Chapter 546: Trembling, Meeting Mother

The Uchiha Clan compound, a place that once shone brilliantly in Hidden Leaf Village, had become a deserted area due to Uchiha Itachi, and later turned into an ordinary residential area due to the Third Hokage’s policies.

Now, after Naruto’s jutsu, it had returned to its former appearance as the Uchiha Clan compound, with the ordinary residential area shifted a distance to the side.

Some of the vacant mansions in the Uchiha Clan compound had been reallocated, but the large residence that once belonged to the Clan Chief’s lineage still maintained its old appearance, though it lacked the past clamor and grim atmosphere, replaced by a quietness settled by time.

And it even looked brand new.

At this moment, the atmosphere within the courtyard of this large residence was exceptionally heavy and complicated.

Uchiha Sasuke stood beside his mother, Uchiha Mikoto, his body slightly tensed, his right hand subconsciously resting on the hilt of his sword.

Those pitch-black eyes stared fixedly at the figure in the center of the courtyard, whose hands were bound and whose Chakra was sealed—his older brother, Uchiha Itachi.

Itachi appeared even more haggard than in Sasuke’s memories. Long-term illness had carved deep marks onto his young face.

He wore simple, dark-colored clothing, his hands locked in specially made Chakra-suppressing handcuffs. He kept his head bowed, his long black hair obscuring part of his cheeks, making it impossible to see his expression at this moment.

Only those eyes that occasionally lifted, with deep tear troughs at the corners, remained as calm as a deep pool, yet seemed to churn with indescribable waves.

Bringing Itachi back to Hidden Leaf Village from the Hidden Mist, and finally to his mother, was accomplished by Sasuke with the assistance of Kakashi and Might Guy.

Uchiha Sasuke was still too young, and Itachi had long possessed a notorious reputation, so Kakashi did not feel at ease letting Sasuke take Itachi home to see Mikoto alone.

Mikoto stood beside Sasuke, wearing an elegant, simple kimono, her hands tightly clasped in front of her, her knuckles slightly white from the force. From the moment she stepped into the courtyard, her gaze had been firmly locked onto Itachi, unable to look away even for a fraction.

There was shock, pain, and disbelief in that gaze, and even more so, a profound maternal love and sorrow that threatened to drown a person.

When she saw with her own eyes the son who was steady and precocious in her memories, yet had ultimately turned to extremes and stained his hands with the blood of their clansmen, being brought back in such a disheveled state, the immense shock made her almost unable to stand steady.

"How could this be...?"

When Uchiha Itachi clearly saw that familiar and deeply missed figure in the courtyard, the mask of calm he had maintained instantly developed cracks.

He jerked his head up, his pupils constricting, and for the first time, an almost uncomposed shock appeared on his face.

Mother? How is this possible? He had personally... No, could it be a Genjutsu? No, this sense of reality...

In a flash, he remembered that scene he had glimpsed on the street that night when he and Kisame Hoshigaki had infiltrated Hidden Leaf Village after the Chunin Exams concluded.

Uzumaki Naruto’s mother, Uzumaki Kushina, who had long since died during the Nine-Tails Attack, was walking down the street, chatting and laughing, holding the hand of that red-haired girl.

Later intelligence indicated that it seemed to be the effect of a Forbidden Jutsu called "Edo Tensei." Could it be... that Mother was also brought back by that jutsu...?

"Itachi..."

Mikoto finally spoke, her voice trembling uncontrollably. As soon as she made a sound, tears poured out like a burst flood, instantly rushing from her eyes and sliding down her pale yet still beautiful cheeks.

She looked at her son’s haggard face and weary expression, and at the cold handcuffs on his hands. A thousand words were stuck in her chest, but they could only transform into this call filled with sobs and unstoppable tears.

Kakashi and Might Guy stood a little further away, both with their heads slightly bowed, not looking directly at the scene of the mother and son reuniting.

Kakashi’s mask hid most of his expression, but his eyes appeared exceptionally deep; Guy, who was usually full of passion and drive, was also rarely silent at this moment, his thick brows tightly furrowed.

They understood how complex and painful the emotional entanglements were, but their duty was to ensure the safety of Sasuke and Sasuke’s mother.

After all, Uchiha Itachi was an S-rank Rogue Ninja, the mastermind who had personally slaughtered the Uchiha Clan, and an extremely dangerous individual who possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan.

They had to keep a close watch on him at all times to prevent any accidents from happening.

"It is me."

After the initial shock, Uchiha Itachi quickly forced himself to regain his surface-level calm.

He lowered his eyes, avoiding his mother’s burning and sorrowful gaze, his voice low and hoarse, revealing not much emotional fluctuation, as if he were merely stating a fact.

He was silent for a moment, seemingly digesting this incredible reality, and then asked in the same calm tone: "Was Father also resurrected?"

He recalled vague information in the intelligence reports about Uchiha Fugaku also having appeared briefly.

Mikoto’s tears flowed even more fiercely. She nodded forcefully, her voice choked with sobs: "Yes... Fugaku, he also... came back. But..."

She took a difficult breath, "His Soul later returned to the Pure Land."

This was the explanation she had heard from Sasuke and Naruto.

"Is that so..."

Uchiha Itachi responded softly, his tone remaining flat.

Perhaps there was some regret in his heart at not being able to see his father.

But for him, perhaps it was better not to see him; he did not know how to face the father he had betrayed and killed on that bloody night.

Not seeing him, on the contrary, spared him a fraction of the torment of facing the cruelest reality.

Sasuke never relaxed his vigilance, keeping a close eye on every move Itachi made.

In fact, before deciding to bring Itachi to see his mother, Sasuke had proposed a cold, but in his view, very "reasonable" suggestion: to gouge out Uchiha Itachi’s eyes.

It was not to seize power, but to prevent Itachi from utilizing the abilities of the Mangekyo Sharingan to suddenly attack, harm his mother, or create chaos.

This proposal was seriously dissuaded by Kakashi.

"Sasuke," Kakashi had looked at his Disciple’s eyes filled with hatred and determination, and sighed, "I understand your worry. However, letting Itachi... go to see Lady Mikoto with two empty eye sockets, wouldn’t that be too cruel to her? After all, he is her son. Moreover, we have already used a fairly high-level Sealing Jutsu to suppress his Chakra and Ocular Power, and there is someone monitoring him at all times. Some things perhaps should not be done by us."

In the end, Sasuke was persuaded.

Therefore, at this moment, Itachi still had his eyes, though the power within them was faintly suppressed by the Seal.

In the courtyard, the moonlight was cold and clear.

On one side was the mother, tearful and on the verge of collapse; on the other was the son, eyes lowered and silent, his heart churning with unknown, turbulent waves; and on the other side was the younger brother, facing a formidable enemy, filled with vigilance and hatred, along with two silent and alert Hidden Leaf Village Jonin.

The air seemed to have solidified, with only Mikoto’s uncontrollable sobbing and the rustling sound of the wind blowing through the leaves in the courtyard.

This so-called "reunion" had no warmth, only endless pain, estrangement, vigilance, and unresolved grievances, pressing heavily upon everyone’s hearts.

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