At dawn, Sasuke Uchiha pushed a wheelchair carrying Kabuto Yakushi through the forest outside Konoha.
Fallen leaves swirled in the wind, brushing past Sasuke's face as his bangs veiled his hollow left eye. His lone gaze fixed on the familiar yet estranged gates of the village.
He was a rogue ninja, a criminal who had attacked Konoha twice. His hands were stained with the blood of Konoha's shinobi and civilians alike.
He knew full well that those gates would never open for him again. The village had no place for someone like him. His request was absurd, childish even.
But still, he came.
"Who goes there?!"
The sharp voice of a patrolling ANBU broke the silence—they had discovered him.
Sasuke made no effort to conceal his presence, his chakra exposed for all to feel.
Two ANBU squad leaders in white cloaks appeared before him, instantly recognizing the dark-clad figure.
"Uchiha... Sasuke!!!"
"I'll hold him off! You report to the Hokage immediately, evacuate the civilians, and initiate full battle readiness!"
One stayed behind while the other sped toward the village at full speed.
The remaining ANBU, fully aware of the odds against him, unleashed his full strength without hesitation.
"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Technique!"
A torrent of flames erupted in a straight line, its speed leaving no room for evasion.
From the wheelchair, the frail Kabuto spoke softly, "Sasuke-kun, don't kill anyone."
"I know," Sasuke replied calmly.
Zzz!
His right eye shifted into the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, locking onto the incoming flames.
"Kagutsuchi!"
Boom!
The roaring flames reversed direction, spiraling back toward the ANBU and forming a fiery wall around him.
"What?! How is this possible?!" the ANBU exclaimed in disbelief.
Though Sasuke had lost his left eye to Madara, along with Amaterasu and Blaze Release: Flame Control, his right eye's abilities—Kagutsuchi and Susanoo—remained formidable.
Kagutsuchi wasn't limited to controlling the black flames of Amaterasu. It could manipulate any fire, whether from ninjutsu or natural sources.
Boom!
The fiery wall parted, creating a passage as Sasuke used Body Flicker Technique to close the distance. His Kusanagi Blade gleamed as it unsheathed.
With his retreat blocked, the ANBU had no choice but to draw his blade and engage.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Sasuke's Sharingan-enhanced kenjutsu gave him an overwhelming advantage. Within moments, the ANBU's sword was disarmed, and Sasuke seized the opportunity to knock him unconscious with the blunt side of his blade.
His right eye focused, and the surrounding flames dissipated. However, the other ANBU had already reached the gates of Konoha, far beyond Sasuke's immediate reach.
Zzzap!
Lightning crackled in Sasuke's left hand as the sound of Chidori filled the air. His right eye locked onto the distant figure.
"Susanoo: Chidori Whip!"
With the aid of his ocular powers, the lightning extended into a flexible, whip-like form, striking hundreds of meters ahead to ensnare the fleeing ANBU.
The ANBU turned back in shock. "This level of shape transformation... impossible!"
Sasuke's mastery of shape manipulation had always been exceptional, giving rise to techniques like Chidori Stream and Chidori Spear. While the Chidori Spear had previously been his longest-range Lightning Release attack, it was limited to five meters.
But now, with the enhancement of Susanoo, Sasuke had achieved what was once unattainable.
Zzzap!
The lightning whip retracted, pulling the ANBU back toward Sasuke.
"I'm not here to attack Konoha," Sasuke said coldly. "Tell the Hokage... I want to see her."
The ANBU sneered, "You? A rogue Uchiha? Look at yourself in a mirror before making such demands!"
Sasuke clenched his fist, suppressing the murderous intent that surged within him.
He had anticipated resistance. He had prepared for this.
"Genjutsu: Sharingan!"
The ANBU's eyes glazed over as Sasuke released the lightning whip, allowing him to stumble toward the village under the influence of the illusion.
"Go deliver my message to the Hokage."
