Sasuke stood in the Uchiha training compound, wooden katana in hand. It was still early morning, and the mist lingered across the yard, heavy and cold. His grip tightened until the weapon creaked faintly in protest. He exhaled, loosened his hold, and closed his eyes.
Slowly, he breathed in and out before opening them again.
"Nano," he murmured, "I'm ready."
[Understood. Beginning simulated combat.]
A faceless man appeared before him, katana gleaming. Sasuke's focus sharpened. He didn't want to challenge the perfected Simulation Man yet, not until he could first defeat this version. Their physical abilities were evenly matched now. This time, he felt like victory was possible.
They studied each other in silence as the mist swirled around them.
Then, in an instant, the man blurred from sight.
Sasuke reacted at once, raising his blade to block the overhead strike that came crashing down. The blades collided with a sharp crack, Nano feeding the sound directly into his brain since the enemy wasn't truly there. The force bit through his arms as he twisted the enemy's weapon toward the ground, only to be kicked away before he could press the advantage.
The faceless man vanished again. Sasuke barely turned in time to block the attack from behind. He countered with a slash of his own, swinging his sword with swift, deadly precision, but the enemy bent unnaturally to dodge, then locked swords with him in a grinding contest of strength.
Suddenly, Sasuke's balance falters as a leg sweeps his footing out from under him. He curses, slamming his palms to the ground to keep himself from falling. Pushing off, he slides back several paces, just as the man surges forward again in a storm of strikes.
His arms ache, his footing almost slips, and his defenses buckle under the relentless flurry. Then the blade comes down in a punishing overhead slash.
Sasuke grows slightly annoyed at staying on the defensive. Now that he can keep up, there is no reason for him to remain docile as before, he has to go on the attack.
Clenching his teeth, his hands blur as he redirects the strike, spins with the momentum, and slashes his wooden katana, carving a line across the man's chest.
[Simulated enemy wounds: 12%.]
A smile touches Sasuke's lips. He backs away, eyes fixed on his opponent.
The faceless man glances at his glowing wound, then shifts into a low stance. Sasuke mirrors it, recognizing the form instantly.
The mist trembles as both vanish, meeting again within arm's reach in a violent exchange of blows.
[Wounds sustained: 10%, 14%, 26%.]
Nano's voice buzzes in the background, but Sasuke ignores it. All his focus is locked on the faceless swordsman. Their movements grow sharper, faster, almost synchronized, their blades weaving light into the mist. With each second, Sasuke is learning and adapting to his new muscles.
Sasuke suddenly shifts stance, lunging forward. At the same instant, the enemy mirrors him, their blades meeting at the tip with such force it hurls them both back.
Sasuke recovers first. He dashes forward, ducking just under the enemy's desperate stab, and drives his wooden blade into the man's gut.
[Simulation complete. Enemy wounds: 100%, Host wounds: 51%.]
The faceless man dissolves into particles of light. Sasuke stands still, chest heaving, then slowly exhales.
Victory.
It is small, and he isn't in any real danger, but it is real. Yesterday he'd been helplessly dodging, scrambling to defend, and being overwhelmed. Today, he has fought back and won.
He looks down at his weapon, his thumb brushing the wooden surface.
'If I'd used my Sharingan… I would have taken far fewer wounds.'
For now, he allows himself the faintest smile. Progress.
'Should I continue?'
He is confident that this time, he might defeat the faceless man with fewer injuries. He sighs as he sits down to regain his breath.
Then an idea strikes him.
'Nano. Can you make two simulations fight each other?'
[Answering. Yes. Would the Host like to initiate a duel between two simulated combatants?]
'Yes. Show me the optimal technique you created against the real one.'
[Proceeding.]
Two faceless men appear, one glowing faint blue, the other red. Sasuke's eyes narrow as he studies their stances. He knows instantly which is which. His gaze lingers on the red.
"So you're the perfected version."
Unlike the blue figure, the red radiates a slightly deadly aura.
'Nano. Begin.'
The two vanish, colliding in an eruption of steel. Their blades clash again and again, and he feels air itself shaking with each strike. The blue fighter quickly falls behind, his defense cracking under the relentless onslaught of the red's ferocity.
Sasuke keeps his eyes locked on the two, refusing to miss even a moment, and suddenly, they widen. That's it! The piece he's been missing. The Uchiha style isn't about pure aggression. It's built on speed and precision, just like the faceless blue man's fight. But at its core, it's about control.
'So Nano did more than discover the correct muscle arrangements. It also discovered the intent and purpose of this technique.'
