hand. "Apologies—I lost control of my emotions. Actually, I have been reading the scriptures you gave me."
Chigo's heart tightened. "Did it help?"
Tonan shook his head. "Not really. I only learned what Buddha is."
A wry smile tugged at Chigo's lips despite himself. He doubted a six-year-old could grasp such an ancient, profound question simply by reading scripture. Yet curiosity nudged him. "Will you share what Buddha means in your heart?"
Tonan's face grew solemn. "Buddha is the symbol of wisdom and enlightenment."
"Your perception is unique," Chigo nodded thoughtfully, leaving it open whether it was right or wrong.
Sensing the moment, Tonan pressed on, "There's a line in the scripture: 'Drop your cleaver and become Buddha.'"
Chigo smiled knowingly. "Legend says Master Segen, an ancient eminent monk, spoke those words and urged their wide spread. Rumor has it he was closest to Buddha himself."
"Throughout the ages, many monks have tried to unravel that phrase's arcane truth, but failed. No matter how you look at it, it seems illogical."
Tonan nodded. "It's a fallacy in itself—used to deceive."
Chigo's smile faded, his tone turning stern. "Child, don't slander our great ancestor. That sentence isn't false. We simply aren't proficient enough in the Buddhist teachings to fully understand it yet."
Tonan shook his head with earnest conviction. "The phrase was spread to give those holding a cleaver a reason to lay it down—to save those under its blade. Someone who's taken many lives might feel their sins unforgivable, and spiral further down darkness. But if, before killing the next person, they remember that phrase, they might stop. That was Master Segen's wisdom."
Chigo's mind reeled. The argument unsettled him, but after a moment, he countered, "Monks don't deceive—otherwise, they'd be condemned to hell. Master Segen was the founding monk who set the rules. How could he break them intentionally? That doesn't add up."
Tonan rose and faced the rising sun, arms spread wide as if to embrace the light itself.
"This must be Master Segen's enlightenment."
"If I don't go to hell, who will…"
Chigo's scalp tingled as if struck by madness. Muttering under his breath, he echoed, "If I don't go to hell, who will… wisdom, enlightenment, become Buddha…"
The first golden rays of dawn painted Tonan's face with a serene glow as a faint smile curved his lips. "The world is simple, but when the heart is in chaos, we lose sight. Heaven gave us eyes and ears—why do we ignore the root and chase the surface?"
Chigo nodded quickly and closed his heart-eye. The lingering evil aura vanished instantly. The sunrise's light was dazzling, softened only by Tonan's silhouette shielding his eyes.
"Night and day coexist. When one side falls into darkness, the other must shine… this is dawn."
'Ding! Gained Chigo's acknowledgment.'
Tonan cocked his head slightly, a gentle smile brightening his youthful face as the sun bathed him in light.
"Good morning, Master Chigo."
With that, Tonan left, leaving Chigo sitting alone, lost in thought. After a long pause, the old monk sighed deeply, rose, and retreated into his room, murmuring a chant:
"Wisdom… enlightenment… become Buddha… if I don't go to hell… who will…"
Later, Tonan relaxed with a smile of triumph. He'd invested much time and effort to trick Chigo. When he activated his Sharingan, with the Byakugan's enhanced perception, he'd seen a profound chakra signature inside the monastery room.
He recalled Chiriku, the ninja monk from the Fire Temple's Twelve Guardian Ninja, who once sent Kakazu flying in the anime of his previous life.
How could Tonan have known that Chigo—the frail monk who seemed to have one foot in the grave—was actually a major player?
Initially, Tonan just wanted to stabilize their relationship, worried Chigo might kill him without hesitation. But soon, he realized he could fool the old monk with clever words.
So he put in more effort, exploiting Chigo's mental turmoil to shut down his heart-eye and gain his acknowledgment all at once.
Now, with a heavyweight like Chigo in his pocket, he had no reason to worry about small fry like Kakazu.
Better yet, he'd gained Chigo's trust. So far, this mission was bringing him excellent fortune.