In the cold wooden house, Uchiha Sasuke sat by the campfire, his thighs wrapped in several layers of thick bandages.
Sasuke tilted his head slightly, looking at the red-haired man on the other side of the bonfire, his mind filled with countless thoughts. This was the man who had effortlessly shattered all his pride and self-confidence.
It wasn't until he met this man that Sasuke realized that such powerful ninjas existed in this world. Uzumaki Raiden's strength was on an entirely different level from ordinary shinobi.
It was precisely because of Raiden's overwhelming strength that Sasuke was willing to believe that Konoha might not have deliberately targeted the Uchiha clan. If Konoha had truly wanted to eliminate them, the Uchiha clan would have been wiped out long ago.
Sasuke didn't believe that anyone in the Uchiha clan could stand against Uzumaki Raiden, not even himself with his Mangekyō Sharingan, let alone the other clan members.
"Boy, what are you thinking?"
Uzumaki Raiden tossed a piece of wood into the bonfire and smiled. Sasuke had been staring at him for some time, and Raiden had no idea what was going through the boy's mind.
"Why… didn't you kill me?"
"I'm a traitor to the village, and I almost killed you. Don't you hate me?"
Sasuke withdrew his gaze, lowered his head slightly, and asked softly.
"Boy, I think you've misunderstood something."
"Almost killed me? Are you joking? Hate? That's not even a question."
"I was simply teaching an ignorant junior a lesson for a friend. It's nothing significant."
"As for being a rogue ninja, I only recognize rogues that I believe are truly rogue!"
Uzumaki Raiden stretched, adjusted his posture, and leaned comfortably against the wooden wall as the fire crackled.
Sasuke remained silent, lowering his head without speaking. After a long pause, he finally asked:
"The village has already branded me a traitor. Can that change?"
Sasuke covered his legs, his voice low. After being thoroughly defeated by Uzumaki Raiden, his perspective on many things had shifted, including his stance on Konoha. He no longer resisted returning to the village. Though lingering doubts remained, he no longer rejected the idea outright.
"Yes."
"If I say it can change, then it will."
"The only reason you're able to sit here quietly and talk to me is because of my strength. I understand that very well."
"But I don't plan to take you back to Konoha."
Raiden turned to look at Sasuke. The young Uchiha was surprised by his words and asked, confused:
"Why? Is it because I would be convicted upon my return? As my father's friend, are you trying to protect yourself?"
Sasuke spoke bluntly, laying his thoughts bare without hesitation. He wasn't concerned about how his words might be perceived or the consequences they could bring.
"You really do seem intelligent sometimes, yet you talk like a fool."
"No wonder you became friends with Naruto. You two are very much alike."
Raiden glanced at Sasuke before continuing:
"If I wanted to protect myself through favoritism, I would. It wouldn't affect me at all."
"Even if I brought you back to Konoha, as long as I don't want you to be executed, you won't be."
"That is strength. That is the power to dictate outcomes."
"But that's not why I'm not taking you back."
Raiden paused before explaining:
"At your age, you're most vulnerable to manipulation by those with ulterior motives. If I bring you back now, you'll lose the chance to see the truth for yourself."
"Don't you want to confirm with your own eyes whether everything you've believed in all these years is right or wrong?"
"Don't deny yourself so easily just because you lost to me. I want you to see the world clearly, not submit to power out of fear."
"So, I'm giving you a chance to explore the world on your own and uncover the truth behind everything."
"Once you understand it all, then return to Konoha. By then, I believe you'll be able to comprehend the choices your father and brother made."
Raiden didn't elaborate further. He didn't mention Madara or the Akatsuki to Sasuke, believing the young Uchiha wasn't a fool. At fifteen or sixteen, Sasuke had already developed his own values, and regardless of whether his judgments were right or wrong, he needed to make them himself.
Raiden's role was merely to provide guidance.
Sasuke stared at Raiden in surprise before lowering his head again, deep in thought.
Seeing Sasuke's pensive expression, Raiden knew his words had reached him. Standing up, he patted the dust off his clothes, took out a kunai marked with the Flying Thunder God formula, and handed it to Sasuke.
"This is my Flying Thunder God Kunai. If you encounter a situation you can't handle, inject your chakra into it, and I'll sense it."
"If I'm available, I'll come help you."
"This wooden house was my residence when I stayed in the Land of Rain. I'm giving it to you."
"Stay here until your wounds heal, then go find the answers you seek."
"I'll return to the village first. When you truly understand everything, then come back."
Sasuke looked up at Raiden, silently taking the kunai and tucking it into his robe.
Raiden watched as Sasuke accepted it, then turned to leave. Just as he reached the door, Sasuke suddenly called out.
"Hokage-sama!"
Raiden was taken aback, surprised to hear Sasuke use an honorific. Turning back, he asked curiously, "What is it?"
"Please… help ensure my mother's safety."
After speaking, Sasuke lowered his head, a mix of shame and humility in his voice.
"Ah."
Uzumaki Raiden nodded, then opened the door and left.
After Raiden's departure, Uchiha Sasuke stared blankly at the bonfire in front of him, his thoughts clouded with confusion. The young Uchiha was now uncertain about the relationship between his clan and the village. He didn't know how to face his parents or his brother.
After a long time, a figure emerged in Sasuke's mind—the masked Uchiha who had told him the "history" of their clan.
"If I can see him again, I should be able to learn the truth!"
After parting ways with Sasuke, Raiden teleported back to Konoha using the Flying Thunder God Technique. Even for him, such an extended teleportation consumed a considerable amount of chakra.
He had left a Flying Thunder God mark in his study at home. Not long after he appeared there, a knock sounded at the door. Raiden opened it to find Kisame, Sakura Haruno, and Zabuza Momochi half-kneeling before him, looking surprised at his return.
