Naruto Immersive Replay, The Curse of the Sharingan

"Ban! Wait—" Your exclamation was drowned out by the splashing water.

Thrown into the hot spring, the warm water instantly soaked through your undergarments. Caught off guard, you choked on a few mouthfuls of water and struggled to stand up.

Ban also stepped into the pool, his strong arms encircling you tightly.

You then realize that Ban has already taken off that cumbersome bathrobe, and now you are only separated by your own soaked clothes.

Chapter 50 - Talisman Paper

"Madara..." You tried to push him away, but he hugged you even tighter. His body temperature was hotter than a hot spring, pressed against your back.

"Don't move," Ban's lips brushed against your ear, his breath hot. "If you forget your birthday in the future, this is how you'll make it up to you."

Numerous kisses landed on your collarbone, and Ban's hand stroked your wet cheeks, brushing away the strands of hair stuck to your face.

You could feel his heartbeat through our chests, fast and heavy.

"You're so willful..." you complained softly, but involuntarily tilted your head back, giving Ban more space for a kiss.

Ban chuckled softly, running his fingers through your hair. "Who's being willful? For those documents, they won't even glance at me."

The steam from the hot spring wafted between the two, blurring the boundaries between them.

You close your eyes and feel Ban's lips move from your collarbone to the side of your neck. You know you should push him away; this kind of transgression is too dangerous.

“Ban…” you whispered his name, your voice almost drowned out by the sound of the water.

"Hmm?" Ban stopped what he was doing, waiting for you to continue.

You look directly into those Mangekyou Sharingan eyes that strike fear into the hearts of countless enemies, and say, "Happy birthday."

A complex emotion flashed in Madara Uchiha's eyes, which was then replaced by a smile. He lowered his head and kissed your lips, sealing this belated blessing in the steaming hot spring.

Outside the mansion, Huohe and Chuanlan, who were hiding in a tree, exchanged a smile and quietly left.

Your memory abruptly ends here. You snap back to reality, your fingers gripping the hem of your clothes tightly, cold sweat soaking your back.

Fragments of reality and memory intertwine before my eyes. What happened after December 24th of last year?

I went to Madara's bathroom, and then... my memory became blurry, with only some scattered images: the warm steam, Madara's surprised expression, and my own racing heartbeat.

But what terrifies you even more right now is that you're unsure whether these are real events from the past or hallucinations created by a confused mind.

Ever since leaving the Whirlpool Ruins, you've often found yourself in this state, unable to distinguish between memories and dreams.

Before the morning mist had completely dissipated, the clansmen stood in neat rows in front of the shrine in the Uchiha clan compound, solemnly awaiting this historic moment.

Ban stood at the very front of the group, the fan-shaped family crest on his black robe standing out prominently in the morning light.

"Young Master Ban, the time has come," the elder reminded him in a low voice.

Madara Uchiha nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping over each face before him, which held either awe or anticipation.

Uchiha Tajima was already seated at the head of the elders' seat, and he gave Madara an approving look. Madara knew that from this day forward, the future of the Uchiha clan would be entirely in his hands.

As Madara strode toward the position of clan leader, he could feel the gaze of hundreds of Sharingan eyes behind him.

The clan leader's seat was spotless, and the names of the clan leaders of all generations were engraved on the armrests. His fingers gently traced those names, finally stopping at the newly engraved four characters "Uchiha Madara".

The moment he turned and sat down, the entire shrine fell silent.

"From this day forward, I am the head of the Uchiha clan."

Ban's voice wasn't loud, but the tribespeople involuntarily held their breath. They could feel an almost tangible sense of oppression emanating from this young chieftain.

"I will lead the Uchiha clan to new heights and make them the overlords of the ninja world."

This wasn't just empty talk; every Uchiha knew it perfectly well. When Madara said "overlord," his gaze swept across the crowd, as if he could already see the ninja world ruled by the Uchiha.

The clan elders exchanged glances; some were worried, some were expectant, but none dared to question the weight of those words.

Izuna stood in the front row, his eyes shining with admiration. He knew better than anyone how much his brother had sacrificed for this moment.

Ban's gaze swept over his younger brothers, he nodded almost imperceptibly, and then landed on the empty seat that had been specially left open next to the clan leader's seat.

That spot was reserved for Uchiha Nagi.

