eurekapd Chapter 182 Konoha Bonds
Chapter 182 Konoha Bonds
Luckily, there weren't many people on this road...
Naruto secretly rejoiced. This area of the Uchiha clan's territory had virtually no commercial districts. Even though many years had passed since the massacre of the clan, it still seemed much quieter than other neighborhoods, with hardly any pedestrians on ordinary days.
Therefore, no outsiders saw that he was carrying a girl on his back at that moment.
Of course, given Naruto's thick skin, he wouldn't be completely unable to handle this kind of situation, but it would be best if he could avoid losing face.
From the moment she left, apart from gently wrapping her arms around his neck to maintain her balance, Zuoyue had made no other movements or uttered a single word.
Naruto couldn't see her expression, but he could feel her warm breath brushing against the back of his neck, bringing a slight tickle.
This was the first time Sazuki had been carried on Naruto's back like this... not through the faint, fading scent lingering on the old clothes Naruto had collected and discarded, but through the real, vibrant, and warm scent that belonged to Naruto at this moment.
This familiar and irresistible scent easily shattered the "calm thinking" state that Satsuki had painstakingly built up through battle, causing her brain to quickly become dizzy and reverting her to that silly, love-struck "love-brain" state.
Unaware that the girl behind him had once again completely fallen for him, Naruto only felt that the atmosphere between the two was a little too stiff... or rather, too ambiguous.
Feeling the light weight behind him, he decided to say something to break the silence.
"Satsuki, you're a little light. You need to eat more in the future, otherwise you won't have the strength for training." He tried to make the atmosphere more normal with these caring yet slightly lecturing words.
Satsuki pressed her burning cheek against Naruto's strong, warm back, and almost unconsciously mumbled in a voice barely above a whisper, "...Yeah. I just want to eat Naruto's cooking."
Her voice was soft, with a hint of coquettish dependence, yet it was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples in Naruto's heart.
"...Just want to?" Naruto repeated it subconsciously. The possessiveness and intimacy contained in those two words made his ears burn and his heart skip a beat.
Satsuki seemed oblivious to the gravity of her words, still immersed in the warm, enveloping feeling, and continued to mumble in a dazed tone, emphasizing, "Um... I just want to..."
So, the subtle stiffness from before did indeed dissipate... but in its place came a different, more intense, and more heart-pounding ambiguous atmosphere.
Naruto could even clearly feel that the cheek of Sasuke, which was pressed against his back, seemed to have risen in temperature.
Although the crucial "confession session" was about to begin, Naruto felt that with his heart racing and cheeks burning, he would definitely stumble and stammer when he spoke, which would be too embarrassing!
He needs to find a way to calm himself down first!
That's right! In the end... isn't Satsuki essentially just another version of Sasuke? Only the gender is different!
Just think back to how you interacted with that arrogant and awkward Erzhuzi in the original work—that brotherly bond where you wanted to strangle each other but had to understand each other? Maybe then you can calm down immediately!
Naruto began frantically searching his mind for those "classic" scenes, trying to cool himself down.
"Sasuke, if you attack Konoha, I'll have no choice but to fight you. Save your hatred for that time; vent it all on me then."
"I will die carrying your hatred with me."
"If we both die in the end, and we're no longer Uchiha, if we're no longer the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, if we don't have to carry anything, then let's understand each other in that world."
.......
Damn it! This is completely unacceptable!!!
These memories, instead of calming him down, only made his feelings more complicated and heavy! The thought of Sasuke brought back a flood of memories—the deep bond, the intense conflict, and the sense of regret—making him realize even more clearly that—
Carrying this girl on his back meant that she was unique to him and someone he absolutely could not lose.
She is not a substitute for anyone, nor is she a "hatred" to be borne. She is Uchiha Satsuki, who can unleash amazing power because of his unintentional remark that "I don't like weak women," and who can mutter "I only want to eat your cooking" because of his clumsy concern. She is Satsuki who is now quietly lying on his back, relying on him wholeheartedly.
If Sasuke were consumed by hatred like in the original work, with only the flames of revenge in his eyes, what would he do?
Naruto couldn't help but imagine that chilling scene in his mind...
First, if Satsuki were to bewitch someone like Orochimaru and try to defect in search of power… he would absolutely use every means at once, even if it meant exposing Menma's identity, to bring Satsuki back immediately! Then, without hesitation, he would utterly and completely eliminate Orochimaru, who dared to covet Satsuki's body! He would not give him any opportunity whatsoever!
If Satsuki is truly blinded by hatred and desperately wants revenge... I'll "invite" Itachi Uchiha, who's been imprisoned deep underground within the organization, out and tell her the truth about the massacre of her clan.
He would never let Zuoyue walk down that dark path alone, burdened by misunderstanding and pain.
So... what happens when Satsuki learns the whole truth? What if her hatred for Konoha's higher-ups can't be quelled, and she wants to destroy Konoha?
Naruto's heart sank. He might... choose to stand opposite her and tell her—"Take out all your hatred on me."
If she were to abandon her parents and everything and run away... he would probably... just as he had subconsciously thought of earlier, go with her. He couldn't imagine leaving her alone to wander in the darkness.
Damn it... Thinking about it this way, aren't I a complete love-struck fool myself?!
Naruto felt both helpless and amused by his almost unprincipled idea of "following".
Of course, all these dark assumptions are based on the premise that Zuo Yue harbors an obsessive desire to kill Uchiha Itachi, and that revenge is the only goal in her life.
But the reality is that in this world, Sasuke grew up with both parents alive, a warm family, and Naruto's constant companionship. For Sasuke now, "killing Itachi Uchiha" might just be one of her many goals, and it might not even be considered her core "ambition" or "dream" anymore. Her heart is filled with many other, warmer emotions.
Naruto recalled the clumsy yet adorable "strange" things Sasuke had done that day—and the affection level on the system panel that had long since "exceeded calculations"...
Naruto probably... knew the true meaning behind Satsuki's vague remark about "a dream that can't be spoken" during her self-introduction on the day of class assignment.
Maybe she wants to have that kind of relationship with herself?
No, Naruto had far underestimated Satsuki's deep-seated obsession, which had grown wildly with time. Satsuki's dream, in its concrete and vast form, was far more... absolute and thorough than Naruto had imagined.
Satsuki's dream can be summarized in one sentence.
I want to be with Naruto Uzumaki forever.
What does the weight and determination behind this short sentence mean?
In terms of time, it is "forever"—not a moment, not youth, but an uninterrupted companionship that spans the past, present, and future, until the end of life and even beyond death.
Spatially, they are "together"—no matter where they are, whether in Konoha, in a foreign land, on the battlefield where they fight side by side, or under the eaves of their daily lives, she must always be by his side, and vice versa. No form of separation is allowed.
The relationship is one of "exclusivity"—the core of this "being together" is "Naruto Uzumaki" and "Satsuki Uchiha," with no room for any superfluous or threatening third party. He is her sun, and she must be his only, willingly following tide.
Essentially, it's about "fusion"—her dream has already completely and inextricably woven "Naruto Uzumaki" into her own life trajectory and future blueprint. Losing him would mean the world would lose all color and meaning; gaining him is the ultimate fulfillment of all her ambitions and dreams.
This dream has long surpassed the romantic feelings of an ordinary young girl; it is more like an obsessive declaration of life's destiny, imbued with the resolute commitment of the Uchiha clan.
That wasn't a simple goal; it was the only future she had long ago decided upon.