Sasuke, If Not Now, When Will You Blacken!

Uchiha Clan Compound.

Sasuke Uchiha possessed everything here, yet he could not feel happy in the slightest.

If he had not met Itachi Uchiha so early, and had not witnessed the current strength and status of Naruto, he would not have been so restless and anxious.

Naruto is too strong! Only I remain a piece of trash! I have become the dead last!

If Naruto becomes Hokage, will Gaara one day become Kazekage?

They are the same age as me, so why, damn it! Why is the gap so wide!

Sasuke Uchiha craved power; it was a sense of security, and also the hatred of losing all his loved ones overnight!

Why did the brother he respected most have to slaughter the entire clan?

Why was he unable to surpass his brother no matter what he did?

Why, after just waking up from a sleep, had Naruto become the Hokage?

What on earth was wrong with this world?

Sasuke felt as if he were having another nightmare.

Previously, his only hatred was Itachi Uchiha; now, his only bond was Naruto Uzumaki!

I must become stronger, I must sever everything!

I cannot be held back, or I will become weak, losing the power to take revenge!

Sasuke convinced himself over and over again.

Moonlight seeped into the wooden floorboards, bringing the cold night breeze along with it.

Sasuke Uchiha's heart hammered incessantly.

How could he sever his bonds and defeat Itachi Uchiha?

Why was it that his eyes could not grow any stronger, no matter what?

They were both Sharingan, so why did Kakashi's and Itachi Uchiha's take on a different form?

How was he supposed to reach that level?

"Sasuke!"

The person standing atop the utility pole had their back to the full moon.

Sasuke looked up and felt a chill run through his entire body.

It was the same miserable sight as always.

It was an image etched into his memory!

"Itachi!"

Lightning flickered across his hand, the Chidori chirping as he prepared to strike the man down!

But when Sasuke rushed forward, he realized.

The person who had come was Naruto Uzumaki, who was two months younger than him!

"It's you?"

Sasuke tilted his head, looking at Naruto out of the corner of his eye.

Perhaps due to sweating so much, his hair hung down over his forehead, obscuring his eyes.

"Of course it's me."

"You're not in a very good state, Sasuke."

Naruto seemed to radiate a scorching light, making Sasuke want to draw near for warmth, yet he feared that doing so would make him lose his strength.

"I don't need you to meddle in my business."

Sasuke sneered and turned to head home.

Just as he reached out to grip the door, he felt a gust of wind blow past.

Leaves scattered across the clean floor.

Naruto was already sitting on the tatami mat.

"When a guest arrives, you should at least offer some hospitality. I want to eat Ramen and Sukiyaki, and add plenty of beef!"

Naruto was acting quite casual.

Sasuke, however, felt extremely awkward.

"What are you here for? I never said I would welcome a dead last like you."

So strong.

Sasuke complained with his mouth, but in his heart, he thought that if Naruto had held a Kunai just now, ten lives would not have been enough for him.

"Who are you calling a dead last?"

"I am the Hokage now! The Hokage who will lead Konoha back to its peak and ensure the villagers feel safe!"

Naruto twirled a kunai in his hand, the Flying Thunder God Formula etched upon it.

"Is that so?"

Sasuke sighed.

Closing the door, he was swallowed by the darkness.

"Then Konoha must be finished, considering they let a reckless idiot become Hokage."

Sasuke leaned against the door.

He felt increasingly decadent, wondering how he could obtain greater power.

How could he surpass everyone, surpass Itachi Uchiha!

The pain left Sasuke unable to find peace within himself.

He finally cast his gaze toward Naruto.

Sasuke knew that because he had people he cared about and expectations for life, he had become weak!

If he could defeat, or even completely sever those bonds, he would definitely become stronger!

"You want to kill me?"

Naruto smiled.

Such obvious killing intent could not be easier to detect.

Especially for Naruto, who constantly received and stored Kurama's chakra, and had already strengthened his sensory abilities through the tempering of Sage Mode Double.

His perception of malice was even faster.

"Kurama, at this rate, am I about to become a perfect Jinchuriki who is in complete sync with you?"

Naruto didn't forget to tease the Nine-Tails.

"Keep dreaming! You foolish Acting Hokage!"

The Nine-Tails turned away in a huff and went to sleep.

Yet, deep down, he felt that Naruto's rate of growth was becoming faster and faster, with all sorts of trump cards emerging one after another.

Could it be that one day, even the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode would just be one of his many tools?

"Tch."

Naruto waited for Sasuke's answer.

Attacking the Hokage?

That would make him a rogue ninja.

Would he go that far for the sake of power?

Sasuke stared at Naruto under the moonlight.

"You're hesitating."

Naruto tapped his fingers against the wooden floor.

"Sasuke, you're lost too, wandering between power and emotion."

"The Uchiha's intense perception of emotions, and the way you obtain your power, are proving exactly that."

"You want to become stronger, so why hesitate!"

"Whether you want to sever your bonds or simply become stronger! You must undergo Blackening!"

"Simply put, it means possessing obsession! Willpower!"

"You don't know how?"

Naruto's entire body radiated a white light, surpassing the brightness and chill of the moonlight.

"Let me teach you how to undergo Blackening!"

What!

Sasuke was startled by Naruto at this moment.

As the Hokage, especially the Naruto Uzumaki who lived by his ninja way and always kept his word, straightforward and direct.

Why would he say such things!

"To become strong enough, your current willpower is far from enough."

"If you want to challenge me, you can, but first go and bring these three people back. Only then will you have the minimum qualifications to challenge me!"

"One day, you too will have the chance to reach this level!"

Naruto threw three intelligence reports onto the floor.

The source of the Cursed Seal, Jugo, who could naturally absorb natural energy.

A descendant of the Uzumaki Clan, possessing super-sensory abilities and bloodline Sealing Technique, Karin, who could heal wounds with her own body.

Suigetsu Hozuki, who had mastered the secret arts of Water Release and could survive desperate situations through his Hydrification Technique.

"Challenge you?"

After Sasuke Uchiha etched the names and appearances of the three into his mind.

He turned his gaze toward Naruto, who had removed his conical hat.

The ninja headband no longer obscured his forehead.

There, between his brows, lay a curse mark resembling a Yin-Yang Fish.

At this moment, he opened his eyes.

Mangekyo Sharingan!

"How do you possess these eyes! Naruto Uzumaki!"

Sasuke had originally intended to try and track down the three who had grown stronger.

To challenge Naruto in person!

But upon seeing Naruto's eyes, he felt dazed and disoriented.

"Do you want to know the answer to everything?"

"Once you become stronger and challenge me, I will tell you!"

"Become stronger, Sasuke!"

Naruto pointed a finger at Sasuke.

"There are certain truths and things that can only be possessed once you have sufficient strength."

"Sasuke, if not now, when will you finally succumb to the darkness!"

Naruto tossed the kunai in his hand aside and vanished instantly.

"Damn it!"

"What on earth is going on!"

"What is the village hiding? If I find those three, I can become stronger, challenge Naruto, and learn the truth!"

Sasuke's resolve hardened once more at this moment.

He clenched his fists involuntarily.

His Sharingan radiated an even more obsessive power.

[Ding!]

[The Host has unreasonably caused Sasuke Uchiha to blacken even further! Simply unforgivable! Mission failed completely!]

[The Host has received a mission penalty of 3000 Punishment Points.]

[Behave yourself! You detestable Host!]