Naruto: The Sand Will Rise!

Uchiha Itachi stared at Mufasa with his blood-red Sharingan spinning.

"Who are you?" he asked, his voice steady but edged with suspicion.

"Why do you do these things?"

"What is your purpose?"

Itachi had joined the Anbu at just 11 years old. By 13, he had become a captain in Konoha's Black Ops division. Yet now, standing before Mufasa, he felt something unfamiliar creeping in—uncertainty.

Mufasa smiled lightly, almost amused. "Relax. I'm actually a good guy."

Itachi's eyes narrowed slightly, unimpressed. A good guy? That term meant nothing to him. A traitor, a killer, a man walking the path of darkness—there was no such thing as a simple distinction between good and evil.

"As Kazekage, it's only natural that I know many secrets," Mufasa said smoothly, brushing off Itachi's suspicion. Then, his tone took on a coaxing edge. "In fact, I've always felt sorry for how things turned out for the Uchiha."

Itachi didn't react, but Mufasa continued.

"Your clan and the Senju were the cornerstones of Konoha's founding. Without Uchiha, there would be no Konoha." He stepped forward, voice calm yet weighted. "For generations, your people shed blood, made sacrifices, and fought to protect the village. And in the end… what did they get in return? Suspicion. Isolation. Forced into a corner."

Itachi's expression didn't change, but Mufasa could tell he was listening.

"As one of the last Uchihas left… do you really not feel even a little resentment?"

Itachi wasn't a fool. He had steeled his heart the day he chose his path. No amount of words would shake him.

"Hmph," he scoffed. "I don't know how you know all this. Maybe you have ties to Danzo. But whatever your intentions are, I won't waver. I made my choice."

Mufasa shrugged. "Whether you did it for the village or for your brother, I think you made the wrong choice."

A single heartbeat passed, and in that moment, Itachi felt his composure falter—just for an instant. He forced himself to remain still, his expression blank. "You're talking nonsense. I have no regrets."

"Then let's analyze it from a leader's perspective." Mufasa gestured as he spoke. "If I were the Hokage, and I suspected a single clan of rebellion, what would be my best course of action?"

[T/N: Some may not agree with what he will say here, but he's basing his opinion from the point of view of a military leader -- which the Hokage is.]

Itachi remained silent, watching him carefully.

"First, I'd confirm that it's truly just one clan, not a larger movement." Mufasa tapped his fingers together. "If it is just one clan, the solution is simple."

"Simple?" Itachi repeated, skeptical.

"Simple," Mufasa confirmed. "No single clan can stand against an entire village. If I were Hokage, I wouldn't hesitate—I'd confront the Uchiha head-on. Bring out Konoha's full power and make them understand where they stand."

Itachi's Sharingan flickered slightly. "And if they refused?"

"Then eliminate only the ones necessary," Mufasa said flatly. "Show overwhelming strength. Just like how a wolf pack suppresses a challenger before it grows into a true threat. Konoha's biggest mistake was hesitating, doubting, and failing to act decisively. In the end, that led to the worst outcome—a total massacre."

Itachi clenched his jaw. "The Uchiha had already made up their minds. They wouldn't have submitted."

Mufasa shook his head. "That's because Konoha never showed them their full strength. Uchiha thought they had a chance because no one ever made them see otherwise. If Konoha had acted with real force, do you think the clan would've still chosen rebellion?"

Itachi didn't answer. Mufasa pressed forward.

"There are only two ways to maintain peace: either both sides have equal power and fear mutual destruction, or one side has such overwhelming strength that the other knows resistance is futile. What did Konoha do? Nothing. They let the tension fester. They let the situation spiral out of control."

He tilted his head slightly. "If the village had taken action early—if they had asserted dominance, even killed a few to make a statement—the rebellion never would've happened."

Itachi's mind spun.

He had never considered this perspective. The Hokage and the village elders had only spoken of secrecy, of covert assassinations, of culling the Uchiha from the shadows. But a direct show of force? That idea had never been on the table.

Mufasa continued, his voice steady. "Once the Uchiha were subdued, further actions could've been taken—exile, splitting the clan, integrating them elsewhere to prevent a single unified force from rising again. There were so many options before it ever had to reach extermination."

His words struck deep. And then, the final blow:

"If they had handled it differently… Sasuke wouldn't have grown up alone."

Itachi's breath hitched.

The mention of his brother hit him harder than any genjutsu ever could. His Sharingan dimmed slightly, the weight of years of choices pressing down on him.

Had he made the wrong decision?

Had there been another way?

His heart pounded in his chest as cracks formed in his once-unshakable resolve.

No.

He clenched his fists, gripping onto his convictions. No.

He covered his face for a moment, taking a slow breath.

"You…" He lowered his hands, eyes burning once more. "You are a devil."

Mufasa merely smiled.