Kabuto wheeled himself closer, his voice tinged with concern. "Sasuke-kun, according to the latest intel, Lady Tsunade has mastered the Sage Mode of the Shikkotsu Forest. Your Sharingan-based genjutsu might not work on her. Without your left eye, you lack the power to force her hand. Don't get your hopes up too high. The fact that you've come this far already means a lot to me."
Sasuke replied stoically, "I have my own way. I won't repeat past mistakes."
Roughly twenty minutes later, the gates of Konoha opened.
Tsunade, flanked by Shikaku Nara and a contingent of guards, approached the forest clearing.
A faint blue glow enveloped her body—the telltale sign of Shikkotsu Forest Sage Mode.
Having learned from her encounter with Madara, Tsunade was no longer as impulsive as before. She had come fully prepared.
Sasuke tossed the unconscious ANBU toward them.
Swish!
One of the guards darted forward, catching the ANBU and confirming his safety. After ensuring there were no traps, the guard gave Tsunade a nod of reassurance.
"What is the meaning of this?" Tsunade asked coldly.
Sasuke got straight to the point. "Kabuto is injured. I hope you can heal him."
A scoff rippled through the guards. None of them hid their disdain.
Tsunade remained calm. "Sasuke, do you even remember what you've done?"
"I do," Sasuke replied. "I defected from Konoha. I attacked the village... twice."
"Then you should know how absurd and laughable your request is," Tsunade said, her tone sharp.
"I know. But..." Sasuke took a step forward.
"Lady Tsunade, be careful!" The guards tensed, and Shikaku's hands hovered over his forming seals.
Even Kabuto, seated in his wheelchair, braced himself to intervene.
Sasuke stopped five meters away. Slowly, he spoke, "This isn't a demand. It's a plea."
He bent down, placed the Kusanagi Blade on the ground, and knelt deeply, his head bowing low.
He knelt before Tsunade.
Everyone froze in shock—even Kabuto was stunned.
The once bloodthirsty Uchiha, who had long relied on violence to resolve everything, now knelt in the most humble manner to plead for someone else's salvation. Before the village he had hated, before the Hokage he had defied, Sasuke bowed his head.
Kabuto covered his face with trembling hands. Tears streamed down his cheeks.
In this moment, he felt he could die without regret.
Tsunade gazed deeply at Sasuke. His attitude surprised her, even stirred a faint sense of compassion. But she was the Hokage.
"Sasuke, raise your head," she said.
Sasuke remained bowed. "Will you heal him?"
Tsunade closed her eyes, deliberating. "If it were up to me personally, perhaps I could. But I am the Hokage of Konoha. My every action represents this village. The crimes you've committed cannot be absolved by mere kneeling. Even if I agreed, the fallen comrades and civilians you've wronged would never forgive you."
Opening her eyes, she declared, "This time, I will turn a blind eye to your presence. Leave now, and never set foot in Konoha's territory again."
Sasuke clenched his fists, his body trembling slightly.
"Did you not hear Lady Tsunade? Leave at once!" one of the guards barked.
Kabuto called out, "That's enough, Sasuke-kun. You've done enough."
"Not enough, huh?" Sasuke murmured.
He grabbed the Kusanagi Blade beside him, raising it high before pointing the tip at his own chest.
"Will this be enough?!"
He thrust the blade toward his heart.
Whoosh!
A shadow extended, halting his motion—Shikaku's Shadow Imitation Technique.
Sasuke froze mid-action, the blade's tip mere inches from his chest.
"Lady Tsunade," Shikaku said gravely, "he's serious."
Tsunade's brows furrowed deeply. "To go this far for Kabuto... Perhaps this is an opportunity for him to truly change. But if I agree, how can I face the victims of his actions?"
At that moment, Kabuto spoke up. "Lady Tsunade, Sasuke is just a child, naive and misguided. His vendetta against Konoha was my doing."
The guards scoffed. "Kabuto, do you think taking the blame will absolve him? Both of you are beyond redemption!"
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, his next words shocking everyone. "I have no intention of absolving anyone. But I have found the last surviving descendant of the Senju clan. Whether or not you heal me, I am willing to return him, along with Might Guy, resurrected through Edo Tensei, as a gesture of atonement for our past sins."
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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