After Sasuke and the others returned to Hidden Heaven Village, news of Tatsu’s sacrifice spread rapidly, shocking the entire village. Tatsu, who had grown up in Hidden Grass Village, was known for her kindness and enthusiasm, which endeared her to everyone. People recognized her as the young woman with green headband and white hair who always radiated warmth.
Because of this, when Uchiha Fugaku, the village leader, held a funeral for Tatsu, nearly everyone in the village, from civilians to ninjas, came to pay their respects. As the ceremony concluded and people quietly left the cemetery, each one remembered Tatsu in their own way. As Fugaku had said in his speech, Tatsu might be gone, but she had sacrificed herself for Hidden Heaven Village and would live on forever in everyone’s hearts.
After everyone else had left, Karin, dressed in black, remained standing in front of Tatsu’s grave. Sasuke stood silently beside her, waiting in quiet respect. Eventually, a light rain began to fall, casting a somber shadow over the graveyard. Glancing at Sasuke, who had remained by her side despite getting wet, Karin’s nose reddened, and finally, her tears spilled over.
“Sasuke, am I useless?” she sobbed, her voice trembling. “If I weren’t, Tatsu wouldn’t have…”
“Karin, it’s over now!” Sasuke said, unable to keep silent any longer. He hugged her tightly, offering quiet comfort.
“Ah!” Karin clung to Sasuke, crying openly like a child. “It’s all my fault! If I hadn’t stubbornly insisted on following you to the Land of Lightning, this wouldn’t have happened. It’s all my fault! I’m so useless!”
Sasuke held her tightly as Karin’s tears streamed down her face and her voice grew hoarse from crying. His eyes turned red as he felt her profound pain.
“Karin, no one is perfect… It’s precisely because of our imperfections and failures that we can rise and become stronger. I believe that strength comes from getting back up again!”
“Yes, losing someone important is painful. That’s why we must train harder—to protect our friends and those most dear to us.” Sasuke’s words, like warm sunlight, seemed to reach deep into Karin’s heart.
“To protect the person most important to me…” Karin murmured to herself. With Tatsu gone, Sasuke was now the one she held most dear. Looking up with renewed resolve, she said, “Sasuke, take me with you when you train. No matter the cost, I must become stronger!”
Sasuke smiled softly, seeing that her spirits had lifted. “But…” He paused, furrowing his brow as if wrestling with an idea. “The training I’m doing right now isn’t quite suitable for you.”
“What should I do, then?” Karin asked, urgency in her voice.
“Hmm, you could train with Izumi. She’s an excellent medical ninja.” Sasuke said, picturing Uchiha Izumi and feeling excited by the thought.
“Yes, let’s go find Izumi!” Karin, already interested in medical ninjutsu, felt that training with Izumi would be perfect given her abilities.
“Alright!” Sasuke agreed without hesitation and led her to find Izumi.
At Hidden Leaf Village, in the Hokage’s office, an angry voice rang out, “Danzo, I told you—don’t act against Sasuke without my orders! Why didn’t you listen?”
“Lord Hiruzen, I…” Danzo began, but Hiruzen interrupted him before he could continue.
“No excuses! I’ve had people look into it—your subordinate Amachi left the village days ago and hasn’t returned.”
With a stormy expression, Hiruzen paced the room, his face dark and his anger palpable. Danzo, though, remained grim and finally admitted, “Yes, it was me. The Uchiha Clan is our enemy, and I see nothing wrong with eliminating them.”
“Nothing wrong?” Hiruzen’s voice rose in fury. “Itachi has sent us a message—if we don’t keep our word, he’ll reveal our secrets to the world!”
“What? He dares?” Danzo shouted, his rage matching Hiruzen’s.
“Why wouldn’t he?” Hiruzen responded in a hoarse voice. “If our secrets are exposed, we’ll be forced to defend against attacks from other villages. Do you think we’d still have the strength to invade Hidden Heaven Village?”
Hearing this, Danzo fell silent, a grim expression crossing his face. He realized that ordering an assassination on Sasuke had pushed Itachi too far—he’d gambled that Itachi wouldn’t act, but now, everything had changed.
In a tired voice, Hiruzen said, “If we truly want to keep the Leaf Village safe, we must make amends with Itachi.”
“What do you mean?” Danzo asked, a pained look crossing his face.
“I’ve arranged for someone to deliver a letter of apology and a peace treaty to Hidden Heaven Village. I’ve promised that we won’t interfere with them for three years. Let’s hope they’ll accept this offer,” Hiruzen replied, suppressing his anger.
“Three years without attacking Hidden Heaven Village? That’s too long!” Danzo muttered, obviously displeased.
“It’s decided,” Hiruzen stated firmly. “And as of today, you’re dismissed from your position as Hokage’s advisor. Take some time to reflect.”
“Hmph!” Danzo glared at Hiruzen with bitterness in his eyes, then, leaning on his cane, slowly left the office.
As soon as Danzo was out, Mitsu, one of his followers, hurried to his side. “Danzo-sama, important news from Hidden Heaven Village!”
“Speak,” Danzo responded, his voice rough with frustration.
“S-rank missing-nin Zabuza has appeared in Hidden Heaven Village. It’s rumored that they might take him in,” Mitsu reported without hesitation.
“S-rank? The one who attempted the coup in Hidden Mist Village?” Danzo asked.
“Yes, that’s Zabuza,” Mitsu confirmed. “A few years ago, he tried to assassinate the Mizukage but failed, eventually becoming a rogue ninja.”
“So bold… How dare Hidden Heaven Village accept someone like him? They clearly have no respect for anyone.”
“Mitsu, send this information to Hidden Mist Village. If we can’t attack Hidden Heaven Village directly, we’ll use other villages’ forces against them,” Danzo ordered, a fierce look in his eyes.
“Understood, sir,” Mitsu replied respectfully.