Chapter 161: Chapter 161 Fugaku Supports Naruto, Black Zetsu's Surprise
Half an hour later, Fugaku, Mikoto, Sako, and Sasuke sat around the dining table.
Fugaku and Mikoto looked at Sasuke with excitement and curiosity, their expressions full of disbelief.
Meanwhile, Sasuke, mirroring their expressions, gazed at the parents he remembered so vividly from his childhood.
"So, you're Sako from another world?!"
Fugaku's voice trembled as he spoke after Sasuke finished recounting his story.
In Fugaku's eyes, the changes Sako had undergone were beneficial to the Uchiha clan.
But for Sasuke, the situation was surreal. Even though everything felt real, a part of him couldn't shake the dreamlike quality of it all.
"Sasuke, you've endured so much," Mikoto said softly, her eyes welling up as she looked at Sasuke's injured arm.
Her heart ached for him, and despite his pain, she couldn't help but feel proud.
For Fugaku and Mikoto, this Sasuke was closer to their ideal image of a Uchiha heir.
However, they carefully avoided mentioning Sako's transformation into a woman. Sako had warned them earlier never to bring it up, as her true identity as a girl disguised as a man was to remain a secret. She feared that revealing it might violate the conditions of her "Goddess System" and lead to her punishment.
"Father, Mother, I'm so happy to see you again," Sasuke said, his voice trembling with emotion. "I believe that with Sako here, you can continue to live peacefully."
"Don't worry about that," Sako interjected, pouting slightly. "I'll take good care of our parents!"
Her tone betrayed a hint of jealousy as she noticed how much attention Sasuke was receiving from their parents.
"By the way..." Mikoto suddenly perked up, a thought crossing her mind. "Since you're already this age, shouldn't you consider settling down? How's life in your world? Do you have a wife or children?"
At this, Fugaku and Sako both fell silent, their attention entirely focused on Sasuke.
For Fugaku, the question brought on a mix of emotions—expectation and perhaps a hint of anxiety.
"Ah... no," Sasuke muttered after a moment, his pupils shrinking as memories of Naruto and Sakura crossed his mind. Gritting his teeth, he lowered his head. "I'm single and haven't married yet."
"I see," Mikoto said, her voice laced with disappointment. Fugaku also looked slightly disheartened, sharing her sentiment.
"Really?" Sako asked skeptically.
Sasuke recalled his earlier warning to Boruto about maintaining secrecy, but he remained outwardly calm.
"Ahem... of course," Sasuke said, quickly changing the subject. "By the way, what about you and Naruto? Are you two... close?"
Mikoto and Fugaku's eyes lit up, and they turned their questioning gazes toward Sako.
"What?! No way!" Sako stammered, her face flushing with embarrassment and frustration. "Why would you even ask that?"
"I saw that photo," Sasuke replied with a dark expression.
"You mean the family portrait?" Mikoto interjected, suddenly remembering something. Her sharp gaze locked onto Sako. "I was planning to ask you about that tonight. What's the story behind that picture?"
Mikoto had come across the photo earlier while cleaning Sako's room. The frame had been placed upside-down on the table, but Mikoto had arranged it neatly, intending to ask Sako about it later.
However, with Sasuke's unexpected arrival, she had temporarily forgotten.
Sako's face flushed even deeper, a mix of awkwardness and mortification.
As it turned out, the photo had been an accident. The day before yesterday, she had taken the film to a studio to be developed. When she went to pick it up, the studio had printed the words "Family Portrait" on it as a default label.
Although she was mortified, she couldn't bring herself to argue with the staff, so she reluctantly took the photo home.
Unexpectedly, the situation had spiraled into this mess.
"A photo? What kind of photo are you talking about?" Fugaku asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. He glanced between Sasuke, Sako, and Mikoto. After a moment of silence, a thought crossed his mind.
"If the person in question is Uzumaki Naruto... it's not entirely impossible," Fugaku said in a deep voice, his tone both contemplative and serious.
Naruto's strength, influence, and identity were factors Fugaku could not ignore.
"That's ridiculous!"
"Impossible!"
Sasuke and Sako shouted in unison, decisively rejecting Fugaku's proposal.
