[Hokage] A rose in mourning for the summer moon

"... There is a woman living in the west house. There is a man who did not fall in love with this woman long ago, but met by chance, fell in love at first sight, lingered for a long time, and finally fell in love as deeply as the sea. It was not easy that year on the tenth day of the first lunar month. Afterwards, this woman suddenly moved to another place..."

"In the first month of the following year, when the plum blossoms were in full bloom, the man remembered what happened last year, so he went to look for the house on the west side where the woman had moved out. He stood and watched, sat and stared, but saw that the environment had completely changed."

"He wept, lying on the ground under the desolate eaves until the cold moon set in the west, recalling last year's relationship, and sang the poem as follows:"

"The month is the month of last year, and the spring is like the spring of the past. Although my body looks old, it is not the same as last year."

"It's getting dark..."

"Ah, Itachi, you're awake."

I feel his gaze.With his eyes open, he seemed a little dazed, as if he had just escaped from a deep nightmare and hadn't fully recovered.When this expression appeared on Itachi's face, it looked a little innocent and cute-reminds me of my childhood.

"How do you feel, is there any discomfort?" I brushed the broken hair on his forehead, and wiped a few beads of sweat from his temples.

"Unexpectedly..." He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his eyes were much clearer, "It's really Xia Yue."

He took my hand and let out a soft breath.It must be very warm, the exhalation of a living person.very nice.

"Xia Yue, what are you doing...?" He propped himself up and sat up, his eyes fell on the book in my hand.

"Reading "The Tale of Ise" to pass the time." I am happy to share with him, "It's a good story, isn't it? The month is last month, and the spring is like the old spring. Very beautiful scenery."

He shook his head slightly, touched his eyes in silence, stared down at his body, and repeatedly checked his palms, especially the fingertips.After confirming what happened, he looked at me again, frowning slightly, as if he was at a loss, and looked more closely.

"I thought... it was just a hallucination before death." He said softly, his eyes didn't blink, he was watching my reaction, "Xia Yue saved me?"

"It's not so much 'rescue'...it's better to say that I snatched you back from the god of death." I looked at him with a smile, and the more I watched, the happier I became.

He frowned even tighter.Suddenly, he pulled me over, his eyes met mine, so close that his shadow was magnified to the limit and became a bit blurred instead.

This shooting speed was really unprepared, and he was in a daze.

"Itachi, what's wrong?" I asked.

"...Confirm some things." He let go of his hand and brushed my wrist with his fingertips, looking thoughtful and even more confused.He looked around, hesitated to speak, as if carefully considering what to say and what not to say.

No matter when and where you are, you can maintain this calmness and self-control. This is Itachi.

In the same way, after observing and thinking, he quickly made a decision. This is also Itachi.

"I should be dead already, Xia Yue." He looked straight at me, lost the daze and daze just now, and his tone was extremely calm, "I'm terminally ill, I won't live long, my physical condition is very bad. After Sasuke killed me , Someone should confirm my death and transplant my eyes to him, so that he can avoid the fate of blindness."

"This is a life-threatening situation. Even the legendary medical ninja Tsunade cannot save my life. Even if it is possible, it will definitely not be in the unscathed state."

Uchiha Itachi is calm, concise, and orderly, and can be objective and calm even when talking about his own life and death-so calm that it is easy for people to misunderstand that he is just indifferent and indifferent to life.But that's not the case; he's not apathetic, but he puts aside what he sees as useless mood swings after he thinks something "just so".

Itachi is such a pragmatic person.I have long understood and even appreciated it, but at this moment, I suddenly became a little angry.

"Oh, that's fine." I shrugged, kept smiling, leaned back in the chair, and spread my hands, "The truth is that we are all dead, this is the underworld, we are all ghosts, and the king of Hades allows us to catch up. So Is it reasonable?"

Itachi looked at me for a while, sighed, a little helpless; the trace of helplessness softened his cold expression.

"Tell me the truth, Xia Yue."

"Okay." That's right, just ask me if I am right. I immediately sat upright and described my kaleidoscope sharingan sharingan ability honestly and in detail, including how I marked him trigger, How to cooperate with Orochimaru, how to get the help of Sanwei and Erwei outside the village, how to benefit from Kakuzu and Hidan, and finally how to make him resurrect after fake death, and get back to health smoothly body, complete eyes.

After finishing speaking, I continued to look at him with a smile.

