Chapter 210: Sasuke — Is Uchiha Itachi Even Human?
"Back here again, huh?"
Within the Land of Waterfalls, Gen Kitagawa glanced around and nodded slightly.
The country still looked the same as before—wedged between the Land of Fire and the Land of Earth, but devoid of vitality.
It wasn't surprising. Both great nations had long since carved up its resources. And now, since Takigakure hadn't joined the Leaf's alliance, their so-called neutrality only pushed them deeper into a pit of isolation.
If not for their Tailed Beast, they would have been reduced to just another battlefield during the Great Ninja Wars, like countless other small nations.
"I wonder what we'll run into this time," Gen murmured.
"Hopefully nothing at all," Kakashi replied without looking up from his book. Jiraiya nodded in agreement.
"Exactly. We're just here as an envoy. Less trouble is better."
"Do you think they'll agree, though?" Sasuke asked, his voice thoughtful but tinged with curiosity. "And… do you think we'll really encounter the Akatsuki?"
Ever since Gen said it was "highly likely" they'd cross paths with Akatsuki, Sasuke's eyes had lit up. He had been holding back his questions, but now he couldn't resist.
"To be honest, I don't think they'll agree," Gen said after some thought, shaking his head.
"In their own minds, possessing a Tailed Beast means they don't see themselves as just another small country."
"And don't forget," Kakashi added, closing his book at last, "Obito once made a move on them, but you stopped him."
Jiraiya's expression hardened. "They've never faced someone like Ōtsutsuki Genshiki. They still cling to the belief that having a Tailed Beast can solve everything."
Gen gave Sasuke a light pat on the shoulder, smiling.
"Honestly, Tailed Beasts aren't that hard to handle. Your clan had plenty of methods. Remember, the First Hokage himself admitted Madara could control the Nine-Tails. And Obito? He once controlled a beast to attack Naruto's parents."
"That bastard…" Naruto muttered, fists clenching. Sasuke's hands tightened too.
Naruto knew the truth about that night now. How could he not hate Obito? And Sasuke had been told enough by the Leaf—especially under Tobirama's watch—that he wasn't left in the dark either.
Better to tell him the truth openly than let others twist it later.
Like how Danzo, during the Nine-Tails' attack, prohibited the Uchiha from acting, even though the Hokage at the time was Minato. Or how he ambushed Shisui, preventing him from saving the clan with his Mangekyō.
And then, despite the Third Hokage offering a compromise, Danzo forced Itachi's hand—telling him it was either total annihilation of the clan or everyone's death except Sasuke.
"Leave me alive… kill the rest?" Sasuke's voice trembled with anger.
"Exactly. That's what the records show. And Itachi himself told the Third."
"What gave him the right?! Why would he do that?!"
"I've wondered the same," Gen admitted, frowning. "Danzo wasn't even Hokage. The Third had already made his decision. What authority did Danzo have to override him?"
"…."
"It's just like with your father. During the Nine-Tails incident, Danzo alone restrained the Uchiha. But the Hokage was the Fourth! He had no business calling the shots."
"…."
"So yes—this was the private scheme of Shimura Danzo and Uchiha Itachi. Maybe Itachi wanted you to survive, but I'll never understand it."
That conversation had taken place over a year ago, yet even now Sasuke fell silent whenever he thought of it.
Gen, despite being a traveler from another world, couldn't wrap his head around Itachi's logic either.
If it had been to awaken Sasuke's eyes by driving him to despair—that was twisted, but at least made some kind of sense.
But killing the clan just to "protect Sasuke"? Especially when the Hokage had already vouched for compromise, only to trust Danzo of all people? That was lunacy.
Sasuke, unlike in another life, had never been subjected to Tsukuyomi, never had his mind warped by Itachi's illusions. He was clear-headed, broadened by Naruto, his peers, and even the guidance of Tobirama and Jiraiya.
That clarity made it impossible for him to accept Itachi's choices.
"What gave him the right to think he was correct?! Who was he to decide? Why slaughter the whole family?!"
"Who knows," Gen shrugged. "But the intel says he stood by his choice, even infiltrated a mysterious organization as a spy. And yet…"
"Damn him! Is he even human?!" Sasuke roared, his fury finally breaking through.
"That's something only he can answer," Gen said quietly. "Oh, and one more thing—he wasn't acting alone that night. The other one was very likely Uchiha Obito."
