At the end of Konoha's 56th year, under the decision of the new Uchiha clan patriarch, Shisui, the Uchiha family collectively decided to relocate to Cloud Shinobi Village.
"Has it really come to this? No, perhaps this is the best choice for the Uchiha," mused the patriarch of a Nara clan, Nara Shikaku, after hearing the news. His expression showed little surprise, more a sense of inevitability. After all, Cloud Shinobi's forces had been halved after the last war. With the Uchiha clan now joining, it might actually be a good thing. At the very least, the Uchiha wouldn't face the harsh criticism they endured in Konoha.
When Shisui proposed the move, nearly no one from the Uchiha clan opposed it. All the radicals had perished, leaving only those who had been tempered by suffering—the doves—and women, children, and the less capable.
"Move to Cloud Shinobi Village?"
That night, when Sasuke returned home, he learned of the decision from his mother, Uchiha Mikoto, now the matriarch of the only surviving branch of the clan. His eyes widened in shock.
"Yes," Mikoto replied, as she brought dinner to Sasuke, a forced smile on her face.
"What do you think, Sasuke?" she asked, though her tone revealed hesitation.
Sasuke hesitated for a moment, then suddenly the image of a goofy, smiling face with yellow hair appeared in his mind. He shook his head violently to banish the thought. Then, looking at his mother, he said firmly, "I'll go wherever you go, Mom."
Mikoto smiled from the heart, her hand gently ruffling Sasuke's hair. "Silly boy, don't worry about me. You can make your own decision."
"No," Sasuke said quickly. "Your thoughts are the most important thing."
With that, a flash of intense hatred flickered in his eyes. "I will protect you, Mom, and I will kill that guy to avenge Dad."
At the mention of Itachi, Mikoto's face turned pale. She had always felt that the situation wasn't as simple as it appeared. From what she knew of her eldest son, Uchiha Itachi, she couldn't believe that he would do something so extreme purely for the sake of power.
...
...
A week later, outside the gates of Konoha, hundreds of Uchiha clansmen—comprising Genin, women, and children—stood ready. Accompanied by many ninjas from Cloud Shinobi, who had been tasked with escorting them, they were preparing to depart for Cloud Shinobi Village.
In the original timeline, Uchiha's rebellion had led them to leave Konoha, choosing a path of self-reliance. However, it was clear that such a path was impractical. Not to mention whether the four elder shinobi would allow them to leave, the Sharingan, one of the world's most infamous bloodline limits, made it inevitable that other villages would take advantage of their departure. It was only a matter of time before they were surrounded and suppressed, just like the Uzumaki clan before them.
And now, that situation had come to pass.
Uchiha wanted to leave, and Cloud Shinobi, under Konoha's control, needed reinforcements. The timing couldn't have been more perfect.
"Is everyone here?" Uchiha Shisui, the patriarch, stood at the forefront of the line, looking at the Uchiha family—a group primarily made up of women, children, and the elderly. He took a deep breath before beginning, "Then, let's—"
"Wait!!"
Before Shisui could finish, a child's shout from behind him instantly drew Sasuke's attention. A familiar figure with yellow hair was running toward them at full speed.
Sasuke's eyes nearly popped out in surprise. "You..."
"Sasuke, you idiot! You're leaving Konoha without telling anyone?!"
Naruto rushed up to Sasuke, out of breath, pointing an accusatory finger at him.
"Everyone in the village knows, you know!" Sasuke's voice was full of disbelief.
"I can't believe you're being this stupid!"
Sasuke could tell that Naruto was being his usual reckless self, but he didn't expect him to be this foolish.
"I don't care! Do you think you can run away without settling things with me? I won't let you get away with it!" Naruto shouted, furious.
BOOM!
Just then, a sharp blow struck Naruto on the top of his head, causing a large bump to form, the same kind of bump that Nohara Shinnosuke would've gotten.
Suddenly, Kushina grabbed her son by the back of his collar and smiled mischievously.
"Oh, hehe~ Sorry, this kid's getting rowdy again. He is just like Minato, stop causing trouble!"
Kushina held Naruto in her hand as though she were twisting a rabbit, scolding him playfully.
"Mom, I'm talking about something important!" Naruto retorted with unexpected boldness, facing his mother's fiery temper.
However, when Kushina raised her fist again, Naruto's bravado instantly vanished.
Sasuke, who had been watching all of this, couldn't help but feel a sense of deep confusion.
This idiot...
His mother, Uchiha Mikoto, noticed the change in Sasuke's expression. After a few moments of thought, she turned to Shisui and asked, "Shisui... uh, patriarch, I mean..."
"Mikoto-san, just call me Shisui, as always," Uchiha Shisui responded with a gentle smile.
"Sorry." Uchiha Mikoto placed her hands on her younger son's shoulders and said, "I've been thinking, and I believe Sasuke and I should stay in Konoha."
Sasuke turned to his mother in shock, his eyes wide with disbelief. Though he tried to hide it, the flash of joy that crossed his face didn't escape Uchiha Mikoto's notice.
Shisui paused for a moment, surprised by her decision, but quickly nodded. "No problem."
He turned to the rest of the group and asked, "Is anyone else planning to stay in Konoha? It's not too late."
But no one else seemed to have any attachment to the place. Many were already looking forward to starting a new life in Cloud Shinobi.
"Then, let's go." Seeing the lack of further objections, Shisui gave the signal for everyone to depart.
"Mikoto-san, Sasuke... I'll see you both later." Before leaving, Shisui addressed the two with a final farewell.
"You'll make a great patriarch, Shisui," Uchiha Mikoto said with a soft smile.
"Goodbye, Brother Shisui. I'll train hard and make sure to kill that man." Sasuke bowed his head slightly and spoke with cold determination.
Shisui's eyes flickered with momentary hesitation, but he said nothing. He turned and left without another word.
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