Chapter 34 - Revelations & Farewell

## Konoha Gates ##

Tsunade, Mebuki and Jiraiya were standing at the gates awaiting the arrival of Naruto's team. Naruto had sent a message that they would be arriving at any time and, as such, Tsunade was by the gates with a couple of anbus ready to take Uchiha Sasuke into custody pending his trial. They were all blinded by a bright yellow flash. Once they regained their vision, they focused on the five shinobi standing in front of them.

They looked like they had been through some battle. Only Naruto and Hinata looked like they still had fighting capabilities. The others were sweating, with their clothes thrashed. Shikamaru seemed to be limping a little but everyone else was rather healthy. Nothing a night's rest of sleep wouldn't cure.

"Where is the Uchiha?" Tsunade asked confused. From what she understood, the mission was successful with the capture of Sasuke.

"Here" Naruto said and used his kamui to drop Sasuke into the ground.

"Thank you Naruto-san" Mebuki said and Naruto simply nodded. Mebuki slowly approached the Uchiha with a smile in her face. "This is for my daughter" Mebuki stated and kicked him hard in the balls making everyone male cringe at the sight. Even Akamaru whined.

"What the hell happened?" Tsunade asked looking towards the smoking Uchiha lying unconscious on the ground. "Don't tell me he gave you all this trouble?" Tsunade said pointing to their clothes and general fatigue.

"Orochimaru happened" Naruto replied and Tsunade's eyes widened. She had sent three gennin up against a sannin. Thank god no one died.

"Did you manage to kill him?" Jiraiya asked but Naruto sadly shook his head.

"He used the reverse summoning jutsu to escape" Naruto explained and Tsunade sighed. Orochimaru really was one slippery bastard but he would meet his end sometime. "But we did kill his four elite body guards as well another one called Kaguya Kimimaro, the last of the Kaguya Clan" Naruto explained and Tsunade nodded.

"Another thing" Naruto said and Tsunade motioned him to go continue "Orochimaru switched from vessel and can do hand seals again. He used the edo tensei to bring Kabuto back. Kabuto was fighting against us and I managed to obliterate him, but that won't stop Orochimaru from doing the jutsu again" Naruto explained and Tsunade sighed rubbing her temples.

"It doesn't matter at this point. Shikamaru can you walk?" Tsunade asked and he nodded "Report to the hospital for treatment. All of are dismissed. Naruto we have a council meeting to determine the fate of Uchiha Sasuke" Tsunade explained and everyone nodded. She turned to Sasuke who was being dragged away with an angry Mebuki running after the anbu.

"I'll see you at home Hinata-chan" Naruto said pecking her cheek and left to the hokage tower.

## Hokage Tower - Council Room ##

Once Naruto and Tsunade had arrived at the council room everyone was already assembled. Uchiha Sasuke was standing in the middle of the room bound with chakra suppressing tags and simple handcuffs. By his side was a single anbu guarding him. Any aggressive move from Sasuke and the anbu would end his life before the trial had even begun.

"The council is in session to determine the fate of Uchiha Sasuke for the murder of Haruno Sakura" Tsunade said and glared at the Uchiha.

"What proof do you have of that?" Sasuke asked smirking. He knew very well how to cover his tracks. He left her in nothing more than ashes and, as such, there wouldn't be any evidence that he was the one that killed her.

"We have a confession from Sakura herself" Tsunade said.

"What?" Sasuke asked in disbelief "If she is dead then how come you have a confession" Sasuke yelled.

"Naru-chan" Tsunade said and everyone snickered while Naruto just sighed "here brought her back to find out what happened" Tsunade explained. She looked at the panicking Uchiha with a look that said 'I got you now bitch'.

"Do you have anything to say?" Tsunade asked but Sasuke remained silent. "Let's wrap this up and end it once and for all" Tsunade said as she got up from her seat.

"I call for the execution of Uchiha Sasuke for the murder of Haruno Sakura. Anyone against?" Tsunade asked but was interrupted before she could go on.

