To be forthcoming

by Aeso3

Forced to live with a curse that has haunted him all his life, Sasuke Uchiha struggles to find his place in this new world. Even learning to care for the people who've filled the void in his heart isn't enough for him to tell them how he really feels. But if one thing is certain;no matter how far, he will always be there to protect them and to watch them grow.

13. Chapter 13

Investigative work came naturally to Sasuke as breathing. Years of training in the art of information gathering and espionage had attuned Sasuke's skills as a shinobi. From stealing information, assassinating to following someone, such things had become second nature to him. Within the current objective of finding this 'Ur', the Uchiha had many options to choose from when it came to gathering information on the whereabouts of this person.

But there was one simple technique that was both time-saving and cost-efficient, and that was to simply ask around. While he was usually annoyed that people generally didn't take him seriously as a kid, it also meant that they weren't too suspicious or wary of him as much either and that meant it was easier to ask certain questions.

Of course, to get an answer to a question, one has to find someone to ask the said question in the first place and at the moment, Sasuke knew exactly who to turn to. The lady who ran the supply shop was the first person that came to his mind and it was for that reason alone that he headed over to her first.

By the time he had reached the shop, it was in shambles, possibly as a result of the redheaded lady flexing her powers over him. To see the effects reach over to this place, gave the Uchiha a look of concern, as he slowly walked over to her.

"Oh hey there!" she greeted him while picking up some boxes off the ground, "I didn't think I'd see you back here again so soon."

"Likewise, umm…."

"It's Natalie. You felt that earthquake too, didn't you? It was kinda scary. Wait a minute, did you come back here because you were scared that something might've happened to me?" the woman named Natalie winked as she placed the boxes back into their original place. The raven-haired boy simply rolled his eyes and looked on, waiting for her to finish talking. "Well don't you worry; I can take care of myself just fine. Of course, a little help from a cutie like you wouldn't hurt either."

"Sure"

The woman giggled at his nonchalant response and resumed her work, which was almost finished. The earthquake was sudden and surprising, especially because such calamities rarely happened. She was thankful that nothing of importance was damaged.

"There's something I wanted to ask you" Sasuke spoke up, getting the woman's attention as she looked at him.

"Really? Well, what is it?" she asked.

"Have you heard of a wizard named Ur?"

The woman immediately dropped the box that she was holding and stumbled back with a gasp. The Uchiha kept his eyes trained on her, watching her every move as it became clear that she probably knew something about this 'Ur', based on her reactions.

"D-did you say Ur?" Natalie asked, the sound of uneasiness in her voice and the panicked look on her face only serving to reinforce Sasuke's suspicion of her, "As in, Ur Milkovich?"

"Yes," Sasuke answered.

Hearing his answer did not make Natalie feel any better. It only seemed to make her even more stressed out as she groaned and slowly rubbed her temple, possibly to keep herself composed.

"So you do know something, don't you?" the Uchiha reiterated his question.

"I do" the woman sighed, before fixing her gaze towards the boy, "But what's it to you? Why do you wanna know?"

"I'm looking for her" he bluntly answered.

"Looking for her?" the shopkeeper asked, raising her brows, "But why? You wanna become her student or something?"

"Something like that" the Uchiha answered, deciding to play along with that angle if it meant getting some answers.

The woman let out another sigh and shook her head. "Well about that…., I don't think she'll be taking new students anymore. It's not that she doesn't want to, it's just that…." She paused for a bit, hesitating to speak up, "she probably can't."

Sasuke noticed how dejected her tone was when mentioning the last three words. From his own experiences, it was probably a painful memory for her and if it were in any other situation, he would've just left it at that and went about his business. But today, the investigation on the fate of Ur was his business and for that, he needed answers. "And why is that?" he asked.

"Oh boy" Natalie exhaled, looking like she was having trouble just finding the proper words to convey all of this. "How do I put this" she continued tapping a finger on her right temple before managing to get her bearings again, "Remember that friend I told you about this morning?"

He could probably guess where this was going. "The one you said had been gone for a year? So you're telling me that was Ur?"

"It all started many years ago" she began her story, pacing back and forth between the little space in her shop to think a way to properly explain it all to the boy, "Back then, a powerful demon named Deliora used to go around destroying every town it came across. So many people died or lost their homes, it was horrible."

Death and destruction are not something to be taken lightly, and the loss of life that followed was just as bad. It seems no matter what world he was in, monsters still wandered the world, leaving desolation in their wake.

"We were one of the lucky ones. Deliora never came here but the other towns weren't so lucky. Even so, we were all worried that Tinsel might be next." She continued narrating, her voice trembling under her breath.

And yet the town was still standing and there was not a demon in sight. The only other person who could destroy this place didn't seem interested and ironically was the one who commissioned him in the first place. Which meant something had happened to this demon, otherwise, monsters like that; don't just stop their rampages without a good reason.

"But something happened just a year ago," Natalie said, a tinge of relief had replaced the anxiousness she expressed earlier. "Apparently, in Brago, just north of Isvan, people found Deliora encased in ice. I couldn't believe it at first, that someone could've beaten it."

"And yet, there hasn't been news about a demon destroying towns anymore" Sasuke added, rubbing his chin, "Isn't that right?"

"Yeah. As I said, it's been almost a year since then and we've had nothing but peace" she confirms with a nod.

Even so, the Uchiha knew that peace and security always came at a price: one that required a great sacrifice to make.

"And it was also around that time that I stopped seeing Ur. It's like she just disappeared entirely" the shopkeeper said, "And I know this because she's a regular customer. She would never miss out on her groceries."

"So Ur disappeared around the same time as when this demon was defeated" Sasuke deduced, based on what she was telling him, "Something like this can't be a complete coincidence; which means she's either a victim or a casualty caught up in the fight against that demon."

There was a sharp look of pain on the woman's face as she heard those words. It was an unpleasant truth but one that she had accepted for a long time. "You're not the first person to come to that conclusion" she hesitantly stated, "but you're right, that's what probably happened to her."

For Sasuke, that solved the first half of the mystery within a span of a single day. The possible fate of Ur was probably answered, but that still left the second half of the request, which is to confirm whether all of this was true or not. After all, unless there's an actual body that had been buried, there was still a possibility that she had simply disappeared off the face of the earth.

"I don't think so" he argued with her assessment.

Natalie faced him with a look of surprise. "I don't think I get what you're saying. Didn't you guess that she died because of Deliora?" That's what a lot of people thought too and frankly, she felt the same.

Sasuke took a deep breath before explaining, "I did, but it's just a theory. You said it yourself that she 'disappeared' not died. I've seen plenty of people who faked their deaths to go off the grid."

"So you're saying there's a chance that Ur might still be alive?" she pressed him, almost starting to look hopeful as well. Even if it meant entertaining the idea that Ur would just abandon everyone and disappear, she still wanted to believe that her dear friend was alive and unharmed.

"No" he quickly answered, dashing her hopes at the same time. "What I mean is, I'm not fully sure" Sasuke quickly corrected himself, "Everything I'm saying is just speculation based on what you've told me. So for me to know what happened to her, I have to confirm it for myself."

The shopkeeper eyed him with narrowed brows, wary as to why this kid would inquire so much about Ur. Not only that, his analytical skills and the way he carried himself made him come off more like an adult. "Okay kid, fess up, why are you interested in Ur?" she inquired, staring at Sasuke with a look of suspicion that contradicted his own belief, "It's obvious you don't intend on becoming her student. So why?"

"I have my reasons" he bluntly answered, knowing that telling her the truth would just make things more complicated than it already was. "So is there anything else you know about Ur?"

"Not before you answer my question" the woman remained firm and stood her ground. She was genuinely taken aback by his audacity to ask for help while refusing to answer a simple question. It only made her more suspicious of him.

"I see," Sasuke said before turning around and walking away, having concluded that he couldn't get anything further from her. "I can't do that but thanks for your help."

Natalie's jaw dropped to the floor as she watched the boy walk away. She expected him to beg or at the very least concede instead of just nonchalantly walking away like that; this kid was just a complete mystery.

But, at the same time, no one else had taken such an interest in the fate of Ur. When news of her disappearance reached Tinsel, people did genuinely mourn her for a time but just like with everything else, they got over her supposed death and moved on quickly. She was guilty of this, admittedly, but at the same time, no one bothered to even investigate what had happened to her, they just accepted her fate as a fact of life.

Now, however, a golden opportunity had come by. The boy was no ordinary kid as far as she could tell, so this presented her with a chance to at least get some closure.

"Hold on a minute, kid" she called out to him.

Sasuke walked back to the shop in response, watching the lady as she paced back and forth, almost looking like she was about to collapse from stress. She exhaled loudly before looking at Sasuke, "If I help you with this, will you tell me everything you know about Ur once this is done."

"Yeah, sure"

"Can't believe I'm doing this" she grumbled as she rubbed her temples once again, before letting out a quick succession of breaths as she lightly tapped her cheeks. "Okay, Ur's cabin is not too far from this town, just south of here in fact. You can start by looking there. Just promise me you'll be respectful and not steal anything from there. If I find out that-"

"Don't worry, I won't steal anything from that place" Sasuke interrupted her warning.

"Let me finish speaking will ya?" she complained, clearly annoyed by his interruption. The Uchiha remained quiet as per her request but by then, she was no longer in the mood to repeat her warnings. "Ugh, just….make sure to be respectful, alright kid?"

"I will. Thanks for letting me know" Sasuke nodded as he began to take his leave once more.

"Oh yeah, one more thing," the shopkeeper said, "What's your name?"

"It's Sasuke."

"Sasuke, huh" she reiterated, "That's a weird name but, oh well, I'll make sure to remember that."

---

While the actual distance between the town and the cabin that Sasuke was looking for might have been short, the rough terrain and the remoteness of each house made not only finding this particular place difficult but also distorted one's sense of direction and distance to a great degree.

Despite what Natalie the shopkeeper had said, it took an entire day's worth of walking and asking around to finally find Ur's cabin and by the time he had reached the place, he found it to be a rather simple lodging.

