Naruto: Uchiha is not Raikage!

Kiyoshi looked at Mikoto's surprised eyes and offered no further explanation.

He reached out and gently placed his hand on Mikoto's shoulder.

Mikoto's body stiffened slightly. Based on her understanding of Kiyoshi's strength and her deep-seated curiosity about another world, she forced herself not to dodge. However, her fingers, which were gripping the vegetable basket, tightened unconsciously, and her knuckles turned slightly white.

The next moment, Mikoto suddenly found herself and Kiyoshi in a valley.

"Beyond here lies another world."

Kiyoshi said.

"Another world...?"

Mikoto suddenly noticed a black portal that was constantly rotating in front of her.

What comes next?
Is this the other world that Qing Si said he lived in?
Are you sure this is another world?

Mikoto still found Kiyoshi's words somewhat absurd.

"of course."

Qing Si nodded slightly.

"Come with me."

Kiyoshi went in first.

Mikoto stood there, hesitated for a moment, and then went inside.

Suddenly, everything in front of her turned black, violently distorted and blurred like the surface of water, becoming bizarre and surreal.

A strange feeling of weightlessness enveloped my whole body, but it was only for a moment. The feeling of being grounded returned, and the scenery in front of me receded and reassembled like the tide.

But what came into Mikoto's view was also an unfamiliar place.

And it looks like it's in a laboratory?
"Correct."

Qingsi nodded.

He was looking at something at that moment.

Just as he successfully crossed the world barrier with his mirror image of Mikoto and sensed her stable existence in this world, the mysterious system panel deep within his consciousness once again displayed new information, its golden light swirling:
"You have mastered the entry: [World Traveler (Gold)]".

[Entry: World Traveler (Gold)]

[Requirement achieved: Successfully guide the "Limited Tsukuyomi" parallel world individual from the virtual world into reality]

Progress: (Completed)

【Effect:
Your soul essence is now anchored to reality, greatly enhancing your resistance to and ability to interfere with the existence of "Yin-Yang Escape Technique".

When you traverse world barriers, especially those based on illusions or parallel theories, the chakra and mental burden required are greatly reduced.

Your perception will be able to more clearly distinguish the boundary between reality and illusion, and more easily locate the weak points in space caused by the influence of illusory forces.

Your space-time ninjutsu has been enhanced by 300%.

The cost of using "Izanagi" will be reduced by half.

【Note: You can continue to advance later. 】

A powerful, clear current swept over Qing Si's limbs and bones, as if breaking some invisible shackles.

He could feel that his mind seemed to have become more acute.

'Does this mean I can use Izanagi twice as often?'

Kiyoshi looked at one of the effects listed in the entry and thought the secret passage effect was quite good.

However, Kiyoshi would not use forbidden techniques like "Izanagi" unless absolutely necessary.

"I'll need to use the Flying Thunder God Technique to transfer you out now."

Kiyoshi's hand rested on Mikoto's shoulder again.

In an instant, Kiyoshi led Mikoto to the mountainside behind Konoha.

This area leads to various training grounds, where ninjas frequently come and go.

Halfway up the mountain, you'll find the normal mountain path.

In the original story, Naruto and Sakura once looked out over the scenery of Konoha from this spot.

Because from here you can have a complete view of Konoha.

Mikoto looked around curiously. This place seemed similar to their home village of Konoha, yet it also seemed completely different.

She suddenly noticed that some people dressed in uniform blue overalls were busy in the distance.

They were laying something, winding like the skeleton of a giant snake, vaguely resembling the prototype of some kind of track.

Further away, on the exterior walls of some commercial buildings, ultra-thin LCD screens, flashing clear dynamic images, were playing Konoha news briefings and advertisements for certain novel products. These were scientific ninja tools called "Chakra Communicators."

"This...is this here?"

Mikoto instinctively gripped the shopping basket in her hands, her dark eyes filled with shock.

Is there a Konoha in another world?
Or is it a so-called parallel world?

The world that Kiyoshi lives in is actually a parallel world to Mikoto's mirror image.

Although the core layout of Konoha here is similar to her home in her memory, its overall appearance is much more advanced and vibrant than she had imagined.

The clothing of pedestrians is also more diverse. In addition to traditional ninja costumes and casual clothes, you can also see some modified styles that incorporate modern designs.

"Welcome to the 'real' Konoha."

Kiyoshi's voice rang out from the side.

"As you can see, this place is similar to your world, but it has taken a different path of development. And I am the Hokage here."

"The Hokage?!"

Mikoto suddenly turned her head to look at Kiyoshi.

In her previous view, although Kiyoshi was powerful enough to inspire awe and his whereabouts were mysterious and unpredictable, he did not hold any official position and was more like a transcendent being.

And here, he is actually the Hokage standing at the top of the village, bearing the fate of countless people on his shoulders?

