Kakashi continued, his voice low and measured, as though weighing every word.
"I'm not trying to justify the annihilation of the Uchiha clan," he said, his single visible eye narrowing with restrained emotion. "But at that time… this was the only course of action the Konoha elders believed they had. And make no mistake—it was Danzo, the head of Root, who pushed hardest for it. The Hokage's role in the decision was far less direct. In fact, the Third's plan had been to keep the situation under control by placing Uchiha Fugaku, the clan leader, under watch—and to use Shisui Uchiha's abilities as the means of doing so. With Shisui's unique power, they thought it possible to quell the clan's dissent without bloodshed. But before that plan could even be attempted, Shisui vanished… mysteriously, and permanently."
His words settled heavily over the group. Kakashi's gaze lowered, and his tone hardened slightly.
"After Shisui's disappearance, all other options were stripped away. The elders, led by Danzo, insisted on elimination before the coup could be realized. And then… it was Itachi himself who stepped forward, offering to carry out the task—for the peace of the village."
The atmosphere in the shelter grew stifling, the rain outside hammering like drums of war. The implications of Kakashi's explanation were not simple, and they left the team with conflicted emotions.
On one hand, the reasoning had a cold logic. If the Uchiha clan truly had been plotting a coup, its outbreak could have destabilized Konoha at a critical time—when the village was still recovering from the previous shinobi war. A civil conflict would have left Konoha vulnerable, and the other great nations, always watchful for weakness, might have seized the opportunity to strike. The chain reaction could have plunged the world into yet another devastating shinobi war.
From that perspective, what Itachi did was—terrible, yet necessary. He had taken upon himself the burden of preventing disaster, of preserving peace through blood.
And yet, the human cost was undeniable. For Sasuke, who as a child had walked among the bodies of his slaughtered kin, the reasoning meant nothing. The horror of that night—the sight of his parents, his clan, wiped out before his eyes—was a darkness that no explanation could erase. Even beyond Sasuke's grief, the massacre had claimed countless innocents: children too young to understand politics, women who had no part in the coup, families who had never lifted a hand against the village. Their deaths were neither justifiable nor acceptable. They remained a stain of cruelty—one that no argument of "necessity" could ever wash away.
Naruto drew in a long, steady breath, his fists tightening against his knees. His blue eyes burned with determination as he spoke.
"Whatever happens… I'll bring Sasuke back. And if he refuses to return on his own, then I'll drag him back with me if I have to."
His voice carried raw conviction, the kind of unshakable resolve that left no room for doubt. In that moment, Naruto sealed his resolve in front of everyone—there was no going back, no second-guessing. He would do everything in his power to bring his friend home. As for making Sasuke truly understand… that, he left for the future.
Inoiki studied him quietly before nodding once, a faint glimmer of respect passing through his otherwise serious expression.
After sufficient rest, the group rose to their feet, gathered their things, and departed once more. The atmosphere among them had shifted; the closer they came to their destination, the heavier the air seemed to grow.
Hours later, the looming silhouette of Amegakure appeared before them, its towering structures piercing the misty horizon. The perpetual downpour that cloaked the village beat steadily against the earth, drenching the air with tension.
Just as they crossed into the boundary of the village—only a few meters past its official wall—Inoiki suddenly halted. His face tightened, solemn and wary. The rain that fell upon them was no ordinary storm.
Lifting his gaze to the sky, he felt the unmistakable weight of chakra threaded into each droplet. His thoughts sharpened with sudden realization.
I nearly forgot… this downpour isn't natural. It's Nagato's sensory technique—'Rain Tiger at Will.' Within this rain, all movement is watched, every presence marked. And worse… my own sensory abilities will be dulled here.
The truth pressed against him like the rain itself. From the moment they stepped into Amegakure, their enemies already knew.
Inoiki turned to face his teammates, his expression grim.
"I have bad news," he said flatly. "My sensory abilities are almost useless here. I can still manage short-range detection for a brief time, but anything on a larger scale is impossible. This rain—it's not natural. It's a sensory technique in itself. Whoever steps into it is instantly marked by its caster. If I'm not mistaken, this is the work of the Akatsuki's leader… Pain."
The weight of his words sank into the group. Naruto's brows furrowed, Sakura's lips pressed into a tight line, and even Kakashi's usually calm demeanor grew noticeably tenser. If Inoiki's long-range perception was nullified, they would be walking blind into enemy territory. Any ambush could come without warning, and they would have little chance of avoiding it.
They pressed forward regardless, their steps deliberate, each of them more alert than before. The ever-falling rain beat against them like an unending reminder—they were being watched.
Before long, the towering gates of Amegakure loomed into view. Dark metal and sharp architecture rose like a fortress wall, guarded by shinobi standing ready under the storm. The team exchanged a quick glance, preparing to cut their way through the defenders if necessary.
But before they could act, a sudden shift drew their eyes upward.
High above the gate, a familiar figure emerged from the curtain of rain, his form draped in the black cloak of the Akatsuki, red clouds stark against the gray storm. Sasuke Uchiha stood there, his presence sharp as a drawn blade. And beside him, equally cloaked, were the members of Team Taka—Suigetsu, Jugo, and Karin—all gathered at his side.
The sight froze the air around them. No battle had yet begun, but the tension was already a clash in itself.
Sasuke stood above the gate, the Akatsuki cloak hanging around him like a dark banner. Beside him, the members of Team Taka—Suigetsu, Jugo, and Karin—stood in formation, their presence matching his cold resolve. He looked down at them with a detached expression. "Long time no see," he said.
Inoiki met his gaze. "It has been a while. I heard you finished your revenge, but you won't come back to Konoha. Is that true?"
Sasuke's eyes swept the group. "If I ever considered returning after revenge, that is impossible now," he replied, voice flat. "Konoha must be destroyed. That is my aim. I'm here to accomplish that. If you stand in my way, you will be eliminated. I rely on the Akatsuki's power to do this — not as a subordinate for convenience, but because our goals align."
The rain fell steady around them. The words left no room for negotiation; the confrontation ahead was inevitable.
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