Power. It was the singular, undeniable truth that governed the shinobi world, the invisible magnetic force that determined where one stood—either a pawn sacrificed on the political board or a king moving the pieces. And here, deep beneath the earth in the ancient, sulfurous depths of the Ryūchi Cave, I was finally reaching for the real thing: power unburdened by lineage or limitation.
Tagitsuhime, the serpent guide, moved with a fluid, silent grace that was both beautiful and unsettling. Her path was illuminated only by the faint, eerie glow reflecting off the cavern's damp walls. I followed, the oppressive, earthy atmosphere of the cave pressing in, testing not just my body, but the clarity of my resolve. After what felt like hours of winding descent, we arrived at a vast, open chamber carved not by nature, but by immense, sentient will. Before us stood the temple entrance—no mere illusion this time, but a structure of profound age, its black stone etched with serpentine runes. This was the real deal.
Tagitsuhime placed both hands on the massive stone gate. With a low, grinding groan that shook the very foundation of the mountain, the gates slid inward. "The White Snake Sage is waiting for you," she whispered, her voice carrying a weight of reverence, motioning for me to step across the threshold.
I entered. The space was colossal, stretching far above the reach of the cave ceiling. My gaze immediately climbed a long, steep flight of ancient, moss-covered stairs that ascended into the profound gloom. At the apex, enthroned on a colossal, coiled mass of white scales and polished stone, sat the White Snake Sage herself—a serpentine deity, the largest, most formidable creature I had ever seen. She radiated an ancient, cold power, a sense of vast time that made my fifteen years feel like a fleeting breath.
I began the slow, arduous climb. Each step was a commitment, a shedding of the past. The silence in the temple was absolute, broken only by my measured footfalls. Finally, I stood before the coiled sovereign, meeting her gaze without flinching.
"I am here to learn Sage Mode," I declared, my voice resonating with Uchiha certainty.
The White Snake Sage regarded me, her slitted golden pupils unblinking, studying me with the dispassionate scrutiny of a predator assessing prey. "Since you have already passed the trials," her voice was a dry, hissing whisper, "you are permitted to learn Sage Mode, but—"
She paused, allowing the weight of the moment to settle. Then, her golden eyes narrowed, penetrating my very soul. "First, you shall answer me: why do you seek so much power?"
Her gaze flickered to the residual Curse Mark on my neck. "You already possess the power of Senjutsu, acquired through questionable means, and even without that, your talent and raw strength surpass most humans in this era. We observe you, the way we observe any interesting anomaly in the natural world. Why this endless hunger for more?"
Why is the descendant of Indra even trying to learn Sage Mode? The Sage's thoughts seemed to brush against my mind, a low thrum of ancient scepticism. From what I know of this line, they are consumed by a towering arrogance, an inherent pride. They would never humbly ask others for power so easily.
Her unexpected probing almost startled me, but I steadied my mind and answered with absolute honesty, echoing the reason that fueled every decision since that fateful night. "I want as much power as possible. I want to be the strongest. I want the strength to tear down this hypocritical structure and change this cursed world."
The White Snake Sage's low, rattling chuckle filled the chamber. "Huh, to change the world."
She considered my declaration, her stillness stretching into an unnerving silence before she declared, "Very well. Your answer has fulfilled my curiosity." A look of satisfaction, ancient and predatory, settled on her massive face.
"As you may already know," she continued, her voice taking on a formal, instructive tone, "for everyone who has come before you knew, Sage Mode is the unification of Natural Energy, Mental Energy, and Physical Energy in a precise one-to-one-to-one ratio. If you fail to maintain this balance, the excess Natural Energy will bind your existence, and you will be turned into stone." She finished with a slow, threatening hiss.
"Now, I am going to inject you with a massive influx of raw natural energy. You will have to control it in that manner instantly. Fail, and you will be devoured by the snakes of the Ryūchi Cave." She watched me with pure, cold expectation, calculating the exact moment of my likely failure.
Hearing her final command, I immediately dropped into the lotus position. Showing her that I was ready for the process.
A small, black-scaled snake uncoiled from the Sage's body. It moved with unnatural speed, crawling toward me before striking, its fangs sinking into the skin of my neck.
Immediately, a torrent of raw, violent Natural Energy—like a tsunami of liquid life—slammed into my core. My body cried out, overwhelmed. The petrification started almost instantly: my toes, then my feet, slowly began to harden into brittle stone. The moment of failure.
