Naruto's Exam

"Ming, congratulations, you have become a true urban elite."

Naruto smiled and said, "Thank you, Hinata. Although this is me from that world, I think I can also create my own legend in this city."

"Ahem!" Nara Shikamaru interrupted their conversation, "Naruto, do you have an answer to that question?"

“Hmm? You’ve figured it out?”

Shikamaru smiled bitterly, "But I can't help you. The message for help came from 32-year-old Sasuke. I tried various methods to reveal the answer to you, but none of them worked. You have to solve it on your own. This is the only way."

Naruto closed his eyes and thought, trying his best to recall the six stages of life and seven life goals that Sasuke had mentioned.

Shuzuo raised his eyebrows: "Do you need to say it again, little brother?"

Even after so many years, he still remembered that he couldn't even remember the most basic tests.

"No need, I remember it clearly." Naruto's blue eyes flashed with determination.

Shikamaru knew Naruto, and he knew his friend had found the answer, "You thought of it?"

"Um."

Naruto pulled a pen out of his briefcase.

He knelt in front of the first slab of stone and carefully wrote two words.

"admit"

Although the font is crude, you can see Naruto's care and depth.

When Uchiha Itachi saw these two words, the image of 5-year-old Sasuke appeared in front of him - a child from the Uchiha family, carrying a longbow and quiver.

'Brother, I want to go with you!'

"Why do you only praise your brother?"

"My brother and dad have a terrible relationship..."

"I don't want to be a replacement for my brother."

The words from the past reappeared as if it were yesterday, and Itachi could never forget every word.

"I'm sorry, Sasuke, I..." Itachi looked at the 32-year-old Sasuke, who was from another dimension compared to his brother...

Shusa looked at Itachi: "Why apologize?"

Itachi was speechless for a moment. Was it because he had made him lose his family and clan, or because he had arranged his fate so that he could not struggle? Or perhaps he had kept it a secret from him, like a puppet of the Sand Ninja?

Shu Zuo smiled slightly, with a hint of bitterness: "As always, wait until next time, I'm used to it."

"Hmph!" The young Sasuke hugged his child to his chest, turned around stubbornly and snorted.

......

On the second stone tablet, as everyone expected, Naruto engraved the word "revenge".

These are his two major revenge plans: one within Konoha, and the other outside of Konoha.

The 32-year-old Sasuke sometimes wondered if he had not said those hurtful words to Naruto, if he had followed Naruto back to Konoha, would he have understood the truth of all this earlier.

What if he had another choice?

......

The third word Naruto carved was "Revival".

That was the vision Uchiha Sasuke had set on the day he first joined Kakashi's Team 7.

But at some point, this dream was replaced by revenge.

It was not until the Fourth Ninja World War that he learned about the history of the Senju and Uchiha, as well as the ninja village, family, and the obsession with carrying on Indra's bloodline.

After that, the ideal of reviving the Uchiha clan died.

......

The fourth stone tablet, "Defeat", the handwriting is still rough.

The 32-year-old Sasuke clearly remembers that it was from the moment his brother passed away that he knew the "truth".

He stood on the rocks at the shore, tears rolling down his cheeks as the waves roared. The moment his Mangekyō Sharingan opened, he decided to switch from "snake" to "eagle" in order to defeat Konoha!

At that time, his world seemed pitch black, just like the blindness before he opened his eyes.

......

"Transformation" is the fifth stage and also the shortest one.

Sasuke looked at the short blond figure. In another twenty years, the back of the figure would be as tall as his.

Wearing the majestic robe symbolizing the Seventh Hokage, he devoted himself to the construction of Konoha and worked hard for world peace.

It was this guy who made the "change" last only one day and one night.

......

"Atonement" is the sixth stage, which lasted for several decades, from the end of the Fourth Shinobi World War until the Sixth Hokage became Hokage, a time when the world was in ruins.

It was not until the Seventh Hokage moved into the Hokage Building that a "little bastard" begged him for help, crying that he was too busy.

I don’t know where all his copies have gone!

Only then did the road of atonement end and a new chapter begin:

"Guard", at this moment, the word "る (ru)" was engraved on the stone slab.

Just like Sasuke's life, it started from dawn, haze and storm, gradually turned into drizzle, and finally the sun penetrated the clouds and the rainbow washed away all the shadows.

Not only Sasuke, but everyone who heard him share those seven goals also came out of their depression.

Itachi chuckled, "Even if I'm not your Uchiha Itachi, it's good to see you grow and find a new direction, Sasuke."

"Yes, brother." 32-year-old Sasuke nodded.

Naruto stood up, stretched lazily, swung his numb legs and turned around.

The silvery moonlight shone on his no longer lively face, and his golden hair seemed slightly dull, but it also revealed a different kind of calmness and understanding.

Just as the Fourth Hokage knew very well, every late night, Naruto was alone and quietly experiencing the loneliness.