Blood of Two Clans: The Crimson Sharingan

The night sky bled crimson over Konoha, an ominous harbinger of the chaos to come. Uchiha Fugaku slipped through shadows with practiced stealth, his footfalls silent against the damp earth. This meeting could cost him everything—his position, his honor, perhaps even his life. But some forces transcended duty and clan.

Uzumaki Kushina waited at their usual spot, fiery red hair gleaming under fractured moonlight. Even now, six months pregnant, she radiated power that made his Sharingan pulse in response.

"You shouldn't have come," she whispered, but her fingers intertwined with his anyway. "Minato suspects something."

Fugaku's jaw tightened. "Let him. I won't abandon you—or our child."

Thunder cracked overhead, nature itself protesting their forbidden union. The Fourth Hokage's wife carrying an Uchiha's child—a scandal that would shatter the village's fragile peace. Minato believed the baby was his, a deception Kushina maintained to protect them all. The child would have both bloodlines—Uchiha and Uzumaki—a combination never before seen.

"The seal is weakening," Kushina placed Fugaku's palm against her swollen belly. "The Nine-Tails senses the Uchiha chakra in the baby. It's... agitated."

"We need to strengthen the—"

A sudden presence made them freeze. Masked, cloaked in darkness, a single Sharingan burning through an eyehole.

"How touching," the stranger's voice slithered around them. "The head of the Uchiha clan and the Nine-Tails jinchūriki. What would Konoha say?"

Fugaku activated his Sharingan, pushing Kushina behind him. "Who are you?"

The masked man chuckled. "Someone with great interest in your... arrangement. A child of Uchiha and Uzumaki blood? The potential is... extraordinary."

"Leave now," Fugaku commanded, hands already forming seals.

"I'll go," the stranger conceded, swirling distortion pulling at his form. "But I'll return when the child is born. Such power shouldn't be wasted in this corrupt village."

He vanished, leaving only his threat hanging in the air.

Kushina clutched Fugaku's arm, her violet eyes wide. "He knows. Fugaku, what do we do?"

Fugaku stared at the space where the masked man had stood, dread crystallizing in his veins. "We prepare. And when the time comes... we fight."

Neither could have predicted how soon that fight would arrive—or its devastating cost.

Twelve years later, a boy raced across Konoha's rooftops, cackling wildly. Behind him, two Chunin pursuers cursed his name.

"NARUTO! Get back here, you little demon!"

Naruto Uzumaki vaulted over a chimney, paint cans dangling from his belt. Below, the Hokage Monument bore his artistic improvements—garish colors splashed across stoic faces, including his father's.

"Gotta catch me first!" he taunted, crimson eyes flashing with mischief.

Those eyes—so unlike his father's blue ones—were the first hint of his complicated heritage. Red irises that occasionally flashed with something more when emotions ran high. The village whispered about them, about how the Nine-Tails' influence had stained the Fourth Hokage's son.

Only three people knew the truth: Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage who had retaken his position after Minato's death; Jiraiya of the Sannin; and Kakashi Hatake, Minato's former student.

Naruto skidded around a corner, nearly colliding with a pink-haired girl.

"Watch it, idiot!" Sakura Haruno scowled, stepping aside.

"Sorry, Sakura-chan!" Naruto grinned, momentum unbroken. "Can't stop! Being chased!"

"Again?" Sakura rolled her eyes. "You're such a loser, Naruto."

The words stung, but he didn't slow. Used to rejection, Naruto channeled the hurt into speed, leaving his pursuers further behind.

He ducked into an alley and pressed against the wall, breathing hard. His fingers traced the whisker marks on his cheeks—another anomaly, another reason for sideways glances and hushed conversations when he passed.

"Stupid villagers," he muttered. "I'll show them all someday."

A shadow fell across him. "You'll show them what? How to fail the graduation exam three times running?"

Naruto looked up to find Iruka-sensei standing over him, arms crossed and vein pulsing in his forehead.

"Ah, Iruka-sensei! I was just, um, practicing my stealth techniques!"

"Save it," Iruka grabbed his collar. "You're cleaning every inch of that paint off the monument. And then we're discussing why the son of the Fourth Hokage insists on dishonoring his father's memory."

Naruto's smile faltered. "He's not even alive to care."

"That's not the point, Naruto. You have a legacy to—"

"Yeah, yeah, a legacy to uphold." Naruto broke free from Iruka's grip. "Everyone expects so much, but nobody actually sees me."

For a moment, something flickered in his crimson eyes—a pattern, rapidly forming and fading. Iruka's breath caught, but he dismissed it as a trick of the light.

"The graduation exam is tomorrow," Iruka said, voice softening. "Focus on that instead of these pranks. Your father would have wanted—"

"Don't tell me what he would have wanted!" Naruto snapped, unexpected anger flaring. "You didn't know him like I did!"

The irony of his words hit him immediately—Naruto hadn't known his father at all. The Fourth had died the night he was born, sealing the Nine-Tails into his own son.

Iruka sighed. "Let's clean up the monument. Then ramen, my treat."

Naruto's mood instantly brightened. "Real talk? Ichiraku's?"

"Yes, but only if you put actual effort into cleaning."

"Deal!"

As they walked toward the monument, Naruto scratched absently at his eyes. They'd been burning lately, especially when his emotions peaked. Another weird thing nobody could explain.

From a nearby rooftop, a silver-haired Jōnin observed, his single visible eye narrowed in calculation. Kakashi Hatake had been watching Naruto for years, noting every anomaly, every inconsistency with Minato's genetics.

The boy's chakra reserves were enormous, even accounting for the Nine-Tails—classic Uzumaki trait from his mother. But those eyes... neither Minato nor Kushina had red eyes.

"It's starting," Kakashi murmured to himself. "Sooner than we expected."

He disappeared in a swirl of leaves, heading for the Hokage Tower with news that would change everything.

The next morning, Naruto sat in the Academy classroom, jittery with nerves. Today's test would determine if he finally became a genin or faced the humiliation of a fourth failure.

"Settle down, everyone," Iruka called from the front. "Today's examination will test your mastery of the Clone Jutsu."

Naruto's stomach dropped. Clone Jutsu—his worst technique. No matter how hard he practiced, his clones always emerged sickly and malformed, collapsing within seconds.

Across the room, Sasuke Uchiha—last survivor of the massacre that had decimated his clan—sat with practiced indifference. Top of the class, adored by girls, respected by teachers. Everything Naruto wasn't.

"What are you staring at, loser?" Sasuke caught his gaze.

"Thinking about how I'm gonna outshine you today, believe it!" Naruto shot back.

Sasuke scoffed. "You couldn't outshine a candle."

"Watch me, jerk!"

"Naruto!" Iruka barked. "Pay attention!"

One by one, students were called to the adjoining room. One by one, they returned with brand new forehead protectors displaying Konoha's leaf symbol.

When Naruto's turn came, he walked into the examination room on trembling legs.

"Alright, Naruto," Iruka smiled encouragingly. "Create three clones."

Naruto formed the hand signs, focusing his chakra. "Clone Jutsu!"

A massive surge of power erupted from him—far more than the technique required. Smoke filled the room. When it cleared, a single, pathetic clone lay twitching on the floor, its complexion gray and features distorted.

"Fail," declared Mizuki, the second examiner.

"Wait," Iruka frowned. "Naruto, try again. But this time, use less chakra."

"I'm trying!" Frustration boiled over. "I can't control it!"

"That's the problem," Iruka explained. "You have extraordinary chakra reserves, but your control is—"

"Terrible," Mizuki finished. "I'm sorry, Naruto, but we can't pass you."

Naruto's vision blurred with unshed tears. As anger and disappointment surged, a strange sensation crawled through his eyes—a burning, pulsating feeling unlike anything he'd experienced before.

"Are you okay?" Iruka asked, noticing his discomfort.

"Fine," Naruto muttered, rubbing his eyes furiously. "Just... disappointed."

Later, Naruto sat alone on his usual swing outside the Academy, watching families congratulate their children. No one awaited him with proud smiles or celebratory dinners. The Fourth Hokage's son—the village pariah—had failed again.

"It's not fair," he whispered. "I try harder than anyone."

"It really isn't fair," Mizuki's voice came from behind.

Naruto looked up to find the white-haired chunin regarding him with sympathetic eyes.

"Iruka is tough on you because he sees your potential," Mizuki said, sitting beside him. "But between us... there's another way to graduate."

"Another way?"

Mizuki leaned closer, voice dropping conspiratorially. "A special test, reserved for students with... unique circumstances. Are you interested?"

Naruto's crimson eyes gleamed with renewed hope. "Tell me everything."

Midnight found Naruto deep in the forest, surrounded by scattered scrolls and torn parchment. The Scroll of Sealing—Konoha's repository of forbidden techniques—lay open before him.

"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu," he read aloud. "Creates solid clones instead of illusions. Warning: requires enormous chakra reserves." A grin split his face. "Perfect!"

For hours he practiced, pushing his body to its limits, unaware that Mizuki's "special test" was an elaborate betrayal. By stealing the scroll, Naruto had unwittingly become a pawn in the chunin's scheme to acquire forbidden jutsu and flee the village.

When Iruka finally found him, Naruto was exhausted but elated.

"Iruka-sensei! I did it! I mastered the jutsu from the scroll. Does this mean I graduate now?"

Iruka's expression shifted from anger to confusion. "What are you talking about?"

"The special graduation test! Mizuki-sensei told me if I learned a jutsu from this scroll, you'd let me become a genin!"

Understanding dawned on Iruka's face, followed swiftly by alarm. "Naruto, get down!"

He shoved the boy aside as a barrage of kunai sliced through the air. One embedded itself in Iruka's thigh, drawing a pained grunt.

Mizuki appeared on a nearby branch, two massive shuriken strapped to his back. "Well done finding him first, Iruka."

"So that's how it is," Iruka winced, pulling the kunai free. "You used Naruto to steal the scroll."

"Mizuki-sensei?" Naruto looked between the two adults, confusion evident. "What's going on?"

"Give me the scroll, Naruto," Mizuki commanded. "Iruka's afraid of you having it. Afraid of you learning the truth."

"What truth?" Naruto's voice wavered.

"Don't, Mizuki!" Iruka shouted. "It's forbidden!"

Mizuki's laugh cut through the night. "The truth about why the village hates you, Naruto. Why they whisper 'demon' when you pass. Why the great Fourth Hokage's son is treated like garbage."

"The Fourth was my father," Naruto said defensively. "Everyone knows that."

"Oh yes, Minato Namikaze was your father... officially." Mizuki's grin turned feral. "But have you never wondered about those red eyes of yours? About the whisker marks? About why your chakra feels so... different?"

Something cold slithered down Naruto's spine. Questions that had haunted him for years—suddenly on the verge of answers.

"Twelve years ago, the Nine-Tailed Fox attacked our village. The Fourth Hokage didn't kill it as you were told—he sealed it inside a newborn baby. Inside you, Naruto."

"That's not new information," Naruto retorted. "Old Man Hokage told me years ago."

Mizuki's eyes widened momentarily before his smirk returned. "Did he tell you everything, though? Did he tell you that your mother, Kushina Uzumaki, was having an affair? That the noble Fourth's wife was sleeping with the head of the Uchiha clan?"

The world seemed to stop. "What?"

"Mizuki, STOP!" Iruka lunged forward, but a shuriken from Mizuki's back slammed into his chest, pinning him to a tree.

"Fugaku Uchiha was your real father, Naruto! You're the bastard son of an Uchiha and an Uzumaki—two of the most powerful bloodlines combined. And when the Nine-Tails sensed that unique chakra inside Kushina's womb, it went berserk!"

Naruto staggered backward, mind reeling. "You're lying!"

"Am I? Look at your eyes, Naruto! Those aren't Namikaze eyes. That's diluted Sharingan—the kekkei genkai of the Uchiha clan. Why do you think your 'father' chose you as the Nine-Tails' vessel? He knew you weren't his! It was REVENGE!"

"ENOUGH!" Iruka roared, tearing the shuriken from his chest. Blood soaked his flak jacket. "Naruto, don't listen to him!"

But Naruto barely heard. Blood rushed in his ears as pieces clicked into terrible place—his red eyes, his monstrous chakra, the whispers, the stares, the subtle differences between his face and the Fourth's monument.

"I'm... an Uchiha?" he whispered.

Pain exploded behind his eyes, white-hot and unbearable. He screamed, clutching his face as chakra surged through his system. The seal on his stomach burned visible through his clothes, pulsating with malevolent red energy.

"Yes!" Mizuki crowed. "Feel it, embrace it! That's the power of your true heritage!"

Naruto fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face. But when he looked up, Mizuki's triumphant expression faltered.

Naruto's crimson eyes had transformed. No longer merely red, they now displayed a single tomoe around each pupil—the first stage of the Sharingan.

"You... you really are Fugaku's son," Mizuki breathed.

"Shut up," Naruto snarled, rising. Chakra swirled around him—blue mixed with streaks of red. "I don't care who my father was. Iruka-sensei is hurt because of you!"

"What are you going to do about it, demon spawn?" Mizuki taunted, reaching for his second shuriken.

Naruto's hands formed a cross-shaped seal. "Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

The forest exploded with smoke. When it cleared, thousands of Narutos surrounded Mizuki, each with the same awakened Sharingan glaring from their faces.

"Impossible," Mizuki whispered, weapon slipping from nerveless fingers.

"Here I come!" the Naruto army roared as one.

What followed was a beating so thorough that when ANBU arrived to investigate the chakra disturbance, they found Mizuki unconscious and barely recognizable, and a bleeding Iruka being supported by an exhausted Naruto—whose eyes had returned to their normal crimson.

