The mechanical voice seemed to hold some kind of power. Hearing it, Sasuke's eyes lost focus as if he'd seen something. His forehead was covered with a fine sheen of sweat. He opened his mouth, gasping for air, and his body involuntarily took a step back.
"Itachi... Do you really have no regrets?"
A tall and gentle phantom of Itachi appeared in front of him. He still looked the same as before, smiling indulgently.
"Sasuke, I've never regretted it. As long as you're safe and sound, everything I've done is worth it. You're my dearest little brother."
After saying this, the gentle phantom dissipated like curling smoke.
The more nonchalant Itachi was, the more Sasuke's conscience bothered him.
The world owed Itachi justice.
The mechanical voice chuckled. Looking at Sasuke's increasingly determined eyes, it knew he'd agreed to participate and the game could go on.
"Mr. Uchiha, it seems our agreement is reached!"
Sasuke gritted his teeth and made up his mind.
"What do you need me to do?"
He asked, intending to test the limits of these so - called immortals. If they wanted him to keep causing trouble in the ninja world, he'd rather forgo this opportunity than go against Itachi's will.
"Simple! Just travel back in time. You decide what you want to do!"
Sasuke's pitch - black pupils were full of disbelief. This guy who claimed to be an immortal had gone to so much trouble to persuade him to participate in this game, but it turned out he didn't have to do anything.
As if sensing his doubts, the mechanical voice continued to reply.
"After all, it's a game. The fun lies in being spontaneous. We'll just watch from above as you travel back in time with your current memories. We want to see how fate will change. That's our game!"
"Arrogant!"
"Say whatever you want. Since you've agreed, we'll start the transmission."
"Start then!"
As soon as the words were spoken, golden light surrounded him. In the last moment, he caught a glimpse of a frozen Naruto, and then a wave of dizziness washed over him and he lost consciousness.
........................
"Sasuke, Sasuke. You'll catch a cold if you sleep here. Come home with big brother quickly."
He was roused by a gentle voice. When he opened his eyes again, he saw a young Itachi.
At this moment, still a child, Sasuke stared wide - eyed at his tiny, tender hands. He had really come back.
He had really returned to the time before the Uchiha clan was exterminated.
Itachi looked at Sasuke indulgently. Thinking he was still groggy from waking up, he picked Sasuke up and slung him on his back.
"Sasuke, it's time for us to go home. If we're any later, Dad will scold us."
Feeling Itachi's warm body, Sasuke couldn't help but grab his clothes and murmur softly.
"Itachi."
Itachi smiled gently and readjusted Sasuke on his back.
"Sasuke, you should call me big brother!"
He didn't reply, just savoring the warmth as Itachi carried him all the way home from the training ground.
"Sasuke, what training items did you pester big brother to do today?"
Looking up, he saw his father and mother whom he hadn't seen for many years.
His father was sitting upright on the tatami just like the old days, looking dignified and serious, truly resembling the head of the clan. His mother was as gentle and beautiful as he remembered.
As he gazed at this warm family scene, tears welled up in his eyes.
He didn't want to cry.
As a soul in his fifties, he should be calm and composed.
But how many years had it been? This dream - like scene, just like a Nanke Dream (a Chinese idiom referring to an illusory and short - lived experience), unfolded before his eyes again. The remorse, powerlessness, loneliness, and solitude from his youth were all replaced by happiness at this moment. How could he not shed tears?
Sasuke's sobbing threw everyone into a tizzy.
"Sasuke? Did you get hurt during training today? Let Mom take a look."
"Nah, some sand just got into my eyes."
He blushed as he declined his mother's concern. He was already so old, and if Naruto saw him crying, he'd surely mock him.
After the family finished dinner, he strolled alone on the street, recalling the familiar scenery from his memory.
Most members of the Uchiha clan had joined the Konoha Police Force.
At this moment, several Uchiha members from the Konoha Police Force were gathered in twos and threes on the street, surrounding a trouble - making ninja.
The ninja was unusually short and extremely cunning. He was quite proficient in the Body Flicker Technique and could always evade the Uchiha's pursuit at the most critical moments.
During his escape, he damaged a lot of street facilities. He seemed to be in complete control, not like someone in a hasty flight.
The actions of the Konoha Police Force didn't satisfy the villagers. They had accidentally damaged several shops while trying to catch the fleeing ninja, which made the villagers resentful and disdainful.
"Ah! My shop."
The shopkeeper watched as his hard - managed shop was pierced by several kunai, and the goods on display were scattered all over the floor in a complete mess.
"Those cops from the Konoha Police Force are totally useless! Can't even catch one measly ninja. They might as well pack it in."
The complaints from the surrounding villagers clearly showed the tense relationship between the Konoha Police Force and the villagers.
But Sasuke, standing nearby, saw it very clearly.
The ninja was grinning sinisterly, like a cat playing with a mouse.
He clearly saw that the ninja could have made a quick escape with just a few uses of the Body Flicker Technique, but he paused for quite a while, as if deliberately waiting for the Konoha Police Force members to come and catch him.
Moreover, most of the damaged shops in the area were obviously the work of that ninja, but the public opinion seemed to be manipulated, and all the dissatisfaction was directed at the Konoha Police Force.
Looking at that agile figure, Sasuke couldn't think of anyone other than the Anbu who would have such skills.
If it was the Anbu, then the mastermind behind it was obvious.
Tanzō!
That old scoundrel framed the Uchiha clan and forced Itachi to make a choice between the clan and the greater good. He deserved to die.
Without his meddling, with the efforts of the Third Hokage, they could have lived happily.
Because of his selfishness, the whole village of Konoha was in turmoil. Countless lives were lost. And he had been left alone and miserable since childhood.
His young fists clenched tightly. He never thought that the old scoundrel had already reached out his hand so far at this time, planning to undermine the Uchiha clan.
The ninja using the Shifting Body Technique had enough fun teasing the Police Department. He was about to leave, aiming to make the villagers in Konoha feel that the Police Department was incompetent.
Chakra gathered beneath his feet as he placed his hands in front of his chest.
"Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Five identical clones scattered in various directions.
"Idiot! Doesn't he know that the Shadow Clone Jutsu is ineffective against the Sharingan?"
After saying that, the Police Department members formed Hand Seals, activated their Sharingans, and observed which of the fleeing clones was the real one.
"This is impossible!"
After being inspected by the Sharingan, it was incredible that every clone was the real one.
"What should we do now?"
The leading Police Captain's face darkened as he noticed more and more onlookers gathering around.
Since this incident had escalated, if they failed to arrest this guy, the Police Department's reputation would be severely damaged. They've got to catch him!