"Cooperate with Orochimaru?" He was speechless for a moment, and sighed again.Sometimes I can't help but reflect, do I always let the people around me sigh?Probably because even though I did my best, there was always something that wasn't good enough, which made them sad.Thinking of it this way, I can't help but feel a little sad.Fortunately, all this bitter sorrow is also coming to an end.

"Well, knowing that Orochimaru uses Sasuke, I still chose to cooperate with him." I kept smiling, "Will you blame me, Itachi?"

His eyes focused on me.For a moment, his eyes became a little strange; there seemed to be something more than the original calmness and scrutiny.

"Xia Yue, I never blamed you." He suddenly leaned over and held my shoulder with a serious expression, "No matter what you do, I will never blame you."

……Yeah.That's it.

I slowly put away my smile.

"Oh." I lowered my eyes and stared at the sheets, "That's good."

The conversation should end here.I thought.But then he kissed her, softly but firmly.

Lips are very soft.A superficial, light, pursed-lipped touch.

I feel nostalgic.

After a few breaths, I turned my head and refused to go any further.He didn't force it—of course, he never forced anyone—just pressed his forehead against mine, like animals warming each other in nature.

"I'm sorry, Xia Yue." He whispered, "I'm sorry."

In that second, I had an impulse.I want to ask him, what was the "I'm sorry" he said for, the kiss just now, or the past years, or he stopped breathing in the freezing rain?He died in a place I couldn't see, silently; when I pursued him, I only saw the scorched land and the blood that was gradually drained in the rain.

Being killed by a younger brother whom he valued, losing consciousness in the rainstorm... What kind of feeling is that?Does everyone feel the same when facing death, or is it different?

A little curious.But, it doesn't matter anymore.

I hugged him and buried my head in the crescent of his neck.He is alive, the blood is flowing under the skin, the pulse is even and strong, and the arms are soft and firm when they are tightened.

I feel like crying, but I have no more tears.

"I said, this is enough. Itachi, as long as you survive."

My goals have been achieved, and I've gotten what I wanted.That's enough.

"What do you want to do next?" I braced myself, kissed him on the cheek, and smiled at him, "Itachi, do you want to go back to Konoha? Or go find Sasuke and go back to Konoha with him?"

His expression became softer, but when he mentioned Konoha, he was a little silent and hesitant.

"How is Konoha doing now?" All he asked was this one.

You have done so many things and undertaken so many, but in the end you can't even say that you have returned to your hometown?Sure enough, it was an annoying thing.I hate such sad and sad things.

I got up to get the information.

"I have communicated with the Fifth Hokage and the Third Hokage separately. They have learned about our current situation and are willing to cancel the arrest warrant for you and refute the statement of 'betrayal ninja'. Sasuke has no definite news yet, but heard the wind The person who said 'Akatsuki' was in contact with him. I have reason to suspect that 'Akatsuki' told him about you so that he could use Sasuke to restrain Konoha's power."

"Fifth Hokage promised me that she will handle your rehabilitation procedures, so now you can do whatever you want..."

I stated the current situation and follow-up arrangements in one breath, and I also showed him the document with the Hokage seal to show that this was not my whimsical fantasy.I talked earnestly and in detail for a long time, but he didn't make a sound. I felt strange, and then I remembered that I should carefully observe his reaction, but when I looked up, I only found him looking at me quietly.

Quiet eyes, clean as a teenager.There seems to be a part of him in my heart that always belongs to a teenager.

"Is it a bit long-winded?" I was a little embarrassed.

He shook his head and smiled faintly, "Xia Yue has grown up."

"Itachi... we are the same age, okay." I glared at him, complaining a bit, "After a long time, did you actually express emotion like an elder? Itachi is really... the same Itachi I know." Having said that, I couldn't help laughing.

Yes, that's who he is, he hasn't changed at all.very nice.

He didn't refute, just looked at me with a smile, as if saying that it was all right.Yes, I know him: this is my silent, gentle, always smiling lover, who belongs to the sunset glow, lake water, starry sky, and snowfall in my memory.He's back, and I can't be mistaken.

I'm so glad.

"Go back to Konoha dignifiedly, Itachi." I said, "Go back to the village as 'Konoha's Uchiha Itachi'."

