Negotiations Complete

A/N: Double Release (1/2). If you want another Double Release, lets get to 500 powerstones by next 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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Sasuke stared at the ground, gritting his teeth in frustration. The realization that he wasn't left with many options was beginning to settle in. "You can't always get what you want; you have to make sacrifices, I understand that, but..." Sasuke thought, struggling to make a decision. While he saw the power Orochimaru had been offering him, it was undeniable that if Goro got so strong so quickly, he had to have knowledge of something Sasuke didn't know.

"Orochimaru wants to take my body, but I'm unsure what Goro truly wants. It can't be just as he says..." Sasuke pondered, making an effort to weigh the pros and cons. After some time had passed, Sasuke finally came up with a decision.

"Fine…" he muttered, his voice barely audible. "I'll stay here, but if I'm unsatisfied with the training and my growth isn't good enough… I'm leaving."

Goro smiled at Sasuke's reluctant agreement. "Fair enough," he replied. "And the Sharingan we got from Danzo? Do you want them ba—"

Before Goro could finish, Sasuke interrupted sharply. "Keep them. I have no use for those eyes."

Goro raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised by Sasuke's disinterest. "Are you sure you don't want to at least keep them in your house?"

'I need to gain his trust. I can't have him thinking I'm after the Sharingan.'

Sasuke's expression shifted to one of confusion. "House?" he asked, looking up from the ground.

"There's a family willing to host you for however long you plan to stay" Goro explained. "I thought about giving you an apartment, but I figured that would just be too lonely. You need to be around people."

Without hesitation, Sasuke rejected the idea. "No. I'll take an apartment. Don't make unnecessary decisions that I haven't agreed upon."

Aika, who had been quietly observing the conversation, frowned. Her eyes filled with sympathy as she watched Sasuke's cold, detached demeanor. "He looks so lonely…" she thought, her heart aching for him.

In a gentle yet determined tone, Aika spoke up. "Fine, if you don't want to stay with a full family, you can stay with me and my grandfather!"

Goro glanced at Aika, considering her offer. 'That would be good,' he thought. 'But I doubt he'd agree to that either…'

Sasuke's frustration flared as he clenched his fists. "What is with this obligation to stay with a family?! I'm just here to get stronger!"

Aika's voice rose in response, her emotions bubbling over. "Without family, what is left at the end of your path to revenge?! You mentioned revenge, but… it's like you can't see anything past it."

Sasuke was caught off guard by Aika's outburst. Her words pierced through his defensive wall, and for a moment, he was left speechless, unsure of how to respond. His mind reeled with her question "What comes after revenge?" a question he had never given much thought to.

Noticing Sasuke's hesitation, Goro seized the opportunity. "It's settled then," he declared. "You'll be staying with Aika and her grandfather."

"Tsk…" Sasuke clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed but unable to come up with a reason to refuse. A sense of resignation settled over him.

Aika, on the other hand, smiled with delight. The thought of helping Sasuke in some way, even if small, brought her genuine happiness.

Goro wasn't finished. "Sasuke," he began, his tone turning serious, "I'd also like it if you could become a ninja of this village."

Sasuke's response came quickly, accompanied by a smirk. "I have no loyalty to any village. Neither the Leaf nor the Waterfall."

'Just as I expected,' Goro thought. 'After what happened with Danzo, he would be reluctant to trust any village. I wanted to give it a shot.'

Goro leaned forward slightly, making his next offer with a calculated tone. "Ok, but i've been looking for council members, and you'd be the first one. You'll know the inner workings of the village, so you won't be used as a puppet, but as a leader in this land—a decision-maker. Currently, it's safe to say you're one of the strongest shinobi in the village. In addition, I'd also teach you how to master your evolved Sharingan."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he processed Goro's offer. "He's offering a lot of benefits… but what does he gain out of this and what does he know about my Sharingan??" 

After a moment of silence, Sasuke voiced his suspicion. "And what do you gain from doing all this?"

"A strong ally," Goro replied simply, his eyes meeting Sasuke's directly.

Sasuke couldn't help but chuckle at the straightforward response. "Don't regret it later," he warned, though his tone held a trace of amusement.

"I'm taking that as a yes?" Goro asked, a small smile forming beneath his mask.

Sasuke gave a brief nod, signaling his agreement.

Goro turned to Aika. "Aika," he said.

"Yes, Lord Takikage?" she replied, standing at attention.

"You've been working hard. My clones have been keeping an eye on you."

The clone standing beside her gave a slight nod, confirming Goro's words.

"I'm giving you a week off of your regular duties," Goro continued. "Take Sasuke to your grandfather's place and help him get adjusted."

Aika's face lit up with joy, and before she could stop herself, she jumped up in excitement. Realizing her outburst, she quickly regained her composure, her cheeks reddening with embarrassment. She bowed respectfully to Goro. "Thank you, Lord Takikage!" she said, her voice tinged with excitement.

Goro turned his attention back to Sasuke. "Your training begins in a week. Rest up for now, and take a look around the village. Get to know it. And about the Sharingan—"

Sasuke cut him off before he could finish. "Like I said, keep it."

Goro sighed but smiled inwardly. 'This is the outcome I was hoping for,' he thought. Sasuke's rejection of the Sharingan from Danzo was not unexpected, but it gave Goro the opportunity to use those eyes for his own plans.

As Aika led Sasuke out of the room, Goro leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. 'I need to visit the Academy tomorrow,' he mused. 'Let my presence be known. I can't have the villagers just seeing my clones. They'll lose touch with me.' He exhaled slowly, his mind already planning the next steps for the Hidden Waterfall Village's future.

"System," Goro said quietly, his voice cutting through the silence of the room, "give me a rundown on what's going on in my body. The changes that have occurred, and if there have been any changes to my stats."

[Your body has undergone multiple changes. Your regeneration speed is faster than Naruto's Ninetails regeneration among other things.]

Goro raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What? Tell me more," he said, his curiosity growing.

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