Naruto : a hero's journey

Danzo looked at Satoru, his voice cold yet laced with a certain sadness. "Once you reach a certain point, Satoru, you'll struggle to connect with others. The people in your life now—they'll drift apart, and there won't be anything you can do to stop it."

Satoru frowned, his chest tightening. "Why not? I could just... pretend."

Danzo shook his head slowly. "Pretending is taxing on the mind. Unbearable, even. Trying to be someone you're not your entire life... it'll break you.

You'll end up taking drastic measures, like massacring your own family or ending your life. You'll feel the strain every day. And worst of all, no one will understand you. The people around you will start to fear you because of how different you'll become."

Satoru's heart sank. He hadn't realized just how grim his future might be. "So... no one will ever truly understand me?"

Danzo's response was blunt and painful. "Humans are emotional beings. Without emotions, you'll no longer be seen as one of them. You'll be feared. Avoided."

The boy's eyes flickered with a faint hope. "But what about others like me? Could they understand me?"

Danzo's gaze darkened as he replied, "Perhaps. But they'll most likely be hostile. People like us, Satoru... we're destined to be alone. It's the way of things."

Satoru pressed further, confused. "Why the hostility? If we understand each other, there shouldn't be a problem, right?"

Danzo smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes. "When you meet someone like yourself, you'll understand. Our kind... we clash, even when we don't mean to."

"By the time you're thirteen or fourteen, you'll start having urges… urges to kill," he said quietly, his eyes locking onto Satoru's. "It will be like an addiction. Something you can't quit."

Satoru's eyes narrowed. "Why?"

Danzo glanced out the window, his expression unreadable. "Because, over time, everyday things won't make you feel anything. Only extreme actions—violence, death—will stir something inside you. It's the only way you'll feel alive."

Satoru frowned. "What if I don't want to?" His voice was almost defiant.

Danzo sighed. "At first, it will be something you hate. A burden you have to carry." He paused, the weight of his words sinking in before he continued.

"Then it becomes a chore. Necessary, but emotionless. After that, it becomes your favorite hobby, and then…" His voice trailed off, hesitation in his eyes.

Satoru felt a chill creep up his spine. "And then what?" he demanded.

Danzo stepped closer, placing a hand on Satoru's head, ruffling his hair like a father would, though the gesture felt more foreboding than comforting. "Then," Danzo said softly, "you'll become me."

"When the urges begin," he said, his voice low and deliberate, "create a moral code to follow. It will make things easier."

Satoru glanced up at him, his gaze steady. "What becomes easier?"

Danzo's expression hardened, a darkness settling into his features. "Forgiving yourself after killing." He spoke with the weight of experience, his words heavy with the blood of those he'd ended.

"Every time I look in the mirror, I'm disgusted by the man I see and what that man has done. I tell myself it was for the village, that those I killed would eventually harm the Leaf. But even then, it's my code that holds me together when my sanity slips."

Satoru listened, a cold realization settling in. This was no ordinary shinobi advice. This was a warning. A glimpse into the future he might face.

Danzo's voice dropped lower. "You may forsake your family, your friends, and become completely alone. But you can never forsake your code, or you won't survive."

There was a long pause, a silence that seemed to stretch on endlessly.

Danzo looked away for a moment, his thoughts distant. "I've seen many like you, Satoru. Children with the potential to walk a dangerous path, to carry the same burdens I have.

That's why I created Root. Root wasn't just meant to carry out Konoha's darkest tasks. It was meant to give those like you a purpose. A method to their madness. A way to survive when everything else becomes unbearable."

His eyes returned to Satoru's, piercing through him with a cold intensity. "Because when the world starts to crumble around you, when nothing makes sense anymore, it's that code that will keep you alive."

The room felt colder as Danzo turned to leave, but before stepping out, he left Satoru with one final piece of advice."Learn to live independently. With a destiny like ours, you won't have any other choice."

Satoru walked through the academy halls, Danzo's words circling in his mind, casting a dark shadow over his thoughts. He didn't even notice when Keiko passed by, waving with a smile.

Lost in his own world, he absentmindedly reached his classroom and slumped down at his bench, drifting into a restless sleep.

When the bell rang, signaling the end of classes, Tatsuo approached him, concern written on his face. "Hey, what's going on? You never sleep during class," Tatsuo said, peering at his friend.

Satoru rubbed his eyes and muttered, "I'm fine. Just tired."

Tatsuo could see the stress etched on Satoru's face, but he decided to let it slide. He gave a small nod and watched as Satoru prepared to leave. As they walked outside, Tatsuo mentioned, "Mitsuki-sensei was looking for you. You missed her class."

Satoru didn't respond, simply walking away toward the orphanage, his mind still heavy with Danzo's warning about the future. Upon reaching the orphanage, he opened the gate, only to find Mitsuki-sensei already waiting for him.

She stood calmly, clearly concerned. "Satoru, you're not the type to skip class. Are you okay?" she asked.

Satoru's expression remained distant, much like earlier with Tatsuo. Mitsuki-sensei, however, noticed more than just tiredness in his eyes. She could sense a deeper struggle.

"There's an important activity tomorrow. Don't skip school again."

