Chapter 125: Sasuke Discovers a Blind Spot

"Hokage-sama," Sasuke began, tone grave, "the enemy's strength is… terrifying. The gap between us is wider than that of a Genin and a Jonin. I'm telling you this not to scare you, but to prepare you mentally. I'll handle it alone."

It wasn't that Sasuke didn't trust Uchiha Fugaku—or the strength of this world's Konoha. But he'd seen what the Otsutsuki clan could do. He'd seen entire dimensions crumble under their power. Only he understood the full scope of their threat. And he didn't want this thriving, peaceful Konoha to experience that same trauma.

"You say that," Fugaku replied calmly, "but we still need to understand this threat ourselves. You may be strong—but don't underestimate us."

Sasuke hesitated, then nodded slowly. "The enemy is from the Otsutsuki clan. They're not from this world—they exist beyond it. Their power rivals that of the Sage of Six Paths. At the very least, they're on par with Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha at their peaks. Do you understand what that means?"

His question hung heavy in the air.

Fugaku's gaze sharpened. "The Otsutsuki clan… Shisui, I remember seeing references to them in our clan's records. We'll confirm it now. Shikaku, come with us. Your insight might be useful."

Though Shikaku usually disliked being dragged into clan matters, even he couldn't deny the importance of this. This wasn't just about the Uchiha. It concerned the future of the entire shinobi world.

They headed toward the Uchiha compound. Sasuke followed in silence, a storm of emotions twisting in his chest. His mother, his brother—they were both alive in this timeline. This peaceful world felt like a dream he didn't deserve to touch.

---

Inside the Uchiha archives, Fugaku moved with practiced ease. Scrolls and texts lined the walls, ancient tomes collected over generations.

"This is the section on clan techniques and history," Fugaku explained, pulling down a thick scroll wrapped in protective cloth. With a subtle hand sign, he murmured, "Release."

The seal dispelled with a faint glow.

"This is it," he said, flipping through aged parchment until he landed on a page filled with detailed records. "There are mentions of the Otsutsuki clan here. Aliens—extraterrestrial beings, not native to our world. Just like you said."

Sasuke blinked, stunned. "You… already knew about them?"

No one else looked surprised. Not Fugaku, not Shisui, not even Shikaku.

Only Sasuke was left standing there, utterly floored.

"In my world," he muttered, "no one even heard the name Otsutsuki until the Fourth Shinobi World War. And you've had records this entire time?"

Fugaku gave him a thoughtful glance. "This was recorded by Lord Xiu Yu. He claimed that, long ago, Madara and Hashirama fought an Otsutsuki together—and managed to defeat it. Though Lord Xiu Yu did mention the possibility that the creature could regenerate."

"Hashirama… died shortly after," Shikaku murmured. "All this time, I thought he succumbed to wounds from fighting Madara…"

"You actually believed that?" Fugaku raised a brow at him. "You all assumed Hashirama died because of Madara's injuries?"

Shikaku coughed, clearly embarrassed. "It's… a logical guess. They fought, only Hashirama didn't come back. What were we supposed to think?"

Sasuke leaned over the scroll, scanning the text. "Wait. This… this mentions Otsutsuki Kinshiki. That's a name I've only heard once. How long has this been here?!"

"You mean to say your Konoha never recorded any of this?" Fugaku asked, almost surprised.

"No," Sasuke said, shaken. "We had no idea."

"Then perhaps this is where our timelines split," Fugaku said, folding his arms. "It may have started with Lord Xiu Yu."

"…Who?" Sasuke blinked. "Who is Lord Xiu Yu?"

Fugaku's eyes widened slightly. "You mean your world has no record of Uchiha Xiu Yu?"

"No. I've never heard of him. Who is he?"

"Uchiha Xiu Yu," Fugaku began, "was a clan member who lived in exile during Madara's early days. Madara found him, brought him back, and trained him. Xiu Yu was incredibly gifted—he rose quickly, eventually becoming a central figure in our clan. He and Madara worked together to establish peace with the Senju. With Xiu Yu's efforts, Konoha Village was born."

Sasuke listened, frozen. This name—this man—didn't exist in his world.