The sheer volume of information left her feeling dizzy and overwhelmed, unable to process it all.

She looked at his calm profile, then turned towards the Hokage Rock.

Sure enough, there was a statue of Kiyoshi on it.

Thanks to Kiyoshi's exceptionally handsome face, his sculpted stone statue is much more handsome than the other three stone statues around him.

Just then, a lively, surprised, and familiar female voice broke her daze:
"Mikoto, what are you doing here?"

Kushina, with her dazzling red hair like flames and a cheerful smile on her face, walked briskly towards them.

She was dressed in a practical dark blue ninja outfit, with a red short jacket printed with the Uzumaki clan emblem casually over it, making her look very capable.

As she got closer, Kushina paused in surprise.

She noticed that the Mikoto in front of her seemed to have a different aura than the Mikoto she knew before.

If she had to say, the Mikoto in her memory was more gentle and graceful, while this Mikoto was more heroic and spirited.

Looking at Kushina in this world through the mirror image of Mikoto, the familiar smile and tone calmed her down a bit. She thought to herself, "As expected, no matter which world we're in, we're still inseparable best friends."

She quickly adjusted her expression, trying to suppress the turmoil in her heart and appear natural.

"Yes, I happened to run into Kiyoshi... the Hokage-sama, and we chatted for a bit."

She deliberately emphasized "Lord Hokage," seemingly reminding herself of the differences in this world.

"Hokage-sama?"

Kushina just felt that Mikoto was acting really strange today.

Mikoto rarely calls Kiyoshi "Hokage-sama," so why is she calling him that today?
In the end, Kushina didn't think much of it.

In her eyes, Mikoto is Mikoto.

With Kiyoshi here, it's impossible for anyone to impersonate Mikoto and deceive the powerful Kiyoshi.

Kushina stepped forward and took Mikoto's arm.

"Perfect timing! I was just about to go and give Karin some pointers. Today it's her turn to check on her sealing technique training. Would you like to come along? That kid's been working really hard lately, she's improving incredibly fast!"

She made the suggestion with great enthusiasm, but then glanced at the silent Kiyoshi beside her and smiled mischievously.

"Kiyoshi, we're leaving now."

Kiyoshi nodded, his gaze sweeping over Mikoto's slightly tense body, and said calmly:

"You guys go ahead, I do have some things to take care of."

He needs some private space to process his newfound power and plan his next steps.

Mikoto, mirror image, secretly breathed a sigh of relief and quickly echoed Kushina's words:
“Great! I haven’t seen Karin in a long time either. I’ll go see that child.”

Mirror image of Mikoto has met Karin before; she remembers her as a child from the Land of Whirlpools.

The Land of Whirlpools was almost destroyed, but with the help of Konoha, it successfully defeated its conqueror.

However, Mikoto in the mirror image is unaware that in Kiyoshi's world, the Land of Whirlpools was destroyed just like in the original story.

"Go."

Qingsi nodded.

He knew that Mirror Mikoto needed some time to observe, think, and digest the huge information shock brought by this unfamiliar world on her own, and being with the familiar Kushina was undoubtedly a good cover and buffer.

"Then it's settled!"

Kushina happily pulled Mikoto's mirror image along, then waved to Kiyoshi in a lighthearted tone.

"Then let's go!"

Watching the two walk away hand in hand, Kushina was still chattering about Karin's recent funny stories, while Mikoto Kagami forced a smile and agreed. Seiji's gaze flickered slightly.

…………

Without pausing, Kiyoshi's figure blurred in place as he activated the "Flying Thunder God Technique" and vanished from the spot.

The next moment, he appeared in the ancient kingdom of Loulan, located deep in the desert of the Land of Wind.

Unlike the desolate world of "Limited Tsukuyomi," which was completely buried by yellow sand and left only as ruins.

The ancient Loulan Kingdom here was prosperous and thriving.

Moreover, the surrounding area is surrounded by multiple powerful composite barriers, emitting faint energy fluctuations, and is guarded 24 hours a day by a powerful dark squad directly under Kiyoshi.

Kiyoshi re-entered Loulan and arrived at the altar, below which the dragon vein chakra was stored like a huge reservoir.

He took out the condensed dragon vein chakra he brought from the "Limited Tsukuyomi" world; this was the remaining portion.

Then put it in the center of the pool.

Within the pool, the liquid dragon vein chakra, so dense it was almost viscous and radiating a purple glow, flowed and swirled slowly like living mercury, forming a massive vortex. Boom.

It was like pouring cold water into a boiling oil pan, or like a spark falling into a powder keg; the entire storage tank instantly boiled over.

A dazzling purple light shot into the sky, illuminating the dim interior of the ruins as if it were daytime.

The massive energy collided and merged, causing the liquid chakra level in the pool to rise at a visible speed, and its purity was significantly improved.

