In the audience area
When Naruto saw Sasuke smiling brightly at his strict father, he couldn't help but frown. His lips curled downward as he muttered in frustration.
"Hmph! Sasuke's dad isn't that great..."
He crossed his arms and pouted.
"My dad is way better than his! He's gentle, kind, and never scolds me like that! That serious old man doesn't compare at all!"
[Ding! Uzumaki Naruto's emotional fluctuations are captured! Emotional value +200! ]
Sakura tilted her head as she stared at the image of Uchiha Fugaku on the large dream screen. Her brows furrowed slightly.
"Is that really Sasuke's father? He doesn't look like him at all..."
She pursed her lips, thinking aloud.
"Sasuke's so cool and amazing. Why does his father act like he's always disappointed in him?"
Kakashi, standing beside them, sighed softly and rubbed his temple with one hand.
Do I really teach these kids?
They were just... too blunt.
Commenting on a clan leader's personality like they were reviewing lunch.
"Ahem." Kakashi cleared his throat meaningfully and gave them a pointed look. "You two. Don't talk about other people's parents like that. It's not respectful. Got it?"
Naruto stuck out his tongue and shrugged, still muttering under his breath.
"Tsk, I'm not wrong though…"
Sakura elbowed him lightly and whispered, "Naruto, quiet! What if Sasuke hears you?"
Meanwhile, Kakashi narrowed his eyes as he glanced back toward the dream projection with a much more serious expression.
He couldn't shake off the unease in his chest.
The dream again...
Just like Naruto's dream world, this one recreated lost family members with startling accuracy even their personalities, memories, and emotional weight were intact.
The difference was, Naruto had experienced warmth and comfort… but Sasuke's dream was far more volatile, full of internal conflict and uncertainty.
And whoever created this wasn't just doing it for fun.
They're trying to guide something out of these boys… Kakashi thought grimly. But what?
Aren had been silently observing from the shadows for a long time, eavesdropping on every emotional beat.
At this moment, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
Uchiha Fugaku... he really does give off those "strict dad" vibes.
He scratched his chin, still half-amused.
In the dream
Ever since stepping through the door, Sasuke had been completely absorbed in the joy of having his family whole again.
That long-lost warmth of home, the simple togetherness of sitting down to eat with his parents it wrapped around him like a blanket, comforting and bittersweet.
On the table, dish after dish had been lovingly prepared.
There were fragrant stews, neatly arranged vegetables glistening with sauce, golden tamagoyaki, grilled fish still sizzling, and a bowl of steaming miso soup that filled the room with its savory aroma.
Each one was a familiar favorite, every bite a piece of the past.
Sasuke's gaze swept over the spread, eyes slowly widening.
This… this is Mom's cooking.
His hands trembled as he reached for a slice of tomato, one of the dishes he used to pretend not to like just to tease her.
He picked it up gently with his chopsticks, brought it to his mouth, and took a bite.
The familiar sweetness and slight acidity instantly melted on his tongue.
The taste hit his heart like a wave crashing over the shore.
This is it… exactly how I remember it.
Sasuke's throat tightened, and he lowered his chopsticks.
His eyes stung again, and he blinked furiously to stop the tears.
But no matter how hard he tried, they still welled up.
After all these years… I finally get to taste her cooking again.
[Ding! Uchiha Sasuke's emotional fluctuations are captured! Emotional value +600!]
At the dining table, Itachi kept glancing at his younger brother, looking for a moment to speak with him.
But Sasuke never gave him one.
He focused entirely on eating, silently picking at the food without even glancing in Itachi's direction.
Sitting next to the man he remembered as a murderer, sharing a peaceful lunch like nothing had happened... It made Sasuke feel sick.
If his mother weren't there, he wouldn't have tolerated staying at the same table for even a second longer.
Luckily, the awkward atmosphere didn't last too long.
After a few more bites, Itachi quietly placed his chopsticks down.
"I have a mission this afternoon," he said gently. "I need to head out early."
Beside him, Fugaku also stood up. He grabbed his ninja forehead protector from the table and tied it around his head in one smooth motion.
"The Security Department has been short-staffed lately. We're being called in," he said in a firm voice.
Mikoto nodded, then reached over and helped smooth the front of her husband's shirt.
"Leaving so early again..." she murmured with a touch of concern. "This time of year is always busy. Be careful, both of you."
Fugaku gave her a rare, subtle nod and placed a steady hand over hers for just a moment before turning toward the door.
Itachi moved to the entryway to change his shoes.
As he passed Sasuke, he slowed for a second and whispered softly, "Sasuke, I'm sorry. Once I'm done with this mission, I'll train with you. I promise."
Sasuke turned his head to the side with a cold expression and didn't say a word.
Itachi let out a faint sigh, then followed his father out the door.
The sound of the door opening and closing echoed from the entryway, and the living room suddenly fell quiet.
Mikoto looked toward the door, shook her head with a helpless smile, and muttered, "Honestly... the Security Department is always busiest this time of year. They don't even have time to sit down and eat."
