Extra Chapter 11: Reality is cruel...

"Your observation skills are indeed sharp..."

Uchiha Sasuke snorted coldly, dissatisfied that Orochimaru had detected the truth: "Before I tell you the truth, tell me everything about this world first!"

"No choice..."

"Sasuke-kun's strength is truly surprising..."

Orochimaru smiled slyly, piercing through Uchiha Sasuke's disguise with one sentence: "And with Sasuke-kun's superiority and arrogance, treating us as mere insects accidentally crawling by your feet, it's not a pleasant feeling..."

"..."

Uchiha Sasuke's eyes twitched.

Did he suspect me over such a small matter?

Everything was done according to Akihara Kagura's style, so why did it still arouse Orochimaru's suspicion? Why was Akihara Kagura never suspected?

What's wrong?

Fire Release techniques, I can explain as I learned from the Uchiha clan; Lightning Release techniques, I can say I developed myself; my attitude isn't particularly arrogant...

Why has Akihara Kagura never been noticed?

No matter how much power Akihara Kagura displayed, everyone accepted it as a matter of course. Even though he did many bad things, no one suspected him of being evil until he revealed his true nature and plans himself...

Compared to Akihara Kagura, Uchiha Sasuke considered himself quite friendly. He didn't toy with everyone nor manipulate their fates...

"Kabuto."

Seeing Uchiha Sasuke's discontented expression, Orochimaru lightly changed the subject: "Introduce yourself to Sasuke-kun, let him know about you and Lady Yakushi Nono's story..."

"Yes."

Yakushi Kabuto adjusted his glasses.

In fact...

There's nothing particularly special to introduce.

To Yakushi Kabuto's life, it was a tragedy, manipulated by Konoha's higher-ups, Shimura Danzo, who used the bond between Kabuto and Yakushi Nono to his advantage, forcing them into dangerous espionage missions and ultimately pitting them against each other.

This story...

Uchiha Sasuke had heard this before.

The only difference was that in reality, Yakushi Kabuto and Yakushi Nono met Akihara Kagura and avoided their tragic fate.

"I experienced a different world..."

After hearing Kabuto's story, Uchiha Sasuke shared the same story, even revealing that his brother, Uchiha Itachi, was ordered by Shimura Danzo to kill Kabuto and Yakushi Nono.

"In the end..."

"Akihara Kagura saved you, entrusted you to Orochimaru, and arranged for you to return to the orphanage. Dean Nono continued to care for the children, and Kabuto-senpai became a doctor in Konoha's medical department..."

"But my brother, Uchiha Itachi, became Kagura's adversary due to Danzo's orders, and thus became a thorn in Kagura's side..."

As a result...

The Uchiha clan's tragedy began.

Many have analyzed that if Uchiha Itachi had been willing to 'collaborate' with Kagura, the Uchiha clan's tragedy might never have happened.

"Sasuke-kun, it sounds like Kagura-sama from your world is a good person..."

Kabuto smiled faintly, but the smile held a hint of bitterness and pain: "But our world doesn't have an Akihara Kagura..."

Kabuto's fist clenched suddenly, his eyes hidden behind his glasses, his voice low and controlled: "Orochimaru-sama, Sasuke-kun, why doesn't our world have someone like Akihara Kagura?"

Why!

Why doesn't their world have Akihara Kagura?

Why did he and Dean Nono have to be pitted against each other in this cruel reality? Why didn't anyone warn him about Danzo's schemes?

"Kabuto-senpai..."

Uchiha Sasuke seemed to understand Kabuto's meaning, and casually continued: "Akihara Kagura isn't a good person. He manipulates the fates of everyone in the ninja world..."

"Really?"

Kabuto glanced at Uchiha Sasuke and bowed his head again: "Sounds like a god... but isn't it good if a tragic fate is changed by a god?"

How fortunate...

Someone was willing to notice him...

Despite not being a strong or talented ninja, that omnipotent being Sasuke spoke of showed mercy towards them...

"..."

Uchiha Sasuke took a deep breath.

Indeed...

Kabuto had a point.

Changing a tragic fate...

For those in cruel realities, it's not a bad thing...

Even for himself, shouldn't he be someone whose fate was changed?

Especially for someone like Kabuto, who went through hell in this world compared to the paradise-like life of his counterpart...

Identical individuals...

Just because of one person, Akihara Kagura, their fates diverged drastically, leading to completely different futures.

"Perhaps we don't want our fate controlled by others..."

Uchiha Sasuke calmly retorted, then asked about something he cared about: "Were there any survivors from the Uchiha clan on the night of the massacre?"

"I don't know."

Kabuto shook his head, unsure.

"Probably... none?"

Orochimaru smiled, knowing a bit about it: "Danzo gave me many Sharingan as experimental materials..."

"Danzo told me that Uchiha Itachi and a masked man killed all the Uchiha except you, and the bodies were disposed of..."

"The Uchiha in Konoha..."

"Only Sasuke-kun remains."

"That's why I set my sights on Sasuke-kun's body..."

Orochimaru said, squinting as if casually asking: "It seems Sasuke-kun's world had Uchiha survivors..."

"..."

Uchiha Sasuke remained silent.

Indeed.

Many Uchiha survived in the real world.

All those clan members survived because of Akihara Kagura, making them his loyal followers, ready to do anything for him, even sacrificing their lives...

Of course...

Akihara Kagura...

Never sacrifices his subordinates.

Thinking of this, Uchiha Sasuke couldn't help but punch a nearby tree, feeling deeply conflicted!

The bloody reality of this world seemed to remind him that without Akihara Kagura, the Uchiha clan couldn't escape complete annihilation...