But the moment it began, I fought back. A fierce, brilliant red light flared from my eyes, and my pupil snapped, morphing into the distinctive, perfect form of the six-pointed hexagram.
Nenriki. The cheat code. The perfect counter-technique. Rooted in my sheer, unparalleled willpower and mental reserves, this ability allowed me absolute control over my body and the immediate physical surroundings. The Natural Energy was trying to seize control, but Nenriki imposed order. I could feel the excess energy that was causing the petrification, and I used Nenriki to purge it, shunting the poison out of my system immediately. Yes, it consumed a significant amount of mental energy, slightly threatening the 1:1:1 equilibrium, but it guaranteed a 100% successful removal of the lethal imbalance. The stone receded, leaving my skin merely cold.
Having survived the initial shock, I dismissed the immediate use of Nenriki and began the arduous internal process of moulding the Nature Energy myself. I guided the wild power, trying to integrate it with my chakra. What a bitter disappointment, I noted, momentarily distracted. Contrary to the whispers and theories I'd heard, the influx of pure Natural Energy did nothing to restore the deteriorating vision in my Mangekyō Sharingan.
As I achieved a tentative balance, the internal process triggered an external transformation: a pair of horns started to grow from my forehead. The growth was maddeningly slow, inching out of my skin, yet it was a sign of immediate progression that most failed aspirants wouldn't achieve in hours, let alone the seconds since the initial injection.
The training continued in this fashion for days. My focus was relentless. I refined the balance, moving from crude stability to effortless moulding. Finally, my horns were fully emerged, thick and ridged, a stark, deep purplish-black in colour.
I sensed the shock radiating from the trial hostesses, Ichikishimahime and the others. They were stunned that a human had not only instantly controlled the deadly Nature Energy but had achieved a complete, stable Sage Mode transformation in just a single week of dedicated training.
The White Snake Sage remained immobile, but her thoughts, which I could almost sense, were turbulent. How did he balance the Nature Energy so quickly? she pondered. He must have the innate, instant ability to mould and balance it with his own chakra. I have only seen someone do that one other time—the Sage of Six Paths and his son, Ashura.
Heh. I smirked inwardly. The truth was far simpler and far more advantageous. With Nenriki, I could enter Sage Mode as easily as breathing. The ability was, quite simply, overpowered. I could perfectly control Nature Energy and absorb it from the surroundings instantly. It made the delicate 1:1:1 balance effortless, especially since the initial bite had somehow calibrated my system, teaching me precisely how to sense and draw in the energy.
Now, with Sage Mode, my power ceiling was shattered. Before this, without the Curse Mark, I was equal to the Sasuke who fought Danzo. With the Curse Mark, I was slightly superior to KCM 1 Naruto. And with my Mangekyō abilities, I could challenge KCM 2 Naruto. Now, with true Sage Mode, my power was exponentially greater. And the ultimate ace? I could activate it while using the Curse Mark for an unparalleled, demonic boost.
I am truly destined for greatness.
Haah. My time here was done. It was time to return to Orochimaru's base. Wait, how do I get back? I used reverse summoning to get here. Oh, right. I can use a messenger snake to deliver my message to him. I had truly been overthinking it.
"I think I have completed my training," I announced, stepping down from the pedestal. "I shall now leave. There is nothing more I require from this place."
"Alright," the White Snake Sage answered, a slight note of disappointment in her voice. She quickly recovered, not wanting to lose her image of ancient wisdom. "But aren't you going to learn any of the great Sage Techniques of Ryūchi Cave?"
"Nah, I don't think so." My arsenal was complex and highly specialised. Adding new, unfamiliar techniques now would only complicate and clutter my fighting style. And from what little I knew, none of the Ryūchi Cave's Sage Techniques suited my lightning-fast, highly focused combat method.
"Well then, young human," the White Snake Sage said, a genuine hint of respect now entering her hiss. "Good luck on your journey."
I turned and walked toward the gate, searching for the specific messenger snake that had brought me here.
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"Is he really just a human?" Ichikishimahime asked the White Snake Sage, watching my figure diminish.
"He is a human, but a very rare one," the Sage answered, the image of the Sage of Six Paths and his two sons, Indra and Ashura, flashing in her mind. He is the descendant of Indra. The Sage once said that Indra inherited all his talent, his eyes, and his genius. The sheer ease with which I achieved perfection elevated me in her estimation, linking me to those legendary figures.
"He really is going to change the world," the White Snake Sage murmured, watching me disappear entirely from her field of vision.