Not that he was expecting anything grand in the first place. Still, the cabin seemed decent and comfortable enough from the outside. Though it was the inside that counted and frankly, he was tired of staying out in the snow.

Walking over to the cabin's entrance, Sasuke knocked on the door to see if anyone was there, only to be met with silence. He repeated the process for several more minutes before concluding that any possible occupants were either fast asleep or not there at all. What was more surprising to Sasuke was the fact that the door itself was not locked as he slowly entered the cabin.

Unfortunately, the interior itself wasn't any better as the entire place looked like it hadn't been maintained for a long while. Dust and cobwebs filled every nook and cranny, something the Uchiha thought would be impossible in such a frigid place as he took a swipe of one of the tables filled with dirt and blew it. That being said, all of the furniture was still neatly arranged and all the objects placed appropriately, which meant that finding any good piece of information would be a bit simpler than it would've been if it had been ransacked.

As he rummaged for clues throughout the house, something in the bedroom caught his eye. A few photo frames were on the ground next to the bed, almost as if they were thrown to the floor. As Sasuke went over to pick them up, one of the pictures surprised him. The content consisted of a woman standing next to two young boys, one with silver hair and another who looked very familiar. "This is..." Sasuke murmured as he took a closer look at the picture: that black hair and scowl, there was no mistaking it. "It's that kid from Fairy Tail: Gray."

Now that he thought about it, Natalie did say that Ur took in two boys as her students and if he recalled correctly, back when he was in the guild, Gray would always brag about being the only ice wizard in Fairy Tail, which meant that the woman in the picture must've been Ur, leaving the second boy in the picture as the only person whose identity Sasuke knew nothing about.

As he picked up the second frame, Sasuke wondered if all of this was some sort of random coincidence or if something larger was at play here. The fact that one of the students of the person he was looking for would turn out to be one of the people he knew back in Magnolia raised a lot of flags, add to the fact that his 'employer' knew the Rinnegan and this whole thing was starting to become more and more convoluted.

The second picture had nothing different from any other family picture, this time it was Ur with a young girl. From the looks of it, the girl had the same eye and hair color as Ur, leading the Uchiha to conclude that they must've been kin in some form or another. What interested him the most about this picture was the glass in the frame had been shattered, almost as if it had been smash to the ground.

Placing the photos back on top of the drawers, Sasuke continued exploring the rest of the room, seeking out every nook and cranny for clues. It was at that moment that an idea struck his mind and he immediately went for the drawers near the bed.

The idea turned out to be fortuitous as he uncovered a journal of sorts. Flipping through the pages of the book, Sasuke found a treasure trove of information regarding the ice wizard Ur, as nearly everything about her life was written in them.

"Well that's interesting" Sasuke quipped as he ran through the journal. The first few pages looked like they had been ripped off but the remaining content was quite informative. He learned the name of the boy with the silver hair and why she had taken him as a student. It would seem Ur saw a lot of potential in this Lyon and decided to take him as a student though she was also unnerved by the unreasonably high expectations he placed upon her.

However, the contents that interested him the most were chapters related to Gray. According to her journal, Ur found Gray amidst the ruins of Trieste, one of the towns destroyed by Deliora. As one of the only survivors of that attack, Ur took him in and accepted him as her second pupil. The rest of the journal went into detail with regards to her initial difficulties with both of her students, how they eventually began to bond, and in between the lines of her writing, Sasuke felt that she must have thought of them as her children.

"He's a rebel and doesn't want to do as he's told" Sasuke repeated a line written by Ur regarding Gray, something that caused him to let out a smirk. Based on his own albeit brief experience with Gray, it seems not a lot has changed. "But he's a brilliant boy who works hard and I adore him all the same. I'm just a bit concerned about him and his obsession with defeating Deliora. It seems his grief has been slowly turning into hatred and that hatred is slowly feeding his need for vengeance. There's darkness in his heart and I'm worried about what it'll do to hi-"Sasuke quickly closed the journal and exhaled loudly. That statement was a little too close to his heart and it reminded him of a certain someone: someone whom he was ashamed of.

After giving himself a brief moment of reprieve, Sasuke decided to open to the very last pages of the journal. After all, if he was to know of the fate of Ur, reading the final moments of her diary might lead him on that path.

It explained in detail how Gray ran off to fight Deliora in the northern country of Brago in his quest to avenge his parents regardless of how dangerous it was and how Ur, despite all signs pointing to this being a fruitless and near-suicidal endeavor, decided to run after Gray in the hopes of saving him before he got killed by Deliora with Lyon following her for support. Ur's final words were those concerning her students, hoping they would forge their own paths and grow up to be fine men.

And then, there was nothing else.

Given the fact that Gray was alive and well, it would seem Ur was partially successful in her mission though he was uncertain about the fate of Lyon, which left Sasuke with two possible locations for the whereabouts of Ur: Trieste and Brago.

After a few moments of deliberations, Sasuke decided to try his luck with Trieste first, then follow it up with Brago. That way, he could narrow down his search and ensure nothing was left unchecked.

Closing the journal and placing it back on the drawer, Sasuke took one last look at the room before leaving the cabin.

As he headed towards Trieste, Sasuke couldn't help but reflect on the final moments of Ur's story, of how she tried her best to save someone who was consumed by vengeance. It was a solemn reminder of his own story and that he had several people much like Ur, who tried to stop him before he took things too far. He could only hope things turn out to be better for Gray than they did for him.

---

(Januray - X777)

To say that the devastation brought about by Deliora onto the little town of Trieste was brutal was an understatement. Ur's description of the events through her journals did not do the destructive handiwork of this demon justice. There was absolutely nothing but rubble left and this was before Sasuke had even entered the ruined town itself.

The Uchiha grunted and rubbed his neck as he looked over what was left of this town. A few remnants of its architecture managed to endure and stick out while snow covered everything else. Holding tightly to the strap which now carried his newly bought sword, Sasuke pushed through the thick snow and began to make his descent into the ruins.

As he walked through the empty streets, a feeling of dread and danger came over him. It wasn't the town itself that was bothering him as he had gotten accustomed to such sights and it wasn't the thought of the implications of the graves that he passed through to get here either, since he knew the moment he saw this town that they were the buried victims. Rather, what bothered Sasuke the most at that moment was the feeling that despite how empty and desolate the place appeared, he couldn't shake off the feeling that someone or something was there with him, as if watching his every move.

"Sasuke"

"I know" Sasuke responded to the calls made by Hagoromo. It would seem the Sage of Six Paths had also picked up on the bad vibrations this place was giving off. "We're being hunted" the Uchiha continued, warily observing the place, his eyes darting left and right in search of danger. He could sense subtle movements beneath the snow, likely his would-be predator adjusting its position to get a better angle at striking him.

The Uchiha slowly reached for his sword as the movements in the snow intensified. He closed his eye for a moment and opened them again as it took on the form of the sharingan, ready to take on whatever it was that was going to attack him.

What he didn't count on was the fact that his would-be attackers had coordinated this as something behind him emerged and lunged at him. Sasuke dove out of the way in the nick of time as the beasts' jaw snapped a mere inches away from him.

The creature was quite large in size, maybe nothing when compared to a tailed beast but it was certainly as large as the bears and tigers he encountered in the forest of death and many other places during his lifetime. It had draconic features with a long neck, spikes all over its body, bluish scales, wings, sharp claws, and an equally impressive set of teeth. If anything, it looked like a miniature version of a dragon that he had heard about in stories in this world, which confused him because as far he knew, dragons were supposedly extinct.

The other one emerged from the snow and let out a vicious roar, seemingly having decided to stop hiding since the element of surprise no longer worked. Sasuke guessed that this was one of their hunting tactics, to use one as a distraction while the other struck from behind, which left the Uchiha quite impressed. What impressed him, even more, was the fact that such large creatures could hide in the snow like that.

But survival came first before flattery, and right now, these two monsters had no intention of letting their meal escape them.

Sasuke ran through the snow as fast as he could while dropping his backpack in the process, knowing that it was a liability and would only slow him down. The thick snow slowed his movements down and made him a slow target, but there was one trick that he knew would help mitigate this. It was one of the very first lessons he had learned from Kakashi, though he had a very different application for it.

Just as one of the creatures was about to take a bite out of him again, he jumped a few good meters higher than the creature and landed on a nearby building. It was a handy trick that he figured out when learning to climb trees with his bare feet, in that he essentially reversed the principle of acute chakra control by applying more force than necessary, making the ground beneath repel him with equal force, thus letting him jump higher.

Unfortunately, just as he adapted to the situation, so too did his draconic foes as they spread out their wings and began to fly towards him. Sasuke glared and cursed his luck as he realized they were even faster in the air than they were on the ground as they began to close in on him.

Thinking quickly, Sasuke jumped to another platform just as one of the monsters used itself as a battering ram to knock down the first building. As the beasts circled, the Uchiha quickly weaved the signs and began shooting massive fireballs that forced the creatures to evade.

Unfortunately, it only managed to delay them for a few moments before they began flying right at him. Sasuke gathered chakra into his chest once more before releasing a stream of fire. This time, the beasts responded with abilities of their own as they released an icy breath from their mouths that clashed with his fire, quickly turning it into steam which also had the unfortunate side effect of turning the entire area foggy.

"Ice breaths? What are these things?" Sasuke snarled. Even with the sharingan, the fog greatly affected visibility even though the roars of the creatures easily gave them away. Using sound to his advantage, Sasuke jumped out of the way as one of the draconic creatures dropped down on him and tried to pin him with its claws. But before he could even catch his breath, a massive tail swept him off the ground and threw him into the air.

As he flew through the air, the other one flew straight towards him and tried to take a bite out of him, nearly succeeding if not for the fact that Sasuke used the scabbard of his unsheathed sword to prevent it closing from closing its mouth.

Instead, the creature crashed both of them onto a nearby tower as the two tumbled to the ground. Sasuke winced in pain but fought through it as he was first to get back to his feet. Quickly taking his sword out of the sheathe, he coated the blade with electricity as he jumped towards the creature and brought his sword down on one of its wings. The beast roared in pain as it tried to lift itself off the ground but found it difficult due to the added weight of the boy and his sword.

