"If a person becomes too caught up in desire and can't free himself from it, he eventually goes to extremes. He becomes obsessed, twisted… and in the end, he may even fall completely into darkness."
The words came slowly, heavy as stone, from the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. His voice carried the weight of decades of regret and the shadows of the past.
Across the table, Naruto slurped his ramen loudly, his bright blue eyes half-curious, half-confused. He didn't completely understand what the old man meant, but his instincts told him it wasn't just idle talk.
"Does Lord Third… know someone like that?" Naruto asked, blinking between bites of noodles.
Hiruzen's weathered face softened into sorrow. He let out a long sigh, the kind that belonged more to a tired grandfather than to the leader of a great shinobi village.
"Yes," he admitted quietly. "And not just one person. For example… my most precious student once walked that path."
Naruto tilted his head. "Your student?"
Hiruzen's lips trembled before he finally spoke the name that had haunted him for years.
"Orochimaru."
The name rolled in the air like a curse.
Naruto froze with chopsticks halfway to his mouth. "Orochimaru?" The name felt vaguely familiar, like something he had overheard but never cared to remember. "Wasn't he… some strong ninja or something? I think I heard he used to be here in the village."
"That's right," Hiruzen said, lowering his pipe to the table. His gaze fell to the steaming bowl in front of Naruto, but he wasn't seeing ramen. He was staring into memories—faces, laughter, betrayal. "Orochimaru was once my most gifted student. His talent was unmatched. Among all who stood beside me, he seemed the most suited to inherit the Hokage's will."
Naruto perked up. The word Hokage always caught his attention like a magnet.
"Then what happened?"
Hiruzen's eyes dimmed. "When Orochimaru lost his parents, his heart began to change. He turned his grief into obsession, diving into the study of forbidden jutsu. At first, it was curiosity. But eventually, he crossed lines no shinobi should ever cross. He experimented on living people… his own comrades."
Naruto's jaw dropped, his chopsticks clattering against the empty bowl. "What?! That's insane! He gave up becoming Hokage just to… to do creepy experiments?"
The old man nodded slowly. "I should have stopped him. I should have purified the village of that darkness myself. But when the time came… I hesitated. I remembered the bond between teacher and student, and my hands grew weak. Because of that hesitation, I allowed him to escape."
For a moment, silence filled the room, heavy with guilt.
Naruto frowned deeply. The dream of becoming Hokage was his everything—how could someone walk away from it for something so twisted? "That's stupid… how could anyone give that up? To be Hokage is the best thing ever! Everyone respects you, believes in you!"
Hiruzen gave him a faint smile, one touched with sadness. "You think so, Naruto. And that is why you are precious. But not everyone shares the same dream. For some, power is more important than acknowledgment. For some, vengeance outweighs bonds." His eyes grew sharp. "For example… Orochimaru. And Sasuke."
Naruto's expression hardened. The mention of his teammate's name made his chest tighten. "Sasuke… what exactly happened to him? Why is he like that?"
But the Hokage only shook his head. "You're still young, Naruto. Some truths are too heavy to carry right now. What matters is this: you and Sasuke are both rivals and friends. Treasure that bond. But remember—whatever happens, you must never fight to the death."
Naruto pouted, scratching the back of his head. "…Fine, I guess I get it."
"Good."
The two sat quietly for a moment, the night air carrying the faint buzz of cicadas outside. Hiruzen glanced at the empty bowl, then at Naruto's eager, fiery eyes. This boy… he really was different.
"I heard you've been aiming to break into the top ten of your class," the Hokage said with a smile.
"Yep!" Naruto answered with a grin full of determination. "That's my little goal!"
Hiruzen chuckled. "A goal is a fine thing to have. No wonder you've been working so hard."
Just then, a mechanical voice echoed inside Naruto's head:
[The system has detected idleness. Special training session unlocked: Divided Attention! Tonight's focus—simultaneous Chakra Refinement and Transformation Technique practice!]
Naruto's eyes widened. He had almost forgotten about the training alerts.
"Lord Third," he said suddenly, "I've gotta start my training now. Want to watch me?" His voice was casual, but his heart beat faster. He wanted—no, needed—someone to guide him. Even if it was just watching, it would mean the world.
