radiothebook Chapter 369 You said noodles are mushy? He went to your area?
Chapter 369 You said noodles are mushy? He went to your area?
auditorium.
With a slight ripple in the air, the figures of Naruto, Sakura, and Karin appeared.
Sakura's pretty face still bore the lingering fear. She hesitated for a moment, then cautiously asked, "After Menma went back... did he cause any more trouble?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Sakura involuntarily pictured the shop owner being suddenly struck hard by a thick snake tail, spitting blood as he flew away.
Menma, the culprit behind all this, remained indifferent. Recalling that scene, Sakura felt lingering fear.
Upon hearing Sakura's question, Naruto paused for a moment, then replied, "Huh? No."
He scratched his head and gave a goofy smile.
"After he got back, he washed up and went straight to sleep. He slept very soundly, and nothing happened."
When Ma was not present, Karin, who had been on tenterhooks, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Once the fear subsided, the intense curiosity that had been suppressed the night before immediately took over.
Her gaze darted between Naruto and Sakura, and finally, unable to hold back any longer, she leaned close to Naruto and asked in a low voice, "Naruto, did you really sleep in the same bed with that Menma tonight?!"
Her expression was full of gossip, and she blushed slightly as soon as the question left her mouth. She had finally asked the question that had been bothering her all night.
"Huh?" Naruto was taken aback by Karin's sudden approach and urgent question. "Yeah, he insisted on sleeping in my room and wanted me to stay too. I couldn't refuse him, so I had to sleep with him... As for why, he didn't say... Maybe he's not used to sleeping in the same bed?"
Karin's eyes widened in disbelief, and she was speechless for a moment.
Just then, a loud yawn came from the side.
Jiraiya, rubbing his sleepy eyes, staggered over to their seats: "Oh, you're all here."
"Naruto," Jiraiya yawned and asked casually, "How did things go with Menma yesterday? Did you cause any trouble?"
"Perverted Sage!" Naruto's eyes lit up when he saw it was Jiraiya, and he couldn't wait to start reporting on yesterday's events.
"It's alright, it's alright! Although Menma is a bit strange and his words are often unpleasant to hear, I think he's actually a good person!"
"He taught me how to use his summoned beasts, and we even ate dumplings together! There was a small mishap along the way, but overall we got along quite well!"
"Oh? Is that so?"
Upon hearing this, Jiraiya raised an eyebrow slightly and glanced at Naruto with a hint of surprise.
He then let out a long sigh of relief and patted Naruto's shoulder with satisfaction: "That's good. It's always a good thing to learn something. It seems that you two are getting along better than I expected."
His tone was as kind and gentle as ever, like that of an elder, and I could tell he was quite relieved.
However, before Jiraiya could finish speaking, Sakura and Karin, who had been listening to their conversation, had very subtle and complicated expressions.
A good person?!
Sakura and Karin exchanged a glance, both seeing a strong urge to tease each other in their eyes.
Can someone who beats people up so easily and revels in devastating ninjutsu be considered a good person?
Sakura sighed helplessly, rubbing her forehead, "I'm afraid only you, Naruto... only you would think that kind of terrorist is a good person."
Hearing this, Karin couldn't help but nod slightly and silently echoed, "That's right, that's right."
"Uh... I just think the freckles are okay..." Noticing the resentful looks from the two girls, Naruto smiled awkwardly.
Jiraiya noticed the changes in Sakura and Karin's expressions, and after a moment's thought, he realized that something must have happened yesterday.
Just as the atmosphere in Konoha was becoming tense, the space on the other side of the audience seats suddenly began to distort slightly.
Immediately afterwards, three figures suddenly appeared: Obito, Itachi, and Kisame.
The moment the three appeared, the Konoha members, who had been chatting and laughing, suddenly fell silent.
Sakura and Karin's expressions instantly became wary.
Even Jiraiya's smile faded slightly, and his gaze swept over the three of them without making a sound.
Obito scanned the entire area, pausing briefly in the direction of the Konoha members.
