"You Uchiha folks are quite the interesting bunch, meow. A while back, it was Fugaku bringing Itachi over, and tonight, it's you showing up with Sasuke. If I didn't know better, I'd think you guys planned this!"
Jiro, the cat, stood off to the side, throwing out his usual snarky comments as he led Mikoto Uchiha and Sasuke Uchiha into the house.
Lord Akainu hadn't shown any sign of turning them away, which was all the cue Jiro needed after years of serving him.
"Hey, newbie, what're you standing around for? Get in here!"
Jiro's voice snapped Izumi out of her daze, and she let out a quick "Oh!" before hurrying after them.
She gently closed the door behind her.
This was Izumi's second time stepping into Akainu Uchiha's home. The first time, she'd been so shocked and furious about Itachi's "future evil" that she hadn't had the chance to take in her surroundings.
This time, though, her curious eyes darted around cautiously, soaking in every detail.
Akainu's home could be summed up in two words: simple and tidy.
What caught her attention most was the row of potted plants on the windowsill. Each one was meticulously trimmed, with gardening tools neatly arranged nearby. Was this… Akainu's hobby?
Whoa! The guy actually has a hobby?
Izumi was floored.
In her mind, Akainu had always come off as this cold, stoic figure who cared about nothing but "justice" and "evil." To think otherwise felt like a revelation. Her impression of him had been way too narrow.
Izumi quietly tucked away this new tidbit about Akainu's love for plants.
"Meow, newbie, don't even think about getting him a gift," Jiro whispered, as if reading her mind. "Not only will Lord Akainu not accept it, but it'll also tank your score in his books!"
Izumi jumped, startled, and whispered back, "Not even something like a birthday present?"
"Hmm…" Jiro paused, pondering. "That's outside my knowledge zone, meow. I mean, with Lord Akainu's reputation, who's got the guts to give him a birthday gift?"
Meanwhile, Mikoto had already guided Sasuke to sit down. Her expression was heavy, a mix of emotions swirling as she got straight to the point. "Akainu, I'm sorry for disturbing you so late. Coming here wasn't planned—it was a spur-of-the-moment decision tonight."
She glanced at Sasuke, who looked uneasy, her eyes brimming with worry she couldn't hide.
"Itachi… he's become a stranger. Tonight, I caught him trying to do something to Sasuke. The things he said to him… even I felt my heart freeze. If Izumi hadn't stepped in, Sasuke might've…"
Her voice broke, and sorrow filled her eyes.
She couldn't wrap her head around it. Why had things come to this? Did resolving the conflict between the village and the Uchiha clan really require such extreme measures? Was Itachi so far gone that he'd kill his own family without hesitation?
To her, her eldest son had transformed into someone unrecognizable.
And dangerous.
Mikoto wasn't afraid of death. If the day came when her beloved son decided to kill her, she'd close her eyes and accept her fate. She could never fight her own child.
But…
When it came to her other son's safety, a fierce maternal instinct surged within her, born from despair.
She couldn't let anything happen to Sasuke!
"Sasuke's just a kid. He doesn't have any extreme ideas. Most of the time, he's just… normal. I don't believe he'd ever become someone who'd do evil in the future."
Mikoto's voice was pleading now. "In the entire Uchiha clan, you're probably the only one who can protect him. I'm begging you, Akainu, please watch over Sasuke. Let him grow up safely."
"This isn't me speaking as the clan leader's wife," she continued, her voice trembling. "This is me, a powerless mother, asking you. I'm sorry. I couldn't guide Itachi's thoughts. I failed to raise him right, and now he's gone down a twisted path. All I can do is try my best to protect Sasuke…"
She poured out her heart, every word heavy with emotion.
Sasuke, Izumi, and even Jiro the cat stared at her, stunned.
Sasuke's eyes widened, his small face frozen in shock as he looked at his mother, tears welling in her eyes. He wanted to say something, but the words caught in his throat. The shared pain and sorrow made his own eyes sting.
He'd never seen his mother so heartbroken…
And the root of it all was the brother he'd once admired most—the same brother who was now plotting to wipe out the Uchiha clan: Itachi Uchiha.
Akainu didn't agree or refuse. Instead, he asked calmly, "Can't Clan Leader Fugaku protect him?"
Mikoto gave a bitter smile. "Fugaku might be able to stop Itachi, but… I know him better than anyone. If the day comes when his eldest son stands before him with a bloodstained blade, all his resolve will crumble. He'll accept whatever Itachi decides."
Sasuke's jaw dropped.
Even Father couldn't stop his brother?
Or… was Mother saying that if it came to that, Father would give up fighting entirely?
And if that happened…
Mother would leave with Father, wouldn't she?
Sasuke's small fists clenched tightly.