As the two elevated from the ground, Sasuke mustered up all of his strength to run his sword through the wing until it sliced it off completely. As both of them began to fall to the ground again, Sasuke aimed and brought his sword down on the creature's abdomen. The monster let out another roar as it struggled in vain while currents of electricity coursed through its entire body.

Eventually, the beast stopped moving, as silence filled the area once more. However, that wouldn't last for very long as the remaining monster flew towards him, letting out a monstrous roar. Whether it was enraged at him killing its brethren or something else entirely mattered little to Sasuke, as the Uchiha took his sword out of the dead creature's lifeless body and prepared himself to deal with its partner.

Desperate times called for desperate measures, and for Sasuke, it felt like the time had come to use one of the stronger jutsus in his arsenal as he released a large fireball from his breath, this time coming in the shape of a dragon.

They were nothing but pure flames, but Sasuke had manipulated his chakra in such a way, that they almost seemed like they had a life of their own. Aside from the obvious teeth and serpentine shapes, these dragon-shaped fires could roar and bite just like any other living creature would.

The draconic fire momentarily clashed with the icy monster, with both biting and tackling each other until it all ended quickly with an explosion, serving as a quick reminder that they were still just fire.

But all that effort seemed to have been in vain, as the winged creature emerged from the smoke, bruised and burnt but alive nonetheless and now, possibly even more pissed off. It would seem this one was even more resilient than the deceased one as it dove towards Sasuke with breakneck speed, grabbing him by the mouth before he could even react and running him through several ruined buildings before throwing him to the ground.

Sasuke felt like every bone in his body had been shattered as the excruciating pain took its toll, making it difficult to even try to get up. However, the same could be said of the draconic monster as it struggled just to stand up let alone walk. It seems Sasuke's jutsu did have an effect on it after all and its attack on the Uchiha was simply a last-ditch effort.

There was tension in the air as the creature limped its way towards Sasuke, while the young Uchiha activated Chidori as a means to fight back. It seems victory hinged on who could connect with the first strike.

As the creature inched in closer, Sasuke furrowed his eye and readied himself for one more fight.

Only for something else to happen as the ice began to envelop the creature, beginning from its tails and working its way towards its head. Sasuke was mere inches away from the creature's massive teeth when it was finally frozen from head to toe.

Sasuke blinked in surprise as he stared at the motionless frozen body of the beast that had tried to eat him. He looked around in confusion, unsure of what had happened and whether or not he should be relieved or worried.

"Ice Drakes, you don't get to see them often but when you do, they're tough bastards."

His answer came in the form of a man dressed in strange clothing walking up to him from behind the creature, which was apparently called a drake. He was tall and well built with black eyes and hair, which was short and slicked back with some spikes sticking out. The other notable features about the man were his long cape, large pauldrons, and a metal chest piece.

"But I guess you already knew that don't ya, kid"

The man smiled and began walking over to Sasuke, who kept his guard up and wearily looked at him. But the damage he had accumulated in the battle had begun taking its toll on him and he could no longer keep his Sharingan active.

"Who are you?" Sasuke asked, keeping his gaze firmly towards the stranger and inspecting him top to bottom.

"Not even a 'thank you' for saving your hide kid?" the man chuckled in response. Sasuke could see that the man reeked of confidence and didn't seem too worried of him either, considering that he didn't seem to be putting his guard up.

The Uchiha simply rolled his eyes and picked up his sword. "I didn't need your help" he replied, cleaning the blood off of his weapon.

The man simply laughed it off before walking past him. "Whatever you say" he quipped, "C'mon, let's get out of here first"

"And why should I trust you?" Sasuke eyed him with caution.

"You don't" the man shook his head, "But there's a snowstorm coming and you're not in any shape to take that on, trust me, you'd be a human popsicle by the time that's over."

As the man walked away, Sasuke began to weigh in on his options. Admittedly, the fight took a lot out of him and it would be a while before he could fully recover. But he wasn't exactly sure he could trust him, even if he had just saved his life. After all, just because someone saved you from danger doesn't always mean they have your best interest at heart as Tobi would attest to that.

Still, he could already hear a rumbling in the distance, indicative of an incoming snowstorm and he was in no condition to brave that. In the end, he decided to cast his lot with the stranger and hoped things turned out okay as he reluctantly followed him.

But there was another reason that compelled Sasuke to follow this man. Something about his presence was nagging him as it reminded him of someone he knew and it was that same feeling he had when he encountered Irene. There might be more to him than meets the eye and Sasuke had every intention of finding it out.

….

"There we go," the man said as he put up the last of the barricades to cover themselves from the snowstorm.

In the meantime, Sasuke had finished lighting up the bonfire with his fire jutsu. They were fortunate enough to have found a shelter strong enough to withstand the incoming storm and so far, the man hadn't done anything too suspicious. That being said, he was still iffy about losing his backpack in the ensuing chase against these ice drakes and hoped he'd be able to recover them once the storm cleared, so in the meantime, he had to do with what he had to dress his wounds.

"Fire magic huh?" the man approached Sasuke as he rested on a nearby wall close to the fire while Sasuke huddled on the opposite side. "So I take it that big display of fireworks was your doing too?"

"And what if it is?" Sasuke answered. He could probably guess that his dragon fire jutsu was the one that got his attention since it was the flashiest ability in his current arsenal.

"Not much for words, are ya kid?" the man remarked, letting out a small laugh in the process as the boy simply stared at him. "Alright then, how about this; why don't you tell me your name. It's the least you could do."

"Sasuke" the boy answered in a deadpan tone. By this point, he was just tired of everyone and their mother asking him about his name, even if it was just common etiquette.

"Sasuke huh," the man remarked, scratching his head as he looked puzzled, "For some reason, I feel like I recognize that name, don't know why though."

The stranger wasn't the only one feeling puzzled. The moment he uttered his name at the tip of his tongue, Sasuke himself was flooded with visions; memories of a man he was very familiar with.

"Anyways" the man continued, snapping Sasuke out of his thoughts, "Since you've told me yours, it's only fair I tell you mine. It's Silver…Silver Fullbuster."

The man's words caused a hitch in Sasuke's breath, as he realized something very important. "Fullbuster? Isn't that Gray's surname?" He thought to himself. Come to think of it, he and Gray did seem to share a lot of similar traits.

"Something on your mind, kid?" Silver asked.

"Nothing" Sasuke answered, turning his head away from him. He was tempted to ask him about Gray but at this point, he was still a stranger to him and he was unsure of the man's relationship with the kid, considering how far apart they were and having never heard Gray speak about him. On top of that, unless it was important to the mission at hand, other people's personal affairs were none of his business to meddle in.

"Alright," Silver regarded Sasuke's answer with a shrug, seemingly amused by the boy's attitude, "So what brings a brat like you to a place like this?"

It took a while for Sasuke to register that question, as he sat quietly and watched the flames burn away. At that moment, he was contemplating on whether or not, he could trust that man.

"There is no harm in explaining, my dear Sasuke. After all, this man did save your life"

The Sage of Six Paths chimed in, offering one of his now, routine, words of advice. Sasuke found his interference annoying but tolerated them because he always meant well when saying these things.

"I'm looking for the ice wizard, Ur" he hesitantly answered, "Do you know anything about it?"

The boy's answer took Silver by surprise as he looked genuinely intrigued by his reply. "Ur?" he questioned, raising a brow before closing his eyes with a sigh, "If you're looking for her, you might as well give up because she's been dead for more than a year now."

"That's what everyone else has been telling me, but they never found a body" Sasuke answered back.

"And that's because there isn't a body left to recover" Silver stated, "And besides that, why do you want to look for her in the first place? You work for some funeral parlor or something?"

"Something like that" Sasuke said, playing along with his assumptions, "A friend of hers asked me to look into what happened to her and if the worst comes to pass, give her a proper send-off."

Silver wasn't buying into the idea of a kid no older than his late son acting as an undertaker. Judging from the way he dressed, his attitude, and the way he fought, the boy seemed more like one of those grave robbers or looters, orphaned at a young age and forced to do things kids shouldn't just to survive. The eye patch he wore didn't just seem like an accessory either; he could see that he legitimately lost his eye: It kind of made him feel bad for the kid, especially since it reminded him of his son.

And speaking of his son, the boy exuded a strange aura about him: he had never met this dark-haired kid until today and yet, he already felt like someone very familiar to him. Silver couldn't shake off the feeling that he knew this Sasuke kid at some point in his life; the same feeling that also compelled him to look out for him.

"Is that so?" Silver asked again, to which Sasuke simply nodded. "Well, if you're looking for whatever's left of Ur, you need to head to Brago. That's where she gave her life trying to take down the very thing that destroyed this place."

Sasuke's head perked up a bit as he looked at Silver since he didn't expect the man to give him an answer. That being said, he already knew of the devastation that was brought on this town by the demon Deliora and Brago was already his second stop should he find no clues around here. Still, it didn't hurt to have his assumptions confirmed.

But more importantly, Sasuke saw the smile from Silver fade away for the first time only to be replaced by a dour, more serious expression. It was almost as if this was the real Silver and that smiling face was just a mask.

"This town, it's important to you, isn't it?" Sasuke pried.

Silver eyes widened as he looked at Sasuke, realizing that the raven-haired kid had picked up on his brooding. He shook his head, disappointed that he had easily given himself away though he was also rather impressed that the kid could figure it out.

"You noticed it, didn't you?" he sighed as he planted his gaze towards the ceiling while the screeching blizzard raged on outside. "I wasn't always like this, I used to have a life here, with a family I always swore I would protect" he began, taking an empty gulp and exhaling before continuing, "But that all changed….when that 'thing' came here."

Sasuke could feel the anger in his voice and he knew that it had something to do with Deliora. That dark glare that Silver showed was the very same one he had once and it was an all too familiar feeling for the Uchiha.

"I tried, you know…..I did everything I could to protect them" he explained, but Sasuke felt like it was more of a confession, "But all that meant for shit when Deliora took me out. By the time I came back, there was nothing left of my family."

