Awakened

Danzo immediately called over his subordinates and gave them some instructions. Once they understood, they got up and left.

Josuke's defection had caused quite a stir in Konoha, but thanks to Tsunade, things soon quieted down.

People went on with their lives as usual...

Josuke, the central figure in all this, finally woke up after everything that had happened...

When Josuke opened his eyes, he saw Orochimaru and Kabuto watching him. Several tubes were connected to his body. Ugh...

My head hurts!

"It's all right. Don't worry. Headaches are a normal reaction."

Orochimaru spoke.

He looked at Josuke as though he were a perfect sculpture, and the sight filled him with excitement. Josuke hadn't disappointed him; he had successfully fused with the improved Hashirama Cells.

The only question was whether he could now use the legendary Wood Release.

After a long while, Josuke came around and asked Orochimaru in a calm voice,

"What happened to all the wounds on my body?"

"Did you heal them?"

Josuke's confusion was only natural. He had been beaten to a pulp in his fight with Naruto. Without immediate treatment, he would have been little more than a cripple.

Yet when he woke up, all his wounds had vanished. Even the scars he had gotten on past missions were gone.

Orochimaru saw the confusion on Josuke's face.

He spoke excitedly.

"That's right. What's more, I implanted a few little things into your body to make you even stronger than before!"

A few little things?

Hashirama Cells?

That was the first thing Josuke thought of, but then he reconsidered. If they were Hashirama Cells, he should have been bleached white.

But there was nothing on his body now.

It was strange, to say the least.

Still, Josuke could feel that his Chakra reserves had multiplied several times over.

"Hashirama Cells?"

Josuke asked. It was the only thing he could think of.

Orochimaru stared at Josuke in surprise. He never would have guessed that Josuke knew about them.

"Heh heh heh! As expected of you, Josuke. You guessed it right away. But these aren't ordinary Hashirama Cells. They've been improved by yours truly—improved Hashirama Cells!"

So that's what happened. Josuke looked at Orochimaru in surprise. Now it all made sense.

"Thanks. I owe you one."

With that, Josuke removed all the equipment attached to him, got dressed, and left, leaving Orochimaru and Kabuto standing where they were.

What Josuke didn't know was that Orochimaru had taken a gamble, too.

I didn't die because I'm strong.

Josuke wandered around Orochimaru's base. This was most likely just one of Orochimaru's smaller hideouts. He hadn't seen his foolish little brother.

Josuke didn't know what the future held. The start of the main storyline also meant the Ninja War was drawing closer...

I'll just take things as they come, Josuke thought. Then he remembered one more thing that happened after Gaara was captured.

It should be coming up soon.

The Hashirama Cells had fused with Josuke's body, but he still couldn't use Wood Release. He didn't know when he'd be able to. Perhaps it would take time to awaken.

(We'll skip ahead in the story. Josuke wasn't present at Tenchi Bridge; he was recuperating. Kakashi was also recovering after overusing his eye while rescuing Gaara. The new Team 7 had been reassembled: Yamato, Naruto, Sakura, and Sai.

During his recovery, Josuke successfully learned Wood Release... The story is now at the point, three years later, when Naruto and the others reunite with Sasuke.)

Josuke had since been moved from the old hideout to Orochimaru's main base, but for various reasons, he hadn't seen Sasuke.

Orochimaru staggered back into the base.

Seeing this, Josuke hurried over to help him.

"Are you all right?"

Orochimaru was drenched in cold sweat. He had been badly injured in his fight with Naruto. Josuke slowly helped him over to a nearby chair.

Kabuto and Sai came over as well.

Josuke looked at Sai. He was fairly handsome, with very pale skin. So you're the one, huh?

A nameless anger burned inside Josuke. Kishimoto, how did you draw this manga? Does this guy even deserve her?

Josuke knew Sai was Danzo's lapdog and a double agent, so he regarded him warily.

Sai sensed the hostility coming from Josuke. He wasn't sure whether the person looking at him was Josuke or Sasuke.

Even so, he smiled at Josuke—or rather, at Sasuke.

After resting for a good while, Orochimaru recovered and said with a smile, "I forgot to introduce you. This is Sai. He works for Danzo."

Josuke nodded. Orochimaru hadn't hidden what was going on between him and Danzo from Josuke; he had told him everything openly.

Orochimaru trusted Josuke.

Seeing that Orochimaru was all right, Josuke returned to his room. He had only moved in two days ago, so he still needed time to get used to the place.

He hadn't planned on seeing Sasuke anyway. His little brother was going through his rebellious, edgy phase, and no one could get through to him.

After Sai finished reporting, he left as well.

He didn't linger.

Just like in the original story, they were captured by Yamato and the others, and then fought Kabuto, just as before.

The Team 7 led by Yamato made their way to Orochimaru's secret base.

As the three left the outer area, Josuke appeared there and looked at Kabuto.

"You should be able to get yourself out, right?"

Josuke asked with a smile.

They weren't exactly friends, but he and Kabuto had gotten to the point where they could chat and talk about things.

Just as Josuke had said, Kabuto easily freed himself from the wooden chains binding him.

"How are things going down there?"

Kabuto asked.

Josuke thought for a moment.

"Orochimaru told me to wait and see how things played out."

Kabuto nodded and went to support Orochimaru.

Josuke headed to an open area nearby and waited for the others to emerge.

Just as he expected, there was a loud crash. The ground split apart, and Sasuke, Sai, and the others appeared in the sunlight.

Josuke knew it was time to make his move.

The smoke cleared.

Rubble was scattered everywhere. Sakura spotted Sasuke in the distance, high above them.

Naruto and the others saw him too.

Naruto looked at Sasuke, whom he hadn't seen in so long, his heart filled with excitement. After Jiraiya and Kakashi had helped him through the past few days, he had finally emerged from the shadow of Josuke's defection.

He had also settled on his goal for the future: bring both brothers back to Konoha. It was as simple as that.

And now, at long last, he was finally looking at the brother he had missed so dearly.

"Sasuke!"

Naruto shouted happily.