["D-Don't… don't come any closer…"]
In the image, Gaara actually shrank back in fear?!
He was defeated?!
The people of the Hidden Sand Village stared at the scene in disbelief, shocked that someone could actually defeat that monster.
[The golden head, of course, refused to stop. Inch by inch, it pressed against the ground, crawling forward like a worm.]
[Putting everything together, even though it was hard to believe, the people watching had already formed a vague expectation. Sure enough—thick white collar, blue shoulders, and a whole lot of bright orange…]
"Naruto?!"
"Huh?!" Naruto blinked his big, round blue eyes. "Why's everyone staring at me, dattebayo?"
Sakura pointed at the image and yelled, "Idiot Naruto! That's you!"
"Huh? I know that, dattebayo."
"Do you seriously not get it…?" Sasuke sighed. "From what it's saying, you beat that Sand ninja guy."
Kiba chimed in, "That guy was drenched in bloodlust. A monster who's killed who knows how many people, right, Akamaru?"
"Woof!"
Kiba continued, "Naruto, unless it's absolutely unavoidable—no, even if it is unavoidable—you can't ever face a monster like that!"
"That idiot!" Sasuke and Shikamaru, who both understood what was really going on, wanted nothing more than to stuff something into Kiba's mouth.
Naruto narrowed his eyes and frowned. "Hey, Kiba… could you stop calling him a monster all the time, dattebayo?"
He was usually goofy, always pulling pointless pranks, but he had an instinct like a wild animal's. He knew Gaara was the same as him. So when Kiba called Gaara a monster, Naruto felt a sharp ache in his chest. He couldn't tell whether it hurt for Gaara… or because Kiba was calling them monsters.
Kiba tried to say more, but Shikamaru clapped a hand over his mouth.
Seeing Naruto with his head lowered—no longer loud or hyper like usual—was unsettling.
"Dead Last. What are you spacing out for?" Sasuke scoffed. "With that brain of yours, you're not cut out for thinking about complicated stuff."
"What'd you say, bastard Sasuke…" Naruto muttered. Even their usual bickering sounded weak.
"I'm saying—just be yourself. Don't overthink it, idiot." Sasuke turned his face away, feeling awkward. He really wasn't suited for saying things like this.
"Sasuke…" Naruto's bright blue eyes widened, shimmering slightly. He understood what Sasuke meant, and suddenly he felt incredibly happy.
Ever since becoming a genin—with Iruka-sensei, Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke, Sakura, and classmates like Shikamaru—he wasn't alone anymore. Every day, every single day, he felt happy. Like he truly existed in this world.
Suddenly energized again, Naruto thrust out his thumb. "Just wait! You idiot Sasuke—one day I'll become Hokage and make everyone acknowledge me!"
"Hmph. You big idiot."
And then, the ever-tsundere Sasuke had his head gently ruffled by his mother, Mikoto Uchiha.
"Oh? You want to become Hokage?" Tobirama Senju said with a smile. "It's not that you become Hokage and then earn everyone's acknowledgment. It's because you earn everyone's acknowledgment that you can become Hokage. Though… that's probably too hard for you to understand right now, airhead."
Naruto blinked at him, trying his hardest to process the meaning behind those words.
"But," Tobirama suddenly added, "I've got high hopes for you. Become an outstanding Hokage, Naruto."
"Yeah!!" Naruto's confidence instantly skyrocketed. "Just you wait! Clean-looking mister!"
"Address me as Second Hokage-sama!!"
"What's the big deal… I even mess around on the Hokage Rock all the ti—mmph!"
"I deeply apologize! Second Hokage-sama!" Iruka slammed Naruto's head down and bowed deeply with him. "This is entirely my failure as a teacher! Please, I beg you—please spare this child…"
The smoothness of his movements made it painfully obvious this wasn't his first time doing this…
"Hmph!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi pressed a hand to his chest and sighed.
Second Hokage-sama…
A child even Tobirama-sensei acknowledged…
That's wonderful, Minato, Kushina. You truly gave birth to an exceptional child.
Gaara looked at the golden head in the distance, then back at the image of that same person crawling toward him.
Uzumaki… Naruto… is it?
[In the image, the golden head lifted up. Blood from his forehead stained his cheeks, and deep sorrow was written in his blue eyes. He was already very close to Gaara. Meanwhile, Gaara lay on the ground, seemingly unable to move. The blood on his forehead was no less than Naruto's, his clenched teeth trembling slightly…]
It was an expression no one who knew Gaara had ever seen before.
Thirty percent fear. Fifty percent sadness.
And the remaining twenty percent…
Was that… grievance?
That demon of slaughter… was actually feeling wronged?!