Sasuke found Team Taka in the training grounds the next morning.
They were going through drills—Suigetsu practicing with Kubikiribōchō, Jugo working on curse mark control, Karin running sensory exercises. They stopped when they sensed his approach.
"You're healed," Karin observed. Her tone was neutral—not warm, but not hostile either.
"Fully." Sasuke activated his Sharingan briefly. The lavender patterns were clearly visible now, even in his base three-tomoe state. "Byakugan collection is complete. Ten absorbed. Full integration achieved."
"So what's next?" Suigetsu asked, sheathing his sword.
"We need to talk. All of you." Sasuke gestured to the center of the training ground. "About what comes next. And about your doubts."
They gathered. Karin and Jugo exchanged glances—neither had realized Sasuke knew about their concerns.
"I'm not oblivious," Sasuke said flatly. "I know the civilian kills bothered you. I know you're questioning my methods. Whether what we're doing has any purpose beyond my personal ambition."
"Are you going to address it?" Karin asked carefully. "Or just acknowledge it and move on?"
"I'm going to tell you something. Something I've never told anyone." Sasuke's expression was unreadable. "And then you decide—stay with Team Taka, or leave. No judgment either way."
Silence. They waited.
Sasuke sat down cross-legged. After a moment, the others did the same, forming a circle.
"What do you know about the origin of chakra?" Sasuke asked.
"The Sage of Six Paths," Jugo said immediately. "Hagoromo Otsutsuki. He spread chakra to humanity, founded ninjutsu."
"That's what everyone knows. But it's incomplete." Sasuke's Sharingan activated—three tomoe spinning slowly. "The Sage had a mother. Kaguya Otsutsuki. And her story is what matters."
"I've never heard of her," Karin said.
"Most haven't. The records were suppressed, destroyed, hidden in the deepest archives of the old clans." Sasuke's voice was level, clinical. "I found references in the Uchiha compound before I left Konoha. Fragments in Orochimaru's collection. Pieces scattered across multiple sources. It took months to assemble the full picture."
"What picture?" Suigetsu leaned forward, interested despite himself.
"A thousand years ago, before the Sage of Six Paths, before chakra existed in this world—Kaguya Otsutsuki came from the stars." Sasuke's eyes gleamed. "She wasn't human. She was something else. A being from beyond this world."
"From the stars?" Jugo's voice was uncertain. "That sounds like mythology."
"It's not mythology. It's history." Sasuke formed a small sphere of chakra in his palm—perfect control demonstrating his point. "Kaguya came to this world and found the God Tree. A massive tree that absorbed natural energy from the planet itself. And at its apex, it bore a single fruit."
"The Chakra Fruit," Sasuke continued. "Kaguya ate it. And in doing so, she gained power beyond comprehension. Infinite chakra. Immortality. And the Rinne-Sharingan—a third eye on her forehead that combined Sharingan and Rinnegan into something even more powerful."
Karin's eyes widened. "A third dojutsu? More powerful than—"
"More powerful than anything this world has produced since," Sasuke confirmed. "Kaguya became a goddess. She ruled this world with absolute power. Humans worshipped her. Feared her. Had no choice but to submit."
"What happened to her?" Suigetsu asked.
"She had two sons. Hagoromo and Hamura." Sasuke's expression was cold. "They inherited her power—Hagoromo received what became the Sharingan and Rinnegan. Hamura received what became the Byakugan. And when Kaguya became tyrannical, consumed by paranoia and the need for more power, her sons rebelled."
"They fought her for months. And even with their combined power—Rinnegan and Byakugan working together—they could barely match her. Eventually, they succeeded in sealing her away. Not killing her. Sealing. Because she was too powerful to actually kill."
Silence. Team Taka absorbed the story.
"That's..." Karin struggled for words. "That's an incredible story. But what does it have to do with—"
"Everything." Sasuke's Mangekyo activated. Both eyes blazed with their hybrid pattern. "Because Kaguya didn't come from nowhere. She came from a clan. The Otsutsuki clan. A family of beings who travel between worlds, planting God Trees, harvesting chakra fruits, consuming planets."
"You're saying there are more of them?" Jugo's voice was quiet.
"I'm saying Kaguya was just the beginning. The first to reach this world. But she won't be the last." Sasuke deactivated his Mangekyo. "The ancient texts are fragmented, but they all point to the same conclusion—the Otsutsuki clan will return. Eventually. And when they do, they'll be stronger than Kaguya. More prepared. More ruthless."
"How do you know this?" Karin asked. "You said the records were suppressed, destroyed. How can you be certain—"
"Because the pattern is consistent across every source I found. Uchiha archives. Hyuga legends. References in Orochimaru's collection that he doesn't even realize the significance of." Sasuke's eyes were intense. "Someone in the ancient past knew the Otsutsuki would return. They left warnings. Hidden. Encrypted. But there."
"And you deciphered them," Suigetsu said slowly.
"I spent months in libraries. Reading everything I could find about dojutsu origins. About the Sage. About bloodline limits." Sasuke's tone was matter-of-fact. "I connected the pieces. Saw the pattern. Understood what was coming."
