Konoha's Redemption

Sasuke spent two or three days in the hospital, receiving condolences and interrogations from Konoha's higher-ups.

At last, he was discharged.

As he walked down streets that were both familiar and unfamiliar, the greetings once exchanged among clan members were gone.

In their place were sympathetic yet grating remarks.

"He's the last Uchiha, isn't he?"

"Not the last. His brother is still alive."

"He's still the Uchiha Clan's young master. So pitiful—alone overnight."

"Yeah, so pitiful."

Listening to those pitying words and feeling sympathetic gazes he had never experienced before, Sasuke could not help clenching his fists.

The Uchiha Gunbai emblem on his clothes, once a symbol of pride, now made him feel miserable.

"Since when did we Uchiha need anyone's pity?" Sasuke lowered his head and quickened his pace.

He arrived at the estate.

The once-prosperous clan home was nearly empty. The furniture inside remained, the bloodstains had been cleaned away, and the basic necessities for daily life were still usable.

A stack of money lay on the floor.

It was living expenses the Third had sent him.

Nearly all the Uchiha Clan's wealth had been confiscated, but Fugaku and Mikoto's assets had been left to Sasuke.

At the same time, copies of the Uchiha Clan's ninjutsu had been left for him as well.

Sasuke sat blankly in the empty house.

After a long while, his stomach growled.

Sasuke stood up in a daze, went to the kitchen, and awkwardly made a pot of food that was nearly impossible to swallow.

After one bite, he threw it into the trash.

A profound loneliness surrounded Sasuke.

At Naruto's home.

Naruto closed his eyes, and his consciousness sank into the Sealing Space.

"Hoo~~"

A biting wind swept past, making him shiver uncontrollably.

When he leaned over to look below, he saw a bottomless cliff.

A wave of dizziness struck him, and Naruto nearly looked away.

"Mr. Aizen, I'm here!" he shouted, his echo ringing above.

Yet there was no response.

Naruto walked toward the very top of the cliff in confusion, only to discover in astonishment that no one was there.

"Mr. Aizen hasn't arrived yet?"

Naruto was no stranger to this situation.

According to Aizen, he could only enter this space after falling asleep.

Mr. Aizen was probably still busy right now.

Naruto chuckled and walked to the summit, sitting on the rock where Aizen liked to sit.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

The howling cold wind rang in his ears, and his mood gradually calmed along with it.

It was as if he could feel Mr. Aizen's loneliness—the solitude of a true expert.

Naruto had imagined it before.

If his future self possessed invincible power, able to crush Konoha with ease and rise above the Ninja World, how would he feel then?

Perhaps he would be lonely, just like Aizen.

That was why Aizen encouraged powerful people to grow. In his eyes, Naruto was probably someone with great potential too.

"That realm is still far too distant for me." A hint of envy appeared in Naruto's eyes.

The next day.

Naruto went to the classroom as usual.

After greeting his classmates, he sat down at his seat.

Not long after, Sasuke arrived late. He had gone hungry all night yesterday, and only barely filled his stomach after eating a huge meal that morning.

But before coming to school, he had spent a long time preparing himself mentally.

He did not want to see those sympathetic looks.

A proud Uchiha did not need pity.

So he decided to put on an extremely cold front. Only that could conceal his pain.

When Sasuke entered the classroom, the classmates who had been chatting all fell silent.

A moment later, all kinds of concerned greetings erupted.

"Sasuke, you're here."

"Are you okay?"

Ino immediately threw her arms around Sasuke, crying dramatically. "Sasuke, I was really, really worried about you. Naruto kept saying you were fine, but I still couldn't help worrying."

Sasuke pushed Ino away in annoyance, and his cold expression nearly cracked.

A warm current flowed through his heart.

"Over here, Sasuke." Naruto waved at him.

Sasuke looked over. Warm golden sunlight streamed through the window and fell over Naruto, filling him with a gentle warmth.

Under the sunlight, Naruto's smile was bright and flawless. Beneath his hanging golden bangs, his azure eyes were filled with delight.

For a moment, Sasuke seemed to see the brother who had once cared for him—Itachi.

"Morning, Naruto." A faint smile appeared on Sasuke's cold face as he walked over to Naruto.

"Congratulations on getting discharged."

"Thanks."

The noisy classmates quieted down as well. Watching Naruto and Sasuke talk, the girls all swooned.

"Seriously, they're so handsome."

"How can Naruto be so sunny?"

"Boohoo, Sakura, did you see that? Cold-faced Sasuke was warmed by Naruto." Ino hugged Sakura and exclaimed dramatically.

"Of course. Naruto has a charm that can warm everything." Sakura seemed to think of something and rested her chin on her hand with a charming smile.

"Hm? That expression... are you two having an affair?!" Ino grinned mischievously. "Tell me, what happened between you and Naruto?"

"What could have happened? It was just... that." Sakura retorted, blushing.

"Wow, Sakura, impressive. Looks like you two really are a thing." Ino immediately exaggerated.

"Really? Congratulations, Sakura." The classmates immediately offered their congratulations.

Unable to explain herself, Sakura could only smile foolishly.

If the misunderstanding could become reality, then let it continue.

Unbeknownst to her, Hinata was quietly watching from the corner, with a rare trace of irritation in her eyes.

"Hinata, want to eat lunch together?" At that moment, a female student came over to Hinata and asked softly.

Hinata was very popular among the girls, who saw her as both a close friend and a confidante.

"Sure." Hinata smiled generously and nodded.

"Hehe, our Hinata is getting cuter and cuter."

"Yeah, Hinata is just unbearably cute. I want to hug her every day~~"

"Cute?" Hinata mulled over the word, then revealed a pair of dimples. "It's because of one person that I changed."

It was also because of that person that Hinata's heart had become incredibly strong.

Since the Clan Annihilation, Sasuke had been able to feel everyone's special concern for him.

But they also avoided showing him those pitying looks. Everyone was afraid of hurting Sasuke's pride.

That moved Sasuke somewhat.

"This is Konoha. This is everyone." Sasuke heard Naruto's gentle voice. "Everyone cares about you."

"That's also why I want to become Hokage. I want to protect everyone and protect Konoha."

"Yeah." Sasuke nodded forcefully, suddenly feeling his heart fill with strength.

Feeling the concern of his classmates, Sasuke's heart gradually softened as well.

He was deeply grateful that he had met Naruto.

If he had never known Naruto, perhaps he would now have been someone obsessed solely with revenge, someone without feelings.

Now, he wanted the ability to think independently, to step beyond conspiracies and schemes, and see the truth with his own eyes.

Rather than fall into the illusions woven by others.

"Itachi, I don't know what unspeakable difficulties you had, but I won't easily forgive you for making such a choice." He quietly clenched his fist, thinking to himself.

Though he did not know the truth, he still wanted to redeem his former brother, Itachi.

Naruto had redeemed him.

Now it was his turn to become the light.

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