"I'm sorry, Hinata..."
Naruto walked up to Hinata, trying to mask his emotions with coldness, but it turned into tenderness and apology.
Everyone thought Naruto was apologizing to Hinata for stepping in to protect him during the battle with Pain, including Hinata herself.
After all, perspectives differ.
Naruto, having lived through a lifetime, saw Hinata as his beloved wife and the mother of his two children. This apology and his gaze were filled with deep meaning.
But from Hinata's perspective, she had only stepped forward to protect Naruto from Pain and mustered the courage to confess her feelings.
So, she didn't understand Naruto's feelings for her or the depth of his gaze at that moment.
But even without understanding, she could feel Naruto's profound helplessness...
Hinata raised her face, her voice clear and gentle. "Why apologize? Naruto-kun has always followed his ninja way. I'm sure it's the same now. You always keep your word and move forward bravely. That's the Naruto-kun I know..."
Then why are you crying, Hinata?
Naruto's heart trembled, his hand clenched tightly under his sleeve, desperately wanting to reach out and wipe away her tears.
Yes, why?
When she learned of Naruto's defection, the pain overwhelmed her like a tidal wave.
But the trust and attachment built since childhood made her believe Naruto had his reasons, and she was desperate to find him and get answers...
Seeing Naruto, Hinata understood some things.
Naruto-kun is trying to avoid something, bearing it alone, which is why he's distancing himself from us!
I can see it in his eyes.
Because I see every look, every action of Naruto-kun. It must be true!
Naruto-kun must be in so much pain.
Yes, Hinata wasn't crying for her own sadness but for Naruto's.
"Huff, huff, huff..." Suddenly, the lack of oxygen caused severe dizziness, and Hinata lost her balance!
"Hinata!!!" The anxious calls of the others rang out, and Naruto's strong hand supported her shoulder. "Don't worry, breathe slowly..."
In Hinata's blurred vision, she saw Naruto's familiar yet unfamiliar face, youthful but weathered.
She raised her hand, gently touching his face, her eyes filled with tears and tenderness. "Naruto-kun, I believe in you. You must have your reasons. You don't have to tell us now, but I have one request..."
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"Can I stay by your side?"
"Hey...!" Hearing this, Kiba's face changed, but Shikamaru stopped him with a look.
Naruto listened quietly to Hinata's plea.
"Naruto-kun, I know I'm not strong enough, but I promise I'll be good and won't cause you any trouble."
"So, don't bear all this alone, okay?"
She didn't know what Naruto was going through but still thought of him.
Naruto said with complexity, "That would be very dangerous."
Hinata firmly replied, "I'm not afraid..."
"I understand your feelings."
"That's why."
"I can't let you stay by my side."
"Stay in Konoha and wait for me to come home."
These words were Naruto's heartfelt thoughts.
Hinata's almost pleading eyes still flashed before him.
Naruto feared that one more look would shake his resolve.
He supported Hinata's neck with his left hand and gently waved his right hand in front of her eyes.
It was a technique to induce sleep.
He often used it to put his daughter Himawari to sleep, a technique filled with love and connection...
"Naruto-kun..."
Hinata's eyes grew heavy as she called out to her beloved, reluctantly falling into a dream...
"Huff..." This was the most emotional moment for Naruto since his return. He closed his eyes tightly, calming himself.
Opening his eyes, he looked at Neji.
To Naruto, Neji was also a very important person...
He was a genius who died young, never escaping the curse of the caged bird, playing a crucial role in Naruto's growth.
Neji, I won't let the tragedy repeat. I swear...
Naruto vowed in his heart.
He said seriously, "Neji, please take care of Hinata. Don't let her leave the village recklessly. It would be very dangerous."
"I will..." Neji supported Hinata on his shoulder. He had already confirmed what he wanted to know.
Shino asked, "Naruto, I have one question. Did you kill Muta?"
Aburame Muta and Hyūga Tokuma were members of Anko's team, killed in the forest, their bodies taken back by Root and the blame placed on Naruto.
Naruto was shocked. "They're dead?"
Shino's black sunglasses hid his emotions. "Yes, they're dead. Anko left an information scroll. You fought their team in the forest outside Konoha, so you're the prime suspect..."
Naruto said, "I did fight them, but I didn't kill them!"
Shino was silent for a moment. "That's not very convincing. Even if we believe you, the people in the village won't..."
Naruto thought: It seems Root got there before us...
At this moment, Shikamaru asked, "What about Anko? Is she still alive?"
Naruto glanced at Sai. After Danzō's death, Sai officially left Root, but now he was still a member. Naruto avoided the question. "Who knows..."
Shikamaru, thoughtful, took out a prepared scroll and handed it to Naruto. The scroll read:
Danzō has already smeared your name. The overall atmosphere in the village is very unfavorable to you.
Anko is the only one who knows what happened in that battle and can prove your innocence. If she's with you, don't let her go, because Danzō will definitely kill her!
Similarly, if you plan to return to Konoha someday, you must protect Anko!
Naruto's eyes narrowed, and he wrote on the scroll:
With Danzō in power, Konoha will go through a dark period. You and your father must be cautious.
As I expected, Sasuke will seek new, stronger power, determined to kill Danzō without my help. His hatred needs an outlet, so I won't stop him this time. If Sasuke continues to destroy Konoha after killing Danzō, I'll stop him!
Snap!
Shikamaru took back the scroll, read it, and looked deeply at Naruto. "So now, are you our ally or enemy?"
Naruto adjusted his rogue ninja forehead protector and said, "If we meet on the battlefield, don't hold back..."
Whoosh! He disappeared with the Flying Thunder God Technique.
Shikamaru smiled wryly. "'We,' huh? This is really troublesome..."
Whoosh!
In the ravine outside the Land of Iron.
Naruto appeared before Konan and Orochimaru.
"Took a while..."
"Yeah, I had a long chat with my old comrades..."
Konan asked, "Are we heading back to Amegakure?"
Naruto looked around at the desolate landscape.
"I don't have a Flying Thunder God mark in Amegakure yet. Walking there would take too long."
Naruto reached into his cloak, taking out the bottle containing Shisui's right eye, and said cautiously, "To be safe, let's find a place to replace this right eye first..."