Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou-Chapter 320: Naruto: I am Uchiha Shirou []

"So this is Shirou-sensei's Dojutsu!"

Beneath the endless expanse of yellow sand, Sasuke, with his Mangekyō Sharingan activated, stared in shock at the scene before him.

The sky split open, revealing a spatial rift. Within it, a transparent, pale golden space membrane formed a visible corridor.

"Heh heh, as expected, the passage between these two worlds can indeed be opened with Hokage-sama's Mangekyō Sharingan..."

From the spatial rift in the sky came the raspy and excited laughter of Orochimaru. A moment later, the snake-like figure of Orochimaru, his tongue licking his lips in glee, slowly emerged.

"It seems Hokage-sama and Sasuke, you've only just arrived, but time flows differently in the other world—it has already passed for quite a while. However, the temporal speed is starting to stabilize..."

As Orochimaru continued his excited research, Shirou, who had opened the spatial tunnel between the two worlds with his Mangekyō, glared sharply.

"Orochimaru, you'll have plenty of opportunities to study later. If you dawdle any longer, you might end up permanently trapped in the spatial rift."

The immense chakra consumption had taken a toll even on Shirou, who possessed the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. For the first time, he felt an unfamiliar fatigue in his eyes.

Opening a space-time tunnel between two worlds required an astronomical amount of chakra. Just using this dojutsu had nearly drained him dry.

"What a shame... looks like I'll have to wait for another chance."

With a regretful expression, Orochimaru stepped out from the space-time tunnel and onto the ground. At the same time, the rift in the sky began to close, visibly healing before their eyes.

"Ah... this world still has such a familiar scent."

Returning to this world, Orochimaru squinted his eyes in satisfaction, taking a deep breath and letting out a sigh of contentment.

However, off to the side, Sasuke's expression had been grim ever since their return. Upon hearing Orochimaru's words, he snorted coldly and remarked:

"The air here reeks of filth!"

The two had vastly different responses. For Orochimaru, this was a moment of great discovery. This return not only allowed him to test his theories about spatial tunnels but also allowed him to investigate whether the two worlds were truly identical. Additionally, he was curious to see how Uchiha Shirou would turn the gears of the ninja world.

Sasuke, on the other hand, had a completely different perspective. For him, this polluted world was the source of his hatred and the reason for everything he had lost.

On the ruins of the Roran, the figures of Shirou, Sasuke, and Orochimaru stood against the backdrop of desolation.

"Sasuke, I assume your next move is to find Itachi. In this world, the Akatsuki organization has already begun capturing the Tailed Beasts."

Orochimaru's raspy laughter carried a hint of amusement as he indirectly suggested that instead of aimlessly searching for Itachi, Sasuke could directly engage with the Akatsuki and their hunt for the Tailed Beasts.

However, Sasuke, who had once made Itachi his sole target, now fell silent upon hearing this news.

After a while, Sasuke snorted coldly, "I will find Itachi, no matter what. But this flawed world must also be changed without delay!"

Sasuke's declaration left Orochimaru briefly stunned. Then, licking his lips, Orochimaru smiled with excitement.

"Heh heh, Sasuke, it seems you've changed quite a lot. Becoming a protector of the world, with ideals surpassing your obsession with Itachi... Is this the power of bonds?"

"Enough!" Sasuke interrupted sharply, cutting off Orochimaru's ramblings with a cold snort.

Shirou, observing this exchange, couldn't help but feel gratified.

The Sasuke of the past had lost everything, and his heart was consumed by vengeance. But in the other world, Sasuke had regained the things he once lost. Now, his desire to protect what he had outweighed his thirst for revenge.

Protecting the world he cherished and bringing about change in this broken one—this was Sasuke's new belief, his ninja way.

Searching for Itachi and uncovering the truth of the past, however, remained his obsession.

Unlike the original story, where Sasuke, after killing Itachi, was left hollow and manipulated by Obito, this Sasuke had found solace and purpose in the bonds he'd regained in another world. The emptiness had been filled, and his perspective had shifted.

"Heh heh, Hokage-sama, Sasuke, I still have many theories to test in this world. I'll take my leave for now."

With his signature raspy laughter, Orochimaru vanished into the desert sands.

After all, while they had spent five years in the other world, only a short time had passed in this one. Orochimaru, in particular, had several experimental bases still left behind in this world.

