Itachi quietly listened to Kakuzu's report, a flicker of panic flashing across his eyes.
He activated his Mangekyō Sharingan. Could it really be… a survivor from that night?
Impossible. Danzo would never have allowed such a mistake.
And awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan wasn't so simple. The trauma of the Uchiha Clan Massacre might have been enough to trigger it, but who exactly was this mysterious Uchiha?
Itachi didn't know the person's identity, but strangely, a faint joy stirred within his heart. Perhaps it was relief—relief that another of his clan had survived.
If that was true, then maybe… one day, the Uchiha could shine once more.
"Hmph. I'll handle this myself," Itachi said, his voice calm but firm as his gaze swept across the others.
"The rest of you, remember—anyone who threatens the organization's goals must be eliminated."
Pain's cold voice carried through, sharp and absolute.
With the power of the Rinnegan, Pain stood at the peak of the shinobi world—unfathomable, overwhelming. Without that presence, he would never have been able to keep so many dangerous missing-nin under control.
After all, strength and pride went hand in hand.
"That's enough. The meeting is over."
One by one, the members left. None wished to linger—Pain's very presence was suffocating.
At this point in time, Pain was undeniably the ceiling of Akatsuki's power.
...
Konoha
Naruto's shadow clone had returned to the village, and the news quickly spread among Sasuke and the others.
"How is it, Naruto? Did you take care of it?"
They asked anxiously. Exposure of their plans at this stage could ruin everything.
"It's fine," Naruto replied with confidence. "Even if the Umbrella Organization is exposed, it won't matter. At most, we'll stay in Konoha for another year. It won't change anything."
He turned to Sasuke. "Don't worry. When the time comes, I'll leave Danzo to you."
Naruto had already told Sasuke the truth about the Uchiha Massacre, but Sasuke still struggled to accept it—especially the part about Itachi.
His own brother had slaughtered their clan… to protect him?
Was his brother a fool?
Guided by Naruto, Sasuke's sense of right and wrong was far clearer now. In his eyes, even if Itachi's actions were for his sake, they were unforgivable.
It was clear to him that Itachi had been manipulated by Konoha's higher-ups. And at the center of it all was Danzo—the man Sasuke believed most deserved death.
But that didn't mean Sasuke could forgive Itachi.
Had his brother even asked the Uchiha if they wanted to die? Many in the clan weren't shinobi at all. There had been elders who treated him kindly, grandmothers who doted on him… even newborn infants, all killed without mercy.
The weight of that truth shook Sasuke. Under Naruto's watchful eye, his Sharingan began to twist, evolving dangerously close to the Mangekyō.
But it stopped just short.
The Mangekyō Sharingan was said to be the mirror of the Uchiha's heart. Apart from rare exceptions born with prodigious talent, most awakened it only through unbearable emotional pain. This was why many Uchiha who awakened their Sharingan appeared arrogant, prideful, and consumed by emotion.
The truth was, behind that arrogance lay deep scars. Ordinary Uchiha—those who never awakened their Sharingan—often lived more gently, placing great value on bonds and feelings.
Naruto kept one secret from Sasuke: he had preserved the bodies of Sasuke's parents. Perhaps one day, there would be a chance to bring them back.
Even his own parents.
After all, the so-called "Reincarnation" did not truly exist in this shinobi world.
Even the Pure Land had been created by the Sage of Six Paths. Before it existed, where had the souls of the dead gone? Perhaps they simply dissipated… or perhaps that was precisely why the Sage created the Pure Land—to gather and preserve them.
As for his exact reasons, Naruto couldn't say, but one thing was certain: the Sage of Six Paths never acted without purpose.
Reviving the dead seemed impossible, yet from the original records, Nagato had once used the Rinne Rebirth Jutsu to return countless people of Konoha to life.
The Rinnegan itself was deeply tied to Yin Release. If Naruto wished to meddle with the boundary of life and death, then his mastery of Yin Release would have to at least approach the level of the Rinnegan.
At minimum, he would need to reach the power of the Sage of Six Paths himself.
The Rinnegan's origin was rooted in the Chakra Fruit of the God Tree. After all, before consuming it, Ōtsutsuki Kaguya had only possessed the Byakugan.
But once she devoured the fruit, she awakened the Nine-Tomoe Rinne Sharingan.
Other Ōtsutsuki members also bore the Rinnegan, though each manifested in unique ways.
This suggested that the God Tree's fruits were not identical—each one bestowed different powers. The Rinnegan, too, varied from person to person. Perhaps the Shinobi World itself was a particularly unusual place within the universe.
Maybe that was even why Kaguya had dared to ambush Isshiki Ōtsutsuki.
Nagato's Rinnegan, however, had not been his own. That was why he had never unlocked any unique abilities beyond the Rinnegan's basic powers.
Uchiha Madara, for instance, had wielded Chibaku Tensei and Limbo: Border Jail.
Sasuke's Rinnegan abilities included Amenotejikara and space-time portals.
Nagato, on the other hand, had relied only on the foundational techniques of the Rinnegan.
Ultimately, as a symbol of Yin Release, the Rinnegan's true strength depended entirely on the user's own potential and development.
On Sasuke's side, after listening to Naruto's words, he forced down the tightness in his chest and muttered, "Thank you, Naruto."
Naruto clapped him on the shoulder. "No need for thanks between brothers."
Sasuke looked at him, dazed. If he had never met Naruto, his days would likely have been consumed by hatred. He would have wasted his youth at the Ninja Academy, training in dull routines, never growing beyond the level of an ordinary genin.
And if that had been the case, revenge against Uchiha Itachi—who had already reached the level of a Kage—would have been nothing but a dream.
"Why so sentimental today?" Naruto grinned and held out his fist. "We're brothers, aren't we?"
"And me too! We're all your brothers, Sasuke! We'll face everything together!" Rock Lee added with enthusiasm.
Neji followed, silently pressing his fist forward.
Sasuke stared at them, his throat tightening as he fought back the sting of tears. Then, slowly, he extended his own fist to meet theirs.
Four fists pressed together.
Never give up. Never abandon.
At that moment, more figures appeared in the distance: Hinata, Choji, Shikamaru, Ino, and others.
Shikamaru, as usual, wore a lazy expression, but his sharp eyes gleamed as he studied the scene.
The bonds between them were undeniable.
Though he hadn't overheard their words, he could see clearly enough. One was the Academy's former top student, another the current one, one was Might Guy's disciple, another was Naruto—whose hidden strength and unusual identity set him apart.
Shikamaru narrowed his eyes, quietly beginning to ponder.
...
TN:
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