Chapter 112: Sasuke: I Want to Uphold Justice! (5000 words)

"If we were to punish evil offenders strictly by the laws of the Land of Fire, then the evils rampant across the entire Ninja World would never face true justice."

A sudden voice cut through the air, shattering the defiant silence of Tsunade Konoha.

As she furrowed her brow and turned her head, she saw a young girl from the Uchiha Clan approaching with a cold, unyielding expression.

Tsunade Konoha’s frown deepened—she recognized her.

This was Izumi, the quiet, ever-present shadow at the side of Uchiha Iizumi.

Izumi stopped directly before the Leaf Village’s senior advisor—the very figure who, in her younger days, had seemed like an untouchable giant, even to the Uchiha Clan Head himself. Now, however, her perception had shattered.

Once, she had admired the system, believed in the balance of power, and respected the hierarchy. But after embracing Absolute Justice and uncovering the truth behind the Leaf’s so-called “leadership,” her illusions had crumbled.

To her, Tsunade Konoha was nothing more than a woman with little real power, yet who still dared to lecture others—especially someone like Iizumi.

"Iizumi-sama once said," Izumi declared, her small face solemn and resolute, "that lenient laws are complicity with evil. They betray the innocent. And the laws of the Land of Fire? They are precisely that—lenient. They fail to deliver true punishment to those who deserve it."

She paused, her voice sharpening.

"Under Land of Fire law, smuggling, trafficking in forbidden drugs—no matter how massive the quantity, even exceeding one ton—would likely only result in a sentence of ten years. Perhaps even less."

Her eyes flickered with disdain.

"If the offender behaves well in prison, if they play the part of the repentant, they might walk free after just five or six years."

She turned her gaze toward the scorched earth.

"How many lives have been destroyed? How many families torn apart? How many ordinary people corrupted by these poisons?"

"This lenient law isn't justice—it's fuel for the fires of evil in the Ninja World!"

Tsunade Konoha’s eyes widened slightly.

She couldn’t believe it—this was a child, barely twelve, standing before her in broad daylight, openly challenging a senior Leaf official.

Even Fugaku, standing nearby, was caught off guard. A conflict between the Uchiha Clan and a high-ranking Leaf Village advisor? If he did nothing, the consequences could be dire.

Fugaku stepped forward, voice firm and commanding.

"Izumi! The laws of the Land of Fire were established for a reason. Every citizen must abide by them—never question them!"

"You and Iizumi are both too obsessed with this so-called Absolute Justice. Laws exist to maintain peace and order, not to incite more bloodshed!"

His intervention eased the tension on Tsunade Konoha’s face. At last, a moment of clarity.

The Uchiha are still just children. They don’t understand the weight of responsibility.

Fugaku, the Clan Head, was still the voice of reason.

But then—something unexpected happened.

Izumi turned to face Fugaku, her eyes blazing with fire.

"If not for Iizumi-sama’s unwavering pursuit of Absolute Justice," she shot back, "Shimura Danzō would still be alive. Countless evil offenders would still walk free. And countless victims—those innocent souls—would still be denied peace in the afterlife."

"Fugaku Clan Head," she continued, voice cutting like steel, "you have done nothing for the innocent. So do not stand there and judge Absolute Justice with such arrogance."

"Our ideals are not yours. We care for the countless innocent souls across the Ninja World who suffer under the weight of evil."

"But you? You care only for the Uchiha Clan. No—worse, you don’t even truly care for the Uchiha. You only care for your precious ‘balance’."

"Would you not have acted if you knew Uchiha Itachi would one day commit the Massacre of the Night?"

"Would you not have executed him to protect your own people?"

"And yet, you did nothing. You protected him. Is that truly what you call loyalty to the Uchiha?"

Izumi’s voice trembled—not with fear, but with fury.

Her emotions had been building for too long. All the efforts of her mentor, all the sacrifices, all the justice she’d brought—ignored, mocked, dismissed.

She had seen her predecessor fight for the innocent, purge the darkness, and yet people still called her a monster.

Why? Why couldn’t they see?

She had seen the truth. And she would not let it be buried.

So now, she let it all out—every word, every feeling, every bitter truth.

