Sasuke Visits His Family

Girls were simply more sensitive.

Ever since Kushina Uzumaki took on an important position at Konoha Hospital, she hadn't had time to raise Naruto at home. Minato Namikaze was even busier, and rarely had a chance to use the Flying Thunder God Technique to talk with Naruto.

Did that mean the two of them didn't love Naruto?

"You can't sleep, can you? How about we go to Ichiraku Ramen for a bowl?" Naruto checked his pockets and actually found a few bills. "My treat."

Hinata blinked, then smiled. "I want two bowls."

Happiness and laughter could be so simple.

Near Guy's house.

Kakashi and Guy supported each other as they staggered along.

Lee jumped in front of them from behind and let go with both hands. The criminal's body hit the ground.

"We haven't even finished drinking, Kakashi. Why are you lying on the ground?" Guy was truly drunk, babbling nonsense.

Kakashi nudged the body over with his foot. Seeing the Kumogakure Forehead Protector that had fallen from it, he asked, "What happened?"

Lee replied, "This man used genjutsu to try to kidnap Hanabi. Hinata noticed and notified Naruto and me. I hit him too hard in the back hills and killed him, but I rescued Hanabi. Naruto asked me to tell Kakashi-sensei what happened. That's all."

Kakashi beckoned to him. "Help Guy-sensei."

Lee immediately switched places with Kakashi.

Kakashi crouched down and examined the body carefully. "His eyes are unusual. Lee, you don't need to worry about what happens next. Help Guy-sensei get home. I'll take care of this."

Lee nodded. "Understood. If you need a witness, I'll gladly come forward."

Kakashi grabbed the body with one hand, and they disappeared together.

Konoha Interrogation Department.

Kakashi met with Ibiki Morino. "He's a Kumogakure spy. Find out which clan in the Land of Lightning he belongs to. Especially those eyes—I think I've seen them mentioned in a classified document."

Ibiki wore a shinobi cap. Scars from enemy torture covered his face, and a black cloak hung over his Konoha Interrogation Department vest. He said with a stern expression, "Kakashi, give me a moment."

It took Ibiki some time to look through the records. He found information on Kekkei Genkai involving eyes from across the Shinobi World. "His irises are blood red, and he's from the Land of Lightning. He's probably from the Chinoike Clan. These are called Ketsuryūgan. They excel at ocular techniques, and once someone falls under their genjutsu, escaping is difficult."

Kakashi paced around. "So the Chinoike Clan has sided with Kumogakure. The Raikage really knows how to conceal his strength. His methods are beneath contempt. I'll report this to the Fourth Hokage. You can have people continue researching the Chinoike Clan's Kekkei Genkai."

Ibiki still had other prisoners to interrogate. "No problem. Give the Fourth Hokage my regards."

Uchiha Sasuke had been standing outside his family home for an hour.

A small black dog lay at Sasuke's feet, panting to cool itself.

It was only natural to long for home when you were close to it.

Sasuke placed his hand on the door. "I'll just take a look at Mom, then leave."

He pushed gently, and the door opened.

Uchiha Mikoto had always left the door open for her two children to come home.

Sasuke's nose stung, and the layout of the home looked just as it had when he was a child.

It was as if nothing had changed, though everything had.

Sasuke sat in his own room for a while, then went into his older brother Itachi's room. He immediately spotted the letters Itachi had sent home.

In the letters, Itachi asked whether their parents were healthy. He wrote that he was still searching for his younger brother, Sasuke, and that if he found him, he would give him a good scolding and bring him home to be with their parents.

The letters were full of happy things to share, yet every line brimmed with longing for his family.

"Brother, why don't you come home on your own?" Sasuke's eyes filled with tears as he carefully put the letters away.

At last, Sasuke gathered the courage to enter his parents' bedroom.

They were both asleep.

Fugaku Uchiha lay on his back with his hands folded over his stomach. He had no hair on his head, and three more wrinkles had appeared on his forehead.

Uchiha Mikoto slept on her side. Her face hadn't changed much, and Orochimaru's bite marks were still visible on her neck.

Sasuke stood beside Mikoto for a long time.

"I'm sorry. I'm not strong enough yet. Orochimaru is a man full of contradictions, and so am I. The only thing we might have in common is our obsession with power. Until I achieve that goal, I don't know whether what I'm doing is right or wrong. But I've been living a full life."

"Mom, I have lots of interesting things to tell you, too. Orochimaru built his own shinobi village and named it Otogakure. But Orochimaru can't carry a tune, so he's kind of making a fool of himself."

"I've got two new companions. One is Jugo, who loves nature, and the other is Hozuki Suigetsu, who's a bit of an idiot. They're both pretty strong, but of course, they're nowhere near as talented as a genius of the Uchiha Clan like me."

After telling her about his experiences, Sasuke gently took Uchiha Mikoto's hand, then left home again.

"The Scroll of Seals. I have to get it tonight."

Sasuke's second reason for returning to Konoha was the Scroll of Seals. Many of Orochimaru's studies were closely connected to the forbidden techniques recorded in it.

To find out where the Scroll of Seals was, Orochimaru had recruited the ambitious Mizuki.

In the end, they decided to have Sasuke steal the Scroll of Seals. There was only one reason: Hiruzen Sarutobi, who felt guilty toward Uchiha Itachi, probably wouldn't make things difficult for Sasuke.

Orochimaru knew his seemingly stern teacher very well. Deep down, there was always a soft spot in him.

Sasuke reached Hiruzen Sarutobi's residence. After a moment's thought, he transformed into a small black cat and jumped over the wall.

The Scroll of Seals had been casually placed on the bottom shelf of a bookcase. The cat transformed back into Sasuke, who pulled out the scroll and slung it over his back.

The Third Hokage's office.

Hiruzen Sarutobi watched the images inside the crystal and sighed. "It's all fate. The Scroll of Seals is known as an ill omen. The Second Hokage died not long after writing it. Now it's been taken by the Uchiha Clan—or rather, by Orochimaru. Perhaps fighting poison with poison will be good for Konoha."

"Take it all, Orochimaru. The forbidden techniques the Second Hokage stored in the Scroll of Seals aren't easy to learn."

Sasuke activated his Sharingan and surveyed the room. "Mizuki, you can do whatever you want with him."

Mizuki had been made a sacrificial pawn.

After receiving Sasuke's reminder, Hiruzen Sarutobi shut off the crystal surveillance. "Why can't this kid make it a little harder for Konoha's Anbu to uncover the truth? Or does he want me to send Anbu after him to test his abilities?"

But Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't alert the Anbu. He yawned as sleepiness overcame him, then got ready for bed.

Sasuke left through the back door, turned a corner, and reached Konoha's busiest district, where the lights were still on.

There were food stalls, entertainment shops, and everything else one could want.