Outside the arena,
Sakura Haruno stood at the gate, searching for Sasuke, but finding no sign of him.
Disheartened, she slumped to the ground.
Naruto Uzumaki approached her, "Sakura-chan, want to grab some ramen? My treat."
Sakura hesitated, then nodded, and they headed towards Ichiraku Ramen.
Near the Uchiha district,
Sasuke's figure materialized, his presence a silent intrusion.
This place, once his home, was now a constant source of torment.
The memory of that blood-soaked night haunted him: the scattered corpses, the blood-splattered walls, the lifeless eyes of his clan, his parents lying in a pool of blood.
All these nightmares were the work of one man, and he would have his revenge, no matter the cost.
Ignoring the lingering dread, Sasuke ventured into the former Uchiha compound, seeking to fuel his hatred, to empower himself with its dark energy.
Though the compound had been cleaned, each step triggered vivid flashbacks, assaulting his senses.
He pressed on, yearning for the warmth of his former home, the loving embrace of his mother, the stern guidance of his father, the gentle promises of his older brother.
Only there could he confront his nightmares and find the strength to endure.
However,
He soon succumbed, collapsing to his knees.
At that moment,
A man with long, dark hair and golden eyes appeared before him.
"Did you fall here?"
"Your desire to kill Uchiha Itachi is a distant dream, as you are now." Orochimaru stated flatly.
Sasuke looked up, recognizing the man from the Forest of Death.
"How do you know Uchiha Itachi?"
Orochimaru offered a chilling smile. "Because we were once partners."
"Partners?"
"We worked together in Akatsuki. He was my teammate, and his strength was formidable. Even I might not be able to defeat him," Orochimaru said, his voice low.
"Damn it!" Sasuke cursed inwardly.
He knew Orochimaru was one of the legendary Sannin.
Yet, he claimed to be unsure of defeating Itachi, further diminishing Sasuke's hope for revenge.
"However, you have a chance to kill him, because you are also an Uchiha!"
Sasuke's eyes lit up. "Why are you telling me this?"
Orochimaru was blunt. "Because I desire your body! Once I possess it, I will help you kill Uchiha Itachi."
As Sasuke hesitated,
Kakashi Hatake appeared, placing himself between Sasuke and Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru, what are you planning?"
"To offer Sasuke a chance to kill Uchiha Itachi. Think about it, Sasuke!"
Before departing,
Orochimaru fixed Kakashi with a murderous gaze, paralyzing him with fear.
He relished in terrifying Kakashi.
After a few seconds,
Kakashi regained his composure, clenching his fists in self-disgust.
Despite his preparations, Orochimaru's presence still had this effect on him.
...
In the Land of Rain,
Within a dark cave, the masked Obito Uchiha, posing as Madara, and Black Zetsu discussed matters in hushed tones.
"Obito, Madara's identity has been exposed."
"Nagato and Konan will surely deduce that you are not the real Madara."
Black Zetsu, fearing the unraveling of their centuries-long plan, was anxious.
"Exposure is irrelevant. Our true goal is the Eye of the Moon Plan(Infinite Tsukuyomi). As long as they cooperate, my identity is inconsequential."
"Our priority is to divert the attention of the shinobi world, to prevent them from focusing on Akatsuki."
Black Zetsu's eyes gleamed with malice. "Since Madara in the vision is resurrected via Impure World Reincarnation, we can use that technique to misdirect everyone's suspicion."
"Furthermore, the technique's creator is the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, enabling us to shift the blame to Konoha!"
Obito nodded in approval.
"Black Zetsu, you truly excel!"
"I initially planned to use Orochimaru's Impure World Reincarnation to incite hatred, but you're already several steps ahead!"
"Let's proceed!"
Black Zetsu chuckled, then sank into the earth, leaving the cave.
Obito pondered how to accelerate the Eye of the Moon Plan(Infinite Tsukuyomi)
The longer they waited, the higher the risk of interference.
...