"I saw two strange men that night. One... was black. The other shone in white. He had whiskers."
---
Mini Sasuke paused, his eyes growing distant as he recalled the memory. "They were verytall." He paused again, a shiver running through him. "And they didn't belongintheclan either..."
Sasuke's brow furrowed. "What do you mean by 'tall men,' huh?" he pressed, his voice sharp.
"Were they abnormally tall?" Sasuke pushed, trying to gauge the height. "Like, giant-sized or something?"
Mini Sasuke cut him off, a hint of impatience in his voice. "No! Who said abnormally tall? I mean, from my perspective, they were tall."
'This kid...' Sasuke thought, a vein throbbing in his temple. 'He's going to be the death of me.'
"Do you have any idea what they looked like?" Sasuke continued, forcing himself to remain calm.
"I didn't look at them face to face much," Mini Sasuke admitted, "but one was completely black."
Sasuke blinked. "What do you mean by black?"
"His hair was black, his eyes were black, and even his clothes were all black," Mini Sasuke elaborated. "And the other one... he had blonde hair and blue eyes, and it really shined in the night sky. Also..." Mini Sasuke paused, a small frown on his face as he concentrated. "...he had whiskers on his face, and he wore a white cloak."
Sasuke's mind jolted. "Is that all?" he asked, trying to keep his voice even."Yeah, that's all," Mini Sasuke confirmed.
'Blonde hair, blue eyes, whiskers... this description matches only one person,' Sasuke thought, a cold dread starting to form in his stomach. 'But how is that possible?! No, no, no, it could be someone else also. It's not like he's the only person in the world with such a description.' He tried to dismiss the thought, but it clung to him.
"Were those strange two men saying anything?" Sasuke asked, his voice now lower, more urgent.
Mini Sasuke tilted his head, thinking hard. "Let me think... Hmmm. Yeah!" His eyes brightened. "The blonde one said to the black one,'Run! It's you!'"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "Then what?"
"Then the black one said, 'Where in the world are we?'" Mini Sasuke continued, mimicking the deep voice. "Then they both just started running, really fast, and I followed them. That's when I noticed I was near the Naka River!"
Sasuke leaned closer, his voice low. "Then what happened after it?"
Mini Sasuke's eyes went dull, and his voice became a strained whisper, punctuated by short, shaky breaths. "Then... then what happened...?" He swallowed hard, tears welling up.
"You know, I saw all of it. Then, as soon as Shisui-san was saved, I was going to..." His voice hitched, dissolving into a choked sob.
Sasuke repeated, gently but firmly, "You were going to...? Then what happened after it?"
Mini Sasuke's face crumpled, tears streaming down his cheeks. His words came out in broken, breathless bursts, as if his voice kept giving out.
"I was going to... go towards Nii-san... then suddenly... suddenly he vanished! I mean... I vanished from there! I don't know..." He choked on a sob again, his small hands clenching his clothes. "...and I... I came in this strange forest above us. And then, for one whole day, I stayed here... all alone!"
His crying intensified, his shoulders shaking. "I didn't know what this place was... or where I was!" he sobbed, looking desperately at Older Sasuke. "And then... then I noticed your friends... that they came... and so... so I pushed them! I thought they were after me! I thought they were the ones who sent me over here!"
His voice broke completely on the last words, turning into a soundless plea. He looked at Sasuke, his eyes brimming with tears, barely able to speak. "Believe me... I didn't know..."
Sasuke closed his eyes, letting out a frustrated breath. 'Shoot! What am I supposed to do in this condition?' He opened them again, looking at the sobbing child.
'Why is he so sensitive? If the massacre had actually occurred and he started telling me everything, I think he might have fainted only while talking.' A flash of annoyance, quickly followed by a cold, calculating thought. 'Okay, focus. Think. What can you do to calm a child down?'