"YOU CAN'T DO THAT. I'M AN UCHIHA, YOU CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE THE SHARINGAN" Sasuke yelled and smirked thinking he got them. Tsunade just looked at him with a pathetic look.

"You seem to be forgetting about Naru-chan" Tsunade simply stated making Sasuke's eyes widen. He wasn't the last Uchiha anymore so he was expendable. "And it was you that brought this upon you" Tsunade said and was about to call the vote when she was interrupted by Mebuki.

"If I may suggest an alternative sentence Hokage-sama" Mebuki said with a very sick smile that sent shivers Sasuke. Sasuke was considering that maybe death would far better than what was coming.

"I want his chakra molding capabilities destroyed and that he spends his life in jail. I want him to know that he will never have his revenge on his older brother. I want him to feel the desperation as he slowly withers away into old age knowing that he would never avenge his family" Mebuki said smiling and even Tsunade shivered. That was one cold sentence, even worse than death. Sasuke would be locked up forever knowing that his family would have died in vain and that their killer would walk the earth free.

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned" Shikaku thought to himself.

"I don't see why not. Everyone in favor?" Tsunade asked smirking and everyone raised their hands with the exception of Danzo but no one gave two craps about him. "The sentence will be carried immediately" Tsunade said and motioned to Naruto to destroy his chakra network. In essence Sasuke would be a civilian when Naruto was done with him.

Naruto stood up and walked calmly towards Sasuke with an impassive face. Sasuke just stood and watched his doom walk towards him. "STAY AWAY. I'M NOT GOING DOWN LIKE THIS" Sasuke yelled and struggled to get free but he couldn't mold chakra and the cuffs were too strong for him to break. Not that he would go anywhere if he ever did break them.

Naruto arrived near Sasuke who was shaking from fear. Naruto placed his right hand over his chest and focused his chakra. Kanji started spreading through his whole body until it covered it completely. "This is the same seal I used in Orochimaru during the Invasion" Naruto explained and turned to Tsunade who nodded for him to proceed.

"This might sting a little bit" Naruto said as he placed his right hand in the tiger seal.

"Activate" Naruto said and activated his seal. Sasuke screamed in pain and rolled on the ground. Naruto took the liberty of delaying the destruction as much as possible as further punishment for his actions. Around five minutes later Sasuke stopped screaming and simply laid on the ground with labored breaths. If anyone looked at him you could see his dead look. The look of someone who just had his entire life taken away and was forced to know that he would never get what he wanted.

"Can you confirm Hiashi-san?" Tsunade asked.

"I confirm. He's chakra network is destroyed. At this point he won't even be able to make a simple bunshin (clone)" Hiashi stated and Tsunade nodded.

"Boar" Tsunade said and the anbu kneeled in front of her "Take Sasuke and show him his home for the rest of his life. Make sure it's warm and cozy" Tsunade sarcastically said and Boar bowed before picking up Sasuke and leaving the room.

"This meeting is adjourned" Tsunade said and everyone left the room.

## Konoha's IT Department - Temporary Holding Cell - Prisoner: Uchiha Sasuke ##

Uchiha Sasuke was sitting in his bed in his cell. Sasuke had a blank look on his face and was looking at the wall as if waiting for answers. "Foolish little brother" Sasuke heard and turned to look outside of his cell only to find Uchiha Itachi standing there with an amused smile on his face.

"ITACHI...I'LL KILL YOU" Sasuke yelled and tried to break the iron bars of his cell.

"Quiet down before we knock you out" an anbu said from the corridor. Sasuke looked towards where Itachi was only to find that he was gone. Maybe death would have been a better outcome.

Sasuke suddenly heard a noise and looked towards the anbu who was knocked out and lying on the ground. "We are leaving Sasuke" a voice said from behind him. Sasuke stumbled into the ground when he saw a figure sitting on his bed. He was wearing a black cloak with red clouds but the most distinguishing thing was his orange mask with a swirl pattern. The mask had a single hole for his right eye.

