Chapter 367: Sex and Love
Uchiha Madara stared at the three "0"s on the mirror for Senju Hashirama, especially that "Lust: 0," his brow furrowed into a knot.
He looked up at Senju Hashirama, who was scratching his head happily next to him, seemingly quite satisfied with his "pure" score. Then, thinking of how this guy had married Uzumaki Mito in his lifetime and they had even had children...
A strong sense of incongruity and doubt about the accuracy of the "Mirror of Seven Sins" instantly welled up in Uchiha Madara's heart.
He leaned slightly to the side, approaching the Six Paths Sage who was stroking his beard while observing, and asked in a low voice:
"Hey, old man."
Uchiha Madara had no reverence for the Six Paths Sage, and his address was very direct.
"Is this broken mirror of yours malfunctioning?"
He gestured with his eyes at the scores on the mirror, especially the "Lust: 0" item.
"This guy Senju Hashirama, he clearly had a wife, and even had children.
How could a normal man with a wife and children have a 'Lust' score of zero?
Could it be that his relationship with Uzumaki Mito was just a platonic friendship, and the children were picked up somewhere?"
Uchiha Madara's tone was filled with undisguised sarcasm.
In his view, sex was closely related to marriage and offspring. For a married man with children to have a "Lust" value of zero was simply absurd. Either the mirror was faulty, or this guy Senju Hashirama...
Had some unspeakable secret?
Hearing Uchiha Madara's questioning, the Six Paths Sage did not get angry. Instead, a meaningful smile appeared on his aged and peaceful face.
He slowly turned his head, his eyes that saw through everything looking at Uchiha Madara, and explained in a steady and clear voice:
"Uchiha Madara, your understanding of the'Seven Sins' is perhaps too simple and secular."
"The 'Mirror of Seven Sins' reflects 'Lust' not merely as physical carnal desire or reproductive instinct.
It is only the most primitive, most superficial part of it."
The Six Paths Sage's gaze turned back to the honest portrait of Senju Hashirama on the mirror, his tone carrying the patience of someone analyzing truth:
"It refers to a tendency and obsession of 'being addicted to sensory pleasure, dominated by carnal desire or excessive emotional attachment, thereby losing one's true self or hindering higher pursuits.'"
"Whether Senju Hashirama and Uzumaki Mito conceived offspring has no necessary, direct equivalent relationship with the level of his 'Lust' value."
He paused, looking at Uchiha Madara, his eyes becoming somewhat playful:
"In my view, Senju Hashirama's feelings for Uzumaki Mito were built more on deep bonds, shared ideals, and mutual understanding and support.
It was 'love' and 'responsibility,' 'partnership' and 'family.'"
"You must remember, sex and love are different."
The Six Paths Sage spoke these words clearly.
"Senju Hashirama may have enjoyed the warmth and intimacy of being with his wife, but that did not stem from a 'Lust' that needed to be satisfied or that would cause him to be lost in indulgence.
His emotional focus and pursuits were always on broader things.
The peace of Hidden Leaf Village, the future of the Ninja World, and the bonds and ideals with his best friend."
"Therefore, it is not impossible for his 'Lust' value to be shown as extremely low, or even zero.
This precisely shows that his carnal desires were very shallow, or even almost non-existent."
After explaining Senju Hashirama's situation, the Six Paths Sage changed the subject, his gaze carrying a hint of imperceptible insight as he looked at Uchiha Madara himself:
"And, according to my observations..."
He narrowed his eyes slightly, as if he could see through certain essences beneath Uchiha Madara's arrogant and cold exterior.
"Uchiha Madara, your own 'Lust' value is likely not very high either."
This remark made Uchiha Madara slightly startled, then he snorted coldly and turned his face away:
"Hmph, boring. Who cares about that kind of thing."
The Six Paths Sage took in Uchiha Madara's subtle reaction, the smile at the corner of his mouth deepening slightly, but he did not continue this topic.
Some things are best left at a hint.
"The Mirror of Seven Sins reflects the deepest root tendencies of the heart, not superficial behaviors or social relationships."
The Six Paths Sage concluded, turning his gaze back to the scene of the Ninja World.
"Senju Hashirama's score perfectly confirms his pure, almost abnormal idealistic personality.
And the differences in each of your scores also reveal the roots of your respective paths and obsessions."
"Very interesting, isn't it?"
Uchiha Madara did not refute him again but simply crossed his arms and looked back at the scene of the Ninja World.
At this moment, Senju Hashirama suddenly asked the Six Paths Sage a question.
"By the way, Six Paths Sage, didn't you say you only brought me here temporarily? When will you send me back?"
Uchiha Madara:?
Wait, Senju Hashirama can still go back to the Ninja World?
"To be honest, life and death are fated. Among you, there are not a few who have reached the end of their lives and were resurrected, and you were resurrected too late.
However, not organizing it at the first opportunity was my mistake. Once Naruto unifies the Ninja World, you can go back."
"Unify the Ninja World?!"
As soon as the Six Paths Sage finished speaking, Uchiha Madara repeated the term almost instinctively, the shock and absurdity in his tone reaching its peak.
He even suspected he had misheard, or that the Six Paths Sage had gone senile!
"The Hokage of Hidden Leaf Village is going to unify the Ninja World!"
Uchiha Madara's voice involuntarily rose, his crimson eyes staring fixedly at the Six Paths Sage, then suddenly shifting to Naruto's figure, his face filled with an expression that screamed, "What kind of joke are you playing?"
Immediately, a thought that made him even more furious surged up. He suddenly turned his head to look at the peaceful-looking Senju Hashirama beside him, his tone filled with extremely complex emotions, almost gritting his teeth as he said:
"Unify the Ninja World!"
Uchiha Madara repeated this "ideal" that he had once proposed to Senju Hashirama countless times, only to be flatly rejected by the other party with reasons like "That is wrong" and "Ninja villages should trust and understand each other"!
"This kid..."
Uchiha Madara pointed at Naruto in the Lower Realm, then pointed at Senju Hashirama, his expression a mix of absurdity, sarcasm, and a hint of something he hadn't even noticed himself... faint excitement and anticipation?
"Is he really your successor? Ah!"
"If you had listened to me earlier and joined me in unifying the Ninja World, bringing all those messy countries and ninja villages under control, and establishing an absolute, unified order!"
Uchiha Madara's tone became excited, as if he had returned to those nights before the final battle at the Valley of the End, where he and Senju Hashirama argued endlessly,
"Where would all those subsequent messes have come from? Where would the First, Second, and Third Shinobi World War have come from? Where would all these messy things have come from!"
"Peace? Without absolute unity and power, where would long-lasting peace come from?! Your naive 'mutual understanding' and 'trust' were nothing but castles in the air!"
Uchiha Madara became more and more excited as he spoke, as if venting all the frustration and suppression he had accumulated over these years.
He looked at Senju Hashirama, his eyes burning:
"Now it's better, your successor is being pinned with high hopes by the Six Paths Sage to unify the Ninja World! Hahaha!"
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