The evening breeze whispered as darkness enveloped the scene.
The members of the "Classmate Association" had already dispersed from Yuto's house, each heading home. Only Sasuke remained, hands in pockets, glaring at Yuto.
"Using someone else's mother to play ghost pranks? You're truly despicable."
"Ah, Sasuke, are you suggesting I put her up to it?" Yuto's lips curled slightly. "What if I told you Mikoto-san found the idea amusing and joined in willingly?"
"Nonsense! My mother would never do something so childish!" Sasuke bristled with indignation.
"Childish?" Yuto shook his head with mock pity. "So to you, Mikoto-san is just a gentle, traditional housewife? How little you know your own mother, dear boy."
The insult landed.
Uchiha Sasuke—mocked by an outsider for not understanding his own mother! And the worst part? He couldn't even refute it. When it came to knowing Mikoto, this guy probably had him beat. After all, Yuto had already... with his mom.
The injustice burned. They were the same age, yet because of his mother, Sasuke somehow always ended up feeling one step behind.
"Come along, Sasuke," Yuto said, mercifully sparing him further humiliation. With a casual slap against the wall—
*Click.*
The ground split open, revealing a shadowy passage.
"It's time to show you our latest breakthrough."
As he spoke, Yuto's gaze flicked toward the door, his lips quaking knowingly.
*The Underground Base*
The layout was familiar to Sasuke, but now a massive hexagonal platform dominated the center. Yuto flashed to its midpoint and beckoned. "Care to test your combat skills?"
Sasuke stared. "Against you?"
He was proud, not delusional. Yuto's abilities had long since made it clear they weren't playing the same game. Getting stomped wasn't his idea of productive training.
"Relax. I've arranged a more suitable sparring partner." A snap of Yuto's fingers—
*Creak.*
The platform's center opened, and a figure in a white trench coat rose into view.
Sasuke's eyes widened. "You! Uchiha Shisui?!"
Indeed—the very genius who'd monopolized his brother's attention and reduced a younger Sasuke to frustrated tears. That "he" of all people had been resurrected—
"Long time no see, Sasuke," Shisui smiled. "You've grown."
"Your face—" Sasuke's focus snagged on the thick, bone-like plating covering Shisui's cheeks and forehead, like some grotesque white helmet.
"Surprised? This is the mark of an Arrancar," Shisui explained casually.
"Arrancar?"
"When a shinobi's soul merges with the Hollow energy created by our leader, the process is called Hollowfication." Shisui tapped his mask fragment. "But if the Hollow regains reason and purpose, they evolve into what I am now."
Sasuke inhaled sharply.
"Now then," Shisui's gaze shifted toward the passage entrance, "no need to lurk in the shadows. If you're the leader's classmates, you're our guests too."
"Told you, Ino," came Shikamaru's resigned sigh as the Tongxue Society members filed in, gaping at the cavernous base. "Yuto's hiding ghosts. And not the cute, sheet-covered kind."
"Uh… am I dreaming?" Naruto's voice trembled. "Is this even Konoha anymore?"
"Yuto," Shikamaru groaned, "you really dropped a bomb on us. Congrats—we're all accomplices now."
"Accomplices?!" Sakura's head whipped around, dread rising. "Yuto, what exactly are you planning?"
"To overthrow the old system. Build a new world," Sasuke stated flatly from the platform. "If you've read that textbook, you should already understand."
"Such… such a noble cause!" Ino clasped her hands, stars in her eyes.
"If Yuto's leading, success is guaranteed!" Hinata nodded fiercely.
"This 'old system' includes Konoha," Sasuke countered coolly. "Are you all prepared for that? There's still time to walk away."
"Yuto's gonna destroy Konoha?!" Naruto blurted. "Why?!"
His time in the society had peeled away his naive idolization of the Hokage title—but razing the village? That crossed a line.
"Not destroy. Reform," Shikamaru corrected. "There's a difference."
"But that still means fighting Konoha!" Sakura wrung her hands. One minute she's playing ghost games; the next, she's public enemy number one?!
"So why?!" Naruto demanded. "What did Konoha ever do to Yuto?"
"Nothing personal," Shisui interjected, smiling. "The leader simply… dislikes the status quo."
"Dislikes?!"
"Indeed." Shisui's gaze turned distant. "He dislikes how Uchiha women and children were slaughtered like livestock. How Konoha's leaders laugh after sentencing innocents to die. How you, Naruto Uzumaki—son of heroes who gave their lives to the village is treated worse than stray dogs."
Silence.
Then—
"Naruto's a hero's son?!" Ino and Sakura shrieked in unison.
"Me… I'm…?" Naruto's hands shook.
"Uzumaki Naruto. Your surname comes from your mother, Uzumaki Kushina," Shisui said plainly. "And your father was the Fourth Hokage—Namikaze Minato."
The room froze.
This boy—who drank expired milk and was scorned by the village—was the Fourth's son?
"So you see," Shisui's voice hardened, "this isn't about the leader opposing Konoha. It's about rotten foundations poisoning everyone who loves it. Only by tearing them down can we rebuild something better."
A heavy quiet followed. With Naruto's plight laid bare, even Konoha's staunchest defenders faltered.
*Laboratory, Underground Base*
Mikoto watched the monitors, impressed. "Who knew Shisui was such a gifted orator?" Her hands lingered absently on Yuto's shoulders.
"Ugh, just hug him already," Kushina grumbled from Yuto's lap. "Why tiptoe? Bold moves lead to maternity leave~"
"M-Maternity leave?!" Mikoto's face combusted.
Even Yuto choked. His "big sis" had zero filter these days. Maternity leave? Really?!
*Bzzt.* The comm device crackled.
"Leader! Leader, you there?" White Zetsu No. 007's voice chirped. "That idiot Obito wants you to join him! Says you'll 'regret it by tomorrow' if you refuse. Want me and Tobi to off him?"
"Unnecessary," Yuto chuckled. "Tell him I'll meet at Valley of the End in one week."
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