Chapter 47: Goals and Dreams.

Author Note: Nothing of importance, just enjoy the chapter, and if you have any questions, make sure to comment!

And like always, remember if you want to read up to 13-15 chapters ahead go to https://www.patreón.com/cornbringer

I'm currently updating the novel 2-8 chapters a day in patreeeeon. On chapter 62 so far, though by the end of today it will be chapter 65-67

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Enjoy you sexy bastards.

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[Arata Takeshi - POV.]

By now, it had been two weeks since the incident with Orochimaru, two weeks under ANBU surveillance, and two weeks waiting for Jiraiya, who had yet to arrive. I wasn't angry at him, though. I imagined he was probably hunting his former friend down, which was understandable. He was one of the only shinobi capable of facing Orochimaru in combat without it being a total suicide mission.

I could count on one hand the shinobi I knew were capable of that:

The Third Hokage.

Jiraiya.

Lord Fugaku.

And Tsunade, but she was technically retired, according to the limited information I had about her.

Four people—that's how small the list of shinobi of that level was.

Out of all of them, Jiraiya was currently the only one capable of facing Orochimaru, because not only did he have the necessary skill level, but also the time. The Third Hokage had a village to run, Lord Fugaku had a clan to lead, and Tsunade... well, she had money to spend, I suppose. That left only Jiraiya as the viable option. So, yeah, I wasn't mad he hadn't come to the village yet, though I did wish he would. I was getting tired of having ANBU following me everywhere.

Taking a deep breath, I dropped onto my bed, staring at the ceiling. Tsuki, my cat, lay curled up next to me, purring softly. My mind slowly drifted as I pondered my goals and aspirations. Despite everything, I had never questioned my goals; they were simple and clear: become the strongest shinobi, one without equal, and kill Danzo for what he did to my parents. Those were my goals—simple, concise, and within my grasp. Or so I told myself. But as time passed, I began to question them, not because I was backing down, but because whenever I thought about them, a hollow feeling would gnaw at me, prompting me to ask some deeper questions.

Becoming the strongest shinobi, The God of Shinobi, a title only two shinobi had ever carried in all of shinobi history—Senju Hashirama, the First Hokage, and Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Third Hokage—was something I still wanted, without a doubt. But... after I achieved that goal, what then? Would I be satisfied? Would that be it?

And then there was my other goal: killing Shimura Danzo. I knew without a shred of doubt that I would enjoy doing it immensely. Yet, somehow, this goal, like being The God of Shinobi, felt more like a stepping stone rather than an end goal.

I turned on my side, stroking Tsuki's fur absentmindedly. The soft texture brought some comfort, but my mind remained restless. I guess my real question was: what did I truly want from life? What was my ultimate purpose? The more I thought about it, the more I realized that my current goals and dreams were just that—stepping stones that led to a path I couldn't yet see the end of.

I thought about the people in my life: Itachi, Shisui, Lady Mikoto, Lord Fugaku, Princess Mito, and even Naruto... and Sasuke too. All of them, except for the babies, already had their own paths, their own reasons for fighting and striving—a much clearer understanding of what they wanted. But what about me? What was at the end of my path?

Lady Mikoto and Lord Fugaku had their family and their clan, their goal being simple to understand yet hard to accomplish at the same time: to nurture the Uchiha and their family into something worth admiring, into something better than what they are now.

Itachi had his ambition to bring peace; he wanted to become a beacon of hope in a world plagued with wars and death. He also wanted to be, when the time came, the best Clan Head the Uchiha had ever had, one that would make his father and the village proud.

Shisui had multiple goals, some of them stupid... actually, scratch that—most of them were completely stupid. However, one of them, surprisingly, was that he wanted to become the next Head of the Konoha Military Police Force to bring the village and the clan together by changing how the system works—a system he felt was built just to create divisions and mistrust between the villagers and the clan.

"What do you think, Tsuki?" I asked my furry companion, wondering if she would have any insights about my predicament.

