As night fell, the lights of Konoha Village began to brighten.
After changing out of his Anbu gear and mask at the Anbu's base, Sasuke, wearing a simple dark blue high-collared short-sleeve shirt and white shorts, walked home alone.
The road outside the Anbu's base was exceptionally cold and quiet, with only the streetlights casting his lonely, slender shadow on the ground.
Sasuke's thoughts, like a disturbed pool of water, could not calm down for a long time.
The scene he had witnessed at the village gate during the day replayed repeatedly in his mind.
That familiar figure wearing Uchiha Clan's clothes and a Star Ninja's forehead protector, and that fleeting glimpse of a Three-Tomoe Sharingan… Uchiha Shisui.
In his somewhat blurry childhood memories, Shisui, besides Itachi, was the brother who had been kindest to him.
He would gently guide his Shurikenjutsu, always wearing a warm smile, a brilliantly talented older brother.
But in the year before the 'Night of Massacre', Shisui had inexplicably disappeared, later declared dead without a trace.
'Why?'
'Why would someone declared 'dead without a trace' appear alive at the gates of Konoha?'
'Why was he not only alive but had become a Ninja of the Land of Stars?'
'Judging by the attitude of Land of Stars' Ninja like Iida Yusuke towards him, he seemed to hold a considerable position in the Land of Stars.'
'What had really happened the night the Uchiha Clan was slaughtered?'
'Why had Itachi done such a thing?'
'Why was Shisui-nii still alive, yet had left Konoha to join the Land of Stars?'
'If Shisui-nii was still alive, then… were there other clansmen alive too?'
'Was the Uchiha Clan… not left with only me?'
Countless questions, like vines, entangled Sasuke's heart, suffocating him, yet carrying a faint flame of hope, so weak he hardly dared to touch it.
A strong impulse drove him, wishing he could immediately rush to the inn where the Land of Stars' delegation was staying, find Shisui, and pour out all the pain, confusion, and anger that had accumulated in his heart over the years!
However, the calmness and restraint nurtured by years of Anbu service extinguished that impulse.
He couldn't go.
A strong unease in Sasuke's heart told him.
He probably wouldn't even get within a hundred meters of the inn before being stopped by Anbu's members emerging from nowhere.
Interrogation, surveillance, or even worse…
Sasuke didn't dare imagine.
He was no longer the willful youth who acted on impulse alone.
The inner struggle and the suppression of reason left Sasuke feeling a deep sense of powerlessness.
He lowered his head, letting his overgrown bangs cover his eyes, blocking out the external light and trying to block the tumultuous waves surging within his heart.
He walked mechanically along the familiar path, like a soulless puppet.
The unusual hustle and bustle of the surrounding commercial streets, brought by the Chunin Exams… the cries of vendors, the chatter of tourists, the clamor from the taverns…
All seemed to come from another distant world, unable to reach his ears, nor touch his closed-off heart.
On the shadowy rooftop of a building by the roadside, two figures watched him silently.
Adult Sasuke and Boruto, hidden in the darkness, watched the teenage 'himself' below. A flicker of gratified complex emotion passed through Adult Sasuke's eyes.
He had been somewhat worried that the 'himself' of this Space-Time, upon suddenly learning that Shisui had 'returned from the dead' and appeared in Konoha, would recklessly go to find him, triggering an uncontrollable chain reaction.
But now it seemed that this 'himself', tempered by Anbu service, had indeed grown considerably, learning restraint and weighing of options.
Even if this growth came at the cost of sacrificing some youthful spirit and enduring more loneliness.
"Master, look over there!" Boruto, crouching on the edge of the roof, his attention soon caught by the commotion at the entrance of a nearby barbecue restaurant. He pointed in that direction.
"It's Shikamaru-san! Choji-san! And Ino-san, and the others! Huh? And Sakura-san?"
Adult Sasuke followed Boruto's pointing.
Sure enough, at the entrance of a shop called [Barbecue King], Menma, Naruto, and Hinata were gathered with six other young people of similar age, talking and laughing in a lively atmosphere.
He immediately recognized Choji, Shikamaru, Ino, Kiba, Shino, and… Sakura.
At that moment, at the barbecue shop entrance, Choji, drooling, was excitedly pointing at the [Barbecue King] sign and shouting at Naruto: "Naruto! See! This is the 'Barbecue King' I strongly recommended to you before! Not only are their portions generous and prices reasonable, but they also have specialty wagyu beef from the Land of Lightning, deep-sea fish from the Land of Water, and even specialty ingredients shipped from further away! Just imagine that fatty beef sizzling on the grill…"
As Choji spoke, as if he could already smell the barbecue aroma, his stomach growled embarrassingly.
Naruto's mouth was practically watering from Choji's description. His eyes shining as he looked at the sign, he excitedly waved his fist: "Ohhh! It sounds super delicious! We just finished a super tough mission and were just looking for a place to celebrate! This is it!"