As Sasuke pondered, searching his mind for any experience, any guidance on how to deal with such raw, childlike despair, a single image flashed behind his closed eyelids. It was a memory from the Chunin Exams, the second round, when Orochimaru's curse mark had flared, inflicting unbearable pain.
He saw himself on his knees, consumed by agony. And then, Sakura. Her worried face, tear-streaked eyes, as she knelt beside him, her small hands reaching out, holding him, her arms wrapped around him tightly, offering a sense of solace amidst the torment.
He remembered the feeling of her presence, a small but persistent warmth, a silent gesture of care during a moment of intense suffering. It was a simple act of comfort in a dire situation.
Suddenly, Older Sasuke's eyes snapped open. The cold, analytical detachment softened. Without a word, he reached out, his hand surprisingly gentle as he took Mini Sasuke's trembling little hand.
He pulled the crying boy close, drawing him into his arms, enveloping him in a warm, protective embrace. Mini Sasuke, startled by the sudden contact, instinctively buried his face in the older boy's shoulder, his sobs shaking both of them.
Sasuke held him tightly, a mirroring of the basic human comfort he himself had once received in a moment of pain.
Just beside Sasuke, Naruto lay perfectly still, feigning deep sleep. But his ears were keenly attuned to every whispered word, every muffled sob. He heard the entire exchange between Sasuke and the little Uchiha.
'Heh!' Naruto thought, a small, triumphant grin spreading across his face in the darkness.
'Sasuke was quite the crybaby when he was a kid, dattebayo! Good to know he wasn't always so tough.' A wave of relief washed over him. Then he thought, ' Great! Since everyone aren't fighting anymore, it would be much easier to get out of this hole.'
A peaceful, genuine smile touched Naruto's lips. 'Well, this incident didn't turn out to be so bad after all...' he thought, his gaze drifting towards Sasuke and the unconscious mini-version of him. 'Because...
' Because I'm not alone anymore. I get to spend my days, my nights, share my good talks, my bad talks with everyone... I don't care if I'm not at my home, not in my village.
' I'm okay. I hope everything stays like this for a while, because I'm okay... as long as I stay with them. As long as I stay with Sasuke.....'
Mini Sasuke continued to cry for a few more minutes, his small body trembling, slowly winding down from his terror and confusion. After a while, his sobs quieted, and he carefully moved a little away from Older Sasuke, sitting up.
He rubbed his eyes vigorously with the back of his hands, trying to wipe away the tears and snot, leaving smudges on his face. Sasuke watched him, a silent assessment in his eyes.
'Good. I guess that worked.' His mind, ever analytical, immediately shifted. 'Now, the next step... the most difficult one.'
Sasuke slowly got to his feet, then looked down at Mini Sasuke. His voice was softer than usual. "Come on. You must be hungry. I'll let you have some food." Mini Sasuke looked up, his tear-streaked face showing a flicker of surprise, then a small nod.
He slowly got up, still a little unsteady. Together, the two Sasukes started to move towards the part of the cavern wall where the Jubako was carefully placed.
Sasuke smoothly knelt down beside the stacked Jubako. He unlatched the delicate clasp and carefully lifted the top lid, revealing the neatly arranged, colorful layers of food. He then offered a portion to Mini Sasuke.
The younger boy, still sniffling slightly, eagerly took the food and began to eat, his hunger clearly overriding his lingering fear.
As Mini Sasuke munched, his eyes fixed on the older boy. "So..." he mumbled between bites, "You still didn't tell me who you are."
'Finally,' Older Sasuke thought, a subtle smirk forming. 'He finally asked.'
Sasuke cleared his throat. "So, tell me," he began, trying a unique approach. "Do you think you and I look the same?"
Mini Sasuke stopped chewing, his eyes wide with confusion. He slowly put his chopsticks down and, tilting his head, tentatively reached up and started touching his own face, then looked at Older Sasuke, then touched his face again, as if comparing textures.
