When Sasuke opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was an unfamiliar ceiling...
Wait, this joke has been done before. Next.
Sitting by Sasuke's bed wasn't just anyone—it was Uchiha Fugaku.
Fugaku sat with his arms crossed, eyes closed, as if he had fallen asleep. But the moment Sasuke blinked, Fugaku opened his eyes. His expression remained as calm as ever as he looked at Sasuke.
"You're awake."
Hearing that familiar voice, Sasuke froze for a moment before quickly acting as if nothing had happened.
"Yeah."
He... really missed his father. But to be honest, he was also a little afraid of him.
Fugaku acted like he didn't notice Sasuke's stiffness. Instead, he asked in a calm voice, "Uchiha Sasuke… a good name. Who named you, your father or your mother?"
Sasuke sat on the bed, avoiding Fugaku's gaze. He just stared at the blanket, his hands unconsciously clenching.
"I think… before I was born, my parents heard someone suggest naming me after the Third Hokage's father. They wanted me to become a ninja like him." He wasn't completely sure, but that was what he remembered.
"I see." Fugaku responded softly and said nothing more.
The relationship between father and son had always been like this. From the time Sasuke was born until the Uchiha clan was wiped out, he had never seen his father smile. Their conversations never went beyond "How's your ninjutsu training?" or "How are your grades in school?"
Most of the time, it was his mother who talked to him and asked about his daily life.
Sasuke had always wanted to be acknowledged by his father, just like his older brother. But in the end, he could never compare to Itachi.
Just as Sasuke thought the conversation was over, Fugaku suddenly spoke again.
"Have you been taking care of yourself properly?"
His tone was as calm as ever. The conversation was just as quiet as before. But the content… was this concern?
Sasuke was completely stunned. He didn't know how to react as he looked at Fugaku.
Fugaku frowned slightly. "You're already an adult. Don't tell me you still can't take care of yourself?"
His tone carried a hint of displeasure.
Sasuke was sure he hadn't misheard. He hesitated for a moment before replying in a quiet voice.
"I can take care of myself. The money I earn from missions is enough for me to live on."
That's true. His mission rewards aren't much, but they're not little either. Being a ninja is a dangerous job, so their income is much higher than that of regular people.
Sasuke lives alone, and with the Uchiha inheritance, taking care of himself is more than easy.
"You haven't changed your clothes in a long time, have you?" Fugaku spoke calmly.
With his sharp eyes, he could easily tell that Sasuke had been wearing the same clothes for a while. They weren't exactly dirty—on the contrary, they were very clean—but there were visible signs of repair. It was clear that this outfit had been worn and washed repeatedly.
Sasuke looked down at his white robe and instantly understood what Fugaku meant. He chuckled. "This was given to me by the people from Rikudou Sennin's village. Naruto and I traveled back thousands of years through the Dragon Vein. Over there, they only trade goods—money from the future is useless."
He laughed so easily. Even though he was facing the one person he never felt comfortable around, at this moment, he was completely at ease.
"Training?" Fugaku's furrowed brows relaxed slightly.
"Yeah," Sasuke nodded. "I need to prepare for a powerful enemy in the future, and I also need to…"
He paused for a moment. "I need to settle something with someone. That's why I need to get stronger. If I stay in the village, my growth will be limited."
Fugaku nodded again. Then, as if something came to mind, he asked, "What's your strength level in the future Konohagakure?"
Sasuke thought for a moment. "Aside from… Tsunade-sama and Jiraiya-sama, no one is my match. Even they wouldn't be able to defeat me easily."
That was about where he stood.
"Not bad. As expected of my… the Uchiha's descendant." Fugaku nodded in satisfaction. "But don't let it get to your head. The Uchiha are the strongest clan in Konohagakure. We should take pride in that, but we must not be blinded by arrogance."
"I understand," Sasuke nodded.
With that, silence fell between them again.
Sunlight filled the quiet room, and a gentle breeze brushed against the curtains, creating soft ripples that seemed to caress their faces.
Fugaku took a deep breath. His usually expressionless face finally showed a trace of emotion. "You should be heading back soon, right?"
"Yeah," Sasuke nodded again. "Rikudou Sennin probably sent us to this era to deal with Urashiki. Now that he's taken care of, it's time for us to go back."
"Through the Dragon Vein again?"
"Yes."
Fugaku was silent for a moment. Then he reached into his robe and pulled out three scrolls. "This one contains the Uchiha clan's Fire Release ninjutsu. It holds most of our recorded techniques. Watching an Uchiha rely on Lightning Release… it's frustrating."
Sasuke blinked.
"This one is about developing and using the Sharingan. There isn't much on the Mangekyou Sharingan, but there's still a lot of useful information." Fugaku, though usually composed, was starting to sound a bit nagging. He placed the third scroll beside Sasuke. "This one is a personal gift from me. Open it whenever you want, but it's best to save it for when you're facing a real challenge. It should help you, even if just a little."
For someone as serious as Fugaku, this sudden rambling made him seem more like an old man.
Sasuke suddenly let out a small laugh. It wasn't loud, but in the quiet room, it echoed clearly.
Along with his laughter, a few tears fell onto the blanket.
Sasuke covered his face with his right hand, trying to stop the tears slipping through his fingers. His left hand clenched the blanket tightly. His lips curved upward, but instead of another laugh, a muffled sob escaped him.
Fugaku paused for a moment, then placed the scrolls by the bedside. After some hesitation, he reached out and gently patted Sasuke's head.
"Uchiha men are supposed to be strong, but sometimes… it's okay. Crying isn't something to be ashamed of." His voice was calm, steady. "What's shameful is… not being able to cry in front of the people closest to you."
He looked out the window, his tone quiet but firm. "I don't know what happened to the Uchiha in the future, but from what I can see… something bad must have happened."
"But that doesn't matter. The Uchiha aren't defined by a single person. We are bound by the same blood, the same pride. Even if we walk different paths, we will always carry each other in our hearts."
"That is what it means to be Uchiha."
For a moment, Sasuke wasn't sure if Fugaku was talking about the Uchiha clan or just their family.
But it didn't really matter.
Sasuke lowered his hand from his face, bowed his head slightly, and spoke in a low but determined voice.
"Yeah."
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