How Kurama Leads Naruto Astray

Why did he feel guilty toward Hinata? 

Because Naruto didn't like Hinata but still confessed to her, causing her to misunderstand and even faint from embarrassment. 

And why did he feel guilty toward Sakura? 

Because he didn't like Sakura but kept pestering her, saying he liked her. That playful statement ended up being taken seriously by Sakura. 

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Is that why? 

Naruto felt a little lost. 

"It feels... not quite the same." 

"Then what you need to figure out is why they're different and how they're different." Kurama chuckled. 

"You confessed to a girl you like and felt guilty. You also confessed to a girl you don't like and still felt guilty." 

"What's the difference between these two feelings of guilt? If you figure that out, you might actually learn Rasengan in the next two days."

Naruto kept failing to master Rasengan because his thoughts were unclear. Just like in the original story, when Tsunade provoked him, Naruto cleared his mind of all distractions and focused entirely on Rasengan, completing the final stage of training within a week. 

Although he relied on shadow clones to achieve it, doing so in just a week was no small feat. Rasengan's training difficulty was no joke. 

Chakra is formed by combining spiritual and physical energy. Injuries or unresolved thoughts can hinder chakra refinement. Naruto's current state was just like that. Without clearing his mind, it was impossible for him to perform a one-handed Rasengan anytime soon. 

Naruto stopped walking, staring blankly at the ground. 

The sun had risen halfway, with the other half still hidden below the horizon. On the ground, the shadows of himself and Hinata stretched long. 

After standing there in a daze for a while, Naruto suddenly raised his head, looking ahead in disbelief. 

"I... don't like Sakura?" 

"And how did you come to that conclusion?" Kurama asked with a smirk. 

Naruto was silent for a moment, instinctively turning to look at Hinata on his back. She was still unconscious, her face slightly less flushed than before. 

He bent forward slightly to make her more comfortable, then said slowly, 

"I don't know. But earlier, Hinata said, 'When you like someone, you want to look at them, follow in their footsteps, and chase after them endlessly.' I... don't think I feel that way." 

Naruto looked conflicted. 

"Thinking about it carefully, the person I want to look at is Sasuke. The one I want to keep up with is also Sasuke. I want to surpass Sasuke, to keep getting stronger, so I can stand beside him and earn his recognition." 

"Are you saying you like Sasuke?" Kurama asked, completely baffled. 

"Of course no" Naruto shook his head and turned to Hinata. 

"I'm just saying that Hinata's idea of 'liking' seems different from mine. But I understand what she meant." 

"Wanting to look at someone because you care about them. Wanting to follow in their footsteps because you don't want to be left behind. Wanting to chase after them because you want their recognition. Isn't that... exactly how Sakura has always acted toward Sasuke?" 

"And? You already know Sakura likes Sasuke," Kurama said, now equally confused, unsure of what Naruto was getting at. 

"Yes." 

Naruto's expression darkened slightly. 

"Because… in my heart, I don't have someone like that." 

"Ah~" 

Kurama seemed to understand a bit. 

Naruto now understood what it felt like to like someone, but at the same time, he realized that there wasn't anyone like that in his heart. If he truly liked Sakura, he thought he would feel that way, but he didn't. Instead, he felt guilt. 

So Naruto began to doubt himself—doubt if he truly liked Sakura. 

"Then, the conclusion is that you don't like Sakura?" Kurama asked again. 

Naruto didn't answer, his expression turning more somber. 

Suddenly, Hinata, who was lying on Naruto's back, stirred slightly. Naruto turned his head to look and saw Hinata's confused eyes staring blankly at him. 

"Na-Naruto-kun?" Hinata's memories momentarily jumbled. Then, in the next second, she remembered something—a moment etched deep in her DNA. 

Her mouth opened wide, and her entire face turned beet red, like a boiled lobster, utterly captivating. 

She was about to faint. In fact, the moment the scene replayed in her mind, she was ready to faint. But just before she lost consciousness, she caught a glimpse of Naruto's somber face—an expression she had never seen on him before. 

The redness in her cheeks subsided a little. Hinata suppressed her shyness, summoned her courage, and softly asked: 

"Naruto-kun, are you… okay?" 

Without realizing it, she tightened her grip and hugged Naruto, her whole body leaning into his. That was when she suddenly realized she was on Naruto's back. 

No, this wasn't good. She was going to faint again. 

No, she couldn't faint just yet. 

So, all she could do was cling to Naruto like he was the most precious treasure in the world, her mind swimming in confusion. 

Naruto let out a small laugh, but it carried a hint of bitterness. 

"I just realized that maybe I don't like Sakura. So… I don't know what to do." 

Hinata was momentarily stunned, then she softly asked, 

"Just maybe?" 

Naruto couldn't answer. 

Hinata leaned closer to his shoulder, resting her head lightly against the back of his neck. In a voice only the two of them could hear, she whispered: 

"Then, just think of it like this—you still like Sakura. When you don't have a goal, find one. When you don't have someone you like, search for that person." 

"Before that, just respect your own feelings." 

Hinata closed her eyes. 

"People can lie to themselves. Whether you like her or not doesn't matter. What matters is that you care about her, don't you?" 

"Is that care friendship or love? Your heart will tell you." 

"When you lie to yourself, your heart will feel restless." 

"If you don't like someone but still say you do, isn't that lying?" 

Naruto couldn't understand. Was it because he felt like he was lying that he felt guilty? 

If that were true, didn't the problem just go back to where it started? 

"You just need to lie to yourself," Hinata answered softly. "Lying to others makes you uneasy. Lying to yourself also makes you uneasy. But instead of making others feel guilty because of your unease, at least when you lie to yourself, no one else notices." 

Kurama opened his eyes and let out a silent sigh. 

"Naruto, isn't this what you've been doing your whole life?" 

Naruto's eyes widened. 

When no one liked him, he lied to himself. He played pranks to get others' attention, wearing a smile on his face while bitterness filled his heart. From that time onward, Naruto had always walked the path of deceiving himself. 

Kurama spoke again: 

"Everyone tells hundreds of lies every day. Most of them are lies we tell ourselves." 

"'I'll start my diet tomorrow.' 'I'll get to work soon.' 'Just one more game.' Even simple things like 'I've already gotten up,' 'I'm going to sleep,' or 'I'm taking a shower.' All lies. And Naruto, haven't you always been used to lying to yourself?" 

Naruto remained silent. 

Hinata seemed to sense something. She opened her eyes slightly, leaned against Naruto's shoulder, and looked at his side profile. In that moment of clarity, she felt the same guilt as Naruto—not for liking someone, but for… lying. 

She didn't like lying. So… 

 "N-Naruto-kun, I like you." 

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