His lips pressed into a thin line, but he stayed silent, overwhelmed by a deep sense of helplessness. If even his parents couldn't handle this, what could a seven-year-old like him do?
Akainu studied the clan leader's wife before speaking. "Itachi Uchiha won't kill Sasuke Uchiha in the future."
Mikoto's voice was low. "The future can change, can't it? Otherwise, you wouldn't have tried to warn me and Fugaku back then. That was your attempt to change things. But who could've predicted how stubborn Itachi's heart would be?"
Her beautiful face twisted with confusion and despair. "I can't tell if the future will change for better or worse. All I know is that Sasuke can believe in justice. It's the only way I can think of to keep him safe."
"You're misunderstanding something," Akainu said, making Mikoto pause.
He continued slowly, "Itachi Uchiha's actions in the future are, in themselves, evil. Do you really think 'absolute justice' would just stand by and watch the Night of the Clan Massacre happen?"
"Protecting the innocent is the duty and obligation of justice. You don't need to beg as a mother—'absolute justice' will protect those it needs to, without hesitation."
"As for Sasuke Uchiha believing in justice…" Akainu glanced at Sasuke, whose face was etched with frustration and powerlessness.
Every emotion was written plain as day on the kid's face.
Akainu didn't hold back. "A brat who hasn't even grasped what 'justice' means can't be forced to follow it. He'd never understand what it means to carry the weight of justice. Right now, his understanding of it is even less than Naruto Uzumaki's."
"I'm sorry, I was too narrow-minded," Mikoto said, deeply moved. In just a few words, she realized how pure Akainu's sense of justice was.
In other words… even if she hadn't come to beg, Akainu would step in when the time came.
Sasuke, meanwhile, perked up at the mention of a certain name.
For some reason, hearing "even less than Naruto Uzumaki" sparked an odd irritation in him. But his fear of Akainu kept him from showing it too openly.
And…
"Naruto Uzumaki"? Why did that name sound so familiar?
Wait a second!
Isn't that the class dunce?!
Still reeling from a whirlwind of confusion, Sasuke was dragged along by his mother, who bowed deeply to Akainu before they left.
On the way home, Sasuke kept his head down, clutching the hem of his shirt. "Mother, were you trying to send me to him? Do you think… Brother might try to kill me?"
His mother's rare silence was answer enough.
The Land of Fire's Capital
Late at night, under the orders of the Fire Daimyo, the Twelve Guardian Ninja gathered. Well, eleven of them, since "Nango" was absent.
The group was clearly split into two factions.
One, led by Asuma Sarutobi, believed in maintaining a balance between the Hokage of the Hidden Leaf and the Fire Daimyo.
The other, led by Kazuma, argued that the Hokage shouldn't exist and that ninjas should be under the Daimyo's direct control.
Five stood with Asuma. Six with Kazuma.
The two sides didn't get along, but the Daimyo's mediation had forced them to come together for now.
"Tch, Akainu Uchiha… quite the big shot, huh? I hear he's a double kekkei genkai ninja—Sharingan and Lava Release. Sounds like a tough nut to crack," Kazuma said, his long, prematurely white hair framing a face marked by a jagged scar. He smirked at Asuma. "Hey, Asuma, how about we take out the Hokage before we deal with Akainu? He's been hiding things from the Daimyo, hasn't he? Didn't even send Lord Kusuke's body back. What's a Hokage like that up to, huh?"
Asuma's brow furrowed.
Honestly, he had no desire to work with these six radicals.
Compared to hunting Akainu Uchiha, they seemed more eager to go after the Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi!
But…
With Nango gone, Asuma's side was down to five. He wasn't sure if they had enough power to take on Akainu alone.
And to deal with someone like Akainu, they'd only get one shot. Like it or not, they had to team up with Kazuma's group.
"Don't forget what the Daimyo told you," Asuma shot back. "Our target is only Akainu Uchiha. No one else is part of this mission. And the Daimyo said you answer to me this time."
His eyes narrowed. "If you dare make a move on the Hokage, I'll kill you before you get the chance."
Kazuma let out a dark chuckle, meeting Asuma's glare without flinching.
But he didn't push the topic further.
"Let's not waste time," Asuma said, keeping a wary eye on Kazuma. "Move out!"
The Eleven Guardian Ninja set off.
The Next Day
Sasuke hadn't slept well, his mind replaying the events of the night before: Itachi's cold, mocking words; his mother's sorrowful helplessness; his father's heavy silence; and the things Akainu Uchiha had said to his mother.
"What does he mean I don't understand the weight of justice?" Sasuke muttered, bleary-eyed and grumpy. "And what's this about being worse than Naruto Uzumaki? Isn't that guy just a total loser?"
He sat at the breakfast table, picking at his food. But when his gaze fell on the chair where Itachi usually sat, he froze.
