"Indeed…"
"I once had nothing."
"But when I was with Iruka-sensei, when I was with you, I often thought… this must be what it feels like to have a father and a brother."
The sour ache and crushing sadness—if it weren't for the fact that every member of the Uchiha Clan was currently existing within Naruto Uzumaki's consciousness, activating the Sharingan wouldn't have been much of a stretch.
Mikoto Uchiha watched the two children break apart at the Valley of the End, her heart aching.
More precisely, it was Sasuke who wanted to sever their bond unilaterally, while Naruto stubbornly refused to let go, no matter what.
Fugaku Uchiha sighed inwardly. Viewing everything now from Naruto Uzumaki's perspective, as a father, watching his son across from him determined to walk into darkness with the sole goal of killing Itachi Uchiha, all he could do was lament the twists of fate. At the same time, he couldn't help but reflect: if this outcome were to be avoided, aside from a coup, what other path had the Uchiha Clan truly had?
Itachi, Shisui, and the rest of the Uchiha were caught in deep conflict.
People were, after all, more or less biased, always thinking from their own standpoint.
Sasuke was the last remaining heir of their clan.
Yet after more than ten years of experiencing life, they had unconsciously begun to think from Naruto's position—or from the position of Naruto's guardians.
Now that Naruto was desperately trying to stop Sasuke Uchiha from defecting, their double standards were stretched to the breaking point. They didn't even know which side they were supposed to stand on anymore.
Torn back and forth, it was unbearable.
Naruto's words made Obito think of his own relationship with Kakashi. It seemed to be the same kind of bond…
"You think I wouldn't dare kill you?! Naruto!!"
The shrill cry of the Chidori rang out, and every Uchiha within Naruto Uzumaki froze in shock at that instant.
They had thought that strike might be fatal, until the sharp pain in Naruto's shoulder snapped their awareness back.
'Sasuke held back?! No… that's not it!'
'It was Naruto! Naruto pushed Sasuke's hand away at the critical moment!'
'What is the captain's youngest son thinking?!'
Feeling Naruto's pain so clearly, someone finally couldn't take it anymore and directed their anger at Sasuke Uchiha.
'Did he really want to kill Naruto?!'
Fourth Shinobi World War Sasuke endured the pain he felt through Naruto, remaining silent.
Back then, he really had been beyond saving. Why wouldn't that idiot just give up?
Because they were all submerged in the same deep layer of consciousness, they could hear the Nine-Tails' restless roars. They could sense its chakra repairing Naruto's injuries while also trying to control his thoughts and force his body to attack Sasuke—and the sheer difficulty with which Naruto's will resisted it.
"Naruto! What are you, really?!"
"A friend!"
A friend…
Fourth Shinobi World War Sasuke endured the pain coursing through him and finally asked himself:
What does being a friend truly mean?
But the Naruto Uzumaki who could have answered that question…
His fate was still unknown.
Although the Orochimaru from the future said that Naruto had lost an arm and eventually became the Seventh Hokage, even the smallest change to history could alter what lay ahead. Having already strayed far from the original timeline, Sasuke felt an overwhelming urgency to return.
"Even if I have to break all four of your limbs, I'll drag you back to Konoha! Orochimaru only sees you as a vessel! If you go to him, you'll die!!"
That was what he said, but when Naruto used the Rasengan afterward, he still deliberately shifted its trajectory slightly, striking Sasuke's forehead protector instead. He himself fell unconscious immediately after.
'Get up! If you don't get up, Sasuke will leave!'
'Compared to Konoha, that Orochimaru is far more dangerous and despicable!!'
'We can't let Sasuke follow him like this!'
Even Shisui and Itachi shouted into Naruto's consciousness.
But repairing the hole in his shoulder earlier, followed by the battle against Sasuke in his cursed seal state, had already drained Naruto of an enormous amount of vitality.
In the pouring rain, Naruto Uzumaki lost consciousness.
Sasuke Uchiha just stood there, staring at him.
From such a close distance.
"..."
Sorry.
