The moment he thought about the person approaching, Sasuke couldn't help but associate them with the fate of the Uchiha clan's Sharingan that had been reclaimed by the village. Had they already been seized and transplanted into others within Konoha?
Ever since reading Kakashi's file at the library, this suspicion had taken root deep within Sasuke's heart.
The thought that an outsider had so openly inherited the bloodline limit of his clan—and was now even coming to his home—made Sasuke clench his fists uncontrollably. His handsome face twisted into an expression of rage and disgust.
Noticing the growing storm of negativity radiating from Sasuke, Naruto said slowly,
"Take a look at yourself in the lake's reflection. See what you've become."
Sasuke closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and tried to suppress the rising anger inside him. His face quickly returned to its usual cold demeanor.
"...What should I do?" he asked.
Naruto looked at him and shook his head. Though Sasuke appeared calm on the surface, the confusion and turmoil in his eyes were clear.
Naruto often peered into Sasuke's memories and knew that he'd long harbored the suspicion that Kakashi's Sharingan had been taken from another Uchiha—stolen, not given.
If Sasuke lost control when he met the Third Hokage and Kakashi later, it could become a serious problem.
Sensing that Hiruzen and Kakashi were about to walk down the narrow path to Sasuke's home, Naruto warned,
"If you reveal any inappropriate emotions in front of the Third Hokage, you'll face consequences you can't even imagine."
"I'll tell you this—Kakashi's Sharingan wasn't stolen. It was a gift… from one of your own clan."
Sasuke's expression darkened.
"That's impossible."
Naruto met his gaze calmly.
"You saw it yourself in the library archives. The Battle of Kannabi Bridge created two heroes who awakened the Sharingan. One of them was your clansman. But he died—a nameless hero. So the records only mention Kakashi, without saying how he got the Sharingan."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. That missing name had always bothered him. Coupled with the deepening doubts surrounding the Uchiha massacre, he had convinced himself that Kakashi, as an outsider, must've taken the eye by force.
Seeing Sasuke's silence, Naruto continued,
"That eye... was a parting gift from your clansman."
Still skeptical, Sasuke said,
"Who would give away their own Sharingan? Especially to someone outside the clan!"
Naruto chuckled lightly.
"He had no choice. That Uchiha was Kakashi's best friend—and he had inherited the Third Hokage's Will of Fire."
"During the Battle of Kannabi Bridge, he sacrificed his life to save his teammates. With his dying breath, he asked that one of his eyes be given to Kakashi... as a gift."
"And, for your information, it was to protect Kakashi that his Sharingan first awakened."
Sasuke's face froze.
"How would you know that…?"
He stopped mid-sentence. Sasuke suddenly remembered how Naruto had long shown signs of knowing far more than he should. He had secrets… knowledge no one else was supposed to have.
Naruto saw the shift in Sasuke's expression and knew he'd made his point—but then his tone changed.
"Now, I need to warn you about something else."
"Kakashi's Sharingan is a special case. But others... are not."
"As I said, if the Third Hokage detects your suspicion about the massacre, your fate will be unimaginably grim."
Sasuke caught the implication in Naruto's words.
"Others?"
Naruto's expression turned icy.
"Konoha has another individual in possession of a Mangekyō Sharingan. This eye holds an extraordinarily powerful genjutsu that can infiltrate a person's mind without their knowledge—altering their will completely and permanently. Anyone caught in its illusion becomes nothing more than a puppet."
Meeting Naruto's unflinching gaze, Sasuke shivered. Realizing this wasn't a bluff, a chill ran down his spine, straight to his skull.
He could not—must not—end up in such a fate worse than death.
But what was he supposed to do?
Naruto began walking toward his house.
"You need the Third Hokage to see you as a vengeful avenger consumed by hatred. Come on. We'll head to your place. I'll help you out."
Sasuke blinked.
"...Help me?"
Before long, Naruto and Sasuke arrived at the Uchiha compound. Sasuke felt increasingly uncomfortable—Naruto walked the halls like he'd lived there, leading them directly to the backyard where Sasuke had practiced shurikenjutsu as a child.
Not a shred of hesitation—no awareness that he was a guest.
"The Third Hokage and Kakashi are just a block away. Start practicing your shuriken techniques."
"...What?"
Sasuke, tense and on edge, thought he'd misheard.
Now of all times, he was supposed to throw shuriken?
Naruto stood beside a training post and gave him a deep, unreadable look.
"Do as I say."
Sasuke frowned, pulled out a handful of shuriken, and threw them one by one.
Thud, thud, thud.
After a few rounds, he had emptied his tool pouch. Then he saw Naruto smiling at him.
Before he could ask why, his vision suddenly blurred—and his pupils shrank as he saw two fingers flash before his forehead.
"Forgive me, Sasuke."
A gentle voice echoed in his mind—but Sasuke's expression twisted with anguish and fury.
"Uchiha Itachi! I'll kill you!"
At that moment, Hiruzen and Kakashi arrived at the compound gate. Hearing Sasuke's agonized roar, their expressions turned grim, and both instantly leapt onto the rooftop.
Following the sound to the backyard, they found Sasuke madly hurling shuriken at a training post.
Seeing that he wasn't in immediate danger, the Third Hokage signaled Kakashi, and they both silently withdrew. It was clear that now wasn't the time for a conversation.
Meanwhile, Naruto had returned home, deep in thought as he spoke with Kurama.
An unexpected piece of intel had surfaced:
Itachi's partner had been updated—he was now paired with Kisame Hoshigaki. But what really caught Naruto off guard was what the Akatsuki had uncovered while arranging a partner for Sasori of the Red Sand. During their search, they'd come across intel that the Five-Tails Jinchūriki was traveling alone in Yugakure (Land of Hot Springs).
Now Sasori and Deidara were en route to capture him.
The problem?
Deidara was from Iwagakure—the same village as the Five-Tails' host. That meant he likely knew the target's habits inside and out.
Could the Akatsuki be trying to seal the Five-Tails first?
But according to the story Naruto knew, the tailed beasts were supposed to be sealed in order—from One-Tail to Nine-Tails. Skipping the order could destabilize the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path, and even risk breaking the seal on the Ten-Tails.
Kurama's voice turned grim:
"Naruto, we can't let the Akatsuki get the Five-Tails!"
"Each of us tailed beasts carries a portion of the Ten-Tails' power. You've already seen the truth about it. Right now, it's just an empty vessel—but if the Five-Tails gets sealed into it…"
Naruto's eyes lingered briefly on Sasori in the projected intel, before returning with Kurama to the seal space.
"Once I undo the Five Elements Seal, I'll leave a shadow clone behind to maintain things here. We'll use Flying Thunder God to reach the Land of Hot Springs before they do. After all, the Land of Fire is right next door."
Kurama was stunned for a moment, then looked at Naruto with a complex expression.
"...We tailed beasts will remember this."
Naruto didn't respond. He simply raised his fist.
"Kurama, the Five-Tails' Jinchūriki might not trust me right away."
Kurama gave a rare, knowing smile and bumped fists with him.
"Don't worry. As long as we find him—I know how to contact the Beast King."
(End of Chapter)
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