Broken Bonds: A Journey to Redemption

Arthur Note: I decided to remake my story Path Of The Broken Fox. Since I couldn't find my USB stick with the Chapters, I also felt that I could do better. Check out my other story The Jashinist's Quest for Peace. Let me know in the reviews what you think of the remake and the new story.

Summary: After Naruto's defeat at the Valley of the End, he's left shattered and on the brink of suicide. In a desperate attempt to save him, Sakura marries Naruto and makes a deal with Kyuubi to set them both on a path towards healing and redemption. But the journey ahead is perilous and fraught with challenges, as they confront their past traumas and strive to rebuild their broken bonds. Thanks to unexpected allies, Naruto and Sakura must fight to overcome their demons and find a new future together.

Chapter One: In The Depths Of Despair

At the Valley of the End, the two towering statues of Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju stood as silent witnesses to the epic battle taking place between Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha. The two friends and rivals had been fighting for an hour already, their bodies battered and bruised, blood dripping from their mouths. Naruto's left eye was black and blue, and Sasuke's left eye was swollen shut.

The roaring sound of the waterfall filled the air, and the wind blew fiercely, causing a cold shiver to run down the boys' spines. The two statues loomed over them, as if watching the battle with great interest. It was not just a fight between two individuals, but a clash of ideals, a struggle to determine who was right and who was wrong.

Naruto believed that the village was more than just a place to live; it was his family, his home, and his loyalty to it should never waver. Sasuke, on the other hand, harbored a deep resentment towards the village and sought power through revenge and destruction.

As the two continued to exchange blows, it became clear that this battle was not just about their personal beliefs and ambitions. They were fighting for the future of their loved ones, their fellow Shinobi, and their entire village. With every punch and jutsu, they pushed themselves to the brink, determined to emerge victorious no matter what.

But as the battle wore on, both Naruto and Sasuke began to realize that there was more at stake than just their desires. They were fighting for a greater cause, for the future of their world. And at that moment, they knew that they had to find a way to set aside their differences and work together towards a better future.

As they stood facing each other, a flock of birds flew by, one of them swooping down to snatch a fish from the water before soaring away. Naruto and Sasuke remained locked in their intense stare-down, both refusing to blink.

Suddenly, Sasuke charged towards Naruto and swung his fist at him. Naruto quickly dodged the attack and countered with a knee to Sasuke's chest, leaving him gasping for breath. In retaliation, Sasuke lunged at Naruto with a kick aimed at his head, but Naruto's quick reflexes allowed him to evade the attack and send Sasuke flying a few feet away.

The two then began forming hand signs, preparing to unleash their jutsus.

"Fire Release: Fireball Jutsu," Sasuke muttered as he conjured a massive ball of fire, hurling it towards Naruto.

"Watery Dragon Jutsu," Naruto countered, creating a dragon-shaped formation made entirely of water that surged forward to meet Sasuke's attack, extinguishing the flames.

"Why won't you just give up, Sasuke?" Naruto said, his eyes locked on his opponent.

"You wouldn't understand," Sasuke replied bitterly. "You've never had a family, never known what it's like to lose everything because of one person, the one person you looked up to."

As Naruto struggled to pop his dislocated arm back into place, he noticed that Sasuke's left arm was also bleeding, but upon closer inspection, he saw a bone protruding from the skin. It was clear that the impact of their jutsus had caused severe damage to both of them.

Naruto surveyed their surroundings, his expression betraying none of the fear and anxiety he felt. He sensed a powerful presence nearby, and his mind raced to identify the source.

"Damn it, Orochimaru must be desperate to get his hands on Sasuke," Naruto thought to himself, recalling the snake's obsession with the Uchiha. "I guess the old man is still hurting from the Third Hokage using the Shinigami to cut off his arms."

As he focused on his surroundings, Naruto could sense at least fifteen other people in the vicinity, their intentions unclear.

Suddenly, he was jolted back to the present as he saw Sasuke grab a kunai with his good hand, his eyes fixed on Naruto.

