Three days later, early in the morning.
Team 7 had finally returned to Konoha after completing their mission in the Land of Waves.
And in the guard post at the village gate,
sat two faces Lin Fan knew very well.
Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki.
They were also known as the Konoha Gate Guardians.
Thanks to some mysterious, almost supernatural buff, no one dared attack Konoha through the front gate while they were on guard.
Even the Pains in the famous "carrying rice" incident had invaded the village from the sky via the Naraka Path first.
"Kakashi, how did your mission go? No one got hurt, right?"
As the members of Team 7 registered their return to the village, Izumo asked Kakashi with a smile.
"Mm. Not only did no one get hurt, but I, their teacher, barely even had to fight Zabuza. Lin Fan took him down all by himself."
"This might be the easiest escort mission I've had since becoming a ninja."
Kakashi spread his hands and said with an exasperated look.
Kotetsu was instantly stunned. "Zabuza? You mean Zabuza Momochi, the Demon of the Hidden Mist who killed over a hundred of his classmates during the graduation exam and then defected from Kirigakure?"
Kakashi nodded. "Mm. Thanks to Lin Fan's guidance, Zabuza has turned over a new leaf. He's settled down in the Land of Waves with the person he loves and won't cause any more trouble."
"I used to tell my students that they were the worst class I'd ever taught, but with this little guy, I'll have to take that back."
Then he led Lin Fan and the others into the village, looking thoroughly proud.
Meanwhile, Kotetsu and Izumo stood there, both completely dumbfounded.
They knew Lin Fan was strong enough to go toe-to-toe with Kakashi, but they hadn't expected him to beat Zabuza at such a young age.
Perhaps Lin Fan had the makings of a Super Kage.
The four of them returned to the village together. Since Kakashi had to report the details of the Land of Waves mission to Hiruzen Sarutobi,
he hurried off to the Hokage Building alone.
"Come on, Naruto. I'll treat you to Ichiraku Ramen."
Lin Fan said with a smile.
He'd found plenty of money in the basement of the Gato Company, which had taken care of all his living expenses.
"Awesome!"
Naruto was incredibly excited.
After spending so long away from the village in the Land of Waves, he'd been missing Teuchi and Ayame like crazy—and their ramen, too.
"Lin Fan, I..."
Even Sasuke, the eternally cold-faced one, was trying to strike up a conversation with Lin Fan.
"Come on, the three of us can go together. Whatever it is, let's eat first and talk afterward!"
Lin Fan took Sasuke's hand in one of his and Naruto's in the other, then led them toward their destination.
After eating their fill, Naruto, who hadn't slept well during the journey, went home alone to catch up on some sleep.
"What is it you wanted to tell me?"
Lin Fan asked Sasuke.
"Lin Fan, I want to—"
"Sasuke-kun, you're finally back after all this time!"
Just as Sasuke was about to speak, Sakura passed by and rushed toward him with hearts in her eyes.
"Get lost, troublesome woman! Why are you butting in? Can't you see I'm talking to Lin Fan?"
Sasuke shoved away the arm Sakura had reached out to wrap around him, then left the ramen shop with Lin Fan.
Sakura was left standing there, her expression instantly falling.
She felt like a side dish of pickled cabbage standing next to Sasuke—
sour, useless, and completely unnecessary.
The two of them then went to a relatively quiet spot downstairs from Lin Fan's apartment.
"Lin Fan, please let me enter your genjutsu space. I want to strengthen my Sharingan."
Sasuke said, steeling himself.
Ever since the Bell Test, he'd been fascinated by the genjutsu Lin Fan had used with his Sharingan.
It had trapped even Kakashi so completely that he'd knelt down in the real world to repent.
Kakashi must have seen something in the illusion that had struck deep into his soul.
And during the Night of the Massacre, Sasuke had finally awakened a One-Tomoe Sharingan.
So it was only natural for him to realize that evolving the Sharingan was tied to experiencing a great shock.
"Have you really made up your mind? Are you ready to face the same fate as Kakashi-sensei?"
Lin Fan asked Sasuke.
"Mm. I'm ready!"
Sasuke said firmly.
He wanted to see the deaths of Fugaku and Mikoto again.
He had to work hard to evolve his Sharingan, then kill Uchiha Itachi.
Lin Fan smiled slightly.
Actually, in the original story, Sasuke's right eye had already evolved into a Two-Tomoe Sharingan while he was fighting Haku in the Land of Waves.
Now that he'd already taught Naruto the Rasengan ahead of time,
he agreed to help Sasuke too, in keeping with his principle of treating all his Team 7 comrades equally.
What Sasuke evolved into next would depend on his own fortune.
Soon, Lin Fan's scarlet Three-Tomoe eyes suddenly lit up.
"Sasuke, enter the Night of the Massacre I've crafted just for you!"
Lin Fan shouted sharply.
Inside the illusion,
the night sky glittered with stars.
The Uchiha Compound was brightly lit and peaceful.
Just then, a slender young man carrying a sword and wearing a Konoha Forehead Protector slowly approached the main gate.
"Itachi!!!"
Inside the illusion, Sasuke glared with bloodshot eyes and shouted through clenched teeth.
The young man put on a cat-faced mask bearing the insignia of the Anbu and vanished in an instant.
The next moment, the masked youth drew his sword and became a bloodthirsty demon returned from hell.
He stabbed everyone he came across and killed anyone in his path, his eyes utterly without hesitation.
"Ah!"
Soon, screams and cries of agony filled the Uchiha Compound.
Severed limbs littered the ground, cut off by the young man. The sky above the entire compound turned a terrifying blood-red.
The youth had taken off his cat-faced mask, but his eyes were still bloodshot from the killing. The blood of his fellow clan members had splattered over his face, layer upon layer.
"Itachi, why? Why are you doing this to our clan?!"
Sasuke, watching the scene unfold inside the illusion, was already weeping uncontrollably, tears streaming down his face.
At last, after continuing his slaughter, Itachi encountered his father, Uchiha Fugaku.
"This must be the future of the Uchiha Clan. A future that ought to be completely destroyed."
Itachi held his sword and pointed it at Fugaku before him.
"Perhaps. Come find me in my room!"
Poof!!!
A cloud of white smoke passed, and Fugaku's Shadow Clone vanished.
The next moment, Itachi had already pushed open the door.
He saw Fugaku and Mikoto kneeling on the floor.
"Father, Mother!"
Itachi said coldly.
"I don't want to kill my own son. It seems you've already chosen your path!"
Fugaku said calmly.
"Father, Mother, I..."
Itachi quickly drew his gleaming sword.
"Itachi, I understand. This is the path you've chosen, and we don't blame you."
"We only hope you'll take good care of Sasuke."
Mikoto tilted her head upward by forty-five degrees, a glistening tear rolling from her eye.
Itachi no longer hesitated. He swung his sword and pierced both their throats.
In an instant, blood covered the floor. After they died, the couple leaned against each other.
"Father, Mother..."
"Itachi, why? I have to kill you!"
At that moment, a scarlet One-Tomoe Sharingan appeared in Sasuke's eyes, and murderous intent surged through him.