There was a clear sign of discomfort in Silver's face as he explained all of that, likely because he was forcing himself to relive those painful memories. Why he did it for a stranger like him, Sasuke couldn't figure out but perhaps he wanted someone to confide in, someone whom he could let it all off without feeling judged or burdened.

"Strictly speaking kid, I'm just a walking, talking corpse now," Silver said with an unsteady voice, almost as if it was broken.

The man had some baggage that much was clear to Sasuke. But at the same time, he couldn't help but feel bad for him; he was someone who had lost everything dear to him and was clinging on to past failures and guilt just to keep on living.

"It feels awful, doesn't it?" Sasuke said, reluctantly opening himself up, "To be the only one left standing while everyone you care about is gone."

The boy's words took Silver by surprise as he looked at Sasuke with widened eyes. There was a sharp stinging pain in his chest as he found himself unable to utter a single word.

"What are you getting at?" Silver asked, eventually finding the strength to muster up a question.

In response, Sasuke simply rested an arm on his knee as he stared at the bonfire. "What I'm saying is, I know what it feels like to lose every single member of your family. Trust me, I've been in the same spot as you have" he answered.

Hearing his comment only increased Silver's fascination for the boy. To think that he'd have something in common with a kid in an eye patch, that he of all people would understand a dead man like him. As he learned more about him, Silver began to get a clearer picture of why the boy carried himself the way he did, the scars that claimed him, physically and mentally. It seems he was forced to grow up faster than he should have.

"My condolences," Silver said, giving a respectful nod. "I won't ask for details but-….never mind. " Silver cut himself off before he could finish that sentence as he shook his head while bringing back his smile leaving Sasuke puzzled. "Just…..If you need help with anything, let me know."

That only made Sasuke even more confused. Didn't he already help him twice? Or was this an invitation to ask for further assistance?

"If that is the case, then perhaps you should ask him about the symbol you saw in your visions. There is a chance that he might know something, Sasuke."

The Uchiha grunted in acknowledgment of the suggestion laid out by the Sage of Six Paths. There was no harm in trying at the very least.

"Well, there is something else you could help me with," Sasuke said as he stood up, "I was wondering if you would recognize this symbol."

Silver looked on with curiosity as the boy began tracing a very familiar image on the ground. By the time he was done, the Ice demon slayer could only look on with apprehension as to why the kid was seeking them out.

"That's the symbol of Grimoire Heart. A dark guild" Silver answered.

The Uchiha could feel the weight of each word that the man uttered. There was no joke, no smiles coming from him; he was taking every bit of this seriously. If anything, he looked downright concerned for Sasuke's well-being, which only meant that he knew more than he was letting on.

"A dark guild?" Sasuke had heard of these types of guilds in passing before but never in any detail.

"Not just any dark guild. Grimoire Heart is one of the three top dogs of dark guilds" Silver continued explaining, "So tell me, why do you want to know so much about them?"

"I have my reasons" Sasuke bluntly replied, brushing off any concern from Silver.

But Silver was having none of it because he knew that anything involving dark guilds was bad news all around. "Look at me kid. Do I look like I'm joking around?" Silver argued, "If you're thinking about joining any one of them, I'd suggest you reconsider because I guarantee they will eat you up and spit you out."

Silver's firm resolve was a bit of an eye-opener for Sasuke, as he was surprised to see him take this matter so seriously. But at the same time, this only strengthened the idea that he might have some connection with one of these dark guilds, otherwise, why would he seem so worried?

"No, it's nothing like that. I have no intention of joining any one of them," Sasuke gave a swift reply, hoping to alleviate his concerns and feeling that he at least deserved to know that much. "But, they did take something that belonged to me, and I intend on getting it back."

"And what would that be?"

"Sorry, that's all I can tell you" Sasuke shook his head and gave his answer.

Silver grumbled under his breath but decided not to do anything about it. He was surprised by how much he was worrying over this kid, one whom he had been around for barely a few hours at most. While Sasuke wouldn't tell him, Silver could already tell that that 'something' must've been precious to him because of the way he gently rubbed his eye patch the moment he mentioned that. Was it a literal object? Or was it vengeance that he was after? As hypocritical as he found it to be, Silver felt that Sasuke was chasing a fruitless endeavor.

"And you think you're strong enough to take on Grimoire Heart all by yourself?" Silver inquired, examining the boy thoroughly. He could barely hold his own against Ice drakes, what chance did he have against the wizards like Hades, Brain, or even his Master Mard Geer, let alone anyone of their underlings?

"Of course not, I..." Sasuke said, sitting down once again as he looked at his right hand.

That was not the answer Silver was expecting, but there was apprehension in his voice, that much he could tell. It seems the kid didn't think this through or even had a thought-out plan. Still, while there was little he could do, or perhaps even dissuade the boy, he felt he could at least steer him towards a more productive route.

"You got guts, I'll give you that," Silver said, as his smile returned to his lips, "And I'll admit that you know how to scrap. Still, you've got a long way before you can even think about taking on a full-fledge wizard, let alone a guild master."

The words that Silver spoke made Sasuke flinch, causing memories that he had long since repressed to come back rushing in; memories of a man whom he had yearned to acknowledge him the same way he acknowledged Itachi.

"Keep this up and you'll be just like your older brother"

Much to his relief, Silver didn't seem to notice him as he was busily looking at the boulder that sealed off the entrance.

"Looks like the storm's dying out," Silver remarked, "Should be safe to leave now."

Without saying another word, Silver stood up and began removing the boulder while Sasuke looked on in silence before following behind. Once they had exited the shelter, the Uchiha was surprised to find Silver's assessment to be correct, at least to an extent. The storm hadn't completely dissipated yet but it was a lot safer to roam around now.

…

"Well, looks like this is where we part ways, kid" Silver addressed, walking on ahead. "So, what are you gonna do now? Look for Ur in Brago?"

"Yeah," Sasuke said, and then nodded, "My goals haven't changed."

"Gonna see it through to the end, huh?" Silver smiled as he stopped and looked back, "Ha! Now that's my boy-"

Silver's words gave Sasuke pause once more as his eyes widened, though the same could be said of Silver, who looked just as surprised.

"Don't know why I even said that" Silver stated, tapping his foreheads before dismissing Sasuke, "Anyways, take care of yourself kid."

"That line" Sasuke murmured to himself as he watched Silver walk away. It wasn't just that anybody could've said it to him, but the way the ice wizard said it and the presence he had that made it unique because there was only one other person who had ever said those words to him.

"Now then, that's my boy," Fugaku said as his son watched him from behind, completely taken aback by his words yet beside himself nonetheless.

"You've done well. Work hard and you're bound to soar high, to bring honor to that creat you wear on your back."

A smile slowly crept up on young Sasuke's face as he earnestly looked at his father. "I will!" he declared.

"From now on, walk your own path. Not in the footsteps of your bother."

The minute he made his presence known, Sasuke had a gnawing feeling about Silver. There was something about him that just made him remember his father. But now, when he said those words, it felt like there was a chance, a possibility that Silver had some connection to his father.

"Hey wait!" Sasuke yelled as he ran towards him; however, the thick snow made it difficult to catch up to him.

Thankfully, Silver heard enough to look back and blink, almost as if he was caught off guard. "You don't wanna follow me to where I'm going kid, you'd get eaten alive…literally," he said before pausing as he entered into deep thought. Eventually, his lips slowly morphed into a smile as he looked at the boy once more, "You're name, it's Sasuke right? I'll be sure to remember that the next time we meet. Until then, take care."

Silver gave Sasuke one final nod before walking away, all the while Sasuke desperately tried to catch up to him. "Stop! There's something I have to-" his cries were interrupted by a fierce wind that blocked his path as it forced him to cover his face. By the time it passed, the man was long gone, leaving the Uchiha all by his lonesome.

"Are you alright, my dear Sasuke?"

"I'm fine" Sasuke grumbled in response to Hagoromo's inquiry, dragging himself up from the snow.

"That man…..what compelled you to chase after him?"

He was reluctant to answer that question but decided to do so anyway, feeling that he might at least get some clarity. "Remember that strange feeling I had when I was in the presence of that woman, Irene?" he began his answer with a question.

"As I recall, you said that her presence reminded you of your mother."

"I felt the same with him," Sasuke remarked, rubbing his hands together as he stared into the distance, "when he said 'that's my boy', it was like my father was here. And it wasn't just some random coincidence either; the way he looked at me and the way he said those words, they were exactly like fathers'."

"Hmmm"

Sasuke could hear the Sage of Six Paths audibly humming to himself. It was a surefire sign that he knew something about this or at the least could speculate. Perhaps that was one of the perks of being an all-powerful and all-knowing being who's observed human history for thousands of years.

"I think I finally understand now"

Sasuke refrained from speaking as he looked up at the sky; it was beginning to clear up once again.

"It is a rare occurrence, but whenever a mortal dies and reincarnates as another being, the bonds they shared over the course of their former lives stay with them in their new existence. Enough that they will be drawn to the people whom they have had a strong connection with, in their past life."

"So you're saying that my father has been reincarnated?" Sasuke asked as he widened his brows. It wasn't that he didn't believe in the idea of reincarnation, but he just found it hard to believe that he could meet and identify his parent's reincarnations if they were true, to begin with.

"I can neither confirm nor deny, but I have observed plenty of instances where this has happened. My sons, Indra and Ashura are living proof of the connection that transcends life itself, for even after passing on to the next life, the bond they shared as brothers drew them to each other. Hashirama and Madara were prominent examples, as are you and Naruto."

"Bonds that transcend life itself" Sasuke repeated Hagoromo's statement and to be honest, he found it to be a compelling argument. In his journey towards the truth, Hashirama recounted the tales of how he and Madara were strangers, yet felt like they knew each other and shared a strong bond. Even after becoming enemies, neither could truly sever that tie.

And it was the same for him and Naruto as well because, despite all their rivalry and bickering, there was mutual respect and understanding for the pain both felt and shared, even when they hardly knew each other. And if that was the case, then perhaps it was the same with Silver and Irene for him.

