Konoha: The Honored One

Village Border – Uchiha Compound

The empty streets of the Uchiha district were eerily quiet, the faint echo of footsteps bouncing off the dilapidated walls. Bloodstains, faded but stubborn, clung to the ground as silent witnesses of a massacre long past.

Sasuke Uchiha, hands buried in his pockets, glanced around with his usual cold, detached demeanor. "Gojo-sensei, why did you bring me here?" His voice was sharp, but his eyes betrayed the weight of memories this place carried.

Gojo Satoru, perched lazily on a rooftop like a smug bird, grinned behind his blindfold. "Just wanted to see if you were brave enough to live here without wetting yourself at night," he teased, waving a half-eaten slice of strawberry cake.

Sasuke's glare could've frozen lava. "Ghosts don't scare me."

Gojo chuckled, letting his gaze drift across the area, his Six Eyes picking up remnants of chakra and bloodlines scattered like faded shadows. "Good thing. This place has more bad vibes than a ninja exam after-party."

The younger Uchiha clenched his fists, his jaw tight. "If there are any ghosts here, I'll welcome them. At least then, I won't be the only one left in this damned place."

Gojo raised an eyebrow, licking frosting off his finger. "Wow, edgy much? Listen, Sasuke, I'm about to drop some life-altering wisdom on you. So brace yourself."

Sasuke rolled his eyes. "Spare me the lectures, sensei. I'm here for strength, not therapy."

"Patience, emo child. Strength comes with wisdom." Gojo wiped his hands dramatically on his coat and sat cross-legged. "There are two things that matter most to a person: Mom and Dad. Everything else? Side quests."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, his Sharingan flaring to life. "Don't talk about them like you know anything! Just give me the power to kill my brother!"

Gojo sighed, unbothered by the boy's outburst. "You're such a broken record. Fine, two options. Option one: You die once, meet the Sage of Six Paths, and get the shiny Indra DLC. Risks include, y'know, staying dead."

Sasuke scowled but stayed silent.

"Option two," Gojo continued, twirling his finger, "use your hatred and despair to unlock Mangekyō Sharingan. Guaranteed success. No refunds."

Sasuke crossed his arms, the intensity in his gaze unwavering. "What's this 'Indra' nonsense? First I'm hearing of it, but it feels annoyingly familiar. Whatever—I'll take option two. Risking death would be... inconvenient."

Gojo smirked, appearing before Sasuke in an instant and ruffling his hair like an annoying older brother. "Good choice, angsty one. But remember, you're my student. You die without permission, and I'll drag you back just to yell at you."

Sasuke swatted his hand away, muttering something about "stupid blindfolded clowns," though his usual coldness softened for a moment.

"Alright, time for some experimental ninja therapy." Gojo's fingers pressed lightly to Sasuke's forehead. "Memory Seal."

A wave of chakra surged as Sasuke stiffened, his expression frozen. Slowly, the warmth of cherished memories dimmed, leaving only the raw, burning anger of the massacre.

Gojo stepped back, hands forming a quick seal. "Magic Tower."

Sasuke dropped to the ground, clutching his head as the illusion took hold. His mind was yanked back to the fateful night of the Uchiha massacre, replaying the horrors on an endless loop.

"Ahhh! ITACHI!!!" Sasuke's scream pierced the air, his chakra flaring wildly.

"Man, that's loud." Gojo grimaced, stuffing a rag into Sasuke's mouth. "Now you know how I feel when Naruto talks about ramen."

He hopped onto a nearby roof, watching the spectacle unfold as he resumed eating his cake. "Ah, the classics. Nothing like trauma to kickstart some character development."

Minutes later, Sasuke's chakra surged to new heights. The dark aura around him thickened, taking shape as skeletal armor.

Susanoo.

The Sharingan in Sasuke's eyes spun wildly, transforming into the intricate design of the Mangekyō.

Gojo tilted his head, impressed. "Well, that was fast. Guess being Indra's reincarnation has its perks."

Sasuke stood, his Susanoo towering behind him like a vengeful guardian. His voice was ice. "Itachi… ITACHI!!!"

In his distorted vision, Gojo's carefree figure morphed into that of his brother. Fueled by rage, Sasuke lunged, Susanoo's massive fist crashing down.

Gojo sighed, vanishing with a flicker of speed before reappearing behind Sasuke, tapping him on the shoulder. "Wrong guy, buddy. Try again."

Before Sasuke could retaliate, two familiar voices echoed through the ruins.

"SASUKE! What are you doing?!" Naruto's shout carried a mix of panic and confusion.

Beside him, Sakura froze, her face pale. "That chakra… it's so cold. Is this really Sasuke?"

They had previously learned that Gojo was teaching Sasuke privately, so they sneaked into the Uchiha compound.

Gojo gave them a lazy wave. "Yo, Team Seven reunion. Didn't think I'd get a live audience for this drama."

Naruto's fists clenched. "Gojo-sensei, what did you do to him?!"

Gojo smirked, resting his chin on his palm. "Oh, just a little tough love. Kid's got potential, but he needed a push. You'll thank me later."

Sakura stared at Sasuke, her heart sinking as she whispered, "Sasuke…"

Meanwhile, Sasuke, fully consumed by his newfound power, prepared to attack again, his hatred boiling over.

Gojo leaned back with a carefree grin. "Well, this should be fun. Let's see how far the Uchiha prodigy can go."