---
Naruto stood at the center of the clearing, gazing at the scene before him. He let out a long breath, relief washing over him, then turned to Sasuke with a smile.
"Sasuke, I've completed what I promised you!"
Sasuke looked back at him, his usual cool expression softened with the faintest trace of a smile. He gave a firm nod.
Just then, Fugaku approached his younger son. Placing a hand on Sasuke's shoulder, the Uchiha patriarch said warmly, "Thank you, Sasuke."
Sasuke blinked, slightly puzzled. His father rarely spoke to him in such a direct, grateful tone.
Fugaku didn't explain immediately. Instead, he turned to address the gathered Uchiha clansmen, his voice carrying with the authority of a leader who had seen war, loss, and revival.
"Everyone, look at me!"
The crowd quieted instantly, their attention fixed on their clan head. Fugaku's eyes, deep and sharp, scanned across faces both familiar and newly restored.
"I know many of you are confused," Fugaku began, "and I understand you all have questions—questions for the family you've just reunited with, and questions about the circumstances of your return. That's natural. But before you ask, allow me to show you something."
As he spoke, his Mangekyō Sharingan whirled to life. The tomoe spun into the evolved pattern unique to his eyes. With deliberate control, he projected images directly into the minds of the clansmen: fragments of the truth, what had transpired in the years since the massacre, the sacrifices made, and the path that had brought them back.
Gasps and whispers rippled across the assembly as visions filled their minds.
A few seconds later, Fugaku deactivated his Mangekyō. His breathing turned heavy, his vision blurred. Unlike Naruto or Sasuke, he did not have the reinforced vitality to sustain such wide-scale ocular projection for long. His legs faltered, and he nearly collapsed.
"Fugaku!" Mikoto cried out, rushing to his side. She caught him by the arm, steadying him.
He offered her a faint smile. "I'm fine… just overextended myself."
Sasuke frowned. "Dad, I could have done it. You didn't need to push yourself."
Fugaku shook his head, his pride and sense of duty unshaken. "Some things, Sasuke, must be done by the patriarch himself. It carries more weight coming from me."
Mikoto supported him gently. Fugaku straightened, then looked back at his people.
"Everyone, return with me to the ancestral compound. Tonight, the Uchiha will gather again as a complete family. We have much to discuss, and as your clan head, it is my responsibility to address the burdens you still carry."
At his command, the clansmen followed, their footsteps echoing with unity. For the first time since the massacre, the Uchiha walked together as one, guided by Fugaku's steady hand.
---
Kabuto, who had been watching silently, turned to Naruto. "Naruto, it seems the matter here has been settled."
Naruto nodded with gratitude. "Yeah. Thank you for your help, Kabuto."
Kabuto smiled faintly, his tone almost cheerful. "I'm always happy to assist you and Sasuke."
Nearby, Itachi stepped closer to Sasuke. "Sasuke, let's return as well. Father may want to speak with us directly."
But Sasuke shook his head. "No. It's because Father needs to speak freely that we shouldn't go. If we're present, he won't be able to say everything he needs to. This meeting is for the clan, not for us."
Itachi paused, then gave a slight nod of agreement.
Shisui, who had been standing nearby, smirked. "Chief Fugaku still has strength in him. He'll manage. But, Itachi, I nearly forgot—Lord Hokage has summoned us. He wants to see you both at the office."
Itachi raised a brow. "The Hokage's office?"
Shisui nodded. "Yes. Apparently it's urgent."
Naruto scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Sorry, I just heard about it myself."
Shisui waved off the apology. Naruto continued, "If the Hokage is calling you, you'd better go quickly. It must be important."
Both Shisui and Itachi nodded, then departed.
Naruto turned back to Sasuke. "Sasuke, I'll be taking Kabuto back with me. You coming?"
But Sasuke waved him off. "No. There's still something I need to do." Without waiting, he walked away toward the clan compound.
Naruto sighed, shaking his head. "I didn't stop your brother from going, but you sneak back yourself? You really are something else, Sasuke."