Upon discovering that the white-haired figure was not in the corner, he gave a disdainful snort and then disappeared into the shadows, adopting an attitude of "keep away."
Just then, the huge black screen in front of them suddenly lit up.
The sudden appearance of light immediately attracted everyone's attention.
The image on the screen quickly appeared, and Sasuke's figure was clearly visible in a familiar Japanese-style room, which was the Uchiha mansion in the dream.
The eyes of everyone in Konoha were immediately drawn to the topic, and the discussion that had just been taking place came to an abrupt halt.
Everyone turned to look at the screen, focusing their attention on the every move of the black-haired boy on the screen.
on the screen.
Around the long table, a seemingly warm and harmonious family quietly ate their meals.
Sasuke had no taste for the food; he simply mechanically put it into his mouth.
His gaze would occasionally drift stealthily towards his elder brother sitting opposite him.
Itachi remained calm and composed, his every move exuding a warmth that was like a gentle breeze.
Sasuke secretly tested Itachi several times, but the person on the other end remained the perfect older brother in his memory—gentle, considerate, and calm.
Sasuke was secretly disappointed.
There's nothing unusual about it...
No, we can't keep wasting time like this!
Sasuke knew that continuing to probe would yield no results, so he made a decisive decision.
Since we can't get the answer directly from Itachi, the only person who might know is that person.
A person subconsciously came to mind, possessing both a gentle and polite smile and a reassuringly reliable demeanor.
Even with Sasuke's usual arrogant nature, he had to admit that Naruto here seemed very reliable and worth a try.
Go find him!
The idea quickly took shape in Sasuke's mind.
He must know something, or at least he can provide me with some clues.
Once this idea takes hold, it can no longer be contained.
"I'm done eating."
Sasuke suddenly pushed off the cushion and stood up, putting down his bowl and chopsticks rather abruptly.
He tried to make his voice sound calm and natural, but his slightly hurried tone still betrayed his urgency.
"Mother, Nisan, I'm going out for a bit," he said curtly, and without waiting for a reply, he turned to leave.
"Huh? So early?" Uchiha Mikoto's gentle and beautiful face peeked out from the kitchen. She asked with a slightly surprised smile, "Are you going out to meet your friends?"
"Yeah." Sasuke nodded and replied casually, "Go find Naruto."
The moment he spoke, he glanced out of the corner of his eye at Itachi, who was still quietly eating at the table.
Itachi simply nodded slightly, indicating that he understood, and did not ask any further questions.
Seeing this, Mikoto came out of the kitchen, wiping her hands and teasingly said, "Oh my, you two are really close, sticking together so early in the morning~ It's a pity you're both boys..."
She covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes full of mischievous amusement.
"Mother," Itachi said in a low voice, sounding helpless.
Sasuke was in a hurry to leave, but upon hearing his mother's joke, he couldn't help but stumble, and his lips twitched slightly.
What nonsense is Mom talking about?!
His face flushed red, he grunted, and hastily waved his hand, saying, "I'm leaving!"
After saying that, Sasuke fled in panic, rushing out of the house.
In the early morning, there were very few pedestrians.
Sasuke jogged along, his steps quick.
Not long after, a detached house with a style completely different from the Uchiha residence, yet equally warm and elegant, appeared before Sasuke.
Sasuke took a deep breath, rushed straight to the wooden door, and pressed the doorbell.
"They're here! They're here!"
A cheerful voice soon rang out from inside the room, and Sasuke could tell from the voice alone that it was Naruto from the Dream.
A few seconds later, the wooden door was suddenly pulled open from the inside.
The boy who appeared behind the door had brilliant blond hair just like the real Naruto, azure eyes, and a bright and friendly smile.
"Oh! It's Sasuke!"
When Naruto saw the person outside the door in his dream, he was slightly taken aback at first, and then a surprised smile appeared on his face.
"Good morning! Why are you here so early? What's up?"
"Naruto, who is it?" A gentle female voice suddenly came from inside the house. Judging from the voice, it should be a young mother.
