LIGHTNOVELSTORY Chapter 18: Responsibility
"No way..."
Sasuke halted his steps, and his heart jerked within his chest.
The figure slowly opened his eyes and lifted his head, revealing a rather peculiar shaped Sharingan in his left eye, and a purple ringed iris, with six tomoe floating within in his right eye.
"I have been waiting for you.."
The moment he spoke, Sasuke couldn't help but take a step back in fear. This was none other than the OG matured Uchiha Sasuke from the Boruto Universe. How in the hell was he in this place!
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Sasuke's eyes widened in pure shock, as the OG slowly arose from the rock he meditated on and walked towards him. His gait carrying a faint air of confidence and his emotionless visage and deep irises depicted a certain isolation that was palpable to any observer.
"You've finally arrived.....
I thought I'd have to wait a few years or so for you to meet the necessary requirements to get here .."
The man now stood before Sasuke and placed his hand on his shoulder gently, before his lips seemed to curve into a small smile.
"Is it really you?
How did you get here?
Why have I been chosen to bear the weight of your mantle?"
A string of questions barraged towards the OG, however he slowly lifted his head to the sky and sighed.
"I am, but not completely. The real me passed away centuries ago in the world of Shinobi after the descent of the Otsutsuki deity.
This and the system is just an encapsulation and projection of my will that sought to protect my world in the face of danger...."
The OG spoke, while Sasuke listened carefully.
"There are few who understand the weight of the Uchiha name, the burden of our past, and the responsibilities of our legacy.
To bear my mantle is not just about sharing in the power and the curse of our clan, but also about carrying the will to change your world. It means seeing beyond the darkness, and the illusion, enduring the pain, and making choices that shape the future.
The one worthy of this responsibility must possess an unwavering resolve, the clarity to discern right from wrong, and the strength to protect what is dear.
They must be willing to confront the shadows within themselves and the world, and use the power not for personal gain but for a greater purpose.
This path is not an easy one. It demands sacrifice, understanding, and an unyielding commitment to justice. Only someone who can walk this path without losing themselves to hatred or despair can truly bear the Uchiha mantle."
He spoke, and the Virgil side of Sasuke imagined a suspenseful theme playing as his words sounded out.
"So basically what you're looking for is a superhero. Someone who will sacrifice himself in order to save others, selfless and all of that.
Well, sigh. It seems you got the wrong person. I am the opposite of everything your will stands for. I do not seek to protect anything because there's nothing or no-one that's important to me enough to risk my life for.
I don't want to die. That's all I want."
Sasuke sighed and laughed a bit before he begun answering the OG. It just happened that the successor of the great Uchiha Sasuke was someone who was against everything he stood for.
The irony of it all...
"As I look at you, the boy I once was, I see the innocence and raw ambition that drove me. Back then, survival meant getting stronger, honing my skills, and seeking vengeance.
It was a simple, singular focus that kept me going, even when the darkness seemed overwhelming.
But survival isn't just about strength, It's about making choices, often hard ones, that go beyond just yourself.
It means understanding that the world is more complex than we can imagine, that every action has consequences. I learned this the hard way, through pain and loss.
In my youth, I thought cutting ties and focusing solely on my own power was the answer.
I believed that by pushing everyone away, I could avoid the pain of losing them.
But I've come to understand that real strength comes from connections, from the bonds we share. They can be a weakness, but they can also be our greatest source of strength.
Surviving isn't just about living through battles; it's about living with the choices we make. It's about finding a purpose beyond our past mistakes and using our experiences to protect what matters. It's about understanding that true strength lies in protecting others, not just seeking power for its own sake."
The OG clarified, looking right into Sasuke's eyes, however this did not move him even just a bit..
"Mere words are worth nothing to me..All I just heard is a bunch of riff raff.."
Sasuke folded his arms and looked into the distance.
"You have no idea what I've been through. I am a freak of nature, an anomaly that shouldn't even exist, an amalgamation of two no three vengeful souls. Do you have any idea what it's like, having different minds battle for dominance within your own brain. Do you know what its like hearing the screams of different people ravaging through my mind?!!!
It's like I'm not even myself!!
Do you know how many destinies and lives have been ruined just for me to be here and carry on your will??? You have no idea!!"
At this point, even someone as headstrong as Sasuke had to wipe a tear from his eye. Only he knew what he went through living this goddamn existence.
Only he knew the vivid nightmares; the screams of Virgil's wife as she escaped from death, the pain his mother went through getting blown up...
The pain Sasuke felt when his mother died!! The feeling of having experienced death twice and nearly a third time.
All the guilt, the disappointment, the disgrace, the fear...all the negativity had been passed on to him, and now it all happens that the reason for this hellish torture of an existence is all because he was destined to carry on someone's will.
"I am not interested in inheriting anything you own...Find someone else, or better still let someone from your Shinobi world be your successor.."
Sasuke spoke without a hint of sympathy and took a seat on a rock, staring into the golden sunset.
"If only it were that simple, Sasuke..If only things were that simple..
The descent of the Otsutsuki God took away everything I knew and loved. The Shinobi world was fine taking on some subjects of the clan, however when their God himself descended -- it was over..
The only group of people who managed to survive the catastrophic disasters that plagued the planet just from his aura seeping into the world, were a few elite Shinobi, the Kage, and the resurrected forms of past Hokage, legendary shinobis, the Sage of Six Paths and the Sage of the Moon.
We all banded together to defeat him, but we lost. Terribly so. Not even the two Sages on our side could take him on in battle. One by one, our numbers reduced, until only Naruto and I stood on the battlefield, injured and battered, against the might of the Otsutsuki clan and the power of their God...."
Speaking up to this point, the OG paused and Sasuke could almost picture a vivid realistic imagination of what the final battle had looked like, as if he had been there himself.
"Naruto and I were no match against them, and the Otsutsuki finally won. They devoured our planet along with nearly half of life in our galaxy, growing so strong and now gaining power to travel the multiverse.
My will and spirit should've entered the Pure lands after my death, however, Naruto and I swore on our death beds, in front of the entire Otsutsuki clan, that despite our deaths, our will and fighting spirit will exist to continue to protect all worlds from their reach.
That spirit of mine evolved into what is now known as the system that carries my entire existence within.
Honestly, the flame of my will would've died off in a few years, however on the day you were reborn, my leftover consciousness detected whiffs of their chakra seeping into this Universe --- They're here."
The urgency mixed with slight disappointment in the eyes of the OG told Sasuke everything he needed to know.
"I'm not ready to bear such a burden by myself. I can't - I can't do it. If you, the original with all your abilities and experience weren't able to stop these aliens what makes you think that I can?"
Sasuke shook his head after thinking for a moment. What was done was done, however he didn't think he could go against the entire Otsutsuki clan by himself. He couldn't and he didn't want to..
"Sigh. The overall strength and chakra levels of this world aren't bad, but the inhabitants aren't nearly as strong enough as we were.
I know you wouldn't want to involve yourself in any extraterrestrial feud, but you'll have to.
You won't have a choice, but to fight. The Otsutsuki would recognise you, Sasuke. They'd come after you. You'll have to fight if you want to survive, you're this world's only hope."
The OG shook his head. He and Naruto had failed to protect everything they loved. It was unfair to shove all that responsibility to someone so young, but no one would be able to bear the responsibility but him..
A/N: Sorry for the late update guys. Had to erase and rewrite the chapter many times..Anyway, I hope this should explain a lot, but still you guys can put any questions you have in the comments. We're 18 chapters in guys. Keep the donations and reviews coming in. God bless us all. Peace.