Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The sound of footsteps echoed through the air, breaking the silence. Four men were advancing through a forest, carrying sacks without saying a word. The last member of the group was the youngest, barely around 15 years old. He couldn't help but constantly look around him, revealing his uneasiness. After a long moment of silence, the young man quietly approached the man in front of him and whispered, "Father, are you sure we're going the right way? It seems we're just going around in circles."

The man turned to his son. "Hiroshi, Kazuki-san has come here several times and he has never been lost. You don't have to worry."

"That's right, Hiroshi-kun. You don't have to worry so much," another man from the group chimed in confidently, who had overheard the conversation between father and son. "It may be your first time in this part of the forest, but we have been using these paths for years."

Hiroshi didn't expect them to hear him, so he felt a little embarrassed looking at the man. "Thank you, Takeshi-san," he murmured. Having broken the previous silence, he took the opportunity to ask more questions. "So, are we sure that Uchiha-sama will help us?"

"I should," replied Yuji, Hiroshi's father. "Although the Uchiha clan left for Konoha many years ago, they have always given us protection when we have asked for their help."

Hiroshi looked at his father and sighed. "I know. But don't they say the fortress is abandoned? Even if we offer them an offering, we don't know when the Uchiha will find out. It might be too late by then."

"You're right about that. However, we've asked for their help on other occasions and they've always responded immediately. I don't see why this time would be any different," Takeshi stated confidently. Realizing that Hiroshi wasn't going to answer, he continued speaking. "Anyway, the fortress isn't that abandoned. Three years ago, Kazuki-san met an Uchiha there, right?" Takeshi looked from him to the other man who hadn't spoken yet and was leading the way.

At being mentioned, Kazuki turned, snorted, and said, "Takeshi-san, the boy already knows. It wasn't even half an hour after I told you until the entire town found out."

Takeshi laughed hearing this. "It's a small town, news spreads fast. Besides, no one has seen an Uchiha in years."

The youngest member of the group looked at Kazuki and out of sheer curiosity asked, “Kazuki-san, how did you meet Uchiha-sama?”

"I'm sure you've heard from others what it was like. That day I went to visit the fortress and met a man with red eyes. He was undoubtedly the Sharingan."

"Hmm," Hiroshi nodded, contemplating Kazuki's words. "And what was he like? Grandma always speaks of them with great admiration."

"You know how Grandma is. She always elevates them to a divine level. They are certainly exceptional, but they are still human."

"They will be humans, but incredibly powerful humans. To us, they could very well be considered gods," Takeshi interrupted the conversation.

Kazuki narrowed his eyes as he pondered. "Yes, ninjas are very different from us, but as powerful as they are, they are still the same as us in their essence. Their nature is the same."

A silence fell over the group after these words. The only sounds audible were their own breathing and the soft whisper of the wind through the trees, accompanied by the chirping of birds. However, the silence was broken soon after by Hiroshi, who repeated his earlier question. "So what was the Uchiha you met like?"

"I didn't really get to know him, I just saw him and we had a brief exchange of words. But there was no mistaking that he was a man of the Uchiha clan," Kazuki replied, pausing and narrowing his eyes as he reminisced about that day. "He had the distinctive Uchiha black hair and pale skin. In addition, he possessed the Sharingan. You've probably heard of these eyes from Grandma, but seeing them in person is something else entirely. When I saw them, I was transfixed. They are eyes that seem to come from another world. However, what impressed me the most was the aura that Uchiha-sama emanated."

"Aura?" Hiroshi asked in confusion.

"Yes, aura. Or if you prefer, you can call it atmosphere, it doesn't matter. I mean the feeling it inspires in others," Kazuki explained, trying to capture the gist of his own impressions.

Hiroshi continued to lock his gaze into Kazuki's eyes, eager for more details. "What kind of feelings did it convey to you?"

“I felt like a tiny ant facing a higher being,” Kazuki admitted seriously.

Takeshi watched Kazuki with a small smile. "Like a god? But you just said that they are human."

"Yes, they are human. A god wouldn't have that look," Kazuki mused, remembering the blood red eyes, beautiful and dangerous. Those eyes seemed to pierce him and know all his secrets. It was a look that he regarded others as inferior. Almost like the gaze of a supreme ruler of the human race, but without the radiance of a god. "He was more like a leader who manages the lives of others at his whim," he finally stated.

Saying that, Kazuki turned his gaze forward and announced, "Anyway, we'll be reaching the fortress in a few minutes. It'll be in sight soon." Hiroshi was relieved to hear it. They had been walking for hours on what seemed to be the same path. He was not only mentally exhausted, but also physically.

The group of four continued to advance until a rumble echoed through the forest, interrupting their march. Hiroshi stopped and looked worriedly at the source of the noise, but all he saw was smoke and dust billowing into the sky. "What was that?"

Kazuki frowned and replied, "The fortress is over there." At his words, Kazuki urged them to follow him and hurried forward. The other three members of the group quickly followed. Although Hiroshi thought that they should turn around and not go any further, since whatever had happened was dangerous. His worries were not shared by his companions, who were quickly heading towards the fortress, which was now visible in the distance. However, their advance was once again halted by the appearance of flames that rose from the top of the fortress.

Takeshi recognized the unnatural fire as ninjutsu and exclaimed, "There are ninjas!" Hiroshi's father looked at Kazuki with concern: "What do we do? Should we move on?"

“We will continue,” Kazuki replied determinedly. "This land belongs to our ancestors and the Uchiha clan. Ninjas should learn where to fight."

