Chapter 45: Chapter 45
Even as a male, Uchiha Itachi was already stunningly handsome.
Now that he had been turned into a woman, Naruto couldn't help but feel a tinge of curiosity—anything else would be a lie.
Naruto strolled through the corridors of the Uchiha residence, his gaze scanning the walls for any signs of family photos, especially one featuring Sasuke's family.
Yet, after a thorough search, not a single photograph, not even the faintest trace of one, could be found.
This led Naruto to wonder—did the village's Root Division confiscate them all, or did Sasuke, out of hatred, destroy every last one?
At this thought, Naruto chuckled bitterly. Looks like this was a wasted trip.
He stepped into a side room, taking in the simple furnishings and a neatly arranged bed. A few discarded Uchiha clan robes lay scattered on the floor.
Naruto wasn't expecting much at this point, but as he approached the dressing table, he was pleasantly surprised.
It was a family portrait, slightly dusted but otherwise perfectly preserved.
In the photograph, a tall and imposing man with stern features stood at the center. His tightly set lips and authoritative air marked him as none other than Uchiha Fugaku, the last clan head of the Uchiha family.
Beside him stood a gentle woman with long, flowing hair. Her large eyes curved into crescent moons as she smiled at the camera, one arm cradling a three- or four-year-old Sasuke, the other holding the hand of a girl with equally long hair and an unusually resolute gaze.
The girl, around seven or eight years old, had a youthful yet serene demeanor. However, for some reason, under her large eyes were two faint teardrop markings that added an inexplicable air of melancholy.
Naruto picked up the photo and stared intently at the transformed Itachi. The sheer surrealism of it all left him momentarily dazed.
"I have to admit, these two sisters are both striking in their own ways," Naruto mused before carefully placing the photo back where he found it. He then began rummaging through the room.
Under the wardrobe? Nothing.
The corners of the dressing table? Nothing.
"There's no way nothing was left behind!" Naruto muttered, sitting cross-legged on the wooden floor, exasperated.
Ding!
Suddenly, a silver coin fell from Naruto's pocket, hitting the wooden floor with a clear sound.
Naruto instinctively glanced at the coin but quickly noticed something odd. His gaze wasn't focused on the coin itself but rather on the faint gap in the floorboards.
"Bingo. There's definitely something hidden here."
Pulling a kunai from his backpack, Naruto wedged the blade into the crack and carefully pried the floorboard loose.
Creak...
A small hidden compartment was revealed beneath the wooden plank.
"Still nothing?" Naruto wasn't discouraged. His eyes darted around the room until they landed on the area beneath the dressing table.
After his second attempt at prying up floorboards, Naruto finally found something.
He carefully picked up the item and, ensuring no one was around, swiftly stored it in his system space.
It was a single long strand of hair, hidden beneath the floorboards of Itachi's dressing table.
Naruto was about 90% certain it belonged to Itachi.
Of course, Naruto respected the dead. This wasn't an act of desecration but merely a precautionary measure.
The three conditions for casting the forbidden Edo Tensei jutsu were deeply etched in his mind:
1. Obtain a part of the deceased's body—essentially their DNA. A strand of hair would suffice.
2. Use a living ninja as a sacrifice, someone with chakra.
3. Ensure the deceased's soul resides in the Pure Land and is not sealed away, like those trapped by the Reaper Death Seal.
Reflecting on the original storyline, Naruto left the room with the hair safely stored.
Having secured this vital piece of leverage, Naruto felt a small sense of relief.
This time, I'm not going to follow the original story's tragic path.
Still, he knew the challenges ahead would be formidable.
First, when he turned twelve, he'd exploit Sasuke's defection as an opportunity to escape the village.
If his plan failed, he'd face pursuit by Konoha's ANBU and Root operatives.
Then there was the Akatsuki's hunt for the tailed beasts, and finally, the threats posed by the other villages' Kage.
An army of Edo Tensei resurrected warriors was Naruto's contingency plan. This trump card was something he wouldn't deploy lightly.
"Sasuke, what are you up to?" Naruto called out as he peered into Sasuke's room. The door to the inner chamber was closed.
"I'm heading out now, okay?"
"Wait."
Sasuke's voice came from within. A moment later, the door slid open, and Sasuke stepped out wearing a somber black mourning outfit.
"Why did you change clothes?" Naruto asked, his curious gaze lingering on Sasuke. He couldn't deny the outfit suited Sasuke's demeanor.
"This is mourning attire, typically worn at funerals or memorial ceremonies. I was just trying it on," Sasuke explained, glancing at Naruto. "Can you wear mourning clothes tomorrow morning?"
"Me? Uh…" Naruto scratched his head awkwardly. "You know how it is. No one in the village likes me, and I don't have any family, so I've never needed anything like that."
Sasuke nodded, understanding Naruto's situation. Then he bent down, picked up a bag, and tossed it to Naruto.
"Here, wear this tomorrow."
Naruto opened the bag to find a brand-new mourning outfit.
"You really came prepared, huh? Most people only own one set for special occasions, and here you are with spares," Naruto teased.
Sasuke's face turned red with frustration. His large eyes seemed to blaze with indignation. "What are you talking about? That belonged to her!"
After snapping back, Sasuke stomped back into the room, eager to change out of the outfit.
"Her? You mean Itachi-nee?" Naruto was at a loss for words.
"Alright, Sasuke. I'm heading out. Ayame and Teuchi-san are probably waiting for me at Ichiraku," Naruto said, not expecting a reply.
As he left the Uchiha compound, Naruto walked through the desolate grounds, his mind churning.
He held the mourning outfit Sasuke had given him, curious about the upcoming memorial ceremony.
In the original story, after the Uchiha massacre, the bodies of the clan members mysteriously disappeared.
Naruto doubted the village would bury them in Konoha's public cemetery.
The most likely explanation was that they were interred somewhere within the Uchiha clan's territory. Naruto couldn't help but wonder about the location of the Uchiha burial grounds.
After all, they'd make perfect candidates for Edo Tensei, he thought grimly.
Lost in thought, Naruto exited the Uchiha district.
However, the moment he stepped outside the main gates, his heightened senses picked up two distant gazes locked onto him.
"ANBU operatives keeping tabs on Sasuke?" Naruto pretended not to notice as he continued on his way.
Tucking the mourning outfit into his backpack, Naruto quickened his pace toward Ichiraku Ramen.
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