As Naruto gazed at Sasuke, he knew that even if he managed to defeat him, his former friend would never return to the village willingly. He braced himself for whatever Sasuke had planned, watching as he reached for his shuriken pouch.

In a swift motion, Sasuke hurled two shurikens and kunai into the air, before quickly forming hand signs with one hand.

"Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique," Sasuke smirked, as the four projectiles multiplied into a rain of forty shurikens and kunai, hurtling towards Naruto with deadly precision.

With no room to dodge, Naruto braced himself for impact, using his kunai to deflect as many of the weapons as he could. But the sheer force of the barrage overwhelmed him, and he cried out in pain as several kunai and shurikens pierced his skin.

"Ahh!" Naruto winced, gritting his teeth against the searing pain. He knew that he had to keep his wits about him if he hoped to survive the battle with Sasuke.

The kunai lodged in Naruto's shoulder and right leg were a constant source of discomfort, but manageable nonetheless. However, the one piercing his side was becoming unbearable, causing him to struggle to catch his breath. Despite avoiding any major blood vessels or organs, the wounds hindered Naruto's movements.

Oddly enough, Kyuubi wasn't healing Naruto's injuries as swiftly as usual, which may have been due to the demon fox's resentment towards Naruto for being his jailer.

Meanwhile, Sasuke gritted his teeth and began weaving hand signs to alleviate the pain from his broken arm. "Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!" he exclaimed, spitting out a volley of small fireballs aimed at Naruto.

Thinking quickly, Naruto began forming hand signs before thrusting his palms towards the lake. "Water Release: Great Water Wall!" he exclaimed, conjuring a massive wall of water that rose from the lake and blocked Sasuke's fireballs.

As the wall of water crashed down, Sasuke was in the air, hurling four kunai at Naruto. Naruto deftly dodged the projectiles and launched a set of kunai at Sasuke. One of the kunai struck Sasuke's already-injured arm with a sickening thud.

"Ahh!" Sasuke screamed in pain.

The last kunai slipped from Naruto's hands and clattered to the ground as he fell to one knee, bowing his head. Sasuke looked on, confused by Naruto's sudden display of submission.

"Why do I keep fighting?" Naruto thought to himself, wiping the blood from his eyes. "What's the point? Even if I do manage to bring Sasuke back, nothing will change. Kakashi will still be a lazy pervert, Sakura will still hit me and call me an idiot, and Grandma will just slap Sasuke on the hand and move on. The Perverted Sage will keep peeping on girls and barely training me."

Naruto's mind raced as he considered the futility of his efforts. "No matter what I do, I'll still be scorned," he thought. "People will ignore me or whisper behind my back about the fox. They'll want to see me fail, to prove that their hatred of me is justified. I'll never earn their respect. I'll never become Hokage, not with the council against me. It's all so pointless...I'll be hated, no matter what I do."

Naruto slowly lifted his head to face Sasuke. His eyes, once filled with life and energy, now seemed empty and devoid of emotion. The sight unnerved Sasuke, who had never seen Naruto so broken before.

Sasuke couldn't help but feel a twinge of disappointment. Naruto was always so resilient, so determined to never give up. But now, he seemed defeated. "What's the matter, Dobe?" Sasuke sneered. "Giving up already? I haven't even had the chance to use the Cursed Seal yet. Maybe you are weak after all!"

Normally, Naruto would have risen to the bait, fueled by his stubborn determination to prove himself. But now, he just looked at Sasuke with those empty eyes and sighed, lowering his head once again.

Sasuke couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. Despite his desire to defeat Naruto, he couldn't help but worry about his friend's well-being. "Come on, Naruto," he thought to himself. "You're stronger than this. Get up and fight, show me your strength!"

"What's the point, Sasuke?" Naruto asked, his voice heavy with resignation. "What does any of this prove in the end? It's not like if one of us loses, it means that person is wrong. Besides, even if I did go all out and possibly defeat you, it's not like I'll get that far in taking you back."

Sasuke looked momentarily confused, and Naruto let out a weary sigh. "Can't you sense them?" he asked. "The Sound ninjas, all waiting in the forest on their side of the river? The moment I defeat you – if I could find it within me to do so – they'll just pop out of their hiding places and take you away while killing me. I guess Orochimaru wants to make sure you make it to him."

