Chapter 220: The Place Where the Dead Leave Their Names

Amegakure was an unfamiliar village to Uchiha Sasuke. At least, it was to him.

The room was slightly dusty. Sasuke was surprised to find the door unlocked, then remembered that the lower river area of this village was strictly off-limits. That was information he had extracted from an Amegakure shinobi using his Sharingan.

The interior didn't resemble a "home" in the traditional sense. It wasn't old-fashioned, nor rigid. There was a television. Beneath it sat a game console. Judging from the controllers placed neatly on the shelf, it was clearly used for gaming. He noticed several game discs inside. I can't imagine him playing games.

A sofa. A coffee table. A kitchen. Knives neatly arranged. On the wall hung a small whiteboard. Handwritten notes were still visible, names and cleaning rotations, carefully scheduled.

Deeper inside was his room. A bed designed for comfort, covered in blue patterned sheets. Matching pillowcases, clearly a set. The wardrobe was simple: a few slightly worn Akatsuki cloaks, and several sets of ninja clothing equally worn down.

On the bedside table were two photos. One was a family picture, parents and a younger version of himself. Sasuke had one too. But he had once torn out a certain figure from his. The very person who stood here in this photograph. Here, the photo was preserved in an expensive frame. Sasuke gently brushed away the dust. The faces inside brightened again as if revived by memory.

The second photo was a group picture in Akatsuki cloaks. Sasuke saw Itachi casually draping an arm over a former comrade, also wearing the same cloak. He wiped the dust from it. Itachi's smile, even his eyes seemed to regain a faint light. Brother, so this was your resting place.

Footsteps echoed. Sasuke turned. He saw Hatake Kakashi wearing an Akatsuki cloak. And in his arms, a large orange cat.

Kakashi had come on a whim. He hadn't expected his luck to be this good.

The teacher and student faced each other. Only moments ago, the battlefield had been drenched in blood and chaos. Now, everything was eerily silent. When Kakashi had previously declared surrender, Sasuke avoided his gaze. And now there was nowhere left to avoid.

Kakashi spoke first. He sighed. "So, there really was something hidden behind all this."

He didn't understand it. But he also did. He didn't want to investigate why an attack planned for three days later had begun in less than one. He didn't want to question how Sasuke knew he was still alive. He didn't want to dig into the secrets of the Uchiha clan either. His instincts told him something simple: the truth was often terrifying. And sometimes, it was better not to know. So Kakashi chose not to ask. Sasuke's decisions had nothing to do with him. The Uchiha clan's secrets had nothing to do with him either. That was all.

Still, a part of him was relieved. At least Sasuke doesn't seem like the kind of person who would hate Itachi so much that he'd even kill his cat.

He extended the orange cat forward. Sasuke said nothing. As always, no words.

"This is Kiki. He was entrusted to me." "He cares about it a lot. Take good care of it."

Sasuke accepted the cat. Held it in his arms. Its fur was soft. Its expression, strangely aloof, almost like that man.

Kakashi had nothing else to say. He turned to leave. From this moment on, his "retired life" was truly over.

"Sasuke, sensei." Sasuke called out.

Kakashi paused. Then waved slightly without turning around. "Don't call me that anymore, Sasuke. The bond between teacher and student, let's end it here." His figure disappeared. What had stood there was only a Lightning Clone.

"Sorry." Sasuke said softly. Only the cat heard it.

Amegakure was not a major village. Only twenty-eight people in the entire village possessed kekkei genkai. Those individuals were taken away like allocated spoils of war by Kumogakure, as if collecting issued goods. It had been decided beforehand, no objections were raised.

The Fourth Tsuchikage was interested in Amegakure's barrier techniques. So aside from gold, silver, and territorial gains that had already been agreed upon, they also stripped the village's library of forbidden jutsu.

The Fourth Kazekage had never wanted to participate in the war. But Sunagakure could not refuse. Now that it was over, he had no attachment to this place. So when Kakashi announced surrender, Sunagakure withdrew immediately. Not a single coin or grain of supplies was taken.

Mei Terumi of Kirigakure disliked this war even more. She had not even brought troops. Only she had come. So she left alongside Gaara, taking nothing at all, not even a single grain of rice.

When the spoils were divided, there were no disputes at all. It was smooth. Almost like a group finishing an expedition and dividing treasure.

What remained was Konoha. What does revenge mean? It means: settle grievances with grievances. Repay blood with blood. The defeated had no voice.

Mitarashi Anko fought with particular ferocity, her best friend Morino Ibiki had died horribly. She killed without restraint, regardless of age or gender. Neji's hatred came from the destruction of his clan. On that day, he killed the most, also without distinction between men, women, or children.

Naruto also had hatred. But he would not kill those who had surrendered. That was why Kakashi liked him. That is good. So good it makes me feel like I haven't completely failed as a teacher. At least one student hasn't been stained by this world.

But that student once asked him, why, if you're still alive, did you not return to Konoha? Why are you working for Akatsuki?

Kakashi only managed to say that he wasn't Akatsuki. Then came a barrage of questions. At that moment, he was genuinely relieved to see that green beast again.

And then the world went quiet. A wall separated them. Inside were prisoners of war. Outside, a bare, empty room. Iron bars sealed everything. Chakra-locked electric restraints lined the steel bars. Forced entry meant death by electrocution. This was Amegakure's prison. Originally used for troublesome criminals, now filled with captured shinobi.

"Thanks, Guy." Kakashi said again.

Might Guy stayed silent for a long time. Then he asked, "Kakashi, what was our win rate again?"

"Hm? That? 51 to 50." Kakashi smiled with crescent eyes. "Me 51. You 50."

Guy stared at him for a long time. Then spoke again. "Let's do one last match. I won't accept losing to you."

Kakashi blinked, then smiled. "Alright."

Rock-Paper-Scissors. Rock-Paper-Scissors. The game lasted five minutes. In the end, rock crushed scissors.

Kakashi stretched lazily, then patted the man who had been with him since childhood on the shoulder. "Thanks." He walked toward the prison gate. Reached out to open it. A hand gripped his shoulder.

Kakashi didn't turn around. He could already imagine Guy's face. Because his voice was trembling. And his tears, definitely streaming like wide noodles.

"Kakashi, if you go in, you won't come back out." "You survived so much. Please. Just go. Go far away. Okay?"

Kakashi smiled his familiar crescent-eyed smile. And repeated the words Guy always said. "This is youth, Guy." "Thank you, for everything."