A/N: I strongly recommend re-reading the first chapter of Act II (Chapter 21) again before reading this as it details Naruto destroying the village. I hope everyone is doing great and dont forget to leave a review please!

The air was thick with ash and smoke, the acrid scent of burning wood and flesh suffocating. In the southern part of the village Hinata crouched low behind the crumbling remains of what had once been a bakery, her Byakugan activated, veins pulsing around her eyes as she scanned her surroundings. Her heart pounded in her chest, the sound almost drowning out the chaos around her.

She could see them—Naruto's shadow clones, dozens of them, moving with eerie precision through the wreckage. They tore through the village without hesitation, their kunai slicing down anyone who crossed their path. The monstrous form of Kurama loomed in the distance, his tails crashing into buildings with thunderous force. Explosions lit the sky as Bijū Bombs obliterated entire blocks, the earth trembling beneath their might.

…

The crisp morning air bit at Hinata's cheeks as she stood at the edge of the orphanage grounds. Behind her, the children she had saved were being ushered inside by a kind-faced Shinobi from the Land of Iron. He had thanked her profusely, bowing deeply in gratitude, and assured her that the children would be safe now.

Hinata tried to return his smile, but her lips trembled. Her heart was heavy, weighed down by the images burned into her mind. The children had clung to her when she brought them here, their tear-streaked faces filled with fear and confusion. But they were safe now.

Safe, unlike the village Naruto had left in ashes.

She took a step away from the orphanage, then another, her body moving on autopilot as she began her journey out of the Land of Iron. Her legs felt weak beneath her, but she forced herself to keep walking, even as her breaths started to come quicker and shallower.

Her thoughts spiraled.

He destroyed them. The memory of the village engulfed in flames flashed before her eyes. The screams. The terror. The silence that followed.

Her knees buckled, and she caught herself on a nearby tree, her nails digging into the rough bark. Her chest heaved as she gasped for air, but it felt like no oxygen was reaching her lungs. Her Byakugan activated involuntarily, veins throbbing around her eyes as her heightened vision blurred with tears.

"Naruto,"she whispered, her voice breaking."What have you done?"

Her mind replayed the scene again and again—Naruto atop Kurama's head, his golden chakra blazing with a fury she had never seen before. The monstrous fox had torn through the village, its claws ripping apart buildings, its tails leaving craters in the earth. And Naruto…

He didn't hesitate.

Her nails scraped against the bark as she clutched the tree tighter. She had always admired Naruto's unwavering resolve, his determination to do what was right no matter the cost. But this… this wasn't the man she had fallen in love with.

Or was it?

Her stomach twisted painfully. No, she thought, shaking her head violently. This isn't him. This isn't the Naruto I know. But the memory of his face—cold, absolute, merciless—clashed with her denial.

Her breathing grew more erratic, and black spots began to dance in her vision. She stumbled forward, falling to her knees as her hands gripped her chest. The panic was suffocating, and her thoughts refused to slow down.

He's my husband now, she thought, tears streaming down her face. We're bonded. His fate is mine, and mine is his. What will happen to him if anyone finds out? What will happen to me?

She hated herself for the next thought that surfaced.

What if they hurt him? What if they… kill him?

A choked sob escaped her lips. She cursed herself, pounding her fists weakly against the frozen ground. How can I still worry about him after what he's done? How can I still love him?

But she did.

Even now, with the image of the destroyed village burned into her mind, she loved him. Her heart ached with the weight of that love, twisting her insides into a knot of guilt and despair.

She pressed her forehead to the cold earth, her tears soaking into the dirt. What's wrong with me? she thought bitterly. How can I be so weak? How can I love someone who's capable of… of that?

But deep down, she knew the answer. She had always loved him, even when he showed her multiple times that he had secrets, a side of him hidden beneath a mask. She had loved him when he was the lonely boy who never gave up, and she loved him now, even as he stood in darkness.

Her shoulders shook as she cried, the weight of everything crashing down on her. "What do I do?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "What do I do now?"

