With the clan facing such a major crisis, Itachi had sent a letter asking how to handle Konoha. Kawasaki needed to decide on a proper stance.
After some thought, Kawasaki wrote his reply, set a time for their next contact, and sent the crow on its way. Then, he penned another message for Shisui to pass on to Orochimaru.
Without his sand cushion, he had to travel on foot. Kawasaki took out his compass, found his bearings, and set off toward the Land of Iron.
…
Back in Konoha, the turmoil within the Uchiha clan had subsided. They sent representatives beyond their territory to handle diplomatic inquiries. The Konoha ninja who came to investigate were told that the Uchiha had been attacked by unknown assailants, but all enemies had been repelled. Only a few people were injured.
In the commercial district, the sightseeing cart had a new driver, but little else had changed. The battle between Fugaku and Obito had been earth-shattering, but it was too far away for anyone in the snack street to hear much. Life there quickly returned to normal. When regular customers asked about the commotion, the Uchiha clansmen calmly explained that a small group of enemies had attacked but had already been driven off.
Seeing that everything was business as usual for the Uchiha, people stopped asking questions. However, the major ninja clans reacted differently. Their insight far surpassed that of ordinary villagers. The Uchiha were the most powerful clan in the ninja world; who would dare provoke them on their own turf? Furthermore, the Uchiha had activated a massive defensive barrier during the fight. Regardless of the barrier's type, an activation of that scale would cost at least ten million ryo. If the enemy wasn't formidable, why would they resort to such a measure?
Instantly, the major clans dispatched their spies. After some investigation, they uncovered a terrifying truth: Fugaku had not been seen since the incident. In a situation like this, if Fugaku were unharmed, he would have already appeared to reassure the public. His absence could only mean one thing—he was seriously injured.
Fearing they might offend the Uchiha, the other clans gathered what intelligence they could and quickly withdrew their agents. The Anbu, however, lingered on the outskirts, unwilling to leave. It was then that Itachi "coincidentally" appeared in their line of sight.
Itachi was a Mangekyo Sharingan user; crushing these Anbu would be as easy as squashing ants. The Anbu squad swiftly retreated to report back to the Third Hokage.
…
At the Konoha Hospital, Naruto woke up the next day. Before Kakashi could even ask, Naruto was already clamoring to see Sasuke. Unable to refuse him, Kakashi had no choice but to take him there.
Sasuke had received excellent medical care. The horrific wound on his shoulder had been completely repaired by regeneration jutsu, leaving no sign that he had ever been injured. He was still unconscious, but the medical staff said he would wake up soon. Uchiha clan members stood guard outside his room, ready to take him home the moment he awoke.
Seeing that Sasuke was safe, Naruto finally relaxed.
The Third Hokage had also been informed. Although the Sealing Corps had checked Naruto's seal the previous day and confirmed it was stable, he still came personally to check on Naruto's condition.
"Grandpa Hokage, you're here!" Naruto greeted the Third Hokage as he entered the room, his voice as energetic as ever.
"Hehehe, Naruto. You look like you're recovering well," the Third Hokage said, smiling warmly.
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki, the future Hokage! A little injury like this is nothing," Naruto declared, puffing out his chest.
"Yes, yes. Naruto, tell me what happened yesterday."
Yesterday? Naruto, who had just sat down, sprang back to his feet. "Oh, you mean those Anbu guys?"
A faint smile touched the Third Hokage's lips, long accustomed to Naruto's absent-minded nature. "Those Anbu were assigned to protect you. They were killed in action."
"Killed in action?" Naruto fell silent. He disliked being watched, but he was kind-hearted. He was deeply saddened that people had died because of him.
The Third Hokage carefully observed Naruto's reaction. Seeing him grieve for the fallen shinobi, he nodded to himself. It seemed Naruto was fundamentally good. This was excellent; it would make him easier to control in the future.
