["Did you hear?"]
["Hear what?!"]
["The Uchiha clan… was wiped out last night."]
["What?!"]
["Then…"]
["Yes. Only Sasuke survived."]
["He became an orphan?"]
["That's awful…"]
["..."]
[The next day.]
[The incident from the previous night was discussed in class.]
[Looking at Sasuke's empty seat, many wore worried expressions.]
[Orphan?]
[As usual, Naruto was dozing off when his ears twitched.]
[He suddenly lifted his head and looked toward Sasuke's seat.]
[Something stabbed harshly into his heart.]
[It hurt—but…]
[Realizing that Sasuke's identity was now no different from his own, Naruto felt an inexplicable trace of joy.]
[He hurriedly shook his head, forcing that feeling away.]
[That wasn't right.]
Senju Tobirama: "Sigh… this child is kind at heart."
Uchiha Izuna: "Yes. What a pity—if not for the poison left behind by certain people."
Ino Yamanaka: "Exactly! It makes me so angry. Naruto should've been cherished—his parents were heroes who died protecting Konoha!"
Uchiha Izuna: "Right, right. Though being killed by the little fox is absurd, principles are principles."
Uchiha Izuna: "Ask any other village—would they treat a hero's child like this?"
Uchiha Izuna: "Except Sunagakure."
Temari, Kankurō: "..."
All the Sand ninja exposed to Konoha's gaze lowered their heads awkwardly.
Rasa, in the chat, showed no reaction at all.
What surprised Izuna was—
Tobirama didn't explode this time.
He even quietly replied: You're right. It was all my fault.
What the hell, brother—what are you trying to do?
[Naruto was unusually quiet all day.]
[Yet no one found it strange.]
[Even Iruka could only sigh at the lifeless classroom.]
[When the dismissal bell rang—]
[Naruto didn't rush out like usual.]
[Hands in his pockets, his steps were heavy.]
[As if guided by fate—]
[He followed the road to Konoha's outskirts.]
[At a scenic lake, he saw a familiar figure.]
[Under the sunset, Sasuke—normally as proud as a rooster—sat slumped on the boardwalk, staring at the calm water.]
[At that moment, Naruto felt he had found someone of the same kind.]
[Sensing something, Sasuke turned back.]
[Their eyes met.]
["Hmph~"]
[Naruto clasped his hands behind his head and snorted arrogantly, imitating Sasuke.]
[Sasuke stared blankly for a moment, then silently turned away.]
[Hmph~]
[As he turned his head, Naruto's lips curled slightly.]
Sasuke didn't smile. That would've been unreasonable.
His entire clan had just been slaughtered.
By the brother he admired most.
If he really had smiled… one tomoe awakening wouldn't have been surprising.
[Time passed.]
[After the massacre, Sasuke rarely smiled again.]
[Cold and distant, he looked at everyone as if they were enemies.]
[Naruto watched Sasuke's lonely back, yet lacked the courage to approach.]
[The days that followed grew increasingly dull.]
[In the blink of an eye, graduation arrived.]
[As expected—]
[Uzumaki Naruto, plagued by the Nine-Tails' interference, lazy and all talk, remained firmly Dead Last.]
[The only student who failed to graduate.]
[Because Iruka refused to bend the rules, Naruto lashed out at him, accusing him of bias.]
[He sat alone on the swing, watching his peers receive their hitai-ate, parents waiting nearby.]
[The curses ringing in his ears grew sharper.]
[At that moment, Mizuki—who had supervised the exam with Iruka—appeared.]
[He comforted Naruto and spoke up for Iruka.]
[Finally revealing his true intention: sending the Nine-Tails' jinchūriki to steal the Scroll of Seals from the Hokage Tower to pass the exam.]
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