After they parted, Sasuke kept thinking about what Jimo had told him...
"Naruto, wanting my acknowledgment..."
As he was deep in thought, a steel wire wrapped around him...
"Kakashi... what are you..."
"So you don't run off, and can listen to my lecture properly..."
Kakashi said calmly.
"Give up your revenge... Because of my old job, I've met plenty of people like you who constantly talked about revenge... None of them ended well..."
"All you'll do is make yourself suffer more. Even if you get your revenge, you'll only feel empty afterward..."
"You don't understand at all! Don't put on airs and lecture me!"
Sasuke had completely forgotten Jimo's words by then.
"Then how about I kill everyone important to you right now! That way, you'll see how stupid what you're saying is!"
Kakashi looked at Sasuke calmly and remained silent for a long time.
"That's not a bad idea... But I don't have anyone important to me anymore..."
Kakashi suddenly smiled.
"Because they've all been killed!"
Kakashi told Sasuke that the era he'd grown up in had been far more chaotic than the present.
"Both of us have been unfortunate, but we've also been lucky! We've both found important companions now, haven't we?"
Kakashi released Sasuke.
"Losing something makes you understand its value all the more! Just like Jimo said earlier! True strength isn't about how many people you can hurt with your power! It's about how many people you can protect with it!"
"I taught you Chidori because I saw that you already had this power of protection in your heart! It wasn't meant to hurt your teammates or help you get revenge... Where you should use it... I think you know better than anyone!"
Kakashi disappeared before Sasuke, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
That night, four figures appeared before Sasuke.
"I'm in a bad mood right now... I don't know who you are, but leave me alone!"
"Hey, look at this kid! He thinks he can talk tough to us!"
Sakon chuckled.
After a brief fight, Sasuke was completely overwhelmed and couldn't fight back.
"Come with us! You'll never grow stronger playing childish ninja games in this childish village! Follow Lord Orochimaru, and he'll give you the power you want."
In their eyes, Sasuke saw that same indifferent gaze.
"Orochimaru... Orochimaru again!"
Sasuke remembered Jimo's words: Orochimaru was an extremely dangerous man.
"He's probably after your Sharingan!"
Jimo's words echoed in Sasuke's mind.
"You want to take my teammate? Did you ask me, his captain, first?"
A voice came from behind them.
"When did he get behind us?!"
The four stared behind them in alarm.
"Idiots! I'm right in front of you!"
Jimo punched each of them once, sending them flying...
"I'm in a really bad mood today! So you'd better get lost before I feel like killing you! I don't want your disgusting, filthy blood staining the Fifth Hokage's inauguration ceremony!"
Red light glinted in Jimo's eyes as an invisible Ki rose around him.
"Then go ahead and try!"
Tayuya cursed.
"Try me, then!"
Tayuya shouted.
"Hey, hey! Does Tayuya usually make that kind of sound...?" the others joked.
"Y-you bastard!"
Tayuya cursed, covering her backside.
"Say one more word, and I'll smack your butt again! I'll keep going until it's swollen!"
Holding a tree branch, Jimo stood protectively in front of Sasuke, looking thoroughly unbothered.
"Fall back!"
Knowing they were no match for him, the Sound Four vanished into the night.
The two of them went to Kage Rock and gazed out at Konoha, lit up by countless lights.
"Sasuke, you shouldn't have said those things to Kakashi..."
Jimo told Sasuke Kakashi's story.
He told him how Kakashi's father had failed a mission to save his comrades, only for those same comrades to turn around and insult him... That was how the White Fang of Konoha fell.
He also told him how Kakashi had watched his dear friend die and received his Sharingan from him... and how he had personally killed another teammate with Chidori.
"What are you thinking about?"
Seeing Sasuke remain silent for a long time, Jimo asked.
"I can assure you, your brother didn't massacre the clan of his own free will..."
Sasuke froze.
"You think he spared you because you were too weak? Then why were you the only one in the entire clan he left alive? With your brother's abilities, you could've died countless times without even realizing it..."
Hearing Jimo's words, Sasuke began to reflect on what had happened.
"If you want to go find Orochimaru, then go. I won't stop you!"
Jimo said lightly.
"Some people have to see things for themselves before they realize the world is different from what they imagined! The Uchiha Clan Massacre wasn't an accident! Some people were quietly pushing it along behind the scenes."
Looking at Sasuke's clear, foolish eyes, Jimo continued.
"There are enemies in Konoha you can't see... If you want to leave... fine! At least you'll be safe until Orochimaru recovers!"
"Why are you telling me all this?"
"Obviously! We're friends on the same team!"
Jimo's smile was as radiant as the sun.
"But remember one thing! Never fall into darkness, no matter what truth you uncover... Don't think about taking revenge on the village! Otherwise, I'll be the first to kill you!"
Jimo's expression and tone suddenly turned serious.
"Thanks!"
Sasuke's expression relaxed considerably. He knew that now Jimo had been promoted to Chunin, he could access plenty of records. Given his relationship with the Fifth Hokage and the others, it might not be difficult for him to look into a few less important classified files...
"Don't go after Naruto! If he follows you... just knock him out. He almost died at Orochimaru and the others' hands while trying to bring the Fifth Hokage back..."
After finishing, Jimo disappeared before Sasuke, leaving only a faintly drifting remark behind.
"I'll look into the Uchiha Clan Massacre for you, but the truth is often cruel! Stay safe! Watch out for Kabuto Yakushi and Orochimaru!"
At midnight, Sasuke packed his things.
Standing by the window, he looked at the Team 7 photo. After hesitating for a long while, he decided not to take it with him.
When he reached Central Street, he saw Sakura standing in the middle of the road.
"What are you doing here in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?"
Sasuke asked coldly. Now that he'd decided to leave, he had to bury all his feelings deep in his heart.
"You have to come through here to leave the village... Why didn't you tell us what was going on?"
Sakura's eyes brimmed with tears.
"Do I have to tell you everything?"
After a brief confession, Sasuke slipped behind Sakura and struck her with the edge of his hand, knocking her out. He laid her on a bench.
"Sakura... thanks... But I have a reason I have to uncover the truth!"
A few minutes later, someone came to the bench and picked Sakura up.
"Tsk, tsk! If Sakura didn't like you... you'd really deserve to be single for the rest of your life... Knocking a girl out and leaving her on a bench like this? So irresponsible!"
Jimo gently carried Sakura back to the Medical Corps and handed her over to Shizune, who was preparing paperwork, to look after.
"Are you sure Sasuke won't fall into darkness?"
Tsunade frowned as she watched Sasuke, already a distant speck.
"Don't worry. If he dares betray Konoha, I'll kill him myself... The village's dark side was probably behind what happened back then, and the Third Hokage's death this time was probably tied to it too..."
Tsunade looked at the personnel files in her hands.
Her gaze stopped on a spiky-haired man wrapped in bandages.
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