The Third Hokage patted Naruto's shoulder. "It wasn't your fault. It was the intruder's. Naruto, if you can recall what happened yesterday, you can help us find them faster."
…
Inside Konoha Hospital, Naruto recounted the events.
"...Sasuke and I saw a bunch of signal flares in the sky, so we figured something dangerous was happening and left the snack street right away. Then those Anbu guys showed up and said they were ordered to protect me. On the way back, we ran into an enemy. He had a half-black, half-white face, and he could make tree branches grow out of his hands. The Anbu guys were all stabbed by those branches."
Naruto's voice was heavy. "That guy knocked me down. Sasuke used a really strong jutsu to save me, but he got defeated too, and his shoulder was pierced through. Then, I don't know how, but I suddenly got this new power inside me and saved Sasuke. After I ran into Kakashi-sensei, I don't remember anything else."
The Third Hokage frowned. The Anbu's investigation had indeed found traces of a powerful lightning-style jutsu. Based on Kakashi's assessment, it was most likely the Chidori. He was surprised that Sasuke had mastered such an advanced technique before even graduating from the Academy. Still, the Uchiha clan possessed records of the Chidori, so it wasn't entirely unbelievable.
The enemy Naruto described likely used Wood Style. Tenzo had already confirmed the presence of Wood Style traces at the scene. As for the craters Naruto had made with his Rasengan, the destructive force wasn't immense, and no chakra residue was left behind, so the Anbu hadn't considered the Rasengan as a possibility.
Regarding the Tailed Beast Chakra Cloak, Naruto himself seemed completely clueless. Seeing that he couldn't get any more information, the Third Hokage decided to leave. Naruto, however, refused to be discharged, insisting on waiting for Sasuke to wake up. With the hospital full of the Third Hokage's spies, Kakashi felt at ease leaving him there.
Once everyone was gone, Naruto sat on a chair and spoke silently to the beast in his heart. "Thank you, Nine-Tails."
The Nine-Tails' gruff voice echoed in his mind. "Hmph, don't get the wrong idea. I only helped because that guy's aura seemed familiar. Otherwise, I couldn't be bothered to save you."
"Nine-Tails, do you know who that person was?" Naruto asked.
The Nine-Tails just snorted and stopped responding. Naruto didn't mind. The Nine-Tails would talk to him when he was in a good mood, but the conversation always ended whenever the fox felt like it.
…
Back in his office, the Third Hokage rubbed his weary brow. After visiting Sasuke, members of the Uchiha clan had immediately come to the hospital to settle all the medical fees.
Soon, an Anbu agent appeared with a report. "Lord Hokage, Itachi Uchiha has returned."
The Third Hokage's eyes narrowed. "What else?"
The Anbu continued, "The Uchiha are publicly stating that the clan was attacked by unknown assailants who have been repelled, and that the clan is mostly fine. However, judging by the movement of their members, many within the clan were injured, specifically their elite. Furthermore, Fugaku Uchiha has not made a public appearance."
Who had attacked the Uchiha? Fugaku's absence strongly suggested a severe injury; otherwise, they wouldn't have recalled Itachi so urgently. Had Itachi brought reinforcements with him? And who had attacked Naruto? Who else could use Wood Style? Could a second test subject have survived besides Tenzo?
"Send Danzo to see me," the Third Hokage ordered with a wave of his hand.
…
Not long after, Danzo entered, his right arm once again wrapped in layers of bandages, though it was not in a sling.
The Third Hokage frowned. "Your arm?"
"A minor injury from experimenting with a new jutsu," Danzo said calmly, giving his arm a slight shake to show it was fine. The Third Hokage had only asked out of courtesy; he didn't really care about the state of Danzo's arm.
"What happened with the Uchiha?" Danzo had known the summons was about the Uchiha clan. Even if the Hokage hadn't called for him, he would have found out eventually. After years of working alongside Hiruzen Sarutobi, he had a few of his own men in the Anbu.