Satoru barely registered her words, only catching that he needed to attend tomorrow.

Satoru's focus was razor-sharp as he trained the Substitution Jutsu in the quiet clearing near the academy. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he replaced himself with a nearby log in an instant.

Training had become his refuge, the only thing that kept his mind from the stress of losing his mind in the future. Over the past six months, he had mastered the sixth-grade syllabus, impressing his teachers.

As Satoru prepared to attempt the jutsu again, he overheard voices nearby. Tatsuo and Dai were talking not far from where he trained, their conversation pulling his attention away from his routine.

"Miku just got promoted to chunin!" Tatsuo exclaimed excitedly.

Dai, ever enthusiastic, responded with wide eyes. "At fifteen? That's impressive! He must be really strong."

Tatsuo nodded eagerly. "Of course he is. He won the finals of the chunin exams by defeating two Kumo genins at the same time! Can you believe that? He's been training so hard, and now he's finally made it."

Satoru continued practicing, listening to their conversation.'Miku, a chunin at fifteen… It was impressive! He became so strong so quickly.'

Tatsuo's voice broke through his thoughts again. "Miku's throwing a party at his house tonight to celebrate. He invited all of us. What do you say, Satoru? Wanna come?"

Satoru stopped mid-movement, catching his breath. He considered the offer for a moment. The idea of taking a break from training was tempting. Maybe spending some time with his friends would be good for him, even if just to clear his head.

After a pause, Satoru turned to face Tatsuo and Dai. "Alright, I'll go."

Tatsuo grinned, clearly relieved that Satoru was coming along. "Great! It's gonna be fun. You could use a break from all this training, anyway."

Satoru sat quietly at the dinner table, feeling oddly at ease despite the lively atmosphere around him. The familiarity of Miku's house brought back memories—he had come here many times over the years, and the warmth of the place always made him feel welcome.

Tonight, however, something felt different. He turned as the door creaked open, and there stood Miku, wearing his freshly earned chunin vest over his shinobi uniform.

His forehead protector, marked with deep scratches, hung proudly on his head. A scar, tilted and jagged, ran from above his lip down to his chin, a clear reminder of the battles he had fought.

Satoru studied him for a moment. There was something about Miku now, something different in the way he carried himself—more confidence, more weight.

It wasn't just the uniform. His very presence felt heavier, like someone who had seen and done things that most people couldn't understand.

"Hey, Miku," Satoru greeted him casually, not letting his curiosity show.

"Hi man, Long time no see! " He said before sitting beside him at the table. The candles on the celebratory cake flickered before Miku leaned forward and blew them out.

Cheers erupted around them as everyone clapped, danced, and laughed, celebrating Miku's promotion with full energy. Satoru allowed himself to get lost in the festivities. But once the initial excitement died down, he found himself sitting next to Miku again, watching the others joke and sing.

"How's life going now?" Satoru asked, his voice quiet amid the noise.

Miku exhaled, a small smile forming on his face. "Busy and stressful," he admitted, "but it's rewarding. People treat me with so much more respect now compared to when I was just a genin. It's... different."

Satoru nodded, understanding in his own way. "You're getting closer to your dream. Becoming Hokage, right?"

Miku chuckled at that, shaking his head. "That's still far off, Satoru. One step at a time. But yeah, I'm working toward it."

Miku turned toward Satoru to continue the conversation. "So, how's life been for you lately?" he asked, taking a sip of water.

Satoru shrugged, keeping his tone neutral. "Not much. I've just been studying non-stop. I've already finished the entire academy syllabus, and now I'm focusing on learning the theory behind medical ninjutsu."

Miku raised his eyebrows, clearly impressed. "Medical ninjutsu, huh? That's a smart choice. But don't overdo it. Sometimes you have to slow down and enjoy things. Don't speedrun life, Satoru. You'll miss out on the good parts."

Satoru gave a small nod. "Yeah, you're probably right."

He leaned back slightly, then asked the question that had been on his mind. "What happens to your team now that you're a chunin?"

Miku paused, his eyes reflecting a touch of nostalgia. "Well, my team will be disbanded. It's a little strange not having them around anymore. But now that I'm a chunin, I'll be forming my own team soon."

"That's a big change," Satoru said thoughtfully. "What else is different now that you're a chunin?"

Miku smiled. "I can access the jutsu library for C and D-rank jutsus without having to pay for them anymore."

Satoru tilted his head, confused. "What do you mean by that?"

Miku leaned in slightly, lowering his voice as if explaining a secret. "Genin can only learn jutsus from their clans, their chunin or jonin instructors, or by buying D-rank jutsus from the shinobi library. But as a chunin, I can learn higher-ranked jutsus for free."

A glint of excitement flashed in Satoru's eyes. "Does that mean you can teach me something now?"

Miku hesitated, his expression turning suspicious. "Technically, yes. But I'd need permission from the Hokage or one of the village elders to teach you D or C-rank jutsus."

Satoru, smirked slightly. "That won't be a problem. I can get permission."

Miku raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. "If you can get the permission, then sure, I'll teach you what I can."

Satoru smiled, feeling that familiar determination rise within him. "Don't worry about it. I'll handle it."

Miku chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "You're always one step ahead, huh?"