Being a rogue ninja is worse than being Hokage.

Sasuke's words contained a complex emotion that even he himself was unaware of.

That's right, the third person in this dark space—

—Itachi Uchiha's soul returned from the Pure Land through the Impure World Reincarnation technique.

Chapter 68 Nightmare

The nights in the Land of Snow are different from those elsewhere.

This unassuming island nation, nestled in a remote corner of the ninja world, has a peculiar climate where winter reigns all year round, always turning the land of this country into a white expanse.

The bright moonlight falls on the equally white snow, making the nights in the snow country always brightly disturb the darkness that should be there.

Naruto was alone, appreciating the night view of the Land of Snow. The complex thoughts in his eyes showed that his gaze was not truly fixed on the bright night.

After the reanimated Itachi Uchiha appeared before Sasuke, Naruto voluntarily left Sasuke's side.

The space for conversation was left to the two Uchiha who were the parties involved.

This was a scene that Naruto had meticulously prepared for a long time, where Sasuke would learn the truth about the Uchiha clan massacre.

This "truth" should not be explained by outsiders.

Especially for Naruto, there is even less need for him to say too much about the "truth".

His stance should be the same as Sasuke's: a seeker of knowledge, not a knower.

Naruto might be able to calm Sasuke down by talking too much to him now, but once Sasuke calms down and returns to his rationality, Naruto has to be wary of the possibility that Sasuke, who is usually quite thoughtful, might become suspicious of him.

Therefore, Itachi Uchiha is the best choice.

Even though Naruto knew the original plot, he was unwilling to actively contact the living Itachi Uchiha.

However, the already deceased Itachi Uchiha was the best candidate for Naruto to recruit Sasuke as his absolute ally.

Let the real murderer describe the actual murder scene to the victim.

The "truth" revealed to the victims in this way is beyond question for them.

Although sitting like this would cause Sasuke, who is very sensitive, to experience intense emotional fluctuations.

However, for the Uchiha clan, strong emotions are not all bad.

His thoughts were interrupted here, and Naruto, who was not looking at the snowy night scene, turned his gaze to the side.

"Sasuke has fainted."

Still dressed in Akatsuki attire, Itachi's empty eyes revealed the reason he was there for Naruto.

The shock of the truth about the night the Uchiha clan was wiped out would cause Sasuke, whose physical condition was already poor, to faint from exhaustion, which was something Naruto had expected.

This also means that Itachi's story has come to an end.

Naruto passed by Itachi and returned to the dark space where he used to meditate and train.

Until Naruto's figure completely disappeared into the darkness that even moonlight could not penetrate, Itachi, who had taken Naruto's place and was bathed in moonlight, was enveloped by a coffin that suddenly appeared beneath his feet and returned to the earth.

……

At first, that day was no different from any other day for Sasuke.

Sasuke obtained information about Itachi from his ninja academy teacher.

Although his older brother's excellence put immense pressure on Sasuke, Sasuke still regarded his older brother, Itachi Uchiha, as his idol from the bottom of his heart.

In the past, the outstanding Itachi and the others in the Ninja Academy maintained a sense of distance between "excellent" and "mediocre".

Sasuke, who would subconsciously follow in Itachi's footsteps by imitating him, also adopted Itachi's aloof expression.

But Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka continued to pester her relentlessly.

At this moment, Sasuke, feeling frustrated by his failed attempt to emulate Naruto, would feel a little envious of him.

Naruto Uzumaki remained out of place with everyone, still wearing a cold expression.

Unlike Sasuke, no one really wants to get close to Naruto when he has that kind of expression.

But the meticulous Uchiha could always see things that ordinary people couldn't notice through their eyes.

Naruto Uzumaki's coldness was mixed with a deeper emotion.

It was this emotion that created a sense of distance between Naruto and everyone else around him.

However, even though he noticed this, Sasuke, who had never empathized with Naruto, couldn't understand the meaning of this emotion.

But deep down, perhaps they also envied him for being able to express his emotions so openly to everyone.

How strange... These were all ordinary little things in the past, things I should have forgotten long ago.