Even Fugaku was stunned.

He was being rebuked… by a twelve-year-old child?

A flicker of displeasure crossed his face. His daughter had been too close to Iizumi. She had absorbed too much of her philosophy—so much that she no longer respected even her own Clan Head.

If Sasuke grew up like this, what would he become?

Fugaku opened his mouth to speak—when suddenly, he felt it.

A shift in the air.

All eyes—his, Tsunade Konoha’s, the entire crowd—turned toward the burning ruins ahead.

A sea of fire roared in the distance. Lava surged beneath the flames, consuming everything.

And from the heart of the inferno, a figure emerged.

Fugaku’s breath caught.

Even through the heat and fire, the figure walked untouched—unharmed by the molten rivers or the scorching flames.

"Even the entire Shimura Clan couldn’t stop him…" Fugaku murmured, awed.

He had known Iizumi was powerful—but to destroy an entire clan so effortlessly?

It was terrifying.

But then, a deeper unease settled in.

What will the Leaf’s leaders think now?

He glanced sideways at Tsunade Konoha.

Her face had darkened—her expression cold, rigid. The old woman looked like she’d swallowed a stone.

This is bad.

Izumi’s actions had once again poisoned the perception of the Uchiha Clan in the eyes of the Leaf’s elite.

All Fugaku’s efforts—his diplomacy, his restraint, his quiet balancing act—had been undone.

He clenched his fists, then slowly released them.

Disappointment. Frustration. Pain.

Why… couldn’t she just think of me? Just once?

Just then, a voice rang out.

"Iizumi-sama!!"

Izumi raised her hand high, calling out with fierce conviction.

At her side, Tachibana Jiro—his cat tail swaying—sauntered forward with a smirk.

"Meow," he purred, "without Danzō, the Shimura Clan’s Root is nothing. They were nothing before, and now? They’re even less."

He tilted his head, eyes glinting.

"Trying to assassinate Iizumi-sama? Challenging Absolute Justice? How foolish. The moment they entertained such thoughts, their fate was sealed. Justice doesn’t wait. It purges."

Fugaku’s gaze narrowed.

Even a Ninja Cat had been influenced by Iizumi’s ideology.

How strong was this belief? How contagious?

He felt a chill.

If the rest of the Uchiha Clan fell under this influence… what would they become?

And worse—what would Itachi think?

To him, such a clan—uncompromising, fanatical, willing to destroy entire families—would be the ultimate threat.

The tragedy… it would happen again.

Fugaku’s heart sank.

---

Meanwhile, Yamana Haiichi stepped forward, his face—usually expressionless—softening into a rare, genuine smile.

"Iizumi," he said, voice calm, "shall I send Yamanaka Clan ninjas to retrieve the bodies?"

Izumi nodded slightly.

"Today’s victims were quite numerous—over thirty. I appreciate the help."

Nara Shikaku stroked his short beard, watching the exchange with sharp eyes.

"Kaiichi…" he muttered, "you’re being awfully bold tonight. These three leaders won’t sleep well after this."

He sighed, half-amused, half-concerned.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was genuinely shocked.

He knew Iizumi and the Yamanaka Clan had a close working relationship—daily collaborations, shared missions, mutual trust.

And yet, not a single Yamanaka had ever been executed by Iizumi in the name of Justice.

That meant the Yamanaka Clan was seen as lawful, orderly in Iizumi’s eyes.

But this?

This was different.

In front of the entire village, in the aftermath of a clan’s destruction, the Yamanaka Clan Head was stepping forward—in solidarity.

That was a statement.

A declaration.

Hiruzen’s mind raced.

Why would the Yamanaka Clan—no bloodline limit, no deep ties to Root—take such a stand?

Then, the memory struck him.

The ruins… the Yamanaka Residence… the near-extinction of their clan…

Danzō had come close to wiping them out.

Of course they hated him.

Of course they’d resent the Shimura Clan.

So Kaiichi wasn’t just supporting Iizumi.

He was choosing her.

And he did it—right in front of the Hokage.

Hiruzen’s expression flickered—uncertainty, suspicion, regret.

Then, from the edge of the crowd, another figure stepped forward.

