Sasuke left without hesitation.
There was no regret in his heart, only resolve.
The path ahead was one he had chosen of his own will.
His life had been distorted by his brother from the moment of that night. Every step since then had been driven by a single purpose. In his mind, there was no such thing as a "wrong choice."
And yet
What he had chosen was unquestionably not the future Uchiha Itachi had envisioned.
In Itachi's design, Sasuke was meant to grow into a protector of Konohagakure
a hero who would defend the village. Itachi himself had cast his own life as a stepping stone. The burden of hatred, the truth hidden behind the massacre, even the possibility of the Mangekyō Sharingan evolving further everything had been calculated as part of a cruel script.
Itachi would die as a traitor.
Sasuke would rise as the avenger.
That was the path Itachi prepared.
But even a genius could not fully predict the consequences of emotional extremity.
Relentless pressure.
Calculated indifference.
Psychological torment repeated through Tsukuyomi.
Those measures pushed Sasuke toward a future even Itachi could not fully control.
In the original trajectory of events, the ultimate outcome aligned more or less with Itachi's long-term objective.
However, the process itself was never something Itachi desired.
Itachi knew Orochimaru well.
Within Konoha's sphere of influence, he could still manipulate circumstances from the shadows.
But once Sasuke entered Orochimaru's domain
Everything depended solely on Sasuke.
If something went wrong, if Sasuke became nothing more than a vessel
There would be no second chance.
That risk alone would have touched the deepest nerve in Itachi's heart.
Yet Itachi never intended to explain anything.
He believed suffering would temper Sasuke into strength.
What he underestimated
Was the cost.
In the end, Sasuke's future could only be decided by Sasuke himself.
Sasuke's departure with the Sound Four could not remain hidden for long.
Even with covert assistance delaying discovery, Konoha was still the most powerful hidden village in the shinobi world.
Clues would surface.
Patterns would be detected.
And investigation would follow.
In less than half a day
The report reached the Hokage's desk.
The newly appointed Fifth Hokage, Senju Tsunade, stared at the intelligence summary placed before her.
"What did you say?"
Her voice rose sharply as she stood.
"Uchiha Sasuke… has defected?"
Shizune stood opposite her desk, posture straight, expression grave.
"Yes, Tsunade-sama. The information was confirmed by the border reconnaissance unit. They encountered patrol activity consistent with Otogakure shinobi. Uchiha Sasuke was seen departing alongside them."
Sasuke's status was not identical to Menma's—
But it was close.
As the sole surviving Uchiha within Konoha, Sasuke represented something irreplaceable.
The Sharingan.
One of the most formidable dōjutsu in the shinobi world.
The defection of such a shinobi was not a minor incident, it was a strategic concern.
And the implications were worse still.
Team Seven had now lost two members within a single month.
First Menma.
Now Sasuke.
Konoha had only just stabilized after the invasion and the death of the Third Hokage.
Tsunade had barely begun to reorganize the village's chain of command.
And now
This.
Since assuming the Hokage mantle, Tsunade had reviewed classified archives concerning the Uchiha massacre and Itachi's covert role.
The elders Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu had ensured she understood the political sensitivity.
The Hokage held full authority over the village's records.
Even Danzō's Root division could not be entirely hidden from her scrutiny though direct confrontation required careful calculation.
She knew the truth.
She understood the psychological burden carried by Sasuke.
Which made this development even more troubling.
"Was he taken by force?" Tsunade demanded. "Orochimaru had contact with him during the Chūnin Exams."
Her brows furrowed deeply.
Orochimaru's interest in Sasuke had been obvious.
But during the reconstruction period, the village had faced too many simultaneous crises.
That thread had not been prioritized.
Now, it seemed that oversight had consequences.
"From all available evidence, Tsunade-sama," Shizune replied carefully, "there were no signs of struggle. No battle damage. No chakra residue indicating resistance."
Which meant
Sasuke had left willingly.
Tsunade's expression darkened.
"Summon Hatake Kakashi immediately."
She paused.
"And Uzumaki Naruto."
This was Team Seven's matter.
If possible, it should be resolved internally.
Ordinarily, defection was treated with absolute severity.
ANBU would be dispatched.
Capture if possible.
Elimination if necessary.
But Sasuke and Menma were not ordinary cases.
Political reality demanded nuance.
A double standard?
Yes.
But one rooted in strategic necessity.
Shizune hesitated slightly.
"Tsunade-sama… Kakashi is currently outside the village. He departed on a mission two days ago."
Tsunade exhaled sharply.
"Right… I remember."
She began listing names aloud.
"Asuma? No border patrol rotation."
"Chōza? Northern perimeter support."
"Might Guy?"
She stopped.
During this tense period, Konoha's senior jōnin were heavily deployed.
The geopolitical atmosphere remained unstable.
Kumogakure had increased activity along the northern frontier. Even if open conflict was unlikely, vigilance was mandatory.
If caught unprepared, a rapid southern advance by the Cloud could devastate the Land of Fire's defenses.
Konoha could not afford weakness.
Available high-level combat personnel were scarce.
Nara Shikaku, as jōnin commander and Tsunade's primary strategic advisor, could not leave the village.
After a brief silence, Tsunade made her decision.
"Summon Naruto immediately."
"Dispatch a messenger hawk to Kakashi
he is to transfer his current assignment and return at maximum speed."
"And notify Nara Shikaku."
She paused briefly.
"No notify his son."
Shizune understood at once.
"Yes, Tsunade-sama."
She bowed and left swiftly.
Not long after
The Hokage's office doors burst open.
"Nee-chan Tsunade! What's going on!? I heard"
Naruto stopped mid-sentence.
His breathing was uneven from running.
The anxiety written across his face required no explanation.
Tsunade studied him for a moment.
This would not be easy.
"Sasuke has left the village," she said plainly.
Silence.
For a split second, Naruto did not react.
Then
"What do you mean… left?"
His voice dropped.
Sharp.
Tense.
"He departed with Otogakure shinobi."
The words struck like a physical blow.
Naruto's eyes widened.
The room felt heavier.
And the path toward inevitable pursuit
Had already begun.