Sasuke watched the utterly silly, unrequited act, a vein throbbing in his forehead. 'This dumb me!' he thought, exasperated. 'What does he think he's doing? He's looking for wrinkles or something?!'
"Well, what I meant to say is..." Sasuke started, trying to rephrase, but Mini Sasuke cut him off.
"Well, I've been thinking about it too," Mini Sasuke mused, sounding surprisingly serious. "But... this doesn't explain that you bear the Sharingan."
He then casually picked up his chopsticks and resumed eating. Sasuke blinked, momentarily thrown off by the unexpected observation. He quickly recalibrated.
"So," he asked, changing tactics completely, "do you know about Space-Time Travel Jutsu? Did they teach you that in the Academy yet?"
Mini Sasuke shook his head, mouth full. "No, not yet." 'Curse it!' Sasuke thought, frustration bubbling up. 'If he doesn't know this, then how come I...'
His thoughts were suddenly broken when Mini Sasuke spoke again. "But I can get an idea that it's related to space," he offered, looking quite pleased with his deduction.
'This brat trying to act smart with me, huh?' Sasuke thought, a familiar annoyance returning. 'Of course! If the jutsu name is only 'Space-Time Travel,' then it's obvious that it's related to space! What a brilliant observation, you idiot!'
Sasuke took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "Yeah," he said, nodding slowly. "That one only. So, see what happens: some people from different times reach different times."
Mini Sasuke chewed thoughtfully, then swallowed. He looked at Older Sasuke, his expression still a mix of confusion and stubborn curiosity.
"Okay," he said, "I understand that you're explaining something about different times, and I appreciate it... but how does it explain that you have the Sharingan?"
Sasuke paused. 'Right. The core issue.' He looked Mini Sasuke directly in the eyes. "Okay, so quietly listen to me," he instructed, his voice firm but calm.
"You and I are the same person," Sasuke began, choosing his words carefully. "Just that, according to you, I am from the future. And according to me, you are from the past. So, someone performed Space-Time TravelJutsu, which led us both of us—the two Uchiha Sasukes—into the same time. Do you understand it?"
Mini Sasuke's face was completely blank. His eyes held no recognition of the profound explanation. He simply stared for a moment, then slowly, silently, picked up his chopsticks and started eating his food again.
The two remained quiet for a few moments, the only sound the soft munching from Mini Sasuke. Then, without looking up from his meal, Mini Sasuke spoke, his voice muffled by food.
"So... you mean you and I are the same person?"
Older Sasuke's face instantly lit up with a new, bright understanding. 'Finally! He actually understood what I was trying to explain to him!'
"Yes! Exactly!" Sasuke confirmed, his tone suddenly eager, relieved. "You and I are the same person! You are Uchiha Sasuke, and I am also Uchiha Sasuke." He then pointed a finger towards Naruto, who was still feigning sleep a little distance away.
"You see this boy over here?" he continued, a smirk playing on his lips. "When you go to the Academy, you must have seen his face... the one who always challenges you but is ultimately a loser."
"I can hear that, dattebayo!" Naruto quickly shot up from his sleeping position, glaring, no longer pretending to be asleep.
Mini Sasuke, however, ignored Naruto's outburst, his eyes still fixed on Older Sasuke. He chewed thoughtfully, then nodded slowly. "Right... you are right. He looks exactly like that..."
Suddenly, Older Sasuke and Mini Sasuke spoke together, their voices a perfect unison, filled with disdain.
"USURANTOKACHI!"
Sasuke chuckled softly, a rare sound. He then gently placed his hand on Mini Sasuke's shoulder and pointed towards Sakura, who was still deeply asleep. "You see that girl with pink hair who is sleeping there? The one who's always too clingy?"
Mini Sasuke's eyes followed Sasuke's finger. "Oh," he said, a flicker of recognition. "You mean that weird girl named Sakura who always follows me around?"