"Xiu Yu-sama was engaged to the Uzumaki princess, Mito Uzumaki. That solidified the alliance between our clans. After the village was formed, neither Xiu Yu nor Madara cared about becoming Hokage. Instead, they focused on strengthening ties with the Uzumaki and stabilizing the village's foundations."

"Eventually, when the First and Second Hokage passed, Xiu Yu and Madara left the village—to explore another world."

"…Another world?" Sasuke repeated, disbelief evident in his voice.

Even Shikaku's jaw slackened slightly. "Another world? As in… not this one?"

Fugaku nodded. "Yes. They left with Uchiha Izuna and a few elite Uchiha. Mito went too. That's why they weren't present for the later political developments. They weren't avoiding leadership—they were simply gone."

Sasuke stared at the archive wall as if trying to see beyond it. "So… this Uchiha Xiu Yu…. he was the difference."

"It seems so," Fugaku said.

Shikaku, meanwhile, looked mildly horrified. "And this… information isn't top secret?"

Fugaku chuckled. "It was once. But now? No. I trust the people I share it with."

He patted Shikaku's shoulder, easing the man's obvious discomfort.

Sasuke, meanwhile, was deep in thought. He and Boruto had ended up in this world accidentally—dragged here by a temporal distortion tied to an Otsutsuki artifact. But to think that the Uchiha of this timeline had already been exploring other worlds?

The differences were staggering.

"So," Shikaku muttered, rubbing his chin, "that explains the Kaiju…"

Sasuke blinked. "What?"

"The Uchiha's giant summoning beast," Shikaku clarified. "I always wondered about it. Unlike the three great summoning clans, it's ridiculously massive and powerful, but it barely uses chakra. Most of its strength comes from its sheer physical prowess."

"Wait—Kaiju isn't from this world?" Sasuke asked, stunned.

"It makes sense now," Shikaku said. "It doesn't behave like any native summoning creature. The chakra ratio, the physical scale—it was always off."

Sasuke let out a slow breath. He was beginning to feel like a stranger in a familiar home. Every step into this timeline revealed something more surreal.

"…What about Madara?" Sasuke asked suddenly. "Did he go with Uchiha Xiu Yu?"

"Yes," Fugaku replied. "Lord Xiu Yu, Lord Madara, Lord Izuna, and several others left together. Mito went with them."

Sasuke fell silent.

"…Then I'm the only one who can face Otsutsuki Momoshiki

------------

"Don't worry too much," Fugaku said, stretching with a yawn. "Master Xiu Yu left behind a clone. If things really spiral out of control, we'll bother him directly. I can only say… our generation is a little pathetic compared to the old legends."

Technically speaking, Uchiha Xiu Yu and Madara had no biological descendants. But that didn't stop the village from treating them as ancestral figures—pillars of history, of legacy. No one questioned it anymore.

Sasuke remained tense. "It's not that I doubt your judgment," he said, "but the Otsutsuki clan is… unreasonable. Their strength defies logic."

Until he saw Xiu Yu with his own eyes, Sasuke couldn't bring himself to relax. Stories were stories—but he had faced the Otsutsuki firsthand.

Fugaku gave a slight nod. "This situation is beyond what I can assess. We'll disturb Lord Xiu Yu. He may have the insight we lack."

"But first," Shikaku cut in, "let's eat. It's late, and we haven't had dinner."

No one objected.

They ended up at the Akimichi clan's barbecue restaurant, where the scent of grilled meat filled the air. It was a rare moment of peace before the storm.

---

"Master," Boruto whispered, tugging at Sasuke's sleeve. "Is that your dad in this world?"

Sasuke glanced across the table where Fugaku was seated. "Yes," he murmured. "That's my father… but not the one I remember."

Boruto tilted his head. "What's different about him?"

"…He's more confident. More composed. More prepared," Sasuke said quietly. "This world is different. The Uchiha and Uzumaki clans together make up nearly half of Konoha's strength—and they're thriving. I observed the on-duty guards earlier. Even the Uchiha are… kind."

Boruto blinked. "That's definitely not like our world."

That night, both Nara Shikaku and the Sasuke from the other world lay awake.

Thoughts spun in their minds like broken records. For one, it was strategy. For the other, it was memory—of things lost, things gained, and the quiet ache of what could have been.

---

By morning, Konoha buzzed with life. Birds called out from rooftops. Market stalls opened. And somewhere near the Fugaku residence, two familiar boys stepped outside.

