The crimson snake crawls swiftly along the edge of the mountain forest, like a gale sweeping across the land. Trees and landscapes blur past as Yu tracks the terrain ahead, visualizing a shinobi-world map in his mind.
Once they cross this mountain range, they'll enter the Land of Hot Water—a prosperous, peaceful nation famed for its soothing onsen, often called "the land that forgets war." From there, they'll sail to the Land of Waves and eventually reach Kirigakure Village in the Land of Water, completing the main storyline before returning by the same route.
If Orochimaru can't locate that person, Yu plans to find him himself; after all, Orochimaru's intelligence network should be able to track down any living person in the shinobi world.
Yu glances back at Mikoto. Behind him, Nono cradles a sleeping-like Mikoto. She's been caring for Mikoto all the way, almost as if by instinct. Yu studies Mikoto's gentle, graceful face and dispels the genjutsu on her—it's time to complete her side quest.
...
Meanwhile, in Konoha, at the Uchiha Clan Compound, the atmosphere is icy. In the main hall, shutters are closed, the sliding doors barely open. It used to be midday bustle—meals cooking, gentle reminders to the brothers to eat. Now, silence and loneliness fill the air; a single teacup sits forlornly on the low table.
Itachi lies on the cold floor, coughing violently. Moments ago, the ANBU had returned him home, taking away the medical team who had been treating him.
Sasuke sits beside him, face cold as frost, voice heavy with the word "Brother…"
Sasuke: "Brother… Mother?"
Itachi struggles to reply.
Itachi: "Sorry, Sasuke…Mother is safe—for now. When I've healed, I'll find her and bring her home…"
Sasuke glances at Itachi. His clear black eyes fill with hatred, but then a certain delight emerges. He sees Itachi's injuries and bandaged blind eyes as proof.
Sasuke, thinking: "Yu was able to torture Itachi—and protected Mother once again. Itachi lost his eyes and suffered these wounds as confirmation!"
With resolve, Sasuke pulls out a kunai, holding it tightly, moving toward Itachi—minutes away from killing the one he blames for their family's destruction and Father's death.
Itachi senses the movement and confusion grips his mind.
Itachi: "It's just a month—till I recover… Sasuke, what are you doing?"
The kunai gleams with intent. The once-calm hall now pulses with threat.
Sasuke's Sharingan activates, face contorted, kunai trembling at Itachi's throat. He hesitates—the memory of Itachi's strength, the thought of their mother, and of serving Yu to overthrow Konoha—all swirl in his mind.
Suddenly, Sasuke notices multiple gazes focused on him and Itachi from the shadows above.
A cold dread grips him—if this strike fails, he may never get another chance.
Suppressing his murderous intent, Sasuke calms himself, deactivates his sharingan, and exhales.
Sasuke: "Brother, I want to train in kunai throwing and ninjutsu. So I can avenge our clan and bring Mother back."
Itachi's tense expression softens, comforted.
Itachi: "Alright, go train, Sasuke."
He reassures himself: Sasuke doesn't know the clan's truth and won't strike. Instead, he'll use Sasuke's hatred for Yu as motivation for strength. Then, once he's healed, he will guide Sasuke—and the one who kills Yu, might not be me… but Sasuke!
With that resolve, Itachi steadies himself, buoyed by having Sasuke by his side.
---
Sasuke opens the wooden doors and storms out, rage on his face. He notices the gazes have vanished; he grips the kunai tighter.
Roofs: ANBU who escorted Itachi sigh with relief—they've been ordered to guard Itachi until recovered. If Sasuke refrains from rash actions, they'll leave him be.
Just then, the compound gates burst open—ten Hyūga clan ninja storm in. They head straight for the house's main hall, shouting:
"Uchiha Itachi!!"
Sasuke offers a slight mocking smile as they ignore him and enter the hall. At the sight of the battered, bandaged Itachi, they are unrelenting.
Hyūga Hiromon, leading them, kneels over Itachi, grabbing his collar.
Hiromon: "Why have Uchiha clan assets been privately transferred in your name, shrinking by two-thirds!?"
Itachi flinches at the accusations, scowling in the darkness; he demands clarity.
Itachi: "Speak properly!"
He's loyal to Konoha's will, but those assets were meant to secure Sasuke's future. If Third can negotiate, he might have willingly donated it—but this? Accusing him of embezzlement is a betrayal of his loyalty.
Hiromon slams a thick ledger on Itachi.
Hiromon: "Here—looks like you forgot you're blind!"
He tosses Itachi aside and orders him to explain things to the Third Hokage. With that, the group leaves.
Footsteps fade. Itachi weakly calls:
Itachi: "Sasuke... Sa—"
Sasuke walks back in, looking down at Itachi, now humiliated and covered in financial documents. His expression is complex—a mix of scorn and control.
"Sorry, brother. They're right. I can't understand any of the writing."
Sasuke spoke coldly.
Itachi sighed long and deep—only now realizing Sasuke was still just a child.
Who transferred the clan's assets?
That question echoed relentlessly in Itachi's mind.
Thinking carefully, only one answer remained: Uchiha Yu.
---
As Sasuke turned and left, a smirk crept across his face. He deliberately slammed the door shut behind him.
During Itachi's time away from the village—while Konoha's leadership was dealing with foreign threats—Orochimaru's spy, still embedded in the village, had connected with Sasuke (who was taking a leave from the academy) to carry out the next phase of Yu's plan.
