Negotiations With Sasuke

A/N: You guys hit the Double Release goal, so there will be a Double Release tomorrow on Monday. If you want another Double Release, lets get to 500 powerstones by Sunday. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! Goal: 500 Powerstones.

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Entering his office, Goro's gaze immediately landed on Sasuke, who was slumped over the shoulder of his clone. Standing beside them was Aika, one of Goro's most trusted aides, who seemed to be in the middle of a conversation with the clone.

"Lord Takikage!" Aika exclaimed, straightening up and bowing deeply. She hesitated for a moment, her cheeks reddening with a faint blush. "Are you the real one or… a clone too?" she asked shyly.

Goro walked over to his desk, settling into his seat with a tired sigh. "No, I'm the real one," he replied, the weariness in his voice evident.

Aika quickly bowed again, her expression filled with embarrassment. "Sorry for my rudeness, Sir! It's just… there's so many of you in different parts of the village… It feels like I haven't seen the real you in over a month."

Goro waved her off dismissively. "It's fine, don't worry about it," he said. His gaze shifted to Sasuke, who remained unconscious. "The kid hasn't shown any signs of waking up?"

Both Aika and the clone shook their heads in unison.

"Lord Takikage," Aika said softly, choosing her words carefully. "I don't mean to overstep my bounds, but he has a Leaf headband… Is he a hostage you're keeping? If so, isn't that bad for our diplomatic relations with the Leaf?"

"They fell apart," Goro said abruptly.

Aika blinked, taken aback by his blunt response. "I beg your pardon, Lord Takikage?"

"I paid their village a little visit," Goro explained, his tone casual. "That's why you haven't seen the real me for quite some time. An altercation between me and the Fifth Hokage led to… soured relations. So, I called off our alliance."

Aika's frown deepened, worry creasing her brow. Goro, sensing her concern, offered a reassuring smile beneath his mask. "We don't need them. Sure, they were a big part of our plan to grow in strength, but we can still do it without them. There are other villages that would be more than happy to cooperate."

Forcing a smile, Aika bowed once more. "I trust your decisions, Lord Takikage."

Goro leaned back in his chair, nodding thoughtfully. His gaze drifted back to Sasuke, who remained motionless on the clone's shoulder. "Wake him up," he ordered.

The clone moved swiftly, tapping Sasuke's cheek lightly but persistently. Slowly, Sasuke began to stir, his eyelids fluttering open. His vision was hazy at first, the faces of those around him blurry and unfamiliar. The first person his gaze landed on was Aika, who stood beside the clone, watching him with cautious curiosity.

"What's going on…?" Sasuke croaked, his voice hoarse as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. With a groan, he pushed himself off the clone's shoulder and took in his surroundings.

The room he stood in vaguely resembled the Hokage's office, but it wasn't quite the same. The layout, the atmosphere—it all felt foreign. His confusion deepened, and his body tensed instinctively. With a sudden movement, Sasuke jumped back, putting distance between himself and the desk where Goro sat.

"Who are you people?!" Sasuke demanded, his voice rising with apprehension.

"Calm down, Sasuke," Goro said, his tone gentle.

The voice struck a chord of familiarity within Sasuke, causing his eyes to narrow. "He sounds like Goro…" he thought, his mind racing as he tried to piece everything together.

Goro reached up and pulled back the hood of his cloak, revealing his white hair. Sasuke's eyes widened as recognition dawned on him. Everything fell into place. "He did mention he was the Takikage of the Hidden Waterfall…" Sasuke glanced around at the room, the pieces of the puzzle finally fitting together.

Removing his mask, Goro leaned forward slightly, his gaze steady. "How are you feeling? You were able to complete the first part of your revenge. I'm envious."

'I wish I could've done that in my past life… It must feel great, like a heavy load was lifted off your shoulders.'

Aika, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, couldn't help but stare at Goro in shock. "That's Lord Takikage's real face?! He—he looks so young!" Her eyes trailed over the strange markings etched into his face. "Also… what are those markings?"

Her mouth hung open, but when Goro glanced at her and smiled, she quickly clamped her mouth shut, a deep blush spreading across her cheeks. 'He feels so much more… human,' she thought.

Meanwhile, Sasuke's mind flashed back to the events of a few hours before, the vivid image of Danzo's corpse on the ground replaying in his mind. He could still feel the satisfaction that had surged through him when his hand pierced Danzo's chest.

A low chuckle escaped Sasuke's lips, his Sharingan activating reflexively as he relished the memory. The tomoe spun before settling into the Mangekyou pattern. A dark, satisfied smile spread across his face as he thought about his victory.

"I can tell you had fun," Goro said, watching Sasuke with a knowing smile.

Sasuke snapped back to the present, his gaze focusing sharply on Goro. The smile faded, replaced by a look of wary suspicion. "I appreciate the help, but why have you brought me here? You aren't expecting any favors in return, are you?"

His gaze flickered to the strange markings on Goro's face. "What's on his face?"

"I believe we could be beneficial to one another," Goro replied smoothly. "I doubted you'd want to stay in the Leaf after you found out about Danzo. Your only option was to go to Orochimaru, but you know as well as I do that you don't actually want to be around that creep."

Sasuke remained silent, his expression blank. After a long pause, he finally spoke. "My revenge isn't complete. I still have far more to do. As you know, my brother is next, but to defeat him, I need power. And the only one who can give me that is Orochimaru."

A slow grin spread across Goro's face, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "And if I told you I could make you stronger?"

Sasuke's brow furrowed, doubt flickering in his eyes. "He is strong… but Orochimaru was able to defeat the Third Hokage. I doubt he's capable of such a feat…" Sasuke's gaze drifted to the markings on Goro's face again. "It also doesn't sit well with me that someone my age would be my teacher…" He clenched his fists, frustration simmering beneath the surface. "No! I can't let pride get a hold of me. I need to get stronger by any means!"

Goro watched the emotions play out across Sasuke's face. He could feel the boy's inner turmoil of emotions. 'Ever since I absorbed Hashirama's cells… I can feel the emotions of others… What's going on with me?'

[Would you like an explanation of your change in stats?]

The message popped up in Goro's vision, its sudden appearance startling him. 'Hm?' He hesitated. 'So, the system is aware of the changes…' He glanced back at Sasuke, who was watching him closely.

'What exactly have I gained…?' Goro thought, his attention momentarily split between the conversation at hand and the conversation with the System. 

Noticing Sasuke's emotions were beginning to change to skepticism, Goro returned his attention to him. 'One step at a time,' he reminded himself, a confident smile curving his lips. 'First, let's secure an alliance with Sasuke. Then, I'll get the information about the changes in my stats and body from the system.'

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Reminder: If you want another Double Release, lets get to 500 powerstones by Sunday. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! Goal: 500 Powerstones.