Itachi Uchiha is a quiet, restrained person who is not easy to detect his emotions. Most of the time he keeps the same expression, his eyes are as cold as a cold pool.Even a smile is shallow, like some occasional ripples on the surface of a lake.Yet now he... I can say, his eyes lit up with what I've described.

"I understand." He said, "Xiayue, let's go back to Konoha together."

Stretched, happy, hopeful; I haven't seen a ferret like this in years.Even in our teenage years, in the year before he left Konoha, he was silent and tense, his eyes were filled with emotions that no one knew, and all the pain and choices were buried in his heart. Talk to people.

I did one thing right.I did what I always wanted to do.

"Go back." I replied with a smile.

Go back, Itachi.

When I took him to see the light of day again, it was the moment when the alliance of five major powers was initially concluded and the curtain of war officially opened.Through the trigger left on Sasuke, we quickly find Sasuke and his current companions.

Needless to say, I was shocked.I coaxed Sasuke's companions to stay away and give them a space to communicate.They were talking over there, and I squatted here chatting with Sasuke's new companions, explaining "the mystery of Sasuke's brother's resurrection" in a friendly manner, and asked what Sasuke was like in their eyes.

Among them, the boy named Guideng Shuiyue kept staring at me, and suddenly said: "I saw you at Dashewan."

I didn't change my face: "Oh, maybe it's an academic exchange."

Several people looked suspicious.

The red-haired girl Xianglin has been looking at Sasuke over there for a long time, then turned to ask me, why didn't I explain to Sasuke myself.

"Isn't your surname also Uchiha? Are you Sasuke's older sister?" She questioned, "I can feel that Uchiha Itachi, and you, have kept many things from Sasuke. Don't explain clearly. Is it okay?"

"No, Kaorin." Onito Mizuki replied carelessly, "I remembered, I heard Orochimaru say that this woman is not Sasuke's sister, but his brother's girlfriend... Wow! Sasuke! When will you be back!"

Sasuke stood quietly behind him, startling him.The others stood up and looked at him.In this small group, Sasuke seems to have established his prestige.I suddenly understood what Itachi felt before.

——Sasuke has grown up.

I just said this in my mind once.

"Just like Xianglin said, Xiayue, don't you have anything to tell me?" Sasuke stood there straight, with an indifferent expression and a sneering tone, "In these years, you know everything, but you don't know everything. Don't tell me, is it what you want to see me rampage alone?"

Such a sharp question, so difficult to answer.I was embarrassed for a second, showing a signature standard smile.

"Now you know the truth." I replied, "Whether you accept it or not, I just want to protect you."

"One by one, they all said 'protection'." Sasuke swept his eyes, and his sarcasm became stronger, "No need. From now on, I will only find the answer by myself. I can promise you that I will not be an enemy of Konoha, but I'm not going back either."

"That Uchiha Madara who is said to be the real murderer, I will hit it by myself."

"Our 'Eagle' squad will be active on the battlefield in our own name and decide who we stand with."

The young man dropped these powerful words, and led his companions away.

We two old people were thrown on the spot, each pondering for a long time.

"Is it...should we consider temporarily forming an alliance in the name of the village?"

"Indeed, this can temporarily avoid the conflict between Sasuke and Konoha."

"Let's see what happens next."

"Anyway, Danzo has died a long time ago, and the culprit has been punished as he should."

A few words made the decision.I was about to leave, but itachi didn't move.I wanted to ask him, but he patted my head.

I haven't been touched on the head for a long time, and I'm a little stunned.

"Sure enough, it's still Xia Yue." He said, "I'm not afraid of death, but I still feel that being able to face Xia Yue alive is a very happy thing."

I was stunned for a long time again.

"Being more frank, Itachi." I smiled, "I used to just keep silent at this time."

"Well, maybe it's because I have died once, and I have realized the value of life more personally. I want to atone for my sins, but I also want to live to be with Xia Yue."

I look at him seriously.On that young but calm face, there was no trace of jokes, but only tenderness and seriousness.He has always been such a serious person, he will carry out what he decides to the end.

are you with me...

Then I'm really happy.

"Let's wait until the war is over." I smiled, "There are still many things to do."

Itachi's return caused tremors not only in Konoha, but in the entire ninja world.The fifth generation announced this matter at Konoha's internal meeting and alliance talks, and followed the script I wrote to the third generation: In order to win the trust of the heinous international criminal organization "Akatsuki", the Uchiha family willingly sacrificed their lives , Achieved Itachi's vote certificate.But now that the "Xiao" organization has been completely exposed, all countries need to fight it with all their strength, and Konoha has taken back the most senior undercover agent in its history.As for the duel between the Uchiha brothers before, it was natural to feign death so that their own people could return safely.

