The days in the Uchiha compound had always been quiet, but for Sasuke, they were now silent in a different way.
He walked alone through the long stone corridors of his home, the polished floors echoing back his footsteps like a reminder that no one followed behind. His mother, Mikoto, smiled warmly when they crossed paths. His father, Fugaku, gave short nods of approval. But neither truly saw him.
Not the one he had become.
Not the soul that had crossed lifetimes.
He was a genius, yes. Brilliant even among Uchiha standards. But he was lonely—not because of a lack of people, but because of the weight he carried alone.
---
At the Academy, things were no different.
He always sat near the window, eyes half-lidded, scanning the room not for friendship, but potential targets for Corp evolution. But most kids didn't interest him. They were children—loud, impulsive, shallow. Few had any real power yet. Fewer still had minds worth copying.
That is, until she walked past him.
Hinata Hyuga.
She was quiet, often avoiding eye contact, but her chakra glowed like a silken thread—refined, yet trembling with hesitation. Sasuke's evolved chakra sight caught every ripple of her nervous system. Every twitch of emotion. Her heart beat faster when he looked at her.
She liked him.
He didn't mind. In fact... he was curious.
---
During break, he slipped from the others and followed her out to the edge of the practice field. She stood under a tree, fidgeting with the hem of her sleeve.
"Hyuuga," he said calmly.
She gasped slightly, caught off guard. "Y-Yes?"
"You shouldn't hesitate to breathe. It wastes energy."
Her eyes widened. "I-I… I wasn't…"
He walked closer, stopping at a respectful distance. "You're talented. But you're folding in on yourself."
She looked down. "I… I just don't want to stand out."
"That's weakness," he replied, voice like a blade. "You have power. Refined chakra flow. A bloodline that most fear."
"I'm not strong like Neji-niisan…" she murmured.
Sasuke studied her. He saw himself in that statement—not in the words, but in the tone. The weight of comparison. The shadow of someone greater.
"You don't need to be him," he said quietly. "Be better."
Hinata looked up at him, confused but oddly encouraged.
He turned, walking away.
But just as he passed her, he allowed his chakra to brush hers—just enough for his Corp to activate.
Corp: Emotional Trace – Gentle Flow Acquired.
Byakugan Adjacency Detected – Vein Mapping Initiated.
It was subtle, but he felt it. A seed of her style now rested within him: her gentle rotation, her ability to guide chakra through an opponent's points instead of just forcing it. It would evolve. Sharpen.
But what surprised him more was her emotional resonance.
Kindness. Fragility. But not weak.
Just... unprotected. Untapped.
Like him.
---
That night, Sasuke returned to the waterfall meditation spot. He stood beneath the crashing water, letting it hammer against his back, washing away the dust of the day and sharpening his focus.
He activated Corp Vision, letting the data flow through his mind:
Anko's serpent instincts.
Kurenai's illusion mirages.
Hinata's chakra gentleness.
The animalistic strength from the boar.
The passive sensory echo from others he'd brushed against in the academy halls.
All of them interweaving inside him.
But he wasn't satisfied.
Because for all his power… he still felt like a phantom among mortals. He couldn't let down his guard. He couldn't let anyone see the real him.
He remembered his last life—friends, family, emotions left behind. The warmth of true connection. The sting of betrayal. The embrace of love. None of it existed here... yet.
He wanted it. But he couldn't trust anyone.
Not with this secret.
---
Later that night, he sat atop the Uchiha rooftop, legs crossed, staring at the stars above. The sky felt colder in this world. The constellations, different. The moon, unfamiliar.
"Sasuke," a voice said from the shadows behind him.
He didn't move. "Izumi."
She stepped beside him, wearing her ANBU gear partially unzipped, mask hanging at her side.
"You always sit here alone."
"I think better in silence."
She sat beside him. "Thinking doesn't stop the ache, you know."
He said nothing.
Izumi looked up at the stars. "Sometimes I wonder if being born Uchiha is a blessing or a curse. So much is expected. So little is forgiven."
Sasuke finally looked at her. "You understand."
"I do." She smiled faintly. "But that doesn't mean you have to carry it all by yourself."
For a moment, he felt her warmth—not chakra, not ability, just a genuine presence.
He wanted to reach out.
To touch her hand.
To Corp her strength, her grace, her experience.
But… he didn't. Not yet.
Instead, he nodded once. "Thank you."
She rose. "You're stronger than you realize, Sasuke. But don't forget to live, too."
And then she was gone.
---
He lay down on the tiles, staring upward.
His body was evolving.
His power was unmatched for his age.
He could become the strongest shinobi in history.
But the genius inside him… was still lonely.
Still hiding.
Still waiting to be understood.