Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou [342]

Hospital.

Hinata gazed out the window at the flowers outside; at this moment, her pure white Byakugan eyes appeared empty and void of spirit.

Even the gentle Hinata Hyuga could not help but feel her life shrouded in darkness after learning she could never become a ninja again.

This was undoubtedly the greatest blow.

At the same time, Tenten was in the hospital room as well, her abdomen already bandaged. She could only shake her head and sigh.

"Hinata, don't lose hope. Lady Tsunade will find a way."

"Mm."

Hinata's calm voice echoed, making even Shizune, who was checking over the room, shake her head.

"Hinata!"

Both Tenten and Shizune exchanged helpless sighs—it was obvious that this kind of pain was not something that could be soothed with mere words of comfort.

In the emptiness of her gaze, Hinata thought back on her life; it felt as if she had never truly lived for herself.

"So, I should have lived for myself even more."

At the moment Naruto attacked her, faced with the despair of death, many things flashed through her mind.

"This time, let it be the repayment for what happened before."

Hinata murmured, her words unheard by anyone, but in her mind, she recalled the figure who once saved her, and a smile unconsciously appeared on her face.

The burden in her heart was gone; she no longer owed Naruto anything.

The price, however, was that she lost her qualification to be a ninja, lost all her strength, and would have to spend the rest of her life relying on a wheelchair.

"Shizune, Ino, Tenten…"

When Naruto learned that everyone was out of danger, a carefree grin once again appeared on his face.

Especially when he saw Shizune coming in to change the bandages, and Ino Yamanaka happened to arrive from the next room, the expressions of all three were noticeably unpleasant.

"I'm sorry! It was all the Nine-Tails' fault…"

As soon as they met, Naruto angrily blamed everything on the Nine-Tails and then apologized to Ino and Tenten.

Tenten was silent. The straightforward Ino snorted coldly, while Shizune, seeing this scene, felt a little awkward.

After all, the trouble Naruto caused this time was truly serious.

"I'm sorry…"

Naruto's constant apologies put Tenten in a difficult position. Remembering the instructions from Lee and Neji, she finally lowered her head and said,

"Naruto, I'm fine. You should apologize to Lee and Hinata instead."

Kind-hearted Tenten thought she was only slightly injured; it was Lee and Hinata, who suffered the most, whom Naruto needed to be forgiven by.

"Thank you so much, Tenten. Don't worry, Lee has already accepted my apology..."

Naruto's guilt-ridden smile, for some reason, seemed a bit harsh to Tenten.

But she still forced a smile on her face. Forgive?

What's the point of not forgiving? What happened has already happened, and Lee is already in such a state.

"Ino!"

"Naruto! As long as Hinata and Lee can forgive you, it's fine. I'm only lightly injured."

Straightforward Ino did not make things difficult for Naruto, but her eyes became a little distant.

Smart as she was, seeing Naruto here, she had already guessed what had happened.

The Hokage hadn't held him accountable, so what did she matter?

Thinking this, Ino let out a self-mocking smile. It seemed that, for Naruto, what he cared about was always his ninja way.

"Hinata!"

Naruto quickly looked toward pale-faced Hinata lying on the bed. Just as he was about to apologize, Hinata spoke first.

"I forgive you, Naruto. Aren't we classmates?"

Her calm voice echoed in the room, surprising Ino even more—Hinata's voice was always soft and lacked confidence.

But this time, her voice was cool and indifferent, as if she had realized something.

"That's great, Hinata! I knew you would understand me..."

Naruto's brash, energetic words filled the room, while Hinata lay calmly on the bed, her white eyes gazing indifferently at him.

There was no longer any of the old shyness or inability to meet his gaze.

Looking at this passionate person, Hinata felt a sense of self-mockery—maybe she had been chasing the wrong person all these years.

She had always thought Naruto represented courage, but now she saw that behind his confidence was a selfishness that never considered others' feelings.

It was finally Shizune, ever attentive, who noticed something was wrong and stopped Naruto's irresponsible behavior.

"Naruto, Hinata and the others just came out of surgery. They need rest. Now shut up and get out!"

"Yes, yes! Got it. I'll come see you in a few days."

Naruto's thick-headedness made him oblivious to the room's atmosphere—Hinata's indifference, Tenten's bowed head, and Ino's new coldness.

Not until Naruto recklessly opened the window and jumped out did the room finally return to calm.

"Why should Lee, Hinata, and everyone else pay for his impulsiveness?!"

Ino, unable to hold back, spoke her mind.

Was it just because of the Nine-Tails' rampage? If it had been a simple Tailed Beast rampage, they wouldn't blame Naruto; instead, they would have helped him control that power.

But the real cause was Naruto's impulsiveness, and everyone was helping him cover for his mistakes. In the end, Naruto just blames the Nine-Tails and shrugs off all responsibility.

"Hinata, you're too kind, how could you..."

Ino said unhappily, while Hinata, lying on her bed, smiled gently.

"Ino, it's fine. Just think of everything before as childish foolishness. We've all grown up now, haven't we?"

There was a calmness in Hinata's tone as if this blow had made her see through everything about herself from before, making Ino and Tenten sigh deeply.

This wasn't just a serious injury! This was losing the right to be a ninja forever!

Shizune stepped forward to check Hinata's stats. Seeing Hinata's calm, and Tenten and Ino's resentment, she changed the subject.

"Hinata, don't worry. Lady Tsunade said there is another way, but it requires a trip to another world."

"Another world?" Ino and Tenten were confused, and even the empty-eyed Hinata was moved, slowly turning her head.

Faced with their gaze, Shizune nodded solemnly.

"Yes, this is the village's top secret. Jiraiya and Kakashi will go too. Time here will be about a month.