Historically, existences such as undercover agents and spies/spies seldom ended well.Politics needs spies, but Dayi questions their morality.I can imagine how many people will point and point behind their backs and list some moral crimes after returning to the village.But so what?

This is his choice.If he thinks this is a good ending, then it is a good ending.

The scope of the Fourth Ninja World War is very wide, but if the five shadow talks are used as the starting point, the speed of the entire war will be very fast.

With Itachi's information, many arrangements of "Akatsuki" lost their effect.Someone in the enemy once wanted to launch a large-scale filthy soil reincarnation technique, but not long after it started, the caster was found out, and it turned out to be Medicine Master Dou.Itachi discussed it with Sasuke and somehow didn't kill him, but locked him up alone.

The trouble is Uchiha Madara, who was reincarnated from the dirt.He was just like the first generation of Hokage that gave me the impression that he was terribly powerful, and he also lifted the control of the caster by himself, causing a lot of pressure on the battlefield.

But in this way, the coalition forces are even more sure that the leader of "Akatsuki" is someone else-Uchiha Obito.

Kakashi was hit hard.We took turns to comfort him, but he was very obsessed with Obito and insisted on rushing to the front line to confront Obito.

Since the chief culprits of the war are Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Obito, both of whom were born in Konoha and both surnamed Uchiha, it is inevitable that our descendants will be gossiped.What can we do, it is true, we can only demonstrate our beliefs by our own example.

I may not have much faith, but I also have something to protect.

Moreover, thinking that those two secondary diseases caused the foxes to attack the village and lead to the destruction of the Uchiha clan, I really want to string them up with crescent thorns and send them to the bottom of the sea to suppress them for a lifetime.

Naturally, I am also very happy to see them fighting among themselves.Madara blamed Obito for not gathering all the tail beasts, and Obito said that Madara was unreliable.

Unexpectedly, they didn't know what method they used, and they caught Erwei and Sanwei in a blink of an eye.I obviously let them go and warned them to hide them, but it turned out that Maoyou and Jifu had been following me quietly all along, not far away, carefully not to be discovered by me.

Except for the half of the nine-tailed chakra on Naruto, they gathered all the tailed beasts and summoned a strange... heretic golem?

The battle took a turn for the worse.

When I watched a wooden Gundam descend on the battlefield, I felt like I was almost Sparta.This is definitely not the ninja world I know, this kind of thing is too mysterious.

I really can't understand this world.I have spent many years, painstakingly trying to make up for my lack of chakra, and there are more ninjas who don't even have the limit of blood successors.Everyone is struggling, so why do we say that aliens are coming now that aliens are coming?

I am wronged.Still very angry.Could it be that we are trembling and painstaking, but in the end it is really just one or two moves of other people's idle chess, which can be destroyed with a snap of our fingers?

The Uchiha was destroyed, Sasuke grew up in hatred and pain, Itachi took on so many things, and all those who died and those who are still struggling... all these are just for a stupid conspiracy?Those sacrifices seemed like a joke.

The more angry a person is, the calmer the surface must be.It takes calm to get things done.Xia Yue, calm down.

No matter how stupid you are, there is no doubt about the combat effectiveness of the enemy.The threshold for this level of combat is too high.Those who can fight on the court, one counts as one, except for Gokage, there are only Naruto, Itachi, Sasuke, and Kakashi who has Obito's Sharingan.Tenzo... No, Yamato's wooden escape ninjutsu can't resist those two secondary diseases.

Naruto relies on Kyuubi, Itachi and Sasuke have Kaleidoscope Sharingan and Susanoo.

That being the case... there is no other way.In fact, it has been hidden for too long.

I touched my eyes.Sharingan seems to be burning hot.

"—Susano."

A giant black samurai rose from the ground.With a thought in my mind, two crescent thorns appeared in the warrior's hand, as if breathing naturally.

The red samurai is on my left, the blue one on the right.The former belongs to Itachi and the latter belongs to Sasuke.After some distance, I can only see their general appearance, but I can't see the details of the movements of the corners of the eyes and brows.Just thought they were surprised.

I let out my standard smile.

"Susano, I have it too."