Naruto Immersive Replay, The Curse of the Sharingan

Further out on the rocky beach, the atmosphere was completely different.

Uchiha Izuna and Senju Tobirama sat five meters apart, the air between them seemingly frozen, sparks flying as their eyes clashed.

"White-haired rat".

"Red-eye patient".

They both muttered curses under their breath and then turned their faces away at the same time.

Madara withdrew his gaze and turned to Hashirama. "I've considered that plan..."

Hashirama's eyes immediately lit up.

“If we build a village here, there will be natural barriers on both the east and west sides…” Hashirama gestured excitedly.

A rare glint appeared in Madara's eyes. "The Namaka River can be used as a moat, but to the north..."

"What conspiracy is that despicable Thousand Hands plotting now?" Izuna sneered.

"Foolish Uchiha, you can't even understand the concept of peace," Tobirama retorted.

The two of them snorted simultaneously.

Before we knew it, it was time for the eve of the summer festival. The Uchiha clan's territory was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, and the air was filled with the sweet aroma of dumplings.

But your residence is tightly shut, as if isolated from the hustle and bustle of the outside world.

"Today is the summer festival, and there will be a fireworks display tonight. Come with me."

Ban's voice suddenly rang out in the darkness, and you didn't even realize when he came in.

A pair of strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind, and a familiar body temperature emanated through the thin kimono.

"Not interested." You replied casually, but did not break free from the embrace. Ban's chin rested on your shoulder, his breath brushing against your neck, stirring a slight shiver.

“I can carry you on my back.” Madara’s lips almost touched your earlobe, his voice low and seductive, “just like when I carried Izuna when we were little.”

Your fingertips tremble slightly as the image of Madara carrying his younger brother on his back appears before your eyes. Back then, you were just an observer in the shadows, never imagining that one day you would be so cherished.

Seeing that you remained silent, Ban turned your body around and gazed into your eyes in the dim light.

Two years have etched deeper contours onto his freckled face, but have not diminished his stunning good looks.

You unconsciously raise your hand, but your fingertips retract just before touching his cheek.

This subtle movement seemed to sting Ban.

"If you can't see, I'll be your eyes."

You shoved Ban away abruptly, staggered to your feet, and said, "I told you, I'm not interested!"

Ban's eyes darkened. Over the past two years, he had watched you gradually shut yourself off in this dark cage, refusing all contact with the outside world.

At first, he could understand, but now, "When are you going to stop hiding?" Madara grabbed your wrist with such force that you frowned. "Cold poison, eye power, seal... none of these are reasons for you to run away!"

Instead of letting go, Ban pulled you forcefully into his arms, and their breaths mingled instantly. You could clearly see the emotions surging in his eyes: anger, confusion, and an unfathomable possessiveness.

"I won't let go." Ban lowered his head and approached. "Never."

The next second, his lips pressed down heavily, the kiss carrying a punitive meaning, rough and fiery.

Struggling to push him away, you were pinned against the wall by Ban's hands, which were twisted behind your back. As your lips and teeth intertwined, you bit down hard on Ban's shoulder, and the taste of rust immediately filled your mouth.

The spot loosened its grip in pain, and your rapid breathing was exceptionally clear in the darkness.

"...I don't want to." You turned your head away, your voice hoarse.

Ban sighed and hugged you tighter. "Tell me your reason. You can't keep refusing."

The room fell silent, with only the sound of their heartbeats rising and falling.

After a long silence, you finally spoke slowly: "Madara, let's end this."

These words were like a kunai, piercing precisely into Ban's heart.

His pupils suddenly contracted, and the next second, you were slammed against the wall. Madara's eyes turned crimson, and his kaleidoscope spun wildly.

"Don't even think about it." He said, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth, "You can only be mine."

The cold wall sent a chill through the thin kimono. You had expected Madara to react this way. His possessiveness was terrifying. From the first moment you met him, he regarded you as his indivisible possession.

"I'm so tired," you said softly, your gaze falling on your bleeding shoulder. "So tired... I don't want to keep going anymore."

A crack appeared in Ban's expression. He stroked your cheek, his thumb gently tracing the corner of your dim eye. "The antidote for the cold poison is almost here. Just wait a little longer."

