Sasuke could never forget that night: his beloved older brother, hands stained with blood, standing over the bodies of their parents. It was Itachi who had killed them, Itachi who had annihilated the Uchiha clan. No matter what the truth was, the fact that he had betrayed his family was undeniable.
Sasuke had tried to understand Itachi, telling himself that his brother must have had his reasons. They were, after all, the last hope for the Uchiha's revival. Perhaps, in the future, they could reconcile and rebuild their clan together.
During his training with Jiraiya in Konoha, the Toad Sage had hinted at a hidden story behind the Uchiha massacre. But whenever Sasuke pressed for details, Jiraiya would hesitate, ultimately deflecting by saying the time wasn't right.
Whatever the truth was, it was clear that the Uchiha massacre was not what he had seen. He couldn't trust his own eyes.
Sasuke tried to understand Itachi. But now, seeing him again, hatred and rage still surged within him.
This time, it seemed Itachi was seriously injured, even needing the support of his companion to stand. He was covered in sand and dust. This was the first time Sasuke had ever seen his brother in such a pathetic state. It was a foreign sight, and a strangely satisfying one.
"Itachi, it's been a long time!" he called out, his voice cutting through the swirling sand.
The relationship between the Uchiha and Konoha was a complex one. For the sake of the village, Itachi had sacrificed his clan. He had made a deal: do not harm Sasuke. In return, he would join the Akatsuki as an undercover agent, gathering intelligence while waiting for Sasuke to grow.
When Sasuke awakened his Mangekyo Sharingan, Itachi would find him and give him his own eyes. This would be his final act of kindness.
Itachi knew that this choice would cause Sasuke immense pain. His life would likely be shrouded in shadow. But he believed Sasuke would not succumb to the darkness, that he would follow the path Itachi had laid out for him.
When he had heard of Naruto's defection, he had been worried about Sasuke. Naruto was one of the few soft spots in Sasuke's heart. If even Naruto betrayed him, Sasuke might break. But thankfully, Sasuke had endured and had even become Jiraiya's student.
Jiraiya was the Third Hokage's disciple, a true inheritor of the Will of Fire. To become his student meant Sasuke had found a firm footing in Konoha. And with Jiraiya's guidance, Sasuke's strength would surely soar, perhaps even surpassing his own in a short time.
Itachi looked forward to that day.
But he never expected to see him again so soon.
He stood in the swirling sand, his body weak and wracked with a stabbing pain. Even if his Tsukuyomi had been forcefully broken, the backlash shouldn't have been this severe. The only explanation was that Shion's immense Reiatsu and spiritual power had affected him. It was hard to imagine that such a powerful individual had been completely unknown until now.
What shocked him even more was that Haku, Shion, and even Shukaku all seemed to have a connection to Naruto. From Haku's attitude, it seemed Naruto was their leader!
Just how strong is Naruto? And what is his attitude toward Sasuke?
A sense of crisis gripped Itachi. The time he and Sasuke had left was running out. The Seireitei would undoubtedly make another major move soon, and Konoha, as its enemy, would need even greater power.
Itachi watched Sasuke quietly. He could see the rage in his brother's eyes, but Sasuke was still maintaining a basic level of composure, not letting his anger cloud his judgment. This pleased Itachi. It seemed Sasuke had grown. He could even feel a faint sense of pressure emanating from him.
But it wasn't enough. Konoha's opponent was too powerful.
"It's been a long time indeed, my foolish little brother," he said, shrugging off Kisame's support and straightening his back, a mocking expression on his face. "I'm surprised to see you're still so weak."
Kisame stepped aside, quietly observing. Uchiha Itachi was one of the few Akatsuki members with living relatives, and his relationship with his brother was known to be extremely complicated. It wasn't his place to interfere; he could only be a bystander.
Hearing Itachi's words, Sasuke sneered. "Weak? Yes. From my perspective, you are indeed quite weak." A pair of Mangekyo Sharingan slowly spun in his eyes. "All you have to rely on are those eyes. Without them, you're nothing," Sasuke scoffed.
"I see you've awakened them as well." The moment he saw the Mangekyo Sharingan, a flicker of shock and joy crossed Itachi's eyes. It seemed his plan could proceed. At this thought, he couldn't help but smile. "Are you planning to fight me now?"
