Unexpected development

"Haven't you always wanted to know where I heard about the Uchiha?"

Sakura Haruno gazed at the ruins before her and murmured softly.

"At this time last year, when the Sand Ninja was holding the Chunin Ninja Exams, I was here on a mission..."

She recalled what happened last year.

At that time, Sakura Haruno was trekking alone in the desert. As it was getting late, she wanted to find a place to camp, so she came to this ancient city ruin.

Unexpectedly, she discovered a peculiar energy here...

Sakura Haruno then recounted her story in detail.

"So you 'traveled' to the past world back then?" Sasuke frowned and repeated the girl's words.

He recognized each word individually, but when put together, he seemed completely unable to understand what Sakura Haruno was saying.

Traveling through time? Going back to the past?

Is this really possible?

Sakura Haruno nodded. "To be precise, it's a world very similar to ours. And that world's timeline has only progressed to a point shortly after we Jonin Academy."

Sasuke rubbed his temples; he still didn't quite understand what Sakura Haruno meant.

"Very similar to our world"? Then what are the differences between the two worlds? And why are they different?

But how should we understand the timeline?

Sasuke stared blankly, completely dumbfounded, and could no longer maintain his cool expression.

Sakura Haruno could only try to explain, "Let me give you an example. Like myself!"

"You know my Genjutsu talent is actually quite high." Sakura smiled reservedly. "At first, I hesitated about whether to develop in the direction of Water Release, Earth Release, or Genjutsu. Later, it was by chance that I finally chose Water Release..."

"So in other worlds, you might be a master of Earth Release or a master of Genjutsu?" Sasuke finally realized.

"Absolutely possible!" Sakura Haruno nodded. "It could even be more different! For example... I might not even be a master at all."

Is it the weak Sakura Haruno?

Sasuke's heart skipped a beat. Could such a Sakura really exist...?

He tried to imagine what it would be like if the pink-haired Sakura Haruno, without her usual heroic spirit, became delicate and graceful, like a flower reflected in water. It seemed quite interesting.

"And what about the timeline?" Sasuke shook his head, clearing his mind of these thoughts, and asked again.

"When we travel to other worlds, we might not necessarily arrive in Konoha six years in advance. It could be delayed or brought forward, for example, to Konoha year 55, or even to a time before Konoha was established!"

Sasuke pondered for a moment, his expression turning solemn. "So, when you traveled to that world last time, was that world exactly in that year?"

His "that year" was the 55th year after the Uchiha Clan Massacre in Konoha.

Sakura Haruno nodded and said seriously, "That's right... In fact, I went back to that night."

Sasuke's breath hitched for a moment.

Sakura Haruno... has she returned to that night of swords and shadows?

In an instant, Sasuke with doubt and uncertainty, his mind a jumble of thoughts, his thoughts in complete disarray.

"What... did you see?" After a long silence, he asked hesitantly.

Sakura Haruno took a deep breath and said slowly, "Go see for yourself... That's why I brought you here!"

Letting him experience history firsthand and giving him the opportunity to understand the truth—this might be the only way Sakura Haruno can Sasuke.

Sakura Haruno gave Sasuke a meaningful look.

Sasuke lowered his eyes, controlling his breathing and emotions, trying to calm his chaotic thoughts.

"I see."

He looked at Sakura Haruno with unwavering eyes and spoke slowly.

"Very good," Sakura Haruno said solemnly, turning around, "Come with me."

The place where time travel is possible is a large hall in the center of the ruins.

Sakura Haruno skillfully led Sasuke through the ruins, turning left and right, and after several turns, they soon arrived at the location.

"Did you feel it?" Sakura Haruno stepped into the hall, turning her head as she whispered, "This Chakra."

A year later, the energy that had transported her through time still lingered here. Because of her experience with Senjutsu Mode, Sakura Haruno was even more sensitive to this energy, and she could clearly discern that it wasn't Chakra, nor did it resemble the Natural Energy converted from sunlight by the biosphere; rather, it seemed to originate from the deep, solid earth beneath her feet...

