Chapter 111: Foolish Little Brother

Shinho Aburame released his Mystical Palm Technique. 

The medical-nin from Konoha Hospital arrived quickly, so there was no need for him to waste any more of his primaeval essence. Moreover, he had already depleted a significant portion of his energy.

Shizune was still busy healing the wounded. After all, she was officially affiliated with Konoha Hospital.

"Hokage-sama," Yamato emerged from the Root base and reported, "Fifteen Root members have died."

He had been tasked with assessing the aftermath.

"Fifteen, huh?" Tsunade sighed lightly. The members of the Root were all top-tier talents. Dying for Danzō's ambitions seemed like such a waste.

"Yes," Yamato continued, "In addition to the fifteen dead, there are thirty-seven injured, all of them researchers from the Root."

"Did you find Aburame Torune?" Tsunade asked, glancing at Shinho, who had approached.

"Yes, he was found," Yamato confirmed. "He is unharmed but unconscious."

Itachi Uchiha had previously studied Torune's appearance and immediately used Tsukuyomi to incapacitate him upon encountering him, leaving him defenseless and without injury.

"Send him back to the Aburame clan," Shinho suggested.

Yamato hesitated briefly before looking toward Tsunade for approval.

"Do as he says," Tsunade promptly ordered.

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Yamato replied, before turning to leave.

"Well done, Hokage-sama," Shinho grinned, raising his thumb. "You're quite the commanding presence."

"Your courage is growing, I see," Tsunade responded, recognizing his playful tone. She leaned down, wrapping her arms around his head.

"Wait, sensei, I can't breathe!" Shinho struggled as Tsunade's "heavy burden" pressed against his face.

"Don't mess with me, Brat. I'm in a foul mood right now," Tsunade muttered, rubbing his hair a bit more before finally letting him go.

"What's bothering you?" Shinho took a deep breath of fresh air, though he regretted the loss of the pleasant scent from before.

"Itachi made such a huge sacrifice... I need to find a way to repay him," Tsunade admitted. "But the Uchiha clan's reputation in the village is terrible."

"Is it because of the Konoha Police Force?" Shinho asked.

"It's not just the Police Force," Tsunade said, her face showing the weight of the issue. "There's also the distrust from other ninjas."

She was referring to the Nine-Tails incident. Back then, the Nine-Tails had Sharingan patterns in its eyes, leading to the Uchiha clan being blamed and losing the trust of Konoha's higher-ups.

Though the culprit wasn't identified in the end, Danzō's manipulation resulted in the Uchiha being relocated to the outskirts of the village, monitored around the clock by both the Root and the Anbu.

This treatment hadn't gone unnoticed by other ninjas, and combined with the Uchiha's inherent pride, the result was the growing alienation.

"So, finding the true culprit should solve this problem, right?" Shinho tilted his head slightly.

"Yes," Tsunade nodded.

"Well, then masked man from earlier was the culprit," Shinho said casually.

"What?" Tsunade's expression immediately turned serious as she looked at Shinho."How do you know that? Do you have any proof?"

"I don't," Shinho shook his head and then asked, "But why do we need proof?"

Tsunade was momentarily stunned, unable to follow Shinho's train of thought.

"The masked man is an enemy of Konoha, right?" Shinho continued calmly. "So, what's wrong with pinning the blame on him?"

"..."

Tsunade stood there, speechless.

Is it really that simple?

But after thinking about it more deeply, she realized it was a brilliant idea. The masked man's hostile attitude and abilities had been witnessed by many of Konoha's elite ninjas. Pinning the Nine-Tails incident on him wouldn't raise much of any suspicion at all.

Even if there were doubters... well, they could take it up with him. It wasn't Tsunade's problem as the Hokage.

And as for whether the masked man would deny it? Who would believe the words of an enemy?

All in all, the masked man was getting blamed for this whether he wanted to or not.

Tsunade came to her senses and gently patted Shinho's head, sighing with relief. 

"You've just solved one of my biggest headaches."