"Coming when?" Jugo asked.
"Unknown. Could be decades. Could be centuries." Sasuke stood, pacing. "But it doesn't matter. Because when they come—when beings with power equivalent to Kaguya arrive—this world will be destroyed. Every village. Every nation. Everyone."
"Unless what?" Karin's voice was quiet. She was starting to understand.
"Unless someone has the power to stop them." Sasuke turned to face them. "Hagoromo and Hamura could only seal Kaguya by combining their powers. Rinnegan and Byakugan working together. And even then, it took both of them—two beings with god-level dojutsu—to match one Otsutsuki."
"You're collecting dojutsu to fight them," Jugo said slowly. "That's why you need every bloodline limit."
"Not just to fight them. To match them." Sasuke's Mangekyo activated again. "The Otsutsuki don't have just one dojutsu. They have multiple. Combined. Evolved beyond what any single bloodline in this world possesses. To stand against them, I need the same. Every divine eye. Every ocular power. All of them merged into one ultimate capability."
"The Byakugan you collected," Karin said. "That was—"
"Step one. Full Hyuga visual capabilities integrated with my Sharingan." Sasuke's hybrid eyes gleamed. "Next is Sharingan—collecting and absorbing multiple sets to strengthen my base Mangekyo. Then Itachi's eyes to achieve Eternal Mangekyo and avoid blindness. Then my Sharingan will naturally evolve to Rinnegan—I already have the genetic components from Hashirama's cells. Uchiha plus Senju equals Hagoromo's power."
"And after Rinnegan?" Suigetsu's grin was eager now. He was fully invested.
"Tenseigan. The Byakugan's ultimate evolution. Hamura's power." Sasuke's voice was cold and certain. "And if I can acquire it, the Rinne-Sharingan itself. Kaguya's power. Everything combined."
"That's insane," Karin whispered. "You're talking about collecting the power of gods."
"Because that's what's necessary." Sasuke's expression was hard. "Those civilians I killed? The Hyuga I've hunted? They're tragic. Unfortunate. But compared to what's coming—compared to the extinction of this entire world—they're acceptable losses."
"You're justifying mass murder with an apocalypse that might not even happen," Karin said.
"It WILL happen. The question is when, not if." Sasuke met her gaze. "And when it does, everyone you care about will die. Everyone in this world will die. Unless someone is strong enough to stop it."
"And you think you'll be that someone?" Jugo's voice was uncertain.
"I know I will be. Because I'm the only one who understands what's coming. The only one who knows what's needed." Sasuke's Mangekyo blazed. "The villages are fighting each other over petty territorial disputes. The Kage are concerned with politics and power struggles. None of them see the real threat. None of them are preparing."
"But you are," Suigetsu said. "By collecting every dojutsu in existence."
"Exactly." Sasuke deactivated his Mangekyo. "This isn't about personal ambition. This isn't about revenge against Itachi—though I'll take his eyes because I need them. This is about survival. About being strong enough to face beings who consume planets."
Silence fell over the training ground.
"So that's what you wanted us to know," Karin said finally. "That all of this—the hunting, the killing, the collection—is for a greater purpose."
"I wanted you to understand what's at stake. Why I do what I do." Sasuke looked at each of them. "The methods are brutal. The cost is high. But the alternative is extinction."
"How do we know you're telling the truth?" Karin asked quietly. "These ancient texts you claim to have found—how do we know they're real?"
"You don't. You can't verify them because they're fragments scattered across multiple sources that I've spent months correlating." Sasuke's tone was flat. "You have to decide—do you trust my research? Do you believe the Otsutsuki are real? Or do you think I'm just a power-hungry murderer using mythology as justification?"
"That's not fair," Jugo said. "You're asking us to take this on faith."
"I'm asking you to make an informed decision." Sasuke's eyes were cold. "Stay with Team Taka and help me collect the power needed to save this world. Or leave, believing I'm just a monster pursuing personal power. Either way, I continue. With or without you."
Karin stood. "I need time to process this."
"You have twenty-four hours." Sasuke's tone was final. "All of you. Decide if you believe me. Decide if you can accept the methods required. And decide if you're willing to help."
"And if we leave?" Jugo asked.
"Then you leave. I won't stop you." Sasuke paused. "But you can't tell anyone what I've revealed. About the Otsutsuki. About my collection methods. About my goals."
"Because it would compromise your operations," Karin said.
"Because it would alert the Otsutsuki if word spreads that someone knows about them and is actively preparing." Sasuke's expression was unreadable. "If you leave, you leave quietly. You forget this conversation. You move on with your lives."
"And if we don't?" Suigetsu asked, though his grin suggested he already knew.
"Then I eliminate the security threat. Thoroughly." Sasuke's tone was emotionless. "Not because I'm cruel. Because operational security requires it. If the Otsutsuki have agents in this world—and they might—any information leak could alert them."
He started walking away, then paused.
