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--- Chapter 453 ---
Sasuke and Fugaku sat by the rice field. They are drinking tea in bamboo cups, gazing at the peaceful mountainside.
Fugaku sipped his tea, "So, why are you visiting me now?"
"The holiday day is still far away."
Sasuke smiled weakly, "I have to inform you about something."
"Or should I say, someone?"
"Father. Back then, when Big Brother was 'imminently' forced to choose between clan and Konoha, he chose the latter and caused your death. Fortunately, a person saved you and Mother."
Fugaku frowned, "Why are you being silly-willy? Just tell me already."
"Sword God," Sasuke uttered helplessly.
"He has returned..."
At first, Fugaku was displeased by his younger son for beating around the bush, but now he was shocked.
"A-Are you telling the truth?" Fugaku's voice was shaky.
"Is Batman finally returned to our world?"
"Yes. Sword God goes by the name Yunlong now." Sasuke nodded and explained how he met Yunlong in the Land of Snow.
Sasuke was reluctant but ultimately decided to share knowledge about the other world and gave Fugaku a brief idea about a universal-level powerhouse like Otsutsuki Shibai coming after them.
The Otsutsuki Clan will invade their planet soon, and Yunlong extends his olive branch to them in the form of subordination.
Fugaku's mouth twitched at the last piece of information, "That guy hasn't changed a bit. He really takes world domination too casually."
"Tell me about it. Yunlong's wife's mere presence alone makes me feel nauseated." Sasuke sighed to himself.
"But yes."
"Yunlong has the power to dominate the world."
"It seems he wasn't serious fifteen years ago."
Unknown to Sasuke and Fugaku, Yunlong wasn't even a God when visiting the Shinobi World for the first time. He's strong but not strong enough to contend against all Otsutsuki.
Well, the past is the past.
The present is present.
Fugaku rubbed his chin and stared at his younger son solemnly, "You said Yunlong give you Martial Soul... Can you show it to me?"
Sasuke smiled and summoned the Tengu Martial Soul, which manifested only as an ordinary-looking wooden bow.
Fugaku activated his Sharingan and observed the bow, frowning because he couldn't detect any Chakra. However, he did sense a weird, ethereal presence from the bow.
The terrifying soul power coming from the bow is bizarre.
It exists physically, but Fugaku felt it was much more than that.
'Is it like Itachi's Sword of Totsuka and Yata Mirror?' Fugaku thought to himself.
'There is something about the bow that I can't describe with words.'
'To think by training this thing, one could become a God...'
"Sasuke? You're back?" A surprised voice snapped Sasuke and Fugaku out of their conversation.
They turned around and saw Uchiha Mikoto in humble-looking farmer's clothes. She also has a straw hat, just like Fugaku.
Uchiha Mikoto has accumulated some wrinkles and is 'slightly' tanned due to working in the field every day, but she still looks like the gentle and beautiful Mother that Sasuke grew up with and knows.
Sasuke smiled, "I've come to visit."
Mikoto put down the wild grass on her shoulder and asked, "For what, though? Even though Mother is happy, it's not a holiday day, so I can't see Sarada."
Sasuke's mouth twitched.
Ever since he married Sakura and has a daughter, his parents really doted on her a lot.
Well, Sasuke couldn't blame them. Aside from his older brother's son, Sarada is the princess of Uchiha Clan.
Sasuke was on the verge of informing Mikoto about Yunlong's return when Fugaku abruptly halted him by tightly grasping his left arm.
Sasuke watched his father shake his head and understand the meaning behind it.
'Father, you...' Sasuke sighed inwardly.
He knew his Mother had been living well in the peaceful era, and his father didn't want to drag her back into the chaotic events of Shinobi World.
Sasuke cast a neutral expression and replied, "I just want to talk about Uchiha Clan with Father. It seems some old techniques would be useful for my training."
"Oh, I see." Mikoto nodded in understanding.
"You must be busy, but let's have a meal before you return."
Sasuke smiled, "Mm."
