181-185

*Chapter 181: "Boruto Really Isn’t Naruto"*

Aizen looked up, watching as a bright light suddenly appeared above the forest, followed by two figures falling from the light, landing about a few dozen meters away from them.

One of them looked to be in his early thirties, wearing a gray shirt with a blue and white vest. His left sleeve was empty, his right hand wore a ninja glove, and he had dark gray pants with modern ninja boots. He also wore a black robe, and his left eye was covered by his hair. His appearance reminded Aizen somewhat of Madara.

This familiar look was undoubtedly Sasuke, grown-up.

Only now, compared to his teenage years, he looked a bit out of shape, with a slight weight gain and not as handsome as the younger Sasuke Aizen had recently seen. He even seemed a little weak and tired.

The other person made Aizen speechless.

This one looked around twelve or thirteen, with blond hair and blue eyes just like Naruto’s, and even the shape of his face and eyes were remarkably similar.

The difference was that his hairstyle resembled a leaf.

The whisker marks on his face also differed slightly from Naruto’s—Naruto had three, while this kid had only two.

No surprise, this was Naruto’s son, Boruto.

No way, seriously? Even though he’d intercepted Hinata, this kid with his pineapple hair was still born?

Also, it seemed like this future Sasuke and Boruto arrived in this timeline a month earlier than in the original series.

Even if Aizen didn't like the Boruto series, according to the original timeline, this should be the period after Sasuke left Konoha, and Naruto was about to go train with Jiraiya.

So why did they arrive so early?

Could it be that the butterfly effect he caused had messed up the timeline?

And now this copycat Sasuke brought the dad-hating Boruto into this earlier period?

"Ouch, that hurts!"

The boy who seemed to be Boruto hit the ground face-first, landing in an awkward headstand position in this world.

If he hadn’t inherited Naruto’s Uzumaki resilience, anyone else might have broken their neck from that fall.

As for the older Sasuke, he landed safely but seemed utterly exhausted. Clutching his eye, he knelt and gasped, "I’m out of chakra."

Seeing the weary look on this older Sasuke, Aizen’s mouth twitched.

Should he expect any less from Kakashi’s apprentice?

Middle-aged and already weaker than his teacher.

He didn’t even notice Aizen and Pakura standing so close by.

Clearly, Boruto isn’t Naruto.

"Sasuke, are you okay?" Boruto asked, visibly relieved to find that Sasuke had only run out of chakra. Then he looked around, his gaze landing on Aizen and Pakura. "Where are we? I don’t sense Urashiki’s energy… Oh, hey, Sasuke, there are two people over there in strange outfits."

At Boruto’s words, Sasuke turned and saw the red-clouded cloak. His brow furrowed as he quickly shielded Boruto behind him, staring intently at Aizen and Pakura.

“Judging by this worn-out Sasuke’s expression, it seems he recognizes me,” Aizen mused as he approached the two with Pakura, probing to find out if this Sasuke was the original or the knockoff from Boruto.

Or maybe they were the same person?

If that was the case, Aizen might not be able to resist taking down this dad-betraying brat.

"Sasuke, do you know them?" Boruto asked curiously, unaware of the danger closing in.

"No, I don’t," Sasuke replied, his Rinnegan subtly observing Aizen.

The more he looked, the more unsettled he became, especially upon sensing the powerful Sage Chakra within Aizen. His somewhat swollen face couldn’t hide his unease.

Sasuke thought to himself, "Such immense Sage Chakra… Why have I never seen him in the Akatsuki? And his ring—it’s Deidara’s. Could he be a former Akatsuki member?"

"Know you or not… I’ll find out." Aizen didn’t know what Sasuke was thinking but smiled as he drew his Zanpakuto.

The next moment, he was surprised to find that Sasuke wasn’t affected by his illusion.

Which meant this worn-out Sasuke was indeed from a parallel world.

Boruto really isn’t Naruto.

Feeling both amused and relieved, Aizen whispered, "Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu."

He activated his hypnosis technique in front of these two time-traveling warriors.

Seeing the Zanpakuto in Aizen’s hand, the older Sasuke instinctively felt danger. He drew his sword, standing in front of Boruto, and urgently shouted, "Boruto, run!"

“No, Sasuke! You’ve exhausted your chakra! I can’t leave you here alone!” Boruto shouted back.

“Don’t worry about that! Just get out of here, or neither of us will make it!” shouted Sasuke, clearly exasperated.

