The sound of clashing weapons echoed from the Uchiha compound.
Inside, Sasuke and Itachi were locked in battle.
But this was no life-or-death fight—just a daily spar, the kind of training Sasuke had always longed for.
Now that he knew the truth, Sasuke was no longer driven by vengeance. He had returned to the person he once was—the younger brother who had grown up under Itachi's care.
And for the first time in a long while, Sasuke smiled as they fought.
Itachi saw that smile.
And the happier Sasuke was, the heavier Itachi's heart became.
Because he knew—his time was running out.
Eventually, the fight came to an end. Itachi lowered his weapon, stepping back.
Sasuke tilted his head. "Brother, are we stopping already?"
Itachi shook his head. "You don't need this kind of sparring anymore. You need to focus on advancing your training… because I don't have much time left."
Sasuke froze.
"What do you mean?!"
His voice rose in panic. "Brother, what are you saying?!"
Itachi remained calm. "I'm sorry, Sasuke. My body won't last much longer. I need to teach you everything I can while I still can."
Sasuke's hands clenched into fists. His voice shook. "Why? Why is this happening?!"
Itachi sighed and looked up at the sky. His voice was steady, as if he had already accepted his fate.
"This is the price I bear. The fate of someone who took the lives of his own people."
"No!" Sasuke shouted. "We have the Fifth Hokage! Her medical ninjutsu—she can save you!"
But Itachi only shook his head.
"This is my choice, Sasuke. It may be selfish… but I just want to leave on my own terms."
Sasuke met his gaze, pleading. But Itachi's eyes were firm, unwavering.
And in that moment, Sasuke felt his heart sink.
From a distance, Kakashi, who had been quietly observing, let out a sigh.
"A man who has already accepted death… can't be saved."
-----
Inside Akatsuki's hideout, a meeting was in progress.
Everyone had a grim expression—because it was Konan who had called the meeting.
That alone confirmed one thing: Pain had been defeated.
Meanwhile, Tobi, lurking in the shadows, was debating whether to take control of Akatsuki himself. However, there was a problem—his raw power alone wasn't enough to suppress the rest of the group. While his ability to phase through attacks made him nearly untouchable, it wasn't enough to command true fear or respect.
Then, Konan dropped a bombshell.
"Itachi Uchiha was a Konoha spy. Pain was ambushed. He needs time to recover, so I will be leading for now."
A brief silence followed before Kakuzu finally spoke, his voice calm but cold.
"Itachi being a spy… Hmph. Not exactly surprising."
Hidan shrugged. "Tch. Just means we gotta kill the traitor."
Deidara scoffed, arms crossed. "Hah! I knew it! I never trusted that guy! Hmmm!"
The room fell into silence for a moment.
Everyone wanted to say it—but no one did.
None of them were exactly trustworthy people.
Only Kisame remained quiet, deep in thought.
He had always respected Itachi. At first, they hadn't gotten along, but over time, Kisame had come to see Itachi as a kindred spirit—someone who carried burdens few could understand.
But now, he realized he had been wrong.
Itachi had never been like him. He had walked into Akatsuki with the blood of his own clan on his hands, but he had done it for Konoha.
Kisame let out a low chuckle, staring up at the cavern ceiling as if lost in memory.
"Itachi… You were always like that, huh?"
He smirked to himself, shaking his head.
"Looks like I was the only one who never saw it."
---
Konan continued, her tone serious.
"For now, we need to stay quiet and wait for Pain to recover. The five great nations will unite against us soon. We need to be ready."
In reality, Konan had always been in contact with Nagato.
He was aware of everything discussed in the meeting.
Akatsuki's next move would ultimately be his decision.
After the meeting, Konan returned to the hidden chamber where Nagato was resting.
He looked worse than ever—pale, thin, and barely clinging to life.
Worry filled Konan's eyes. "Nagato, are you sure? Shouldn't we put the Six Paths of Pain plan on hold for now?"
Nagato shook his head, his skeletal face showing unshakable resolve.
"No. This is the most critical moment. We must replace the Six Paths as soon as possible."
Suddenly, a spiraling distortion of space appeared beside them.
Konan immediately tensed.
A masked figure stepped out—Tobi.
He took a casual step forward, his tone light.
"Oh? Looks like you're not doing so well."
Konan narrowed her eyes. "What do you want, Madara?"
