Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe

At first, Hashirama Senju believed that killing his former friend, Madara Uchiha, was the right decision. However, after seeing the devastating records Madara showed him, he realized that the death toll from the three Great Ninja Wars exceeded the casualties from the Warring States period. It was as if the wars for control of the Land of Qin had repeated thrice without unifying the land, a reality that few in the ninja world had fully grasped, as no one had tracked the losses in detail.

The Five Great Ninja Villages never formally recorded casualties, not even from within their own ranks, leaving only a vague count and a few names etched onto Konoha's memorial stone. In contrast, Daniel Davis meticulously kept these statistics, which helped him convince Nagato, Madara, and others to join him, while also drawing small clans and wandering ninjas to his side.

However, there were issues. Chief among them was the increase in rogue ninjas from Amegakure. Overhauling the social order inevitably opposed traditional structures, much like Shang Yang's reforms had angered the nobles of Qin. Even though those reforms succeeded, Shang Yang's own fate was bleak. Madara was, in essence, a reformer, while Hashirama represented the preservation of the old order.

Given this dynamic, it was natural that many traditional Amegakure ninjas resisted the reforms, including Jiraiya, one of the "Legendary Sannin" who had tirelessly pursued peace but refused to support Amegakure. Yet, the reality of this world revolved around the power of the strong. In The Legend of Qin, even King Ying Zheng had to account for the interests of the noble clans, but when a decision was made, subordinates had no choice but to follow. The world of Naruto possesses greater power and technology, although in strategic insight, it lags far behind.

Madara once shared Hashirama's vision, but Daniel convinced him otherwise. Unifying the ninja world through sheer power was simple, but ruling it afterward would be exponentially more difficult. Facing external threats was straightforward, but handling internal affairs required a different approach. For instance, as a private citizen, Daniel could eliminate criminals without a second thought, but on a state level, such actions would undermine the legal system.

Looking at Sasuke in Boruto, a once decisive warrior who became hesitant, it's clear that founding a system is different from preserving one. Even the Sage of the Six Paths struggled with the conflict between his sons, despite his unmatched power.

"Nagato made the right call in not reviving Yahiko," Daniel mused. He had intended to sway Hashirama to support Amegakure's cause by citing the staggering war statistics. Though the numbers deeply shocked Hashirama, he still opposed Amegakure's approach, citing the inevitable civilian deaths.

Daniel later discussed the matter with Madara and concluded that Hashirama would never support their cause. Hashirama was undoubtedly a good person, but only as a preserver of peace. In his era, Hashirama refrained from killing, often choosing to intimidate his enemies by displaying his power without violence, like summoning a massive Wood Golem to crush a mountain, a show of strength that cowed most opponents without a fight.

Madara's philosophy, on the other hand, was more aggressive, similar to Nagato's belief in making opponents experience pain. Madara was known for ruthlessly eliminating his enemies' comrades, even leaving Ōnoki and Mū gravely injured.

Watching the ongoing conflict, Daniel felt fortunate to have Madara and Nagato's support. Without it, he might have withdrawn to strategize from afar, waiting for an opportune moment to reap the rewards of their struggles.

"Tobirama's restraint is evident," Daniel observed with a slight shake of his head. Despite his prowess in Water Style and being surrounded by water, the Second Hokage had only been using swordsmanship, as though telegraphing his moves.

As Madara joined the battle, Daniel's hold on the resurrected shinobi relaxed slightly, allowing them to act more freely, albeit within certain limits.

"The Eight-Tails is proving troublesome; it's time for me to step in." With Deidara, Kakuzu, Sasori, and Kisame gaining ground in Kirigakure, Daniel turned his attention to the fight in Kumogakure.

In Kumogakure, the Third Raikage had engaged the Fourth Raikage, and the Third and Fourth Kazekage had teamed up against Killer B, the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki. Kumogakure's remaining survivors were swiftly defeated, including Darui, who had ascended to Fifth Raikage in the original timeline. Without sealing techniques and faced with Rasa's sand-based attacks, Darui and his team quickly fell.

"Itachi ended up choosing Konoha after all," Daniel noted. He had originally assigned Itachi to confront Kirigakure, but Itachi vanished en route. Kisame offered to track down his former partner, but Daniel declined, having prepared an opponent for Itachi himself.