Hiroshi didn't like Kazuki's decision and he couldn't help expressing his concern: "It's dangerous! Even if we keep going, what can we do? Those ninjas might tear us to pieces."

However, his objections went unnoticed, as the attention of the others was drawn to the black fire that began to engulf the fortress.

Takeshi was shocked and disbelief washed over him: "That... is that the black fire Grandma talks about?"

Kazuki was also shocked. "Yeah... that must be Amaterasu."

The word echoed in Hiroshi's mind. Grandma always said that it was an exclusive technique of the Uchiha clan. Hiroshi looked up to look at the others. "So, is there a member of the Uchiha clan up there?"

Kazuki, his gaze fixed on the black fire, answered Hiroshi. "Yes, let's continue." The group ran again, heading into the ensuing chaos.

Shortly thereafter, storm clouds began to gather in the sky at an astonishing rate.

"What is happening?" Hiroshi asked, looking at the sky in amazement.

His father was also looking up. "This... this is a battle between ninjas."

As he said this, lightning began to flash across the sky, forming a powerful electric dragon.

"What's that?" Takeshi exclaimed in alarm.

Before he could say anything else, the dragon swooped down, causing an explosion of colossal proportions.

When Hiroshi came to his senses, he experienced the aftereffects of the explosion. The technique had temporarily blinded everyone, and there was a beeping sound in his head that gradually faded away. Upon recovering, he noticed that the air was thick with dust, forcing him to cough. There was also debris and small stones scattered everywhere, which had caused a few scratches on it. Takeshi, Kazuki, and his father seemed a bit dazed from the explosion, but they were generally fine. However, the fortress was not so lucky and had completely collapsed.

It was his father who broke the silence in the first place. "Are they okay?" he asked with a concerned and slightly tired voice.

Hiroshi was about to reassure his father that he was fine, but before he could, he saw something unusual in the rubble of the fortress. It seemed to be the upper part of a golden human skeleton, which was gradually transformed into armor. He had heard of things like this before. Grandma had always told them about the Uchiha clan and its capabilities. The golden monster he was witnessing largely matched the description Grandma had given them of one of the Uchiha's abilities. Next to the monster, an eight-headed snake appeared and soon both began to fight, although it would be more appropriate to say that the golden monster was cutting off the heads of the snake.

Hiroshi was pulled out of his daze by the voice of his father, who was muttering in shock, "Susanoo, Susanoo."

Although they were words spoken more to himself than to others, they were all heard. No one in the group was unaware of its meaning. They had grown up listening to Grandma's stories, about how his ancestors had had a close relationship with one of the most powerful clans in the ninja world. And according to Grandma's stories, Susanoo was an extraordinary ability. She was a force capable of destroying multiple villages with a single blow.

They watched as the golden Susanoo defeated the huge snake and then moved forward, but suddenly stopped, let out a scream, and disintegrated. After that moment, silence reigned in the place.

They looked at each other and decided to move on. Kazuki took the lead and led the way. They were especially careful not to touch the black flames, since according to the grandmother, those who touched them would be doomed to die, burning for all eternity.

Walking through the black fire, they had a full view of the destruction the battle had left behind. What had once been a strong-walled fortress was now a floor covered in vast rubble. Kazuki and Takeshi, who had visited the place numerous times, were incredulous at the scene before their eyes.

"It's been completely destroyed. Damn it!" Kazuki exclaimed angrily. The fortress had been built with the efforts of their ancestors, and even though it was no longer in use, they had always maintained and cared for it. In addition, in case of danger in their village, they always had the protection that this construction offered them.

Hiroshi was looking in amazement at what he had in front of him. His heart had been beating at an abnormal rate for a while. He was scared. He had never had to deal with ninjas before, let alone witnessed battles of such magnitude.

If they had been closer, inside the fortress when the battle started, they would have died. Ninjas were terrifying, even without being directly involved, they were capable of killing without realizing it.

As he thought about it, Hiroshi wondered where the people responsible for all of this were now. Were they still in the area or had they left? Were they in danger? Taking a breath to calm down, he asked the others, "Where is Uchiha-sama?"

"Good question, Hiroshi-kun," Takeshi replied seriously, as he scanned his surroundings. In the distance, he could make out some figures that did not fit in with the rest. "There, it seems there is someone."

Kazuki also directed his gaze there. With a "let's go" gesture, he gestured for the others to follow as he cautiously approached.

Rain had begun to fall, making visibility difficult and increasing the risk of accidents. The great stones they walked on were fragments of the fortress walls and roofs, slippery and dangerous. They had to be careful moving forward. As they got closer, they could make out two human bodies lying on the ground, under a wall bearing the Uchiha clan symbol.

Cautiously, Hiroshi eyed the bodies on the ground as he approached. He was close enough that he could see their faces. The two lay in opposite positions. He stopped in front of the one closest to him and examined his face. His eyes were open, not looking at anything in particular. There was no doubt that he was dead. The other body, younger, had its eyes closed.

Kazuki was also looking at the two bodies, but his attention was focused on the one with open eyes. Even though his face was smeared with blood and his eyes were dull gray, Kazuki recognized that face. She crouched down close to him and felt his pulse. He felt nothing more than slightly warm skin. Kazuki swallowed and turned to the other members of the party. "It's him," he declared in a voice heavy with regret.

Takeshi also looked at the man Kazuki was pointing at. "Who? Do you mean Uchiha-sama?" he asked, examining his appearance.

Kazuki's statement prompted him to take action. He approached the man and prepared to perform first aid on him. His heart had stopped, so he began performing chest compressions, initiating CPR. After nearly two minutes of chest compressions and rescue breathing, the man began to cough.

