Team Taka and Orochimaru arrived in the Leaf Village as they continued their journey to their destination, though sensing Naruto's chakra, who was at war busy sharing his chakra with his comrades, Sasuke instructed his team to press onward.
"Nine-tails..." Karin mumbled as she felt a shiver run down her spine; as unlike the others, she was a sensor type of ninja and could feel Naruto's chakra a lot stronger.
"Naruto..." Sakura whispered, her heart racing at the thought of her friend fighting in a battle that was about capturing ,but Sakura knew she had to face the consequences of her choice. She knew there would be dire consequences when she chose the path to join Sasuke and leave the village.
Promising she would stick by his side no matter what, she intended to keep that promise; however, Sakura had no idea just how far this would go. She had no idea a war would break out and that Sasuke wasn't interested in helping the Leaf. Not that she could blame him. She understood his decision, but it was still hard for her to turn her back on the village, even though she had discovered many dark secrets. This made Sakura understand why Itachi still wanted to protect the Leaf even after all the suffering he had to endure.
Having arrived at their destination, Sakura shook off her thoughts for the time being; it was time to focus on whatever Orochimaru was planning to do on behalf of Sasuke. Looking around her surroundings, she noticed a shrine located somewhere along the skirts of the Leaf Village.
"On our way, you explained that we need to retrieve the reaper's mask first, which can be found in the Uzumaki clan's mask temple on the outskirts of the Leaf Village," Sakura exclaimed as she noticed that at the entrance of the temple was a giant replica of a clan's symbol. "First of all, I didn't know Naruto's last name was from a clan and that it even had a temple here at the Leaf, but this is..."
"This is the Uzumaki Clan's Mask Storage Temple," Orochimaru answered. "A shrine that belonged to the Uzumaki."
"Wait, this is the symbol of the Uzumaki clan? I thought they were just marks. I saw them on every Jonin's flak jackets?" Sakura questioned, her eyes wide with intrigue as she took in the surroundings.
"Indeed. The Uzumaki Clan was known for their powerful sealing techniques, possessing incredibly strong life forces and chakra," Orochimaru replied, a hint of nostalgia in his tone. "They used to live in the Village Hidden in the Land of Whirlpools."
"The Land of Whirlpools? Never heard of it," Karin interjected, frowning slightly.
Curiosity ignited within Sakura, her heart racing at the mention of the Uzumaki Clan. "What happened to them?"
"Because they were well known for their sealing techniques, they earned fear from many, ultimately leading to them being targeted and subsequently destroyed by other villages," Orochimaru explained.
Sakura felt a wave of empathy wash over her. The pain of the erasure of so many lives and their history resonated within her, especially knowing how Naruto carried the burden of his clan's legacy without even being aware of his heritage.
"I don't understand. How can they treat Naruto like crap when his clan's symbols are all over the Leaf's flak jackets? Why did they, in the first place, have their own city?" Sakura yelped, her frustration bubbling over at the apparent hypocrisy.
"So much to unpack," Orochimaru remarked, a glint of amusement in his eyes as he noted Sakura's growing frustration. "You see, the Leaf Village had close ties with the Land of Whirlpools due to the Uzumaki Clan and the Leaf's Senju Clan being distant relatives who always had close ties. Mito Uzumaki ended up marrying Hashirama Senju, the Leaf's first Hokage."
"After the fall of the Uzumaki, their legacy became something more akin to a tale—a story hushed in the shadows of history," he continued. "Kushina Uzumaki, Naruto's mother, emigrated from the village before it got destroyed. As for the survivors, they scattered across the globe to seek refuge."
"That's so wrong," Sakura murmured, her heart aching at the thought of Naruto's childhood laced with loneliness and isolation. "Imagining him growing up without knowing about his own clan…"
"And also the answer to your question; they treated Naruto like that because of their hatred for the Nine-Tailed beast inside him. Naruto took on his mother's last name because they wanted to protect him from the enemies of the Fourth Hokage. Some knew the truth about who his parents were, but everyone was too blinded by their hatred," Orochimaru finished answering Sakura's question.
