Published at 16th of September 2024 8:58 am

Chapter 21: The Bonds We Choose - The Shadow Within

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Naruto Uzumaki was a man who had fought countless battles, faced the greatest threats to his village, and endured the toughest of challenges. Yet, nothing prepared him for the quiet but powerful bond he now shared with his wife, Hinata. After years of struggle, their love had blossomed into something unbreakable—or so he thought.

The Hokage’s duties were many, and with Konoha in a time of peace, most of Naruto’s work now consisted of endless paperwork, meetings with village officials, and political diplomacy. He often used his Shadow Clones to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, a trick that had served him well over the years. But sometimes, even a Shadow Clone could prove to be more dangerous than he imagined.

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One late afternoon, after hours of meetings and diplomatic talks, Naruto sat at his desk in the Hokage Tower, rubbing his temples. "Man, I wish this was easier," he muttered to himself. "I really need a break." He formed a hand seal, and with a puff of smoke, several Shadow Clones appeared.

"Alright, you guys handle this paperwork for now," Naruto instructed, gesturing to the stack of documents that towered over him.

The clones nodded in unison, diving into the work with the same enthusiasm—or lack thereof—that Naruto had. Meanwhile, the real Naruto stood, stretched, and decided to head out for some fresh air.

As he stepped out of the office and onto the streets of Konoha, his thoughts wandered to Hinata and their children. He was proud of the life they had built together, though he wished he had more time to spend with them. Hinata had always been patient with him, understanding his responsibilities, but deep down, Naruto sometimes worried that he wasn’t doing enough for his family.

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Meanwhile, one of the Shadow Clones, created with just a fraction more chakra than usual, was finishing up the paperwork with unusual speed. The clone had always felt like an extension of Naruto, but something was different this time. For reasons the clone couldn't fully understand, it felt...more alive. More independent.

And it remembered.

It remembered the years of chasing after Sakura, the girl Naruto had once thought he loved. The clone remembered the rejection, the unfulfilled wishes, and the lingering emotions. Though the real Naruto had moved on and found happiness with Hinata, these feelings were embedded deep within his subconscious, and the clone carried them now, unchecked by Naruto’s conscious mind.

As the hours passed, the clone’s thoughts began to twist and distort. It knew it wasn’t supposed to have desires of its own, but the memories of those old feelings for Sakura began to surface stronger than ever. It wasn’t long before the clone decided it needed to act on them—an impulse driven by the shadow of a past that no longer existed for the real Naruto.

Driven by emotions not entirely its own, the clone set out toward Sakura’s home.

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Sakura Haruno, now Sakura Uchiha, was sitting in her kitchen, sipping tea and enjoying the quiet evening. Sasuke was away on one of his long missions, leaving her alone with their daughter, Sarada, who was out training with her friends. Sakura was used to Sasuke’s absences by now, but on nights like this, she couldn’t help but feel a pang of loneliness.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Curious, Sakura stood and made her way to the door. When she opened it, her eyes widened in surprise.

“Naruto?” she asked, her voice filled with confusion. “What are you doing here? It’s late.”

The Shadow Clone, which looked exactly like Naruto, smiled warmly. “Hey, Sakura-chan. I just wanted to check in on you. It’s been a while since we’ve talked, you know?”

Sakura blinked, unsure of what to make of this. “Naruto, you’re married to Hinata. Why are you coming to see me like this? Is something wrong?”

The clone took a step closer, its smile faltering slightly. “No, nothing’s wrong. I just...missed you. We used to be so close, and I’ve been thinking about that a lot lately.”

Sakura’s expression hardened. She had known Naruto for too long to believe that the real Naruto would come to her like this. “Naruto, this isn’t like you,” she said sternly. “You’re acting strange.”

The clone hesitated, realizing it was losing control of the situation. “Sakura...I know it’s been years, but...have you ever thought about what things might have been like if it had been us?”

Sakura’s eyes widened in shock, and for a moment, she didn’t know how to respond. “Naruto, you’re married. You love Hinata. What are you talking about?”

The clone’s voice became desperate. “But don’t you ever wonder? What if things had been different? What if I—?”

Before the clone could finish, Sakura’s fist shot out, slamming into the clone’s chest with a powerful, chakra-infused punch. The force sent the clone flying back into the wall, cracking it as it struggled to remain solid. “I don’t know what’s going on with you, but this is wrong,” Sakura said, her voice firm and filled with anger. “You’re not Naruto. The real Naruto would never betray Hinata like this.”

The clone, gasping for breath, realized that its feelings were a distortion of Naruto’s true emotions. It was a fragment of a past that no longer existed, a memory that had twisted into something dark and unrecognizable. “Sakura...I’m sorry...I don’t know what came over me...” it muttered as its body began to flicker and fade.

Sakura watched as the clone dissipated into a puff of smoke, leaving her standing alone in the quiet house. She clenched her fists, her mind racing. What had just happened? Why had Naruto’s clone acted so irrationally? She knew she had to confront the real Naruto about this—something was deeply wrong.

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Later that night, back at the Hokage Tower, the real Naruto was going through the memories of his clones, as he always did when they dispelled. But this time, something different flashed through his mind. He saw the scene at Sakura’s house, the words his clone had spoken, and the feelings that had bubbled to the surface.

Naruto’s eyes widened in horror. “No...that’s not...I would never...” His heart pounded in his chest as he realized the implications of what had happened. One of his own clones had acted on feelings that Naruto himself had long since buried—feelings he didn’t even know still existed in any form.

Just then, the door to his office burst open, and Sakura stormed in, her face set in a stern expression. “Naruto,” she said sharply, “we need to talk.”

Naruto stood up, guilt and confusion written across his face. “Sakura...I...I didn’t mean for any of that to happen. It was the clone. I didn’t even know...”

Sakura crossed her arms, her gaze unwavering. “I know it wasn’t really you. But you need to be more careful, Naruto. You’re Hokage now. You can’t afford to let your clones act on old feelings or regrets.”

Naruto hung his head, his voice quiet. “I know. I messed up. I don’t know why that clone acted like that, but...I’ll make sure it never happens again.”

Sakura softened slightly, knowing that Naruto would never intentionally hurt anyone, especially Hinata. “Just talk to Hinata about this. You owe her that much.”

Naruto nodded, his heart heavy with the weight of the situation. He would have to face Hinata, explain what had happened, and hope that she could understand. The clone’s actions had been a shadow of his past, but Naruto knew that shadows could be dangerous if left unchecked.

That night, as Naruto walked home to the Uzumaki household, he made a silent vow to never let his past interfere with the life he had built with Hinata. He had fought too hard and come too far to let a shadow ruin it all.

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End

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