The next morning.
In a quiet forest far from Konoha Village, the sound of birds chirping gently stirred the morning air.
Sasuke sat on a moss-covered rock, staring blankly into the trees. The light of dawn slanted through the eastern sky, its golden rays piercing the canopy, casting long shadows across the forest floor. The warmth of sunlight fell softly across his skin, but his mind was elsewhere.
Logan, crouching nearby, looked up from the small campfire. "What are you thinking about?"
Sasuke didn't hesitate to speak his thoughts. "I just… can't believe we escaped like that. So openly. It feels unreal."
Logan gave a small nod, understanding the boy's confusion. It was surreal. Escaping from Konoha—the Konoha, one of the most heavily fortified villages in the ninja world—should have been impossible.
Since their departure, Logan had been piecing together fragments of memory from his previous life and reviewing Konoha's political structure and power dynamics. The more he thought about it, the clearer things became.
With only a Level 2 Star Platinum and a Level 1 Hermit Purple, getting out of Konoha alive should have been suicide. There were too many elite ninjas, ANBU black ops, and clans who could have stopped them with ease.
But they hadn't.
The more Logan analyzed the situation, the more pieces fell into place. It wasn't just a lucky escape.
There were layers to this game.
---
First, many of Konoha's powerful clans and prominent figures had not participated in their pursuit.
Among them, Uchiha Itachi's influence loomed large.
No one wanted to get involved in a case that included a lunatic who had massacred his entire clan.
Whether they supported Itachi's actions or not, they weren't foolish. Everyone suspected something was wrong with the massacre, but without proof, all they could do was stay out of it.
Today, it's the Uchiha. Tomorrow, it might be the Hyuga or the Aburame. No one wanted to be next.
Most opted to avoid the mess entirely.
---
Second, was the role of the Third Hokage—Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Had Hiruzen personally intervened or given a firm order, Logan knew he would've had no chance of escape. The man wasn't just a Hokage—he was a living legend, a master of countless jutsu.
But Hiruzen never showed his face.
Maybe guilt toward the Uchiha clan held him back. Maybe he silently disapproved of Danzo's tactics. Either way, his lack of decisive action gave Logan a chance.
If you fail to act when it's needed most—you have to deal with the consequences later.
---
Lastly, there was Kakashi, the only person who had truly stepped forward to stop them.
His presence was curious.
Though not born of the Uchiha bloodline, Kakashi carried the Sharingan and held a complicated relationship with the clan.
He was one of the few people who could insert himself into the situation without getting tangled in politics or betrayal. His role was neither enforcer nor executioner—but examiner.
Logan reflected on the battle.
"…He was holding back," Logan muttered. "That wasn't a fight to the death. It was a test."
Sasuke looked up, confused. "A test? What kind of test?"
Logan tapped his finger against his temple, then pointed to his eyes. "A test to see whether we could protect these eyes outside the village."
The Sharingan—the legendary eye of the Uchiha—was a symbol of mystery and power. Even Kakashi, who only had one, had gained fame as the "Copy Ninja."
The moment news spread that Logan and Sasuke had escaped, every mercenary, bounty hunter, and rogue ninja would come hunting for them.
Without sufficient strength, it would be safer to rot in a prison cell in Konoha than to be hunted, gouged, and dismembered outside.
"There had to be one last test before we left. A final hurdle. Kakashi served that role. On the surface, it looked like he was trying to stop us—but he was also giving us a chance."
Sasuke furrowed his brows. "But why would he help us?"
Logan thought for a moment. "Because of his eye. His Sharingan. Maybe he feels indebted to the Uchiha. This was his way of settling that debt."
That was Logan's guess, and it wasn't far off.
But there was more.
---
Kakashi didn't know the full truth behind the Uchiha massacre. But he had once worked closely with Uchiha Itachi, and based on that experience, he refused to believe that Itachi could commit such a brutal act without reason.
There had to be more.
So, Kakashi took action.