Sasuke stayed silent. He kept his head down, eating quietly without responding.
Only he knew the truth: right now, all he wanted was to treasure every second he had with his mother.
He had no time to worry about his father or brother.
Inside, he sighed.
This dream was unbelievably real. Even his mother's cooking every flavor, every detail was perfectly recreated, just as he remembered. It almost made him wonder if this really was a dream.
After the meal, Sasuke didn't need to be told. He got up and helped Mikoto clear the dishes and wipe down the table.
Then he stayed home, spending the whole afternoon with her.
They watered the flowers in the yard, swept the walkway, and even folded laundry together.
Mikoto couldn't help but chuckle warmly as she glanced over at him. "Sasuke, weren't you supposed to go on a mission this afternoon with Naruto, Sakura, and the others? Are you not going anymore?"
Sasuke replied firmly without hesitation, "No."
Sasuke didn't even think about it before answering. With a bright smile on his face, he said, "Who cares about some boring commission? I'd rather spend more time with you, Mom! That's way better than anything else!"
[Ding! Uchiha Sasuke's emotional fluctuations are captured! Emotional value +500! ]
"Oh, you silly boy..." Mikoto shook her head, half exasperated, half amused. But the warmth in her eyes was unmistakable.
The rest of the day passed in peace.
Sasuke helped his mother sweep the yard, tidy the house, and even reorganized the garden with her. As they worked, he spoke nonstop telling story after story.
He talked about his training, his frustrations and breakthroughs, the trouble Naruto caused, and even Sakura's nagging. It was as if he was trying to cram all the time they'd lost into this one afternoon.
Mikoto listened patiently, smiling the entire time.
Then, as if remembering something, she asked casually, "By the way, Sasuke, your team leader is Kakashi, right? What kind of person is he?"
Sasuke paused to think for a moment, then answered while sweeping, "Sensei Kakashi... he's kinda lazy and always shows up late. But he's really strong."
Mikoto nodded in relief. "That's good to hear. Remember, no matter how strong someone is, a ninja must value their comrades. Always support and trust each other, alright?"
"Yeah!" Sasuke replied with a firm nod.
The mother and son shared a quiet, precious afternoon full of smiles, laughter, and peace.
…
In the audience.
Naruto stared at the screen, fuming with frustration.
"Oi, oi, oi! Sasuke, you're the one who said I was the one getting carried away in a dream, right? Look at you! You're smiling even dumber than I was!"
He threw his arms up in protest. "That's it? You're not even better than me! At least I didn't cry like a baby!"
Kakashi, standing behind him, couldn't help it anymore. A soft chuckle slipped out.
The way Sasuke grinned in that dream world… wasn't it the same goofy smile Naruto wore back then?
[Ding! The emotional fluctuations from Hatake Kakashi are captured! Emotional value +100! ]
Sakura, on the other hand, was beaming. Her eyes curved like little moons as she clasped her hands under her chin. "So what? I think Sasuke-kun is absolutely adorable!"
"Huh? Not fair!" Naruto shouted, practically hopping in place. "Sakura-chan, you're totally biased! I was super cute that day too no, I mean, super handsome!"
Sakura's smile vanished instantly. She crossed her arms and gave him the coldest stare in history. "Don't talk to me, you scumbag."
"HUH?!"
Naruto's exaggerated cry of anguish echoed through the entire audience.
…
[The person who will realize the dream this time: Uchiha Sasuke]
[Viewers: Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura, Hatake Kakashi]
[Total emotional value gained: 35,300 points!]
[Current emotional value balance: 81,250 points!]
That night, Aren had a bountiful harvest.
Staring at the rapidly climbing emotional value counter on the system interface, he was so thrilled that he almost burst out laughing.
"Not bad at all!"
Aren clenched his fists with satisfaction, letting out a quiet cheer.
Sasuke alone had contributed nearly twenty thousand points. That was an insane number.
Whew… it felt amazing to squeeze emotional value out of the almighty Second Pillar.
Even though his emotional value had skyrocketed, Aren wasn't in a rush to spend it.
He stretched his arms and felt the strength coursing through his body.
Right now, his physical fitness was more than enough to easily handle the busy work at Ichiraku Ramen. Whether it was lifting heavy pots or chopping ingredients at lightning speed, he could genuinely help Uncle Teuchi and Ayame a lot more than before.
As he recalled the tempting high-tier exchange items in the system shop powerful kekkei genkai, top-level forbidden techniques his heart beat a little faster.
Those incredible powers that once seemed so distant were now gradually within his grasp.
Aren took a deep breath, forcing himself to suppress the urge to open the bloodline catalog right away.
He smiled faintly.
It wouldn't be long now. The power he had always dreamed of would soon become a reality.
For now, his current strength was enough. It was smarter to save up more emotional points and wait until the system updated with the rumored "beautiful contact lens" version. Then, he could exchange for something truly legendary.
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