Sasuke strolled forward at an unhurried pace.
People near and far fixed their eyes on him.
Danzo's spirit turned to face him. "Uchiha Sasuke, did you just say that I made you who you are?"
Sasuke stopped and said gravely, "Setting aside right and wrong, grudges and affections, and looking only at the outcome, yes."
"If I hadn't lived through the Uchiha massacre, I probably would have spent my youth as the Uchiha Clan's second young master, just another ordinary prodigy."
"Then I probably couldn't have empathized with someone like Naruto, who struggled to rise out of loneliness, and our destinies could never have become so deeply intertwined."
"..." At those words, Minato lowered his eyes.
"I probably would never have learned that the older brother I admired and idolized had an imperfect, vulnerable side."
"..." At those words, Itachi's gaze darkened.
"And I probably would never have forged such inseparable bonds with Orochimaru and Kabuto in my pursuit of the power to take revenge."
At those words, Orochimaru gave a serene smile, while a gray-white sheen clouded Kabuto's lenses.
"I probably wouldn't have spoken directly with the former Hokage, who knew everything, and learned what Konoha was, and what it meant to be a ninja."
"..." At those words, the First, Hashirama, bowed his head; the Second Hokage, Tobirama, gripped his shoulder; the Third Hokage, Hiruzen, clenched his fists; and the Fourth Hokage, Minato, raised his gaze.
"Revenge taught me hatred, which in turn taught me how precious love was. From there, I developed the conviction to protect, and that conviction made me who I am today..."
"Danzo, your evil deeds against my people, against the Uchiha, and against this ninja world were beyond measure. Your crimes are too numerous to recount."
"But I no longer hate you. On