Naruto: Cultivating to Immortality

Chapter 476 The Final Decision

Uchiha Sasuke stood there quietly, listening expressionlessly as the masked man revealed the whole truth. When the last word came out of the masked man's mouth, a deep hatred suddenly flashed in Sasuke's originally icy eyes.

Especially when he heard about Itachi Uchiha, the grief and anger in his heart erupted like a volcano. It turned out that every choice and every decision Itachi Uchiha made was burdened with immense pain and helplessness. And so much of it was for the sake of protecting his younger brother!

Sasuke recalled the moments he had shared with his brother, realizing that behind those seemingly heartless actions lay such profound love and care. However, this love was so heavy that he had never truly noticed it, instead harboring resentment and misunderstanding towards Itachi. Now, knowing the truth, he felt his heart breaking, overwhelmed with regret.

"Why? Why did you hide it from me..." Sasuke clenched his fists, his nails digging deep into his palms, blood trickling down his fingers, but he felt no pain. At this moment, he felt only endless grief and anger, as if he wanted to burn the whole world to ashes.

Sasuke was shocked and enraged, especially when he heard that the Konoha leadership, led by the Third Hokage, had conveyed such cruel and ruthless orders to Itachi Uchiha. These so-called Konoha leaders, on the one hand, ordered Itachi to carry out that heinous mission, and on the other hand, they shifted all the blame onto him alone, as if they were innocent and uninvolved.

What's even more heartbreaking is that these Konoha leaders are able to comfortably continue enjoying the stability that Konoha gained through Itachi Uchiha's sacrifice. They are completely unaware that it was their coercion and flawed decisions that led to the current chaotic situation.

In fact, the series of problems facing Konoha Village were ultimately caused by the actions of these high-ranking officials. They put pressure on the Uchiha clan and made things difficult for them in every way, ultimately forcing this once-powerful clan to the brink of destruction. In the end, however, they blamed all the mistakes on the Uchiha clan, attempting to cover up their own incompetence and evil.

Sasuke Uchiha felt as if his heart was being torn apart, for this time, he finally saw clearly the appalling and shameless acts of the Konoha leadership! These hypocritical individuals had kept him in the dark all along, concealing the truth of everything. They had used him as a tool to threaten Itachi Uchiha, arbitrarily manipulating his fate.

Poor Sasuke Uchiha, he had lived a life of lies and deception, and the deep feelings he once held for Konoha had now turned into a raging fire of hatred. He could not accept the fact that Itachi Uchiha had left Konoha, but was still silently dedicating everything to the village, yet the village's leadership had never acknowledged his contributions and efforts.

For countless days and nights, Itachi Uchiha carried a heavy burden, enduring pressure and accusations from all sides alone. To protect Konoha and safeguard peace, he sacrificed his reputation and family ties. However, all his sacrifices and contributions were ruthlessly ignored and trampled upon by the Konoha leadership, as if he were merely a dispensable pawn.

Thinking of this, Sasuke Uchiha's eyes became bloodshot, and his teeth clenched so tightly they cracked. He secretly vowed to make the Konoha leadership pay a heavy price for their actions, and to expose their hypocritical and ugly true colors to the world. From that moment on, he felt no more attachment or affection for Konoha, only endless hatred and determination.

The mysterious masked man keenly noticed the subtle change in Uchiha Sasuke's eyes. His eyes, hidden behind the mask, narrowed slightly, revealing a hint of barely perceptible smugness. He clearly realized that this brainwashing operation targeting Uchiha Sasuke had been an unexpected success.

At this moment, the longing and attachment to Konoha that Sasuke Uchiha once held in his eyes were gone, replaced by a raging fire of anger and endless hatred. Those emotions that had once been considered trivial bonds seemed to have been completely severed in an instant, vanishing without a trace.

The masked man secretly rejoiced, knowing that the vengeful Uchiha Sasuke before him would become his sharpest weapon. With skillful manipulation and exploitation, Sasuke's deep-seated hatred for Konoha would inflict unprecedented damage on the village. Sasuke himself would be driven further and further down the path of revenge, ultimately becoming a mere tool for the masked man to achieve his ambitions. Thinking this, a sinister smile crept across the masked man's face, as if he could already see Konoha descending into chaos and destruction under Sasuke's rage.

