"Good thing there aren't many people on this road…" Uzumaki Naruto secretly rejoiced. The Uchiha Clan Compound area basically had no commercial districts, and even though the clan annihilation incident had passed for several years, it still seemed much colder than other streets, with few pedestrians on weekdays.
Therefore, the sight of him carrying a girl on his back was not seen by any outsiders.
Of course, given Uzumaki Naruto's thick skin, he wasn't completely unable to handle such a scene, but it was best not to lose face.
Since just now, Uchiha Satsuki had made no other movements or said a word, apart from her arm gently circling his neck to maintain balance.
Uzumaki Naruto couldn't see her expression at the moment, only feeling her warm breath faintly brush against his nape, bringing a subtle tickle.
This was the first time Uchiha Satsuki had been carried like this by Uzumaki Naruto… not through the faint, dissipating traces of his scent on the old clothes she had collected and he had discarded, but the real, fresh, and warm scent of Uzumaki Naruto at this very moment.
This familiar and utterly captivating scent easily shattered the state of "calm thinking" Uchiha Satsuki had painstakingly built through battle, making her mind quickly become muddled and turning her back into that silly, "love-struck brain" who only immersed herself in sweetness.
Uzumaki Naruto, unaware that the girl behind him had completely succumbed again, only felt that the atmosphere between them was a bit too stiff… or rather, too ambiguous.
Feeling the light weight on his back, he decided to say something to break the silence.
"Uchiha Satsuki, you're a bit light, you need to eat more in the future, or you won't have the energy for training." He tried to use these words of concern mixed with a bit of lecturing to normalize the atmosphere.
Uchiha Satsuki, pressing her flushed cheek completely against Uzumaki Naruto's firm, warm back, almost unconsciously mumbled in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, "…Mm. I only want to eat the food Uzumaki Naruto makes."
Her voice was very soft, carrying a hint of playful dependence, yet it was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples in Uzumaki Naruto's heart.
"…Only?" Uzumaki Naruto subconsciously repeated. The possessiveness and intimacy contained in these two words made his ears involuntarily start to burn, and his heart skipped a beat.
Uchiha Satsuki didn't seem to realize how remarkable her words were, still immersed in that warm, enveloping feeling, and continued to emphasize in that hazy tone, "Mm… only…"
And so, the subtle stiffness from before did indeed dissipate… but in its place was an even richer, more heart-pounding ambiguous atmosphere.
Uzumaki Naruto could even clearly feel that the cheek of Uchiha Satsuki's face pressed against his back seemed to have risen in temperature again.
Although the crucial "confession session" was about to begin, Uzumaki Naruto felt that in his current state of accelerated heartbeat and flushed cheeks, he would definitely stumble and speak incoherently later, which would be too embarrassing!
He had to find a way to calm himself down first!
That's right! After all… isn't Uchiha Satsuki essentially another version of Sasuke? Just a different gender!
If he just recalled his interactions with that tsundere and difficult Nizhu Zi in the original story, that kind of brotherly bond where they wanted to strangle each other yet had to understand each other? That feeling might immediately calm him down!
Uzumaki Naruto began frantically searching for those "classic" scenes in his mind, trying to cool himself down.
'Sasuke, if you attack Konoha, I'll have to fight you. Save your hatred for then, and unleash it all on me.'
'At that time, I will also die bearing your hatred.'
'If we both die in the end, no longer Uchiha or Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, with nothing to bear, let's understand each other in that world.'
…Damn it! It's not working at all!!!
These memories not only failed to calm him down but made his mood even more complex and heavy! The thought of Sasuke brought forth a flood of deep bonds, intense conflicts, and regret, making him even more clearly realize—
The girl on his back was unique to him, an existence he absolutely could not lose again.
She was not anyone's substitute, nor was she the "hatred" he needed to bear. She was Uchiha Satsuki, who could erupt with astonishing power because of his unintentional remark "I don't like weak women"; she was Uchiha Satsuki, who would mumble "I only want to eat the food you make" because of his clumsy concern; she was Uchiha Satsuki, who was quietly lying on his back at this moment, relying on him wholeheartedly.