The Uchiha Clan couldn't help but recall that awkward incident from before the Chūnin Exams, back when the Konoha genin were first assigned to teams…
'N-no way… he's not going to try to kiss him again, right?'
'No, no, no, absolutely impossible!'
'I can't take this, I'm scared!! Why can't I block out my five senses?!'
'Rationally, I know it won't happen, but emotionally…'
'I'm panicking like crazy.'
They both desperately hoped Naruto would wake up soon, yet at the same time felt that from this angle, if he did wake up, the chance of the two colliding again was practically one hundred percent.
Fourth Shinobi War Sasuke didn't share that concern. This scene instead reminded him of the words he had once wanted to say while looking at Naruto's face.
Wait for me…
Wait until I gain Orochimaru's power, kill Orochimaru, and kill Itachi.
He still remembered that when he left, he had never planned to return to Konoha.
But seeing Naruto so determined to stop him no matter what, he had changed his mind, quietly leaving a promise behind for Team Seven in his heart.
He never imagined that so much would happen afterward…
If he had stayed in Konoha, stayed by Team Seven's side, would he have avoided killing Itachi?
Sasuke fell silent. His consciousness was trapped within Naruto's small body, found by Kakashi in the torrential rain and lifted effortlessly into his arms, looking unbearably thin and light.
The Hokage's son, burdened with such an immense destiny from the moment of his birth, struggling forward step by step.
Enduring the malice of the entire village, yet earning recognition through his own efforts.
The Uchiha Clan felt a surge of complicated emotions.
Many of the young Uchiha fighters found it hard to admit, yet had no choice but to acknowledge that in many ways, they were not as good as a twelve-year-old Naruto Uzumaki.
Get better quickly, then go bring Sasuke back.
Hurry up and return to being your usual noisy, stubborn self…
'Even wrapped up like a mummy, even after being so badly wounded by Sasuke Uchiha, that kid still refuses to give up on Sasuke.'
Shisui let out a quiet sigh. 'When it comes to perseverance and sheer willpower, our entire clan is far inferior to a child like Naruto.'
In Itachi's heart, he still leaned a little more toward his younger brother Sasuke. But toward Naruto, who had fought so desperately for Sasuke's sake, all he could feel was gratitude. There was nothing else he could do.
From Jiraiya's account, the Uchiha learned that Naruto and the others had delayed Sasuke's arrival at Orochimaru's side, forcing Orochimaru to hastily find another vessel for Edo Tensei.
That news made Fugaku, Mikoto, and Itachi finally breathe a sigh of relief, and from the bottom of their hearts, they felt deeply grateful to Naruto Uzumaki.
"Just forget about Sasuke."
"Sasuke chose to go to Orochimaru of his own free will."
Jiraiya said, "No matter what you do, that fact won't change. Sasuke and Orochimaru are the same kind of people. Trying to bring him back is nothing but self-righteousness. Don't be an idiot, Naruto. Sasuke Uchiha won't thank you. He'll only see you as a burden getting in his way."
—Naruto! Why is it always you who gets in my way!!
—Every single time! Every single time!! Every single time! Every single time!!
—Can't you just hurry up and die already?!!!
Jiraiya's words made Fourth Shinobi War Sasuke recall the second battle at the Valley of the End, when he had slammed his fists against the rock wall over and over again.
"Pervy Sage, you don't understand! That guy is my friend!!"
"A friend would hit you that hard?!! Look at the state you're in now!! When Kakashi brought you back, you were barely holding onto your life, do you know that?!!!"
"........."
The Uchiha Clan felt heartache for Naruto, yet at the same time hoped he could bring Sasuke back. That tangled conflict in their hearts was bitter and painful.
They already knew Naruto was the Fourth Hokage's son. As the Fourth Hokage's teacher and Naruto's own mentor, Jiraiya's feelings toward Naruto were probably closer to those of a grandfather.
On top of that, Orochimaru had once been one of the Sannin alongside Jiraiya. Perhaps he had gone through experiences similar to Naruto's as well.
