Going Their Separate Ways

"Uchiha, is there another Uchiha in this world?"

Sasuke, who was almost touching Kakashi-sensei's back, listened to him arguing with Dōmeki about the information he was Obito Uchiha. His heart was pounding.

"So, besides me, there are other members of my race who survive in this world!"

And so, Sasuke barely listened to any of the person's connection to Kirigakure, or perhaps he didn't care. He had always believed that he carried the burden of hatred and darkness alone, and upon hearing that he was not alone, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Until...

"I heard that Itachi, the one who wiped out the clan, is also in that Akatsuki!"

Dōmeki's words ruthlessly shattered Sasuke's illusions about that clansman, and the resentment in his heart soared to the heavens!

"Why? Why is that clansman named Obito Uchiha hanging out with that man?!"

The third Tomoe suddenly appeared in Sasuke's eyes, its ferocious crimson color staring straight at Dōmeki.

"Sasuke-kun, I've always been curious, do you still believe that someone could silently slaughter the entire Uchiha without alerting anyone?"

Dōmeki's words carried a hidden meaning, while Kakashi's expression changed drastically.

"Don't want..."

As an elite captain of the Anbu, Kakashi certainly knew what had actually happened that night.

The Uchiha Clan attempted a rebellion, and Konoha's Anbu and Root forces surrounded the Uchiha Clan Compound. The result was that Uchiha Itachi massacred the entire clan and then defected.

This is absolutely terrifying to think about; it's a truth that Sasuke, at his current age and with his current strength, could never possibly be aware of!

However, it was too late for Kakashi to stop it.

Sasuke, having stepped over Kakashi, glanced back at his teacher, whose face was ashen, and immediately understood that there were unknown secrets behind the so-called night of the massacre.

But since Kakashi-sensei was unwilling to reveal it, he could only place his hopes on Dōmeki was still munching on melons.

Everything has a price! Consider the message just now as a reward from the Forest of Death! But...

Dōmeki raised his index finger. "So, Sasuke-kun, what do you plan to offer in exchange for the next piece of information?"

"Sasuke!"

Kakashi looked at Sasuke with worry, fearing that his student would be led astray by the information revealed by Dōmeki, but the guilt of having to hide it from his disciple lingered in his heart.

"Kakashi-sensei, I'm not that kind of weakling!"

Sasuke stared intently at Kakashi, then turned to meet Dōmeki's gaze.

Suddenly, he bowed to the red-haired boy, "If I can defeat you in the next match, I hope you can tell me the truth about that night!"

"That's a bit difficult!" Dōmeki scratched his head. After all, Sasuke hadn't even started his overpowered journey yet, and he was still quite easy to bully.

Sasuke had already turned around and walked to Kakashi's side. "I'm counting on you for the intensive training from now on, Kakashi-sensei!"

Kakashi looked bitter. He felt that even if he went up against the red-haired boy himself, the odds were probably only fifty-fifty.

He wasn't confident he could strengthen Sasuke to a level surpassing his own in just one month.

However, as a teacher, I cannot fail my disciple's request. But regarding another disciple, Naruto, I need to find him a reliable training mentor.

Kakashi's mind conjured up the image of that seemingly frivolous yet incredibly steady man.

Sakura:...

Ignoring the passionate exchange between master and disciple, Dōmeki simply tossed the melon he had finished eating aside.

"I have other appointments, so I'll just wait for the day Sasuke-kun shows his true strength!"

The group turned around curiously and saw a pretty blonde girl standing in the dim light at the shop entrance.

"Isn't that a female ninja from Sunagakure? Her name is Temari?"

Ino Yamanaka's face immediately lit up with excitement, and she whispered along with Sakura, even pulling Hinata was standing to the side at a loss, into the gossip group.

"Shikamaru, I've known for a while that something was off about them!"

Naruto Uzumaki grinned slyly, pointing his little finger at his friend Shikamaru.

"Huh...?" For some reason, Shikamaru, who usually responded in a lazy tone, paused for a moment.

Naruto Uzumaki is convinced that Shikamaru was driven mad by some violent woman!

The lights are dim, and the moon rises above the willow branches.

The boys and girls walking through the streets of Konoha fell into a mysterious silence.

Their memories of each other remained frozen in that twilight at the cemetery, the moment when the boy who had lost his parents and the girl who was paying respects to his mother met.

After the experience in the Forest of Death, my previous fixed impressions were completely shattered.

"Temari on your hips and said you'd protect me!"

Dōmeki smiled nostalgically, and then Temari on her hips and burst into loud laughter.

"Then hurry up and call me Big Sister! But you've always had a lot of tricks up your sleeve since you were little, I've always known you weren't a good person!"

Temari also recalled the past, saying that she had done many things to amuse her father when she was young, trying to get his attention. The Dōmeki, who was hiding behind the scenes, came up with a lot of bad ideas.

The most egregious instance was when, as the daughter of the Kazekage, she was tricked by Dōmeki into leaving Sunagakure to explore the abandoned Rōran in search of some legendary treasure.

"But thank you for letting Gaara go. Although this younger brother has a violent temper, he is..."

Temari thanked Dōmeki, a gesture that made the boy secretly sigh; the little girl he had once teased had truly grown up.

What her father did to Gaara was something even she, as his daughter, found hard to accept.

Although Temari knew that this was all because the Sunagakure's Sealing Jutsu for the One-Tail had serious flaws, her father wanted to test and strengthen Gaara's mental limits time and time again.

When will the misfortunes of the Shinobi World end?

Temari gazed at the moonlight, while her shadow on the ground seemed lost and hesitant.

"Happiness is built on misfortune, and our profession as ninjas thrives on chaos and conflict. How dare we even dream of eliminating strife!"

"We might be friends one moment and the next we're turning on each other with swords!"

Dōmeki said with a squinting smile.

Temari's eyes narrowed. "How about we have a drink together before the deathmatch?"

"The three ninja prohibitions can be broken occasionally, it's alright!"

Just then, Gaara's indifferent voice broke in.

"Temari, Baki has informed us of an important order!"

He then snorted coldly at Dōmeki, having suffered repeated defeats at the hands of Kimimaro, Gaara's displeasure was about to reach the heavens.

"Hey kid, what are you humming about? Watch out, or I'll break your legs next time!"

Dōmeki silently complained to himself.

Ultimately, the party did not take place.

Under the moonlight, people wearing different ninja Forehead Protector walked in opposite directions!