Even knowing she wouldn't show up, Madara still stubbornly ordered a chair to be placed there.

The empty chair stood out starkly in the solemn ceremony, much like the unfillable void in Ban's heart.

After the ceremony, the clansmen came forward to offer their congratulations, but Ban mechanically responded, his mind already wandering far away.

As night fell and the bonfire for the coming-of-age ceremony was lit in the center of the training ground, he quietly left the noisy crowd.

Madara came alone to an ancient tree at the edge of the training ground, from which he could overlook the entire Uchiha clan territory.

A night breeze blew by, stirring his long hair and the hem of his haori. He unfastened the sword from his waist and gently placed it beside him.

"Why are you here all alone?" A mocking voice echoed in Ban's mind, the tone you always used. He shook his head, trying to dispel the hallucination.

Behind the shrine, an ancient cherry blossom tree with its dense foliage perfectly conceals your figure.

He shouldn't have come back.

But knowing it was the day Ban would take over as clan leader and the day of his coming-of-age ceremony, he returned to this familiar land uncontrollably.

You look at the empty shrine square; the ceremony has long since ended.

After hesitating for a moment, he decided to head to the bonfire party venue, where Ban might receive congratulations from his tribe.

However, as you approach the campfire, your keen eyes scan every face, but you can't find the person you both want to see and are afraid to see.

Your heart sank. You shouldn't have had any expectations. Ban is the clan leader now, and he has more important things to do.

His figure swept across the rooftops of the clan's territory like a wisp of smoke, without alerting any guards. As he approached the training ground, his pace unconsciously slowed.

Under the moonlight, a familiar figure sat alone on the edge of the cliff, the hem of a black kimono fluttering gently in the night breeze.

Ban's figure stood even more upright as he left, the lines of his shoulders revealing an undeniable strength.

You took a few steps forward, trying to see more clearly. Due to the decline in pupil strength, your vision at a distance had become blurry.

Ban's back suddenly stiffened.

Your heart skipped a beat. Impossible. Your concealment technique is perfect; even the Mangekyou Sharingan couldn't see through it.

However, Ban's head was slightly turned in your direction, as if he had heard something.

"Who is it?" Ban's voice was low and dangerous.

This must be a coincidence. Madara couldn't possibly have discovered that you have absolute confidence in your ninjutsu. At least for now, you are the strongest being in the ninja world.

Ban slowly stood up, turned to face the direction you were in, and the moonlight shone on his face, outlining his angular features.

You felt a shiver run down your spine. Ban's gaze was fixed directly on you, his eyes precisely positioned.

This is too strange. Your ninjutsu is still working, and not a single bit of chakra is leaking out.

Reason tells you you should leave immediately, but your feet seem rooted to the spot and you can't move. Ban takes a step forward, then another, and walks straight towards you.

As the distance closes, you can clearly see the emotions in Ban's eyes: expectation, doubt, pain, and something he's unsure about.

Ban stopped in front of you, so close you could feel each other's breath.

Ban raised his hand, paused in mid-air, and then, based on his memory of the height, made a gesture of stroking his cheek.

You can feel the warmth from his fingertips, as if they are really touching your skin, and your heart is pounding so hard it feels like it's going to burst out of your chest.

"Is it you?" Ban's voice was so soft, as if he was afraid of disturbing a dream.

You open your mouth, but no sound comes out. Should you show yourself?

Ban's ambitions were too great, and you didn't want to see more bloodshed, so you chose different paths...

Ban's hand hovered in the air for a moment before slowly lowering itself. A bitter smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Looks like it was just my imagination."

You instinctively reach out to grab Madara's sleeve, but due to the intangible effect of the ninjutsu, your fingers pass right through his clothes.

At that moment, a burning sensation suddenly came from your chest. It was the summons of the talisman. The talisman left outside the world had been activated, which meant that Mito Uzumaki was looking for you.

"I'm sorry, Madara," you said silently, giving him one last deep look before turning and disappearing into the night.

When that familiar sensation completely disappeared, Madara placed his hand on his chest, his heart pounding abnormally—a reaction that could not be explained by hallucination.

He's certain you were there just now, and although you didn't want to show yourself, you did come back.

This realization made Madara's lips curl into a slight smile. No matter how you try to escape, your heart is always connected to the Uchiha and to him, and that is enough, at least for now.

