A few days later, Sasuke was discharged from the hospital.
He changed into a clean Uchiha Clan's attire. The red and white fan clan emblem on his back now seemed particularly glaring and heavy.
Clutching a thick envelope given to him by the Third Hokage, containing a sizable sum for living expenses, a key with a specific apartment number, and a simple map of Konoha, he made his way.
Following the map's directions, he arrived at a relatively new apartment building not far from the hospital.
Using the key, he opened the designated door. The smell of new renovation materials greeted him.
The room was large, a standard two-bedroom layout. The living room was spacious, the bedrooms bright. Furniture and appliances were all provided, even more modern and comfortable than his previous room in the Uchiha Clan's compound.
But for a seven-year-old child who had just lost everything, this excessive 'comfort' and 'completeness' only emphasized a suffocating emptiness and coldness.
There was no father's stern yet caring guidance, no mother's gentle figure preparing dinner, no sounds of his brother occasionally returning, none of the familiar clansmen from the compound.
Only him, and this dead, silent, unfamiliar space.
A massive sense of loneliness engulfed him like a tidal wave.
Sasuke turned abruptly and rushed out of this so-called 'new home', almost instinctively running towards the direction of his most familiar memory… the Uchiha Clan's compound.
He ran through familiar streets, his heart pounding violently in his chest, carrying a sliver of unrealistic hope that perhaps...
Perhaps it was all just a nightmare?
Perhaps the compound was still there, the clansmen still living?
However, when he finally reached the remembered location, the sight before him plunged him into an ice-cold despair.
The once vast, building-filled Uchiha Clan's compound was now almost completely leveled!
Only scattered sections of broken walls and charred foundations remained, testifying to its former existence.
In their place were several huge construction sites cordoned off with temporary fencing. Various construction machinery roared, workers busy shuttling back and forth.
From the erected planning boards and displayed clan emblems, this land had been quickly allocated to other clans for reconstruction.
His home...
Was truly gone.
Completely, utterly erased from this world.
Looking at the unfamiliar clan emblems and busy workers, Sasuke's small face turned pale, fists clenched tightly.
He walked back, utterly disheartened.
Arriving in Konoha's core area, passersby noticed the child in the Uchiha Attire with the conspicuous fan emblem, casting strange glances, mixed with low whispers, pointing fingers, and even undisguised disgust and fear.
"Look, it's the Uchiha kid..."
"How dare he still wear those clothes outside?"
"I heard it was his brother who..."
"Stay away from him, he's bad luck..."
Those gazes and whispers pricked Sasuke like needles, making him feel intensely awkward, humiliated, and angry.
He lowered his head sharply, wanting to quickly leave this place.
In that instant, he suddenly remembered scenes he often saw before: Naruto walking alone on the street, surrounded by people looking at him with similar, even more blatant disgusted looks, pointing fingers.
'So... this is what it feels like to be surrounded by everyone's strange stares?'
An indescribable, cold feeling of loneliness and rejection spread through his heart for the first time so clearly.
He used to think Naruto was just a noisy idiot, but now, he inexplicably felt a sliver of indescribable resonance?
Distracted, he accidentally bumped into someone coming the other way.
Both let out an 'Oof!' and fell to the ground.
"Ow! That hurts! Don't you watch where you're going, Sasuke?!" A familiar, noisy voice complained.
Sasuke looked up to see Naruto rubbing his backside and standing up, his bright blond hair particularly striking in the sunlight.
And behind Naruto followed a group of familiar faces: Shikamaru, Choji, Shino, Ino, Sakura, and... Menma, leisurely sipping a milk tea, with a timid Hinata sticking close to him.
Shikamaru looked at Sasuke, a flicker of understanding and complexity in his eyes… he probably knew some of the inside story.
Menma remained in his usual lazy, spectator mode, straw in his mouth, his gaze from behind the mask examining the distraught Sasuke with interest, as if watching an amusing play.
The other friends mostly looked concerned and curious.
"Sasuke-kun, are you okay?" Sakura and Ino almost simultaneously stepped forward, worried.
They noticed Sasuke looked unwell and hadn't been to school for days.
Naruto also came closer, asking bluntly, "Yeah, Sasuke, where have you been these past few days? Were you sick?"
Sasuke looked at these still-innocent classmates living in the sunlight, then compared them to the cataclysm that had befallen him and the pointing fingers around him.
A huge sense of disparity and unexplained irritation welled up inside.
He stood up abruptly, brushed the dust off his clothes, and deliberately used a cold, arrogant tone to mask his inner vulnerability and confusion. "Hmph, I won't be coming to the Ninja Academy anymore."
"Eh? Why?" Naruto's eyes widened, full of confusion.
Sasuke raised his chin, trying to appear impressive. "I've graduated early."
As he said this, he specifically glanced at Menma, who always outscored him and hadn't spoken, seemingly wanting to see a trace of surprise on the other party's face.
"Graduated early?!" Naruto sure enough exclaimed, his face full of envy and unwillingness. "How'd you do that? So sneaky, Sasuke!"
"Hmph, a dead-last like you who can't even use the Clone Technique properly should just stay obediently in school." Sasuke habitually retorted, trying to reclaim the feeling of the past. "Maybe in a few years, when I'm a Chunin or even a Jonin, you'll finally manage to graduate!"
"What did you say?! You arrogant Sasuke!" Naruto was instantly ignited, jumping up to argue with Sasuke.
The two started bickering back and forth, the familiar squabble seemingly diluting some of the gloom in Sasuke's heart.
