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Orochimaru entered the Hokage's office with smooth, fluid steps, leaving behind an aura of chill that did not fade even under the warm sun of Konoha.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was seated behind his desk, reviewing scrolls and documents, but he raised his head the moment he sensed the presence of the Sannin.
"Orochimaru… you've finally returned from the Lightning borders," Hiruzen said as he lit his pipe. "How were things there?"
"Stable enough, Sensei," Orochimaru replied with a voice tinged with mysterious amusement. "But what I found upon my return here… in Konoha… was far more exciting than any border conflict. The 'Art Store'… and Uzumaki Rubiro."
Hiruzen paused his smoking, his eyes narrowing. "So, you visited the art store after all."
"I visited the future, Sensei," Orochimaru said, tilting his head slightly.
"This Rubiro is not merely a former shinobi or a struggling artist. He possesses an 'insight' that goes beyond logic."
"It seems his story about Naruto is not mere fiction; it is a precise dissection of our abilities and our secrets. Zabuza in the manga crudely analyzed the Sharingan, but what Rubiro draws between the lines… is what truly astonished me. He shows how the body can evolve under the pressure of death."
Orochimaru took a long breath and continued, "It is as if he is truly drawing the future. I do not doubt that the future on those pages does not exist by coincidence."
"So you realized it as well? As expected of you… wise as always." The Third Hokage was not surprised by Orochimaru's ability to grasp the danger of the manga so quickly.
Anyone with even a bit of intelligence could understand what the Naruto manga truly meant. And Orochimaru, at twenty-eight years old, was the smartest shinobi in Konoha! No one could rival him—not even the Hokage himself, nor Danzo.
"My stance is clear; this man is an endless research treasure. He must not be touched or coerced by force. Instead, the source of his information must be studied."
As Orochimaru said this, his eyes narrowed, and he glanced toward the office door before it even opened.
He had already sensed the unwanted guest.
At that moment, the door was thrown open forcefully, and Danzo entered with his usual grim expression.
"Study? He should be erased before he burns the village with the fire of his revelations!"
Orochimaru slowly turned toward Danzo, a mocking smile forming on his face.
"Danzo-dono… you still think with the mindset of suppression. You're afraid he'll draw your 'shadows' in the coming volumes, aren't you?"
"I am thinking about Konoha's security," Danzo replied firmly.
"He has revealed the Kyubi's incident, secret techniques, future conflicts, and advanced bloodlines. He is giving our enemies a roadmap to tear us apart. I will take him from that store, and I will make him talk under the hands of Root."
"Try it if you can," Orochimaru said coldly, releasing a terrifying aura that sent papers on Hiruzen's desk fluttering into the air.
"But I warn you… Rubiro is now part of my personal interests. Any interference with him is interference with my research. Besides, I quite enjoy reading his manga. His art is refined. I will not allow you to ruin it."
Hiruzen exhaled a thick cloud of smoke and shouted, "Enough! Both of you see Rubiro as a tool for your own interests. The manga is already in everyone's hands, and the damage—or benefit—has already been done. Sakumo is monitoring the situation, and I will not allow internal conflict over a picture book."
The Third Hokage's position was clear: continue observing.
…
[— Manga Scene —]
'He's coming!!'
'Calm down… Concentrate… And see through it!!!' At that moment, Sasuke's focus rose several levels higher than before, allowing him to avoid a strike to a vital point.
'He saw it!! No way!!' Haku was shocked as he saw Sasuke's eyes turn red—one with two tomoe, the other with a single tomoe.
'Those eyes…!! It can't be…!! Sharingan?!!'
'What a kid… It's not complete, but to awaken that ability during battle…'
Shaken by the realization, Haku said, "You are…!! I see… You're also from an advanced bloodline…"
'Just a little bit… but I can see!!' Sasuke thought internally.
"Then I can't fight for much longer… My jutsu uses up a lot of chakra. There's a limit to how long I can keep up this speed," Haku admitted.
"Most likely, the longer this fight goes on, the better you'll be able to read my movements."
"If your eyes are starting to catch me, then…"
'Attacking him head-on could be dangerous. I'll use that kid to draw him to me.' Haku decided to use the defeated Naruto as bait and dashed forward at high speed toward him.
"This is the end!!"
'What? At Naruto?!' Sasuke noticed and rushed to the rescue. 'Damn!! Please make it in time!!'
…
"I believe in their strength. Naruto's determination… and Sasuke is the offspring of Konoha's most outstanding clan," Kakashi said.
