"It's not shifting the blame," Seiryū said with a grin, as if he could see what Sasuke was thinking. "You came here to pursue that man with the Byakugan, right?"
"That man isn't weak, and we also have Madara here, along with my Great-grandfather and Second Great-grandfather, who are being controlled by Orochimaru. I really can't handle this situation by myself."
"I have to ask you to lend a hand."
"Consider it a trade. You help me hold off Orochimaru, my Great-grandfather, and my Second Great-grandfather, while I help you deal with that man with the Byakugan."
"How about it?"
His main body needed to focus on Madara and Urashiki Ōtsutsuki, so he couldn't spare the attention to deal with Orochimaru.
Orochimaru himself wasn't strong, but he controlled Hashirama and Tobirama.
Apart from Seiryū, there was no one else in this world's Konoha capable of dealing with Orochimaru, Hashirama, and Tobirama.
He could only leave it to Sasuke. This was a trade!
Sasuke wasn't an enemy to begin with, and Seiryū believed he would choose to intervene.
After all, a Konoha shinobi from another world was still a Konoha shinobi. Sasuke's father was right here. He wouldn't simply stand by and watch something happen to his father in this world, would he?
Sasuke stared directly at Seiryū and fell silent.
It felt strange to hear such words coming from someone about the same age as Boruto. Was this boy the one giving orders here?
Who exactly was he? Sasuke had no memory of such a person.
After a brief pause, Sasuke said calmly, "My Chakra is severely depleted. I might not be able to handle the First Hokage and Second Hokage."
He understood Orochimaru's personality very well. Since Orochimaru had already taken an interest in him, he would definitely make a move.
The Orochimaru here wasn't the same one from Sasuke's world. He hadn't set aside some of his ambitions and was still willing to do anything to achieve his goals.
Without a doubt, once his interest was aroused, Orochimaru would attack.
After hearing Sasuke's words, Seiryū knew he had agreed to the proposal and smiled.
"That's fine. You only need to stall them for a while. I'll handle the situation over there very quickly."
After saying that, Seiryū dispelled his shadow clone, which disappeared with a poof.
Orochimaru glanced in that direction, his eyes flashing.
"Was that still not your full strength? You're becoming more and more terrifying, Seiryū-kun."
Based on his understanding of Seiryū's personality, he wasn't someone who made baseless claims.
In other words, Seiryū still hadn't used his full strength earlier.
That was simply too terrifying!
"I'm rather curious."
Orochimaru shifted his gaze back and swept his eyes over everyone present before finally looking at Sasuke. He licked his lips.
"Have you also awakened the Rinnegan? Otherwise, he wouldn't have said that your strength was no weaker than Madara's."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes and said calmly, "Knowing too much will get you killed, Orochimaru."
Orochimaru didn't mind the threat and merely grinned.
"It seems you know me, or perhaps you have some connection to me."
"You signed a summoning contract with Ryūchi Cave, and there is still a trace of my Chakra remaining within your body."
As someone who had mastered the Senjutsu of Ryūchi Cave, Orochimaru could tell that Sasuke had signed a summoning contract with Ryūchi Cave.
He could also sense a faint trace of his own Chakra within Sasuke's body.
Although it was extremely weak, Orochimaru's current perception was sharp enough to detect it.
This mysterious Uchiha had many connections to him.
As soon as he said this, the others frowned slightly.
This Uchiha from another world actually had a connection to Orochimaru?
Could he really be trusted?
Sasuke glanced at Orochimaru and spoke calmly.
"You're as perceptive as ever, Orochimaru. No, you're even more remarkable than the Orochimaru I know."
The Orochimaru in this world seemed even more unusual than the one Sasuke knew.
Sasuke had once been branded with Orochimaru's Cursed Seal. Even after so many years, his body still retained a trace of its presence and Chakra fluctuations.
The transformation caused by the Cursed Seal had altered his body, and that unique presence had been engraved into him.
It no longer had any effect, but it couldn't be completely removed.
Yet this Orochimaru had actually detected it and guessed part of the truth.