"Who are you?" Sasuke asked slowly backing away as far as he could.

"That will come at a later time" Tobi said as he absorbed Sasuke into his eyes and proceeded to warp away from Konoha.

## Senju Compound - Late that Night ##

Back at the Senju Compound, Naruto and Gaara were packing while Jiraiya was waiting for them. They were about to leave in their three year training trip. Even though Naruto assured everyone that he would regularly visit and that would bring Gaara, everyone was still a little sad.

Hinata was also sad. Naruto told her that he would visit her everyday but that wasn't enough. They had been living together for years and they spent almost all of the day together, only to at night sleep together, sharing each other's warmth.

"Don't worry Hinata. Maybe if you give it all you can join them in their trip" Tsunade said and Hinata slowly nodded. Naruto walked out of the room with a large scroll on his back. Gaara also had a scroll trapped around his sand gourd.

"I guess this is it Hinata-chan" Naruto said approaching and hugging her. "I'll see you tomorrow princess" Naruto said and gave her a slow and passionate kiss. They reluctantly broke away when Jiraiya warned them that he wanted to arrive into next town before it was night.

"Until we see you again" Naruto said and the three of them dashed away from the Senju Compound.

"I'm going to miss that pervert" Tsunade said wiping away a small tear.

## Akatsuki Hideout ##

Tobi arrived at his hideout and proceeded to remove Sasuke from his dimension. Sasuke fell to the ground and slowly backed away from the man standing in front of him. Without chakra, Sasuke knew that he was powerless and that pretty much any shinobi could take him on and defeat him.

"Relax Sasuke" Tobi said slowly moving his hands towards his mask "I take care of my family" Tobi said as he removed his mask, only for Sasuke to widen his eyes and promptly faint.

## Otogakure ##

Deep in Otogakure, Orochimaru and the newly summoned Kabuto were buried deep inside a lab. In the middle of the lab, connected to several pipes and wires was a large tank filled with a green fluid. Inside the tank was a small ball of something. Judging by the grinning face of Orochimaru it must be something good.

Orochimaru was salivating at the prospect of having the sharingan bloodline he always craved for. Orochimaru just watched as his new creation was slowly maturing away. During his battle with Naruto, Kabuto had managed to extract a couple of vials of blood from Sasuke. Orochimaru, together with Kabuto, had engineered a perfect replica of Uchiha Sasuke who was now slowly maturing away inside the tank.

"How long until the vessel is viable for use?" Orochimaru asked to Kabuto who was running simulations in a nearby computer.

"I estimate three years Orochimaru-sama" Kabuto replied.

"Good" Orochimaru said licking his lips.

## Akatsuki Hideout ##

Sasuke had recently been brought back to the land of the living as was staring at the figure in front of him. "Kai" Sasuke tried flaring his chakra but nothing happened for two reasons. First, the person in front of him wasn't an illusion and second, he couldn't manipulate chakra in the first place so he couldn't break the illusion even if he tried.

"F-fa-father?" Sasuke slowly asked towards the figure. The person standing in front of Sasuke without the mask had short, black hair that reached to his shoulders and onyx-colored eyes, with visible creases below them. "You can't be...you're dead" Sasuke said shaking. The person in front of him couldn't possibly be and yet he was. Uchiha Fugaku was standing in front of Sasuke impassively looking at him.

"I assure you that I'm very real Sasuke" Fugaku said in his typical cold and emotionless voice.

"Why didn't come back to Konoha if you were alive? Why did you leave me all alone in there?" Sasuke yelled. He needed answers and he needed them now.

"I'm sorry Sasuke but neither of those things were possible. I'll explain everything just listen" Fugaku said and Sasuke slowly nodded.

"For starters Itachi didn't simply kill our clan to test his strengths as he told you. If he ever had to measure against me he would lose. The reason he decided to kill our clan was because of orders. We are Uchiha's elite. We deserved to control Konoha and rule it unlike the Senjus. Fourteen years ago I summoned the Kyuubi and the Uchiha Clan was supposed to take control of the village after the confusion was over" Fugaku said.