Hours later, in the Hokage's office, Naruto stood silently as Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed on his pipe, expression grave.

"So it has begun," the Third sighed, looking older than his years. "Earlier than we hoped."

"Is it true?" Naruto asked, voice small. "About... about my father?"

Hiruzen met his gaze steadily. "Minato Namikaze raised you in his heart. He knew of your origins but loved you no less for it. In every way that matters, he was your father."

"But biologically?"

A long pause. "Yes. Fugaku Uchiha fathered you with Kushina. They... genuinely loved each other, though their union was forbidden by clan politics and her marriage to Minato."

"So I'm Sasuke's half-brother?" The realization hit like a physical blow.

"Yes. Though he doesn't know. No one knows, except myself, Jiraiya, and Kakashi."

Naruto slumped into a chair. "Why keep it secret? Why not tell me?"

"To protect you," Hiruzen said simply. "The Uchiha massacre happened for reasons beyond what the public knows. If certain elements discovered your heritage—"

"I'd be a target," Naruto finished. "Like Sasuke."

"Precisely. Additionally, your unique bloodline—Uchiha visual prowess combined with Uzumaki life force and chakra reserves—makes you... extraordinary. Add the Nine-Tails to that equation..."

"And I'm a weapon," Naruto's tone turned bitter.

"A shinobi with unprecedented potential," Hiruzen corrected gently. "But first, you need training. Your Sharingan has awakened prematurely—likely triggered by emotional distress and the Nine-Tails' chakra."

He reached into his desk and withdrew a forehead protector, sliding it across the table.

"Congratulations, Naruto. You've more than earned the rank of genin."

Naruto stared at the hitai-ate, emotions warring within him. Joy at finally achieving his dream, confusion about his identity, fear of what lay ahead.

"What now?" he asked, tying the band around his forehead.

"Now," Hiruzen smiled enigmatically, "you meet your jōnin instructor. I believe you're already acquainted with Kakashi Hatake."

The morning after Mizuki's betrayal, Naruto stood before his bathroom mirror, examining his reflection with newfound awareness. His eyes remained crimson—they always had been—but now he understood their significance. Somewhere beneath the surface lurked the legendary Sharingan, the doujutsu that defined the Uchiha clan.

He tried channeling chakra to his eyes, concentrating until veins bulged at his temples. Nothing happened.

"Come on," he muttered. "I know you're in there."

The eyes that had transformed during his confrontation with Mizuki remained stubbornly ordinary. Well, as ordinary as naturally red eyes could be.

Naruto sighed and adjusted his forehead protector. Today was team assignment day—his first step toward becoming a real shinobi. Identity crisis or not, he wouldn't miss it.

The Academy buzzed with excited graduates when he arrived. Conversations halted momentarily as he entered, dozens of curious stares following his progress.

"Hey, isn't that Naruto?" "I thought he failed the exam?" "How'd he get a headband?"

Ignoring the whispers, Naruto scanned the room for an empty seat. There—next to Sasuke Uchiha.

My half-brother, Naruto thought, the concept still surreal. We share the same father. Does he look like Fugaku? Do I?

He slid into the seat, hyper-aware of Sasuke's presence. The dark-haired boy gave him a disinterested glance before returning to his brooding posture, chin resting on interlaced fingers.

"What are you looking at?" Sasuke muttered.

So many possible responses flashed through Naruto's mind. I'm looking at my brother. I'm an Uchiha too. We're the same.

Instead, he blurted, "Nothing, jerk."

"Hn." Sasuke turned away.

Before Naruto could say more, a commotion erupted at the classroom door. Sakura Haruno and Ino Yamanaka burst in simultaneously, arguing about who arrived first.

"I'm sitting next to Sasuke-kun!" Sakura declared, shoving past Ino.

"In your dreams, Billboard Brow!" Ino retaliated.

Their squabble died when they spotted Naruto in their coveted position.

"Move it, Naruto!" Sakura demanded. "I want to sit next to Sasuke-kun!"

Yesterday, Naruto would have immediately complied, desperate for Sakura's approval. Today, a strange defiance took hold.

"No," he said simply.

Sakura blinked, momentarily thrown by his uncharacteristic refusal. "What did you say?"

"I said no. I got here first." Naruto crossed his arms. "Find another seat."

"Why you—!" Sakura raised a threatening fist.

"That's enough," Iruka's voice cut through the tension as he entered, bandaged but smiling. "Everyone take your seats—wherever they may be, Sakura."

The pink-haired girl huffed but found another spot, shooting daggers at Naruto.

"Congratulations to all of you on becoming genin," Iruka began. "Today, you'll be assigned to three-person teams led by a jōnin instructor."

Naruto's thoughts raced. Three-person teams? Who would he be with? His eyes drifted to Sasuke. The universe wouldn't be cruel enough to...

"Team Seven," Iruka announced. "Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno..."

Naruto perked up. Sakura groaned.

"...and Sasuke Uchiha."

The room spun. Of course. Of course he'd be paired with his secret half-brother. The Third Hokage's meddling was obvious.

"Your jōnin instructor will be Kakashi Hatake."

Another deliberate choice. One of the few who knew Naruto's true parentage.

"Why do I have to be with Naruto?" Sakura complained. "He'll just slow Sasuke-kun and me down!"

"Team assignments balance strengths and weaknesses," Iruka explained diplomatically. "Sasuke had the highest scores, while Naruto..." he hesitated.

"Had the worst," Sasuke finished with a smirk.

"Hey!" Naruto protested. "I mastered a jōnin-level jutsu last night! What have you done lately, pretty boy?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "What jutsu?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Naruto grinned, deliberately antagonistic.

"Probably some useless trick," Sasuke dismissed, but curiosity lingered in his gaze.

After Iruka finished assignments, the teams dispersed to meet their instructors. Hours passed with no sign of Kakashi. Sakura paced the classroom, Sasuke stared out the window, and Naruto plotted.

"This is ridiculous," Sakura fumed. "Even the sensei doesn't want to be stuck with you, Naruto."

"Kakashi-sensei is notoriously late," Naruto revealed, surprising his teammates. "Old Man Hokage told me."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "You have the Hokage giving you instructor intel?"

Naruto shrugged, enjoying Sasuke's confusion. "We talk sometimes."

The classroom door finally slid open, revealing a silver-haired jōnin with his hitai-ate slanted over his left eye.

"Team Seven?" he drawled. "My first impression is... you're boring."

Three indignant faces stared back.

"Meet me on the roof." Kakashi disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

On the rooftop, Kakashi leaned against the railing, studying his new charges. His visible eye lingered on Naruto, assessing.

"Let's introduce ourselves," he suggested. "Likes, dislikes, dreams for the future, that sort of thing."

"Why don't you go first, sensei?" Sakura requested.

"Me? I'm Kakashi Hatake. Things I like and things I hate... I don't feel like telling you that. Dreams for the future... never really thought about it. As for my hobbies... I have lots of hobbies."

"That was totally useless," Sakura whispered. "All we learned was his name."

"Okay, your turn," Kakashi pointed at Sakura. "The pink one."

Sakura blushed. "I'm Sakura Haruno. What I like... I mean, the person I like is..." she glanced at Sasuke, giggling. "My hobby is..." another glance, deeper blush. "My dream for the future..." full-blown squeal.

"And what do you hate?" Kakashi prompted.

"Naruto!" she declared without hesitation.

Naruto winced. Maybe in another life, that would have devastated him. Today, it barely registered compared to his existential crisis.

"Next, the brooding one."

Sasuke didn't move from his position. "My name is Sasuke Uchiha. I hate a lot of things, and I don't particularly like anything. What I have is not a dream, because I will make it a reality. I'm going to restore my clan and kill a certain someone."

Silence followed his declaration. Sakura stared at him in awe. Naruto studied his half-brother with new understanding—Sasuke wanted to restore their clan, not knowing another Uchiha sat right beside him.

"Okay," Kakashi said slowly. "Lastly, the blonde one."

Naruto took a deep breath. Yesterday, he would have shouted about becoming Hokage, about earning everyone's respect. Today...

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki," he began, then paused. Should it be Naruto Uchiha? Naruto Uzumaki-Uchiha? "I like ramen and people who acknowledge me. I dislike the three minutes it takes to cook ramen and..." he glanced at Sasuke, "...liars. My dream..." He faltered, uncertain.

"Yes?" Kakashi pressed, lone eye intent.

"My dream is to discover who I really am," Naruto concluded. "And to protect those precious to me, no matter what."

Kakashi studied him thoughtfully. "Interesting. You've changed since yesterday, Naruto."

"A lot happened," Naruto replied meaningfully.

"Indeed." Kakashi straightened. "Now that we've established introductions, I should inform you that your genin test isn't over."

"What?" Sakura frowned. "But we already passed the Academy exam."

"That was just to select candidates who might become genin," Kakashi explained cheerfully. "I decide whether you actually become genin or get sent back to the Academy. The test has a 66% failure rate."

Shock spread across their faces.

"Meet at Training Ground Three tomorrow at 5 AM. Oh, and don't eat breakfast." His eye crinkled in what might have been a smile. "You'll throw up."

With that ominous warning, Kakashi vanished.

"This is your fault," Sakura immediately rounded on Naruto. "If you weren't on our team, we'd have a better instructor!"

"That's not how it works, Sakura," Naruto said wearily. "And Kakashi-sensei is actually one of the strongest jōnin in the village."

"How would you know?"

"I told you. I talk to the Hokage."

Sasuke, who had been silent, suddenly focused on Naruto. "What happened to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're different," Sasuke stated flatly. "Less... annoying."

"Maybe I'm growing up," Naruto shrugged, standing to leave. "See you tomorrow. And by the way—eat breakfast. Kakashi-sensei was lying about the throwing up part."

He jumped off the roof, leaving his stunned teammates behind.

Dawn broke over Training Ground Three, painting the sky in hues of crimson and gold. Naruto arrived fifteen minutes late, having ignored Kakashi's instruction about the early meeting time as well. He'd eaten a hearty breakfast and packed extra food, suspecting they'd need it.

Sasuke and Sakura waited by three wooden posts, the former impassive, the latter fuming.

"You're late!" Sakura accused.

"So is Kakashi-sensei," Naruto pointed out, settling on the grass. "He won't be here for at least another three hours."

"How can you possibly know that?" Sasuke asked skeptically.

Naruto grinned. "Shadow Clone reconnaissance. I've had clones tracking his movements since yesterday."

This was partly true. After learning about his heritage, Naruto had created clones to gather information around the village—about the Uchiha, about Kakashi, about his mother and both his fathers. The pieces were slowly coming together.

"Shadow Clone?" Sakura repeated. "That's a jōnin-level technique!"

"Told you I learned something cool," Naruto said, lying back with hands behind his head. "Wake me when Kakashi-sensei arrives."

True to his prediction, Kakashi appeared three hours later, offering a lame excuse about a black cat crossing his path.

"YOU'RE LATE!" Sakura shrieked.

Kakashi ignored her outburst and placed an alarm clock on a stump. "It's set for noon." He held up two small bells. "Your task is to take these from me before the timer sounds. Anyone who doesn't get a bell gets no lunch, will be tied to those posts, and will be sent back to the Academy."

"But there are only two bells," Sakura observed.

"Very astute," Kakashi's eye crinkled. "This way, at least one of you will fail. Possibly all three."

Naruto exchanged glances with his teammates. So that's why Kakashi told them to skip breakfast—to weaken them. Good thing he'd warned them.

"You can use any weapons," Kakashi continued. "Attack as if you mean to kill, or you'll never succeed."

"But that's dangerous!" Sakura protested.

Kakashi chuckled darkly. "Says the girl who couldn't even dodge an eraser."

Naruto frowned. What eraser? Then he realized—this conversation wasn't matching his expectations. Had something changed?

"Begin!" Kakashi commanded.

Sasuke and Sakura leapt away, concealing themselves among the trees. Naruto remained standing in the open, studying Kakashi.

"You know," Kakashi mused, reaching for his weapons pouch, "most genin hide at this point."

"I'm not most genin," Naruto replied, forming a familiar hand sign. "MULTI SHADOW CLONE JUTSU!"

The clearing filled with fifty perfect copies of Naruto, each solid and combat-ready.

Kakashi's visible eye widened slightly. "Impressive chakra control for someone your age. But mere numbers won't be enough."

"We'll see," Naruto grinned as his clones charged.

What followed was a display of taijutsu mastery from Kakashi. Despite being outnumbered, he dispatched clone after clone with efficient movements, never wasting energy. Yet something was off—he wasn't reading his infamous orange book as Naruto had heard he usually did with new genin.

From their hiding spots, Sasuke and Sakura watched in amazement as Naruto's clones coordinated complex attacks. They weren't just mindless copies—they adapted, communicated, formed strategies.

"When did the dead-last get so good?" Sakura whispered.

Sasuke didn't answer, his mind racing. This was an opportunity—Naruto was keeping Kakashi busy. If he timed it right...

Naruto, down to his last ten clones, sensed movement in his peripheral vision. Sasuke was making his move, hands already forming seals.

"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!" Sasuke exhaled a massive sphere of flames directly at Kakashi's back.

The jōnin, engaged with Naruto's clones, feigned surprise as the fireball approached. At the last second, he substituted with one of Naruto's clones, resulting in a puff of smoke as the unfortunate copy was incinerated.

"Working together already?" Kakashi called out, now standing atop the water of a nearby pond. "Interesting approach."

Naruto dispersed his remaining clones, conserving chakra. Their memories flooded back—each had tested Kakashi's defenses from different angles, gathering valuable intelligence.

"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted. "He favors his right side! And he keeps the bells on his left hip!"

Sasuke emerged from the treeline, irritation evident. "Don't give away our position, idiot!"

