One possible scenario is that Naruto loses all his powers. He has been defined by his strength and his ability to protect. Without it, he may feel useless and worthless, leading to a desire to die. For instance, if he is cursed and loses his chakra completely.
Minati could be deeply saddened. If he has been following Naruto's journey, seeing him die would be like losing a friend. He might shed some tears and feel a sense of emptiness. He may also feel angry towards the circumstances or the character responsible for Naruto's death.
I don't have any data to suggest that it's a popular fanfic. There are so many Naruto fanfics out there that it's hard to determine the popularity of one without proper research.
I'm not sure specifically as there could be many different 'naruto is left to die' fanfics with various plots. But generally, it might involve Naruto being in a situation where his comrades abandon him or he is placed in a deadly situation by some malicious force, and then he has to struggle to survive on his own.
Perhaps in the fanfic's plot, Naruto discovers some dark secrets about his origin or the ninja world that make him feel so disgusted or hopeless that he wants to die. Like if he finds out that the very system he has been fighting for is corrupt at its core.
There could be a scenario where Naruto sacrifices himself to save Boruto or the entire Hidden Leaf Village from a catastrophic event like a massive attack by an unknown and dangerous force. He might use all his chakra to protect the village, leaving him with no energy to survive.
Here are some recommendations for novels where the protagonist wants to die but can't:
1. " A Gentleman of Wei who is Unafraid of Death ": The male protagonist of this novel wants to die but can't. He meets your requirements.
2. " The Final Catastrophe ": The protagonist of this novel is a prehistoric monster. He wants to die, but he can't. Even the Heavenly Dao can't do anything to him.
Please note that the novels recommended above are based on the search results provided. There may be other novels that meet the requirements that have not been mentioned.
An Orochimaru Wants Naruto fanfic might revolve around Orochimaru's attempts to capture Naruto for his unique chakra. He might believe that Naruto's chakra can help him in his research on immortality or in creating more powerful jutsus. It could also be about how Naruto resists Orochimaru's advances and the battles that ensue between them. Another aspect could be Orochimaru trying to manipulate Naruto's friends to get to him.
One idea could be that Naruto realizes his feelings for Anko during a mission. Maybe they are stuck together in a dangerous situation and he sees a different side of her. This makes him start to think about a future with her.
In the Naruto universe, Naruto could achieve promotion by proving his strength in battles. He needs to show his growth in ninja skills, like his jutsu proficiency. For example, mastering more advanced Rasengan variations would impress the higher - ups. Also, his leadership skills matter. If he can lead successful missions and inspire his teammates, that would be a great plus for his promotion.