Hiroshi was shocked to see the man, who was previously dead, cough up blood.

After the man reacted, a sweaty Takeshi stopped compressions and breathed a sigh of relief. "For now he will be fine, but I am afraid he will die if he does not receive medical attention."

"We need to find a safe place to treat him. The rain will only worsen his condition," he added, aware that the rain would make it difficult to care for the wounded man.

Takeshi looked around and sighed before turning to Kazuki. "Kazuki-san, do you think we could enter the fortress?"

The exterior of the fortress was completely destroyed. Outsiders might think it was in ruins, but they had been here numerous times. It was built by their ancestors and they knew its structure perfectly. The fortress was not limited to its outer appearance, it also had underground levels.

Kazuki surveyed the surroundings. "It's possible, but finding an entrance in these conditions will be difficult." She turned to Takeshi. "Also check on the other boy, from the looks of him he seems to be an Uchiha. We'll look for an entrance."

Nodding towards Hiroshi and his father, Kazuki began his search. Father and son did the same in different areas.

Kazuki found an opening to enter. "Here!" he called to the others, urging them to move. They returned to where the bodies lay. Kazuki asked Hiroshi and his father to lift the smaller one while he and Takeshi carefully moved the older one.

Approaching the entrance pointed out by Kazuki, they had to be careful, as the hole was not very wide. Hiroshi and his father made it through without much trouble. However, Kazuki and Takeshi faced more difficulties, not only because of their size, but also because the patient was in a critical condition and they couldn't move him roughly.

Once through the entrance, they were met with a broader view of the interior. There were several parts in ruins, inaccessible due to the rubble that covered them. To make matters worse, the light coming through the entrance made it impossible to see further.

Hiroshi stared into the darkness ahead of them, feeling uneasy. Kazuki turned his gaze to the group and assured them, "Don't worry, I know all the roads that are here" Leaving the man he was carrying with Takeshi on the ground, he began to search in his bag and pulled out a flashlight.

Seeing that item, Hiroshi was surprised and couldn't help but comment, "It seems that Kazuki-san is prepared for any situation."

Kazuki carried the man back to Takeshi's side and motioned for the others to follow. Flashlight in hand, Kazuki continued forward, illuminating the dark path. At a corner, he stopped and warned the group that they were going down some stairs. Carefully, they descended the stairs, which seemed endless to Hiroshi. He gave a mental thank you when they were finally done and started down a hallway. A sepulchral silence reigned in the environment throughout the journey, since everyone was immersed in their own thoughts. Finally, Kazuki turned to the others and informed them that they were going to enter the door ahead of them. Entering, Hiroshi could make out some beds, one of which Kazuki and Takeshi placed the man in, while he and his father placed the other in another bed.

Hiroshi was surprised when suddenly the room lit up. He turned to the light source and saw Kazuki and Takeshi lighting the torches on the wall. This allowed him to have a clear vision of the place where they were. It looked like some kind of medical ward, but the layer of dust and cobwebs suggested that it had been a long time since it had been used. Hiroshi snapped out of his thoughts upon hearing Kazuki's voice: "Takeshi-san, see how Uchiha-sama is. We'll leave once her condition stabilizes."

Takeshi nodded seriously towards Kazuki and began to examine the man.

Hiroshi looked at the two people on the beds. Their countenances were surprisingly similar. The one he had carried seemed to be a younger version of the other. Their pale skin, dark hair, and unmistakable facial features identified them as members of the Uchiha clan. Without a doubt, they were part of that clan. The question of what had happened before his arrival resonated in his mind, but that was not the most important thing at that moment. They had come looking for help from the Uchiha clan and met two of its members.

Chapter Text

The sun's rays filtered through the window, gently illuminating the sleepy young man's face. With almost painful slowness, he opened his eyes, his vacant gaze fixed on the ceiling. In his mind, he displayed a vivid image of a man lying on the ground. It was his brother. He had just taken her life. His entire existence had been dedicated to this moment, training tirelessly to take down this man. Instead of satisfaction, however, he found only an abyss of emptiness.The reason I had lived for years was gone. His life had lost all meaning. The image of Itachi in his last breath was repeated incessantly in his mind, eclipsing all other thoughts. There was nothing else, just the echo of that moment. Everything had lost its meaning.

A sound from the door pulled him out of his reverie. His tired, dull eyes rested on the source of the noise. An elderly man, perhaps in his sixties or seventies, entered the room. Showing initial surprise to find him awake, the man spoke in a calm voice. "Ah, you're awake," he said calmly. "You've been sleeping for two days," he added, offering a warm smile as he moved closer to Sasuke.

Sasuke didn't react at all, he just looked at him with a tired expression and sat up on the bed. The man felt some discomfort at this behavior, but he guessed that the young man might be confused, waking up in an unknown place and surrounded by strangers. "Good morning, Uchiha-sama. My name is Takeo, I am a doctor of Kamimura village. Some members of our community found you unconscious in the fortress."

Sasuke's mind was wrapped in thoughts of his brother, the one whose life he had just taken. He did not experience any emotion, his existence was meaningless. The doctor's words barely echoed in his mind. He couldn't make himself worry about anything anymore.

Takeo noticed that the young man continued with a lost look, but he decided to continue speaking. "You've been sleeping for two days. Your injuries aren't serious, so you'll be able to move about with ease in a couple of days. However, I would recommend you take full rest, your body is extremely exhausted."

