"I never would've thought tailed beasts could have emotions too!" Uchiha Itachi remained completely unfazed by Matatabi's mockery. After spending so many days together, he had already come to realize these creatures weren't as savage and cruel as legends described.
"Hmph! You ninjas always try to control our powers. Then when we get angry and resist, you start spreading rumors that tailed beasts are evil creatures! What a bunch of shameless hypocrites!"
Matatabi snorted coldly. In the beginning, all tailed beasts had been gentle creatures, peacefully residing in their own territories awaiting the prophecy of the Sage of Six Paths. However, once ninja society began rising, humans started coveting their powers, and over time worsening relations forged the tailed beasts' reputation as fierce monsters.
"It's getting late. Everyone should wash up and go to bed! Discussing who's right or wrong here is completely pointless!"
Sakura yawned widely, then ran straight home to sleep while watching Anbu and Root agents rushing past. As for Sasuke, they'd all check on him during the day tomorrow.
Inside his Inner World, Matatabi continued ranting about how ninjas had deceived and harmed tailed beasts throughout history. Gyuki, who had long been dragged into this conversation, kept adding more examples. Everyone else simply chose to ignore them since those events indeed exposed the ninja's guilt, leaving the ninjas with no arguments to defend themselves.
The following morning, news about the Uchiha massacre had already spread throughout the village. The name "Itachi Uchiha" echoed across every corner of Konoha. Countless young girls looked heartbroken and deeply shocked—after all, their beloved "Itachi God" had become a rogue ninja who committed the horrifying massacre of his own clan.
Chapter 77: Bring Her Back To Bear Children [Middle] [4th Update]
In a hospital room within Konoha Hospital, Sasuke sat on the bed motionless and expressionless. This tragedy had left him utterly shattered. Deep inside, he still couldn't bring himself to believe that his beloved older brother was responsible for the cruel destruction of the Uchiha clan. Yet both the Third Hokage's words and those scenes that appeared in his mind last night left him uncertain about what he should do.
"That poor child... losing his parents at such a young age..."
Sigh, "Never expected the glorious Uchiha clan would disappear like this. Truly unpredictable how things turn out."
"But why did Itachi Uchiha kill his own clansmen?"
"Who knows? For the past couple years the Uchiha seemed much gentler, yet suddenly suffered such catastrophe."
...
Wherever one went—whether Konoha's bustling streets and alleys or inside the hospital—people could be heard discussing the Uchiha massacre. Almost everyone either felt sorrow or regret upon hearing this news, with only a small minority secretly gloating.
"I wonder how Sasuke is doing..."
Naruto muttered under his breath. Although he usually seemed constantly bickering with Sasuke, deep down he felt genuinely worried when Sasuke truly got into serious trouble.
"I asked Father about it," she said. "He wasn't physically hurt, but his mind seems to have suffered serious damage from a genjutsu. It'll take some time for Sasuke to fully recover."
Hinata sighed and continued, "According to my father, at the Uchiha compound everyone died—except Sasuke. Not even the dogs were spared!"
"How could Itachi Uchiha do something like this?" Ino and the others found it hard to believe. They already knew from their daily interactions what kind of person Uchiha Itachi really was. How could someone like him suddenly change so drastically as to massacre his entire clan?"
"This whole matter is very complicated," Sakura whispered softly. "You just need to know that Itachi hasn't changed at all! You're not ready to hear the whole truth behind this yet."
The girls entered Sasuke's hospital room carrying flowers. As they pushed open the door, Sasuke barely moved his eyes, still dazed and lifeless.
"Hey, Sasuke, we've come to visit you!"
Naruto jumped right in front of Sasuke, staring into his face: "Can't you even give us some kind of reaction? We all skipped class specifically to see you, y'know?"
"Naruto, Sakura… everyone… the Uchiha clan has been wiped out. I—I have no family left anymore. My father, Fugaku, my mother, Mikoto, and Haruka… they're all dead, and the one who did all this was Uchiha Itachi."
Sasuke's lips trembled slightly, his expression full of sorrow and fury. "And all because he kept talking about 'capacity'—just because of this so-called capacity, he killed my father, my mother, and Haruka. The entire Uchiha clan is gone, leaving me completely alone!"
"You're not alone, Sasuke—we're all here with you!" Sakura quietly sighed, unsure whether this kind of growth was truly a good thing. Fortunately, though, the Uchiha clan hadn't actually been destroyed completely, and Sasuke wouldn't have to walk down that dark path.
"That's right, Sasuke! We're all right here beside you, so pull yourself together!" Naruto said firmly. "We are your family now!"
"Do you even understand what loss feels like, Naruto?" Sasuke clenched the blanket with both hands, his knuckles white from the force. "You've never had a family, so how could you ever comprehend the pain of losing everything?"
"I DO understand!" Naruto suddenly lifted his head, staring unblinkingly at Sasuke. "Haruka, Uncle Fugaku, Auntie Mikoto, and Shisui—they're all gone now. How could I not understand what loss feels like?"
When Naruto spoke the final sentence, his voice had taken on an almost tearful tone. Fugaku Uchiha and Mikoto Uchiha had treated him like their own son, showering him with constant care and affection. Naruto had once regarded them as his real parents. Though Naruto didn't show it, Sakura could feel the deep sorrow growing inside him.
"Maybe our sense of loss isn't as deep as yours right now, but I can promise you one thing—if you keep wallowing like this, it won't be long before we all know exactly what it's like to lose someone!"
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