"However, that blasted Namikaze beat me to it. He was able to wound me and seal the Kyuubi into his newborn son, Senju Naruto. A couple of years after the Kyuubi incident, the Sandaime and his advisors became suspicious about the origin of the Kyuubi's attack and decided to investigate. At that time, we were preparing a Coup d'état to take control of the village. They decided to plant a spy inside our clan and who better than Itachi, who was a peace loving shinobi. Understand so far?" Fugaku asked and Sasuke slowly nodded taking everything in.

"Itachi began working as spy for the Sandaime providing information every time our clan gathered. I knew that our clan would stand no chance if the village was prepared to our attack. We had lost our element of surprise only because Itachi chose Konoha over his own blood" Fugaku said greeting his teeth "I had to come with a solution to save our clan and the only choice was to kill them all" Fugaku said.

"You call saving our clan killing everyone" Sasuke yelled and Fugaku sighed.

"Sasuke" Fugaku started "Our clan is alive and well" Fugaku said and Sasuke froze.

"W-what do you mean?" Sasuke asked confused. This thing was confusing him to hell and nothing was making any sense.

"Zetsu" Fugaku said and a plant like shinobi emerged from the ground. "This is Zetsu, a member of the Akatsuki and my personal servant. Fetch a clone" Fugaku ordered and Zetsu formed a white clone who stood there waiting for orders. Fugaku made a small sign and the Zetsu clone touched Sasuke and immediately took his form.

Fugaku proceeded to kill the clone but his shape and appearance remained. "These clones are special. They can replicate the DNA structure of anyone they touch and even if they die they remain with it. Not even the more skilled medics can tell the difference. I used these clones and replaced the whole Uchiha Clan with fakes. Their sharingan is also functional to some extent" Fugaku explained.

"Then that means that..." Sasuke didn't finish but Fugaku completed the blanks.

"That everyone is still alive and in hiding. Your mother, uncle, cousins,...everyone" Fugaku said and Sasuke smiled before scowling again.

"Then why did you leave me there all alone?" Sasuke asked in a low voice. He was happy that his clan was alive...but what would that make for Itachi.

"I'm sorry but we had no choice. Itachi decided, in all his mercy, to spare you while he wiped out the clan. While these clones are full proof, they aren't made for battle. They are very weak and we couldn't risk it letting one in your place. The same way we could never retrieve you from Konoha, it would raise to many suspicion" Fugaku explained and Sasuke slowly nodded.

"What about Itachi?" Sasuke asked.

"Ah yes...that fool" Fugaku started "Did you know that I learned from Uchiha Madara and that I'm working on a plan designed by him?" Fugaku said and Sasuke's eyes widened.

"Narutos' grandfather?" Sasuke asked and Fugaku nodded chuckling.

"Now that was a twist I wasn't expecting. He never said anything about having a son" Fugaku said sighing "During my reign as clan leader I often had a clone take my place in Konoha so I could focus on our plans outside of the village. One time, Itachi contacted me thinking I was Uchiha Madara. He confided in me everything without knowing that he was talking to his own father" Fugaku said laughing. Itachi, the so called genius, was fooled in the end.

"You will deal with him when the times comes. I think of no better punishment than making him live with all the guilt and remorse when in fact he never killed anyone. Once I find you strong enough to deal with him, I'll let you kill him. He was a traitor to his own clan. He chose Konoha instead of his own blood and flesh" Fugaku snarled.

"I can't do anything. I can't manipulate chakra anymore" Sasuke said looking down.

"No need to worry. I can easily fix that once I inject you with some of Zetsu cells. They will boost your power and fix any wound you may have" Fugaku said and Sasuke smirked.

"So Sasuke" Fugaku started "Will you stand by Konoha or your own blood?" Fugaku asked.

"I stand for our clan. Itachi will pay and the UCHIHA will rise"