The Sky Screen continued playing.
[Soon, Sarada stood before the tower, panting.]
[She took a deep breath, then opened the tower door without hesitation.]
[It was dark inside the tower, illuminated by only a single lamp.]
[Clearly, someone was waiting here.]
[Sarada eagerly stepped forward and stood beneath the lamp, her heart brimming with anticipation.]
[Creak!]
[Suddenly, the sound of creaking floorboards came from behind her. Sarada hurriedly turned to look.]
[She saw a tall figure wearing a cloak, his hair covering his left eye.]
[But the exposed right eye was enough for Sarada to recognize him.]
[It was Sasuke Uchiha, her father.]
[Tears instantly filled her eyes, and her nose stung. "Dad..."]
[But before she could finish, Sasuke interrupted her.]
["You actually managed to find this place." Sasuke drew his long sword and pointed it at Sarada. "Are you with that guy?!"]
[Faced with the blade's chilling gleam, Sarada froze on the spot, even the tears at the corners of her eyes seeming to stop.]
[Shhk!]
[Sasuke thrust his sword into the pillar beside Sarada.]
[Sarada watched in terror, staring at the sword barely a centimeter or two away from her, watching the man before her reach out to grab her. It was nothing like the embrace she had imagined earlier; instead, it was filled with malice.
[As that hand drew closer, Sarada finally could no longer hold back her hurt. She burst into tears, squeezing her eyes shut as tears streamed down her cheeks.]
["Dad!"]
[Hearing that cry, Sasuke stopped moving and began studying the girl beneath the lamplight, standing all alone and utterly aggrieved.]
[He hesitated. "You're... Sarada!"]
[Sarada felt terribly hurt, but she still stubbornly looked her father straight in the eye and nodded.]
["I see!" Seeing his daughter like this, Sasuke felt an inexplicable pang