Watching Naruto fume and stomp yet be unable to do anything, a faint, almost imperceptible smile tugged at the corner of Sasuke's mouth, one he himself didn't even notice.
This childish argument actually gave him a strange sense of warmth and reality now.
A few days later, at the Konoha's Anbu Base.
The air was filled with the mixed scents of steel, leather, and faint disinfectant.
In the relatively empty locker room, Kakashi, having just finished a patrol round, was using a rare break to sit on a bench, engrossed in his ever-present copy of Icha Icha Paradise.
Tenzo, newly promoted to Captain of the Anbu's First Squad, carefully stored his gear in his locker and approached Kakashi, his tone steady. "Kakashi-senpai, when are you planning to pick up Uchiha Sasuke?"
They had both experienced that bloody night, clashed with the Star Ninjas. Yamato had personally witnessed the shock of his former friend, Yukimi awakening Wood Release.
Taking on the task of mentoring the Uchiha orphan was complex, but he felt more a sense of responsibility.
Kakashi's gaze didn't leave the page as he answered lazily, "Already sent someone to get him."
No sooner had he spoken than an Anbu wearing an animal mask appeared at the locker room entrance, reporting respectfully, "Commander, Uchiha Sasuke has been brought in. He's waiting in the training ground."
Kakashi finally closed his book and stashed it in his pouch. "Let's go. Time to meet our 'intern rookie'."
The Anbu Base's training ground was sizable. Many Anbu's members were engaged in high-intensity Taijutsu sparring, Ninjutsu practice, or tactical coordination drills.
The clanging of kunai, the roar of ninjutsu explosions, and sharp commands filled the air… the atmosphere was tense and efficient.
Sasuke, setting foot in such a place for the first time, stood at the edge of the field, looking around with curiosity and excitement.
Watching these agile, sharp-moving Anbu radiating a formidable aura, he felt his blood heat up slightly, as if seeing his own future of rapidly gaining strength and slaying his enemy.
Just then, the noise in the training ground seemed to quiet down a bit.
Many training Anbu's members stopped their movements, nodding slightly towards the entrance in acknowledgment.
"Commander!"
"Captain Kakashi!"
"Captain Tenzo!"
Sasuke followed their gazes and saw Kakashi and Tenzo walking over.
Kakashi still looked lazy, but his exposed eye held an intangible authority as it swept across the training ground.
Tenzo appeared more steady and reserved.
Sasuke's attention was immediately drawn to Kakashi.
'This guy who looked so unmotivated was the Anbu Commander?'
Kakashi walked up to Sasuke, his tone flat. "Follow me."
He led Sasuke through part of the training area, giving a brief introduction as they walked. "Anbu, full name Ansatsu Senjutsu Tokushu Butai. Directly under the Hokage. Responsible for executing the most dangerous, high-classified missions: reconnaissance, assassination, guard duty, cleanup..."
"This is Konoha's most elite force, but it also means the highest casualty rate. The training intensity here far exceeds your imagination. If you think you can't handle it, you can still back out now."
"I won't give up!" Sasuke immediately responded loudly, a determined fire burning in his eyes.
He suddenly remembered a question and couldn't help asking, "Hey, Commander... compared to that man, who's stronger?"
He was clearly referring to Itachi.
Kakashi's steps paused slightly, as if genuinely considering Itachi's strength during his Anbu days. Then he scratched the back of his head and said in his signature lazy tone, "Hmm... probably about fifty-fifty."
After all, Itachi had never shown his Mangekyo in front of them.
The vague answer made Sasuke frown, but he didn't press further.
The three arrived at the equipment room. A logistics staff member had already prepared a standard Anbu's combat uniform in Sasuke's size and a pure white animal mask without any patterns.
Kakashi handed the gear to Sasuke. "Put this on. From today, during Anbu's missions and training, you are the intern codenamed [Hawk]."
Sasuke took the cold combat suit and mask, a strange sense of purpose rising within him.
However, the first mission Kakashi assigned next made Sasuke freeze completely.
"Your first mission: Infiltration." Kakashi's voice was still lazy, without any fluctuation. "Target location: Konoha's Ninja Academy. Mission requirements: Disguise yourself as an ordinary student for covert infiltration. Participate normally in school curriculum. Establish 'good' relations with surrounding classmates and teachers. Secretly gather basic intelligence on their daily behavior, interpersonal relationships, ability inclinations, etc. Report periodically."
"Simultaneously, every day after school, you must report to the base on time for Anbu physical, Ninjutsu, Genjutsu, tactical training, and Sharingan usage."
"What?! Go back to the Academy?!" Sasuke thought he had misheard. He joined the Anbu to get stronger for revenge, not to play house!
Yamato spoke up to explain. "Disguise and infiltration are required skills for Ninja, especially Anbu's elites. The highest form of infiltration is complete integration into the environment without raising any suspicion. The Ninja Academy is the most suitable place for you to practice this skill at your current stage."
Kakashi took over, his tone carrying a note of finality. "Building a theoretical foundation, honing infiltration skills, while also completing high-intensity additional training… this is the daily rhythm of an Anbu. Think you can't handle it? I told you, you can still back out now."
Another challenge!
Sasuke looked at Kakashi's seemingly all-seeing gaze, and a wave of defiant spirit surged within him.
He gritted his teeth and responded loudly, "Who says I can't handle it! I accept this mission! I will complete it!"
Kakashi looked at this youth driven by hatred yet forced to temporarily return to his 'cage', a complex emotion flashing unseen in his exposed eye.
'This path was destined to be fraught with thorns.'