"You mean…" Zabuza was startled as a certain clan name came to mind.
"Yeah… His name is Uchiha Sasuke," Kakashi confirmed.
"A genius ninja with the Kekkei Genkai of the Uchiha Clan running through his veins."
"An offspring of that tragic clan…" Zabuza thought internally,
'No wonder he's improved so quickly…'
[— End Scene —]
Meanwhile, inside Konoha's Police Headquarters, the silence was heavier than ever.
The current clan head, Uchiha Hugaku, sat with the third volume open on his desk to the current scene.
Although he had finished it yesterday, the moment of "Sasuke's Awakening" was still burned into his mind.
"Sasuke…" Hugaku murmured, unknowingly gazing at his future grandson.
"Awakening the Sharingan at such an age, and with such speed under pressure… He's a genius beyond our current standards."
Beside him, Fugaku was reviewing security reports regarding the public's reaction to the manga.
"Father, the village is talking about Sasuke as a prodigy of the clan. But there's one line from 'Zabuza' that has caused widespread anxiety among our members."
Hugaku paused at the line in the manga:
"An offspring of that tragic clan…"
"What does that mercenary mean?" Hugaku asked sharply.
"Why does he call us 'tragic'? Is the author hinting at the extinction of the Uchiha? Or at a dark fate awaiting us?"
Hugaku stared seriously at the illustration.
"In the manga, Zabuza speaks as if the Uchiha are a legend of the past—something that ended or was destroyed. If Rubiro is drawing the 'truth,' then that means a catastrophe will befall us."
"The clan is now boiling; some see it as an insult, while others—like myself—see it as an early warning."
Hugaku clenched his fist.
"I remember that Sasuke said in the first chapters of the manga that his ambition was to kill someone and restore the clan… Tragedy, whether it happens or not, is something drawn on paper. It has nothing to do with reality. You must all remember this."
He looked at the clan members listening in silence.
"Is that understood?"
"Understood, Clan Head," they all replied.
…
In a quieter corner of the Uchiha district, inside a house, Uchiha Minoru was watching his four-year-old son, Obito.
(Author's Note: OC character, no need to search)
The child had read the manga yesterday, but today he opened it again—specifically to the page where the Sharingan awakened.
Obito was completely captivated. He sat on the floor, his big eyes shining as his small fingers traced over Sasuke's red eyes in the manga.
"Dad, look…" Obito whispered in awe. "His eyes moved! He was able to see Haku!"
Minoru approached and sat beside his son. At that moment, under the lamp's light, something surreal happened—the reflection of the Sharingan's tomoe from the manga could be clearly seen within Obito's pupils, as if the power on the page was trying to leap into the child's reality.
Obito stared at the scene unconsciously, lost in the details of the drawing.
"Sasuke wants to save Naruto because they're friends, right?"
Minoru looked at his son with a heavy heart.
"Yes, Obito. He wants to protect his comrade."
Then he asked gently, "A surreal ability, isn't it? Do you want to awaken it too?"
Obito raised his head, his eyes shining with excitement.
"Yes! I want to be like Sasuke! I want everyone to love me and be proud of me! I'll become strong to protect Konoha!"
Minoru sighed deeply.
"Those eyes don't come for free, Obito. Zabuza called it a 'tragic clan.' I hope you won't have to pay the same price Sasuke paid in this story."
But Obito had already returned to the manga, captivated by a world that was no longer just paper to him—but a future he now longed to reach.
…
[System Alert: +7500 AC — Fascination from Uchiha Obito!]
Rob smiled as he saw this bright notification among the other faintly glowing ones.
"Uchiha Obito, huh?"
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Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):
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Chapter 96: Awakening the Beast! The Kyubi's Chakra!
Chapter 97: Inevitable Clash! The Strongest Spear vs. Blue Ice!
Chapter 98: Summoning the Strongest Marine Soldier!
Chapter 99: Subjugation! Art Store — Kumogakure!
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BlackStar_BH:
The chapters currently available on Patreon are up to Chapter 124.
There are 30 advanced chapters available now:
5 chapters in the Silver tier ($5 subscription), 5 more chapters in the Gold tier ($10 subscription), 5 more chapters in the Platinum tier ($15 subscription), 5 more chapters in the Diamond tier ($20 subscription), and 10 more chapters in the Emperor tier ($30 subscription)
On Patreon and Ko-fi, too.
In the coming days, chapters will be made available for all tiers, reaching up to 50 advanced chapters… Enjoy!