Back in the Hospital—Again
"When did you awaken the Mangekyō?" Fujimoto Tōma asked, giving Sasuke a quick once-over.
Sasuke looked rough. His Uchiha-clan outfit was caked in dust, though it hadn't been torn apart. That alone told Tōma something important. The fight with Itachi hadn't forced Sasuke to empty everything he had.
More telling was what Tōma didn't sense.
No Sage Mode.
Which meant Sasuke had won without it.
That said, there was blood streaking down from Sasuke's eyes. Mangekyō backlash, plain and simple.
"The day I received Itachi's letter," Sasuke answered honestly.
"As expected," Tōma said with a small smile. "Then congratulations. You didn't walk the same road as the other Uchiha."
Sasuke nodded, a faint smile appearing in return.
Then his expression grew serious. "Tōma. Itachi told me some things. Things you should probably hear."
"That can wait," Tōma replied calmly. "Right now, you need rest. Tell me once you've recovered."
Sasuke paused, then looked down at Itachi's body.
"…Can you help me seal him?"
"Not a burial?" Tōma asked, surprised.
"There may still be a use for his body," Sasuke said quietly.
He didn't elaborate, but the hesitation in his voice was clear.
Itachi wasn't wrong. Power itself wasn't good or evil. Sasuke killing him wasn't wrong either. And using his eyes to gain strength wouldn't be wrong by definition.
But knowing that didn't mean Sasuke could accept it yet.
"At least not now."
"Alright," Tōma said, nodding.
He prepared the sealing materials and stored Itachi's body inside a scroll, then handed it to Sasuke.
"I don't know what you plan to do," Tōma added, "but don't go against your own heart."
He wasn't particularly concerned about Sasuke gaining the Eternal Mangekyō anyway. If it came down to it, there were other solutions. Hashirama cells alone could solve the blindness issue.
Eternal Mangekyō wasn't some magic ladder that let you skip tiers.
Obito had never upgraded his Mangekyō and still became terrifying. Even his Susanoo reached completion.
Sasuke had his own advantages too. As Indra's reincarnation, his ceiling was already absurdly high.
In the end, Eternal Mangekyō was more like a permanent buff. Stronger ocular power, longer stamina. Not an instant leap.
A difference between lasting strength and a temporary boost.
Sasuke accepted the scroll.
With Tōma standing beside him, the tension he'd been holding finally released.
His vision went dark.
And he collapsed.
Sasuke wasn't surprised.
He'd barely had time to understand his Mangekyō, let alone master it. Forcing out an advanced Susanoo mid-battle had been pure willpower.
The cost had simply come due.
Tōma caught him in time.
After a quick check, he confirmed there were no serious injuries. Just extreme ocular exhaustion.
"Yeah," Tōma muttered. "That Susanoo explains it."
The masked man and Zetsu were already gone. No reason to linger.
With Sasuke in his arms, Tōma used Flying Thunder God and returned to Konoha, placing him in a hospital room before leaving him in the care of the medical staff.
Then Tōma left again.
Shikkotsu Forest was calling.
His Sage Mode there was close to perfection.
"…This is the Konoha hospital?"
Sasuke slowly opened his eyes.
For a moment, his vision blurred, then sharpened again.
So this is the risk Itachi mentioned… Sasuke thought. Vision loss.
He'd only used the Mangekyō once, but he'd overdrawn power he didn't fully understand. The backlash was inevitable.
Looking around confirmed it. He was in the hospital again.
What didn't make sense—
"Why are you here?" Sasuke muttered.
Naruto was sitting beside the bed, happily eating fruit from the gift basket.
Sasuke's eyelid twitched.
"Oh! You're awake!" Naruto shouted, excitement spiking.
Then he swallowed a chunk of apple whole.
Instant regret.
Naruto clutched his throat, face turning red.
Sasuke sighed, rubbed his temple, and reached over to pat Naruto's back until the apple came back up.
"…Saved," Naruto said cheerfully. "Thanks."
"I'm the patient," Sasuke deadpanned.
"Yeah?" Naruto scratched his head. "That's right."
He didn't seem to see the problem.
Then Naruto leaned forward, concern creeping in. "So why're you hospitalized again? Was it a tough mission? Can I help?"
"No," Sasuke replied. "It's already over."
He smiled.
And this time, it felt real.
His body felt lighter than it had in years. The sky outside the window looked impossibly blue. Even the wind, noisy as ever, felt gentle.
Naruto stared at him, arms crossed.
"…You're different."
"Different how?" Sasuke asked.
Naruto frowned, struggling for words. "You don't look so… I dunno. Heavy anymore."
Sasuke blinked.
Was he?
He smiled again.
So it wasn't a dream.
He had really killed Itachi.
There was still unfinished business. The masked man was still alive. But that was different.
Facing him didn't twist Sasuke's heart the way Itachi had.
If Sasuke had the strength, he'd tear that man apart without hesitation or inner conflict.
They weren't even comparable.
"You used to look… bitter," Sasuke supplied.
"That's it!" Naruto snapped his fingers. "Bitter!"
Sasuke nodded.
"Hey, Naruto," he said suddenly. "Remember when Kakashi asked us what we wanted?"
"Yeah," Naruto said. "I thought you meant you wanted to kill me back then."
"I've finished part of mine," Sasuke said quietly.
Naruto froze.
Revenge.
And this hospital stay suddenly made sense.
After a long pause, Naruto smiled. "Congrats."
"…Thanks."
"What about you?" Sasuke asked. "Your goal."
"I'm gonna become Hokage," Naruto said without hesitation.
"That's not guaranteed," Sasuke replied lightly. "Maybe I'll take that seat."
Naruto's eyes lit up. "Then we'll compete! I won't lose to you!"
"Hmph," Sasuke scoffed.
But he didn't argue.