As the wind howled through the ruins of the ancient Roran Kingdom, the place returned to its former silence. The appearance of the space-time tunnel left no trace, and the return of the three was but a fleeting moment in this world.

...

The Land of Rain – Akatsuki Headquarters.

"Madara-sama, Sasuke's whereabouts have been discovered. He's currently in the Land of Fire, seemingly heading toward Konoha."

When Zetsu reported Sasuke's movements, the masked Obito remained indifferent, his voice cold and calm:

"Disappearing for over a month, only to head toward Konoha now? It seems he's searching for Itachi... or perhaps he's smart enough to start gathering information there."

The difference in information led Obito to believe that Sasuke was heading to Konoha to find clues about Itachi. After all, Itachi was a rogue ninja from Konoha, and the village would surely have records about him—far more reliable than wandering aimlessly.

"But Madara-sama, Jiraiya and Tsunade are both in Konoha right now. If Sasuke goes alone, he might..."

Though Zetsu didn't finish his sentence, his expression conveyed his thoughts clearly: Sasuke's arrogance might get him killed.

Obito, however, sneered in response.

"Does Sasuke think that killing one of the Sannin, Orochimaru, makes him invincible? How naïve."

"Zetsu, inform Itachi. Tell him his dear little brother is heading to Konoha in search of him. Since he's so impatient, let's move up the timeline for this little family reunion."

Beneath his mask, Obito's mocking smile deepened. He couldn't wait to witness the clash between the brothers.

...

Konoha.

Bright sunlight bathed the village, and the iconic Hokage Rock stood tall, with five faces carved into it.

It was the era of the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade. Though Konoha had worked hard to recover over the past three years, its military strength had still fallen behind that of the Hidden Cloud and Hidden Stone villages.

"So this is the Konoha of this world..."

Standing outside the gates of the village, Shirou gazed at the Hokage Rock, unable to suppress a sigh of emotion.

After returning to the village in this world, Sasuke stood to the side and took in the scenery of the village. But to him, it was unbearably glaring.

"Shirou-sensei, the Uchiha clan, one of the founders of Konoha, has long since disappeared. Yet this group of latecomers enjoys the wealth left behind by the Uchiha while smugly thinking it's all thanks to their efforts."

Sasuke's cold voice echoed as his grip on the Kusanagi Blade tightened.

If there were no comparisons, it wouldn't have mattered. But when there was a comparison, it filled Sasuke with rage.

Especially because, in another world, he clearly understood Konoha's history of creation. But in this world, no one had ever told him the truth.

Before, he didn't think much about it. But now!

Konoha was founded by the Uchiha and the Senju clans. At least half of it should have belonged to the Uchiha. And yet, now they were entirely wiped out.

Even worse! This complete erasure likely reeked of conspiracy.

"Sasuke, the first rule of a ninja is to always stay calm."

As Shirou's indifferent voice echoed, Sasuke restrained the cold glint in his eyes.

"Check the travel permits..."

At Konoha's gates, two Konoha shinobi habitually stretched out their hands, prepared to inspect the travelers. But in an instant, a flash of crimson light left their gazes blank and dazed.

It wasn't until the two figures disappeared into Konoha's village that the guards scratched their heads and looked at each other.

"Wasn't there just a gust of wind?"

"Haha, the shift's almost over. How about a drink tonight?"

"Hehe, I heard the tavern got a fresh batch of sake tonight..."

"Count me in, count me in."

Kotetsu Hagane and Izumo Kamizuki, the gate guards of Konoha, exchanged smiles, completely unaware of what had just transpired.

...

When the two figures with straw hats appeared inside Konoha, Tsunade, in the Hokage's office, was buried in paperwork.

"This is..."

Suddenly, the chakra stored in her subconscious stirred. Tsunade, who had been reviewing documents, froze, her light brown eyes showing a complex mix of anticipation, fear, and other emotions.

"Tsunade-sama? Tsunade-sama?"

Shizune, standing nearby, looked at Tsunade with confusion. Why was she suddenly spacing out?

"Shizune, I'm fine."

Tsunade snapped out of her thoughts, masking her inner turmoil with a faint smile at Shizune.

"Shizune, hurry up and bring me all of today's work. Let's finish it early so we can have a good drink tonight."

That familiar faux-cheery smile left Shizune speechless. As expected, she had overthought it.

However, as Tsunade lowered her head again, her fingers clenched tightly. For the first time, her bright brown eyes revealed a hint of panic.

