Naruto knew immediately who Sasuke meant.
Uchiha Itachi. Sasuke's older brother. The man who'd personally sent the entire Uchiha clan to their graves.
Itachi had been Sasuke's nightmare for years now. Everything Sasuke had endured, every brutal training session, every beating he'd taken from Naruto and kept coming back for more—it wasn't to avoid Naruto's fists. It was to become strong enough to kill Uchiha Itachi and avenge his parents, his clan, everyone who'd died that night.
Naruto understood that pain. Understood how it drove Sasuke forward.
If Sasuke hadn't found friendship, hadn't built connections with Naruto and the others, the weight of the massacre might have crushed him completely. Twisted him into something unrecognizable. The path Sasuke might have walked without support didn't bear thinking about.
But Naruto had promised Sasuke they'd face this together. Friends carried each other's burdens.
"Sasuke," Naruto said firmly, gripping his friend's shoulder, "slow down. Take a breath. Where is Uchiha Itachi? How do you know he's here?"
The calm authority in Naruto's voice cut through Sasuke's rising panic. Sasuke forced himself to breathe, to think clearly.
"I've been restless all morning," Sasuke said, his voice steadying. "I keep seeing flashes of that night. His face. His eyes. I have this feeling, this certainty that today he's coming to Konoha. I know it sounds crazy, but—"
"It's not crazy," Naruto interrupted. "Your instincts about Itachi have always been sharp. If you feel he's coming, I believe you."
He squeezed Sasuke's shoulder once more. "And haven't we already planned for this? I'll help you smash him into the ground if that's what you need."
Sasuke's eyes burned with determination, all the uncertainty falling away. "Uchiha Itachi must die."
The words came out hard and final.
Itachi must die.
The decision had taken Sasuke months to reach, and making it had been agonizing. Itachi had given him so much beauty in his early childhood, so much love and attention. The brother who'd taught him shuriken throwing, who'd tapped his forehead with two fingers and said "Sorry, Sasuke, maybe next time," who'd stood on that streetlamp every evening waiting to walk him home.
How could killing that person not hurt?
In the days immediately after the massacre, Sasuke had refused to believe it. Had made excuses in his mind, convinced himself there must be some explanation, some secret reason that would make it all make sense.
But when the shock faded and he stood before his parents' graves, before the memorial stones of his entire clan, reality had settled cold and heavy in his chest.
If Itachi doesn't die, how can I face them? How can I give them peace?
Even if there were reasons, even if Itachi had been forced somehow, it didn't matter. The dead deserved justice. His parents and clan couldn't be allowed to die in vain.
Itachi had to answer for what he'd done.
"Calm down," Naruto said quietly. "Let's train. Even if the sky falls, I'll be standing right beside you."
"Yeah." Sasuke nodded heavily, his breathing evening out. The panic faded, replaced by cold focus.
Naruto made a quick decision. "I'm not going to the waterfall today. I'll practice here in the yard with you. That way when Itachi shows up, we can go together immediately."
Sasuke looked at him gratefully but didn't argue.
Around mid-morning, Shino arrived at the farm carrying a small wooden cage. His face showed satisfaction with a job well done.
"Mission accomplished, Naruto," Shino said, presenting the cage with a slight bow.
Naruto took it and peered inside. More than a dozen cockroaches scuttled around in the confined space, their antennae twitching.
"Perfect! Thank you, Shino. This is exactly what I needed."
Naruto had originally planned to confront Orochimaru today with his new bug-based interrogation method, but Sasuke's premonition about Itachi changed priorities. Orochimaru could wait. Sasuke's needs came first.
Once we deal with Itachi, then I'll go after Orochimaru.
Shino stayed for a short visit before excusing himself, mentioning other obligations. After he left, Naruto and Sasuke returned to their training, though both kept part of their attention on the surrounding area, alert for any sign of Itachi's approach.
The sun climbed to its zenith, marking noon.
On a forested mountain path just outside Konoha's borders, two figures walked slowly through dappled shadows.
Both wore long coats embroidered with red cloud patterns.
The first was Uchiha Itachi, his face calm and expressionless. On his back, wrapped carefully in high-quality cloth, he carried something long and cylindrical. His precious streetlamp, the one he'd asked Obito to help him remove from outside the Uchiha compound before leaving the village. The streetlamp he'd stood on every evening, waiting for Sasuke to come home from the Academy.
He'd brought it on every mission since leaving Konoha. It was more than an object—it was a tether to better times, a physical reminder of the brother he'd sacrificed everything to protect.
The second figure was Hoshigaki Kisame, Itachi's partner in the Akatsuki organization. Kisame had volunteered to accompany Itachi on this trip, claiming he wanted to help his partner with whatever business brought them to Konoha.
They walked in silence, neither speaking.
Suddenly, Itachi stopped. His foot was positioned exactly at the boundary where Konoha's territory began, but he didn't cross it.
Kisame halted as well, looking at his partner with curiosity. "Itachi-san, why are we stopping? We're almost there."
Itachi gazed ahead, his eyes distant. "It's not time yet."
"Not time?" Kisame's confusion was evident. "What are we waiting for?"
But his partner was often strange like this, and Kisame had learned to accept the quirks. At least Itachi wasn't making him dig a hole at this exact moment.
"Let's rest here," Itachi said, carefully removing the wrapped streetlamp from his back. "When the time is right, I'll tell you."
Kisame's eyes widened in alarm. "Rest? Itachi-san, we've been traveling for days! I'm exhausted! Please don't tell me you want me to dig another hole right here—"
"I just want to sit down," Itachi said flatly.
"Oh." Relief washed over Kisame's face. "Sit down. Yes. Sitting is good. I can do sitting."
Because every time Itachi produced that streetlamp, it usually meant standing on it for hours while Kisame was ordered to dig a hole for proper installation. The man was obsessed.
If he has a seat, surely he won't make me dig, Kisame thought hopefully.
Itachi settled onto the ground cross-legged, the streetlamp resting beside him.
Kisame sat as well, breathing a sigh of relief.
Hours passed.
The sun tracked across the sky, moving from directly overhead toward the western horizon. Kisame even had lunch, munching on rice balls he'd packed while Itachi sat motionless, apparently content to wait.
How does he have this kind of patience? Kisame wondered, not for the first time.
Finally, as the sun began its descent, Kisame couldn't contain himself any longer. "Itachi-san, is it time yet?"
Itachi looked at the sky, calculating angles and shadows. After a long moment of silence, he spoke: "It's time."
Kisame jumped to his feet immediately, brushing dirt from his coat. His rear end had gone numb from sitting so long.
Itachi stood more slowly, lifting the wrapped streetlamp and securing it to his back once more. "Let's go."
He took the lead, heading directly toward the former Uchiha compound.
They walked the road Sasuke used to take home from the Academy every day. Itachi's expression remained neutral, but internally, memories stirred. How many times had he waited on that streetlamp, watching this path for his little brother's approach?
Too many to count, he thought. And never enough.
As they approached the location where the streetlamp had once stood, Itachi whispered: "Dear brother, I've come back to see you."
Then he looked at the spot where the deep hole had been, the hole he'd left when removing the streetlamp before fleeing the village.
His expression froze.
The hole was gone. In its place was smooth, hard cement, filled and finished professionally. Someone had repaired the damage completely.
How am I supposed to dig through that?
For a long moment, Itachi simply stared at the cement.
Then, very slowly, he turned his head to look at Kisame.
Kisame met his eyes and immediately understood what was being asked. "Itachi-san. That's cement. Solid cement. I literally cannot dig through that. Why don't we find a different spot to put your lamp? Somewhere with actual dirt?"