Sasuke looked at the man, a civilian, not a ninja. And he didn't seem to be lying. So after the battle, he was rescued by these people. He didn't care much for the situation. He would have preferred to stay there, next to his brother. Until now, he hadn't said a word since the man had entered, which began to worry Takeo for the young man's health. "Uchiha-sama, are you alright?"

Sasuke continued to look at him nonchalantly, but due to the man's growing concern, he decided to answer. "Yes I'm fine". Although until that moment he had not paid attention to what he called him, the respectful way in which he addressed him caught her attention. "Why do you call me Uchiha-sama? Do you know who I am?"

Takeo relaxed when he saw that the young man began to behave in a more normal way. "I don't know you personally, but from your appearance we have deduced that you are a member of the Uchiha clan. Have we made a mistake?"

"No, you're not wrong," Sasuke replied, growing alert. His eyes narrowed, revealing the suspicion that crept into his gaze. He quickly surveyed the room, his keen instincts kicking in. He was lying on a bed near the window. The room was not very spacious.

Then his gaze fell on the figure lying on the next bed. Sasuke couldn't believe what he was seeing. His heart began to pound as emotions churned within him. He slowly directed his gaze towards that person's face.

Her heart jumped in her chest. Without a doubt, it was Itachi. Sasuke stared at him in shock. None of it made sense. He had just taken his brother's life, how was it possible that he was here, alive? Itachi's chest rose and fell slowly. Sasuke felt his entire body tremble. "This… what does this mean?" Sasuke exclaimed with a louder tone than he expected.

Sasuke's hands trembled as he watched his brother unconscious. Memories of his past, pain and anger and a burning desire for revenge flooded into his mind. He hated Itachi for what he had done to his clan, for murdering his family and destroying everything Sasuke held dear, for betraying him. It was his desire for revenge that drove him to become stronger, train tirelessly, and ultimately take Itachi's life.

The doctor turned his gaze to Itachi and replied kindly, "He's the other person they brought along with you.
Takeo watched Sasuke's trembling hands and his shaken expression upon seeing the other man. "Uchiha-sama, let me ask, are you two familiar?"

Sasuke managed to contain his emotions and sighed heavily. Without taking his eyes off Itachi, he replied in a calm voice: "He's my older brother." Yes, this man was his older brother. The same man who carried him on his back and protected him from his parents. The same man who ended the life of his parents. The same man who betrayed him. The same man who claimed that he only let him live because of his eyes. This was his brother, his only brother.

Sasuke snapped out of his thoughts upon hearing the doctor's voice again. "Then, Uchiha-sama, allow me to inform you that his brother's condition is not favorable." The doctor's voice was laced with regret. Although he was a doctor, he never liked giving this kind of discouraging news. That person would probably not live more than a few days.

Even though Sasuke listened to the doctor, he didn't have time to process what he was saying. In his head all he had was the image of his brother.

"How is it possible that he is alive?! I'm sure he was dead!" Sasuke yelled, losing his cool and breathing heavily.

Itachi should be dead, he saw him fall right before his eyes.

Takeo was surprised by Sasuke's reaction, so he began to explain everything he knew, in an attempt to calm Sasuke down: "Four members of our village went to the fortress seeking help from the Uchiha clan. It seems there was a battle before their arrival, one in which you and your brother participated. When they finally found the two of you, you were both lying on the ground. My son informed me that your brother's heart had stopped beating, so he performed first aid. Fortunately, he arrived in time. Then they brought you inside the fortress, where you stayed for a day before returning to the village."

"As for your brother, I have tried my best, but the results are not favorable." The doctor concluded with a note of regret in his voice.

Hesitating for a moment whether she should tell him about her physical condition, she finally decided to inform him, "The deep cut wound on her left leg has been treated and stitched up, and the severe burn on her right arm is also receiving proper medical attention. Furthermore, Minor scratches have been found on his body, but they are less of a concern compared to the other issues we are facing," the doctor continued with a more serious expression.

“The most critical and worrying aspect at this time is the deteriorating state of his internal organs, specifically his heart and lungs. They stopped working and caused his cardiac arrest.

Furthermore, this state of deterioration appears to be gradual. His organs appear to have deteriorated over an extended period, possibly months or even years. This indicates the presence of an underlying condition or chronic disease that has progressively affected the health of your organs."

Takeo turned his gaze to Sasuke and asked, "Do you know what's wrong with your brother and what kind of medication he's been taking? This information could help improve his condition."

Sasuke listened in silence to Takeo's explanation. It turns out that he did not fail in his mission, but that other circumstances interfered. And now, Itachi was in critical condition. However, there was one point that caught his attention: "What do you mean his organs have been deteriorating for months?" Sasuke asked, frowning.

Takeo looked at Sasuke and was surprised that he didn't seem to know about his brother's condition. "This is what I just said. This state of deterioration is very advanced, so it is impossible that he did not show symptoms. He must have frequently had chest pains, difficulty breathing, coughing up blood, weakness in the body and fever .

The doctor noted Sasuke's furrowed brows and his dark look. He considered that he had said more than was necessary. Apparently the older brother had not told the younger about his state of health.

Takeo sighed. "Get some rest," he uttered afterward with a kind smile. However, before leaving the room, he spoke again "Do you want me to examine you to make sure you're okay? Even though you're in good shape, it never hurts to be cautious."

"No need," Sasuke replied as he lay back down on the bed.

Takeo nodded and before leaving, he told her, "If you need anything, just call me or leave the room."

As the door closed, Sasuke got up from the bed and walked over to Itachi, watching his face carefully. Although Itachi's expression seemed calm, his furrowed brows and the trace of sweat on his face indicated that he wasn't as comfortable as he appeared to be.

