"Sasuke."
"Brother."
After his duel with Naruko, Sasuke ran into his brother, Uchiha Itachi.
Itachi had just come out of the Underground Base after completing another round of tests on "Getter Robot."
The Five Kage Summit and the alliance between Kumogakure and Konoha had been beyond everyone's expectations.
Even Itachi had yet to understand the reason behind the Raikage's decision.
But regardless.
This would force Earth Style: Onoki, the Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, to make a choice.
Would he join forces with Konoha, like the other four ninja villages?
Or would he be isolated?
Would he eventually be surrounded and attacked, causing the Land's power to gradually decline?
What the Akatsuki Organization was waiting for now was Onoki's decision.
Would Onoki join the alliance of the Four Great Ninja Villages and form an alliance of the Five Great Nations, a community of shared destiny?
Or would he hire the Akatsuki Organization to carry out various operations?
Itachi would pay close attention to developments in this regard.
For now.
Abandoning "Madara" and directly confronting him.
Choosing to stand on the side of the White Devil had been entirely the right choice.
The alliance between Sunagakure, Konoha, Kumogakure, and Kirigakure.
It heralded the possibility of peace.
This aligned with Itachi's desire to eliminate conflict.
An unprecedented hope lay before Itachi.
As long as he could achieve "peace in the Shinobi World"...
"Sasuke, what are you doing here?"
Itachi asked gently.
Why had his little brother taken this path?
This wasn't the road home...
"Because..."
Sasuke told him about defeating Naruko.
"I see..."
Itachi stared at his little brother's face, which was pretending to be stubborn.
"Perhaps you should make peace with Naruko..."
Itachi placed his hand on his little brother's head and ruffled his hair.
Just as Shisui had done in the past.