Yet, deep in my memory, the details of everyday life from the past have become so vivid in my dreams now.

On that same day, Itachi changed.

The blood everywhere blurred Sasuke's mind, causing him to see the rare full moon as crimson in the dazzling light.

The weasel, dressed entirely in black, stood in a pool of blood stained crimson by its parents.

Those Mangekyou Sharingan eyes, brighter than the moon, pulled Sasuke into Tsukuyomi. The brother Sasuke once admired and considered the gentlest in the world now relentlessly tormented Sasuke's spirit.

—If you want to kill me, then hate me!

Itachi spoke to Sasuke in a cruel voice that Sasuke had never heard before.

—And then, they eke out a living in a hideous manner, desperately trying to survive...

From that moment on, Sasuke finally learned the name of Naruto's deep emotions.

hatred.

However, confusion always leads to more confusion.

Sasuke hated Itachi.

What about Naruto? What does Naruto hate?

—If a conflict breaks out between Konoha and the Uchiha clan, the internal strife will cause Konoha to lose its authority, which will lead to turmoil in the other four great nations and another war in the entire ninja world.

This time, Itachi answered Sasuke's questions.

Therefore, the Uchiha clan, which already harbored rebellious intentions, had to be eliminated.

Because Naruto is the jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails.

Shisui wanted to control his father, the clan head, through Kotoamatsukami. If his father, who was a pro-war faction, defected, he could suppress the restless hearts of the Uchiha clan's pro-war faction and delay the Uchiha's rebellion, thus buying Konoha enough time to resolve the conflict between Konoha and the Uchiha peacefully.

Sixteen years ago, the Nine-Tails invaded Konoha.

However, the Konoha leadership would not allow the Uchiha to possess a power like Kotoamatsukami... The conditions for peace talks between Konoha and the Uchiha had been lost...

The fate of sealing the Nine-Tails was imposed on the newborn Naruto.

—I made a deal with the Konoha leadership.

Then, they took it for granted that they would ostracize and despise Naruto.

—I will kill the Uchiha clan, who have already been deemed a group in rebellion by the Konoha leadership. As for Sasuke, since you know nothing, you will not be held responsible by Konoha.

Itachi slaughtered the Uchiha clan for the benefit of Konoha.

For the sake of Konoha's interests, the Fourth Hokage chose his own child to be a Jinchūriki, a person despised by the world.

What are the rewards?

The reward was that Konoha smiled amidst Itachi and Naruto's suffering.

Sasuke's hatred, which should have disappeared with Itachi's death, only intensified.

This new hatred stems from Sasuke's pain at learning the truth about Itachi.

There is also the sadness that Sasuke felt for Naruto's plight after understanding why Naruto hated Konoha through Itachi.

Laughter and cheers, seemingly from nowhere, erupted, disrupting the complex emotions of grief and sorrow within Sasuke.

What's so funny?

What right do people who know nothing have to laugh so comfortably?

Sadness and pain, these negative emotions, were transformed into anger amidst laughter.

The intense emotional turmoil jolted Sasuke awake from his dream.

……

Chapter 69 Hexagram

……

OK! That's a wrap!

"Thank you all for your hard work!"

"..."

All I could hear were nonsensical words.

In a half-awake, half-asleep state, the genuine laughter of the outside world invades Sasuke's dream, blurring the lines between reality and fantasy.

Sasuke stared blankly at the ceiling he could see as he lay on the bed.

This is not the dark space where Naruto meditates and trains.

The layout of the room is more everyday; it is a guest living room with somewhat luxurious decorations but a rather formulaic layout.

Unlike Naruto's meditation training ground, which had no heating facilities, the room had heating to keep out the cold.

Sasuke quickly figured out the situation.

He learned the truth about that night while talking to Itachi, who had been resurrected by Edo Tensei. The stark contrast of the facts shocked him, and he fell into a coma again shortly after waking up.

When he woke up again, he was already here.

This is still the Land of Snow; it seems Naruto moved him here.

That's exactly what happened.