Sasuke POV
"So a month ago, you suddenly got memories that your world is just fiction in some other world?" Cid asked while counting the coins he'd taken from the bandits. Seriously… just how much does he love money?
"Yes." I answered plainly. It might seem stupid to reveal how I got my meta-knowledge, but honestly, there's no real risk. When I eventually return, my plan is to bring the entire Shadow Garden with me, including Cid. I'll need all the help I can get to deal with the enemies waiting for me. And since he already knows my backstory, it's better to be somewhat open.
Besides, it's not like telling him everything would put me in danger. I didn't exactly reveal everything, anyway.
"You really can't go to other worlds right now?"
He turned toward me with pure puppy-dog eyes.
I crushed his dream immediately.
"As I already said, I can't. If I could control which world I travelled to, why would I come to this one where magic isn't even fully explored yet?"
Well… technically a lie. I came here specifically because of him.
But there's no reason to inflate his already explosive chunibyo ego any further.
"So, do you want to learn chakra or not?"
I extended my hand toward him. He stared at it for a few seconds before finally reaching out and shaking it.
"Yes."
Of course he benefits more from this deal, he's getting an entirely new supernatural power system handed to him. But it's fine. He's someone I can actually be open with.
Even Batman needed Alfred. And I… I need someone too. Someone to keep me from drowning so deep in revenge that I forget everything else.
Avenging my clan is my duty, not my final destination. There are countless worlds out there… endless opportunities to grow stronger… opponents worth fighting… and maybe even people worth befriending. Like Cid.
He's odd, role-playing his entire life like some walking theatre act but honestly? When I think about how my anime self behaved…
We're not that different. Both of us trying way too hard to act cool.
"Can you feel it?" I asked after using Share the Power to grant him chakra. I didn't place any restrictions on it, meaning he'll gain as much as his body and talent can handle. Of course, to know his true limit, I'll have to wait. Right now, only the seed has awakened.
Cid closed his eyes for a moment… then snapped them open, sparkling with excitement.
"Yes! I can use jutsu now!" He's already lost in his fantasies.
"I'll teach you how to refine chakra first," I said. "Only after that will I teach you any jutsu."
I'm actually curious how far he can go without any kekkei genkai. With his talent, reaching Kage level should be easy. But after that—
"Do you have Flying Raijin? Or Sage Mode?" Oh boy. Of all things he could've asked.
"No," I sighed. "In fact, the only jutsu I have are the ones I learned before the Uchiha massacre. After that, while I was unconscious, the clan was wiped out… and the ANBU took everything. Money, scrolls, weapons, all in the name of 'keeping it safe.'"
Just saying it made my mood drop. If it weren't for my Gacha, I would've stayed a miserable waste of potential like my canon self before meeting Orochimaru.
"Don't worry. We'll definitely destroy Konoha and take your money back."Cid put a hand on my shoulder with voice full of confidence.
…Was he consoling me or already planning how to carve himself a slice of the Uchiha fortune?
"You should go back now," I reminded him. We'd been talking for quite a while.
"Oh..yeah." He turned toward the cage at the side of the room. Inside, the humanoid blob twisted and pulsed like a mass of cancer cells. If this world flowed even remotely like the original timeline, then that thing was the future Alpha.
"Keep it separate," Cid said casually. "I'll experiment on it later."
"Hm." There was no need for him to say it, I already knew she was the future vice-leader of Shadow Garden. But what caught my attention wasn't the words, it was how naturally he said them.
Was he trying to gauge my personality Probably. Was he pretending to be casual because I knew his real strength? Also likely.
Or maybe both.
After arriving here, I told him I'd monitored the whole city and he was the most suitable person to contact. When he heard my background, he didn't hesitate to reveal he was a reincarnator himself, and that Naruto was an anime in his old world too.
Well, it made sense. He could tell I had no intention of killing him. And he was trying to bait out what I actually wanted.
Fourth-grade syndrome or not, Cid wasn't stupid. He understood perfectly both the opportunity and the danger that came with me.
And since he could clearly tell I had no bad intentions toward him, he'd started behaving normally. That was another thing about Cid, he's the kind of person who returns small favors with bigger ones. It's in his nature.
Once he left, I turned my attention to my next steps.
I'd already met Cid, and Shadow Garden would form in about three years. I could easily accelerate their growth, unlike the original timeline where Cid could only train them at night, I'd be spending actual time with them.
I could teach them jutsu, haki, magic from mushoku tensei too. I will give access of later two to Cid as well. One step at a time.
For now…it's time to focus on grinding.
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