That night, Sasuke was trapped in a cycle of unending nightmares, unable to wake up.
It was a grueling night for Hyakusa as well. The entire Medical Corps had been deployed, but there were still many injuries that the ordinary medical-nin simply couldn't handle. Those critical cases fell squarely on Hyakusa's shoulders.
Fortunately, Masahiko was there.
By the next morning, Hyakusa finally made it to the end of his shift. He bowed repeatedly to Masahiko, overflowing with gratitude.
"Thank you so much for your help, Masahiko-sama. If not for you..."
He couldn't imagine how the night would have ended. The influx of patients had been overwhelming. If Masahiko hadn't stepped in to treat a number of the trauma patients, Hyakusa felt he might have actually died from overwork.
"I need to head back and rest, too."
Masahiko rubbed his temples.
Doctors...
It really was a tough profession. Especially during night shifts involving emergency triage. Compared to that, he decided he much preferred his job as an Academy teacher.
Leaving the triage area, Masahiko took a detour toward Sasuke's hospital room. He intended to just check in on him.
Pushing the door open, he walked softly inside. Sasuke was sitting up in the hospital bed, his eyes dull and lifeless, staring blankly at the curtains.
Hearing footsteps, the boy slowly turned his head.
Upon seeing Masahiko, a trace of life—and profound sorrow—finally surfaced on Sasuke's pale, numb face.
"Sensei."
"Sasuke, you..."
Masahiko stopped himself, leaving the words hanging.
The two sat in silence for several seconds before Masahiko spoke again. "Rest well for the next few days. I'll handle your leave of absence from the Academy."
"Sensei, I don't want to take leave."
Sasuke gradually seemed to snap back to reality, his eyes filling with a thick, concentrated hatred. "I want to get stronger. I want to kill him. I'm going to kill that guy!"
Just when he had finally felt his father's love, just when he had touched happiness—
Everything had been destroyed!
Sasuke covered his eyes with his hands. He felt a power surging within him, desperate to burst out, yet he couldn't quite break through the invisible shackles holding it back.
"There is no need to rush."
Masahiko sat down beside the bed. "Becoming strong is a step-by-step process. It isn't something that happens in a day or two."
"How do I take those steps?"
Sasuke looked up, his gaze a chaotic mix of hatred and confusion.
He hated Itachi to his very core, but he had no idea how to become strong enough to surpass him. After all, for the past seven years, he had worshiped Itachi. In his heart, that man was omnipotent. Unbeatable.
Masahiko looked down at him. "Do you want to give up?"
"Give up?"
Sasuke clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. "No! I haven't given up! I will never give up!"
"Then say goodbye to the person you used to be."
Masahiko patted Sasuke on the shoulder, his voice dropping to a somber, weighty tone. "Starting tomorrow, your comfortable life is over."
With that, he stood up and walked toward the door.
Sasuke stared blankly at the retreating figure. It wasn't until the door clicked shut that he finally broke down, his voice lost in agonizing sobs.
Outside the room, Masahiko spoke to the approaching medical-nin. "He's awake. Let him be alone for a while."
"Yes, sir!"
Upon returning home, Masahiko took out a jar containing the preserved eyes.
While helping at the hospital the previous night, he had acquired some preservation fluid meant for organ transport. It was perfect for storing the two pairs of Sharingan he had collected.
For now, the Sharingan didn't have much utility for him. Although he possessed the Shikotsumyaku, that bloodline shared a common ancestor with the Byakugan, not the Sharingan; there was no synergistic or neutralizing effect between his bone manipulation and the Uchiha eyes.
Transplanting them would make concealment difficult, the benefits were minimal compared to the high chakra drain, and he simply didn't need them at his current level.
After securing the jar, Masahiko placed it inside a sealing scroll which he kept on his person at all times.
His house had "bugs"—surveillance insects—so he didn't dare leave anything of value lying around.
He took a shower and had just laid down to rest when—
Knock, knock.
"Is Masahiko-sensei in?"
Masahiko opened his eyes, got out of bed, and went downstairs to answer the door.
The visitor was dressed in standard Anbu attire. Upon seeing Masahiko, the agent bowed respectfully. "Apologies for the disturbance. Lord Hokage summons you."
"Wait a moment. Let me change."
Masahiko returned to his room.
Moments later, he emerged wearing his standard outing clothes and flak jacket, following the agent toward the Hokage Building.
"Lord Hokage."
"Sit."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes were bloodshot, and his face was etched with exhaustion. It was obvious he hadn't slept a wink. Given the magnitude of the incident, it would have been strange if he had.