Sasuke stretched out his senses, and his eyes widened as he realized Naruto was right. He growled in frustration, his anger directed towards the unseen enemy lurking in the shadows.

"What does it matter, Naruto?" Sasuke retorted, his frustration mounting. "If they were going to interfere, they would have done so already! All that matters is we prove once and for all who is the strongest between the two of us!"

With that, Sasuke ran up to Naruto and sent a swift kick towards his head, expecting Naruto to block it. But to his surprise, Naruto didn't even try to defend himself. The force of the kick sent Naruto tumbling back a few feet, still on his knees.

Naruto let out a bitter chuckle, his empty laughter stinging Sasuke. "And then what?" he asked, his voice laced with resignation. "If you win, you'll kill me to get those eyes to defeat your brother and carry out your vengeance. Then what? You'll realize that you've spent so much time chasing after power that you've forgotten about other important things, like finding love and happiness."

Naruto's words struck a nerve with Sasuke, and he felt a pang of guilt for the first time in a long while. "Does Itachi need to die? Sure, I'll agree with you on that," Naruto continued. "But don't you think that if you just asked me, I would have helped you?"

Sasuke scowled, his bitterness palpable. "Only I can be the one to kill Itachi!" he insisted. "I can't have anyone else getting involved, or else the honor of our fight would be sullied. Two or three on one is not the way I want to end this!"

Naruto's chuckle had turned into a hollow laugh, his eyes now fixed on Sasuke with a mix of sadness and frustration. "You forget that even Uchiha need teammates to watch their backs," he said. "Hell, even Itachi did when he was still in ANBU! Do you think that Itachi had reached the peak of his power that night? That he'll stay at that level just so you can catch up? If you believe that, then you're not as smart as people think you are."

"You may be a prodigy, Sasuke, but please keep in mind that Itachi was one too," Naruto said, his voice tinged with exasperation. "And please note that he probably won't be alone when you find him. Even if it's just one guy, he'll no doubt be strong. Suddenly, your one-on-one battle has become two-on-one, with you alone. Do you really think you could become strong enough to fight two S-class missing-nin and still come out alive? You have a better chance of becoming the next Fire Daimyo," he added, wiping the blood from his broken nose.

Sasuke's fury was mounting. "Don't act like you know everything, Dobe!" he spat. "You're just trying to use words to deter me from my path, but they don't mean anything!"

Naruto's laughter echoed through the valley, a mad cackling that screamed of pain and loneliness. "You're right!" he exclaimed, his voice laced with bitterness. "It's all meaningless because nothing matters, regardless of what I say or do! Even if I did manage to drag your ass back to Konoha, I'll just get shunted off to the side again! And if I don't? I'll probably be even more hated than before, this time with our team turning their backs on me - AGAIN!"

Naruto stood up, his eyes blazing with a mix of anger and despair. "You would think that while Kakashi was training you for the Chunin Exams, he could have just pulled me off to the side and used a Kage Bunshin to train me as well," he continued, his hands curling into fists around the kunai. "But no! He didn't! And why? Because he seriously wasn't concerned about what happened to me! Hell, he was probably hoping you would use his ultimate technique on me when we faced each other so that he could be rid of me!"

Sasuke looked on in shock as Naruto's words hit home. For the first time in their battle, he saw the pain and hurt that lay beneath Naruto's bravado, and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret for the way he had treated his friend.

"So he just shunted me off to the side with some piece of shit of a teacher and taught you everything he could! I know he taught you more than just the Chidori and how to move faster! Hell, if all three of us had managed to pass the exams, I know he would have still made the same move. Only then he would have taken Sakura along, spouting off some bullshit about her needing intense training to ensure her survival and needing to concentrate on just the two of you!"

"Sakura? She probably would have just agreed with anything that was said, just so that she could be with her precious 'Sasuke-kun'! Let's face it, I don't have a snowball's chance in hell of ever getting her to like me, regardless of how many times I try to help her. Hell, I never even had any friends. You all treated me like shit." Naruto popped his nose back into place.

