Chapter 182: Konoha Bond
Good thing there's no one on this road...
Naruto silently felt relieved. This Uchiha clan district area had basically no commercial zone, and even though the massacre incident had passed years ago, it still seemed much quieter than other districts, with few pedestrians on regular days.
Therefore, his current appearance carrying a girl on his back wasn't seen by any outsiders.
Of course, with Naruto's thick skin, he could actually handle this scene, but avoiding embarrassment was still best.
Since earlier, aside from Satsuki's arms lightly encircling his neck to maintain balance, she hadn't made any other movements or said a word.
Naruto couldn't see her current expression, only feeling her warm breath intermittently brushing past his nape, bringing slight ticklish sensations.
This was Satsuki's first time being carried on Naruto's back like this... not through the gradually fading weak scent remaining on Naruto's discarded old clothes she'd collected, but the real, genuine, fresh and warm scent belonging to Naruto right now.
This familiar scent that made her utterly infatuated easily shattered that bit of "calm thinking" state Satsuki had barely established through combat, making her brain rapidly become dizzy, transforming back into that silly "love-brained" person who only knew how to immerse herself in sweetness.
Unaware that the girl behind him had completely fallen again, Naruto only felt the atmosphere between them was somewhat too stiff... or rather, too ambiguous.
Feeling the light weight on his back, he decided to say something to break the silence.
"Satsuki, you're a bit light. You need to eat more in the future, otherwise you won't have energy for training." He tried to make the atmosphere more normal with this caring yet slightly lecturing remark.
Meanwhile, Satsuki, pressing her burning face completely against Naruto's solid, warm back, almost unconsciously murmured in response with a voice as soft as a mosquito: "...Mm. I only want to eat food Naruto makes."
Her voice was very soft, carrying a somewhat spoiled dependence, yet like a stone thrown into a calm lake, it rippled circles in Naruto's heart.
"...Only want?" Naruto instinctively repeated, these two words containing possessive and intimate implications that made his ears involuntarily heat up, his heartbeat skipping a beat.
Satsuki seemed completely unaware of what significant words she'd said, still immersed in that warm, enveloping feeling, continuing to mumble emphasis in that dazed tone: "Mm... only want..."
Thus, that earlier subtle stiffness indeed dispersed... but replacing it was another even richer, even more heart-racing ambiguous atmosphere.
Naruto could even clearly feel that the cheek Satsuki pressed against his back seemed to have increased in temperature again.
Though they were about to have the crucial "confession session," Naruto felt that in his current state of accelerated heartbeat and flushed cheeks, he'd definitely stutter and speak incoherently later—that would be too embarrassing!
He had to find a way to calm himself down first!
Right! When it came down to it... wasn't Satsuki essentially just another version of Sasuke? Just a different gender!
If he just recalled how he got along with that tsundere, awkward Sasuke in the original work, that brotherly bond where they wanted to strangle each other yet had to understand each other, maybe he could immediately calm down!
Naruto began frantically searching those "classic" scenes in his mind, trying to cool himself down.
'Sasuke, if you attack Konoha, I'll have to fight you. Save the hatred for that time, and unleash it all on me then.'
'At that time, I'll die bearing your hatred too.'
'If we both die in the end, no longer being Uchiha or Nine-Tails jinchuriki, not having to bear anything, let's understand each other in that world.'
...
Damn it! This isn't working at all!!!
These memories not only failed to calm him but made his mood even more complex and heavy! Thinking of Sasuke, that deep bond, intense conflict, and sense of regret surged up, making him even more clearly aware—
The girl on his back was irreplaceable and absolutely couldn't be lost to him.
She wasn't anyone's substitute, nor "hatred" that needed to be borne. She was Uchiha Satsuki who would explode with amazing power because of his careless "I don't like weak women," the Satsuki who would mumble "only want to eat your cooking" because of his clumsy care, the Satsuki currently lying quietly on his back, wholeheartedly depending on him.
If Satsuki became like Sasuke in the original work, consumed by hatred with only revenge's flames in her eyes, what would he do?
Naruto couldn't help imagining that heart-palpitating scenario...
First, if Satsuki was tempted by someone like Orochimaru and wanted to defect to seek power... he would absolutely immediately use every means, even exposing his identity as Menma, to catch Satsuki back first! Then unhesitatingly, thoroughly eliminate that Orochimaru who dared covet Satsuki's body! He wouldn't give him any opportunity!
If Satsuki was truly blinded by hatred and strongly wanted revenge... he would "invite" that Uchiha Itachi imprisoned in the organization's underground depths out, then tell her the truth about the massacre exactly as it was.
He absolutely wouldn't let Satsuki walk that dark path alone, bearing misunderstanding and pain.
Then... after Satsuki knew all the truth? If her hatred toward Konoha's leadership couldn't be calmed and she wanted to destroy Konoha?
Naruto's heart sank. He would perhaps... choose to stand opposite her and tell her—"Unleash all your hatred on me."
If she abandoned her parents, abandoned everything to defect... he would probably... really follow her like he'd instinctively thought just now. He couldn't imagine letting her wander alone in darkness.
Damn... thinking this way, aren't I also a complete love-brain?!
Naruto felt helpless and amused at his almost unprincipled "following" thoughts.
Of course, all these dark assumptions had one premise—that Satsuki harbored obsessive killing intent toward Uchiha Itachi, with revenge as her only life goal.
But reality was, in this world, Satsuki grew up with both parents alive, a warm family, and Naruto's long companionship. For the current Satsuki, "killing Uchiha Itachi" was perhaps just one of her many goals, possibly no longer even a core "ambition" or "dream." Her heart was filled with more other, warmer emotions.
Naruto recalled those clumsy yet adorable "strange" behaviors Satsuki did today—and that "Beyond Calculation" affection level on the system panel...
Naruto might... know the true meaning of Satsuki's "unspeakable dream" that she vaguely glossed over during self-introductions on team assignment day.
Perhaps wanting to become that kind of relationship with him?
No, Naruto still vastly underestimated that obsession deeply planted in Satsuki's heart that had grown wildly with time. Satsuki's dream, in its specific and massive form, was far more... absolute and thorough than he imagined.
Satsuki's dream could be summarized in one sentence.
Want to be with Uzumaki Naruto forever.
What weight and determination lay behind this short sentence? What did it mean?
Temporally it was "forever"—not momentary, not just youth, but spanning past, present and future, until life's end and even beyond death, uninterrupted companionship.
Spatially it was "together"—no matter where, whether Konoha, foreign lands, battlefields fighting side by side, or under everyday life's roof, her position must be by his side, and vice versa. No form of separation allowed.
Relationally it was "exclusive"—the subjects of this "together" were "Uzumaki Naruto" and "Uchiha Satsuki," with no room for any extra, threatening third party. He was her sun, and she must be his only, willingly following tide.
Essentially it was "fusion"—her dream had long ago completely, inseparably woven "Uzumaki Naruto" this person into her own life trajectory and future blueprint. Losing him, the world would lose all color and meaning; obtaining him was the ultimate completion form of all her ambitions and dreams.
This dream had long surpassed ordinary girls' budding romantic thoughts, more like an obsessive, Uchiha-style resolute declaration of life's belonging.
It wasn't a simple goal—it was the only future she'd long since determined.
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