Confusion, anger, frustration, fear—all these emotions swirled inside him, leaving him quiet and withdrawn. He didn't know how to feel about his brother anymore. Should he hate him?
It was all too much for a seven-year-old to process.
With no appetite, Sasuke headed to the Ninja Academy alone.
The moment he stepped into the classroom, he scanned the room for a certain someone.
"…Where is he?!" In his memory, that class dunce was always early, sitting there every time Sasuke walked in. But today, he was nowhere to be found.
Sasuke also noticed the strange looks from his classmates. He knew why.
They'd probably heard about the Uchiha clan's impending massacre a year from now—and about Itachi's ruthless methods.
It was impossible not to feel something. Sasuke couldn't just ignore their stares.
He was growing irritated.
Finally, just before class started, a disheveled figure stumbled in, panting.
Sasuke looked up and spotted that unmistakable head of spiky blonde hair.
"This guy looks… kinda dirty," Sasuke muttered, wrinkling his nose.
He wasn't impressed.
But Akainu's words echoed in his mind again, pushing him to stand up. Under the curious gazes of the entire class, he marched over to Naruto Uzumaki, who looked confused, and plopped down in the seat next to him.
"Hey, loser," Sasuke said, his tone laced with defiance. "What's your deal with him?"
Naruto immediately bristled. "Hey, what's with calling me a loser?! I've got a name, you know—I'm Naruto Uzumaki! And who's 'him'? How am I supposed to know who you're talking about if you don't say a name?"
Sasuke caught a whiff of sweat and instantly regretted sitting so close. He scooted away slightly. "I'm talking about… Akainu Uchiha."
Naruto's eyes went wide. "You know him?!"
Sasuke's face lit up with a hint of pride. "He's an Uchiha. My dad's the clan leader—how could I not know him? Answer my question already."
Naruto scratched his head, stumped. What was his relationship with Akainu Uchiha? He wasn't sure how to explain it.
"Uh… I asked him to teach me about 'absolute justice,' and he agreed…" Naruto's eyes suddenly lit up. "Wait, I get it! He's my teacher!"
Sasuke blinked, dumbfounded.
The Akainu Uchiha that even his father feared, the one his mother had gone to for help… was teaching this sloppy, dead-last ninja school kid?!
And when his mother asked Akainu to guide him toward justice, Akainu had said Sasuke wasn't even as good as Naruto?!
What did this guy have that he didn't? Was it really his understanding of justice?
Sasuke's face was a kaleidoscope of emotions.
"…Hey, loser!"
He gritted his teeth, looking away from Naruto, his voice hesitant. "What… exactly is justice?"
On a street in the Hidden Leaf, a terrified chunin screamed, "Akainu Uchiha! Why can't you just let me go?! That was years ago—I don't even remember how I did it!"
He backed away, panic-stricken. "And the guy I killed wasn't even from the Leaf, or even the Land of Fire! Why are you coming after a fellow Leaf ninja for an outsider?!"
"We're both Leaf ninja! Killing me for some outsider—does that even make you a Leaf ninja anymore?!"
Akainu Uchiha tilted his ninja blade, stepping closer.
"Why?"
As the chunin's pupils dilated in fear, Akainu passed by him. His blade, now stained with crimson blood, gleamed in the dim light.
"Because rooting out the evils of the ninja world is the duty and obligation of justice," Akainu said coldly. "What I mentioned was just one of your many sins. Letting scum like you go would be a stain on justice."
The chunin's head rolled to the ground.
His headless body collapsed heavily.
"That's the second one today, sir!" Izumi said, jotting it down in her notebook. "Lately, a lot of ninjas who've been out on missions are coming back. They seem normal on the surface, but some of the things they've done are just… vile."
Even Izumi felt a chill at the thought.
Not because of Akainu's bloody methods, but because the twisted state of the ninja world was beyond what she'd imagined.
In her mind, the Hidden Leaf was one of the best ninja villages out there.
Its ninjas should be of high quality, right?
Yet the evils lurking within the Leaf…
There were so many it made her skin crawl.
After closing her notebook, Izumi hesitated before asking, "Sir, didn't you say you wanted to spread the belief in justice? Why did you turn down Aunt Mikoto and Sasuke last night? Even if Sasuke doesn't get justice yet, couldn't we guide him step by step to accept your 'absolute justice'?"
Akainu's response was calm. "He'll come to understand justice on his own."
Izumi blinked, confused.
Akainu continued, "Naruto Uzumaki's existence will drive him to understand it. Because Sasuke and Naruto share an unbreakable bond of fate."
Huh?!
Sasuke and Naruto had an unbreakable bond of fate?
That sounded… kind of weird.
Weren't they both guys?
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