He's here! He's actually here!

After Yamato had returned and the Mangekyō Sharingan illusion had trapped her in a vision, she had seen a completely different version of her life since the Second Shinobi War.

It had felt like a dream, one that left her unable to distinguish reality.

In another world, she had a happy and fulfilling life. Her brother, her clan, even a lover from the Uchiha clan—they were all there.

But in this world, it was as if she had been cursed, losing everything. All she had was the cold, lonely position of Hokage, filled with endless, tedious work.

"You actually came... I..."

Tsunade's gaze grew distant. After learning about the other world, she didn't even know what had come over her. She had actually... hidden the commotion at the Roran barrier.

It seemed that, deep down, she was longing for something. She desperately wanted to see her family from the other world.

In this world, she had nothing.

Shizune, though puzzled by Tsunade's unusual behavior today, didn't think too much about it. She sighed silently instead.

It must have been the same group of village elders influencing Tsunade-sama again. Even Jiraiya had been trying to calm her down for the sake of the village's stability.

Because of this, Tsunade-sama was constantly restrained.

Having lost her clan and family, Tsunade had no strong motivation to wield the power of the Hokage, instead becoming apathetic and resigned to her fate.

"Haha, Tsunade, how about a drink tonight?"

With a sudden appearance at the window, a white-haired figure grinned. Shizune sighed helplessly, while Tsunade, still reviewing documents, didn't even look up. She merely snorted coldly.

"Jiraiya, if you help me finish this paperwork, maybe."

"Haha, but that's the Hokage's job!"

Jiraiya laughed heartily as he walked in, glancing at Tsunade, who was seriously working. He couldn't help but admire her dedication.

"Tsunade, ever since Naruto and the others returned from Roran, we've had to take this seriously. The existence of another world is something we can't yet confirm as real or fake. It could very well be a terrifying illusion, like Tsukuyomi."

"But for now, we must keep this matter confidential—especially from that old schemer, Danzo. Otherwise, it could cause chaos."

Hearing Jiraiya's words, Tsunade sneered coldly.

"Can't confirm whether it's real or fake? Then tell me, Jiraiya, how did Sai die? And why was a significant portion of the Nine-Tails' chakra extracted from Naruto's body? And what about Naruto's injuries?"

Previously, Tsunade might have entertained the thought that it was a realistic illusion, like Tsukuyomi. But the chakra stirring in her mind told her otherwise.

It was all real!

Jiraiya, unaware of this, furrowed his brows and sighed deeply.

"What a chaotic time we live in. The Akatsuki's plot to collect the Tailed Beasts for some unknown disaster in the ninja world, and now the appearance of another world."

"By the way, Tsunade, there haven't been any disturbances at the Dragon Vein barrier, have there?"

"Jiraiya, if you're so free, why don't you help me with these administrative tasks?"

Hearing Tsunade's annoyed snort, Jiraiya scratched his head awkwardly, laughing as he quickly waved his hands.

"Well then, I'll go check on Naruto. His injuries have almost healed. The kid's grown a lot, but he's still a bit impulsive. He needs more training."

With a hearty laugh, Jiraiya left through the window, leaving Shizune sighing in resignation.

"Jiraiya-sama always comes in through the window..."

As Shizune habitually moved to close the window, Tsunade raised her hand.

"Shizune, leave the window open. Let me enjoy Konoha's spring breeze for a while."

Shizune was startled and turned back, surprised by Tsunade's sudden elegance.

At that moment, Tsunade lifted her gaze, staring out the window into the distance. Watching Jiraiya's departing figure, she couldn't help but think of the other world, a self-deprecating smile forming on her lips.

"I am stupid, coming back to be Hokage for no good reason."

Compared to the other version of herself in a different world—someone who is cared for, surrounded by family and clan—what does the version of herself in this world have?

Even as Hokage, the one person she could trust, Jiraiya, always seemed carefree and full of laughter. But in reality, wasn't he just a hands-off leader?

She had been placed on the burning pyre of the Hokage's responsibilities. If Jiraiya had truly stood by her side, it might have been fine. But from beginning to end, Jiraiya's loyalty was to the stability of Konoha, not her.

Bonds!

Thinking of this, Tsunade recalled some painful memories and couldn't help but show a self-mocking smile.

It turned out that, for the sake of these so-called bonds, she had continuously lost everything around her. In the end, she even locked herself inside the Hokage's office.

PS: Two Tsunade!