"Both of you, stop arguing!" Sakura appeared between them. "We need a plan."

Kakashi observed the unexpected teamwork with interest. Most genin candidates failed to grasp the true purpose of this test, yet these three had naturally gravitated toward cooperation.

"Time's running out," he reminded them, tapping the bells at his waist. "Only two of you can pass, remember?"

Naruto glanced at his teammates. "We need to work together to get those bells. Then we can decide who gets them."

"Agreed," Sasuke said, surprising both Naruto and Sakura. "You're not completely useless after all, Naruto."

Sakura looked doubtful. "But in the end, one of us still fails."

"Let's cross that bridge when we come to it," Naruto insisted. "First, the bells."

They huddled together, whispering strategies while Kakashi waited patiently on the water's surface. When they broke apart, determination shone on all three faces.

"Ready?" Naruto asked.

Sasuke nodded. "Let's go."

What followed was an intricate dance of coordinated attacks. Sakura launched a barrage of kunai to test Kakashi's reflexes. Sasuke engaged in close-quarters taijutsu, driving their sensei back toward the tree line. Meanwhile, Naruto and his fresh wave of shadow clones circled wide, setting up the trap.

"Earth Style: Double Suicide Decapitation Jutsu," Kakashi murmured, sinking into the ground as Sasuke's kick passed overhead.

"Now, Naruto!" Sasuke shouted.

The ground beneath Kakashi erupted as dozens of Naruto clones burst upward, having tunneled underground during the distraction. Hands grasped at the jōnin's ankles, waist, arms—everywhere at once.

Kakashi countered with a spinning kick, dispelling several clones, but in that moment of distraction, Sasuke's fingers brushed against the bells.

A jingle of metal, a flash of silver—Kakashi twisted away, but not before something had been snatched from his belt.

When the dust settled, Sasuke stood with one bell, while Sakura and Naruto remained empty-handed.

The alarm clock rang, signaling noon.

"Time's up," Kakashi announced. "Well, Sasuke has a bell. Who gets the other one?"

Confusion spread across their faces. "But there is no other one," Sakura pointed out. "Sasuke-kun only got one bell."

Kakashi checked his belt. Both bells were gone. "Interesting. It seems someone else has the second bell."

All eyes turned to Naruto, who shrugged innocently. "Don't look at me."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Empty your pockets, loser."

"Make me, jerk."

"Enough," Kakashi interrupted. "Sasuke has one bell, which means he passes. Now, for the difficult decision—Naruto and Sakura, one of you will be going back to the Academy."

Silence descended as the implication sank in. Then, to everyone's surprise, Sasuke stepped forward and handed his bell to Sakura.

"Take it," he muttered. "I have goals that can wait another year."

Sakura gaped at the offering. "But Sasuke-kun—"

"Don't be stupid," Naruto interrupted. "You earned that bell, Sasuke."

He turned to Kakashi. "If someone has to go back to the Academy, it should be me. I've already failed three times—what's one more?"

"Naruto..." Sakura stared at him, astonished by the selfless gesture.

Kakashi studied the three genin before him—Sasuke offering his bell to Sakura, Naruto volunteering to fail, all three willing to sacrifice for their teammates. A smile formed beneath his mask.

"Well then," he said cheerfully, "you all pass!"

"WHAT?" Sakura screeched.

"The true purpose of this test was teamwork," Kakashi explained. "In the ninja world, those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their friends are worse than scum."

"So the bell thing was just a trick?" Naruto frowned. "To turn us against each other?"

"Precisely. Most genin candidates fall for it, competing rather than cooperating. You three demonstrated the essence of what makes a successful team."

Relief washed over them—they were officially genin now, members of Team Seven.

"Oh, and Naruto," Kakashi added casually, "you can return the second bell now."

Naruto grinned sheepishly, pulling the missing bell from his pocket. "When did you notice?"

"When you created the underground clones," Kakashi replied. "A clever diversion, but I saw one clone moving differently than the others."

Sasuke stared at Naruto in disbelief. "You actually got a bell from a jōnin?"

"Don't sound so surprised," Naruto huffed. "I'm more capable than you think."

As they walked back toward the village, Sasuke fell into step beside Naruto. "That shadow clone technique," he said quietly. "Where did you learn it?"

Naruto hesitated. How much could he reveal without exposing his heritage? "I found it in a scroll. It suits me because I have large chakra reserves."

"Teach it to me."

The demand, so typical of Sasuke, made Naruto laugh. "It's not that simple. This jutsu would drain your chakra completely. It takes massive reserves to use it effectively."

"Like an Uzumaki," Kakashi commented, suddenly beside them. "Your mother's clan was famous for their life force and chakra capacity."

"My mother..." Naruto's voice softened. He knew more about Kushina now, having spent the previous night reading classified files with the Hokage's permission. The guilt of her affair with Fugaku. The love she bore for both Minato and her secret lover. The tragic sealing that cost both official parents their lives.

"She was quite something," Kakashi offered, a rare gentleness in his voice. "Hot-tempered, strong-willed, and fiercely protective of those she loved."

"Like Naruto," Sakura observed, surprising them all. When they turned to her, she blushed. "Well, he is stubborn and loud... but he cares about his friends too."

"High praise from you, Sakura-chan," Naruto teased, though her words warmed him more than she could know.

"Don't get used to it," she retorted, but without the usual edge.

That night, alone in his apartment, Naruto stood before the mirror again, focusing chakra to his eyes with renewed determination.

"Come on," he whispered. "I know you're there."

For a fleeting second, his crimson irises shifted, a single tomoe appearing around each pupil before fading back to normal. Progress, however small.

A tap at his window drew his attention. Kakashi perched on the sill, visible eye curved in a smile.

"Sensei?" Naruto opened the window. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought we should talk," Kakashi said, stepping inside. "About your eyes."

Naruto tensed. "What about them?"

"The Sharingan is awakening. Earlier than expected, but not surprising given recent... revelations."

"How do I control it?" Naruto asked eagerly. "I got it to appear for a second just now, but I can't maintain it."

Kakashi settled into a chair. "The Sharingan responds to emotional triggers, particularly intense ones. Fear, anger, the desperate need to protect—these emotions can force its activation. With practice, you'll learn to summon it at will."

"Will Sasuke notice?"

"Eventually," Kakashi confirmed. "The question is: what will you tell him when he does?"

Naruto frowned. "I don't know. How do you tell someone their father had an affair, and you're the result?"

"Carefully," Kakashi advised. "But that's a bridge to cross later. For now, we focus on your training—controlling both your Sharingan and the Nine-Tails' chakra. It's a unique combination that could be either tremendously powerful or catastrophically dangerous."

"The fox doesn't like the Sharingan," Naruto revealed. "I can feel its hatred whenever my eyes change."

"Unsurprising. The Nine-Tails has been controlled by Uchiha in the past—Madara during his attack on the First Hokage, and possibly again twelve years ago."

Naruto's head snapped up. "You think an Uchiha was behind the Nine-Tails' attack?"

"It's a theory," Kakashi said carefully. "One the Third Hokage has considered. The Nine-Tails doesn't rampage without cause, and the timing—during your birth, when Kushina's seal was weakest—suggests planning."

A chill ran down Naruto's spine. "That night... that's when my parents died. When the Fourth sealed the fox in me."

"Yes. Minato could have chosen anyone, but he chose you—not out of spite as Mizuki claimed, but out of faith. He believed you were the only one who could master the fox's power, regardless of your biological parentage."

The revelation lifted a weight from Naruto's heart. Minato hadn't rejected him; he'd entrusted him with saving the village.

"Thank you, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said quietly. "For telling me this."

"Get some rest," Kakashi rose to leave. "Team Seven begins real missions tomorrow."

As the jōnin disappeared into the night, Naruto returned to the mirror, staring at his reflection with renewed purpose. He wasn't just Naruto Uzumaki, container of the Nine-Tails. He was also the son of Fugaku Uchiha and Kushina Uzumaki, heir to two powerful bloodlines, entrusted with an awesome responsibility.

"I won't let any of you down," he promised his reflection. "Mom, Minato-san, Fugaku... I'll make all of you proud."

"This is Sasuke, at point B."

"Sakura, at point C."

"Naruto, at point A, believe it!"

"You're slow, Naruto," Kakashi's voice crackled through the radio. "Target has moved. Follow it!"

Team Seven had been genin for a month now, completing D-rank missions with increasing efficiency—though not without complaint. Their current mission: capturing Tora, the Fire Daimyo's wife's escaped cat, for what felt like the hundredth time.

"I'm on it," Naruto responded, leaping through the trees. His vision caught a flicker of movement—the target, darting between bushes. "I see it!"

"Distance to target?" Kakashi inquired.

"Five meters," Sasuke reported. "I'm ready."

"Me too," Sakura confirmed.

"GO!" Kakashi commanded.

Three genin converged on the hapless feline. Naruto reached it first, tackling the cat with perhaps more force than necessary, earning himself a faceful of claws for his trouble.

"OW! OW! OW!" he wailed as Tora raked bloody lines down his cheeks. "Someone get this demon off me!"

Sakura scooped up the thrashing animal, somehow soothing it with gentle strokes. "Ribbon on left ear, brown fur... it's definitely Tora."

"Mission accomplished," Kakashi's bored voice confirmed.

Later, as they watched the Fire Daimyo's wife smother the traumatized cat, Naruto rubbed his healing face. The scratches were already fading—another benefit of his Uzumaki heritage and fox tenant.

"No wonder it ran away," Sasuke muttered.

"I'm sick of these chores," Naruto complained loudly. "When do we get a real mission?"

The Third Hokage, overseeing mission assignments, sighed heavily. "Naruto, you're still novice ninja. Everyone starts with simple duties to develop their skills and—"

"We've pulled weeds, found lost pets, and picked up trash for weeks!" Naruto interrupted. "I didn't become a ninja to be a gardener, animal control, or a janitor!"

Iruka, seated beside the Hokage, bristled. "Show some respect! The Hokage is explaining—"

"It's alright, Iruka," Hiruzen raised a placating hand. "Perhaps Naruto has a point. Team Seven has completed numerous D-rank missions successfully." A knowing glint entered his eyes. "I might have a C-rank mission suitable for them."

Naruto's face lit up. "Really? What is it? Guarding a princess? Fighting bandits?"

"Escorting a bridge builder to the Land of Waves," the Hokage replied. "Send in our guest."

The door slid open, revealing an elderly man clutching a bottle of sake. He swayed slightly, clearly inebriated.

"These are the ninja protecting me?" he slurred. "They're just kids! Especially the short one with the stupid face."

Naruto laughed, looking around for this short person, before realizing he was the shortest team member. "I'll kill him!"

Kakashi restrained him with one hand. "We don't kill the clients, Naruto."

"I am Tazuna," the old man introduced himself with drunken dignity. "A master bridge builder. I expect you to protect me with your lives while I complete my bridge connecting the Land of Waves to the mainland."

"A real C-rank mission," Sakura murmured, excitement warring with apprehension. "Our first time outside the village."

"Pack for a week-long journey," Kakashi instructed. "We leave at dawn tomorrow."

As they dispersed, Naruto felt the Hokage's eyes following him. The old man had been monitoring his development closely since the revelation of his heritage, concerned about his control over both the Nine-Tails and his emerging Sharingan.

"A moment, Naruto," Hiruzen called as the others left.

Naruto approached the mission desk, curious. "What's up, Old Man?"

"This mission... be cautious," the Hokage advised. "Your bloodline remains a secret, one best kept until you've mastered its power."

"I haven't activated the Sharingan since that night with Mizuki," Naruto admitted. "It's like it's stuck."

"Which may be for the best, for now." Hiruzen puffed his pipe thoughtfully. "The Uchiha were feared for good reason. Their visual prowess made them formidable, but also targets."

"You mean like how Sasuke's brother killed the whole clan?"

A shadow crossed the Hokage's face. "Yes. Like that."

Naruto hesitated, then voiced the question that had been haunting him. "Old Man... why did Itachi spare Sasuke but kill our father?"

Hiruzen's expression turned grave. "That, Naruto, is a question with many complicated answers—none of which I can share until you're older. What I can tell you is that Fugaku, as clan head, was at the center of certain... political tensions."

"That doesn't explain why Itachi murdered children and old people," Naruto persisted.

"No," the Hokage conceded. "It doesn't. But remember, history is rarely as simple as it first appears. One day, when you're ready, you'll understand more."

Dissatisfied but recognizing the dismissal, Naruto left to prepare for the mission. As he packed his equipment, his mind swirled with unanswered questions. The Uchiha massacre, his secret heritage, the incomplete training of his awakening bloodline—all pieces of a puzzle he couldn't yet assemble.

The next morning, Team Seven assembled at Konoha's main gate. For Naruto, it was a momentous occasion—his first time leaving the village. Despite the mundane nature of their mission, excitement bubbled within him as they set out, Tazuna grumbling about "babysitters" behind them.

"Have you ever been to the Land of Waves, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked as they walked.

"Once or twice," Kakashi replied vaguely, nose buried in his ever-present orange book. "It's a small island nation, poor but strategic. No hidden village of its own."

"Is that why they hired Konoha ninja?" Sasuke inquired. "Because they have no shinobi?"

"Precisely. The Land of Waves must outsource protection."

Naruto, walking slightly ahead, barely listened to the conversation. His senses—sharper since awakening his Sharingan—had detected something unusual. A puddle on the road, despite no recent rainfall.

"Kakashi-sensei," he began casually, "about how much further until—"

The attack came without warning. Two masked ninja erupted from the puddle, wrapped Kakashi in a spiked chain, and pulled. The jōnin's body tore apart in a spray of blood and viscera.

