Naruto: Reborn with the Template System

"The next time we meet, will it be on the battlefield of the Fourth Ninja World War?"

After Obito escaped, Guts muttered to himself.

He already knew that the Six Tails Jinchūriki, Utakata, had been stolen.

With that, the seven tailed beasts from One to Seven had all been collected by the Akatsuki.

The remaining ones were the Eight Tails and Nine Tails.

The Nine Tails' Jinchūriki, Kushina, was under the protection of Namikaze Minato. Knowing the Akatsuki were targeting tailed beasts, Minato kept his wife in Konoha — she couldn't leave.

Obito's only option now... was to launch a Ninja World War.

"Fine, come if you want. You're getting cleaned up next time for sure," Guts said to himself.

Suddenly, Guts noticed he wasn't alone — Konan was still there.

Nagato had been taken. Konan had been thinking about it for a long time, and now she didn't know what to do.

Where should she go?

Back to Amegakure?

That was Akatsuki's main base, but Konan didn't think the masked man would return there.

So what about Nagato? How could she save him?

"Nagato's probably dead. I'd say there's an 80% chance he's already been killed." Guts merciless voice shattered her last hope.

"You... you don't talk nonsense!"

Konan couldn't believe it or rather, she didn't want to believe it. "Nagato… he'll be fine. No, he has to be."

But even as she said that, her voice began to waver.

It didn't take a genius to figure out why the masked man took Nagato alive.

Suddenly, Konan looked at Guts, desperation in her eyes. "You... can you track Madara's trail? Please, I'll do anything! Just help me!"

For Konan, everything else was meaningless.

Ever since Yahiko's death, Nagato was her only family.

Peace wasn't really her own dream — she was just carrying the dreams of Yahiko and Nagato.

"It's a pity that Kamui's spatial jumps are one of the few things I can't track with my Observation Haki."

Guts shrugged.

"Naruto" and "One Piece" each had their own systems, their own counters and resistances.

There were very few things that could evade his "Voice of All Things." Orochimaru's clone split technique from three years ago and Obito's Kamui were two of them.

"...How could this happen?"

That last thread of hope snapped. If she hadn't endured countless tragedies over the years, Konan might've collapsed on the spot.

Guts wasn't good at comforting people. After she stood in silence for a while, he finally said,

"So, what now? What will you do next? Finding the masked man won't be easy."

In the anime, Konan had hidden Nagato's body to lure Obito.

But that didn't happen here.

The ninja world was massive. Obito had Kamui. Finding him would be nearly impossible.

And more importantly... if Konan did find him, he'd kill her without hesitation.

"I…"

Konan fell silent. She was lost.

For so long, Nagato had been the center of her world. Without him... she didn't know what to do anymore.

"Let's go."

Guts shook his head and pointed ahead.

Konan frowned, unsure what he meant.

"I'm heading back to Konoha. Sooner or later, the masked man will come for the Nine Tails. That's your only shot at revenge."

Nagato couldn't be saved. Her only option now... was to wait.

"Why are you helping me? We're supposed to be enemies, aren't we?" Konan asked, disbelief in her tone.

"If you really need a reason, just call it 'sympathy.' You looked pitiful," Guts said flatly.

"Pitiful…"

Konan's cold expression shifted slightly.

After all these years, revered as an angel in Amegakure, this was the first time anyone had used that word to describe her.

"You can't wear the Akatsuki cloak anymore. When we reach the next village, change clothes. From now on, you're a refugee I picked up. Let's go."

Guts turned and started walking toward Konoha.

Konan bit her lip, hesitated for a moment — then followed him without saying a word.

At the same time

In the western region of the Land of Fire, at the ruins of the Uchiha hideout.

Lightning Style: Kirin and Susanoo had reduced the entire place to rubble.

"Forgive me, Sasuke... this is the last time."

In Sasuke's horrified gaze, Itachi smiled faintly and tapped his forehead with two fingers.

Sasuke's Chidori pierced right through Itachi's chest.

Just like in the anime but this time, Itachi didn't die from exhaustion.

Instead, he deliberately canceled Susanoo and walked into the Chidori himself.

That was why Sasuke was so shocked.

After saying his final words, Itachi collapsed.

His ending was noble and yet still drenched in sin.

Sasuke stared at Itachi's fallen body. But instead of satisfaction... all he felt was emptiness, numbness... maybe even a little regret.

Eventually, even those emotions were overtaken by exhaustion. Sasuke's vision blurred, and he collapsed beside his brother.

Two Uchiha brothers — fallen side by side.

A new figure approached.

It was Uchiha Shisui.

"..."

He already knew how it would end, but touching Itachi's cold body still made tears flow freely down his face.

After silently weeping, Shisui wiped his eyes.

Then, carrying Itachi and Sasuke on either shoulder, he disappeared from the battlefield.

Ten minutes later

Black Zetsu and White Zetsu emerged from the ground.

"Shisui took them. What now?" White Zetsu frowned.

Black Zetsu hissed, "We got the Rinnegan back from Nagato. That's more important. Let Obito know first."

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