Natsu: I Wonder If Uchiha Itachi Will Cry When He Can't Find Sasuke?

Natsu sat on a rock, watching the sunset gradually disappear in the distance, and fell into a long silence.

His fingertips traced the sand beneath his feet, where the marks of yesterday's battle remained—a deep trench scorched by a laser, several broken pieces of wood, and a flattened bullet casing.

He had known all along that war meant death. From the day he led his entire clan to flee Konoha, he was prepared for the loss.

But when the real loss came, he realized that he was not as strong as he had imagined.

Uncle Jian's smile, Brother Ming's excited look when he returned from his reconnaissance, the candy that Sayo gave him, the light in Taku's eyes when he said he was going to unleash Susanoo... These images flashed through his mind again and again, as clear as if they were just yesterday.

He raised his hand and looked at his palm.

These hands can summon a world-destroying Wood Dragon, unleash the Majestic Attire: Susanoo, and chase down Marine Admiral across the West Blue.

But these hands couldn't save the lives of those four clansmen.

A breeze blew from the sea, lifting the hem of his clothes.

Natsu slowly closed her eyes, a flash of crimson appearing in them.

He knew better than anyone that the power of the Sharingan stemmed from hatred.

But he didn't want his people to live in hatred forever.

What he wanted was a place where all the Uchiha clan members could live in peace, a home where they no longer had to hide or fear being wiped out.

But this path is destined to be paved with blood and sacrifice.

The Navy will not let this go, and the World Government will not let them off the hook either.

There will be more battles to come, and more of his people will fall before him.

All he can do is become stronger, strong enough to withstand all the storms and protect everyone he wants to protect.

The sun sank completely into the sea, and the last rays of its rays disappeared into the horizon.

Night gradually enveloped the sea, and in the distance, lights began to twinkle in the direction of the tribe's territory.

Natsu slowly stood up and patted the sand off her body.

He looked back towards the direction of the clan's territory and could vaguely see figures moving around the Training Ground, and hear faint shouts of battle.

Those Sharingan that lit up were not a curse, but a vow to protect.

Those figures training with all their might are the sole reason for his progress.

Natsu took a deep breath of the salty sea air, and the confusion in her eyes gradually faded, leaving only a cold determination.

He turned and walked towards the direction of the clan's territory.

In the darkness of the night, his figure stood tall and straight like a pine tree, walking with unwavering determination, step by step.

One day, he will lead the Uchiha Clan to a height that everyone must look up to.

One day, whether it's this surging ocean or the Ninja World they yearn for, the Uchiha will become the strongest clan spanning both worlds, unshakeable by anyone.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking.

Natsu walked to the Naka Shrine, which was located in the very center of the clan's territory. It was built after they moved to Origin Island, modeled after Konoha, with blue tiles and wooden beams, and the familiar Uchiha Gunbai carved on the eaves. All matters, big and small, of the clan were discussed and decided here by Natsu, Fugaku, and Uchiha Setsuna.

Pushing open the wooden door, he immediately saw the small figure. Sasuke was kneeling beside Fugaku, holding a yellowed Ninjutsu Scroll, his little brows furrowed, his fingers carefully tracing the jutsu lines, watching intently.

Hearing the door open, Sasuke suddenly looked up, his eyes lighting up instantly.

"Natsu!"

Natsu walked over, gently pinched his puffed-up cheeks, and asked with a smile, "Up so early to practice Ninjutsu?"

Sasuke proudly tossed his chin up, puffing out his chest. "Hmph! One day, I'll become the strongest Uchiha, just like my Natsu Yin!"

Back in Konoha, he and Itachi had long been irreconcilable enemies due to their differing ideals, but they surprisingly reached an agreement on the matter of caring for Sasuke.

Only in front of Sasuke could they barely suppress their anger and maintain a semblance of peace.

Now look what's happened! He abandoned that stubborn Itachi in Konoha and took little Sasuke with him.

I wonder if that guy will be so angry when he finds Sasuke is missing that he'll tear down the Hokage Building?

Thinking of this, Natsu couldn't help but ruffle his hair again.

"Damn it! Natsu!" Sasuke's cheeks were flushed red from being rubbed, like a puffed-up little bun. He angrily slapped Xia Yin's hand away. "I'm a ninja now! You can't just rub my face like that anymore!"

"Alright, alright, our Shinobu." Natsu couldn't help but laugh at his pouty face. "After I finish what I'm doing, I'll teach you a new Ninjutsu this afternoon."

"Huh?! Really?" Sasuke's eyes widened, instantly forgetting his earlier dissatisfaction.

When have I ever lied to you?

"No! Natsu is the best!" Sasuke immediately beamed, rushed over, hugged his arm and shook it, almost dropping the scroll in his hand.

Natsu ruffled Sasuke's soft hair, turned around and sat down next to Fugaku, looking at the thick stack of account books spread out in front of him.

"Uncle, what are you looking at?"

"The clan's income, expenditure, and development ledgers were just tallied this morning," Fugaku said, tapping the ink on the ledger with his fingertip.

"Our tribe has a total of 13,271 people. Adding the pirates, merchants, and naval prisoners we've captured recently, the total is over 17,000. The unruly pirates have been sent to the iron mines to work, and the remaining civilians have been assigned to cultivate wasteland."

He turned a page and continued, "According to the rules you set before, people over fifty-five don't need to be forced to cultivate. Of the remaining ten thousand or so people, more than seven thousand have already successfully refined Chakra, and more than two thousand have touched the threshold, and they should be able to succeed in another month or two. The rest are all over forty-five, and their meridians have long been fixed, so I'm afraid..."

Fugaku didn't finish his sentence, but his meaning was clear.

Natsu sighed, tapping her fingertips lightly on the table. "How long can the clan's resources last?"

"It's alright." Fugaku rubbed his throbbing temples. "Three months before we left Konoha, we sold off all of our clan's assets, which had been around for over a thousand years, and exchanged them for gold and grain. If we had been frugal, it should have lasted us for five or six years."

"Recently, the entire clan has been practicing Chakra Refinement Technique, which has consumed chakra three times faster than expected. However, it should be more than enough to last another year and a half."

"I have already sent more than four hundred ninjas to help civilians clear land. At this rate, we can be self-sufficient in food next year."

The patrol teams of Yashiro and Tekka were also busy, taking the opportunity to kill a small Sea Kings and drag it back, enough to feed the entire clan for several days.

By the way, Yaoyu and Yakumi brought back a group of wild boars from the northwest the day before yesterday.