Sasuke.

He didn’t know where the courage came from.

It was as if his body moved on its own.

He stood before Uchiha Iizumi, his body still aching from the wounds healed by medics, his limbs trembling.

He took a deep breath.

"I… I think I understand Justice now," he said, voice barely above a whisper.

"Justice is protecting the innocent from harm. It’s using strength to intimidate evil. That’s it, right?"

He swallowed.

"Maybe… maybe my brother—Uchiha Itachi—will do something terrible. Something that falls under the category of evil. If he does… you’ll kill him, won’t you?"

Each question was fragile, hesitant.

He didn’t expect an answer.

He was just a child—always overshadowed, always compared to Itachi. The prodigy. The heir.

He wasn’t strong. Not yet.

But now, something stirred.

He remembered the Genjutsu—his own eyes watching as Itachi slaughtered the clan.

The helplessness. The despair.

He hated that version of himself.

So he spoke again, louder this time.

"I won’t let that happen. I won’t stand by and do nothing."

He looked up, eyes wide, voice firm.

"I won’t let him fall into darkness. He’s wrong. His thinking is wrong. He’s sick. I want to wake him up. I want him to know… that family… that clan… matters."

He thought of Iizumi—once weak, once overlooked. But after following her mentor, she had transformed. She had become strong. She had stood alone against Itachi. She had faced three Uchiha with nothing but her will.

That’s what I want.

"I want to follow you," he said, voice rising. "I want to serve Justice like you! I know I can learn things no school can teach. I know I’ll gain power no Academy can give!"

His words rang out—clear, bold, defiant.

Naruto stared, mouth open.

Izumi blinked, surprised.

And Fugaku—his face drained of color.

What did I just hear?

Sasuke—his second son—was openly declaring he wanted to follow the very person who had just destroyed the Shimura Clan?

Fugaku’s hand twitched.

His eyes darted around, searching for something—anything—he could use to silence this madness.

Then, a voice cut through the silence.

"I reject you."

The words were cold. Final.

Fugaku froze.

No.

Sasuke’s body went rigid.

Naruto gasped, "Eh?!"

Izumi tilted her head, as if considering.

And Fugaku—he felt it—a strange, unexpected relief.

She refused him.

Not because she didn’t believe in him.

But because she protected him.

Because if she accepted him now—after this—people would assume Fugaku had encouraged it.

And then the accusations would come.

The Uchiha are dangerous. They’re turning against the village. They’re following a mad ideal.

It would be the end.

So when Iizumi said no—Fugaku felt a strange gratitude.

He didn’t know why.

But he was thankful.

Sasuke’s voice trembled.

"Wh-why?"

He stood frozen, his breath shallow.

Iizumi looked down at him—calm, unimpressed.

"Tell me," she asked, "why do you seek Justice? Is it to stop Itachi? Or is it because you feel duty-bound?"

She paused.

"Suppose you do stop him. Then what? Will you return to your studies? Become a respected Leaf ninja? Inherit your father’s position? Or… will you become the next Hokage?"

Each question struck like a blade.

Sasuke’s mind spun.

Become a ninja? Become clan head? Become Hokage?

Once, those had seemed like dreams.

But now—amidst the smoke, the ashes, the scent of sulfur—he saw the truth.

He looked at the scorched ground.

The bodies.

The lava.

The cold certainty in Iizumi’s eyes.

He thought of his mother—her face, tear-streaked, filled with grief.

And then he knew.

"I… I don’t think becoming any of those things will change anything," he whispered.

His voice cracked.

"But… I want to change it. I want to stop the evil. I want a world without suffering. No more Massacre of the Night. No more innocent deaths."

He looked up, his eyes wide.

"Is… is that Justice?"

He wasn’t sure.

He wasn’t confident.

He just needed to know.

A pause.

Then—just one word.

"Yes."

Sasuke’s face lit up.

Fugaku’s face went pale.

What… what just happened?

His son—his second son—had just understood Justice.

And worse—he had done it on his own.

Fugaku felt a strange mix of pride, fear, and dread.

Because now… he wasn’t just a boy.

He was a man with purpose.

And the world?

It was about to change.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end