"One down," one of the attackers growled.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura screamed.

"Stay with Tazuna!" Sasuke commanded, already moving to engage.

The attackers turned toward Naruto, chain whirring between them. "Two down," they chorused, charging.

Time seemed to slow. Naruto's heart pounded against his ribcage, fear and rage surging through his system. The chain approached, promising the same fate that had befallen Kakashi.

Die or fight. Kill or be killed. The primal choice triggered something deep in Naruto's blood.

His vision sharpened abruptly, the world gaining crystalline clarity. He could see the chain's trajectory, predict its path, perceive the minute muscle movements telegraphing the attackers' next moves.

"Sharingan," Sasuke gasped from nearby, having glanced at Naruto's face.

The crimson eyes had transformed, a single tomoe spinning in each iris. With reflexes he didn't know he possessed, Naruto dodged the chain, pinning it to a tree with a kunai through its links. Sasuke capitalized on the opening, landing synchronized kicks to both attackers' heads.

The chain broke free, and the ninja separated—one heading for Sakura and Tazuna, the other engaging Sasuke. Naruto, moving with newfound precision, intercepted the first attacker with a barrage of shadow clones.

"How do you have those eyes?" the ninja hissed, recognition dawning as he slashed through Naruto's clones.

Naruto didn't answer, focusing instead on the battle. His Sharingan tracked every movement, allowing him to dodge strikes that would have connected otherwise.

Across the clearing, Sasuke found himself outmatched in speed if not skill. A poisoned gauntlet sliced his arm, drawing blood and a pained grunt.

Naruto's head whipped toward the sound. "Sasuke!"

His momentary distraction cost him. The enemy ninja's clawed gauntlet tore through his remaining clones and slashed his hand, injecting venom.

Pain lanced up Naruto's arm, but something else followed—a surge of malevolent chakra from his stomach, burning away the poison. The Nine-Tails, responding to its host's distress, sent its caustic energy flooding through Naruto's pathways.

His Sharingan eyes caught the red chakra's movement within his own body, giving him a moment of terrifying insight into the interaction between his bloodlines. The fox's chakra amplified the Sharingan, which in turn became more sensitive to the fox's influence—a feedback loop of escalating power.

Before he could process this revelation, a blur of silver intercepted both attackers. Kakashi had appeared, incapacitating the ninja with efficient strikes to pressure points.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura exclaimed. "But you were—"

"Substitution Jutsu," Kakashi explained, gesturing to a pile of shredded logs nearby. "I wanted to see who they were targeting." His gaze fell on Tazuna. "Care to explain why Chunin-level missing-nin known as the Demon Brothers are after a simple bridge builder?"

Tazuna paled, the sake bottle trembling in his grip. "I... I couldn't afford a B-rank mission."

While Kakashi interrogated their client, Sasuke approached Naruto, who stood with his back turned, desperately trying to suppress both the fox's chakra and his activated Sharingan.

"Naruto," Sasuke's voice was low, dangerous. "Look at me."

Slowly, Naruto turned, eyes firmly closed.

"Open your eyes."

"It's not what you think," Naruto began, but Sasuke grabbed his collar.

"OPEN THEM!"

Naruto's eyes snapped open reflexively—still crimson, but the tomoe had faded. Just his natural red irises remained.

Sasuke stared at him with ill-concealed fury. "During the fight... your eyes changed. They looked like—"

"A trick of the light," Kakashi interrupted smoothly, suddenly beside them. "Naruto has unique eyes, but they're not what you're thinking, Sasuke."

"I know what I saw," Sasuke insisted, grip tightening on Naruto's collar. "The Sharingan. The kekkei genkai of MY clan. How does the dobe have it?"

"Sasuke, enough," Kakashi ordered. "We have more pressing concerns. This mission has just been elevated to at least B-rank, possibly A-rank. We're returning to the village."

"No!" Tazuna cried. "Please, you must help me. The Land of Waves is suffering under the tyranny of a man named Gato. He's strangling our economy, and my bridge is our only hope for freedom. I lied about the mission parameters because our country is too poor to afford proper protection."

Kakashi sighed. "That's unfortunate, but this mission is now beyond the scope of a genin team. The next enemies won't be Chunin; they'll be Jōnin."

"We can handle it," Naruto declared, pulling free from Sasuke's grip. "I'm not turning back."

"For once, I agree with the dobe," Sasuke said coldly. "But this conversation about his eyes isn't over."

"I won't be a burden," Sakura added, though fear colored her voice. "We took this mission, and we'll complete it."

Kakashi studied his determined genin, weighing options. "Very well. But from now on, we proceed with extreme caution. And Tazuna? No more lies."

As they continued toward the Land of Waves, tension crackled between Naruto and Sasuke. The secret was unraveling faster than anyone had anticipated, forcing a confrontation neither brother was prepared for.

Mist shrouded the small boat as it glided silently toward the shores of the Land of Waves. The boatman navigated by memory alone, oars barely stirring the water's surface to avoid detection.

"Gato's men patrol these waters," he whispered. "If they catch us, we're dead."

Through breaks in the fog, the unfinished silhouette of Tazuna's bridge loomed—an impressive structure even in its incomplete state.

"That's it," Tazuna said with pride. "The bridge that will change everything."

"It's certainly big enough to threaten Gato's shipping monopoly," Kakashi observed. "No wonder he wants you dead."

The boat bumped gently against a dilapidated dock. Team Seven disembarked quietly, the boatman immediately pushing off, disappearing back into the mist.

"My house isn't far," Tazuna assured them. "Once we're there, you'll be able to rest before—"

A white blur shot through the underbrush. Naruto hurled a kunai toward the movement, only to discover a terrified white rabbit pinned by its fur to a tree trunk.

"Naruto, you idiot!" Sakura berated him. "You almost killed someone's pet!"

But Kakashi's attention had sharpened. "Everyone down!" he shouted suddenly.

A massive blade whirled through the space where their heads had been moments before, embedding in a tree trunk with a meaty thunk. A figure appeared, standing atop the sword's handle—a shirtless man with his lower face wrapped in bandages and a slashed Mist headband.

"Zabuza Momochi," Kakashi identified, "the Demon of the Hidden Mist."

"Kakashi of the Sharingan," Zabuza replied, voice rumbling. "No wonder the Demon Brothers failed."

Sasuke's head whipped toward Kakashi. "Sharingan? But you're not an Uchiha!"

"Protect Tazuna," Kakashi ordered, ignoring Sasuke's confusion as he raised his hitai-ate to reveal a single Sharingan eye in his left socket.

"The famous Copy Ninja who's mastered a thousand jutsu," Zabuza continued. "You're in my Bingo Book. Hand over the bridge builder, and I might let your brats live."

"Not happening," Kakashi settled into a fighting stance. "Stay back, all of you. This opponent is on a different level."

Zabuza chuckled darkly. "Let's test that claim. Ninja Art: Hidden Mist Jutsu!"

The already thick mist intensified until visibility dropped to near zero. Killing intent saturated the air, so heavy it became difficult to breathe.

"Eight points," Zabuza's disembodied voice echoed. "Larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular, subclavian artery, kidneys, heart. So many choices for a kill..."

Panic rose in Naruto's throat. The pressure of Zabuza's bloodlust was overwhelming, making his legs tremble and his lungs strain for air. Beside him, Sasuke raised a kunai toward his own throat, driven to the edge by the psychological warfare.

"Sasuke!" Kakashi's voice cut through the terror. "I won't let my comrades die. Trust me."

The reassurance steadied them momentarily, but Zabuza was already moving. He appeared in the center of their formation, sword poised to bisect Tazuna.

"Too late," the missing-nin growled.

Kakashi intercepted with blinding speed, driving a kunai into Zabuza's abdomen—only for the body to dissolve into water.

"Sensei, behind you!" Naruto shouted.

Zabuza's blade sliced horizontally, cutting Kakashi in half—except it wasn't Kakashi, but another water clone. The real jōnin pressed a kunai to Zabuza's throat from behind.

"It's over," Kakashi declared.

Zabuza laughed. "Is it?"

Another Zabuza materialized behind Kakashi, the one at knifepoint liquefying. A vicious kick sent Kakashi flying toward the nearby lake.

"Water Prison Jutsu!" Zabuza formed seals as Kakashi splashed down, encasing the Konoha jōnin in a sphere of water. "You're trapped now, Kakashi. I'll deal with your brats, then the bridge builder."

A water clone rose from the lake's surface, advancing toward the genin and their client.

"Run!" Kakashi commanded through the water. "His clone can't go far from his real body! Take Tazuna and escape!"

"No way," Naruto stepped forward, hands forming his signature seal. "We're not abandoning you!"

Shadow clones populated the clearing, charging the water clone with coordinated strikes. The Zabuza clone dispatched them efficiently, but the distraction served its purpose—allowing Sasuke to launch a demon windmill shuriken toward the real Zabuza.

The missing-nin caught it one-handed, sneering. "Too easy."

"Not quite," Sasuke smirked.

The shuriken transformed with a puff of smoke into Naruto, who had henged himself into the weapon after Sasuke retrieved it from his pack. At point-blank range, Naruto hurled a kunai at Zabuza's arm.

Faced with either taking the hit or releasing the water prison, Zabuza chose the latter, freeing Kakashi but earning a shallow cut on his cheek from the kunai as he dodged.

"Clever brats," he snarled.

"You won't touch my students again," Kakashi rose from the water, Sharingan spinning furiously. What followed was a dance of jutsu, Zabuza and Kakashi mirroring each other's hand signs with uncanny precision. Water dragons rose and clashed, waves surged across the shore, and the very air thrummed with chakra.

From the sidelines, Naruto watched in awe, unconsciously channeling chakra to his eyes in response to the spectacle. The Sharingan flickered to life momentarily, allowing him glimpses of the chakra manipulation unfolding before him.

It was educational, but also disorienting. With his untrained Sharingan active, Naruto could see both shinobi molding chakra faster than he could process. The information overload made him nauseous, forcing him to deactivate the doujutsu.

The battle reached its climax when Kakashi, having thoroughly unnerved Zabuza by predicting and preempting his every move, unleashed a massive water vortex that slammed the missing-nin into a tree.

"Can you... see the future?" Zabuza gasped as Kakashi approached for the killing blow.

"Yes," Kakashi raised a kunai. "Your future is death."

Before he could strike, senbon needles whizzed through the air, piercing Zabuza's neck with surgical precision. The massive shinobi collapsed, apparently lifeless.

A masked figure appeared on a nearby branch—young, slight, wearing the distinctive mask of a Kirigakure hunter-nin.

"Thank you for your assistance," the newcomer said in a soft voice. "I've been tracking Zabuza for weeks."

"A Mist hunter-nin," Kakashi confirmed, checking Zabuza's pulse. "At your age... impressive."

"The young often excel in unexpected ways," the hunter-nin replied, gaze lingering on Naruto for an unsettling moment. "I must dispose of the body. It contains many secrets."

The masked ninja lifted Zabuza's corpse and disappeared in a swirl of leaves, leaving Team Seven to recover from the intense battle.

"Is he really dead?" Naruto asked, something about the encounter feeling wrong.

"Hunter-nin typically destroy bodies on site," Kakashi mused, replacing his hitai-ate over his Sharingan eye. His legs wobbled. "But we have more immediate—"

He collapsed mid-sentence, chakra exhaustion finally claiming him.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura rushed to his side.

"He's just drained," Sasuke assessed. "Help me carry him to Tazuna's house."

As they transported their unconscious teacher, Sasuke fell into step beside Naruto. "We need to talk," he said in a tone that brooked no argument. "About those eyes."

Naruto nodded resignedly. The time for secrets was rapidly ending.

Tazuna's modest home perched at the edge of the village, weathered but welcoming. His daughter, Tsunami, ushered the Konoha shinobi inside with wide-eyed concern, quickly preparing a futon for the unconscious Kakashi.

"Will he be alright?" she asked as they settled him.

"He's suffered severe chakra exhaustion," Sakura explained. "He needs rest."

"And you kids need food," Tsunami insisted. "You must be exhausted too."

While she prepared a meal, Team Seven gathered around Kakashi's bedside. The jōnin stirred weakly, his uncovered eye fluttering open.

"Zabuza..." he mumbled.

"The hunter-nin killed him," Sasuke reminded him.

"No," Kakashi struggled to sit up. "That hunter-nin... something was off. Hunter-nin dispose of bodies immediately, on site. And those senbon..."

Understanding dawned on Sakura's face. "Senbon can be used to induce a death-like state!"

"Exactly," Kakashi confirmed grimly. "Zabuza is alive, and that hunter-nin is his accomplice."

The revelation fell heavily on the genin. Their first true enemy, temporarily defeated but not eliminated.

"How long until he recovers?" Naruto asked.

"A week, maybe," Kakashi estimated. "Which means we have that long to prepare. You three need training."

"What kind of training could possibly prepare us to face Zabuza?"

"Chakra control," Kakashi answered, his voice gaining strength. "Your physical skills are adequate, but your chakra efficiency is abysmal—particularly yours, Naruto."

Naruto bristled. "Hey! I've got tons of chakra!"

"That's precisely the problem." Kakashi's visible eye fixed on him meaningfully. "You have enormous reserves but poor control. You waste energy with every technique."

Before further discussion could unfold, Tsunami's young son Inari burst into the room, face twisted with anger and grief. "You're all going to die! No one can stand against Gato!"

"Inari!" Tsunami scolded. "These ninja are here to help us."

"Help?" the boy scoffed. "They'll end up like everyone else who defies Gato—dead, just like my father!"

With that, he stormed out, leaving uncomfortable silence in his wake.

