Under the relentless glare of the scorching suns, they appeared emaciated and withered, their once vibrant eyes now hollow and sunken, reminiscent of nocturnal creatures caught off guard by the blinding light of day. Huddled beneath their horns, they seemed like fugitives on a cosmic scale, as if the very sun itself hungered for their souls. Even Naruto, renowned for his reasons among the ancient ones, couldn't escape the weight of contemplation, his brow furrowed as he pondered deeply.
He had preached the necessity of shedding earthly attachments, freeing oneself from the burdens that tether mortals to this plane of existence. But his words, though profound, seemed to fall on deaf ears, their significance lost on those who listened. As they journeyed on, a relentless wind whipped fine gray dust around them, shrouding them in an ethereal veil, an army of beings from distant worlds, their forms draped in shades of gray.
To the north, the stars shimmered in intricate patterns, casting their celestial light upon the weary travelers. The days passed cool and crisp, while the nights enveloped them in a biting cold that seeped into their bones. Gathered around a flickering fire, each lost in their own thoughts, they sat in a circle of darkness, their figures illuminated by the dancing flames, while an enigmatic figure observed them from the shadows, a silent sentinel at the edge of their light.
Naruto, his movements graceful and purposeful, wielded a staff with skillful precision, the sound of bone cracking echoing through the stillness of the night as he struck down a divine creature. Hot blood dripped from the wound, sizzling as it met the cold stone below, a stark reminder of the violence that permeated their world. And as they watched him, a sense of awe and reverence filled the air, mingling with an undercurrent of uncertainty.
As the flames cast shifting shadows across their faces, Naruto's companions couldn't help but feel a sense of unease, a lingering doubt gnawing at the edges of their consciousness. And amidst the chaos of their journey, they couldn't help but wonder what fate awaited them in the vast expanse of the cosmos.
"The good one says that he that lives by regrets and he shalt perish by the sword," remarked Amaterasu, her voice steady despite the flickering flames casting shifting shadows across her face.
Naruto's smile widened, a glint of something shining in his eyes as he turned to face her. "What right mortals would have it any other way?" he replied, his voice echoing with conviction.
Ophis, her eyes flickering with a mixture of intrigue and skepticism, interjected, her curiosity piqued by the conversation unfolding before her. "The good one does indeed count war as evil. Yet there are many bloody tales of war inside it."
"It makes no difference what men think of war," Naruto asserted, his tone resolute as he spoke. "War endures. As well ask men what they think of stone. War was always here. Before man were, war waited for them. The ultimate trade awaiting its ultimate practitioner. That is the way it was and will be. That way and not some other way."
Turning to Amaterasu, Naruto's expression softened with respect as he addressed her. "Ah, Amaterasu," he said, his voice tinged with reverence. "It's your own trade we honor here. Why not rather take a small bow. Let each acknowledge each."
Amaterasu, her features masked in shadow, regarded Naruto with a mixture of pride and uncertainty. "My trade?"
"Certainly," Naruto affirmed.
"What is my trade?"
"War. War is your trade. Is it not?"
"And it ain't yours?"
"Mine too. Very much so."
"What about all them blood and seals and stuff?"
"All other trades are contained in that of war," Naruto explained.
"Is that why war endures?" Ophis queried, her interest piqued.
"No. It endures because young men love it and old men love it in them. Those that fought, those that did not," Naruto replied.
"That's your notion," Ophis remarked, her tone laced with intrigue.
Naruto smiled knowingly. "Men are born for games. Nothing else. Every child knows that play is nobler than work."
As Naruto continued to expound on the nature of war, Ophis's expression shifted from surprise to contemplation, her gaze fixed intently on Naruto as if trying to unravel the depths of his words.
"You're crazy, Naruto. Crazy at last," remarked Ophis, her voice tinged with a mixture of admiration and disbelief.
The judge's smile widened, his eyes reflecting the flickering flames of the fire as he gazed into the distance.