"But something doesn't add up. It hasn't been even a decade since my father died and Silver looks like he's lived beyond that. Are you sure that Silver could be my father's-"

"My only speculation is that the flow of time works differently here, the same way time worked in other dimensions due to the difference in space and time. As I have said before, I can neither confirm nor deny." Hagoromo cut him off, "That answer is up to your interpretation, Sasuke."

Sasuke thought that was a statement to which he already knew the answer, despite how subjective it felt. If it were up to him, of course, he'd believe Silver was his father reborn, even if it wasn't true. He wanted to believe, believe that after everything that had happened, his father was alive and well, along with his mother and maybe even his older brother.

"But Sasuke" Hagoromo called out again, almost as if he was reading his thoughts, "Even if he is your father's reincarnated soul, he is a completely different man now. He may be drawn to you because of his former life as your father, but he will have no recollection of who he was or of you as his son. He has his new life now and I believe we should respect that."

"I know" he admitted, albeit with great reluctance. Sasuke let out a heavy sigh and began trudging back to where he had dropped his backpack. As painful as it was to hear, he reluctantly agreed with Hagoromo. If he ever went about and told Silver that he was his son in his former life, he'd probably just laugh it off and think he was crazy. After all, he couldn't remember his own life as Madara or Indra and neither could Naruto. If anyone not named Hagoromo had told him that he was Madara in his former life, he would've probably just found the whole thing ridiculous and ignored them.

"But still" he continued as he let out a small smile "To think you were looking out for me all this time,…father."

"There is one thing that still intrigues me" Hagoromo added.

"And what's that?" Sasuke asked.

"Silver, he said that his surname was Fullbuster. That is the same surname that the boy from Magnolia has as well; Gray, I believe. I wonder what his relationship is with Silver?"

Sasuke did not stop walking but listened keenly to his comments. He too was curious as to the relationship between the two of them. It was something he thought of bringing up but Silver left before he could do that. "Gray," he said with a hushed tone.

"The man did say that he had lost his entire family to the demon that destroyed this town. Yet, if Gray is alive, then that cannot be true. By that same token, Ur's journal described how Gray lost his entire family to Deliora and that he sought revenge against the demon. Perhaps we are missing something."

"There's more to this, isn't it" Sasuke insisted.

"Yes. Even so, they do resemble each other, almost like father and son. There is a certain quality that they both share."

If they were going by that theory that Silver was his father's reincarnation and that Gray is his son, then would that make Gray his-

"Then that would mean young Gray would be your brother,…in a manner of speaking."

Sasuke grumbled in annoyance at the Sage cutting him off before he could form his opinion. But at the same time, he conceded to the point because he too came to the same conclusion. Could Gray, really be his brother? He was sure he wasn't Itachi's reincarnated soul because otherwise, he definitely would've felt it. He liked the kid enough but wasn't exactly drawn to him by some unknown force either.

"Perhaps you should return to Magnolia and confirm it for yourself" Hagormo suggested.

"No" Sasuke argued, "We're heading to Brago, to see this through.

"But do you not wish to see Gray?"

"I…" Sasuke bit his tongue before answering, "I've got a mission to complete."

Hagoromo was at a loss for words but remained quiet in compliance as Sasuke marched on. Sometimes, it felt as though the boy was deliberately distancing himself from anyone he liked, accumulating a heavy burden on himself out of hatred for his own being.

Sometimes he wished he could help the boy, but no matter what he tried, the pain and self-loathing just seem to be too much for him. In the end, he could only hope that Sasuke can see through this folly of his.

---

(April - X777)

The memory of Silver lingered on in Sasuke's mind as he continued on his journey, marching forward towards Brago. The image of the ruined Trieste had become a distant memory as he braved through the unforgiving land in search of his latest objective, only to ironically land on another town that was also in ruins.

But there was one key difference that made it stand out from the previous wreckage: a massive cocoon of ice sheltering what appeared to be some kind of creature inside of it. It was stood out by how unusual it was, sitting right in the middle of the town.

Based on what he saw, Sasuke could guess what it was and how it ended up in that state to an extent. Its menacing appearance, the ruins of Brago and its current state all gave compelling arguments for his hypothesis.

"So, this is Deliora?"

Descending into the town, Sasuke made sure to pay close attention to his surroundings, not only to look for more clues but to also ensure that he wasn't getting ambushed again, though much to his relief, the snow on the ground wasn't as thick as it was in Trieste.

Once he had reached the center, Sasuke took his time to marvel at the sight before him. There it was, a monstrous-looking creature, standing completely still while being surrounded by a dome of ice.

"Well, this is anti-climatic," he remarked, with slight disappointment in his voice. He had spent months learning about this demon, about how powerful and destructive it was, how it raised entire towns to the ground, how so many innocent people lost their lives, their loved ones, and their homes because of this monster.

While the tale of this demon's conclusion had already been written, he didn't expect it to go out in such an abrupt and strange manner. Or perhaps, a part of him didn't believe it could be defeated so easily and felt that he had to be the one to finish the job when it came to ending this thing permanently, but it seems someone else had beat him to it.

Now the only question that remained was with regards to Ur's whereabouts. Realistically speaking, based on all the evidence he had gathered so far along with several reports from other people, she most likely didn't make it through the ordeal. However, at the same time, until he had found concrete evidence that she was gone for good, he had to keep on looking. That was part of the deal he made with Irene, after all. He only hoped that this wouldn't backfire on him in some way or another.

But before he could continue with his investigation, there was something about the ice that had caught his attention. Staring intently at the ice, Sasuke reached out his hand to touch it, only to be bombarded by flashes of memories; ones that did not belong to him.

The Uchiha immediately reeled back in response, overwhelmed by the input of new information. He already knew that this wasn't any ordinary ice to begin, but it seems that there was more to it than he initially expected.

"This construct is most intriguing" Hagoromo chimed in.

"You felt it too, huh?" Sasuke asked, staring at the dome of ice.

"Indeed. There is a chance that this ice may contain all the answers you seek with regards to Ur"

Sasuke stood motionless as he continued to stare at the ice, weighing in on the potential ramifications his actions could have should he go through with this. There were so many variables that he could account for, the most important of which was the dangers it could have on him and everything else. What if it killed him? What if it accidentally released the demon from its prison?

But at the same time, something was compelling him to seek it out as his curiosity conflicted with his paranoia. Taking a deep breath, he came to a decision and reached out his hand towards the ice once more.

"Are you certain about this?" Hagoromo asked.

"Of course not" Sasuke bluntly replied, feeling the pressure of the voice inside of his head. The Sage of Six Paths words weren't without merits, but this decision was his and his alone to make, "But nothing ventured, nothing gained."

"Very well, proceed with caution. I will do what I can within my power to ensure your safety."

If the Sage of Six Paths had a physical body, Sasuke was sure that he would've placed a hand on his shoulder by now. And what was even more surprising was the fact that he didn't seem to mind it at all; perhaps he had become accustomed to the ancient beings' patronizing attempts at looking out for him.

Regardless of the matter, Sasuke pressed on as he ran his hand across the cold, smooth surface of the ice before he closed his eyes, clearing his mind of any other thoughts while taking in deep breaths. Once everything else had been blocked out, the new memories slowly became clearer, until all of a sudden, it felt like he was being pulled into the void itself, sucking him up despite his futile resistance.

Everything became pitch black.

….

By the time he opened his eyes again, he was in a familiar world, in the same position that he was in before. Yet, at the same time, things were completely different as well: the sky was darker, the buildings seemed like they had just been recently destroyed and not covered in snow. But most importantly, the giant demon was no longer encased in ice.

Worse still, it seemed to have noticed him as it turned its head around as bright light began glowing from its mouth. On instinct, Sasuke immediately grabbed his sword and readied for battle, even if this was just a memory, he was not about to test whether or not he could be harmed, given the unpredictable nature of this world.

"Ice make: Rose Garden!"

A voice shouted from behind as the Uchiha looked back. A young woman with short black hair stood a few feet apart from him as she readied herself, oblivious to his presence. In a flash, she released a massive wall of ice from the palm of her hands.

Sasuke braced himself for the oncoming ice, only for it to safely pass through him as if he were a ghost and surrounded the demon instead, covering it from head to toe.

Sadly it did little to deter the monster as it fired a powerful beam from its mouth. The destruction left in its wake split apart the town and nearby mountains, while Sasuke got a taste of how powerful the demon truly was.

And speaking of the demon, the woman who was battling it was an ice wizard and if he could two and two together, then there was a high probability that she was none other than Ur Milkovich, though he still had to confirm before he was completely sure of it.

Regardless of whether she was Ur or not, the woman was struggling against the overwhelming might of the demon, and yet, if this was the past, then she was the clear winner of the battle. If that is the case, then this fight wasn't over yet.

"No, this isn't how it ends," he said to himself, running towards her location. Even if there was a feeling of a foregone conclusion to this story, he still had to see it play out.

Once he had arrived, Sasuke noticed a small cocoon of ice covering the area where the woman once stood. As it broke apart, it revealed the woman kneeling, visibly exhausted and weary from the battle but alive nonetheless. Sasuke heaved a sigh of relief before quickly pausing to realize that he was showing concern for someone who might already be dead.

"I can't keep this up, I'm using too much magic energy," the woman said to herself while Sasuke stood beside her. Part of him felt visibly frustrated that this was just a memory which meant that he couldn't anything about this situation. He could see that the fight had taken a piece of her, both figuratively and literally.

As the woman turned her head around, Sasuke realized that there were two more people involved in this mess, one of whom he was very familiar with.

"Gray!?" he said with widened eyes as the boy began to come to his senses. Now that he thought about it, Sasuke remembered that it was mentioned in Ur's journal that Gray had sought out Deliora in his quest for vengeance while she and another student, Lyon, followed behind.

And this was the result.

Sasuke looked on as the lady walked towards a terrified Gray before kneeling and embracing him. "It's okay," she said in a reassuring voice, "Everything's gonna be fine."

'You're here!" Gray exclaimed, "Ur, ….but why?"

"So it is you," Sasuke said, watching the story unfold before his eyes as the revelation from Gray's mouth left no room for doubt that this was the Ice Wizard he was looking for, "Ur."

"I want you to grab Lyon and get out of here, I can't concentrate with the both of you here" she ordered.

