Orochimaru's laughter slithered through the clearing, low and unsettling. He stepped closer to Sasuke, his pale tongue flicking out between his lips.
"Naruto-kun," he said, savoring the name as though it were a challenge. "I look forward to the next time we meet."
Before anyone could respond, Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Sasuke vanished into smoke, leaving the air heavy with the aftertaste of failure.
Sakura stumbled forward, her breath catching in her throat as Sasuke's silhouette dissolved before her eyes. She tried to run, her pace slowing with every step, as if sheer willpower might drag him back. But there was nothing to reach for. Nothing to hold.
Her fists clenched. "Naruto… thank you. I know you tried your best."
Naruto glanced at her. His voice was calm, but his words carried weight. "Sakura, don't let this break you. It's fine to be persistent, but if you can't accept failure… you'll end up trapped in a shadow you'll never escape."
His reminder stung, not because it was harsh, but because it was true.
Sakura lowered her gaze. She hadn't even dared to fight Sasuke with all her strength. Instead, she had leaned on Naruto, as always, to shoulder everything. Shame gnawed at her as she realized how much she had asked of him.
But Naruto only waved it off, turning toward Yamato. "Yamato-senpai, there's no point in staying here. Let's head back."
"R-right," Yamato answered, still trying to process what he had witnessed. He was supposed to be the leader of this squad, a jōnin chosen to keep control. Yet from the beginning, it had been Naruto carrying the weight of every battle. What role had he played?
Sakura opened her mouth, wanting to say something, anything—but the words died on her lips. This wasn't the place. Later. Back in Konoha.
Far from the battlefield, deep within another base, Sasuke's silence was more terrifying than any outburst.
The moment they returned, he slammed his fist into the stone wall, the sound echoing through the chamber. Blood seeped from his knuckles, but he didn't notice.
"Damn it… Naruto," he hissed. "Three years of training, all for this? How—how can I not even touch you?"
His voice cracked into a snarl. "Why? Why can't I defeat a so-called dead-last?"
Another blow struck the wall, cracks spiderwebbing outward.
Kabuto took a hesitant step forward, concern flickering across his face. But Orochimaru raised a hand, signaling him back. The sannin's lips curled into that familiar serpentine smile.
"Sasuke-kun," he purred, "you wish to defeat someone who commands the power of the Nine-Tails… someone who may even touch upon immortality itself. That is no easy task."
He tilted his head, golden eyes glinting. "But if you truly awakened the power in your bloodline—if you opened those eyes…" Orochimaru let the sentence hang, heavy with implication.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed, haunted by memories he tried desperately to bury. He turned away, his voice low but sharp. "I'll find my way to gain that power. I'll never follow your methods."
Without waiting for a response, he strode out, his footsteps echoing down the corridor.
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, frowning. "Orochimaru-sama… will Sasuke-kun be shaken by this?"
Orochimaru chuckled, a sound more reptilian than human. "Hehe… if this is the limit of Sasuke-kun, then perhaps I overestimated him." His smile widened, but his eyes were cold.
---
By the time Team Yamato stopped for the night, it was already past eleven. The forest was silent save for the rustling leaves and the occasional cry of a nightbird. They were still a day's journey from Konoha, no matter how quickly they traveled.
Yamato glanced at Naruto, gratitude clear in his tone. "Naruto, you carried us on this mission. Facing Orochimaru, and even Sasuke… if you hadn't been here—"
Naruto raised his hands, looking almost embarrassed. "You're too polite, Yamato-senpai. We're all shinobi of Konoha, aren't we? It's natural to help each other out. Besides, we're teammates. We fight together."
His words were simple, even cheerful, but Yamato felt a pang of unease. There was something in Naruto's eyes—something calm, detached—that didn't quite match the reckless, loud-mouthed boy he was used to. Still, he smiled and said nothing.
The next day, they returned to the village by noon. Yamato immediately went to report to the Hokage, leaving Naruto, Sakura, and Sai dismissed. Sai vanished into the streets as usual, expression unreadable.
Sakura, however, lingered.
"Naruto," she said suddenly, stepping closer. Her voice trembled slightly, though her gaze was steady. "Wait a minute. I need to talk to you. Can we… go somewhere quieter?"
Naruto blinked, confused. "Uh, sure. Let's go."
They walked together through the village. Neither spoke until they reached one of the old training grounds, now empty and still. The air was heavy, expectant.
Naruto broke the silence first. "So? What's going on, Sakura? You can tell me. If it's something I can help with, I'll do it."
But Sakura only stared at him, her lips pressed into a thin line. Finally, she said it.
"Naruto… you're not the same person you used to be."
The words froze him in place. His heart skipped, and for a fleeting second, he wondered if she could see the truth—the soul inside him that wasn't hers to know.
"…What do you mean?" he asked, forcing a laugh.
Sakura drew a deep breath, her voice firm now. "In the past, all you ever talked about was becoming Hokage. That dream was everything to you. But now… You barely mention it. And not just that. I can feel it—about so many things, Naruto. You don't seem to care as much anymore."
Her eyes searched his face, desperate for some proof she was wrong.
Naruto smiled, the same easy grin he'd worn countless times before. "You're imagining things, Sakura. I'm still me. I still want to be Hokage."
But even as he said it, the words rang hollow in his ears.
Sakura didn't look convinced. She stood there, silent, her suspicion unspoken but heavy in the air between them.
And Naruto, though he kept smiling, felt the weight of her doubt pressing like a blade at his back.
---
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