Konoha Hospital.
In Naruto's hospital room, the boy sat in dejected silence, Sasuke's forehead protector and Kanon's kunai gripped tightly in his hands.
He kept his head low as a tempest of emotions raged within him. Whenever he thought of the Uchiha siblings, a wave of bitterness and sorrow washed over him. His mind was a kaleidoscope of memories: every moment spent growing up with Kanon, the constant bickering and rivalry with Sasuke, and the tears Sakura had shed before he left.
"I'll bring Sasuke back for sure... it's a promise of a lifetime!"
The memory of those words made the sight of Sasuke's scratched headband even more painful.
The door creaked open, and Shikamaru walked in.
"What's this? You're finally awake?" Shikamaru said, a faint, tired smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
"Shikamaru!" Naruto's eyes lit up with a spark of joy, seeing his friend was safe.
Meanwhile, downstairs, Ino and Sakura had finished the paperwork. Ino turned to her friend and spoke softly.
"Sakura, I'm going to check on Choji first. What about you?"
"I'm going to see Naruto and Sasuke... I wonder if Kanon came back yet..."
Upstairs, Shikamaru updated Naruto on everyone's condition. For the first time, Naruto managed a real smile.
"Is that so? Everyone's okay?"
"That's great."
Naruto chuckled softly, burying his lingering despondency deep inside.
"So... what about Sasuke?"
"Ah... he's gone."
Outside the door, Sakura froze. Her heart felt as though it had shattered into a thousand pieces. Her hand, which had been reaching for the doorknob, slowly fell to her side.
Tsunade arrived just then to check on Naruto and frowned when she saw Sakura standing there like a statue.
"Here to visit? Word travels fast," Tsunade noted.
The Hokage pushed the door open, and Sakura followed her inside. When Naruto saw Sakura, his heart felt like it had been pierced by yet another blade. This time, the blow felt fatal. The unkept promise, the friend who had walked away, and the concern that came too late, it all felt hollow and agonizing.
Tears began to well up and spill over, tracking down the bandages covering Naruto's face.
Tsunade spoke up: "I heard you were critically injured, but you seem pretty energetic."
"You have that Uchiha girl to thank for that. She treated you just in time."
Naruto's pupils contracted violently. He looked at Tsunade in shock, his expression almost contorted. Even Sakura, standing by the side, gasped.
"What did you say?!"
"I said, you seem pretty energetic."
"No, the sentence after that!"
Tsunade realized the weight of her words and clarified, speaking clearly.
"It was Kanon Uchiha who healed your fatal wounds. That girl has a real gift for medical ninjutsu."
"Kanon!" Naruto tried to bolt upright, but a searing jolt of pain forced him back down, hissing through his teeth.
"Is Kanon alive?" Sakura asked, being the last to know the truth.
"Yes, she's alive. But like Sasuke, she is now a rogue ninja of Konoha," Tsunade said solemnly.
"How... how could this happen!" Sakura whispered in disbelief.
"Pervy Sage… I mean, Tsunade-baachan, you said Kanon saved me. Where is she now?" Naruto asked urgently.
"I don't know. Kakashi said she left immediately after treating you. Her whereabouts are currently unknown."
Naruto fell silent once more, his expression sinking back into gloom.
"I'm sorry, Sakura..."
Seeing Naruto in such a state, Sakura forced a smile onto her face for his sake.
"Why are you apologizing?"
She walked over to the window and looked out at the village. "You were just being your usual self, acting tough and overextending yourself, right?"
"I never imagined Kanon would be the one to save you. Naruto... you never truly looked at Kanon properly, did you?"
"I..."
"To her, you and Sasuke were the most special people in the world."
Sakura turned back to him. "But look at you, you look like a mummy. Since Kanon saved your life, she definitely wouldn't want to see you looking like this."
"She always believed unwaveringly that you would become Hokage. So Naruto, you have to work hard! You have to let her see you become the Hokage, to show her how cool you look bringing true peace to the world!"
"I'm sorry, I—"
Sakura didn't let him finish. She maintained her facade of cheerfulness, hoping it would make him feel better.
"Look, the weather is beautiful today. Let's open the curtains!"
As the sunlight flooded the room, Naruto shouted toward her.
"Sakura! I will definitely keep my word!"
