IUPM-4 {Edited}

"You recognized me. But don't worry, I'm not here to capture you. I just want to have a conversation," Itachi said calmly.

"Why is everyone sending clones to meet me? Am I really that scary?" I replied, feeling a bit annoyed.

"So, what I've heard isn't wrong," Itachi remarked, a slight smile appearing on his face before it quickly vanished. "Let's get straight to the point. Why are you so fixated on my brother?" he asked, his expression turning serious.

"I'm not fixated on him at all. I think you've misunderstood. He's my friend and my teammate. He's lost in his desire for revenge and is on the wrong path. As his friend, it's my responsibility to bring him back to the right path," I explained, my expression now matching his seriousness.

"Is that so!? How do you plan to do that?" he asked, curiosity evident in his tone.

"By defeating him, plain and simple. But first, let me ask you something: what have you done for him, and what could you have done?" I challenged.

His lips curled into a small smile, "You'll find out when the time is right!" he replied. Suddenly, I noticed a swarm of crows flying around me. "You're already caught in my Genjutsu," he stated calmly.

"Sorry, but Genjutsu doesn't work on me," I said with a grin, watching as all the crows surrounding me suddenly disappeared, leaving Itachi standing alone in his place.

For a moment, I noticed the surprise on his face, but then he started to smile. "Let me ask you something—who exactly is Sasuke to you?" he asked.

"Sasuke? Well, he's like a friend to me, or maybe even the brother I never had," I replied.

"Is that right? You've been trying to bring Sasuke back to the Hidden Leaf Village, but what if things don't go as planned?"

"What do you mean by that?" I questioned.

"I mean, you see Sasuke as a friend, a brother. But what if Sasuke plans to attack the Hidden Leaf Village? What would you do then?" Itachi asked.

"I'd fight him and knock some sense into his stubborn head," I answered confidently.

"And if he resists? Would you be prepared to go as far as to kill him? Could you weigh Sasuke against the Hidden Leaf on a scale?" he continued.

"I'd try to understand why he's attacking the village because I know he wouldn't do it without a reason. And if he does, well... I'll do whatever it takes to protect the village," I said firmly.

"I see!" he exclaimed, still smiling. He gestured with his hands, and a crow flew out from his cloak. "Here's a gift from me to you then," he said, as the crow flapped its wings and landed gently on my shoulder.

I glanced at him, eager for more details. "It has a Sharingan eye on it," he explained. As the crow turned its head, I noticed the Sharingan staring back at me. "This is very important for what's to come. I'll tell you that much. Now, it's up to you to decide what you want to do with it. The eyes and the crow are yours from now on!"

As he spoke, more crows began to gather around him, and in an instant, he vanished from the spot, leaving me with the mysterious crow.

I wasn't sure what I would do with the crow in the future, but right now, I needed to hide it using my Fuinjutsu technique. I had to act quickly because I felt my teammates approaching.

I swiftly pulled out the Fuinjutsu seals from my cloak, something I always kept close. Using the Storage Sealing technique, I carefully sealed the crow inside the special seal, ensuring it would be safe from prying eyes.

Just then, I heard Sakura's voice calling out to me, and I looked up to see my teammates jumping down from the trees in front of me.

"What are you doing here, Naruto?" Sakura asked, her brow furrowed with concern.

"You left so suddenly without giving us much of an explanation!" Captain Yamato added, looking a bit worried.

"And I couldn't even catch your scent, even with my enhanced smelling ability," Kiba chimed in, looking a bit perplexed.

"One question at a time, please!" I replied, walking towards them with a sense of urgency. "I sensed someone nearby, so I came to find out who it was. Plus, I was looking for someone, and since it could have been an enemy, I had to hide my presence. That's why you couldn't sense me," I explained, hoping to ease their worries.

"Okay, but you really shouldn't act so recklessly, Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed, her voice filled with concern.

"She's right. So what happened? Did you find anyone?" Kakashi-sensei asked, his eyes narrowing with curiosity.

"Nah, when I got there, nobody was around. I think they left before I arrived," I replied, feeling a bit guilty for keeping things from my team. I knew it wasn't the best idea to hide the truth, but for now, it felt necessary. "By the way, why didn't you follow Sasuke? What made you come here instead?" I asked, trying to redirect the conversation.

"I think he has a sensory ninja in his group who sensed our presence and movements. They probably used some techniques to mask their chakra, making it really tough—even for Kiba—to track them down," Kakashi-sensei explained, his tone serious.

I nodded, grasping the situation a bit more clearly. "Let me give it a try!" I said, focusing my energy to locate Sasuke's chakra signature. To my relief, I quickly picked it up, along with the realization that he had three companions with him right now. "This way!" I announced, pointing in the direction where I sensed Sasuke's chakra.

"Okay, let's go!" Kiba replied eagerly, and with that, we all began to follow the trail of Sasuke's chakra signature. I led the way, my teammates trailing behind me.

[A. N: Thanks for reading, drop Powerstones that will help a lot and drop reviews if you like the story and add to your library]