"Why do you even care about this stuff?" Karin snapped, her impatience tinged with confusion. She squinted at Orochimaru, sensing a strange emotional gravity in the air that she couldn't quite grasp.
"Because this is about someone I know! I never thought Naruto too, somewhat experienced the loss of his clan. Don't you even care about learning about your clan?" Sakura exclaimed.
"Why? What's the point? Everyone is dead or scattered around the world. Yes, it has come as a surprise to me that this village is using my clan's symbol on their flak jackets. But who cares when everyone has forgotten about it and thought it was just a normal symbol that belonged to the village? I don't really care much for the clan's revival," Karin crossed her arms, her brows knitting together.
"So what's the point of being here, then?" Suigetsu interjected, arms crossed as he leaned back against a wall, looking unconvinced. "If it's all about history, what does it have to do with Sasuke's revenge?"
"Let's just get this over with," Sasuke finally muttered, breaking the tension. "If we're here to dig up secrets, then let's dig them up." He turned to Orochimaru, who had taken on a bemused expression as he watched the exchange unfold.
"Fine. Then allow me to show you the Mask Storage," Orochimaru said, motioning for them to follow him. As they ventured deeper into the shrine, thick silence surrounded them, interrupted only by the crunch of their footsteps against the earthen floor.
At the center of the temple was a podium of sorts where several oni masks hung beneath three connected symbols of the clan, under which were ornate, black flames. Orochimaru took a particular mask, disturbing Suigetsu who found it strange that he knew exactly which one to choose. Ignoring Suigetsu, Sakura noticed how the shrine from the outside had fallen into ruin from the wear and tear of time, but the masks all stayed intact.
As they headed back towards the village, Sakura was surprised by how fast they were able to rebuild the village in such a short last time she was here, she was with Itachi, and the village was in complete ruin from Pain's assault. Wanting to survey the village from a high point, Sasuke broke away from the group, gliding effortlessly up to the rooftops, his eyes scanning the horizon.
"What's Sasuke's deal?" Suigetsu wondered while looking up at Sasuke.
"Sasuke has chosen a divergent path from the village...but even so, it'll always have some sentimental value," Orochimaru replied, his tone reflective as he observed Sasuke from a distance.
"What do you mean?" Karin asked, crossing her arms as she looked at Orochimaru, clearly puzzled.
"No matter what, the Leaf Village is still his birthplace," Sakura answered, knowing she felt the same about her connection to her own home.
"That is correct," Orochimaru nodded, a knowing glint in his eyes. "Even those who have strayed can never truly sever the ties that bind them to their origins."
Sakura felt a swell of understanding as she watched Sasuke from afar. She'd studied the intricacies of his struggles, the tangled web of his past that was interwoven with her own. The decisions he made, the path he chose—none could erase the essence of who he was at his core.
"Do you think he'll return to the village?" Karin asked quietly, her gaze shifting from Sasuke back to Orochimaru.
"Eventually," Orochimaru replied, his tone calm but with an underlying assurance.
Continuing on, they finally made it towards their final destination: the Uchiha's clan compound, which had been destroyed. Sasuke unsealed the passageway leading towards the secret room of the Naka Shrine.
The upper level of the shrine was completely destroyed, though the secrets hidden below remained untouched. In the main hall, beneath the seventh tatami mat from the far right, was a secret meeting place of the Uchiha clan. There stood a stone monument which contained the clan's secret and could only be read with the Sharingan.
"Don't bother, you won't be able to read it, Sakura," Sasuke declared, his tone teasing but with an undercurrent of seriousness while busy lighting two campfires to illuminate the room.