"I told you, it's a promise of a lifetime!"
Standing by the window, Sakura's voice trembled slightly.
"It's enough, Naruto."
Shikamaru, watching from the side, scowled and started to snap, "Sakura, you—"
But Naruto cut him off.
"I've always... I've always said it."
"I never go back on my word. That is my nindo, my ninja way!"
Naruto grinned radiantly at Sakura. His smile made her shoulders shake. Seeing how much he was willing to do for her, she felt a surge of gratitude and smiled back inwardly.
Thank you, Naruto.
…
That evening, a thunderous crash echoed outside the hospital. Jiraiya had arrived, perched atop a giant toad.
"Pervy Sage!"
"Yo!" Jiraiya waved. "I'm here because I have something important to tell you."
"While both you and Kanon are officially my disciples now, you're different from her."
"I'm going to take three years to train you into a ninja who can stand on his own two feet."
Naruto frowned. "Three years?"
"I've obtained solid intelligence on the Akatsuki through certain channels."
"Akatsuki..." Naruto thought of Kisame and Itachi Uchiha.
"It will likely be three or four years before they target you again," Jiraiya explained.
"That doesn't matter right now!" Naruto yelled, his mind occupied only by Kanon and Sasuke. "That's way too long! I don't have time to train slowly!"
Jiraiya looked confused. "What's wrong?"
"If I don't go after Sasuke right now, Orochimaru might kill him!"
Jiraiya chuckled softly. "It seems you've figured out why Orochimaru really wants Sasuke."
Naruto blinked. "Does that mean you also...?"
"I've been investigating Orochimaru's immortality jutsu for a long time. It seems that technique requires at least a three-year interval between vessels. He couldn't wait for Sasuke, so he took a new body recently."
"So for the next three years, he's safe. We have time," Jiraiya said gently.
"You're not lying, are you?!" Naruto gasped.
"No, I'm not lying to you." Jiraiya nodded.
Naruto let out a long sigh of relief.
"However... you should forget about Sasuke."
"Sasuke chose to go to Orochimaru of his own free will. No matter what you do, he isn't going to change."
"I've seen many shinobi, Naruto. I know his type. Sasuke and Orochimaru are cut from the same cloth. If you're still thinking about bringing him back, I suggest you stop. That's something only a fool would do."
Naruto roared back in defiance. "Maybe it's nothing to you, Pervy Sage, but that guy is my friend!"
"A friend?! Does a friend try to kill his own comrades?!"
"Look at yourself! If it weren't for my other student saving your skin, you might not even be awake right now!!" Jiraiya bellowed back. He was fuming, partly at Naruto, but mostly at himself. He remembered how he had failed to bring back Orochimaru. If only he had been stronger back then...
He didn't want Naruto to walk the same path of regret.
"One day, you'll have to face enemies far more dangerous than Orochimaru. Give up on Sasuke. It's the destiny you'll eventually have to face."
"Stop hurting yourself. Forget him. Let it all go. A ninja needs to develop the eyes to make the right judgments and choices, not just power and jutsu! If you want to survive as a shinobi, you have to be smart. Fools have a very hard time in the real world."
Naruto lowered his head. He spoke quietly in response to Jiraiya's earnest warning.
"I get it."
"If being 'smart' means giving up on my friends... then I'll stay a fool forever!" Naruto screamed at Jiraiya.
"I'll come up with even better jutsu on my own! I'm going to save Sasuke, and I'm going to bring Kanon back!!"
"And then... and then I'm going to take down the Akatsuki!"
Watching Naruto's grand declaration, Jiraiya's hands began to tremble. He was shaken to his core. Why didn't I have this kind of courage and resolve back then?
"Hmph. If you go at it alone, you'll probably just come up with more pathetic, pervy jutsu."
Jiraiya hopped onto Gamabunta's head and looked toward the setting sun. He spoke over his shoulder with newfound conviction.
"You might be a fool, but if you're a big enough fool, maybe you can actually change something!"
"Besides, Sasuke has his sister with him. Kanon is much stronger than you are right now. Do you really think she'll just sit back and let Orochimaru have his way?"
"Once you're out of the hospital, get ready for hell, you big moron!"
The mention of Kanon was like a lightbulb going off for Naruto. He was right!
"Thank you!! Pervy Sage!"
"See ya!"