The Third Hokage took a drag from his pipe. "The Uchiha were attacked by an unknown party. Many were injured, Fugaku is likely in serious condition, and Itachi has returned to the village."
"Itachi?" Danzo scoffed. Years ago, Itachi had come to him claiming he wanted to resolve the conflict between his clan and the village, only to turn around and betray him. He had then resigned from the Anbu. The next time Danzo heard of him, Itachi was leaving Konoha with a group of elite Uchiha shinobi. It had all been an act orchestrated by Itachi and Fugaku. But with a Mangekyo Sharingan user like Itachi present, he could stabilize the situation even if Fugaku was injured.
"Any leads on the attacker?" Danzo asked.
The Hokage shook his head. "The Uchiha clan is not cooperating." After the attack, the Uchiha had neither requested aid from Konoha nor asked for their involvement in the investigation. It was clear they no longer considered themselves part of the village.
"Besides the Uchiha, Naruto was also attacked," the Third Hokage added, taking another puff of smoke. "The assailant used Wood Style jutsu."
"Wood Style!?" Danzo was inwardly shocked. Could it be Zetsu?
The Third Hokage looked directly into Danzo's eyes. "You know who it is, don't you?"
Danzo's gaze flickered away. "I do not."
Having worked with Danzo for so many years, the Third Hokage knew instantly that he was lying. So, another test subject had survived that experiment besides Tenzo. Danzo, meanwhile, thought to himself that Zetsu's motives were indeed suspect. Was he trying to use him to get information on the Nine-Tails jinchuriki?
Recently, the Hokage's faction had been losing prestige, and the Third Hokage didn't want to clash with Danzo at such a sensitive time. Seeing Danzo's reluctance to talk, he didn't press the matter. They exchanged a few more words, but with no valuable information forthcoming, he dismissed Danzo. The Third Hokage was certain Danzo was hiding something about the Wood Style user, just as he had hidden the truth about Naruto's Tailed Beast Chakra Cloak from Danzo.
…
Danzo returned to the Root headquarters. Before long, one of his spies delivered a report on Naruto manifesting the chakra cloak. Danzo cursed inwardly. Hiruzen hadn't mentioned a word of it during their meeting. The meaning was clear: he was no longer trusted. After all, Danzo had always advocated for locking Naruto away to better control the Tailed Beast's power and had made several attempts to get his hands on the boy over the years. Now, the Third Hokage was withholding even critical information like this from him.
The appearance of a Tailed Beast Chakra Cloak typically meant one of two things: the jinchuriki's seal was weakening, or the Tailed Beast and the jinchuriki had reconciled, allowing the host to control its chakra. In Danzo's view, Naruto's case was clearly the former. Yet the Third Hokage had kept it from him.
With many clans already disgruntled with the Third Hokage over the recent Yagai incident, an idea began to form in Danzo's mind. He gestured for an operative to approach.
"Activate asset number three. Pass them the information about the Uchiha being attacked and Fugaku's severe injuries."
"Yes, sir!"
…
At Konoha Hospital, Sasuke slowly opened his eyes. Before he could even assess his condition, a familiar voice rang in his ears. "Sasuke, you're awake!"
Naruto was jumping with excitement beside him.
Sasuke felt sore all over as he struggled to sit up. "Naruto, how long was I out?"
Seeing Sasuke sit up, Naruto couldn't wipe the grin off his face. "You've been asleep for two days."
Sasuke turned to look at Naruto, noticing the fatigue on his friend's face. He must have been waiting here the whole time. "Thank you, Naruto," Sasuke said softly.
Just then, Naruto was talking to a doctor at the door and didn't quite hear him. "What did you say, Sasuke?"
A faint blush colored Sasuke's cheeks. He cleared his throat. "Next time we get food, it's my treat."
"Alright!" Naruto cheered happily.