To be honest, this solution was a bit underhanded, something Tsunade wouldn't have thought of on her own. But she wasn't the type to be overly righteous. 

If it benefited Konoha, she wouldn't hesitate. After all, the one getting tricked was the enemy, not a fellow villager.

Shinho smiled quietly, his sense of triumph going unnoticed. He could already imagine Uchiha Obito's bewildered expression once he realized he'd been falsely blamed. It was pure serendipity.

"What about the Konoha Police Force? Any ideas on that?" Tsunade asked, her eyes full of anticipation.

"Simple: splitting the authority," Shinho repeated the suggestion he had given Itachi earlier.

Once again, Tsunade was astonished. A few seconds passed before she let out a deep breath. "Why don't you just become the Hokage?"

Shinho's solutions had effortlessly resolved two problems that had left her completely at a loss. She felt as if her intelligence had been trampled with.

"No way, you'd be taking advantage of me," Shinho refused instantly. 

If you don't become Hokage, how will I ever become the Hokage's right-handed man?

Besides, he was only six years old. Asking him to take on such a responsibility at his age would be absurd, no matter if it's the ninja world.

"Alright then, go home," Tsunade said, her expression growing more somber. "I need to visit the Uchiha clan's compound."

So far, Uchiha Mikoto and the others had no idea what had happened. Being on the outskirts of the village, they hadn't noticed the commotion at Root. 

And of course, the surveillance by the Root and Anbu had ensured they remained unaware.

Not that the Root mattered anymore—after all, it was no longer a thing.

"I'll go with you," Shinho quickly volunteered.

Tsunade thought for a moment and then nodded. After all, both Mikoto and Sasuke had a good relationship with Shinho. Having him along might help.

They arrived at the Uchiha clan's compound, and the area was quiet due to the late hour.

Tsunade stood at the entrance, hesitating.

"Sensei," Shinho grasped two of her fingers with his small hand and said softly, "This is something you can't avoid."

Tsunade took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

A few seconds later, the lights inside flickered on, and the door opened.

"Fugaku, is that you?" Mikoto Uchiha emerged, yawning in her sleeping robes, her eyes barely open.

Her hair was messy, a few strands stuck to her forehead, and she looked entirely different from her usual refined, composed self—now appearing more relaxed and domestic.

"Tsunade-sama?" Mikoto suddenly snapped to attention. "What brings you here so late?"

"I'm afraid there's something I need to tell you," Tsunade replied, her voice filled with a weight of responsibility.

Mikoto immediately sensed that something was wrong and ushered them inside, hurriedly straightening her hair into a neat braid that fell across her chest.

"Is Sasuke asleep?" Tsunade asked, glancing around.

"Yes, he's a heavy sleeper," Mikoto replied with a soft smile.

Tsunade nodded but fell into a heavy silence.

"Did something happen?" Mikoto's smile faded as the atmosphere grew more tense. A dreadful feeling began to stir in her heart.

"Fugaku and Itachi led the Uchiha elite in an attack on Root," Tsunade said slowly.

"What?" Mikoto's eyes widened in shock, unable to process what she had just heard.

"It's true," Tsunade continued. "During the battle, Fugaku was killed by Danzō. Itachi took his body and fled from Konoha."

Mikoto instinctively grabbed Tsunade's wrist, her eyes turning crimson, her Sharingan activating in response to the overwhelming emotions coursing through her.

"This... this has to be a lie, right?" Tears welled up in Mikoto's eyes as she shook her head in denial.

"I'm so sorry," Tsunade muttered, unable to meet her gaze.

"W-Why didn't I see it coming…" Mikoto released Tsunade's wrist, covering her face with trembling hands as sobs overtook her.

"Mikoto…" Tsunade's heart ached for her friend.

Tsunade reached out her hand, but it lingered in the air for a moment. Right now, words were meaningless. 

Time passed, though neither of them knew how long.

Finally, the sobs ceased.

"Tsunade-sama," came a hoarse, exhausted voice. It was Uchiha Mikoto, her eyes red and swollen. "Please...give me some moment to think things through."