Aizen could only roll his eyes at their conversation.

In this time, where ninja valued their secrets, these two were breaking all protocol, especially Boruto, who had just announced that Sasuke was out of chakra. Did he really want to hand his enemies that information?

“Guess I was mistaken.” Realizing they weren’t the originals, Aizen lost interest in fighting. He sheathed his sword, leaving them with just one remark before disappearing into the forest.

Pakura gave them a deep look before following after Aizen.

The fake Sasuke sighed in relief as the two vanished.

"Looks like they’re gone." Sasuke slumped in exhaustion; just that single sword-draw and using the Rinnegan to assess Aizen had drained what little chakra he’d recovered.

The two rested for a moment before walking toward Konoha.

Not long after they left, Aizen and Pakura jumped down from a nearby tree.

“Lord Aizen, that Sasuke guy’s name is the same as Itachi’s little brother. Do you know them?” Pakura asked curiously as she watched the two figures disappear into the distance.

“Sort of. Looks like we’ll need to stay in Konoha for a few more days,” Aizen replied with a smile. No doubt Urashiki would be showing up soon.

He wasn’t about to pass up a chance to take Urashiki’s bloodline and eyes.

Like all the Otsutsuki, because their power came so easily, they lacked real battle experience and versatility in their attacks; they just used the same moves over and over.

Taking them down was almost too easy for Aizen.

The fact that Urashiki used a time-reversal technique, just to dodge basic attacks, showed how sloppy he was.

Throwing his life away, only to end up defeated by Boruto, that worthless kid.

---

*Chapter 182: The Two Uchihas, Big and Small – The Arrival of the Grieving Sons in Konoha*

Inside the Village of Konoha:

After the Hokage succession ceremony, Jiraiya found Naruto. "Naruto, do you want to become stronger?"

Naruto's eyes lit up. "What’s this, Pervy Sage? Are you finally going to train me?"

"Of course. But I’ll need to gather some research material. If you want to train with me, you'll have to leave Konoha."

"Well then, are you ready? Because I’m about to put you through some intense training."

Jiraiya had an ulterior motive. Training Naruto was only part of the reason for leaving; the other was to protect him.

Due to the chaos Aizen brought to Konoha and the fact that Sasuke hadn’t yet experienced the bitter defeat at the hands of Itachi, he hadn’t developed the same intense desire to defect and seek Orochimaru as in the original story.

With fewer delays in the way, Jiraiya planned to take Naruto out for training even earlier.

This timing was also why chose to travel to this parallel timeline.

If he arrived any later, Naruto would have already left Konoha.

Naruto’s mind flashed back to Aizen, and his eyes grew determined. "Hmph, I've been waiting for this."

"Then go say goodbye to your friends. You probably won’t be back for a while," Jiraiya said, raising his right hand and turning to leave.

Hearing that Naruto would be going away for training with Jiraiya, Konoha’s younger generation—Neji, Rock Lee, Shikamaru, and others—gathered around.

Only Sasuke remained where he was, head slightly lowered, bangs covering his eyes, and fists clenched tightly.

He knew that when Naruto returned, he would definitely be much stronger.

And he couldn’t just stay where he was.

He had to grow stronger.

In the depths of his mind, the image of Orochimaru appeared.

Perhaps it was time for him to leave as well.

---

Meanwhile, the adult Sasuke was now standing atop the water tank in Konoha that Naruto had once shattered.

He looked around in shock and concluded, "This is Konoha from the past."

"The Hokage Rock has fewer faces. Dad, Uncle Kakashi, and Grandma Tsunade’s faces aren’t here! The Thunder Train is gone, too, and many streets haven’t been built yet!"

Boruto stood nearby, equally astonished.

Clearly, no one could remain calm after traveling through time.

After examining the turtle that had brought them here, Boruto finally accepted the fact that they had crossed time.

Just then, Boruto’s attention was drawn to a crowd near the Hokage building. "Mr. Sasuke, look! There’s a big crowd over there."

"Let’s go check it out. But first, we need to disguise ourselves. Our mission is to protect Naruto. We can’t risk altering history," adult Sasuke said, then leaped down from the water tank with a teleportation technique.

Boruto followed closely behind.

As they landed, the present-day Sasuke happened to walk by.

As they passed each other, adult Sasuke locked eyes with his younger self for a brief moment. The younger Sasuke didn’t think much of it, dismissing him as a strange man and heading back to the Uchiha clan’s training grounds to work on a summoning jutsu Aizen had taught him.