Sasuke reached out his hand towards Itachi's face, but stopped the movement halfway. However, he finally decided to continue and placed his hand on Itachi's forehead. He realized that Itachi really did have a fever.

He withdrew his hand and looked at him again. As he recalled his childhood, he realized that he had never seen Itachi asleep. Whenever he saw him in bed, his eyes were open, as if he was always alert. Because of that, Sasuke couldn't help but appreciate his appearance at that moment. The Itachi he remembered had more youthful features. Although it couldn't be said that he resembled a child, since Itachi always seemed older. However, he now had a more mature appearance. Also, Sasuke couldn't help but notice how alike they were, even excessively in his opinion. As a child, he had liked it when they were told that they were alike, but now that resemblance only evoked feelings of hatred in him. He did not want to have any resemblance to that monster.

His entire life had been torn apart by him. He had betrayed him and killed everyone he loved. Sasuke's face distorted with hate. With his right hand he grabbed the pillow and held it tight, placing it on his brother's face.

"Die you fucking traitorous assassin," Sasuke whispered with venom in his voice.

Without wasting a moment, he pressed the pillow against Itachi's face, depriving him of air and slowly suffocating him. Memories of their past together flooded his mind. He remembered how he used to run to Itachi to hug him when he came back from the academy, how they played together, how they sat on the terrace, the moments when Itachi taught him things, how he defended him to his father, Itachi's smiles, his words of breath... But those warm memories turned into nightmarish scenes. He saw the lifeless bodies of his uncles on the ground, the murdered members of the Uchiha clan, the lifeless faces of his parents, the betrayal of the person he trusted the most, and his ruthless words:

I acted like a good big brother, to measure your capabilities;

That's why I'm going to let you live. For my goal;

My silly little brother. If you want to kill me, despise me, hate me, and live your life hating me. Run away and stay alive, and then someday, when you have the same eyes as me, look for me;

Do you understand why you are so weak? It is because you lack… hate;

Sasuke, you are my new light! You have my spare eyes!;

He gouged out both of his little brother's eyes. Light returned to his world.

The spasms of the body beneath him snapped Sasuke out of his reverie and back to harsh reality. Itachi started convulsing due to lack of oxygen. At that moment, a sudden thought crossed Sasuke's mind. Itachi wanted him to obtain Mangekyo... and he had mentioned that in order to obtain a Mangekyo that would never lose light, Madara had taken her brother's eyes, which were also Mangekyo. Would it be possible to get those eyes with the common sharingan? But if that was true, why did Itachi wait so long to get them?

In addition, there were the matters related to Itachi's deteriorating organs. If Itachi's health was as precarious as the doctor claimed, why did he risk fighting him now, when he was already capable of killing other Akatsuki members? Even if he didn't like it, Sasuke had to admit that it probably wouldn't have been a problem for Itachi if they had fought when he had fully developed the three-blade sharingan. There was also the problem of the other accomplice in the murder of his clan, Uchiha Madara. There was something weird about all this.

Sasuke made a decision quickly. He removed the pillow that he had been pressing against Itachi's face, preventing him from breathing. Although Itachi's body was still twitching, his spasms began to subside rapidly. Sasuke looked at him and pronounced with a determined voice: "When you wake up, you will tell me everything you know." Sasuke paused and spoke again in a hateful tone of voice, "And then I'll kill you."

Chapter Text

Leaving Itachi lying on the bed, Sasuke decided to explore the house to learn its exact location. He opened the door and entered a hallway, where he heard voices coming from various directions, indicating the presence of several people in the house. He crept down the hall until he came to one of the sources of noise. He peeked out to find out what was happening in the room.

The room resembled a kitchen, with a sink, a faucet, and a table. Inside it were three people. Sasuke recognized the doctor who had attended him recently. He was sitting in a chair, accompanied by a woman over 60 years old. The third individual was a grown man who was busy preparing something to eat. As they chatted amongst themselves, the topic of the conversation quickly captured Sasuke's attention.

"I sincerely hope they both recover," the woman expressed with a weary sigh. "The Uchiha used to protect us and be our shields in times of danger. It's sad to see their descendants die in front of us without us being able to do anything."

The doctor agreed. "The older one won't last much longer. His body is fighting to stay alive. Unfortunately, I can't do more for him."

The man who prepared the food joined the conversation, although he remained attentive to his tasks. "It's been many years since an Uchiha has entered the village, and he has to be under these conditions."

The woman sighed, bringing a hand to her chest. "At least the young Uchiha will recover soon. I guess he won't take the news of his brother's death well. Losing a brother is hard, especially at his age."

The woman looked at the doctor with a more serious expression. "Before his brother passes away, we must ask him for help with that matter."

The doctor sighed regretfully. "Yes, his mental state will be more stable now. And the sooner we solve the problem, the better it will be for everyone."

Sasuke listened carefully to the conversation. It looked like Itachi wouldn't hold out for much longer. His face twisted with a mixture of emotions. However, he had to make sure Itachi woke up and revealed everything he knew, and then he can go to hell. But that talk that he heard was irritating to him. They all seemed to feel sorry for them, as if they knew them and understood their situation. However, it seems that their help is not just out of pity, but that they want something from them. Nothing is free.

Sasuke directed his gaze to the hallway and decided to explore the house further. He walked until he reached a sliding door, typical of traditional houses, similar to the one from his childhood in his old home. Then he turned around and inspected the other rooms. At first glance, he found nothing relevant in them. In the other room, where the noise came from, there were two children and a woman.

