Naruto: Naruto's Uchiha girlfriend is too arrogant

Chapter 178 A Sudden Enlightenment

After Sakura's question, an eerie silence fell over the training ground for a moment, followed by some subtle changes.

First was Naruto. His expression, which had been somewhat blank due to various confusions and struggles, began to slowly, little by little, become more relaxed.

Oh, I see...

At that moment, all of Naruto's questions came together, and everything became clear. He understood why Sakura had given such cruel advice, why she kept emphasizing the need to "draw a clear line" and "completely reject" him, and why she had acted so agitated.

Cross-server chat.

This is the most accurate summary of Naruto and Sakura's entire conversation! He kept saying "how to make my crush normal again," but Sakura automatically interpreted it as "a clingy love rival has appeared!" The two were completely on different wavelengths!

Sakura looked around in confusion. For some reason, the icy cold that had been lingering and almost freezing to the bone had vanished without a trace the moment she spoke those words, and the suffocating oppressive atmosphere in the air also dissipated.

Behind the two, the "tree"—Uchiha Satsuki—finally understood everything.

Sakura didn't want Naruto to distance himself from her, nor did she maliciously want him to say those hurtful things to her... Everything she did, those intense words, were actually because she mistakenly thought a "love rival" had appeared, and was trying to... protect her? Try to "remove obstacles" for her?

Although Sakura's descriptions of her as "disgusting," "annoying," and "an ungrateful idiot" did make Satsuki a little angry, it was Sakura's final, almost screamed, word that truly struck a chord with her, producing a completely different effect—

"Are you going to betray Satsuki-kun's feelings?!"

Sakura... so that's what she thinks? In her eyes... Naruto and I... are we the kind of people who should naturally be together?

Although the way they "maintained" it was incredibly stupid...

Satsuki was thinking to herself, "So, in other people's eyes, my feelings are that obvious? So obvious that Sakura would think without hesitation that if Naruto accepted someone else, he would be 'letting down' me?"

Furthermore, the word "betray" sounds as if there was some unspoken agreement between Satsuki and Naruto.

All resentment and murderous intent vanished in an instant, replaced by a pounding, almost overflowing sense of happiness.

At the same time... Sakura's fierce words, which were based entirely on a misunderstanding, suddenly shattered Naruto's unusually dull nerves in some ways.

Did I betray... Satsuki's feelings?

The word struck Naruto hard, causing him to involuntarily begin to carefully recall everything that had happened that day.

Thinking about it carefully... although what Zuo Yue did today was indeed a bit... disastrous...

She cooked for herself—although the salt content of that bento box was enough to kill a cow, she made it herself and even wrapped it in cloth before bringing it over.

Giving herself a nickname—Although the nickname "Little Sun" made him so embarrassed that he scratched his toes on the ground, it seemed that she had mustered up the courage to say it.

Exaggerated self-praise—although those eulogies make one feel uncomfortable and even give one goosebumps, every word seems to be filled with…admiration and affection?

She even used poetic metaphors—although the "antelope calf" left him petrified, it was probably the most "literary" way of praising him that she could think of.

Wait a minute... While these things, in both their processes and outcomes, are filled with frustrating and absurd troubles, their starting point... seems to be entirely about pleasing oneself? Is it to make oneself happy? Is it to... build closer relationships?

A possibility that he had never dared to consider deeply before, like a tender sprout breaking through the soil, suddenly entered Naruto's mind.

Could it be... that Satsuki... wants to take our relationship... to the next level?!

This idea may sound a bit narcissistic at first, but after ruling out all other possibilities, it seems to be the only reasonable explanation!

And what about me? I didn't even consider that possibility, and I even called her "strange," and even... dragged her to the hospital?!

The thought of how he had responded to Satsuki's feelings in such a terrible and hurtful way filled Naruto with intense shame and heartache, and his cheeks began to burn.

So… after finding Satsuki, Naruto had completely figured out what to say. He had to apologize for his foolish behavior today, and… respond to her properly.

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"Are you really sure, Naruto?" Sakura asked, still a little uneasy, as she looked at Naruto's finally resolute expression.

Naruto nodded emphatically. "Yes! Thanks to what you said, Sakura, I know what to do! Thank you so much!"

By repeatedly assuring Sakura that he would handle the situation properly, Naruto finally managed to persuade the still somewhat skeptical Sakura to leave.

Alright... Next, we need to find Satsuki.

After Sakura's figure disappeared, Naruto's mind stirred slightly. A strangely shaped phantom radiating a soft golden light—Golden Experience—quietly appeared behind him. It bent down, pressing its palm to the ground, and an invisible life energy sense rapidly spread outwards like ripples.

Hopefully, Satsuki hasn't gone too far... she should still be nearby, right? After all, she seemed so angry earlier...

Naruto's thoughts came to a halt.

Because at the very instant the sensory feedback from the [Golden Experience] returned, an incredibly familiar life energy signal, yet one whose emotional fluctuations were exceptionally intense at that moment, clearly appeared within his perceptual range—

And...it's ridiculously close! It's practically right next to me.

Naruto's gaze slowly shifted to the edge of the training ground... to that seemingly ordinary tree not far away.

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(I'm still writing the last chapter... I'm experiencing some writer's block, but I'm trying my best.)