Hiruzen smiled kindly. "What kind of training will you do?"
"Divided Attention!" Naruto shouted proudly. "I'll do Chakra Refining and Transformation at the same time! Oh, and I'll even show you my super original technique! It's amazing, believe it!"
The old Hokage's eyes went wide in panic. He nearly choked on his pipe. Of course, he knew exactly which "original technique" Naruto was talking about—the infamous Sexy Jutsu!
The thought of fainting in front of ANBU again, nose bleeding uncontrollably, was enough to send a chill down his spine. He cleared his throat hurriedly. "Ahem. Naruto, as much as I'd love to stay, I have Hokage duties to attend to. But thank you for dinner."
"Aww, really? Fine…" Naruto slumped, a little disappointed, but he didn't press. After all, the Hokage wasn't just anyone.
Hiruzen left quietly, but as he stepped into the night, he paused to look back. From the open window, he could already hear the puff and poof of Transformation attempts. His eyes lifted to the glowing moon, his expression unreadable.
"…Naruto. Sasuke." His sigh drifted into the wind, as if carried to the heavens.
---
Elsewhere, the night weighed heavy on Sasuke Uchiha.
The memory of their clash replayed endlessly in his mind. The moment when Naruto's Leaf Whirlwind had slammed into him, the humiliation of being saved from disaster only because the Hokage appeared in time—it all burned like fire.
"Damn it…" He slammed his fist into the wall of his room. The impact shook loose dust and fragments of earth. Pain rippled through his body, reminding him of the kick that still ached in his lower back.
He clenched his fists tighter. Naruto… how strong have you become?
The thought twisted inside him. Fear mixed with anger. Anger at himself. If things continued like this, he wouldn't just fail to surpass Naruto—he wouldn't even be able to reach his true goal. He wouldn't be able to kill Itachi.
Grinding his teeth, Sasuke returned to the training room. He ignored the pain screaming from his muscles, forcing his body into relentless practice. Punches, kicks, chakra flows—each movement an outlet for his frustration. Sweat dripped onto the wooden floor, his breath coming in harsh bursts.
He had no choice. He couldn't stop.
---
Meanwhile, in the Hyūga Clan compound, the night carried a different tension.
Inside the clan leader Hiashi's residence, young Hinata continued to train despite the late hour. Her form was imperfect, her movements stiff with exhaustion, but she pressed on.
At the doorway, a small figure peeked in—Hanabi, her younger sister. The little girl's eyes widened as she saw her sister drenched in sweat, repeating stances again and again.
"Big Sister…" Hanabi whispered.
Memories tugged at her. In their last sparring session, she had defeated Hinata. Father had praised her, choosing her as the one worthy of carrying the main household's future. Hinata, meanwhile, had been dismissed.
But Hanabi knew the truth. That day, her sister hadn't lost because of weakness. She had lost because of kindness. Hinata had seen her hesitation, her fear, and at the last moment she had pulled her strike, unwilling to hurt her little sister.
Hanabi's young heart tightened. She understood her sister better than anyone. Hinata didn't like fighting. She didn't want to bear the heavy chains of the clan's destiny. Perhaps that loss had been her way of escaping the cage.
But now… here she was, training harder than ever. Why?
Hinata suddenly stopped, sensing eyes on her. She turned gently, breathing heavily.
"…Hanabi?"
No longer hiding, Hanabi pushed open the door and stepped inside.
"Big Sister, why are you still awake?"
Hinata smiled softly. "I just wanted to practice a little longer. What about you? Why aren't you asleep?"
Hanabi lowered her head. "I couldn't sleep. My mind is… stuck."
Hinata tilted her head. "Stuck? What do you mean?"
The younger girl's eyes glistened as she asked, "Big Sister… before, when Father pushed you so hard, you always hated training. But now that Father has given up on you, you're working harder than ever. Why?"
The question cut deep. Hinata froze, towel halfway to her face. For a long moment, she had no answer. Finally, she smiled faintly, patted the floor beside her, and said, "Come, Hanabi. Sit with me."
Hanabi hesitated, then obeyed.
Hinata placed the towel aside and gazed at her little sister. Her voice was soft, but steady. "Hanabi… sometimes people only find their strength when they fight for something they truly care about. Maybe… I finally found mine."
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)