Watching Mikoto walking to a wooden house not far away to prepare the meal, Sasuke and Fugaku glanced at each other.
"I'm in," Fugaku said calmly. "When will the meeting start?"
"Tomorrow afternoon, the Land of Snow's capital, Kazahana Castle," Sasuke answered. "Naruto would probably bring Big Brother there as well."
"Got it." Fugaku went to a running river and cleaned his hands.
"Let's go. Don't make your Mother wait."
The Father and Son walked beside each other, talking about mundane things.
...
...
After the meal, Sasuke was 'naturally' sent by Fugaku and Mikoto off the mountain.
"Be careful on your way." Mikoto tidied her son's coat.
"I know," Sasuke replied softly.
Fugaku crossed his arms, "Bring Sarada next time."
"..." Sasuke.
Sasuke helplessly agreed because it's been for his daughter Sarada to meet their grandparents. And then, Sasuke left with a flicker of blue electricity.
"Woah, he got much faster now..." Mikoto was amazed.
"It's hard to imagine my little Sasuke has grown this big."
Meanwhile, Fuzaku frowned inside because Sasuke shouldn't be able to grow this much in a short time. He admitted that his younger son is one of the two greatest monsters(alongside the current Hokage) in the Shinobi World, but even monsters have limitations.
To Fugaku, Sasuke has grown old and overgrown his potential.
It means one thing.
The Spirit Master Cultivation really works wonders.
'According to Sasuke, he has only absorbed one Spirit Ring, yet the boost he got is noticeable. A way to become a God, huh? Who would have thought an old man my age still had such ambition.' Fugaku recalled his moment with the young man who called himself Batman.
"Let's go back." He wrapped his arm around his wife's waist.
"Mm." Mikoto readily responded.
As they walked back into the hidden farmland, Fugaku couldn't help but expect something from the incoming meeting with Yunlong.
'My old spark is still burning...'
...
...
Back to Sasuke, he's gliding through the clear sky with a flicker of blue lightning arc. He has been traveling for an hour and should arrive at Orochimaru's laboratory soon.
Sasuke looked down and saw a rocky mountain area. He slowly lowered himself and landed by a cliff overseeing a flat rock land.
He whistled, trying to determine an opening.
"As expected, Orochimaru changed the entrance again," Sasuke said while walking on the flat rock land. He stopped by a withering grass and sent a lightning bolt at it.
ZZT!
Crack!
A slab of rock pulled itself up, revealing a staircase.
Sasuke walked down the stairs and sensed several presences watching him from the shadow, but he ignored them.
"Ah, so it's you Sasuke!" A voice greeted Sasuke.
"Suigetsu." Sasuke looked ahead and spotted a sharp-toothed man with straight white hair.
Suigetsu is wearing a plain black suit with purple lining and black pants.
"Where is Orochimaru?"
Suigetsu put on a speechless look, "I haven't seen you for years, and the first question you ask is, where is Orochimaru-sama?"
"Damn, you're cold, as always."
"You're not worried about your friend's well-being at all!"
Sasuke clicked his tongue, "I need to discuss something with him."
"Suigetsu? Did you say Sasuke earlier?" A red-haired woman with glasses exited one of the rooms.
"Sasuke!"
"It's been a while, Karin." Sasuke acknowledged her presence. It was a bit awkward due to their past experience.
"Oy, Sasuke. You greeted the red-haired witch warmly while I just got cold shoulder treatment. How unfair!" Suigetsu complained.
"Shut it, fish face!" Karin shouted at Suigetsu.
Sasuke wryly looked at his old teammates and patted his forehead with a slight headache. They haven't changed a bit over the past years.
"Anyway..."
"Karin, do you know where Orochimaru is?"
"Orochimaru-sama?" Karin responded weirdly. "He's on the lab no.7."
"Do you need him for something?"
"Yes," Sasuke replied flatly. "It is quite important."
"Okay, then. I will escort you there." Karin fixed her glasses and led Sasuke to the underground facility.
"Hey, wait for me!" Suigetsu followed them.