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"Sasuke~"

Before Sasuke could think it over, a gentle voice came from beside him.

Hearing that voice filled Sasuke Uchiha with irritation.

"Sasuke~ What a coincidence! We actually ran into each other on the way."

Stars sparkled in Sakura Haruno's eyes. A small bag hung from her shoulder, and she held her loosely clenched fists beneath her chin, her face full of anticipation.

Sasuke's mouth twitched at her words. There were only so many roads to the Academy, and they all went at the same time. It would have been stranger if they never ran into each other!

Ever since he had seen the powerful Pain flatten all of Konoha a few days earlier, Sasuke Uchiha had fallen into a strange state. With no continuation to the video, he had no idea what lay ahead for Konoha. He was worried and afraid, and even some of his hostility had faded.

Over the past few days, he had also been watching this supposed savior, Naruto Uzumaki, trying to figure out what was special about him. He had found nothing.

Entrusting his life to someone like that felt no different from marching to his death!

The pressure was too much. He was wondering whether he should reveal himself to his fellow clansman, then flee Konoha.

At the very least, he had to survive to have any hope of becoming stronger and taking revenge on Uchiha Itachi!

"Stay away from me!"

Sasuke gave Sakura Haruno an icy glance, then headed toward the Academy.

His cold voice did nothing to discourage Sakura Haruno. Perhaps people always yearned for what they could not have; she seemed even happier. The cowlick on her head swayed from side to side as she hurried after him.

This diary entry was nothing more than a rant.

There were no shocking revelations or videos. Kakashi sighed softly when he saw there was no new video.

"Forget it. I should hurry back. I need to find a roundabout way to investigate his identity."

After all, there was a bounty on him, too. If someone discovered him and ganged up on him, he would have nowhere to turn.

Amegakure.

Uchiha Itachi had a stronger reaction.

He deeply revered Hiruzen Sarutobi as an inheritor of the will of fire.

He had never expected someone with the ability to see the future to judge him that way.

It truly caught him off guard.

But stubborn as he was, he could not possibly believe it based on a few words alone. He merely gained a few more doubts and worries, and the added strain weighed even more heavily on his body.

They each went about their own business.

Time flew by. The green leaves high in the trees fell, leaving the large tree outside the Ninja Academy bare.

Winter had arrived.

On his way back from a mission, Luo Mang happened to pass the Academy and saw Sasuke Uchiha coming out for the holidays.

Their eyes met. After a moment of surprise, Sasuke Uchiha actually smiled.

Luo Mang found that strange. Wasn't Sasuke supposed to be utterly consumed by rage at this point, telling everyone he met that he wanted revenge?

It was just a passing encounter, so Luo Mang thought nothing of it and left. He turned in his mission, collected his pay, and went home.

[Clear skies today. On my way back from a mission, I actually ran into Sunny Sasuke Uchiha, and he was smiling. Isn't this supposed to be the phase when he's completely obsessed, telling everyone he sees, "I'm going to kill Itachi"? He can still smile?]

Sasuke Uchiha, who had hurried home and opened the Diary to check it, was instantly speechless when he read that.

"What the hell kind of nickname is that?"

And was it wrong for him to smile at his only remaining clansman?

[The skies have cleared, the rain has stopped. Sasuke thinks he's got what it takes again?]

[If I had to sum him up, I'd say he can't judge his own strength. He gets the Mangekyo and thinks he's invincible.]

[He's also known for having the Mangekyo that went blind the fastest. Apparently, anyone who awakens the Sharingan has to be unhinged. Even a stray dog by the roadside has to take a blast of Amaterasu.]

[For his first fight, he went straight for Killer B, a Perfect Jinchūriki, and got skewered like a pincushion.]

[Then he went and caused havoc at the Five Kage Summit, only to get utterly thrashed. If that tear-hoarding guy hadn't been there, he might have died outright, and there would have been none of that reincarnation business afterward.]

Sasuke Uchiha: (⇀‸↼‶)

Was he really that pathetic?

What did he mean, even a stray dog by the roadside had to take a blast of Amaterasu?

While Sasuke Uchiha was left speechless, Uchiha Itachi gleaned something from the diary.

Uchiha Itachi lightly tapped his pen against the paper on the desk, producing a series of soft thuds.

"One of his Mangekyo abilities is Amaterasu, just like mine?"

"That's not bad."

His temperament was the problem.

Apparently, mastering a new ability had gone to his head, which was why he had challenged Killer B.

Even Uchiha Itachi did not dare fight a Perfect Jinchūriki. Sasuke had only just awakened his Mangekyo, so he really had been rather arrogant.

"It seems his temperament needs some tempering."

Four and a half Kage Summit.

Uchiha Itachi really had no idea what that meant. All he had heard of before was the Five Kage Summit, attended by the Kage of the five ninja villages.

But what did that half mean?

After pondering for a moment, Uchiha Itachi suddenly remembered that the diary's owner had previously mentioned Danzo being the five-and-a-half Hokage.

Could he be the half?

He counted as half, and the other four villages had one each. Four Kage plus him made four and a half. Yes, that seemed to fit.

[He did kill Danzo, though. Credit where it's due. Danzo was a complete animal, so good riddance.]

[Video: Sasuke Uchiha vs. Shimura Danzō]

There was another video. All three diary readers perked up. This was a kind of training, too; even watching from a third-person perspective felt real.

Sasuke Uchiha was the most interested of all.

"It's actually about me."

His eyes lit up at the video's title. This was the perfect chance to see how strong he would become in the future.

[The video began. This time, it opened with a ripple in space.

A moment later, "Madara Uchiha," wearing a spiral-patterned mask, used Kamui to bring Sasuke Uchiha onto a bridge to wait for Danzo's arrival.

After Danzo appeared, "Madara Uchiha" stepped forward and addressed him.

"This seems to be our first meeting since that night with the Uchiha."

Shimura Danzō's expression shifted slightly at the sight. He hurriedly ordered his subordinates, "We don't know how strong Madara is. Buy me some time, and be careful."

"Heh. Are you going to get serious?"

"Madara Uchiha" spoke coldly as he watched them.

Whoever their opponent was, an order from their leader had to be obeyed, regardless of whether they could win.

Yamanaka Fū said to the man beside him, "Let's use the usual method."

"Got it!"

Yamanaka Fū formed a large triangle with his thumbs and index fingers. "Mind Body Switch Technique!"

The targeted "Madara Uchiha" sank straight into the ground.

In an instant, he appeared behind Torune Aburame, ready to launch a sneak attack. As an elite ninja, Torune quickly noticed him, tightened his grip on his large blade, and swept it through empty air.

The fight was nothing particularly remarkable. Tobi, concealing his identity, took them down with ease.

Shimura Danzō, who had already undone the seal on his arm, sensed something strange.

Why did he capture all my subordinates but not attack me?

"Madara Uchiha" brought Sasuke out, then abruptly leaped backward as though this had nothing to do with him. Once he had settled into position, he said with a smile,

"I've brought you an opponent you'll be happy with."