"Thanks for the vote of confidence, Sasuke," Sakura pouted, folding her arms defensively. The jibe struck a chord, making her feel both frustrated and inadequate."But I'm not here to try and read a relic; I'm here to support you."
"There's a lot here that's meant for Uchiha eyes only," he said carefully, shifting his gaze toward the stone monument etched with Uchiha symbols.
"Useless..." Karin whispered under her breath, rolling her eyes as they settled around the campfires.
"Do you want to try and see if you can read it?" Sakura jerked her head in Karin's direction, her eyebrows raising in challenge.
"Hmpf! Why should I?!"
"We're not here to bicker, ladies," Suigetsu cut in, a goofy grin plastered on his face. "Let's focus!"
Finally, seeing it had finally quieted down, it was time to do what Sasuke asked him; Orochimaru wore the mask which invoked the Shinigami, allowing it to possess him. With this, Orochimaru slashed open its stomach, releasing the souls of those it had consumed. Though the act mortally wounded him, Orochimaru was able to regain his hands.
"Jugo, Sasuke, Suigetsu... prepare yourselves!" Orochimaru panted between breaths as he coughed up blood. On Orochimaru's instruction, Jugo used his natural energy to force out the six White Zetsu spores on him.
"Damn it! How did you know?!" Zetsu cursed as he emerged.
"Wait... w-what?! White Zetsu?!" Karin exclaimed in confusion, her eyes widening in disbelief. "I didn't sense him at all! How long has he been attached to Sasuke?!"
"That explains how Tobi knew where Sasuke was to set him up against the Eight-Tails and also disrupted our stealth mission when we were after Danzo," Sakura added, piecing the puzzle together in her mind.
Sacrificing four of them while Jugo and Suigetsu held down the other two, Orochimaru used the forbidden jutsu: Reanimation Jutsu. With the last two held down, Orochimaru transferred his being into the one Suigetsu restrained on the ground to escape the injury while Jugo absorbed the other one.
The screaming White Zetsu spore clones were silenced once they were shrouded in dirt and ash, turning into the vessels of the men who collectively possessed knowledge of the Leaf Village's history.
In horror, Sakura watched as each dying scream morphed into an unearthly silence. Was this what Kabuto had been doing? All those dead shinobi he brought back with this forbidden jutsu? The only difference was that Kabuto had been sacrificing people while Orochimaru used these Zetsu clones. Why would someone create such a horrific forbidden jutsu?
"You brought back the previous four Hokages?" Sakura stared in disbelief, her voice barely a whisper, as if the very nature of what had just occurred was too overwhelming to articulate. Her heart raced, caught in a whirlwind of disbelief and fascination as her eyes drank in the sight of the legendary figures that emerged from the remnants of the deceased White Zetsu.
Sasuke stood at the forefront, his expression a mixture of seriousness and determination. Behind him, figures cloaked in aged attire materialized from the spiritual beyond—specters of Hokage past: the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju; his younger brother, Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage; and Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage; and, finally, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze—the very man who had sealed the Nine-Tails within Naruto.
"So that's... the first Hokage... the God of Shinobi... the real Hashirama..." Suigetsu mumbled nervously, his eyes wide with awe.
The reincarnated Hashirama and Tobirama took in their surroundings, for the time being ignoring the people in front of them and wondering who Minato was. They were elated to discover he was the Fourth Hokage and a bit apprehensive when Orochimaru told them their blood relative, Tsunade, was serving as the Fifth Hokage.
Believing they were brought back by Orochimaru in another scheme to destroy the Leaf Village, Orochimaru cut their banter short after he allayed their outrage that he wasn't interested in that anymore; instead, he wanted them to answer Sasuke's question.
"Heh... an Uchiha. It's just like one to keep such company," Tobirama complained, not surprised, and started his usual berating about the Uchiha clan.
Shocked by Orochimaru's reason and that Sasuke knew the full story of the Uchiha Clan downfall, Hiruzen solemnly confirmed all that he learned up to this moment was true, noting that that was something Itachi decided to shoulder himself.