After investigating the house, Sasuke quietly returned to the room where he had woken up. Itachi was still there, lying almost lifeless on the bed. Though looking a bit more, Sasuke thought that itachi looked worse than before.

Sasuke made some movements with his hands and a shadow clone appeared. Sasuke was aware that he still hadn't recovered from the battle and was low on chakra. This slow recovery caught his attention. Ever since he absorbed orochimaru, his recovery ability increased to a great extent. Then Sasuke realized that he no longer had the forbidden mark of orochimaru. He remembered that in his battle with Itachi, Orochimaru tried to take over his body, but Itachi defeated him. Thinking about it, at that time he was really in atrouble, he thought that he was going to die.

Spending his meager reserve of chakra on a clone seemed wasteful to him, but Sasuke didn't want to let Itachi out of his sight. So he left the clone to supervise his brother and climbed out the window, climbing to the roof of the house to get a panoramic view of his surroundings.

He was in a small village located in the middle of the forest, and from the type of trees he saw, he deduced that he was near the place where he had had his confrontation with Itachi. The village was modest, with only eight houses, all of them built in the traditional wooden style. A little further from the residential area, he sighted a larger building compared to the houses in the area, apparently a temple. To the north, he spotted crop fields, but from this distance he couldn't make out what kind of crops were being grown.

Turning his attention back to the village, Sasuke noticed three older women sitting on chairs in front of one of the houses, talking to each other. One of them seemed to be very old, even older than Nekobaa. Her hair was completely white from her age, and her face was marked by wrinkles. Her eyes had a grayish tint, probably due to the visual degeneration of her age. As for the other two women, one appeared to be in her 60s or 70s, while the other was in her 40s, maybe a little less.

Silently, Sasuke jumped onto the roof of the house closest to them to listen to what they were saying. And just like the people inside the house, they were also talking about the Uchiha clan.

"The fortress has been destroyed. We don't have the means to rebuild it. What are we to do?" the 60+ year old woman said with a tired sigh.

The oldest of all looked at the sky as she spoke: "Don't worry. It was destroyed fulfilling its function. It's just a material construction, it's not as important as the lives of two Uchihas."

The younger woman, apparently dissatisfied, looked at the grandmother absorbed in her thoughts and turned to the other woman. "We can't just leave that place like this. We should call a meeting to determine what direction to take from now on, especially with the presence of two Uchihas here. The sooner we do it, the better."

After listening to the other people's conversation, Sasuke headed towards the forest, cautiously leaving the village. He didn't understand why the inhabitants seemed to know his clan, but at the same time they were completely unaware of the massacre that the Uchiha clan suffered. He was curious and he needed to investigate it. However, he had other important matters to attend to first.

If what the doctor said was true, then the battle with Itachi had happened two days ago. Since Karin possessed tracking abilities, they should have found him in less than an hour. So why hadn't they found him yet? Had Kisame wiped them out?

Sasuke frowned and hurried to the spot where he parted ways with his team. Leaping through the trees, he realized that he was not far away. From there he could see what had once been his clan's stronghold, but now only ruins remained. Unlike the grandmothers in the village, he did not feel any compassion for that place. He had no emotional attachment to that site; It was just one of the abandoned buildings belonging to his clan. He had only visited him once when he was a little boy, but he vividly remembered what that day was like. He was just 6 years old and all he wanted back then was to play and train with his older brother.

Sasuke walked through the door of his house after attending the academy. Instantly, he spotted his brother's shoes in the doorway, and his face lit up with joy as he ran towards Itachi's room, yelling "Nii-san!". It seemed that Itachi had heard his call, since he was leaving his room at that moment. Sasuke beamed and threw himself into his brother's arms. "Nii-san, you're finally back!" Itachi had been away from home for many days, and Sasuke had felt his absence deeply. He had missed him greatly.

As he was hugged by his brother, Itachi calmly stroked his hair and greeted him with a calm voice: "Hello, Sasuke."

Sasuke looked up and met his older brother's warm smile. He excitedly grabbed Itachi's shirt sleeves and said, "Nii-san, nii-san, let's play!"

Before Itachi could respond, his mother's voice interrupted them, showing his discontent: "First homework, then play. And by the way, what have I told you about running through the halls, Sasuke?"

Sasuke's excitement vanished in an instant. With a disappointed expression, he lowered his head. However, Itachi noticed his discouragement and decided to intervene. "Don't worry mother. Sasuke is a smart boy, he won't have a problem doing his homework."

Sasuke raised his head again and met the kind gaze of his brother. "Come on Sasuke," Itachi said as he took his hand and led him towards the entrance to put on his shoes.

Sasuke looked at his mother once more, who, with a weary sigh, allowed them to leave. "Okay, but come back for dinner."

With renewed energy, Sasuke nodded and followed his brother out of the house. He was exultant with happiness. More and more Itachi found himself busy and had less time for him. Therefore, he was extremely happy that Itachi decided to spend the day with him today.

Itachi turned his gaze to Sasuke. "By the way, Sasuke, starting today I have a week off."

Sasuke's eyes lit up. "Really, nii-san? So you'll be with me every day?"

Itachi smiled warmly. "I was thinking…would you like to get out of the village and see what else is behind the walls of Konoha?"

Sasuke was instantly excited. He hadn't been out of the village many times, and when he had, he'd only been around.

"And where will we go?" he asked with a smile so bright it rubbed off on Itachi.

"We can visit other villages and get to know the kind of people that live there, as well as explore the ruins and other vestiges of the past," Itachi replied as he turned his gaze towards Sasuke. "Is there somewhere you're particularly interested in?"