Sasuke heard Naruto in his dream call out loudly into the house, "Mother, Sasuke is here!"
From the moment he saw Naruto in his dream, Sasuke's anxiety and urgency could no longer be contained.
No matter what, take him away first!
Find a quiet place where you won't be disturbed and ask them clearly!
With this thought in mind, Sasuke didn't offer any further explanation, disregarding etiquette and pleasantries, and grabbed the wrist of the dream Naruto.
"Come with me!"
Before he finished speaking, he turned around and stepped out the door.
"Huh?!" Naruto in his dream world was completely taken aback when Sasuke suddenly pulled him up.
He blinked hard with his bright blue eyes, his face full of astonishment.
Surprisingly, he did not struggle or resist; he simply obeyed Sasuke's pull and was dragged out of the house.
As he stepped out the door, he turned back and shouted into the house, "Mother, Sasuke and I are going out for a bit!"
"Oh, be careful on the road, and remember to come back early for lunch!"
Kushina's cheerful response came from inside the house.
After receiving his mother's response, Naruto in his dream world finally felt relieved and closed the door, letting Sasuke pull him away quickly.
Sasuke walked quickly ahead, his brows furrowed and his eyes sharp, while Naruto in his dream world followed behind him, pulled along by him.
Looking at the boy's anxious back in front of him, Naruto's eyes gradually became serious and knowing, as if he had already guessed the reason why Sasuke was so eager.
At the same time, several murmurs arose from the audience.
"Sasuke..." Naruto in real life stared at Sasuke on the screen, who was dragging someone along as they ran, and muttered to himself, "Why is he acting so strange today?"
"Yeah, I also think Sasuke-kun is acting a bit strange today," Sakura agreed softly, frowning.
Sasuke on the screen looked tense and acted impatiently, which made Sakura worry.
"Really?" Karin pushed up her glasses and asked doubtfully, "Why do I feel like he's always been like this?"
In Karin's eyes, Sasuke has always been a cold and awkward person.
The Sasuke on screen today was just acting a little too hastily; in her view, this was just Sasuke's usual behavior, nothing particularly unusual.
The three of them chimed in, each noticing Sasuke's unusual attitude, but none of them could quite figure out the real reason for it.
However, the atmosphere was completely different among the Akatsuki members at the other end of the audience.
Itachi has been silent since he appeared, and he is still staring at the screen without saying a word.
His dark, inky eyes were fixed on his younger brother's image on the screen, and no subtle change in Sasuke's expression escaped his notice.
Seeing Sasuke dragging Naruto along at breakneck speed, his expression almost frantic, Itachi's eyes flashed with a dark light, and he understood.
Sasuke is afraid.
He feared that the "brother" who had briefly appeared in reality and given him warmth and care was just a fleeting illusion that would eventually disappear without a trace.
Thinking of this, Itachi narrowed his eyes, seemingly lost in thought.
……
On the screen.
The two young figures hurried along, and soon they had crossed several streets, leaving the residential area behind, and arrived at a deserted and quiet forest path.
The trees were sparse all around, and the golden sunlight shone down without any obstruction. There was not a single pedestrian around, only the gentle breeze rustling through the treetops and grass.
Sasuke suddenly stopped in his tracks. He was slightly out of breath. He loosened his grip on Naruto's wrist, turned to face the dream Naruto, and his eyes were filled with complex emotions.
Naruto, still breathing steadily, was dragged along by Sasuke for most of the village in his dream. He slightly moved his wrists, looked up at Sasuke in front of him, and seeing the other's solemn expression, couldn't help but show a relieved smile.
"What's wrong?" Dream Naruto tilted his head, breaking the silence with a casual tone, "Dragged me here so hastily, do you want to have another match with me, Sasuke-kun?"
This guy...
Sasuke abruptly raised his head, staring intently into the clear, azure eyes of Naruto in his dream, his voice slightly hoarse: "You recognized me again?"