Naruto let out a bitter laugh, which pained Sasuke to see. He watched as his usually cheerful friend gave in to his grief and frustration. Naruto continued his rant, "Do you think Neji wouldn't have tried to kill me? I'm pretty sure he would have, especially if he hadn't underestimated me. Even with Jiraiya's teachings, I still feel like I learned next to nothing – except for summoning, that is. Where was the mighty Rasengan technique when I really needed it? Instead, it was just something to keep me occupied and out of Jiraiya's hair when we were looking for Grandma. And don't even get me started on taijutsu. What good was it against Jyuuken strikes that hurt like hell?"

Naruto's expression turned dark, sending a chill down Sasuke's spine. Suddenly, Naruto vanished, only to reappear in front of Sasuke. Before Sasuke could react, Naruto sent a knee to his stomach, causing him to double over in pain. Then, Naruto grabbed him and threw him into the nearby statue of Madara.

Naruto's frustration was palpable. "Hell, even if I had tried to summon one of the toads to help me, they probably would have blown me off because the Boss Toad would have claimed I wasn't ready to use them yet! The only reason he helped me in that fight with Gaara was because of the Ichibi and his duty to Konoha to protect it, not because I needed the help."

Naruto started walking towards Sasuke, who was picking himself up from the ground.

Dark clouds were forming overhead, and a few droplets of rain began to fall. Naruto's eyes were filled with tears, but he hardly noticed them or the broken smile on his lips.

He gestured wildly to the sky and yelled, "It's all meaningless! Everything I do is just used by the village as a weapon, and once they're done with me, they toss me aside like garbage. My happiness and dreams don't matter to them!"

Naruto kicked Sasuke's ribs, causing him to cough up some blood. "Get up, Sasuke," he yelled, before delivering another kick to his ribs.

Sasuke opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say anything, Naruto kicked him in the jaw, sending him flying a few feet away.

"I'm not finished talking," Naruto said as he walked towards Sasuke.

"I'm not a person to them. I'm a tool, a thing," Naruto said, his voice filled with frustration. "And 'things' don't have feelings. They're just meant to be used. What's worse, the power I'm encouraged to use for the 'good of the village' comes from the Kyuubi - the very thing that attacked our home on the day I was born. So, I'm not only the person that the Kyuubi was sealed into, but I've also become the Kyuubi itself to them. That gives them the excuse to pile on the hatred and misery because they feel justified in doing it. Did I ask for this? Did I want to live this life? Did I want some murderous chakra entity sealed inside me? No! It's all just some big cosmic joke, and I'm the punchline," Naruto finished, his voice bitter. He started to laugh again, but there was no humor in it.

"Come on, Sasuke, laugh. You all laughed at me before, so why won't you laugh with me now?" Naruto said, attempting to kick Sasuke, who managed to dodge it.

Naruto's grin became more and more insane, his eyes widening in a manic expression. He raised his arms and head towards the sky and screamed, "So, come on! Laugh with me about my pointless life! Laugh with me at the gods' cruel jokes! COME ON! LAUGH WITH MEEE!"

His broken laughter echoed through the air, seeming to travel for miles and cutting through the rain. Even the Sound Ninjas, including Kabuto, could only stare in shock at the display of misery and loneliness from the young boy.

'This boy is scaring me more than Orochimaru,' thought the Sound Shinobi.

'Has the Leaf Village created another monster like me, or have they broken yet another Shinobi?' wondered Kabuto.

Kakashi and Anko had just completed an A-rank mission and arrived just in time to hear Naruto's rant. They stood wide-eyed in shock from the treeline, watching as the young boy struggled with his emotions.

"If only the brat had asked me, I would have trained him. We're alike in so many ways," Anko thought to herself.

Kakashi was equally concerned. "Does Naruto really think that I'm not concerned about what happens to him? I got Ebisu to teach him because his chakra control needed work before he could learn anything new. I didn't know about the seal until later, and by then, Jiraiya was teaching him. How was I to know the pervert would ignore him? He's the kid's godfather, for crying out loud!" Kakashi thought, watching as Naruto kicked Sasuke in the ribs.

