Knock, knock, knock...
The clear, steady knocking broke the silence in the room.
Sasuke had only just left the consciousness space, his mind still reeling from the shock of forming a "united front" with Indra. His body stiffened slightly.
He took a deep breath, suppressing the tangled emotions surging within him, along with the strange feeling that came from the "contract" he had just made-a feeling both heavy and faintly exhilarating.
He composed his expression, walked to the door, and pulled it open.
Light spilled in from outside.
When Sasuke saw who stood at the door, his pupils abruptly contracted, almost imperceptibly!
Naruto.
The very person Indra had repeatedly mentioned in the consciousness space as a point of comparison and a target now stood before him in the flesh.
His blond hair was as bright as ever, his expression calm. Those clear blue eyes gazed quietly at Sasuke.
The instant he saw Naruto, a flicker of panic flashed uncontrollably through Sasuke's eyes, one even he did not fully notice.
Why was he here?
The thought flashed through Sasuke's mind like lightning.
Was it a coincidence?
Or had he noticed something?
Had Asura already discovered Indra's awakening and what he was doing?
Or... did Naruto simply need him for something?
He had just reached an agreement with the sworn enemy of the "old monster" inside Naruto, only for Naruto himself to come knocking a moment later... Even the normally composed Sasuke could not help feeling unsettled by this sudden encounter.
The deal he had just made prompted an instinctive urge to avoid Naruto's gaze.
But he was Sasuke Uchiha.
That flicker of panic was like a stone dropped into a deep pool. It stirred only a momentary ripple before deeper coldness and wariness swallowed it.
He shifted slightly to clear the