Naruto: Sasuke Uchiha Returns from Soul Society

Then, everything fell silent.

Chapter 2 Returning to Konoha

Everything went black before my eyes opened, and I could smell an extremely pungent disinfectant odor.

Sasuke opened his eyes and looked around. It wasn't that unfamiliar street. He was lying on a bed in a room that wasn't very spacious.

The room was all white; it looked like a hospital.

He stood up and looked around blankly.

What am I doing?

Just as he was feeling confused, the door to the room was gently pushed open, and a young woman in a pink nurse's uniform walked in, seemingly preparing to change his medicine bottle.

When she saw the figure sitting up on the bed, she was stunned at first, and then the tray in her hand fell to the ground with a "clatter", and the bottles and jars shattered all over the floor.

"You're finally awake!" she exclaimed in disbelief, then instructed the nurse beside her, "Quickly inform the Hokage that Uchiha Sasuke has woken up!"

Sasuke ignored the commotion outside the door and remained quietly seated on the bed.

Soon, several medical ninjas arrived and began to examine him.

He neither resisted nor spoke, allowing them to unleash various green-glowing chakras upon him.

Was it a dream?

Sasuke wondered, "Or perhaps, who used some kind of demonic technique?"

The moment the thought crossed his mind, his gaze inadvertently swept over a mirror in the corner of the room.

A small figure was reflected in the mirror.

It was a child of about seven years old, wearing a loose blue and white striped hospital gown, with black hair, black eyes, and a childlike face.

Everything was exactly the same as he remembered himself before the night of the massacre.

Except for those eyes.

Also, should I inform the Hokage?

Sasuke's heart sank. He had returned to Konoha, to this unforgettable place.

What about the days spent training at the Shinigami Academy and in Soul Society?

Was all the power I gained fake?!

Sasuke Uchiha lowered his head in despair, subconsciously calming his mind and exploring his own soul.

The next second, he shuddered.

Deep within his consciousness, in that familiar mental space, a Zanpakuto was quietly floating there.

The cloth strips wrapped around the hilt and the scratches on the scabbard all exuded the scent he knew best.

It's not a hallucination.

Zanpakuto, as the embodiment of a Shinigami's soul, is absolutely impossible to imitate or forge.

It's here.

This means that his experiences in Soul Society over the past three years were all real.

"It's not a dream..."

"I have returned to Konoha, and my soul, my power... all have returned with me."

A series of hurried yet steady footsteps echoed in the corridor of Konoha Hospital.

Throughout the journey, the Third Hokage's inner world was far from as calm as he appeared on the surface.

After the Uchiha clan massacre, Sasuke Uchiha fell into a coma that lasted for several days.

No matter how Konoha's top medical ninjas diagnosed it, they could not find any physical trauma.

If he were to die like that, it would be difficult to explain to Itachi.

Fortunately, he woke up.

Pushing open the door to the ward, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately saw Sasuke sitting on the bed.

He was looking down at that moment, his small body appearing particularly thin under the oversized hospital gown, as if a gust of wind could blow him over.

However, when he looked up at the sound of the door opening, those eyes made the Third Hokage's heart sink.

That's not the look a child should have.

There was no sense of relief at surviving a disaster, nor even sadness.

Those dark eyes held only an unfathomable indifference.

"Sasuke, you're awake. That's wonderful." Hiruzen Sarutobi suppressed his surprise and forced a gentle, kind smile onto his face.

He slowly walked to the bedside and sat down, gently asking, "How are you feeling? Do you remember what happened a few nights ago?"

This question instantly shattered the inner world Sasuke had just built, pulling him back to reality.

“A few nights ago…” he repeated in a low voice, his cold eyes instantly turning blood red.

He raised his head and stared intently at the old man known as "The Hero of Endurance" before him, and recounted the hellish scene of that night.

He didn't cry out, he didn't tremble, it was as if he were telling a story that had nothing to do with him.

After listening to Sasuke's account, Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent.

He picked up his pipe, took a deep drag, and slowly exhaled thick white smoke.

"Sigh..." He sighed heavily, as if he were heartbroken over the tragedy.

"Just as you described, based on our investigation, we can basically conclude that all of this was done by your brother, Uchiha Itachi."

He looked at Sasuke with feigned sorrow and continued, "Don't worry, the village has already listed Uchiha Itachi as an S-rank rogue ninja and issued the highest-level wanted notice."

“We will do everything in our power to hunt him down and make him pay for his crimes.”

“No need,” Sasuke interrupted him.

"This is a matter concerning our Uchiha clan."

He raised his chin, his bloodshot eyes filled with determination. "That man is my target. I will end him with my own hands."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the child before him and sighed again, his tone tinged with helplessness: "Since you've made this decision, then strive to become stronger, Sasuke."

After a brief silence, Sasuke made another request: "I want to see my father and mother's remains, one last time."

This unexpected question made Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes flicker.

He removed the pipe from his mouth, avoiding Sasuke's direct gaze, and said slowly, "They have already been buried, so let's not disturb their peace."

However, when the Anbu took inventory at the scene, they discovered that most of the people's Sharingan were missing.

He slowly stood up and patted Sasuke on the shoulder.

"Get some rest, Sasuke. The village is your home too. If you need anything, feel free to come to me anytime."

After saying that, the Third Hokage, along with two Anbu members, turned and left the ward.

The moment the door closed, the gentleness on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a solemn expression.

He whispered an order to the ANBU beside him: "From now on, monitor Uchiha Sasuke 24 hours a day."

Silence returned to the ward.

Sasuke stood alone, slowly clenching his small fist.

"Buried?" he muttered to himself, a mocking sneer curling at the corner of his mouth.

He may not fully understand the power struggles of Konoha's higher-ups, but in his three years in Soul Society, although he hadn't experienced it himself, he had heard far too many lies and betrayals.

The Third Hokage's fleeting glance couldn't escape his notice.

Sasuke closed his eyes, having roughly guessed what was going on with his situation.

"Konoha and Soul Society should be two completely different worlds, and I have returned..."

He felt the familiar and powerful spiritual pressure within his body, and the restless Zanpakuto. "Although I haven't mastered Bankai yet, it's enough."

The next moment, he suddenly threw off the covers and struggled to get up from the bed.

Just then, a young nurse pushed the door open and saw his actions. She quickly stepped forward to stop him, saying, "Sasuke-kun, you've just woken up and are still very weak. You need to rest!"

She reached out her hand, wanting to help Sasuke.

However, before her hand could even touch Sasuke's clothes, it was easily flung away by a clever force.

Sasuke didn't even glance at her, simply saying coldly, "Get out of my way."

He staggered toward the door, heading to that place, the place that held all his happiness and despair: the Uchiha clan's territory.

He wanted to see for himself what was left there.

Chapter 3 Your Regret, My Shadow

Uchiha Sasuke walked out of Konoha Hospital, looked at the Hokage Rock in the distance, and pondered to himself.

The Third Hokage was referring to the night before last, not three years ago.

Does that mean that during the three years I was in Soul Society, time in that world was relatively stagnant, and only began to flow again after I returned?

"Get out of here! Don't come near my shop!"

A burst of noise pulled Sasuke back to reality.

"You bastard, what are you standing there for? Can't you understand human language?"

Not far away, a convenience store owner was raising a broom high, and below him was a blond kid clutching a banknote, too afraid to look up.

But the broom failed to hit Naruto's head as usual.

The moment the boss made his move.

A flash of cold light, and the loose handle was severed, the broom head falling to the ground.

"Damn it, my broom!"