Menma, watching the eager Naruto and the hungry Choji, smiled gently and actively suggested: "Since we ran into each other so coincidentally, why don't we all have dinner together? It's more fun with more people. What do you think, Shikamaru, Kiba?"
Shikamaru, hands behind his head, showed a 'what a drag' expression, but there was a hint of ease in his eyes. "Well… since we're all out to relax today anyway, eating anywhere is the same. But…"
He glanced sideways at the eager Choji and smiled. "Choji is really hungry today. Menma, Naruto, you just earned your reward money, so be prepared to spend big."
"Barbecue King! I've wanted to try it for a long time too!" Kiba also chimed in excitedly, and the white puppy Akamaru on his head barked in agreement.
Menma smiled, walked to the shop entrance, and negotiated with the waiter about seating and set menus.
Meanwhile, the three girls huddled together, whispering.
Hinata noticed a trace of hard-to-hide fatigue and confusion on Sakura's face, unlike her energetic self at the Ninja Academy. She couldn't help but ask with concern, in a small voice: "Sakura-chan, you look… really tired? Are the missions too hard?"
Upon hearing this, Sakura sighed softly. Her gaze unconsciously drifted towards Kiba, who was joking around with Naruto and discussing which meat was better, then towards Shino, who stood quietly nearby, almost unnoticeable. Her tone was a bit low: "It's not really about being tired… it's just… maybe I'm a bit… lost in terms of my direction as a Ninja."
She rubbed her brow and continued: "After joining Team 8, I feel like… Kiba and Akamaru handle the frontal attacks and assaults, and Shino's bugs handle the reconnaissance and intelligence analysis… I feel like I can't find a position where I particularly excel. I always feel like I can't pull my weight, a bit… powerless."
As a former top student with excellent theoretical grades, this gap of not finding her own positioning troubled Sakura considerably.
Although Ino often bickered with Sakura over their crush on Sasuke, they were true best friends. Seeing this, she immediately came over, put her arm around Sakura's shoulder, and comforted her: "What are you talking about, Forehead Girl! You were a genius girl with perfect theory scores at the Academy! How could you be lost? You just haven't found the fighting style that suits you best yet!"
Her best friend's comfort made Sakura feel a bit better, and she forced a smile.
Just then, Shikamaru, who had been seemingly casually observing their surroundings, suddenly noticed a familiar figure walking past, head down, looking preoccupied.
He raised his voice and called out: "Hey! Sasuke!"
The young Ninja, each immersed in their own conversations, looked up at the sound.
Sasuke, as if he hadn't heard, still kept his head down, hands in his pockets, about to walk past them.
"Hey! Stuck-up Sasuke!" Naruto dashed forward, arms spread wide, blocking Sasuke's path, practically shoving his face into the other's, and yelled in dissatisfaction: "You! You've been appearing and disappearing lately. Where have you been?"
Sasuke finally snapped out of it, seeing Naruto's enlarged, energetic face before him, and the familiar faces of his classmates behind him.
He instinctively frowned, habitually masking his inner turmoil with a slightly disdainful tone: "Idiot, of course I have my own missions to carry out. You think everyone's like you, wasting time on D-rank missions like finding pets and weeding fields?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Sasuke realized he had slipped up.
Sure enough, Naruto immediately narrowed his eyes suspiciously: "Huh? How do you know I've been doing a lot of D-rank missions lately? I don't think I told you, did I?"
Menma walked over at the right moment and gave Naruto a not-too-hard punch to the back of the head, saying helplessly: "Idiot, which Ninja doesn't start with D-rank missions? Ask Shikamaru and Kiba, they probably got sick of them long ago too."
Naruto, holding his head, looked plaintively at Shikamaru and Kiba.
Shikamaru immediately showed an expression of 'unforgettable past', sighing dramatically: "Ah… don't mention it. That period, either helping old ladies find cats or weeding farms, was pure mental torture."
Kiba also shuddered and chimed in: "We completed a full hundred D-rank missions before Kurenai-sensei reluctantly agreed to let us take C-rank missions! Akamaru almost became a cat-finding expert!"
Akamaru on his head whined in agreement, as if recalling some unpleasant memories.
Just then, Ino and Sakura also walked over.
Seeing Sasuke, Ino's face immediately flushed. After a moment of hesitation, she mustered her courage and invited him: "Sasuke-kun, l-long time no see! We're all going to have dinner together. Would you like to join us? It's been a while since we all got together."
"Yeah! Yeah! Join us, Sasuke!" Sakura's emerald eyes also looked at Sasuke expectantly.
Sasuke instinctively wanted to refuse.
His mind was a tangled mess... he just wanted to be alone.
But his gaze swept over the smiling Menma, then over these noisy yet lively former classmates. Thinking of the upcoming Chunin Exams, which were destined to be far from peaceful, he suddenly felt that perhaps immersing himself in such simple, lively company might help his tense nerves relax a little.