Kakashi knew that Naruto's words were true. He should have taken all of his team on the trip, so Sakura could have strengthened her skills while Sasuke and Naruto prepared for the finals. He had focused too much on Sasuke fighting Gaara and had forgotten that Neji was a dangerous opponent as well.

Feeling ashamed, Kakashi lowered his head and thought, 'Minato-sensei, Kushina-sama, Obito, Rin, Father - I've failed all of you...'

Sasuke stared at his broken friend before him, realizing that Naruto had suffered more than he had. Killing Naruto to obtain the Mangekyo Sharingan wouldn't prove anything. In fact, it would only bring Sasuke guilt, as he didn't truly understand the boy before him.

Sasuke had always wondered if he truly knew Naruto. He had only seen the boy's mask of bravado and cheerfulness, never the real person behind it. How could he call Naruto his best friend when he didn't really know him?

As Naruto's laughter died down and turned to sobs, Sasuke watched him in concern. A few minutes passed before he finally asked, "What now, Naruto?"

Naruto didn't look at him, but he chuckled bitterly through his tears. "It doesn't matter what I do, Sasuke. Whether I bring you back to Konoha or lose you to Orochimaru, I still end up losing in the end."

Despite the hopelessness in his voice, Naruto had chosen this path and was determined to see it through to the end, no matter the consequences. Sasuke walked over to him and knelt down, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Sasuke locked eyes with Naruto, his expression stern. "You need to get stronger," he said firmly. "The next time we meet, I want a battle that's worthy of both our skills."

He then swiftly removed his forehead protector, slicing the metal plate before shoving it into Naruto's pocket. Naruto looked at Sasuke, surprised by the sudden gesture, but before he could say anything, Sasuke then Karate chopped to Naruto's neck, sending him into unconsciousness. Sasuke stood on his feet as the Sound Shinobi surrounded them.

Kabuto surveyed Naruto's motionless body before turning to Sasuke with a question. "Well? Shall we just kill him now and be done with it?"

Sasuke shook his head and began walking towards the border of Rice Country. "No, it's not worth anything to kill a broken person."

Kabuto nodded in agreement. "As you wish. Come on. Orochimaru-sama is waiting for you."

Here's a revised version that maintains the original meaning while incorporating some stylistic changes:

Sasuke nodded, and in a flash, they body flickered away, leaving Naruto alone in the valley.

Kakashi and Anko emerged from the trees, Pakkun trailing behind. The little pug examined Naruto's injuries for a few seconds before looking up at Kakashi. "The boy's injuries aren't too severe, but I wonder why his tenant isn't healing him. We could still pursue Sasuke if you want."

Kakashi gazed towards the border before shaking his head. "No. They were jounins in that group, and Kabuto is nearly ANBU level or stronger. Fighting them would be suicide, especially at our current strength. Our top priority is to secure Naruto and his team and bring them back to Konoha. With luck, we can find a way to fix this mess with Naruto when we debrief Tsunade-sama. How could we have let it come to this?"

"Several of them had cursed seal marks, just like the six others that helped the Uchiha brat get here," Anko noted as she lifted Naruto onto her back.

Pakkun nodded before disappearing, intent on reaching Konoha to inform Tsunade of the situation. Kakashi and Anko swiftly made their way towards Konoha, determined to make things right.

"We'll fix this, Naruto. We'll fix everything," they thought as they leapt from tree to tree.

Hours later...

"Curse the old man for taking away my arms. I need to find a way to get them back soon," Orochimaru thought, before taking over another person's body.

Sasuke arrived with Kabuto, and Orochimaru greeted him with a smile. "Glad you could make it, Sasuke. Kabuto, tendF to Sasuke's wounds and show him where he'll be sleeping."

Kabuto led Sasuke away to a room, and Orochimaru's smirk grew as he thought, "Soon, your eyes will be mine."

Tsunade leaned back in her chair and let out a heavy sigh. She and Shizune had spent the entire day repairing the damage done to her Shinobi.

