Saruto | The Celestial War (Part 2)

Chapter 46: Halfway On The Bridge

As the dust began to settle, I limped my way over to the rock that I had left Sasuke on. I could feel the power of the Sagenegan eating away at me from the inside. I couldn't hold onto it any longer.

Sitting down, I hunch my back over myself and then look over to Sasuke. He looked peaceful on the rock. Heh, lucky him. I was in excruciating pain.

Soon I felt myself begin to cough. As I cupped my mouth, blood pooled in the palm of my hand. I guess Great Gramp Sage's prophecy was finally coming to pass. I had died before, but this time was different. I wasn't coming back this time.

Glancing back at Sasuke, I began to remember a time when we were kids.

"Naruto Uzumaki!" kids laughed in the woods behind the Academy, "What a stupid name!"

They laughed and laughed as they punched me into the dirt. I felt my arms scrap up as they hit the ground. I winced in pain at the sight of my blood.

As they leaned in closer to me to probably take a swing at me, I shield my arms in front of me to block the blow.

"Hey," one of the kids notified the front guy, "Isn't that Sasuke Uchiha?"

Bringing my arms down, I noticed that all the boys' attention wasn't on me any longer. As I traced their gazes, I saw a lonely familiar boy from one of my classes. He had black hair and black turtle neck with white shorts. He looked sad.

"Didn't that punk's clan get massacred?"

"Hah, yeah!" the lead boy laughed, "No family, no friends... What a loser!"

Soon the lonely boy disappeared around the corner, and I felt my neck twist around to get a better look.

His clan was killed. I think I heard gossip about that the other day. Usually people would be talking about me and taunting me behind my back, but all they've been doing was talking about the Uchiha clan and how one of their own had killed them all.

I wonder if he was okay?

"Hey! Did I see you could look away from me!" The lead boy asked as he took a swing at me.

Because I had lowered my arms, I felt a sharp sting on my cheek as he socked hard in the jaw. Suddenly, I flew towards the ground. Curling on the ground, I protected my head from any kicks. But there were none. By the time I had finally looked around myself, they were long gone. But all I could do was lay there. Alone.

Weeks passed and it was the same routine. Sasuke hadn't shown up to school, but every time I was beat up in the courtyard, he was there. Walking by. Whenever I saw him, all I did was see him walk. Alone.

Although he was a pain in my butt sometimes in class, I could tell he was hurting. A lot like I had been my entire life.

One day, I mustered up the courage to catch up to him as he routinely walked by the courtyard. As I waved my hand at him, his gaze did not waver from the ground.

"Hey, Sasuke, right?" I questioned as I finally caught up to him.

No response. But I didn't let it bother me. At first...

"My name is Naruto Uzumaki, y'know!" I boasted.

No response.

"We are in the same class. Y'know, Iruka-sensei!"

No response.

Soon all my one-sided conversations lasted until dusk where we found ourselves walking over a bridge that led in the forests that bordered the village. Still he never talked to me. It was like I was talking to a brick wall for hours.

Suddenly I stopped halfway on the bridge as he continued without a word to the other side.

"Hey! Where are you going?" I yelled at him.

No response.

"Fine! See if I care!" I said annoyed.

As I whisked myself away from him in the opposite direction, I remember all I could think about was how annoyed I was with him. All that time and not even talking to me once.

It's weird how that memory came to mind. I guess because now I realize that at that time Sasuke didn't need to respond or talk back to me. He just needed someone to care. It was probably the first time anyone had the courage to talk to him after what happened to his clan. Sasuke that day was probably thinking of doing something irreversible. I could see it on his face. But the words of a friend was all he needed.

Suddenly I laughed to myself.

He was probably laughing at me when we parted ways on the bridge. Thinking about how much of a loser I was.

Heh. I was a loser.

I felt myself smile at him as he rested on the rock.

Then I heard footsteps in the dirt that came from the direction of the cliffs. It was Saruto and Sarada. My vision became blurry as I barely made out Hima, Kawaki, and Kakashi-sensei behind them. They seem sad. Why were they sad?

But beside me I felt a presence of someone I had not felt in a long time. Was I dreaming? Hallucinating?

The figure then put their hand on my shoulder and crouched down to my level. Looking over my shoulder I saw Boruto.

"B-Boruto?"

He smiled as he then looked towards the group of people that were running over to me.

As they finally reached me, it finally became clear.