The Akatsuki organization has suffered heavy losses, with several core members tragically killed in action. Their situation is becoming increasingly dire, as they now face the formidable power of the Five Great Ninja Villages. These villages possess numerous exceptionally skilled and powerful ninjas, each a force to be reckoned with.

To successfully achieve their grand plan amidst such arduous challenges, the Akatsuki organization must seek additional and crucial support. Only then will they have a greater chance of overcoming all obstacles and conquering this seemingly insurmountable hurdle.

The masked man yearns to completely change this cruel and unjust world, to eliminate the endless pain and suffering brought by war, and to allow everyone to enter the virtual world he creates and live a happy and peaceful life. To achieve this noble goal, he will forge ahead without hesitation, even if the road ahead is full of thorns.

Just then, the mysterious masked man slowly turned his face, hidden in the shadows, toward Uchiha Sasuke. His voice was deep and magnetic, as if from the depths of hell, as he coldly asked Sasuke, "So, young Uchiha Sasuke, when you face this cruel and heartbreaking reality, how do you intend to deal with it? Faced with this difficult choice, what decision will you ultimately make deep in your heart? Will you choose to forge ahead and fight against fate to the end, or will you succumb to this merciless reality and never recover? Tell me, I look forward to hearing your answer."

Uchiha Sasuke stood quietly, lost in thought about the question posed by the masked man. In an instant, images from the past flooded his mind like a tide, clear and profound.

Those days spent with Squad 7 seem like just yesterday. Together, they carried out countless missions, facing all sorts of enemies and hardships. They supported each other, fought side by side, and every success was the result of teamwork. However, now all these beautiful memories seem to have been ruthlessly torn apart.

In Konoha Village, there was so much laughter and warmth, but the cruel reality was like a nightmare, shattering all the beauty. He remembered the destruction of his clan; that bloody scene was still vivid in his mind. And his older brother, whom he had always considered his enemy—Uchiha Itachi—had chosen to protect the village in such a tragic way.

However, Sasuke no longer agreed with Itachi's actions. He felt that Konoha Village did not deserve the peace that the Uchiha clan and Itachi had paid a heavy price for. That deep-seated hatred filled him with resentment and doubt towards the entire village.

Sasuke Uchiha had many beautiful moments, but now all of them had been completely swallowed up by the bloody scene of that night. That night, flames soared into the sky, shouts of battle rose and fell, his clan was massacred, and blood flowed like rivers. And standing before him was his beloved older brother—Itachi Uchiha.

As Itachi Uchiha faced the young Sasuke, his eyes revealed endless pain and helplessness. As he turned to leave, a single tear that silently slid down his cheek struck Sasuke's heart like a hammer blow. From that moment on, this image was deeply etched into Sasuke's mind, constantly replaying and piercing his soul.

Sasuke's life seemed to be ruthlessly manipulated by the hand of fate from the very beginning, like a meticulously orchestrated drama. All the beauty and happiness were fleeting, leaving him only with endless pain and loneliness. His older brother, Itachi Uchiha, silently bore all the suffering and misfortune, protecting the clan's secrets with his own life and safeguarding Sasuke's growth.

In the stillness of the night, Sasuke would always recall those warm and cherished times, the comforting embrace of his parents, and the playful antics with his brothers. But these beautiful memories were always cruelly shattered by the bloody scene of that night. He couldn't understand why fate had treated them this way, nor could he comprehend why his brother had made that choice.

Now, Sasuke Uchiha has seen through the truth of everything, but deep down he no longer approves of Itachi Uchiha's past actions. He cannot accept it all calmly because he knows that these so-called "achievements" and "peaceful lives" were all bought at the cost of Itachi Uchiha's enormous sacrifices.

Sasuke was filled with contradictions and struggles. He was unwilling to silently enjoy what others had earned with their lives. He longed to make his own way in the world, to fight and struggle, and to write his own destiny. For him, the path of life should be in his own hands, not something he could passively accept as arranged by others.

"I will destroy Konoha with my own hands. They don't deserve the peace and stability that Itachi sacrificed everything for!" Sasuke Uchiha's eyes became incredibly determined.