The Uchiha Clan Massacre (3)

"Did you know? I heard the Uchiha Clan was wiped out. Sasuke Uchiha was the only one left alive..."

As soon as Issui and Hinata reached the classroom door, they heard their classmates whispering. Everyone was talking about the Uchiha Clan Massacre. Only one night had passed since it happened, yet the news had spread so far that practically everyone knew.

Ino and Sakura looked deeply worried. Sasuke, that revenge-obsessed guy, really was lucky.

Sasuke still hadn't come by the time class started. It looked like he was at Konoha Hospital. From this moment on, he would walk the path of revenge. What about me? Of course I'll do the same, but besides avenging my family, I have something important to protect. I won't let darkness blind me or hatred consume my conscience, because I've already found something important. With it, I'll be invincible, even against the likes of Obito Uchiha, Madara Uchiha, Akatsuki, and all those other ruthless people.

The morning soon passed, and Issui decided to visit Sasuke at the hospital. Their similar circumstances made Issui feel they were really the same kind of person. Sasuke, however, had been deceived all along. Hatred and darkness had always followed him, gradually making him unable to control the darkness in his heart.

"Hinata, I want to go see Sasuke. We're classmates, after all, so I should check on him. Besides... besides, he and I..." Issui said to Hinata. He raised his head to gaze at the glow on the horizon, deep sorrow appearing in his eyes.

"All right. Come back early, okay? Will you be back for lunch?" Hinata sensed the quiet sadness of the boy beside her and spoke with concern.

"I won't be back. Just let your father know. Don't worry, it's only a simple visit." Issui returned to his usual manner.

"All right, I'll head back first. You..." Hinata stopped halfway through her sentence, because Issui had already gone, leaving her with a view of his sturdy back...

"Hey, mister, two bowls of ramen to go..." Issui shouted before he had even entered Ichiraku Ramen. He figured ramen would be a better gift for Sasuke than flowers. No matter how beautiful flowers were, they couldn't fill an empty stomach.

"Coming right up! Oh, it's you, Issui. Why not eat here before you leave?" the ramen seller asked.

"Ah, a friend of mine is sick and can't come. I thought Ichiraku Ramen might help him get better faster, so I'm taking it over to eat with him," Issui said with a smile.

"Oh, friendship between young people really is wonderful. This meal's on me, but make sure you come back often! Honestly, my Ichiraku Ramen is the most famous ramen in Konoha, I tell you..." Teuchi launched into another passionate sales pitch.

"How could I accept that? But since you insist, I'll thank you on my friend's behalf. I'll make sure he comes by often. Thanks for sponsoring our friendship," Issui said with a smile. Sasuke, you can eat plenty of ramen from now on.

"Ha ha, here's your piping-hot ramen! Hurry along now, don't let your friend go hungry..."

"Thanks, mister. See you..."

At Konoha Hospital, Issui asked a nurse where Sasuke's room was and went straight there. He opened the door to find Sasuke sitting on the bed in a daze, completely unaware of his arrival.

"Well, well, our lord genius didn't even notice me. Looks like my stealth skills have improved," Issui said calmly, without the slightest hint that he was joking.

"Did you come to laugh at me? Fine, then. You win. Now get out..." Sasuke raised his pale face. There was no life in his eyes, only utter darkness.

"Tch, you can't even take a blow like this? What, want to hit me? The way you are now, you couldn't even beat a little animal. Come on, hit me! Come on, you idiot..." Issui said arrogantly.

"Damn you, die..." Sasuke lashed out at Issui in anger, only to trip over the bedsheet and tumble awkwardly to the floor. He sat there dejectedly, leaning against the bed and staring helplessly at the ceiling.

"Here, I bought you some Ichiraku Ramen. Eat. Once you're full, get your damn act together, train hard, and move toward your goal one step at a time. As long as you're alive, anything is possible. But once you die, everything comes to nothing. Sasuke, you're a genius, but even geniuses need to eat their fill and train hard. It's like rowing upstream: if you don't advance, you fall behind. While you're improving, others are improving too. Even when you aren't improving, they still are. So work hard, comrade genius." Smiling, Issui handed Sasuke a bowl of ramen.

Life gradually returned to Sasuke's eyes, but the pride in his bones kept him from accepting Issui's gift.

"Take it and eat. You need a full stomach to have the strength to train. If you won't eat it, I will. I really don't know why I brought you food. What the hell is wrong with me?" Issui shoved the ramen into Sasuke's hands.

"Why...?" Sasuke finally accepted it, but still asked the question.

"Why? Because I'm just like you. Apparently, you still don't know that my home was destroyed and my clan wiped out too. Now I've had to seek refuge in Konoha in exchange for protection. My enemies are Kirigakure and Zabuza Momochi, one of the Seven Mist Ninja Swordsmen, while I'm a nobody who isn't even a Genin. But we can't let hatred cloud our judgment. We have to use every resource available to gain tremendous strength, but we can't lose ourselves to hatred along the way. If we do..."

