Naruto lay on the ground, his body broken and bleeding. The deep gash across his chest pulsed with pain, each breath burning as his strength ebbed away. He stared up at the sky, the cold, indifferent expanse mirroring the emptiness within him. Minato's words echoed in his mind, drowning out everything else."You're not my son anymore."It was as though the very ground had swallowed him whole, leaving nothing but a hollow shell of the boy he once was. His father's rejection, the brutal beating—none of it compared to the emptiness that now consumed his heart. The world was silent, except for the sound of his own ragged breaths and the distant ringing in his ears. But through the haze of pain, a presence loomed—someone watching from the shadows.Sasuka.She had been there the whole time, standing in the distance, her eyes wide and horrified as she witnessed the brutal scene unfold. The girl who had once stood by his side, who had shared in his dreams, was now nothing more than a silent observer. Her face was unreadable, but Naruto could feel the weight of her gaze piercing through him.Sasuka had seen everything.She had watched as he lost control, as he tried to kill Menma, as Minato—his father—beat him senseless and carved into him with his kunai. And now, she stood there, neither moving to help him nor turning away. Naruto's chest heaved with labored breaths as he tried to summon the strength to speak, but no words came. His voice, once full of resolve, was now trapped in the knot of pain and betrayal choking him.Through his blurred vision, Naruto saw Minato lifting Menma's limp body, carefully cradling him. The tenderness in Minato's movements, the protective way he held Menma close, only deepened the wound in Naruto's heart. His father—their father—had chosen Menma. And always would. The sight of it ignited something bitter and venomous inside him."How could he? How could they all turn their backs on me?"Naruto clenched his teeth, his eyes narrowing with a renewed surge of hatred. He tried to push himself up, but his body refused to obey. Every movement sent searing pain through his chest, the wound from Minato's kunai oozing blood with every breath. Still, he forced his trembling arms to lift him, his fingers clawing at the dirt as he struggled to rise.Sasuka, still watching from the shadows, took a step forward. Her eyes, dark and conflicted, flickered with something Naruto couldn't quite place. Pity? Fear? Guilt? He couldn't tell anymore. All he knew was that she had been there, that she had seen everything, and that she had done nothing."Naruto..." Sasuka's voice was barely a whisper, carried by the wind.But Naruto didn't want to hear it. He didn't want her sympathy or her pity. She, too, had left him behind, just like everyone else. The bond they once shared was nothing more than a distant memory, replaced by cold indifference and betrayal."You're no different," Naruto rasped, his voice hoarse and broken. He forced himself to stand, his legs shaking beneath him. Blood dripped from his torn shirt, staining the ground as he staggered forward, his eyes locked on Sasuka. "You... You watched it happen. You did nothing. You're just like them."Sasuka's eyes widened, her hands trembling at her sides. For a moment, she opened her mouth to speak, but the words seemed to catch in her throat. The weight of her silence was louder than anything she could have said.Naruto's rage boiled over once again, but this time it wasn't the fiery, uncontrolled outburst from before. It was colder, sharper—focused. He felt the familiar stir of the Nine-Tails' chakra within him, but it was faint, barely there. He had only a portion of its power—the rest had gone to Menma and Naruko, leaving him weaker. But that didn't matter now.His anger was his strength."You think you're better than me," Naruto spat, his voice dripping with venom. "All of you. You think I'm weak. But I'll show you. I'll show all of you what happens when you turn your back on me."Sasuka's expression hardened, her hands balling into fists. "Naruto, you don't know what you're saying.""Shut up!" Naruto's voice cracked, filled with raw emotion. "You don't get to act like you care now! You walked away! You and Menma, and even Minato—none of you ever cared! I was just the failure, the one left behind!"Sasuka took a step forward, her voice softer this time, but firm. "You're wrong. You're not weak. You're just—""Don't you dare tell me what I am!" Naruto's shout echoed through the clearing, cutting her off. His entire body trembled, the pain in his chest almost unbearable, but he refused to back down. "You don't get to decide who I am. You have no idea what I've been through. None of you do."The silence that followed was suffocating, as if the very air had been sucked from the world. Sasuka stared at him, her eyes brimming with a mixture of emotions Naruto couldn't read. But he didn't care anymore. He had no one left. He was truly alone, and in that isolation, his hatred only grew.Minato reappeared, standing tall with Menma in his arms, his eyes fixed on Naruto. The disappointment in his gaze cut deeper than any kunai. Minato spoke, his voice calm but cold, devoid of the warmth Naruto had once craved."Naruto, you're beyond saving."Naruto's heart clenched. Those words. They weren't just a condemnation—they were a death sentence. Any lingering hope he had that Minato might still care, that his father might still love him, was crushed in that moment.As the darkness closed in around him, Naruto's hatred solidified. He no longer cared about their approval, their love, or their acceptance. He would become strong—not for them, but in spite of them. He would prove them all wrong. He would show them the true strength born from pain, from isolation, from hatred.Even if it meant destroying everything in his path.