He was silent for a few seconds. Under the expectant gazes of the group, he nodded slightly. His voice was still somewhat cold, but he didn't refuse: "…Whatever."
"Great!" Ino and Sakura cheered simultaneously. Although Sasuke's attitude remained cold, the fact that he agreed to have dinner with them was already a huge step forward for them.
Soon, guided by the waiter, the ten young people entered the bustling barbecue restaurant and found a spacious enough spot.
The boys naturally sat on one side, the girls on the other.
The charcoal was lit, the grill preheated, and various marinated meats and vegetables were brought to the table.
An enticing aroma filled the air, accompanied by the sizzle of fat dripping onto the charcoal, quickly dispelling the earlier awkwardness and gloom.
Naruto and Kiba nearly came to blows over the first piece of grilled meat. Choji displayed astonishing grilling speed and appetite. Shikamaru, lazily flipping the meat, complained to Menma about the childishness of Naruto and Kiba. Menma, smiling, kept putting Hinata's favorite meat onto her plate, her face flushed with shyness.
Although Sasuke spoke little, sitting quietly beside Menma, watching this familiar and lively scene, listening to Naruto's boisterous voice, feeling this long-lost, relaxed atmosphere among peers, his ever-tense heart seemed to soften a little.
Yes, for now… just let it be.
During a break as the waiter served the next round of dishes, Naruto could no longer contain his desire to show off. Hands on his hips, he said proudly to Kiba, who was 'fighting' with Akamaru over a piece of grilled meat: "Hey, Kiba! Let me tell you! We just completed a real B-rank mission this time! And we defeated a super strong S-rank Missing-Nin from Kirigakure! I think his name was the [Demon]… super… strong!"
He deliberately drawled, his face screaming 'ask me, ask me'.
Just then, a slightly curious and amused voice came from the next table: "Oh? The Kirigakure's Missing-Nin [Demon]?"
The young Konoha's Ninja looked up at the sound.
At the adjacent table sat three young people around their age.
Their attire was strikingly different from the Land of Fire's style. The one who had spoken was a white-haired boy with pale skin. He had pointed teeth and purple pupils. Leaning back in his chair, swirling a drink in his hand, he showed a somewhat defiantly curious expression as he surveyed Naruto's large group.
Beside him sat a red-haired girl in a white short skirt and a purple sleeveless kimono top. She had a delicate, quiet demeanor and was also blinking curiously at Naruto.
On the other side of the white-haired boy, a slightly older, bespectacled youth wearing a blue sweater jacket and simple cloth armor seemed somewhat shy. He pushed up his glasses and quietly added: "From your description… are you referring to Momochi Zabuza?"
"Kirigakure's Ninja?" Sasuke, Menma, Shikamaru, and the others who reacted quickly instantly became vigilant.
Shikamaru, son of the Hokage's advisor. Nara Shikaku, was well-versed in intelligence on various Ninja Villages due to his father's influence. Frowning, his gaze swept over the others' forehead protectors, and he said in a low voice: "Are you Genin from Kirigakure?"
Sensing the instantly tense atmosphere and vigilant looks from the Konoha group, the bespectacled, shy youth quickly waved his hands and explained: "Ah, please don't misunderstand. We are indeed Ninja from Kirigakure, but we are also examinees who have come to Konoha to participate in the Joint Chunin Exams. So when we heard you mention a Kirigakure's Missing-Nin, we were curious and couldn't help but ask. We absolutely mean no harm!"
As if to show friendliness, he actively introduced himself: "My name is Chojuro."
"This is Hozuki Suigetsu," He said, indicating the white-haired, sharp-toothed youth.
"And this is Uzumaki Honoka," He said, indicating the red-haired girl.
Hozuki grinned, revealing a mouthful of pointed teeth, and said casually: "Yo, Konoha guys! Looks like this exam won't be boring! So even Zabuza got taken out by you? Not bad!"
As the Demon who had influenced the Bloody Mist Policy and even attempted to assassinate the Fourth Mizukage, Zabuza's reputation was fearsome even within Kirigakure. Suigetsu was curious about how a few Konoha's Genin had managed to take him down.
Honoka simply nodded slightly in greeting, her gaze sweeping over the Konoha's group one by one.
'Hozuki Suigetsu, Chojuro, Uzumaki Honoka…' Sasuke, Shikamaru, and the others silently repeated the names. While curious about the strength of the Genin Kirigakure had sent, they were more engaged in a preliminary assessment of these unfamiliar examinees.
And Menma, sitting next to Sasuke, upon hearing the name 'Uzumaki Honoka', also looked at the red-haired girl with curious eyes.
'I hadn't expected that Kirigakure had not only ended the Bloody Mist Policy early but had also started collecting Kekkei Genkai Ninja?'