Chapter 178: Sudden Enlightenment
After Sakura's questioning fell, a moment of eerie silence appeared on the training ground, followed by some subtle changes.
First was Naruto. His originally somewhat dazed expression from various confusion and entanglement began slowly, bit by bit, to clear up.
So that's how it is...
In this moment, all the questions in Naruto's mind connected together, suddenly becoming clear. He understood why Sakura had given those extremely cruel suggestions? Why she kept emphasizing "drawing clear boundaries" and "complete rejection"? Why she seemed so agitated?
Cross-server communication.
This was the most accurate summary of this entire conversation between Naruto and Sakura! He'd been talking about "how to make his crush return to normal," while Sakura had automatically understood it as "a clingy rival has appeared"! They weren't even on the same wavelength!
Sakura looked around somewhat confused. For some reason, that shadow-like cold feeling that had almost frozen her marrow completely disappeared without a trace the moment she said those words, and the suffocating oppressive feeling in the air dissipated as well.
Behind them, that "tree"—Uchiha Satsuki—finally understood everything too.
Sakura hadn't wanted to make Naruto distance himself from her, nor had she maliciously wanted Naruto to say those excessively hurtful words to her... Everything she did, those intense words, were all because she mistakenly thought a "rival" had appeared and was trying to... protect her? Trying to help "clear obstacles" for her?
Though being described by Sakura as "disgusting," "annoying," and "ungrateful idiot" still made Satsuki a bit angry, compared to those hurtful words, what Sakura shouted at the end truly struck heavily at her heart, producing a completely different effect—
"Are you going to disappoint Satsuki's feelings?!"
Sakura... thought that way? In her eyes... Naruto and I... are the kind of relationship that should naturally be together?
Though her method of "protecting" was stupid as hell...
That's what Satsuki thought. So in others' eyes, her feelings were that obvious? So obvious that Sakura would unhesitatingly think that if Naruto accepted someone else, it would be "disappointing" her?
And the word "disappoint" sounded like there was some unspoken promise between Satsuki and Naruto.
All resentment and killing intent vanished in an instant, replaced by a wildly beating, almost overflowing happiness.
At the same time... Sakura's intense words based entirely on misunderstanding also suddenly broke through Naruto's unusually dense nerves in certain areas.
Disappoint... Satsuki's feelings?
This phrase struck heavily at Naruto's heart, making him involuntarily start carefully recalling everything that happened today.
Thinking carefully... though what Satsuki did today was indeed a bit... disastrous...
Making food for me—Though that bento's salt content could kill a cow, she made it with her own hands and even carefully wrapped it to bring over.
Giving me a pet name—Though the "Little Sun" nickname made him cringe so hard his toes curled, she seemed to have mustered all her courage to say it.
Exaggeratedly praising me—Though those praise poems made him uncomfortable all over and even gave him goosebumps, every word seemed filled with... admiration and affection?
Even using poetic metaphors—Though "antelope cub" petrified him on the spot, that was probably the most "artistic" praise method she could think of, right?
Wait... these things, though the process and results were all full of laughable troubles, their starting points... all seemed to be to please him? To make him happy? To... bring them closer?
A possibility he'd never dared think deeply about before, like a tender shoot breaking through soil, suddenly drilled into Naruto's mind.
Could it be... Satsuki wanted... to take our relationship... further?!
This thought sounded a bit narcissistic at first, but after eliminating all other possibilities, this seemed the only reasonable explanation!
And himself? He hadn't thought in that direction at all, even called her "strange," and even... directly dragged her to the hospital?!
Thinking about how he'd responded so terribly, so hurtfully to Satsuki's feelings, Naruto felt a strong surge of shame and heartache, his cheeks beginning to burn.
Then... after finding Satsuki, what should he say? Naruto now completely understood. He had to apologize for today's foolish behavior, and... respond to her properly.
"Do you really understand now, Naruto?" Sakura looked at Naruto's finally determined expression, still somewhat uncertainly confirming.
Naruto nodded heavily. "Yes! Thanks to your words, Sakura, I know what to do now! Thank you so much!"
After repeatedly assuring he would handle this matter properly, Naruto finally succeeded in persuading the still somewhat doubtful Sakura to leave.
Alright... next is finding Satsuki.
After Sakura's figure disappeared, Naruto's consciousness moved slightly. A phantom emitting soft golden light with a peculiar shape—"Gold Experience"—quietly appeared behind him. It bent down, placing its palm on the ground as invisible life energy sensing rippled outward in all directions.
Hopefully Satsuki hasn't gone too far... she should still be nearby, right? After all, she looked so angry before...
Naruto's thoughts froze.
Because the moment Gold Experience's sensing feedback returned, an extremely familiar life energy signal with unusually intense emotional fluctuations clearly appeared within his perception range—
And... ridiculously close! Practically right beside him.
Naruto's gaze slowly turned toward the edge of the training ground... to that seemingly extremely ordinary tree not far away.
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