Chapter 124: Visitors from Another Time and Space

"Sasuke, pay attention. This technique is called Chidori. It gathers lightning chakra into your hand, creating a sharp, high-pitched sound—like birds chirping. That's why it's named Chidori, which means 'One Thousand Birds.'" The man raised his hand, crackling with blue lightning. "But just so you know, I didn't invent this technique. It was created by Kakashi Hatake of Konoha."

"The Copy Ninja?" Sasuke asked, eyes narrowing slightly.

"Be respectful," the man replied, his tone sharp. "Kakashi is a top-tier jonin, one of the strongest in Konoha. He created the Chidori long before I developed any variations."

He paused, then added, "You have an affinity for Lightning Release, Sasuke. I don't use it often myself. I specialize more in Fire-style, Genjutsu, and Taijutsu. You and I aren't the same kind of shinobi. I'd say you're more suited for ninjutsu-heavy combat."

Sasuke didn't fully grasp the distinctions, but that didn't stop him from wanting to master a powerful technique. Truthfully, Sasuke lived a charmed life—his family was alive, intact, and proud. He had no tragic past to haunt him, and his personality reflected that.

Aside from a hint of arrogance, there wasn't much to criticize. He was diligent, driven, and surrounded by role models—his older brother Itachi, his father Fugaku, and his mentor Shisui. Even if it was just for the sake of pride, he couldn't afford to slack off.

---

At the same time, Naruto was training under Jiraiya's watchful eye, working hard to master the Rasengan. This time, without the Nine-Tails disrupting his chakra control, Naruto was finally learning the proper, one-handed version of the technique.

After some struggle, Naruto had a flash of inspiration and used a shadow clone to stabilize the chakra. It worked.

But Jiraiya was not amused.

"You sneaky brat!" Jiraiya smacked Naruto on the head. "The whole point is to build a solid foundation! If you rely on tricks now, how will you fight effectively when every second counts in real combat? You can't just assume you'll always have the time or chakra for a clone."

Naruto scratched his head sheepishly.

"Keep training the right way," Jiraiya continued. "If you really need it during the Chunin Exams, you can use the clone. But for now? Practice it properly."

Naruto groaned but didn't complain. He wasn't lacking in patience—he just liked shortcuts. Still, he understood the lesson and went back to grinding out the Rasengan, one rotation at a time.

---

A week passed.

Night fell on the bustling streets of Konoha. Lanterns glowed, shops buzzed with chatter, and among the crowd, a familiar figure sprinted through—Konohamaru.

As the grandson of the Third Hokage, everyone in the village knew his face. Mischievous and bold, Konohamaru darted around with the kind of reckless energy only a boy his age could summon.

Then—bang!—he crashed into someone.

A tall figure in a black cloak and face paint glared down at him.

"You little brat! You looking to die?!" Kankuro snarled, grabbing Konohamaru by the collar.

With his painted face and towering posture, he looked terrifying—and Konohamaru's panic was genuine.

"Killing a civilian in Konoha won't mean much, kid. Maybe I'll make an example out of you," Kankuro growled, clearly trying to intimidate him more than anything. He wouldn't be foolish enough to actually kill someone in the middle of the village.

But then—a voice rang out, calm and deadly serious.

"If you want to drag the Sand Village into war, go ahead. But that boy you're holding? He's the grandson of the Third Hokage. Try anything, and we'll see how long you live."

Naruto appeared beside them, his eyes cold. He was just about to intervene when an ANBU agent landed silently on a nearby rooftop.

"Don't worry, Konohamaru. ANBU's here."

"Brother Naruto… I'm scared!" the boy whimpered.

Kankuro, caught red-handed with the Third Hokage's grandson in his grip, immediately froze. His swagger melted away into pure awkwardness.

"Let him go," a cold voice ordered from behind.

It was Gaara.

Kankuro sighed in relief and quickly dropped Konohamaru. The boy stumbled back to Naruto's side.

"You Sand ninja better bring this same energy during the Chunin Exams," Naruto said coolly, staring at them. His eyes landed on Gaara's forehead protector. He wasn't the same naive boy as in another timeline—this Naruto had knowledge, experience, and confidence.

Gaara gave Naruto a long, icy glance, then turned and walked away with Temari and Kankuro. The ANBU disappeared into the trees soon after.

Konohamaru clung to Naruto's sleeve.

Honestly, he relied on Naruto more than anyone. The other adults were too busy—or too indifferent—to treat him like an equal. But Naruto? Naruto always made time for him.

"C'mon," Naruto said with a tired smile. "Let's go get some ramen."

---

At the edge of the village, space shimmered—and two figures dropped from the distortion, landing hard on the ground.