Both Gray and Sasuke looked to the side to see an unconscious boy lying still.

"Oh no!" Gray stated with concern.

"Don't worry, he's fine, just out cold" Ur reassured Gray, who immediately rushed towards Lyon in response.

At this time, the monster had completely forgotten about Ur and began walking away; seemingly satisfied with the destruction it had created. But Sasuke knew that this battle was far from over.

"Deliora!" Gray cried out, holding Lyon with his hand slung across his shoulder, a look of both shame and disappointment written all over his face, "It's too strong. I didn't stand a chance."

But that seemed to do little to deter Ur, who bravely marched forward. "Get going" she ordered.

"Wait" Gray called out once more, "Why'd you come after me? I thought I wasn't your student anymore?"

His question gave Ur pause as she stopped in her tracks, seemingly reflecting on it before giving her answer. "A friend said something recently that made me think" she began, "She told me that I deserved to be happy, which shocked me because I never thought of myself as unhappy."

While Ur continued explaining to Gray, Sasuke looked on, quietly listening to everything that was being said with great interest.

"She just doesn't understand" She continued before looking back, almost seemingly on the verge of crying, "I have two adorable little students that I spend each day with and watch them grow into men. What more could I want?"

Sasuke noticed that she was barely able to hold back the tears, barely able to keep herself together, lest she bawls out in front of her students. The love between families was something he always cherished and treasured, but he never thought about the love between a teacher and a student. Perhaps this was what Kakashi felt and tried to instill in him all those years ago.

"I don't think there's anything in the world that could make me happier"

"Ur, your leg" Gray noted, having realized that his teacher's right leg was covered in ice.

"You noticed? I lost the real one but this will do for now" she explained with a smile, "My maker magic, came in handy."

Tears flowed freely from Gray's face as he listened to his teacher's words. There was an obvious feeling of guilt stemming from the thought that his quest for vengeance had resulted in her suffering.

"I vowed I would free you from the darkness within you and if that means I have to fight this demon, then so be it" Ur continued, reassuring Gray in a roundabout way, "Now get out of here and let me do this."

"No! I'm not leaving you! It's my fault that all of this happened" Gray argued.

"No one is at fault, this is just something we have to go through to be happy again" Ur replied.

In all the times he had spent in this world, Sasuke never thought he would witness something like this. He had met a lot of different people and went through his fair share of hardships and losses. But nothing could prepare him for this. It felt like he was reliving his past all over again through Gray. The entire scenario felt like a metaphorical representation of the damage his quest for vengeance had brought upon others while the demon was the living manifestation of his hatred.

It was also then that the other boy came back to his senses. Sasuke witnessed Lyon rambling, insisting that Ur was going to defeat it. Even as Ur explained that there were wizards far more powerful than her, he stubbornly refused to believe her words. Before either of them could stop him, Lyon charged straight towards Deliora.

"If you're not gonna give it your all, then I'll have to do it myself!" Lyon yelled as he made his way towards the demon. Once he was close enough, Lyon got into a wide stance as he crossed his right arm over his left.

"Lyon, that stance! Where did you learn that!?" Ur demanded with a sense of concern and urgency in her voice.

"Where, you ask?" Lyon retorted as magic circles began forming beneath him, "Since you didn't want to teach us powerful magic, I went to the storehouse and learned all your magic books."

The magic around Lyon intensified as the air seemingly grew colder. "You kept spells like the iced shell away from me because you were scared, weren't you?"

"Did you even bother to read that book all the way through? Do you know what happens to the spell caster" Ur asked but to no avail, as her question fell on deaf ears to Lyon.

The immense concentration of magic energy eventually brought Deliora's attention back to the group. While Gray and Ur looked on with worry, Lyon was unfazed by its presence.

"I know magic's too weak to kill Deliora, BUT, if I cast the Iced Shell spell, I can seal it away for eternity!" he confidently explained.

This was an act that took even Sasuke by surprise. Given the fate of Deliora in his time and the explanation of this so-called 'Iced Shell', the possibility that Lyon was the one who actually sealed off the demon and not Ur was becoming more likely.

And yet, before the Uchiha could even come to that conclusion, Ur froze her student in an instant. Sasuke was finding this whole experience to be full of surprises with twists at every turn. From what he's seen of Ur, she must've had good reason for preventing Lyon from performing this action by taking measures as extreme as freezing him solid. The drawback must have been costly.

"Sorry, but I'm not gonna let you do that" she sternly said.

"But Ur, why is it bad?" Gray asked.

"When that spell is used, the caster's body becomes the Iced Shell itself" Ur answered as she slowly walked over to the demon. "He's right though. That's the only way Deliora can be stopped. I never would've imagined Lyon would come up with the same idea I did"

"And there it is," Sasuke thought to himself. All the pieces of the puzzle were finally starting to come together. The fate of Deliora, the Iced Shell spell, its drawback, and Ur's fate all perfectly aligned. It seems the story was coming to a close.

Gray called out for her, but Ur simply told him to stay back as she readied herself in the same position that Lyon did with a wide stance and arms crossed over each other. But hers was larger in magnitude and the speed at which the spell was cast was faster as magic circles formed not only beneath her but all around Deliora as well, holding the demon in place.

"I won't ever let you hurt my students again! This is the end of the line, you monster! Absolute freeze: Iced Shell!" with her last words, Ur spread her arms and released a massive stream of pure energy that slowly began to encase Deliora in ice.

"Ur, no! Please, don't do this!" Gray pleaded as he reached out for her but it was too little too late as Ur's body began crumbling apart.

Using the last of her strength, Ur looked back at Gray and smiled. "It's a sacrifice I have to make to save the two of you. My body will become the ice that will seal the demon Deliora for eternity" she told him as her body began shattering, "Gray, promise me this one thing: please, tell Lyon I died. If he found out that I turned to ice, he'd probably waste his entire life trying to undo the spell and that would make my sacrifice meaningless."

"Stop!" Gray vehemently pleaded, objecting to his teacher's sacrifice.

However, Sasuke knew that she had accepted her fate and made this sacrifice knowing full well that this would mean the end for her; all for the sake of saving her students. It was a type of love that transcended everything else, one that his brother showed when he damned himself and dirtied his own hands to protect him. He could only look on with a remorseful gaze, as teacher and student spoke for the last time.

"I want Lyon to see the world and live a full life" she announced as her student knelt before her "And Gray, I want the same for you as well."

"I'm begging you, please don't do this!" Gray desperately continued pleading, but Sasuke knew at this point that it was too late, "I promise I'll do whatever you tell me to from now on!"

Sadly, the end had come as the ice that would encase the demon had finally formed while the last remnants of Ur continued smiling warmly at Gray. "There's no reason to cry" she gently reassured him, "I'll live on, so please don't be sad."

And with that, Ur completely ceased to exist. Yet, Sasuke could hear her voice echoing all around him even if Gray couldn't hear it himself. Was this her spirit talking?

"I may not be with you but I will protect you from Deliora. Be strong and make me proud. I've freed you from the darkness Gray; I've sealed it away forever."

Sasuke felt his heart sank as he witnessed the final tale of Ur. She reminded him of the people who loved and cared for him despite all his flaws and wrongdoings, the ones who sought to save him from himself regardless of all his attempts to cut ties. And in that regard, he and Gray were quite alike, with the exception being that Gray had someone save him before it was too late.

The last words of Ur resonated with him and it felt like a privilege to be the one person to be able to hear it, even as Gray's scream drowned it out.

Sasuke looked on as a warm ray of sunlight finally penetrated through the dark clouds, as Gray stood tall amongst the ruins. He knew that look in his eyes, ones that he shared as they were both eyes that were opened up to a new perspective. His behavior and his anger towards Sasuke seemingly abandoning Erza now made sense.

"It seems you and I share similar circumstances" he mused as the memory began falling apart until there was darkness once more.

…

The next time he opened his eyes, Sasuke was back in the real world once more. There was a swirl of complicated emotions going through his stomach as he gazed upon the ice. He wasn't sure as to what he truly felt about all of this, but it was certainly was an enlightening experience. The things he had witnessed inside that memory had taken a lot out of him, but even amidst all of that, there was a feeling of appreciation for what Ur did for Gray and Lyon.

It was an unfortunate ending for someone like her, but the fact that she gave her life to the people she cared about was enough for Sasuke to accept her decision.

After all, it was what Itachi did for him as well.

Taking one last look at the ice, Sasuke gave an approving sigh and nodded before heading out on his journey once more.

---

Sasuke never really expected Natalie the shopkeeper to take the news of Ur's demise well, but much to his surprise, she was handling it well.

"I see, so that's what happened," she said with a sorrowful voice as her eyes faced the ground. "So her students, did they make it?"

"Uh, well…"

"You know what? Never mind" she shook her head as she looked at Sasuke, "I think I know what you're going to say."

"You're wrong. What I'm trying to say is that I didn't find any other bodies around," he corrected, "Which means that they made it."

"Huh?" the shopkeeper blinked, "But how are you so sure?"

"Call it a hunch."

As far as she could tell, the boy's voice was as stern and nonchalant as ever, something she still had trouble getting comfortable with. "A hunch?" Natalie said, staring at the boy before sighing, "Okay, okay…"

"Come again?"

"It means you have a point kid" Natalie conceded, smiling at Sasuke, "If Ur's willing to give her life to save those two brats, then I gotta have faith that she knew what she was doing and that they're living the lives that she wanted for them, you know?"

"…I see"

"So what will you do now?" the shopkeeper asked.

Sasuke turned his gaze away from the woman and looked at the quaint little town, reflecting on her words. He hadn't told her the whole truth but he didn't feel too bad about it either, since he had already given her the answers she needed. Now it was his turn to get his answers.

"I….don't really know, but I'll figure something out" he answered, "But for now, there's something I have to do."

"Alright then" Natalie nodded, "Be careful out there."

"I will"

As the two parted ways, Sasuke glanced back and noticed the shopkeeper was wiping her eyes clean, making it abundantly clear that she was holding back the tears in front of him. He decided not to pry into her affairs and left her to her own devices as he made his way towards the place where he met Irene, who was hopefully still there.

