Chapter 18 — Unspoken Truths
The morning after they woke from the coma, Naruto and Sasuke sat in their shared hospital room, the faint scent of disinfectant lingering in the air. Outside, the village was alive with its usual bustle, but here the walls seemed to press in, making the silence between them feel heavy.
Naruto stared at the sunlight streaming through the window, its warmth almost mocking. "You saw it too… right?" His voice was low, almost cautious.
Sasuke didn't look up from the cup of water in his hand. "Every detail."
He took a slow sip, as if weighing his next words. "And you know we can't tell anyone."
Naruto nodded, his jaw tightening. "Yeah. Not yet."
They both knew why. The memories they had regained — fragments of battles from a distant past, the truth of who they had once been — were too dangerous to share. Not just because no one would believe them, but because the wrong ears could twist that knowledge into a weapon.
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Testing the Limits
Over the next few days, they played the part of obedient patients. They ate, rested, and followed orders. But in the quiet hours, they began to test themselves.
Naruto focused on his Byakugan, letting the golden chakra flicker to life in his eyes for only a second before letting it fade. Even in that instant, the clarity of vision was staggering — like peering into the weave of reality itself. But holding it for too long made his temples pound.
Sasuke's Mangekyō, on the other hand, felt sharper than before — like a blade freshly honed. He practiced activating it in short bursts, ensuring no one noticed the brief crimson glow. The more he used it, the more he felt the pull of its power, tempting him to push further.
They exchanged no direct words about their training, but each knew the other was doing the same.
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Outside the Room
The retrieval mission team — Neji, Kiba, Shikamaru, and Chōji — had mostly recovered from their own injuries. They visited often, but Naruto and Sasuke gave little away, their conversations brief and distant.
One afternoon, Neji lingered by the door after the others had left. He studied them for a long moment before speaking.
"You've both changed," he said simply. His pale eyes were steady, searching. "It's not just the fight with the Sound Four. It's… something else."
Naruto forced a grin. "Guess we're just getting stronger, right?"
Neji didn't return the smile. "Strength isn't the same as… whatever this is."
He turned and left without another word, but the look he gave them before leaving made it clear — he knew more than he was letting on.
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Quiet Resolve
That night, when the halls were dark and the nurses' footsteps had faded, Naruto whispered across the room.
"They're starting to notice."
Sasuke's eyes opened in the dark, their faint crimson glow quickly fading. "Let them wonder. Until we know exactly who's pulling the strings, we say nothing."
Naruto hesitated. "And if it's the same one from back then?"
Sasuke's voice was cold, certain. "Then this time… we finish it."
The silence that followed was not the comfortable quiet of friends resting. It was the pause before a storm — a storm they both knew was coming.
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