But adult Sasuke was shocked. He paused, watching his younger self walk away, instantly recognizing his teenage form.

"Mr. Sasuke, was that just now..." Boruto trailed off, looking in the direction the younger Sasuke had gone.

"Without a doubt, that was the younger me. But..." Adult Sasuke closed his eyes briefly, piecing together the clues. If he remembered correctly, this was the time of the Fifth Hokage’s succession ceremony. He didn’t recall ever attending.

At that time, he had just recovered from Itachi’s Tsukuyomi and was still in the hospital.

Boruto looked puzzled. "But what?"

"Never mind," adult Sasuke said, shaking his head.

Soon, they encountered even more familiar faces: Sakura, with an early sign of balding; Hinata, who was surprisingly composed around Naruto—all signs that something wasn’t quite right.

The local tavern, as always, was the best place to gather information.

People tended to chat more freely under the influence of alcohol.

Growing more suspicious, Sasuke led Boruto to a tavern in Konoha.

Through some eavesdropping, they learned that this version of Konoha had only just gone through the Chunin Exams and the Konoha Crush plan the previous day.

The Third Hokage had died, but thanks to a rogue ninja named Fujiwara Aizen, many of the Third’s wrongdoings had come to light, leaving most villagers feeling little grief over his death.

What shocked them even more was that, in addition to the Uchiha clan being wiped out, the Sarutobi and Shimura clans had also been annihilated on the same day.

All signs pointed to this mysterious rogue, Fujiwara Aizen.

They also learned that Danzo, one of the masterminds behind the Uchiha massacre, had been declared a rogue ninja after implanting Sharingan and cells from the First Hokage.

It was unbelievable.

This wasn’t just the past; they had landed in a completely different world.

"Mr. Sasuke, what’s going on?" Boruto asked, sitting beside Sasuke, bewildered.

"It seems this timeline is very different from ours. Many strange things have happened here," Sasuke concluded.

"A different timeline? Does that mean this world’s Dad isn’t the same as ours?" Boruto exclaimed.

"We can’t confirm that yet. But for now, we must focus on finding Naruto before Urashiki does. If he reaches him first, it could be disastrous."

With that, Sasuke left the tavern.

At the neighboring table, Aizen, now disguised, listened to their conversation with his companion, Pakura.

Curious, Pakura asked, "Lord Aizen, did they just say..."

Aizen smiled. "Caught that, did you? Indeed. That man named Sasuke is, technically speaking, the same person as this world’s Sasuke, but from a different timeline. There are many parallel worlds. The one we live in is just one of many."

"Even if two worlds are similar, in different timelines, things can be vastly different. Just like in their world, I never existed. In that world, you likely perished at the hands of the Mist Village long ago."

At that moment, Aizen’s senses picked up on something, and a faint smile appeared on his lips. "Good thing we didn’t leave just yet. Things are about to get interesting."

"What’s happening?" Pakura asked, puzzled.

Aizen smirked. "Itachi Uchiha and Kisame are on their way to Konoha."

Saying this, Aizen set down a banknote, and both of them vanished from the tavern.

---

*End of Chapter*

*Chapter 183: The Return of Itachi to Konoha*

On top of Konoha’s protective wall:

Itachi and Kisame stood, both dressed in black robes with red clouds and wearing conical hats with wind chimes, overlooking the entire Konoha Village.

“It seems that Orochimaru’s failure was quite complete. The damage to Konoha isn’t as extensive as we thought,” Kisame remarked.

“Well, it was the village founded by the First Hokage. Even if it’s lost its former glory, it still has a deep foundation,” Itachi replied thoughtfully.

“True, indeed. If even a shinobi of Aizen’s caliber had to retreat, we’d best proceed carefully this time,” Kisame agreed with a nod.

Moments later, the two leapt down from the wall.

The faint sound of wind chimes floated through the air as the two, guided by Uchiha Itachi, slipped through a gap in Konoha’s sensory barrier, knocking out the guards and striding confidently into the village.

*At Ichiraku Ramen Shop:*

Naruto, about to leave with Jiraiya for training, was having a final farewell meal with Iruka.

As always, Iruka treated Naruto to ramen.

“Hey, you two, here’s your tonkotsu ramen. And Naruto, since I heard you’re going off to train with Lord Jiraiya, I added an extra fishcake for you,” Teuchi, the owner, said, placing two bowls of ramen in front of them.