"Sasuke-kun..."

Kabuto praised the unseen Akihara Kagura: "Your world is truly fortunate to receive the mercy of a god..."

Honestly...

Kabuto didn't care much about dignity.

Yakushi Kabuto only cared about himself and the Dean, Yakushi Nono. For many years, he had been confused, unable to discern what he was truly doing…

However…

After listening to Uchiha Sasuke's description of himself from another world, Kabuto suddenly realized the life he truly wanted...

He simply wanted Dean Nono to survive, to continue making life better for the children of the orphanage with her, and to always stay in that dilapidated orphanage...

"I suspect another matter..."

Orochimaru extended his tongue, licking his lips as he stared intently at Sasuke's body with a greedy look, casually saying, "Sasuke, from what you're saying, it seems Akihara Kagura came to the ninja world solely to change the tragedies of people like you..."

"He's not that kind of person!"

Sasuke immediately retorted coldly to Orochimaru's guess, quickly masking his inner thoughts. Deep down, he knew Akihara Kagura wasn't truly a heinous person.

After all...

The number of people Kagura killed could be counted on one hand.

Even some of the innocent people killed by other ninjas were more numerous than those stained by Kagura's blood!

"That guy started an unprecedented ninja world war..."

Sasuke's fingers stiffened slightly as he spoke in a deep voice about Kagura's numerous crimes: "He used his schemes to force all the ninjas in the world to gather into an allied force against him..."

"..."

Orochimaru and Kabuto's faces suddenly showed curiosity.

What's going on?

Why would someone do such a thing?

"However…"

Sasuke recalled that day, slowly opening his palm and then turning it over: "The leader of that allied force was his puppet. That guy took advantage of the gathering of the ninja alliance to wipe out over a hundred thousand ninjas, proclaiming his power to the world!"

"!!!"

Orochimaru's expression changed drastically.

Is this a joke?

Having experienced two ninja world wars, even Orochimaru couldn't imagine what kind of power it took to defeat an allied force of over a hundred thousand ninjas!

And the strength of Akihara Kagura, who single-handedly crushed such an alliance, must be terrifying, possibly even enough to make the powerful Uchiha Sasuke uneasy!

"No matter how complex the ninjutsu..."

"Even the forbidden techniques are treasured by the five great ninja villages..."

"Kagura could master them instantly..."

"No matter how powerful the ninja..."

"Even the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara..."

"In front of Kagura, they had no power to resist..."

"No matter how smart the ninja..."

"Even the strategists of the Nara clan of Konoha..."

"In Kagura's control, they couldn't escape their fate..."

As Sasuke spoke, he suddenly realized that he had never escaped Kagura's pressure. Every time he recalled that man, an overwhelming pressure and suffocation would engulf him...

"..."

Orochimaru couldn't help but furrowed his brows slightly, wondering if Sasuke had become overly obsessed. Such a ninja seemed almost fantastical, didn't he?

In the ninja world...

Could such a person exist?

Even the Sage of Six Paths couldn't do that, could he?

From Orochimaru's perspective, the Kagura described by Sasuke seemed to be the epitome of perfection in terms of wisdom, power, and talent...

"Sasuke."

"Your description sounds too illusory."

"From what you say, he sounds like a perfect creation..."

Orochimaru looked at Sasuke, a helpless smile on his lips: "It makes me wonder if you've imagined an omnipotent god..."

"Humans always struggle to understand the unknown."

Sasuke turned back to look at Orochimaru and Kabuto, his eyes suddenly turning crimson. This scarlet hue immediately reflected in their eyes: "Let me show you a glimpse of his terror!"

This is one of the abilities of the Sharingan; through the ability to transfer seals, memories can be conveyed to others. Sasuke did not hesitate to share a portion of his memories with them.

Because...

They could never escape his control.

If this world didn't have Akihara Kagura, and if Sasuke still wanted to leave, he might need the help of Orochimaru and Kabuto, the two scientists...

"..."

Orochimaru and Kabuto's eyes simultaneously showed confusion.

Sasuke's memories from another world, transmitted through his crimson Sharingan, are sealed into their eyes!

In an instant...

Orochimaru and Kabuto seemed to enter another world!

A world seen only from Sasuke's perspective, but they saw many things, including the omnipotent Akihara Kagura Sasuke spoke of!

That figure...

Was always towering in Sasuke's view!

That figure...

In Sasuke's eyes, was truly an omnipotent god!

That figure...

Toyed with the entire ninja world effortlessly!

Until finally...

That figure seemed to sense someone watching his back, suddenly turning towards Sasuke's direction, looking straight into his eyes with a faint, inexplicable smile.

"Kabuto, Orochimaru..."

"This world is beautiful, isn't it?"

"..."

Kabuto and Orochimaru's hearts were struck with shock.

How could that person see them?

How could he know they would see him in Sasuke's memories, and even know their identities?

"Help me awaken Sasuke."

"The world you're in is the real one."

"The world I'm in is just your projection."

"Sasuke's Indra chakra and part of his memories awakened after the Uchiha clan massacre, making his chakra incredibly powerful, but also making his brain create this false world..."

That figure, arms crossed, looking down on all beings casually: "Sasuke, trying to escape his fate, could not control how his destiny progressed, so he imagined an omnipotent me..."

"By imagining me, he believed my existence would mean there were Uchiha survivors, believed he wasn't alone, believed everything here was real, but unfortunately, this is just his beautiful dream..."

"Tell Sasuke..."

"Reality is always cruel."

"Only illusory dreams are beautiful."

"Recognizing the cruel reality, and experiencing his own fate, is what he should do now, instead of sinking into this illusory world centered around me…"