Sasuke frowned again.
The chakra resonance between him and the older Sasuke wasn't fake. And the things this man knew weren't things anyone else should know. He had been close to believing him… and yet the logic still refused to line up cleanly.
Across from him, the older Sasuke was just as stunned. Of all the ways to be exposed, this was the worst possible one. If he'd known it would come down to this, he wouldn't have tried to resist at all.
And Sasuke wasn't wrong. If he truly knew this world's Mangekyō abilities, he would never have tried genjutsu so recklessly.
So what now?
The older Sasuke felt a headache coming on. If he couldn't convince this version of himself, then this entire mission was already over. Worse, if the Nine-Tails disappeared from this world too, the consequences would be catastrophic.
"…Do you believe," he finally asked, "that there are multiple worlds?"
Sasuke froze. "What are you saying?"
"I'm Uchiha Sasuke," the older one said quietly. "From a different world line."
He spoke without theatrics, like he was reciting facts long since carved into his bones.
"In my world, I was seven when Itachi wiped out the clan. At twelve, I graduated and joined Team Kakashi with Uzumaki Naruto and Haruno Sakura. During the Chūnin Exams, Orochimaru targeted me and left his curse mark."
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. His own curse mark had long since been repurposed to store natural energy, but the memory was still there.
"After the exams, I defected from Konoha to gain the power to kill Itachi."
"Wait," Sasuke interrupted sharply. "You defected? Fujimoto Tōma didn't stop you?"
The older Sasuke looked at him, then gave a faint, bitter smile.
"That's exactly the difference. In my world, there was no Fujimoto Tōma."
Sasuke went silent.
Without Tōma… suddenly, everything made sense. Of course defection would've been possible. Back then, the gap between him and Tōma had been so vast that even the Sharingan hadn't mattered.
And if he were honest with himself… without that pressure, without that presence, Orochimaru's temptation might actually have worked.
The older Sasuke continued.
"Three years later, I surpassed Orochimaru and killed him when he tried to take my body. After that, I found Itachi and killed him. That's when my Mangekyō awakened."
"…Your abilities?" Sasuke asked.
"Amaterasu and Kagutsuchi."
Sasuke nodded. "Go on."
"That's enough," the older Sasuke said. "I don't know where your world is on its timeline. Saying more could cause problems."
Sasuke glanced at the bandaged eye and the missing arm. He wanted to ask. He didn't.
They stood there in silence while Sasuke processed everything.
Finally, he spoke. "This is too important for me to decide alone. I'm taking you to see Fujimoto Tōma."
The older Sasuke blinked, then nodded. That name clearly carried weight here.
And honestly, he was curious too.
As they walked, he studied this version of himself. Calmer. More grounded. Less alone. It stirred something uncomfortable in his chest. Envy, maybe.
Boruto stayed quiet the whole time, listening. This was the first time he'd ever heard his teacher talk about the past so plainly.
They reached the Hokage's office.
The moment they entered, Tōma looked up. "You're here already? These two must be the ones asking about the Nine-Tails."
His gaze passed over the older Sasuke without much reaction, but when it landed on Boruto, he paused.
Blond hair. Bright eyes. And faint whisker marks on his cheeks.
That settled it.
Boruto Uzumaki.
If Boruto was here, then the adult beside him could only be—
Tōma frowned slightly. One arm missing. That didn't match what he expected.
Naruto and Sasuke fighting again? That seemed unlikely in this world.
As Tōma observed them, Nara Shikaku caught Sasuke's glance and quietly excused himself from the room.
The older Sasuke, meanwhile, finally relaxed. Tōma wasn't Urashiki in disguise. That alone was a relief.
Before anyone could speak, the small black creature lounging beside Tōma stirred. The Moon Sprite hopped onto the desk, tilted its head, and stared at the newcomers.
"So cute!" Boruto blurted out.
The older Sasuke squinted. "…What is that?"
The Moon Sprite vanished.
Boruto felt his backpack suddenly grow heavier. Then lighter.
His eyes went wide.
The sprite reappeared on the desk, cheerfully poking at a turtle that had appeared beside it.
"L-Lord Turtle?!" Boruto yelped.
The turtle had retreated fully into its shell, absolutely refusing to move.
"A space–time ninja beast…" the older Sasuke murmured, stunned.
Sasuke ignored the spectacle and reported everything to Tōma.
"…So they're from the future," Tōma said slowly, "and not even from our world's future."
"That's my judgment," Sasuke replied.
Tōma rubbed his temple. That explained a lot. Including the missing arm.
Then he looked at the turtle. "That thing lets you travel through time?"
"Yes," the older Sasuke answered.
The Moon Sprite nodded enthusiastically.
"…So it's true," Tōma muttered.
He accepted it easily. Too easily, in fact.
"If you're here," Tōma said, "it's to protect Naruto from Urashiki taking the Nine-Tails' chakra, correct?"
"Yes."
Before Tōma could continue, Sasuke cut in, eyes burning as he stared at the turtle.
"If that thing can move through time," he said slowly, "could it change the fate of the Uchiha?"
The room went quiet.
The older Sasuke frowned. "It could. But changing the past would reshape everything you know."
Sasuke hesitated.
"I don't think that's necessarily true," Tōma said calmly.
Both Sasukes turned to him.
"If your goal is simply the revival of the Uchiha," Tōma continued, "then time travel could accomplish that without altering the present."
He explained his idea plainly.
Rescue infants from the night of the massacre. No witnesses. Replace them with bodies. Preserve history exactly as it was recorded.
"The clan remains extinct," Tōma said, "until it suddenly isn't."
Sasuke's eyes lit up.
The older Sasuke stared at Tōma in silence.
"You're not worried about the consequences?" he asked.
"I don't believe in destiny," Tōma replied, sipping his tea. "If something benefits the people around me, I'll do it. Worrying about fate just sounds lazy."
He smiled faintly. "And who's to say this wasn't always meant to happen?"
The older Sasuke exhaled slowly.
"…I see why he trusts you."
Tōma shrugged. "Honestly, even rewriting that day entirely wouldn't bother me. As long as things improve."
Sasuke looked at him, then nodded.
He had his answer.
Then Tōma turned to Boruto. "You're Boruto, right? Naruto's son."
"Yes!"
"You can call me Uncle," Tōma said lightly. "Naruto and I are close."
Boruto's eyes sparkled. "Okay, Uncle!"
"Good," Tōma said. "Let's bring your dad over."
He vanished.
Moments later, a blond boy in orange appeared in the office, utterly confused.
"…Why am I here? And who are these people?"
Sasuke took a deep breath and started explaining.
Halfway through, Naruto went pale.
Then he looked at Tōma.
Tōma nodded.
Naruto swallowed hard, stared at Boruto, then at the older Sasuke, then back again.
"…You guys are messing with me, right?"
He gestured wildly. "I'm not even married yet! How do I have a kid this old?!"
Sasuke and Tōma said nothing.
Naruto stared at them.
"…You're totally messing with me."
The room remained silent.
...
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