[Mad Tiger] Chapter 41

Maybe the boys just need time to process everything? I mean, it does feel a bit cruel to blow someone’s mind so suddenly. What if the shock was too much? What if Sasuke couldn’t handle it? I’m no doctor or therapist, and I definitely don’t specialize in psychology. It took me weeks to fully remember everything that happened, and even then, I wasn’t as close to the ones I lost. They weren’t my parents, my siblings, or even my best friends. Still, it hurt. It hurt that they were gone.

Sasuke couldn’t bring himself to step into his brother’s room—the brother he believed wiped out their entire family. And let’s be real for a second: the idea that a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old Itachi managed to single-handedly take down a clan of elite shinobi is kind of insane. Even at seventeen, when he went after Naruto, he couldn’t exactly overpower everyone. Sure, maybe he wasn’t aiming to kill, but still. No matter how skilled a ninja is, there’s no way they could handle a mob of equals alone.

But logic and hatred don’t go hand in hand, do they? I get it, though. Watching the anime, I hated Itachi too. The guy wiped out his entire clan and left his kid brother with a lifelong vendetta. That’s a lot to stomach. But now, looking at things up close, it’s clear that Sasuke wasn’t there when it all happened. By the time he arrived, everyone was already dead. It was dark when he found them, but the Uchiha clan wasn’t exactly a “lights out at 7 PM” kind of group. There was something calculated about it all—a massacre, not just an ambush.

Honestly, I doubt Itachi acted alone, even in an alternate reality where he truly was behind it all.

It’s that pursuit of strength that drove Sasuke to leave the village, isn’t it? The thirst for vengeance. I wonder what that really led to… But I already know things here aren’t as simple as the anime made them seem. It’s like the author got a glimpse of this world and wrote a story based on the “official version” of events. But reality? It’s got layers. For one, Kushina’s alive. So is Shisui. And honestly, if Orochimaru does take out Hiruzen, I’m not sure it’s even the tragedy I once thought it was.

Sasuke stood frozen outside his brother’s room, trembling slightly. Naruto bit his lip, looking back and forth between Sasuke and me, unsure what to do. For once, even I didn’t have a plan.

“I can’t remember his face,” Sasuke said quietly, his voice void of life. “It’s like I never had an older brother. One day, someone with red eyes—someone everyone called my brother—showed up and killed everyone. My mom, my dad, Grandpa Sawada, Aunt Keiko, my cousin Yumiko, my third cousin Kazuki, Uncle Matari, Aunt Inabi, Sora-san who sold sweets, Goro-sensei who taught us clan techniques… everyone. If I can’t remember his face, it’s because he wasn’t my brother. He couldn’t have been. It wasn’t Itachi.”

Sasuke slid down the wall in the hallway and hugged his knees. Naruto sat down beside him, mirroring his posture.

“Then let’s not go in there,” Naruto said softly. “Maybe someday… or I could go in alone if you want?”

“No,” Sasuke muttered, shaking his head.

I padded over and rubbed against their legs. Both boys reached down to pet me, their movements slow and heavy with thought.

Alright, I guess my plan is technically ahead of schedule. The boys are looking out for each other now. Sasuke’s not as emotionally frozen as he was, and they’re making sense of things, little by little. It’s only been two days since I got them to reconnect. I can keep working on this. Maybe it’s better to drop the big revelations later when I can actually talk. I mean, what would I even do right now? Tell Naruto his mom’s alive? He’d just ask where she is, and I’d have no answer. And Sasuke? Shisui could tell him the truth about Itachi. He was there; he knows. Plus, he can actually speak like a normal human.

From what I remember, Sasuke wouldn’t meet Itachi for at least another year—not until that whole town incident with Jiraiya and Tsunade. It’s practically next door to Konoha. Funny enough, Shijimi stopped there for her buns. Here’s hoping we can sort everything out before that showdown even happens.

For now, I’ll stick to what I’m good at. Planting seeds. The things these boys are learning now might not make sense yet, but when the time comes, they’ll reinforce whatever Shisui or Kushina has to say.

Oh Feline Gods… What the heck is this monstrosity?