So seeing Naruto injured so badly, it was only natural that Jiraiya-sama would feel anger, regret, and even disgust toward Sasuke, who had become a missing-nin like Orochimaru.
"I will never give up on Sasuke....."
Fourth Shinobi War Sasuke: !!!!
Jiraiya had already said so much. Why was he still refusing to give up?!
Jiraiya said, "Do you even understand what you're saying? In the future, you'll face enemies even stronger than Orochimaru! A ninja has to make the right judgments! If you want to live as a ninja, you have to learn to be smarter!!"
A ninja must make the right judgments.
For a brief moment, Obito thought of Kakashi's father, the legendary White Fang.
"If giving up on my comrades is what being smart means, then I'll gladly be a fool for the rest of my life!!"
Naruto suddenly spoke.
That unwavering resolve burned straight through Fourth Shinobi War Sasuke's soul.
It left the entire Uchiha Clan at a loss for words.
Even child Sasuke clenched his fists, his dry throat itching to ask that idiot one question…
Was this really worth it?
Back in the Ninja Academy, he had never even spared Naruto a proper glance.
He had only thought of him as a troublemaker.
Although…
'He only ever comes up with perverted jutsu and he's an idiot…'
Jiraiya laughed lightly. "Once you're healed, I'll train you."
'Jiraiya-sama is willing to personally train Naruto?'
'Somehow, Naruto actually changed Jiraiya-sama's mind?!'
'Wait! Jiraiya-sama and Orochimaru… don't they have the same kind of relationship as Naruto and Sasuke?!'
'Did Jiraiya-sama never truly give up on Orochimaru either? He calls Naruto an idiot, but isn't he himself the biggest idiot?'
Yet that very stubbornness and sincerity were exactly what the entire Uchiha Clan lacked.
Three years passed in the blink of an eye. Following Naruto Uzumaki, the Uchiha experienced his growth to the age of fifteen. As soon as they returned to the village, they were immediately assigned a critical mission.
…Retrieve the Kazekage.
Gaara, a fellow jinchūriki, was captured, his fate unknown. Naruto cried for Gaara and activated the Tailed Beast Cloak, burning his own skin to its limit.
Amid the pain, the keen-eyed Uchiha Clan noticed something.
The way the Sand ninja looked at Naruto, a Konoha ninja, had changed.
They even thanked a Konoha ninja sincerely, from the bottom of their hearts.
'He changed the Konoha ninja. Changed Neji Hyūga and Hinata Hyūga. Changed Tsunade-sama. Changed Jiraiya-sama…'
'And now even the people of Sunagakure are looking at Naruto Uzumaki differently?!!'
Fugaku Uchiha: !!!
The Fourth Hokage's son… could he really go this far?!!
Fugaku Uchiha had personally lived through the Third Shinobi World War and taken part in the conflicts among the Five Great Shinobi Nations. Never had he imagined that one day, through the efforts of a single person, the relationship between the ninja of two villages could be shifted.
And the driving force wasn't profit.
It was bonds.
Could bonds really accomplish something like this?
Could the Uchiha also change the prejudices of the Konoha ninja in the same way?
But those old men in the upper ranks… how could their way of thinking be so easily overturned?
"Sakura… Gaara, he…"
Sakura Haruno shook her head. Her silence said everything.
The Fifth Kazekage, who had been brought back at such a heavy cost, had already lost all vital signs.
This was the price of being a jinchūriki, of being targeted by enemies.
'I heard that Kazekage was captured while protecting his village.'
'He used to be a shura who fought only for himself…'
'But after being changed by Naruto, he gained everyone's recognition and became the Fifth Kazekage.'
As they reflected on the achievements of Naruto Uzumaki, and on the unbroken, relentless effort he had poured in over more than a decade, the Uchiha Clan stood before the body of the Fifth Kazekage.
They could feel it clearly.
Naruto's anger.
Naruto's pain.
The lifeless body of Gaara lying before them plunged Naruto—and the Uchiha Clan—into a despair so deep it felt suffocating.
***
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