The Raikage's letter contained nothing out of the ordinary — it simply reported that Sasuke had joined the Akatsuki organization and was responsible for capturing Killer Bee.
It went on to state: if he ever got his hands on Sasuke, he would snap the boy's neck without the slightest hesitation.
"Execute Sasuke?!"
As soon as they heard this from Inuzuka Tsume, Naruto and Sakura Haruno could hold back no longer and rushed off to confront Danzō.
But the reality was…
No matter how much anyone tried to justify Sasuke's actions, he was still a rogue ninja who had deserted Konoha.
According to the law, execution was the only logical outcome. Tsunade's leniency in the past had been nothing more than favoritism…
To which Orochimaru would no doubt protest: "Why was I placed on the wanted list the second I left the village?!"
But such was the privilege of the protagonist — something ordinary people could only dream of.
"Hey — are you talking about Sasuke?"
With no interference from Aoi, events unfolded exactly as they did in the original story.
Karui and Omoi happened upon Naruto and his group.
After a brief but intense clash, Sakura's hasty intervention left them at a disadvantage, and soon Naruto and Sai found themselves pinned.
"Sasuke joined Akatsuki?"
"Sasuke killed your former sensei?"
"Sasuke — what has become of you?!"
There they were, the same three familiar questions.
Every time Sasuke committed another terrible act, his so‑called "best friend" Naruto would be overcome with sorrow and confusion.
As for Sakura…
"Sasuke could never do such a thing!"
"Sasuke is a good person!"
"Waaah… Sasuke!"
Her legs gave way, and she sank to the ground in tears.
Sakura's usual pattern played out once again: make a reckless decision, regret it bitterly, scream for Naruto, then blush shyly when rescued, only to turn around and cry out Sasuke's name once more.
"Why on earth does Naruto like someone like her?" Aoi scratched his head in bewilderment. Is this really what people call the devotion of a hopeless admirer?
Those who fall into such patterns don't do it for the reward — they simply enjoy the act of giving, no matter how one‑sided it may be.
True to the story, Naruto stepped forward, using his status as a jinchūriki as his reason, and took full responsibility for answering Karui and Omoi's questions.
"Now tell us everything you know about Sasuke!" Omoi pressed Naruto against a wall, his hand closing around his throat.
"I understand how you feel — having someone you care for taken away," Naruto said softly, admitting he had gone through the same kind of pain not long before.
But then…
"Even so… I still can't tell you!" He nodded firmly. "No matter what happens, I can never betray Sasuke by speaking of him to others."
"..."
Omoi's expression turned into a grimace. If you're not going to answer, why say so much to begin with?!
"Are you playing games with us? You offer to speak and then go back on your word?!" Omoi was furious.
If they were not standing inside Konoha itself, he would have drawn his sword already.
"I understand your anger, but if you try to kill Sasuke, my friends and I will not stand by and watch it happen," Naruto declared.
"If we go down that path, it will only lead to an endless cycle of hatred and revenge."
Naruto's signature persuasive speech in full force…
Put simply, what he meant was: No matter what Sasuke has done, he is still a ninja of Konoha.
If you dare touch him, we will consider it an act of war.
That was the so‑called "Konoha spirit" — in other words, standing by one's own people regardless of right or wrong.
Hearing this, Karui refused to back down. "If that is your answer, then where do we direct our rage? Does the death of our sensei count for nothing?!"
"..."
This time his words failed to calm them — but as the greatest master of verbal persuasion in the ninja world, Naruto would not give up so easily.
"If it helps you feel better… you can hit me as many times as you want until your anger fades!"
It sounded like a noble gesture, but unfortunately for him, Karui actually raised her fist and prepared to do exactly that.
At this point, Aoi could no longer hold back. "Big Brother Naruto — are you and this Sasuke really that close?"
It was a question he had wondered about for a long time. Even watching the anime years ago, he had never fully understood the nature of their bond.
Were they truly as close as brothers, or was it something else entirely?
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