"Because I am your elder brother, Indra."
The sentence wouldn't leave Sasuke alone, echoing in his head until it was the only thing he could hear.
"You're the Sage of Six Paths' eldest son, Ashura?" Sasuke asked, pointing a numb finger at Naruto. When Naruto nodded, Sasuke slowly turned the finger back toward himself. "And I'm the second son... Indra?"
Naruto nodded again, and Sasuke fell silent.
'An older brother from a past life... This is all a little sudden,' he thought. 'Is he messing with me? No he wouldn't joke about something like this. Naruto knows how sensitive the brotherly bond is for me..'
He looked at Naruto, a deep confusion in his eyes, and tried the word out. "Onii-san?"
"Ah, there you go."
Naruto's grin was immediate and far too smug. The condescending tone was enough to snap Sasuke out of his daze, and his expression instantly reddened.
The story Naruto had laid out was deceptively simple. The Uzumaki clan were descendants of Ashura, so it was only natural for Ashura's spirit to reincarnate into him. The awakening had brought back partial memories of his past life and unlocked his true chakra. From there, he had sought out his younger brother, Sasuke Uchiha, the reincarnation of Indra.
It explained everything: why Naruto had called him 'brother' at the hospital, and why his taijutsu was so powerful. It was the inheritance of the Sage's Body.
It wasn't just Sasuke who was convinced, the Nine-Tails sealed inside Naruto was buying it, too.
"No wonder I found your chakra signature so familiar," the fox grumbled. "Now that I think about it, it has the same feel as Ashura's."
The logic was sound, the reasoning clear, the conclusion convincing.
'Like hell it is. In the original story, Naruto Uzumaki being Ashura's chakra reincarnation is accurate, but the problem is I'm not.'
'Of course it is,' Naruto thought, struggling to hide his amusement. 'It's half-true, and that's the best kind of lie.' The part about Naruto Uzumaki being Ashura's reincarnation was correct, but after transmigration... I am not his reincarnation. Naruto had no idea where the real Ashura's chakra had ended up, but it certainly wasn't inside him.
As for the Nine-Tails, Naruto had simply planted the idea in its head. Preconceived notions were powerful things. The fox expected to sense Ashura, so it did. One of main reasons for this is because, Kurama has suffered alot of beating under Naruto. What would Kurama use to comfort himself, whether he would believe a human can easily toss him around? Or Naruto has like him, descendant of same beings?
In reality, Naruto's strength had nothing to do with the Sage of Six Paths. It came from the Turtle School and the hard-earned Ki he had trained in.
"So, Onii..." Sasuke started, but the word caught in his throat. He couldn't finish it. A strange, deep-seated emotion resisted the very idea of calling Naruto 'Onii-san'. He didn't dislike the boy, but the title felt wrong, impossible to say. Was this, as Naruto claimed, the lingering pride of his past life as Indra?
A flicker of guilt crossed his face. His brother had sought him out the moment his memories awakened, and he couldn't even bring himself to say the word. He was being awful.
"If it's too hard, just call me Naruto for now." Naruto's voice was gentle, and he patted Sasuke's shoulder with an expression that conveyed perfect understanding.
The gesture only made Sasuke's guilt twist deeper in his gut. He silently vowed to treat Naruto better from now on.
Inside, Naruto was so overjoyed he could have passed out.
His expression sobered, the mischief vanishing completely. "There's one last thing," he said, his voice low. "The one who sowed discord between us in our past lives." He leaned in closer. "According to my investigations over the years... he's still alive."
Sasuke was startled. If Naruto was telling the truth, that meant this person had lived for hundreds of years, didn't it? 'What kind of monster is that?'
"He hides himself extremely well, but he isn't perfect. He's left clues," Naruto continued. "I've found traces of his interference in all three Great Ninja Wars."
"I even suspect he had a hand in the deaths of the First and Second Hokage."
To establish a powerful enemy in Sasuke's mind, Naruto decided to pin everything on Black Zetsu. It made a twisted kind of sense, anyway. Hashirama Senju, a man with unimaginable vitality, dying in his prime shortly after his battle with Madara? It was inconceivable.
And Tobirama Senju, a master of spatial ninjutsu like the Flying Thunder God, dying in a rearguard action against Kinkaku and Ginkaku? The brothers were strong, but not strong enough to guarantee a mutual kill against the Second Hokage, even with the Sage of Six Path's tools. It was all too convenient. Why would Tobirama sacrifice his life at the prime of his life to protect lives of his bodyguards? Why would he make them bodyguards if he wasn't willing to use them to save his life?
Regardless of whether Black Zetsu was responsible, Naruto decided to pin it on him first. To establish a powerful enemy for Sasuke.
Sasuke's expression grew grim. "Do you know what his objective is?"
The enemy was ancient and powerful, and he was so weak. He felt just as he had on the night of the massacre, utterly helpless.
"I don't know yet. The intel is too thin." Naruto shook his head. "But I'm certain he's plotting something huge."
"What should I do?" Sasuke asked.
"You just need to focus on your training and get stronger." Naruto thumped his chest, producing a dull boom. "Leave the rest to me."
Sasuke just stared.
'Because I'm too weak to be of any use. That's what you mean, isn't it?'
"Indra, you just haven't awakened your past memories yet," Naruto said soothingly. "You'll be incredibly powerful once you do." 'If Sasuke truly awakened Indra's memories, the first thing he'd do is grab a Katana and kill me.'
'I told you not to use mind-reading on me without permission!'
"I truly don't have the ability to read minds."
'Liar!'
They talked until the early hours of the morning. It was too late for Naruto to go home, so he stayed over in one of the Uchiha compound's many empty rooms. Lying in his own bed, Sasuke found himself glancing toward the room Naruto was using.
'The house finally feels a little less empty.'
He burrowed under his covers, gazing at the ceiling as the single word turned over and over in his mind.
'Brother?'
--**--**
The next day, 5 AM.
Sakura Haruno shivered in the cold morning wind, standing alone at Training Ground 44.
Inner Sakura was screaming. 'Where are they? Where in the hell are they?!'
It wasn't until 9 AM that Sasuke and Naruto finally strolled into view.
"Sorry, Sakura," Naruto said with a grin. "We got a little lost on the road of life."
"You don't mind, do you?"
"N-no, it's fine." Sakura forced a sweet smile, trying to keep her composure for Sasuke's sake. "I just got here too."
Inner Sakura was roaring. 'Is that your excuse for leaving a beautiful, invincible girl like me waiting in this godforsaken place since sunrise?! I'm! So! Mad!'
Her anger felt like a physical thing, cold and trembling.
"Where's Kakashi-sensei?" she asked, trying to change the subject before she exploded in anger. 'I sacrificed my sleep and breakfast for this!?.'
"Look," Naruto said, nudging his chin toward the entrance of the training ground. "Speak of the devil."
A white-haired figure ambled toward them, one hand raised in a lazy wave. "Yo. Good morning," Kakashi said. "Sorry I'm late. I got lost on the road of life."
"LIAR!" Sakura finally snapped, her composure shattering. Forgetting her ladylike act completely, she jabbed a finger at them. "That's the exact same excuse! You two were clearly in on it together-"
Sasuke casually dug a finger in his ear. 'She is so loud. How annoying!'
===============
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