"Sugoi! Sogetsu is amazing!"
Erii's eyes sparkled as she listened, heart racing.
"More! Tell me more!"
"Then we have to talk about Lord Sogetsu's most legendary battle!"
Sasuke looked like she had traveled back in time, face full of admiration.
"The Battle of Kikyo Mountain! The Konoha Invasion! Lord Sogetsu stood alone against an overwhelming tide—he turned the situation around single-handedly and saved Konoha from collapse!"
"I want to hear it!"
Erii was clearly fired up.
"Then we need to go back to the Third Great Ninja War."
Sasuke had fully switched into chatterbox mode. Once she started, there was no stopping her.
"That day, the Raikage led the entire Hidden Cloud Village in an attack on Konoha—and even unleashed the Eight-Tails Jinchūriki! Just when everyone had lost hope, Lord Sogetsu appeared! That battle… it shook the sky! Even the Dao itself was wiped out!"
What the hell?!
The Dao? Where'd that come from?
Sogetsu nearly spat out blood. Who the hell started spreading rumors like this?
Thinking about it... the only one who probably knew that many big words... was probably, maybe, most likely, definitely… that brat Adam!
Uchiha Sogetsu gritted his teeth in anger, secretly swearing that once he found him, he'd let "Adam" truly understand what it meant for "even the Great Dao to be erased"!
"And also, the Battle of Kikyo Mountain!"
The more Sasuke spoke, the more excited she got, waving her hands and pacing with energy.
"Wait, stop right there!"
Uchiha Sogetsu forcefully interrupted the conversation.
He really couldn't listen anymore. Being praised was one thing—but this version of the story was a hundred thousand miles from the truth!
So this... is how legends are born, huh?
Passed from mouth to mouth, and each time it gets more ridiculous. He honestly didn't know what people in Konoha would say about him in a few more decades.
"Ahem, it's getting late. Let's continue this tomorrow," he said, tugging on Erii's sleeve and dragging the girl away.
Sasuke still looked a little unsatisfied, but seeing that the sky was getting dark, she forced herself to rein in her urge to keep talking.
Her face flushed slightly as she said, a bit embarrassed, "Sorry, I got too excited. Please, follow me. I'll take you to your lodging."
Erii looked around, then pointed toward a house in the southeast corner. "Can we stay over there?"
"That won't work."
Sasuke shook her head and said, "That's the house where Uchiha Sogetsu-sama used to live. It's now protected as a Konoha historical site—outsiders aren't allowed to stay there~"
"A tourist spot?"
Erii tilted her head, looking surprised.
"That's right. Everyone really admires Uchiha Sogetsu-sama," Sasuke said, his eyes filled with longing. "Ever since the Fourth Hokage died, many people have come each year to pay their respects."
Uchiha Sogetsu: "..."
He didn't even know how to complain anymore. So the house he used to live in... was now a tourist attraction?
Soon, Sasuke led them into the inner courtyard.
In the past, only elites of the Uchiha clan lived here—it was reserved for core members. Sadly, that was all history now.
"Erii, Brother Koeru, you'll be staying here."
Sasuke pushed open a door, revealing two adjoining rooms inside, both clean and tidy.
"Thank you, Sasuke."
Erii nodded and thanked him, then took off her shoes and stepped inside in her white socks.
The room had everything they needed, and its distinct Japanese style made her feel like she was back in Japan. She smiled and said, "This place is really nice!"
"As long as you like it."
Sasuke smiled. "I'll call you both once I finish preparing the meal."
Tch. The perfect wife and mother type?
Uchiha Sogetsu thought about it and felt like this version of "Sasuke" gave Hinata no chance at all.
The two of them rested in the room for a while before Sasuke came by and told them the food was ready.
"It's been a long time since I cooked. Not sure if my skills have gotten worse."
Sasuke looked modest as she opened the main door. "There weren't many ingredients left at home, so I went out to buy some more. Hope you don't mind."
Then came the sight—a long table stretching several meters, covered with a dazzling array of dishes.
Uchiha Sogetsu couldn't help but wonder—did she empty the whole pantry just to impress Erii?
During the meal, Sasuke and Erii chatted happily, leaving Uchiha Sogetsu alone in the corner, silently listening to their conversation with a helpless smile.
Looks like… his image in Erii's heart was probably completely ruined now.
Late at night, Erii lay quietly on the bed.
Uchiha Sogetsu, however, was not sleeping. In fact, with his current physical condition, he didn't need rest at all.
After spending the day with Erii, it was time to handle some serious business.
His form slowly vanished like a bubble, slipping into the dream world. He needed to understand what had happened during the time he had disappeared.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, deep within Uchiha Sasuke's dream, he noticed signs of a "mental seal."
Someone had sealed Sasuke's memories?
Breaking the seal directly would be simple for him, but doing so would alert the one who had cast the seal.
In that case, he decided to take a different approach.
Uchiha Sogetsu, his form transparent, dove deeper into the dream world. He easily took control of Sasuke's Astral Projection and followed the line of spirit energy, effortlessly bypassing the seal and entering the deepest memories of Sasuke.
Images of memories played before his eyes like scenes from a film.
Until a very familiar figure appeared: a pale-skinned person with eyes glowing faintly gold. Then, Sasuke's memories were abruptly cut off.
In the deepest part of the "Mind Island," a "hypnosis" was also implanted.
"Heh, so that's how it is."
Uchiha Sogetsu's eyes flickered briefly, a cold smile forming on his lips. "I thought so. After returning this time, I couldn't find you anywhere. Looks like you started over somewhere else."
Within Sasuke's memories and the implanted hypnosis, he discovered something very interesting.
After Adam's disappearance, White Zetsu didn't seem to be as obedient. During Adam's slumber, he secretly did many interesting things.
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