"That Kusanagi Sword is in your possession. Could you perhaps be a disciple of mine from another world?"
Orochimaru's gaze settled on the Kusanagi Sword at Sasuke's waist, and his eyes became increasingly intrigued.
"Hehehe. This is becoming more and more interesting."
Orochimaru possessed two Kusanagi Swords.
He had obtained them from the same place. One was the extendable Kusanagi Sword he frequently used, while the other had been stored away.
Now, this Uchiha possessed the other Kusanagi Sword he had kept hidden.
Could Sasuke be his disciple from another world?
Another world.
Orochimaru now had some understanding of what that meant.
Hearing this, Fugaku narrowed his eyes and glanced at Orochimaru before looking back at Sasuke.
"Who exactly are you?"
He had always distrusted Orochimaru.
Orochimaru had once conspired with Danzō to secretly research the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan and had even transplanted a Sharingan into Danzō.
He had coveted the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan and the Forbidden Jutsu Izanagi.
Fugaku hadn't forgotten any of it.
Now that he had heard Orochimaru's words, he also became somewhat suspicious of Sasuke.
Sasuke fell silent.
His head hurt.
Faced with an interrogation from his own father, he didn't know what to say.
Taking a deep breath, Sasuke ignored Fugaku and said indifferently to Orochimaru, "I killed you once."
"Since you're still an enemy of Konoha, I don't mind eliminating you as a potential threat."
"Hehehe. You killed me once? It seems the other me also targeted you but failed."
Orochimaru licked his lips.
"Since you were chosen by the other me, it means your talent must be extraordinary."
"Now that you possess strength comparable to Madara's, your body is even more interesting to me than Ryota's."
Sasuke had been Orochimaru's disciple, and Orochimaru had been killed by him.
Clearly, the Orochimaru in that other world had also developed the Forbidden Jutsu Living Corpse Reincarnation.
He had wanted to take Sasuke's body but failed, which was why Sasuke had killed him.
Orochimaru was also extremely intelligent and quickly understood what had happened.
Fugaku had already activated his Mangekyō Sharingan and was staring at Sasuke.
"Hmph. It seems you don't respect me as the leader of the Uchiha Clan."
Seeing that Fugaku seemed ready to attack Sasuke, Minato spoke again.
"Calm down, Fugaku. Haven't you noticed?"
"He resembles you."
"Hmm?"
Fugaku froze for a moment and looked closely at Sasuke.
Upon closer inspection, he could indeed see some resemblance to himself in Sasuke's features.
He frowned.
"Who exactly are you?"
Fugaku questioned him again, but this time, his meaning was different.
He wasn't a fool and understood the implication behind Minato's words.
Sasuke silently glanced at Minato.
Minato had most likely guessed something.
This man was truly remarkable.
"My name is Uchiha Sasuke, and I am a Konoha shinobi."
Perhaps to gain their trust, or perhaps because he felt there was no longer any need to hide it, Sasuke spoke calmly.
"I bear no ill will toward you. There is no need to be so wary of me."
Hearing the name, Fugaku froze again.
"Sasuke. Sasuke?"
He stared fixedly at Sasuke, his expression filled with disbelief.
"Don't tell me you're my son?"
Mikoto had already been pregnant for several months, and Fugaku had chosen names for the child in her womb.
If it was a boy, he would be named Sasuke. If it was a girl, she would be named Misa.
Uchiha Sasuke.
If the child born in a few months was a boy, that was the name Fugaku intended to give him.
Could such a thing really happen?
Fugaku finally understood what Minato had meant when he said that Sasuke was a Konoha shinobi from the future of another world.
Sasuke fell silent.
It seemed that he would also be born in this world.
Was this Konoha Year 51, or sometime after it?
This world was truly strange. Why had such an unbelievable situation occurred at this point in time?
A different course of history.
Was that what Minato meant?
Sasuke finally understood.
The situation was truly miraculous and unbelievable.
"In a sense, I am indeed your son. I came from Konoha Year 83."
Sasuke forced himself to look at Fugaku. He took a deep breath and spoke in a respectful yet emotional tone.
