"Naruto!"
Jiraiya's voice rang out, loud and brash as always, but beneath the theatrical tone was pure relief. He strode forward in heavy steps, stopping in front of the boy who had only just opened his eyes. Unlike Guy, he didn't crush Naruto in an embrace. Instead, he ruffled Naruto's already messy blond hair with one large hand, the grin on his face belying the tremor in his heart.
"You brat, you nearly scared me to death! But…" Jiraiya's smile softened, his voice catching for a beat. "You're awake. You're fine. That's what matters."
Kakashi, standing to the side with his headband lowered over his Sharingan once more, still carried tension across his brow. He walked closer, his visible eye narrowing as he studied Naruto carefully from head to toe, checking for any lingering signs of damage.
Only when he was satisfied did he cross his arms and let out a lazy-sounding murmur. "Looks like you're okay after all."
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen, had been watching in silence. His weathered face carried the calmest expression, yet the deep lines around his eyes eased for the first time. His voice, though heavy with age and authority, carried warmth and relief.
"Naruto, remember this," the Hokage said. "For you to be safe and sound that matters more than anything else."
That had always been his silent wish: that this boy could grow up safe, no matter the storms that surrounded him.
Once everyone was certain Naruto was unharmed, no one pressed him about what had just happened with the Nine-Tails' chakra. They all silently chose to leave the room, leaving the boy with some peace.
But as Hiashi Hyuga stepped out, he glanced back at his daughter. Hinata had no intention of following him. She remained rooted at Naruto's side. Hiashi let out a long, helpless sigh.
Girls grow up too fast, he thought bitterly. What could a father do?
The room quieted. Only Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata remained.
"You idiot," Sasuke snapped, his voice sharp and almost trembling. "If you ever do something this reckless again, I'm going to be there. Got it?"
"That's right," Hinata added, her tone firm as she sided with Sasuke for once. "If it weren't for him, Naruto, you might not have made it back."
Naruto scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Now that you mention it, how did you guys even get into my inner world?"
"Because of this," Sasuke said flatly. He lifted his gaze, his black eyes flashing scarlet as he opened the kaleidoscopic pattern of his Mangekyo Sharingan.
Naruto's jaw dropped. "Wait… Sasuke, when did you awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan?"
Sasuke glared at him, his eyes cold and blazing all at once. "Because of you, you idiot. If it weren't for this mess, if it weren't for you nearly losing yourself, I wouldn't have awakened these eyes at all."
Naruto blinked, unsure whether to apologize or grin. He chose the latter. "Ahahaha! Guess that proves what they say if disaster doesn't kill you, it brings blessings. Though… I guess the blessing's all yours this time."
"Tch." Sasuke looked away, exasperation mixing with unspoken concern. This idiot really had no idea how close he'd been to falling into eternal darkness. If he and Hinata hadn't rushed in when they did… Sasuke didn't even want to finish that thought.
Hinata, still pale from the ordeal, lowered her gaze but spoke with quiet determination. "Naruto, please… don't ever do that again. Even without the Nine-Tails' power, I'll work hard to help you. I'll help you complete your plan. You don't have to bear this burden alone."
Naruto shook his head, his expression firm but gentle. "No, Hinata. I wasn't after the Nine-Tails' power in the first place."
Both Hinata and Sasuke stared at him, stunned. Even deep within, the Nine-Tails itself stirred, caught off guard.
"I'm only twelve years old almost thirteen," Naruto continued, a grin tugging at his lips. "But I'll brag a little. At my age, I've already come this far. If I keep growing, someday I'll achieve everything I've set my sights on. And I won't be alone I've got both of you by my side. So the pressure doesn't feel so heavy anymore."
Sasuke and Hinata exchanged glances. After a moment, they both nodded. His words made sense.
"Then why risk it?" Hinata whispered, her brows drawn together.
Naruto's answer was quiet, but it carried a weight that filled the room. "Because… I can feel it. That one is very lonely."
His hand pressed gently against his stomach, where the seal still lingered faintly.
Deep inside, the Nine-Tails trembled.
"I think it wants a companion too," Naruto said, his smile soft but resolute. "That's why I tried. But… I overestimated myself. A thousand years of hatred is way too much for me to handle right now." He scratched his head, laughing weakly.
Sasuke's eyes hardened. "But it's just a tailed beast. Why throw yourself into danger for something like that?"
Naruto shook his head, his expression turning serious. "No. The Nine-Tails has intelligence. It thinks, it feels. That means it isn't just some beast. It's a complete, living being its form just happens to be different from ours."
He turned to Sasuke. "Think about it. If you lived in a world where everyone else was different, where they treated you as a monster, sealed you away, never saw you as a person… what would you do?"
Sasuke didn't hesitate. "I'd fight back. Or kill them all."
Naruto nodded. "Exactly. And that's the same reason the Nine-Tails hates the world. You're not so different from it, Sasuke."
Sasuke frowned deeply but couldn't deny the truth of those words.
"I just want its acknowledgment," Naruto said simply. "I don't want it to be alone anymore."
Sasuke exhaled sharply. "You're unbelievable. Fine. But listen if you ever try training with it again, you tell me first. I'll be there, watching. If anything goes wrong, I'll drag you back out myself."
Naruto grinned, pressing his palms together in mock gratitude. "Thanks, Sasuke. I'll count on you."
Then his curiosity flared again, bright and uncontainable. "By the way, what exactly is your Mangekyo's ability?"
Hinata perked up, eager to know as well.
Sasuke fell silent for a moment, as though information were flowing directly into his mind. Finally, he spoke.
"My left eye… it's called Heart-Linked Resonance. Its essence is deep synchronization. I can form a mental link with someone share their emotions, glimpse fragments of their memories, and even sense their physical state. And during that link… I can share abilities with them, temporarily."
"To demonstrate…" His Mangekyo spun to life, and blood streaked down his cheek. He looked at Naruto and Hinata in turn.
Their eyes widened as, in the next instant, both of them bore the same swirling pattern of the Mangekyo Sharingan.
The three froze, equally stunned.
"This is… the Mangekyo's vision?" Naruto gasped, spinning his new eyes in wonder. The world around him slowed, each particle of dust suspended in the air like stars.
Hinata's breath caught. "So different from the Byakugan. Its perception is… overwhelming."
Sasuke clenched his fists, feeling the flood of chakra within him swell to an intensity he had never known. "This is Naruto's chakra, his body's stamina. If I had this much during the fight with the One-Tail… I wouldn't have been so exhausted. With this kind of energy… when would it ever run dry?"
The three of them stood together, the glow of new power burning in their eyes. Yet beneath it all lingered something unspoken Naruto's words, echoing like a whisper.
That one is very lonely.
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