“Thanks, Teuchi-ossan!” Naruto beamed, taking one of the bowls with delight.

Iruka smiled and handed his own bowl to Naruto as well. “Naruto, you can have mine too. Go train hard with Lord Jiraiya.”

“Thanks, Iruka-sensei! I’ll do my best!” Naruto’s face lit up with joy as he took the second bowl, eagerly starting to dig in.

*Outside the Ramen Shop:*

Boruto watched Naruto’s satisfied expression, his mouth twitching. He couldn’t help but mutter, “So… my dad in this world loves ramen just as much. And he’s just as easily pleased.”

“Yeah, looks like no matter the world or time, Naruto is still the same,” Sasuke commented with a soft smile, reminiscing on memories of Naruto.

At that moment, a faint sound of wind chimes echoed down the street, catching Sasuke and Boruto’s attention. Looking over, they saw Uchiha Itachi and Kisame, dressed in black robes with red clouds and wearing conical hats with wind chimes, walking toward them.

As they passed by, Sasuke’s eyes narrowed as he immediately recognized Itachi.

Itachi also noticed Sasuke. Seeing the resemblance to his younger brother, he hesitated briefly but didn’t stop.

As the two Akatsuki members disappeared from view, Boruto asked, “Red clouds on black robes… they’re just like those other two we saw. Are they together? Sasuke-san, do you know them?”

“The one without the giant sword… that’s Uchiha Itachi,” Sasuke replied with a hint of sadness.

Boruto’s eyes widened in surprise. “Then, does that mean he’s…”

“Stay here and keep an eye on Naruto. Don’t lose sight of him,” Sasuke said, vanishing in an instant.

*At Konoha Hospital:*

“Lady Tsunade, please take a look at Asuma-sensei,” the Ino-Shika-Cho trio led Tsunade to Asuma’s hospital bed, with Might Guy following closely, awaiting her treatment of his cherished student, Lee.

“Is this… Asuma?” Tsunade’s mouth twitched as she looked at the man in the hospital bed.

Asuma’s skin was now soft and smooth like a baby’s, his chest slightly raised, and his iconic beard was gone.

If it weren’t for the familiar facial features, Tsunade wouldn’t have recognized him.

The Ino-Shika-Cho trio exchanged embarrassed glances, their faces flushing. Shikamaru looked away from Tsunade’s gaze, muttering, “Back when the Sarutobi clan was wiped out, Asuma tried to protect his clansmen and was injured by Fujiwara Aizen… and, well, that’s why he’s like this now…”

His voice trailed off to a whisper by the end.

Asuma’s condition had become an open secret, so they figured it was best to explain it rather than face any awkward situations.

“That’s… quite the cruel twist,” Tsunade muttered ambiguously, either about Asuma or Aizen. With a blue glow surrounding her right hand, she activated her Healing Palm Technique, placing it on Asuma’s forehead.

Moments later, Asuma’s eyelids fluttered open as he slowly regained consciousness.

“I’ve healed his mental trauma. He just needs to rest and recuperate over the next few days,” Tsunade said, showing no further interest in talking to Asuma. She turned to head out of the room.

Guided by Might Guy, she arrived at Lee’s hospital room.

Looking at Lee’s nearly destroyed limbs, Tsunade’s usual calm demeanor wavered, and she frowned.

“Lady Tsunade… how is my student’s condition?” Guy asked, his heart pounding.

Lee’s face was tense, knowing this would determine whether he could continue as a shinobi. If even a Sannin like Tsunade couldn’t help him, he didn’t know how he would handle it.

Tsunade took a deep breath. “I hope you’re both prepared.”

Guy and Lee exchanged a glance, swallowing hard as they nodded.

Just as they feared the worst, Tsunade suddenly smiled. “I’m only joking. Don’t worry. I’ll prepare for the surgery right away.”

At this, Lee felt as though all his strength had drained from his body, breathing a deep sigh of relief.

“Ha-ha! Lady Tsunade, you really gave me a scare there!” Guy laughed, his voice tinged with both relief and embarrassment.

Then, with a solemn expression, he bowed deeply. “Thank you very much.”

Tsunade nodded. Truthfully, she wasn’t fully confident about healing Lee. If Aizen hadn’t given her five Senzu Beans last night and advised her to use one as a backup for Lee’s treatment, she wouldn’t have dared attempt the surgery.

