Realization
Kakuzu, coughing up blood, gasped, "I realize now… this whole setup existed to kill me."
Sasuke replied coldly, "Did you truly believe you had enough strength for Toh to plan all of this just to eliminate you?"
Kakuzu sneered bitterly. Though he wondered why he'd been sent to capture a tailed-beast jinchūriki, he hadn't expected this betrayal.
Sasuke continued coldly, "You were always just a sidepiece. It was never about you; your connections to Obito have been exposed. This time, you cannot escape."
With those words, he unsheathed his Chidori blade, and Kakuzu collapsed. Naruto stared in shock. "So, Akatsuki might be split into factions?"
Tenzō asked, brow furrowed, while everybody—including Killer B—regarded Sasuke with suspicion. Sasuke clarified, "Akatsuki isn't Obito's puppet—it was meant to fight for peace. But it was manipulated. Believe that or not… my purpose on Turtle Island wasn't to capture jinchūriki—it was to protect them."
Naruto's eyes lit up, ready to charge, but Killer B and the others held him back. Aoba demanded, "Why should we believe you?"—hands already forming signs.
Sasuke turned calmly to leave. "As Toh said, this ninja world is drenched in deception. The alliance of five nations is a deception. Capturing beasts is deception. Trust is never unconditional. Naruto is different… the only one." And with that, he vanished, leaving them all to reflect. Aoba, Tenzō, and others looked at Naruto with new respect. He alone remained silent.
Midnight By the Sea
Night had deepened, the sky a black curtain, with the sea lapping Turtle Island's shores.
"Toh… you've grown up overnight, haven't you?" Sasuke said, gazing at the waves as Toh threw pebbles from the shore.
Sasuke inhaled the salty air, then spoke with unusual gravity: "I've come to understand much of what you said. I walked too long within my darkness—even Itachi did—but... teacher…" His voice faltered.
"Speak," Toh replied, silent and distant.
Sasuke met his gaze. "Have you ever looked at your heart's darkness?"
Toh's shoulders sagged, and he sighed: "I'm human too." He stood and pointed skyward:
"Every person has their demons. Children are pure, but this world is a dye vat that corrupts innocence. My mother's death at the hands of Danzo's faction… I once wanted to destroy it all. But then I realized: if I destroy everything, I would shatter even the hearts of innocent children, too."
He looked at Sasuke: "That's why I aimed my vengeance at Uchiha and Danzo first. He always claimed to be the 'root' of Konoha: without roots, a tree can't grow. But roots that push aboveground can kill the whole tree."
Sasuke's rare smile reflected comprehension. Toh reassured him, clapping his shoulder: "Maybe only someone like Naruto—the fool—cares so much about his friends. You asked if Obito and Orochimaru would show—of course they will. Without Eight- or Nine-Tails, they couldn't make a Ten-Tails jinchūriki. The Allied Forces are a sham alliance. But if Obito and Orochimaru join forces… even I would struggle."
Sasuke asked, frowning: "Are they that powerful?"
Toh shook his head, wryly:
"Orochimaru never used full strength at Konoha. His strongest technique—sealed away by the Third—wasn't even unleashed. Don't underestimate Reanimation."
He explained that Orochimaru could summon all Hokage, plus other powerful shinobi, surrounding Toh, Itachi, Nagato—and even they could struggle.
Sasuke, stunned again, asked: "Would he truly be able to control them all at once?"
Toh smiled: "Not even First or Second Hokage could. Not even Madara himself… unless he uses the body of Kabuto."
Toh had placed Wood‑Release into Kabuto's DNA. If Orochimaru controls Kabuto and then digs into Ryūchi Cave's secrets, he could learn Sage Chakra. With that many techniques combined and the Sage Chakra returned, Orochimaru's power would be overwhelming. Sasuke asked: "Even if they are strong, can Orochimaru command them all?"
When Toh confirmed, they made a plan: they'd cut off every route from Hanakage's village, bury both villages underground, so that in this place, they could make it a battle to the death.
At that moment, Itachi appeared from another edge of Turtle Island—and others from Akatsuki emerged, including Nagato (who looked surprisingly at ease) and Kisame. Sasuke, surprised, noticed them all.
Itachi stepped forward:
"Toh may have once coveted the Tsukuyomi world… but even within that illusion, he still loved fighting. The greatest bond in my life—this one—was forged alongside you, Sasuke. Who needs more friendship than that?"
Hidan laughed cruelly: "Fools like those Kage-level ones? They're useless. I plan to feed them all to the Great Evil God!"
Deidara grinned at Sasuke: "Too bad you missed the Third…and the Fourth is with me." He slapped his scroll and addressed Deidara:
"Even the Kage might be too much for you."
Moonlight washed over the beach, and Toh sat gazing into the silver night, a distant look in his eyes.