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Chapter 137: Sasuke Wants to Dig a Hole to Hide, ‘Whitebeard’ Edward Yagyu
🕑 Added 2024-12-27 10:30:09 +0000 UTC"Sixty-four years ago, the leader of the Senju clan, Senju Hashirama, and the leader of the Uchiha clan, Uchiha Madara, joined forces to establish Konoha. They brought in the Hyuga clan, which was second only to them, along with the Sarutobi and Shimura clans, to build a military base that would train ninja for the Land of Fire, ruling the country alongside the daimyo. The former had absolute control over Konoha and was titled Hokage, while the latter managed the country's politics, supplying Konoha with funds and resources…"
"The Warring States era of clan warfare has ended. Now, it's a one-country, one-village system with wars between Hidden Villages."
As they exited the dark cave, Uchiha Hikari quickly adapted to the light, aided by Yagyu's healing.
Then, Yagyu began explaining the current state of the ninja world to this "ancient woman" who bore a striking resemblance to Otsutsuki Kaguya.
"The Uchiha and Senju clans made peace? That's impossible!"
When she heard that the Uchiha and Senju had joined forces to found Konoha, Uchiha Hikari's face turned pale with shock, her expression incredulous as she exclaimed, "The Senju killed so many of our clan! How could such hatred just be set aside? With your chakra level, are you a Senju here to deceive me?!"
At that moment, Hikari's black eyes transformed into the triangular, three-bladed Mangekyo Sharingan, filled with hatred and murderous intent as she glared at Yagyu.
To her vision, which could see chakra, the chakra within Yagyu blazed like the sun, vast as an ocean.
Such an immense amount of chakra was something she had never seen.
Even among the Senju, there was no one with chakra to rival his.
But Uchiha Hikari was only twelve, barely aware of the Tailed Beasts. In her understanding, such chakra levels could only belong to the Senju, the Uchiha's eternal rivals, or perhaps their distant Uzumaki kin.
Thus, her suspicion of Yagyu's words was entirely understandable.
After all, her mental state was no different than Sasuke's at twelve, if not less mature.
"Calm down. If I had any hostility towards you, I wouldn't have released your seal."
Yagyu, unperturbed by her reaction, offered her a reassuring smile with a gentle charm, calming her with, "If I wanted to control you, I could have planted a sealing technique within you. But I didn't. So could you trust me a little and listen to what I have to say?"
Meeting Yagyu's clear, sincere red eyes, Hikari's anger and hatred faded, softened by his gentle smile.
No one but her parents had ever known her real name, Uchiha Hikari.
In truth, treated as the clan's weapon, she didn't feel worthy of a name, so both her kin and other clans referred to her as Uchiha Nameless.
Likewise, neither her clan nor her enemies viewed her as one of their own—or even as a person.
Since her parents' deaths, Uchiha Hikari had been forced into harsh conditions, gradually forgetting her true name and never encountering such kindness.
Like Sasuke, Hikari felt deeply, driven by both fierce love and hate. Yagyu's gentle manner broke through her defenses.
Turning her head to avoid his gaze, she folded her arms and huffed, "Don't think I'm going to thank you just because you saved me! If I find out you lied to me, I'll kill you. But for now, I'll hear you out."
Before Yagyu could respond, Sasuke felt a strange jolt through his body, from his tailbone to his head, sending a shiver up his spine.
Why do I feel like running away? Am I really not just looking in a mirror?
Catching Yagyu's playful, teasing gaze, Sasuke felt his face heat up, nearly prompting him to use an Earth Style jutsu to dig a hole and hide.
Watching Sasuke's reaction, Yagyu barely suppressed a laugh. So, you do know what embarrassment feels like!
No wonder Uchiha Hikari was so popular. With Madara's hairstyle, Sasuke's face, and nearly identical personalities—but as a girl—she was an unbeatable presence, even beyond Boruto's era and into the Shippuden storyline.
Knowing both Sasuke and Hikari had prideful personalities, Yagyu held back his laughter and said, "Sasuke, show your clanswoman who you are."
Sasuke nodded, then looked at Hikari as his black eyes morphed into the six-pointed star shape of his Mangekyo Sharingan.
"A Mangekyo Sharingan… so you're also an Uchiha?"
Seeing Sasuke activate his Sharingan on command, Hikari's eyes widened, feeling an instinctual fear.
As the Uchiha clan's ultimate weapon, her harsh treatment had made her both resentful of her kin yet conditioned to obey them.
But Yagyu's next words made her emotions even more complicated.
"His name is Uchiha Sasuke—not only your kin but the last of the Uchiha."
Yagyu introduced himself, "I am Yagyu, but you can also call me Senju Yagyu, the last of the Forest Senju. The two most illustrious clans of the Warring States period are gone."
"What… do you mean?"
"Quite simply, the Uchiha and the Forest Senju no longer exist," Yagyu clarified. "Not just the Uchiha and Senju, but even the Uzumaki clan has been destroyed."
Hearing this, Hikari was overwhelmed.
Conditioned by her clan to be its weapon, her sole purpose had been to eradicate the Senju.
But now, her clan was gone, and so were her enemies. Did she still have a reason to exist? And where should she direct her hatred?
Remembering the treatment from her clan and her enemies, Hikari's eyes grew distant, her mind darkening, ready to unleash her hatred on the ninja world.
Just then, Yagyu's voice reached her, dispelling her negative thoughts again.
"I released your seal to tell you that the current ninja world is no longer the Warring States era. You don't need to be Uchiha Nameless anymore. Live again as Uchiha Hikari."
Pointing at her, Yagyu smiled warmly, "From now on, you're free, Uchiha Hikari!"
Snap!
