Naruto kept pestering Sasuke with question after question.
Sasuke was utterly fed up with him, but he eventually gave in.
While Itachi was busy cooking in the kitchen, he began sharing what had happened after he went to the Empire with Naruto.
From meeting the legendary Sage of Six Paths and being dragged into the Pure Land Space, to the two of them joining forces and breaking through the Sage of Six Paths' defenses and trump cards.
Then Jiraiya appeared, and they swallowed the Sage of Six Paths' power.
Naruto was full of amazement. His shocked exclamations, animated gestures, and emotional outpouring suddenly made Sasuke feel much less irritated with him.
Naruto provided an overwhelming amount of emotional validation, making the corners of Sasuke's lips involuntarily curl upward.
"We swallowed the Sage's power and encountered the First Hokage, Hashirama."
"If it were just Hashirama, I could crush him effortlessly with one hand."
"But he was Hashirama, the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki! On top of that, he also possessed a Rinnegan!"
"Me and Naruto—that is, your variant—and I engaged him in a fight to the death. Of course, I was the one doing most of the attacking..."
"Oh~ as expected of the man I had my eye on!"
"Can you take me with you when you train? I really want to improve too!"
Naruto's wild praise and extremely exaggerated gestures kept Sasuke's lips curled upward, never dropping again.
He grinned and nodded.
"Of course, but..."
"But what? But what?!"
Naruto scratched his head and tugged at his ears.
"Naruto, do you usually lie?"
Sasuke suddenly stared straight at Naruto, his voice turning serious.
"I... I don't lie... I don't lie very often..."
Under Sasuke's intense gaze, Naruto felt somewhat terrified, but he eventually gritted his teeth and spoke.
"I do tell a few