But she would never know the secret, the inconvenient truth that made her ancient wisdom insufficient: I was only able to learn Sage Mode this easily because of my unparalleled cheat ability, Nenriki.
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"AHHHHHHH! Where is that damn deaf snake? It's been hours! I've searched every crevice, every damp stone, every shadow! I can't find the useless reptile!"
Think, Sasuke, think. I have a whole new dimension of power, yet I'm stalled by a single, lazy snake. My frustration was immense. Then, the answer, glaringly obvious, struck me.
Sage Mode.
Damn, why couldn't I think of this a little earlier?Ugh, well, I was too drunk on the feeling of my newfound Sage power and wasn't thinking clearly about mundane logistics.
No matter. I settled into the lotus position, drawing the cold, vital Natural Energy around me. I consciously avoided using Nenriki to achieve the balance. Relying on the Mangekyō for the perfect execution every time would be stupid and exhausting—that was the entire point of the week-long training. I needed the manual skill.
After nearly five minutes of focused absorption and moulding, I finally entered Sage Mode. The two purplish-black horns erupted from my head, and my sensory ability expanded outward, encompassing the entire cave system in exquisite detail.
It took seconds to locate the culprit. And where was he? He was fucking sleeping soundly near the entrance of the temple, a fat, contented coil of scales. Oh my God, the sheer ineptitude!
Rage, cold and sharp, fueled my movements. I dashed forward, the friction of my speed generating minor shockwaves. In seconds, I stood over him. My Mangekyō Sharingan activated and locked onto the pathetic target, glaring with such unholy ferocity that the snake jolted awake, a tremor of primal fear running down its spine.
I cast a brief, powerful Genjutsu, commanding it to inform Orochimaru to summon me back immediately. As I gave the order, I consciously deactivated Sage Mode, and my horns receded.
The snake, still under the spell, did something baffling: it bit its own tail. WTF. It used the resulting blood to perform the Summoning Jutsu, bringing forth Orochimaru.
HUH?????
I stared in utter astonishment. The thought of a common snake performing the high-level blood ritual to summon the Sannin had genuinely never occurred to me.
Orochimaru, suddenly materialised from thin air, was startled. Reflexively, the Kusanagi Sword shot out of his mouth. Simultaneously, the test tube he was holding in his right hand—containing some vital, bubbling green liquid—fell and shattered, spilling its contents onto the cold stone.
An immediate, intense, awkward silence descended. I looked at the snake. The snake looked at Orochimaru. Orochimaru, eyes wide, looked at me.
Orochimaru broke the tension first, a wide, predatory grin splitting his face. "Kukuku, it seems you managed to learn Sage Mode, Sasuke-kun." He licked his lips slowly, his serpentine eyes boring into my body, assessing the new power.
Should I call him Pedomaru? His action really suits that name, but the thought was irrelevant, useless, and briefly amusing. Focus.
"Yeah, it was pretty easy," I replied naturally, the Uchiha arrogance I cultivated fitting the persona perfectly.
"As expected of you." His excitement intensified, his behaviour becoming more manic, his head bobbing like a mental patient's. He calmed himself with a visible effort. "So, you want to leave now, huh?"
Before I could confirm my departure, Orochimaru vanished in a puff of smoke. The summoning ended.
I stood there, mouth agape, staring at the empty air.
The realisation was infuriating: this useless messenger snake didn't have enough Natural Energy, to maintain the summoning for more than a few minutes.
I glared at the creature. It promptly opened its cavernous mouth and swallowed me whole again. I was covered in thick, warm saliva and mucus again. Unlike the swift, precise reverse summoning that brought me here, this journey was slow, disgusting, and prolonged.
Finally, I was thrown onto the ground in a graceless heap, unceremoniously spat out with zero respect.
I lay there for a long beat, physically questioning my decision to gain power under the tutelage of snake summons and a maniacal Sannin.
I finally lifted myself and found myself back in the familiar, sickly-lit, sterile laboratory. Orochimaru was staring at me like a precious gift delivered directly from the heavens.
"So, could you show me the Sage Mode, Sasuke-kun?" His eagerness was palpable. He looked exactly like a child demanding to play with his new, favourite toy. I couldn't resist.
I sat down, drawing in the Natural Energy. After a moment, I entered Sage Mode, the purplish-black horns sprouting from my head.
Truly, I thought with a grimace, my first uses of this world-breaking power were underwhelming: searching for a deaf snake and performing a demonstration for Orochimaru.
Orochimaru was highly animated, circling me and firing questions. "How is it? How powerful are you with this? Did you get some extra abilities?"