A tall, blond-haired teen. A dark-haired one at his side.

Boruto stared.

"The blond one is your father," Sasuke said, "and the one beside him is me."

Boruto squinted. "You had a good relationship with my dad when you were young?"

Sasuke smiled faintly. "In this world, yes. This Naruto grew up in the Uchiha clan. He was protected. Loved. Fugaku became the Fifth Hokage, and Naruto was never alone."

"But… wasn't the Third Hokage raising Dad in our world?" Boruto frowned. "Why did he live such a miserable life?"

Sasuke's expression turned cold. "The Third Hokage wasn't as kind as he appeared. Boruto, never take people at face value. Not everyone deserves your trust."

Sasuke would never forget how Hiruzen let it all happen. He didn't give the orders—but he stood by and watched. And that, in Sasuke's eyes, was just as unforgivable.

"I'm gonna say hi to my dad!" Boruto said suddenly, leaping to the rooftop. "Let me test how strong he was when he was my age!"

"Wait—"

But Boruto was already gone.

"Konoha Great Tornado!"

He lunged at Naruto, foot aimed right at his chest.

With a bang, Naruto caught him mid-air and flipped him over with a perfect over-the-shoulder throw, slamming Boruto to the ground in one fluid motion.

"Wha—Hey! Who are you?! What's your deal, attacking me out of nowhere?" Naruto blinked down at him, confused.

Far off, Sasuke nearly burst out laughing. So much for Boruto's sneak attack.

Boruto groaned on the ground, wincing. "Ugh… my spine…"

"You alright?" Sasuke finally appeared beside them, offering Naruto and his younger self a quick bow. "Sorry. He's… excitable. Just a little mischief, nothing serious."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, but let it go. "Fine. But be more careful. The guards won't be as forgiving."

"Come on, Sasuke," the younger Naruto added. "Let's go."

The two turned and walked off, leaving Boruto and Sasuke standing there in awkward silence.

"…So?" Sasuke asked with a smirk. "How'd it feel? Getting your butt kicked by your own father, who's technically your age?"

Boruto grumbled, rubbing his ribs. "You said his strength was average when he was a kid! That throw nearly shattered my spine!"

"I also said you need to train your taijutsu," Sasuke said bluntly. "You never listen. You rely on ninjutsu too much. Even if your chakra control's good, weak taijutsu leaves openings."

Boruto bit his tongue, too embarrassed to argue.

"Let's go. We didn't come here to play around," Sasuke said, cape billowing as he turned. "It's time to meet Xiu Yu."

---

They returned to Fugaku, who was already prepared.

"I understand your situation now," Fugaku said. "Let's pay a visit to Lord Xiu Yu. Though… it will only be his clone."

In the center of the Uchiha compound lay a tranquil lake, its surface reflecting the morning light. Many young Uchiha trained there, especially for Fire Release.

At its edge stood a tree—massive, ancient, impossibly wide. Its bark shimmered faintly with chakra.

Fugaku approached it with reverence.

"Lord Xiu Yu, I am Uchiha Fugaku, current clan head. Our clan faces a grave threat… I humbly request your guidance."

A ripple passed through the bark. Slowly, a human face took shape, emerging from the wood.

Then a man dressed in white robes stepped fully out of the tree.

"…Fugaku," he said, his voice deep, his tone almost amused. "I hope this is important. This clone has been conserving chakra for decades. My true body is no longer in this world."

Fugaku bowed deeply. "There's been an unexpected development—an intruder from another world. And a threat from the Otsutsuki clan."

Xiu Yu's gaze shifted.

"…So, you are Sasuke." His tone wasn't surprised—just intrigued.

"I am," Sasuke said. "You're the one they call the 'God of Shinobi'—Uchiha Xiu Yu?"

"Well… yes," Shuu said, scratching his cheek. "But honestly, that title feels a little awkward. Let me take a better look at you."

In the next instant, he vanished.

And reappeared right behind Sasuke.

Sasuke tensed instantly—every nerve on fire. His chakra flared as he turned, but Xiu Yu had already retreated, calm and composed.

There was no spatial fluctuation, Sasuke thought. No warning. How did he—?

His guard shot up. This isn't just legend. He's… real.