Naruto: Sasuke Uchiha Returns from Soul Society

"roll."

He squeezed out a single word through gritted teeth, then turned around and activated Instant Step without hesitation.

"Hey, don't go!"

Naruto only felt a blur before his eyes, and Sasuke's figure had already appeared more than ten meters away and was still rapidly moving away.

"Damn it, don't even think about running away!"

Naruto suddenly got excited, took off running, and started chasing after him with all his might.

What followed was a strange scene on the street.

A boy in black walked slowly ahead, occasionally flashing by and appearing at the other end of the road.

Behind him, a blond kid, panting heavily, clung to him like a piece of chewing gum, shouting incessantly:

"Hey, wait for me! Why are you running so fast? Teach me how to run!"

Sasuke's face darkened; he didn't like this feeling.

Like a blinding ray of sunlight, it insisted on shining into the darkness he had long been accustomed to.

It's really... extremely annoying.

Finally, after another Instant Step, the noisy sound behind me completely disappeared.

Sasuke stopped and looked back at the empty street. Only after confirming that the blond kid was no longer following him did he look away.

Then, in a few flashes, they completely disappeared at the end of the block.

On the other side, Naruto Uzumaki, hands on his knees, was panting heavily, staring at the direction Sasuke had disappeared in, a clear look of disappointment in his eyes.

"Tch, he runs really fast..." he muttered to himself, then plopped down on the steps by the roadside.

Sasuke is amazing, so cool, and he seems different from everyone else.

Unlike the adults, he didn't look at him with disgust. Although he said "get lost," Naruto could sense that it was just impatience.

But in the end, he still got rid of himself without hesitation.

"Does he hate me like everyone else?" The thought made Naruto feel a tightness in his chest.

He finally met someone who treated him well, but this is still the case.

He sat on the steps, head down, silent for a long time.

Suddenly, as if he had thought of something, he jumped up from the first step of the platform.

"Hmph! What's so great about you? One day, I'll be even better than you!"

He clenched his fist at the air, then flashed a smile. "Just you wait and see, I'm going to do something big and make the whole village recognize me!"

He glanced in the direction Sasuke had disappeared, then turned and ran toward another destination.

Meanwhile, Sasuke returned to that familiar land.

Uchiha clan.

The houses on both sides of the street had their doors and windows tightly shut, and there was a deathly silence.

A faint, lingering smell of blood, mixed with the stench of dust, still hung in the air, making one want to vomit.

He walked to the front of his own mansion, looked at the police tape that had been put up, and the dark red bloodstains on the door that had long since dried, and his dark eyes were once again filled with hatred.

“Father, Mother.” His hand touched the cold hilt of the knife.

"Itachi..."

He whispered the name, "I will definitely kill you."

On a tower not far away, two members of the secret service wearing animal masks were taking in all of this.

"He's returned to his clan's territory. He seems emotionally stable, but something's not quite right," one of the agents, codenamed "Nightingale," whispered.

"Yes, he's too calm."

The other person nodded, "This state is more dangerous than hysterical crying. Let's report the situation to the Hokage."

In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi listened to the Anbu's report in silence for a long time.

Through the crystal ball, he saw the moment when Sasuke shook off Naruto, and also learned that Sasuke eventually returned to the ruins of the Uchiha clan alone.

A child who should have grown up in the sunshine has instead been burdened with such heavy darkness.

Meanwhile, Naruto, who should have been the son of a hero, was being ostracized in the village for no reason.

Why is this happening...?

The Third Hokage placed his pipe on the table, a fleeting look of confusion crossing his eyes before being quickly replaced by a resolute expression.

This is all for Konoha.

Moreover, Danzo is right; we really can't let Sasuke wallow in hatred alone, it's dangerous.

Sasuke needs someone who can both guide him and suppress him, and who also carries his own pain.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but look at a silver-haired member of the Dark Guard in the shadows.

Chapter 5 He Wants to Be Seen

Silver hair, a wolf-shaped mask worn by members of the Dark Guard, and an ever-present sense of loneliness.

Kakashi Hatake, a genius who also bore pain and darkness from a young age.

The Third Hokage's thoughts drifted back to a moment not long ago.

That day, Might Guy, Asuma Sarutobi, Kurenai Yuhi...

Almost all of Kakashi's contemporaries, all Jonin, stood before him, pleading with him to release Kakashi from the Anbu.

"Lord Hokage, please let Kakashi leave the Anbu! If this continues, the flame of his youth will be swallowed by darkness!"

Yes, Kai and the others are right.

And now...

Hiruzen Sarutobi thought of Sasuke.

One is an Uchiha orphan haunted by the hatred of his clan's annihilation.

One is a genius ninja who is unable to extricate himself from the pain of losing his comrades.

Two souls, both deprived of their childhood too early, and haunted by shadows.

perhaps……

Instead of letting one ray of light illuminate another patch of darkness, let two similar patches of darkness try to find each other's light.

"Kakashi." Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice rang out in the quiet office.

"Yes," the figure in the shadows replied.

"From today onwards, you are relieved of all your duties in the Dark Division."

Kakashi raised his masked head slightly, seemingly surprised, but did not ask any questions.

The Third Hokage slowly stood up and walked to him.

"I have a long-term task for you."

Kakashi stood silently, waiting for what was to come.

“Uchiha Sasuke, you should know him.”

The Third Hokage's tone turned serious. "You've seen this child; his situation is very special. I need someone to guide him."

He paused, looked at Kakashi's eye hidden beneath the mask, and continued:

"This task has no clear objective and no deadline for completion."

"I want you to become his teacher, to explore his true thoughts, and most importantly..."

"Before he is completely consumed by hatred, let him understand that there are other things in this world worth protecting besides revenge."

A long silence fell over the office.

"Why me?" Kakashi's hand tightened slightly as he asked the first question.

“You’re a lot like him, Kakashi.”

"You all carry shadows and walk in darkness."

The Third Hokage softened his tone, "I hope that while you are guiding him, you can also find your own path."

“Teaching students to feel the bonds between peers may help you rediscover what your teachers once hoped you would have.”

"Comrade..." Kakashi repeated the word in a low voice, a hint of pain flashing in his eyes beneath the mask.

"Yes, Lord Hokage." He finally agreed.

“Very good.” The Third Hokage nodded and sat back down in his chair. “Starting tomorrow, you can try to approach him.”

"clear."

Kakashi's figure flashed, disappearing back into the shadows.

In his office, the Third Hokage looked out the window at the Hokage Rock and picked up his pipe again.

However, he had a bad feeling about it.

......

Night was falling.

Sasuke walked out of the Uchiha clan's territory alone; there was no point in staying there anymore.

Why go to a ninja academy and play those boring pretend games with a bunch of kids?

He found the thought of such a thing utterly tedious.

He was going to leave the village to search for Itachi Uchiha.

Once the thought took hold, he could no longer suppress it. He checked the direction and prepared to leave the village under the cover of night.

But just as he was about to set off, a somewhat comical sight caught his attention.