Chouji Akamichi had suffered from severe muscle loss and chakra overdose due to his family's special pills. Neji Hyuga had multiple arrow wounds, one of which had narrowly missed his heart. Kiba Inuzuka's injuries were less severe, but his faithful companion, Akamaru, had been hurt while protecting him. It remained to be seen if the dog would pull through.

While the results of the mission were promising, Akamaru would face a tough battle in the coming days. Fortunately, Shikamaru Nara, the Chunin team leader, only suffered a couple of broken fingers from his family's jutsu and was currently in Tsunade's office with Kakashi and Anko for debriefing. The Sabaku siblings - Gaara, Temari, and Kankuro - had been instrumental in ensuring that the Shinobi returned alive, rather than in body bags.

Shikamaru had shared everything he knew about the mission with Tsunade, thanks to his interrogation of the Sound Shinobi. However, the story regarding Naruto and Sasuke's fight still had a glaring hole. Naruto had gone alone to try to bring Sasuke back, leaving a significant gap in the story.

Tsunade turned to Kakashi and Anko, who had remained silent since entering the office. They stared off into space with a seemingly troubled expression, as if something weighed heavily on their minds.

Tsunade couldn't help but wonder what was troubling Kakashi and Anko. Despite her curiosity, she remained professional and asked, "Kakashi, Anko, you and Naruto were the only ones who knew what happened in the Valley of the End. Can you tell me what occurred?"

Kakashi sighed before turning his head towards the Fifth Hokage. "Anko and I arrived at the valley just as Naruto and Sasuke had a brief pause in their fight. Both of them were wounded, but Naruto's injuries were more severe. I was about to intervene when Naruto started talking to Sasuke. He was trying to convince Sasuke that he wasn't alone and that he had friends who cared about him. However, I think this message hit too close to home for Naruto, and he began to break down. The sound of his voice as he ranted about everything was heart-wrenching."

Tsunade nodded in agreement with Anko's observation. It was concerning to hear that Naruto was sounding so broken, especially considering his usual energetic and optimistic demeanor. She made a mental note to speak with him as soon as possible.

Tsunade retrieved the Sandaime's orb and held it out, explaining its capabilities, before urging Kakashi to place his hand on the seal. She was determined to get to the bottom of Naruto's distress.

Kakashi hesitated for a moment before finally placing his hand on the seal. Tsunade watched the memory play out with a heavy heart, seeing Naruto's pain and despair in vivid detail. It was clear that he was struggling with the weight of his burden as the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tailed Fox, and the events of that day had only added to his turmoil.

As the memory came to an end, Tsunade let out a deep sigh. "Thank you for showing us that, Kakashi," she said. "It's clear that Naruto is going through a difficult time."

Kakashi nodded in agreement. "We need to find a way to help him," he said. "He can't keep carrying this burden alone."

The female Hokage turned to the Jounins and asked, "Where is Naruto now?"

Anko just shook her head. "I got him to the hospital, but with his injuries as they were, he didn't need to stay there. For all I know, he could be anywhere in the village now."

"Find him. We need to get him to Inoichi to ascertain if he is a suicide-risk, or he's just playing lost it, and do it quick. The last thing we need is some idiot civilian deciding to make things worst."

Kakashi and Anko nodded their heads slowly, Kakashi's mind going through a few of Naruto's familiar places until a glaring problem popped into his head.

A glaring, pink-haired, green-eyed, female problem.

SHIT! SAKURA!" Kakashi yelled before he jumped out of the window.

Sakura was currently striding quickly through the village, hoping to find her wayward teammate. She had heard through the grapevine that Naruto had failed to bring Sasuke back to the village — not that she was really surprised, as Sasuke was on a slightly higher level than Naruto was — but she wanted to hear the words straight from the horse's mouth. Besides, she wanted to check and make sure at least one of "her" boys was okay, since she knew the two of them would have fought pretty hard.

Naruto had better not have hurt Sasuke-kun too badly in the fight, though. If he did, then he is going to get a piece of my mind.' Sakura thought.

"CHAAA! MAKE SURE THAT BAKA KNOWS HIS PLACE!" Inner Sakura said as she punched her hand.

