n a hospital room within the Konoha Village.
"No!"
Sasuke jolted awake from his nightmare, drenched in cold sweat.
"It was a dream? Just a dream..."
He gasped for breath, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. However, the horrifying images lingered in his mind — his nightmare had been vivid. He saw his own brother mercilessly slaughtering their family, even their parents had fallen victim!
[How could this be possible?]
Trying to comfort himself, Sasuke instinctively reached out to wipe the sweat from his forehead, only to feel a sharp pain in his arm.
He glanced down and noticed his arm was wrapped in bandages.
[When did I get hurt?]
In the next instant, memories flooded back — it was from "that night," in the dream, when Itachi's shuriken had cut him.
Realizing something was off, his eyes widened as he scanned the unfamiliar surroundings.
A strange ceiling, unfamiliar walls, an unknown bed, and the overwhelming smell of disinfectant...
"Is this a hospital?"
Sasuke's heart raced, a storm of anxiety brewing inside him. He quickly threw off the blanket and tried to get out of bed.
"Thud!"
In his haste, he nearly hit the edge of the bed. But there was no time to worry about that now.
Barefoot, Sasuke stepped onto the cold, hard tiles. Pain shot through his body, but he gritted his teeth and leaned against the wall, making his way out of the room. He overheard voices in the hallway.
"...Yes, the whole clan in just one night, it's terrifying."
"That child was the only survivor found, right? He was pretty badly injured too. What's going to happen to him now..."
[What are they talking about?]
Hiding around the corner, Sasuke felt his heart sink deeper with every word. The conversation between the nurses and doctors seemed to confirm his worst fear — that the nightmare was real.
"No adults have come to see him in these days, except for a few kids. Didn't they say he had an older brother?"
"The brother is also missing, probably perished in that same fire... It's hard to believe, the noble Uchiha clan of the village..."
Sasuke couldn't listen any longer. Ignoring the pain, he bit his lip and bolted from the hospital, racing towards his home.
[It can't be true!]
His mind screamed in denial as he dashed towards the Uchiha compound, or rather, what remained of it.
When he reached the entrance, he froze. The once familiar gate was sealed off with warning tapes. He ripped them away and stepped inside the place he once called home.
The sight before him was devastating — the houses bore signs of intense battle, the walls were scorched black from fire. He could still make out traces of the place he once knew.
Young Sasuke was overwhelmed, unable to face the harsh reality. He lowered his head and ran desperately. Every step sent jolts of pain through his body, but he felt nothing. He was driven only by the need to reach his house.
When he arrived at what should have been a familiar spot, Sasuke stopped, panting heavily, his eyes filled with disbelief.
There was nothing left.
The area before him was a barren wasteland of charred ruins.
Sasuke trembled, too scared to take a step forward into the remnants of his home. There was no familiar door to push open, no hallway he had walked alongside his father, no kitchen where his mother prepared meals, no yard where he had once sat with his brother...
Everything was gone. And that meant it was all real.
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, nearly all the Jonin and high-ranking officials of the village were gathered. The room was so crowded that some, like Might Guy, chose to stand in the hallway outside.
Given his physical prowess, Guy could easily hear everything from outside, but even he had no mood for jokes with his longtime friend Kakashi.
Inside and outside the room, everyone wore solemn expressions.
"...After thorough investigation and reports, the situation is now confirmed. Konoha will officially issue a wanted notice to the other great nations and hidden villages. The targets, as S-rank criminals and rogue ninjas, are these two individuals."
The Third Hokage set down his smoking pipe, his expression unreadable. Everyone listened as Shikaku's serious voice filled the room.
Two freshly printed wanted posters were slapped down in front of them.
"Konoha's S-rank rogue ninja, the true culprit behind the massacre of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Itachi!"
"Konoha's S-rank rogue ninja, who disappeared long ago and is suspected of involvement in the attack on the Fourth Mizukage of the Hidden Mist, former Konoha Jonin, Uchiha Shisui!"