3: Unbreakable Bond

Unable to forgive what Orochimaru had done to Sasuke, Naruto and the team, Hinata, Sakura, Ino, Kiba, Shino and shikamaru agreed to flee the village in search of Orochimaru and rescue Sasuke back to the village.

As the full moon cast a pale glow over the dense forest outside Konoha, Naruto tightened his headband and looked at his comrades. They had made their decision—against the village's orders, against reason even—but for Naruto, bringing Sasuke back was worth any cost.

Shikamaru exhaled deeply. "We'll need a plan. Orochimaru won't make this easy."

"Agreed," Hinata said softly. "His hideouts are heavily guarded."

Kiba, crouched beside Akamaru, sniffed the air. "I can track Sasuke's scent, but it's faint. He's been moving a lot."

Naruto clenched his fists. "Then we move fast before it disappears completely."

Their journey led them through darkened forests, abandoned villages, and enemy-infested lands. Every step brought them closer to Orochimaru's domain. But Naruto wasn't just chasing a friend—he was chasing the piece of himself that had left with Sasuke.

Days later, they reached the outskirts of Orochimaru's latest hideout—a fortress buried within a mountain. The air was thick with an eerie silence, and a single glance at his teammates told Naruto they all felt the same unease.

Shikamaru knelt, drawing a rough map in the dirt. "We split into two teams. One creates a diversion, the other sneaks in."

Naruto's heart pounded. He was close. Closer than he'd been in years.

Would Sasuke even want to come back?

Would he still be the same?

Taking a deep breath, Naruto whispered, "Sasuke… I'm coming for you."

As the group executed their plan, Kiba and Akamaru charged forward, causing an explosion at the front gates. Shino unleashed his insects, while Ino and Sakura followed with a flurry of attacks, drawing the guards' attention.

Meanwhile, Naruto, Hinata, and Shikamaru slipped through the shadows, heading deep into the fortress.

The deeper they went, the heavier Naruto's heart became. What would he find? Would Sasuke even look at him the same way?

They finally reached a vast chamber, dimly lit by torches. At its center stood Sasuke, dressed in black, his Sharingan glowing in the darkness.

"Sasuke!" Naruto called out, his voice raw with emotion.

Sasuke turned, his expression unreadable. "You shouldn't be here."

Naruto took a shaky step forward. "I came to bring you back."

Sasuke scoffed. "Back? To that village? To the place that let my clan die?" His voice was cold, yet there was something beneath it—a flicker of emotion.

Hinata and Shikamaru stood behind Naruto, watching carefully. They knew this wasn't just a battle of strength. This was Naruto's fight to win Sasuke's heart back.

Naruto gritted his teeth. "You don't belong here! Orochimaru is just using you—"

A flash of movement.

Sasuke was in front of him in an instant, a blade at Naruto's throat. "You don't understand anything, do you?" His voice was low, almost a whisper. "I chose this path."

But Naruto didn't flinch. He looked into Sasuke's eyes, his own filled with something stronger than determination—something unshakable.

"Then I'll make you remember," Naruto said.

Sasuke hesitated. Just for a second. But that second was enough.

Naruto seized the moment, reaching out—not with his fists, but with his heart.

Would Sasuke push him away again?

Or had Naruto's presence already begun to shake the walls Sasuke had built around himself?

Sasuke's blade trembled against Naruto's throat, but he didn't press forward. His Sharingan swirled, analyzing Naruto's face—the stubborn determination, the burning emotion in his eyes.

"Why?" Sasuke's voice was barely a whisper. "Why do you keep chasing me?"

Naruto's hands curled into fists at his sides. "Because I can't let you go. Not again." His voice cracked, raw and honest. "I don't care what you've done. I don't care how far you've gone. I just—" He swallowed hard. "I just want you back."

Sasuke's eyes flickered with something unreadable. "You don't understand. My pain… my hatred…"

"I don't need to understand it," Naruto cut in, stepping forward. The blade pressed against his skin, a thin line of red forming at his neck. He didn't stop. "I just need you."

Sasuke's breath hitched.

"I've lived every day waiting for you to come home," Naruto continued, his voice breaking with emotion. "I trained, I fought, I got stronger—not to be Hokage, not to be a hero, but because I wanted to be strong enough to reach you."

He swallowed. "To stand beside you."

Sasuke clenched his jaw, his grip tightening on the blade. "I—"

Naruto grabbed Sasuke's wrist, ignoring the sharp sting against his skin. "If you really wanted me to stop, you'd have killed me by now." His eyes were wet with unshed tears. "But you haven't."

Silence.

Sasuke's fingers twitched. His blade wavered. His body trembled.

Naruto's voice dropped to a whisper. "You miss me too, don't you?"

Sasuke's Sharingan faded. His hand, once steady and lethal, now shook against Naruto's skin.

"…Shut up," he murmured, but there was no venom in his voice. Just exhaustion. Just something fragile.

Naruto stepped even closer, their foreheads nearly touching. "Then come home."

For a long moment, Sasuke said nothing. But then—slowly, hesitantly—he lowered his blade.

"…Idiot," he muttered. But his voice wavered, just enough for Naruto to hear the truth behind it.

Naruto smiled. A single tear slipped down his cheek. "Yeah. I know."

And in that moment, Sasuke knew—no matter how far he ran, Naruto would always, always follow.