His entire body seemed to slump forward, his head lowered so she or anyone else couldn't see it. His hands lay limply in his lap as he stared at them, his orange jacket was in a trash can that was near him, leaving him only in his orange pants with dry blood, black shirt, and navy ninja shoes. Sakura showed a little sad frown and slowly walked over to him.

'Poor Naruto. He's probably taking Sasuke's betrayal pretty hard. Oh! Well. Once I tell him everything will be alright and reassure him I'm not angry, he'll come back around in a few days.' Sakura said as she got closer to him.

When Sakura finally found Naruto, he was sitting on a bench with his head down, appearing almost lifeless. Sakura wondered if he was asleep or lost in thought, but before she could make a move, Naruto spoke up in a low voice.

"Hello, Sakura," he said, barely audible.

Sakura's heart skipped a beat at the sound of Naruto's voice. She tried to remain calm and put on a soft smile as she approached him. "Hey, Naruto. I've been looking for you. Are you okay?" she asked.

Naruto shrugged nonchalantly and muttered, "'I'm fine."

Sakura furrowed her brows in concern. She knew that Naruto was not one to easily give up or become depressed, so his response puzzled her. "Naruto, what's going on? You don't seem like yourself," she said, her voice full of worry.

Trying to lift Naruto's spirits, Sakura sat down beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Regardless of what's going on, I still want to make sure you're alright. Let me help you," she said, channeling her chakra into her hand.

He barely even twitched when she laid a hand on his arm and started to run a hand gently along with him, a steady stream of green chakra flashing from her palm as she ran a diagnostic jutsu she'd picked up in her spare time. Still, she didn't need to use the jutsu to see the areas where he was most injured, as the slashes in his shirt showed where the bandages were hiding. One deep stab wound on his leg, another on his shoulder, and one even deeper than those in his side, though thankfully it seemed to miss any vital areas.

Sakura's mind was racing as she looked at Naruto. "What did Sasuke do to him? And did Naruto really retaliate in the same manner? Would they truly have tried to kill each other?" She knew that the situation was tense and that one wrong move could push Naruto over the edge.

As Anko and Kakashi searched the village for Naruto and Sakura.

"Have you guys seen Naruto or Sakura?" Kakashi asked as he landed in front of Guy and Lee.

Regretfully, Guy shook his head. "No, we haven't. But we're willing to help you search if you need us."

"Thank you, Guy. We appreciate it," Kakashi replied before he and Anko continued their search, hoping to find Naruto and Sakura before things escalated any further.

Anko approached Kurenai and Hinata, hoping they had seen Naruto. "Have either of you seen Naruto?" she asked urgently.

"Not since he left to find Sasuke," Kurenai replied, a concerned look on her face.

Anko nodded before quickly moving on to search another area.

Sakura's eyes narrowed as she looked at Naruto's torn and dirty clothes once again. "Is he deliberately trying to make himself sick?" she thought to herself. "He should have changed his clothes before wandering around. Just because he heals quickly doesn't mean he should neglect his bandages."

Sakura's thoughts drifted as she continued to examine Naruto's wounds. "I wonder if anyone has ever tested him for a kekkei genkai," she mused to herself. "Having a form of super-accelerated healing without any harm to the user would be quite remarkable."

But before she could delve deeper into her thoughts, her Inner Self interrupted her. "Sakura, focus on the task at hand," it reminded her. "Naruto needs your attention right now. You can explore that idea later."

Sakura nodded to herself, acknowledging the wisdom of her Inner Self. She refocused her attention on Naruto's injuries, determined to do everything in her power to help him.

Her thoughts shifted as she began to ponder the situation. "But why is he doing this? What's going on with him?" she wondered, her expression turning thoughtful as she turned her head slightly away from Naruto. She knew that something had to be troubling him deeply for him to act this way, and she was determined to find out what it was.

She snapped back to the present and focused on the boy before her. Even before she had approached him, she knew something was off, but now she was getting more and more concerned about his behavior.