He watches as the red figure dictates the rhythm, pushing forward with each strike, claiming ground while forcing blue to a corner.
The outcome is already certain.
And sure enough, Blue soon collapses to his knees, the red katana resting against his throat.
[Combat simulation ended. Blue wounds: 100%, Red wounds: 17%.]
Sasuke frowns slightly.
'Amazing...'
Although their muscles and power are not that similar, Sasuke is aware the key to why red is more overwhelming is because of the control he holds compared to his opponent.
Then another thought strikes.
'Nano. Give blue the Sharingan, and run it again.'
[Proceeding.]
The blue fighter gets up from his kneeling position, and his eyes open, now burning with a two-tomoe Sharingan. Sasuke feels a cold shiver run down his spine. It has been so long since he'd seen another pair of those eyes on someone else but himself. His brother's memory flickers in his mind. He shakes it away.
'Nano, begin.'
As soon as the command is given.
The clash resumes. This time, blue holds his ground longer, parrying with uncanny reflexes, and manages to land strikes of his own. But gradually, inevitably, red presses the advantage. Once again, blue falls to his knees, blade at his throat.
[Combat simulation ended. Blue wounds: 100%, Red wounds: 40%.]
Sasuke's lips curl. 'Excellent.'
With the Sharingan, the one at a disadvantage lasts longer and even manages to wound the perfected version. That is proof enough of his clan's dojutsu power.
He tightens his grip on his katana. He has rested enough. Now it is his turn.
He is about to dismiss the simulation when he makes eye contact with the blue figure. Deep inside him, he feels a dark emotion begin to rise.
'Nano, let me fight with the Sharingan figure.'
[Understood. Proceeding.]
The world shifts. Once again, the faceless man stands before him, now with scarlet eyes blazing. Sasuke closes his own briefly, then opens them again, his own Sharingan glowing back.
He raises his sword. 'Begin.'
The sun is already setting, and Konoha is still as busy as ever.
"C-Come back again!"
Sasuke exits the flower shop with a slightly annoyed expression on his face. One of the things the vision got correct is the fan girls, especially the most annoying ones, Sakura and Ino. It's moments like these that make him appreciate the breaks the academy gives students, at least then he doesn't have to deal with their daily annoyance. Although Sasuke tends to avoid them like the plague, today is a special occasion, so he has to buy flowers and interact with one of them.
He looks at the bouquet of white lilies and roses. He could have gone to any other flower shop, but this one is special, it was his mother's favorite. He sighs as he arrives at the cemetery. He stares at the sculpture representing the Will of Fire for a few seconds and walks past it. Behind it is a gigantic wall with the Uchiha clan symbol at the top. Here are the names of all Uchihas who died on the night of the massacre. His eyes scan the wall, and out of habit, he quickly finds the names of his parents.
"In memory of Fugaku Uchiha and Mikoto Uchiha."
He stares at the names for a while before bowing his head, "Hi, Mom, Hi, Dad, I am back." No one answers back, of course, he never expected one. He slowly lifts his head and places the bouquet right below their names, where other flowers have now withered away. He sits in front of it, "Happy birthday, Mom. I got you your favorite flowers as well." Again, silence.
"A lot has changed since I last came here. I graduated from the Academy, and I am now a ninja." He is silent for a moment before continuing, "I thought that was all I had to do, that it was all I needed to get revenge, to become a ninja, grow stronger, and finally kill him!"
He gets up and dusts himself off, a complicated expression appearing on his face, "Now, I am not so sure." He sighs, 'Did the village order the killing, Dad? Were you really planning a coup?.... I just need answers, something to believe in, Dad, Mom, I... am lost…'
He stands there for a long time, and by the time he becomes aware again, it is already night. "I will see you next year, maybe then I will have answers." As that thought echoes in his head, his eyes turn slightly cold. He heads for the exit when suddenly,
[Warning: A massive amount of chakra was detected a few feet away to your left].
Sasuke instantly looks in the direction Nano has pointed out, and he sees a figure standing there. He recognizes him immediately. The figure has bright, spiky red hair with bright blue eyes and whisker marks on his face. He is wearing a black t-shirt and ninja pants. It is Naruto.
'What's he doing here?' Sasuke thinks, before his gaze falls on the tombstone. His eyes narrow as he reads what is on it, "In memory of Kushina Uzumaki."
Naruto seems to sense his gaze as he turns toward him and makes eye contact. For a moment, confusion flashes through his eyes, then they suddenly widen in recognition, "Sasuke..?"