Naruto Immersive Replay, The Curse of the Sharingan

I will never give up, no matter what method I use.

"How long are you going to keep hugging me?"

Sasuke had come out of the room at some point and was leaning against the door frame with his hands in his pockets.

His voice was as cold as ice crystals in winter, carrying undisguised displeasure and frustration at being ignored.

His gaze was sharp as he stared at the two figures embracing, especially at you, the one who had never looked him in the eye.

The strange sense of satisfaction that arose from the embrace deep in your eyes quickly faded, replaced by a fleeting look of extreme impatience, so quick it was like an illusion, instantly vanishing beneath the deep, dark calm.

The two separated upon hearing the sound.

Sakura seemed a little embarrassed, her cheeks flushed slightly as she took a half-step back.

The reason you so reluctantly turned your gaze to the source of the sound is because it was Uchiha Sasuke, whom you've met for the third time.

You didn't say anything, you just watched.

One second, two seconds...

Time passed in silence.

Your gaze was unsettlingly calm, fixed directly on Sasuke without any emotion, neither curiosity nor disgust, as if you were piercing through his skin and examining the depths of his soul that he himself was unaware of.

For Sasuke, those ten seconds were an extremely complex torment, yet also mixed with a twisted excitement.

The torment of your direct gaze, which seems to strip away all pretense, makes him feel that all his thoughts are laid bare, but at the same time, a thrilling excitement surges up his spine.

You finally looked at him; it was no longer ignoring him, no longer the indifference that you spared even a glance from the corner of your eye, but a genuine gaze.

And your eyes... are not the eyes of the Uchiha clan he is familiar with. They don't have the crimson of the Sharingan, nor the black-brown of ordinary clan members, but rather an extremely pure black.

It was cold and eerie, yet possessed a deadly attraction that inexplicably suffocated him, yet he also longed to get closer.

You indifferently looked away, coldly and clearly evaluating him: childish, boring, and only causes trouble.

The name Uchiha Sasuke is etched into the top of your blacklist without a ripple.

Just then, the study door was gently pulled open.

Fugaku Uchiha stepped forward, his imposing aura as the head of the family making the atmosphere even more solemn. His gaze swept over everyone, finally settling on the black-haired girl who remained expressionless.

Based on his intuition as a clan leader and a powerful ninja, Fugaku was almost certain that you had awakened your Sharingan.

The barely concealed fluctuations of pupil power most likely indicate... a three-tomoe jade.

Such a young genius with three tomoe... no wonder.

Fugaku sneered inwardly. No wonder the Konoha leadership and Danzo Shimura's Root organization have been doing everything they can to prevent the Uchiha clan from getting close to you and to keep you out of the clan's system.

They feared the Uchiha's power would reunite.

Fugaku's gaze deepened. For a long time, he may have still harbored illusions about the Konoha leadership, trying to gain room for survival through compromise. But now their policies are becoming increasingly excessive, with exclusion and surveillance being ubiquitous.

The plan to betray him had long been brewing in his mind. If... if he could bring a genius like you back to the Uchiha camp, the success rate of the plan would undoubtedly be greatly increased.

His gaze unconsciously turned to his eldest son, Uchiha Itachi.

He remembered... his wife Mikoto seemed to have mentioned that a long time ago, she and your mother Rika had jokingly arranged a marriage between their childhood... A vague outline of a plan began to form in Fugaku's mind.

He suppressed the turmoil in his heart and spoke calmly, breaking the somewhat delicate atmosphere in the living room, "There are extra guest rooms in the house. Sakura Haruno, Nagi Uchiha, why don't you stay at the Uchiha clan compound for the night? It's not safe outside right now."

His gaze turned to Itachi, his tone carrying an unquestionable command, "Itachi, come to the study with me."

Having said that, Fugaku said no more and turned back to his study.

Upon hearing this, Itachi and Shisui both nodded slightly. Shisui smiled gently at Mikoto, "Auntie, please take care of Nagi and Sakura Haruno. It's getting late, so I should take my leave."

He spoke politely, then waved goodbye to you, Sasuke, and Sakura in turn.

Of the three children present, only the simple-minded Sakura subconsciously raised her hand and whispered a "Goodbye".

Your gaze had already drifted to the endless night outside the window, as if nothing had happened. Sasuke, on the other hand, pursed his lips, his expression still unpleasant, completely ignoring Shisui's farewell.

