Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 98 Sasuke's Choice

"If you want power, come find me."

Sasuke woke up from his dream again.

Ever since he was branded with the cursed seal, he hadn't had a single peaceful night's sleep. Every time he dreamed, he would see a weak, crying younger version of himself, as if reminding him of his vulnerability. In reality, he didn't need to; with just a slight turn of his head, he could see Naruto lying on the next bed with his eyes closed.

Their lying side by side signifies his weakness.

Because of his weakness, he was unable to resist the successive powerful enemies; because of his weakness, he was targeted by a pervert who coveted the Uchiha bloodline; because of his weakness, he couldn't even see the hope of avenging his clan; because of his weakness, Naruto had to protect him time and time again, disregarding his own safety.

Reality relentlessly mocks his weakness; he is no different from himself a few years ago, and he even drags those around him down with him.

"Sasuke-kun, are you awake? The hospital lunch was pretty good today." Sakura walked in with three lunchboxes and immediately spotted Sasuke, who was sitting up but whose eyes were fixed on Naruto.

Seeing this, Sakura could only sigh. Naruto was almost finished with his rehabilitation, but Sasuke's cursed seal kept throbbing in pain, and his recovery wasn't going very well. Sasuke should worry about himself! Naruto didn't need his concern.

Sakura slammed the lunchbox onto the bedside table and tried to wake Naruto gently, but to no avail. So, instead of patting the blanket, she pulled it off, and Naruto was thrown off the bed by the force of the blanket's movement. Then, relying on his ninja instincts, he landed safely without even opening his eyes.

"Sakura, call me a little more gently..." Naruto finally turned his attention away from the closed-door meeting and woke up in the hospital room after the meeting was almost over.

"But you still need to be able to wake me up!" Sakura suppressed the urge to throw a punch and said, "Once you've recovered enough, you need to get out of bed and move around more! And you need to eat on time!"

Team 7 finished their meal in a "happy atmosphere," with Naruto and Sakura chatting amiably, while Sasuke maintained his aloof persona and didn't say much.

They are nearing discharge, and the number of ninjas monitoring them is increasing daily.

Three people were crouching outside the window. One was assigned to the next ward, and two were nurses from this department, who took turns appearing day and night. He had memorized all the chakra that appeared at the "Root" headquarters, so he could sense these people as soon as they appeared. First, it was the pair of nurses, then the patient, and today they even sent three ninjas dressed as ANBU to crouch outside, as if they wanted to enforce a resolution that had not been passed at the meeting.

But Naruto knew they wouldn't move. The conspiracy must have happened in a dark corner; there were too many people in the hospital. Besides, Danzo, that coward, didn't have the guts to directly oppose the Hokage in action; he'd only talk the talk.

By the afternoon, the discharge certificate had been issued, and most of the people from the root had left, but a few remained scattered around the small apartment building, either as residents or as shop owners.

"A Chunin is old enough to be a team leader. So, if we go on a mission together, who should be the leader, Sasuke?" Naruto tried to cheer Sasuke up as usual. The time Team 7 spent together was so short, and the number of missions they completed together was pitifully small. During Sasuke's defection, Team 7 was practically defunct. When Sasuke returned, there were no more missions in the ninja world that required the three of them to work together.

Even knowing that possibility was getting closer, he couldn't help but look forward to a future where they could act together as a whole.

But Sasuke didn't answer; he just looked at him quietly.

"Sasuke?" Naruto felt his heart racing, his breathing becoming heavy, and his chest tightening. He had a premonition that the outcome was imminent, while Sasuke remained calm and composed; the decision he made at this moment must have been the result of careful consideration.

Sasuke gazed at the sunlight. Where there is light, there must be brightness and warmth, but he... was the shadow cast by his clan.

"Naruto, I'm leaving."

"...Where are you going?"

Would you try to keep them?

"Go to Orochimaru's place."

"...Why? You know he wants to possess your body, right?"

They were calmer than I expected.

“I asked Jiraiya, and he said I can’t train in Sage Mode yet. But… I need power.”

"Just because of that?"

Not only that... Without power, I can neither take revenge nor protect you; instead, I will only become a burden to you.

"I must kill that man."

Only then can you escape the shadows and never have to worry about being implicated by the vengeful ghosts again.

"I don't have time to play house with you. For power, for revenge, I'm willing to sell my soul to the devil!"

Crimson eyes bloomed in the shadows, the spinning three-tomoe jade pendants a unique way for the Uchiha to prove their resolve. Before that battle, those eyes were clearly only two-tomoe.

Naruto sensed the fluctuation of chakra; he knew Sasuke had used a genjutsu on him, but even three tomoe weren't enough to see his secret. He closed his eyes and fell down as Sasuke expected. Sasuke, as expected, couldn't tell whether he was under a genjutsu or not; he simply caught him and tenderly carried him to bed, covering him with a blanket. The hand that had gripped him so tightly eventually released its hold.

Sasuke chose Orochimaru.

Orochimaru is currently in the Land of Rice Fields and has not yet changed bodies.

"Please let me know when the transformation occurs. Thank you, Uncle Hashirama."

After the Konoha Crush plan was discovered, Hashirama's saplings were planted in every corner of the Land of Rice Fields, with Orochimaru's stronghold being a key target for observation.

I'm ready. How many people should I alter their memories?

Sasuke is moving towards the main gate of Konoha.

"...You Uchiha people defecting and still want to use the main entrance? What's wrong with you?"

"…Maybe it's tradition… hahaha."

Shut up, bro!

"...He's already being kind by waiting until dark to act; he seems to be waiting for the guards to change shifts. He hasn't lost his mind yet."

Can Orochimaru really be trusted?

"Don't worry about that. Sasuke is just a vessel Orochimaru wants. As long as he can't possess him yet, he'll take good care of him."

What about the psychological aspect? I'm worried...

"It's alright, Uncle Fugaku. When Sasuke confessed his plans to me, he was very calm; even his excitement was feigned, just to make it seem natural for him to use his Sharingan to cast a genjutsu on me. He's grown up."

After setting everything up, Naruto got up and left a shadow clone behind to fool the Root members near the house. As for the one who was following Sasuke and preparing to go back to report, that was his target.