Sakura glanced at Sasuke beside her in surprise. Just moments ago, he had been calmly watching the screen, but now his eyes were trembling, his breathing quickened, and his fists clenched tightly in his lap.
"Sasuke... are you okay?" she asked softly, leaning toward him in concern.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuation from Haruno Sakura detected! +500 points]
Kakashi took note of Sasuke's reaction with a faint sigh. His single visible eye narrowed slightly.
There's no doubt about it now.
This dream of Naruto's contains far too much information… more than any ordinary fantasy should.
Still, he murmured quietly, "Calm down. This is just a dream… Naruto's dream."
But Sasuke didn't respond.
He didn't hear Sakura's voice or Kakashi's reminder.
His blood was roaring in his ears. His heart pounded.
Why… why is my mother still alive in Naruto's dream?
He couldn't take his eyes off the screen.
And what shook him even more was…
In that warm, gentle scene, Uchiha Mikoto—his mother—was not only alive, but smiling… and chatting comfortably with Naruto's mother, Kushina Uzumaki, like old friends?
His nails dug into his palms.
That wasn't right.
That wasn't how things were supposed to be.
That wasn't how things turned out for him.
But if this dream continued…
Could he actually… see his mother again?
Could he hear her voice?
Could he… sit across from her at the dinner table?
The air in the Dream Theater suddenly felt thinner, harder to breathe.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuation from Uchiha Sasuke detected! +2000 points]
When that thought took hold, Sasuke could no longer suppress the flood of emotion churning inside him.
His body trembled slightly, and waves of anticipation, excitement, fear, and disbelief surged through his chest, colliding in a chaotic storm.
The faint light from the screen flickered in his wide eyes, his breath caught in his throat.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuation from Uchiha Sasuke detected! +1000 points]
[Ding! Emotional fluctuation from Uchiha Sasuke detected! +500 points]
Hidden in the darkness, Aren crossed his arms and grinned broadly as he watched the rising numbers on his system panel.
He rubbed his hands together gleefully.
"As expected of the 'Second Pillar'… He's always so calm and stoic, but when he cracks—wow, what a windfall!"
The dream continued to unfold on the screen.
Naruto, sitting at the dining table, wore an expression of genuine confusion.
He scratched the back of his head and muttered to himself, "Weird… why would that annoying guy Sasuke invite me to a celebration banquet?"
As far as he knew, there had never been any kind of Uchiha celebration. And with how cold Sasuke usually was, it made no sense that he would take the initiative to invite Naruto of all people.
Still, Naruto didn't question it too much.
Maybe Mom arranged it.
Shrugging off the thought, he got up and went to wash up.
Soon after, he returned to the table looking refreshed, his mood bright as he dug into the delicious breakfast laid out before him.
"Mom's cooking is the best!" Naruto beamed, stuffing a mouthful of rice into his cheeks, his eyes shining with delight.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuation from Uzumaki Naruto detected! +500 points]
Across the table, Kushina smiled warmly, her eyes full of motherly affection as she watched her son eat with such enthusiasm.
Minato gave a soft chuckle too, the corners of his mouth lifting gently as he poured himself another cup of tea.
After breakfast, Minato set down his chopsticks, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and gave a sheepish smile to his wife and son.
"I'm sorry, Kushina, Naruto. I still have some paperwork to finish today. I won't be able to go with you. You two go ahead to the Uchiha district—I'll catch up once I wrap things up."
"Ehhh—" Naruto let out a long, exaggerated groan of disappointment.
He had planned to ask his dad for help with the second stage of Rasengan practice while washing the dishes, but before he could even open his mouth, his father was already up and reaching for his cloak.
Seeing no point in complaining, Naruto nodded sullenly. "Okay... but hurry, okay, Dad?"
Minato gave him a gentle pat on the head and offered an apologetic smile before heading out.
Click.
The door closed behind him.
