Sasuke glanced skeptically at Satoru after hearing his response. A nagging doubt lingered in his heart—his second brother seemed far too familiar with Kakashi-sensei.
Back then, Sasuke had been too young to understand much about Satoru's past in Konoha. He had no idea his second brother was once a prominent figure, with connections throughout the village.
The only memories he had were of Satoru's frequent pranks and eccentric antics.
"Let's go, Sasuke. Show us around Konoha," Satoru said with a wide grin.
He glanced at the bustling streets ahead and added wistfully, "I wonder if that three-color dango shop is still around. It feels nostalgic."
"You still like sweets that much?" Sasuke sighed, shaking his head. "I'm surprised you haven't gotten tooth decay yet."
"Tooth decay?!" Satoru exclaimed, shaking his head in mock disbelief. "With my flawless looks? Impossible!"
Behind them, Ghost Lantern Hozuki watched the siblings banter, a mix of envy and amusement flickering in her eyes.
"Ah, I'm so jealous of how close they are," she muttered.
Bai gave her a pointed look. "You're crushing that flower in your hand."
Ghost Lantern Hozuki looked down and blinked at the mangled petals. "Oh… I didn't notice. But I'm just a little envious, that's all."
The emptiness in her tone betrayed her words.
As they strolled through the familiar streets of Konoha, Satoru stopped abruptly.
"South Street dim sum shop?" he murmured, spotting the old sign. His eyes lit up as he turned to Sasuke.
"Sasuke! Do you want a snack? It's on me!"
Sasuke froze for a moment, memories of Satoru's sugar-fueled chaos flooding back.
"You go ahead," Sasuke said firmly, stepping back. "I'll wait outside."
Ghost Lantern Hozuki and Bai also politely declined. They had learned their lesson about accompanying Satoru during his dango indulgences.
"Fine, your loss," Satoru said, pulling his bandages over his eyes before striding into the shop.
Sasuke watched him go and muttered under his breath, "I hope he doesn't scare anyone."
After a while, Satoru emerged triumphantly, holding a fresh skewer of three-color dango. But as he looked around, he realized something was wrong.
The street was empty.
"Sasuke? Bai? Kazuki?" he called, glancing around.
Where did everyone go?
Elsewhere in the village, trouble was brewing.
A man dressed in black, his face painted with a strange pattern, held a young boy by the collar.
"Let go of me!" the boy struggled, kicking his legs in defiance.
"Quiet, you little brat," the man said with a smirk. "Let's play a bit before anyone shows up to stop me."
"Put him down!"
Naruto appeared, his fists clenched and his eyes blazing with fury.
The man in black glanced at him with mild disdain.
This is the best Konoha has to offer?
With a flick of his hand, thin threads shot forward, wrapping around Naruto. The blonde stopped mid-charge and stumbled to the ground, momentarily incapacitated.
"Konoha's shinobi are disappointingly weak," the man muttered, shaking his head in boredom.
Naruto gritted his teeth, pushing himself back to his feet.
"I'm not letting you get away with this!" he shouted, his determination unwavering.
"Naruto, stop provoking him!" Sakura called from the side, her voice tinged with worry.
The man in black sneered, his irritation growing. "Why do I always run into annoying brats like you?"
His hand tightened on the boy's collar.
Suddenly, a small stone flew through the air, striking the man in black's arm with precision. The impact caused his fingers to go numb, and he dropped the boy.
The boy scrambled to the ground, quickly running toward Naruto and Sakura.
All eyes turned toward the source of the stone.
Sasuke sat perched on a tree branch, casually tossing another stone in his hand.
"What are you doing, causing trouble in someone else's village?" Sasuke said coldly. "Leave, now."
He tossed the stone lightly into the air, letting it disintegrate into dust before it hit the ground.
The man in black glared up at Sasuke, his irritation turning to rage.
"You little punk," he snarled, pulling a large object from his back. "Get down here and fight me!"
As the tension mounted, a new voice interrupted the standoff.
"Kankuro, stop."
The command came from a girl standing nearby, her blonde hair tied in four ponytails. Her tone was firm, her eyes narrowing in disapproval.
"You're embarrassing the village. Do you really want to cause a scene?"
Kankuro hesitated, his grip tightening on his weapon.
Before he could respond, another figure appeared silently.
Perched upside down on the trunk of Sasuke's tree, a red-haired boy with a gourd on his back stared at the group with cold, emotionless eyes.
The sudden arrival sent a chill through everyone present.
"Kankuro," the boy said quietly, "you're making a fool of yourself."
Kankuro flinched, lowering his weapon immediately.
"Gaara…" he muttered, his face paling.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, his sharp senses on high alert.
When did he get here?
The red-haired boy's movements were so swift and precise, Sasuke couldn't help but compare him to Kakashi.
From his hidden vantage point, Satoru observed the scene with a smirk.
Well, well, look at little Sasuke showing off. Not bad.
He noticed Bai and Ghost Lantern Hozuki watching the commotion from a nearby tree.
"So that's where you all went," Satoru muttered, shaking his head with mild amusement. Leaving me behind for the action. Typical.
>>>>>
Up to Chapter 150 available on Patreon.com/c/GGFanfiction :)
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