Naruto: Check out these scenes #29

In the distance, the moon began to crumble. Rocks detached from its surface, hurtling toward Earth, streaking across the sky like fiery meteors. As the immense boulders, hundreds of meters wide, collided with the atmosphere, they disintegrated into dust, leaving behind a shower of glowing fragments. A few managed to touch the ground, creating craters that told the tale of their descent.

Suddenly, the moon erupted in a brilliant explosion, a shower of golden energy sending waves of flame rippling across its surface, digging a deep pit. From that chaotic scene, a familiar blond figure began to rise, his eyes vacant and body weary. In his hands, he clung to a crucial piece of red scarf, something that seemed important to him.

[Uzumaki Boruto: Is that... Dad?]

[Kushina: What’s happening? Why does Naruto look like that as he emerges?]

[Namikaze Minato: He doesn’t appear to have any visible injuries or signs of a fight. Could it be that his chakra is completely drained?]

[Senju Tobirama: But the current Seventh Hokage should be a perfect Jinchūriki! He shouldn’t be able to run out of chakra like this.]

[Uzumaki Naruto: You got it. I fell into a coma because Toneri extracted all of my chakra, and that explosion was a direct result of that.]

[Uzumaki Boruto: What in the world happened?]

[Uzumaki Naruto: Just keep watching, and everything will become clear.]

As Naruto watched the scene unfold, he saw Hinata saying goodbye, drifting further away from him, a haunting ache filling his heart. He desperately wanted to reach out, to hold her close, but she leaned into Toneri’s arms and continued to move away...

“Hinata!”

With a jolt, Naruto sat up, his voice filled with fear. But as his eyes adjusted to the scorched surroundings, he slowly processed the reality of his surroundings.

“You finally woke up!”

Shikamaru's voice broke through his thoughts, a hint of relief palpable. “Finally?” Naruto echoed, still disoriented.

“Yeah, it’s been three days since that mess,” Shikamaru replied, adding wood to their cooking fire, the flames dancing to life.

Turning his head slightly, Naruto noticed Shikamaru's serious expression. “Did something happen between you and Hinata?”

“...Nothing…” he muttered, trying to brush off the question as he turned away, lost in his thoughts.

Sai approached, chiming in with his characteristic bluntness. “You’ve been talking in your sleep, calling out for Hinata... and some of the things you said could make anyone blush! It’s fascinating to see your vulnerable side, Naruto.”

“Hey…” Shikamaru rolled his eyes, exasperated by Sai’s lack of tact. Despite having improved socially, Sai still had a knack for stepping on toes during conversations.

“Sometimes you have to be careful, Sai; one misstep, and you'll find yourself in a real-life fight instead of a friendly chat,” Shikamaru joked, appraising the situation.

Naruto, however, was unfazed by Sai’s words; his mind lingered on the torment of three days ago.

Back then, he struggled with his feelings. Shyness and anxiety had swirled within him when he finally confessed his feelings for Hinata, but before he could finish, Toneri had struck him down.

In that moment, everything changed. As he prepared to protect Hinata from Toneri, she had handed him the scarf she had painstakingly knitted, then walked into Toneri's ship, leaving him helpless.

The look in her eyes was a mix of determination and sadness, and he hadn’t been able to process it until it was too late. He chased after her, but before he could reach her, Toneri drained his chakra with a single powerful attack.

“How long are you going to stay stuck in this rut?” Shikamaru’s voice brought him back, laced with impatience. “We need to focus on saving Hanabi and Hinata.”

[Uzumaki Boruto: I never expected my dad could get so... emotional.]

[Uzumaki Naruto: Haha, at that moment, I thought I had truly lost her when she didn’t explain herself.]

[Uchiha Sasuke: You sure took your sweet time to confess, didn’t you?]

[Uzumaki Naruto: Look who’s talking! If Sakura hadn’t suggested a trip with you, you wouldn’t even have Sarada to think about!]

[Uchiha Sasuke: You’re revealing too much about my past!]

[Uzumaki Naruto: What did you expect? You started it!]

[Uchiha Sakura: Alright, enough of the childish fighting, both of you!]

[Senju Hashirama: Haha, you two really are quite the pair!]

[Uchiha Madara: This feels strikingly familiar. Why do I have a sense of déjà vu?]

Naruto remained withdrawn, causing Shikamaru to feel a pang of irritation. “So, after giving up on women, what’s next? Are you going to give up on being Hokage too?”

“Exactly! Just throw in the towel!” Shikamaru taunted further, probing for a reaction. Finally, Naruto snapped.

“What did you just say?” he shouted angrily, seizing Shikamaru by his collar. “Are you here to pick a fight with me?”

Unbothered, Shikamaru stood his ground. “Whatever happened to Hinata isn’t your fault, but you’re still a ninja, Naruto!”

“Let’s go!”

Before Naruto could protest, Shikamaru started pulling him away. Initially reluctant, Naruto begrudgingly followed as they made their way to the next destination.

When they arrived, Naruto froze, taking in the sight of Sakura lying weakly on a bed. This was not the Sakura he knew; she was the adept user of the Hundred Healings Technique, her chakra reserves easily rivaling that of a tailed beast.

Normally, she wouldn’t tire easily unless faced with an overwhelming enemy.

“Sakura…” he breathed, a worry creeping into his voice.

“To pull you back from the brink of death, I had to inject nearly all my chakra into you, and that’s why I’m like this now,” she explained, her voice barely rising above a whisper.

Shikamaru reflected on how Sakura had bravely saved Naruto three days ago. The sheer volume of Naruto's chakra as a member of the Uzumaki clan was immense—almost like an ocean compared to others’ lakes. Even with her Hundred Healings chakra assisting him, it hadn’t been enough.

“Sakura!”

Upon hearing her name, her eyes fluttered open, though she still felt painfully heavy and unable to rise.

“Naruto…?” she murmured, her voice trailing off, struggling to get her bearings.

“I’m sorry, Sakura,” he said, guilt gnawing at him.

“But will physical recovery be enough? What about her emotional healing?” Sai wondered, standing guard at the entrance.

“And can you even help her with that?” Shikamaru retorted before leaving the cave.

“That's true,” Sai admitted with a shrug, contemplating their predicament.