Konoha stirred uneasily, though the village itself was calm. Tsunade had been preparing for months against the looming threat of an Akatsuki assault, yet Nagato had not made his move. Rumors whispered through the shinobi network, but no concrete signs of invasion came. Instead, word arrived from the Land of Lightning—Raikage A had called for a Five Kage Summit.
Tsunade agreed to attend. In this age of tension, consensus among the great nations was essential.
Naruto had also been preparing in his own way. If Nagato did strike, he knew he would be the first target. He had no intention of being unready.
That morning, Sakura came to find him.
"There's going to be a Five Kage Summit," she reported, her tone serious. "At the Iron Country, near the border of the Land of Lightning."
Naruto's brows furrowed. A summit meant all five leaders in one place… and if it was in the Land of Lightning, then there was a chance Killer B had returned.
"Got it," he said after a pause.
Sakura tilted her head, concern lingering in her voice. "Tsunade-sama has agreed to attend. What's wrong, Naruto? You look like you're already planning something."
He smiled lightly, waving it off. "Nothing. Thanks for telling me, Sakura. Really."
Her expression softened. "You don't have to thank me. I just… I know you've been on guard all this time against Akatsuki. I worry too."
Naruto chuckled, pushing his unease aside. "Then let's grab lunch. My treat."
Sakura brightened immediately. "Really? You'd better not go back on it!"
Together, they left for the sushi shop, laughter briefly cutting through the tension that always seemed to hang over them.
Far away, another group was moving with a darker purpose.
Team Taka trudged through rocky passes, their mood sour. Karin's sharp tongue led to the complaints.
"That masked bastard—Obito, or whatever he calls himself! Promised us intel on Danzo, and still nothing. Do we look like Akatsuki's errand runners?"
Suigetsu grunted in agreement. "She's right. Why risk our necks for them? We're not even members. Hunting down jinchūriki for free? Forget it."
Jūgo, silent as always, followed without protest.
Sasuke, however, walked ahead with unwavering focus. "Enough. I've already found Danzo's trail. We end it here, before he has a chance to vanish again."
The others fell silent at his cold certainty.
Danzo Shimura, ever cautious, had been moving from hideout to hideout across the borderlands. He never stayed in one place longer than a few days. Yet even the most careful movements left traces. Taka had followed the trail, and now, at the mouth of a wind-swept cave, Danzo felt the chill of inevitability.
He glimpsed them from the shadows. The Uchiha crest was unmistakable.
Sasuke.
Danzo's heart sank. He turned without hesitation, fleeing through a back passage. He no longer had Shisui's eye. Against the Mangekyō Sharingan, he knew the outcome was grim.
But Karin's sharp voice cut through the air. "He's running! Sasuke, straight ahead!"
Sasuke's gaze burned. "He won't get far."
Lightning rippled across his blade as he pursued.
Danzo tried to slow him, forming seals. "Wind Release: Vacuum Bullets!"
Compressed air spheres tore through the corridor.
Sasuke's Sharingan spun. "Pathetic."
Chidori Nagashi flared, shredding the projectiles as he closed the distance. His Kusanagi clashed with Danzo's shuriken—steel shattered instantly. A kick to the gut sent Danzo rolling across the dirt, coughing blood.
Hatred welled in Sasuke's chest. This man was the root of the Uchiha clan's destruction. He would die here.
Suigetsu called from the rear, grinning darkly. "Heh, Sasuke. Don't play around. Just finish him with Susanoo already."
Karin folded her arms, her eyes gleaming with pride. "Exactly. Someone like Danzo isn't worth half your strength."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Chakra surged, and the colossal ribcage of Susanoo burst forth. In moments, it grew, armored limbs taking shape, towering with legs that shook the ground.
Danzo's breath hitched. Fear clamped down on his chest. The monstrous avatar loomed over him, eyes blazing like judgment itself.
Sasuke's voice thundered from within. "Danzo… your end is here."
The ground trembled as Susanoo advanced. Danzo dove aside, barely escaping the first stomp. The second strike came faster, crashing down with impossible weight.
Boom.
Stone shattered. Danzo screamed as the heel crushed his legs, his body mangled beneath the force. Blood poured from his mouth as pain consumed him.
"Uchiha brat!" he roared, even as his vision blurred. "The Uchiha were a cursed clan! I should have eradicated you all!"
Sasuke's gaze hardened. Black flames erupted—Amaterasu cloaking Danzo's body. His agonized cries were swallowed by fire until nothing remained but charred ash.
Silence fell.
Suigetsu gave a low whistle. "Damn. Guess pigs get slaughtered fast when you use that kind of power."
Karin sniffed, unimpressed. "Don't be an idiot, Suigetsu. Sasuke-kun doesn't waste time on trash."
Sasuke dispelled Susanoo, stepping past the smoldering remains without another glance. His vengeance was done, but the hatred inside him did not ease. It burned hotter, pushing him forward.
Jūgo broke the quiet. "Where to now?"
Sasuke's reply came sharp and cold. "The Land of Lightning. We'll capture the Eight-Tails."
The others exchanged uneasy glances, but none voiced objection. Sasuke's will was absolute.
Back in Konoha, Naruto was deep in study when ANBU arrived at his window. Scrolls lay scattered before him—the ominous script of the Dead Demon Consuming Seal's derivations, a path he alone dared tread.
"Uzumaki Naruto," the masked operative said, "the Hokage summons you."
Naruto hid the scrolls at once, his expression unreadable. "Got it."
Moments later, he stood before Tsunade.
"There's a mission that suits you best," she said, sliding a scroll across the desk. "Travel to Nadeshiko Village. The details are inside."
Naruto accepted it without hesitation. With Flying Thunder God at his disposal, he could return at a moment's notice.
Tsunade studied him, her eyes softening. "Be careful. You're strong, Naruto, but strength won't mean anything if you fall before your dream is realized."
He smiled faintly. "Don't worry, Granny. I won't die before I reach my goal."
She thought he meant becoming Hokage. He thought of something far beyond.
And so, their paths diverged—Sasuke leaving behind a trail of vengeance, Naruto walking into the unknown, both driven by destinies that would soon collide.
---
A/N: Advanced Chapters Have Been Uploaded On My Patreon
Support: patreon.com/Narrator_San