I founded the "Bragging Cult" in Naruto.

Chapter 544 There are always some questions that cannot be answered until they are truly faced.

Hearing Tatsuma casually wager the lives of over a thousand people, even Onoki, who had lived through the Warring States period and the Ninja Village era, couldn't help but tremble.

This time, the trembling wasn't from anger, but purely from fear. In a war that lasted for several years, especially a war on the scale of the Ninja World War, the lives of more than a thousand people were not actually that many.

Even the data that Onoki could accept was 0.1 times, but the premise was that these people died after securing advantages and benefits for Iwagakure in different periods and countless battles for the war.

Their deaths contributed to the development of the ninja village, and they died a worthy death, rather than becoming resources like explosive tags or ration pills in a battle, to be sacrificed at will.

These people are now less valuable than an explosive tag or a soldier's ration pill, because an explosive tag might kill an enemy, and a soldier's ration pill could restore a ninja's fighting ability.

But what about these people? They haven't even played their part yet, and they're like raw eggs, being lifted high by Tatsuma. Whether they'll fall to the ground or not depends on whether Tatsuma wants to do it.

Gritting his trembling teeth, Onoki forced out a voice from his throat and said, "A bet? If it's based on my victory or defeat, then I won't bet, I'll just admit defeat!"

As long as these people can survive, you should take this victory!

Tatsuma had faced off against others in similar bets before, such as the Third Raikage, Ai, with whom he mediated a battle using a single move.

Onoki thought that Tatsuma's goal was the same, because Tatsuma had reached a critical point. If he could defeat Onoki, no matter what method he used, Tatsuma would have successfully "collected" all the characters.

In this way, when he succeeds as Hokage, he can be considered the head of the Five Kage, and the Hidden Leaf Village under his leadership can be called the number one ninja village.

If that were all, Onoki wouldn't mind handing over the victory, since he might not have been a match for Tatsuma anyway.

Youth is not a disadvantage for Tatsuma, but a real advantage. This young man's combat experience is in no way less than that of Tatsuma, a veteran who has been active in the ninja world for decades.

Minato may lack experience in real siege battles, but Tatsuma does. The Kazekage, Raikage, Mizukage, and the tailed beasts of each village have given Tatsuma plenty of opportunities to gain experience.

In terms of experience in siege warfare, Onoki might not even be as experienced as Tatsuma is now, and aside from experience, Onoki is also inferior to Tatsuma in other skills and abilities.

His prized Dust Release technique was largely ineffective against a Flying Thunder God ninja like Tatsuma.

Therefore, in a game that was already unwinnable, Onoki didn't mind handing the victory directly to Tatsuma, so that Onoki could recover his losses to the greatest extent possible.

He was not defeated, but merely made a compromise for the village. He could even use this setback to withdraw his troops within the limits of public opinion, thus preserving his strength while dealing with the hidden dangers on the east coast.

In a matter of moments, Onoki made the most advantageous choice, assuming Tatsuma's gamble went as he predicted.

Tatsuma looked at Onoki, watched the Dust Release ninjutsu in his hand dissipate, and even saw him slightly spread his hands to indicate that he was unwilling to fight. He smiled and said, "As expected of the Tsuchikage, I can feel your sincere heart, even as your opponent."

Your level of awareness is also rare in my life. If it weren't for our different stances, I would even be willing to regard you as an idol. To win a victory against an opponent like you by using the lives of Iwa ninja as leverage is something even I find despicable.

Onoki's heart skipped a beat. Although Tatsuma's words sounded nice, the truth was that the kid had avoided the sweet talk he was offered.

Things suddenly became out of control again. Onoki clenched his fists involuntarily, and the dampness on his palms was something he hadn't experienced in many years.

In addition, the coldness and numbness in his fingertips were feelings he had only experienced more than 30 years ago when he was just a teenager.

"and you."

Onoki opened his mouth, his voice distorted, shrill and unbearable. The tearing of his vocal cords made it difficult for him to continue speaking. He paused, swallowed, and then continued:

"So, what do you want?"

The voice was somewhat different from before, but at least it was clear. Tatsuma turned his head and looked at the Iwa ninja who were being forced to the edge of the Tree World by the far fewer Konoha ninja than he was, and said:

"Lord Tsuchikage, I'd like to confirm one more time: are you willing to participate in the gamble?"

"I'd give my life for anything that can save the lives of the Iwa ninja!"

"Alright! Lord Tsuchikage, do you think the current ninja ranking system in the ninja world is reasonable?"

This abrupt question made Onoki frown. He couldn't understand what Tatsuma meant at all. After thinking for a long time, he finally said, "Of course it makes sense. Doesn't Konoha also use the current ranking system?"

This is a classic case of playing both sides. If Tatsuma agrees, then everyone is happy. But if Tatsuma dares to object, then he is also objecting to his own village's seniors and colleagues.

Onoki had mastered this kind of rhetoric to the point of instinct. Tatsuma raised an eyebrow but didn't respond to Onoki's answer. Instead, he continued to ask:

"Then, Tsuchikage, may I ask whether the right to life is also divided into different levels among Jonin, Special Jonin, Chunin, and Genin?"

Onoki's heart skipped a beat, and he had a vague premonition of something. He gritted his teeth again, steadied his increasingly blurred vision and attention, and denied, "No, all ninjas are equal."

"What about the difference between ninjas with bloodline limits and those without?"

"They are all equal."