"Right! Absolutely them," Sasuke confirmed, a genuine smile now gracing his lips. "See the one beside her, with blonde hair."
Before Sasuke could even finish, Mini Sasuke's eyes widened slightly. "Ohhh..." he drawled, then continued, "The Yamanaka girl. The one who gave a flower to me, and I rejected it. What was her name again?"
Sasuke, slightly amused, provided the name. "Ino."
Just then, Naruto, unable to resist joining the conversation now that he was fully awake, crawled closer. He pointed at Hinata, who was also sleeping peacefully. "And you see that girl over there, with dark hair, who is sleeping, dattebayo? She's the one who has a Byakugan..."
Mini Sasuke finished Naruto's sentence, a small smirk on his face. "...but is too shy."
Sasuke looked at Mini Sasuke, a sense of satisfaction spreading through him. "Now," he said, "so you believe me? That you and I are the same?"
Mini Sasuke gave a firm nod, a look of profound respect on his young face. "Good job, Older Me!" he declared. "As expected of you. You found the right proof to justify your statement."
Naruto, who had been listening to the entire exchange with a mixture of annoyance and amusement, suddenly lunged forward, grabbing Mini Sasuke's face between his hands and squishing his cheeks.
"And what about calling me an 'Usurantokachi', huh?!" he demanded, his voice playfully loud.
Mini Sasuke's squished face struggled to speak, but he managed to force out, "Stop it, Usurantokachi!"
Naruto finally let go, laughing. Mini Sasuke then, still giggling, plopped himself down onto Naruto's lap.
All three of them—Older Sasuke, Mini Sasuke, and Naruto—then burst into shared laughter, a rare moment of genuine camaraderie and lightheartedness in the strange cavern.
In another corner of the cavern, where the soft glow of what little light filtered in barely reached, Sakura stirred. Her eyes fluttered open slowly, a dull throb echoing through her skull and body. A soft, pained moan escaped her lips.
'Wait... where am I?' she thought, her mind foggy, disoriented. The last thing she remembered was the exhausting training, the unexpected slip... 'Did I survive? Where is everyone?' Panic, cold and sharp, began to prick at her.
She carefully, painfully, turned her head to the right. Her eyes landed on a familiar head of blonde hair. Ino. A short, weak smile of relief touched Sakura's lips. She wasn't alone.
With a little more effort, she turned her head back, her gaze drifting upwards. High above, a perfect circle of light, a small, distant sun peeking through the cavern's opening. 'How did I reach here?' she wondered, the confusion deepening.
Beside her, Ino, still deep in sleep, groaned softly and turned over, shifting further away.
Sakura winced, a fresh wave of pain washing over her. A low, whimpering cry escaped her, tears beginning to well in her eyes. It was more than just a moan now; a soft, desperate sobbing.
Ino's eyes snapped open at the sound. She bolted upright, instantly awake and alert. "Sakura!" she exclaimed, her voice laced with surprise and concern. "You're awake!"
"Ino..." Sakura whispered, her voice hoarse, choked with pain and tears. "Can you... can you just try to heal me...? If you have some chakra... just a little would do it..." She took a deep, shuddering breath, trying to compose herself, but the effort only brought more tears to her eyes.
Ino's expression softened with sympathy. She quickly crawled closer to Sakura, her eyes scanning her injuries. "It's okay, Sakura," she murmured, gently touching her arm. "You'll be alright. And besides," she glanced towards the corner where Karin was still resting, "We have a very great medic here with us."
Sakura looked towards Ino, watching as she sat up, putting a little distance between them, before scooting a few feet away. Ino then quietly settled herself beside where Karin was lying, presumably to wake her.
Karin, however, was already awake. Her eyes were tightly shut, her breathing even, a perfect facade of deep slumber. But her mind was racing. 'Why in the world is she here?' she thought, annoyed, listening to Ino's hushed movements.
