Chapter 23: A Visit to the Uchiha Household [Part 2]
"Good day, Young Master Sasuke…"
"Wow, Sasuke is home early today!"
From the moment they stepped into the Uchiha clan's territory, almost everyone they passed greeted Sasuke with a smile.
"Is this Young Master Sasuke's friend? Such a cute little girl…"
At those words, Sasuke's expression froze, and the little devil inside him wanted to flip the table. Cute? More like a demon in disguise.
"The Third Hokage and the others really went too far this time," Sakura muttered, sighing. The Uchiha clan had been completely pushed to the outskirts of the village. Their base was not only in the most remote area but also surrounded by other powerful clans. It was no wonder the Uchiha considered rebellion.
Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju had co-founded the Hidden Leaf Village, yet apart from Hashirama, everyone else in the village avoided Madara. After Madara executed his plan and faked his death, the Uchiha clan's status within Konoha became awkward.
Later, the only person who still cared for the Uchiha, Hashirama Senju, died early. When the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, rose to power, he immediately assigned the Uchiha to the embarrassing position of the Konoha Security Force.
What did the Security Force do? They maintained village order. It sounded impressive, but in reality, it was a thankless job—law enforcement would inevitably upset many people. And those people weren't alone; they had family and friends. So every punishment from the Uchiha clan offended not just one person, but many. Over time, the entire village began to hold grudges against the Uchiha.
The most critical point was the Uchiha's proud and stubborn nature. For the Uchiha, those they accepted, they would protect with their lives—even to the point of death, with no regrets. But those they did not accept, encountering them with a blank expression was considered the best-case scenario.
Uchiha love was intense and extreme. Once committed, it was eternal. Even Tobirama once remarked that the Uchiha's love was so deep that losing the love in their hearts would drive them insane.
Take Uchiha Obito as the perfect example. He was originally a bright, kind-hearted boy, cheerful and friendly to all. But after being manipulated by Madara and witnessing Rin die in a brutal clash with Kakashi's Chidori, his personality shattered.
His Sharingan painfully evolved from two tomoe to the Mangekyo Sharingan in an instant. Obito transformed from a sunny boy into a cold, ruthless villain. Under Madara's control, he attacked Konoha, unleashed the Nine-Tails, and few could have imagined that the masked man who fought the Fourth Hokage so fiercely was none other than the once bottom-tier Uchiha Obito.
Just like now, the Uchiha clan members believed Sakura and Naruto were Sasuke's good friends, so they greeted them warmly. But if it were anyone else—no matter how strong—they wouldn't even give a second glance.
"Even though they're so heavily marginalized by Konoha, they still greet their own clan with smiles. What an extreme family," Sakura remarked.
Sakura actually liked the Uchiha's personality—their love was passionate and unreserved, and their hatred was just as open and fierce. At least dealing with them was straightforward, with no need for beating around the bush.
"I'm back…"
After walking for a while, the three finally arrived at Sasuke's home. Naruto's smile hadn't faded the entire way. In other parts of Konoha, villagers usually looked at him with disdain or cold indifference, but here in the Uchiha district, almost everyone smiled and greeted him—something he had never experienced before.
"Oh? Sasuke's back early today!" Uchiha Mikoto looked a little surprised. Since Sasuke started working at Ichiraku Ramen, he usually came home late. "Oh! Is this Sasuke's friend?"
"Hello, Aunt Mikoto! I'm Haruno Sakura," Sakura smiled politely.
"Uh, I'm Uzumaki Naruto, nice to meet you!" Naruto was a little shy—he'd never really interacted with elders like this before.
"Uzumaki?!" Mikoto paused, the name bringing back memories of a dear friend—young and gone too soon. If her own child were still alive, he would be about Sasuke's age now.
"Aunt Mikoto, does that surname sound familiar and nostalgic to you?" Sakura noticed the sadness in Mikoto's eyes and gently said, "By the way, don't you think Naruto looks very familiar?"
"Same blond hair, same blue eyes, and his smile is like the sun…"
"And most importantly, the same quirky catchphrases…"
"Kushina…" Mikoto covered her mouth in shock. At first, she didn't understand what Sakura meant, but when she heard the last word, it all clicked. Her dear friend shared those same quirks—and the age matched perfectly.
"Naruto really is Kushina-senpai's son!" Sakura confirmed.
"That's wonderful, truly wonderful…" Mikoto embraced Naruto, tears streaming down her face. When the Fourth Hokage and his wife died, she had just given birth to Sasuke. Plus, the Uchiha clan couldn't get near the battlefield and had no idea Kushina had already given birth. They thought the Nine-Tails' breaking of the seal had killed the Hokage couple and the child.
"What's going on here?" Naruto looked helplessly at Sakura. Why was this kind-hearted aunt suddenly crying over him? And what did she mean when she said he was Kushina's son?
"Aunt Mikoto was very close friends with your mother. They were so close that when they were both pregnant, they talked about it—if both had daughters, they'd become sworn sisters; if both had sons, their children would be best friends; and if one boy and one girl, they'd become family through marriage!"
Sakura explained with a smile. Thinking back on the original story, though not siblings, their bond was stronger than brothers—they were basically best friends.
"Sakura, do you know who my parents are?" Naruto asked anxiously. He'd grown up an orphan and always envied other kids who had their parents.
"Your parents are great heroes. Without them, Konoha wouldn't exist!"
Sakura raised a finger and said, "I can't tell you everything yet—that would put you in great danger. But once you become strong enough, I'll tell you the whole truth. Then you'll be able to meet them again."
"Really?" Naruto felt a little disappointed but quickly regained courage. "Don't worry, I'll definitely work hard to get stronger!"
"Meet them again? Could it be that Kushina and the others…" Mikoto was shocked. Could the Fourth Hokage and his wife really be alive?
"Chakra Seal!" Sakura pointed to Naruto's stomach. Mikoto immediately understood—since the Uzumaki clan specializes in sealing techniques, it seemed the Fourth Hokage and Kushina sealed their chakra into Naruto's body before dying.