"Such is the fate of the damned Uchiha clan. So they were annihilated... to be expected for planning a coup," Tobirama continued with his berate.
Hearing this, Sakura clenched her fists tightly, a wave of indignation surging through her. 'Was the Second Hokage always like this?'
Orochimaru, however, pointed out that Tobirama's actions in life had set them on that path by placing them in charge of the Leaf's Military Police Force and separating them from the rest of the village.
Tobirama defended his actions and explained how the Uchiha fell prey to strong feelings. His acts were an attempt to use the Uchiha Cursed Heritage in a positive way and could not be blamed for their self-destructive nature.
Hearing enough, Sasuke turned his attention to Hashirama and asked him what the meaning behind the village and ninja was. Boldly declaring that with Hashirama's response, Sasuke would determine whether or not he should take revenge on the Leaf.
An enraged Tobirama stated how bold Sasuke was to even dare to make threats in front of him. Not allowing it, he flared up his chakra as he was prepared to fight Sasuke. Hashirama, however, also flared his chakra, warning his little brother to relax his fingers.
However, during the fierce exchange between the brothers, it had sent those around them into near panic while the whole shrine quaked from the energy from their standoff. Sakura nervously hid behind Sasuke, her heart racing at the extraordinary display of power before her. The tension in the air was thick enough to slice through, leaving her both fascinated and frightened. Karin and Suigetsu hid behind Orochimaru while Jugo took a stand in front of Sasuke, determined to protect him no matter what.
Tobirama finally stood down at his brother's order, with Hiruzen and Minato breathing a sigh of relief. Seeing things had calmed down, Sakura eased up and slowly let go of Sasuke. Looking down, she noticed she had grabbed his hand out of fear, a faint blush creeping to her cheeks as embarrassment surged within her. Not wanting to make a scene, she slowly let go of him, but Sasuke, feeling the warmth of her hand leaving, grabbed her hand tighter.
Startled, she looked at him, her eyes wide with surprise, but he, on the other hand, kept his focus on the four Hokages in front of him.
"Let's get back to the matter at hand. Sasuke, your brother was truly amazing... puts a shinobi like me to shame, really," Hashirama said, his tone authoritative yet warm. "You asked what the meaning of the village is, Sasuke."
"The legacy of the village... it's a long tale," he continued.
"Tell him what he needs to know, but make it brief," Orochimaru chimed in.
"Why the rush?" Hiruzen asked, confusion laced in his eyes.
"Uhm... We are currently at war. Madara Uchiha has been resurrected and is causing quite the chaos," Sakura nervously answered, not sure if it was wise to join in the conversation with them, Orochimaru, and Sasuke.
While Hiruzen pleaded with Orochimaru to let them go and help their people, Minato and Tobirama sensed the situation was escalating. Orochimaru, however, had no intention to let them be until they all answered Sasuke's question, claiming he would allow them to join afterwards.
Tobirama tried to leave but was restrained by Orochimaru. Hashirama figured that ignoring Sasuke's request would only create another Madara, which would make winning the war pointless. Against Tobirama's protest, Hashirama had decided to tell Sasuke of his history with Madara Uchiha in an effort to save Sasuke.
"Let me see... where should I begin..." Hashirama wondered and sat down on the ground, finally deciding not to take his eyes away from Sasuke.
Nervously, Sakura clenched Sasuke's hand, who was still holding hers as Hashirama began his tale. Sasuke, in return, did the same, his thumb rubbing soothing circles over her knuckles. The way she stood behind him, it wasn't obvious to the others that they were holding hands, but it felt as natural as breathing for both of them. Did he do it on purpose? Or was it just a coincidence? Did he even notice what he was doing?
Either way, at this moment, she felt an unexpected warmth bloom in her chest and wished this could last forever.
~To Be Continued~
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Next chapter; March 13 2025