"YOUR REAL WIFE IS SAFE BACK AT HOME WITH YOUR SON RIGHT NOW! THIS IS AN ILLUSION!"
The heavy words hit Fugaku like a physical blow. He froze, his brain completely stalling as he tried to process the unthinkable truth. But before anyone could even blink or make a move to stop him, Sasuke used his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
By slicing the air just above the ground with his Kusanagi sword bathed in Kagutsuchi flames, a dark, swirling space-time portal ripped open in the air beneath him, and Sasuke instantly escaped into a completely different dimension, dragging the fake Mikoto down with him.
The portal slammed shut, leaving nothing but empty air.
A massive wave of panic instantly exploded among the crowd. The ninjas looked around in sheer disbelief. Namikaze Minato, the Yondaime Hokage, stood with a dark expression.
Deep down, he had really started to trust Sasuke as an ally. But seeing him violently assault Mikoto and kidnap her into a portal changed everything. As a leader, he had to protect his people first.
Minato turned around, his voice turning cold and commanding as he began issuing strict orders to his top men.
"Ibiki-san, Fugaku-san, Shikaku-san! Listen to me carefully—" Minato ordered.
Hearing his name, Fugaku stepped forward, his hands trembling with anxiety for his family.
He bowed his head tightly. "Hokage-sama... please, I request permission to immediately return to my clan compound to check on my real wife and son!"
Minato looked at him with understanding eyes and nodded firmly. "Permission granted, Fugaku-san. Go, quickly."
Fugaku vanished in a blur of speed, racing back toward the Uchiha compound. Minato then turned back to Ibiki and Shikaku, pointing directly toward the strange kids along with the traveller, Kawaki, Tenten and Shinna.
"Take both of those kids with you right now," Minato commanded sternly.
"Along with this teaveller who claims to be a commoner in Konoha....Keep them under heavy guard. If that strange man does not return Mikoto safely, we will not give these kids back to him either. They are our bargaining chips."
While Minato was giving this serious speech, the future Orochimaru was standing in the shadows nearby, listening to every single word.
Right next to him, the future version of Minato was also hiding under his cloak, keeping his eyes locked on the situation.
Right now, Tenten and Kawaki weren't their main priority. Their main priority was saving little Shinna, who was still hitched onto past Kakashi's back.
Up on Kakashi's shoulders, Shinna's sharp little ears had also heard the Hokage's scary order about arresting him. Knowing he was in trouble, Shinna leaned down and quickly whispered something right into Kakashi's ear.
"Kaka-ni, we have to run! Don't let them take us!" Shinna whispered frantically, trying to save himself and Kakashi from what the Hokage was planning.
But before Kakashi could even reply to the toddler, future Minato decided to move. He reached up, pulling his black cloak's hood over his bright blonde hair to hide his face.
He reached into his weapon pouch and pulled out a special Flying Raijin kunai. He looked at the formula mark carved into the handle, letting out a soft, nervous breath.
'If my luck is good, I will transport exactly where I need to—' Minato thought, his heart beating fast.
He turned his head slightly, looking back at Orochimaru who was waiting patiently in the dark. "I'll be right back—" Minato whispered softly.
PIIING!
In a fraction of a split second, a golden flash cut through the air. Coincidentally, the marked kunai's formula was perfectly aligned in the kunai pouch of the Yondaime Hokage who was standing in front of little Shinna and Kakashi were standing.
Future Minato teleported instantly, appearing directly in front of them out of thin air.
Everyone on the street gasped in total shock. Before anyone could react, future Minato reached out and placed a firm, warm hand directly onto the past version of him.
He placed his hand on the Yondaime Hokage's shoulder.
Up on Kakashi's back, Shinna's eyes went wide with pure joy. He recognized that chakra instantly. He opened his mouth to cheer, pointing his little finger. "Mini—"
FLASH!
Before Shinna could even finish his word and say "Mini-Mini—" the space warped. Future Minato activated his jutsu again, teleporting himself and his past self — the Yondaime Hokage away from the street in the blink of an eye. It was so incredibly fast!
Kakashi's eyes were wide with complete shock as he saw someone who haunted him the last night. His heart was pounding against his ribs. He slowly looked down at his own hands, his voice dropping into a shaky, stunned whisper.
