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Sasuke's POV (Edge of Western River Plains of Irminsul - Terra)
Evening
The wolves' tailing lasted most of the day. Although their targets were unaware of their tailing, they seemed cautious and jittery. During their travel, the group noticed that the wolves would backtrack, go in circles, and even hide from any living creature they encountered.
It seemed the wolves had been ordered by their master to be careful when
returning to their home. Through their diligent efforts, it took them quite a while to reach their destination. The wolves led them to a massive plateau that lay between the two sections of the Eastern Forest and Western River Plains. This location was covered in shiny crystal spires and beautiful pine trees. Even from a distance, the group could see dozens of wolves traveling through the plateau between the spires and trees. There was an occasional cave from which lights of fire shone.
As much as Sasuke, and to his dismay, Naruto had been keen on launching an assault on the base right then and there. But it had been nearly dark by then, and if they did so, they risked causing a rampage of Demon Crawlers, leaving them trapped inside unfamiliar territory with an unknown amount of foes. Even Naruto, the fool, had concluded they would have to wait till the next day.
Scanning Eyes and Crushing Eagle had led them to one of the Taka Clan outposts, located on top of a tree whose thick branches had been removed and used to form a shockingly soft giant nest on top, so high up that clouds drifted around them. His new familiar had assured him the demons would not sense them there and had informed him they needed to go for the night. They had to report their success to the Taka and get the official summoning scroll since they could not summon one. Sasuke had seen no problem with this and sent them off.
High up as they were, the air was cold, and Naruto and Sasuke had to use their combined mastery over the nature of elements of wind and fire to warm up the nest since the dry wood would not allow them to light a fire. Naruto and Sasuke had unsealed some of the camping supplies Muri had prepared, allowing the group to rest on high-quality sleeping bags and light a gas lantern. Giving the group limited lighting.
Naruto and Muri had drawn the last and longest shift of the night, Yuno the middle, and Sasuke the beginning. Sasuke chose to watch over them at the top of a nearby tree. Using his limited sensing ability, Sasuke sensed several disturbing presences nearby. One he assumed would have to belong to the Crawling Demons; however, each was on the move and seemingly unaware of their presence.
The night sky was fully bespeckled with countless stars, and the moon shone brilliantly. It was quite the site, and with the quiet soundtrack of the forest around him, Sasuke could admit to feeling relaxed. Saving Yuno had been his priority, and such was mostly done now to rescue Hinata, Shino, and the others.
Sasuke had always valued solitude. His mother was loving but openly supportive of their fall due to their "betrayal." They never argued over this, but their relationship had always been quite the strain. Shisui was more supportive but also openly seemed to be vetting Sasuke. That left only three people Sasuke consistently found enjoyable to be around.
Yuno was his blood and a fellow Uchiha who fully supported his aims even if she seemed unsure more often than not. It helped that she was intelligent and skilled as well, was one of the few not scared off by his intensity, and was very affectionate to him, which Sauske would admit only himself he enjoyed. Hinata was different simply because he was the kindest person he had ever met. She was genuinely caring and emphatic, and despite that, she held a hidden strength that Sasuke respected. Not to mention, Hinata was the only teammate he had. Shino rounded out the group. The man was just as pessimistic and intuitive as Sasuke, focused on business and driven to succeed. He also, like Sasuke, could have been more social as well. Sasuke was surprised to find kinship with an Aburame, but with his loyalty, dry wit, and intelligence, he saw the man as a worthy companion.
So, the entire trip to Irminsul was one of tension for Sasuke. Not only were those he cared about in danger, but they were also those he felt he couldn't do without. The years and mystery regarding his clan had been hard on Sasuke, and they offered all too welcomed relief. All the same, Sasuke often fell back on old habits. It felt easier to relax without someone else around.
Hence, Sasuke sighed as the sound of someone approaching broke through. Glancing beneath him, he saw Naruto approaching. Sasuke was surprised he was awake, but the Uchiha sensed the blonde wanted to talk to him alone.
"Naruto." He acknowledged simply.
"Hey there, Uchiha," Naruto said as he walked up to Sasuke's level and sat beside him on the branch. I was looking for you; I should've figured you would be off somewhere like this."
"A better vantage point for the watch; I suggest you do the same," Sasuke answered politely. He was tired and in for a couple more hours of boring watch. Despite that, he felt awkward around the blonde; in a year, he had gone from someone he despised to someone he begrudgingly respected.
"I'm sure you know I didn't come up here for small talk. Subtlety has never been a strong suit of mine; I prefer to be upfront." Naruto started. "So I'm just gonna speak what's on my mind. Your cousin Yuno and I discussed you, one where she asked me to look out for you."
"Forgive her. She's a worrier." Sasuke remarked casually.
"Maybe," Naruto said reluctantly. "But she never seemed to be the type ask for help over nothing. If she asked me, she must have had some valid concerns."
Sasuke grunted, looking into the sky, intent on ignoring the blonde. However, he could feel Naruto's eyes bore into the side of his head as he waited for an answer. A minute of silence turned to two, three, four, and Sasuke felt Naruto staring and waiting. 'Subborn blonde, we need to work together, however… suppose some give and take is required.'
