On screen—
With Kushina leading, Naruto headed deeper toward the banquet.
Not far ahead, a large Uchiha estate came into view.
It was Sasuke's home.
Normally quiet, it was now decorated and lively, banners up, guests flowing in and out.
"Whoa… so many people." Naruto stared.
He knew the Uchiha were a great clan, but seeing this scale up close was something else.
Kushina smiled. "The Uchiha are Konoha's largest clan. When the clan head hosts a banquet, everyone comes to congratulate."
Naruto nodded, watching the crowd.
At the entrance stood two figures welcoming guests.
The distance made them hard to see—one taller, one shorter.
Naruto guessed the shorter one was Sasuke.
This banquet had to be for him, right? They'd both just graduated.
But who was the taller one?
As they drew closer, bits of conversation drifted to Naruto.
"I heard Lord Fugaku's preparing to half-retire. The Police Force Commander position is going to his oldest son."
"Really? They'll announce it at this banquet, right?"
"Yeah, and his son awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan recently too! Double good news!"
"Fugaku really is blessed. Both sons are outstanding."
"Exactly. The older one awakened Mangekyō young, and the younger one graduated as second in the class. At this rate the Uchiha will rise again."
Naruto didn't catch all of it, but the last line hit him clearly:
"The younger one is second in the class…"
"Hmm?"
Naruto stopped, frowning.
Second?
Sasuke?
He remembered very clearly: Sasuke had graduated first in their class.
So where did "second" come from?
He looked up at Kushina. "Mom, Sasuke only got second place? Then who got first?"
Kushina blinked. "Huh?"
Then she snapped into mock anger and flicked Naruto hard on the forehead.
"Ow!" Naruto clutched his head, stunned. "Mom, why'd you hit me?!"
Kushina put her hands on her hips, scolding him. "Naruto, what kind of snarky question is that? Who taught you to talk like that? Isn't first place you? Don't ask silly things like that again! It's not humble!"
"W-what?!" Naruto's jaw dropped. He pointed at himself. "Me—first place?! Mom, you're kidding, right?!"
In the audience—
Sakura grimaced. "Tch. Naruto and his daydreams."
To her, Naruto making himself beat Sasuke was exactly the kind of delusional fantasy he'd cook up.
Kakashi didn't reply. His eyes grew more thoughtful.
Naruto being first looked like wish-fulfillment, but this dream had long since stopped being simple.
Sasuke wasn't even paying attention to the first-place talk.
All his focus was on the two figures at the gate.
As Kushina and Naruto neared, their faces became clear.
Sasuke held his breath.
The smaller figure was Sasuke—his dream self.
And the taller one beside him—
A handsome young man with black hair tied low, forehead protector on, calm and gentle.
He wore Uchiha attire, the clan fan crest on his chest.
Those eyes, that quiet gravity—
Sasuke knew that face instantly.
His body went rigid.
Uchiha Itachi.
His brother.
Sasuke's shout came out broken, full of disbelief:
"That's impossible!"
The traitor who slaughtered their clan, who killed their parents—
standing there smiling, welcoming guests, alive and honored in Naruto's dream?
"No… no way! Why is he here?!"
Sasuke's emotions exploded, his breath tearing in his throat.
Sakura blinked, confused. "Who is that?"
Kakashi stared at the screen in silence, already knowing exactly who had appeared—and what that meant for Sasuke.
Sasuke finally screamed, voice raw: "This is all fake! Fake!!"
He tried to reject it, as if denial could stop the storm ripping through his chest.
His brother's image—
and all the grief it carried—
drove him to the edge.
-------
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