Naruto: Sasuke Uchiha Returns from Soul Society

This left him frozen in place, his mind blank.

Before Sasuke could react, she transformed into a purple blur and nimbly leaped onto the nearby cliff.

"Then, as payment for staying to keep you company..."

Yoruichi's voice came from the cliff, full of sly laughter, "As punishment, you'd better first introduce this world to me properly!"

"..."

Only Uchiha Sasuke remained in the valley.

He subconsciously raised his hand and gently brushed his fingertips across his cheek where he had just been touched.

There, a trace of soft warmth and a faint fragrance seemed to linger.

for a long time.

As the mountain breeze blew, a blush quietly crept onto that cold face.

............

Beneath the surface of Yinyin Village.

Sasuke calmed down a bit and walked back to the familiar laboratory. On his shoulder, a jet-black cat was lazily yawning and curiously scanning this filthy place.

Orochimaru, who had been sitting on the stone seat for a long time, immediately revealed a sickly smile when he saw Sasuke.

"...Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke ignored his pleasantries and gestured with his eyes.

"intelligence."

"Oh dear, still so impatient." Orochimaru chuckled hoarsely, nodding slightly to Kabuto Yakushi beside him.

Kabuto understood and took out several scrolls that he had prepared beforehand from his pocket, handing them to Sasuke.

"This is all the information I've gathered over the years regarding the abilities of known members of the Akatsuki organization, and..."

A hint of amusement flashed in Orochimaru's snake-like eyes. "All the known information about the tailed beasts and their jinchūriki."

Sasuke took the yellowed parchment scrolls. They felt slightly heavy in his hand, and intricate sealing techniques were drawn on them to prevent information from being leaked.

He didn't open them immediately; he simply put them away.

Just then, Orochimaru's gaze finally fell on the black cat on Sasuke's shoulder.

"This cat... seems a bit special. It doesn't have any chakra fluctuations, but its eyes are full of intelligence."

He looked at Sasuke with a knowing smile. "As expected of the Uchiha clan, even their summoned beast is such an extraordinary ninja cat."

Uchiha Sasuke raised an eyebrow and nodded slightly, which was taken as acquiescence.

However, Yoruichi, who was perched on his shoulder, suddenly narrowed her eyes upon hearing the words "Uchiha clan."

The Uchiha clan?

Yoruichi glanced strangely at Sasuke beneath her, her heart stirred with turmoil.

Regarding the Uchiha surname, she had only met Sasuke, but this snake-like man was referring to "the clan".

Could it be...?

A somewhat absurd thought popped into my head.

This brat, he was originally from this world?!

"Sasuke-kun."

Orochimaru's voice interrupted Yoruichi's thoughts, and there was a hint of pleading in his voice, "Since we are allies now, there is something I might need your help with."

Sasuke looked at him.

Orochimaru slowly raised his hand, which was unable to gather chakra, and a hint of hatred flashed in his snake eyes.

"The Third Hokage used a forbidden technique to seal the soul of my arms with the 'Grim Reaper'."

"grim Reaper?!"

Yoruichi murmured a sound upon hearing the word.

Sasuke Uchiha felt the movement on his shoulder and calmly explained to Yoruichi, "They're different from us."

Orochimaru was taken aback, not understanding the meaning of Sasuke's words, but Sasuke clearly had no interest in explaining.

"What do you want me to do?" Sasuke asked directly.

"Ugh......"

Orochimaru sighed, "I still haven't figured out the origin of that 'Grim Reaper,' so there's only one last option left."

"Tsunade."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

One of the legendary Sannin, granddaughter of the First Hokage, and a woman who possesses the strongest medical ninjutsu in the ninja world.

Orochimaru: "If I can find her, there is a chance my arm can be restored."

"Where is she?" Sasuke asked.

"That will take some effort."

Orochimaru chuckled self-deprecatingly, "That woman developed hemophobia after her brother and lover died. She left the village long ago, became addicted to gambling, and wanders around with an uncertain whereabouts."

Sasuke nodded slightly, which was considered his agreement.

He turned around and disappeared into the darkness of the passage with Yoruichi on his shoulder.

The laboratory fell silent once more.

"Lord Orochimaru."

Kabuto Yakushi emerged from the shadows, his eyes behind his glasses gleaming with an unusual light. "Are we just going to let him go like that?"

"Heh... what else?"

Orochimaru leaned back in his chair, his voice hoarse, "In my current state, I can't keep him here."

He slowly closed his eyes, as if savoring something.

"However, Kabuto..."

"Yes."

"Go and find out the origins of the technique that old man Sarutobi used back then."

"Yes."

Chapter 127 A roadside creature, killed with a single blow

The boundless night completely swallowed up the surrounding desolation.

The campfire was the only source of light in the darkness, its orange flames flickering and casting long shadows of the two figures sitting opposite each other.

Sasuke sat cross-legged beside the campfire, absentmindedly poking at the firewood in front of him with the scabbard in his hand. Sparks rose with his movements, only to be quickly extinguished in the night wind.

He stared blankly at the flames, his face expressionless, revealing nothing of his thoughts.

Opposite him, Yoruichi Shihouin had already returned to her human form, her long purple hair glowing with a warm light in the firelight.

She rested her chin on her hand, her golden cat-like eyes reflecting the dancing flames and the silent boy.

After a long while, she slowly spoke, breaking the silence that was filled only with the chirping of insects and the crackling of the campfire.

"This world..."

But he paused noticeably, as if he was considering whether or not to ask the question that had been lingering in his mind for a long time.

"Speak," Sasuke said calmly, his movements of poking at the campfire continuing without pause.

"This is your hometown, isn't it?" Yoruichi finally asked.

She stared intently at Sasuke's profile, trying to discern something from it.

"..."

The sword sheath in Sasuke's hand finally came to a stop.

He had anticipated this problem; with Yoruichi's intelligence, it wasn't difficult for her to guess it from Orochimaru's few words.

He stared blankly at the burning flames before him, watching the dancing sparks, before finally speaking slowly, his voice muffled by the crackling of the campfire.

"...it used to be."

Having received an affirmative answer, Yoruichi fell silent again.

She didn't press for more details about the story behind it, because she knew it must have been a past that could completely crush a person.

After waiting for a while, Sasuke still didn't hear Yoruichi's response, so he turned his head to stare at her.

"What, aren't you going to keep asking?"

Yoruichi stood up, walked around the campfire to Sasuke's side, sat down next to him, and together they watched the flames.

"No." She tilted her head, her long purple hair sliding down her shoulder. "There's nothing I want to ask."

There must be a reason why you haven't brought up anything yet.

Ye turned her head, her eyes bright, and her voice became even softer, "That is your past, and I don't know how to touch it."

"I don't know a good way to get into your heart without touching your pain."

"So I will wait until you want to say it, until you feel it doesn't matter if you say it."

"It's okay not to say anything until then."

"..."

Sasuke's body stiffened almost imperceptibly as he stared blankly at Yoruichi's profile, his mind a complete blank.

In that instant, he thought of many people.

They all tried to save him, chase after him, or exploit him in their own ways.

But no one had ever told him so calmly as the woman before him—