Tsuki, in response, purred at me, offering a soft mewl. It was as if to say, 'I'm just a cat, Takeshi. These are your questions to answer, and even if I were to answer, it would just be you answering yourself.'

A small smile tugged at the corners of my lips. Maybe... maybe it wasn't about the destination. Maybe it was about the journey. Bah... who am I kidding? Even that thought felt vague and rather unsatisfying. I needed something more concrete, something that resonated with me on a deeper level—a purpose that would give my life meaning beyond just power and revenge.

Closing my eyes, I let out a sigh. "What do I really want?" I whispered to myself, feeling the weight of the question pressing down on me. However, before I could ponder further, a soft knock on the door brought me back to reality.

Opening my eyes, I turned to see Itachi standing there, a small smile on his face. "Ready for our weekly game of Shogi?" he asked.

"Of course," I replied, gesturing for him to come in. Tsuki, who had been lounging on my bed, immediately jumped down and walked over to Itachi, purring as she circled his legs.

"Hello, Tsuki," Itachi said, bending down to scratch her behind the ears. She purred louder, clearly enjoying the attention. "Alright, let's get this game set up."

We arranged the board and pieces on my small table and took our seats. Itachi moved first, as he always did, his eyes scanning the board with that calm, calculating look he always had. I made my move, and the game began.

As we played, I couldn't help but think back to my earlier thoughts. What did I really want in life? Killing Danzo and becoming the strongest shinobi felt like goals, but they were just steps toward something I couldn't quite define. I wondered if Itachi ever felt the same way.

"Itachi," I said, breaking the comfortable silence. "Can I ask you something?"

He looked up from the board, his expression curious. "Of course, Takeshi. What's on your mind?"

"What is it that you really want in life?" I asked. "What's your goal?" I already knew what he wanted, but maybe hearing him explain it would help me answer my question.

Itachi paused, his hand hovering over a piece on the board. He seemed to be deep in thought, considering my question carefully. After a moment, he moved his piece and looked at me with a thoughtful expression.

"I want to bring peace to our village, to the world, and in order to do that, I want to become the next Hokage," he said quietly.

Ok, maybe I didn't know his goals as well as I had presumed.

I was taken aback by his answer. "Hokage? Really?"

"Yes," Itachi continued, his eyes reflecting a deep determination. "I want to protect the village and everyone in it. I want to create a world where children like Sasuke and Mito can grow up without the fear of war and loss. To do that, I need to become strong enough, influential enough to make a difference, and becoming Hokage is the best way to achieve that."

It was a noble goal, one that required immense strength and dedication. "That's a good goal, Itachi," I said, feeling a sense of admiration for my friend. "I hope you achieve it."

He smiled slightly. "Thank you, Takeshi. What about you? Have you figured out what you want?"

I sighed, moving one of my pieces. "I'm still working on that," I admitted. "I have goals, but they feel more like steps to something bigger. I just don't know what that something is yet."

Itachi nodded, understanding. "It's okay not to have all the answers right now. What's important is that you keep moving forward, one step at a time. You'll find your path eventually."

Hokage. He would make a good Hokage, possibly the best the village has ever had.

As we continued our game in companionable silence, Itachi's words lingered in my mind, echoing. The idea of becoming Hokage was inspiring—a good dream to have—but it wasn't my path. I glanced at the pieces on the board, and as I made a move, capturing one of his pieces, it hit me. If Itachi's goal was to become The Hokage, the protector of Konoha, then my role could be different but equally important.

If he was to be the light of Konoha, he needed someone to be the shadow.

"I've decided," I said, breaking the silence, a faint smile on my face.

Itachi looked up, curiosity in his eyes. "Oh? That was fast."

"If your goal is to become the Hokage, the light and beating heart of Konoha, then mine will be to become the shadow of the village—the darkness and blade that protects it all," I said, feeling a comforting sense of clarity. "I'll be your right hand, protecting the village from what you can't, so you can focus on being the leader everyone needs."

Itachi's eyes widened slightly, then a small smile spread across his face. "My right hand, you say?" His smile grew larger. "I would like that very much."