Road to Redemption - CH - 4 (Patreon)

The Hidden Leaf Village lay bathed in the cool glow of moonlight, its streets eerily silent. Sasuke Uchiha moved through the deserted alleys with a burdened heart. His journey had taken him across dimensions, and now he returned to the village he once called home, carrying the weight of his past deeds. His mission was clear, though the road ahead was fraught with challenges.

The small house at the edge of the village, belonging to Hinata Hyuga, stood as a beacon of nostalgia. It was a modest dwelling, a stark contrast to the grand dreams and aspirations that had once filled its walls. Sasuke had observed Hinata from a distance, noting her quiet admiration for Naruto. He knew she would have something of Naruto’s, a tangible link to the friend he had betrayed.

Sasuke slipped into the house, his movements silent and precise. He scanned the room, finally locating a small box tucked away in a corner. Inside, he found a lock of Naruto’s hair, preserved by Hinata as a memento. The discovery brought a pang of sorrow. Naruto had never had the chance to marry Hinata, a future robbed by Sasuke’s actions.

With the lock of hair in hand, Sasuke prepared for the ritual of Edo Tensei. He made his way to the Ruins of Hidden Sound Village and found a secluded forest clearing, the moonlight casting an otherworldly glow over the scene. The forest, usually a place of tranquility, now served as the stage for a forbidden ritual. Sasuke had chosen this location for its seclusion and the precise requirements of the technique.

He laid out the necessary materials: Naruto’s hair and the remains of a criminal he had used as a sacrifice. The criminal’s body lay cold and lifeless, a vessel for the Forbidden art he was about to invoke. Sasuke drew the required seals in the dirt with a practiced hand, his focus unwavering.

The ritual began with a surge of dark energy. The ground trembled as Sasuke channeled his chakra into the seals. The atmosphere grew heavy with malevolent power as the Edo Tensei took effect. The reanimated figure of the criminal began to materialize, but Sasuke’s focus was on the task at hand. He needed Naruto’s essence to manifest.

The clearing was filled with an ominous silence as the reanimated figure took shape. Sasuke’s heart raced with a mix of anticipation and dread. The criminal’s form solidified, and Sasuke prepared himself for the moment when Naruto’s essence would emerge.

As the process continued, Sasuke noticed something odd—the figure before him looked confused and disoriented. Naruto’s essence, now manifesting, was struggling to recognize its surroundings. When the form of Naruto began to take shape, Sasuke couldn’t help but feel a mix of relief and trepidation.

The reanimated Naruto looked around, his expression one of bewilderment. Finally, his gaze fell upon Sasuke. “Who are you, old man?” Naruto asked, squinting at Sasuke’s unfamiliar appearance. The question, delivered with a hint of amusement, caught Sasuke off guard.

Sasuke blinked, momentarily stunned. “It’s me, Sasuke,” he said, trying to sound calm despite the unexpected situation. “I know I look different, but it’s really me.”

Naruto’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Sasuke? No way! You’ve really changed. What happened to you? Did you get lost in a bleach factory or something? Look at that white hair! You’re trying to copy Kakashi-sensei now?”

Sasuke sighed, feeling a mix of embarrassment and frustration. “I didn’t choose this look, Naruto. It’s a side effect of traveling through different dimensions. And yes, I’ve been through a lot.”

Naruto chuckled, a sound that, despite the circumstances, brought a sense of familiarity. “I have to admit, you’ve really gone all out. The last time I saw you, you were black-haired and brooding. Now you look like you’re auditioning for a role in a ghost story.”

Sasuke managed a small, rueful smile. “It’s not exactly what I planned. But I’m here now, and I need your help.”

Naruto’s expression softened, though he still looked amused. “Help? You’ve got some nerve showing up like this. But I guess we can talk about it. What’s been going on with you?”

Sasuke took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. “I’ve been traveling through different dimensions, trying to find a way to bring peace. But it seems I’ve only made things worse. I wanted to bring you back because I thought you could help fix things.”

Naruto’s eyes narrowed, his amusement giving way to curiosity. “You brought me back? Why didn’t you just ask for help? Why go through all this trouble?”

Sasuke’s shoulders sagged under the weight of his guilt. “I thought I had no other choice. I wanted to make things right, but I didn’t realize how much I had lost along the way.”

Naruto’s gaze was steady, though his tone remained light-hearted. “Well, it looks like you’ve got a lot of catching up to do. The world hasn’t exactly been peaceful since you left. Things have been pretty messy.”

Sasuke nodded, the gravity of Naruto’s words sinking in. “I’ve seen that. I understand now that peace can’t be achieved through destruction. It’s about understanding and compassion.”

Naruto’s expression softened again, though there was still a trace of humor in his eyes. “It’s about time you figured that out. But you know, it’s not too late to make things right. You’ve got a lot of work ahead of you.”