Naruto stood there, puffing out his cheeks in frustration. "Tch, Dad's always got something to do..."
Still grumbling under his breath, he gathered up the dishes and carried them to the kitchen.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuation from Uzumaki Naruto detected! +100 points]
From behind, Kushina's soft chuckle echoed through the room.
"Don't be too hard on him, Naruto," she said, stepping up beside him. "Your dad's busy helping the village. It's okay if we arrive a little late."
"Yeah... I guess." Naruto replied with a shrug.
The two of them finished cleaning together in companionable silence. Once everything was dry, Naruto wiped off his hands and rushed to the door, where Kushina was already slipping on her sandals.
"Come on, Naruto!" she called brightly. "Let's not keep Sasuke and the others waiting!"
"Coming!"
Naruto quickly laced up his sandals and followed her out the door.
The morning sunlight bathed the streets of Konoha in a soft, golden glow as mother and son made their way toward the Uchiha district.
As they passed through the residential streets, Naruto noticed something... strange.
Every villager they walked by smiled at them.
"Good morning, Lady Kushina!"
"Morning, Master Naruto!"
Warm greetings echoed on both sides. Shopkeepers waved cheerfully. Neighbors bowed politely. Kids playing in the street paused to call out excitedly.
Naruto blinked in disbelief.
"W-Whoa... Did you see that, Mom?" he whispered. "Everyone's saying hi to me..."
Kushina smiled fondly, gently tousling his hair.
"Of course they are. You're our son, and your dad is the Hokage. Why wouldn't they treat you with respect?"
Naruto opened his mouth but said nothing. A strange warmth blossomed in his chest, leaving him feeling both happy... and a little dazed.
This version of the village felt so different from what he was used to.
So kind. So welcoming.
He looked up at the sky.
Maybe... this is what life could've been like.
If things had been different.
People who had once ignored him, whispered behind his back, or looked at him with suspicion… were now greeting him with warm smiles.
It felt like Konoha had changed overnight.
The cold indifference of the past had melted away, replaced by the warmth of spring.
At first, Naruto didn't know how to respond. He tensed up with every greeting, unsure whether he was being mocked or tricked.
But as he kept walking, and as those warm voices and kind expressions continued to reach him—he began to believe it.
And once he did, he couldn't help but feel a kind of joy he had never known before.
An overwhelming sense of peace and acceptance spread through his chest.
He straightened up, puffed out his chest with pride, and returned each greeting with a bright, cheerful smile.
That radiant grin of his, full of life and light, seemed to shine even brighter than the sun itself.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuation from Uzumaki Naruto detected! +400 points]
In the Dream Theater, the three observers sitting in the front row—Kakashi, Sakura, and Sasuke—watched silently.
None of them spoke. Their expressions were unreadable, but the emotions stirring behind their eyes were anything but calm.
Back in the dream—
Kushina led Naruto through winding streets and alleys, finally arriving at a broad, cobbled avenue.
The houses here were elegant and traditional, with tiled roofs, paper windows, and quiet courtyards tucked behind wooden fences.
A quiet strength lingered in the air.
The distinctive crimson fan crest of the Uchiha clan could be seen on banners, doors, and lanterns. It was unmistakable.
This was the heart of the Uchiha district.
Naruto looked around in wonder. He had never been here before.
He stuck close to his mother as they followed a crowd of well-dressed Uchiha clan members, all heading in the same direction.
Everywhere he looked, he saw adults in formal robes, children with proud gazes, and elders speaking quietly as they walked.
It felt different.
The streets, the buildings, even the air—everything seemed slightly off from what he remembered about the Uchiha area.
But then again, he wasn't sure if he'd ever truly been here in his waking life. Maybe this was how it had always looked?
He scratched his head, letting the doubt pass, and continued walking behind Kushina, who moved with practiced ease—as if she'd visited many times before.
But in the audience—
Suddenly, Sasuke shot to his feet.