A medical-nin came in and gave Sasuke a quick check-up. "Your shoulder is fine now, but you have a hairline fracture in your finger. Don't use it for a while and let it heal naturally." Other than that, he was fine and could be discharged to recover at home.
After the Konoha medical-nin left, an Uchiha named Iori came to pick Sasuke up. Sasuke was full of questions but first said goodbye to Naruto. "Naruto, you should go home and rest. Once I'm better, we'll go get something to eat."
Naruto nodded and yawned. "Okay, Sasuke. Get well soon!"
After Naruto left, Sasuke hurried home with Iori. "Iori, how is the clan?" he asked as soon as they were alone. Iori's grim expression on arrival had told Sasuke that something was wrong. They had already left the main village area and entered Uchiha territory.
Noticing the anxiety in Sasuke's eyes, Iori tried to reassure him. "The clan is fine. Just a few people were injured."
"What about Father?" Over the past few years, Fugaku had paid special attention to Sasuke, who deeply respected and loved his father in return.
Iori paused for a moment before answering. "The clan head was also injured, but it's nothing serious. you'll see when you get back."
As they spoke, Sasuke entered the clan compound. He noticed a few new faces that were somehow both strange and familiar, but he was too worried about his father to give them much thought. He followed Iori's directions to Fugaku's bedside.
The first person he saw was his mother, Uchiha Mikoto, her face etched with exhaustion. Fugaku had arranged for Mikoto to be sent to a safe location during the attack, and no one had dared tell her about his severe injuries until his condition had stabilized. She had been sitting by his bed for two days straight, her heart heavy with worry. Though she wasn't neglecting herself, she slept little, spending all her waking hours with Fugaku. The doctors had assured her he was out of danger and would wake in a few days, but she remained by his side.
"Mom," Sasuke whispered, his heart clenching as he saw his pale-faced father lying in bed and his weary mother watching over him. Tears welled up in his eyes and streamed down his face.
Mikoto said nothing, simply pulling Sasuke into a comforting embrace. "It's okay, Sasuke. Your father will wake up soon."
His mother's words eased some of his fear, and he shyly pulled away from her hug.
"Sasuke, wipe your tears."
A voice spoke from beside him, and a warm, large hand gently patted his head. Sasuke looked up in disbelief.
"Brother!"
On the way here, Iori had only mentioned Fugaku's injury, not that Itachi had returned. Itachi's presence was a joyful shock.
Itachi ruffled Sasuke's hair. "You've gotten taller, Sasuke."
Sasuke, his face still streaked with tears, felt a little embarrassed in front of his older brother. He wiped his cheeks. "Brother, how did Dad get hurt so badly?"
Itachi poked Sasuke's forehead with two fingers. "I'll tell you later."
Sasuke pouted and rubbed his forehead. His brother always treated him like a kid. Hmph, I just have to train harder! Next time, I'll be the one to protect Dad! Sasuke vowed to himself.
"Mom," Itachi said to Mikoto, "you barely slept last night. Go get some rest. Sasuke and I will stay here."
Seeing her two sons reunited, Mikoto felt a great sense of relief. As she relaxed, a wave of drowsiness washed over her. She nodded. "Alright, I'll go lie down for a bit. Call me when Fugaku wakes up."
After Mikoto left, Itachi and Sasuke sat down. "Tell me what happened when you and Naruto were attacked." Keimei had woken up yesterday, so Itachi already knew the full story of Obito's assault. He only had a general idea of what had happened to Sasuke.
Halfway through his explanation, Sasuke suddenly fell silent.
"What's wrong, Sasuke?" Itachi asked, confused by the sudden pause.
"Naruto used two Rasengans and the Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu, and he could still move around just fine," Sasuke said abruptly. "I used Chidori just once and was completely out of chakra. Am I weaker than him?"
Itachi didn't know whether to laugh or be annoyed. Sasuke had to compare everything with Naruto. Did he really want to compare his chakra reserves to a member of the Uzumaki clan?