Issui had clearly left his final words unfinished. He knew Sasuke's older brother would guide him in the future, and that he couldn't dictate the course of Sasuke's life. I'd better focus on my little Hinata. Not just anyone can be a therapist. If I do a bad job, I might only make the other person hate me. Besides, I'm no saint. I can't take care of everything.

"I see... But don't get too pleased with yourself. I'm not going to thank you." Sasuke looked at Issui, no longer feeling such intense hostility toward him. The same fate, huh? But mine seems a little more tragic. My enemy is actually my beloved older brother. Why???

"Hey, hey, what's this about thanks? Bullshit. You think I need your thanks? I just find you easier to look at, that's all. You think you're the boss? Tch, you're just a brat, got it?" As soon as Issui heard him, he sprayed noodles all over Sasuke's face.

"You're the brat, bastard! Stop spraying me! If you're not eating it, give it to me. I'm starving..." Sasuke rolled his eyes at Issui. Is this what a friend is? According to my brother—no, that man-to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan, I have to kill my most important friend. No, I'll never accept that. I'll awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan through my own ability.

"Get lost! I gave up my own happiness to bring you food. My adorable Hinata must be so sad eating without me. I'm going to turn my grief and indignation into strength. Eat, eat, eat! Anyone who dares steal my food will have to fight me to the death!" Issui shouted and yelled. How can I be so caring? I actually abandoned my beloved Hinata to bring this revenge-obsessed guy a meal. I'm such an idiot.

"Tch, calling yourself 'old man'? You think you're a grandpa or something? Besides, I never asked you to bring me food. You're just a dog catching mice-meddling in other people's business, aren't you, useless Issui?!" A huge vein bulged on Sasuke's forehead.

"What?! Smug bastard Sasuke, I hate it most when people call me useless! I'm going to kill you!!!" When Issui heard "useless," he slammed his empty ramen bowl upside down on Sasuke's head, spilling the broth all over him. Seeing that, Issui burst out laughing.

"Ah! You, you, you... I can do that too!" Sasuke swallowed his last mouthful of noodles and did the same, spilling his bowl all over Issui.

The two looked at each other and burst out laughing.

Once they had laughed their fill, they leaned against the edge of the bed, catching their breath. Each put a hand on the other's shoulder, cherishing their hard-won friendship.

"You know, I don't think you're so annoying anymore. When we first started school, I really looked down on you. You made me lose face in front of everyone. I really hated you for that. But now you're a companion I can acknowledge," Sasuke said, catching his breath.

"Likewise. Actually, at first I thought I was an idiot for bringing you food. But now it looks like you deserve my service after all. You'd better visit Ichiraku Ramen often from now on. Teuchi gave you these noodles so you could recover soon. Konoha's villagers are really nice, so kind. Konoha is a good place."

"Tch..."

"But Sasuke, as your friend, let me give you a word of advice: don't lose yourself to hatred. You're smart; you know what I mean. Even so, no matter what happens in the future, I'll support your decision, because the path is yours to choose..." Issui said seriously.

Sasuke fell silent. Yes, the path is mine. That man—I'll kill him with my own hands, even if...

"All right, get some rest. I'm going to school. Focus on recovering." Issui straightened up and walked out of the room without looking back. The sound of his footsteps gradually faded.

As Issui left the hospital, he suddenly spotted a cat-masked ninja flash past. Watching us? Tch. Still, it's nothing. Sasuke and I were just having a simple friendly visit; there's nothing to worry about. The Third still loves peeping as much as ever.

He looked at the four faces on Hokage Rock. Heroes? Perhaps. Maybe I'll be a hero too, though my face probably won't be carved up there. But I'll become a hero in their hearts.

Several months later...

Peace returned to Konoha, and the effects of the Uchiha Clan Massacre gradually faded. Though people still mentioned it from time to time, they didn't dwell on it. News of the massacre had also reached the Shinobi World, causing a tremendous uproar. No one had expected the powerful Uchiha Clan to meet such an end. The four great nations other than the Land of Fire were delighted. With the Fourth's death followed by the Uchiha Clan Massacre, Konoha's strength had suffered greatly, and the Third, a decrepit old man, was its only powerful ninja. Even so, the four great ninja villages still dared not underestimate Konoha. The might it had displayed in years past continued to command respect.

Sasuke had long since returned to the Ninja Academy and trained diligently every day. He seemed perfectly calm on the surface, but who could know how the hatred in his heart swelled day and night beneath it? For now, however, he had not been blinded by hatred. As for the future, that was up to fate...