After voicing their objections, the two exchanged a tacit glance before turning their burning gazes toward Fugaku and Mikoto.
"Talk to Naruto? Are you serious?!"
The tension in the room was palpable.
"...Then let's not talk about it for now," Mikoto said quickly, attempting to diffuse the awkward atmosphere. "Sasuke, I'll go prepare a room for you."
"I… I'll arrange for the Anbu to increase security!" Fugaku added hastily, clearly unnerved by the intense stares. He hurriedly left the room.
As he walked away, a new thought struck him. Wait, doesn't Sako still need to get married? The idea gave him a sudden headache.
Back in the living room, Sako glared at Sasuke with irritation.
"Why did you go into my room without permission? And what's the deal with your arm?" she demanded, clearly annoyed.
"It was an accident. I didn't know it was your room," Sasuke replied, his voice carefully neutral. "As for my arm… can we not talk about it?"
Sasuke avoided her gaze, attempting to maintain his usual stoic demeanor. There was no way he could admit the truth—that he had been taught a harsh lesson by Naruto in the future and had lost his arm in the process. It was far too humiliating.
"Fine! But I'm warning you—stay out of my room from now on!" Sako snapped, her frustration evident. She turned sharply and stormed back to her room.
To be honest, Sako was feeling incredibly embarrassed. Having her personal space invaded by another version of herself? It was mortifying.
Meanwhile, in the Land of Sound
At Orochimaru's base:
"This is the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan and the Rinnegan… What an extraordinary combination," Orochimaru murmured, a manic grin spreading across his face as he reveled in his newfound abilities.
With a Mangekyō Sharingan in his left eye and a Rinnegan in his right, Orochimaru had unlocked incredible new powers.
The Mangekyō granted him Fugaku's unique ability: Damage Transfer, allowing him to redirect physical harm.
Meanwhile, the Rinnegan awakened abilities such as the Animal Path, Preta Path, Summoning: Gedo Statue, and the Outer Path's Rinne Rebirth Technique.
The last technique, which could resurrect the dead at the cost of the user's life, particularly fascinated Orochimaru. He had always been curious about the Uchiha clan's rumored ability to cheat death. Now, he had his own version of it.
Of course, Orochimaru wasn't concerned about the life-threatening drawback of the Rinne Rebirth Technique. After all, his Living Corpse Reincarnation jutsu ensured that death wasn't much of an issue for him.
"When the Shinigami comes, it'll just have to deal with my snake skin!" Orochimaru chuckled darkly to himself.
Just then, a familiar voice interrupted him.
"Quack, quack, quack… Orochimaru, I never imagined you'd get your hands on a Rinnegan," Black Zetsu's voice echoed, and the strange fusion of Black and White Zetsu emerged from the ground.
After escaping a previous encounter, Black Zetsu had combined with a White Zetsu clone to form a new, more resilient version of himself.
"Zetsu? What do you want?" Orochimaru's eyes narrowed dangerously, his tone ice-cold. "The Akatsuki is hunting you now. Should I just capture you and hand you over to Uchiha Itachi?"
Though his tone was threatening, Orochimaru made no immediate move. Instead, he observed Black Zetsu with a calculating expression.
Naruto's vision of the future had shown Orochimaru many things, but there had been no mention of Black Zetsu. That omission piqued his curiosity.
"Orochimaru, let's strike a deal," Black Zetsu said confidently, meeting Orochimaru's gaze without hesitation. "Help me achieve my goals, and in return, I'll give you knowledge that surpasses all ninjutsu—the secrets of Yin-Yang Release.
"You've always sought the mysteries of ninjutsu, haven't you? Yin-Yang Release is the origin of all ninjutsu. Surely, you wouldn't pass up such a gift."
Orochimaru's interest was clearly piqued, though he didn't respond immediately. He studied Black Zetsu, pondering the implications.
From his investigation, Black Zetsu was sure Orochimaru wouldn't refuse such an offer. It was the perfect bait for someone as obsessed with forbidden knowledge as Orochimaru.
Still, Black Zetsu hadn't anticipated the additional complication of Orochimaru possessing a Rinnegan. This unexpected development was both fascinating and concerning.
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