Sasuke thought for a moment, but he didn't have a clear idea of where he would like to go. "I don't care, nii-san, we'll go wherever you want." The only thing that really mattered to her was spending time with his older brother.

Itachi pondered as he continued walking. "Would you like to see what our clan was like in the past? We can go to an old fortress that is still standing."

Sasuke nodded excitedly and quickly followed his brother, who was walking a few steps ahead.

However, Sasuke soon realized a problem and started speaking with a disappointed tone of voice. "But, nii-san, will mother and father let us go? I'll be missing a few days from the academy."

Sasuke was looking at the ground, his energy had diminished in an instant. At that moment, he heard Itachi's voice: "Don't worry. They'll let us go," Itachi said confidently.

Sasuke looked at him again. "Sure?"

Itachi gave a small laugh. "You do not trust me?"

Sasuke was startled. Of course he trusted his brother. Itachi was the most trustworthy person he knew, even if sometimes he didn't keep his promises. But he knows that's because Itachi is too busy. That's why he has to grow up fast and help his brother so Itachi has more free time. With a new strong determination, Sasuke nodded enthusiastically. "Of course".

He passed his brother on the way and as he walked, he said, "Nii-san, let's go train! Teach me new techniques!"

Itachi quickly caught up with him and couldn't help but quip, "Train? Didn't you want to play?"

Sasuke took on a serious expression, which amused Itachi, though he didn't show it. "Training is more important."

They spent that day training until it began to get dark. Itachi was guiding Sasuke and correcting his stance by throwing shurikens.

The next day, Sasuke got out of bed excited. Itachi had told him that they would leave this morning.

When they were leaving the house, Sasuke noticed his mother's worried expression, as if he didn't agree with them leaving for the whole week.

"Be careful, okay?" Mikoto said as he watched Sasuke and Itachi put on their shoes. He then looked Itachi straight in the eye. "Itachi, take good care of Sasuke."

"Mother, you don't have to worry about me. I'm a ninja too," Sasuke said puffing out his cheeks, dissatisfied with how little trust his mother had in him. Although he might not be as strong as his father or his brother, he was the best of his class.

However, his response did not allay the concerns of his mother, who continued to look at Itachi.

Itachi, already having finished putting on his shoes and standing up, replied nonchalantly, "Sasuke will be fine." Ending the conversation with his mother, she turned to Sasuke. "Come on," he said, and with those words he left the house, being quickly followed by Sasuke, who said goodbye to his mother in a hurry, afraid that Itachi would leave without him.

Sasuke quickly caught up with his brother. "So, nii-san, where shall we go first?"

Leaving the village, Itachi turned to his brother and started talking like a teacher. "Sasuke, a shinobi should always know the way back home. He Memorizes all the way we're going to do."

"Yes, nii-san." Itachi never said things in vain. If he had said it was important to learn the ways, he would learn them; he couldn't let his brother down.

Itachi looked at his brother. "Okay then," he smiled at him, "follow me." At those words, Itachi began to run forward.

Sasuke was surprised by the sudden movement, but quickly followed his brother at full speed.

Itachi smirked as Sasuke caught up with him without a problem. "Very good. So, let's try this." Itachi sped up even more.

Sasuke increased his speed, pushing himself to the limit, until he reached his brother.

Sasuke didn't know how long he had been running, but he was exhausted. However, he was having fun following his brother.

"Let's stop here," Itachi said as he slowed down and stopped next to a river. Sasuke stopped next to his brother and sat on the ground, trying to catch his breath after running. Not quite catching his breath, Sasuke watched as his sister pulled out two lunch boxes. One of them gave it to Sasuke. "Here, mother made them this morning," he added with a smile. "You must be hungry."

Now that he had time to think, he really was hungry. He started eating right away.

After finishing the meal and resting on the grass for a while, Itachi turned his back on Sasuke and got to his knees. "Goes up".

Sasuke fully understood what Itachi wanted and quickly jumped onto his back, putting his arms around Itachi's neck as he grabbed Sasuke's legs on either side of his waist. Itachi got up and said to Sasuke, "Hold on tight."

Upon those words, Itachi took off from the ground and began to jump through the branches of the trees at incredible speed.

The wind hit Sasuke's face, not taking away his emotion. "Wow, nii-san, we're going so fast." They passed from branch to branch at an impressive speed, quickly leaving behind the place where they had eaten, and in a few seconds the river was no longer visible. His brother was really amazing. He also wanted to be so fast. He had to get better fast.

After a while, they came to a village. Sasuke looked around, surprised that there weren't any shinobi in the place.

"Why aren't there ninjas here?" he asked curiously.

Itachi smiled and began to explain, "This is a village of civilians. Here, shinobi are not needed because there are no threats that require their protection. Civilians live a different life than we do. They don't train or do jobs like we do, but that doesn't mean their work is less valuable. Each work is appreciated differently depending on where it is located."

"Does that mean we're not needed here?" Sasuke asked, feeling some confusion.

"Exactly," Itachi agreed. "For them, shinobis can be considered a problem, since sometimes their actions can cause problems that need to be solved by other shinobis. This can lead to them having to spend part of their wealth to hire shinobis. Instead, for us It may seem that being a ninja is essential, but we also depend on people who are not. They provide us with work, and thanks to that work we get money for all our needs."

Sasuke took in the information and continued curiously, "So we depend on them?"

Nodding, Itachi replied, "Partly yes. In Konoha, we don't have crop fields or livestock. Most of our food is brought in from outside. We are totally dependent on the outside for our livelihood. And likewise, Konoha's civilians depend on the outside money that shinobis bring in and spend in their businesses."