"It was the other one..." Kakashi muttered to himself, his mind reeling as he realized the truth. "The other one... whom I... nearly killed..."
The very second the past ninjas were distracted by Minato's golden teleportation flash, Orochimaru acted. He didn't want Tenten and Kawaki getting captured by Ibiki.
Suddenly, a massive, swirling wall of white and purple snakes erupted from the ground, wrapping around Tenten and Kawaki. The snakes hissed loudly, creating a massive smoke screen.
When the smoke finally cleared, Tenten was gone, Kawaki was gone, and the strange pale man was gone too. They had all successfully run away into the forest to hide.
Kakashi looked around the empty grass, his eye twitching as he processed the madness.
'Snakes... snakes...' Kakashi thought, rubbing his temples in pure frustration. 'What the hell are snakes doing in this mess now?!'
He didn't even get to finish his thought a loud, echoing shout had broken the silence. "KAKASHI, LOOK AFTER THE KID! WE ARE COMING IN A MINUTE!!" It was the voice of Shikaku.
He shouted again, "IBIKI MOVE FAST THEY ARE ESCAPING... "
Ibiki replied, "WHAT THE HELL ARE SNAKES DOING HERE... AND WHAT ABOUT HOKAGE-SAMA?!!"
A faint voice of Shikaku's voice came as they escaped, "Minato will manage... "
Kakashi sighed, realizing that everyone had vanished. The only ones left here were himself and the chaotic toddler on his back.
Shinna looked around the quiet, grassy area, his face completely bright and happy. He let out a cheerful giggle and clapped his small hands. "Wow! The ground is completely empty!"
Kakashi's eyebrow twitched violently under his forehead protector. 'This kid is really something else...' Kakashi thought with a sweatdrop, completely amazed by the toddler's brain.
'Who in their right mind calls a tense, dangerous ninja battlefield an empty ground?!'
Shinna kicked his little feet happily against Kakashi's back, securing his grip around the silver-haired ninja's neck. "Let's play, Kaka-ni!"
Kakashi slowly turned his head a little bit to the side, looking at the bright, round face of the boy sitting on his shoulder. He gave a heavy, serious sigh.
"Seriously...?"
"Yeah!" Shinna chirped proudly, puffing out his tiny chest. "I never joke!"
Kakashi couldn't help but let out a small, defeated breath. The kid was impossible to stay mad at. He adjusted the toddler on his back and started to walk slowly across the quiet grass, his voice softening just a little bit.
"So... what's your name, kid?" Kakashi asked quietly.
The little boy smiled from ear to ear, his bright eyes sparkling with happiness. "It's Shinnachiku! But you can call me Shinna!"
Kakashi repeated the words softly under his mask, a tiny, rare smile forming where the boy couldn't see.
"That's a big name... Shinna."
And just like that, amidst all the crazy time-travel drama, a legendary new friendship was officially born.
UCHIHA CLAN COMPOUND
The afternoon sun was bright and warm, casting long shadows across the beautiful, traditional streets of the Uchiha district. The houses here were elegant and grand, built from rich dark wood with neat grey tiled roofs and clean white walls.
Sliding paper doors led into peaceful courtyards filled with green bamboo, and the red-and-white Uchiha fan symbol was proudly stamped on almost every gate. It felt like a neighborhood full of pride, peace, and history.
Standing right at the main entrance of the clan compound was twelve-year-old Sasuke. He stood perfectly still on the stone path just outside the gates, taking a slow, deep breath. He closed his eyes for a split second, praying silently in his mind that absolutely no one would notice him or realize he didn't belong to this era.
Keeping his hands shoved deep into his pockets, he took a careful step forward, crossing the boundary line into the district.
"Yo!"
A loud, cheerful voice suddenly cut through the quiet air.
Sasuke's heart instantly skipped a beat. A cold jolt of panic shot straight down his spine, and his body locked up completely. 'Damn it!' Sasuke thought frantically, his mind racing at a million miles an hour. 'Did they figure it out? Did they understand I'm an intruder?!'
He turned his head slightly and saw two Uchiha Military Police ninjas standing guard near the entrance, wearing their official blue uniforms with the clan crest on their shoulders.
The guard who had shouted just smiled warmly and waved his hand. "How did your training go?!"
Sasuke blinked, completely caught off guard. He swallowed hard, his voice slightly tight as he repeated the word. "Training...?"
