The shadow's words struck straight at the part of Sasuke that he couldn't quite put into words. Simply killing Itachi or destroying Konoha wouldn't be enough to satisfy him. What he really wanted was to stand atop the moral high ground, to judge Konoha's sins in the name of justice.
But deep down, he knew it was impossible. Death alone could not change the will of the ninja, especially not the Konoha elders. They might even use their dying breaths to stage a sentimental flashback, painting him as the true villain!
No. He was the villain.
Slaughtering in the name of revenge, tearing apart the current order and peace — that was the real template for a villain.
Sasuke wanted revenge, but he also wanted to stand on the side of righteousness — it was a fool's dream. After all, the ones who had destroyed the Uchiha Clan were the "official" Konoha government — the very people who made the rules and the laws. There would never be a way to bring them to justice through "legitimate" means.
Unless the entire shinobi village system was torn down, the Uchiha would never be vindicated. Acknowledging the existence of the village system meant acknowledging the rules and authority created by the Hokage line. Within that framework, the village held the absolute power of life and death over its citizens. If they declared you evil, then you were evil — permanently labeled and condemned. Any resistance would be seen as unforgivable treason.
Of course, the demon had no intention of teaching Sasuke how to seek revenge properly. It only whispered a single word to him: "Kill."
"If you believe the Uchiha are innocent, then kill anyone who says otherwise. If one person defies you, kill one person. If a whole village defies you, slaughter the village. If a nation stands against you, annihilate it. Kill every last stubborn fool. Kill until the mere mention of your name makes people tremble in fear and worship you. Kill until the whole world is wiped clean, leaving only you — and then, you will stand for all humanity."
The shadow spoke of unimaginable carnage in a casual, almost lazy tone — and this wasn't just talk. It was already putting the plan into motion.
Ōnoki, the Third Tsuchikage, had already been trapped within the dream world created by the Box of Ultimate Bliss. The fall of a village leader was a thousand times more efficient than the petty battles between Sasuke and Neji.
The demon had shifted its focus to Iwagakure. Sasuke and Neji were now little more than backup pieces, left to grow freely for the time being.
The last incident in the Land of Grass had stirred too much commotion. Even Mount Myōboku and the Sage of Six Paths had taken action. But in the end, they could not find the demon's true body — only its temporary hosts.
...
Inside the Hokage's office.
"Has Itachi sent any useful information from Akatsuki?" an old, weary female voice asked.
"We've confirmed the details about the Box of Ultimate Bliss and the identity of the witch," Sarutobi Hiruzen replied. A long silence followed.
They could not seize the Box, and that Uzumaki witch appeared far too dangerous — beyond anything Konoha could afford to meddle with.
"Any progress regarding the recent disappearances?" Mitokado Homura shifted the topic. "If it weren't for the Anbu's internal reports, I wouldn't even have realized how many people have gone missing! Danzo... you're not behind this, are you?"
Danzo scoffed, shooting him a scornful glare, not even bothering to answer.
"You—!" Homura flushed in anger at the blatant disrespect.
"Enough," Koharu Utatane intervened. "Let's not start an internal squabble over something this small."
Shimura Danzo remained stone-faced. His foul mood hadn't improved ever since he failed to retrieve the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
Koharu sighed at the sour expression etched into Danzo's aging face. After a brief moment, she and Homura made excuses and left the office one after the other.
Just as Homura reached the door, he paused and said meaningfully,
"Times have changed, Danzo. You'd better tread carefully. Konoha isn't what it used to be — we can't afford any more chaos."
Without another word, he pushed open the door and left, his heart heavy with a silent sigh. Whether they admitted it or not, Konoha... was truly crumbling.
...
Only Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo remained in the office, facing each other wordlessly. Though Homura's words had been directed at Danzo, they had clearly been aimed at Hiruzen too.
In the adult world, no one cared about intentions — only results. The decline of Konoha was obvious to all, no amount of excuses could cover it up.
Danzo was the first to break the awkward silence.
"Put the disappearances aside for now. Investigating them would drain too many resources. We should prioritize more urgent matters — Anbu and Root need to focus elsewhere."
Hiruzen took a long, deep drag from his pipe, his expression unreadable. He neither agreed nor objected, simply watching Danzo through the swirling haze of smoke, his eyes clouded with a strange, inscrutable emotion.
Finally, Danzo couldn't stand the "deeply affectionate gaze" of his old comrade any longer. With a grunt, he turned to leave.
Hiruzen didn't try to stop him. He simply said, in a low voice behind him,
"The Uchiha bloodline is the key to truly unleashing the Sharingan's potential. Otherwise, it becomes nothing more than a delicate burden — just like with Kakashi. Danzo... you've been rubbing your right temple far too often lately."
"Hi-Hiruzen!" Danzo stiffened in shock, spinning back toward him — only to find Hiruzen calmly working through the paperwork on his desk, as if nothing had happened.
Danzo's expression twisted through a medley of emotions. In the end, he said nothing and silently left.
...
No one knew how much time passed before Sarutobi Hiruzen rose to retrieve his crystal ball. He gently brushed his fingers across its surface and murmured to himself,
"Where the leaves dance, the fire will burn. The fire's shadow will shine upon the village, and new leaves will bud and grow..."
The crystal ball shimmered softly, reflecting Konoha's "new sprouts."
...
At the Uchiha training grounds, two young boys were exchanging furious blows.
"Sasuke, the mysterious can only be subdued by something even more mysterious — just like how basic elemental jutsu can't break through the Truth-Seeking Balls," Neji explained casually as they fought. "The power granted by that being far surpasses chakra. Your Fireball Jutsu just now was a complete waste of effort!"
"Tch." Sasuke clicked his tongue in irritation. Neji was showing off again.
He used to think Neji was just a cold, handsome guy — but when had he become such a smug bastard?
Wasn't showing off supposed to be the Uchiha Clan's specialty?!
"Alright, let's take a break," Neji said, rubbing his sore wrist, a little disgruntled. "That's ten straight draws. We're just sparring — do you really have to go all-out like you're trying to kill me every time?"
Sasuke kept his face stiff and serious.
"I'm just more willing to go all-in."
Neji rolled his eyes. "You'd better be more cautious. If someone sees us using these strange techniques, have you thought about how we'll explain it?"
Sasuke smirked and lifted his chin proudly.
"We'll just eliminate anyone who finds out."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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