Chapter 457 Mirror
Chapter 457 Mirror
After a period of unbridled bliss during his honeymoon, spending every day with Satsuki, Naruto Uzumaki finally shifted his attention from purely personal happiness to the unresolved matters of the [Jin] organization.
Those Akatsuki members who were captured cannot remain idle indefinitely.
However, Naruto had much to consider regarding how to deal with these people. Execution? Imprisonment without thorough investigation? Or simple transfer? None of these seemed appropriate.
The course of history has been significantly deviated from due to my intervention. I am worried that rash action may create a "butterfly effect," allowing some people who should have borne the blame or paid the price in their original fate to escape, or causing those who should not be implicated to be wronged.
More importantly, he didn't want to waste too much precious time on tedious investigations, interrogations, and ethical debates—wouldn't it be better to spend that time with Zuoyue?
Thus, a simple... efficient and fair solution for Naruto quickly took shape in his mind.
Thanks to his understanding of [All Things Possessed] and Yin-Yang Escape, the moment this thought clearly emerged in his mind, the corresponding "creation" was already completed.
A sense of感慨 (gan3 kai3, a feeling of mixed emotions, including admiration and awe) swept through Naruto's mind. No wonder the Sage of Six Paths and the Otsutsuki clan could casually pull out so many different "treasures" with various functions; Yin-Yang Release was indeed beyond the realm of common sense.
What appeared in his hand was a mirror with an antique design. The frame was made of an unknown golden metal that shimmered with a warm luster and was engraved with intricate patterns.
Naruto named it "Mirror of Cause and Effect: Judgment".
The mirror operates based on several core rules set by Naruto.
Reflecting the essence, the target reflected in this mirror can be the person themselves or a photograph. Their "soul memories" and "causal chains" will be extracted, analyzed, and visualized as text containing key information, appearing on the mirror surface.
The mirror calculates a target's "sin index" by reading the "pain value" the target causes to the world, including others, the environment, and order.
This index is not a simple addition or subtraction; it takes into account factors such as behavioral motivation, such as self-defense, revenge, following orders, pure malice, historical context, and avoidability, and weighs them accordingly.
In the process of determining the identity of a person using mirrors, there are several important principles for exclusion or correction.
Killings during war and missions: Killings committed during regular warfare or while carrying out clearly defined official missions will have their "pain value" significantly reduced or marked separately. This is to distinguish between ninja duties and personal crimes.
Reasonable revenge, an act of retribution for blood feuds, will not cause a significant increase in the "pain value" unless innocent people are involved. This will be specially marked or offset.
Active redemption, if the target has clear, significant, and sustained acts of redemption in the later stages, and actually reduces the world's "pain value", can partially offset or reduce its early "sin index".
Of course, Naruto knew that even the most sophisticated "divine artifact" could not completely replace human judgment.
His original intention in creating this mirror was to provide a relatively objective and comprehensive "data reference." The final decision still requires a comprehensive judgment by a person based on the specific circumstances. The mirror provides a "report of sins," not a "death sentence."
To test the mirror's effectiveness, Naruto decided to conduct a simple experiment first. He found the group photo taken when Team 7 was first formed in his photo album.
Using his fingers, he covered the faces of himself, Satsuki, and Sakura Haruno in the photo, leaving only half of Kakashi Hatake's face covered by a mask, facing the mirror of the [Mirror of Karma Reflection].
A faint light rippled across the surface of the mirror like water. A few seconds later, lines of text emitting a faint blue light appeared clearly on the mirror, as if slowly rising from deep water.
[The person on trial: Kakashi Hatake]
Causal chain theme: Experiencing pain → Transmitting protection
Directly initiating war/non-mission killing: None
Total Pain Value (Included): Ignore
Sin Index: 0.01 (Main sources: psychological neglect of close people, alienation from disciples during specific periods, and tragedies that could not be completely prevented)
Verdict: His life was a tapestry woven from "passive tragedy" and "active redemption." His sin lay not in his actions, but in his heart.
However, the sins of the heart have been nearly atoned through the extraordinary suffering and loneliness endured by oneself, and one will dedicate the rest of one's life to continuous redemption through protection and teaching. Overall assessment: In essence, innocent.
...That should be considered reliable, right?
Looking at the detailed and fair commentary on Kakashi on the mirror, the operational logic and impartiality of this [Mirror of Cause and Effect, Judgment of Karma] far exceeded his initial expectations.
It not only quantifies "karma," but also attempts to understand the causal chain and motivation behind behavior, and can even distinguish between "sin of the mind" and "evil of action," while taking into account the value of redemption.
With a hint of curiosity, Naruto removed the fingers that were covering the photo, and this time, he fully exposed his face to the reflection in the mirror—it was the same blond-haired, blue-eyed boy in the photo, full of innocent longing for the future.
The mirror rippled with light once more, and the deep blue text reappeared.
[The one being judged: Naruto Uzumaki]
Directly initiating war/non-mission killing: None
Causal chain theme: Being feared and rejected by people → The peace process starts ahead of schedule
Total Pain Points (included): None
Sin Index: 0.000
Verdict: You are the chosen one of Heaven, not a sinner selected by Heaven. The direction of your clenched fist is mostly the beginning of tyranny, conspiracy, and unjust war.
Your sincere heart yearns for understanding, for the bridge between bonds and true peace. On the scales of the world's "pain," your existence is not to add weight, but rather to remove a burden.
Within the framework of rules, you are nearly immaculate, with a clean record. In the network of cause and effect, your actions become the sharp blade to sever the chains of karmic obstacles.
If we were to discuss the greatest fault, it might be that you repeatedly disregard your own safety and often act in dangerous ways, causing your loved ones to be constantly worried and fearful. However, upon closer examination, the source of this fault is also an inevitable shadow cast by your selfless dedication to illuminating others' salvation.
Overall assessment: The innocent savior carries hope, not sin.
Naruto. "..."
He felt his cheeks begin to burn uncontrollably; wasn't that a bit of an exaggeration?
It's a little embarrassing... but it should... be pretty reliable, right? Naruto finally concluded.
With these two successful tests on Kakashi and himself, Naruto's confidence in the [Mirror of Karma: Reflection of Cause and Effect] greatly increased.
Using it to assess those prisoners should yield a relatively objective and impartial "karma report," providing crucial information for subsequent handling.
Without further hesitation, Naruto put the mirror away, ready to immediately deliver it to Shisui and the others using the Flying Thunder God Technique.
svetikya