Naruto: The Shattered Eyes

Sasuke couldn't help but feel uneasy. Though it wasn't prominent enough, its low buzzing annoyed him.

'Haruno Sakura and... Hyuga Mitsuko,' Sasuke, without making outward reactions, eyed the two kunoichi teammates he would have to work with from then on.

"Sasuke-kun~" Twiddling her thumbs, Sakura stole glances at Sasuke as if begging for attention.

The way she was trying to act cute made Sasuke sigh. Sakura's head seemed to be filled with air from what he could see.

'Luckily, Hyuga Mitsuko is different,'

Since Sasuke had been classmates with Sakura all these years, he had already grown familiar with her personality. Although it was annoying, it was tolerable.

Mitsuko, on the other hand, was an unfamiliar face.

"Hyuga Mitsuko... What class were you in?" Sasuke asked with a side glance.

In response to Sasuke's question, Mitsuko tilted her head.

'Hm?' A sense of deja vu hit Sasuke just then.

However, it quickly ended when Mitsuko smiled softly, "I'm from a class two years under you, senpai. I'm just graduating a little early."

"Two years younger?" Sakura mimicked Mitsuko's head tilt, thinking that such an action could draw Sasuke's attention. "Then... are you from that guy's class?"

"That guy..?" Mitsuko took a moment to register Sakura's words, "Ah, yes. Suguru-kun was my classmate."

Hearing this, Sasuke confirmed the source of his deja vu. He had seen that particular head tilt before.

"Were you close?" Sasuke asked.

Mitsuko nodded, "Somewhat. We were sparring partners... Though I lost quite often."

A chuckle escaped Mitsuko's lips as she recalled those days. "I learned a lot from him."

***

In the distant Land of Toads, where a mountain of bewilderment resided, a groan wormed its way out of Naruto's lips. Cold sweat dripped down his scrunched-up brows, and a high fever plagued his body, delaying the healing process of his many wounds.

"Hm," Jiraiya's frown was apparent as he changed the cold towel on Naruto's forehead.

Naruto had been sick and unconscious for a few days already. His body, which should've boasted immense healing properties, couldn't display its power.

"I think it's a problem with his mind," No longer wearing his mask, Itachi spoke. "In the process of burying Danzo's torturous methods, I had to fill his mind with dreams."

Fukasaku, who was meditating nearby, nodded.

"The Uchiha kid is right, Jiraiya-boy. It will take time for this kind of wound to heal. To be subjected to such a powerful Genjutsu... even though 'twas void of malicious intentions, the toll it had taken on the body was too great."

Hearing these words, Jiraiya sighed.

"I know,"

All they could do now was wait.

***

Suguru had spent the days mulling over his future actions.

With Naruto deemed a missing-nin, a lot of interesting events were bound to occur. Thus, Suguru had the option of visiting Naruto's group and allying with them.

Becoming close to Jiraiya and Itachi would be a very useful connection should Suguru face problems in the future.

There was also the option of holing up in his laboratory once more — his research had been put on hold for a while now, and he was dying to continue. Unfortunately, he did not have a permanent place of residence.

'Should I just hide in one of the villages in the Land of Fire?'

Suguru continued to ponder.

Another option would be to infiltrate Konohagakure and absorb some Hyuga's Byakugan and/or somehow steal some of Hashirama's Cells. Both tasks were daunting in their own right.

He wasn't prepared, especially since he had no knowledge over the Caged Bird Seal.

'I should focus on other things for now...'

After a few more moments of thought, Suguru also came to realize another important fact:

He had no idea where Naruto was. Even though he had a good guess given that Jiraiya was with him, getting there would be a different topic entirely.

'Mount Myoboku needs a lot of secret routes which I don't have any access to.'

Without such routes, he would never be able to find the mountain.

That left Suguru with only a single option...

An option he did not mind at all. In fact, he felt relieved when he realized that such an action was the best one thus far.

A smile crept up Suguru's lips.

"Research it is,"

***

Suguru flickered rapidly due North. His destination was the forest near the Valley of the End. There, he could set up a small base to live his hermit dreams in peace. No one would disturb him and the likelihood of being discovered was low as well.

—Clack.

Landing on a solitary stone island, Suguru basked in the cold spray of the waterfall. The faint mist that moistened his clothes also brought a relaxing effect on his mind.

The incessant crashing of gallons upon gallons of water had a mysterious rhythmic pull to it.

Looking upon the legendary sights before him, Suguru felt a sense of longing.

'This is where Madara and Hashirama once fought and also where Naruto and Sasuke had done so in the original.'

The statues were as tall as skyscrapers from where he stood. With the iconic [Seal of Confrontation], Madara and Hashirama were indeed bastions of the shinobi world. Suguru felt it for himself.

'I wonder if I can fight them in this world's convoluted timeline,' Suguru thought, a flash of light glinting in his eyes.

His gaze then drifted to a secluded corner of the valley. The veil of darkness that prevented his gaze from penetrating was a tell-tale sign for a prime location to build a secret base. It was an intrusion of rock and stones upon the solid valley wall.

When Suguru approached, he saw the way the rocks seemed to be carved in a particular manner. Seemingly built by hand.

"Oh?"

A raised brow.

It seemed like someone had thought the exact same thing that he did just now. Suguru activated his Shinrakugan.

His irises shattered and reformed, and not a single drop of blood appeared.

"Hmmmm,"

With a single glance, Suguru easily identified the state of the intrusion. Judging from the well-cut tables filled with dust, the empty shelves and containers, as well as all the rusty equipment scattered about...

"It's an abandoned lab."

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