Before Ash left, he had struck a nerve in Sasuke. For someone who had always considered himself a prodigy, being told he was unqualified was intolerable. Ash's words made Sasuke think he was implying that Sasuke survived solely because of Itachi's protection—an idea he couldn't stomach.
But Ash's real intention had simply been to make him understand: Sasuke was still living under Itachi's shadow.
Danzo had avoided touching Sasuke not out of kindness, but because he feared Itachi leaking Konoha's secrets to Akatsuki if provoked.
Itachi, after all, was not only a double agent planted inside Akatsuki but also someone whose strength—especially his mastery of the Sharingan—was unquestionable. The Third Hokage and others were fully aware of that.
After Ash left, Kakashi collapsed on the bridge, and with Tazuna's assistance, he and the team were brought back to the old man's home to recover.
The Next Day
"Tsukuyomi… what a terrifying genjutsu."
Kakashi finally opened his eyes the following morning at Tazuna's house. Compared to the original events, he was lucky—Ash hadn't held him inside the Tsukuyomi the way Uchiha Itachi had. Otherwise, Kakashi wouldn't have awakened in a single day… and certainly wouldn't recover without months of rest.
"Are you all right, Mr. Kakashi?" Tazuna's daughter, Tsunami, asked as she walked in.
"…Not really." Kakashi exhaled.
"In this condition, I'll need at least half a month to recuperate."
Internally, he sighed. I really need to train my Sharingan control when we get back. To think a single illusion robbed me of all combat ability…
"Sensei! You're finally awake!" Naruto burst into the room, followed by Sakura and Sasuke.
Ever since Ash killed Garan, petty bandits had been scavenging for valuables Garan left behind and harassing the people of the Land of Waves. Kakashi and the others had arrived just in time, and for genin already as capable as these three, those bandits were nothing more than minor annoyances.
"Kakashi-sensei," Sakura said with concern, eyeing his exhausted state, "your Sharingan is powerful, but it puts too much strain on your body. It's really not practical like this…"
"No, it's not the Sharingan this time." Kakashi shook his head weakly. "The Sharingan does consume a lot of chakra, but the real issue was the genjutsu. I'm lucky to be alive at all."
"Teacher Kakashi," Sasuke stepped forward, eyes sharp, "I have questions. About your Sharingan… and about the person who appeared yesterday."
Kakashi expected this conversation. He had no choice but to explain.
"My Sharingan was given to me by a teammate during the Third Great Ninja War. He was a member of your clan—Uchiha Obito. I'm sure you've heard the name."
Sasuke's brows furrowed slightly, but he listened. Kakashi continued:
"In the Uchiha clan, even transplanted eyes are recorded in detail to prevent the Sharingan from being lost or misused. If you check your clan records after returning to Konoha, you'll find the documentation. I have no reason to lie."
Sasuke silently nodded.
"As for the person you saw yesterday… his name is Ash Ketchum. Strictly speaking, he is a wanderer with Uchiha blood, but not affiliated with the clan. He's of Uchiha descent, yes—but he has no connection to the Uchiha living in Konoha."
Hearing that, Sasuke exhaled slightly. A bloodline as large as the Uchiha was bound to have branches scattered across the world. That much was normal.
"The name Ketchum is considered taboo in Konoha. I won't go into the details," Kakashi said quietly.
"But his first appearance in the shinobi world became legendary. He faced the combined assault of five Kage-level fighters… and walked away without a single injury."
Sasuke's eyes widened.
"And let me put it this way," Kakashi continued, "even your brother, Uchiha Itachi—one of the greatest geniuses the clan has ever produced—would have less than a thirty-percent chance of defeating him."
Sasuke's breath caught.
For someone like Kakashi to make such an evaluation… the weight of those words was undeniable.
Akatsuki
"Ash, you're back. You're not injured, are you?"
Konan's voice carried a mixture of concern and relief as she stepped forward on the platform overlooking Amegakure. Beside her, Nagato shook his head slightly, as if signaling her not to worry.
"Brother Ash, have you eaten? Should I prepare something for you?"
Haku spoke next, dressed—inexplicably—in a maid outfit, short sleeves and white stockings. At eighteen, her figure had matured, and although the attire looked wildly out of place in a shinobi organization, Ash had, of course, quietly commissioned it.
"I haven't eaten yet. Get me some fried rice—and add a fried egg."
Ash answered casually. Haku nodded with a soft, obedient "yes," and slipped away toward the kitchen.
Nagato exhaled, giving him a stare only another man would understand.
"…You really live a fortunate life."
Ash's eye twitched. "Don't start."
Before Nagato could tease further, Ash pulled out three bank passbooks from his pouch and tossed them over.
"Here. The funds."
"You actually got it?"
Nagato's voice rose with disbelief. The deficit had been massive—recovering that much money should've been impossible in so short a time.
"Wait—one hundred and fifteen billion?"
He nearly dropped the passbooks. "This is almost double the Akatsuki's total operating budget."
Ash leaned back on the sofa, one arm naturally wrapping around Konan's waist, entirely unbothered by Nagato's shock.
(End of Chapter)
📝 Limited-Time Discount (Ends Soon): $7 → 20 Chaps
⚡ Pa-treon-com/LordMerlin
😊 Thank You For Your Support!