At that moment, hurried footsteps approached from outside, and Shizune entered, panting. “Lady Tsunade! There’s been a sighting of possible Akatsuki members in the village. Kakashi has already gone to pursue them.”

“One thing after another,” Tsunade grumbled. Just last night, Aizen had assured her that the Akatsuki wouldn’t take any major actions for the next three years. Yet now, two members were strolling around the village.

“Wait, Lady Tsunade, let me handle it. I’ll go back up Kakashi. Please proceed with the surgery for my student,” Guy offered.

After a moment’s thought, Tsunade nodded, glancing between Guy and Lee, considering the Eight Gates. She let out a sigh and finally agreed, “Very well… I’ll leave it to you.”

---

*Chapter 184: Kakashi Evades a Beating*

Location: By a river on the outskirts of Konoha Village.

At this moment, Kakashi was facing off against Itachi and Kisame.

Alongside Kakashi stood two special Jonin, Aoba Yamashiro and Raidō Namiashi.

“You’re not from the village, and you’re dressed in the same uniform as Aizen Fujiwara. Are you part of the same organization? Why have you come to Konoha?” Kakashi asked, his expression serious as he looked at Itachi and Kisame.

“It’s been a while, Kakashi-san, Aoba-san, Raidō-san,” said Uchiha Itachi, his tone calm.

Aoba stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Kakashi. “If you know us, then that means you’re like Aizen Fujiwara—a former Konoha ninja. Who exactly are you?”

Slowly, Itachi lifted his hat, revealing his crimson Sharingan with three tomoe. Kakashi, Aoba, and Raidō’s pupils all shrank as beads of cold sweat formed on their foreheads.

Once Itachi fully removed his hat and exposed his Akatsuki cloak’s collar, Aoba managed to stammer, “There’s no mistake… You’re Uchiha Itachi.”

Kisame, ever polite, took off his straw hat as well. “Since you all know Aizen-san and Itachi-san, allow me to introduce myself. I’m Kisame Hoshigaki. Pleased to meet you.”

Raidō stepped forward, his expression defiant. “There won’t be any ‘pleased to meet you.’ Just recently, your ally, Aizen Fujiwara, wreaked havoc in Konoha. He’s caused so much chaos that even after the Third Hokage’s death, he couldn’t rest in peace. Today, I won’t let you get away.”

Kisame chuckled. “Oh? So Aizen-san really made things difficult for you all, huh? I heard that your so-called Third Hokage was just a flashy figure, overly praised and vainly touted as the strongest Hokage. No wonder Aizen-san looked down on him.”

“You bastard!” Raidō roared, moving to attack, but Kakashi raised a hand to stop him. “Calm down, Raidō. Don’t let him provoke you.”

Kakashi turned to Kisame. “Kisame Hoshigaki—I know you. The Monster of the Hidden Mist, wielder of the Samehada, a member of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. You became an S-rank rogue ninja after assassinating the Daimyo of the Land of Water and sabotaging state affairs.”

“Oh, it’s quite an honor to be recognized by the famous Copy Ninja,” Kisame sneered. “I heard you lost to Aizen-san a while back, but since you defeated that kid Zabuza, I’ll assume you’ve got some skill. My Samehada has been waiting for a worthy opponent.”

Kisame unsheathed his Samehada and glanced at Itachi for approval. “Shall we start?”

“It seems we won’t be leaving peacefully,” Itachi replied calmly. In reality, causing a conflict with Konoha was part of his plan; he wanted to remind Konoha’s leaders that he was alive and deter them from targeting Sasuke.

Additionally, he intended to share intel about the Akatsuki’s upcoming mission to capture the tailed beasts.

“Then let’s begin.” Kisame charged toward Kakashi and the others, swinging his sword.

With a metallic clang, Raidō managed to block Kisame’s sword with his own black blade.

Aoba seized the opportunity to summon a flock of crows, disrupting Kisame’s movements, joining the fight to keep Kisame occupied.

Meanwhile, Kakashi and Itachi locked eyes, each ignoring the others’ battles.

Kakashi’s tone was firm as he asked, “You’re still not going to tell us why you’re here?”

“No, I’m simply looking for something,” Itachi replied coolly.

“What are you looking for?” Kakashi pressed.

Itachi glanced briefly at Kisame before responding, “The Fourth Hokage’s legacy.”

“Naruto?” Kakashi recalled his conversation with Jiraiya before the Chunin Exams. “What do you want with Naruto?”

