Chapter 13

Konoha,
Uchiha Compound

The clock struck midnight, but Sasuke was wide awake. His eyes burned as he stared at the ceiling, the darkness offering no solace. He kicked off the covers, swinging his legs off the bed in frustration. Dressing quickly, he grabbed his kunai pouch and tied it around his waist with precise, angry motions. If sleep wouldn't come, he would train. Anything was better than lying in the suffocating stillness of the Uchiha compound.

Stepping outside, the chill of the night bit at his skin, but Sasuke barely noticed. The moon cast an eerie light over the empty streets, highlighting the vast, hollow spaces that once teemed with life. The silence pressed in around him, gnawing at his resolve. It was always like this—an unbearable reminder of what had been taken from him.

He ground his teeth, his mind flashing unbidden to his brother's face. That cold, indifferent expression. The smirk that haunted him every time he closed his eyes. His fists clenched tightly as the familiar anger rose, sharp and unrelenting. I will kill you, Itachi. Whatever it takes, I will make you pay.

He stalked to the training grounds within the compound, a part of the estate that still bore the scars of its last true users. It was the only part of the place that felt alive to him. Drawing a kunai, Sasuke positioned himself in front of a battered training dummy, his movements crisp and mechanical. He threw with precision, each blade embedding itself deeply into the wood. The thunk of impact echoed in the emptiness, a sound that brought him the smallest satisfaction.

His skills had grown in recent weeks—faster, sharper, more deadly. Gai's relentless taijutsu drills and Kakashi's near-impossible tests had left him bruised, battered, and changed. They were sadists, but they were also strong. Their methods were harsh, yet they had begun shaping him into something formidable. For the first time in years, Sasuke felt like he was closing the gap. He felt... closer.

Raising another kunai, he prepared to throw when a voice cut through the quiet like a blade.

"Your grip is too tight. Relax your wrist, and you'll improve your accuracy."

Sasuke froze, the kunai poised mid-air. His Sharingan activated instinctively as he scanned the darkness, his eyes darting toward the source of the voice. "Who's there?" he barked, his tone sharp. "Show yourself!"

From the shadows, a figure stepped forward with measured ease, the moonlight revealing him. Sasuke blinked in disbelief. The kunai in his hand nearly slipped from his grasp.

"Hokage-sama?" he managed, his voice faltering.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood before him, his robes faintly illuminated in the moonlight, his posture calm yet commanding. For a moment, Sasuke simply stared, the weight of the man's presence sinking in. The Hokage—The one chosen to lead over everyone. The one they said was the strongest ninja in the village - even stronger than Itachi.

Remembering himself, Sasuke straightened stiffly and bowed, his movements jerky with surprise. "Hokage-sama," he said, his voice low.

Hiruzen stepped closer, his gaze flicking to the training dummy, the kunai embedded with precision in its chest. His expression was neutral, but there was a faint note of curiosity in his eyes.

"You've been working hard," Hiruzen said finally. His voice carried the weight of authority, but it was softened by an unexpected warmth. "It's good to see."

Sasuke straightened slowly, his mind racing to keep up. The Hokage—here, now—why? What could he possibly want? The tension in the air was thick, but Hiruzen's calm demeanor offered no clues.

Hiruzen gestured calmly, his posture relaxed, but his words carried weight. "Show me, Sasuke. Attack."

Sasuke hesitated, caught off guard by the directness of the challenge. "Huh?" The kunai in his hand felt heavier as he processed the request.

The Hokage's expression softened into a faint smile. "Attack me," he repeated, his voice steady and warm. "Don't worry about my health. I may be old, but I'm far from fragile."

The words struck something in Sasuke, rekindling the simmering fire in his chest. Was this…a test? He would prove himself, no matter what.

With a burst of speed, Sasuke darted forward, his kunai slicing through the air in precise arcs. He aimed high, low, fast, sharp—each strike with the intent to overwhelm. But Hiruzen barely moved. His hands remained clasped behind his back, and his body shifted subtly, the smallest movements rendering Sasuke's attacks ineffective.

"Too much force," Hiruzen said as he dodged a strike aimed at his neck. "You're wasting energy. Efficiency is the mark of mastery."

Sasuke growled under his breath, adjusting his stance and launching another volley of strikes, this time more controlled. He feinted to the left before spinning into a kick aimed at the Hokage's midsection. Hiruzen leaned back slightly, the kick grazing the air.

"You're too predictable," Hiruzen remarked. "Your movements are telegraphed. Calm your mind."

The words only fueled Sasuke's frustration. He spun, driving his elbow toward Hiruzen's chest, only to find it blocked effortlessly by the Hokage's forearm. Sasuke dropped low, sweeping his leg in a tight arc to knock the man off balance, but Hiruzen lifted his foot slightly, avoiding the sweep entirely.

Sasuke leapt back, breathing hard, his eyes narrowing as he searched for an opening. "What does it matter if I'm predictable? As long as I'm strong enough, it won't matter!"