'Does she actually want me to heal that girl now? But... wasn't healing that boy enough to get food from all of them? What more do they want from me?' She squeezed her eyes shut even tighter, a wave of irritation washing over her.
'Okay, Karin. Pretend to be asleep. There's no need to waste precious chakra on someone who clearly can't help you get out of this miserable hole.'
"Karin-san..." Ino's voice was a gentle whisper, soft and calm. "Karin-san..."
Ino's hand slowly stretched out, about to gently touch Karin's shoulder, when a sharp, clear voice cut through the quiet.
"Shame on you, Ino." The voice was cold, laced with disdain, echoing just enough to make her flinch. "How low can you be, disturbing someone's sleep like that?"
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AUTHOR'S NOTE :
Chapter 12, "Same Blood, Different Time" 🌌👥 really hit close to the heart, didn't it? It beautifully captured the surreal connection between two Sasukes—one from the past, one from the future. 🖤 Though separated by time, they share the same soul, same pain, and same Uchiha bloodline. 🧬 Even the years can't erase that bond. 🔥🌠
This chapter blended emotion, mystery, and a dash of comedy. Sasuke struggled to explain time travel to his younger self (poor guy 😂), while Mini Sasuke dropped a huge hint about two strange men—one in full black, and another in glowing white with whiskers... 🐱⚪🖤 We all know who that sounds like, right? 😉
And just when we least expected it, Older Sasuke embraced Mini Sasuke, mirroring the comfort he once received from Sakura in his own darkest moment. That hug wasn't just physical—it was healing. 💞
Meanwhile, Sakura wakes up in pain, Ino tries to help, and Karin—well, Karin pretends to sleep right through all the chaos. 🙄😂 Classic Karin!
TEASER FOR NEXT CHAPTER:
The peaceful moment won't last…
A revolt is coming.
Some genins will team up, but others will try to go solo. 😨
Will the group split apart? Or will bonds prove stronger than fear?
Trust will be tested. Battle lines may be drawn. Stay tuned. ⚔️🔥
🔍 SNEAK PEEK LINE:
"You see that girl with pink hair who's always too clingy? She's talking with that poisonous tongue like ever. I suppose she doesn't need a medic after all, does she?"
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AUTHOR'S THOUGHTS
Strange men in the Uchiha Clan grounds… one dressed in black, the other glowing white with golden hair and whisker marks... Mini Sasuke wasn't imagining it. He really saw them.
But who were they?
Shadows? Ghosts? Illusions?
Or something much more real...? 🌘🌕
Well, dear readers—the truth is finally ready to be unveiled. That mysterious black figure with piercing raven eyes… and the fiery-haired boy shining like moonlight under the night sky… were none other than Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto themselves. 🖤🟠
🌀 Yes—The Seventh Hokage and his eternal rival—
Both drawn back into the past, into one of the most delicate, dangerous moments in Uchiha history:
The night before Shisui's supposed death. 🌌⚔️
And no, this wasn't a coincidence.
It was the doing of Uraume, the mystical time-warping turtle belonging to Uchiha Hikaru—a force that doesn't just teleport, but shifts destinies. 🐢⏳
Her abilities silently whisked Naruto and Sasuke out of their present reality... and placed them right in the middle of a moment where history itself began to fracture.
Remember when Boruto said:
"No one knows where they went…" 🕳️
Well now... we know.
They didn't vanish.
They were transported.
Hidden in the shadows of time, in a moment where fate was trembling.
And now that the truth is unfolding...
Just imagine what else lies ahead. 😳🔥
✨ What if saving the future... means facing the past?
🕰️💥
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💬 TALK TO ME!
✨ What was your favorite moment from this chapter?
🔥 Who do you think will spark the revolt next?
😂 Was it Naruto's Usurantokachi moment? Or Mini Sasuke's confusion?
Drop your reactions and predictions below—I'm reading every comment! 💌👇
Let's grow this little ninja family together 💕
—With love,
Sakura Shinomiya 💫
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