"Big brother... Itachi... He clearly did something so great for Konoha, yet now, these Konoha ninjas are cursing him like this?!" Sasuke whispered angrily.
"People are always willing to believe everything they see before their eyes, and they steadfastly think that is the truth. Itachi must have foreseen today's scene, but he chose to protect the village even if it meant being despised by its people," Kaoru calmly explained.
"....." Sasuke fell silent.
...…
Behind the stone statue of Hokage Rock in Konoha, there was a secluded, beautiful place.
Here, there was a peaceful lake and a simple wooden cabin. Next to the lake, an old man with white hair and a face full of wrinkles was leisurely fishing. Fish swam back and forth in the lake, but none of them bit his hook. Still, the old man didn't look frustrated—he was patiently waiting.
Outside this place, two ANBU ninjas kept guard, making the area seem very calm, yet it didn't seem to have much freedom either.
This old man was none other than Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage. After stepping down from his position, he no longer involved himself in affairs of the village. Every day, he stayed here fishing and reading, planning to peacefully spend the rest of his life.
But today, two special guests arrived here.
One was dressed in a black robe, maintaining a stern expression all along, while the other was wearing a loose kimono, tightly wrapped around his entire body, even his head was covered.
"It's Kaoru!"
"Lord Kaoru, what brings you here?"
The two ANBU guards asked immediately upon seeing Kaoru and the other person.
"I have some matters to discuss with the Third Hokage," Kaoru smiled.
"Lord Kaoru, who is this person?" one of the guards asked, staring closely at the man beside Kaoru with suspicion.
"This is none of your concern. He's just a friend of mine," Kaoru replied with a smile.
"Sorry to bother you, Lord Kaoru, but anyone wanting to approach the Third Hokage must be checked first," the guard said.
"Let them in," came the voice of the Third Hokage from the lakeside.
"But, Lord Hokage..." the guard hesitated.
"I said, let them in," the Hokage repeated, with an unmistakable tone of authority.
"Alright," the guard could only nod reluctantly.
Then, Kaoru and the other person walked side by side toward the lake.
The Hokage also put down his fishing rod, his expression serious. He looked at Kaoru and the man beside him carefully, then stood up.
"Come with me. Let's go inside," he said calmly, without asking about Kaoru's purpose or who the other person was.
He then turned and headed toward the wooden hut, with Kaoru and the other following behind.
"Take a seat," the Hokage said, gesturing to the chairs. After sitting down himself, he lit a pipe and began to smoke.
Once everyone was seated, the Hokage took a deep breath and spoke: "Take off your headband. I know you're Sasuke."
Sasuke stiffened at these words, then finally lowered his head, revealing a pale face.
"Honestly, I knew this day would come. Seeing you go to Orochimaru for the power to kill Itachi, my mood is indeed complicated..." The Hokage gazed at the ceiling slowly, speaking softly.
"Itachi has already been killed by Sasuke," Kaoru added. "But to be precise, he died from illness."
"Is that so... Itachi... truly was a great ninja," the Hokage said, surprised at first, then his face stiffened, and finally, he sighed helplessly.
"Stop your hypocritical words!" Sasuke coldly retorted. "If it weren't for you, Itachi wouldn't have come to this, and the Uchiha clan wouldn't have ended up like this!"
"That's right," the Hokage nodded dejectedly. "This matter is indeed closely related to me. Now, tell me, Sasuke Uchiha—what do you want to know?"
"You, as one involved in that matter, I want to hear it from you personally—everything about Itachi!" Sasuke stared coldly at the Hokage.
"Alright..." The Hokage said those three words, then fell silent, seemingly preparing his words.
"I not only ordered him to kill his own clan, branding him a traitor, but also made him monitor Akatsuki alone..." The Hokage spoke slowly. "Although all this was suggested by Danzo, I did give my approval."
"You..."
Hearing this, Sasuke clenched his fists tightly.
Ignoring Sasuke's expression, the Hokage continued: "Since he was young, Itachi was a meticulous boy, discovering the teachings and marks left by our ancestors that almost no one noticed, and alone understood the origins of ninjas and our village."
"It's because of this that Itachi wasn't bound by the family's expectations. He had his own thoughts about the future of ninjas and the village. He was worried about both. By the age of seven, he was already a boy with Hokage-level thinking."
Hearing the Hokage openly praise his brother, Sasuke's feelings were mixed—he didn't know whether to feel proud or sad.
"We entrusted everything to Itachi, and he took these as tasks, completing them brilliantly. He slaughtered his own kin, stopped the rebellion, and by himself prevented a war that could have broken out from this. In the end, he even infiltrated Akatsuki as a spy to protect the village," the Hokage said slowly, recalling events from years ago.
"And I agreed to keep you safe in the village," he added, staring at Sasuke. "That's Itachi's past!"
Sasuke's eyes widened slightly, then he turned away awkwardly. "I see... So, that's Itachi..."
The atmosphere once again fell into silence. Kaoru calmly watched the Hokage, whose eyes were closed, and Sasuke, who was breathing heavily but silently.
"If you want to avenge your brother and the Uchiha, I am willing to die by your hand..." Sasuke didn't speak, but the Hokage broke the silence himself. He put down his pipe, his expression more serious than ever: "If I can exchange my death for your hatred of Konoha disappearing, I'd be at peace."
"I've lived enough. I hope my death can finally bury the past of that night's massacre," he said, staring into Sasuke's eyes, looking even more aged.
Hearing this, Sasuke instinctively drew his Kusanagi sword. Its crisp sound as it was unsheathed echoed clearly inside the small wooden hut.
Kaoru sat quietly beside him, showing no reaction to this scene.
____________________
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