But he couldn't tell Sasuke about this yet.
Because he currently lacked the strength to confront the Sage of Six Paths directly. If he drew the attention of that old geezer now, things could get complicated.
In the dark corner, Itachi watched the scene in the small grove, the ice shards in his fingertips crushed to powder.
The moment he saw Makoto and Sasuke approaching the Kyubi's Jinchuriki, his heart felt gripped by an invisible hand. Multiple times, he wanted to leap down and pull them back.
But Shinobi from the Anbu and Root lurked in the shadows near the grove, like coiled vipers.
The slightest movement from him, and those people reached for their tool pouches, some even forming hand seals. If he charged down, blades would likely be drawn immediately, and the situation would spiral out of control.
Watching Sasuke approach Naruto in the grove, goose-feather snowflakes landed on his trembling fingertips, melting into droplets that dripped through his fingers onto the roof tiles, staining a small dark patch.
He remained completely unaware, his very breath trembling. His chest felt weighed down by ice. White snowflakes clung to his eyelashes, reflecting his sharply constricted pupils.
'Konoha is so vast. Couldn't you two find anyone else to play with? Why did it have to be the Kyubi's Jinchuriki?'
For an Uchiha to interact with the Kyubi's Jinchuriki was an absolute taboo, comparable to tap-dancing on a minefield.
Itachi surged to his feet, his knee hitting a roof beam with a dull thud, shaking the accumulated snow loose above.
Shisui grabbed his arm firmly, a reassuring smile playing on his lips: "They're just kids building a snowman together. Don't worry."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the hidden Anbu and Root's members, and added: "But we should still report it. Inform Sandaime-sama and the Clan Head."
Shisui was actually quite reliable when on a mission. Itachi was just a bit too emotionally involved right now.
As soon as the words were spoken, Shisui's peripheral vision caught two black figures retreating silently on the left, swift as phantoms, no need to ask, the Anbu and Root's members were also going to report.
The two exchanged a glance, their tacit understanding as close friends on full display. With two soft poofs, two shadow clones materialized from white smoke.
One turned and sped towards the Hokage Tower, the other charged towards the Uchiha Clan's compound.
…
In the corner of the small grove, Naruto was squatting in the snow, struggling with his snowman.
The snowman before him was half-built, its head crookedly perched on its body like a scarecrow about to fall apart.
Since he could remember, few people had been willing to approach him. The scornful glances from passersby had fallen like snowflakes, long ago covering his childhood.
When he glimpsed a dark shadow moving towards him from the corner of his eye, he lazily lifted his eyelids, thinking it was just someone passing by, certainly not someone coming for him, and paid it no mind.
But when the shadow stopped right in front of him, Naruto suddenly froze.
It felt strange. Even though it was their first meeting, it felt like seeing a sun-warmed windowsill, making him want to move closer, like a kitten instinctively drawn to a stove in winter, feeling an inexplicable closeness.
Sasuke stood before him, his expression aloof. Snow settled on his hair, but he didn't brush it off, just stared at Naruto's nose, red from the cold.
He kept muttering inwardly: 'If Makoto-nii hadn't mentioned a 'great opportunity', I wouldn't waste my time with this blondie...'
Seeing his demeanor, Naruto first hunched his shoulders slightly, his grip on the snowball tightening, snow sifting down between his fingers. But his eyes were bright: "Are you... here to play with me...?"
His voice was halting, the tail end carrying a tremble he himself didn't notice, like a small animal afraid of rejection.
Sasuke didn't respond, only let out a 'Hmph' through his nose, but his feet didn't move back… that was as good as confirmation.
Seeing this, Naruto's eyes instantly shone even brighter. He was so happy he nearly jumped, quickly shuffling to the side, his small feet making a rustling sound in the snow, clearing out most of the space for building the snowman.
"I'm building a snowman! I'll make room for you! You can shape the biggest head! Look at my snowman... is it a bit crooked?"
Hearing this, Sasuke glanced at the lopsided snowman, his brow furrowing into a small knot, his tone stiff.
"More than crooked. A strong wind would knock it over. If you don't pack the base firmly, how can it stand?"
Even as he said this, his body honestly crouched down, and he reached out to pat the side of the snow pile.
The warmth from his palm slightly melted the snow. The originally crooked snowman actually straightened up under his pats, as if it had suddenly grown a spine.
Naruto watched with wide, round eyes. He never knew there was technique to building a snowman, as no one had ever taught him before. He chuckled happily: "You're really good at building snowmen! I'm Uzumaki Naruto!"
"Uchiha Sasuke."
Sasuke's voice was as cold as ice chips, completely different from the soft, clingy tone he used with Makoto and Itachi. But the roots of his ears were quietly turning a bit red.
Naruto wilted a little under this sudden coldness, the corners of his mouth drooping like frost-bitten foxtail grass.
But in the blink of an eye, he grinned again, showing two rows of small white teeth, his voice bright as sunlight on snow: "Sasuke! Then let's build a snowman taller than the Hokage Rock! So the whole village can see it!"
Sasuke ignored him, but grabbed a handful of snow and started shaping a snowball for the snowman's head.
The warmth from his fingertips made the snowball round and smooth, much neater than the one Naruto had made earlier, its very curve radiating seriousness.
Seeing Sasuke start building the snowman, Naruto shuffled closer again, his knees scraping shallow pits in the snow, snow grains sticking to his trousers.
"Sasuke, do you also think building snowmen is fun? I built a pretty good one earlier... too bad a bigger kid accidentally knocked it over."
"I didn't want to come build a snowman," Sasuke suddenly turned his head, his ears turning even redder. "My foolish brother made me come play with you. I'm only here because I have to."
As he spoke, he raised a hand and pointed outside the grove, where Makoto waved at them, his deep eyes glinting in the snowy light, like tiny stars.
Naruto followed Sasuke's pointing finger and saw Makoto smiling at him. He immediately stood up, waving his little hand and shouting, his voice loud enough to startle the birds in the trees.
"Thank you, big brother, for letting Sasuke play with me!"
Hearing this, Makoto smiled and nodded. Having handed off his shadow, Sasuke, to Naruto, he walked out of the small grove.
He had gathered most of the specific information he wanted. It was time to start stirring things up.
---
FOR EVERY 50 POWER STONES, I'LL UPLOAD ONE CHAPTER