"I apologize," Tazuna sighed heavily. "Since Kaiza's execution, Inari has lost all hope."

"Execution?" Sakura echoed.

Tazuna's weathered face darkened. "Kaiza was my son-in-law, a simple fisherman who became our village's hero. When Gato arrived, Kaiza stood against him—so Gato made an example of him, publicly executing him before the entire village, including Inari."

The story hung heavily in the air, a grim testament to their mission's stakes.

"Who does that bastard think he is?" Naruto growled, fists clenched. "We'll show him! And that kid too—someone needs to knock some sense into him!"

"Naruto," Kakashi warned, "focus on the mission. Tomorrow, training begins."

Dawn painted the forest in hazy gold as Team Seven gathered beneath towering pines. Despite his weakened state, Kakashi stood before them, supported by crutches.

"Today's exercise," he announced, "is tree climbing."

"Tree climbing?" Naruto's face fell. "That's baby stuff!"

"Without using your hands," Kakashi added, before demonstrating. Despite his injuries, he walked vertically up a massive trunk, his feet adhering to the bark through precise chakra control.

"Channel chakra to your feet," he instructed from his upside-down perch. "Too little, you fall. Too much, you're repelled. Find the balance."

Sasuke attacked the exercise first, making it several steps before the bark exploded beneath his foot, launching him backward. Sakura, to everyone's surprise, reached a high branch on her first attempt.

"Excellent, Sakura," Kakashi praised. "Your smaller reserves make precise control easier."

Naruto charged his tree with characteristic enthusiasm, only to fall flat on his back after a single step. Frustration mounting, he glared at Sasuke, who had managed a slightly better second attempt.

"Hey," Naruto approached Sakura hesitantly. "Any tips?"

She blinked, startled by the request. "Um, try visualizing your chakra as water. Not a flood, but a steady stream."

Naruto nodded thoughtfully. The advice clicked with something he'd felt when his Sharingan activated—a distinct awareness of his chakra flow.

Hours passed in relentless practice. While Sakura rested, having mastered the exercise, Naruto and Sasuke drove themselves to exhaustion. Their trees bore countless slash marks where they'd tracked their progress, an ever-rising competition.

As twilight descended, both boys remained—filthy, chakra-depleted, but stubborn.

"Why don't you use it?" Sasuke asked suddenly, his voice cutting through the evening stillness.

Naruto froze mid-step. "Use what?"

"Don't play dumb," Sasuke's eyes narrowed dangerously. "The Sharingan. I saw it during the fight with Zabuza's clone."

Heart pounding, Naruto dropped from his tree. "You're seeing things, teme."

"STOP LYING!" Sasuke lunged forward, grabbing Naruto's collar. "The Sharingan is MY birthright—the last remnant of MY clan! How dare you have it!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Naruto shoved him away, panic rising. This wasn't how the truth was supposed to emerge.

"Then look me in the eye and deny it," Sasuke challenged, his own eyes burning with fury. "Tell me you don't somehow possess the Sharingan!"

Trapped, Naruto's gaze dropped to the ground. "I can't explain it."

"Try." The word landed like a blade.

A rustling in the undergrowth saved Naruto from responding. Both boys whirled to face the potential threat, only to find Kakashi emerging from the foliage.

"I thought I might find you two still at it," the jōnin remarked casually, though his visible eye betrayed awareness of the tense confrontation. "It's time to return for dinner."

"Kakashi-sensei," Sasuke's voice was ice. "You know, don't you? About Naruto's eyes."

Silence stretched between them, pregnant with unspoken truths.

"Yes," Kakashi finally admitted. "But this isn't the time or place for that conversation."

"When, then?" Sasuke demanded. "When were you planning to tell me that someone outside my clan has the Sharingan?"

"That decision wasn't mine to make," Kakashi replied. "The Third Hokage—"

"The Hokage knows too?" Betrayal flashed across Sasuke's face. "Who else? The whole village? Am I the only one kept in the dark about my own clan's kekkei genkai?"

"Sasuke," Naruto interjected, unable to bear his brother's pain. "It's complicated."

"Uncomplicate it!"

Naruto exchanged a glance with Kakashi, who gave an almost imperceptible nod. The truth couldn't be contained any longer.

"Not here," Naruto said. "Back at Tazuna's, after dinner. I promise I'll tell you everything I know."

Sasuke studied him for a long moment before turning away. "You'd better."

The walk back to Tazuna's house unfolded in suffocating silence, the looming conversation casting a pall over even the prospect of food. Throughout dinner, Naruto barely touched his meal, mind racing as he rehearsed explanations that seemed increasingly inadequate.

After the dishes were cleared, Kakashi led the genin to a secluded room, activating privacy seals with practiced efficiency.

"What I'm about to share is an S-class secret," he began solemnly. "Known only to a select few in Konoha."

Sasuke's attention fixed on Naruto. "I'm listening."

"Twelve years ago," Kakashi continued, "during the Nine-Tails attack, circumstances were... more complicated than the public knows. The Fourth Hokage's wife, Kushina Uzumaki, was the previous jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails."

"Wait," Sakura interrupted, "the Fourth was married to an Uzumaki? To Naruto's mother?"

"Yes," Kakashi confirmed. "Kushina was Naruto's mother, and officially, Minato Namikaze—the Fourth Hokage—was his father."

"Officially?" Sasuke caught the qualifier immediately.

Kakashi's gaze shifted to Naruto, who nodded, then stepped forward.

"My biological father," Naruto's voice wavered slightly, "was Fugaku Uchiha."

The words detonated in the room like a paper bomb. Sakura gasped. Sasuke went deathly still, color draining from his face.

"That's impossible," he whispered.

"Kushina and Fugaku had a relationship," Kakashi explained gently. "One that resulted in Naruto's conception. Minato knew, but chose to raise Naruto as his own regardless."

"My father would never—" Sasuke began, then faltered, memories of hushed conversations and unexplained absences suddenly cast in new light.

"The affair was kept secret to prevent scandal," Kakashi continued. "When the Nine-Tails broke free during Naruto's birth—possibly due to outside interference—Minato sealed it within Naruto, believing his unique heritage might enable him to master its power."

"So the reason my eyes are red," Naruto added, "is because I inherited diluted Uchiha traits. The Sharingan is in my blood, but it's mixed with Uzumaki."

"Show me," Sasuke demanded, voice hollow.

Naruto hesitated, then closed his eyes, concentrating. When they reopened, crimson irises had transformed, a single tomoe spinning around each pupil.

"I can't maintain it yet," he admitted as the tomoe faded after several seconds. "And I can't activate it at will. It just... happens, when I'm in danger or really emotional."

Sasuke stared at him with an unreadable expression, the revelation rewriting everything he thought he knew. The class clown, the dead-last, the loudmouth orphan—his half-brother, an Uchiha with untapped potential.

"We're... brothers?" The word seemed foreign on Sasuke's tongue.

"Half-brothers," Naruto confirmed. "Same father, different mothers."

Sasuke rose abruptly, pacing the small room like a caged animal. "Why wasn't I told? All these years, believing I was the last..."

"The Hokage feared for Naruto's safety," Kakashi explained. "If certain elements—both within and outside the village—discovered his Uchiha heritage, combined with his status as the Nine-Tails jinchūriki..."

"He'd be targeted," Sakura realized. "Like Sasuke-kun was by his brother."

The mention of Itachi cast a darker shadow over the revelation.

"Did Itachi know?" Sasuke's question cut like a blade.

Kakashi hesitated. "We believe so, yes."

"So he spared you," Sasuke turned to Naruto, "but murdered our cousins, our aunts and uncles, our grandparents—our mother."

"I don't know why," Naruto said helplessly. "I only learned about all this a month ago, after the Mizuki incident."

Sasuke's laugh was bitter, devoid of humor. "My whole life is a lie. My quest for vengeance, my status as the last Uchiha—all built on deception."

"Sasuke-kun..." Sakura reached toward him, but he flinched away.

"I need air," he muttered, moving toward the door.

"Wait!" Naruto called. "There's more—about my Sharingan, about why it's different."

Sasuke paused, hand on the doorframe. "Different how?"

"When it activates," Naruto struggled to articulate the sensation, "it interacts with the Nine-Tails' chakra. They affect each other. The fox hates the Sharingan—says it was used to control it."

A flash of something—realization or suspicion—crossed Sasuke's face. "Used by whom?"

"That," Kakashi interjected carefully, "is yet another complicated question. Historically, Madara Uchiha was known to control the Nine-Tails. And there are theories about the night of the attack..."

"That an Uchiha was involved," Sasuke finished flatly. "That someone from our clan set the fox loose on the village."

The accusation hung heavily in the air.

"It's one theory," Kakashi acknowledged. "But nothing was ever proven."

Sasuke's jaw clenched. "So not only am I not the last Uchiha, but our clan might be responsible for the Nine-Tails attack." His gaze shifted to Naruto. "No wonder the village treated you like garbage. Between the fox and Uchiha blood..."

"Yeah, well," Naruto forced a smile, "makes us both outcasts, right?"

Instead of responding, Sasuke pushed through the door and disappeared into the night.

"Should we go after him?" Sakura asked worriedly.

"No," Kakashi sighed. "He needs time to process. This changes everything he thought he knew about himself, his clan, and his goals."

Naruto slumped against the wall. "I thought he'd be... I don't know, happy? To not be alone anymore?"

"It's complicated," Kakashi placed a hand on his shoulder. "For years, Sasuke's identity has been defined by being the sole survivor, the avenger. Now he must reconcile that with having a half-brother who's also his rival and teammate."

"Plus," Sakura added gently, "you're a reminder of his father's... infidelity to his mother."

Naruto hadn't considered that angle. The knowledge that Fugaku had betrayed Mikoto Uchiha—the mother Sasuke had loved and lost—surely added another layer of painful complexity.

"Give him time," Kakashi advised. "Focus on your training. When we return to Konoha, the Hokage can address any remaining questions."

But Naruto couldn't shake the feeling that some bonds, once broken, could never be fully repaired. The truth, withheld too long, had emerged in the worst possible way—far from home, in the middle of a dangerous mission, with enemies closing in.

Sasuke didn't return until dawn, his eyes red-rimmed from sleeplessness. He said nothing at breakfast, mechanically consuming food while avoiding eye contact with everyone, especially Naruto.

When they resumed tree-climbing training, however, something had shifted. Rather than competing, Sasuke observed Naruto's attempts with analytical intensity, studying his chakra manipulation as if searching for Uchiha traits in his technique.

By noon, both had reached their trees' summits, their rivalry transmuted into something more complex but equally motivating.

"Good," Kakashi nodded approvingly. "Tomorrow we'll move to water walking—a more advanced chakra control exercise."

"What about me?" Sakura asked, having mastered both exercises quickly.

"You'll guard Tazuna at the bridge," Kakashi decided. "Your chakra control is excellent, but your reserves need development. Conserve your energy while maintaining vigilance."

That afternoon, Sakura accompanied Tazuna to the construction site while Naruto and Sasuke continued training. Kakashi supervised briefly before departing on a reconnaissance mission to gather intelligence on Gato's operations.

Left alone, the half-brothers worked in uncomfortable silence until Sasuke unexpectedly broke it.

"Show me again," he said. "Your Sharingan."

Naruto hesitated. "I told you, I can't activate it at will yet."

"Try." It wasn't quite a request.

Sighing, Naruto closed his eyes, concentrating on the sensation he'd experienced during moments of activation—the rush of chakra, the heightened perception, the world slowing around him. He pictured danger, imagined protecting his precious people, reached for the burning in his blood.

When his eyes opened, they remained ordinary crimson.

"Sorry," he shrugged. "It only seems to happen in real combat."

Sasuke's disappointment was palpable. "Then we spar. Full contact."

"What? Kakashi-sensei said to practice chakra control—"

"Consider it applied training," Sasuke interrupted, dropping into a fighting stance. "Unless you're scared, dobe."

The familiar taunt sparked Naruto's competitive spirit. "Bring it on, teme!"

Their sparring began cautiously—testing jabs, measured kicks, familiar Academy forms. But frustration fueled Sasuke's aggression, his strikes progressively harder, faster, carrying genuine intent. Naruto matched him blow for blow, his innate stamina compensating for Sasuke's superior technique.

"Is that all you've got, brother?" Sasuke taunted, the familial term wielded like a weapon.

Naruto growled, the provocation igniting something primal. He lunged forward with a wild haymaker that Sasuke easily avoided—only to face three shadow clones attacking from behind.

"Cheap trick," Sasuke grunted, dispelling two clones with a spinning kick before the third landed a solid punch to his ribs.

The spar escalated rapidly, crossing the line from training to genuine combat. Sasuke's eyes blazed with his own fully-formed Sharingan, tracking Naruto's movements with preternatural clarity. Naruto, in turn, drew unconsciously on the Nine-Tails' chakra, his strikes gaining impossible power.

"Fight me seriously!" Sasuke demanded, hands flashing through familiar seals. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

Multiple fireballs hurtled toward Naruto, who barely dodged, the heat searing his jumpsuit. "Are you crazy? We're supposed to be training, not killing each other!"

"Show me!" Sasuke pressed, relentless. "Show me what my father's blood gave you!"

The accusation cut deep—that Naruto had stolen something rightfully Sasuke's, that he was unworthy of the power in his veins. Anger surged, and with it, a familiar burning behind his eyes.

"Fine!" Naruto shouted. "You want to see so badly? LOOK!"

Chakra surged through his pathways, molding instinctively to his eyes. The world sharpened abruptly, colors intensifying, movements slowing. He could see Sasuke's minute muscle contractions telegraphing his next attack, could track the subtle flow of chakra beneath his skin.