Masahiko bowed formally before sitting down.
Hiruzen waved his hand, dismissing the Anbu guard, who closed the door as he left.
Only then did the Hokage ask about the events of the previous night.
Masahiko recounted everything in detail, omitting nothing—including Watanabe Shōji's impromptu proposal for the "evening party."
Hiruzen fell silent.
Technically, the Ninja Academy was under the direct jurisdiction of the Hokage. However, his energy was waning these days, so he often delegated its management to Mitokado Homura...
He puffed on his pipe, remaining silent for a long time.
Finally, Hiruzen looked up, his gaze piercing. "Masahiko... with my support, do you think you could take control of Root?"
Masahiko's head snapped up, his face a mask of shock.
Then, the shock faded, replaced not by joy, but by a heavy, solemn expression.
"Lord Hokage, my current abilities and prestige are far insufficient to shoulder such a heavy responsibility. Let alone wrestling control from Danzō-sama..."
Masahiko paused, letting the weight of the name hang in the air.
Hiruzen let out a long, weary sigh.
He forced a strained smile. "You're right. I was being too hasty. But listening to you... it seems you at least have the courage for it."
Hiruzen picked up his pipe, took a few drags, and composed himself before speaking again. "You've likely guessed what happened last night, haven't you?"
"Yes. I have guessed some of it."
Masahiko nodded, offering no "deception."
He paused for a few seconds, then added, "The Uchiha were a problem, yes, but they were also a strength. They contributed greatly during the past wars. Handling it this way... it was too rushed. It will be hard to convince the public."
"Indeed. Even a child like you can see it clearly, and yet they— Cough! Cough! Cough!"
Hiruzen became so agitated that he broke into a violent fit of coughing, his face flushing red.
"Lord Hokage!"
Disregarding protocol, Masahiko rushed forward. His hands glowed with green medical chakra as he gently rubbed Hiruzen's back to soothe his lungs. A moment later, Hiruzen coughed up phlegm streaked with blood.
"Lord Hokage, the village is in a time of crisis. You must take care of your health."
Masahiko's tone was respectful, laced with genuine-sounding concern.
This approach worked wonders.
The exhaustion on Hiruzen's face receded slightly. He suppressed his anger and spoke warmly, "Good child. Thank you. I feel much better."
"Lord Hokage, regarding what you mentioned earlier," Masahiko said, stepping back, "I think... at the very least, I must become a Jōnin first. Only by slowly gaining their trust would such a thing even be possible."
Hiruzen nodded, though he frowned slightly.
"With your current service record, applying for the Jōnin promotion assessment is a bit difficult... But you're right. Gain their trust first. Take it slow. I am in no rush."
He pondered for a moment.
"Keep the events of last night confidential. And do your best to comfort Sasuke."
"I will follow your arrangements," Masahiko replied, assuming the posture of a loyal subordinate.
Hiruzen nodded wearily. "Go and rest. I heard you were helping at the hospital all night; you must be exhausted. I'll have Mizuki cover your classes this afternoon."
"Thank you. Please get some rest as well, Lord Hokage."
Masahiko bowed and exited the room.
After the door closed, an Anbu emerged from a hidden chamber in the corner of the office.
"Kakashi, what do you think?"
"Whether he is loyal is hard to say for certain, but he is dedicated to his students, highly capable, and has a stable temperament. It's not impossible," Kakashi replied.
Hiruzen took another puff of his pipe. "There is some trouble over in the Capital. I'm worried, but it's difficult to send just anyone. His identity and skill set are very suitable."
"You intend to send him?" Kakashi sounded surprised.
He thought for a moment before adding, "You'll need a solid cover story. Otherwise, the Daimyō and the nobles will get suspicious—things are chaotic over there right now."
"Mn."
Hiruzen closed his eyes, his mind racing with a thousand thoughts.
Suddenly, he sat up straight. "What did you make of that Kaguya Clan ninja from yesterday?"
"Very strong. If you aren't familiar with his fighting style, it's easy to suffer a loss," Kakashi evaluated.
He then added a crucial detail. "The opponent understood my habits extremely well. Every time I prepared to counterattack, he would distance himself in advance."
"He understood you well? And from the Kaguya Clan..."
Hiruzen frowned deeply.
Such a person... currently, there was no one in the bingo books who fit that description.
His expression turned grave. "Do you think... could he be one of Madara's men?"
"I don't know. I tried to probe him last night, but he retreated the moment we made contact. He didn't give me a chance to analyze him."
"Investigate Kirigakure," Hiruzen ordered.
A second later, he added, "Investigate Danzō's side as well."
"Yes, sir!"