At that, Sasuke's hatred crystallized. There were only two names burned into his soul now:
Uchiha Itachi.
Uchiha Obito.
One had massacred his clan. The other had orchestrated the Nine-Tails' attack and helped with the slaughter. Neither could be forgiven.
"Don't worry," Gen said with a knowing smile, glancing at Kakashi and Jiraiya. "With these two around, we're bound to stumble into something special."
"…Are you insulting us?" Jiraiya muttered as he and Kakashi rolled their eyes.
Unbothered, Gen continued, "Sasuke, have you heard of Konoha's special 'laws'?"
"…What laws?" Sasuke blinked.
"One: The first mission led by Kakashi-sensei always ends in disaster. Think about mine… and yours."
"…"
"Two: On external missions, the odds of running into Akatsuki are ridiculously high. Again, think about our first outings."
"…"
"Three: At the end of every mission, someone always ends up in the hospital—whether it's a teammate or someone back in the village."
"That's enough, Gen!" Kakashi snapped, unable to hold back. Jiraiya groaned beside him.
Naruto chuckled nervously, while inside his mind, his parents listened through him.
Kushina sighed. "He's got so many good traits… but this one? Not so much. Didn't he himself say Konoha's education system is flawed?"
"…I don't know," Minato admitted awkwardly. "He's brilliant, but sometimes it really does look like the village failed him."
Kushina's voice softened with regret. "If only you hadn't died so soon, Minato. Maybe Gen wouldn't have turned out this way."
Minato rubbed his chin. "Though it feels disrespectful to the Third… maybe you're right."
Naruto could only give an embarrassed laugh at their exchange. He remembered how ruthless Gen had been even as a child—cutting into his own subsidies just for leverage.
And now? The same guy who once swore he'd run a cozy "odd-jobs shop" and marry a wife… was aiming to steal the title of Hokage from him.
"Damn it. Never trust a white-haired guy," Naruto grumbled internally.
Still, despite his complaints, the mood on the road was lighthearted. Their chatter and bickering carried them swiftly to the outskirts of Takigakure.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the village…
With a ripple of warped space, several figures cloaked in black robes patterned with red clouds quietly appeared.
"We're here."
Uchiha Obito's voice was low as his gaze swept over the distant village.
"Everyone understands the plan this time, right? And you've all fully adjusted to your powers?"
After Nagato made his decision, he hadn't rushed into action. Experience had taught them that superstition or not, every time the Akatsuki mobilized, there was a disturbingly high chance of running into Konoha.
They had even suspected a mole in their ranks.
But after careful investigation—especially Black Zetsu's infiltration of Konoha—they came to a conclusion:
"Konoha's every move is well-documented. All those encounters… really were coincidences."
The answer was absurd, enough to break anyone's spirit. But these were the Akatsuki—ninjas of iron will.
No matter how bizarre or unreasonable the circumstances, they would not simply give up. At most, it just meant making extra preparations… and trying to avoid "fate."
That's why, this time, they deliberately delayed their mission under the pretext of "letting the reanimated bodies adapt to their powers."
"No problem. Those Konoha guys aren't Ōtsutsuki Genshiki or anything," Hidan sneered, as irreverent as ever despite being little more than a walking corpse.
"Last time was cut short before we could really fight them," Hiruko muttered coldly, shaking his head. "If we run into them again, I'll actually welcome it."
"My, so much confidence." Kisame grinned wide, his shark-like smile full of mockery.
"Though I wonder—if you really face Kitagawa Gen, will you still be so sure of yourself?"
"Kitagawa Gen… isn't simple."
Both Jūzō Biwa and Kurosuki Raiga nodded in agreement. Even as reanimations, they knew how terrifying that boy's strength was. One of them had fought him when he was still a child—and even then, his power was far beyond reason.
"Rather than debate that, shouldn't we be worrying about Ōtsutsuki Genshiki?"
At last, Uchiha Itachi, silent until now, spoke up.
His words instantly silenced the group.
For Jūzō and Raiga it was a vague warning, but for the rest, Ōtsutsuki Genshiki was a shared nightmare. He hadn't just looked down on one of them—he had looked down on all of them equally. Equally scornful. Equally devastating.
"…Let's move."
After a long silence, Nagato finally gave the order, his voice low and steady.
"Three years… I'm no longer the man I used to be."
"If we really do encounter them… all the better."
"Whether it's that one from Konoha… or that Ōtsutsuki."