If Uchiha Satsuki, like Sasuke in the original story, were consumed by hatred, with only the flames of revenge in her eyes, what would he do?
Uzumaki Naruto couldn't help but imagine that heart-pounding scenario in his mind… First, if Uchiha Satsuki were misled by someone like Orochimaru and wanted to defect to seek power… he would absolutely use every means immediately, even exposing his Menma identity, to bring Uchiha Satsuki back at the first opportunity! Then, he would mercilessly and thoroughly eliminate Orochimaru, who dared to covet Uchiha Satsuki's body! He would never give him any chance!
If Uchiha Satsuki were truly blinded by hatred and strongly desired revenge… he would "invite" Uchiha Itachi, who was imprisoned deep beneath the organization, and tell her the truth about the clan's annihilation.
He would never let Uchiha Satsuki walk down that dark path alone, bearing misunderstanding and pain.
Then… after Uchiha Satsuki knew all the truth? If her hatred for Konoha's higher-ups could not be appeased, and she wanted to destroy Konoha?
Uzumaki Naruto's heart sank. He might… choose to stand opposite her and tell her— "Unleash all your hatred on me."
If she were to abandon her parents and everything to defect… he would probably… really follow her, just as he subconsciously thought just now. He couldn't imagine her wandering alone in the darkness.
Damn it… thinking about it this way, aren't I also a complete love-struck brain?!
Uzumaki Naruto felt a wave of helplessness and amusement at his almost unprincipled idea of "following."
Of course, all these dark assumptions were based on the premise that Uchiha Satsuki had an obsessive killing intent towards Uchiha Itachi, and revenge was her sole goal in life.
But the reality was that in this world, Uchiha Satsuki grew up with both parents, a warm family, and Uzumaki Naruto's long-term companionship. For the current Uchiha Satsuki, "killing Uchiha Itachi" might just be one of her many goals, and it might not even be considered a core "ambition" or "dream" anymore. Her heart was filled with many other, warmer emotions.
Uzumaki Naruto recalled Uchiha Satsuki's clumsy yet cute "strange" actions today—and the "beyond calculation" favorability level on the system panel… Uzumaki Naruto might… now know the true meaning of Uchiha Satsuki's "unspeakable dream" that she vaguely mentioned during her self-introduction on the day of team assignments.
Perhaps she wanted to have that kind of relationship with him?
No, Uzumaki Naruto still greatly underestimated Uchiha Satsuki's obsession, which was deeply rooted in her heart and had grown wildly over time. The specific and enormous form of Uchiha Satsuki's dream was far more… absolute and complete than he imagined.
Uchiha Satsuki's dream could be summarized in one sentence.
"I want to be with Uzumaki Naruto forever."
What did the weight and determination contained behind this short sentence mean?
In terms of time, it was "forever"—not for a moment, not for youth, but continuous companionship spanning past, present, and future, until the end of life and even beyond death, without interruption.
In terms of space, it was "together"—no matter where they were, was it Konoha? Was it a foreign land? Was it a battlefield fighting side by side! Or under the roof of daily life? Her place must be by his side, and vice versa. No form of separation was allowed.
In terms of relationship, it was "exclusive"—the subjects of this "together" were "Uzumaki Naruto" and "Uchiha Satsuki," with no room for any superfluous or threatening third party. He was her sun, and she must also be his only, willingly followed tide.
In essence, it was "fusion"—her dream had already completely and inseparably woven the person "Uzumaki Naruto" into her own life trajectory and future blueprint. Loss would mean the world losing all color and meaning; obtaining him was the ultimate fulfillment of all her ambitions and dreams.
This dream had long surpassed the romantic thoughts of an ordinary girl, resembling more a persistent, Uchiha-esque declaration of life's belonging.
That was not a simple goal; that was the only future she had already determined.
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