The second guard let out a friendly chuckle, leaning back against the wooden post. "Yeah! You went out so early in the morning, around 5:00 AM, that we just assumed you must have gone to one of the nearby training grounds to practice."
A wave of intense relief washed over Sasuke, though his face remained perfectly stone-cold. 'Ah, they think I'm just a hardworking kid from the clan who woke up early—' he realized. He quickly played along, keeping his voice calm.
"Yeah! Oh, training... Yes, I went. I went to Training Ground 3."
Both of the guards laughed happily, completely fooled by his cover story. The first guard stepped forward with a big grin on his face. He reached out, placing his warm, heavy hand right on top of Sasuke's dark hair, giving it a gentle, affectionate pat.
"Keep up the good work, little Uchiha!" the guard said with a proud smile. "I'm sure you will be a splendid ninja one day!"
Sasuke didn't say a word. He just gave a small, quiet nod, stepping away from the hand, and quickly walked past them to head deeper inside the compound.
Once he was out of the guards' sight, Sasuke broke into a light run, his soft shoes tapping quietly against the stone path. He passed row after row of traditional neighborhood houses.
Laundry was hanging out to dry under the sun, and the sweet smell of home-cooked lunches wafted out from open kitchen windows.
Eventually, Sasuke came to a gradual halt. He slowed his pace down to a gentle walk, his eyes darting around as he looked at all the Uchiha clan members going about their daily lives.
He saw old men sitting on wooden porches playing board games, mothers carrying grocery baskets, and older ninjas cleaning their kunai pouches in the shade. It was so lively and normal.
As he walked, Sasuke's mind began to spin with deep thoughts. 'Good...' he thought to himself, feeling a sense of relief.
'I managed to sneak inside safely once again. But with all the strange rumors I am hearing around the village today, it seems like some kid was caught by the past ninjas...'
Just then, a small Uchiha child sprinted right past him, laughing loudly while chasing a colorful ball down the street.
Sasuke watched the child run away, his eyes narrowing slightly as he thought deeper.
'I know a kid was captured, but I don't know who he actually is, or where they are holding him. Is the kid somewhere in this massive compound, or are they keeping him locked up inside the official Police Headquarters?'
He shook his head slightly, continuing his slow walk down the peaceful street. 'Well, in either case, I don't really care...!' Sasuke thought coldly, pushing the worry away. 'I don't know the kid anyway, so it's not my business.'
He started looking here and there, analyzing the specific architecture of the buildings and the style of the clothing the villagers were wearing. 'If my calculations are correct—' he noted silently, 'We are definitely in the era of the Yondaime Hokage.'
Right at that exact moment, he stopped walking and looked up at the vast blue sky. A gentle, cool afternoon wind suddenly blew through the village, making the green trees rustle softly.
A single, bright green leaf detached from a branch, dancing beautifully in the air as it floated past his face.
Sasuke looked back down, staring straight ahead at the path in front of him, his heart feeling a bit heavy as one final thought crossed his mind.
'Also... Tou-san is the current Uchiha clan head right now.'
Sasuke continued walking down the bustling street, his dark eyes taking in the vibrant colors of the shops around him. 'Gosh, it's so much better in the morning and afternoon...' he thought to himself, adjusting his posture.
'Nothing was even visible at night. Everything was just a blur of dark shapes.'
As he passed by a lively food stall with steam rising from the counter, a kind, cheerful voice suddenly called out to him.
"HEY, KID!!"
Sasuke stopped in his tracks. He looked to his left and right, checking to see if the voice was directed at someone else. Then, he caught the eye of the shopkeeper—a warm, middle-aged Uchiha auntie wearing a clean white apron. He pointed a slender finger toward his own chest, raising an eyebrow quizzically.
"Me?"
The woman nodded happily, waving her hand to invite him over. "Yes, you! Come over here! We have fresh, warm onigiri right out of the cooker!"
Sasuke hesitated for a fraction of a second, but his stomach gave a faint, quiet growl, reminding him that he hadn't eaten a proper meal since yesterday. He walked over to the counter, the delicious, comforting scent of steamed rice and savory seaweed filling his nose.
"These are perfectly fresh..." the shopkeeper said warmly, picking up a wooden spatula. "How many would you like, little one?"
