Naruto: Sasuke Uchiha Returns from Soul Society

The father's lonely figure, the villagers' pointing and whispering, the averted glances of his companions...

And then there's the Third Hokage's face, filled with helplessness and regret.

why?

Why did it turn out that way?

"unless......"

Sasuke's voice rang out again, pulling Kakashi back from his chaotic memories.

He looked into Kakashi's vacant eyes and slowly revealed his speculation.

"Unless, the task itself is not an ordinary task."

"Or rather, the 'companion' that your father saved has a more complicated identity."

Or perhaps...

Sasuke paused for a moment, his eyes turning cold. "There is someone who needs your father to die."

Chapter 40 A Lonely Journey

After hearing Sasuke's explanation, Kakashi's expression instantly turned ugly.

"Shut up!" He suddenly looked up, silencing Sasuke's speculation, his breathing becoming rapid.

Kakashi didn't want to listen anymore.

It's not that he's unaware of these things; on the contrary, Kakashi is very intelligent, but he's been subconsciously avoiding the issue.

Sasuke looked at the man in front of him who was on the verge of collapse and didn't say anything more.

He had achieved his goal: he obtained White Fang's swordsmanship and, through this incident, confirmed some of his suspicions about the dark side of Konoha.

As for persuading Kakashi to move on from his past, he couldn't do it.

Sasuke turned and left the dojo.

Kakashi was the only one left in the empty dojo.

The door was closed again, cutting off all outside light, leaving only a sliver of light filtering through the crack.

Kakashi's body trembled slightly. Sasuke's words had stripped away his years of pretense, revealing the bloody wounds beneath.

He kept convincing himself that his father died because of the village's gossip, the accusations of his peers, and his own weakness.

He also resented his father for this, resenting him for abandoning his mission, his own glory, and ultimately his life for the sake of his so-called comrades.

But if...

What if all of this was a conspiracy against "Konoha's White Fang" from the very beginning?

This idea, like a seed, once planted, took root and sprouted wildly in his mind.

……

Outside the dojo, the afterglow of the setting sun brought a rare touch of gentleness to the courtyard of the Hatake residence.

Sasuke stood in the empty courtyard, recalling every movement and key point recorded on the scroll.

He needs verification.

Sasuke closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and cleared his mind of all thoughts about Konoha and Kakashi.

The next moment, he opened his eyes, and all that remained was pure focus.

He stood with his feet apart, his center of gravity lowered, and the tip of his knife pointed diagonally forward, assuming a basic knife-holding posture.

Then, he moved.

He didn't use Flash Step, just the simplest step, and then swung his sword.

The blade sliced ​​through the air, producing a soft whistling sound.

Once, twice, three times...

At first, his movements were somewhat clumsy, carrying the shadow of his past battles.

But as he grasped the key points, his movements became increasingly fluid.

Each swing of the sword was more steady and swift than the last.

Kakashi had already left the dojo at some point, and stood quietly in the shadow of the eaves, watching the boy wielding a sword in the courtyard.

Looking at that familiar knife-wielding posture, that familiar slashing trajectory.

His pupils contracted involuntarily.

Sasuke's slender figure in the courtyard seemed to slowly overlap with the tall, imposing figure from deep within his memory, who had also taught him to wield a sword in this very courtyard.

"Kakashi, keep your hand steady when holding the sword."

"The mind must be calm at the moment of drawing the knife."

"Our Hatake family's swords are designed to cut everything when the time comes most."

His father's gentle voice rang in his ears once again.

Kakashi's breathing became somewhat difficult.

He saw that Sasuke's movements had changed again.

A blue-white lightning chakra began to swirl around Sasuke, crackling softly.

With each swing, the blade seemed to grow even sharper.

He is perfectly fusing the Hatake family's swordsmanship with his own power.

Even... better than I was back then.

Kakashi leaned against the cold pillar and slowly closed his eyes.

If there were truly other hidden reasons behind my father's death, if he was indeed swallowed up by the darkness of the village...

So what about all my actions over the years?

Sasuke is right.

What right does someone who can't even face themselves have to guide others or talk about the future?

Kakashi suddenly opened his eyes.

I looked up, my gaze passing over the layers of eaves, and towards the distant Fire Shadow Rock standing in the setting sun.

He looked up at the face of the Hokage, the one who symbolized the highest power in the village.

What was the truth back then?

Who was behind this public opinion storm?

He must find the answers to these questions.

For my father, and also for...

He wanted to be able to one day, with dignity and honor, take up that broken blade called "White Fang" again.

Turning around, Kakashi vanished silently into the shadows of dusk in a flash.

Night gradually fell.

In the courtyard of the Hatake residence, only the sound of the boy swinging his sword remained.

Sasuke stopped his final slash and slowly sheathed his sword.

He closed his eyes, carefully feeling the soreness in his muscles and the trajectory of chakra flowing through his body.

"call......"

He exhaled a breath of stale air, opened his eyes, and a rare hint of satisfaction flashed in them.

This sword technique is indeed very suitable for him.

Every move he makes is in line with his own fighting instincts.

Infusing the blade with Lightning Release chakra is a technique that perfectly aligns with the application of "Takemikazuchi".

He could feel that his understanding of swordsmanship was gradually improving.

Sasuke looked around; Kakashi had already left sometime earlier.

That's good, it saves us the trouble of saying goodbye.

He hung the two knives back on his waist, and with a swift movement, he silently left the courtyard.

……

Beside the memorial monument in Konoha Village, there is a more solemn cemetery.

Here lies the eternal resting place of all the souls of the Uchiha clan.

Sasuke didn't approach; he simply stood at a distance in the shade of a tree, quietly gazing at the cold gravestones.

The night breeze blew by, ruffling the black hair on his forehead.

Uchiha Itachi...

Sasuke silently repeated the name in his heart.

The words that man left behind after slaughtering his entire clan, "To test my own magnanimity," now seem utterly ridiculous.

A monster who would not hesitate to wipe out his parents and clansmen just to test his strength?

Uchiha Sasuke didn't believe it.

Even though he was driven by hatred, he now understood that there must be another reason behind it.

The Nine-Tails' rampage, the Uchiha clan's marginalization by higher-ups, the conspiracy behind their parents' deaths...

All of this seems to be connected, just waiting for a wedge to connect them all.

But Itachi Uchiha did kill them.

Regardless of the reason, the blood everywhere and the image of the parents lying in a pool of blood are indelible facts.

This fact is the root of his revenge.