Sasuke

Naruto had once seen a news report.

He had not thought much of it at the time, but when he saw Sasuke's Uchiha obsession flare up, he instinctively used electrotherapy.

He had not expected it to work so well.

After apologizing to the hospital staff and promising compensation, Naruto and Rock Lee brought Sasuke back to the ward.

Sasuke's gaze was vacant, his spirits low.

Only after the electrotherapy did he realize that his emotions had been affected by Tsukuyomi.

In the span of a single day, he had gone from a carefree young master of a powerful clan to the sole survivor of the Uchiha. On top of that, Mangekyo Genjutsu Tsukuyomi had brutally ravaged him. His already immature worldview had been twisted beyond recognition.

He did not know what he should do next.

Nor did he know what he ought to do.

Naruto gently wiped away the dust Sasuke had picked up in battle.

"Let's sort through this again. Maybe it'll help you a little."

"Your brother, who had always loved you dearly, suddenly changed completely and wiped out the Uchiha Clan overnight."

"Yet he alone spared your life and made you live in hatred."

"There are too many suspicious points in this whole matter."

"Do you really think Itachi could have carried out Clan Annihilation all by himself?"

"Could it be that this isn't the truth?"

Hearing Naruto's gradual guidance, Sasuke froze. Hope flared in his confused eyes.

Itachi had always held an immensely important place in his heart, one even his parents could not surpass.

After being "taught" by Itachi, Sasuke had been utterly despairing, his heart consumed by hatred. But everything Naruto said now gave him hope.

Maybe.

Itachi was not that kind of person.

That was right!

Like a drowning man clutching at a lifeline, he looked at Naruto fervently. The despair in his eyes had been replaced by vitality as he stammered, "Naruto, Itachi... Itachi isn't that kind of person, right? You think so too, don't you?"

Sasuke loved his brother more than anyone. Even now, he still clung to one final illusion about Itachi.

He hoped that Itachi was still the same person.

But Naruto shook his head.

"I don't know. You don't know. I don't know. No one knows the truth. Maybe someone does, but I'm sure what they want is to bury it."

"But I'm the same as you. I don't believe that someone who had always been so gentle could do something so utterly deranged."

"Do you remember what I told you? Don't let your eyes deceive you."

"If he really did it, how did he do it? Why did he annihilate the clan? And why did he spare your life?"

"If he didn't do it, then who did? What was their goal? What role did Itachi play in the Clan Annihilation?"

"Those are the things you need to think about."

Naruto showed a pained expression as he looked out at the setting sun beyond the window. His voice lowered, as though he had remembered something.

"Sasuke, I used to have countless questions too. Why did everyone hate me? Why did they call me the Nine-Tails Fox Demon? Who were my parents?"

"Did I even have parents? Who exactly was I?"

"At first, those questions were agonizing. They affected me every moment of every day."

"But later, I figured something out."

"In life, people take many wrong turns and suffer many betrayals. They can fall so low that they are miserable and pathetic, and they can also find happiness. None of that matters. As long as you're alive, there's hope."

"Only by staying alive can you seek the truth."

"The darkest thing in this world is a pair of eyes blinded by hatred, eyes that have lost the courage to seek the truth. Only in the end do you discover that you hated the wrong person."

At that, Naruto placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder and said softly, "Remember this: you still have us. You have everyone. On the road to finding the truth, we'll always be with you."

"Grow stronger, Sasuke. No matter what the truth is, one thing is certain: Itachi wanted you to become stronger, and you must become stronger."

"Don't let hatred blind your eyes. You're a proud Uchiha."

After hearing Naruto's words, Sasuke fell silent. Countless thoughts churned through his mind, and he considered many things.

Tsukuyomi's influence on him was indeed immense. The pain of experiencing it firsthand still affected his judgment.

But just as Naruto had said, there were far too many suspicious points in the entire Clan Annihilation.

Thinking back calmly, he truly had been blinded by hatred.

Even if he hated someone, he could not hate the wrong person.

He raised his head, his gaze turning resolute.

"Naruto, I understand what you mean."

"No matter what the truth is, I need to become stronger now. Only by becoming stronger can I uncover the truth."

"So from now on, I will carry the glory of the Uchiha. I will keep growing stronger. I want to revive the Uchiha. I want to find the truth."

"Please take care of me from now on." Sasuke held out his hand to Naruto.

"And you too, Lee."

"Sasuke!!!! Don't worry, I'll definitely help you find the truth!!!" Rock Lee was already crying uncontrollably, too choked up to speak.

"This is the Sasuke I know." Naruto revealed a relieved smile.

That smile was bright as sunlight, just like Itachi's gentle smile from back then.

Sasuke immediately lost himself in a daze.

Inside Ichiraku Ramen.

Uncle Ichiraku had closed up early and shut the front door. Naruto, Rock Lee, and Sasuke were the only customers in the shop.

The fragrance of ramen filled the air, permeating the entire space.

Sasuke remembered that the last time he had come to Ichiraku Ramen had been with Itachi.

Back then, Itachi had been so gentle, dotingly wiping the broth from the corner of his mouth.

The Itachi from back then.

And the him from back then.

It had been less than a few days, yet everything had changed.

Everything was different now.

Sasuke buried his head in his food, eating with all his strength as though he might shove his entire head into the bowl. Only the continuous sound of him slurping noodles could be heard.

"Eat slowly. No one's going to steal it from you," Naruto reminded him from the side. Seeing Sasuke's faintly trembling body, he could feel the sorrow in Sasuke's heart.

No matter how strong he pretended to be, he was still only a seven-year-old child.

I have to eat my fill. I have to eat more. I need to replenish my body with nutrients so I'll have the strength to train seriously and become stronger! Then I can stand before him and ask him for the truth. Sasuke kept murmuring to himself, his cheeks stuffed full.

His favorite ramen now tasted like wax. Like a machine, he repeated the motions of stuffing food into his mouth and chewing with all his strength.

Before he realized it, two streams of tears slid down his face.

Sasuke sniffed miserably and lifted his bowl to hide his face, but the unstoppable tears continued dripping onto his clothes.

Damn it.

No one could see him like this.

I'm the one carrying the pride of the Uchiha. I can't bring shame to the clan.

He roared inwardly, but his tears poured out like a flood.

They fell into the bowl and were swallowed down with the broth.

Salty.

Naruto silently watched the scene, deeply moved.

A boy who had been forced to grow up early by despair.

He already had decent talent. If he could overcome this hurdle, perhaps he could become Naruto's opponent in the future.

Naruto thought to himself.

"Eat more. I should eat more too." To keep Sasuke from feeling embarrassed, Naruto pretended not to notice and picked up his bowl, digging in with gusto as well.

"Yosh! I'm fired up too! I'm going to eat hard as well!! That way I'll have the strength to train!" Rock Lee suddenly brimmed with passion. Under Naruto's bewildered gaze, he began wolfing down ramen and even shouted loudly, "Naruto, today each of us will eat three servings of ramen! Tomorrow, we'll triple the intensity of our training! Only by constantly working hard can we become stronger! Charge!"

"Just as expected of the hardest-working Lee." Naruto wore a gentle smile.