"Long time no see, Father."
Hearing this, Boruto looked horrified.
He was becoming more and more confused.
How had Sasuke's father suddenly appeared?
Then he looked at Minato, who had seemed strangely familiar from the beginning.
Could this be the grandfather he had never met?
No wonder Minato looked familiar!
Wasn't this the Fourth Hokage, his own grandfather?
'What kind of place have I come to? Is this still the shinobi world?'
Fugaku fell silent.
Someone who looked nearly the same age as him was actually his son.
But what did Sasuke mean by "long time no see"?
Had Fugaku died in that other world?
"As expected."
Although Minato had already guessed Sasuke's identity, hearing him admit it still felt unbelievable.
This was even more incredible than a reunion across life and death through Edo Tensei.
Minato muttered, "I originally thought you were Itachi. I didn't expect you to be Fugaku's second son, who hasn't even been born yet."
Someone who hadn't yet been born had appeared as an adult.
Minato understood that feeling.
It was only natural for Fugaku to be confused.
"There shouldn't be any mistake. No one would casually acknowledge someone as their father."
Minato patted his friend on the shoulder and said with emotion, "I've experienced this feeling as well. My son has also appeared before."
"Don't find it strange. Miraculous things can always happen in this world."
Konoha Year 83.
Mikoto was also due to give birth this year.
In other words, these people had come from thirty-two years in the future of another world.
The difference in time was truly enormous!
Fugaku looked at Minato in surprise.
"You too?"
Hearing Minato's words, Sasuke was also stunned.
"Fourth Hokage, you said you've met Naruto?"
What was happening now?
Had the Minato of this world actually met Naruto?
What kind of world had Sasuke arrived in?
"I'm not the Fourth Hokage. Tsunade-sama is the Fourth Hokage."
Minato smiled.
"However, I have indeed met Naruto. He and Yamato arrived in this world because of the Dragon Vein Chakra."
"The Dragon Vein Chakra has the ability to distort space and time."
"The reason you appeared here is probably connected to the Dragon Vein Chakra Seiryū used earlier."
"The Fourth Hokage is Tsunade?"
"I already said that this is a world with a different course of history. Anything is possible."
"In your world, I might be the Fourth Hokage, but here, Tsunade-sama is the Fourth Hokage."
Sasuke nodded silently.
Then he looked at Fugaku and spoke calmly.
"Father, I don't have much Chakra left, and it will be difficult to deal with the First Hokage and Second Hokage. I need to replenish my Chakra."
Fugaku fell silent.
He still found the situation strange, but he knew it was urgent and had no time to ask further questions.
"What do you need me to do?"
Sasuke replied, "Even though you're from another world, you're still my father. Your Chakra shares the same origin as mine, so I need to absorb it."
"How?"
"Forgive me, Father."
Sasuke flashed to Fugaku's side.
After apologising, he placed his right hand on Fugaku's shoulder and activated the Rinnegan Dōjutsu, Absorption Seal.
'Hum.'
Just as Rasengan with similar properties could merge, Chakra with similar properties could also be absorbed more easily without much resistance.
Fugaku felt an inexplicable suction force coming from the hand on his shoulder.
The Chakra within his body was drawn away uncontrollably in large amounts, and a sudden wave of exhaustion washed over him.
His face became slightly pale.
"What kind of Dōjutsu is this?"
Sasuke lifted his hand from Fugaku's shoulder.
With his Chakra replenished, he closed his eyes and opened them again.
His eyes had clearly changed.
His left eye displayed the complex pattern of the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, while his right eye was a six-tomoe Rinnegan!
Meeting Fugaku's gaze with those eyes, Sasuke smiled faintly.
"A Dōjutsu of the Rinnegan."
Although Fugaku was his father from another world, being able to display his current power before him felt strangely satisfying.
Sasuke even felt a slight desire to show off.
After all, when he was young, he had always longed for his father's approval.
Now, he finally had the opportunity.
With the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan and the six-tomoe Rinnegan, Sasuke could be considered one of the most powerful shinobi in the history of the Uchiha Clan!
(To be continued.)