Part 2.

                                    

                                          
The skies over Konoha were dark, with storm clouds swirling ominously as if reflecting the turmoil within Naruto's heart. Rain poured down in relentless sheets, soaking everything in its path, including the blond ninja who trudged toward the village gates with nothing but a small pack slung over his shoulder. His usual exuberance was gone, replaced by a cold, steely resolve. The events in the Hokage's office had shattered something inside him, leaving him with only one option: to leave.
Naruto no longer cared about the village that had turned its back on him. His dreams of becoming Hokage, of protecting Konoha, meant nothing now. The only thing that drove him forward was the need to escape, to leave behind the place that had betrayed him so deeply.
As he neared the gates, a shadowy figure emerged from the rain-soaked gloom. Sasuke stood there, his expression intense, his eyes searching Naruto's face for any sign of the friend he knew.
"Naruto," Sasuke called out, his voice strained as he stepped forward, the rain pouring down on them both.
Naruto paused but didn't bother to turn around. "Get out of my way, Sasuke," he said coldly, his tone devoid of any emotion.
Sasuke stiffened at the icy response, his frustration bubbling to the surface. "You're just going to leave? After everything we've been through? What happened to never giving up, huh?"
Naruto's eyes narrowed, but he didn't respond immediately. When he finally spoke, his voice was flat, almost mechanical. "That doesn't matter anymore. I'm done with this village, and I'm done with you."
Sasuke's hands curled into fists at his sides, his anger rising. "You're just going to throw everything away? What about your friends? What about—"
"What about them?" Naruto cut him off, his voice sharp as a blade. "They didn't care enough to stop this from happening. I was nothing to them, just a weapon they could use and discard. So why should I care?"
Sasuke felt a pang of desperation as he searched Naruto's face, hoping to see some sign of the friend he had always relied on. But Naruto's expression was cold, his blue eyes like ice.
"You're not thinking clearly, Naruto," Sasuke insisted, trying to reach him. "If you leave now, you'll regret it. This isn't you."
Naruto turned his head slightly, finally locking eyes with Sasuke. There was no warmth, no familiarity—just a distant, almost alien gaze. "You don't know anything about me, Sasuke. Not anymore."
Sasuke took a step forward, his voice breaking with emotion. "Please... don't do this. Don't go."
Naruto's expression remained stony, unyielding. "I have to. Now move, or I'll make you."
For a moment, the two stood there, the storm raging around them, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife. Sasuke wanted to argue, to fight, to do anything to stop Naruto from walking away—but he could see it in his eyes. Naruto was already gone.
Finally, Naruto turned and began walking again, his steps steady, unwavering. Sasuke stood frozen, watching helplessly as Naruto disappeared into the night, swallowed by the storm. The rain continued to pour, soaking him to the bone, but he barely noticed. All he could feel was the emptiness left behind by Naruto's cold dismissal.
"Naruto..." Sasuke whispered, his voice lost to the storm.
---
An hour passed as Naruto made his way down the muddy path leading away from Konoha. The rain continued to pour, turning the dirt road into a treacherous, slippery mess. He pushed himself forward, his mind a blank slate devoid of anything but the need to get away.