Naruto had once read a news article.
He hadn't thought much of it at the time, but when he saw Sasuke's Uchiha-brand obsession flare up, he had subconsciously resorted to what amounted to electrotherapy.
He hadn't expected the results to be quite so effective.
After apologizing to the hospital staff and promising to cover any damages, Naruto and Rock Lee brought Sasuke back to his room.
Sasuke's eyes were blank, his spirits low.
Only after the shock treatment did he realize that his emotions had been heavily influenced by Tsukuyomi.
In the span of a single day, he had gone from a carefree young master of a prominent clan to the last orphan of the Uchiha. He had even been brutally tormented by the Mangekyo's genjutsu, Tsukuyomi. His already fragile worldview had been twisted beyond recognition.
He didn't know what to do next.
He didn't know what he should do.
Naruto gently wiped away the dust Sasuke had accumulated from their earlier scuffle.
"Let's go over this again, from the beginning. Maybe it'll help you a bit."
"Your brother, who always doted on you, suddenly had a drastic change in personality and wiped out the Uchiha clan overnight."
"But he spared only your life, leaving you to live in hatred."
"This whole incident is riddled with suspicious points."
"Do you really think Itachi could annihilate the entire clan all by himself?"
"Is it possible… that this isn't the truth?"
Hearing Naruto's gentle prompting, Sasuke froze for a moment. A light, like a flicker of hope, sparked in his vacant eyes.
Itachi had always held an incredibly important place in his heart, a place even his parents couldn't surpass.
After being 'educated' by Itachi, Sasuke's heart had filled with despair, consumed by hatred. But now, Naruto's words offered him a sliver of hope.
Perhaps.
Perhaps Itachi wasn't that kind of person.
That's right!
Like a drowning man grasping at a life-saving straw, he looked at Naruto with fervent intensity. His eyes, once filled with utter despair, now shone with a renewed spirit. He stammered, "Naruto… Itachi… he's not that kind of person, right? Tell me I'm right!"
Sasuke loved his older brother more than anyone. Even now, he clung to this last shred of illusion about Itachi.
He hoped, desperately, that Itachi was still the brother he knew.
But Naruto shook his head.
"I don't know. You, me, none of us know the truth. Perhaps someone does, but I believe their intention is to bury that truth."
"But, just like you, I also can't believe that the gentle person he always was would commit such a monstrous act."
"Remember what I told you before? Don't be deceived by what your eyes show you."
"If he really did it, how did he do it? Why wipe out the clan? And why leave you alive?"
"If he didn't do it, then who did? What was their motive? And what role did Itachi play in the massacre?"
"These are all things you need to think about."
A pained expression crossed Naruto's face. He looked out the window at the setting sun, his voice tinged with melancholy, as if lost in a distant memory.
"Sasuke, I once had countless questions too. Why did everyone hate me? Why did they call me the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox? Who were my parents?"
"Did I even have parents? Who… who am I, really?"
"At first, all these questions were agonizing. They plagued me constantly."
"But then, I came to understand something."
"In this life, people walk down many wrong paths. They endure many betrayals. They might fall into desperate, miserable states, but happiness will also come. None of that matters as much as this: as long as you're alive, there's hope."
"Only by living can you search for the truth."
"The darkest thing in this world is to have your eyes blinded by hatred, to lose the courage to seek the truth. Only to discover in the end that you hated the wrong person."
At this, Naruto placed a hand on Sasuke's shoulder, his voice soft.
"You have to remember, you still have us. You have everyone. On your journey to find the truth, we'll be with you every step of the way."
"Get stronger, Sasuke. Whatever the truth may be, one thing is certain: Itachi wants you to become strong. And you must become strong."
"Don't let hatred blind you. You're a proud Uchiha, after all."
After hearing Naruto's words, Sasuke fell silent, a myriad of thoughts racing through his mind. He considered many things.
Tsukuyomi's influence on him was indeed profound; the visceral pain still clouded his judgment.
But, as Naruto had said, there were too many questionable aspects to the entire massacre.
Thinking back calmly, he realized he truly had been blinded by hatred.
Even if he was to hate, he couldn't afford to hate the wrong person.
He lifted his head, his eyes filled with a newfound determination.
"Naruto, I understand what you mean."
"No matter what the truth is, I need to get stronger now. Only by becoming stronger can I uncover the truth."
"So, from now on, I will carry the honor of the Uchiha. I will strive to become stronger. I want to revive the Uchiha clan, and I want to find the truth."
"I'll be counting on you from now on." Sasuke extended his hand to Naruto.
"And you too, Lee."
"SASUKE!!!!" Rock Lee was already bawling, tears streaming down his face. "Don't you worry! I'll definitely help you find the truth!!!"
"Now that's the Sasuke I know." Naruto smiled, a look of relief on his face.
That smile was bright and warm, just like Itachi's gentle smile from long ago.
Sasuke was momentarily lost in a daze.
Inside Ichiraku Ramen.
Uncle Teuchi had closed up early, shutting the main door. The only customers inside were Naruto, Rock Lee, and Sasuke.
The rich aroma of ramen filled the air, permeating the entire space.
Sasuke remembered the last time he'd come to Ichiraku Ramen; it had been with Itachi.
Itachi had been so gentle then, lovingly wiping the soup from the corner of his mouth.
The Itachi from that time…
And the him from that time…
In less than a few days, though the place was the same, the people had changed so much.
Everything had changed.
Sasuke buried his head and ate ferociously, as if pouring all his energy into it, his head practically disappearing into the bowl. The only sound was the continuous slurping of noodles.
"Slow down, no one's going to steal it from you," Naruto reminded him from the side. Through Sasuke's slightly trembling shoulders, he could feel the sorrow in the younger boy's heart.
No matter how strong an act he put on, he was still just a seven-year-old child.
I have to eat my fill. I have to eat a lot. I need to give my body nutrients so I'll have the strength to train hard, so I can get stronger! Then I can stand before him and demand the truth, Sasuke chanted endlessly in his mind, his mouth stuffed full.
His favorite flavor of ramen now tasted like ash in his mouth. He was like a robot, mechanically repeating the motions of stuffing food into his mouth and chewing forcefully.
Unconsciously, two lines of tears streamed down his face.
Sasuke sniffled miserably, lifting his bowl to hide his face, but the unstoppable tears dripped continuously onto his collar.
Damn it.
They can't see me like this, so pathetic.
I'm the one who carries the pride of the Uchiha! I can't disgrace the clan's name!
He roared inwardly, but his tears flowed like a torrential flood.
They dripped into the bowl, mixing with the broth as he drank it down.
Salty.
Naruto watched this scene quietly, deeply moved.
A boy forced to grow up too soon because of despair.
He's naturally talented. If he can overcome this hurdle, perhaps in the future, he could become a worthy rival, Naruto thought to himself.
"Eat up, I'm going to eat a lot too." To save Sasuke from further embarrassment, Naruto pretended not to notice and picked up his own bowl, beginning to eat with gusto.
"Alright! I'm fired up too! I'm going to eat with all my might!! This way, I'll have energy for training!" Rock Lee, beside them, suddenly blazed with passion. As Naruto stared, dumbfounded, Lee began to wolf down his food, even shouting:
"Naruto! Let's each eat three servings of ramen today! Tomorrow, we'll triple our training intensity! Only through continuous effort can we become stronger! Let's go!"
"That's our Lee for you, always working the hardest," Naruto said, a gentle smile on his face.