The village they were in was not large and there were no hotels or inns for travelers, but Itachi managed to get one of the inhabitants to lend them his house to spend the night. As they walked through the streets, Sasuke noticed some suspicious looks and perceived some rejection from some of the locals.

"Why are they looking at us like that?" Sasuke asked Itachi.

Itachi sighed, "We're outsiders, Sasuke. The people of this village might not be used to seeing ninjas, and that makes them suspicious. But even if we weren't shinobi, they'd probably look at us just the same. We're the 'other', we don't belong to this village. But don't worry, we just have to show respect and be courteous during our stay here."

Sasuke nodded, though the idea of being rejected didn't appeal to him. Even so, he trusted his older sister.

Thus, the night passed peacefully while they rested and the next morning they set out again.

Itachi was carrying it on his back when he pointed at a mountain. "See what's up there? There's an old stronghold of our clan there."

Sasuke's interest was piqued immediately and he peered up at the top of the mountain. "Old? Why isn't it used anymore?"

Itachi smiled and looked back to see his brother. "Originally, their role was to protect the territory and prevent other enemy clans from crossing over. However, with the creation of Konoha, the Uchiha clan left this territory and settled in the village."

"Oh. So our ancestors lived here?"

"Not exactly. Although it is true that this area belonged to our clan, the territories of the clans have varied over the years of fighting. When our clan formed an alliance with the Senju clan and created Konoha, our territories ceased to be exclusively ours."

"Wow, our clan is amazing." He had already heard in the academy about the importance and power of his clan, but it was impressive that the village they lived in had been created by them.

Sasuke, immersed in his thoughts, didn't notice Itachi's strange look.

Before he knew it, Itachi had already reached the entrance and left Sasuke on the ground. "Shall we go in, Sasuke?"

"Yes," Sasuke replied enthusiastically and followed his brother into the fortress with a smile.

After going through some dark corridors, they reached a larger part of the fortress, finding a stone throne in the center that immediately caught Sasuke's attention.

"Why is there a seat in the middle of the room, nii-san?"

Itachi also looked at the throne. “That is the place where the clan leader sits. In front of him, other clan members or outsiders would probably kneel.”

Sasuke looked more closely at the throne. Would the clan leader sit there? In his mind, a scene of the throne was projected with his father sitting on it, with a serious and authoritative expression. The throne was high up, creating an imposing image.

He frowned. If he already feels pressure being around his father, it would be much more overwhelming with the height difference and the marked hierarchy between them. He could clearly imagine it: him kneeling with his head down, while his father sighed from above and said: "You must try harder, Sasuke. At your age, your brother was already capable of it." His fists clenched.

Itachi noticed Sasuke's concern. "What's up, Sasuke?"

Sasuke's eyes widened in surprise at being discovered by his brother. "Nothing, nii-san." It was evident in his face that he wasn't being entirely sincere. He didn't want to bother Itachi with his concerns.

Itachi continued to stare at Sasuke for a while, which made the young man nervous. "Come on, nii-san, what else is around here?"

"Sasuke, don't you want to sit there?" Itachi pointed to the throne with.

Sasuke looked down. "No need, nii-san. Besides, only father can sit there."

Itachi moved closer to Sasuke and put his hands on his shoulders. "That's not so, Sasuke. That was many years ago. I'm afraid father may never have been here. Besides, no one will see you sit down, and if by any chance someone comes, you don't have to worry, I'll be with you." Itachi said reassuringly.

Sasuke was surprised. "Father has never been here?"

"Probably not. Father isn't interested in this kind of thing and he doesn't have time to come here. If he has, it was long before we were born," Itachi explained.

"Come on," Itachi picked Sasuke up off the ground. The young man was surprised and grabbed his brother's shoulders. "Don't you want to see the view that the clan leader would have in the past?"

Sasuke released himself from his brother's grasp. "Wait, nii-san. That doesn't interest me." Sasuke moved away from Itachi and looked at Itachi carefully, and as he spoke his eyes filled with admiration. "It would be so much better if you were the one to sit down. You'd look amazing here, nii-san." Enthusiastic, he added, "But some repairs would have to be done first. Such a wrecked place is not fit for you. You have to have the best!"

Itachi was surprised by his brother's words. He smiled, showing the most beautiful smile Sasuke had seen in a long time. "Thank you Sasuke."

The child smiled in response. He liked his brother's smiles. However, they were becoming rarer. He wanted Itachi to always smile like that.

"By the way, nii-san, won't you be the next clan leader? This place is made for you." In his mind, Sasuke changed the image of his father sitting on the throne to his brother. It was a much better setting.

Itachi's gaze darkened a bit, but Sasuke didn't notice, distracted by another smile from his brother. "Then Sasuke would get behind me."

Sasuke was surprised. "Behind? Why?" Shouldn't he kneel with the rest of the clan?

"Don't you know, Sasuke? My most trusted person should be by my side."

"More trusted?" Itachi trusts me more than other people? More than mother, father or shisui-san?

A smile formed on his face without realizing it. He must train more, get stronger to live up to Itachi's expectations. "Don't worry, nii-san. I'll get better soon and I'll be able to help you and father," he said determinedly.

The memory faded from the mind of a 16 year old Sasuke. He now he can only remember those moments with contempt. What a fool he was then, believing that bastard's lies! Back then, Itachi had him in the palm of his hand, and he, like a fool, believed that his brother loved him, when in fact Itachi was just playing with him.

That boy who admired his brother died that night many years ago. He is not the same anymore. He now he is an avenger. And it is his duty to kill that person.