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The all-consuming darkness that had blotted out the sky was gone. The Four Red Yang Barrier might as well never have been raised. But the shattered mountains ringing the valley, and the simple fact that they were still breathing, were proof enough of the catastrophe they had just survived.
The survivors, leaderless and shaken, gathered around their acting commander: Nara Shikamaru. Officially, he was just a Chūnin. Unofficially? His bravery, his quick thinking during Konoha's fall—rallying the ninja against the Tailed Beast Bomb, uniting everyone to weather the storm—had earned him their trust.
Now, they needed answers. The whole, ugly truth.
A Chūnin, voice thick with grief, asked, "Shikamaru… Inoichi-sama. He's gone, isn't he?"
Shikamaru's eyes flickered to the side.
Ino was there, knees pulled to her chest, face buried. Her shoulders hitched with silent sobs.
Shikamaru turned back. Sighed. "At the time… I was worried about causing a panic. So I didn't tell everyone the full circumstances of Inoichi-sama's death."
"There's more to it?! Uzumaki Naruto… he had an accomplice, didn't he?!"
Shikamaru's hand tightened. He had his own doubts, a mountain of unanswered questions. But under the weight of their stares, he could only report what he'd seen.
"When Ino and I entered the control room… we saw 'Sasuke' there."
"…What? Sasuke?! As in Uchiha Sasuke?!"
"Yeah. He claimed he and Naruto were united. That they were taking revenge on Konoha… for what it did to the Uchiha."
The crowd, ignorant of the real history, erupted. "That's outrageous! What did Konoha ever do to the Uchiha?!"
Shikamaru kept his voice level. "I asked him the same thing. His answer? 'Ask your two village elders.'"
"Those elders! They died covering our retreat! Died with honor! People like that… doing something to wrong the Uchiha? Don't make me laugh!"
"Enough! That damn Uchiha Sasuke and that damn Uzumaki Naruto… they're enemies of Konoha! No—enemies of the entire Shinobi Alliance!"
Haruno Sakura, who had been helping Shizune and the medics tend to the wounded, froze. Her blood ran cold.
No. No, that's impossible. It can't be true. Sasuke-kun… he came back from the future to save this era! To prevent the same mistakes! He's working in the shadows! Someone's framing him. Someone's impersonating him!
She finished wrapping a bandage around a minor cut. Her hands were trembling.
"Sorry… I need a moment."
She pulled Shikamaru aside, her voice a strained whisper. "Shikamaru. Are you sure it was him?"
He didn't want to believe it either, he said. Two months ago, at the Konoha cemetery, Sasuke had stood against the invader, Obito. He'd indirectly saved Kakashi's life. It made no sense for him to turn around and do something so blatant, so… theatrical.
Sakura grabbed his shoulders, her grip frantic. "Then why didn't you say that?! Why didn't you defend him?!"
Shikamaru caught her wrists. His voice dropped, sharp and quiet. "What could I say? I had to think about Ino. Her father… he turned to ash right in front of her. Burned by black flames. By 'Amaterasu.'"
Sakura's breath hitched. "Amaterasu…?"
"Yeah. The fire that killed Inoichi-sama was Amaterasu. According to all intel, that's a power only Uchiha Itachi possessed." He met her gaze, his own full of grim resignation. "No one's ever seen Sasuke use it. But he's Itachi's brother. It's not a stretch to think he could. That's why I can't defend him, Sakura."
Sakura stumbled back. Her foot caught on a rock. She fell, landing hard on the ground.
"No… it's not possible…"
Her reaction was too much. Too raw. Shikamaru knew about her feelings for Sasuke, but this… this was different.
A thought clicked. "Sakura… back at the cemetery. You were under Sasuke's genjutsu. During your recovery… you saw something, didn't you?"
"…" Sakura clenched her fists. She'd wanted to tell Tsunade about the dream. But Tsunade hadn't returned before Konoha fell. And now… now Sasuke and Naruto were public enemies. She didn't know what to do.
Her voice was a fragile thread. "Actually… Sasuke-kun, he's… he's…"
"Shikamaru!" A shout cut her off. "The Sand Village sent an escort!"
"Good. We move out. Now."
…
Elsewhere.
Uchiha Izuna opened his eyes. The familiar, yet perpetually strange, face of his brother filled his vision.
"You're awake, Izuna."
Izuna sat up, looking around. "Where's that bastard Itachi?"
"He was gone by the time I arrived," Narubito said.
"Ah. And the Konoha scum? You wiped them all out, right, Brother?"
Narubito's eyes darkened. "They… escaped."
Izuna blinked. "…Huh?"
"I made a promise to Uchiha Sasuke. A final duel in twenty-one days. Until then, I will not raise a hand against anyone else."
Izuna's face twisted with frustration. "But the promise to Sasuke… is it that important? Brother, you promised me. You promised to wipe every last one of them from the earth!"
"…" Narubito's gaze lowered. His fingers, resting on his shoulder, tapped once, twice. Weighing his words.
Izuna saw his brother's hesitation. He let out a soft sigh, then forced a bright smile. "Ah, I'm just teasing you, Brother! You must be exhausted from that fight. I'm being selfish. I'm in an Edo Tensei body. I don't feel the drain on my chakra or my stamina. But you're different!"
"Izuna…"
"Hehe, you know what, Brother?" Izuna's smile turned sharp, predatory. "I hit that bastard with Ayahokoshi too. His life is on a timer now. Serves him right! Talking about how he had a 'helper' when he slaughtered our clan! Implying that helper was someone from your past! That filthy snake… he was trying to say you allowed the Uchiha massacre! He was trying to pin it on you!"
His expression contorted into something vicious. "And that 'Eye of the Moon Plan'? Dragging the entire innocent world into an illusion? Only a demon could think of something so insane! And that bastard Itachi… he wanted to throw that filth onto you! What a twisted, evil mind he has! Hahaha! As if I'd ever believe it!!"
As the words tumbled out, Narubito's face sank fully into shadow.
—"Izuna. What if… what if it's true? Would you abandon me?"
The smile on Izuna's face vanished. Froze solid.
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