In reality, the so-called residential area in the Uchiha district was never meant to be turned into a tourist spot as Sakura described. It had been redeveloped in preparation for the eventual return of the Uchiha clan. The family homes were arranged neatly and in sufficient numbers, providing plenty of housing should the Uchiha ever return.
Three years flew by, and they had all grown into teenagers—well on their way to adulthood. Neji, Tenten, and especially Lee were nearing graduation. Lee, just like in the original story, seemed destined to follow his predetermined path without deviation. Despite being a normal young man, he still ended up shaped by Guy's influence, eventually wearing that green tracksuit with the frog motif. The two of them would walk side by side in matching outfits and remarkably similar expressions—people often mistook them for father and son.
By now, their powers had fully developed, each of them easily holding their own against a seasoned Chunin in combat. Once their bodies started developing properly over the next couple of years, their strength would increase even more rapidly.
Itachi Uchiha's brother complex remained unchanged. Having already joined Akatsuki, he assigned a crow to monitor Sasuke back in Konoha. Every time Sasuke collapsed from exhaustion during training, Itachi would complain endlessly inside the mental space. This repeating routine always left Sakura feeling mentally exhausted. Even Matatabi and Gyuki—the two tailed beasts—had learned to automatically block out any conversations involving Itachi talking about his younger brother.
At this point, the Uchiha clan had become the hidden rulers of the Land of Snow. Doto Kazahana had been placed under Shisui's Kotoamatsukami, while the remaining leaders were also brought under control. On the surface, the Land of Snow appeared unchanged, yet no one realized its core had quietly been replaced.
That day, Sakura sat under the shade of a tree watching Naruto and the others train while simultaneously studying knowledge left behind by the Second Hokage within the Scroll of Seals.
Suddenly, she heard Itachi's voice calling out.
"Mr. Itachi, what's wrong? Did you need something?"
Sakura lifted her head away from the scroll in her hands. Whenever she studied a jutsu or other technique, she'd record the information on scrolls. Once her research was complete, she'd burn the notes and then write the findings into the Scroll of Seals at the Third Hokage's office—as her way of contributing to Konoha.
"Sakura," Itachi asked within the mental space, "if I recall correctly, your spatial transfer ability can redirect attacks, correct?"
"That's right, it definitely can," Sakura replied, slightly frowning. "Is something dangerous happening? Do you need me to come help immediately?!"
"Yes. I'm currently in Kirigakure, in the Land of Water, and I've run into some trouble. Also, someone here likely needs your medical help."
Itachi pursed his lips, glancing at his teammate—gravely wounded from shielding him during the attack—before making his final decision.
"Is it your partner, Biwa Juzo?"
Sakura quickly figured out who it was. In Kirigakure of the Land of Water, the only one capable of making Itachi Uchiha call for backup would probably be Yagura, the Fourth Mizukage. And the injured one must be Biwa Juzo, who had taken an attack for Itachi and now faced imminent death.
In the original storyline, Itachi directly used Amaterasu to severely burn Yagura, while Biwa Juzo died from his severe injuries.
"Hn." Itachi responded indifferently, watching Yagura across from him gathering chakra without showing any sign of panic on his face.
"Hey, you should leave now! While this guy hasn't finished charging up his Tailed Beast Ball yet!"
Leaning against a tree, Biwa Juzo sat slumped over, impaled through his body by half of the Cleaver Sword lodged in the trunk. He could feel he didn't have much time left, but still had no regret about taking the hit for Itachi.
"Don't worry, we don't need to run. Reinforcements will arrive soon."
Itachi responded coolly, completely unbothered by the situation—after all, he had a powerhouse like Sakura backing him up. Even if Sakura couldn't transfer away the Tailed Beast Ball, he could always use Susanoo as a defense later and just ask Sakura to replenish his ocular energy afterward.
Chapter Eighty-Two: Open the Door, Meet a Tailed Beast Ball [Lower]
"Reinforcements? Can those people from the organization really get here in time?"
Biwa Juzo was puzzled. The members of Akatsuki had no real affection for each other; they were all fighting tooth and nail. If anyone claimed they'd actually come to rescue someone, Biwa Juzo would be the first to disbelieve it.
"Not from the organization!" Itachi clarified. "They're my comrades from Konoha!"
"Konoha? But weren't you branded a Rogue Ninja by Konoha?" Biwa Juzo's heart skipped a beat—he felt like he had just uncovered something huge.
"In any case, things are complicated—it's not something I can explain in just a few words," Itachi offered no further explanation since there was simply no time.
Yagura started transforming into the Tailed Beast, his entire body engulfed in violent chakra, as a dark, swirling Tailed Beast Ball slowly formed in his mouth.
Sakura told Naruto she needed to take care of something urgent and then activated the Spatial Passage.
"Itachi-senpai, where's the enemy?"
Stepping out from the ominously churning Spatial Passage with her umbrella, Sakura immediately felt a gust of hurricane-force wind heading toward her. As she turned her head, a huge Tailed Beast Ball was already hurtling straight at her at full speed.
"What the hell is this?! Was this supposed to be some twisted welcome party with a Tailed Beast Ball instead of fireworks?!"
[Powder. Disintegration.]
Purple energy burst from Sakura's hands and instantly wrapped around the Tailed Beast Ball.
Instantly, the ball slowed down significantly. Under the wearing effects of the purple energy, its size kept shrinking. However, at this moment Sakura herself was enduring great difficulty—the force of the Tailed Beast Ball was far too wild and volatile. A single misstep might cause an immediate explosion, so she had to carefully deploy the power of the Power Stone to neutralize it.
[Tailed Beast Ball!] Just as the Tailed Beast Ball started to collapse halfway, the tightly compressed sphere of yin-yang chakra suddenly surged out of control. The colossal energy burst forth in an instant, unleashing a devastating explosion.
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