Early the next morning, Hiruzen himself showed up at Naruto’s place with his usual stash of groceries and… an orange jumpsuit. In the anime, it didn’t seem so bad, but now? Either my cat eyes pick up colors way more vividly, or this thing is just straight-up nuclear. It’s practically glowing! Hiruzen must’ve had this thing custom-made because I’ve never seen anything like it in Konoha. This isn’t even a village outfit. Most shinobi gear is dark green, black, navy, or camo—stuff that makes sense in a forest. Even the Hyuuga clan sticks to pale lilac or beige. But this? This is on another level. It’s like they wanted Naruto to be visible from space. Subtlety? Zero.

Naruto, bless his heart, loved it. I watched from under the bed as he beamed at his new clothes. Well, it’s not like he has many other options. He even convinced Sasuke to take a few shirts and pants yesterday. Guess his mom taught him to be practical, even if she didn’t spoil him.

“I arranged for you to eat at Ichiraku Ramen,” Hiruzen said, handing Naruto a stack of meal vouchers. “They’ll feed you three times a day. You’ll also get a weekly allowance until you earn your genin headband.”

“Whoa! I’ll have money?” Naruto’s face lit up.

Yeah, too bad he won’t have anywhere to spend it. At least not right now. Still, he’s got a brain. He knows what money is and how to use it. Hopefully, he’ll figure out that Sasuke could buy things for him if needed. It’s not rocket science. They’re twelve—they’ll piece it together eventually. Probably. I hope.

"You can pick up your money at the Hokage Residence," Hiruzen drawled. "Twelve hundred ryo a month—that’s two hundred and fifty per week. You’ll also get your meal vouchers there."

What’s this? Did the old man finally get tired of delivering ramen packets himself? Or is he just that confident Naruto’s memory is still shot? Well, at least now he won’t have an excuse to swing by all the time. I’ve been worried he’d catch Sasuke hanging out here after their little escapades, and that would be… not ideal. But it’s like Naruto could sense my anxiety—Sasuke headed back to his own place after their adventures yesterday.

Two hundred and fifty ryo a week! What a cheapskate! Even with three meals a day (which I bet are laughably small portions), it’s peanuts—especially for a growing kid. What about weapons? Gear? Clothes, for crying out loud? Looks like my poor chick is doomed to keep running around in that blinding orange monstrosity.

"Here’s your first week’s allowance," Hiruzen added, placing a handful of coins on the table. With that same cherubic smile, he made a swift exit from Naruto’s apartment.

Seriously? No shame at all, huh? The guy orphans the kid, takes away his mother, his father (insome sense), erases his memory, and now he’s tossing a few coins at him like it’s some grand gesture. S-stupid old monkey! And don’t even get me started on that jumpsuit. It’s like the Hokage wants people to hate him. The second Naruto shows up with new clothes—heck, even if he "borrows" something from the Uchiha compound—it’ll raise all kinds of unwanted questions. Questions that could lead to another round of brainwashing.

I crawled out from under the bed, jumped onto the dresser where the coins sat, and hissed my frustration.

"What’s up?" Naruto asked, his head tilted in curiosity. "You think it’s not enough?"

I gave a slow, deliberate nod. Naruto pulled out his little frog wallet and started counting the coins as he dropped them in. Ah, that wallet. It’s the only thing he still has from his old life. Guess they didn’t think a wallet was an important "clue," so they left it. Everything else he owns now is new. Or maybe they simply missed it?

Back then, he used to brag about that wallet. Said his mom made it for him. He wanted to sign a summoning contract, but Kushina-san told him he didn’t have enough chakra for that yet. She promised to sign the contract later and gave him the wallet in the meantime so he could save up for treats to offer his future summons—because frogs love to eat, apparently. She even placed some seals on it, so it wouldn’t tear and would expand as it filled with money.

"What can we do, Namaiki-chan?" Naruto sighed, shaking the frog and listening to the coins rattle inside. He looked over the meal vouchers next. "Ooh! Extra-large pork ramen, my favorite!"

Favorite, huh? This kid doesn’t even think to question how something he supposedly never ate became his favorite. Sigh…

"I’ll swing by after class," he said, slipping one of the vouchers into his wallet. After a pause, he added a second one. "Maybe with Sasuke."

I climbed into his backpack. It’s time to get some things straight at the Academy. Hiruzen’s not watching him too closely right now, and I intend to take full advantage of that. First up? Kiba and Akamaru. Let’s see what we can stir up.