Sure, missions could be stressful and make the Shinobi need some downtime to get their head back on straight. But this mission shouldn't have caused this much damage to a person's psyche, even if it involved a person's best friend betraying them. Sakura needed to find out what was causing her boy such distress, and damn it, she was going to find out and fix it!

As Sakura finished checking Naruto's wounds, she began to speak to him. "Naruto, I know you're probably feeling sad about not being able to bring Sasuke back, but it'll be okay. We know that Orochimaru wouldn't go through all this trouble just to kill him. And I'm not angry at you for not keeping your promise. You tried your best, and that's all that matters-"

Her words were cut short by a hollow laugh that sent shivers down her spine. When Naruto raised his head to look at her, she was taken aback by the emptiness in his eyes. It was as if his soul had left his body, leaving behind only a shell that moved and spoke.

He stared at her with a mix of mirth and sadness, a broken smile forming on his lips. "My best, Sakura? I'll admit I tried my best at first. I really wanted Sasuke to come home, and if I had to break both of his arms and legs and knock him unconscious to do it, then damn it, I would have done it," he said, his voice laced with bitterness.

Sakura felt a lump form in her throat as she looked at Naruto. She knew that he was hurting deeply, and she didn't know how to help him. All she could do was be there for him and hope that he would find a way to heal from his pain.

Naruto abruptly stood up, causing Sakura to jump yet again. He waved his arms erratically, making random gestures as he continued to speak. "But you know what I realized as the battle wore on? What hit me after an hour had passed of the two of us beating the crap out of each other? Huh? Do you really want to know?" His voice was loud and intense, and Sakura could see the fire burning in his eyes.

She reached out to him, her voice trembling with fear. "Naruto, please calm down. Your wounds-"

But he ignored her, lost in his thoughts as he continued to gesticulate wildly. Sakura could see that his eyes were far away, as if he was reliving the battle in his mind.

She didn't know what to do. All she could do was stand there and watch as Naruto seemed to spiral deeper into his thoughts and emotions. She could only hope that he would eventually calm down and come back to reality.

Naruto's voice grew louder, his words filled with anger and bitterness. "It's all so fucking pointless! Everything I do will be meaningless to this village, no matter how hard I try! And it's all because of what I hold inside me! No one cares about the Kyuubi brat. They don't care about me. They only care about the demon inside me. Not only that, but they treat me like I'm nothing, like I'm less than dirt. Not only that, but they chase me down in the streets and beat me, throw stones at me, starve me and overcharge me. And they do it all because they know I'll heal from it, like some god-damn freak!"

Sakura stood frozen, listening to Naruto's words in shock. "Naruto holds the Kyuubi? But I thought the Yondaime defeated it, not sealed it away," she thought. "And what is he talking about? Surely, no one would be so cruel as to do that to a child, would they?"

As a small crowd began to form around them, Sakura knew that they needed to get out of there before things got worse. She reached out to Naruto, hoping to calm him down and lead him away before anyone could see them.

The crowd around Naruto grew wider as more and more people gathered to see what was happening. They were all wide-eyed and fearful of the crazed boy, whispering to each other about the Kyuubi breaking free or Naruto finally losing his mind. They wondered why the ANBU weren't trying to restrain him before he hurt anyone. But the fact was, the ANBU were watching, just as stunned as the crowd was.

Naruto had not pulled out a weapon or done anything threatening, so there was nothing they could do to tackle him to the ground just because he was screaming in the middle of the park.

As the realization that he had an audience dawned on him, Naruto's crazed smile grew wider. His dead eyes took all of them in, and he began to laugh mockingly. The sound echoed off the nearby buildings, making the crowd shudder with fear.

He bellowed with cruel laughter, his eyes alight with sadistic pleasure as he addressed them. "Yes! Yesss! Come and feast your eyes on your handiwork! Behold the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki, trapped like a caged animal! You all can gawk and sneer at him, like he's nothing more than some sideshow freak on display! Let's throw him behind bars, just because we can! That way, we can pelt him with filth and spit on him without fear of retribution! Ten points to anyone who can hit him in the heart! Fifty if you can bean him in the head, and a bonus to anyone who can knock him senseless, so we don't have to hear his pitiful cries of agony anymore!"