And Lady Tsunade sent me to tell you that, as talented members of the village, you can join this mission. Hinata and Lee's injuries aren't a big issue."

In the hospital room, as Shizune gave this group of loyal their secret mission, many were shocked.

A month here, but the time in the other world was uncertain. All info about the other world was confidential; only after going there would someone explain.

While they were full of doubts at the hospital, on the outskirts of Konoha, within the ruins surrounded by forest, a figure appeared.

...

The Former Uchiha Clan Grounds.

Once grand, now only broken walls and moss remain, but traces of former glory and the Uchiha family crest can still be seen.

The vast extent of the ruin showed how powerful the clan once was. But now, even Konoha's civilians wouldn't live here.

It's just too remote; even the once-luxurious houses are now ignored.

Sasuke slowly appeared among the ruins, his cold face gradually showing a mix of ferocity and sorrow.

"It used to be lively here. The kids loved to play here, and Uncle's meat pies were delicious. But it's all gone! You, the sinner—do you regret what you've done?"

As his voice echoed through the empty clan grounds, a figure in a red-cloud black cloak slowly appeared atop a ruined building.

When he looked up, the Mangekyo Sharingan was revealed—it was Itachi. His expression was calm as he gazed at his now-grown brother.

"Sasuke, you've grown up. You can even control your emotions now."

"Shut up!"

But Itachi's calm praise was met with Sasuke's angry rebuke.

"No matter your reasons, you are the sinner of the Uchiha! You must atone for your sins here!"

Itachi was silent for a long time, finally nodding hoarsely, "I'll be waiting for you at the Naka Shrine."

With that, Itachi's figure turned into a flock of black crows and vanished.

Sasuke said nothing, heading toward the Naka Shrine, tightly gripping his Kusanagi sword.

Naka Shrine.

In the dim stone chamber, crisp footsteps echoed as Sasuke appeared.

Itachi had been waiting on a stone seat inside.

"I didn't expect you'd awaken these eyes too."

Upon meeting, Itachi's voice was filled with both comfort and complexity.

He was comforted that Sasuke had truly grown, not only possessing the Mangekyo Sharingan but also able to control his impulses.

The complexity was the pain Sasuke endured.

"Here, can you hear the voices of our clan and parents?"

Sasuke lifted his head; the three tomoe in his eyes merged into the Mangekyo, glaring at Itachi. He finally roared:

"Last night! The screams of the three clans echoed in my ears. Do you know what I thought of? I thought of everyone's screams in our clan, how many begged you—don't kill their children! Don't kill their parents!"

"Itachi! For the sake of those twisted elders' greed, you destroyed our clan! So what exactly was the Uchiha clan's crime?"

Faced with Sasuke's angry questioning, Itachi's expression changed. At this moment, there were no secrets between the brothers.

Sasuke knew all the truth of the massacre, and Itachi had nothing left to hide.

But precisely because of this, Itachi grew conflicted. In the past, he would have said it was all for Konoha.

But now, with the exposure of Root's darkness and the three clans' greedy, power-mad coup, it seemed that destroying the Uchiha for the village's peace was a joke.

"Did you ever find out if the Uchiha caused the Nine-Tails' attack? Or that the clan was preparing a coup? None of it is true!

Yet those three clans you helped, those greedy old men—they suck Konoha dry, and you… you destroyed the clan for them…"

As Sasuke shouted in rage, lightning crackled around him and he launched his attack.

"Itachi! For the clan! For our parents! I cannot forgive what you've done!"

Even though Itachi ultimately protected him, Sasuke's eyes filled with tears of anger.

Slash!

Lightning flashed. The stone seat was pierced, but Itachi merely raised his head, a calm look on his face, seeming not to feel any pain.

"If that's so, then Sasuke, let me see if your growth can avenge our clan and parents…"

With crows filling the air, as vision cleared, the two pairs of Mangekyo stared at each other.

Their positions remained unchanged; from the beginning, it was a Mangekyo duel.

"Itachi! How far can your eyes see?"

Sasuke sneered, his Mangekyo spinning rapidly—his eyes were already touching the threshold of eternity.

His vision was undamaged.

"Sasuke! I didn't expect your eyes to have reached this stage…"

With a muffled groan, blood flowed from Itachi's left eye—his Tsukuyomi was instantly repelled by Sasuke.

This alone showed Sasuke's ocular power was superior.

This time, Itachi had not held back at all.

"Sasuke!"

"Itachi!"

In a flash, both produced shuriken that gleamed and in the next instant, a torrential rain of shuriken shot out.

The crisp sound of metal echoed, fierce sparks flashed, and shuriken clattered to the ground, like a performance of a shuriken storm.

At such close range, both Mangekyo spun wildly, neither daring to be careless.

This was Mangekyo vs. Mangekyo, each relying on their eyes' terrifying powers.

Just as Sasuke and Itachi began their brotherly battle at the shrine, a figure appeared outside.

"Didn't think I'd be discovered…"

Uchiha Shirou appeared, holding a white body. The other, seemingly unafraid, rasped a mocking laugh:

"Senju Shirou, don't you want to know—"

Crack!

With a startled look, the White Zetsu clone's neck was snapped. Didn't he want to know at all?

But Shirou just chuckled coldly.

"Sorry, I don't want to know at all. But this is not a battle for you to interfere in."

Shirou scanned the area calmly, then suddenly clapped his hands.

Mokuton: Wood Clone!

His body split into four Wood Clones, which darted to the four corners of the Uchiha grounds.

Meanwhile, the escaping Black Zetsu and White Zetsu looked back at the defensive line, shocked to see the barrier rising.

"Senju Shirou! He has awakened the same Wood Style as the First Hokage!"

With that, Black Zetsu and White Zetsu hurried off to report to Obito.