Satoru walked back into the forest, his mind racing. As the sound of the battle receded behind him, the lingering energy in the air still held the adrenaline of the confrontation. He paused briefly and then covered one eye with his forehead protector, as he always did after a battle.
*Time to leave,* he thought, turning his back on Itachi, who was still standing in the clearing. Satoru had already walked a few steps when Itachi's voice called out to him.
"Wait!" Itachi shouted. "You haven't told me your name yet!"
Satoru didn't respond. His white hair swayed gently as he continued walking away, leaving only his retreating figure behind. *Odd,* Itachi thought, his gaze narrowing. *Who is she? Why do I feel so… familiar with her?*
He shook his head, trying to push the feeling aside. *Impossible. I've never met her before. Still… I wonder if we'll ever cross paths again.*
Itachi stood still for a long moment, staring at the spot where Satoru had disappeared, his thoughts swirling. The encounter had left him with more questions than answers.
---
Satoru returned to his quiet home and didn't make a sound as he reentered. Lying back on his familiar spot on the tree, he opened his system panel.
The battle with Obito had been a reminder that he needed to get stronger, faster. He had barely managed to bluff his way through that confrontation. More powerful enemies would emerge as time passed, and he couldn't afford to remain weak. The world would soon become a battleground, and if he didn't want to be the fish, he needed to become the sword.
Satoru studied the system panel carefully:
**[Host: Satoru Uchiha]
World: Naruto
Mantra Power Ceiling Template: Satoru Gojo
Unlock Percentage: 33%
Skills: Six Eyes (Completed Version), Cang (Incomplete Version), He (Incomplete Version)
Play Points: 1200]**
*Unlock percentage too low,* Satoru thought, frustration bubbling up. *I need to get those points up. Until then, I'm just treading water, not even tapping into the full potential of what I have.*
His battle with Obito had been mostly a mental game. He hadn't even been able to use all his abilities effectively. His energy, his so-called "mana," was barely tapping into its potential, and much of his power was still locked behind the system's limitations.
"Looks like it's time to grind for more play points," he muttered to himself. He needed more points to unlock his abilities fully and reach the level he needed to survive what was coming next.
---
Meanwhile, in the Hokage's office, Sarutobi Hiruzen sat in deep thought, staring at a picture of his late student, Minato Namikaze. The events of the past few days had left him uneasy.
"Sharingan… Vortex Masks…" Sarutobi muttered to himself, deep in thought. "Just like what Minato mentioned before he died…"
His eyes hardened as he stared at the photo of the Fourth Hokage. "The storm is coming," he sighed.
From the shadows, Danzo's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Uchiha. They should have been dealt with long ago, Hiruzen."
Sarutobi looked over at Danzo, his old friend turned rival. "Danzo… you're too harsh," Sarutobi said quietly. "You can't just wipe out an entire clan because of your biases."
Danzo scoffed, his tone dripping with disdain. "Bias? You've been too soft, Hiruzen. That's why the Uchiha have become so dangerous. It's because of your hesitation that they're still a threat. It's too late to try and handle them with kid gloves."
Sarutobi shook his head. "The Sharingan… they're not the only ones with them. You know better than anyone that things aren't as simple as you make them out to be."
Danzo's cold gaze didn't waver. "The Uchiha are inherently dangerous, Hiruzen. You've seen it yourself—how many people have died because of them? I think the true problem lies with your stubbornness."
Sarutobi remained silent for a moment, his thoughts drifting back to the words Minato had said to him before his death. *The Uchiha are a ticking time bomb.* He had ignored Minato's warning, but now, it felt like his worst fears were coming to fruition.
---
Danzo leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with cold calculation. "We both know what needs to be done. You're too soft-hearted to make the tough decisions. The Uchiha will bring about our downfall if we don't deal with them now. You're just delaying the inevitable."
Sarutobi looked at him, his gaze heavy with the weight of leadership. "You always have a solution for everything, Danzo. But I'm not so sure your way is the right way."
Danzo's voice was low and cold. "You can't keep ignoring the truth, Hiruzen. The Uchiha need to be controlled… or eliminated."
Sarutobi sighed deeply, looking down at the desk. "I don't know if I can go that far, Danzo. Killing an entire clan, even if they're dangerous, goes against everything Konoha stands for."
Danzo's eyes narrowed. "You still don't understand. This isn't about ideology—it's about survival."
After a long silence, Sarutobi finally spoke, his tone resigned. "Fine. I'll let you keep your eyes on them. But don't make any rash decisions."
Danzo stood, a cruel smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "Don't worry, Hiruzen. I'll handle it."
---
Back at the Uchiha compound, Itachi sat in his room, his mind racing. He still couldn't fully process everything that had happened—the strange girl who had saved him, the mysterious energy, and the terrifyingly powerful Uchiha Obito. He was only eight years old, but his mind had been forced to mature quickly in the face of all the danger surrounding him.
*Who was she?* Itachi thought, his mind lingering on the image of the girl who had saved his life. *And why did she feel so familiar?*
The door to his room creaked open, and Sasuke entered, his eyes wide with curiosity. "Nissan, are you alright?"
Itachi looked up at his younger brother and gave a small smile. "I'm fine, Sasuke. Don't worry."
But deep inside, Itachi knew the world around him was changing. The power struggles, the tensions—everything was coming to a head. And he wasn't sure if he was ready for what was coming next.
---
Back at the Hokage's office, Sarutobi's heart grew heavy with the weight of his responsibilities. The storm that Minato had warned him about was closer than ever. *And when it arrives,* he thought, *I may not be able to stop it.*
>>>>>
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