Ban put his haori back on and turned to walk toward the bonfire party. The tribespeople needed to see their powerful chieftain, and he also had more important plans to implement.

Unifying the ninja world and finding Nagi Uchiha were two equally important things to him.

The sound of the Naka River was exceptionally clear in the night. Senju Tobirama stood on the riverbank, a talisman between his fingers, his brows furrowed.

He shouldn't have believed Mito Uzumaki's words, but he still formed hand seals and lit the talisman.

The talisman burned in the air, emitting an eerie bluish-green flame that, while lacking heat, distorted the surrounding air.

Tobirama cautiously took a half-step back, his hand already on his ninja tool pouch, ready to deal with any potential danger.

A minute passed, then two minutes passed... The only sound on the riverbank was the rustling of the reeds in the wind.

"It was just a joke after all." Tobirama snorted coldly and turned to leave.

He should have known that while Mito Uzumaki was reliable, she could also have a quirky sense of humor, especially when it came to matters involving the Uchiha clan, at which point the red-haired woman would always show unusual interest.

Just as he took his third step, a chilling sensation suddenly ran down the back of his neck, and icy fingers gripped his lifeline.

"What, it's you? Where's Mito Uzumaki?"

Every syllable of the person behind him was imbued with a chilling malevolence. Unlike the overwhelming, tangible killing intent of Madara Uchiha, this sense of oppression was far more eerie.

Tobirama's muscles tensed, but he didn't make any rash moves. "She gave me a talisman."

The air behind him suddenly stopped, then grew even colder, and the fingers gripping the back of his neck tightened.

"You're not dead," Tobirama stated, his voice calm and unwavering.

"You really want me dead?" The voice was so close to my ear, its breath icy cold.

By the moonlight, Tobirama finally had a chance to turn around and see the person behind him clearly. When he saw what you looked like, even he, who was known for his composure, had his pupils shrink slightly.

The woman under the cloak had a deathly pale complexion, thin, crimson lips, and a striking gray-white left eye. Half of her face was covered in terrifying black runes.

Deep within the remaining kaleidoscope, a golden light emanates, a light that does not belong to the Sharingan.

The only thing that remains unchanged is the cold indifference that emanates from your very bones.

"How...did you become like this?" Tobirama said, the latter part of his sentence trembling slightly. It wasn't fear, but rather the instinctive human reaction when faced with something beyond our comprehension.

You tilt your head slightly, and your perfectly intact Mangekyou Sharingan stares at Tobirama, the complex patterns in the pupil slowly rotating. "It's quite unexpected that Senju-kun can be so sentimental."

As you spoke, Tobirama was suddenly bound by golden chains. He groaned, feeling as if his ribs were about to break, and his breathing became difficult.

Just when Tobirama thought you were really going to kill him, the chains suddenly disappeared, and he fell heavily to the ground.

"Cough cough...cough," Tobirama quickly adjusted his breathing, supporting himself on the ground as he stood up. "I know you're looking for a way to slow down the pain of the seal, and I can help you."

Your eyes narrowed, your left eye looking particularly menacing in the moonlight. "What's the price? I don't believe in free lunches."

Tobirama's gaze fell on your face; even though half of your face was eroded by the talisman, your appearance was still breathtakingly beautiful.

In the past, your intimidating aura and strength always made people overlook your beauty.

Now, as your power begins to wane, this suppressed beauty becomes all the more apparent.

"Become my research subject for Sharingan experiments," Tobirama stated his condition directly.

He expected rejection, or even more aggressive attacks, but to his surprise, you asked almost without hesitation, "Deal, when do we start?"

This straightforward answer startled Tobirama for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure, dusting off his clothes. "Now we can."

You stared at him for a few seconds, then suddenly laughed.

That smile sent chills down Tobirama's spine, not because you looked so terrifying, but because of that resolute disregard for your own safety.

“Lead the way, Senju-kun.” Your voice was light and airy. “I hope your laboratory is worthy of the standards for ‘research subjects’.”

Without saying much, Tobirama turned and walked towards the Senju clan's territory.

He can feel you following him like a shadow, your presence so strong that it's impossible to ignore you.

"Aren't you afraid I'll tamper with the experiment?" Tobirama couldn't help but ask after walking for a while.

“You can try,” you said, your tone eerily calm. “But before that, you’d better think carefully about the consequences.”