Sasuke's words hung in the air, creating a subtle tension. Kurama Yakumo felt awkward, unsure how to respond.
Sasuke continued in his calm voice, "The proverb 'Heaven endows each person with unique talents for a purpose' means that since I was born into this world, there must be a reason why I'm needed here. Miss Yakumo, everyone's gifts differ—every gain comes with a loss. If the heavens deprived you of physical talents, they must have compensated you in another way."
As he spoke, Sasuke casually glanced at a distant painting.
It depicted a lone figure navigating a raging sea on a wooden raft, the terrifying, dark, and deep ocean radiating intense feelings of oppression and anxiety.
Before the raft, towering waves crashed down, threatening to engulf and crush the figure in the next instant.
Sasuke's gaze seemed to feel the surging, storm-like energy breaking through the frame, as if the tumultuous sea were about to flood the room.
Yet above the seemingly boundless ocean within the painting, the sky remained clear and azure blue, without a single wisp of cloud. The sun shone brightly.
Light and darkness, the bright sky and the deep ocean, formed a stark contrast.
As the saying goes, "See the writing, know the person; see the painting, know the person."
Calligraphy, painting, sculpture, music—countless art forms throughout history have served to express what people see and hear, their joys, angers, sorrows, and pleasures.
This enduring purpose explains why these arts have flourished for millennia.
The deep ocean represented Kurama Yakumo's years of unwavering dedication that had yet to yield the desired results, nurturing resentment and darkness—the negative aspects of her heart.
Conversely, the high-hanging sun symbolized her unwavering determination to continue training toward her goal, even without tangible progress, and her unwavering belief in her eventual success—the positive aspects of her heart.
'Born with talent, surely it has a purpose?'
Following Sasuke's gaze, Kurama Yakumo seemed struck by a sudden realization, her eyes lighting up.
"Sasuke-kun, are you saying that if the heavens close a door for you, they must open another window?"
Kurama Yakumo recalled the Kekkei Genkai she had awakened.
'Is it because the heavens deprived me of physical talents that they compensated me with illusions?'
If Sasuke-kun is right—that for every gain there is a loss—then what Sasuke-kun lost, what happened to him...
'It's just too cruel!'
Kurama Yakumo's gaze toward Sasuke unconsciously softened with pity.
Sasuke glanced at her and said calmly, "Not necessarily. Sometimes, when the heavens close one door, they slam the window shut too."
"Ugh..."
Yakumo rolled her eyes. She felt Sasuke always managed to deliver the most awkward remarks with the most nonchalant tone.
"But in your case, it seems to be the brighter side. No need to worry," Sasuke remarked, his gaze drifting toward the painting frame in the distance, as if implying something.
"From now on, paint more sunny scenes. A young girl like you shouldn't be harboring so many dark thoughts all day long."
"Hmph!" Yakumo puffed out her cheeks in protest. "I'm not young anymore! Besides, I'm older than you, you know!"
"I suppose so."
Sasuke nodded, not bothering to argue. He picked up a small stone tablet from beside him and resumed carving.
Seeing this, Kurama Yakumo didn't disturb him, quietly remaining by his side.
A few minutes later, Sasuke scrutinized the completed small stone tablet and said, "Miss Yakumo, your paintings are quite good. Would you give me one? Of course, I won't take it for free. How about this stone tablet in exchange?"
"Ah?" Kurama Yakumo blinked in surprise. After a moment's thought, she agreed. "Yes, I've actually been quite interested in your sculptures, Sasuke-kun."
After exchanging their artworks, Sasuke, noticing the late hour, bid farewell.
"Sasuke-kun, will you come to the back mountain again?"
At the parting moment, Kurama Yakumo hesitated briefly before asking softly.
"Unless something unexpected happens, I'll probably come here often," Sasuke replied calmly, gesturing to the surrounding stones.
"Mhm!" Kurama Yakumo hummed softly, a sigh of relief escaping her lips.
"Then, until next time, Sasuke-kun."
"Until next time!"
Only after Sasuke had left did Kurama Yakumo pick up the stone tablet and examine it closely.
[ "When Heaven intends to entrust a great task to a man, it first subjects him to hardship in mind and spirit, toil in muscle and bone, hunger and deprivation, and emptiness in body and soul." ]
Kurama Yakumo murmured the words softly, but after only a few lines, she fell into a trance.
The few simple lines contained profound philosophical wisdom, the deepest she had ever encountered.
The words were written in classical Chinese, but as the legitimate daughter of a Shinobi Clan, her cultural education had never been neglected. She could easily understand the text, and Sasuke had even thoughtfully provided a translation in the local script. (In Naruto, classical Chinese appears during the Six Paths Sage's introduction, prompting Naruto's humorous complaint.)
'To burden the heart and test the will, to strain the muscles and fortify the bones, to starve the body and deplete the spirit.'
'Is Sasuke-kun trying to encourage me?'
As she continued reading, Kurama Yakumo's eyes lit up with renewed vigor. The words resonated deeply with her current situation, mirroring Sasuke's own circumstances.
'Even after enduring such terrifying and cruel ordeals...'
'You still extend kindness to a stranger you've just met?'
'Sasuke-kun, you truly are a warm-hearted person.'
'Compared to what you've endured, what are my current struggles?'
Kurama Yakumo murmured, as if the dark, cloudy sky had transformed into bright sunshine, and the lingering resentment in her heart had vanished completely.
A smile bloomed on her face as she picked up her brush and began to paint again.
The painting depicted a handsome young man against a backdrop of lush green grass and a distant, slowly rising sun.
The warm morning light bathed the young man's face, subtly illuminating the corners of his lips.
It seemed to reveal a smile that pierced through the gloom, a smile that warmed the heart.
Though Sasuke hadn't smiled once during their conversation, Kurama Yakumo painted him exactly like this.
Sasuke walked alone along the mountain path back to Konoha Village, casually scanning the surrounding scenery while deep in thought.
'Kurama Yakumo... that little girl possesses remarkable talent.'
Earlier, Sasuke had observed that Kurama Yakumo's paintings transcended mere realism; they possessed a soul, a vitality that made them feel almost tangible.
Such works were typically attributed only to true masters of art and were destined to endure for centuries.
Yet Sasuke knew that Kurama Yakumo's technical skill fell far short of a master's level. It was her extraordinary innate talent that breathed soul into her paintings.
In the original timeline, Kurama Yakumo possessed the ability to transform illusions into reality, create labyrinthine dreamscapes, and seal the five senses.
When her innate talent went berserk, she instantly killed her two Jonin-level parents. Even her uncle, a Jonin of the Kurama Clan, was powerless against her illusions and could only escape with his life by sealing his own five senses.
Even Yuhi Kurenai, a renowned illusionist, would have perished at Yakumo's hands had Uzumaki Naruto not suddenly intervened.
While the Kurama Clan's Kekkei Genkai was undeniably powerful, it was never meant to be 'this' powerful—so potent that a twelve- or thirteen-year-old girl with no formal ninja training could instantly kill Jonin-level ninjas.
Earlier, Sasuke had read about the Kurama Clan's Kekkei Genkai in the shrine's library.
The description only mentioned the ability to seal the five senses, omitting any mention of the power to manifest illusions into reality or create labyrinthine dreamscapes.
Yin Release allows one to create existence from nothingness, transforming the illusory into reality.
This clearly demonstrated the extraordinary power of Kurama Yakumo's spiritual talent!
One could say that Yakumo's talent seemed to be the final, desperate cry of a clan on the brink of decline and ruin.