It was finally over.
Weeks had passed since the final cries of war fell silent. The scorched battlefields had begun to heal, but not as quickly as the hearts of those left behind.
We stood at the memorial stone, a sea of shinobi, both young and old, gathered beneath the weight of silence. Rain fell gently over Konoha, as if the sky itself was mourning with us.
Names had been freshly etched into the black surface of the stone. Too many names. Friends. Comrades. Students. Mentors.
I stood next to Minato. His arms were crossed, but I could feel the sorrow radiating from him. He'd lost people, too. We all had.
Kurenai was a few steps behind me. Her eyes were red, not from the rain. She held tightly the bracelet I'd given her, the one with my Hiraishin mark still etched in its center. She hadn't let go of it.
Tsunade stood with her head bowed, Shizune by her side. Even she hadn't said a word since we arrived. For someone so strong, silence seemed heavier than any outburst.
Then I heard whispers from one Uchiha member.
"We should reclaim the Sharingan."
Heads turned.
"Kakashi Hatake… He's not of our blood."
"No, be quiet, that was Obito's wish," Fugaku said.
I didn't move. I didn't blink.
I looked at Kakashi from afar. He stood near Sakumo's grave, silent, distant, his single eye unreadable.
He didn't respond. He didn't have to.
Minato's expression darkened just slightly, but he said nothing. He knew this wasn't the time.
I lowered my gaze to the wet stone beneath me. My reflection stared back bloodstained eyes, battle-hardened face. I wasn't the same boy who entered this war.
I wasn't sure who I was anymore.
But one thing I knew I had changed the future completely.
————
Days later, it didn't feel real. The silence in the village was too loud. No alarms. No cries. No orders were barked in the middle of the night. Just… peace.
I pushed open the heavy door of the Konoha General Hospital. The scent of medicine and sterilized tools hit me immediately, strangely familiar now. I made my way through the corridors, nodding at the nurses, my boots quiet against the floor.
Room 214.
I stopped in front of the door, hesitating. I didn't usually hesitate. Not in battle. Not in training. But this… this was different.
I knocked once,
"Come in,"
I stepped inside.
Obito sat upright in bed, bandages still wrapped around his torso and one arm in a sling, but the color was returning to his face. Rin was by his side, eyes lighting up when she saw me. She had a book in her lap, likely pretending to read while watching over him.
Obito turned toward me, and his face broke into the biggest grin I'd seen in weeks.
"Izuna!!"
"Whoa, you'll reopen your wounds, idiot."
He laughed, tears already forming in his eyes. "You came. I thought you'd be off doing… I don't know… mysterious Uchiha things."
"Those can wait."
Rin smiled, standing up. "I'll give you two a moment, and thank you, Izuna."
Obito watched her as she walked to the hallway, his gaze soft. Then, when the door closed, he looked back at me, serious now.
"You saved me."
"I had to."
"No, I mean it. I was done. I thought I was dead. Then you came out of nowhere, covered in blood, like some avenging god—"
"Stop, I didn't do it to be a god. I did it because you're my comrade."
He was quiet for a moment.
"They're calling you The God of Death, you know."
I looked away.
"That's what people say when they don't know what it's like. When they've never felt blood on their hands and wished it was just a bad dream."
Obito lowered his head. "Still… I'm glad you came."
I put a hand on his bandaged arm. "I promised you once, remember? That I wouldn't let any of us die if I could help it."
He smiled. "Yeah… you did."
We sat there for a while in silence.
——FLASHBACK——
Darkness. Rain. Blood.
That moment is burned into my eyes forever.
Kakashi's Chidori tore through the night like a lightning blade. He moved too fast. Rin didn't even flinch, she just looked at him, eyes steady, accepting. That's when I understood.
"No,"
Chrono Lock.
Time stopped.
His Chidori hovered inches from her heart. I stepped forward, boots sinking into the wet earth. My voice was like ice.
"What the hell are you doing?"
He stared at me, breath ragged, Sharingan spinning in confusion.
"She… she's the enemy now, She's carrying—"
"You nearly killed her. You think you're the only one who's suffering?"
Then I sensed his chakra flaring in the treetops.
Obito.
His eyes locked onto Kakashi's. He'd seen enough.
Rin stood between us, stunned but breathing.
