Chapter 25 – Quiet Shadows
The paper doors of Naruto's apartment slid shut with a soft clack. The evening air of Konoha still carried the warmth of the sun, but inside the small apartment, silence lingered heavier than usual. The two boys—though in truth far more than boys—had just returned from the Hokage's office. Tsunade's stern words still echoed faintly in their ears.
Naruto stretched, flopping lazily onto the couch.
"Man… Granny Tsunade looked like she was about to punch through the desk. Guess Orochimaru's chakra showing up so close really got her blood boiling."
Sasuke leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his expression calm but sharp as ever. His eyes studied Naruto for a moment before shifting toward the small window that looked out into the glowing village streets.
Then, without warning, Sasuke asked:
"Do we kill him… or let him escape?"
Naruto blinked, propping himself up on his elbows. "You jump straight into that, huh?"
Sasuke's fingers brushed the cursed seal faintly visible on his neck. His tone was matter-of-fact, not emotional.
"If we killed him, he'd leave his mark behind anyway. That seal is enough to tether him. Even if he dies, he could still be pulled back. He's like a shadow that doesn't vanish with the light."
Naruto scratched his head. "Yeah… but it's not like killing him is even the real problem. Orochimaru's… different." His tone softened, almost reluctant. "He's not like Obito or Madara. They wanted control, domination. Orochimaru just… he wants knowledge. Creepy knowledge, sure, but—"
"Obsession," Sasuke interrupted flatly.
"Yeah, obsession," Naruto agreed, smiling faintly. "But not… evil. At least, not completely."
Sasuke gave him a look, unreadable but not dismissive.
Naruto leaned back and stared at the ceiling. "You know… back when I became Hokage, Orochimaru actually helped the village. Not as a hero or anything flashy, but in his own way. Research. Medicine. Even some of the tech we used, that was his groundwork. If anything, he pushed us forward. The guy never cared about fame, just results."
For a moment, Sasuke was quiet, considering. His voice, when it came, was low.
"Even then, his methods…"
"Yeah," Naruto cut in, waving a hand. "Still shady. Still gross sometimes. But… he's not someone we need to destroy. Not like before. I think he's just someone who walked too far into the dark and forgot the way back."
Sasuke's gaze fell on the floor. He didn't argue. He understood that kind of path better than anyone.
After a pause, he said:
"We can't let him know about our dojutsu."
Naruto sat upright now, his face serious. "Right. Definitely not. That'd be a mess."
Sasuke's Sharingan flickered briefly, then dimmed again.
"Our bodies can only handle ten percent of that power right now. More, and we risk losing control entirely. If Orochimaru found out, if he thought he could use it… he wouldn't stop. He'd hunt us endlessly. And Black Zetsu—"
Naruto groaned, waving both arms. "Ugh, don't even bring that creepy ink-blot into this. He's probably still crawling around some cave, waiting for his chance. The last thing we need is for him to sniff out something like this."
Sasuke smirked faintly. "You make it sound like he's some cockroach."
"'Cause he is!" Naruto shot back. "An immortal cockroach who won't die, no matter how many times you squash him."
For a brief moment, the tension broke. Their voices carried like the casual bickering of old friends, though beneath the light words was the sharpness of truth—they knew better than anyone the weight of secrets.
The conversation quieted again.
Naruto rubbed the back of his neck, expression thoughtful.
"You know, I don't hate Orochimaru. I don't even think of him as our enemy, really. Dangerous, yeah. But… I see him the same way I see Pervy Sage or Granny Tsunade. A shinobi who's still human. Just lost his way."
Sasuke looked up at him, eyes narrowing slightly, but not in disagreement. His voice was measured.
"Then… what do we do if he confronts us?"
Naruto tilted his head, grin tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"We don't need to beat him into the ground. Just show him we're not worth chasing. We hold back, no dojutsu, just what we've already got. That's enough to deal with him."
"Enough," Sasuke echoed.
Naruto nodded, more firmly this time. "We're not fighting to win against him. We're fighting to move forward. The real battle is still ahead—against Obito, Madara, the Otsutsuki. If we burn everything here, we'll just make more enemies when what we need is unity."
Sasuke considered this. His silence stretched long enough that Naruto tilted his head at him curiously. Then, at last, Sasuke said quietly:
"If he survives… he may stand with us when the time comes."
Naruto's smile softened. "Exactly. He's not someone we need to erase. He's someone we need to keep… watching."
The room fell into a comfortable quiet. Outside, Konoha's night was alive with faint laughter, distant chatter, and the glow of lanterns. For a moment, the weight of war and destiny felt far away.
Sasuke finally pushed off the wall and moved toward the window. He slid it open slightly, letting in the cool night breeze. Naruto joined him, standing shoulder to shoulder as they both looked out at their village.
The night sky stretched above, endless and calm.
Neither said a word. But in their silence was an understanding deeper than anything spoken—that their path was set, their bond unshakable, and that even shadows like Orochimaru's had their place in the grand design of the future to come.
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