"...?! I... I don't know what you're talking about..."
Having his true identity suddenly recognized was more troublesome than the worst-case scenario he had imagined. Sasuke felt a cold sweat instantly break out on his spine. His mind raced, carefully recalling every detail from the moment they met until now. His age was clearly inconsistent with the Uchiha Sasuke of this timeline, and he was certain he hadn't shown any flaws in his words or actions. How on earth did this Naruto see through him?
Seeing Sasuke still stubbornly playing dumb, Naruto decided to speak more plainly. He looked directly at Sasuke's obscured face.
"Uchiha Sasuke, a Genius Ninja of the Hidden Leaf Village in the Land of Fire, and the last descendant of the Uchiha Clan. As a child, you witnessed your brother Uchiha Itachi massacre the clan and embarked on a path of revenge. Although you gradually became caring comrades with Team 7, under the successive blows and coercion of Orochimaru and Itachi, you left Konoha to join the powerful Orochimaru, who coveted your body at the time..."
If he was just a bit flustered a moment ago, Sasuke was now feeling his skin crawl. Being exposed so detailedly to his face gave him a strong sense of being watched. The current situation no longer allowed him to continue denying it.
"It's strange, right? I'm a bit different from the Naruto in your memory." Naruto scratched his blond hair. "Future Uchiha Sasuke... how did you guys come to this world?"
Sasuke noticed that Naruto used the word "world" instead of "time." A terrifying conjecture surfaced in his heart.
"Where did you learn all this..." Sasuke finally gave up his disguise, admitting his identity in a low voice. However, his vigilance toward this Naruto had risen to its peak.
Even the mature and steady Naruto from his own time and space would likely have found it difficult to deduce the truth in such a short time when faced with such a bizarre situation.
"Don't be so guarded." Naruto waved his hand, trying to ease the tense atmosphere. "Actually, it's quite simple and can be explained clearly. I'm actually in a similar situation to you; I transmigrated to the past from the original timeline, except..." He looked down at his palm. "My age was also turned into this appearance by time..."
——————
At a corner, Boruto leaned listlessly against a mottled wall. Following Sasuke's instructions, he had intentionally stayed a street's distance away and couldn't hear the contents of the conversation between the two in the distance at all.
A parallel universe... Boruto thought aimlessly. Since the important figures are the same as in the original world, there shouldn't be too much of a difference.
He tried to find the "sense of incongruity" Sasuke had mentioned in the scene before him, but aside from the architectural style being slightly more rustic, there didn't seem to be anything particularly special.
The rock statues of the first four Hokage were consistent with his memory. Although the Fifth Hokage's rock statue was still under construction, it would surely be Grandma Tsunade. Thinking of this, Boruto couldn't help but feel more curious about his father in this world.
On the way here just now, he and Sasuke had seen the Sakura of this period from a distance. Although Sasuke had pulled him into hiding in time and they didn't have a chance to talk, that face was exactly the same as the one in the photos at home.
So his father's personality as a child should be about the same, right? Boruto recalled what his father had once said with some uncertainty—'I was much more steady than you at your age.' Could it be that his father wasn't bragging back then?
Suddenly, Boruto's thoughts were interrupted. His gaze was involuntarily drawn to a figure, and he could no longer look away.
If asked what kind of person was the coolest, Boruto already had a standard answer in his heart—a cool temperament and gaze, a taciturn personality, and that innate pride and strength.
Simply put, someone like Uchiha Sasuke...
When the brain receives these familiar traits but they appear on an unfamiliar exterior, it produces a strange cognitive conflict, making Boruto feel inexplicably excited.
It was a black-haired girl. Her ink-colored hair fell neatly behind her shoulders, making the skin of her neck and cheeks appear exceptionally fair. She had a pair of large eyes like obsidian, yet they carried a sense of detachment and coldness rare for her age. That face, which was both cute and beautiful with a hint of elegance, gave off an unapproachable feeling.
She wore a high-collared short-sleeved top and pants suitable for movement, with no extra accessories or lace on her body. Her entire being exuded a clean and sharp temperament, but because of this, she also seemed excessively cold.
When the traits of his idol suddenly appeared in the image of a strange girl, Boruto felt an indescribable chaos welling up in his heart. This contradictory sense of familiarity and strangeness left him at a loss.
"Um... please wait a moment!" Boruto called out almost subconsciously.
Uchiha Satsuki turned her head in confusion and was momentarily stunned. It wasn't unusual for boys her age to approach her, but this time, for the first time ever, she didn't immediately rebuff him with something like "Move aside if you have nothing to say." For some reason, this blond boy gave her an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
"Are you... have we met somewhere before?" Satsuki asked the question Boruto was just about to say.
The explanation Boruto had prepared was instantly forgotten. He wanted to respond naturally, but his racing heartbeat only allowed him to stammer. "That... um, I also feel like you look a bit like someone I know..."
"...What is your name?" Satsuki asked, tilting her head slightly.
"Name? My name is Uzum—Boruto." He corrected himself just in time and breathed a secret sigh of relief.
Seeing Boruto's nervous appearance, the slight sense of closeness that had just risen in Satsuki's heart faded a bit. This reminded her of that girl from the Hyuga Clan in her class who was always stammering; perhaps the familiarity just now was just an illusion.
"...Then is there something you need?" Satsuki's tone returned to its usual coldness.
"Well... are you free right now? I have some questions I'd like to ask you." Boruto said, gathering his courage.
"I don't have time; I have things to do." Satsuki rejected him bluntly and then turned to leave, her figure quickly disappearing around the street corner.
The response, which was even colder than expected, left Boruto feeling a bit dejected. He felt very confused; why would he have an impulse to get close to a girl he was meeting for the first time?
And this person... Boruto was certain he had never seen an adult woman with such a unique personality in the future Konoha. Logically, every existence in a parallel universe should have a corresponding individual...
...Could she have died in the future?
Just as this sad thought surfaced, and before Boruto could regret forgetting to even ask for her name, that familiar voice came from ahead once again.
"Naruto? Who is this person? Why are they with you?"
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