"No. I'm a good guy." His voice was light, almost teasing. "I just wanted to save the good people of your Uchiha clan."

Save the Uchiha?

Itachi Uchiha froze.

Mufasa nodded. "Don't you think your clan needs saving? You and your brother are the only ones left. Without you two, the long and proud legacy of the Uchiha will be nothing but a memory."

Itachi remained firm. "We don't need your help. Sasuke will grow stronger and protect Konoha. As for me, I don't need saving."

Mufasa smirked slightly. "Konoha can't protect anyone."

Itachi's expression hardened. "No matter what you say, Konoha is still better than your Sand Village."

"That's not necessarily true." Mufasa shrugged, then extended an invitation. "Why don't you see for yourself? Visit the Sand Village. I'm confident that once you witness our strength, you'll realize that settling there would be the best choice for you and your brother."

Itachi narrowed his eyes. "Is that your goal?"

"Exactly," Mufasa admitted without hesitation. "I'm building up the Sand Village, and strong shinobi like you and Sasuke would be invaluable. Join us, and I'll ensure you're treated like royalty."

He paused before adding, "And that illness of yours—your chest pains, the blood you cough up—I can treat you. You'd be free from it."

Itachi scoffed. "Are you finished?"

"I am," Mufasa said simply. "I'll be waiting in the Sand Village."

Itachi gave him a long, unreadable look before vanishing in a blur.

Mufasa watched him leave, a knowing smile on his lips.

"We'll meet again, Uchiha Itachi."

He turned and headed back to camp, while hidden Konoha Anbu operatives, who had been watching from the shadows, snapped out of their trance.

One of them, Yamato, thought he had been following Mufasa the entire time. He had no idea that he had been caught in Itachi's genjutsu. Oblivious, he returned to the Root headquarters to report.

"Danzo-sama," Yamato said respectfully. "Kazekage Mufasa and Hokage-sama did nothing unusual after their meeting. He returned to camp without issue."

Danzo nodded approvingly. "Good. Let's hope this 'Kazekage' behaves himself."

He glanced at Yamato. "Well done. You may go."

"Yes, sir."

The next day.

The formal Two Kage summit began.

Inside the grand conference room, Mufasa sat at one end of the long table, clad in his full Kazekage regalia—hat, cloak, and robes, his demeanor serious.

At the other end, Tsunade, fully dressed in her Hokage attire, matched his formality with her own imposing presence.

Behind Mufasa stood his aides, Temari and Baki.

Behind Tsunade stood her advisors: Mitokado Homura, Koharu Utatane, Shimura Danzo, and her assistant, Shizune.

Mufasa glanced at Tsunade. Gone was the relaxed, easy-going woman from the night before. She now wore a rigid expression, every trace of their camaraderie erased.

He sighed inwardly.

Fake cigarettes, fake liquor, fake friends.

Tsunade caught the amusement in his eyes and shot him a sharp look. "Kazekage, let's keep this professional. Stay focused."

Mufasa chuckled. "Of course. Let's begin. Do you have any objections to the four points I proposed?"

Tsunade nodded. "No issues with points two, three, and four. But the first point—"

Mufasa smirked knowingly. "Ah, the compensation issue."

Tsunade exhaled, her tone firm. "Sand attacked Konoha. It's already generous that we're not demanding reparations from you. How can you expect compensation from us, Mufasa?"

Mufasa leaned back. "I've already explained the reasons. I won't repeat myself. Konoha was the one who set these events in motion. I'd hope you'd recognize that."

A scoff echoed from the other side of the table.

"Hmph!"

Shimura Danzo's voice was cold. "Your Sand Village was too weak to handle its own internal affairs, forcing the Daimyo to transfer missions to us. That's not our fault—it's yours. Weakness is not an excuse to demand leniency."

Temari and Baki tensed at the insult. "Who do you think you are, speaking so arrogantly?" Temari snapped.

Danzo sat unfazed. "I am Shimura Danzo."

Temari frowned. She was unfamiliar with him, but Baki stiffened. He had heard plenty about Konoha's shadowy overlord. His gaze turned wary.

Tsunade shot Danzo a warning glare. "Danzo, this is a formal meeting. Watch your words."

Danzo didn't flinch. "Lady Hokage, I am merely reminding you of the stance Konoha should take as the dominant village."

Tsunade's patience wore thin. "I don't need your input. Stay out of it."

Silence fell over the room—until a slow clap rang out.

Mufasa was clapping.

Everyone turned to him, eyes narrowing.

"Well said, Danzo," Mufasa praised, his voice light, but his gaze sharp. "You're absolutely right. Weakness has no place in this world. Those who are weak can't expect mercy."

His gaze locked onto Danzo, sharp as an eagle's.

Then his expression darkened. "But... what if I'm stronger?"

The air in the room grew heavy.

Danzo's single visible eye narrowed.

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Word count: 1678

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