Starting with rogue ninjas, building the insect kingdom.

Chapter 641 The Era of Infinite Tsukuyomi

At the gate of the Nara clan's residence, Sasuke stood at the door, hesitated for a moment, and finally raised his hand to knock on the door.

The person who opened the door was a middle-aged woman who looked dazed and haggard. Sasuke was stunned when he saw her.

Compared to five years ago, Shikamaru's mother was not only haggard, but could be described as completely broken.

She stepped aside and said, "Lord Sasuke, please come in."

Sasuke nodded slightly and walked into the room. The Nara family's living room wasn't large, but it was fairly tidy, though a lingering sense of oppression permeated the air.

On the coffee table sat a cup of tea that had gone cold, next to a neatly folded piece of paper.

Nara's mother walked to the coffee table, picked up the paper, and presented it to Sasuke with both hands.

"This is my application. I wish to enter Infinite Tsukuyomi."

"There's no need for such formality." Sasuke didn't take the paper and said to him, "Does Uncle Shikaku know?"

"I know, he urged me to persevere, but I couldn't keep going." Her voice began to tremble.

"Ever since Shikamaru left, I've been thinking every day about the meaning of life. Konoha has become like this, the sky is gray, the land is lifeless, and everyone is pretending to be happy... I can't keep up the act anymore. I really can't keep up the act anymore."

"I want to see Shikamaru, even if it's a fake, even if I know it's an illusion, I want to see her get married and have children, and see her family complete."

Sasuke picked up the now-cold tea, offering no further persuasion, and said, "Alright."

Hearing that Sasuke had agreed to her request, the woman was overjoyed. "Thank you, Sasuke."

This time she didn't add the word "adult," and the light in the First Mate's eyes seemed to have returned to the image of the aunt next door.

A day later, news of Infinite Tsukuyomi spread rapidly.

"The Lady of the Nara family has also entered the Infinite Tsukuyomi!"

"Really? The Nara family is the brains of Konoha."

"I heard it was a voluntary application... Sasuke-sama agreed."

"Then why can't we apply? Why are they the only ones allowed in?"

"Yeah! Why should we!"

The protests erupted the next day. If even the Nara clan can't hold on, why should they be able to?

What about the twins of fate? They had long lost faith in them, and perhaps endless reading was their last salvation.

At first, only a few people stood in front of the Hokage's office building, holding simple signs that read, "We want equal rights to genjutsu."

Sasuke, Kakashi, Naruto, and the others stood at the second-floor window and looked down, seeing the faces of those people.

There were elderly people, middle-aged people, and even ninjas he knew who had fought alongside him on the battlefield.

Besides anger, there was also despair in their eyes.

Perhaps they had already lost faith in them long ago.

It only fully erupted at this moment today.

"Kakashi-sensei, what should we do..." Naruto turned his head, but before he could ask, Kakashi disappeared without a word.

On the third day, the protesters grew to over a hundred people. On the fourth day, they numbered three hundred. They were no longer just standing in front of the office building, but began marching along the main street of the village, chanting slogans that grew louder and more synchronized.

"We need illusions! We need hope!"

"Since you can't save us, let us dream! Please!"

The patrolling ninjas couldn't stop them. Even some of the patrolling ninjas themselves had secretly slipped applications under Sasuke's door.

Kakashi remained silent. He sat in the Hokage's office, his eyes lowered, an unlit cigarette between his fingers, as if he had already foreseen this outcome.

"Kakashi-sensei, when are you going to stop hiding?!" Sasuke and Naruto flashed again, finally catching up with him this time.

Kakashi didn't run away this time. He got up and went to the window, looking down with his dead fish eyes. "Isn't this the idea you came up with based on your agreement? Why do I have to make the final decision in the end? You can decide for yourselves."

Kakashi seemed completely unconcerned, and even took out a comic book and started reading it by himself.

Seeing his expression, Naruto finally understood why Sakura had suddenly become angry.

He really wants to beat up Kakashi right now, to wake him up and make him stand up for himself!

But upon closer reflection, he is one of the twins of destiny, and it is his responsibility to risk his life to protect Konoha.

"Naruto, let's do as agreed. Since they want to enter the Infinite Tsukuyomi, let them in."

Sasuke glanced at the troublemakers below, a hint of ruthlessness flashing in his eyes, but when Naruto turned his head away, he regained his calm and indifferent expression.

There seemed to be a hint of sadness and melancholy in that expression.

Naruto couldn't help but feel sorry for Sasuke, who was such a gentle person. He never imagined Sasuke would be forced to do such a cruel thing; Sasuke truly deserved to die!

But they have no other choice but to do this now.

"Sasuke, let's share this sin together."

"Okay!" Sasuke nodded.

Naruto opened the window and shouted, "Those who want to enter the Infinite Tsukuyomi, line up! Let me reiterate, your entry into the Infinite Tsukuyomi must be entirely voluntary. And think it over carefully. Before entering, we will conduct thorough questioning to make sure you're not being misled or just following the crowd..."

That's right, they have to conduct rigorous screenings to ensure that they are truly in utter despair before they will help them get through the green channel.

To be honest, Naruto still thought he could save as many people as possible. If he really couldn't save anyone, then being trapped in the illusion would be a kind of salvation.

And so, a day later, Konoha began the era of Infinite Tsukuyomi.

A week later, Konoha's population had been reduced by half.

The streets that were once crowded with people have become empty.

The doors and windows of the row houses were tightly closed, and some doorways still had clothes racks that hadn't been taken down yet, with gray and white uniforms hanging on them, swaying empty in the wind.

The survival pressure on Konoha has indeed decreased. The food reserves in the depot were originally only enough to last for fifteen years, but now that the population has been halved, they can last for thirty years.

The frictions and conflicts that once arose from resource scarcity have also disappeared, because no one is competing for them anymore, but the village is as desolate as a tomb.

The liveliest place in the village was the school, because the children, who had never seen the world, didn't think it was anything special. Only a few families decided to bring their children into the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

The final review process often ends up with the children, most of whom are not acting voluntarily.

But very few parents can abandon their children. Instead, they are left to torment each other, fueling resentment and hatred!