I’m going crazy wondering what ‘next best thing’ might be hinting at or foreshadowing. Lol

This story is awesome. It’s the first one I’ve read not centered on the romance aspect. I think ur nailing the plot! It’s super interesting. I find myself so invested despite not really liking any of the characters (super flawed, all of them). Hinata is usually my favorite in fics because she’s usually written as very resolute and strong in spirit. Here she is kind of a doormat. Where the guys never think about the women at all, the women can’t help but think of sasuke a ton in a sort of groveling way which I find cringe worthy. But because they’re all so heavily flawed it makes me all excited to see if/how they grow as the story progresses. :D so happy I found this story

Itachi is demented and an arrogant ass. He treats Sasuke like a child and forced him to behavior like he wanted instead of treating him as his brother. Itachi think he can run Sasuke life without giving him free will. He is just going to make his brother hate him and deserving so.

Hi!
I loved the first part, with a child Sasuke. Mikoto seemed a bit superstitious, but it’s to be expected in those times. She seemed fragile too, or I could be wrong. So she wasn’t of pure Uchiha blood, I guess Fugaku married her for love…or not, knowing you
I loved the part with Sasuke and Ogimaru. Maru is alive, I knew it! And Sasuke wants him free, that’s bad (I don’t like him, Maru, I mean). He could be useful I guess, at least for his knowledge. Well, I’d love to see that Ieyasu being fooled: I can’t choose who I dislike more, him or Danzo.
Itachi is still crazy, I hope he doesn’t loose all his sanity and goes nuts, or maybe he already did.
…we are going to know Tsunade’s dark secrets, I’m not so sure that I want to know them, I like her. And what’s with the Uchiha’s lands, they are theirs!

Thanks for the chapter, I hope everything's ok!

I stumbled on your work here while in search of some fresh and saucy SasuHina, and from the preface of the first chapter, I knew not to expect any sort of romance, but let me just say: I love this, just as it is. I was hung from the first chapter, but by the ninth I was certain I’d have to see this through to the end.

I especially appreciate how your passion still shines through, even this far into such a long, ongoing saga. You write so vividly, so eloquently, and in such a way that demands the reader's absolute, undivided attention. I've never thought this about fanfiction before, but with how profoundly you develop the plot, the characters, and their motivations through such lovely prose and symbolism – in addition to the insightful context you give in the author’s notes - I would kill to read a literary analysis on this. Heck, even just to be a fly on the wall of your mind as you write.

There’s so, so much I love about the complex and intentional style of your writing, especially since I live to sleuth for little foreshadowing hints – of which you deliver in delicious decadence. Take, for instance, the scene of Kiku’s miscarriage bleeding out overtop white camellias, which we’ve come to know represents Hinata. Since this particular scene, I’ve had a working theory that due to being discarded by Naruto and permanently dismissed from her post by Itachi, she won’t have much other choice but to play into Sasuke’s hands from here on out to stay relevant. Considering she’s a better housewife than combatant and that the themes of pregnancy and fertility are so heavily peppered throughout much of the story - especially in direct relation to her narrative - I like to imagine that somewhere along the line Sasuke may choose to impregnate her in order to ensure her a modicum of safety from Itachi while she continues to carry out his bidding, blinded by her unrequited infatuation.

I could be entirely off, but just the fact that your story gives me that content and leeway to theorize, and anticipate, and hope really sets it apart as a genuinely great piece of literature.

Thank you for sharing this.

Hi!
So Sasuke has to find everything out again! I hope he’ll recover some of his memories, and that he’ll discover everything about the massacre.
Itachi is crazier than usual. He's loosing his mind, or maybe are the drugs ahah. It was nice to read Fugaku’s thoughts of little Sasuke.
And I was glad to see Sakura, Naruto (poor Naruto, I hope to see him more, possibly with Sasuke), and Hinata. I wonder if the last will have an important role in the future, or not.
Thank you for the chapter!

Hi! Welcome back!
I hope everything’s all right.
Back to the story, I really liked this chapter, and this time I loved the most the third part, with Karin. It was like being there. Your description of Orochimaru through her eyes was so vivid, and creepy in a normal, plain way. As I know by now, you are very good in creating this kind of atmosphere. I could feel her turmoil too, even if she wasn't aware of her emotions. And I was worried like Karin in the end: fortunately she called Itachi.
I loved little Sasuke, so sweet and cheerful, so different from his future self (that's quite canon)!

Thank you! I was glad to read another chapter of this story, be safe!