His voice suddenly softened, "Don't force me to keep you locked up by my side."

You know Madara is capable of doing something like this. If you continue to refuse, you might wake up tomorrow to find a chakra chain on your ankle.

"Why..." Your voice was as soft as a sigh, "Why me of all?"

Ban's forehead pressed against yours, his breath hot, "Because only you can see the real me."

He grabbed your hand and pressed it against his chest. "Not the young head of the Uchiha clan, not the future head, just Madara."

“It’s no use.” You turned your face away. “It’s not just a problem with the cold poison, my eyes…” Before you could finish speaking, a sharp pain suddenly exploded from the back of your eyes, and you curled up in agony.

Ban immediately picked you up and gently placed you on the couch. Your eyes were closed, and two streams of bloody tears slowly flowed down your face. He carefully wiped them away, his movements incredibly gentle.

“Listen,” he whispered in your ear, his voice filled with a chilling obsession, “Whether it’s the antidote or new eyes, I’ll get them. You can hate me, you can bite me, but don’t even think about leaving.”

"At least let me watch the fireworks with you," he pleaded softly, his tone unlike that of the fearsome young Uchiha clan leader.

A strong heartbeat came from beneath your palm, and you suddenly felt a lump in your throat. You instinctively wrapped your arms around Ban's waist and buried your face in his chest.

"...What time does the fireworks display start?" you asked listlessly.

Ban's body visibly relaxed, and he ran his fingers through your long hair, gently combing it. "After sunset."

After a pause, he added, "If you really don't want to go, we can just watch from the yard."

You shook your head, finally raising your head to look directly into Ban's eyes, "Take me there, while I can still see a little light."

Ban's Adam's apple bobbed, and he lowered his head to kiss your eyelids. "Okay."

The summer night breeze, carrying the sweet aroma of roasted dumplings, meanders through the brightly lit festival streets.

Your fingertips are firmly held by the spot, and the warmth spreads from your palms to your heart.

He wore a white fox mask with red patterns painted at the corners of his eyes, while Ban's mask was a hideous demon mask.

"Want some takoyaki?" Ban asked, leaning close to your ear, his voice unusually relaxed. The aroma of takoyaki wafted from a nearby stall, and the round takoyaki on the griddle were sizzling.

You shake your head, your gaze sweeping over the bustling crowd.

Children ran and laughed with goldfish nets in hand, young men and women exchanged glances at the water balloon catching stall, and old people sat by the tea stall, chatting and fanning themselves.

Such ordinary, everyday life is almost a luxury for ninjas like you.

Ban squeezed your fingers and led you to a relatively quiet side road.

The lanterns here are sparse, so the moonlight takes the opportunity to spill silver light all over the ground. There are a few fortune tellers and amulet sellers scattered along the roadside, but there are few customers.

Just as they passed an inconspicuous stall, an old, hoarse voice suddenly pierced the silence of the night, "The price of changing one's fate is ultimately losing loved ones, don't you agree?"

Your steps suddenly stopped. Behind the stall sat an old woman with deep wrinkles, her white hair hastily tied up with a wooden hairpin, but her dim yellow eyes were surprisingly bright, staring straight at you.

To be precise, it was staring at your clasped hands.

Madara's body tensed instantly, and you could feel his chakra sharpening like a drawn sword. He gently gripped Madara's hand, signaling him to calm down.

"What is the price? And what is the gift?" you asked calmly, your voice sounding somewhat muffled through the mask.

The old woman grinned, revealing her few remaining teeth, her laughter like the rustling of withered leaves. "Clever girl," she said, pointing tremblingly to your heart. "That thing inside you, is it a curse or a blessing, isn't it?"

Your breath hitched. No one should know about the seal within your body, except for a very few people.

Ban stepped forward, his crimson mask gleaming blood-red in the moonlight. "Who are you?"

"Just an old hag selling amulets." The old woman didn't care and picked up a pair of bells wrapped with red rope from the stall. "The prophet is ultimately troubled by love. Instead of clinging to the past, cherish the people around you."

The bells rang crisply in her hands, strangely synchronized with the distant drumbeats of a festival.

You stare at the pair of bells, and suddenly feel dizzy, as if countless images flash before your eyes: Ban's kneeling figure in the rain of blood, your own hands gradually becoming transparent, the weeping face of a strange child...

