The easy smile faded from Kakashi's face, his voice, low and serious, cut through the morning air.

"Itachi Uchiha entered the village last night," Kakashi said bluntly.

Sasuke stiffened instantly. His fists clenched at his sides.

"He didn't attack the village," Kakashi continued, keeping his tone calm. "He came with a partner from Akatsuki Kisame Hoshigaki. But they didn't come to destroy anything. Itachi only came to send a warning to someone… and he left soon after."

Sasuke's eyes darkened, his mind racing with memories. Memories of blood. Screams. His clan, his parents, were lying motionless.

And now, to hear that the murderer had been so close

"And you fought him?" Sasuke asked sharply, voice low.

Kakashi nodded once. "Briefly. He trapped me in a Genjusti called Tsukuyomi." He lifted his head slightly, letting Sasuke see his composed expression. "But I got out. I'm fine."

Sasuke's entire body trembled with anger. His Sharingan flared to life without conscious thought.

Itachi… dared to hurt Kakashi too?

Kakashi, who had become one of the few people Sasuke could trust, could call family.

"I'll kill him!" Sasuke snarled, hatred burning in his voice.

Kakashi moved in a flash, resting a firm hand on Sasuke's shoulder. His grip was steady, grounding.

"Sasuke," Kakashi said, his voice cutting through the storm of anger. "Listen to me."

Sasuke struggled against the fury burning in his chest, but he forced himself to meet Kakashi's gaze.

"I know your pain," Kakashi said quietly. "I know what you want. But listen carefully. There's more to this than you know."

Sasuke's Sharingan spun furiously, but he didn't look away.

Kakashi's hand squeezed his shoulder slightly. "A few days from now… after we find Tsunade… I'll tell you everything. The truth about Itachi. About that night."

Sasuke blinked, confusion briefly cutting through the anger.

"What do you mean?" he demanded.

Kakashi shook his head gently. "Not now. Not here. Trust me, Sasuke. You'll understand soon. For now… stay calm. Stay focused. We need you with a clear head."

It took every ounce of willpower Sasuke had, but he forced the rage down.

He nodded stiffly.

"Good," Kakashi said with a small, approving smile. "You've grown stronger, Sasuke. Stronger in ways that matter."

He turned back toward the others, Sasuke falling into step beside him.

"Done having your little family meeting?" Jiraiya raised an eyebrow when they returned.

"Hey, why didn't I get a family meeting instead I stayed with the pervert!" Naruto scowled.

"Because you'd never shut up," Jiraiya muttered.

"And don't call me a pervert you stupid-looking brat!"

"Alright, enough. Let's move." Kakashi chuckled.

The group set out from Konoha's front gate, the massive doors swinging shut behind them.

Their mission was simple: find Tsunade and convince her to return to Konoha to become the Fifth Hokage.

They moved quickly through the forests surrounding the village, Naruto occasionally trying to badger Jiraiya for information about Tsunade.

"So, what's she like, really?" Naruto asked, jogging backward to look at the toad sage. "Is she super scary? Is she strong?"

Jiraiya snorted. "Scary doesn't even begin to cover it. She's terrifying. And yeah, she's one of the strongest shinobi alive. Stronger than most men."

Naruto grinned. "Awesome! She sounds super cool!"

Kakashi smiled behind his hand, his heartwarming.

He already knew that Tsunade wasn't just strong.

She also had a kind heart, was very Brave.

He glanced sideways at Sasuke, who walked in silence, brooding but composed.

'He'll be alright,' Kakashi thought.

He would be there to guide Sasuke through the truth. He would help him face the burden Itachi had left behind, and make sure he didn't fall into darkness because of it.

….

The forest stretched endlessly before them, shadows dancing across the packed dirt path as the team made their way toward Tanzaku Town.

Birds chirped lazily overhead, and the scent of early summer flowers floated in the air. Naruto, as always, couldn't stay quiet for long.

"Man, how much longer?" Naruto groaned, his arms stretched behind his head as he walked alongside Jiraiya. "My legs are gonna fall off!"

"You're the one who keeps burning all your energy jumping around," Jiraiya said, half-annoyed, half-amused.

Sasuke walked a few paces ahead, his face unreadable, his eyes were sharp and watchful. Every now and then, he would glance sideways at Kakashi, as if reassuring himself that his sensei was really still there.

Kakashi walked at a relaxed pace, his hands tucked into his pockets, and a faint smile hung on his face. He could feel the tension rolling off Sasuke but said nothing yet.

Patience. That was the key with Sasuke.

The journey was smooth, with no bandits, no rogue ninja. Most people avoided big groups of strong-looking shinobi anyway. And with Jiraiya, Kakashi, and two deadly prodigies in the group, they practically screamed danger.

As they traveled, Naruto kept trying to fish for information about Tsunade.

"Is she really super beautiful like you said, Pervy Sage?"

"Hey! I said she was beautiful but deadly," Jiraiya said, scowling. "Don't get any weird ideas."

"Ugh. Old ladies aren't my thing anyway." Naruto made a face.

Kakashi chuckled lightly, exchanging a small glance with Jiraiya, who didn't seem to notice the glint of amusement in Kakashi's eye.

'You'll find out soon enough,' Kakashi thought. Curious how Jiraiya would react to his and Tsunade's relationship.

By mid-afternoon, they reached the outskirts of Tanzaku Town. The smell of food stalls and the sounds of gambling halls carried on the breeze.

Naruto's stomach growled loudly.

"We eat after the mission," Jiraiya said sternly. "Focus."

Naruto groaned dramatically but nodded.

The group slipped into the bustling town, blending easily into the crowd.

It didn't take them long. Because Kakashi already knew exactly where to find her.