Seriously, why is he focusing so much on his mother's breasts? Or even remembering them in such detail? Once more, proving why he is such a creep.

Can I just say something! I seriously hate Itachi! Like his entire vibe is seriously fricking creepy and the way he treats Sasuke gives off like an incestous feel... I seriously hope Sasuke steps up and knock him off his high horse...

Like seriously, Sasuke should be stronger. Itachi only has the mangekyo while Sasuke has the eternal mangekyo.

Hi! …and sorry, I’m late…

Welcome back!

I was happy to read the continuation of your little digression!
Suigetsu’s paragraph was my favorite, I loved every inch of it, especially the last part with him back in his old house. Apart the quite poetic descriptions, you made me understand him, his choices, his big mouth and his sadness.
I think that this is the bigger difference with Karin’s paragraph, my least favorite. It’s not because I found some pieces a bit disturbing, but because she went trough this and this, and that’s all. Everything seemed the same, so that in the end even going with Orochimaru seemed unimportant, and not a chance for a better life. Well, this is just my impression, and you know that I don’t read your story for your female characters, haha (even if I appreciated that small cameo appearance of Hanakoto).
About poor Juugo, he had a pretty sad life before Sasuke, I pictured him like a gentle giant with a physical and mental handicap.

I’m waiting for the next chapter. Thanks for this one!

Hi!
A bit late but I’m here!

At first I thought that Sasuke and Itachi were back with their sick dynamic, but then Izumi spilled the beans (well, I’m not surprised), and now…I don’t know what’s going to happen: I hope Sasuke won’t be too reckless, because Danzo is still plotting and he needs Itachi’s help. I hope he’ll forgive poor Suigetsu, too!
Izumi is gone, that’s not so bad per se, she had it coming. Just, I would have loved a little child, and now it seems even more unlikely.
And last…If I remember correctly Kiryu deplores Sasuke: Kai is getting dangerous, as well as disgusting.
Thanks for the chapter, I’m looking forward to the next arc!

I didn't remember who the leading characters in the fic are until I finished reading the chapter, lol. It's unusual for you to include all the 4 major characters in one chapter; I enjoy reading them though. Thrilled at seeing you get the ball rolling. I smell the suspense here, but cannot think of any critical connection between Hinata and what Danzō's schemed since she's been playing such a fodder, irrelevant character on here. With her finally being set free, I'm wondering where she's going from here.

And Sakura, has she been enrolled in ANBU already? What is Itachi going to do with her considering that he's well aware of the caper she's been up to now? I remember the conversation between Shizune and her, as if she'd had a romantic relationship with Itachi, just sickened me to death, but still, she keeps a host of secrets in her and I'm curious, lol.

Okay, I'll be waiting for you to reveal them all. Ohh but why do you have to make cute little Sasuke a spoiled brat? Pfftttt! All right, I'd appreciate it if you'd give us relatively quick updates and hopefully, fast paced and concentrated on the main plotline xD. Thanks

Hi!
Sakura seemed almost melancholy here, as if she was feeling her end approaching: the same fate as those dead pink moths (she’s going to spy on Hinata, I hope she won’t catch her with Sasuke).
I wonder if Izumi is going to disappear, too, some way or another, even if I would like her to have a baby, why not.
Minato provides always small bits of useful information.
Hinata…I don’t know, I still hope she’ll grow up a bit in the future. Same with Naruto: I pity him and I feel that he could do better than this, maybe with Sasuke’s help?
And last, the little game between brothers has started again, and the next move is Sasuke’s. I don't envy Kai, ahah.
Thanks for the chapter!

"but this was not about the child soldiers"
Feels odd that a society that utilizes then would call them such, especially since they (konoha) believe childhood ends with the onset of puberty. Unless you're giving more context for why the uchiha were dissatisfied with konoha other then "muh pride".

I reay enjoy your story so much! Please keep up with the amazing job.
I've just one question, how old are Sasuke and the others in your story?
By the way I love the Karin/ sasuke interaction very much. I hope there will be more :)

Hi!
Itachi is back home, the Storm is alive, and he can see…that’s good even if he’s still weak (and alone, thanks to Itachi). I’m looking forward to see what he’ll do now.
As you know I don’t like Izumi (I prefer Hanakoto), but she’s harmless, and I hope she won’t suffer much: her lack of intelligence is not her fault, and this perpetual circle in which everyone crushes the weak, sometimes just because they can, is sad, although realistic!
Thanks for the chapter, I’m waiting for the next one!