"Long time no see, brother." In an isolated section of the iron tower, Sasuke stood waiting as Itachi climbed through a window, a familiar voice greeting him. Sasuke crushed the black earpiece he wore as soon as he saw his brother.

Daniel had suspected Itachi's intentions when he disappeared. While Itachi evaded Karin's sensory abilities, Daniel could track him with his Observation Haki, watching as Itachi navigated the tower's maze of hidden passages.

"Sasuke." Itachi looked at his brother dressed in the Akatsuki cloak, a complicated expression crossing his face.

"Brother, seeing you here disappoints me," Sasuke said calmly, but his Sharingan spun into three tomoe, revealing his inner turmoil.

"Sasuke."

Itachi attempted to speak, but Sasuke cut him off.

"For the peace of Konoha, for the ninja world, you massacred the Uchiha clan, including our parents. Yet now, when peace is within reach, you stand with Konoha? It's laughable!" Sasuke's voice grew louder at the mention of their parents.

Itachi's decision to kill the Uchiha clan was meant to prevent a civil war within Konoha, which could have weakened the village and led to an invasion by the other ninja villages. The Five Great Shinobi Villages understood that prolonged peace led to a surplus of shinobi, and war was their solution to control this surplus while training a new generation of fighters.

From Daniel, Sasuke learned the truth behind the massacre, giving him a complex mix of anger and empathy toward Itachi. He could understand Itachi's motives, yet he couldn't forgive the murder of their parents—a wound that only Itachi's blood could heal.

Sasuke knew he would regret killing his once-beloved brother, but not avenging his parents would be an even greater burden.

"There's no need for further words. I only have one question. Did you kill them yourself?" Sasuke asked, needing to confirm what he had seen in Itachi's Tsukuyomi.

"Yes." Itachi nodded after a moment of silence, meeting Sasuke's cold gaze.

"Why? Why did you do it yourself?" Sasuke screamed, his pain evident.

Sasuke, who was no longer the naïve academy student, might have been able to forgive Itachi had Konoha's Anbu or another agent killed their parents. But he could never forgive Itachi for doing it himself.

Executing one's family in the name of the greater good is no small matter, and Itachi bore the full weight of this decision. Even Daniel found Itachi's choice puzzling; Itachi had no need to carry such a heavy burden personally.

In some cases, parental cruelty justified drastic actions. Daniel had seen it in Marvel's world, where stories of abuse—often from biological parents, not just guardians—were all too common. Such parents, Daniel believed, deserved the consequences of their actions.

"Die." Itachi's admission unleashed Sasuke's fury. Lightning surged in Sasuke's palm as he activated Chidori Sharp Spear, thrusting the bright beam toward Itachi.

"You've grown strong, Sasuke," Itachi remarked as he looked down at the Chidori spear piercing his body, only for his form to dissolve into a cloud of crows.

Sasuke quickly swung the spear, slicing through the flock, but a few crows evaded his attack, reforming into Itachi, unscathed.

"A Sharingan versus Sharingan duel?" Daniel wondered from the tower as he sensed Itachi and Sasuke locking eyes in a silent battle of genjutsu.

Daniel was curious whether Sasuke could defeat Itachi, given that Sasuke had only been training for about a year.

With two muffled groans, Sasuke and Itachi staggered back, both instinctively clutching their eyes as blood trickled down. Although Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan outclassed Sasuke's three-tomoe Sharingan, Sasuke's superior physical condition gave him the advantage.

Having inherited Indra's chakra, Sasuke's body could withstand greater strain. Combining this with Sage Chakra, Sasuke's combat prowess surpassed Itachi's despite the disparity in Sharingan level.

"You've truly grown strong, Sasuke." Itachi smiled, though his eyes bled profusely, clouding his vision.

Unlike their first encounter in the original timeline, Itachi wasn't holding back this time. Sasuke had truly surpassed him.

"Today, I'll end this." Sasuke, clutching his left eye, gathered lightning chakra in his right hand and lunged at Itachi.

This time, however, Itachi dodged,

 tilting to the side at the last moment, narrowly avoiding Sasuke's thrust.

Sasuke swept the Chidori spear in a horizontal arc, forcing Itachi to duck to avoid the attack.

Boom, boom, boom.

Sasuke's Chidori spear slashed through walls, floors, and ceilings, leaving the room in ruins as Itachi leapt out the window, plummeting toward the ground below.

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