Sasuke faltered momentarily, startled by the transformation. Naruto's eyes now mirrored his own—crimson irises with a single tomoe spinning lazily around each pupil.

"Happy now?" Naruto panted, the strain of maintaining the doujutsu already taxing his untrained system.

Rather than answering, Sasuke attacked with renewed determination, testing the limits of Naruto's fledgling visual prowess. Their taijutsu exchange became a blur of precisely timed strikes and counters, each reading the other's movements with superhuman perception.

For Naruto, the experience was disorienting but exhilarating. The Sharingan showed him more than he could process—chakra signatures, muscle tension, atmospheric disturbances—overwhelming his senses even as it enhanced them.

The sparring reached its climax when both boys, exhausted yet unwilling to yield, launched simultaneous attacks. Sasuke's punch connected with Naruto's jaw at the exact moment Naruto's kick struck Sasuke's side. Both flew backward, crashing unceremoniously to the ground.

For several minutes, they lay sprawled on the forest floor, gasping for breath, the contest ending in undeniable stalemate.

"Your form is still terrible," Sasuke finally said, staring up at the canopy.

Naruto chuckled despite himself. "Yeah, well, your attitude still sucks."

A strange sound escaped Sasuke—something between a scoff and a suppressed laugh. The tension between them didn't evaporate, but it shifted, becoming something marginally more bearable.

"You need training," Sasuke stated flatly. "Proper Uchiha training. The Sharingan is wasted on someone who doesn't know how to use it."

"So teach me," Naruto challenged, propping himself up on his elbows.

Sasuke's expression cycled rapidly through surprise, consideration, and reluctant acceptance. "Fine. But not because we're... related. Because I won't have an Uchiha, even a half-breed one, embarrassing the clan name with sloppy technique."

It wasn't friendship, or even true brotherhood—but it was acknowledgment, however grudging. For now, that would have to be enough.

As they resumed chakra training, a figure watched silently from the trees—the mask-wearing hunter-nin who had "killed" Zabuza. Beneath the mask, thoughtful eyes observed the interaction with great interest.

"Fascinating," Haku murmured. "Zabuza-sama will want to know about this development."

The days that followed established a new routine. Mornings devoted to chakra control exercises under Kakashi's supervision. Afternoons split between guard duty at the bridge and combat training. Evenings spent in awkward meals at Tazuna's house, where Inari's continued pessimism grated increasingly on Naruto's nerves.

On the fifth day, after a particularly negative comment from the boy, Naruto finally snapped.

"Listen, kid," he growled, slamming his chopsticks down. "I'm sick of your whining! You think you're the only one who's suffered? Try growing up completely alone, hated by your entire village for something you didn't do!"

"Naruto!" Sakura admonished. "He's just a child!"

"A child who needs to understand something," Naruto continued, undeterred. "Heroes exist because they choose to stand up when everyone else has given up. Your father was a hero not because he was strong, but because he was brave enough to fight even when victory seemed impossible."

Inari's eyes welled with tears. "You don't understand anything! Gato's too powerful! My father died because—"

"Because he had something worth protecting," Naruto finished softly. "Just like we do. Just like you do, if you'd open your eyes and see it."

The boy fled the table, sobbing. Tsunami rose to follow him, but Tazuna's gentle hand on her arm stopped her.

"Let him be," the bridge builder said wearily. "Perhaps the boy's words, harsh as they are, contain truth Inari needs to hear."

Later that night, unable to sleep, Naruto found himself on Tazuna's dock, staring into the moon-silvered water. The gentle lapping of waves against the pilings provided a soothing backdrop to his turbulent thoughts.

"Can't sleep?"

Naruto turned to find Sasuke approaching, his expression inscrutable in the moonlight.

"Too much on my mind," Naruto admitted.

Sasuke settled beside him, dangling his feet above the water. For several minutes, they sat in surprisingly comfortable silence.

"Tell me about your Sharingan," Sasuke finally said. "What does it feel like when it activates?"

Naruto considered the question carefully. "It's like... suddenly being able to see underwater after spending your whole life looking at reflections on the surface. Everything becomes clearer, deeper, more connected. I can see chakra flow, predict movements before they happen."

"And the tomoe?"

"Just one in each eye so far. I know fully developed Sharingan have three, but..." Naruto shrugged.

"It takes time and trauma," Sasuke said grimly. "Each tomoe represents a significant emotional catalyst—usually pain or loss."

The unspoken implication hung between them: Sasuke's fully-formed Sharingan had developed from witnessing his clan's massacre.

"There's something else," Naruto hesitated. "When my Sharingan activates, I can feel the Nine-Tails' chakra responding. It's like they're connected somehow, like the fox recognizes the Sharingan."

Sasuke's expression sharpened. "Recognizes it how?"

"With hatred," Naruto admitted. "Pure, intense hatred. When I access the fox's chakra while using Sharingan, my visual perception becomes even stronger, but it's tainted with... bloodlust. Like the fox wants to use my enhanced senses to cause more destruction."

"The Sharingan can control tailed beasts," Sasuke mused. "It makes sense that the Nine-Tails would fear and hate it."

"Yeah, the old furball really doesn't like when I use it. Throws a tantrum in my mindscape, threatens to tear me apart from the inside—the usual."

Sasuke's head whipped toward him. "You can communicate with it?"

"Sort of? More like... it can communicate with me, when it wants to. Usually just to threaten me or demand I use its power."

This revelation clearly disturbed Sasuke, though he masked it quickly. "You should be careful. The Nine-Tails is malevolence incarnate."

"Tell me something I don't know," Naruto snorted. "But it's not like I had a choice in becoming its jailer."

Another silence stretched between them, more contemplative than awkward.

"Tomorrow is the seventh day," Sasuke noted. "Zabuza will have recovered."

"And we'll be ready," Naruto asserted confidently. "Between your full Sharingan, my Shadow Clones, Sakura's brains, and Kakashi-sensei's experience, that eyebrow-less freak doesn't stand a chance!"

The corner of Sasuke's mouth twitched upward—not quite a smile, but the closest approximation Naruto had ever witnessed. "Your optimism is irritating."

"Part of my charm," Naruto grinned.

As they returned to the house, Sasuke paused at the threshold. "Naruto."

"Yeah?"

"When we get back to Konoha... I want to see my father's journals. There might be information about... us."

The request surprised Naruto. "I don't even know if those exist, but we can ask the Old Man Hokage."

Sasuke nodded once, then disappeared inside. It wasn't forgiveness or acceptance—but it was a step, however small, toward acknowledgment of their shared blood.

Little did either brother know how severely that blood bond would be tested in the coming battle.

The seventh day dawned in thick fog, nature itself conspiring with Zabuza's jutsu to shroud the Land of Waves in ghostly white. As Team Seven escorted Tazuna to the bridge, visibility extended barely an arm's length ahead.

"Stay alert," Kakashi cautioned, fully recovered and deadly serious. "Zabuza will make his move today."

The warning proved prophetic as they approached the bridge. Dark shapes materialized in the mist—the bodies of Tazuna's workers, sprawled unconscious or worse across the unfinished structure.

"What happened?" Tazuna gasped, rushing to check a fallen man. "Giichi! Who did this?"

"He's alive," Sakura confirmed, checking another worker's pulse. "They all seem to be."

"How merciful," a disembodied voice echoed through the fog. "I didn't want to waste chakra killing nobodies."

The mist parted slightly, revealing Zabuza standing tall at the bridge's center, the masked hunter-nin at his side.

"Kakashi," the swordsman growled. "Ready for a rematch? And you've brought your brats too—how convenient. Haku will enjoy testing his skills against them."

"So the masked one is your accomplice," Kakashi confirmed, uncovering his Sharingan. "As I suspected."

"Protect Tazuna," Kakashi ordered his team. "Zabuza is mine."

Sasuke stepped forward, Sharingan already activated. "The fake hunter-nin is mine."

"Ours," Naruto corrected, moving to flank Sasuke. "We'll take him together."

"How touching," Haku remarked, voice soft despite the killing intent emanating from him. "But Zabuza-sama requires the bridge builder's death, and I am his tool to accomplish this."

He vanished in a blur of speed, reappearing directly between Naruto and Sasuke, senbon glinting between his fingers.

"Fast!" Naruto gasped, barely blocking the needles aimed for his throat.

Sasuke countered with a sweeping kick that Haku leapt over effortlessly, launching another senbon barrage that forced both genin back.

"Your eyes," Haku noted, focusing on Sasuke. "The Sharingan. And you..." his attention shifted to Naruto, "...have interesting chakra. This will be educational."

Across the bridge, Kakashi and Zabuza had already engaged in their own deadly dance of blade and jutsu, the clash of kunai against massive sword ringing through the mist.

"Formation B!" Sasuke called, initiating a pincer attack they'd practiced during the week. Naruto charged directly at Haku while Sasuke circled to strike from behind.

To their surprise, Haku countered both simultaneously, one hand deflecting Naruto's punch while the other caught Sasuke's kick. More impressive still, he began forming one-handed seals—a technique neither had ever witnessed.

"Secret Jutsu: A Thousand Needles of Death!"

The water from puddles on the bridge rose, transforming into ice senbon that hovered ominously before launching toward the genin from all directions.

"Naruto, jump!" Sasuke commanded, his Sharingan tracking the needles' trajectories.

Both leapt skyward, narrowly evading the deadly barrage, only to find Haku waiting for them as they descended.

"Impressive teamwork," the masked ninja commented, delivering a spinning kick that sent Naruto tumbling across the bridge. "But insufficient."

Sasuke recovered faster, engaging Haku in taijutsu with increasing ferocity. His Sharingan tracked every movement, allowing him to anticipate and counter Haku's strikes with growing confidence.

"You're fast," Haku acknowledged, dodging a fire jutsu that singed his robe. "But speed alone won't save you."

He leapt backward, hands flashing through seals. "Secret Jutsu: Crystal Ice Mirrors!"

Water from the surrounding air crystallized, forming a dome of floating ice mirrors that encircled Sasuke. Haku stepped backward into one mirror, his reflection suddenly appearing in all of them simultaneously.

"What is this?" Sasuke demanded, kunai raised defensively.

"The ultimate expression of my kekkei genkai," Haku's voice echoed from every mirror. "No one has ever broken free of this prison."

Before Sasuke could respond, senbon rained from every direction, too numerous and too fast to dodge completely. Despite his Sharingan's warning, dozens of needles found their mark, drawing pained grunts as they embedded in his limbs and torso.

Outside the dome, Naruto recovered to witness Sasuke's predicament. "Hang on, teme!"

He charged the nearest mirror, only for Haku to emerge partially, launching senbon that drove him back. "Wait your turn," the masked ninja said coldly. "Your friend will be unconscious soon enough."

Inside the dome, Sasuke struggled against the relentless assault. His Sharingan tracked Haku's movements from mirror to mirror, but the speed exceeded his physical ability to counter. Each volley left him more injured, more sluggish.

"I'm not trying to kill you," Haku informed him. "But you will submit through pain and blood loss."

"Like hell!" Sasuke snarled, hands forming seals. "Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"

The massive flame sphere engulfed several mirrors, the heat intense enough to make the bridge's surface steam. When the fire dissipated, however, the mirrors remained intact, merely dripping with condensation.

"Ordinary fire cannot melt these mirrors," Haku explained. "They are infused with my chakra and life force."

Another barrage of senbon erupted from all directions. Sasuke, exhausted from the fireball technique, took multiple hits to his legs, falling to one knee with a pained gasp.

Outside, Naruto wrestled with indecision. The tactical choice would be maintaining formation around Tazuna with Sakura, yet every instinct screamed to help Sasuke—his teammate, his rival, his brother.

"Sakura," he called, "can you handle guarding Tazuna alone for a minute?"

Before she could protest, multiple shadow clones popped into existence, forming a defensive perimeter around their client. "My clones will help, but I've got to save that jerk."

Without waiting for her response, Naruto charged the ice dome, this time from multiple angles simultaneously with the aid of his clones. Most were dispatched easily by Haku's senbon, but the distraction allowed the real Naruto to slip inside the mirror prison.

"Great strategy, genius," Sasuke growled as Naruto appeared beside him. "Now we're both trapped."

"You're welcome for the rescue," Naruto shot back, helping Sasuke to his feet. "Any ideas on breaking these things?"

"Fire didn't work," Sasuke admitted grudgingly. "The ice must be reinforced with chakra."

"How interesting," Haku observed from the mirrors. "Brothers fighting together. Yes, I can see the resemblance now... the determination in your eyes."

Both boys stiffened. "What did you say?" Sasuke demanded.

"Your chakra signatures," Haku elaborated. "Similar yet distinct. As someone with a kekkei genkai myself, I recognize the patterns of bloodline inheritance. You share a parent, though not both. Fascinating."

"Shut up and fight!" Naruto shouted, unnerved by the enemy's perceptiveness.

"As you wish."

The next assault came even faster, senbon striking with surgical precision. Naruto's shadow clones popped in rapid succession as they attempted to shield the boys. Despite their combined efforts, both accumulated injuries—Sasuke's more severe due to earlier wounds.

"We need to track his real body," Sasuke muttered, blood trickling from a dozen punctures. "He's moving between mirrors, not simultaneously existing in all of them."

Naruto nodded, straining to focus his chakra to his eyes. If ever there was a time for his Sharingan to activate, it was now. The familiar burning sensation began, his vision sharpening incrementally, but the full transformation remained frustratingly out of reach.

"Cover me!" Sasuke barked, hands flashing through seals. "I'll track him, you distract him!"

Naruto hurled himself forward, a whirlwind of orange and determination. "Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" The dome exploded with Naruto duplicates, each one charging in a different direction.