As they continued their conversation, Naruto’s demeanor remained surprisingly light. Despite the gravity of their situation, he made jokes and teased Sasuke, trying to lighten the mood. “So, what’s it like being the new poster child for extreme makeover? Do you get a new wardrobe with that hair?”

Sasuke couldn’t help but chuckle at Naruto’s antics. “If only it were that simple. I’ve got a lot of regrets and a long road ahead.”

Naruto’s tone became more serious, though he still maintained a sense of humor. “Well, you’ve got me back now. I guess I’ll have to help you sort things out. Just don’t expect me to go easy on you.”

Despite Naruto’s reassurances, Sasuke knew that his time was running out. The Edo Tensei had served its purpose, but it had taken a significant toll on him. The ritual had drained his energyand left him weakened. Sasuke understood that he had to make one final sacrifice to complete the process and ensure that Naruto’s return would not be in vain.

With a heavy heart, Sasuke prepared for the final act of the ritual. He activated the Rinne Rebirth, a technique that would bring Naruto back to life but at a great cost to himself. The process was grueling, and Sasuke could feel the life draining from him with every passing moment.

Naruto, though still in a state of confusion and amusement, began to sense the gravity of the situation. “Hey, Sasuke, are you okay? You look pretty rough. What’s happening?”

Sasuke forced a faint smile, trying to mask the pain. “This is the final step. It’s going to take everything I have to bring you back fully. I won’t be waking up after this.”

Naruto’s eyes widened in realization. “Wait, you’re not planning to—”

Before Naruto could finish, Sasuke’s strength gave out. The intense pain overwhelmed him, and he collapsed to the ground. The world around him spun and faded, and he felt himself slipping into unconsciousness.

Sasuke woke with a jolt, a sharp, searing pain in his leg pulling him out of unconsciousness. His body felt heavy and immobile, and he struggled to get his bearings. The pain was overwhelming, and he realized that his leg was throbbing with a relentless ache.

He tried to move, but the pain was too intense. Desperate to understand his surroundings, he channeled chakra into his remaining eye, hoping to pierce through the darkness. The moment he did, the world around him was revealed not through sight but through heat vision. The surroundings were a chaotic swirl of red and orange blobs, with no clear details or forms visible.

In the murky heat haze, Sasuke detected the presence of wolves—feral and menacing—attacking him. The sight was disorienting and troubling, with the wolves' heat signatures blending into the oppressive darkness. Their attacks were vicious, and Sasuke could feel their bites tearing into his flesh, the pain from the wounds intensifying.

Ignoring the agony, Sasuke reached for his katana. The blade was a familiar weight in his hand, its presence a small comfort amidst the chaos. With focused determination, he began to cut down the attacking wolves. Each swing of his katana was fueled by sheer willpower, as the pain in his leg and the disorienting heat vision threatened to overwhelm him. Despite the struggle, he managed to fend off the wolves, their heat signatures fading as they fell.

Once the immediate threat was dealt with, Sasuke collapsed onto the ground, his breathing ragged and his body trembling from exhaustion and pain. The heat vision provided only a partial view of his surroundings, adding to his disorientation. The area was dimly lit by an eerie, sterile glow, but he could not discern any details or shapes.

With the pain slightly mitigated, Sasuke focused on using medical jutsu to heal his leg. The process was arduous, as he could only rely on his sense of touch and heat vision. The chakra he channeled was slow to act, but he could feel the effects as the bleeding began to slow and the torn flesh started to mend.

As he worked on his injuries, Sasuke's mind was filled with questions. Where was he? Why was he alive? Had his Rinne Rebirth not worked as intended? The disorienting experience and his impaired vision left him feeling lost and confused.

The realization that he could no longer see in the conventional sense weighed heavily on him. His previous vision was replaced by the heat signatures that were both a blessing and a curse. The vivid colors of the world he once knew were now beyond his grasp, replaced by a chaotic dance of warmth and cold.

Sasuke's thoughts turned to his actions and the consequences of using Rinne Rebirth. He had gone to great lengths to revive Naruto, but now he was faced with a strange and unsettling reality. The fact that he had survived and was now blind added another layer of complexity to his situation.

With his leg somewhat stabilized, Sasuke continued to grapple with his new reality. The sterile environment around him was only partially visible through the heat vision, leaving him with more questions than answers. He needed to understand what had happened, why he was alive, and what had become of his efforts.

As he lay there, struggling to make sense of his situation, Sasuke resolved to confront the unknown with determination. His path was uncertain, but he was driven by a need to reconcile with his past actions and seek clarity about his present circumstances. The answers he sought were elusive, but he was ready to face the challenges ahead, guided only by his heat vision and his unwavering resolve.

The darkness had largely receded, but the world was now a blur of heat signatures and sensations. Sasuke's focus remained on understanding his surroundings and finding a way forward. Despite the pain and blindness, his determination was unshaken. He was prepared to confront whatever lay ahead, driven by a quest for redemption and a desire to uncover the truth.