With Yagyu's words and the use of her real name, a sound seemed to echo in Hikari's mind, as though something shattered within her.
It was the sound of her chains breaking.
Since her parents' deaths, Hikari had been imprisoned by her clan, only released when her power was needed.
Every time she was locked away, it was in a darkness that defied her name.
Held in darkness, Hikari's deepest wish, before her spirit was entirely subdued, had been freedom! And now, Yagyu's words had melted away all her resentment and darkness.
She was no longer Uchiha Nameless. She was Uchiha Hikari!
She… was free!
Biting her lip, her eyes reverted from the Mangekyo Sharingan to her black irises, misting with tears that soon fell.
Scenes of her parents naming her and happy memories with them emerged in her mind, growing clearer from hazy recollections.
Then, two more images appeared at the end of these memories.
One of Yagyu's outstretched hand, welcoming her back.
And another of Yagyu pointing at her, announcing her freedom.
A third image soon joined them.
Standing tall with his overwhelming height, Yagyu extended a large hand to her, just like Whitebeard to Ace in One Piece, his smile warm as he said, "Hikari, would you like to live with us? I'll help you understand this era and this new world!"
Whether it was his chakra, his Wood Release, or his sincerity, Yagyu's warmth was undeniable.
And just then, he stood with the sun behind him, his shadow covering Hikari.
Looking up at Yagyu, Uchiha Hikari felt just like Karin and Samui did when rescued by a hero, as though she were gazing upon a radiant god bathed in sunlight.
At that moment, it was as if an arrow had struck Hikari's heart.
The feeling of being treated gently, of being needed, filled her completely.
Her heart was a whirlwind of emotions—bittersweet memories of the past, the joy of newfound freedom, and the uncertainty of what to do next.
But as soon as Yagyu invited her to join him, all those emotions disappeared.
"Waaah…"
Uchiha Hikari threw herself into Yagyu's arms and began to cry uncontrollably.
Having awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan at twelve, her talent was nearly on par with Itachi's, who awakened it at eleven.
However, the earlier one awakened the Mangekyo, the harsher the destiny they faced.
Unlike Itachi, who had a Hokage-like mindset at seven and was rational, Hikari was an ordinary, sensitive girl.
Even if she were to darken her heart, it wouldn't mean she was completely lost to the darkness.
Just as Sasuke, despite his rage, never killed indiscriminately.
Hikari, like Sasuke, was filled with hatred, yet it could be resolved with a simple act of redemption.
Like Karin, Kimimaro, and Haku, she was also a tragic orphan.
But unlike them, she hadn't encountered someone to save her during the Warring States period. It wasn't until Boruto's era that she found redemption.
Now, Yagyu was her salvation.
With a single, sincere gesture, Yagyu had utterly won over the twelve-year-old Uchiha Hikari, who was as innocent as she was uneducated.
The Senju clan, her enemies—all of it…
In the face of her savior, none of it mattered!
Of course, Sasuke didn't realize Yagyu had "strategically" leveraged the storyline to connect with Hikari.
With a personality similar to Hikari's, Sasuke, too, was a simple soul.
Yagyu's sincerity also touched him deeply.
He was filled with gratitude toward this man who not only saved him and helped him seek revenge but also released his clanswoman from her seal.
Yagyu was not only his lifelong rival but also a benefactor he would forever be indebted to.
"… Lord Yagyu!"
Hikari cried for a long time, only stopping after releasing all her pent-up sorrow.
When she recovered, she looked at Yagyu with admiration, just like Karin did four years prior, addressing him with the utmost respect.
But Yagyu simply patted her head and said with a smile, "No need to call me 'Lord.' Just call me oniichan."
"O… oniichan!"
Hikari's face flushed, but her excitement only grew.
Yagyu's words were like another arrow piercing her heart.
She… she had family again!
Overjoyed and nervous, Hikari called out, "Oniichan!"
"Good girl."
Yagyu patted her head again, smiling warmly. "From now on, we're family, Hikari."
"Oniichan!" Hikari called out again, brimming with happiness.
"Yes, Hikari, you're such a good girl."
"Oniichan!"
"Hmm? I'm right here."
"Oniichan, oniichan…"
Hikari buried herself in Yagyu's embrace, calling out to him repeatedly.
Yagyu responded every time, never ceasing the head pats.
But each call was like torture for Sasuke, standing beside them.
At that moment, Sasuke wished he could dog-paddle with his hands to dig a hole in the ground and use Shadow Clone Jutsu to bury himself.
He had witnessed emotional moments before, like his first mission with Team 7, where they saw the bond between Zabuza and Haku.
Yet none of those moments had moved him much; even when he was touched, he kept a neutral expression.
But now, Sasuke felt goosebumps rising all over his body, and his temperature spiking.
If someone touched his face, they'd surely find it burning hot.
So embarrassing. This was beyond embarrassing!
Was this what he looked like as a kid when he clung to Itachi?
Sasuke didn't know the term "public humiliation," but seeing himself mirrored in Hikari's actions, he would rather attempt an assassination on the Five Kage alone.
Dying in battle would be better than staying here!
Originally, Sasuke had wanted to talk to Hikari, to connect with his only remaining clan member.
But now, he wanted nothing more than to keep his distance from her.
This mirroring feeling was terrifying.
As Yagyu held Hikari, patting her head, he noticed Sasuke's rising temperature and awkward expression, and chuckled to himself, though he felt a bit of regret.
If he'd known this scene would happen, he'd have given a film camera to his Wood Clone.
If he captured this blackmail-worthy image of Sasuke, he could hold it over him for life!
Comments
Silver_meteor0418
When this drops on webnovel, prepare to have the 'Lolicon' and 'Siscon' labels slapped on
