This is chapter 6 of the Sasuke Retsuden manga.
Summary[]
- Part 1
Sasuke tries to make sense of the rocks and chickens being kept in Zansūru's secret basement, but he's interrupted by the sound of Zansūru approaching. Sasuke, who is actually working at the digsite with the other prisoners, releases the shadow clone he's been using so that Zansūru won't find him. Later, Sakura receives a message from Kakashi reporting that the Prime Minister has begun an invasion of Nagare Village and that Prince Nanara has decided to overthrow him. Sakura assumes this is what the assets Zansūru has been developing are supposed to be for, though she still doesn't know what the assets actually are. She nevertheless sends Kakashi a report about what they've discovered so far.
Sakura looks for Sasuke at dinnertime so that she can tell him about Kakashi's message, but she cannot find him. As she sits at a table to think, she is approached by Ganno, one of Sasuke's cellmates. They chat until Ganno notices Sakura's new wedding ring, prompting him to ask about her husband. Sakura speaks candidly about Sasuke, listing his many good qualities. Even though she never refers to Sasuke by name so as to conceal their relationship, Ganno remarks that Sasuke is lucky to be married to her. Sakura tries denying it, so Ganno explains that Sasuke used to gaze at the tree outside, but stopped around the time that Sakura began working at the prison. Ganno departs and Sakura looks outside, seeing that the tree's flowers resemble cherry blossoms.
Meanwhile, Sasuke sorts fruit imported from the Land of Redaku's capital with Jiji. Since fruit are never included with their meals, Jiji assumes that these fruit are exclusively for Zansūru and the prison's guards; Sasuke responds by helping himself to one. Sasuke notices a lake just outside the Astronomy Research Institute, which is not visible from the lower sections of the prison. Jiji explains that the lake was formed long ago by a meteor and that, because it's entirely comprised of rain water, it can perfectly reflect the sky above it. This gives Sasuke an idea and he promptly leaves, claiming to have a stomachache.
Sasuke finds Sakura, who has had an idea of her own: the Hoshinarabe cards do not solely correspond to constellations, but hand seals as well. She believes that, in order to reveal the polar particles that they're looking for, they'll need to perform a particular sequence of hand seals; she guesses that two of the Hoshinarabe hands, Star and Earth, indicate the necessary hand seals, as both terms are used in the description of the polar particles' hiding place. Sasuke reports that he knows where this hiding place is, and they make plans to meet up after nightfall.
- Part 2
Once it's dark, Sasuke leads Sakura beyond the walls of the Institute to the lake he saw earlier, which now resembles the starry sky. He informs Sakura that this is probably the "sky that fell to earth" where the polar particles are supposed to reside. As they admire the scene's beauty, Sasuke confides that he's never worried about the strength of their relationship. He does, however, regret not being home more often: when he returns after a long absence, seeing the small changes that Sakura and Sarada have undergone remind him of everything he's missed. Sakura feels the same way, but assures him that there's nothing to worry about.
Sakura consults the Hoshinarabe cards she's brought with her to see what hand seals they'll need to perform. While she does so, Sasuke notices the backs of the cards, which appear to have a picture of a lizard and a rock. Sakura corrects him, explaining that it's actually a dragon and a meteorite: dragons are said to have once lived in Redaku until being wiped out by a meteor. Sasuke remembers the book Penjira read, which mentioned that dragons' fossils can be found near the Institute. He remembers the strange rocks in Zansūru's secret basement, guessing that they are fossils dug up by the prisoners. And then there's the chickens.
When Sakura completes the hand seals, a powerful light emerges from the lake. She walks towards it and retrieves a container, which she assumes to have polar particles inside. She reports that the container is giving off a great deal of chakra, but Sasuke is not willing to spend time investigating, instead urging that they return to the Institute. Sakura doesn't understand why and Sasuke's explanation is interrupted by an explosion back at the Institute: dragons emerging into the sky, revived by the Impure World Reincarnation.
Trivia[]
- The second part of this chapter was released on January 15, 2023.