"One more thing. If you stay, understand this—the methods will get worse before they get better. More Hyuga dead. Uchiha survivors hunted. Eventually, conflicts with entire villages. The cost will be high. But so are the stakes."
He left them sitting in the training ground, processing everything he'd said.
Sasuke spent the afternoon in his quarters, reviewing target profiles.
Did they believe it? Does it matter?
The Otsutsuki are real. That part was truth. They will come eventually. That's also truth.
But am I collecting dojutsu to save the world? Or am I using the apocalypse as convenient justification for my obsession?
...Both. It's both.
I want ultimate power. I crave the collection of divine sight. That's my nature.
But the Otsutsuki ARE a threat. And I WILL need every advantage to face them.
So the ends justify the means. The civilians were acceptable losses. The Hyuga deaths were necessary. Everything I do serves the ultimate goal.
Whether that goal is saving the world or achieving godhood... does it really matter? The result is the same.
A knock interrupted his thoughts.
"Enter."
Suigetsu walked in, grinning. "You know I'm in, right? Fighting actual space gods? That's the coolest thing I've ever heard. I'm definitely not missing that."
"You believe me?"
"Honestly? Doesn't matter if I believe you." Suigetsu sat down. "Either you're telling the truth and we're preparing for an apocalypse, or you're lying and we're just helping you become stupidly powerful. Either way sounds fun."
"That's your criterion? Fun?"
"I'm a simple guy with simple needs." Suigetsu's grin widened. "But yeah, I believe you. The way you explained it—connecting all those sources, the pattern you found—that's not something you'd make up. You're too calculating for elaborate lies. If you were going to lie, it would be simpler."
"Surprisingly logical."
"I have my moments." Suigetsu stood. "So when do we start hunting Sharingan?"
"Tomorrow. Solo operation for the first test. After I confirm Sharingan absorption works, we'll do team operations for the stronger targets."
"Fair enough. I'll tell the others I'm in." Suigetsu headed for the door, then paused. "Hey, Sasuke? Thanks for telling us. Even if you didn't have to. It... helps. Knowing there's a reason beyond just power hunger."
He left.
Twenty minutes later, Jugo knocked.
"I'm staying," he said simply when Sasuke opened the door.
"You believe the Otsutsuki are real?"
"I believe you believe they're real. That's enough." Jugo's expression was thoughtful. "I've spent my whole life being a monster who couldn't control his curse. At least with you, my monstrosity has direction. Purpose. If there's even a chance you're right—that something worse is coming—then helping you prepare is the most useful thing I can do."
"Even if the methods are brutal?"
"I've killed innocents during my episodes. Children. Families." Jugo's voice was heavy. "At least the people you kill serve a purpose. At least their deaths mean something in the larger context. That's more than I can say for my victims."
"That's a dark perspective."
"I'm a dark person." Jugo turned to leave. "But I'm your dark person. For whatever that's worth."
He left.
Karin came last, well after dark. She entered without knocking, her expression troubled.
"I've been thinking about what you said. All afternoon and evening."
"And?"
"I want to believe you're lying. That this is just elaborate justification for mass murder." Karin sat down heavily. "But I can't. Because the way you described it—the research, the connections, the pattern—it's too detailed to be fabricated. You really did find something. You really do believe the Otsutsuki are coming."
"So you're staying?"
"I'm staying. But not because I think it justifies everything you've done." Karin's eyes were intense. "I'm staying because if you're right—if there really is an apocalypse coming—then someone needs to make sure you don't lose yourself completely in the pursuit of power to stop it."
"I told you. There's nothing to lose. I know what I am."
"Maybe. But someone still needs to remember that you made a choice. That you chose to become this. That it wasn't inevitable." Karin stood. "I'll help you collect your dojutsu. I'll fight alongside you. But I'm also going to keep reminding you of the cost. Of what you're sacrificing. Of the people you kill."
"Why?"
"Because when the Otsutsuki come—if they come—and you have all this power... someone needs to make sure you remember why you collected it. That it was for survival, not domination." Karin walked to the door. "Someone needs to keep you human enough to actually save the world instead of just ruling it."
"I'm not human."
"Then I'll keep you close enough to human that it matters." She paused at the door. "Twenty-four hours are up. We're all in. Team Taka stays together."
She left.
Sasuke sat alone in his quarters, processing.
They all stayed. For different reasons—Suigetsu for excitement, Jugo for purpose, Karin to preserve something she thinks is worth saving.
None of them stayed because they think I'm good. They stayed despite knowing I'm monstrous.
Is that enough?
He looked at his reflection in the window. His eyes—hybrid Sharingan-Byakugan, lavender and red mixed together—stared back.
The Otsutsuki are real. They will come. And when they do, I'll be ready.
Whether I'm saving the world or just pursuing ultimate power... does it matter?
The result is the same. Maximum strength. Maximum capability. Maximum collection of divine sight.
Everything else is just... details.
He returned to his target profiles.
Tomorrow, he would hunt his first Sharingan.
Tomorrow, the next phase would begin.
And Team Taka would be with him.
For better or worse.