Itachi did not answer. Instead, he called to Kisame, who was engaged in hand-to-hand combat with Aoba and Raidō. “That’s enough, Kisame. If we keep this up, it’ll be endless.”

“But I was just starting to have fun,” Kisame grumbled, sweeping Raidō back with a powerful slash, scattering Aoba’s crows. With a quick movement, he retreated to Itachi’s side.

Aoba and Raidō regrouped beside Kakashi, who took out a kunai and threatened, “Then answer my question.”

Itachi closed his eyes momentarily, then replied indirectly, “Unlike Kisame, I don’t waste time.”

As he spoke, Itachi opened his eyes, revealing his Sharingan.

Kakashi, shocked, immediately closed his right eye and urgently shouted to Aoba and Raidō, “Quickly! Close your eyes, Aoba, Raidō! That’s a Sharingan!”

Hearing this, Aoba and Raidō quickly shut their eyes.

Just as Kakashi was about to fall into Itachi’s Tsukuyomi, a mysterious figure appeared between Kakashi and Itachi, saying, “That’s enough. Stop this.”

“Oh? Another backup?” Kisame sneered, his expression turning cold as he pointed Samehada at the new arrival. “It’s not polite to sneak around. Show yourself, or I’ll force you to.”

The figure, dressed like a magician with an eyepatch over his left eye, revealed himself by dispelling his transformation jutsu.

Seeing the man’s slightly weathered yet familiar face and his chakra, which was much like his own, Itachi suddenly understood.

A subtle smile appeared on his lips.

This was Sasuke, but grown up.

Itachi’s plan had worked. Sasuke hadn’t lost his light; he had even obtained Itachi’s eyes, achieving the Eternal Mangekyo.

“Why the disguise?” Itachi asked calmly.

Sasuke looked down, memories of his brother flooding his mind. He remained silent, certain that Itachi would recognize him.

Kisame commented, “Seems like he’s not willing to answer.”

He prepared to strike, but Itachi stopped him. “That’s enough, Kisame.”

Confused, Kisame looked at Itachi, who explained, “Continuing this fight would be endless. There’s no need to bring unnecessary trouble upon ourselves.”

With that, the two vanished from sight.

Kakashi did not pursue Itachi. He knew that, without this stranger’s intervention, the three of them would not have stood a chance.

“Who are you? Why did you help us?” Kakashi asked, his eyes wary.

“Besides the Akatsuki, there are others looking for Naruto. Do what you can to protect him,” Sasuke replied. He glanced back at Kakashi, leaving behind these words as he headed in Itachi’s direction.

---

emd

*Chapter 185: Uncle Sasuke and the Devoted Son Open Up*

"This is..." Kakashi gasped in shock, equally astonished as he recognized Sasuke. His face was filled with disbelief.

Recalling what Aizen had once said—that the true culprits behind the Uchiha clan’s massacre were the Third Hokage and Danzo—could it be that this person was really Sasuke from the future?

Did he travel from the future just to see his brother, Itachi?

"Kakashi, have those two left?" Raidou and Aoba opened their eyes.

Kakashi nodded slowly.

Just then, Guy arrived to support them, his eyes wide as he looked around. "Where are the enemies?"

"They've already left," he said with a sigh. "Things are only getting more complicated."

Elsewhere, shortly after leaving Konoha, Itachi stopped and landed on the ground. "Kisame, go on ahead."

"What’s going on?" Kisame, standing on a branch, looked back at him.

"Someone’s following us. You go on. Leave the rest to me," Itachi said, turning in the direction they’d come from, his back to Kisame.

"How unusual. You’re actually volunteering to fight today," Kisame said with a smirk. Still, he didn’t press further, continuing forward until he disappeared into the distance.

Before long, an older Sasuke caught up to him.

"Sasuke?" Itachi’s cold face softened, a gentle smile forming.

At this moment, Uncle Sasuke, hoping his brother would recognize him, activated the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan in his right eye and revealed the Rinnegan in his left.

"Yes, it’s me, brother." Sasuke’s voice trembled, his eyes moistening. "All these years, you’ve been alone out here. It must have been hard."

Itachi shook his head, his usual cold demeanor gone as he walked over to Sasuke, placing a hand on his shoulder, gazing closely at his familiar yet different face, his expression filled with warmth. "Looks like you really have grown up."

"Brother, I..."

Before Sasuke could finish, Itachi smiled and cut him off. "You don’t have to say anything. I understand."