…

Sasuke walked through the town square until he eventually reached the small park where he first met Irene. Because she never told him where to meet up once this was over, he figured going back to the place where he first met her would be his best bet.

It almost felt like she was testing him as if everything was just a game to her. And he wasn't sure if it was a good idea to challenge her either, at least in his current state.

Thankfully, as he reached the park, his hunch turned out to be correct as Irene was still sitting there, watching the frozen lake from afar while her lackey stood guard.

Seeing his arrival, the girl notified her superior and motioned for him to come closer. As he stood next to the woman sitting on the bench, he could feel that familiarity, that confident smirk on her face.

"So you've finally come back"

"Yeah"

"And how goes your mission? Did you find anything?"

"I did" Sasuke replied as he took a seat next to her, knowing she would ask him to do so. It took a while, but by the time he had finished narrating the story, Irene was seemingly satisfied with his answers.

"I see, so that's how it ends. Quite unfortunate, but not surprising."

Sasuke kept quiet and sat still for a moment before glancing at Irene. "I did what you asked me to do, now tell me everything you know about the Rinnegan."

"Your Rinnegan is currently in the hands of a powerful wizard named Hades, leader of a dark guild known as Grimoire Heart." Irene looked at the lake in front of her as people walked by, "While you were out there finding the truth about Ur, he was busy holding a tournament to find a suitable candidate to test out your eye; it seems they've found one"

Sasuke seemed to take that comment in stride, but deep down, he'd be lying if he said he wasn't concerned by the turn of events. It was as if the visions that he had been seeing were being clarified and not for the better. What frustrated him, even more, was the fact that the Rinnegan was being used as some sort of trophy to fight over.

"That being said, his venture is likely to fail considering the circumstances. Even so, there's no guarantee that he won't destroy it should he find this endeavor fruitless,"

Irene's statement took Sasuke by surprise as it made his eye widen. The scarlet-haired woman glanced at the boy with a smile and nodded, "Don't worry. You did your part and so, I will repay my end of the contract. I'll send someone over to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't destroy it, even entice him with power if need be."

Sasuke glared at Irene with suspicion. "Tell me where to find him" he requested.

"That wasn't part of the deal. And besides, where's the fun in handing everything over to you when you've proven yourself to be an excellent tracker. I'm certain you can find him yourself."

"This is ridiculous" Sasuke scoffed, "Dammit."

"Be that as may, I've upheld my end of the bargain as you did yours. And with this, our agreement has come to an end" Irene stood up, "But don't fret, this won't be the last time that we'll meet. If fate ordains it, then our paths will cross someday soon. Until then, try not to get yourself killed out there boy."

Sasuke looked on with confusion as Irene began walking away. A feeling of déjà vu came over him as he watched the woman from behind. The more answers he got, the more questions filled his head. It felt like a vicious cycle that he couldn't get out of and it annoyed him to end to be continuously locked out of the loop. The Uchiha looked at the scarlet-haired lady and called out to her, "Wait just a minute."

"Come now, I've told you enough as it is, everything else is in your hands" Irene admonished him, almost as if a parent would to a child, "But at the same time, I would advise you not to rush this. You have all the time in the world to do this, even if you find it hard to believe. So rather than lament what you do not have, cherish the things you do at the moment and continue your journey at a steady pace lest you lose sight of the things that defined you."

Sasuke took a step back and kept his eyes on Irene with unease. "Why….why are you doing this?"

Irene remained silent before glancing at Sasuke, still holding onto that ingenuine smile. "Why indeed. It's a question I've asked myself many times over. Perhaps I'll find the answers and tell you all about it someday."

The raven-haired boy's voice hitched a little as Irene and her assistant slowly disappeared out of sight. This meeting went off a lot more smoothly than their initial one and she was kinder here than before. Her fickle behavior was something he simply couldn't comprehend and yet, much like Silver, something about her reminded him of his mother.

"Could it be…?" he mumbled to himself, thinking of the possibility. If that was the case, coincidences were far too convenient. Sadly, however, it seems he wouldn't be getting his answers for a long while.

"Perhaps someday, you can get your answers when you meet her again."

"Maybe" Sasuke nodded.

"So what will you do now, Sasuke? Will you be looking for a way to retrieve the Rinnegan?"

Sasuke shook his head, "I think I'll head back to Magnolia first."

"Magnolia? Have you changed your mind then?"

"Of course not" Sasuke corrected, "I'll still look for a way to get my left eye back. I can't just let it rot in the hands of criminals, even if it doesn't work. But if I want to get it back, I need as much information as I can get on Hades and Grimoire Heart."

"And you suppose the guild master of Fairy Tail may have the answers you seek."

Sasuke placed a hand on his chin and contemplated his answer. "I'm not sure, but it's likely he knows a lot about this world, at least more than you and I. And he seems like someone we can at least trust."

The Uchiha wasn't sure if Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki was smiling but he could hear an approving sigh coming from him as if he had made a decision that the Sage of Six Paths was pleased with.

"And you wish to see Gray and Erza as well, do you not?"

"Maybe" he answered, dodging around the question, "But more than that, I know just how powerful wizards are in this world and if I want to get to where I need to be I'll need all the help I can get."

His answer earned a chuckle from Hagoromo, or at least something close to one. Sasuke narrowed his brow, "Is something funny?"

"Nothing of that sort, I simply believe that despite what you say, deep down, Erza and Gray have been occupying your thoughts for quite a while now. You wish to reconcile with the former while wishing to know if the latter truly is Silver's son, and by extension, someone you could consider your kin."

Sasuke gave an annoyed sigh but did not respond. Begrudgingly, he quietly admitted that he did think about Gray, giving way to a small smile that stiffened. The parallels that they both shared were something he couldn't deny: the deaths of their families, their quest for vengeance, people who sacrificed everything to save the both of them from the darkness.

Gray at the very least had Ur to save him before it was too late, unlike what happened to him. In a way, Sasuke considered Gray to be fortunate on that front.

Besides that, he couldn't get his mind off of the thought that his father might be reborn as another person, this time as a man called Silver. And if his connections with Gray were as he expected it to be, would that make Gray his half-brother? Did he even earn the right to be a brother, after everything he did?

And then there was Erza. Could he face her again after everything he did? The way he abandoned her for his own selfish need to indulge in self-pity was nothing short of shameful. At least that's what he believed as his eyes faced down and he sighed once more.

"No," he shook his head, "I should at least face her, even if she doesn't forgive me."

The Uchiha spent a few more minutes getting lost in thought before eventually rubbing his head and shaking himself off of his stupor. "Alright, time to move," he said with a smile, "Let's head back to Magnolia."

---

(August-X777)

Walking through the streets of Magnolia, a feeling of unease began to swell up inside of Sasuke. It had nearly been a year since his departure, and yet the whole place seemed like it hadn't changed in that time.

Speaking of change, he wondered how much Erza had changed since the last time they met. How would she react to seeing him again? Would she resent him? Shout at him? Chew him out? If that were the case, he wouldn't mind it at all.

As he stood outside of the Fairy Tail guild, his heart began beating faster as his hands tensed with uneasiness. Guilt and regret bubbled inside of him, wondering if he should even show his face here again.

"I can assure you that not a lot has changed since the last time you walked through these doors."

Sasuke looked back to see a familiar figure walking towards him. The tiny old man looked the same as he did before and his presence had a calming effect on him, something that surprised the young Uchiha.

"It looks like you've been through quite the ringer in your travels" Makarov noted, playing with his mustache.

"I guess you could say that" Sasuke replied, looking at his clothing. His cloak was tattered and torn, while his hands and face were covered in bruises and scars. "Though from the looks of it, you almost sound like you expected me to come back here."

"I had faith" Makarov scratched his head and chuckled.

"Faith?"

The old wizard placed both his hands behind his back and looked at the guild with a sigh. "Erza told me about the things the two of you went through. Well, most of it anyways"

Sasuke's eyes widened with concern, knowing full well of the consequences of divulging the secrets of the Tower of Heaven.

"Don't worry, I was only told the bare minimum and I won't pry into your private affairs. Your secrets are yours to keep" Makarov reassured him. "But it did help me realize why you did what you had to do and the sacrifices that you made. I can't even begin to fathom the pain the both of you were in and perhaps I may never understand. Even so, I always believed in my heart that you both would overcome this burden, even if the means were different."

Hearing Makarov's words made Sasuke blink and give the guild master a puzzled looked. "Do you say that to every person who's got issues?" he raised a brow and asked.

"I can assure you, they're a lot less troubled once they come out of that door," Makarov said with a beaming smile, only for the sounds of Macao and Wakaba bickering and fighting to immediately shatter that claim. "Well, most of them anyway" he nervously retracted.

That earned a light chuckle from Sasuke as he seemed relieved to know that the old man was still the same as when they had last parted. He was a bit eccentric sure, but Sasuke was glad that he was understanding and didn't needlessly pry into his personal life.

But his smile disappeared quickly and he looked down as he remembered the last time he was here.

Makarov quickly picked up on this and adjusted himself. "You're thinking of Erza and the last time you were here, aren't you?"

Sasuke gave him a surprised look before quickly starting at the guild again. "Back in Rosemary village, I was kicked out of that place because I killed a man to save one of the elders. When I lived in the woods, she was the only one who visited me and tried to be my friend. We were both orphans and alone, only having each other to rely on. I taught her how to fight and survive, while she taught me how to read. She used to look up to me and I did everything I could to look out for her."

"But after the things she went through and all the people we lost" Sasuke rubbed his hands as he continued, "I started feeling like I was the one who was causing this pain, that my sins were catching up to me and that just being near her or anybody else for too long meant that they'd have to suffer for my sake."

Sasuke thought himself a hypocrite for saying all these things and still having the audacity to come back. He was beginning to have second thoughts on if he had made the right choice by coming here or why he even made that choice in the first place.

"I see, so that's why you left" Makarov noted, "Still, I believe you made the right decision by coming here."

"And why is that?"