She thought of Konoha, of her clan, of the life they would return to. Would they even make it back? Or would Naruto's actions catch up to them before then?

The Hyuga won't forgive this, she thought. The Hokage won't forgive this. No one will.

And yet, the thought of Naruto being punished—being hurt—was unbearable.

She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms until they bled. "I'm pathetic,"she whispered bitterly. "I should hate him for this. I should leave him. But I can't. I can't leave him."

She forced herself to her feet, her legs trembling beneath her. The panic still clawed at her chest, but she pushed it down, swallowing the lump in her throat. She wiped her tears away with shaking hands and took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.

"I have to find him," she thought. "I have to talk to him. I need to understand."

Hinata's legs felt like lead as she trudged forward, her thoughts a whirlwind of confusion, fear, and heartbreak. The faint outline of the inn came into view in the distance, but it did nothing to ease the storm within her.

As she approached the outskirts of the inn, a sudden movement caught her eye. Her heart sank when her Byakugan activated instinctively, and she saw two figures standing near the treeline. One was Naruto, his unmistakable golden hair glowing faintly in the soft light of the setting sun. The other was Sasuke.

Her breath hitched. Sasuke looked worse for wear—his clothes were tattered, his posture rigid, and his eyes burned with a mix of anger and resignation. What was he doing here? Why was he with Naruto?

Naruto took a step toward her, his face softening as their eyes met. "Hinata," he called gently, his voice breaking the silence.

But Hinata's heart was racing, her mind screaming at her to act. She instinctively took a step back and screamed, "Stop! Don't come any closer!" Her voice cracked, the raw emotion in her tone slicing through the air.

Naruto froze mid-step, his eyes wide and pained. "Hinata… please."

Tears streamed down her face as she shook her head, her hands trembling. "I saw everything, Naruto. Everything!" Her voice faltered, but she forced herself to continue. "How could you? How could you do that?"

Naruto's expression fell, his shoulders slumping. "I know," he said softly, his voice laced with guilt. "I know what you saw. I won't deny it."

Her gaze shifted to Sasuke, who stood silently, his dark eyes watching her intently. And then a thought struck her, a glimmer of selfish hope settling over her. What if… what if Naruto didn't do this on his own? What if he was ordered to?

She turned back to Naruto, her voice trembling as she asked, "Did the Hokage order you to do this?"

Naruto's face tightened, his jaw clenching as he shook his head. "No."

The single word hit her like a blow to the chest. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the ground, her body shaking with uncontrollable sobs. If it wasn't an order… then this was his choice. He chose to do this.

"Why, Naruto?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Why would you do something like this?"

Naruto hesitated, his hands curling into fists at his sides. Then, slowly, he walked toward her. "Hinata," he began, his voice steady but filled with an undercurrent of desperation, "I promise you, I'll explain everything. When you hear the truth, you'll understand. I swear it."

But Hinata was too overwhelmed. Her chest tightened, and a wave of fury overtook her. She sprang to her feet, her hands glowing with chakra as she launched herself at him.

"Don't touch me!" she cried, her voice breaking as she aim to strike him with her Gentle fist but he dodged her attacks, his movements fluid but reluctant. He didn't fight back, instead trying to reason with her.

"Hinata, stop!" he pleaded. "I didn't mean to hurt you!"

Her strikes became more erratic, her tears blurring her vision. "You already have!" she screamed. "You've hurt me more than anyone ever could!"

Naruto stumbled back, his eyes wide with a mix of shock and guilt. Naruto gave Sasuke a signal and before Hinata could land another blow, Sasuke stepped forward.

"Hinata," Sasuke said, his voice cold and unyielding.

Her gaze snapped to him, her Byakugan narrowing as she prepared to attack. But Sasuke's Sharingan was already activated.

"Forgive me," he muttered, his tone almost regretful. And then her world went black as she was trapped in a genjutsu.

Hinata's body went limp, and Naruto caught her before she could hit the ground. He cradled her gently, brushing a strand of hair from her face as he looked down at her sleeping form.

