"Was that your arrangement?"
Tsunade felt a headache coming on, hoping that this matter wouldn't be exposed in the future.
"Yes."
Akihara Kagura nodded.
Senju Tobirama had no particular thoughts about Akihara Kagura's arrangements. He thought of Uchiha Sasuke he had seen and couldn't help but snort coldly: "Can that brat from the Uchiha Clan learn my Flying Thunder God Jutsu..."
Senju Tobirama felt somewhat dissatisfied!
Uchiha Sasuke's face was particularly annoying to him!
Moreover, Senju Tobirama couldn't quite imagine that the brat Uchiha Sasuke, with a face exactly like his arch-enemy Uchiha Izuna, would use the Flying Thunder God Jutsu he developed. Could anyone in the Uchiha Clan learn his jutsu?
"Then let him try..."
Akihara Kagura had some confidence in Uchiha Sasuke, believing in his space-time talent: "That little guy is Kakashi's most cherished student, and in the future, Kakashi will have someone to carry on his legacy..."
Tsunade pondered for a moment and said softly, "If Uchiha Sasuke can learn the Flying Thunder God Jutsu, I'll agree to let him go undercover with Orochimaru..."
Late at night.
Root Base.
This was Uchiha Sasuke's first time stepping into here.
Karin, being Uchiha Sasuke's classmate, was naturally tasked with guiding him here. She felt a bit uneasy about Akihara Kagura bringing Uchiha Sasuke into Root.
After all...
Root was filled with Uchiha.
Uchiha Sasuke seemed more suited to become the future Root leader!
"Sasuke."
Karin led Uchiha Sasuke down the deep well into the underground base, speaking as they descended: "Though Kagura-sama invited you here, I'm Kagura-sama's most trusted assistant, don't think of competing with me for the future leadership of Root..."
"I don't care about those things at all..."
Uchiha Sasuke snorted dismissively, not at all interested in the leadership position of Root. His thoughts were only on avenging himself against that murderer Uchiha Itachi!
"I'll assume for now you won't change your mind!"
Karin slowly nodded, leading Uchiha Sasuke further into the Root Base, saying, "Kagura-sama holds you in high regard and specially prepared a surprise for you..."
"What kind of surprise?"
For Uchiha Sasuke, just meeting Akihara Kagura was a surprise enough.
Because Uchiha Sasuke believed that Akihara Kagura's summons was to assign him a mission to hone his skills, or perhaps teach him a new jutsu!
No matter what!
It was all a surprise!
Uchiha Sasuke needed Akihara Kagura's help to improve himself!
However, as Uchiha Sasuke followed Karin step by step into the Root Base, he realized something was off, and he finally saw the surprise Akihara Kagura had prepared.
A group of people dressed in the traditional attire of the Uchiha Clan stood in the corridor of the Root Base, all showing their blood-red Sharingan eyes. Many of them had faces he found extremely familiar. Were these the clansmen he remembered, who had long perished?
Many of them...
Even watched him grow up!
"Sasuke..."
"Sasuke..."
"Sasuke..."
One by one, the Uchiha greeted Uchiha Sasuke as he walked by, each watching this lone Uchiha orphan who stood in the light.
"What on earth..."
Uchiha Sasuke's emotions were a mix of excitement and speechlessness: "What on earth... What is going on! Everyone... everyone..."
"Kagura-sama saved them."
Karin stood beside Uchiha Sasuke and calmly explained: "On the night of the clan massacre, Kagura-sama saved many people. Uchiha Itachi thought he used the Tailed Beast Ball to kill all the Uchiha..."
"But these people can't be discovered by Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Obito. Their talents are insufficient, and they still can't awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan and are no match for Itachi and Obito. They're always at risk of being assassinated by those two traitorous ninja and have no choice but to hide in Root where Kagura-sama has been protecting them. They have adapted to life in Root and don't wish to leave anymore..."
"Alright."
After briefly explaining to Uchiha Sasuke, Karin waved at the Uchiha around them: "Scatter, meeting your clansmen is fortunate enough, go and carry out Kagura-sama's mission, surviving is what's most important!"
"Yes!"
The Uchiha group moved with extraordinary agility and immediately scattered.
Karin watched their retreating forms, continuing: "They are now ninja of Root, avoiding the chase of traitorous ninjas while also bearing the responsibility of protecting Konoha in the shadows. That's why Kagura-sama has always wanted you to become a member of Root..."
"No wonder..."
Uchiha Sasuke realized.
No wonder Akihara Kagura always wanted him to join Root!
Because Root contained his clansmen!
"Why... why not tell me!?"
The excitement in Uchiha Sasuke's chest hadn't yet faded. Reconnecting with living clansmen suddenly made him feel his life wasn't lonely!
He wasn't alone anymore!
The Uchiha Clan still existed, the Uchiha Clan wasn't just him left alone!
"Because..."
Karin watched Uchiha Sasuke and continued calmly: "Are you sure you won't leak any information, expose their whereabouts, attract Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Obito's attention? Are you sure you won't always want to come to the Root Base?"
"!!!"
Uchiha Sasuke took a deep breath.
At this moment, a thought suddenly arose in Uchiha Sasuke's mind—should he compete with Karin for the future leadership of Root, to revive the Uchiha Clan?
Once that thought emerged, it wouldn't go away!
Of course!
If he wanted to compete with Karin for the future leader position of Root...
He had to first kill that demon of a man, Uchiha Itachi! Only by killing Uchiha Itachi could they appear in the light...
Uchiha Sasuke's eyes revealed a pair of crimson Sharingan. His Sharingan, at this moment, evolved into a set of Three Tomoe Sharingan!
The first time Uchiha Sasuke awakened his Sharingan was on the night of the clan's massacre, and the second evolution was during the battle with Momochi Zabuza in the Land of Waves...
Unexpectedly...
This moment caused him to evolve again.
"Three Tomoe Sharingan..."
Karin furrowed her brows, seeing Uchiha Sasuke's Sharingan evolve in front of her. She said in a serious tone, "Kagura-sama always believed you had talent, even seeing potential in you to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan, holding hope that you might be able to kill Uchiha Itachi..."
"I will kill that man for sure!"
Uchiha Sasuke's face instantly showed determined killing intent. But his gaze wasn't as cold and heartless, rather somewhat invigorated: "I will kill that man, become the leader of Root, and lead everyone to revive the Uchiha!"
This guy had instantly forgotten his promises to Karin!
Although Uchiha Sasuke was mainly interested in killing Uchiha Itachi, he had never thought about what to do after killing him...
This time...
Uchiha Sasuke thought about what he should do after killing Uchiha Itachi!
"..."
Karin adjusted her glasses, her voice turning icy: "Didn't you just say you weren't going to compete with me for the future leadership of Root?"
"I... I wasn't..."
Uchiha Sasuke's expression grew somewhat awkward.
If he hadn't met these clansmen, of course, he wouldn't think about becoming the leader of Root. But since these clansmen were at Root, and Akihara Kagura, the Root leader, had accepted him... If Uchiha Sasuke said he had no thoughts, how could that be!
"Let's go."
Karin led Uchiha Sasuke to the deeper part of the Root Base, speaking coldly: "Kagura-sama found you a teacher who will teach you a powerful jutsu. Once you learn this jutsu, you can begin performing Root's missions..."