Untitled
The Uchiha district was quiet.
Fujimoto Tōma walked through it at an unhurried pace.
He had gone straight to Sasuke's house first, but no one was there. That narrowed things down quickly. If Sasuke wasn't home, then he was almost certainly at the training grounds.
As expected, when Tōma arrived, he found a familiar figure collapsed on the ground.
"So you're pushing yourself this hard," Tōma remarked, stopping beside him.
Sasuke was flat on his back, chest heaving, sweat soaking through his clothes. He had already sensed Tōma's presence, but when he looked up and recognized him, his shoulders relaxed slightly.
"Before facing him," Sasuke said hoarsely, "any extra strength helps."
He tried to sit up, then immediately froze as his body protested.
"If you're that exhausted, don't bother getting up," Tōma said calmly. "I'm not in a rush."
Sasuke let out a short breath and stayed where he was, focusing on recovering.
Tōma glanced around the training field. It was barely recognizable. Cracked earth, shattered posts, scorch marks everywhere. He remembered it being relatively intact the last time he'd been here.
Then again, neither of them really fit normal training grounds anymore.
Anything Tōma practiced now would level the place in seconds. Sasuke was starting to reach that point too.
After a long while, Sasuke finally forced himself upright and led Tōma back to his house. He even tried to prepare tea.
"I'll do it myself," Tōma said, catching the heavy scent of sweat and raising an eyebrow. "You go clean up. I know where everything is."
"…Alright."
Sasuke didn't argue. This wasn't Tōma's first visit.
When he returned in fresh clothes, he sat across from Tōma and got straight to the point.
"You didn't come just to check on me."
Tōma set his cup down and pulled out an envelope.
"Here," he said. "Itachi's letter."
Sasuke's body stiffened.
He took the letter with slightly trembling fingers and read in silence.
Tōma sipped his tea, idly noting that Sasuke's tea was surprisingly good. Better than what he usually kept himself. Maybe he should actually use his authority as Hokage one of these days and requisition some high-grade tea. He vaguely remembered the Land of Flowers producing something decent.
Across from him, Sasuke closed his eyes.
"So… it's finally time," he murmured, his voice rough.
It hadn't been that long since Tōma last spoke to him about this. And yet, Itachi had already reached out.
"Earlier than I expected," Tōma agreed. "He doesn't have much time left."
Sasuke felt a strange mix of emotions.
This was the moment he had waited for since childhood. And now, by every objective measure, he held the advantage. Itachi was dying. Sasuke was stronger than he had ever been.
Victory was within reach.
And yet, instead of excitement, there was unease. Like standing on the edge of a long-awaited destination and suddenly hesitating.
"Give it a few days," Tōma said. "I'll go with you. I won't interfere. This is between you and him."
Sasuke nodded.
With Tōma present, there was nothing to fear from outsiders. Akatsuki or not, Sasuke didn't believe anyone there could threaten Tōma now.
If anything, Sasuke suspected that the strength Tōma had shown during the Hokage succession was already outdated.
"Just remember," Tōma added as he stood, "there are people waiting for you back in the village. Me. Naruto. Sakura. Jūgo. Karin. Shikamaru."
He paused, then smiled faintly.
"This isn't the end of the road."
"…I know," Sasuke said quietly.
Tōma left without lingering. This was something Sasuke needed to face alone.
Compared to the version he remembered from the original timeline, this Sasuke was calmer. Less jagged. That, at least, felt like progress.
Tōma wasn't worried about the outcome. Against a healthy Itachi, it might have been close. Against one already burning out, Sasuke's chances were overwhelmingly high.
And even if Sasuke refused to take Itachi's eyes afterward, that was fine.
There were other paths forward.
After Tōma left, Sasuke slowly collected the cups and cleaned up the table.
Everything looked the same as always.
Sasuke didn't even like tea that much. He only kept it for guests.
And in truth, there was only ever one regular guest.