"I have been expecting you. Welcome home... brother. "
The two cloaked figure stopped walking when Sasuke suddenly blocked their path to the gates of Konoha.
"Oh! I thought you killed your entire clan?"
Kisame stated with a mixture of doubt and intrigue.
"I still have a use for him in the future."
Itachi answered curtly while Kisame nodded in understanding.
"You should have hidden yourself if you knew I was coming... Sasuke-kun."
"Quit pretending you big fat LIAR!
I only have a short message for you so listen before you go and fail on your mission.
I will destroy this village with my own hands.
I hope you will live long enough to watch it burn.
So until then, save those eyes."
*poof
"Hooo. Your brother is a cool guy eh?"
Kisame commented by the side.
"Maybe we should go back. It seems to me like they've know we were coming for a long time already. Even your brother who should be chunin at best got wind of it after all."
'He should be jonin level already.'
It was pretty quick but Itachi saw the three tomoe sharingan that Sasuke purposely showed him. He thought for a moment in order to digest everything before coming to a conclusion.
'Danzo must have done something stupid... Again.'
Itachi sighed and continued walking. Kisame followed without a word. Itachi who had the bigger fist is the boss, after all he is only here to merely ensure his own mission.
------
Sasuke opened his eyes and looked at Gaara who stood in front of him with a smile. He then looked far to the village entrance where the two cloaked figures entered Konoha without alerting anyone.
"Are you sure Naruto will be fine?"
"Yeah, pretty sure. He is guarded by one of the legendary Sannin after all. Itachi would go blind or die before he can lay a hand on Naruto."
Sasuke nodded with confidence after Gaara's reassurance. He wanted for his very few friends to be safe even with all the hatred he had for this village.
"Are you wavering now? You can still quit you know. I will take one eye but you should live fine."
"I don't think I'll be coming back to this village."
Gaara patted his shoulder before the two of them teleported to Takamagahara. They appeared on a high vantage point where one can observe most of the village. At the sight of tall buildings that perfectly blended with the natural landscape, Sasuke felt some hesitance. Some kind of withrawal syndrome perhaps.
'Is it really okay to just leave like that?'
Then his mind grew firm with resolution to prove his brother wrong and kill Danzo Shimura. The perpetrator of the Uchiha clan massacre.
"You will live in this village from now on. In this place, the use of ninjutsu is strictly forbidden but channeling chackra internally is permitted. You will focus on the body activation-eight gates combination technique for two whole months. The weights will automatically adjust based on your strength and the schedule I set for you."
Gaara left leaving a map and a card in the place where he stood. The card had Sasuke's name so he kept it in his pocket. A small piece of paper fell when he unraveled the map Sasuke caught it with his hand and read the note in it.
[Enjoy your stay!]
'Is this some kind of resort?'
Sasuke sighed and quickly descended the mountain. The village did not have a wall like Konoha and only civilians manned the gate mostly registering those who came and giving them a card similar to the ones he had but different color. When it was his turn he took out the card and saw the smiling eyes of the people go round for a few breaths before they shifted their gaze to him.
"Esteemed guest please forgive us for not recognizing you earlier!"
All of those on the table bowed much to his discomfort.
"There's no need to apologize. I don't mean to inconvenience anyone."
'What did that guy give me?'
He for one is unfamiliar with such treatment and he didn't like it at the beginning but being patronized like a saint felt good. No wonder some people seek fame.
"Then please follow Ichika, she will lead you to the village head."
The girl respectfully bowed to him and smiled while gesturing for him to follow her.
"Can I ask what this card is? It was given to me by someone without explanation."
Ichika nodded in understanding, it was not the first time that people with diamond card came without knowing the benifits attached with that card.
"Of course, there is a heirarchy in here in terms of citizenship and the card determines the rank of one's citizenship. Starting from the lowest there's bronze, silver, gold, platinum, and diamond is the highest known card.
Your card, is a diamond card. It si the same as those people who are here when this village is established or those who performed great merit for the village.
With it, you can live without worry. With it, you can live like a king within this village."
Sasuke was taken aback.
"Are you serious?"
Ichika who was still day dreaming about the time when she acquired the diamond card smiled.
"Honestly, having the bronze card is more than enough. You will see a difference here compared to other places. When we moved here, our family did not even have a single proper clothing. Now we have all the clothes we will ever need."
Sasuke nodded in sympathy. Although he could not relate to the lack of money due to the inheritance he recieved from his whole clan, his eyes are already opened to the great reality of the world. At least the people here can live happy and contented lives which is almost a luxury in the world of shinobi.
"We are here."
What stood before him is a beatiful castle which is almost one with nature. There are no guiards whatsoever in this place, It's as if the head himself is inviting trouble to come and claim him.
"How long ago was this village established again?"
The worried visitor asked.
"I know what you are thinking. Its normal to think that. There is a reason why no bandits even thought about looting this village. This is Takamagahara, the dwelling of Gods. I didn't believe too in the beginning, but there was this one time when some shinobi spy violated the 'no violence no ninjutsu rule'.
Within five seconds he was surrounded by black hooded figures and beheaded without resistance. That spy is by no means weak for he is actually a jonin from Kumogakure. According to the citizens who lived here first, those black hooded figures are the envoys of the Gods who are sent down to protect their people.
Hehe. I didn't mean to scare you or anything. This is as far as I go, you have to go on your own from here."
Ichika and Sasuke stood before a flight of stairs that led to the castle gates. Sasuke thanked the lady and went forward on his lonesome, the path is easy to find since there's actually a yellow arrow on the floor to guide him, doors also opened themselves in his approach so all he had to do is walk forward.
"Ahhh. Another Uchiha, the lord already informed me of your arrival. You can stay here in the castle or choose to be assigned a room in town. Which one do you want?"
The sound of the village head's voice is powerful and firm but his words made Sasuke frown.
"Can I ask a question first?"
Sasuke couldn't help himself. An itch told him that there is something more to that than a side remark.
"Go ahead."
"What do you mean by 'another Uchiha'? Is my brother here? Where is he?"
Sasuke did not hesitate and went straight to the point.
"Oh, that... By that I mean, there are other Uchiha clan members here."
The voice was still calm. Its as he what he stated was a fact that everyone knew, his words poked at Sasuke's curiosity even more.
"There are many?"
He fired another question.
"Yes, there are five. According to the lord, one of his friends called Fugaku entrusted him five Uchiha babies before the night the entire clan was massacred."
'What? He is friends with father? Who is this Lord?'
"Where are they? Are they still in this village?"
Sasuke asked.
"Sure, they are here. In fact, this castle is theirs. Aside from calling it the house of the village head this castle actually has a name that not many people knew about. This is actually Uchiha no Shiro."
The curtain separating him and the village head lifted and a red haired masked woman sat on the head's chair. Behind her is a large banner with the paper fan symbol colored red and white, the symbol of the Uchiha clan. The clan with a signature fire release, the fan to Konoha's will of fire that will ignite peoples hearts. Alas no more, at least not in Konoha, because here in Takamagahara, the flag of fan is still hung.
"Did you really think that just about anyone will get the chance to live in this castle that is made in the memory of a great, a still great clan? Your blood is the only pass you need if you so much as to want it."
Ayumi smiled at the now crying Uchiha. She didn't ask again where he wanted to be. It is already obvious what the soft hearted edgelord truly wanted. He lived alone ever since that night and believed it would forever stay that way. But he was pleasantly wrong.
"They are training. Do you wish to see them?"