"Master Raiden! You're finally back!"
Sakura Haruno spoke with visible relief, her expression filled with joy and excitement. Kisame and Zabuza both exhaled, as if a weight had been lifted from their chests.
"You three… What are you doing here? Were you waiting for me?"
"What happened?"
Raiden asked curiously. The timing of their arrival right after his return was too much of a coincidence. It seemed they had been waiting for him for quite some time.
"Master Raiden, we've been waiting here. The moment we sensed movement in the study, we knew it was you."
"Something major has happened in the village. The Fifth Hokage requested your presence, but you weren't here."
"Now that you're finally back, we can address the issue."
Sakura spoke with a tinge of urgency.
"Get up, there's no need for such formality at home."
"What happened? Minato can't handle it?"
Seeing their anxious expressions, Raiden frowned.
"The Tsuchikage of Iwagakure is here to extradite Akatsuki's traitor, Deidara."
"But he didn't come alone. This time, he arrived with jonin from Takigakure and Kumogakure."
"Iwa, Taki, and Cloud have joined forces. While Iwa demands the return of its rogue ninja, they and Kumo are also pressuring Konoha."
"They want us to return the tailed beast that originally belonged to Takigakure—Nanabi."
"The envoys are already settled in the village, waiting for Konoha's response."
Sakura reported. Kisame, feeling her explanation was lacking, added:
"Before you came back, I overheard Kakashi mentioning that the discussion between the Fifth Hokage and the envoys wasn't going well."
"If this issue isn't handled properly, it could trigger a full-scale war in the ninja world."
"They're demanding that we hand over the Nanabi Jinchūriki and return the hosts of the Six-Tails and Three-Tails to Kirigakure."
"Although no representatives from Kirigakure came, it's clear that if we enter into conflict with the other three villages, Kirigakure will side with them."
"At that point, Konoha will be surrounded by enemies from all directions."
Kisame's tone carried a hint of worry. He had lived in Konoha for so long that he had grown attached to its peaceful life. More than that, he valued the presence of Sakura Haruno. He didn't want Konoha to be dragged into war and have everything fall apart.
Raiden snorted. "They want our Jinchūriki? Do we even need to discuss this?"
"Why not just refuse outright?"
"Whether it's Nohara Rin, Karin, or Naruto, we're not handing anyone over."
"What is there to negotiate? If they want war, let them bring it!"
Raiden waved his hand dismissively. The others were stunned. They hadn't expected him to be so direct in dismissing the threat from Iwagakure and its allies.
"Master Raiden, if war breaks out, we may not be able to withstand attacks from all sides."
"I also heard that the Fifth Hokage seemed hesitant on this matter."
"For the sake of the village's safety, he might consider negotiating the handover of Jinchūriki, but only on the condition that the hosts are not harmed."
"The agreement would be that the Jinchūriki remain untouched until their natural deaths before their villages replace them with new hosts."
"Kakashi shared this with me privately. This is Minato-sama's bottom line. If war is unavoidable, he's considering using this as the basis for negotiation."
Kisame, having worked closely with Kakashi, was privy to insider information. Despite being a former rogue ninja, he had long since pledged loyalty to Konoha.
Raiden's expression darkened. "Hand over the Jinchūriki? Does he not realize his own son is one?"
His voice carried a hint of restrained anger.
Sakura folded her arms across her chest. "For the sake of peace, if the enemy accepts this condition, the Fifth Hokage might really agree to it."
She spoke softly, but her meaning was clear.
Minato was a Hokage devoted to the village. If sacrificing Naruto meant preventing war, he might very well make that decision. And realistically, Naruto wouldn't be in immediate danger. Takigakure wouldn't harm him, as he was a stable Jinchūriki. They wouldn't be foolish enough to let a host of his potential slip away.
If he learned to control the Tailed Beast in the future, his status in Takigakure could be as high as that of the village head. Takigakure wasn't one of the Five Great Nations, and their leader didn't hold the title of "Kage."
Raiden sneered. "Peace?"
"Do you think peace obtained under such conditions is real peace?"
"Why do you think I left the Tailed Beasts in Konoha? Wasn't it precisely to maintain peace?!"
"Handing over the Jinchūriki will only throw the world into further chaos!"
His voice was cold, and his suppressed fury was palpable.
Kisame spoke up, trying to mediate. "Minato-sama wants to follow the First Hokage's example and establish a balance of power among the Great Nations."
"Iwagakure and Kumogakure are backing Takigakure because they fear that Konoha has too many Tailed Beasts and Jinchūriki."
Kisame had a favorable impression of Minato, believing him to be a competent Hokage. Having been through many battles, he understood that sacrifices were sometimes necessary for the greater good.
Raiden scoffed. "Follow the First Hokage's example?!"
"It's because of that naïve fool that war after war followed!"
"A man who abandoned his own power and invited destruction upon his people—what is there to learn from such an idiot?!"
His voice was laced with disdain.
"Perfect timing! Iwa and Kumo are here? Let's settle this once and for all!"
"It's time to address the mess the First Hokage left behind and set things straight!"
Raiden's figure flickered, vanishing in an instant.
Sakura, Kisame, and Zabuza exchanged glances before hurriedly following him toward Konoha.
In the Hokage's office, Minato was dealing with the diplomatic nightmare when he sensed a faint fluctuation in space.
Before he could react, Raiden appeared behind him.
"Raiden—" Minato started, but Raiden raised a hand to silence him.
"I already know the situation. Send a message to the envoys."
"If they want a Jinchūriki, they can forget it."
"No one is leaving this village, no matter who demands it."
"And if anyone refuses to accept that… let them come and talk to me personally!"
(End of Chapter)