Ban steadied your swaying body, his voice laced with suppressed anger, "What did you do to her?"

"It's just to let those with eyes see what is destined." The old woman sighed as she put the bell back in its place. "Young patriarch of the Uchiha clan, when you stand at the crossroads of fate, remember the answer tonight."

Ban was about to question him, but you grabbed his sleeve and said, "Thank you for your guidance."

The old woman gave you a meaningful look, then suddenly lowered her voice and began to sing a strange nursery rhyme, "Tsukuyomi's fate, Amaterasu's fire, Susanoo slays Yamata no Yamata... What is lost will eventually return, what is gained will eventually..."

"When the moon is stained with blood, remember what we say today."

The singing stopped abruptly, and the old woman's figure disappeared as if melting into the moonlight.

The items on the stall were still there, but covered with a thin layer of dust, as if no one had taken care of them for a long time.

Madara abruptly ripped off his mask, his Sharingan spinning rapidly in the darkness, scanning his surroundings but finding nothing; the old woman seemed to have never existed.

"Illusion?" he asked you in a low voice.

You also removed your mask, your brows furrowed on your pale face. "It doesn't look like it."

Pointing to the corner of the stall, there lay a pair of red rope bells, exactly the same as the ones you just saw.

Madara picked up the bell, and the moment he touched it, a strange chakra fluctuation sent a chill down his spine.

This is no ordinary ninja tool; the energy it carries is ancient and unfamiliar.

"Do you want to take it with you?"

You shake your head, indicating that he should put the bell back where it was.

Just as Ban let go, the bell suddenly rang out without wind, emitting a final, clear "ding-a-ling," before turning into a wisp of smoke and dissipating into the night sky.

Cheers came from a crowd in the distance, and a cluster of fireworks exploded in the night sky, illuminating your faces in a flickering light.

Ban took your hand again and noticed that your fingertips were cold. "Don't overthink it. As for fate, just break free from it."

You didn't answer, but instead, unusually, you tightened your fingers and intertwined them with his.

A surge of warmth welled up in Ban's heart, and he gripped your hand even tighter.

Silently walking back to the main street, I merged into the joyful crowd. The aroma of grilled squid, the sweetness of candied apples, the sound of scooping goldfish... everything returned to the lively atmosphere of the festival. The strange interlude just now seemed like an illusion.

But at some corner, you can't help but look back.

Under the moonlight, the empty stall was still there, but what was even more chilling was that the old woman's figure stood beside the stall, slowly waving goodbye to you.

The moment you blink, that figure disappears again.

"What's wrong?" Ban followed your gaze.

"It's nothing." You turn back, forcing yourself to focus on the road ahead. "It's just... the fireworks are beautiful."

Madara followed your gaze to the night sky, just as a huge cluster of golden fireworks burst forth, illuminating the entire Uchiha clan territory.

In that fleeting moment of light, he saw a tear streak that flashed across your profile.

Ban didn't say anything, he just hugged you tighter and let you lean on his shoulder.

Fireworks rose one after another, casting the shadows of the two on the ground. In the distant shadows behind them, the faint sound of the red string bells echoed, like the gentle laughter of fate.

Chapter 32 Taboo

The hustle and bustle of the festival gradually faded away, and the wind chimes made a soft, crisp sound with each step.

You and Madara chose a less traveled path to return to the Uchiha clan's territory, where only a few lonely lanterns provided faint light in the darkness.

"Ban, that old lady..." You had just started to speak when Ban suddenly stopped and put his arm in front of you in a protective stance.

"Someone's there." Madara's voice was extremely low, his Sharingan gleaming faintly in the darkness.

You immediately go on high alert, your fingers instinctively reaching for your ninja tool pouch.

Two powerful chakra streams are approaching, one as vibrant as a forest, the other as sharp and calm as ice.

"Madala!"

A familiar voice came from ahead. Before you could react, a tall man with long, straight black hair jumped out of the bushes with his signature hearty smile on his face.

"What a coincidence! I never expected to run into you here!" Hashirama strode over.

Madara silently took half a step forward, blocking your way. "Hashirama, what are you doing here so late?"