"No!" he blurted out, voice shaky, eyes wide with disbelief. "This… this isn't right!"
His body trembled with emotion as he stared at the screen.
Sakura jumped at his outburst, startled. She turned to him with concern. "Sasuke? What's wrong?"
Sasuke's face had turned pale.
His breath quickened.
His eyes—those deep, dark eyes—were filled with shock and something else… something like fear.
Sasuke pointed a trembling finger at the glowing screen, his voice rising in disbelief.
"This isn't our Uchiha compound!" he exclaimed. "The buildings… the roads… none of this is right!"
He stared harder, as if he could force the dream to change with sheer willpower.
"Everything about the Uchiha in Naruto's dream is completely wrong!"
Each word he spoke seemed to drain the color from his face.
Sasuke's chest heaved as the questions flooded in.
If even the streets of the Uchiha district aren't the same—then what about my parents?
Were they fake too?
A horrible thought took root and spread like ice in his veins.
Was the mother he was so desperate to see… just a figment of someone else's imagination?
Sasuke clenched his fists, his heart pounding painfully, his emotions spiraling out of control.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuation from Uchiha Sasuke detected! +1000 points]
Kakashi immediately stood from his seat. His one visible eye narrowed as he turned toward Sasuke, voice calm but firm.
"Breathe, Sasuke. Calm down."
He paused, glancing at the screen again.
"What you're seeing... isn't wrong."
Sasuke's gaze snapped toward him.
Kakashi continued, softer this time, "The layout. The streets. It's not the Uchiha district you remember... but it's real."
He turned back to the screen, his own voice tinged with bittersweet nostalgia.
"I've been there before. Many years ago. Your father's generation lived in that part of the village."
He fell silent for a moment.
"…Obito's house used to be right around the corner."
His voice trailed off, swallowed by the theater's stillness.
Memories of long-gone friends and his teacher's laughter surfaced, filling his chest with a quiet ache.
He didn't say anything more.
But the look in Kakashi's eye told Sasuke what he needed to know.
This wasn't a dream created by a stranger.
It was a dream painted with pieces of real history—just not his history.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuation from Hatake Kakashi detected! +500 points]
Kakashi spoke in a low, steady voice. "Sasuke, what you're seeing... is the original Uchiha residence."
Sasuke blinked, thrown off. "Original… residence?"
Sakura looked back and forth between them, completely lost. "Wait—what do you mean? What original residence? I don't get it at all…"
Kakashi gently raised a hand to calm her. His gaze remained fixed on the screen as he explained, "The Uchiha clan originally lived near the center of the village—just a stone's throw from the Hokage Building."
Sakura gasped, "Really?"
"But later," Kakashi continued, his voice turning heavier, "due to... certain reasons, the entire clan was relocated to the outskirts of Konoha."
He paused at "certain reasons," the weight of old sorrow flickering across his features. But he quickly regained composure and went on.
"So what you're seeing in Naruto's dream isn't a mistake. It's the Uchiha's first home in the village."
He turned to Sasuke. "You were too young when the move happened. That's why you don't remember it."
Sasuke stood in silence, the words echoing in his mind.
The original residence…
He furrowed his brows and tried to dig through distant, hazy memories—but nothing came up. All he could remember was the compound on the village's edge. The long shadows. The silence. The day everything turned to ash.
His hands tightened into fists, jaw clenching unconsciously.
But slowly, the storm in his chest began to settle.
Kakashi watched him out of the corner of his eye. Seeing Sasuke gradually calm down, he said nothing more.
He turned his attention back to the glowing screen.
Still, a quiet unease lingered inside him.
Even the old Uchiha compound… Naruto couldn't possibly know about that.
That location hasn't existed for years—not even most adults remember it clearly.
So how could he dream about it… so vividly?
Kakashi's thoughts churned as he stared at the boy eating breakfast with his mother, the ghost of the past flickering like candlelight on the screen.