The bond between Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha is one that will last the ages. Decades ago, fans never would have thought the pair would call each other friends today, but that is where we are. After years of reaching out, Naruto managed to bring Sasuke back to the light, and fans have long wondered how the Uchiha felt about his rival’s unending support. And thanks to a recent novel, fans finally know a thing or three about the hero’s innermost feelings.
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If you did not know, Naruto released a series of aside novels that take place after the events of the Fourth Great Ninja War. One of them was Sasuke Shinden, and it has since been translated into English thanks to Viz Media. It was there fans learned plenty about the boy’s journeys post-Shippuden, and one part focused on how grateful Sasuke is for his friend.
“I am in Naruto’s world. I am blessed to exist,” Sasuke inner monologue reveals at one point in the novel. “His was like the warmth I once got from my family. It made me feel that I truly existed in this world. The connections with my family, the love.”
Continuing, Sasuke goes on to explain how his quest for revenge left him hollowed out. He goes on to say that Naruto was the only thing that made him feel human again, and that sparked helped push the Uchiha to turn over a new leaf.
“Revenge had supported me. At the same time, it had eaten away at me. Hatred raced through my body like a poison, and killed all other human emotion. And when I was in that statue he lit the fire in my heart once more. I stepped onto a new path. A path leading from the past to the future.”
This kind of language seems unusual for Sasuke, but it shows the growth he has experienced since leaving his renegade days behind. When the boy was consumed by revenge, he allowed himself to fall into a darkness so deep that humanity didn’t register with him. Naruto is what drew him out of that pit after trying time and again. By the time Boruto is born, there is no denying Sasuke’s loyalty to Naruto, and the latter’s love for Sasuke was never in question. You never even needed to ask.
What do you think about Sasuke’s confession here? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics and anime!
