Hearing this question, Kazuki fell silent for a second, then asked back,
"Does it matter what a ninja is?"
"Huh?"
Sasuke was stunned for a moment. He thought Kazuki would explain his understanding of what it means to be a ninja, but he never expected Kazuki to dismiss his question outright.
"Just focus on doing what you want to do. As for what a ninja is or what the Hokage stands for, isn't that irrelevant?"
"But what if I want to be a great ninja?" Sasuke asked, clearly puzzled.
"..."
Is he trying to argue? Kazuki was speechless, feeling the urge to smack him!
"Being a ninja is about doing what you truly want to do. Don't let Itachi or anyone else's so-called ninja way influence you. You're not Itachi, got it?"
Sasuke fell silent again. Kazuki noticed this and added,
"Also, don't get lost in the obsession with killing. I suggest you leave the Root for now and find a quiet place to train for a while."
"Train what? I'm already strong," Sasuke said, confused.
"Training isn't just about developing strength, it's about cultivating your heart as well."
Kazuki shook his head, guiding him, "Travel around, see more of the world, and maybe after meeting more people, you'll better understand what it means to be a ninja."
Sasuke didn't quite understand but decided to take Kazuki's advice and give it a try. After all, Kazuki had been helping him since he was a child. If it weren't for Kazuki, he might still be unable to avenge his clan, let alone learn the truth about the Uchiha massacre!
"I understand. I have one question, though."
"What is it?"
"Can I kill Danzo?"
Sasuke had almost avenged everyone responsible for the Uchiha massacre, but there was still one major enemy left: Shimura Danzo. As long as Danzo was alive, there was a lingering anger in his heart that couldn't be soothed.
Kazuki knew Sasuke's hatred toward Danzo, but at the moment, Danzo was still of use to him.
"I still have a need for Danzo, but in a couple of years, when I no longer need him, you can do whatever you want."
Sasuke was unwilling but understood that Danzo still held importance to Kazuki. He unclenched his fists slowly and nodded.
"Understood."
Kazuki was pleased with Sasuke's response and patted him on the shoulder with a smile.
"Don't worry, Danzo is yours to deal with when the time comes."
Sasuke remained expressionless, saying nothing. If it were up to him, he would kill Danzo sooner rather than later!
After giving Sasuke some advice, Kazuki disappeared from the spot. Sasuke, after burying Uchiha Itachi's body, followed Kazuki's suggestion and set off on a journey around the ninja world, leaving the small village of Konoha to see more of the world's mountains, rivers, and seas.
Three months passed in the blink of an eye.
One day, while Kazuki was sipping tea at home, wearing his black sunglasses and basking in the sun, he suddenly heard a loud explosion!
The noise startled Kazuki, and he sat up instinctively.
"Karin, what's happening?"
Karin immediately used her Mind's Eye of the Kagura technique to assess the situation.
"Kazuki-kun, it seems someone is attacking Konoha. The village's ninja are engaging the enemy."
"Attacking Konoha?" Kazuki frowned in confusion.
Who would dare attack Konoha now? Ever since Danzo took over, the overall strength of Konoha hadn't decreased, and if anything, it had become more ruthless and aggressive due to Danzo's influence. No other ninja village should be foolish enough to make a move against Konoha.
"Go find out who it is."
Karin nodded and vanished from sight. Not long after, she returned, looking a bit disheveled, with her clothes slightly torn and dust on her face.
"Were you attacked?" Kazuki asked.
Karin shook her head. "I saw several Summoning Beasts attacking children, so I stepped in to save them and got hurt in the process."
Kazuki nodded. "You still need more practice. A few Summoning Beasts shouldn't have left you in such a state."
Karin blushed and said, "Yes, but those Summoning Beasts were incredibly strong."
"Did you identify the enemy?"
"I managed to get a count of the attackers and a rough description of some of them," Karin replied, shaking her head.
"Oh, and one of them looked similar to someone who invaded Konoha before."
"Someone who invaded Konoha before?"
"Yes, about four months ago, you captured someone—his name was Kisame Hoshigaki!"
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The fanfic is finished on p@treon/tambeerg