Although he was mentally prepared, the fact that the other party so naturally recognized that he was not Sasuke from this world still gave him a shock.
Upon hearing this, Dream Naruto shrugged, a smile playing on his lips, and said matter-of-factly, "Well, you two are quite different. It would be strange if you didn't recognize me."
As he spoke, he stretched his wrists and shoulders, as if he were ready.
"How about it? Want to have a little spar?"
He clearly assumed that Sasuke's purpose in coming to him was once again to have a thoroughly enjoyable match.
Naruto in his dream world not only didn't mind, but was actually secretly looking forward to it, after all, his opponent was a genius boy from another world.
However, this time, Sasuke showed no fighting spirit whatsoever.
He stared silently at Naruto's excited expression in the dream world, his clenched fist slowly loosening, then clenching again, before finally shaking his head violently.
Sasuke said in a low voice, "I'm not here to challenge you to a match today. I have... something more important to ask you."
"Something more important?" Dream Naruto paused slightly, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
Clearly, in his mind, it was quite unexpected for Sasuke to say such a thing.
Something other than the competition?
What could be more important to this stubborn guy than becoming stronger?
Naruto in the dream became somewhat curious.
Sasuke took a deep breath, stared into Naruto's eyes in the dream world, and asked, word by word, the biggest question weighing on his mind: "How do you know about our world? Why can you remember everything that happened on our side after you returned here?"
Naruto in his dream was taken aback by this sudden question.
"What do you mean?" he asked instinctively, his face full of confusion. "Why can't I remember?"
Sasuke, who had been staring intently at the other person with an imposing air, suddenly froze upon hearing those words.
For a moment, he was speechless at the natural question posed by Naruto in his dream.
yes……
Why can't I remember?
A thought flashed through Sasuke's mind.
Naruto's unthinking tone and expression in the dream clearly stated that remembering is the most important thing.
In an instant, all sorts of possible explanations flooded Sasuke's mind.
Because it was all just a dream, that's why I can't remember it?
Because we've crossed different worlds, memories can't be brought back?
Or is it because of some rule that it is stipulated this way?
Sasuke stared intently at the dream Naruto, whose blank expression seemed genuine; clearly, he had no idea there was anything wrong with remembering those things.
In his dream, Naruto saw Sasuke's blank expression, unable to utter a single word. In a flash, he realized something was wrong.
His smile faded, his brows furrowed, and his gaze gradually became serious and focused.
As clever as he was, he quickly gleaned the key information from this unusual conversation: "According to you... normally, someone coming back from your place shouldn't remember anything, right?"
Naruto quickly deduced the situation in his dream, and before Sasuke could answer, he had already figured out the general picture from the other's stiff expression and eager attitude.
He paused, his gaze sharpening as he looked directly into Sasuke's eyes, and asked in a deep voice, "You mean, Itachi also went to your area, right? But after he came back, he didn't remember what happened there, or rather, he acted as if he had never been there at all... Is that right?"
Sasuke was shocked upon hearing this, and his pupils contracted sharply.
He never expected that Naruto in his dream world would be so perceptive, guessing the truth of the matter perfectly based on just a few words from him.
The insight and reasoning ability displayed by the blond boy in front of him were completely different from the carefree and thoughtless loser in Sasuke's memory.
This stark contrast stirred a strange feeling in Sasuke's heart.
I was both surprised and, to some extent, felt a strange sense of relief.
"...That's right."
After a moment, Sasuke looked deeply at the dream version of Naruto and slowly nodded in acknowledgment.
His Adam's apple bobbed, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just pursed his lips and remained silent. Now that the other party had already guessed, what he was more concerned about next was what kind of explanation the other party would give.
In his dream, Naruto and Sasuke stared at each other for a few seconds, and after confirming that his deduction was correct, Naruto suddenly gave a bitter smile and helplessly spread his hands: "To be honest... I don't know what happened either."
"You...don't know either?" Sasuke was stunned, then his brows furrowed deeply, his face full of disbelief.
"How is that possible?"
