Chapter 399: Confession
Tears rolled down completely uncontrollably. Satsuki could even taste the salty cold at the corner of her mouth. Initially she didn't understand why this sudden collapse was so intense, until she clearly realized...
Back then... Naruto had actively met it head-on.
He could clearly have dodged, defended, used Flying Thunder God jutsu... but he chose the most dangerous method, using his own body to receive that blade. For her, for those cursed eyes.
This recognition made Satsuki's entire body turn cold. Her heart's deepest shadow, that nightmare source repeatedly tearing at her nights, actually had a part... that her most beloved person actively stepped into.
If she had to harm Naruto to exchange for power, she'd rather these eyes never opened, rather live forever in powerless darkness.
Heartache and fury twisted together like tangled hemp—she was truly angry at Naruto, angry that he so lightly regarded his own life, angry that he placed her power above his own safety.
...If back then Itachi's blade had shifted one more inch, if that "what if" came true...
Satsuki didn't dare continue thinking. She suddenly didn't understand—if she lost Naruto, what meaning would these eyes that had seen all the blood have? Even life—what reason would exist to continue?
However, when fury surged to her lips, when she truly wanted to rebuke him "you reckless idiot," the words stuck in her throat, transforming into even more torrential tears.
She couldn't truly be angry at him. That instinct wanting to protect him, confirm his safety, far outweighed any impulse to reproach.
Even if that angry questioning would seem like acting spoiled to Naruto...
Then she spoke forgiveness.
But her heart's most terrifying shadow was excavated again, laid bare nakedly before her eyes. That lingering fear, that trembling of "nearly losing him forever," breached defenses, making her completely crumble before him.
Her tears had devastating impact on Naruto.
"I'm sorry! Really sorry! Stop crying..." Naruto's voice completely panicked. He was at a loss, only able to futilely repeat apologies. "I know I'm a super huge idiot... I only thought about making you stronger, yet chose the most foolish, most harmful method... please, Satsuki, I'll do anything! Compensate anything! Just... just don't drive me out of your life..."
His blue eyes filled with nearly pleading light—the fragility only shown when someone usually advancing fearlessly feared losing their only anchor.
"...Then be more proactive!"
Satsuki sobbed, shouting this with all her strength while gripping his clothes even tighter. "Also... you're not allowed to leave my life... wherever you go, I'll follow... don't think you can shake me off..."
This statement was less a condition than a clumsy oath.
Hearing this, Naruto instantly tightly embraced Satsuki curled on the sofa. Wild joy and heartache washed over him simultaneously.
He'd just sworn today to make her happy, not let her suffer any grievance, then turned around and made Satsuki cry like this... Intense self-loathing gripped Naruto's throat. Though his original intention was wanting to be honest with her, wanting to sweep away the fog between them...
"Back then... my sister, Itachi..." Satsuki's voice lowered, buried in Naruto's hair, carrying heavy, difficult breathing. "She... nearly killed you... so I... I must kill her, end all this."
Naruto's body stiffened slightly.
The reason for killing Itachi... wasn't because she was the murderer who massacred the entire clan, but only because... she'd harmed him? This recognition made Naruto's emotions even more chaotic.
"I'll explain everything to you." Naruto made his decision. "After everything's said, you can deal with me however you want... whether it's my concealment, or... everything about Itachi."
Satsuki raised her tear-blurred face, lashes still hanging fine moisture droplets. Explain Itachi? That woman, that cold executioner—besides being a murderous maniac, what needed explaining?
"This is a secret belonging only to the two of us." Naruto gazed at her. "Of course... if after knowing everything, you decide to make my other identity public... I won't stop you. This is the price I should pay."
But Satsuki just looked at him, then shook her head. Tears quietly slid down with the movement. "I won't tell anyone else..." She paused, organizing her churning thoughts and lingering grievance, ultimately saying hoarsely:
"But you... you... forget it... anyway, from now on, you must compensate with your life!"
She'd originally wanted to propose more "punishment" conditions. Yet thinking it over, what her heart most desired, the only thing she couldn't compromise on, remained this one thing—wanting him.
Her obsessive devotion made Naruto's heart burn painfully.
He held her tighter. "Okay. I'll compensate you. Principal and interest... compensate you for a lifetime."
---
"Husband, the tea's ready."
In the Uchiha clan head residence's courtyard, night wind blew gently. Mikoto and Uchiha Fugaku sat side by side on the outer corridor's edge. Behind them, paper doors half-opened, revealing warm yellow interior lamplight.
The courtyard's water-filling bamboo pipe occasionally released a clear "thock" sound. Flowing water murmured.
"Here, have some tea." Mikoto gently pushed the warm teacup to his hand. "I know you feel somewhat reluctant about Satsuki maturing so early. But you chose to respect her decision. Satsuki will definitely feel happy having such a good father."
"Mm."
Fugaku accepted the teacup, only responding with a low sound. His gaze still fell on the courtyard's gravel patterns illuminated by moonlight. No expression on his face.
But Mikoto just smiled gently. She knew him too well—this was typical Uchiha interaction style.
Sharp tongue, soft heart? No, Fugaku simply wasn't skilled at speaking tender words aloud. Having been married over twenty years, Mikoto was perhaps the person in this world who understood him best.
If Fugaku truly didn't approve of Naruto, even if that boy was the Hokage's son with strength commanding the shinobi world, Fugaku would absolutely refuse without hesitation, much less tacitly allow Satsuki to move in with him.
She suddenly remembered that term Naruto had casually mentioned before... what was it? "Tsundere." Right, that word. Used to describe Satsuki.
But Mikoto felt it didn't quite fit Satsuki. Yet applied to her husband, it was unexpectedly appropriate.
Mikoto held her teacup, feeling the warmth transmitted from her palms, a plain happiness surging in her heart. Though thinking this way might not quite fit a former clan head's wife's proper "dignity," since Fugaku laid down the Uchiha clan head's heavy burden, she indeed felt life becoming lighter bit by bit.
Her husband no longer entangled all day by clan internal and external pressures, needn't constantly tense nerves suppressing those restless rebellious voices...
Now close friend Kushina had already revived. Her younger daughter also found her own belonging. Just, beneath Mikoto's peaceful, gentle appearance, a hidden wound had never healed. She'd never spoken of it to anyone.
Her elder daughter... Uchiha Itachi. That child—where exactly was she now? Living well? Was she still... alive?
"Very sorry to disturb you so late. Is now a good time to discuss some matters?"
A voice abruptly transmitted from behind.
This voice—
Uchiha Fugaku's hand holding the teacup suddenly froze. He hadn't heard this voice in nearly ten years, but he could never forget.
That person who suddenly intervened on Massacre Night, that person who though he was unwilling to admit, had truly saved his and Mikoto's lives, also continuing the Uchiha's future.
Ember.
Fugaku abruptly stood, swiftly turning. His entire body's muscles tensed, ready to form hand seals.
Sure enough, that characteristic pitch-black robe, plus that... fox mask?
No.
The mask disappeared, revealing the true face beneath. Black hair, azure eyes. That face—except for hair color, every other line was familiar enough to make Uchiha Fugaku incredulously blurt out:
"...Naruto?!"