"Mikoto," Tsunade hesitated, then said softly, "You still have Sasuke."

Mikoto trembled.

Seeing this, Tsunade felt a small measure of relief. At the very least, it seemed unlikely that Mikoto would do anything drastic.

Tsunade closed the door behind her, then looked up at the dark night sky, exhaling deeply.

"Thank you."

The sudden voice startled her into alertness.

"Itachi Uchiha?" Tsunade's gaze sharpened.

"It's me."

From the shadows, Itachi emerged.

Tsunade eyed him closely. There was no sign of the masked man, nor any traces of a recent battle on Itachi.

"He claims to be Uchiha Madara," Itachi said directly.

"Madara?!" Tsunade's breath caught. "That's impossible!"

"He possesses the Mangekyō Sharingan and has founded a mysterious organization. He invited me to join, and I've agreed," Itachi continued.

"What organization? And what is their goal?" Tsunade steadied herself, probing further.

"He talks of creating a new world, though he hasn't disclosed the details," Itachi replied. "Tomorrow, I will follow him to the organization, and I will relay any information I uncover back to Konoha."

"I appreciate this, Itachi," Tsunade said gravely. A group claiming to be led by Madara with such an extraordinary agenda posed a huge threat.

"It is my duty," Itachi answered calmly.

"What about Danzo?" Tsunade suddenly remembered.

"I thought I killed him, but he revived and then vanished," Itachi explained, pausing for a moment. "I suspect it was Izanagi."

To be honest, neither he nor the masked man had anticipated that Danzo would possess Izanagi. It was, after all, one of the ultimate techniques of the Uchiha clan.

"How does he know Izanagi?" Tsunade's expression shifted, puzzled. Even in the restricted scrolls of Konoha's forbidden techniques, Izanagi was not recorded.

"This puzzles me as well," Itachi replied.

"Just what has Danzo been doing behind our backs?" Tsunade said with clear frustration.

No matter how Danzo had learned Izanagi, it surely wasn't through proper means.

"Let it be. He can't stir up much trouble now," Tsunade said, recalling Orochimaru. If she could handle him, Danzo wasn't beyond her capabilities either.

"Tsunade-sama, I came back to say goodbye to Sasuke," Itachi said, nodding slightly.

"..." Tsunade paused for a few seconds before replying, "Go ahead."

She braced herself for yet another heart-wrenching farewell.

"I would like you both to remain outside," Itachi said evenly. "No matter what happens, do not come in until I have left."

"What are you planning?" Tsunade sensed that something was off. Knowing Itachi's nature, she couldn't help but worry he might do something extreme.

"I won't harm Sasuke," Itachi's face remained expressionless. "But I don't want anyone to interrupt me."

Tsunade furrowed her brows. This guy really was infuriating.

Itachi gave her a brief glance before stepping through the door.

Inside, Mikoto sat slumped by the entrance to Sasuke's room, holding her head in her hands. Upon hearing footsteps, she instinctively looked up.

"Itachi?" Hope filled Mikoto's face as she looked up, her voice eager as she asked with a tone of desperation. "You're back? Is your father with you?"

"Forgive me," Itachi said softly as he swiftly rendered her unconscious.

He then drew a short blade from behind his back, its surface stained with old, dried blood—remnants from the earlier battle at the Root headquarters.

He kicked the door open forcefully.

The loud noise startled Sasuke awake. He rubbed his eyes and looked towards the doorway, freezing in place.

Mikoto lay on the floor, unconscious, while Itachi stood over her, his blade glinting with fresh blood.

"Brother..." Sasuke's voice wavered, terror welling up in his eyes. "What... what's going on?"

"My foolish little brother," Itachi's voice turned ice-cold. "Right now, you aren't even worth killing."

"Kill?" Sasuke backed up against the wall. "You're not my brother! My brother would never say something like that!"

Tsukuyomi.

Without hesitation, Itachi unleashed his Mangekyō Sharingan's power.

Sasuke's vision blurred, and he found himself in a dark, twisted world. 