"I feel like I am one with nature," I answered, keeping the full truth hidden. "I feel very powerful, around fifty times my base state. And I just gained sensory abilities, nothing more." I withheld the fact that it perfectly amplified my Mangekyō techniques.
I deactivated Sage Mode and said in a serious, flat tone, "Orochimaru, I need a shower." I was currently a disgusting mess of sweat, mucus, and shame. Orochimaru seemed to finally grasp the reality of my predicament and motioned me away.
"After showering, pack your things. We are leaving this base. We have been here for over two weeks, and it's too dangerous to stay any longer. Meet me at 12 AM at the entrance."
Leaving again. The life of a rogue ninja was defined by constant movement, a perpetual game of hide-and-seek.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I showered quickly, scrubbing away the grime and the snake's disgusting residue, then efficiently packed my few possessions into my summoning scrolls. At the stroke of noon, I arrived at the entrance. Orochimaru was waiting with Kabuto near the exit.
"It seems you arrived," Orochimaru hissed, his voice low and excited for the road. "Then, let's go."
He glided out into the desolate night, Kabuto trailing behind. I followed.
We travelled swiftly for a couple of minutes, a blur of motion across the empty landscape. Then, I sensed it. Even without Sage Mode, my heightened sensory abilities detected a massive cluster of chakra signatures—not dozens, but thousands of them.
Orochimaru stopped instantly, his eyes narrowed into slits. Kabuto froze behind him.
In the sky above us, two figures descended, kicking up dust as they landed: the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki, the master of Dust Release, and the Fifth Kazekage, Gaara, the living weapon of the sand.
"Orochimaru, you have committed many evils, and this old man will make you pay for it!" Ōnoki declared, floating slightly above the ground, radiating cold, ancient determination.
"It seems we meet again, Uchiha Sasuke." Gaara's voice was unnervingly calm. "Today, I am going to send you back to Konoha to repay my debt to an old friend." An image of Naruto flashed in his mind, followed by a fleeting shadow of his mother.
"Hmph, still thinking about escaping, Orochimaru?" Ōnoki sneered. This was a perfect trap. Thousands of Iwa and Suna shinobi were spread across the landscape to prevent any land escape. The air was covered, and Ōnoki himself was here to shut down any Reverse Summoning. Orochimaru's fate was sealed.
Kabuto was visibly shocked, but his resolve held. He tensed, ready to fight to the death to ensure his lord's escape.
How did they find us? The question still gnawed at me. To coordinate this many forces from the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind in such a short time meant that information was not only leaked but acted upon with immediate urgency. Who betrayed us? I dismissed the thought; survival was paramount.
I readied myself. The silence was broken by Gaara, who struck first, sending a surging sea of sand to grab Orochimaru.
Orochimaru jumped, creating distance, then dashed toward Gaara, forcing a close-quarters engagement. Gaara countered by sending wave after wave of sand, trying to bind him, but Orochimaru was too fast and flexible.
I moved toward Ōnoki. I drew the Kusanagi sword from my waist and dashed toward the flying Tsuchikage.
Ōnoki scoffed, viewing me as a distraction, a child unworthy of his full attention.
Seeing his dismissal, I instantly condensed lightning in my left hand—a Chidori. That, at least, gained his focused attention.
The standard Chidori was useless against a flying, elusive Kage. But I leapt slightly into the air and unleashed a terrifying variant.
Chidori Sharp Spear!
A long, crackling spear of pure lightning shot toward Ōnoki at blinding speed. The Tsuchikage didn't have time to react fully, but his dozens of years of combat instinct saved him. He ducked, the spear grazing his arm and opening a long, deep gash.
I landed, immediately activating the Curse Mark's second stage—my skin turning grey, wings sprouting—ready for the decisive follow-up. But Ōnoki was faster this time. He readied his ultimate defence and also offence: Particle Style. The destructive cube of atomic breakdown was forming. Seeing it, I immediately aborted the attack and deactivated the Curse Mark. Reckless use would ruin my body before the main event.
I retreated just as a massive section of the ground below me lifted, perfectly clearing the space for Ōnoki's Jinton release.
I stopped when I had gained distance, ready to re-engage, but Ōnoki suddenly flew past me, heading straight toward the battle between Orochimaru and Gaara.
NO. He's going to help Gaara ensure the kill. Then it's a 2-on-1 against me.
I tried to stop him, but two Jonin leapt into my path.
"Earth Style: Golem Jutsu!"