"How could you not know?! Did you use some special ninjutsu and only remember what happened over there after you came back?!"
"No, of course not." Naruto in his dream shook his head, his tone sincere and frank. "Sasuke, I really didn't do anything, and I didn't use any strange techniques. Ever since I first woke up on your side and then returned to this world, my memories from there have always been there, always very clear, and have never disappeared."
"How...how could this be..." Sasuke murmured, feeling his last hope crumbling.
He had thought that Naruto in the dream would at least know something, even if it was just a hearsay clue.
However, the other party's straightforward answer of not knowing was like a bucket of cold water, instantly extinguishing the flame of hope that had just been ignited in his heart.
Sasuke stood frozen in place, his expression gradually dimming.
Could it really be just a matter of chance?
He was unwilling to accept this and fell into a state of bewildered contemplation.
Or... is there something else going on with Nissan's situation?
Various thoughts tangled in Sasuke's mind like a jumbled mess.
If it's not a matter of probability, then why couldn't Itachi retain his memories?
Could it be that Nissan in the dream was killed by the counterfeit in reality, which is why he couldn't bring back his memories?
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Uchiha Sasuke have been detected! Emotional value +2000!]
When this crazy conjecture came out, even Sasuke himself was startled.
He clenched his fists tightly, his expression shifting rapidly.
"Hey, Sasuke!" Seeing Sasuke's uncertain expression, Naruto in his dream quickly called out to pull him back from his chaotic thoughts.
He scratched his head, thought for a moment, then stepped forward and gently placed his hand on Sasuke's shoulder.
Feeling the warm power emanating from Naruto's palm, Sasuke's body stiffened slightly. He instinctively wanted to back away, but he forced himself to stop.
He kept his head down and didn't shake off the other person's hand.
"Sasuke, don't worry too much." Naruto's voice in the dream was much gentler than before, carrying a calming power.
"Look, I can remember everything that happened on your side. What does that mean? It means that remembering those things isn't impossible, right?"
"I don't know exactly what happened to your brother, but since there's a precedent of remembering what happened on the other side, it proves that he might not really have nothing left behind. Maybe he just needs some time, or some kind of opportunity."
Sasuke suddenly looked up and met Naruto's clear and sincere blue eyes.
"So, don't give up hope easily." Dream Naruto gave him a big smile.
"Maybe... perhaps tomorrow, or the next time, he'll suddenly remember?"
These comforting words, tinged with simple optimism, were exactly the support Sasuke needed at that moment.
Although Naruto was being rational and told that he was just trying to comfort himself, Sasuke's eyes actually lit up when he saw the boy's genuine concern.
That's right... at least it proves that memory retention is not entirely impossible.
There is still hope!
Sasuke slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.
"……Um."
After a long while, he responded softly, accepting the comfort from the dream Naruto. Although his brows were not completely relaxed, the gloom in his eyes had obviously dissipated a lot.
Seeing that Sasuke had finally cheered up, Naruto in his dream breathed a sigh of relief and smiled as he withdrew his hand from Sasuke's shoulder.
The tense atmosphere between the two finally eased.
A gentle breeze rustled through the trees, and in the sunlight, the two boys stood silently, each lost in their own thoughts.
After a moment, Naruto in his dream seemed to remember something, suddenly blinked, and broke the silence by asking, "By the way, Sasuke... how is Naruto now? Is everything alright?"
Hearing this unexpected question, Sasuke snapped out of his thoughts.
"That bottom-of-the-class student?"
"He's fine, he should be perfectly alright."
Upon hearing this, Naruto in his dream world smiled knowingly and nodded gently, saying, "That's good... I've been a little worried about him."
"However—" Sasuke paused, as if suddenly remembering something, and his expression turned strange, "Do you remember that guy named Menma? He also went to our world yesterday, and he should have met with Naruto by now."
"Menma?!" Naruto's relaxed expression in the dream suddenly changed.
His eyes widened, shock and disbelief flashing in his azure eyes.
"You mean Mianma? He went to your area?! Are you sure?!"