"This is a photograph Uchiha Sasuke copied using his new Mangekyō ability. Based on my analysis, it's a dōjutsu specialized in intelligence gathering. He recorded the events currently unfolding at Uzumaki Naruto's location."
After handing over the photograph, the Anbu operative began his debrief.
"So what's wrong with this picture?" Sarada interjected.
"...This needs to be viewed alongside the previous batch of photographs and intel reports," the Anbu hesitated.
He was unsure whether to show this kid the previous stack of photos.
Those images were way too cursed.
But Sarada was Sasuke's blood relative. If she insisted on seeing them, it was technically a protocol.
"If it's classified, let her see it alone. We'll turn around," Uchiha Hikari said, noticing the Anbu's hesitation.
"The intel is classified, but... fine."
The Anbu agent sighed, reaching into his vest and pulling out the previous stack of photographs.
"W-WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!"
The moment Sarada's eyes locked onto the photo, her face turned tomato-red.
She threw the pictures back like they burned her hands and shrieked.
The image was utterly terrifying for a pure-hearted girl like Sarada, who had never encountered such content before.
"Hold on, I haven't even explained the context yet," the Anbu agent said smoothly, totally used to this reaction by now.
He picked the photos out of the dirt and brushed them off.
"...W-What happened?" Sarada asked, hugging herself and trembling.
"Uzumaki Naruto was abducted by the Hidden Cloud. Their goal was to use his bloodline to breed Uzumaki hosts for their Tailed Beasts. Initially, Naruto was safe. But who could predict the Cloud would steal Orochimaru's genetics research and transplant an artificial womb into him?! As a result, Naruto gave birth to several Uzumaki babies."
"Upon seeing this intel, your father awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan and rushed off to rescue him. To be blunt, Sasuke's rescue attempt is a suicide mission. He might end up captured himself and becoming raw material for the Cloud to breed a new Uchiha Clan. Worse still, Sasuke and Naruto might end up..."
The Anbu trailed off, letting the horrifying implication hang in the air.
Sarada collapsed to her knees, clutching her head in despair.
She even drew a kunai and stabbed her own thigh just to make sure she wasn't trapped in a genjutsu.
"This isn't genjutsu, is it? This isn't a dream, is it?" Sarada rocked back and forth, her eyes vacant.
She endured traveling back in time.
She endured learning that Boruto and her dad died.
But this...
Her revered Seventh Hokage, reduced to a literal breeding sow for the Raikage, and her father, marching off to become the second one!
...
To make Sarada believe such things, they should have at least educated her about the Hidden Cloud Village's traditions and reputation, just as Sasuke had done.
As fate would have it, Sarada's memories began after the events of the "Chunin Exam" arc.
During that time, Sarada had delved deep into the history of the Shinobi World, poring over countless books in the library to uncover the truth about her biological mother and the past of the Uchiha Clan.
She had even sought guidance from Hozuki Suigetsu, a former participant in the capture of the Eight-Tailed Beast, at Orochimaru's base.
In short, Sarada was well aware of the Hidden Cloud Village's reputation.
But... this?!
"HOW COULD THIS BE HAPPENING?!" Sarada buried her face between her knees and sobbed.
"Don't be sad," Hikari said, awkwardly comforting the girl with a stiff pat on the shoulder.
"Naruto and Sasuke have always shared a bond that transcends ordinary friendship."
Her words made Sarada pause for one second before she started bawling even louder.
"I knew it... sniffle... I knew it!"
"I always wondered why the Lord Seventh met Dad in person out in the woods, leaving his Shadow Clone to do the actual paperwork at the Hokage Office!"
"For Himawari's birthday, the real Naruto stayed at the office with Dad while his Shadow Clone went home!"
"I always wondered why Dad only visited the Hokage when he came back to the village! He never came home to see Mom or me, even though he had so much free time!"
"I always wondered why Dad and the Lord Seventh were holding up baby clothes, debating whether Boruto resembled Dad or Naruto more!"
"I always wondered why the Lord Seventh got so pissed off when he thought Dad was having an affair with Aunt Karin!"
"I always wondered why Dad gave me the cold shoulder and even tried to stab me when we first met! He didn't care until he learned my idol was Naruto and I wanted to be Hokage. Then his attitude did a total 180!"
"I always wondered why, when I was crying because I thought I wasn't Mom's biological daughter, Naruto held my hand and said he was my real family!"
"I always wondered why they both claimed to be 'so busy' protecting the world that they never came home! So they were just... hooking up outside?!"
"I KNEW IT! Metal told me he saw them using the restroom together once! Dad was holding a plushie he bought for me in one hand, so Naruto had to... hold it for him!"
"No wonder Dad never reattached his severed arm! He could've gotten a prosthetic, but he kept the stump! It was their matching couples aesthetic!"
"No wonder Mom always gets shy and faints when Dad comes home! They aren't a married couple at all!"
"NO WONDER THE PLACE THEY FOUGHT IS CALLED BROKEBACK... I MEAN, SEVERED ARM MOUNTAIN!"
"No wonder..."
The more Sarada connected the dots, the more her mind shattered into a million pieces.
'It hurts... it hurts so much!'
"Don't cry," Hikari said, her hand hovering awkwardly before patting Sarada's shoulder again.
"We must transform this pain into strength! We will end this cursed ninja world and its twisted bonds, and create a new, pure reality!"
To be honest, after listening to Sarada's rant, Hikari's scalp was starting to tingle.
She knew those two shared a deep bond, but she never imagined it was this depraved.
"End... the Shinobi World?" Sarada lifted her head, her eyes bloodshot and rimmed with tears.
As she looked up, her gaze locked squarely onto the photograph of pregnant Naruto one last time.
This final psychological blow was the straw that broke the camel's back.
"AHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Sarada's Three-Tomoe Sharingan began to spin at super-speed, bleeding together and coalescing into a new, intricate pinwheel pattern.
Riiiiip.
The photograph in the Anbu's hand suddenly tore itself in half.
"Oh?" Makoto watched the breakdown from the sidelines, evaluating Sarada's new Mangekyō ability.
It's clearly not her original sun-themed power anymore.
Judging by how the photo just ripped, it's still related to Space-Time Ninjutsu.
But the output seems significantly weaker than Kamui.
----
Damn, now that you think about it.....