Kabuto chuckled. "It's obvious. Sasuke is worried that someone might slander Itachi during the clan meeting. His love for his brother runs deeper than people realize."
Naruto smirked. "Hmph. If Sasuke can't even handle matters within his own clan, I'll be disappointed. He'll figure it out."
With that, Naruto rested a hand on Kabuto's shoulder, and the two vanished in a flash of light.
---
At the Akatsuki Base
Naruto and Kabuto reappeared in the cavernous hideout. The moment they arrived, sharp screams echoed through the stone walls.
"Aaaahhhh!"
Naruto's brows furrowed. The sound came from deeper inside, near Orochimaru's laboratory. He exchanged a knowing glance with Kabuto.
"Don't tell me Uncle Snake is running experiments again…" Naruto muttered.
They hurried toward the source.
Inside the lab, they found Orochimaru standing over a restrained White Zetsu. The creature writhed, its distorted form screaming in agony. Moments later, it went limp and died.
Orochimaru removed his gloves, his golden serpentine eyes gleaming with a strange satisfaction. "Tch… still not ideal."
Then he turned, smiling in his unnerving way. "Ah, Naruto. You're back. From the looks of it, things with Sasuke went smoothly."
Naruto gave a curt nod. "Yeah. The Uchiha clan has been fully resurrected."
Orochimaru's smile widened.
Naruto, however, couldn't ignore the corpse on the table. "Uncle Snake… what exactly are you doing this time?"
Orochimaru leaned casually against the desk, voice dripping with amusement. "Research, of course. Specifically, how to refine the use of reincarnation techniques by extracting vitality directly from White Zetsu. You will inevitably need to use the Six Paths Reincarnation again, won't you, Naruto?"
Naruto tilted his head. "…Yeah."
Kabuto stepped forward, picking up a scroll of notes from the side table. His eyes widened in admiration. "Impressive as always, Orochimaru-sama. To make this much progress in just a few days is remarkable."
Orochimaru chuckled softly. "I had already laid the theoretical groundwork years ago. All that remained was verification. This laboratory is the perfect environment for that."
Naruto gave a half-smile. "Figures. Uncle Snake can't resist a lab. I should've guessed you'd stay here for something like this."
Orochimaru accepted the remark with a sly grin.
Naruto leaned closer. "So, what exactly have you discovered? Care to share your results?"
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "I've nearly perfected a method to extract life force seals. With that, I intend to create a new jutsu."
Naruto's curiosity piqued. "A new technique? How so?"
Orochimaru unfurled a scroll across the desk. His long fingers traced over intricate seals.
"Look here. This is the summoning seal used for Edo Tensei—the Impure World Reincarnation. Its key is the combination of a sacrifice's body and the summoned soul."
He tapped another section. "And this is the seal for the Six Paths' Reincarnation Technique. Its requirement is the Rinnegan, and it demands the life of the caster."
Naruto nodded slowly.
Orochimaru's grin widened, voice dripping with sinister excitement. "So why not combine them? A technique that allows us to summon the soul and restore flesh directly—without sacrificing the caster's life. The cost? A White Zetsu."
Naruto blinked, struggling to process. The theory went beyond his usual straightforward approach to jutsu.
Orochimaru sighed dramatically. "Honestly, Sasuke grasped such theories far faster. But let me explain more simply."
He leaned forward, eyes glinting. "Edo Tensei requires a White Zetsu and can summon a person in an immortal shell. The Six Paths Reincarnation requires the caster's life to turn that shell back into living flesh. But… what if we bypass the caster's life and instead use two White Zetsu as the sacrifice? One for the vessel, one for the vitality."
Naruto's eyes widened. The idea finally clicked.
"So instead of me dying every time I want to bring someone back… I could just use White Zetsu as the cost?"
Orochimaru's smirk stretched wider, his voice almost hissing with delight. "Precisely."
Naruto leaned back, genuinely impressed. "Uncle Snake… you're incredible. If this works, resurrecting people in the future will be so much easier."
Orochimaru chuckled, the sound echoing eerily through the cavern. "Then let us continue the experiments. The true perfection of this jutsu is within reach."
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