Sasuke-kun, I'm not the man I was back then either...

Candlelight flickered to life again in the gloomy hideout, and Orochimaru became Sasuke's staunchest ally, just as he had hoped.

"Our first priority is to retrieve my hands from the Reaper's stomach."

Having witnessed Orochimaru undo the Reaper Death Seal before, Sasuke knew the entire process by heart.

So he voiced his concern. "If I remember correctly, you only performed Living Corpse Reincarnation a few days ago, didn't you? How will you escape the ritual without becoming the Reaper's sacrifice?"

A mysterious smile appeared on Orochimaru's lips. "I'm not the man I was back then either, so I have my ways. Once Kabuto wakes up, we'll set off."

That put Sasuke at ease, but... his eyes flickered as he looked at the still-unconscious Kabuto Yakushi.

Kabuto was an unpredictable factor. Even if Orochimaru told him the truth, Kabuto lacked the certainty that came from experiencing it himself. There was no telling which path he would choose.

Orochimaru's view was this: "All that boy needs is somewhere to belong. He doesn't care about the destination, so long as he's by my side. Still, the discrepancy is bound to come as quite a shock. Asking him to accept it in so little time won't be easy..."

"Besides, he was trained as a spy from childhood. He grew up surrounded by lies and betrayal, making his living through them while hating them to his very core—especially lies and betrayal from those close to him..."

"So, if we want him to help us willingly, we must tell him the whole truth without holding anything back, then let him confirm it with his own eyes. Only then can we keep him from going to extremes again. What do you think, Sasuke-kun?"

Recalling Kabuto's life in the previous timeline, Sasuke mulled over Orochimaru's words and finally reached the same conclusion.

"Agreed. Let's do it that way..."

Kabuto woke up.

I remember Sasuke used Genjutsu on me, and then I collapsed. Ah, no!! Lord Orochimaru...

"You're awake, Kabuto."

Ah... that voice. Lord Orochimaru!

Looking toward the voice, Kabuto saw Orochimaru sitting before him, perfectly fine. What surprised him, however, was that Sasuke, who had just tried to defy Orochimaru, was also sitting unharmed nearby... sipping tea!

What... happened here?! Could Lord Orochimaru have subdued Sasuke already?

Whatever happened... there's no denying that I disgraced myself in front of Orochimaru!

He prostrated himself on the floor in remorse. "Lord Orochimaru, I'm sorry. I disgraced myself! Sasuke caught me completely off guard and struck me down!!!"

"Raise your head... Kabuto," Orochimaru said calmly.

Meeting those unfathomable, slit-pupiled eyes, Kabuto felt deeply uneasy. "Lord Orochimaru..."

Orochimaru spoke in a low voice. "Kabuto, you may find what I'm about to tell you hard to believe, but I give you permission to question me..."

Kabuto said urgently, "Lord Orochimaru!! Please don't say that!! Your words are absolute and authoritative to me!!"

Orochimaru replied, "Hear me out before you decide..."

After hearing Orochimaru's account, Kabuto stood rooted to the spot, utterly dumbfounded.

Sasuke-kun came back from the future? And the future Lord Orochimaru was the one who made it happen?!

What shocked Kabuto was not merely this fantastical tale, but also... the fact that, upon hearing it, he had truly begun to doubt Lord Orochimaru, the man he believed in, deep in his heart!

"No, no, that's impossible. This is too absurd. Lord Orochimaru, I... I..."

Kabuto's reaction was exactly what Orochimaru had expected. He glanced to the side.

"Sasuke-kun, use Genjutsu. That would be more direct and convenient..."

Sasuke set down his teacup and said, "Kabuto, look into my eyes!"

Kabuto met the Mangekyo's gaze!

Genjutsu: Sharingan!

Thud...!

Kabuto crumpled to the floor, drenched in cold sweat. "Unbelievable. Is this... the future? The real future?"

Orochimaru gently guided him. "Kabuto, accept reality first. Not the reality of the future, but the reality that you've begun to doubt me. Only then can you free yourself from this unease..."

"Ah... hah... hah..."

Kabuto breathed in great, heaving gulps, struggling to calm himself. At last... his wildly trembling pupils steadied.

I see. Even with all my faith in Lord Orochimaru, I can still doubt him. But the source of that doubt is...

Orochimaru continued, "Kabuto, you doubt me because you missed my exchange with Sasuke while you were unconscious. Deep down, you can't dismiss the possibility that Sasuke may have manipulated me, or interfered with me through Genjutsu. Am I right?"

Kabuto Yakushi answered honestly, "Yes... that is precisely what worries me. Forgive my disrespect, but the Third Hokage sealed all your Ninjutsu. Under those circumstances, it isn't impossible for you to have lost to Sasuke-kun. So I must establish what makes you so certain that such a future exists!"

Orochimaru said, "What makes me certain is that I inherited knowledge and memories from my future self..."

Mustering his courage, Kabuto looked Orochimaru straight in the eye. "Lord Orochimaru, forgive my disrespect, but can you... prove that?"

An astute smile appeared on Orochimaru's lips. Everything he had said so far had been intended to draw that very question from Kabuto.

"Once I retrieve the souls of my hands, I can certainly prove it to you. When that time comes, I will respect your decision to stay or leave."

Kabuto declared firmly, "If what you've said is truly the truth, then I will do everything in my power to follow you... and Sasuke-kun!"

Orochimaru looked to the side. "You heard him, Sasuke-kun~."

Sasuke rose composedly. "Let's go. We know the way..."

Five days later, they stood on a high mountain in the Land of Fire, with Hokage Rock visible from its summit.

Sasuke's feelings were the most complicated of all.

After forty years... he had been reborn and returned to his hometown once more.

This must have been what it meant to grow more apprehensive the closer one came to home.

The Reaper mask linked to the Reaper Death Seal was in the Uzumaki Clan's Mask Hall at the far end of Konoha. To accomplish their goal, they had no choice but to go through the village.

When he had visited in his previous life, the Fourth Shinobi World War had been underway. Konoha's fighting forces had all deployed, leaving him free to come and go as though the village were deserted.

But now... the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade, was in office, and Konoha was heavily guarded. Obtaining that mask would inevitably take some maneuvering.

Orochimaru understood Sasuke's feelings better than anyone. He asked considerately, "Sasuke-kun, would you like me to handle this for you?"

This time, Sasuke politely declined Orochimaru's kind offer.

"No. Sooner or later, I have to face it..."

Whoosh!

With the mountain wind biting and his white clothes snapping in the gusts, Sasuke shot like lightning toward the walls of his hometown...