Is it planetary-level celestial energy? Or ley line energy?

The girl's clear, bell-like voice echoed throughout the empty hall, creating a complex resonance. Sasuke didn't hear it clearly at first. "What? There's Chakra here?"

"Didn't you feel it?"

Sakura Haruno was a little surprised; that energy was quite enormous!

Sasuke shook his head. "I don't sense anything unusual... Could it be that yours is Natural Energy?"

"Pretty much," Sakura Haruno shrugged.

It's somewhat different from Natural Energy, but for Sasuke, who can't sense its existence, there's no difference, so there's no need to explain.

"Once I unleash this energy, we'll be able to travel between worlds."

Sakura Haruno pulled Sasuke to the center of the hall—the same spot she had passed through last time.

Then, with practiced ease, he unleashed the energy hidden within the Rōran ley lines: a sudden burst of white light appeared, and a massive amount of planetary energy surged forth from beneath his feet!

Sasuke's expression shifted as he suddenly felt himself enveloped by an unfamiliar energy—"Wait, is this Natural Energy?" The boy's face changed drastically!

When Sakura Haruno went to Shikkotsu Forest to train in Senjutsu, Sasuke had researched it and knew that the most dangerous situation in Senjutsu training was being corroded by excessive Natural Energy, resulting in permanent "naturalization" and death. And now, his current situation seems to be exactly the same dangerous situation described in Senjutsu Mode training?

Sasuke almost instinctively channeled his Chakra and unleashed his strongest Ninjutsu:

Lightning Release: Chidori Demon Body Form!

At the same time, the white light suddenly intensified, its dazzling brilliance obscuring everything...

From a distance, the ancient city appeared to brighten for a fleeting moment before returning to its deathly silence.

Another world.

In the dusty, ruined hall.

Sasuke coughed violently as he got up from the ground.

As I pushed myself up with my hands, I felt my right hand rest on a soft, pleasant-smelling object...

He couldn't resist pressing it a few times.

"Sasuke- sama, could you please let go of my hand? It hurts so much, meow~"

A soft voice came from beneath Sasuke, emerging through the thick dust.

Sasuke quickly moved his hand away and stood up.

As the dust settled, Sasuke finally saw the creature he had been holding down. It turned out to be the ninja cat he had summoned when he used the Combination Transformation Technique.

No wonder it's so furry.

He said apologetically, "Sorry, I accidentally pushed you down, Zhi."

"Meow is Yoru Uo, Sasuke," the orange cat said helplessly.

The large, fat cat wobbled its plump body, struggled to its feet, and shook off the dust. While the markings on Yoru Uo and Blazing Cat were somewhat similar, their sizes were vastly different. If the dust hadn't obscured their vision, Sasuke would never have mistaken the two cats for each other.

"Sasuke, I'm here, meow~"

The voice of another Ninja Cat came from the other side. Sasuke looked closely and saw that Zhi was leisurely perched on Sakura Haruno's shoulder, greeting Sasuke.

The girl rolled her eyes at him when she saw him looking at her, complaining, "Sasuke, you idiot! Why did you suddenly use Ninjutsu? Now I have no idea what time period we're in!"

"I think I'm being a bit paranoid, sorry..." the black-haired boy quickly apologized with a smile, "But when I deactivated the Combination Transformation Technique just now, Yoru Uo and Blaze weren't summoned back to my house, so this must have been before I signed the Summoning Contract with the cat clan, right?"

"Not necessarily!"

Sakura Haruno shook her finger.

There was one thing she didn't tell Sasuke: they might have actually traveled into the world of the main manga series.

As for Sasuke in the manga, she remembers that he never signed a contract with the cat tribe from beginning to end.

However, Sasuke's method of determining the era gave Sakura Haruno a direct inspiration.

[Second Update]

[Please subscribe and vote with monthly tickets!]

[Looks like there could be another chapter.]