Haku's response was ruthlessly efficient—a storm of senbon that shredded through the clones like paper. But in that fleeting chaos, Sasuke's Sharingan caught it—the whisper-quick shadow darting between mirrors, barely visible even to his enhanced perception.

"There!" Sasuke launched a kunai with deadly precision, catching Haku mid-transit. The masked ninja faltered, his rhythm disrupted as the blade sliced his shoulder.

"Impossible," Haku gasped. "No one has ever—"

Blood spattered against ice as Naruto's fist connected with Haku's mask, catching him before he could fully retreat into a mirror. The blow sent cracks spiderwebbing across the porcelain facade.

"Nothing's impossible for us," Naruto snarled, his eyes burning with determination. "Believe it!"

Something shifted in that moment—the air inside the dome crackling with volatile energy. Naruto's chakra surged, wild and unrestrained, intermingling with Sasuke's more focused power. For a heartbeat, they moved in perfect synchronicity, as if guided by shared blood and instinct rather than training.

Haku, sensing the dangerous shift, redoubled his assault. Senbon rained from every angle, a lethal downpour that seemed impossible to evade.

"Naruto, behind you!" Sasuke shouted, his body moving before conscious thought could form.

Time slowed to a crawl.

Sasuke lunged, shoving Naruto aside as dozens of senbon aimed for vital points converged. Pain exploded across his body as needle after needle embedded in flesh. He crumpled, his vision tunneling as crimson bloomed across the bridge's surface.

"SASUKE!" Naruto's scream tore through the mist, raw and primal.

He caught his brother's falling form, horror washing over him as he took in the damage—senbon protruding from neck, chest, arms, transforming Sasuke into a human pincushion.

"Why?" Naruto choked out. "Why would you...?"

Sasuke's blood-flecked lips curved in a faint smirk. "How should I know? My body just... moved on its own."

"Don't talk, you idiot! We need to get you—"

"Listen," Sasuke interrupted, his voice weakening. "My brother... Itachi... I swore to kill him. But now..." His eyes found Naruto's, something unspoken passing between them. "Don't let your dream die too."

His hand fell limply to the ground.

Silence crashed down, deafening in its totality.

Then something broke inside Naruto—a dam holding back power ancient and terrible. Grief transmuted into rage, rage into raw chakra that bubbled up from his core like magma from the earth's heart.

"Is this the first time you've seen a comrade die?" Haku's voice seemed to come from a great distance. "This is the way of the shinobi. We are merely tools—"

A shockwave of crimson chakra burst from Naruto, so violent it cracked the bridge beneath his feet. The air turned sulfurous, heavy with killing intent so thick it became almost tangible.

"I'll kill you." The voice that emerged barely sounded human.

Naruto's head snapped up, revealing a transformation that sent ice-cold terror lancing through Haku's veins. Gone were the boy's ordinary crimson eyes—replaced by something nightmarish. The Sharingan had awakened fully, two tomoe spinning in each iris, but overlaid with slitted, vulpine pupils glowing with unholy light. Whisker marks deepened into feral slashes across his cheeks, fingernails lengthening into claws as the Nine-Tails' chakra merged with his awakened bloodline.

The ice mirrors began to sweat, then crack under the onslaught of malevolent chakra. Haku launched a desperate barrage of senbon, only to watch in horror as they melted before reaching their target.

"What are you?" he whispered.

Naruto answered not with words but action. He vanished in a burst of speed that defied human limitation, reappearing with his fist buried in the nearest mirror. The ice—unbreakable moments before—shattered like glass, fragments tinkling across the bridge.

Haku fled to another mirror, only to find Naruto already there, fist cocked back and wreathed in visible red chakra. Another mirror exploded, then another, Naruto systematically destroying Haku's ultimate technique with brute force enhanced by demonic chakra.

Across the bridge, Kakashi and Zabuza paused their deadly dance, both sensing the monstrous energy erupting from the ice dome.

"That chakra..." Zabuza's eyes widened. "What is your student?"

Kakashi didn't answer, his own Sharingan registering the catastrophic shift in battle dynamics. The Nine-Tails' seal was destabilizing, threatening to release powers beyond even Zabuza's comprehension.

Back in the disintegrating ice prison, Haku made a desperate final stand. As his last mirror shattered, he launched himself directly at Naruto, senbon aimed for pressure points that might disable even a jinchūriki.

The attack never landed. Naruto caught his wrist mid-strike, crushing bone with inhuman strength. With his free hand, he snatched the mask from Haku's face, revealing features both feminine and masculine—beautiful despite their terror.

"Please," Haku gasped through the pain. "Kill me quickly."

Something in those words pierced the red haze of Naruto's fury. He hesitated, his fist stopping mere inches from Haku's exposed face.

"You... you spared the workers," Naruto growled, his voice still distorted by the Nine-Tails' influence. "Why?"

"Unnecessary killing... sullies the soul," Haku managed despite his shattered wrist. "I am Zabuza-sama's tool, but I need not be a mindless one."

Naruto's Sharingan captured every microexpression, every nuance of truth in Haku's words. The unfiltered honesty cooled his rage fractionally.

"If you understand mercy," he snarled, "then why Sasuke? Why kill my brother?"

Surprise flickered across Haku's face. "Brother? I see... I did not intend to kill him. The senbon struck non-lethal points—he is merely in a death-like trance, as I did with Zabuza previously."

The revelation hit like a thunderbolt. Naruto's grip loosened slightly, his chakra cloak flickering as confusion warred with rage.

"He's... alive?"

"Yes. He will recover with proper care."

Relief washed through Naruto, temporarily damping the Nine-Tails' influence. The crimson chakra receded slightly, though his Sharingan remained active, now tracking the subtle signs of Haku's truthfulness.

The moment of clarity was shattered by a chilling sound from across the bridge—chirping birds, a thousand of them, underscored by crackling lightning. Kakashi's voice cut through the mist:

"Lightning Blade!"

Haku's head snapped toward the sound, horror dawning on his face. "Zabuza-sama!" Without warning, he ripped himself from Naruto's slackened grip, body dissolving into a blur of motion toward the other battle.

Time compressed again as Naruto's enhanced vision captured the unfolding tragedy. Kakashi, hand wreathed in lightning, charging toward a immobilized Zabuza. Haku, materializing between them, arms spread wide to intercept the fatal blow. Kakashi's eyes widening in shock, momentum too great to halt the technique.

"NO!" Naruto's scream came too late.

Blood erupted in a crimson geyser as Kakashi's lightning-wrapped hand punched through Haku's chest. The boy's body jerked once, a soft sigh escaping his lips as light faded from his eyes. Still, his hands reached up, grasping Kakashi's arm in death to ensure the jōnin remained immobilized.

"Clever to the end," Zabuza laughed harshly, hefting his massive sword. "Now I'll take your head while you're stuck, Kakashi!"

The missing-nin swung, aiming to decapitate both Kakashi and Haku's corpse in one stroke. But the blade never connected. A blur of orange intercepted, kunai raised to block the massive sword.

Naruto stood before Kakashi, eyes blazing with fully-formed Sharingan, the Nine-Tails' chakra a visible shroud around him. The kunai, reinforced with demonic chakra, held against the executioner's blade—metal screaming against metal in protest.

"You," Naruto growled, voice thick with disgust, "would cut through Haku's body to get to your enemy? After he gave his life for you?"

"The boy was a tool," Zabuza sneered, though something like doubt flickered in his eyes. "Tools break. That's all."

"He loved you!" Naruto's voice cracked with emotion. "He sacrificed everything for you! And you feel NOTHING?"

Each word drove Zabuza back a step, the combined pressure of Naruto's physical strength and emotional assault surprisingly effective. Behind him, Kakashi gently extracted his arm from Haku's corpse, laying the boy down with unexpected tenderness.

"Naruto," Kakashi warned, "control yourself. The Nine-Tails—"

"I am in control," Naruto snarled, though the chakra cloak belied his claim as it bubbled more intensely around him. "This bastard needs to understand what he's thrown away!"

Before the confrontation could escalate further, slow applause echoed across the bridge. Through the thinning mist appeared a short, rotund figure flanked by dozens of armed thugs.

"Well, well," the newcomer sneered. "The mighty Demon of the Mist, reduced to fighting children. How disappointing, Zabuza."

"Gato," Zabuza growled, instantly recognizing the shipping magnate. "What is this?"

"A business decision," Gato smiled nastily. "Missing-nin are so expensive, and rather unreliable. I never intended to pay you. My men here will finish what you couldn't—killing the bridge builder and these Konoha pests."

The thugs behind him brandished weapons, their sheer numbers presenting a new threat despite their individual weakness compared to shinobi.

"It seems our fight is over, Kakashi," Zabuza remarked, lowering his sword. "My employer has terminated our contract."

"So it would appear," Kakashi agreed cautiously.

Gato strutted forward, his confident smirk faltering slightly at the sight of Naruto's chakra cloak. Nevertheless, he approached Haku's body, nudging it disrespectfully with his foot.

"This is the freak who broke my arm," he spat, delivering a kick to the corpse's face. "Good riddance—"

His words transformed into a gurgling scream as Zabuza's sword severed his arm at the shoulder. The missing-nin's eyes had transformed into something feral, rage replacing professional detachment.

"Don't touch him," Zabuza growled, bloodlust radiating from him in palpable waves.

"Kill them all!" Gato shrieked, clutching his spurting stump as he retreated behind his men.

What followed was a slaughter. Zabuza, despite injuries from his fight with Kakashi, carved through Gato's men like wheat before a scythe, taking countless wounds but advancing relentlessly toward the cowering businessman. Naruto and Kakashi dispatched those who tried to flank him, the former's Sharingan and chakra cloak making him nearly untouchable.

By the time Zabuza reached Gato, he resembled a pincushion more than a man—spears, swords, and knives protruding from his back and limbs. Yet he stood, implacable as death itself, before the shipping magnate.

"In the end," Zabuza told the terrified Gato, "I was never a demon. Just a man with a demon's reputation. But for Haku... I'll gladly become one now."

His sword flashed once. Gato's head rolled across the bridge, expression frozen in eternal terror.

The few remaining thugs fled, diving into the water to escape the bloodbath. Snow began to fall—unusual for the Land of Waves—dusting the carnage in pristine white. Zabuza staggered back toward Haku's body, his own strength finally failing.

"Kid," he called weakly to Naruto. "Was I wrong? About Haku?"

Naruto, the Nine-Tails' chakra finally receding, leaving only his Sharingan active, nodded solemnly. "He loved you. Not as a tool loves its wielder, but as a person loves another person."

Zabuza collapsed beside Haku's corpse, his massive frame shuddering with effort. "Kakashi... a favor..."

"Name it," Kakashi replied, understanding passing between the shinobi.

"Let me lie beside him."

With gentle hands that belied his deadly reputation, Kakashi arranged Zabuza next to Haku, positioning them so the dying man could see the boy's face.

"Thank you," Zabuza whispered. Blood bubbled at his lips as he gazed at Haku's peaceful expression. "I'm sorry it took me so long to understand. Perhaps... in the next life..."

His final breath escaped in a sigh, body growing still as snow continued to fall.

Naruto stood frozen, emotions warring within him—grief for Haku, relief that Sasuke lived, confusion about the maelstrom of power he'd unleashed. His Sharingan finally deactivated, leaving him exhausted but clear-headed.

"Kakashi-sensei," he said quietly. "Sasuke is alive. Haku put him in a death-like state with senbon."

Relief washed over Kakashi's visible features. "Let's tend to him, then."

They turned to find Sakura already kneeling beside Sasuke, carefully extracting senbon with medical precision. Tears streaked her face, but her hands remained steady.

"Is it true?" she asked, voice trembling. "Is he really going to be okay?"

"Yes," Kakashi confirmed, checking Sasuke's vital points. "His heartbeat is slow but strengthening. The senbon missed vital organs."

As if on cue, Sasuke stirred, eyes fluttering open. "Naruto? What... happened?"

Before anyone could answer, thunderous cheering erupted from the bridge's edge. The villagers had arrived, led by Inari brandishing a crossbow, determination replacing the fear that had defined him for so long.

"We came to fight!" the boy declared proudly. "But it looks like you handled it already."

Tazuna stepped forward, tears streaming into his beard. "It's over. Gato is dead. The Land of Waves is free."

Naruto helped Sasuke to his feet, supporting him with a shoulder. "You missed all the action, teme."

"Your eyes," Sasuke murmured, noticing the fatigue evident in Naruto's face. "Did you...?"

"Yeah," Naruto admitted. "Full Sharingan. Two tomoe. Guess we're even now."

Something like respect flickered across Sasuke's features. "Hn."

Kakashi observed the exchange with careful attention. The battle had accelerated developments he'd hoped to manage more gradually—Naruto's Sharingan had fully awakened, and the Nine-Tails' influence had manifested more powerfully than ever. The seal would need examination when they returned to Konoha.

More pressingly, Sasuke now had undeniable confirmation of Naruto's Uchiha heritage. The fragile bridge forming between the half-brothers would face new tests in the coming days.

As the villagers celebrated around them, Naruto caught Kakashi's concerned gaze. "I maintained control, sensei. Mostly."

"This time," Kakashi acknowledged. "But the combination of Sharingan and the Nine-Tails' chakra is unprecedented and dangerous. When we return to Konoha—"

"I know," Naruto sighed. "More secrets, more training, more being careful."

Sasuke, still leaning against him, spoke quietly so only Naruto could hear. "The fox's chakra. I saw it. Felt it. Is that why the village fears you?"

Naruto stiffened. "Yeah. The Nine-Tails was sealed inside me when I was born. Another S-class secret."

Instead of revulsion or fear, Sasuke's expression turned calculating. "Interesting. Between your fox and my fire, the Uchiha name might rise again after all."

