Konoha: The Honored One

Gojo Satoru lazily gazed down at Sasuke, who was still gripping his kunai with clenched fists, ready to strike. The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife—or at least a kunai. Gojo smirked , clearly unfazed.

"The kunai's in your hand, and the person is in my hand. As your teacher, let me offer you a little advice," Gojo drawled, taking his sweet time. "Using someone else's hand to fulfill your ambitions will leave you weak and pathetic for the rest of your life."

"Seriously, Sasuke," he added, leaning in as if telling a secret, "What's the point of completing your revenge before you even grow strong? What does that even say about your life?" Gojo shrugged dramatically, throwing his hands up. "I'll show you the way, but you have to choose which path to take." He grinned wider, clearly enjoying this moment of unsolicited life coaching.

The tension in the air wasn't lost on anyone else in the group. Sasuke stood there, his eyes cold, clearly torn between the overwhelming rage to finally end it all, and the strange, frustrating wisdom coming from his teacher.

"Gojo-sensei, give me strength!" Sasuke suddenly shouted, his voice raw with emotion. "I'll get stronger, fueled by my hatred! I will do this myself!"

Gojo gave a knowing, if somewhat playful, smile. "Ah, that's the spirit. Remember that feeling of being outclassed. Let that drive you. The gap in strength? Use that. Let it fuel your growth."

Then, with a mischievous smirk, he added, "But hey, if you really want to level up, maybe learn a thing or two from a fox kid. I'll teach you how to pull off a wicked Rasengan, but only if you earn it!"

Sasuke blinked, unsure if Gojo was serious or just messing with him again. It didn't help that Gojo's face was always smiling like a kid in a candy store, making it hard to tell when he was joking. But Sasuke, ever the serious one, took it all in stride. After all, what else could he do? At least Gojo wasn't trying to hand him a 'shortcut' like the others in his life.

Kurenai, standing by, watched the exchange with a confused frown, her hand subconsciously tightening on her kunai. She'd always believed that a teacher's job was to guide and protect their students. Yet, Gojo was doing something... different. It was like he was throwing Sasuke into the deep end and watching him either sink or swim. She didn't know if that was genius or just reckless.

"Obito, stop pretending, I can see you," Gojo suddenly called out, his voice flat, as if calling out a friend from across the room.

Everyone froze. There was no one there. Just the lake stretching out before them, still as could be.

Then, with a sudden twist, the space around them distorted like a broken mirror. From the ripple, a figure stepped forward—an imposing figure in a black cloak with red clouds. His mask covered most of his face, but one eye gleamed through.

"Obito Uchiha." Gojo muttered, as though it was just another Tuesday.

The moment Obito appeared, the air seemed to thicken. It was clear he was someone of tremendous power—at least, that's what the solemn expression and his Sharingan eye suggested.

"Itachi's Tsukuyomi can't do anything against you. I'll give credit where it's due, your strength is currently the ceiling of the ninja world," Obito remarked, his voice cool and unbothered. Despite the dire situation, he seemed oddly nonchalant about being in Gojo's presence.

Gojo waved his hand dismissively. "Don't be so modest, Obito. You've got your own little tricks." He tossed Itachi's body aside like a sack of potatoes before sending Obito a knowing glance. "You're all about that 'Kamui' thing, right? Too bad it's got more holes than Swiss cheese. It's like an absolute defense that's also kind of... well, useless in the grand scheme."

Obito's face twitched slightly beneath his mask. "How do you know that?"

Gojo grinned as though he were about to drop some bombshell knowledge. "Oh, I know all sorts of things. Like, for example," he continued, pointing vaguely in Obito's direction, "I know your defense might be bulletproof, but I've got an eye that can see through all your little tricks. So don't act so mysterious."

Obito's lips quivered into a frown. "What else do you know?"

Gojo shrugged with mock innocence, his expression pure mischief. "Oh, just the usual stuff. Like, is it really only two inches?" He held up his little finger, wiggling it with a teasing smile.

Obito's face darkened beneath the mask. "You're impossible."

"All right, I'll let you take Itachi," Gojo added, as though he were taking a casual request at a coffee shop. "But as for the little shark, well, he's got no real value. He's just gonna die here. No hard feelings, rigth?"

The space shifted again, and the Domain receded, leaving only a cloud of dust behind. Obito, carrying the unconscious Itachi, looked around at the field. His sharp gaze scanned the group. "Hmph. Your character is beyond comprehensible, Gojo," Obito muttered before vanishing into the vortex of space.

Sasuke was still standing there, the kunai in his hand trembling slightly. He couldn't quite wrap his mind around what had just happened. Was this real? Was Obito actually alive? But more importantly, what had Gojo meant by all that?

Sakura finally exhaled, wiping the sweat from her brow. "Phew... the enemy's finally gone."

Naruto, ever the brave one (or the loud one), folded his arms and pouted. "Tch, if they hadn't run away, I would've taught them a lesson!"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed in thought. "That man...Obito Uchiha. Who is he really? There was only me and Itachi left in the Uchiha clan, right? So why does he exist?"

Gojo chuckled, his voice echoing as he casually sat back, sipping his lollipop. "Who's Obito Uchiha? Ah, well, he's part of the mess that is your clan's history. Long story short, he was one of the people behind the genocide."

Sasuke's expression darkened, the anger from earlier bubbling up again. "What do you mean 'one of'? Who else was involved?"

Gojo put his hands on his hips, acting exasperated. "Really, Sasuke? You're gonna ask me that now? You know who I'm talking about, don't be a brat. Look, I'm just trying to teach you something here."

Everyone around them was just as confused. Kurenai stared at Gojo, perplexed. "I thought Gojo respected the old and loved the young?"

"Yeah, right." Kurenai muttered under her breath.

Sasuke sighed, his frustration barely contained. "Gojo, please. Just tell me."

Gojo flashed a bright grin. "Sure, sure, kid. I'll tell you, but it's a long story. Grab a seat, this is gonna be fun."