Nagato remained calm, his gaze steady. "Are you here to kill me? To take full control of Akatsuki?"
Tobi chuckled.
"In my eyes, you're like a dying flower. Are you really planning to keep going like this?"
At his words, Konan instinctively gathered chakra, ready to fight.
"What are you trying to do?"
Tobi raised his hands in mock surrender.
"Relax. I'm here to help. I can restore Nagato's strength. The question is… do you trust me?"
Konan hesitated, still wary. "And what do you expect in return?"
Nagato spoke before she could continue.
"Konan."
She turned to him, seeing the determination in his eyes.
With a reluctant sigh, she lowered her guard. "Fine."
Nagato looked back at Tobi.
"Name your price."
Tobi smirked behind his mask.
"Now that's more like it. After all, we're partners, aren't we?"
------
Konoha Village
After Pain's attack, much of the village was still in ruins. To help the displaced, Tsunade had ordered temporary tent shelters to be set up for those who had lost their homes. The injured were also gathered in these makeshift medical stations.
Sakiya had been assigned a task—working as a temporary medical assistant to help care for the wounded. Since Sakura was short on hands, she had recruited Ino, who, in turn, had dragged Sakiya along.
With a white ribbon tied around her arm to mark her role, Sakiya approached a heavily bandaged man, his face almost entirely covered except for his eyes, nose, and mouth. Holding a cup of water, she spoke with deep conviction.
"The sacred water of life! Drink, brave warrior! You have earned this honor!"
The man—completely wrapped in bandages—stared at her, his brow twitching beneath the gauze.
Does she seriously think I can drink like this?
And worse, he couldn't even speak.
His eyes filled with helpless frustration as he tried to communicate his predicament.
Sakiya tilted her head, studying him. "What's wrong, warrior? Why aren't you drinking?"
His eyes widened. He glanced at her, then downward, then back up, frantically shifting his gaze.
I can't move, you idiot! How am I supposed to drink?! Feed me!
Sakiya's eyes narrowed in thought. Then, as if struck by realization, she gasped.
"Oh! I see now! You're talking about the honor of a true hero, aren't you?"
The bandaged man's eyes twitched. His expression faded into silent despair.
Forget it… Just forget it… I'll die of thirst…
But before he could surrender to his fate, Sakiya continued, her voice brimming with enthusiasm.
"To honor a hero, a goddess must personally deliver the sacred water!"
His eyes lit up with sudden hope.
Then Sakiya glanced down at herself.
"Hmm… but I am above a goddess. Lowering myself to do such things would hurt my dignity."
His hope shattered instantly.
Sakiya tapped her chin in thought before giving a carefree shrug. "Oh well, it's just a minor detail. A true warrior is worthy of my personal attention."
His eyes brightened again.
"However—"
The moment that word left her lips, his entire body tensed in terror.
Just then, Ino entered the tent, a white ribbon also tied around her arm.
"Sakiya, have you given Mr. Miyamoto his water yet?"
Sakiya turned to her with a confident nod.
"I was just about to bestow upon this brave warrior the sacred water of life!"
With deliberate care, she lifted the cup to Miyamoto's lips, letting him finally drink.
As the cool liquid slid down his throat, tears welled in his eyes.
Was it because of relief? Gratitude? Or simply the sheer agony of enduring Sakiya's so-called care? Even he wasn't sure anymore.
Ino smiled warmly at the sight.
"Wow, Sakiya, you're actually taking good care of him. Mr. Miyamoto, you're in great hands!"
Miyamoto's eyes widened in horror.
No. No. No! Absolutely NOT!
But Ino was already turning to leave.
Despair settled over him once again.
As he finished the water, Sakiya gently took the cup away, looking at him with a serene smile.
"I told you, didn't I? This is no ordinary water—it is the sacred water of life."
Miyamoto wanted to scream. Who cares?! It's just water!
Regret filled him. If only he hadn't used his teammate as a shield during battle… If only he had known that his teammate was just a clone… Maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't be in this situation now.
Please… someone… save me from this girl…
Sakiya glanced at the time, then suddenly brightened.
"Oh! It's time for your medicine!"
Miyamoto barely had time to react before she shook her head.
"No, wait… not medicine. Bitter water!"
She turned to him with a soft, almost angelic smile.
"The sorrow of bitter water is a holy thing."
Miyamoto closed his eyes in silent agony.
Just let me die…
______________
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