Kiyoshi closed his eyes, carefully sensing the accumulation and qualitative change of energy in the pool.

According to his calculations, at this astonishing speed and quality improvement, in at most another year, the accumulated dragon vein chakra will be enough to support him to carry out a targeted, stable and controllable time travel back to the past!

"past……"

A burning desire flashed in Kiyoshi's eyes.

…………

Meanwhile, Mikoto, who had been pulled away by Kushina, was distracted by her best friend's enthusiastic words, spending most of her attention observing this strange Konoha.

All of this made her feel incredibly novel, and at the same time, it further confirmed that this place was vastly different from her Konoha, which, although peaceful and tranquil, still had a technological level that remained at a traditional stage.

How exactly did Kiyoshi, as the Hokage of this world, lead the village to this point?

Just how capable is he?
After spending some time at the place where she was instructing Karin on her training, Mirror Image Mikoto watched the red-haired girl diligently practicing sealing techniques and thought to herself that Karin in this world seemed to be doing quite well.

After spending a few hours with Kushina, Mikoto suggested going out for a walk.

Kushina nodded, telling Mikoto to remember to come visit next time.

Mikoto readily agreed.

……

On the street, a black-haired boy wearing a dark blue short-sleeved shirt with the Flame Fan Clan emblem was finishing his hours-long rigorous training.

As he wiped the glistening beads of sweat from his forehead with a towel, he lowered his head and frowned, pondering the key points of a certain lightning release ninjutsu and the details of chakra transformation.

It was Uchiha Sasuke, who, despite his young age, had already shown extraordinary talent.

Sasuke looked up and happened to bump into Mikoto's mirror image.

The boy's usually cool expression instantly broke into a completely unguarded smile. He quickened his pace and ran over, calling out naturally:

"Mom, what are you doing standing here? Buying groceries?"

Sasuke asked Mikoto's mirror image curiously, his gaze falling on the groceries she was carrying.

"..."

Mirror image of Mikoto froze, turning her head in astonishment to look at Sasuke who had run up to her.

Mom...Mom?
Mikoto looked puzzled.

Sasuke saw that his mother was just staring at him blankly without saying a word, and thought she was joking with him, or that she was too tired from training and had lost her focus, so he couldn't help but purse his lips.

With a hint of youthful complaint in his voice:
"Hey, Mom, why are you looking at me like that? Don't you recognize me? I'm Sasuke, Uchiha Sasuke!"

He subconsciously took a step closer and looked carefully at Mikoto's face. Her features, contours, and even the subtle curve of her eyes were exactly the same as his mother in his memory.

There was no trace of transformation jutsu or chakra fluctuations. This made him even more puzzled.

Mirror Image Mikoto finally recovered from her immense shock. She took a deep breath and almost held it as she asked:

"You...you're called Sasuke? Then...who is your father...?"

Sasuke looked at Mikoto with a strange expression that seemed to ask, "Are you feeling unwell today?" He felt that his mother was acting unusually badly today.

But he still spoke matter-of-factly, with a natural reverence for his father:

"It's Kiyoshi! Uchiha Kiyoshi, Mom, are you alright? Should we go see Rin-neechan from the medical team?"

In his mind, his father was the powerful and respected Hokage Uchiha Seiji, and his mother was the gentle and resilient Chiha Mikoto. This was an undeniable fact that he had known since he could remember.

"Qing...Qingji?"

Mirror image of Mikoto was struck by lightning, and she froze completely!

It felt like a thunderclap exploded in my mind!

Could she and Kiyoshi be husband and wife in this world?
And you have such a big son?
This, how is this possible?

In her world, although she and Kiyoshi knew each other and even had complicated feelings about his power, there was absolutely no such intimate relationship between them!
An indescribable sense of shame and absurdity made her cheeks instantly turn bright red, like a ripe tomato.

Her ears and neck were flushed, and her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to jump out of her throat.

She could even feel her fingertips trembling slightly.

Just then, ripples appeared in the space beside her, and Kiyoshi's figure appeared beside them without warning, his expression still calm, as if he had just returned from a walk.

"what happened?"

Kiyoshi looked at Mikoto's mirror image, whose face was flushed, eyes darting around as if she wanted to disappear into the ground, and Sasuke, who had a "Mom's acting weird today" expression on his face, and instantly understood what was going on.

His expression remained unchanged as he casually reached out and ruffled Sasuke's slightly damp black hair.

"Father."

Sasuke saw Kiyoshi, looked around to make sure no one was there, and then called out Kiyoshi's name softly.

He immediately abandoned his previous casual demeanor in front of his mother, stood up straight, and his eyes were filled with obvious admiration and awe.

In his heart, his father was a powerful figure, like a mountain, and the goal he strived to catch up with through his cultivation.