"That's where you're wrong," Hiruzen said, his tone calm but firm. "Strength without control is nothing more than chaos. It will consume you before it consumes your enemy."

Sasuke lunged again, his movements sharp, his kunai flashing. Hiruzen sidestepped easily, his feet firmly planted as he parried a series of strikes with the faintest movements of his forearms. "Your anger is making you reckless," he continued. "It gives you power, yes—but it also blinds you. If you rely on it, you will never master your true potential."

Sasuke clenched his teeth, pivoting into a high kick that Hiruzen caught effortlessly with one hand. "Anger drives me," Sasuke spat, pulling back and retreating into another stance. "It's what makes me strong."

"Anger is fleeting," Hiruzen replied, releasing Sasuke's leg and stepping back into his neutral posture. "It burns bright but leaves nothing but ashes. Control, discipline—these are what give strength permanence."

The words gnawed at Sasuke's resolve, but he refused to yield. He flipped backward, gaining distance, his hands forming seals in a blur. "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" he roared, exhaling a massive sphere of flames that tore through the air toward the Hokage.

Hiruzen's expression didn't change. He stood calmly, watching as the inferno surged toward him.

"Impressive for your age," he said as the flames reached him.

And then they vanished. The fireball flickered into nothingness just before touching Hiruzen, as if extinguished by an invisible force. Sasuke stumbled, his chakra reserves suddenly drained to the point of dizziness. He dropped to one knee, his breathing labored.

"What...?" he managed, his voice hoarse. His eyes scanned the space around Hiruzen, searching for a jutsu, a sign of interference—anything. But there was nothing.

Hiruzen stepped forward, his hands still clasped behind his back. "Control," he said simply. "You have power, Sasuke. Raw, untamed power. But without mastery, you'll destroy yourself long before you destroy your enemies."

Hiruzen's voice trailed off, leaving the training ground heavy with silence. Then, without warning, the Hokage let his chakra pulse outward. It wasn't the wild, explosive force of an untamed ninja, but a steady, overwhelming tide of raw power. The ground seemed to hum beneath Sasuke's feet, the air vibrating with the sheer weight of it. It wasn't meant to threaten or harm—it simply was.

Sasuke's knees buckled before he realized what was happening. He dropped to the ground, his palms pressing against the dirt as the pressure washed over him. It wasn't like anything he'd felt before. The raw, suffocating power of his brother, Itachi, had terrified him, but this... this humbled him. This was something deeper, more refined. Power honed over decades, a force wielded with precision that made it even more formidable.

His fists clenched again, but this time not in frustration. His head bowed as his breathing steadied. He could barely bring himself to look up. "Hokage-sama..." The words came out quieter than he intended. He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to meet the man's gaze, which was calm yet unreadable.

"Teach me," Sasuke said, his voice trembling. "Please. Teach me how to become stronger. I need…I need it."

Hiruzen studied him for a long moment, his gaze piercing but not unkind. His expression betrayed no triumph, no satisfaction at Sasuke's humility. Instead, there was something almost wistful in his eyes, as if he could see the boy's entire path stretching out before him—the pain, the choices, the crossroads yet to come.

"No," Hiruzen said finally, his voice quiet but resolute.

Sasuke's breath caught. "What?" His hands balled into fists against the ground as he stared up at the Hokage in disbelief. "But—"

Before he could finish, Hiruzen was gone. One moment he stood there, his presence immense, and the next, the space where he had been was empty. No sound, no lingering trace of his chakra—just absence.

Kabuto stood at the entrance of the Hokage Tower's third floor, every inch of his demeanor crafted to perfection. His shoulders hunched ever so slightly, his eyes darting nervously but never too much, and his satchel gripped as if it were the only thing anchoring him. He shuffled to the secretary's desk with the hesitant air of someone who was much more comfortable among test tubes than people.

"Excuse me," he said, his voice a touch above a whisper, eyes downcast. "I... I'm here for the research unit evaluation."

The secretary barely glanced up, her lips pressing into a thin line of irritation. "Take a seat," she said with a wave toward the bench. Her tone screamed that she had better things to do.

Kabuto nodded quickly, muttering a soft, "Thank you." He moved to the bench, keeping his steps short and unsteady, like a man who had no business in such an official space. Sitting down, he folded his hands in his lap, his head tilted downward as if he were lost in nervous thought.

Inside, he was anything but. His mind tracked every detail—the number of staff moving through the corridor, the subtle positions of the guards, and the secretary's visible frustration. He noted the faint scratch marks on the bench's edges, a sign of fidgety hands.

After a few minutes, another figure approached him. Kabuto spotted her sharp, silent movements before she spoke, his trained eyes recognizing the tells. The woman was disguised, but there was no mistaking her as ANBU undercover as a secretary. Basic security measure in the Hokage tower.

"The Hokage's personal medic is ready for you," she said briskly. "Follow me."

