The moment Sasuke learned who was coming, his mind leapt to a darker place: the Sharingan taken from Uchiha corpses, gathered by the village. Had they already been seized and transplanted into others inside Konoha?
Ever since he'd read Kakashi's file in the library, that suspicion had taken root.
An outsider openly wielding his clan's bloodline, now about to step into his house Sasuke's hands clenched. His handsome face twisted out of shape.
Sensing the rising storm in him, Naruto said lazily, "Go look at yourself in the lake. See what you're starting to resemble."
Sasuke shut his eyes, drew in a long breath, and forced the emotion down. The mask slid back into place. "What should I do?"
Naruto shook his head. Sasuke looked calm, but his eyes swam with confusion he should not have.
Naruto checked Sasuke's memories often enough to know: Sasuke suspected the eye under Kakashi's hitai-ate was stolen from another Uchiha.
If Sasuke faced the Third Hokage and Kakashi in that state, he'd likely lose control.
Feeling the Third and Kakashi nearing the lane to his own home, Naruto warned, "If you let the Third see certain thoughts on your face, your end will be ugly."
"I'll tell you this much. Kakashi's Sharingan was not taken. An Uchiha gave it to him."
Sasuke's face changed. "Impossible."
"It's in the records you read," Naruto said evenly. "The Kannabi Bridge mission produced two 'Sharingan heroes.' One was an Uchiha he died and went unnamed. The pages only praise Kakashi. They never say how he got the eye."
Sasuke's gaze tightened. That blank space was exactly why, alongside his growing doubts about the massacre, his mind kept filling in the worst: that an outsider ripped a hero's eye from his body.
Naruto went on. "Kakashi's eye was a gift. From that Uchiha."
"Who would hand over their Sharingan? To an outsider?" Sasuke shot back.
"No helping it. First, the Uchiha and Kakashi were true friends. Second, he understood the Third's Will of Fire," Naruto said with a faint smile. "On Kannabi Bridge he gave his life to save his team. On his last breath, he told his teammate to give one of his eyes to Kakashi."
"And he awakened that Sharingan to protect Kakashi."
Sasuke stared, stunned. "How could you possibly.."
He cut himself off. He remembered all too well: Naruto carried secrets others wanted buried.
Seeing the shift in Sasuke's eyes, Naruto changed tone. "Now for the real warning."
"Kakashi's case is an exception. Others are not. If the Third discovers your doubts about the massacre, your fate will be horrific."
Sasuke seized on the key phrase. "Others?"
Naruto's face cooled. "Someone else in Konoha has a Mangekyo Sharingan. Its genjutsu is terrifying. It can slip into a mind without being noticed and rewrite the victim's will for good, turning everyone the caster sees into their puppets."
Sasuke's heart thudded. Naruto wasn't bluffing. Cold raced up his spine.
He could not end up like that alive, but less than alive.
But what should he do?
"Make the Third see a boy drowning in hatred, a pure avenger," Naruto said, stepping off toward the street. "Come on. I'll help you at your place."
"Help me?" Sasuke echoed, thrown.
They reached the Uchiha home. The familiarity with which Naruto cut through the corridors into the old shuriken yard made Sasuke bristle. He walked like he owned the place.
"The Third and his man are one alley away," Naruto said. "Start throwing."
"What?"
Sasuke thought he misheard. At a time like this practice shuriken?
"Do as I say," Naruto murmured, standing beside a practice post.
Frowning, Sasuke drew and threw.
Thunk, thunk, thunk…
A few rounds and his pouch was empty. Naruto smiled at him.
Sasuke blinked and the world snapped tight. Two familiar fingers darted in and touched between his brows.
"Forgive me, Sasuke."
The gentle voice rang in his skull. His features twisted into a snarl.
"Uchiha Itachi! I'll kill you!"
At that exact moment the Third and Kakashi reached the front door. Sasuke's furious cry snapped both heads up. They vaulted to the wall at once.
They followed the sound and saw Sasuke in the yard, hurling shuriken at the post like a man possessed.
Seeing no immediate danger, the Third motioned Kakashi away. In this state, today was not the time to speak with the boy.
Naruto had already returned home and found an unexpected development with Kurama.
Itachi's data had updated. Akatsuki had paired him with Hoshigaki Kisame. More surprising: while finding a partner for Sasori of the Red Sand, Deidara of Iwagakure, Akatsuki also dug up intel that the Five-Tails jinchuriki was alone in the Land of Hot Water.
Sasori and Deidara were already en route to seize the Five-Tails. Deidara was from the same village as the host; his intel would be perfect.
Would Akatsuki seal the Five-Tails first?
But the story said they had to seal One through Nine in order, or the Demonic Statue's ten-tailed shell would reject the binding… didn't it?
"Naruto, we cannot let them take the Five-Tails," Kurama said, voice heavy. "Each of us carries a piece of the Ten-Tails' necessary power. I showed you the truth of the Ten-Tails. It's still an empty husk. If the Five-Tails is sealed into that body…"
Naruto's gaze slid past the image of Sasori. He dropped with Kurama into the seal. "We lift the Five Elements Seal, leave one shadow clone to hold the fort, and move with Flying Thunder God. We'll reach the Land of Hot Water before them. Fire Country sits right next door."
Kurama blinked, then looked at Naruto with a strange warmth. "We tailed beasts will remember this debt."
Naruto said nothing. He lifted a fist. "Kurama, the Five-Tails' jinchuriki may not trust me."
Kurama's eyes glinted as he bumped the fist. "Find the host, and I can reach out to old Mu."
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