"Three—" Sasuke replied simply, keeping his voice polite but quiet.
"Three it is!" she spoke cheerfully. She pulled out a sheet of clean bamboo wrapping paper and began neatly packing the triangular rice balls, her hands moving with practiced ease.
While she was wrapping the food, Sasuke looked around the street casually, trying to act as natural as possible. He leaned slightly against the counter, lowering his voice to sound like he was just asking about casual clan gossip.
"So... umm, I have been wondering. Where is Uchiha-sama's wife? She hasn't really come around the neighborhood since yesterday."
Deep inside his chest, Sasuke's heart was pounding like a drum. 'Please let it be true, please let it be true...' he pleaded silently to the universe.
He was desperately hoping that his guess was right and that she had stayed indoors. If Mikoto had actually been walking around the neighborhood yesterday, the shopkeeper would definitely understood that the boy in front of him is lying and he would have been caught by her instantly.
The woman paused for a moment, letting out a soft, understanding sigh as she folded the paper wrap. "Oh, how would she be walking around in her condition? She is doing really great just by handling herself inside her home right now."
Sasuke's brow furrowed in genuine confusion. His eyes narrowed slightly. "Condition...? What type of condition? Is she... sick?"
The shopkeeper auntie suddenly burst out into a hearty, melodious laugh. She covered her mouth with the back of her hand, her shoulders shaking with pure amusement at the boy's innocence. It was a kind, maternal sort of laugh that made the tiny shop feel even cozier.
She shook her head in gentle denial, looking down at his serious little face. "Oh, how should I explain this to a small child like you? But let's just say... she's bearing a tiny child. Soon, Uchiha-sama will be blessed with two wonderful kids!"
Sasuke's cheeks instantly flushed a bright, rosy pink. A deep blush spread across his face, but beneath that embarrassing look, a wave of profound, overwhelming happiness washed over his entire soul.
'A tiny child... that's me,' he thought, a wave of profound, overwhelming emotion washing over him.
'She's alive... she's safe....' he thought, his chest tightening with pure emotion. Hearing that his mother was safe, healthy, and resting peacefully inside her home filled his heart with a warmth he hadn't felt in a very long time.
Trying desperately to hide his embarrassed, blushing face, Sasuke quickly reached into his pouch, took out the required amount of coins, and paid the woman. He grabbed the neatly wrapped bundle of warm onigiri, bending his head a little in a respectful bow to hide his eyes.
"Thank you very much—" Sasuke muttered softly, his voice a little tight from the blush, before quickly turning around to walk away.
Sasuke walked away from the shop, unpeeling the bamboo wrapping of one of the rice balls. He began eating the fresh onigiri with one hand, savoring the warm, comforting taste, while using his other hand to carefully hold the remaining two wrapped tightly together.
He kept his pace steady, but after a few minutes of walking down the quietening residential path, he came to a sudden stop once again.
He was standing right in front of the Naka Shrine.
The ancient wooden structure stood tall and silent behind its stone torii gate, casting a long, dark shadow under the afternoon sun.
Sasuke stared up at it, his grip tightening around his food. 'I am never entering that thing again...' he thought bitterly to himself, a shiver running down his spine.
He moved just a little bit closer to the edge of the shrine grounds, his sharp dark eyes scanning the quiet building.
'I still have a feeling that someone is still down there...' he noted silently, his body tensing up in caution.
'I have to be incredibly careful after what happened last night.'
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⚡NEXT CHAPTER⚡
'The night remembers what the day tries to forget.'
A hidden staircase. A presence waiting in the dark. A terror that sends a future shinobi running for his life.
Now, under the peaceful afternoon sun, Sasuke returns to the riverbank carrying nothing but questions… and a fear he cannot erase.
But fate has other plans.
A single fireball lights up the sky.
A familiar face appears where it should never have appeared.
And the wounds of the past burst open once more.
When memory and reality collide… can Sasuke stop himself before it is too late?
👉 Chapter 50:The Shrine That Never Sleeps
SNEAK PEEK LINES💬
'The guards don't patrol inside the holy grounds at this hour. I can hide down below until morning.'
'The guards don't patrol inside the holy grounds at this hour. I can hide down below until morning.'
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—With love, one forehead poke away from collapse,
Sakura Shinomiya 💫
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