Kabuto rose immediately, his movements precise yet humble. "Oh, yes. Thank you," he said with a slight stammer. He followed her, carefully maintaining his awkward demeanor. As they descended into the lower levels of the tower, the air cooled, and the stone walls grew more austere. So, this is where the secrets lie, Kabuto thought, his pulse quickening with anticipation. If this was what he suspected—access to the Hokage's personal labs—it was a goldmine of knowledge no spy had ever breached.

The ANBU stopped before an unmarked door, her face impassive. "The Head Medic is waiting inside. Go ahead—no need to knock. When you're done, you can find your way back, right?"

Kabuto smiled weakly, adjusting his satchel. "Oh, yes. I-I'm sure I can manage. Thank you," he said, infusing his voice with just the right amount of deference.

She turned and disappeared into the hallway, leaving him alone. Kabuto stared at the door, his heart racing—not with fear, but exhilaration. No one's gotten this far before. If he could sniff around even a little on my way out…

Pushing the door open, he stepped inside, the words of his timid introduction already on his lips. They never made it out.

The room was sparse, clinical, its only occupant standing in the center. Kabuto froze. His breath hitched as his eyes landed on her.

Wha…Impossible.

For the first time in years, he felt the edges of his carefully crafted control fray.

Nono.

Her features were unmistakable, and yet… wrong. Her skin carried an unnatural pallor, the faint shimmer of chakra surrounding her body far too familiar. He recognized it instantly—Edo Tensei. Orochimaru's voice echoed in his mind, describing the telltale signs of the forbidden technique.

This was Nono Yakushi, the woman who had once been his mother in every way that mattered.

"Kabuto," she said softly, her voice filled with warmth, with love. It was the same voice that had soothed him as a child, the same voice that had called him her son. "It's been so long."

Kabuto's mind shut down. Logic gave way to instinct. He took a step back, his feet stumbling over themselves. His satchel, so carefully held moments ago, now felt like a foreign object in his hands.

"This... this isn't real," he stammered, his voice breaking. He took another step back, his body screaming to run. Trap. This is a trap. I need to—

He backed into something solid. Panic gripped him as he turned, and his breath hitched again.

Jiraiya leaned casually against the doorframe, arms crossed, a wry grin on his face. His presence filled the room, calm but undeniably imposing. "Yo," he said, as though greeting an old friend. "Don't mind me. I'm just here to make sure you don't skip out on Nono's little… chat. She's been looking forward to it."

The classroom was tense. Too tense. Every student sat upright, their eyes fixed on the door as if it might explode inward at any moment. Not a whisper, not a shuffle of paper. Even Naruto, normally a perpetual motion machine, sat unnaturally still, his knee bouncing in a barely contained rhythm of anxiety.

No one forgot what happened the last time they thought they could relax because Kakashi-sensei was late.

The Crocodiles.

Sakura's shoulders twitched involuntarily as she remembered the sound of teeth snapping just inches from her leg. Shikamaru had almost called it quits on ninja life altogether after narrowly escaping the reptile's jaws with a haphazard substitution jutsu. Naruto still had bite marks on his jacket. No, there was no relaxing. Not when Hatake Kakashi was involved.

The door creaked.

Every student flinched. Ino grabbed the edge of her desk like it might somehow save her. Shikamaru muttered something suspiciously like troublesome, but he didn't move a muscle.

The door swung open, and—

"Good morning," said Iruka Umino, stepping inside with a clipboard in hand.

The class blinked. No one spoke. No one moved. Iruka frowned, looking from one wide-eyed face to the next. "What's... going on here?" he asked, his voice tinged with confusion.

"Is he behind you?" Ino hissed, her voice barely audible. Her eyes darted toward the doorframe as if she expected Kakashi to drop from the ceiling.

"Who?" Iruka asked, genuinely baffled.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura blurted, her voice almost a squeak. Her head swiveled, scanning the corners of the room. "We know how he works. This is probably a trap!"

Iruka stared, utterly lost. He set his clipboard down, raising his hands slightly as if to calm a room full of feral cats. "Okay, hold on. First of all, Kakashi isn't here. He's been called away on a mission. A real one, apparently important enough that he couldn't spare a clone."

The words hit like a lightning bolt. There was a beat of stunned silence as the students processed what Iruka had just said. And then—

"YES!" Naruto shouted, leaping to his feet with both arms in the air. "No more animal attacks!"

Ino and Sakura let out simultaneous cries of relief, throwing themselves into each other's arms like long-lost sisters reunited after a war. Shikamaru let out a loud exhale, collapsing into his desk with a lazy grin. Even Sasuke, though silent, looked slightly less like he was preparing for battle.

Iruka blinked again, watching the class erupt into unfiltered celebration. "What exactly has he been doing to you all?" he muttered to himself, unsure if he wanted the answer.

Naruto turned to Iruka, his face beaming. "You're the best, Iruka-sensei! We'll actually survive this week!"

Iruka shook his head, smiling despite himself as he set his clipboard on the desk. "All right, everyone, calm down. It's just a few days. Let's not get carried away. We're going to do maths. Maths. You hate maths, right?"

But the cheering continued, unabated, the students basking in the rare, unexpected feeling of safety.