Too Late To Say Sorry {✔}

Chapter 27

[Edited: 10.4.19.]

Chapter 27|No one's pov

In the following morning tears were still shed. But they soon dried away. And then there were none to spill anymore. Itachi and Naruto didn't dare glance at each other and the other three former Akatsuki members noticed. They stayed silent, knowing the pain of losing someone close to them. Sasuke's body was carried by Itachi. They could've sealed it or burned but he wanted to burry it with the rest of the Uchiha clan.
It was silent the whole aimless walk. The sun shone brightly and the wind sang quietly. But nothing could comfort them.

~oOo~

When they made a pause, Naruto run off. No one followed.

Sobs and cries of guilt, sadness, despair, loneliness, hurt, anger and pain were not to overhear.

Kurama tried soothing him, he really did. Naruto, please stop, it's not-

"Stop! Stop talking! It IS my fault! It's me who killed him! I killed him!!! Me! Me... Me.... Me.." He didn't even notice how he shouted this. He sat there hugging himself and cried pathetically. "HE MAY BE FREE NOW! BUT I COULD HAVE SAVED HIM! I SHOULD HAVE SAVED HIM! NONE OF THAT WAS HIS FAULT!!! HE WAS JUST A YOUNG KID, TRAUMatized and trapped in an older body! It's all my fault...."

He was shaking by now. That was one of the consequences of using Kami no me. Guilt. When using the judgment –like earlier on Sasuke– it couldn't be controlled. The judgment couldn't be controlled. The eyes judged how they seemed fit. And if it's death, you couldn't stop it.

In Sasuke's case...
That was a child. A lonely child. With the burden of always disappointing his clan and never being better than his older brother, Itachi. After Itachi killed his clan that boy was trapped in the body. Growing physically and mentally but stopping growing emotionally. Spiritually. And that took it's tool. Insanity started to eat at his mental health and his hatred grew. That, in no way helping the situation, rather helped at his emotional problems. In the end not achieving his goal and being 'trapped' in the village destroyed every last bit of his sanity. And when the only source of light –in that case Naruto, even though Sasuke didn't ssee it– left, it all started breaking even more.

And the judgment saw fit in killing the insane and burdened. The person would be free and peace would ensure.

Naruto thought that it was absurd. In a way, it was actually right. Naruto thought not. The person could've been helped or weakened. He started crying hysterically at this point.
"Why?!? WHY DID IT CHOOSE DEATH!?!? HE COULD HAVE BEEN HELPED!!! IF ONLY I KNEW... If only I have known... I WOULDN'T HAVE USED THE EYES!!!!"
The guilt would trap the user and kill him/her slowly. It was a big weakness.

A branch snapped but Naruto –in his hysterical fit– never noticed.
"Maybe it's for the best", the voice brought Naruto's attention and he glared at Nagato. Before Naruto could interrupt Nagato continued, "It's a common shinobi knowledge that life needs sacrifices. He was maybe one of them. We don't want it, we don't like it but it's not our choice. It's destiny that we can't run from. Humanity kills itself, always did, always does and always will. That was a quote from a wise man. A man also said, I see humans but no humanity. Perhaps that's true. But maybe not. Life may be a mystery but death is an even bigger mystery. We don't know for sure what comes after death. We don't need to. What we need to do is not to dwell and live on. It hurts. It always does. We can't forget and it'll always be there. The death of someone precious." He hummed a little with a faraway look in his eyes.

"Perhaps there is no meaning to life. And death is inevitable. Well, normally", there was a slight pause and Naruto briefly remembered Orochimaru. "The one thing that connects us all is pain. We don't see right away. But we feel. Insecurities eat our confidence and lies are born. We see our mistakes too late. But that's good just like that. If we never made mistakes then we'd never learn. Everyone and everything is imperfect. The shinobi world especially. Perfection leads to insanity. Don't forget, life is too short, don't let it pass you by. We waste a lot of time crying over wasted time. It's not about what people think, it's how you feel inside."

Naruto looked at him blankly, "Was that supposed to comfort me? You did a pretty.... bad job." Nagato just smiled slightly, "Look at it whatever way you want. I lost too many people, killed too many people, made too many mistakes and I want to die. But then I can't help but think back. At everything I lived through and for. What if there is nothing after life. Then you just disappear. It's sad to think. But it's true. And I think about Konan, how she would have to live alone, without me or Yahiko. After being an Akatsuki member no one would have allowed her anywhere. She is strong, but even the strongest of opponents have weaknesses. And even the strongest of heros fall." That smile stayed plastered on his face and he left quietly. Naruto didn't look back and he honestly didn't have too.
He already knew.

TBC