Tatsuma nodded in satisfaction and said, "As expected of the Tsuchikage, his level of awareness and understanding surpasses that of the vast majority of people in the ninja world."

"What exactly are you trying to say?!"

Onoki looked at Tatsuma, who had clasped his hands together and then changed them to the seal of the Snake, with shock and anger. Tatsuma did not answer immediately.

"Tengtengteng~"

There was some activity within the tree world. The trees grew taller again, and on each tree hung a ninja. Judging from their uniforms, most of these people were Jonin or Special Jonin.

The few who weren't wearing uniforms were all Iwa ninja who had displayed their bloodline limit abilities.

Tatsuma lowered his hand and said, "The gamble is about to begin, Lord Tsuchikage, please listen carefully."

Not only was Onoki's attention drawn back, but the Iwa ninjas who were not bound by Wood Release, as well as the Konoha ninjas surrounding the Iwa ninjas, also focused their attention on Tatsuma.

Tsunade nudged the two people on either side of her with her shoulder and asked in a low voice, "What does that kid want to do?"

Jiraiya shook his head, indicating that he didn't know, but Minato on his other side and Orochimaru on Tsunade's other side both showed extremely interesting expressions.

They all recalled some interesting things that Tatsuma had said during casual conversations, such as his fictional trolley problem.

Imagine a trolley that needs to travel on tracks. When it comes to a fork in the road, there are five people lying on one track and one person lying on the other. The trolley cannot stop, but there is a lever to change direction.

The question is, in this situation, what choice should the driver make?

Minato's expression was extremely solemn, even somewhat somber, because he hadn't been able to provide an answer back then, and even now, he still couldn't.

Because the question itself is contrary to human ethics, and there is no optimal solution to it, which contradicts Minato's principles of conduct, he refused to answer at the time.

However, Tatsuma raised another difficult question: If he had to choose between his three disciples on one side and a large number of Konoha comrades on the other, and his Flying Thunder God technique couldn't keep up with both sides, what would he do?

Minato still didn't answer, but a voice inside him told him that he would save more people, a voice that startled even himself.

As for Orochimaru, he showed a look of great interest at this moment, and unlike Minato, he gave an answer.

His choice was to leave one person alive, because if five people were alive, they would share and shirk their guilt, and would not be grateful to the driver.

If only one person is saved, that survivor will bear the guilt of causing the deaths of five people and will be extremely grateful to the driver. The driver can then use the excuse of "I gave up five people to save you" to get rid of the guilt.

And using this as leverage, Orochimaru demanded that the survivor give up something more in return for the pilot who saved him. This was Orochimaru's optimal solution.

Just as Onoki was getting a little impatient, Tatsuma finally revealed his bet.

"Lord Tsuchikage, I bet you won't use the lives of thousands of Chunin and Genin to exchange for the lives of these thirty-odd Jonin, Special Jonin, and Kekkei Genkai ninja."

If I win, I will spare the lives of all the Chunin and Genin. If I lose, then... I will have no choice but to kill them, even if it hurts.

Onoki's face turned pale instantly, and even his bright red strawberry nose looked like he had albinism. His lips were so pale that they turned a dull purplish-black.

How is he supposed to choose? How can he possibly choose?!

Choose to lose? Choose to spare the lives of thousands of Chunin and Genin? Then, given Tatsuma's personality, he would not hesitate to kill those Jonin, Special Jonin, and Kekkei Genkai ninjas.

In a simple comparison, thousands of Chunin and Genin are actually more useful on the battlefield than thirty Jonin, Special Jonin, and Bloodline Limit Ninja, while also sacrificing fewer lives.

The remaining Chunin and Genin also include many young ninjas with enough potential to become Jonin and Special Jonin, which seems like a good choice.

However, in reality, there are no independent events; everything is interconnected. If he abandons the lives of the Jonin and others, then the entire village's motivation and promotion system will completely collapse.

No Iwa ninja would be willing to be promoted anymore, because in the eyes of their Tsuchikage, Jonin were not even as good as Genin.

What if we choose to win? Use Chunin and Genin to exchange for the lives of Jonin? First of all, the value is not equal, the effect is not equal, and most importantly, the entire ninja village system will collapse.

Because any ninja village is mainly composed of Chunin and Genin, and Jonin are selected from Chunin and Genin.

If this Tsuchikage were to utter words like "a genin's right to life is less than a jonin's," or make a similar decision, the overall structure of the ninja village would crumble, and the village and its ninjas would become increasingly alienated.

"Lord Tsuchikage, begin your decision. Ten seconds left on the countdown. Ten, nine."

"I do not approve of this bet!"

"8.7"

"Change the conditions! Even if Iwagakure surrenders unconditionally!"

"6.5"

"Change the conditions!!!"

"4.3"

"Kill me! Use my life to save theirs!"

"Two, one."

Tatsuma's countdown didn't stop for a moment. He looked at Onoki and said, "It seems I've won, Tsuchikage-sama."

"don't want!"

"Sage Art! Wood Release! Vajra Power! Subjugation! Calamity Relief!"

The giant trees, which were hanging dozens of meters long from the Iwa ninja, sprouted more branches that pierced directly into the bodies of the unconscious Iwa jonin, special jonin, and bloodline limit ninja. Their chakra was also rapidly drained by the Wood Release.

Not just chakra, but even life force

Watching the Iwa ninja gradually wither and shrink until only skin remained, Onoki rolled his eyes and plummeted from the sky.

(End of this chapter)