"Have you heard of the old Uchiha Coop?" Sasuke asked. "Actually, don't answer. Of course, you have. The famed Uchiha Clan of the Leaf is one of the founding clans. One of the world's most prestigious and feared clans that were only growing in power was allied and loyal to the strongest village. All the same, things were not all well; due to our status, we originally ran the Police Force of the Leaf. But as time went on, discontent grew between the Leaf as a whole and the Uchiha Clan. The Senju and Hyuga had always been less than ecstatic about us; we lacked positions of power despite our influence and infamy. Then the Kyuubi attacked… a random attack that cost us Minato Namikaze, largely considered the greatest Hokage to live…"
"Um, this is cool and all but-"
"To understand why Yuno worries, you must understand my goal and motivations. To do that, you must have the full context. You can listen and attempt to keep to your word to aid me to my cousin or yap on, and I'll silence myself." Sasuke warned. Naruto sighed heavily, settling down on the branch and nodding for him to continue.
"The attack was devastating for our clans and the shinobi and civilian life. Millions of Ryo in damage, countless shinobi and civilians lost, even our Hokage… but one question haunted the mind of the villagers. Why? Why was the Kyuubi freed on that day, why did it attack the Leaf, and why did it take so long to stop it. Reports from that day claim that a man was seen supposedly controlling the Kyuubi. This feat can only be done by three types of people; Jinchuriki, Fuijutsu masters, or Uchiha. Jinchuriki and Fuijutsu masters were unlikely; both were rare and unlikely to be the culprit. So the blame had to fall on someone; the Uchiha Clan was accused by a vocal minority. Most were wise enough to realize such was false, but due to these rumors, anti-Uchiha sentiment rose to an all-time high. So much so that a breaking point was only to be expected."
"So the Uchiha rebelled. They felt underappreciated and represented and made a move to take over…" Naruto mused.
"According to the official report, my father, Fubachi Uchiha, and my elder brother, Itachi Uchiha, slowly gained support and planned a coop. Leaf loyalists from within the clan reported such to the Hokage. With the full might of the village and spies within the Uchiha at his disposal, somehow, the Uchiha were crushed, and the majority either killed or imprisoned. But the full details were always blurry. The exact details of the coup, who discovered it and betrayed the Uchiha, and how one of the most powerful clans was destroyed in a night without most villagers unaware were never released. Regardless, however, most accepted the story given; the Uchiha were completely eradicated in a night. And with their apparent betrayal, they exposed their prestige and fame, which they had spent decades building and destroying." Sasuke explained. "However, I am the heir of the Uchiha, the son of Fugaku Uchiha, and the future Clan head of them. As such a man, how can I accept the status of our clan? How can I not question the lack of details and oddity of such a thing? No, I can't and won't. I intend to investigate this "coup" to see why and how it happened and expose it finally to the public. Once I do so, I'll redeem us and show that we aren't the traitors we're painted out to be. Then I'll hunt down anyone found to set up the Uchiha and discover the fate of those "traitorous" Uchiha."
Naruto frowned, obviously thinking deeply. "But what if your clan were traitors? If the village and most people think so, don't you think chances are it's true?"
"I recognize jumping to the conspiracy may seem impulsive. But I assure you I only seek the truth if my clan… If my clan did plan to betray the Leaf, I would prove such to everyone and serve loyalty to make up for it. But I must know for certain, and if the story told was a lie, I must correct it. I care not for who stands in my way, how possible it is, or what I must do to achieve it." Sasuke declared boldly, glaring into the sky as anger trickled into him. "Forget what Yuno said, I don't need anyone watching out for me."
"Nah."
"Excuse me?" Sasuke asked incredulously.
"Can't do that, Yuno. Somehow, you are both friends, and I promised I'd watch out for you." Naruto answered simply.
Sasuke growled. "You may be strong, Naruto Uzumaki, but you are much too naive to help me in my quest."
"Naive?"
"You have the guts to face any threat, the strength to stand opposed to them, and quite the backup in that beast inside you. But you lack the dedication to truly do anything to succeed. You would never quit but fail if it went against your morals and ideals. Such is the nativity of the highest order. Yuno thinks we are similar, and in many ways, she's right. But the difference is that I will never fail my goal regardless of what that takes." Sasuke explained, looking Naruto right in the eye.
"You're wrong." The blond vehemently countered. "Maybe I am naive, but I will not fail at my goal. I just refuse to achieve it unless it's the right way. People often betray who they are just to achieve something, but to me, that means you quit. It's not that I can't take the darker and harder path to achieve the goal. It's that I refuse to compromise; I want what I want the way I want it. And I know if I never give up and give it everything I have until death I can get it…" The blonde stood and dropped from the branch, stopping himself just before he collided with the nest using wind nature. "Besides, what's the point of achieving what I want only to be ashamed of how I did it?" Naruto asked as he left Sasuke to ponder over the conversation.