Naruto: Boruto Returns to Shippuden

Chapter 113 Itachi

Just as Boruto was pondering how to deal with the approaching Urashiki, Sasuke suddenly swept past the wall and leaped onto a large tree, disappearing into the shadows of the canopy.

“…Eh…Sasuke…” Boruto was confused. He didn’t understand why Sasuke was suddenly hiding, but just as he was about to ask, a familiar voice came from behind him.

Sakura looked at Boruto with a puzzled expression and asked, "Boruto? What are you doing here? You look so preoccupied." She paused, then added, "And... I think I just heard you say... Sasuke?"

"No, what I just said was that I've already 'fully prepared' for this afternoon's training." After covering up the incident with the statue, Boruto changed the subject: "Speaking of which, what are you planning to do with such a big fish?"

"Is that so..." After hearing Boruto's explanation, Sakura looked at him suspiciously, wondering if she had been being too sensitive lately.

Then, Sakura gently picked up the half-dead fish in her hand and explained to Boruto, "You mean this? Lady Tsunade asked me to prepare this."

Boruto asked curiously, "Why did Granny Tsunade ask you to prepare this?"

Sakura excitedly replied to Boruto, "Lady Tsunade has finally decided to take me as her apprentice. She is now personally instructing me in medical ninjutsu."

Boruto smiled and congratulated Sakura: "Congratulations, Sakura."

"Thank you, Boruto," Sakura replied with a smile, then continued, "I'll be going now, Lady Tsunade is still waiting for me."

"Okay, goodbye." Boruto waved goodbye to Sakura, and after watching her leave, Sasuke jumped down from the tree where he had been hiding.

Boruto turned around and looked at Sasuke, who had just climbed down from the tree, and said, "No matter what, you don't need to be so secretive, do you?"

Sasuke responded, "I can't get too close to Sakura. If I continue to interact with people I know well, it might have an impact on the future."

After all, the Time-Traveling Treasure Plow explicitly told him not to interfere too much with the past, lest it cause unpredictable effects on the timeline.

Upon hearing this, Boruto scratched his head slightly, looking somewhat uneasy. He gave an awkward laugh and said, "Hehehe... um... Mr. Sasuke..."

"Could it be that you..." Sasuke looked helpless. He knew that Boruto's personality was just like Naruto's, and he would never sit idly by when something happened.

Boruto nodded in agreement, and then he began to recount in detail to Sasuke the incident a while back when Orochimaru infiltrated Konoha to carry out the collapse plan.

After listening to Boruto's account, Sasuke asked him for confirmation: "So, the Third Hokage is still alive and hasn't died?"

Sasuke frowned. If the Third Hokage hadn't died, it meant that the Third Hokage hadn't used the Reaper Death Seal during the Konoha Crush, so Orochimaru's hands and soul were still intact and unsealed.

Sasuke recalled the reason why he was able to stay safe and sound by Orochimaru's side in the past: it was because Orochimaru could not bear the pain of losing his hands and soul, so before Sasuke arrived, Orochimaru chose to use the Reanimation Jutsu in advance.

However, once the Reanimation Jutsu is successfully performed, the user will be unable to reincarnate into another body for the next three years. It was during this time gap that the user was able to catch his breath and successfully turn against Orochimaru when Orochimaru was at his weakest point in the Reanimation Jutsu.

This time, Orochimaru no longer has the three-year restriction period of the Reanimation Jutsu, which means he can reincarnate at any time. Wouldn't his current self be in danger?

Boruto, noticing Sasuke's worry, said, "However, Orochimaru is currently being held back by Itachi Uchiha, and they have made a three-year agreement."

Sasuke paused for a moment, looking somewhat surprised: "...Itachi?"

During his time training with Orochimaru, he had never encountered Itachi before, but he never expected that Itachi would actually approach Orochimaru this time.

Boruto nodded in agreement and explained, "That's right. Itachi Uchiha said back then that he wouldn't allow anyone to lay a hand on you until you had enough strength to become his 'part'."

Boruto turned to Sasuke and asked, "Hey, Mr. Sasuke, did you personally finish off that cold-blooded person in the end?"

“…That’s right.” Sasuke remained silent for a moment before continuing, “I did indeed end the life of the person who once made me lose everything.”

Sasuke muttered to himself, "But when I finally completed my revenge, I realized that I had been living in a huge lie woven by Itachi."

"A lie?" Boruto asked softly, seemingly aware of the hidden truth behind the matter.

Sasuke lowered his eyes slightly and said, "Itachi carried out the mission of annihilating the Uchiha clan under the orders of the Konoha higher-ups, thus infiltrating the Akatsuki organization as a spy."

“Although my brother did this to protect Konoha and to protect…me, it is an undeniable fact that he harmed the Uchiha clan.” Sasuke’s voice gradually faded, and then he fell silent, clearly not wanting to discuss the matter further.

Then a thought crossed Sasuke's mind: since changes to the future are inevitable, then perhaps he should...

Sasuke then changed the subject, asking Boruto, "Who are the people who know you're from the future?"

After thinking for a moment, Boruto said, "Besides Orochimaru and Jiraiya, who are also among the Legendary Sannin, there's also Itachi Uchiha."

......

(The following uses "young Sasuke" to represent Sasuke of this era.)

Young Sasuke stood on a wide sandy field, receiving rigorous training from Orochimaru. In front of him stood five ninjas, each wearing a headband representing a different ninja village.

These ninjas were carefully selected by Orochimaru from his own pool of talent, and were of similar strength to young Sasuke, for practical combat training.

Orochimaru adjusted Sasuke's training plan, no longer focusing solely on teaching him how to control and use the Cursed Seal, but shifting the emphasis to practical combat training.

Orochimaru set a cruel rule for these ninjas: if they could successfully capture the boy Sasuke in front of them, they would be spared from death; otherwise, if they failed, they would all become living sacrifices to Manda.