Sasuke helped the spy, using Itachi's name, to secretly transfer most of the Uchiha assets through the underground market.
The operation was clean.
If Konoha investigated the incident in the future, all signs would point to Yu.
Before the truth emerged, Itachi's reputation among the village leadership would be completely destroyed.
Sasuke considered this his way of responding to Yu—hoping Yu would continue to protect his mother.
---
Nightfall – Land of Hot Water, Yu no Kuni, Yugakure.
The night sky was draped in darkness, lanterns flickering alive across the village.
A crescent moon hung in the sky, its light mirrored in the river beneath an arched bridge. Wooden boats drifted silently by.
Yu walked quietly among the crowd, stopping alone at the railing of the arched bridge.
Behind him, Mikoto, dressed in a simple black dress, paused. She bit her red lip gently, then stepped forward.
Black and white. Side by side.
Their silhouettes reflected perfectly on the lantern-lit water below—like stars in the sky, or a painting come alive. Passersby couldn't help but steal admiring glances at the pair's elegant beauty.
Yu stared across to another arched bridge, his expression calm, quietly enjoying the view.
He had originally planned to lead the Uchihas and Mei Terumi directly to the Land of Water.
But the Uchihas, despite saying nothing, were clearly worn down from their journey.
So, before boarding the ship to the Land of Waves, he allowed everyone to rest for one night in the Land of Hot Water.
The rest of the Uchihas were currently relaxing or soaking in the hot springs. Izumi and Nono had tried to invite Yu to join them, but he declined, citing mission duties—and promised to go next time.
Instead, Yu took Mikoto away from the inn.
The two walked silently through the bustling night market and arrived at the bridge.
It was for a mission.
Yu glanced at Mikoto. They stood about a meter apart. He silently opened the side quest panel:
[Side Quest]: Aid
[Objective]: Stop Uchiha Mikoto from committing suicide
[Reward]: Pink Medicine
Mikoto noticed his gaze. Her relaxed and gentle face suddenly tensed. Her dark, luminous eyes reflected confusion—why had Yu brought her out alone?
The night breeze blew. Mikoto lifted a hand to brush back her tousled hair. Her dress fluttered softly, revealing a glimpse of delicate toes and graceful feet wrapped in ninja sandals.
"Come here," Yu said flatly, voice brooking no refusal.
Mikoto bit her lip again, lowered her hand that had been combing her bangs, and stood in place for three seconds—her small act of rebellion—before stepping forward.
As they stood closer, Yu caught a faint, elegant scent from her hair.
"Still want to die?" he asked.
Mikoto's eyes trembled slightly. Her lips quivered, and her face tightened. She said nothing, but her silence answered clearly—she couldn't face reality.
Especially now, with the remaining Uchihas saved, she had no lingering regrets.
"I…" Mikoto finally whispered, "I can't face the clan… or you. Even breathing feels like a crime."
"Then live. Every moment from now on is for atonement. For Itachi's sins," Yu replied calmly.
This was what he admired about Mikoto—she faced problems directly and spoke honestly.
Her expression shifted. Clenching her skirt in both hands, she finally accepted the bitter truth—it was her son, Uchiha Itachi, who committed the crimes. Dying would only be running away.
"But I don't think I have any worth left. I'm just a woman… what can I do to redeem Itachi? Maybe giving birth to him was my biggest mistake."
Mikoto's voice cracked. Tears streamed down her pale cheeks.
Yu turned to the river, watching a boat drift past.
"Still… you gave birth to another child. You don't want Sasuke to live alone in this world, scorned and abandoned, do you?"
Yu felt his words were becoming manipulative. But if he wanted to dissuade Mikoto, he had to use Sasuke as leverage.
When she had chosen to die with Fugaku that night, she truly intended to let everything go. But now, after Yu had saved her time and time again, her resolve had crumbled.
She only needed a way out—a perfect excuse to let go of the past.
"Sasuke…"
Mikoto's hardened expression softened. She recalled the night she had flung Sasuke aside and his cries of "Mama." Her heart began to melt.
Tears flowed again.
She stood there, lost in thought, her heart overwhelmed, but a small glimmer of light began to shine in her darkness.
Yu looked at her profile—so gentle, so clean.
"Look at me," he said softly.
Mikoto froze, then slowly turned. Her eyes quivered.
Yu silently activated the Mangekyō Sharingan—Tsukuyomi.
The world twisted.
Mikoto was taken back to the night of the massacre—seeing Itachi tormenting Sasuke.
Through Tsukuyomi, Yu showed her the truth—how Sasuke was mentally and emotionally tortured after the clan's demise.
She watched Sasuke's descent—how he sought power through vengeance, defected from Konoha, gave his body to Orochimaru, and was manipulated by every force in the shinobi world… before ultimately being labeled a rogue ninja.
She saw him drowning in hatred, twisted, lost, and swallowed by unending darkness.
The vision stopped at the scene where Sasuke was surrounded by the Five Kage.
The illusion shattered.
The quiet night returned.
Mikoto sobbed softly, then collapsed to the ground, face in her hands. She wept—only able to think of her youngest son's despair.
Time passed.
Yu reached down and gently took her wrist, lifting her from the ground.
"It's time to go."
A prompt appeared in Yu's mind:
Objective Complete: Stop Uchiha Mikoto from committing suicide.
Reward: Pink Medicine.
°°°
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