"The way you are, it's better to lie down."

The sound came from one side.

The door to the ward was pushed open, and Shikamaru and Sakura walked in.

Like Naruto, Shikamaru was also wrapped in bandages, but since his injuries were basically superficial injuries, he could recover faster under the treatment of medical ninjas.

"Shikamaru, Sakura..."

"Why, did you just wake up and not come back to your senses?"

Shikamaru asked with a smile.

"I'm sorry, I did not……"

Naruto couldn't remember what happened after he fell into coma, but he could still remember clearly what happened before he fell into coma.

He lost, lost to Sasuke.

Obviously, his action to prevent Sasuke from leaving failed.

"Why do you have to apologize? You've already tried your best, and you've made yourself look like a mummy..."

Sakura put a smile on her face and put down the fresh fruit she bought.

Although she was smiling, Naruto could see the disappointment and reluctance on Sakura's face.

"Sakura, I..."

"It goes without saying, Naruto, Shikamaru has already told me, I'll be fine."

Sakura took a deep breath and looked at Naruto seriously, as if revealing some kind of determination.

"Yes...really?" At this moment, Naruto suddenly remembered something and asked: "By the way, how is Hinata? Is her injury okay?"

"Well, it's okay. He is now being sent to the Hyuga clan for recuperation. Sasuke showed mercy in the end, maybe because he wanted us to feel his determination, but it is true that he did not kill him in the end..."

Shikamaru walked to the window and looked at the scenery outside and said.

"Then in this case..."

As if sensing Naruto's compassion, Shikamaru's expression suddenly became serious.

This serious look made Naruto's heart skip a beat.

"What, what's wrong?"

"Stop chasing Sasuke. Soon after the Fifth Hokage succeeds to the throne, a wanted order will be officially issued for him and he will be treated as a traitor to the village. I didn't want to say these words, but you and I are

My friend, I don’t want to deceive you—Sasuke can’t come back.”

Shikamaru's expression was more serious than ever.

Naruto's expression immediately stiffened.

Even Sakura lowered her head, as if feeling sad about this incident.

"But……"

"It's nothing. Although Sasuke saved our lives, it's true that he hurt his companions. Besides... forget it, it's nothing."

Although I really wanted to tell Naruto what I had guessed, the current situation was really not suitable for me to talk to Naruto about such things.

It's better to wait until Naruto calms down and then reveal a little more to him to dispel his idea of ​​pursuing Sasuke.

"Sakura, let's go, let him be quiet here for a while."

Shikamaru felt Naruto's declining will and said to Sakura.

"Well, let's leave first, Naruto, you can have a good rest here."

Sakura nodded and followed Shikamaru out of the ward to visit the other wounded.

Shikamaru and Sakura left, leaving Naruto alone in the room again, sitting on the hospital bed, his shoulders shaking slightly, as if he was sobbing.

"Don't act like a little girl and cry when something like this happens?"

These inappropriate words reached Naruto's ears, causing him to raise his head and look at the window.

A white-haired man in his late fifties appeared there, making fun of him.

"A lustful fairy?"

"It's been such a long time since we said goodbye to the Kingdom of Ghosts, Naruto. I didn't expect that little devil who refused to admit defeat would also cry secretly."

"I'm not crying!"

Seeing Naruto's embarrassed look wiping his tears, Jiraiya burst out laughing.

Naruto stared at Jiraiya fiercely, unhappy that the other party was adding insult to injury.

"what's so funny?"

"No, I'm not making fun of you, it's just that your mummy appearance is a bit funny. However, that Nara boy is right. It's impossible for Uchiha Sasuke to come back. You'd better give up on this idea completely."

Just as Naruto was about to retort, Jiraiya fired another bomb:

"More than that, the ninja who prompted him to leave Konoha and assisted him in defecting was the 'Kakashi-sensei' you have always respected!"

"?"

It seemed that because Jiraiya's words were too shocking, Naruto sat on the bed in shock and did not react for a long time, thinking that his ears had heard wrongly.

"Don't show such disbelief. Not only you, I was also shocked when I first learned about this information. And Kakashi's charge of defecting will soon be determined - assisting Orochimaru and assassinating

The Third Hokage!"

Jiraiya's speech made Naruto even more unbelievable. His mouth opened wide and he didn't know how to react. His brain obviously couldn't process such a complicated situation in a short time.

Today is not April Fool's Day.

◎

Passing through the dark and narrow corridor, there are iron prison cells holding prisoners on both sides.

These prisoners were skinny, with gloomy eyes. They were wearing heavy shackles on their hands and feet. They stretched out their black and gray hands, grasped the iron bars, and stared straight at the two people walking in the aisle with their big bulging eyeballs.

people.

Sasuke looked at the mental outlook of these people. It could be said that their energy levels were extremely poor. The sounds coming out of their mouths could not be heard clearly at all. They sounded like wailing or screaming.

It seemed that for a while, one could still hear the hoarse voice of someone shouting for mercy and help.

Kidomaru led the way, paying no attention to the prisoners on both sides. Having grown up in the Oto Ninja Village since he was a child, he had long been accustomed to these scenes.

"It's just ahead, Sasuke-sama."

After Kidomaru turned a corner, he said respectfully to Sasuke behind him.

Sasuke walked forward without changing his expression, turning a deaf ear to the cries of prisoners on both sides, and just followed Kidomaru with a cold expression.

Not long after, Kidomaru opened the door in front of him.

A miserable green light came out of the room and shone on the faces of Sasuke and Kidomaru.

Opposite culture tanks are placed on both sides of the road. Through the transparent glass, you can see that the culture tanks are filled with green luminous liquid. In the liquid, there are twisted and alien shapes that cannot be described as any known creature.

It's like biological mutation, scary and evil.

At the end of the road, a slender figure stood.

His pale skin was as transparent as a candle, his long black hair was hanging down, and he was surrounded by an atmosphere that was too evil to be judged.

Especially the look he directed at him was full of enthusiasm and greed, which made Sasuke tense up and feel extremely uncomfortable.

"You came here earlier than I thought, Sasuke-kun. I've said it before. Playing house in a place like Konoha won't help you grow at all. My place is your true destination."

The long-haired man chuckled.

"You're still just as disgusting as you were during the Chuunin Exams."

Sasuke looked at Orochimaru without fear, his eyes revealed coldness, and the three Magatama Sharingan, which exuded huge intimidation, appeared from the pupils, resisting the strong pressure from the surroundings.

Unlike during the Chunin Examination, he was able to move freely according to his own will under Orochimaru's murderous aura, and he could even find opportunities to fight back.

When Kidomaru heard that Sasuke was disrespectful to Orochimaru as soon as he opened his mouth, his face turned pale and he winked at Sasuke crazily.

So far, he has seen countless ninjas who forgot about themselves because they obtained the curse seal, and behaved in front of Orochimaru. In the end, they became frequent visitors to the operating table, and he never saw them again.

He didn't want Sasuke, whom he had just bet on, to be given up by Orochimaru for this reason.

"Don't worry, Kidomaru, I don't mind. After all, Sasuke-kun can directly enter the second state with his own power, which really makes me happy."

The only disappointment is that Sasuke did not awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan.

According to his initial prediction, knowing the truth and the double erosion of the curse seal should be enough to create the dark emotions that allow Sasuke's Sharingan to evolve into the Mangekyo Sharingan.

However, this ‘miracle’ did not happen.

Could it be that, regarding the Mangekyou Sharingan, are there any prerequisites that have not yet been completed?

What is missing from this?

Although Orochimaru was confused, he did not say this out loud.
To be continued...