"But, Brother, you’re going to die." Sasuke choked on the words, finally forcing them out after a long pause.

Even though he knew this wasn’t truly his brother, he couldn’t help wanting to change something.

"If the future is already decided, then there’s no need to force anything. I’m happy just to see the grown-up you." Itachi’s face showed a mixture of relief and contentment.

Upon hearing this, Sasuke’s tears finally spilled over. Reluctantly, he took out a photo of Sarada from his pocket. "This is my daughter, your niece, Sarada. She’s Sakura and my child, almost thirteen now. She has great talent—she’s already awakened her Sharingan."

"That’s wonderful."

Itachi took the photo and stared at it, lost in thought for a long while.

Then Sasuke’s voice brought him back. "I wish you could see Sarada grow up. I think the Sasuke of this world would feel the same way after learning the truth."

"Go back, Sasuke. I’m a sinner with unforgivable crimes. My fate can’t be changed. Don’t make me hate you." Misinterpreting Sasuke’s meaning, Itachi thought he was referring to the difference between their current reality and the future, not realizing it was actually about parallel worlds. Not wanting to alter history, he handed the photo back.

He took a few steps back, his expression returning to its usual coldness.

A heavy silence fell as Itachi grappled with a moment of inner turmoil.

Although he longed to see his niece’s birth and be part of her life as she grew, he knew he was a person with heavy sins to bear.

After the Uchiha massacre, as he aged and learned more, hearing Aizen often expose the darkness within Konoha’s leadership, he gradually came to realize he had been wrong.

Aizen had once wiped out the Sarutobi and Shimura clans for Izumi.

And he, for Konoha, and for his brother, had annihilated the Uchiha clan, killed his parents, and slain countless innocent clan members.

They had each chosen different paths, and the results had differed.

He had no right to condemn Aizen and, at the same time, couldn’t forgive his own actions.

His only course was to do all he could for his younger brother and then seek penance for his sins in hell.

Seeing Itachi’s determined gaze, Uncle Sasuke could only offer a bitter smile. "It seems no matter what, I can’t dissuade you."

"Take care." Itachi nodded slightly, giving Sasuke one last, deep look before turning and disappearing.

He left Uncle Sasuke standing there in bewilderment.

After a faint smile, Sasuke turned back toward Konoha to reunite with Boruto. Being able to see his brother again brought him happiness, but rather than dwell on the past, he knew the most important thing was to protect Naruto in this world.

As Sasuke left, Aizen and Pakura emerged from the shadows.

"I never thought those two brothers who are always at odds would show such a side," Pakura remarked.

Aizen said, "Forget about this uncle version of Sasuke for now, but Itachi wielded his blade without mercy against his family and parents. If a few words of remorse could grant forgiveness, then his parents’ and clan members' lives would be utterly worthless."

"Although the Uchiha clan might seem mad to many, anyone could kill them, except for Uchiha Itachi himself—the clan’s heir who had grown up supported by their resources."

Pakura nodded, skipping the previous topic. "So, what’s your plan? That uncle Sasuke has both the Mangekyō Sharingan and the Rinnegan."

Aizen smiled. "Let that uncle Sasuke do as he likes. When the time comes, he’ll return to his own time. For now, all we need to do is wait."

Wait for Urashiki Ōtsutsuki to show up.

Three days passed quickly.

Because Kakashi recognized Uncle Sasuke, he reported the incident to Jiraiya, and eventually, without Naruto’s knowledge, Uncle Sasuke and Boruto, disguised as traveling magicians, accompanied Naruto and Jiraiya on their journey.

At this time, Urashiki finally appeared.

"This is the enemy you mentioned besides the Akatsuki?" Jiraiya asked, looking up at the sky where a pitch-black portal suddenly opened, revealing a man with white robes, pure white eyes, a faintly glowing red fishing rod, and a matching basket on his waist as he stepped through the space-time portal.

"Yes, that’s him. His name is Urashiki, and he’s after the Nine-Tails inside Naruto," Sasuke replied, drawing his sword from his waist.

While Jiraiya and Uncle Sasuke assessed Urashiki, the latter glanced back at them.

Eyeing the group on the ground, Urashiki spoke with a mocking tone. "Well, well, the fox. Didn’t expect to find you outside Konoha; you were tough to track down. But no matter, this is quite the pleasant surprise. And you two hiding in the shadows—come out already."

*End of Chapter*