Naruto: reborn as an Uzumaki

The group moved steadily toward the Hidden Grass Village. Danzo led the way, his presence cold and silent, while Kenshin and Konan walked side by side, chatting casually.

Sai trailed behind them, his usual emotionless demeanor masking any thoughts about the mission or the group dynamic.

"So," Konan began, glancing at Kenshin, "what are your plans for the Festival?"

Kenshin let out a soft chuckle. "Honestly? Nothing big. I just want to buy gifts for the family with the money I've saved up. I've managed to put away about 1.5 million ryo now."

Konan raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile tugging at her lips. "Well, well. Apparently, my little brother is a rich man now."

Kenshin laughed, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. "I wouldn't go that far, onee-san. I'm just good at not spending money."

Konan smiled, but her gaze softened slightly. "And how is everyone at home?"

Kenshin began to reply, though his voice faded into the background of his own thoughts.

As they walked, he felt a strange ache in his chest—a persistent, gnawing sensation that refused to fade, no matter how much he tried to ignore it. It wasn't physical pain but something deeper, something he couldn't figure out.

Meanwhile, Konan was battling her own thoughts. She struggled to keep her composed facade intact whenever Kenshin looked at her with those sudden, confused expressions, as if fragments of the memories she had erased still lingered.

She cursed herself inwardly for that night—the night she'd confessed her feelings to him in a drunken haze. He had reciprocated, and for a brief, blissful moment, she had felt hope. But she had erased it all because she couldn't allow herself to hold onto something so fragile.

Her grip on that hope was too weak compared to her loyalty to Pain. Pain's vision for the world would never align with Kenshin's, and she knew he'd oppose it the moment he found out the truth. When Nagato targets the Nine Tails, Kenshin would fight back—and she couldn't imagine him winning.

Despite his potential, just months ago, he'd been an innocent boy doing everything he could to keep his dying mother alive. There was no way he could stand against the Six Paths of Pain. Not yet. Not in time.

Kenshin suddenly stopped, breaking her train of thought. His eyes narrowed as he considered something.

"Danzo," he said firmly, his voice cutting through the silence.

Danzo turned to face him, a slight hint of irritation in his expression. "Yes?"

"You're no longer needed for this mission," Kenshin stated bluntly. "Neither are you, Sai. You'll both be a liability. Return to the Leaf."

Danzo's expression darkened but didn't argue. He couldn't argue. A slave cannot speak up against his master. Sai obliged as well, his expression never changing.

As Danzo turned to leave, Kenshin's voice carried once more. "One more thing. Both of you are to keep Konan's identity as a member of the Akatsuki—a secret. No one, not even the Hokage, is to know. If you so much as consider telling someone, Danzo, you'll take your own life before doing so. That's an order."

The slave seal on Danzo pulsed faintly, ensuring his compliance. Despite the dual authority shared with Tsunade, Kenshin's Uzumaki bloodline gave him dominance. Danzo bowed his head slightly in acknowledgment. "Understood."

With that, Danzo and Sai departed, leaving Kenshin and Konan alone. Konan watched Kenshin with a mixture of surprise and unease. His cold, authoritative tone had been unlike the boy she had seen for the past 15 years.

The sun rose higher in the sky, and the pair decided to take a short break. Kenshin unsealed some food from a storage scroll, sharing breakfast with Konan before they rested briefly.

This pattern continued throughout the day—walking, pausing, and continuing again—until finally, well past midnight, they stopped to set up camp.

Kenshin gathered firewood, igniting it with a small Fireball Jutsu. The warm glow of the flames bathed the clearing as he unsealed more food from his scroll. He and Konan sat side by side, sharing a quiet dinner under the stars.

The fire crackled softly as Kenshin and Konan sat in silence after their meal, the warm light casting faint shadows on their faces. Kenshin stared into the flames, his thoughts restless.

The persistent ache in his chest gnawed at him, and he wondered, just for a moment, if he should ask Konan about it. Would she know what it was? Could she possibly help him understand?

Another thought flickered briefly in his mind—he could use his left eye. A glimpse into her thoughts might reveal something, might offer some clarity.

But as quickly as the idea appeared, he shook his head. That would be a violation of her privacy, a line he refused to cross. He sighed softly, trying to push the unease away.

"You should get some sleep," Konan said suddenly, her voice gentle but firm. "I'll keep watch."

Kenshin frowned. "You've been traveling all day too, onee-san. You need rest more than I do."

Konan shook her head, her expression leaving no room for argument. "I'll be fine. You need to be at your best for tomorrow."

Kenshin stared at her for a moment, considering his options. With a small smirk, he leaned against her, resting his head on her shoulder. "Then I'll rest here," he said, his voice tinged with playful defiance. "I've always wanted to do this."

"Kenshin—" Konan began, but she stopped herself. She sighed, allowing him this small rebellion.

The warmth of her presence and the steady rhythm of her breathing soothed him, and before long, his own breathing slowed as he drifted into sleep. Konan sat still, staring at the fire, her mind a storm of emotions.

Gently, she shifted him, letting his head rest on her lap. She brushed a strand of hair from his face, her fingers lingering against his skin as she caressed his sleeping features.

Her heart ached with regret, a deep and familiar pain that she had come to accept. In this life, they could never be. Not while she remained tied to Pain's plan, and not while Kenshin carried the burden of his family and his ideals. But perhaps... perhaps there was hope in another life.

She looked down at his peaceful expression, her own eyes soft with longing. If fate was kind enough to grant them rebirth, as it had granted him and Akane once before, she wished to be with him in that life. No war, no Akatsuki, no barriers to separate them. Just him and her, free to—

Suddenly, Konan stiffened, her hand freezing mid-motion as a voice whispered in her ear.

"You're getting rather cozy with the boy," Zetsu murmured, his tone laced with mockery, his pale form emerging just behind her. "You don't even question how he knows so much about the Akatsuki... interesting. But I'd be careful, Konan. Letting your feelings get in the way could jeopardize the plan."

Konan's breath hitched, though her expression remained neutral. Zetsu leaned closer, his voice dropping to a sinister tone. "Madara has noticed. He's concerned... about the boy and his mother. Should they prove to be obstacles, he'll have no choice but to eliminate them. Both of them. And surely you wouldn't want something so unfortunate to happen."

Her eyes widened, her face briefly paling as the weight of his words settled in. But she quickly forced herself to calm, straightening her posture as she spoke, her voice cold and composed.

"Madara does not need to concern himself with my private life," she said firmly, her eyes narrowing. "What I do is my own business. As for Kenshin and Kana, I trust them. They'll not interfere with the Akatsuki's work—so long as the Leaf itself doesn't involve them. If that happens, the blame won't be theirs."

Zetsu's unreadable gaze lingered on her, his golden eyes almost as piercing as the chill his words left behind. After a moment, he melted back into the ground, his presence vanishing as swiftly as it had appeared.

Konan let out a slow, trembling breath once she was alone again. Her eyes drifted back to Kenshin's sleeping face, peaceful and oblivious to the storm brewing around them. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, but she wiped them away before they could fall.

"Please," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Stay out of the Akatsuki's way, Kenshin. Protect your family. Stay safe... Keep Kana safe. Love Akane, live on for her. Please... I love you. I don't want to see you die."

Her fingers hovered over his hair, brushing it lightly as if trying to memorize the texture. The words felt hollow, lost in the night air, much like the memories she had erased from his mind—the confession, the promise, the kiss that lingered only in her heart.

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