He looked around, disoriented.

"Father!" Sasuke spotted a familiar figure in the distance and rushed forward, grabbing his father's hand. Relief washed over him—until a sudden spray of blood covered his face.

Fugaku's severed head rolled to the ground at his feet.

Sasuke's gaze shot up.

It was Itachi, standing above him, the sword still dripping. Beside him, Mikoto lay lifeless in a pool of blood.

"No! No! This is an illusion! It has to be an illusion!" Sasuke screamed, unable to distinguish between reality and the nightmare he was trapped in.

"You're too weak, Sasuke," Itachi said, stepping closer. "Look into my eyes—these are the eyes of the Uchiha's supreme power, the Mangekyō Sharingan."

"Why?!" Sasuke cried, his voice filled with anguish as tears streamed down his face.

"To measure my abilities, to gain even greater power," Itachi's voice remained steady. "These eyes are proof of that power."

"I don't believe you! You aren't my brother!" Sasuke glared at him with all his might, and without realizing it, a single tomoe appeared in each of his eyes.

"How pathetic." Itachi shook his head. "The weak always place their hopes on others. Now, I will make you fully understand your weakness."

Tsukuyomi!

The same horrific scene played out over and over again.

When the illusion finally faded, Sasuke had reached his limit and collapsed into unconsciousness.

Itachi withdrew his Tsukuyomi, reaching up to wipe away the blood that trailed from his left eye.

"Only a single tomoe?" Itachi murmured, a hint of disappointment in his voice.

He cast one last glance at Sasuke before leaving the room.

"You're out of your mind!" Tsunade couldn't help but snap at him.

If Shinho hadn't restrained her, she would have charged in the moment she heard the commotion.

"They are in your care now," Itachi said flatly, bowing slightly. "Thank you."

He turned and melted into the night, disappearing without another word.

[Achievement Unlocked: 'Iconic Moments of the Hokage' – Reward: FogSparrow Gu.]

[Fog Sparrow Gu: A Rank 3 Gu, capable of forming mist into sparrow-like shapes that can scout over a wide area.]

Shinho Aburame paused, pleasantly surprised by the new reward. It would definitely help compensate for his limited scouting abilities.

"Sensei," Shinho urged, "Let's focus on healing them first."

Tsunade gave an annoyed snort and headed into the house.

Mikoto was merely unconscious—nothing serious. But Sasuke's mind had taken a heavy toll, which would require more time to heal.

"Let's get them to the hospital," Tsunade said, picking up Mikoto.

Shinho called upon his kakaichu Insects to lift Sasuke gently, and together, they transported the two to a hospital room.

"What is Itachi even thinking?" Tsunade said, frowning down at the unconscious Sasuke.

"He told you what he's thinking," Shinho replied calmly. "He wants to help Sasuke become stronger."

"..."

Tsunade found herself without words. In that moment, she completely understood what her great-uncle Tobirama meant when he called the Uchiha unstable. They were all a bunch of maniacs!

Tonight's events had all been absolutely infuriating.

"Mikoto should wake up tomorrow," Tsunade said, rubbing her temples. "Sasuke might take three or five days."

"Good, as long as they're fine," Shinho said, trying to reassure her. "Though things didn't go exactly as planned, most of it worked out."

"Go home and get some rest," Tsunade told him, glancing at the sky. "You've got school tomorrow."

"I'm taking the day off," Shinho replied without hesitation. "I can catch up on whatever I miss."

"That may be true, but you still need sleep," Tsunade mused. After a moment's thought, she sighed. "Alright, I'll go back with you. The ANBU can watch over them here."

She had been planning to stay until Mikoto woke up, but seeing Shinho's determined expression, she changed her mind.

"Let's head home."

Shinho nodded and reached out, grabbing two of her fingers in his small hand.

Tsunade blinked, feeling a sudden warmth rise in her chest.

This kid could really be reliable when it mattered most.

For the first time, Tsunade felt a sense of true trust in Shinho, as if he might just be someone she could rely on.

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