Two massive earth golems materialised, each with a Jonin riding its shoulder, effectively blocking my pursuit.
Tch, this is going to be truly annoying. I instantly reactivated the Curse Mark. My skin turned grey, and the bat-like wings unfurled. I became a purple light, a blur of motion, blitzing the first Jonin before he could finish his thought. The flash of the Kusanagi was the last thing he saw; his head was severed and sent spinning.
Before his head could hit the dirt, I was on the second Jonin. He reacted quickly, trying to create distance and command his golem to attack.
Chidori Sharp Spear!
The spear of lightning sliced effortlessly through the earth golem's arm, then pierced the Jonin's chest, right through his heart. Blood erupted from his mouth. Thud. The first Jonin's head finally hit the ground.
The entire exchange—the activation, the two kills, the silent efficiency—happened in a split second. The surrounding shinobi stared in horror. My attention, however, was already back on Orochimaru's fight.
Orochimaru dodged another sand attack, then leapt toward Gaara. Gaara caught him mid-air, but Orochimaru opened his mouth, and a second, pristine body crawled out. Orochimaru opened his mouth, but instead of another body, the Kusanagi sword shot out, extending hundreds of meters.
It bypassed Gaara's desperate sand defence, slicing through his right lung and impaling him to the ground.
As Orochimaru began to gloat, savouring his victory, a sudden, blinding white light enveloped him. He disintegrated instantly.
Ōnoki, utilising the distraction of Gaara's attack, had executed a perfect, fatal Particle Style. Orochimaru was reduced to dust and light.
Kabuto, witnessing the absolute annihilation of his master, reversed-summoned himself away immediately, but not before looking at me. "Quickly get out of here!"
Before I could initiate a reverse-summoning, the two Kage replacements, or perhaps simply the remaining threats, descended. A sea of sand surged toward me, and the earth convulsed, trying to restrict my movement. Their relentless assault left me no opening.
"Uchiha Sasuke, you have nowhere to run. Surrender," Gaara said, his voice strained by the injury. "If you surrender, I might be able to save you from death." What a large joke. Surrender? To the people who sanctioned my clan's annihilation?
"Nah, I don't think I want to surrender," I replied, confidence fueling my voice.
"Kazekage, you are being too soft on this criminal," Ōnoki hissed, his voice fueled by renewed hatred. "He's just like his clan—they are full of crazy people. Who knows what atrocities he committed under Orochimaru?" He launched a retaliatory Particle Style attack.
I jumped back as more sand surged.
I gritted my teeth, a primal, overwhelming anger surging through me. How dare he insult my clan? He could call me a monster, but he would not smear the memory of the Uchiha. Images of the innocent children, the defenceless civilians caught in the massacre, flashed in my mind.
I created distance and finally activated my Mangekyō Sharingan. The two horns grew, and with the Curse Mark active, I became a figure of demonic, terrifying power.
I quickly activated Neith, drastically decelerating my personal time. The world moved in slow motion. I instantly appeared before Ōnoki, attacking before the old man could finish his thought. A blinding flash of purple chakra. I Go/Jo'ed him, turning him into a Kit Kat, before he could even process the movement. Gaara stared, utterly bewildered. A Kage, a pillar of the world, is dead just like that.
I looked at Gaara, judging the necessity of his death, but the momentary hesitation was all the opening he needed. He quickly retreated, covering himself in a massive, dense cocoon of sand. Temari and Kankuro were pulled inside.
Suddenly, a searing pain erupted in my core. The Curse Mark was taking its toll. I quickly deactivated it, maintaining only Sage Mode.
As the Tsuchikage's mangled body hit the ground, the remaining Iwa-nin reacted with panicked horror.
"He—he killed the Tsuchikage!" one shrieked.
"Let's run!" another yelled.
"Yeah—yeah, let's run!" many agreed. Good, run. I wanted to leave.
I descended to the ground and turned to flee, but several confident shinobi pursued me.
"Why run? Look at him! He is obviously injured," an older shinobi, a seasoned commander, shouted. "He deactivated that 'Demon form' and is retreating. That form must be a forbidden technique that damages his body in return for strength." His logic rallied the pursuers.
"Kill him!"
"Kill the Tsuchikage killer!"
I was surrounded again, a thousand jutsu flying at me. I couldn't take it anymore. The guilt and the rage boiled over. I activated Nenriki.
All the surrounding Rock shinobi were lifted high into the air by an invisible, crushing force.