"Boruto, are you alright?" asked a tall, dark-haired man with a cloak fluttering around him.

"I'm okay, Master. What about you?"

Sasuke touched his side, wincing. "The injuries aren't too bad, but I won't be able to recover my chakra anytime soon. Urashiki absorbed too much of it. I don't even know where he ended up. I used my Rinnegan to switch places at the last second. But we might be chased again."

Boruto glanced around.

"Wait… this place—this looks familiar."

Sasuke finally looked up, surveying the area. The buildings, the air—it was unmistakable. This was Konoha. Not the one from their time, but Konoha nonetheless.

He leapt to a nearby treetop for a better view.

On the distant Hokage Rock, five stone faces watched over the village. Sasuke narrowed his eyes. The first four were as he remembered. But the fifth—

His breath caught in his throat.

His knees nearly gave out.

Tears welled up in his eyes.

The fifth face on the mountain was not Tsunade. It was his father—Uchiha Fugaku.

Sasuke stared, frozen. For a moment, he thought he was hallucinating. But no… that was definitely his father. Alive. Honored. Hokage.

"Boruto," he said in a low voice, "follow me. Now."

"Y-Yes, Master!"

---

In the Hokage's Office, Fugaku remained behind late, discussing the Chunin Exam plans with Nara Shikaku. Uchiha Shisui was on duty, overseeing the village's security.

Suddenly, an ANBU knelt before Shisui.

"Sir, one of the barriers has been triggered. It's space-time ninjutsu. Possibly a breach."

Shisui's expression darkened. These were special barriers—designed by the Uzumaki clan. They couldn't block space-time invaders, but they could detect them. Dozens had been placed across the village for this exact reason.

"Alert level: high," Shisui ordered. "We may have intruders."

---

Sasuke cursed inwardly. Even after trying to stay hidden, they'd been detected.

A moment later, they were surrounded.

Uchiha Fugaku stood before them in full Hokage robes, flanked by six ANBU and Nara Shikaku.

Sasuke stood paralyzed. Seeing his father like this—not just alive, but respected, admired—hit him like a Genjutsu.

The ANBU moved fast, hurling shuriken with unnatural precision. They curved mid-air—classic Uchiha technique.

Snapping out of his daze, Sasuke grabbed Boruto.

"We're leaving."

He vanished in a flash, dodging the projectiles.

"Don't engage," Shisui ordered, raising his hand. "This man is extremely dangerous."

The ANBU halted, watching warily as their quarry disappeared into the shadows of Konoha—a ghost from a future that was never supposed to exist.

--------

Clang!

The shriek of metal echoed through the air as Shisui's blade came down in a swift vertical arc—only to be stopped mid-swing by a kunai. Sparks danced between them.

Sasuke met his attack head-on with no hesitation.

Shisui narrowed his eyes. He'd noticed in that split-second clash that the stranger was missing an arm. And yet, despite the handicap, the man's reaction time was razor-sharp. Impressive.

In a blink, the two exchanged dozens of blows, their weapons colliding with deadly precision. Sasuke blocked every strike—and even found opportunities to retaliate.

"I'm not your enemy," Sasuke said, his voice low and even.

"Then tell me who you are," Shisui demanded, stepping back and narrowing his eyes.

Sasuke faltered. How could he explain this? If he told them he was Uchiha Sasuke… would they believe him? Would his father believe him?

His silence was answer enough.

"If you won't speak," Shisui said coolly, raising his blade again, "then don't blame me for being rude."

But Sasuke wasn't looking at him anymore.

"…The current Hokage is Uchiha Fugaku… sama?" Sasuke asked, his voice cracking with emotion.

Shisui raised a brow, caught off guard. "Yes. The man standing behind me is Hokage—known throughout the shinobi world."

Sasuke's gaze shifted toward the man in the Hokage robe. He couldn't hold it back any longer.

"…Father…?"

Fugaku's brows drew together. That voice—that face—there had been something oddly familiar from the start. But now, hearing that word—

"…Father?" Fugaku echoed slowly, stunned.

Before another word could be spoken, a flash of blue chakra lit up the battlefield.

"Rasengan!"

Boruto leapt into action, aiming to support his master. The orb of swirling chakra vanished mid-air—and Shisui's eyes snapped open in warning. His instincts, honed over years of battle, screamed danger.

"Susanoo!"

In a breath, the spectral ribcage of Susanoo flared to life behind him.

Whump!

The Rasengan reappeared from thin air, slamming into Shisui's lower back. But the shield held. The attack dispersed harmlessly against the translucent armor.

Without hesitation, Shisui spun and subdued Boruto, pinning him effortlessly.

"Hokage-sama," Shisui said calmly, holding the boy still, "we should talk. If this continues, more ANBU will arrive."

