Naruto: Reborn with the Template System

Shisui didn't respond.

He understood Itachi's state of mind. No matter the reasons behind that bloody night, the reality couldn't be erased:

Itachi had wiped the Uchiha Clan off the face of the earth.

With his own hands… he had killed their parents.

That was a weight that would never vanish. Not in this lifetime.

After a long silence, Itachi finally spoke again.

"Shisui… if Sasuke doesn't walk the path I envisioned after killing me… please use your Kotoamatsukami."

"No."

Shisui's cold reply cut through the air like a blade.

"You already made me keep quiet that night. You convinced me not to tell Sasuke the truth."

"I listened and he lived in the dark for six full years because of it. Now you want to rewrite his path again with genjutsu?!"

His voice was sharp with anger, but steady.

"His future is his own. You don't get to choose it. Not anymore."

Itachi's Mangekyō Sharingan swirled faintly.

"At the time… he was just a child."

"He's not a child anymore," Shisui snapped.

"You're underestimating him."

He paused.

"But if his choice leads him to turn against Konoha…"

BOOM—BOOM—BOOM!

Their conversation was interrupted as jets of water suddenly erupted from the far end of Iwagakure. A coded signal.

Shisui and Itachi's expressions changed at once.

That was Kisame's diversion signal.

Time to move.

"I won't ask again. But Shisui…" Itachi turned, his cloak billowing as he jumped from the mountain ridge.

"Don't stop me."

Shisui followed without a word.

The two Uchiha friends since childhood...now walked separate paths. One clinging to hope.

The other preparing to die.

Two days later.

A diplomatic letter arrived in Konoha from the Land of Earth.

The news was incendiary.

Akatsuki members Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui had launched an assault on Iwagakure… and captured Five Tails Jinchūriki Han.

The implications were staggering.

Not only was Akatsuki attacking Hidden Villages directly, but now the infamous pair of Uchiha formerly of Konoha were involved.

And that wasn't all.

Just days prior, another incident had occurred at the Land of Earth's border.

Uchiha Sasuke had fought and injured multiple Rock Shinobi while trespassing on their land.

Clearly, he was searching for Itachi.

Namikaze Minato sat in the Hokage's office, shoulders heavy with pressure.

Across from him stood Naruto, silent. Beside him Kushina, worried, and other elite jōnin like Kakashi, Guy, and Anko.

With visible reluctance, Minato finally spoke.

"Due to these two incidents, and Sasuke's repeated refusal to obey orders... I have no choice. I hereby declare Uchiha Sasuke as an A-rank missing-nin."

Naruto flinched.

"Dad!"

He stepped forward, fists clenched, pleading in his voice. "You can't do this! He's not—he's not a traitor!"

"SILENCE."

Kakashi's voice cut in sharp as a whip. He grabbed Naruto's arm and pulled him back.

"You want to be Hokage, don't you?"

Naruto's lips trembled. "I…"

"Then act like it. Your father isn't doing this because he wants to. He has to."

Naruto lowered his head, biting his lip.

Minato sighed heavily.

"Sasuke's crimes are still reparable. If we bring him back now, we can smooth this over with the Land of Earth."

Anko crossed her arms. "We've confirmed he passed through the northwestern region of the Fire Country. It's possible he received a message… and went to find Itachi."

Minato nodded. "That's your mission. Assemble your teams. Bring Sasuke back."

Just then, Hanabi raised her hand.

"Uh, sorry, but before he left, Guts-sensei told my sister and me not to interfere in the matter between the Uchiha brothers."

The room tensed.

Minato frowned. "Did he say why?"

Hinata stepped forward. "He said… this is something only they can settle. Outsiders shouldn't get involved."

"Are you kidding me?!" Naruto exploded, eyes wild.

"You're just going to leave Sasuke to fight Itachi alone?! He could DIE!"

"NARUTO!"

Kakashi barked, and Naruto froze again.

Minato took a breath, steadying his thoughts.

"…Hinata. Hanabi. You two will remain in Konoha. The rest—go. This mission can't wait."

Diplomacy was a balancing act.

Even if Konoha could crush Iwa in raw strength, peace came from respect not intimidation.

They couldn't afford to act like Cloud Shinobi using force and arrogance. Peace required parity.

And this situation?

This was war waiting to happen.

Just as predicted, Sasuke had found Itachi's message.

The brothers were fated to meet...just as Itachi had planned.

But not because he wanted victory.

Because he wanted to die.

"Once Sasuke awakens his Mangekyō… his power will surge. Maybe then… he'll be ready."

Itachi sat in silence, his thoughts heavy.

If Sasuke could kill him a branded traitor it would make Sasuke a hero.

A savior.

He could return to Konoha not as an avenger…

…but as the last light of Uchiha.

But fate rarely follows plans.

Shisui had refused to use Kotoamatsukami.

Guts was silent, offering no interference.

And Itachi…

He didn't care anymore.

He had made up his mind years ago.

No one could change it now.

Not Shisui.

Not Guts.

Just as no one can wake a man pretending to sleep…

No one can stop a man who wants to die.

PS: 🚀 𝘉𝘪𝘨 𝘕𝘦𝘸𝘴: 𝘔𝘺 𝘕𝘦𝘸 𝘕𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭 𝘐𝘴 𝘈𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘦𝘵 𝘚𝘢𝘪𝘭! 🚢✨ 𝘊𝘩𝘦𝘤𝘬 𝘐𝘵 𝘖𝘶𝘵 𝘐𝘧 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘔𝘢𝘺.

(𝘛𝘢𝘨𝘨𝘦𝘥 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘸: 𝘚𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘰𝘸 𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘤𝘩 𝘪𝘯 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘔𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦)

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