He allowed Logan and Sasuke to escape, knowing that once they left, the true masterminds would have to act openly if they wanted them eliminated.
The further the hand reaches, the easier it is to spot.
Then Kakashi could follow the trail and uncover the truth.
---
To many, it seemed like a single night—an isolated event involving two survivors of a destroyed clan.
But behind it were layers of intelligence networks, political gambits, alliances, and personal motives.
Logan wasn't just a player.
He was a wild card—a rook dropped onto a chessboard mid-game, disrupting strategies laid out by Danzo, Sarutobi, and Itachi.
---
"Brother Logan, you're incredible," Sasuke suddenly said, awe in his voice. "You're not just strong with jutsu… you can even figure out all these complex things. You're like a prophet in a storybook."
Logan smiled. "It's not that hard. All it takes is a bit of logic and enough information. Connect the dots."
"Can I learn how to do that too?" Sasuke asked, eyes glowing.
"Of course," Logan nodded. "First, start with math. Learn to think logically."
"…Math?" Sasuke blinked. "Seriously?"
---
By noon, the sun had risen high overhead. Hunger gnawed at their stomachs.
They passed by a few small villages, but Logan avoided them—they were still too close to Konoha, and Danzo's reach was long. Better not to take chances.
Using Hermit Purple's vines, Logan managed to catch a wild rabbit.
He held it awkwardly in his hands, unsure of what to do next.
"Kill it, skin it, clean the guts, roast it," Sasuke said casually, tilting his head. "Brother Logan, don't you know how to prep a rabbit?"
"…I've never done this before," Logan admitted.
He'd never even stepped into a kitchen, let alone skinned a rabbit.
Sasuke laughed and put his hands on his hips, proud. "Finally, something I'm better at!"
Taking the rabbit, he drew his kunai and worked quickly. "Itachi-nii taught me this when we were younger. We used to hunt for rabbits and fish during training."
But as he spoke, his voice softened.
His hands slowed.
Tears shimmered in his eyes.
"…Why did Itachi do it?" he whispered. "Does he have a reason?"
He looked up at Logan, eyes filled with hope—desperate for an answer that would explain the nightmare.
Logan's reply was firm. "Yes. I'm sure he had his reasons."
Sasuke's eyes widened.
"But having a reason doesn't mean he was right," Logan added. "You can't judge a person by what they thought—only by what they did."
Logan poked gently at the fire. "Having a reason is just the beginning. From the same reason, people can walk a thousand different paths. Itachi chose the simplest, and the stupidest one."
Sasuke nodded slowly.
Logan patted him on the back. "Don't worry. You're still young. You've got plenty of time to think things through."
Sasuke sniffled but focused on finishing the rabbit.
Logan watched carefully, asking questions and learning from him. The small task helped distract the boy from his sadness.
The roasted meat, though lacking salt or spices, was satisfying.
Logan ate in silence. It was his first real meal since arriving in this world.
---
After eating, Logan opened the Stand system interface and checked his stats.
Soul Fragments: 652
Draw Chances: 65
He had started with 300 fragments.
He earned another 52 after defeating members of the Root Organization.
Defeating Kakashi netted him 300 more.
Interestingly, he remembered that beating Uchiha Itachi had rewarded him with 800 fragments.
This wasn't necessarily a reflection of strength—Itachi's reward was higher because he had genuinely intended to kill Logan, while Kakashi had fought half-heartedly and didn't use any of his more lethal jutsu like Raikiri or Kamui.
Still, Itachi had been caught off-guard by Logan's trickery. Without intel, even a genius like him could lose.
Now, Logan had to decide what to do with the fragments.
Upgrading Star Platinum to Level 3 would cost 1,000 fragments, but it was already strong in close combat.
The fight with Kakashi had exposed a key flaw—Logan lacked mid- and long-range combat options.
If an enemy kept their distance, he was in trouble.
That had to change.
He took a breath and tapped the glowing option on the interface:
"Draw Card."
pàtreøn (Gk31)