Crunch, crunch, crush. Thousands of shinobi were instantly compressed, turned into a bloody paste. Blood rained down. I stood there, guilty, my anger replaced by a chilling realisation. Was I truly a saviour when I had just killed so many? But I suppressed the guilt. They were wrong. That damn Tsuchikage made me angry by mentioning my clan.
Gaara, watching from his sand cocoon, was utterly baffled. He was too terrified to even move, collapsing into his sand, staring at the demon-like figure of Uchiha Sasuke through his sand-eye. Kankuro and Temari were equally terrified by their brother's expression.
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[IN KONOHA]
POV: Sakura
I finished healing a minor cut on a patient, dismissing them with a polite smile. Before I could turn, an ANBU materialised. "Ms Sakura, you have been summoned by Hokage-sama immediately."
Urgency? I body-flickered to the office, finding Konoha 11 (minus Naruto) already assembled.
"It seems you finally arrived, Sakura," Tsunade-sama said, her expression grim.
"Tsunade-sama, why are we summoned?"
Tsunade didn't mince words. "Uchiha Sasuke is now deemed a missing-nin by Konoha, and he has been added to the Bingo Book."
The air went thick with shock. A missing-nin was manageable; the Bingo Book was a declaration of war-level threat. What did he do?
"Hokage-sama, why now?" Shikamaru asked, his brain already working overtime. "Until today, he was merely a defector. Why the sudden escalation?"
"Look at it yourself." Tsunade pushed a copy of the new Bingo Book.
BINGO BOOK ENTRY CLASSIFIED
Name- Uchiha Sasuke
Gender- Male
Affiliations-Konoha (Missing-Nin), Orochimaru (Deceased)
Alias-Demon from Hell, The Last Uchiha
Identifying Features-Black eyes, spiky black hair with a blue tint
Age Approx-15 years old
Ninja Rank-Genin (Threat Level S-rank)
Kekkei Genkai- Three-Tomoé Sharingan
Known Elemental Affinities:-Lightning and Fire
Known Abilities- Master at Kenjutsu, Chidori Sharp Spear (extended lightning spear), Chidori, Unknown force (surrounding manipulation), Strange Mode (two horns), Second Mode (grey skin/wings, massive stats boost).
Achievement - Killed the Tsuchikage alone and annihilated over a thousand ninja.
Threat Level-S-rank
Bounty-1.3 Billion Ryo (Iwagakure - 400M, Sunagakure - 350M, Kumogakure - 250M, Konohagakure - 200M, Kirigakure - 100M)
Shikamaru's mind raced. If we didn't declare him a missing-nin, it would have started another Ninja War. Not declaring him missing-nin is the same as admitting he was our secret operative who killed the Tsuchikage and thousands of ninja. Konoha's survival depends on this diplomatic sacrifice.
Killed the Tsuchikage and thousands of other shinobi... The numbers were monstrous. Is that even humanly possible? The gentle memory of the young boy who graduated with her was shattered. Could Nanami or I ever redeem him?
"Killed the Tsuchikage and thousands of other shinobi? Hahahaha!" Rock Lee broke down, his hard work meaningless against such an impossible genius. "Does my hard work even matter?"
Tsunade observed their despair. I purposely removed the photo of Sasuke standing in the blood rain.If they saw it, they would never see him as human again.
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[Somewhere is the Land Of Fire]
POV: Jiraiya
We were training in a secluded mountain range. Heh, looks like that kid really is something. I held the new Bingo Book. The level of power described—S-rank at fifteen, killing a Kage—was unprecedented. Impossible, but the evidence was irrefutable.
"Hey, kid, look what your friend did." I showed the photo and the Bingo Book to Nanami. The colour instantly drained from her face, her eyes widening. Finally, she'll face the truth and give up this foolish rescue dream.
I caught her muttering, "He can't come here, right? He won't come back." Huh? What is she hiding? I dismissed the thought. What could this idiot girl possibly hide?
After a long silence, I pressed her. "What's your answer now? Do you still think he can be redeemed?"
"No. He does not deserve redemption for killing those people," she declared, her voice filled with quiet, absolute certainty. "They all have families. Their wives are widows, their husbands are widowers. Their children will not have their parents for support. This is unforgivable." She tore the photo of Uchiha Sasuke into pieces.
A complex, heavy smile formed on my face. She had finally realised her friend was lost to the darkness.
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Author Note:
There is a lot of mystery around Nanami, as she was muttering, "He can't come back, right?" Well, you have to see the next few chapters, as it will be explained there.
Also, give your own ideas and if I like some of them. I could then add it to the story to make it more interesting.