Sasuke returned silently, seating himself on a fallen tree trunk as he finished the last hare he'd roasted.
The surroundings were quiet. Apart from the distant cries of crows and the occasional chirping of insects, no other sound could be heard.
While biting into the roasted hare, Sasuke's mind drifted to his plans. The Akatsuki had begun to reveal their hand. Whether they'd started collecting the Tailed Beasts remained uncertain. Still, his current strength rivaled most of the Akatsuki's core members, so he wasn't particularly worried.
Now that Naruto had become the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki under the guidance of his father, the Fourth Hokage, and considering Konoha's current military strength, Sasuke couldn't see how Akatsuki could succeed in capturing the Nine-Tails.
Given the current progression of the Shinobi World, even if the events of the original timeline played out—including Madara's resurrection via Edo Tensei—Sasuke felt confident. By then, his power would have reached the level of the Sage of Six Paths.
"Hmph, getting better at this. I'll go easy next time I activate Bankai." Ryūjin Jakka's flame spirit commented just as Sasuke finished his meal.
Sasuke's train of thought was interrupted. He rolled his eyes at the familiar jab.
"You say that every time. And every time, you burn everything to ash."
Soon afterward, Senbonzakura returned silently, its presence cold and distant as usual. The spirit did not show its face but hovered quietly around Sasuke's side.
Stretching, Sasuke retrieved a tent from his system space. Now that he was alone, he didn't need to conceal the use of such storage techniques. He could do as he pleased without restriction.
"Too bad I never learned Space-Time Ninjutsu… if I could conjure up a whole apartment with a seal array, this would be way more comfortable."
Sasuke shrugged. With the powers of the Soul Reaper system at his disposal, he wasn't overly dependent on Naruto-world techniques. Those were just supplementary.
As he finished setting up the tent, a sudden voice from behind startled him.
"That's the one the Great Sage was referring to."
Sasuke turned abruptly, his hand already on his Zanpakutō, prepared to unsheathe it at a moment's notice.
From the trees stepped three men in white robes, each marked at the collar with tomoe patterns that echoed the ancient Uchiha crest, yet far older in origin. Their faces bore arrogance, as if they were nobles from another era. The speaker stood slightly to the right.
Sasuke remained cautious. Their chakra signatures had been masked perfectly—blending into nature itself.
"Yes. Capture him, and the mission will be complete. He is one of the targets selected by the Shinobi Sect," said the man in the center, his tone flat and emotionless.
Sasuke's expression hardened. Shinobi Sect?
That term rang a bell. According to ancient texts, the Shinobi Sect was an order founded by Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki—the Sage of Six Paths—after sealing away Kaguya. It was believed to have vanished over a thousand years ago, its philosophy absorbed into modern shinobi teachings. Yet here they were.
"How do you know about the Shinobi Sect? What are you after?" Sasuke asked coldly, unsheathing Senbonzakura.
"A frog in a well dares to question the sky." The shorter man in the middle sneered, his contempt plain.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed.
How dare he talk down to me?
"Scatter, Senbonzakura."
The blade in Sasuke's hand fragmented into thousands of glowing pink petal-like blades. They hovered around him like a shimmering storm.
"If you won't speak, then I'll force open your mouths."
The petals surged forward, sharp as razors and precise as needles. The three intruders reacted instantly, their eyes showing momentary surprise.
The middle one formed hand seals.
"Senpō: Fūton — Kazekiri Senpū!"
A vortex of compressed wind roared from his palms, slowing the petal barrage significantly. But the fine blades of Senbonzakura cut through the gale regardless. The jutsu was powerful—not standard elemental manipulation. It was Sage Art.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed.
"So… you've all entered Sage Mode."
"Senpō: Katon — Ryūen Hōka!"
The shinobi on the left followed up with a massive dragon-shaped flame that roared outward, its size swelling further from the wind technique's support.
"Bakudō #81: Dankū."
A translucent barrier appeared before Sasuke, blocking the inferno in its entirety. As the flames dispersed, he stepped through, unharmed.
"What's going on?! Didn't the Great Sage say he was vulnerable to Sage Arts? We've trained specifically for this!"
The fire-user's confusion was evident.
"Focus! This is just the beginning. Senpō: Fūton — Kaze Yaiba Rendan!"
Seven wind blades streaked toward Sasuke in succession. With a thought, the petals of Senbonzakura coalesced into a spinning shield that intercepted the slicing winds mid-air.
Sasuke remained calm, but his mind raced.
Strange… they're in Sage Mode, yet their appearances haven't changed. No pigmentation, no facial shifts—nothing like Naruto's eye markings or Kabuto's dragon traits.
Which Sage training ground did they come from?
Despite his curiosity, Sasuke didn't slow his offense.
"Hadō #88: Hiryū Gekizoku Shinten Raihō!"
A massive blast of lightning surged from his palm, engulfing the trio's position. The resulting explosion incinerated a swath of the forest behind them. Trees disintegrated, the air reeked of ozone, and the force left a deep crater.
The three men scattered in time, barely dodging.
The wind-user was visibly shaken, sweat forming on his brow.
"What was that technique…?"
"Don't get quiet now. You were much cockier earlier. I find it more satisfying to destroy people like that."
Sasuke spoke coldly as Senbonzakura reformed into a single blade. In a flash, he appeared before the wind-user and slashed downward—but the man evaded with a rapid sidestep, as if he'd predicted the move before it came.
Just as I thought… they're using Senju chakra. Enhanced sensory perception.
The remaining two attacked simultaneously. One launched a heavy punch, but before it connected, Sasuke substituted with a log, vanishing instantly.
The classic Kawarimi no Jutsu—though rarely used now, its effectiveness in evasion remained unmatched.
That brief exchange confirmed Sasuke's hypothesis.
These were no ordinary Sage Mode users.
They were relics—disciples of the Ōtsutsuki legacy.
And if they wanted a fight, they would get one.
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