At his words, both Kisame and the ninja with Sasuke tensed.
"Should I take that to mean you want this place to be your grave?" Sasuke's lips curved into a rebellious smirk.
"As much as I'd like to teach you a lesson, it would be better for Konoha to head to Sunagakure as quickly as possible. Otherwise, the person you're trying to protect might just..." Itachi hinted darkly. "Oh, and it seems there are a few of Naruto's subordinates there. They're quite troublesome."
The intelligence Itachi revealed made the Konoha ninja's expressions change.
"Naruto!!" Sasuke's eyes were filled with excitement. Sakura's were filled with longing.
"The mission comes first." They exchanged a look, their decision made.
Swish. The wind and sand swirled as the Konoha group and Itachi's group passed each other. As they did, Itachi suddenly spoke.
"I will send you a challenge, my foolish little brother. It's time for an ending between us."
"Good. I'll be waiting," Sasuke said, his body pausing for a fraction of a second, his voice as cold as ice.
Watching Itachi's retreating figure, Sasuke's eyes flickered. "To be able to injure Itachi... it seems our enemies are not simple," he said warily.
"Let's all be careful," Sakura said, taking a deep breath and looking at Sasuke with a complex expression. The old Sasuke would have been consumed by thoughts of Itachi. But now, he could quickly detach himself from his emotions, think rationally, and analyze the difficulty and potential dangers of the mission. Sasuke had grown so much.
Soon, the Konoha ninja saw the faint outline of Sunagakure. They also saw Haku, Shion, and Shukaku standing at the entrance. Haku had already released his Shikai and had a gentle expression on his face. Shion, having also released her Shikai, had lost her cold, noble air and now had the look of a willful girl, her bare feet playing in the hot sand. Gaara was thanking Shion and Haku, while Shukaku stood behind them, chatting with Kankuro and the others. The atmosphere seemed quite harmonious.
"Haku?!" Upon seeing him, both Sasuke and Sakura's pupils contracted, and their fists clenched. On the day of Naruto's defection, both Haku and Shion had appeared in the dark portal. Their presence in Sunagakure meant that the Seireitei had made its debut.
So, where is Naruto?
"Well, hello there, ninja of Konoha," Haku was the first to look up, greeting them with a smile. His gaze lingered on Sasuke. "You must be Sasuke. Lord Naruto has told me about you."
His words, like water hitting hot oil, ignited the resentment of the Konoha ninja. Uzumaki Naruto had become a thorn in their side. They wanted nothing more than to flay him alive. Several of them had already drawn their kunai, ready to fight on Sasuke's command.
"No need to be so tense. We are not yet enemies," Haku said with a light laugh.
Voom. The next moment, Sasuke saw the sand in front of them suddenly freeze over, and a wave of icy air cut through the desert heat.
After this display of power, Haku looked at Shion. "Let's go."
Shion nodded coolly.
The Konoha ninja could only watch them leave, not daring to make a move.
"To be able to freeze sand in fifty-degree heat... how did Haku get so strong?" Sasuke stared at the frost on the ground, a dangerous glint in his eyes. "Is this the strength of Naruto's subordinates?"
Although he was shocked by Haku's power, Sasuke was not as timid as the other Konoha ninja. "Sunagakure is our ally. To come and go as you please shows a great disrespect for Konoha," he said, his voice filled with fighting spirit.
Haku paused but then shook his head.
Shion, however, was merciless. "If I were you, I wouldn't say something so foolish. Have you even finished rebuilding your village yet?" A giant, demonic phantom materialized behind her and grinned at the Konoha ninja.
"I'd hate for you to go from having no mother to having no home."
"Amaterasu."
Shion's taunt made Sasuke's eyes turn red. The black flames of Amaterasu landed on the phantom, burning slowly but causing not even a ripple.
Whoosh. The phantom swung a massive hand.
The next moment, all the Konoha ninja except for Sasuke and Sakura coughed up blood and were sent flying back at least five meters.
"Goodbye, Uchiha Sasuke. The next time we meet might be in Konoha," Shion said, a cold smile on her lips.
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