Uchiha Sasuke was dreaming. He saw his brother, Itachi, with a kind smile on his face. He was proud of him. "You don't have to forgive me. No matter what you decide from now on, I will love you forever." Despite saying those words, however, Sasuke could sense that within Itachi's smile, his older brother was truly happy with his decision. Sasuke, his teammates, and Orochimaru had gone to Konohagakure to find The Human Who Knows Everything. They had told Sasuke the answers to his burning questions, and had said that within his heart lied the answer to his final question. Did he want his entire existence to be wrapped around vengeance or not? Sasuke hadn't found the answer then. Eventually, Sasuke and the others had reunited with Karin, who had escaped from her Konohagakure prison cell. She had stared at Sasuke with detest, contrary to her former adoring gaze. "Do you mean to kill me this time?" She was not afraid. They were almost to the end of the border to Konohagakure now. "No," Sasuke had replied. He could feel the shock from Jūgo, Suigestu, and Orochimaru from his statement. Clearly they were expecting to kill anyone who got in his way. They didn't realize that Sasuke had changed since he had last met his brother and with The Human Who Knows Everything. What I want… Sasuke thought as he stared at Karin, noticing that her red hair had been cut short, is to be happy. I want a life where I can fulfill a world with peace, which is what my brother wanted. Sasuke had told Karin that he wanted her to help him fulfill his brother's wish. Karin remained skeptical, and it was only after Taka had defeated and killed Orochimaru for good did Karin truly understand that Sasuke had changed from the man who had almost killed. "Let's go," he said.
Sasuke wasn't certain who the masked man was after it was revealed that he wasn't Madara, but when Orochimaru said that he would have a greater challenge to face, Sasuke knew who the masked man was. It made sense. Of why the shinobi had looked out for Sasuke, and his interest in him. His vendetta against Konohagakure, and why he had watched the extensive battle between Sasuke and Danzō. And of how he knew so much about Itachi, Sasuke's older brother. The masked man, the most dangerous threat to the shinobi world, was Uchiha Fugaku, Sasuke's father. Sasuke remembered of all the times during his childhood of how he had sought his father's approval and acknowledgment. His father had been the one to tell him that he should not follow in Itachi's footsteps. Now Sasuke wondered if his father had been talking about Itachi's peaceful nature. Had his father not wanted him to become peaceful and weak, and instead to be hateful and strong? Sasuke had told his teammates who the masked man was, and they were shocked. None of them spoke. Silently the foursome ran the distance to the Land of Lightning.
Naruto and Sasuke had fought together against his father. Sasuke had used every jutsu that he had under his sleeve to weaken Uchiha Fugaku, but the shinobi had been strong, stronger than any shinobi he had ever fought before. Naruto had been concerned about Sasuke; this shinobi was his father after all. Sasuke had told him to remain focused on the battle. Their thoughts were synced, meaning that they could hear each other's thoughts. Sasuke remembered when he had first told Naruto this in the battle in the Valley of the End before he had defected to Orochimaru. "Did you know, Naruto…when two shinobi are of a high enough level…they can read each other's thoughts, through no more than a trade of blows. They don't need to say a word." This was now true. Both of them were neither stronger than another; they were equal. Naruto had decided that Sasuke should attack Fugaku first to weaken him, and then Naruto would attack him with his wind release techniques. Then they would attack together, combined with Chidori and Rasengan. Sasuke remembered every moment he had fought against his father, and every word they shared. He remembered of Jūgo had used his body as a human shield to deflect an attack. "You…are my…savior…" Sasuke had never seen Jūgo so peaceful. Then he had died, and Karin had also perished as well from exhausting her chakra to heal those who had been wounded from his father's first attack. Sasuke had carried their bodies away in his arms, and had remembered of what Kakashi had told him the night he had defected from Konohagakure. Naruto had collapsed from his wounds, and was almost unconscious. It was up to Sasuke. Unlike the other times, his Chidori hadn't been activated because of malice or hate. "Chidori was a power I gave you because you found something important. That power is not to be aimed at a friend or used for revenge. You ought to know that that power should be used for." Sasuke heard the voices of the fallen as he charged the last blow to his father. He heard Jūgo, Karin, Itachi, his mother, and many others who had died in the Fourth Shinobi World War. His father's last words had been this. "As expected from my child." Sasuke's words had widened from those words, those words that he had wanted to hear again and again since the Uchiha Clan Massacre. A tear started to fall from Sasuke's eyelid, but he had fallen unconscious before it had fallen to the ground.
Sasuke dreamed that his brother poked his forehead again, gently, as if they were innocent children again, ignorant of what was to come. His brother had said that it was up to him now; it was his time. Sasuke now woke. He opened his eyes slowly, and felt smooth sheets against his skin. He was wearing a hospital gown, one that completely covered him. Sasuke tried to sit up, but a sudden agony caused him to lie down again. Pain seared through his limbs, and Sasuke gasped for breath. I hadn't realized how wounded I was during the battle. Sasuke suddenly became aware of a warm hand entwined in his own. It was smaller and uncovered in bandages. Sasuke lifted his head slightly, and looked at the face of Haruno Sakura. She was asleep, lying against a chair beside his bedside. Her breathing caused her long eyelashes to flutter, and a small smile was on her face. Her grip on his hand was strong.
"She was watching vigil for you all night," said a familiar voice. Sasuke turned, and found Hatake Kakashi standing in front of his bed. Even through his mask, Sasuke could see that Kakashi was smiling. "You were in a coma for a week now, Sasuke. Sakura will happy to know that you've woken up."
"Where's Naruto?" Sasuke asked. He didn't pry his hands from Sakura's.
Kakashi seemed to be pleased that his student asked about his fellow teammate. "He's already healed, Sasuke. He's walking with Hyūga Hinata, to comfort her. Many shinobi have died," he added, seeing Sasuke's blank expression. "Not only your teammates died. Her teammates and father died as well. She is now the heir to the leadership of the Hyūga clan."
Sasuke remained silent. Suigetsu had disappeared during the battle with his father, but somehow Sasuke didn't think that Suigetsu would have died. He was only missing.
"Sasuke." Sasuke looked to Kakashi again, to find him smiling again. Sakura stirred, and Sasuke continued to hold her hand. There was nothing but happiness in Kakashi's eyes. "Welcome home."