Shisui didn't mind, smiled, and then his figure disappeared into the darkness outside the door, leaving quietly.

Mikoto started making arrangements to take you to the guest rooms.

Sasuke stood there, looking at your indifferent profile. Your dark eyes reflected no light under the lamplight. The ten seconds of eye contact just now were like a brand, causing an unquenchable turmoil to surge in his heart.

And you let Mikoto gently lead the way, not even sparing Sasuke a glance as you passed by.

The atmosphere in the Uchiha clan chief's study was heavy and oppressive, with only the occasional crackling of the lamp wick. The heavy curtains blocked out the night, and also seemed to shut out all warmth.

With his back to his eldest son Itachi, Fugaku Uchiha stared at the huge Uchiha clan crest on the wall, his voice low and calculating.

"...Itachi, as you've seen, Nagi Uchiha's value far exceeds our imagination. Her three-tomoe Sharingan may even be hiding even more powerful abilities... There's a reason why the Konoha higher-ups and Danzo are so wary of her."

He slowly turned around, his sharp gaze fixed on his proud son. "You should be well aware of our clan's current predicament. The road ahead... may not be smooth. If we can win her over, it will be of paramount importance to us."

Fugaku paused for a moment, seemingly considering his words, before finally bringing up the somewhat absurd pretext.

“I remember… your mother seemed to have mentioned that she and her mother, Rikka, had a childhood betrothal joke… This might be an opportunity, Itachi. You should seize the opportunity, get as close to her as possible, and gain her trust.”

Itachi listened quietly, his handsome face expressionless. He neither immediately agreed nor directly rejected his father's almost exploitative suggestion.

He simply nodded slightly, his voice calm and even, "I understand, Father. I will... try to get along with her."

Leaving the study and returning to his quiet room, Itachi did not fall asleep immediately. Instead, he stood by the window, gazing at the tranquil night view of the Uchiha clan's territory.

Involuntarily, your image appears in my mind, your aloof profile as you sit alone in the center of the library.

The glint in your eyes when you discussed ninjutsu with him, the seemingly calm yet deeply hateful look in your eyes when facing Danzo and Root...

Undeniably, spending time with you and discussing those profound questions about ninjutsu did give him a sense of intellectual pleasure and a rare sense of harmony.

You are an extremely special person.

Itachi closed his eyes, but what appeared before him was a different image: a cold, humiliating black collar tightly fastened to his slender, pale neck... the heavy shackles leaving red marks on his wrists and ankles...

His heart felt as if it had been scalded by something, a subtle yet distinct stinging sensation.

How did you manage to grow up in that environment? How did you endure that surveillance, restraint, and malice day after day, yet still maintain such a... pure heart focused on power and knowledge?

Feelings of admiration, pity, and a desire to get closer and understand quietly began to grow.

If... if getting close to you isn't just for the sake of the family mission, but also to... perhaps dispel some of the chill emanating from you...

It doesn't seem like an unacceptable thing.

As long as... you yourself don't object.

Sakura had already fallen into a deep sleep, her breathing even, her face serene and carefree. You stood by the bed and quietly watched her for a while.

Only cherry blossoms are pure, warm, and yours.

Now that we've arrived at the Uchiha clan's territory, instead of wasting time sleeping, we might as well go check out the library. There might be clues there about the shackles on our bodies or the strange powers we're facing.

You gently push open the door and walk into the hallway.

Just as he stepped out of the room, before he even reached the stairwell, he keenly sensed a pair of eyes staring intently at him from the shadows of the stairwell not far away.

It was Uchiha Sasuke. He was clearly not asleep either, just standing silently in the darkness.

Not wanting to cause any further trouble, you simply pretended not to see anything and continued walking towards the library.

"Where are you going?" Sasuke's voice suddenly rang out, sounding somewhat abrupt in the quiet night, carrying a cold hardness that was forced into a calm demeanor.

You paused, but didn't turn around or answer. In your view, you weren't close enough to need to report your whereabouts to this young master of the Uchiha clan, whom you'd only met three times and who was still quite childish and troublesome.

Your disregard has clearly angered Sasuke.

The next moment, hurried footsteps approached, and your wrist was grabbed.

"That attitude again!" Sasuke's voice suppressed anger, and perhaps something else, "Do you hate me that much?"

You finally turned your head, your cold gaze falling on the spot where Sasuke was gripping his wrist, then slowly moving upwards to meet his eyes filled with resentment and confusion.