The casual acknowledgment—however self-serving—of their shared heritage struck Naruto speechless. Before he could formulate a response, Inari barreled into him, nearly toppling both brothers.

"You did it, Naruto-nii-san! You showed us how to be brave again!"

Naruto's trademark grin returned, temporarily banishing heavier concerns. "Nah, you guys showed yourselves. I just helped a little."

As the celebration continued, Kakashi pulled Naruto aside briefly. "We should bury them together," he said, nodding toward Zabuza and Haku.

Naruto gazed at the fallen shinobi—enemies turned tragic figures through the lens of battle. "Yeah. They deserve that much."

The next day, two graves overlooked the newly completed bridge. Zabuza's massive sword served as headstone for both, a silent monument to what was lost and gained in the Land of Waves.

"Do you think they found peace?" Naruto asked as Team Seven prepared for departure.

"I believe they found truth," Kakashi replied thoughtfully. "Sometimes, that's the best we can hope for."

Tazuna approached, beaming despite his exhaustion. "We've decided on a name for the bridge."

"Oh?" Kakashi raised an eyebrow.

"The Great Naruto Bridge," Tazuna announced proudly. "Named for the boy who brought courage back to our land."

Naruto flushed crimson, for once at a loss for words.

"How fitting," Sakura smiled, nudging him playfully. "Now your ego will be even bigger."

"A bridge named after the dobe," Sasuke smirked. "At least it's not a ramen stand."

Their banter continued as they crossed the newly-christened structure, heading back toward Fire Country and Konoha. To casual observers, they appeared simply as genin returning from their first successful mission outside the village.

But subtle changes marked them—Naruto's more measured confidence, Sasuke's occasional glances toward his half-brother that held calculation rather than pure disdain, Sakura's new awareness of her teammates' complexities. Even Kakashi walked with heightened vigilance, aware that the revelations in Wave Country had accelerated events beyond the Hokage's careful planning.

The secrets of blood and beast were surfacing, and the ripples would soon reach Konoha's shores.

"Absolutely not." The Third Hokage's voice, though level, carried unmistakable finality.

Naruto and Sasuke stood before his desk, the former fidgeting while the latter maintained rigid composure. Three days had passed since their return from the Land of Waves, wounds healed but tensions simmering beneath the surface.

"With all due respect, Hokage-sama," Sasuke pressed, "as the recognized heir to the Uchiha clan, I have the right to access my father's personal effects."

Hiruzen puffed his pipe, weathered gaze shifting between the half-brothers. "Normally, yes. But Fugaku's journals contain sensitive information beyond personal or clan matters."

"Information about me," Naruto interjected. "About us."

"Among other things," the Hokage confirmed carefully. "Intel that could destabilize not just your lives, but the village itself if mishandled."

Sasuke's jaw tightened. "More secrets? Haven't enough been kept already?"

Something in his tone—less accusatory than genuinely wounded—softened the Hokage's expression. These weren't merely ninja under his command but children navigating impossible truths about their origins.

"Very well," he relented, reaching into his desk drawer. "I will allow access to specific portions of Fugaku's journals—entries pertaining to his relationship with Kushina and Naruto's conception."

He withdrew a slim, leather-bound volume. "This is a curated transcript I prepared after the... incident. The original journals remain sealed in ANBU archives."

Sasuke accepted the book with visible restraint, his fingers white-knuckled against its cover. "Thank you, Hokage-sama."

"Read it together," Hiruzen advised. "Some truths are easier borne with shared shoulders."

After dismissing them, he sank deeper into his chair, gaze drifting toward the Hokage Monument visible through his window. "Minato," he murmured to the stone visage of the Fourth, "I hope I'm doing right by your son. By both their sons."

Rain drummed against the windows of Naruto's apartment as the half-brothers sat across from each other, the journal between them on a scratched coffee table. Neither had yet mustered the courage to open it.

"This is stupid," Sasuke finally broke the silence. "It's just words on paper."

"Words that might change everything," Naruto countered softly. "Again."

Sasuke's hand hovered over the cover. "My father... I thought I knew him."

"We both did," Naruto offered a tentative smile. "Or didn't, actually."

The attempt at humor fell flat, but something in Sasuke's posture eased fractionally. With deliberate motion, he opened the journal to its first entry.

15th of March

Today I betrayed my clan, my wife, and my honor—yet I cannot bring myself to regret it. Kushina Uzumaki has bewitched me, her spirit a wildfire compared to the controlled flames of Uchiha. The Sharingan sees truth, they say, and perhaps mine has finally seen what matters more than duty.

She carries the burden of the Nine-Tails with such strength. Does Minato truly appreciate the woman he married? Does he see beyond the jinchūriki to the warrior-soul beneath?

I must end this folly before it begins. The clan needs leadership now more than ever, with tensions mounting between Uchiha and village. Yet when she smiled at me today during the council meeting, I knew I was already lost.

The entries continued, chronicling the development of a relationship that began as mutual respect between clan head and jinchūriki, evolved into friendship through shared frustrations with village politics, and ultimately kindled into forbidden passion.

Sasuke read mechanically, his expression carefully blank. Naruto alternated between fascination and discomfort as his mother's personality emerged through Fugaku's descriptions—fiery, principled, compassionate in ways official histories never captured.

12th of August

Kushina is pregnant. The child is unquestionably mine—timing makes this certain. She weeps, torn between joy at new life and devastation at our impossible situation. Minato suspects nothing, attributing her emotional state to hormones and anxiety about the seal weakening during childbirth.

I should feel shame. Instead, I find myself imagining this child—Uchiha and Uzumaki blood combined, born of fire and maelstrom. What kekkei genkai might emerge from such a union? What power?

Mikoto notices my distraction. She is too intelligent not to sense something amiss, but her loyalty to the clan prevents her from confronting me directly. The guilt when I look upon Itachi and infant Sasuke is nearly unbearable. What example am I setting for my sons?

Yet when Kushina places my hand upon her belly, feeling the first flutters of movement within... I cannot regret this child's existence, regardless of the circumstances of its conception.

Naruto paused in the reading, glancing at Sasuke. "You okay?"

"Continue," Sasuke commanded flatly, though a muscle jumped in his jaw.

10th of September

Disaster. We were discovered today, though not as I feared by Minato or Mikoto. A masked man intercepted our meeting in the forest—an Uchiha, judging by the single Sharingan visible through his mask, though none I recognize from the clan. His chakra felt... wrong. Ancient somehow, yet vibrant with malice.

He knows about the child. Worse, he expressed interest in its "potential," suggesting the combination of bloodlines holds value to his unspecified plans. We must be more careful. Kushina believes we should tell Minato the truth, but I counseled against it. The Hokage has enough burdens without adding personal betrayal to the list.

The masked Uchiha troubles me greatly. His knowledge of the seal, his interest in our child, his apparent exile from the clan yet possession of Sharingan... I must investigate discretely. If another Uchiha has gone rogue, the clan's already precarious position could deteriorate further.

The entries grew more sporadic as Kushina's pregnancy progressed, Fugaku's writing increasingly paranoid about surveillance and the mysterious masked Uchiha. References to growing tensions between the clan and village appeared with alarming frequency.

5th of October

One week until Kushina's due date. Security arrangements are in place for the birthing location—a safehouse outside the village where the seal can be reinforced during delivery. Minato has selected his most trusted ANBU for protection detail, unaware that the greatest threat to his marriage sits across from him at council meetings.

I will be unable to attend the birth without raising suspicion. This pains Kushina deeply, though she understands the necessity. Biwako Sarutobi will serve as midwife—the Third's wife knows nothing of our affair but is skilled enough to handle any complications.

The masked Uchiha has not reappeared, yet I sense his presence like a shadow at the edge of vision. My investigation into his identity has yielded disturbing theories I dare not commit to paper. If I am correct, the threat he poses extends beyond our personal indiscretion to the village itself.

Itachi grows more perceptive daily. At seven years old, his awareness exceeds many adults. Yesterday he asked why I watch Kushina-san during council meetings. The boy notices everything. Perhaps too much.

The final entry was dated October 10th—the day of the Nine-Tails attack, the day Naruto was born, the day both Kushina and Minato died sealing the fox within their son.

10th of October, Early Morning

Tonight, my child enters the world. I have arranged to be "coincidentally" near the safehouse should complications arise, though I cannot openly participate in the birth. My heart is divided—joy for new life warring with shame at the circumstances of its creation.

Last night, I dreamed of a child with Kushina's spirit and Uchiha eyes, standing proudly between our clans as a bridge rather than a scandal. Perhaps in another life, such dreams might have substance.

Something feels wrong today. The air itself seems charged with anticipation. I've doubled my personal security detail under pretense of clan concerns, but truthfully, I fear the masked Uchiha may make his move tonight, when the seal is at its weakest.

If the worst should happen, and I am not there to protect them... may this record stand as testament. The child born tonight carries my blood and my love, regardless of who raises it. Kushina has decided to name him Naruto, after a character in Jiraiya's book. A strong name for a child of two powerful bloodlines.

Should fate turn against us, I have left sealed instructions with the Third about the child's heritage. Appropriate steps must be taken to protect both the child and the village's stability should the truth emerge at an inopportune time.

I go now to my post near the safehouse. May the gods watch over us all tonight.

The journal ended there—the final written thoughts of Fugaku Uchiha before chaos descended upon Konoha. The half-brothers sat in silence as rain continued its steady percussion against the windows, each processing the insights gained from their father's words.

"He knew," Sasuke finally said, voice unnaturally steady. "About the masked Uchiha. About the attack."

"He tried to prevent it," Naruto countered. "He was worried about mom—about Kushina—and about me."

"He betrayed my mother," Sasuke's fist clenched. "Betrayed his clan. And for what? Curiosity about mixing bloodlines?"

"It was more than that," Naruto argued. "You read it yourself. They actually loved each other."

"Love?" Sasuke scoffed. "He had responsibilities—to the clan, to his family. He abandoned those for... for..."

"For my mom," Naruto finished quietly. "I'm not saying what he did was right. But people mess up, especially when feelings get involved."

Sasuke stood abruptly, pacing the small apartment with caged energy. "The masked Uchiha... it had to be Itachi. The timing, the interest in power, the knowledge of the seal—who else could it be?"

Naruto frowned. "I don't think so. Your dad didn't recognize him, and he would have known his own son."

"Unless Itachi was disguised," Sasuke countered. "You don't understand my brother's capabilities. Even at thirteen, he was ANBU captain—a prodigy beyond prodigies."

"Maybe," Naruto conceded, unwilling to argue against Sasuke's vendetta. "But there's something else we need to talk about."

"What?"

"The Sharingan. Mine. Now that it's fully awakened, I need training. Real training."

Sasuke halted his pacing, studying Naruto with calculating intensity. "You want me to teach you."

"Who else can? Kakashi-sensei has one eye and isn't Uchiha by blood. You're the only one who can show me how to use it properly."

A complex cascade of emotions crossed Sasuke's face—reluctance, pride, calculation, and something else—perhaps the faintest recognition of opportunity.

"Fine," he decided. "But on my terms. We train when and where I decide, and you follow instructions without your usual idiocy."

"Deal," Naruto agreed instantly. "When do we start?"

Sasuke glanced out the rain-streaked window. "Tomorrow. Training Ground 44—the Forest of Death. Its restricted access means fewer prying eyes."

"Isn't that area off-limits outside of exams?"

A ghost of a smirk played across Sasuke's lips. "Afraid of breaking rules, dobe?"

"As if! I'll be there at dawn."

"Good." Sasuke moved toward the door, then paused, hand on the knob. "One more condition. No one can know about this arrangement—not Sakura, not Kakashi, no one."

"Why the secrecy?"

"Because," Sasuke said with sudden intensity, "what happens between Uchiha stays between Uchiha. The village has interfered enough in our clan's affairs."

With that cryptic statement, he departed, leaving Naruto alone with the journal and a growing sense that their shared heritage had opened a door between them—one that might lead to brotherhood or something far more dangerous.

Dawn hadn't yet broken when Naruto arrived at the intimidating fence surrounding Training Ground 44. Mist clung to the massive trees within, their ancient trunks and twisting branches creating a foreboding silhouette against the gradually lightening sky.

Sasuke appeared silently beside him, making Naruto jump. "You came."

"I said I would," Naruto replied, slightly irritated by the implication he might have chickened out.

Without further conversation, Sasuke led them to a section of fence where the warning signs were partially obscured by vegetation. With practiced ease, he disabled a trap wire and slipped through a gap, gesturing for Naruto to follow.

"How many times have you sneaked in here?" Naruto whispered as they penetrated deeper into the forest.

"Enough," Sasuke answered cryptically. "The ANBU patrol this area, but their pattern is predictable. We have three hours before the next sweep."

They reached a small clearing where the canopy opened slightly, allowing dawn's first rays to penetrate. Sasuke turned to face Naruto, his stance formal.

"Activate your Sharingan," he commanded.

Naruto closed his eyes, concentrating on the sensation he'd experienced during the battle on the bridge—the rush of chakra, the heightened perception, the world slowing around him. When his eyes opened, they remained ordinary crimson.

"I told you," he sighed. "I can't do it at will yet."

Sasuke frowned. "The Sharingan responds to emotional triggers, particularly danger or protective instinct. Without battle conditions..." His expression shifted to something predatory. "We'll have to create some."

Before Naruto could process the implication, Sasuke attacked—not the measured sparring of teammates but a genuine assault with killing intent. A kunai whistled past Naruto's ear, drawing blood as he barely dodged.

"What the hell, teme!" Naruto yelped, leaping backward.

"Defend yourself," Sasuke replied coldly, his own Sharingan activating. "Or die."