Sasuke approached, his expression hard. "What now?" he asked through gritted teeth.

Naruto looked up at him, his blue eyes dark with determination. "We're going back to Konoha," he said firmly. "It's time to begin the next phase."

Sasuke's jaw tightened, but he didn't argue. Instead, he turned and began walking away, leaving Naruto to carry Hinata in silence.

Naruto glanced down at her peaceful face, his heart aching.

With that, he adjusted her in his arms and followed Sasuke into the shadows, the weight of his decisions heavy on his shoulders.

Hinata stood at the edge of a serene lake, the one Sasuke had taken her to on their mission. The water was so still it mirrored the sky, a perfect canvas of soft blues and whites. She looked around in confusion, her chest rising and falling as unease prickled her skin. The tranquil beauty of the scene did little to calm her nerves.

"Am I dreaming?" she murmured to herself, her voice trembling.

"Not exactly."

Hinata spun around, startled to see Sasuke standing a short distance away. He was as calm and unreadable as ever, but there was something in his eyes—something weighted.

"Sasuke?" she whispered, her Byakugan instinctively activating, though her senses told her there was no threat.

"You're in a genjutsu," Sasuke explained, walking closer. "I placed you in it."

Her heart sank as her hand flew to her chest. "A genjutsu…? Why?"

Sasuke stopped a few paces from her, his hands in his pockets, his gaze steady. "By the time you wake up, we'll be back in Konoha," he said matter-of-factly. "Naruto doesn't know I'm speaking to you right now."

Hinata's breath hitched, her mind racing. She looked at the lake, the sky, the trees surrounding them—it all felt so real, so vivid. But the weight of Sasuke's words pressed on her like a boulder.

Her voice wavered as she asked, "Why… why are you doing this?"

Sasuke's expression softened just slightly. "Because I need you to be prepared. Things are worse than you realize, Hinata. But before you act, before you decide what to do, I think it's best that you listen to Naruto's explanation."

Her confusion deepened. "Sasuke, I saw what he did. He destroyed that village—he killed so many people. How could there be an explanation for that?" Her voice cracked, and tears filled her eyes again. "I love him, but I don't know if I can forgive this."

Sasuke looked at her, his dark eyes flickering with something unspoken. "I'm not saying you should forgive him," he said. "I'm saying you need to know the truth before you decide anything. And Naruto… he's the only one who can tell you that truth."

Hinata clutched her hands together, her fingers trembling. "What truth, Sasuke? What is he hiding?"

Sasuke's gaze shifted to the lake, his jaw tightening. "That's for him to tell you," he said after a long pause. "But I will tell you this—I don't trust him anymore. Whatever he's planning in Konoha… I don't think it's something we can ignore."

Hinata's stomach churned. "You don't trust him?" she echoed, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sasuke's gaze snapped back to her, sharp and piercing. "No. But you do—or at least, you want to."

Hinata looked away, her vision blurring with tears. He's right,she thought bitterly."I do want to trust Naruto. I want to believe there's a reason for everything he's done.

"I hate him for what he's done," she admitted quietly, her voice trembling. "But I hate myself more for still loving him despite it all."

Sasuke sighed, his tone softening. "Hinata, loving him doesn't make you weak. But don't let that love blind you, either."

She looked up at him, her tear-streaked face filled with anguish. "What am I supposed to do, Sasuke? How can I face him after this?"

Sasuke's expression was unreadable as he answered, "You listen. You gather the truth. And then you decide."

Hinata stared at him, her emotions a whirlwind of fear, anger, and heartache. But deep down, she knew he was right.

Sasuke took a step back, his form beginning to blur at the edges. "The genjutsu is starting to wear off," he said. "When you wake up, remember what I said. Don't let your love for Naruto cloud your judgment."

"Wait!" Hinata called out, panic rising in her chest. "Sasuke, what are you going to do?"

He hesitated, his gaze flickering with something unreadable. "I'll do what I always do," he said quietly. "What I think is right."

Before she could respond, the dreamlike world around her began to dissolve, the lake fading into darkness.