"Because you are not the only one who feels this way" Makarov answered, "You carry a heavy burden, one that no one will ever understand, not even me. And yet, even if we can't feel the same type of pain as you do, we share them to some extent. After all, pain, suffering, sadness, and sorrow are not exclusive to neither you nor I. Everyone else has felt it at some point in their lives. And it is by experiencing that pain that we understand what others go through as well."

"So you're saying that it's completely okay for others to suffer for something I did?" Sasuke questioned.

"Not even in the slightest" Makarov answered, motioning his finger, "But I don't think anyone who cares about you would blame you for all the suffering they went through, just as I believe you wouldn't blame others for your suffering as well, especially if you care about them. I do not know if she resents you for what you did but I know Erza thought the world of you, Sasuke, and she still does, even after everything that has transpired."

Sasuke gulped and looked away, feeling a bit of shame. He couldn't believe what he was hearing; that Erza could think so highly of him after all that had happened. He didn't even bother to say goodbye to her or even explain why he was leaving. As a matter of fact, Gray was the one who stopped him and stood up for her.

"She has grown into a strong and confident young lady" Makarov continued, "A remarkable talent in her own right. I have no doubt that she will grow into a fine wizard someday and it is all because you taught her and believed in her. She said so herself."

His words of reassurance only made Sasuke feel guiltier as he sheepishly looked at the ground. He found all of this incomprehensible, that someone could still praise him like this. But the more he thought on it, the more he realized that it reminded him of his persistent blonde friend.

"If you don't believe me, then why don't you come inside and see for yourself" Makarov offered, "She's currently away on a mission but she should be back shortly."

"But can I really face her?" Sasuke contemplated, the feeling of nervousness returning at the very thought of meeting with Erza, "Do I have that right?"

"I can't decide for you whether you deserve to see her or not" Makarov bluntly stated while scratching his mustache, "But it can't hurt to talk things out with her. After all, she is your friend, isn't she?"

Sasuke stood still and stared at the Fairy Tail sign before sighing. "Alright, you have a point."

"Then I take it you're also interested in joining Fairy Tail?" Makarov inquired.

"That depends" Sasuke vaguely replied, "There's something else I wanted to discuss with you…in private."

"Very well" Makarov agreed, taking a step forward as he opened the door, "follow me."

Sasuke followed behind, realizing that there was no turning back now.

….

"Flame-brained lizard!"

"Stupid streaker!"

It was another day and another brawl that erupted between Gray and the newcomer Natsu, who had joined up a month before Sasuke's return. The two developed an intense rivalry and constantly bickered with each other for one reason or another, eventually always leading up to a full-on brawl.

But as the two traded fists, a third party came over, grabbed the back of their heads and collided their foreherads with each other, and knocked them out.

"Alright, that's enough out of you two" Erza stepped in and ordered. As normal as it had become for Natsu and Gray to fight, Erza had also taken the role of breaking up their fights, having grown comfortable with being their senior.

"Erza!?"

"But when did you get back?"

"Not too long ago" Erza explained, "Now behave yourselves and come with me."

As she dragged the two boys after their latest bout for another round of punishment at the guild, she was stopped in her tracks by the sight of someone very familiar the moment she opened the door to the guildhall.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Gray asked, only to look at what Erza was staring at and become dumbfounded himself.

"Huh? Who's that guy?" Natsu pointed out, clueless as to what was going on.

Sitting across from them, in the middle of the guildhall, was a young boy with an eye patch wearing a tattered cloak, looking like he had just come back from a war. He had noticed their arrival and was staring at them with a blank expression.

"S-Sasuke…..?" Erza fumbled her words as she slowly made her way over to him, with Gray and Natsu following behind.

Once they were close enough, he stood up and faced them with a remorseful look while avoiding eye contact as Erza did the same. There was tension in the air as the two remained silent, unsure of what to say to one another.

"….."

"….."

"I….I'm sorry" Erza was the first one to speak up.

"What for?" Sasuke asked.

"For everything" Erza answered, her line reminding Sasuke of the way his other half apologized to Sakura, though this time, he felt the roles were reversed. "I'm the reason everything bad happened to you. You went through so much pain and lost your eye because of me. Maybe if I was-"

"No" Sasuke interrupted, "You have nothing to feel sorry for. I'm the one who should apologize."

"B-but" Erza argued but was interrupted once again.

"Will you hear me out first?" he gently requested, to which Erza nodded in agreement.

"I blamed all of the things that happened to you and everyone else on my past sins when the truth was; they had nothing to do with you. I was just lying to myself so I didn't have to face the truth. I know… I'm not the most lively of people but you saw me as a friend, as family and I felt the same way. It was wrong of me to leave you without telling you anything, to break our bonds just because I felt sorry for myself."

Erza stayed silent as she listened to what he had to say. Gray and Natsu listened in as well alongside some of the guild members.

"Do you…" Erza finally spoke up again, nearly on the verge of tearing up, "Do you regret ever meeting me?"

"No, not one bit"

"But how can you be so sure!?" she asked, unable to comprehend his reasoning.

"Because," Sasuke said, slowly taking off his eye patch and handing it over to Erza, 'You're a friend worth dying for. I gave my eye if it meant you'd live and I would do it again in a heartbeat."

"But why?"

"Because there's no one like you."

Erza couldn't control herself anymore as she began to cry. Her hands began trembling as she held on to the eye patch as tightly as she could. The rest of the guild members silently watched with concern, including Cana, Gray, and Natsu.

"You don't have to forgive me. And if you hate me for it, then I'm fine with it too."

Erza continued weeping for a bit longer before eventually giving her an answer. "Idiot! Why would you say something like that, you jerk! After everything that happened, you were the only family I had left and you ditched me like that, why?!"

"I…." Sasuke stopped himself before he could finish his response. "I'm sorry."

"Promise me. Promise me that you won't leave me like that again…without telling me first!"

"I won't"

There was silence in the guild once more as everyone patiently waited for Erza's answer. Sasuke could feel his heart beating faster and faster, unsure of how she would reply. Despite telling himself that he wouldn't mind it if Erza hated him, it was still painful for him to hear her say that she hated him; a stark contrast from the single-minded avenger who cared little for other people's opinions on his actions. Or perhaps it was because he valued her as a friend that he cared about what she had to say.

"Then I'll forgive you," Erza said as relief began to come over Sasuke. The rest of the guild collectively cheered loudly in unison as joyous laughter broke out.

"Awwwww" Cana cooed as she teared up a bit. "Guess everything turned out alright, after all," she said with a smile.

"I couldn't agree more," Macao added.

"Yup," Wakaba nodded.

As the cheering continued, Erza had calmed down enough to return the eye patch to Sasuke. "You're a mess" she smiled as she rubbed the tears off.

"I know" Sasuke smiled back as he took the eye patch back and placed it across his left eye.

"Took you a whole year but you finally stopped chickening out and apologized to her. Nice!" Gray praised him while giving him a thumbs up.

"Gray" Sasuke's lips curved into a gentle smile the moment his eye caught the sight of the young ice wizard. "There's something I-" he paused before shaking his head, "No, never mind."

"Yeah? What is it?" Gray asked puzzled.

"Sorry, maybe next time" Sasuke replied.

"I don't know what's going on but it looks awesome!" Natsu exclaimed as he joined in on the celebration while a confused Sasuke stared at him.

"Pinky over there is Natsu" Gray stated with an annoyed face "He's an idiot and a pain in the butt-"

"But we like him all the same" Erza interrupted his sentence.

So the guild did change in some ways after all. At this moment, all of the fears and anxiety he had now felt like afterthoughts, as feelings of regret slowly were replaced with happiness and relief.

"So, have you come to a decision then?" Makarov asked, descending the stairs and approaching the young Uchiha.

"Master?"

"Gramps?"

"Sasuke here has been contemplating on whether he wants to join our guild or not. He may be leaving once more" Makarov explained, "Or stay here. It depends on his choice."

Sasuke hesitantly looked at all the eager faces staring at him, Rubbing the back of his neck, he took a deep breath and exhaled, before looking at the old man.

"I've made up my mind," he said, "I'll stay here."

The faces of Erza, Gray, Cana, Natsu, and everyone else beamed into a big smile when he gave his answer. Makarov himself seemed pleased with his decision as he flashed into a toothy grin.

"Very well then," Makarov said as he extended his right hand, to which Sasuke reciprocated and did the same as the two shook hands.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail."

---

AN: Apologies for the long delay in chapter. A lot of things happened and eventually I almost forgot about this. Also, I started getting addicted to gacha games :p. Anyways, that certain section in Boruto is finally coming up and while it'll suck, it will still be awesome to see Bayron mode animated.

RandomCoolGuy: Sasuke doesn't direct Kagura to Fairy Tail because Erza is there and he fears she might slip up about Simon, which he believes might lead Kagura to the tower and make things worse. He's disconnected and intends on depreciating himself because he feels guilty for all the things that have happened. The fact that people who've gotten to know him have either been killed or suffer terrible fates makes him believe that he's the one responsible for this, as a sort of divine punishment. Also, despite looking sunny and bright, Fairy Tails pretty dark at times, from mass murdered, gas attacks, terrorism, ritual sacrifice, immortality etc and it's not out of character for Sasuke to act like this, because even in the shinden novels and Boruto, he deliberately distanced himself from the village and his friends and family out of a feeling that he doesn't deserve their love, and that he can only make it up to them by protecting them from the shadows. But if you don't like the story anymore, then that's completely fine too. Glad you enjoyed it as far as you could.

Synchronicity911: They are a colorful bunch alright and their input has been very much appreciated.

Iskandar Hero: Hell no! I have absolutely no desire to describe him in clothing that makes him look anything remotely like Kirito! So no longcoats, ever! Lol! (maybe an exception if it resembles Diluc Ragnvindr or Zhongli's) For the kid version, the thing that came to my mind was the clothes that Simon the digger wore as a kid during Gurren Lagann and then something of a mix between Xiao and Kaedehara Kazuha from Genshin Impact. As for the adult version, there's an amazing fanart by UNAGI ( OOnegi0810) on twitter of adult Sasuke in a stylish attire.

I love wendy: Sorry, I don't think I'll be pairing Sasuke with her. She seems way too young and feels more like a little sister.