"Once your training is over, go home, wash up, and get ready for dinner. Your mother and I have something to discuss."

Kiyoshi's tone was calm, revealing nothing unusual.

"okay."

Although Sasuke felt that his parents' behavior was somewhat unusual today, especially his mother's, out of his usual obedience and trust in his father, he still obediently nodded and looked at his "mother" with a worried gaze.

He muttered to himself, "Mom, remember to get some rest," before turning around and running towards the Uchiha clan's territory, his mind full of questions.

Watching Sasuke's slightly thin but upright figure disappear around the street corner, Mirror Image Mikoto breathed a silent sigh of relief, but her heart was still pounding in her chest, and the heat on her cheeks lingered for a long time.

She raised her head and looked at Qing Si with a complex expression, her eyes filled with shock, embarrassment, confusion and anger.

I opened my mouth, but my throat felt dry, and I didn't know what to say.

Should we just ask, "Why did I get married to you and have a child in this world?"

This is so embarrassing, it's completely beyond her comprehension!

Seeing her embarrassed yet adorable state, so different from her usual heroic and capable image as the clan leader, Qing Si couldn't help but find it somewhat amusing.

The differences between parallel worlds can indeed bring unexpected fun.

"It seems you've experienced a slight cognitive shock."

Kiyoshi spoke calmly, his tone devoid of emotion, as if stating an objective fact.

"Don't worry too much about it. The development of parallel worlds is full of infinite possibilities. The difference in identity is just one of them. Come on, I'll take you somewhere to see Konoha in this world. Maybe it will help you understand it better."

He didn't offer any further explanation, nor did he give her time to process the "difference in status." Instead, he led the still unsettled and ethereal Mikoto, as if she were walking on clouds, towards the back of Konoha.

Reaching a platform at the summit with a wide view, the vista became even broader than from the mountainside.

Unfortunately, the evening breeze had become strong and cool, causing their clothes to flutter loudly.

From here, you can overlook the dazzling night view of Konoha.

Mikoto gazed silently at Konoha below the mountain, letting the strong mountain wind tousle her hair.

"This place... is very different."

After a long while, Mirror Image Mikoto finally found her voice and said softly.

Her voice sounded somewhat faint in the mountain wind.

"Ah."

Kiyoshi responded, his gaze still fixed on the burgeoning, brightly lit land in the distance.

"While a false, unchanging peace may be intoxicating, a real world full of change, constantly pushing the limits and moving forward, may be more dangerous, but it is also more interesting and better reflects the resilience and possibilities of life, isn't it?"

Mirror image of Mikoto remained silent and did not answer immediately.

The mountain wind whipped her long hair and the hem of her clothes, making her figure appear somewhat frail and lost in the night.

Everything she saw, heard, and felt today has stirred up a monstrous wave in her originally solid worldview. Her understanding of the world and herself, formed over the past year and even longer, is being completely overturned and reshaped.

…………

same moment.

Meanwhile, in the Uchiha settlement, at the Mikoto family's residence.

Mikoto Uchiha prepares to put on her apron and start preparing dinner for her family.

At that moment, the door was pushed open, and Sasuke, who had finished his training and was covered in sweat but had bright eyes, walked in.

"I am back."

Sasuke greeted her habitually, then looked at the living room with some confusion, and then at Mikoto, who was tying an apron at the kitchen door.

"Huh? Mom, when did you get back? You even changed your clothes. Weren't you wearing a ninja outfit when you were with Dad earlier?"

He remembered clearly that when he saw "Mom" not long ago, she was dressed as a ninja for easy movement.

Mikoto paused in tying her apron straps, turned her head in confusion, and looked at her son:
"Sasuke, what nonsense are you talking about? I've been home the whole time."

Mikoto stayed home all day and didn't even see Kiyoshi.

Sasuke found it even stranger. He walked to the kitchen doorway and said with certainty:

"Just now, on the street, I ran into you and Father talking together after I finished my training. You even asked me my name, as if you didn't even remember who Father was... Then Father told me to come back first."

He tried hard to recall his "mother's" unusual reaction and his father's calm attitude at the time.

Upon hearing this, a terrible thought arose in Mikoto's mind.

His face instantly darkened, as if covered with a layer of frost.

She immediately realized that what Sasuke saw was absolutely, absolutely not herself!
Considering the increasing number of women around Kiyoshi and their ambiguous relationships, a possibility that would make her extremely jealous surfaced in her mind.

Could it be that another woman has appeared beside Kiyoshi, and coincidentally looks extremely similar to him, so much so that young Sasuke mistook her for him?
stepmother?

Mikoto suddenly felt like something of hers was about to be taken away.

"Sasuke, that's not me."

Mikoto said.

"If it's not Mom, then who is it, the new Mom?"

Sasuke was momentarily stunned.

Why do two people look exactly alike? (End of Chapter)