Fugaku gave a sharp nod. "Let's move to my office."

---

Inside the Hokage's Office

"Sit," Fugaku said, folding his arms. He didn't take his eyes off Sasuke, and the more he looked, the more uneasy he felt. There was no denying it now.

"Speak your truth."

Sasuke took a breath. "My name is Uchiha Sasuke. I come from another time—another world. You can think of me as a future version of your Sasuke."

Fugaku's eyes narrowed. "How old is my son now?"

"Twelve," Sasuke replied. "Just graduated."

"And how do you expect me to believe you are him?"

Wordlessly, Sasuke reached up, pushing his hair aside to reveal his eyes. One burned with the Mangekyō Sharingan. The other shimmered with the Rinnegan.

Fugaku's breath caught.

"Then tell me," he said, his voice lowering, "who is your closest friend? Or relative?"

Sasuke hesitated. His expression softened with reluctant honesty.

"…Naruto."

A flicker of a smile touched Fugaku's lips. "I see. That's enough."

"You believe me?"

"I do. No one can fake that kind of emotion. And besides…" Fugaku studied him more carefully. "There's a blood connection. I can feel it."

He glanced toward Sasuke's missing arm and frowned. "You've suffered."

Sasuke's voice was quieter now. "Is… Is Itachi okay?"

"He's fine. He's just not on duty today."

"And… Mother?"

"You mean Mikoto? She's home. Safe and well."

Sasuke exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"You really don't doubt me?" he asked softly.

Fugaku shook his head. "No. Family recognizes family."

Nara Shikaku, who had been silent until now, had already deduced everything from the conversation. The stranger before them was Uchiha Sasuke from the future. The blonde boy beside him, who called Sasuke "Master," bore a striking resemblance to Uzumaki Naruto. The logical conclusion? The boy was Naruto's son.

But what haunted Shikaku wasn't who they were—it was why they were here.

If, in that timeline, Fugaku, Itachi, and Shisui were all dead… then who had killed them?

Which village had the strength to eliminate so many elite shinobi?

Or was it something far more dangerous?

"I can see it in your eyes," Fugaku said gently, his voice quieter. "You haven't had an easy life. Will you tell us what happened in your world?"

Sasuke nodded. "…But first, is Danzo Shimura still in the village?"

Fugaku frowned. "Danzo died years ago. Why?"

Sasuke's face darkened. "That… has everything to do with it. Still, I'm glad he's dead in this world."

He paused, then glanced at both men. "It's a long story. Do you have the patience?"

"Go on, take your time."

And so, Sasuke began.

---

He spoke of the Uchiha Massacre. Of how nearly every member of their clan was wiped out—on orders from the top levels of Konoha. He told them about Danzo, about the stolen Sharingan, about the silence of the higher-ups. He explained how, in his world, only he and Itachi survived.

"How far the rot went…" Fugaku muttered. "So Tsunade became the Fifth Hokage?"

"Yes."

"And the Uzumaki clan?" Fugaku asked, a shadow flickering in his expression. "Did they not help?"

Sasuke blinked, confused. "Help? The Uzumaki were wiped out during the Third Great Ninja War."

Fugaku's eyes narrowed. "Then that's the difference. In our world, the Uzumaki clan lives peacefully in Konoha. If they had been destroyed, it must've been before your time."

"As far as I know, Konoha only brought Kushina back. They didn't help the clan at all."

Fugaku's expression hardened. "Typical of Sarutobi Hiruzen's cowardice…"

Shikaku smirked faintly but kept his thoughts to himself.

"At least we're lucky Sarutobi isn't Hokage now," Fugaku muttered.

Sasuke continued, recounting his defection to Orochimaru, his descent into vengeance, and finally, the Fourth Great Ninja War. He left out details about Kaguya Otsutsuki—there were truths he wasn't ready to reveal. Not yet.

Besides, this world's Fugaku, though much wiser and calmer than the one in his memories, was still not prepared for that scale of threat.

"And your injuries?" Fugaku asked gently.

"I was fighting someone powerful," Sasuke admitted. "Someone who rivals even Uchiha Madara."

Fugaku's expression darkened. "Then we'll need to prepare."

"It won't be that simple," Sasuke said quietly. "You can't help."

Fugaku looked at him, brows raised.

"You're different from the man I knew," Sasuke added, his voice low. "Smarter. Kinder. But this world… it's peaceful. It should stay that way."

He looked away, hiding the emotion in his eyes.

"I won't let anything happen to you. Or to this version of our clan."

There was a moment of silence.

Then Sasuke straightened.

"Trust me. I have a plan to deal with the enemy. Just… trust me."

Fugaku looked into his eyes—the same eyes he'd seen on his son—and nodded.

"I do."