"Enough, Temporary Binding Seal: Silent Redemption."
All three froze just long enough.
I turned to Rin. "You're going to Tsunade. Kushina's taking you, she will seal the beast better. You're not dying today."
Then to Kakashi and Obito. "You're both going too. I'll take care of what's coming. This war isn't done with us yet."
———END OF FLASHBACK———
"Obito, we will talk when you get better. I hope you recover fast. Also, you will tell me more about Madara."
——————
For the first time in years, the village breathed without the weight of death pressing against its lungs. But peace never came without scars.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, the window cracked open. Outside, Konoha was rebuilding stone by stone, soul by soul. He looked older now. Tired. But in his hands was a scroll that made his gaze harden with a different kind of weight.
It was Izuna Uchiha's war report.
Each page was lined with battlefield statistics, ANBU notes, witness accounts, medical assessments, and mission success rates. But more than that, it was a ledger of blood, loyalty, and unspoken sacrifice.
He murmured aloud, half to himself.
"Multiple successful operations across all fronts… personally sealed two jinchuriki… eliminated over a hundred enemy shinobi… led critical flanking missions… saved Konoha forces on multiple occasions…"
His voice trailed off.
Then came the line written in red ink by a high-ranking jonin commander:
'Nickname: The God of Death. Presence alone was enough to break enemy formations. Witnesses describe him as the embodiment of a curse… or a savior. Sometimes both.'
Hiruzen leaned back, removing his pipe but not lighting it. His thoughts drifted to the boy's first days, sharp eyes, quieter than most Uchiha, colder too… and yet more human than he'd let anyone see.
A soft knock on the door broke the silence.
"Izuna Uchiha."
"Enter."
The door slid open. Izuna stepped in a black cloak draped over his shoulders, hair slightly longer than before, the scar across his left collarbone still fresh. He didn't bow, but his gaze was respectful.
Hiruzen gestured to the scroll.
"I read everything."
Izuna said nothing.
The Hokage stood up, walking toward him slowly. "There are shinobi who follow orders… and there are shinobi who carry the war on their back without waiting to be asked. You did both. You went where no one else could. You endured what would break others."
"I wasn't alone,Minato. Sakumo. Shikaku. Tsunade. Even Shisui and Kakashi… Everyone played their part."
"Yes, but when the world was burning… the one name that spread like wildfire through enemy lines was yours. 'The God of Death.' Do you know what they said about you?"
"That I was a monster?"
Hiruzen smiled faintly. "Some did. But others called you Konoha's silent sword. A guardian of ghosts. A boy who walked through hell so others wouldn't have to."
He stepped back and turned toward the window.
"The war is over, Izuna. What will you do now?"
There was a long silence. Then—
"…Rest, but not for long. There's always another shadow."
Hiruzen nodded, almost to himself.
"Take time. You've earned it. And when you're ready… Konoha will need you again."
As Izuna turned to leave, the Hokage called out one last time.
"Oh—and one more thing."
Izuna stopped.
"You were never just a weapon. I want you to remember that."
For a moment, Izuna didn't respond. Then a quiet, almost tired smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.
"I'll try."
————-
Later, Izuna had called Tsunade urgently, asking to meet him alone. She arrived quickly, a bit concerned by the tone of his message.
"What is it, Izuna? You said it was serious."
Izuna cleared his throat, looking at her with a straight face.
"I need to ask you something important."
Tsunade raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
"Will you marry me? I like you. "
Tsunade froze, eyes wide. Her cheeks turned red.
"I… What? Are you serious? This isn't—"
Izuna laughed.
"I'm joking."
Tsunade's expression changed instantly. "You idiot!" she yelled and punched him hard in the face.
"Okay, okay, I deserved this. But seriously… I called you because it's about Itachi."
"What about him?"
"I've been watching him lately. He's been coughing. His breathing… It's not normal. I think it might be something with his lungs."
Tsunade nodded slowly, already switching to her medic mindset.
"I just wanted to ask, can you keep an eye on him? Maybe even run a few checks now and then? If there's anything wrong… I know you'll catch it."
"I will. Thanks for telling me."
Izuna looked at her and smiled faintly. "And hey… if I ever do ask you to marry me again… maybe I'll mean it next time."
Tsunade rolled her eyes. "Get out of here before I punch you again."