The forest clearing was steeped in a heavy silence, broken only by the faint rustle of leaves and the distant cry of a hawk. Naruto Uzumaki stood opposite Uchiha Itachi, the weight of their shared truths hanging between them like a fragile thread. The revelation of Itachi's terminal illness had struck Naruto like a blade, a secret his future self had never uncovered. In his past life, Sasuke had rarely spoken of his brother, and the fragments Naruto knew—from Obito's masked confessions and Kakashi's somber retellings—had painted Itachi as a tragic hero, but not a dying one. Now, the pieces fell into place: Itachi's resolve to face Sasuke, to die by his hand, wasn't just about redemption or Konoha's stability—it was about a man running out of time.
Naruto's sage-orange eyes softened with empathy. "Itachi… I didn't know."
Itachi's expression remained unreadable, his Mangekyō Sharingan dimming to their usual scarlet. "Few do," he said, his voice steady despite the faint tremor in his frame. "Medication has kept me alive, but my days are numbered. Better to die with purpose than to fade in vain."
Naruto's fists clenched, frustration and sorrow warring within him. He'd come back to change fate, to save those he loved, but Itachi's illness felt like an immovable wall. Still, he refused to give up. "I'm not hiding anymore," Naruto said, his voice resolute. "You want to know how I know all this? I'm from the future, Itachi. I've seen what happens if you go through with this."
Itachi's eyes narrowed, skepticism flickering across his face. "The future?" His tone was cautious, probing for deception.
Naruto nodded, stepping closer, his sage-enhanced chakra radiating conviction. "I know your plan. You're going to pull me into a genjutsu, slip a crow with Shisui's eye into my body, and use an illusion to make me forget it. You've programmed Kotoamatsukami to activate if Sasuke ever threatens Konoha, to force him to protect the village. Am I right?"
Itachi's composure shattered for a moment, his Mangekyō flaring as he took an instinctive step back. "How…" His voice was barely a whisper, his mind racing. An illusion? No, impossible. Even Shisui couldn't outmatch my genjutsu. The only explanation was unthinkable: Naruto was telling the truth. "You've seen the future," he said, more statement than question.
Naruto's grin was bittersweet. "Yeah. And in that future, Sasuke comes back to Konoha. He's my brother, my second-in-command as Hokage. He marries Sakura, has a daughter—Sarada. She's got his fire and her mom's brains. She and my son, Boruto, are a perfect match." His voice faltered, the memory of Boruto's sacrifice cutting deep. "If you were there, Itachi, you'd love her."
Itachi's gaze softened, a rare warmth breaking through his stoic mask. "Sarada…" he murmured, as if tasting the name. For a moment, he imagined her—a girl with Sasuke's dark eyes, perhaps his stubborn streak, pestering him for shuriken lessons as Sasuke once had. The thought brought a genuine smile, tinged with longing. "A happy ending," he said softly, almost to himself.
Naruto seized the moment, his voice urgent. "It doesn't have to end with you dying, Itachi. Your illness—there's gotta be a way. Tsunade, Sakura, they're the best medics in the world. Let me help you."
Itachi shook his head, his smile fading. "There is no cure, Naruto. I've made my peace with it." His gaze hardened, resolute. "But you've given me hope for Sasuke. That's enough."
Naruto's heart sank, but he pressed forward, a new idea forming. "Then let me ask you something. That crow with Shisui's eye—reprogram Kotoamatsukami. Don't set it to control Sasuke. Set it to serve me, to help me protect the world from a threat bigger than the Akatsuki."
Itachi's brow furrowed, suspicion flickering. "To control Sasuke?"
"No!" Naruto's voice was fierce, his eyes blazing. "I'd never use it on him. Sasuke comes back to Konoha because I reach him, not because of some jutsu. He's my brother, Itachi. I swear it."
Itachi studied Naruto, the sincerity in his words echoing the bond he felt for Sasuke. For a moment, he saw himself in Naruto—the same fierce devotion, the same willingness to sacrifice everything for family. "You truly are from the future," he said, his voice low. "I believe you, Naruto. And I believe in Sasuke."
He raised his hand, and a crow materialized, its single eye glinting with the power of Shisui's Mangekyō. Itachi's own Mangekyō spun to life, and he focused intently, his chakra pouring into the crow. His body trembled, blood seeping from his eyes as the strain of reprogramming Kotoamatsukami took its toll. After what felt like an eternity, he staggered, catching himself on a tree. The crow fluttered to Naruto's shoulder, and Itachi tossed him a summoning scroll.
"It's done," Itachi said, his voice hoarse. "Kotoamatsukami is set to serve you, as you requested. Its power can be used once. Choose wisely."
Naruto clutched the scroll, his heart heavy with gratitude and sorrow. "Thank you, Itachi."
Itachi's bloodshot eyes met Naruto's, a faint smile lingering. "Is it true? The future you spoke of—Sasuke, Sarada, Konoha… is it real?"
Naruto nodded, his voice thick. "Every word."
Itachi's smile widened, a rare glimpse of joy breaking through his pain. He turned, his cloak swaying as he began to walk away. "Then I have no regrets," he said softly. "Protect them, Naruto."
As Itachi vanished into the forest, Naruto sealed the crow into the scroll, his mind racing. Itachi's illness was a tragedy he couldn't yet change, but the crow was a tool—a weapon to wield against the Otsutsuki when the time came. For now, his path was clear: find Jiraiya, warn him of Pain, and prepare for the battles ahead.
Itachi, meanwhile, moved through the trees, his steps lighter despite the blood trailing from his eyes. He laughed softly, a sound of genuine warmth. Sarada… He pictured a girl with Sasuke's sharp features, perhaps tugging at his sleeve, demanding lessons as her father once had. The thought of tapping her forehead, as he'd done with Sasuke, brought a pang of longing. If only I could see you.
Naruto, his Sage Mode senses flaring, resumed his search for Jiraiya. The forest stretched endlessly before him, but his heart burned with purpose. Itachi's trust, Sasuke's future, Neji's life, Hinata's love—they were all within his grasp. He would rewrite the ninja world's fate, no matter the cost.