Then you shook your head very slightly, so slightly that the movement was almost imperceptible, while simultaneously straining your wrists, trying to break free from his grip.

Your resistance seems to have provoked Sasuke.

The impulsiveness of youth, and the inexplicable emotions of being attracted to and frustrated by those dark eyes, surged up suddenly.

Instead of letting go, he suddenly opened his arms and hugged you tightly.

The hug came suddenly, full of youthful impetuosity and an irresistible force.

Your body stiffened like iron in an instant, and you utterly loathed being touched by anyone except Sakura.

Sasuke's embrace offended you, and an instinctive aversion and hostility surged up instantly. Almost without thinking, your chakra flowed subconsciously, and you pushed Sasuke away without mercy.

The force was so great that Sasuke staggered back several steps before regaining his balance.

He raised his head, and in his eyes, which were always brimming with pride, a clear look of disbelief and...deep hurt flashed across them.

He looks at you as if you were a cold, heartless monster, or as if you were a phantom that can never be reached.

You looked at him, his lips moved slightly, as if he wanted to say something, perhaps an explanation, perhaps a warning, but in the end, no sound came out.

Language is often superfluous for you.

The light in Sasuke's eyes dimmed, transforming into a complex emotion intertwined with humiliation and anger.

He turned around abruptly, his footsteps quickly disappearing at the end of the dark corridor.

For someone like you with an unusual emotional understanding, it's completely impossible to comprehend the underlying logic behind Uchiha Sasuke's series of abnormal behaviors tonight.

Even though we've only met three times and barely spoken, he acts as if we've shared some profound story.

What a... baffling guy.

Disrupted like this, you completely lost your mood to go to the library to read, and turned around and went back to your guest room.

She gently closed the door, shutting out everything outside. Inside the room, only Sakura's even, long breaths could be heard.

Gazing at the girl's peaceful sleeping face in the darkness, her soft pink hair clung to her cheeks, and a carefree smile played on her lips.

Looking at Sakura like this, the irritation and confusion you felt because of Sasuke seemed to be soothed, and you regained a cold calm.

All the outside disturbances, schemes, and inexplicable emotions... don't matter.

Your fingertips lightly, almost greedily, brushed over a strand of Sakura's pink hair that had fallen onto her pillow.

As long as Sakura is here, that's enough.

She is the only, irreplaceable source of warmth; everything else... doesn't matter.

Chapter 253 Compensation

"By order of the Hokage, please summon Uchiha Nagi to the Hokage's office for a private conversation." The voice of the head ANBU captain came through the mask, businesslike and devoid of any emotion.

Sakura Haruno, who was about to have breakfast, suddenly tensed up, her little hand instinctively grabbing your sleeve beside her, her emerald green eyes filled with worry.

Feeling the force on your sleeve, you gently pulled it out without any expression, as if you were just going to have an ordinary meeting.

"It's alright." You reassured Sakura, though your voice still sounded cold, then stood up and left with the ANBU ninjas.

Sakura chased after you to the door, gazing at your slender, upright back, but her unease remained undiminished.

The Hokage's office was filled with smoke.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind a large desk, the light from his pipe flickering in his hand.

He looked at the black-haired girl sitting quietly opposite him with an indifferent expression, trying to find any trace of emotion on her face.

"Are you adjusting well to your new family?" Hiruzen asked carefully, his tone gentle like an elder's, but more like a probe.

You looked up and answered succinctly, "It's alright."

The two words conveyed neither satisfaction nor dissatisfaction.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep drag of his cigarette, slowly exhaled the smoke, and remained silent for a moment before speaking again in a low voice, shifting the topic to a more sensitive area, "Yesterday at the Uchiha clan compound, did Clan Chief Fugaku say anything to you?"

You didn't speak, but just looked at him quietly, as if you could see through all his pretense and scheming.

His gaze was so calm that it made Hiruzen feel an invisible pressure.

Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't annoyed by your silence. On the contrary, as if he had expected it, he paused for a moment and then offered his first substantial reassurance.

"Regarding Danzo's unauthorized removal of you, I have dealt with it seriously. Danzo has been ordered to stay at home for a year to reflect on his actions. During this period, he is not allowed to interfere in any affairs of Root. At least for this year, Root will no longer pose a direct threat to you."

This is a significant concession and a temporary suppression of Danzo's forces.

You simply nodded slightly to indicate that you had heard, and made no other response.