Naruto: If I ask you to kill Sasuke, you will become a succubus?

"Did you give money?"

"Give it."

"Will she like it?"

"That depends on what you write on your card."

On the way to the cemetery, Orochimaru followed.

Shikamaru listened to their conversation, trying to determine whether their relationship was close or distant, and whether their goals were consistent or different.

There weren't many people who could talk to Orochimaru so casually, and based on Shikamaru's shallow understanding of Orochimaru, perhaps Uchiha Sasuke was the only one.

Chaolu placed the bouquet of flowers in front of Neci's grave. It was not a good feeling to have someone she was familiar with separated from her by the Yin and Yang.

She felt uncomfortable and at the same time, it didn't feel real.

How come two people who were once familiar with each other, who once laughed and fought together under the sky, now one is still standing on the earth while the other is sleeping in the soil?

"Speaking of Neji..." Chaolu stared at Neji's tombstone, and after a moment of silence, she asked, "That Toneri... Is he okay now?"

Shikamaru asked, "That servant? How many servants are there?"

"In my own time and space, I met other Sheren."

"I see." Shikamaru nodded: "Just as you arranged before you left - he is now in the Hyuga branch."

"Is he really branded a caged bird?"

"Yes."

"How long has it been since I left?"

"About a year."

"One year... For someone who almost destroyed the world, one year of punishment may not be enough, but I can't stay here forever... So I want to take this opportunity to eliminate all the caged birds - including Sheren's."

Shikamaru was stunned: "What?"

"That's Neji's wish, and I want to fulfill it for him. I also hate this kind of system that restricts people from birth."

"When Naruto comes back, maybe you can talk to the head of the Hyuga family, Hyuga Hiashi..."

"Why are you waiting for Naruto to come back? Why are you discussing this with Hyuga Hiashi?" Chaolu interrupted, "I think you are just trying to delay time."

“…This is not a trivial matter after all.”

"That's because you're used to the current rules. You don't know what it will be like after the change, so you subconsciously reject, resist, fear, escape, and want to keep it the same." Zhaolu said, "But for me, this is just a small matter."

Shikamaru wanted to say something, but Chaolu had already turned around and was about to leave: "I also want to take a look at the Uchiha clan's residence."

Hearing that she had made up her mind, Shikamaru knew that now was not a good time to persuade her to give up, so he could only follow her and prepare to find another solution.

……

The Uchiha clan's base has become a wasteland in this world.

After the clan was exterminated, the place had become increasingly desolate. After Sasuke defected, no one took care of it. By the time Pain razed Konoha, the buildings here completely collapsed into ruins.

Relying on her memory, Chaolu stood at the old site of Sasuke's house, looked around, and found the location of the cinema and the locations of the street lamps that had once been broken...

But even though she told herself that they were supposed to be there, the reality was that they were no longer there.

Chaolu sighed softly.

"The Uchiha station in your world," Shikamaru said, "must be very different from this scene."

"I don't know." She shook her head: "I haven't been there. But it should be very different, because the Uchiha clan was not exterminated."

Chaolu smiled happily, but also felt a little sad: "I am probably the only one who remembers the Uchiha garrison that I have seen."

"What do you mean?" Shikamaru asked, "Where is Sasuke from your world? Shouldn't he remember?"

"He doesn't remember." Orochimaru said, "The world is rewritten, and new memories cover old ones... Besides, the extermination of a clan is not a good memory worth remembering."

Shikamaru hesitated and asked, "Does he still remember you?"

Zhaolu shook her head: "It is said that she doesn't remember it."

"…He's not the only one who forgot about you, is he? Neji won't forget about you too, will he?"

"Ningji remembers."

"And what about Ino?"

"..."

"After you woke up, did you not go back to Konoha to see it?"

"how do you know?"

"Your attitude towards Ino." Shikamaru said, "That bouquet of flowers... and the words on that greeting card. Although I don't know what you wrote, the emotions contained in it should be your feelings for the Ino you knew. After you changed the world, you probably didn't meet, so you transferred the emotions that you couldn't convey to Ino in this world."

"…I haven't been back to Konoha to see them, but others say they are doing well. I think that's enough."

"Sasuke and Naruto in the other world don't remember you?"

"Yes. The memory of growing up being loved by my family and the memory of growing up alone without my family cannot coexist. Of course, it is better to choose the former."

"What about Shikamaru?" Shikamaru said, "Although it seems a little strange for me to bring it up myself, but - he and you were pretty... close, right? He doesn't remember you either?"

"Yes."

Shikamaru observed her expression, "Won't it be sad to lose so many friends?"

"But it's hard for people to be together forever." Chaolu lowered her eyes: "Sometimes, it's a blessing to be able to walk together for a while."

The three of them fell silent for a moment. After a while, Chaolu took the initiative to break the silence.

She looked at Shikamaru and smiled, "It's good that you still remember me. I was really happy when Shikamaru recognized me."

"Even though you said that, I don't want to make you sad, but you understand that I am different from the Shikamaru you know, right? I am not your close friend, and you are not my friend. The person who has known you since childhood and brought you breakfast but said it was something he didn't like to eat was not me." Shikamaru said, "Don't transfer your feelings to me like you did to Ino."

Orochimaru said slowly: "Is it necessary to talk about this?"

"Just be clear in advance," Shikamaru said, "otherwise, the situation will become very troublesome..."

"It's okay, I understand. I know Ino is not Ino, and Shikamaru you... are not that Shikamaru. But seeing you two living well, no matter which one it is, as long as it's you, I will feel very happy."

Chaolu said: "In fact, I also know that this Neji is not my Neji, but as long as it is Neji... I just can't tolerate him not living well. If you want to say it is transference, maybe it is, but... there are countless reasons for the sprouting of feelings. Therefore, I have special feelings for you, I want to be gentle to you, I want you to be happy and happy, is this a bad thing? Is this a mistake?"

"It's not a bad thing, nor is it a mistake. It's just..." Shikamaru looked helpless: "Like you said, I'm used to my current life, and I don't know what it will be like after the change, so I will subconsciously reject, resist, fear, escape, and want to keep it the same. That's it."

Chaolu was a little confused: "Shikamaru doesn't want to be friends with me?"

"I have no shortage of friends."

Orochimaru said dimly: "She won't understand if you put it that way."

Chaolu: “?”

But seeing that Orochimaru had no intention of explaining further, Shikamaru didn't explain either. He casually changed the subject: "Is there anywhere else you want to go?"