Chapter 123: meeting Itachi

Days had passed since Sasuke captured Tsunade, and the construction of his new city was rapidly progressing. Buildings had risen from the ground, and Sasuke strolled through the streets of the growing micro-city. Beside him walked Hiashi Hyuga.

"The magic is truly impressive," Hiashi remarked, his gaze sweeping over the bustling activity. "I wish everybody could learn it. We've saved so much time because of it."

"It's already a challenge for most people to learn Ninjutsu," Sasuke replied. "Teaching magic would be even more troublesome. We don't have the resources here, and it's better for them to focus on Ninjutsu. Especially since I don't want some idiot using magic to remove the curse on the Hidden Leaf."

Hiashi nodded, understanding the gravity of their situation. "Indeed, especially since you've given those magic guns to the Hyuga clan. It would be a miracle if they don't stop practicing Ninjutsu altogether."

"Then you'd better keep an eye on them," Sasuke said, glancing at the distant structure. "It would be annoying if they became useless without their guns."

"How is the new Hyuga compound?" Sasuke asked.

"It's almost complete," Hiashi responded, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully, "but the Yamanaka Clan's integration seems more complex."

"They're just worried about their allies in the Hidden Leaf," Sasuke continued. "It would be good if the Yamanaka Clan understood their situation, or I might have to use extreme methods."

Hiashi turned to Sasuke, his tone more probing. "What are your plans for the future?"

Sasuke paused, a faint smirk crossing his face. "There's already a blueprint for the city. It will become a place that can't be affected by any war or influence. If we're lucky enough to gather the necessary resources, I could even take this city into a different world."

The day moved on, and as night fell, Sasuke walked alone through the darkness, his mind occupied with the endless tasks ahead. But suddenly, he felt a presence he hadn't sensed in years. Sasuke stopped, his senses sharpening.

"Itachi, it's not good to hide," Sasuke called out.

"Sasuke... it's been a long time."

Sasuke turned slowly, his eyes narrowing as he faced the figure emerging from the shadows.

Itachi's face was shadowed as he spoke, "I'm here to stop you, Sasuke. Before you make a bigger mistake."

A smirk curled on Sasuke's lips, and his hand moved instinctively to the hilt of his katana. "Instead of stopping me, you should just stay in a corner of this world with your broken body."

Itachi's gaze remained steady, his resolve unshaken. "As long as I can still breathe, I'll do whatever it takes to protect the village from your madness."

Without another word, Itachi moved, his movements blurring with speed. Sparks flew as Sasuke's blade met Itachi's kunai. In a swift motion, Sasuke disarmed his brother and pinned him to the ground, the tip of his katana hovering over Itachi's throat.

Then Sasuke shifted his gaze to another spot. The Itachi beneath him vanished, a mere illusion.

"It's pointless, Itachi," Sasuke said, his voice low but carrying through the night.

"You have lots of tactics, but the problem is you don't have the strength to use them anymore." Sasuke's tone was taunting as he opened his Rinnegan. "If you had begged the Sage of Six Paths, he might have given you a Rinnegan. Unfortunately, with your short life, you'd be dead before you mastered its power."

Itachi coughed, managing a faint, almost sad smile. "You're right… but I think he would have found a better candidate than me. I just want you to forgive the innocent people."

For a brief moment, something flickered in Sasuke's memory. But his expression hardened. "There are no innocents, not in this world. It's so disgusting that even heaven and hell have closed their doors."

Itachi's breathing became labored, but he continued to speak, his voice weak but filled with emotion. "I see… You've truly become what I always feared. But, Sasuke… I still believe… you can find another way."

Sasuke tightened his grip on his katana, his expression unreadable. "Leave, Itachi," he ordered, his voice devoid of emotion. "So you can live longer... and suffer more."

Realizing that using Kotoamatsukami might not work, Itachi gave his brother one last, sorrowful look before he vanished into the night, leaving only the faintest trace of his presence behind.

As silence returned to the city, Sasuke remained standing, his mind lingering on the encounter. After a moment, he resumed his walk through the city, his thoughts shifting back to the tasks at hand.

Meanwhile, in the Hidden Leaf Village, Jiraiya leaned against the window, gazing out at the ruined village below. The once-proud Hidden Leaf was now reduced to a shadow of its former self. Jiraiya and the medical staff had been discussing the latest techniques to handle the current situation.

"Jiraiya-sama," one of the senior medical-nin began, holding up a scroll filled with notes, "We've had significant success with the new methods of stopping the bleeding. The standard medical jutsu we've been using wasn't working, so we've had to innovate."

Jiraiya nodded, urging them to continue. "Go on."

The medic continued, "We've started using physical methods to stabilize wounds. The first is a form of reinforced medical tape, infused with chakra to promote clotting. It's particularly effective for stopping the bleeding."

Another medic chimed in, "We're also employing tight stitching methods combined with the medical tape to ensure that the wounds are closed securely, reducing the risk of reopening during daily activities."

Jiraiya crossed his arms, processing the information. "Will they be able to continue their lives as ninja?"

A third medic spoke up, "We're working on a sealing jutsu. If we combine all our techniques, it should be possible."

"That's good news. I hope you can complete your research as soon as possible," Jiraiya ordered them.

The head medic nodded. "Understood. It's just that it might be more expensive to maintain those injuries from getting worse."

Jiraiya's eyes narrowed. "See if you can reduce the cost. We don't have much money to spare after the reconstruction."

Jiraiya turned back to the window, his mind wandering. He wondered when Naruto's training would be complete so they could deal with Sasuke together.

"We'll get through this," Jiraiya muttered, more to himself than to the others in the room. "But we need to be ready to strike back."

With the meeting concluded, Jiraiya left the Hokage's office, his mind already turning to the next steps. As he walked through the streets of the village, Jiraiya couldn't shake the feeling that the worst was still to come. But with Naruto and the Sage of Six Paths, they might just have a fighting chance.