Chapter 218: Sasuke is Returning to Konoha!
After a long time, Itachi slowly closed his eyes.
The face of his best friend, Shisui Uchiha, surfaced in his mind. He still vaguely remembered the words Shisui left him before his death.
Protect the Uchiha name and the village.
He had done it.
By slaughtering his entire clan, he had protected the reputation of the Uchiha clan and safeguarded the village. As the continuation of Shisui's will, he asked himself and felt no shame before his friend.
It was just a pity that his own father dared to lead Sasuke away from Konoha, staining the Uchiha name once again.
Although he, Itachi Uchiha, was already a rogue ninja of Konoha in the eyes of outsiders, a sinner with hands stained in the blood of his kin. Inheriting the Will of Fire just like Shisui, he had no right to regret, no right to feel pity.
The only thing he could do was to continue protecting what he deemed important from the darkness.
Konoha and Sasuke.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's aged and gentle face surfaced in his mind again. That old man, who had promised to protect Sasuke on the night of the genocide, ultimately couldn't escape Orochimaru's venomous hand.
An imperceptible trace of regret and guilt lightly pricked his heart.
He recalled the encounter with Orochimaru within the Akatsuki years ago. If he had killed Orochimaru then… perhaps the Third Hokage wouldn't have died, and Konoha wouldn't be in this current peril…
However, where will this impending war lead the ninja world?
Sasuke, are you doing well?
At this moment, the figures of the Six Paths of Pain stood silently, the pale purple glow of the Rinnegan appearing exceptionally eerie in the gloom.
"Those foolish beings have started fighting over immediate interests again."
"This is the ninja world."
"Peace is but a fleeting illusion; war is the eternal reality."
"Their so-called alliance is nothing more than huddling together driven by fear and greed. To fight for those pitiful interests and power, they are pushing the world into a new abyss of suffering once more."
"Only when pain accumulates to the extreme, when the despair of war sweeps the entire world, will people truly yearn for peace."
"The world shall know pain."
"Only through pain can understanding be achieved."
"Only through pain can peace be brought."
"Regardless of how the ninja world slaughters each other due to their foolish actions, our goal remains unchanged—collect all the Tailed Beasts."
Konan stood quietly beside Pain, her paper wings fluttering slightly, silent. Her gaze swept over the other members present.
Deidara was fiddling with his clay bombs; Sasori was hidden inside Hiruko; Kakuzu was counting his bounty money; Hidan was wiping his ominous Triple-Bladed Scythe while muttering Jashinist prayers.
Itachi Uchiha leaned against the wall, his crimson Sharingan flickering in the shadows. He listened to everyone's discussion, but his mind was racing.
The Fourth Great Ninja War… Konoha is in trouble…
And the Akatsuki is about to make a move. I must get this intelligence out quickly.
Then, Itachi's voice broke the temporary silence. "I believe we shouldn't sit and wait for the war to fully erupt. We can use this opportunity to strike proactively and capture the Nine-Tails first."
Pain's gaze turned to Itachi. "Oh? What do you mean?"
"Konoha is currently too busy to look after itself; its interior is empty."
Obito's expression hidden under the swirl mask was unreadable. And Nagato, hidden elsewhere, was the same.
They naturally saw that Itachi had ulterior motives, but it didn't affect the bigger picture. Later, they would act themselves.
Thus.
A team consisting of Itachi Uchiha, Kisame, Hidan, and Kakuzu set off for Konoha immediately.
Meanwhile, in a hidden valley far from the noise of war, a brand-new village was quietly established. Lush trees provided shade, and streams murmured, completely out of sync with the tense atmosphere outside.
On the wooden plaque at the village entrance, three characters were clearly carved—Uchiha.
Sasuke Uchiha finished his day's training, sweat soaking his black hair. He sat on the porch in front of his house, watching his mother, Mikoto Uchiha, hanging laundry in the courtyard, while his father, Fugaku Uchiha, instructed several young clansmen in shuriken practice nearby.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, and everything seemed so peaceful and tranquil.
Since that drastic change, his father had led a portion of the clan away from Konoha. Afterward, they found this paradise and established a new settlement. Without the suspicion and surveillance of Konoha's high command, without the estrangement and conflict with other ninja clans in the village.
Although they started from scratch, there seemed to be more smiles on the clansmen's faces.
Sasuke liked his current life. Though simple, it was fulfilling. He could focus on training without bearing so many heavy gazes.
It was just that, occasionally in the dead of night, he would still think of Konoha, think of that blonde dead-last, think of that pink-haired girl, and that brother who betrayed the entire family.
Whenever he thought of it, the flames of hatred would ignite in Sasuke's eyes.
"Sasuke, come here for a moment."
Fugaku's voice called out. Sasuke got up and walked to his father.
Fugaku looked at his son, his gaze full of expectation and complexity. He sighed and spoke slowly:
"I received news. That old fox Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Konoha high command collectively… passed away."
"Minato Namikaze has become the new Hokage. Furthermore, most of the clansmen who remained in Konoha… sacrificed themselves in the recent turmoil."
Sasuke's heart sank heavily.
The Third Hokage is dead?
And those clansmen…
And… Konoha…
That familiar yet strange place.
The afterglow of the setting sun bathed the father and son as they communicated, as if the past pain had long passed.
Above the Uchiha Village, several birds flew by, leaving a few clear cries.
In the following days, life in the valley remained as peaceful as ever. Sasuke continued his training, worked with his clansmen, and tried to wash away the gloom in his heart amidst the tranquility.
During the day, he could feel the warmth of this new life; this land seemed to truly shelter them from disturbances.
But at night, when all was silent, those suppressed emotions would quietly surface. The scenes of Konoha, lost relatives… Itachi Uchiha.
That name was like a brand, scorching his soul. Hatred was a cold fire, dormant usually, but burning fiercely once touched.
It was another calm afternoon. Sasuke was practicing ninjutsu by the stream.
Suddenly, a familiar aura intruded into his perception without warning. This wasn't perception gained through chakra fluctuations, but a special sensory ability derived from being a Magical Girl.
It allowed him to capture that unique "signal" belonging to Itachi Uchiha.
It was exceptionally clear, as if summoning the deepest darkness and desire within him.
It's… It's Itachi!
He is at…
The direction of Konoha!