Chapter-29

"..." Ibara pursed her lips, her gaze shifting away in response to the question. After taking a deep breath, she spoke again, "Everyone says you're a murderer... but you killed to defend yourself. The only question I have for you is... Do you like shedding blood and taking lives?" She posed the query without hesitation, creating a tense and heavy atmosphere between them.

"No..." came the simple response from the shinobi, who continued to gaze into the distance, all the while being scrutinized by the girl.

"Do you regret what you've done?" She asked again, this time with Ibara summoning the courage to firmly grasp Naruto's hand. He had to meet her gaze this time. "Do you regret every wrong you've committed thus far?" For a moment, silence enveloped them, the only sound being the rustle of the wind.

"There isn't a single day that I don't," several images flashed through the blonde's mind. He carried a long list of things he wished he could've changed, but life rarely unfolded as one desired. "I've made too many mistakes... but if I don't make the toughest decisions... who will? I know I have unforgivable sins, Ibara-san. I know that in the eyes of your Lord, I'm destined for hell... but I'm willing to go if it means preventing those who deserve death from causing more pain. Maybe I won't earn the gates to paradise, but I can ensure that good people get to live peaceful lives at my expense." As he began to rise, he paused when he felt Ibara's grip on his left hand tighten.

"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and all malice be put away from you. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:31 and 32," the teenager recited from memory without letting go of the shinobi's hand. "If our heavenly father forgave us when we killed his son... you can forgive yourself for your own mistakes. No one is perfect, Uzumaki-san. We all make some mistakes more than others, but there is no sin that cannot be forgiven by our father. Killing, though one of the worst sins... I can see that you truly regret it." Releasing Naruto's hand, the girl stood up, keeping her Bible and cleaning her uniform of all dirt. "If you ever need someone to lean on, you can count on me, Naruto-kun." Giving a slight bow, she began to walk away as the bell signaling the end of the break rang.

Naruto remained silent, watching the teenager depart. Slowly, he made his way back to his class, lost in his thoughts, constantly reflecting on what the young believer had said. Upon arriving at his class, he waited for the school day to conclude so he could return home. He had no desire to interact with his classmates; he was weary of everything and simply wanted to rest.

When the final bell rang, he wasted no time in leaving the classroom. He limped through the hallways, his thoughts heavy. At times like these, he was tempted to ask the sealed entity within him to heal him, but the price she demanded was too steep, even for him.

As he reached the academy's exit, he heard approaching footsteps. He stopped and found himself surprised to see nearly all the members of Class-A, with the exception of Bakugo, Todoroki, and Mineta, rushing toward the entrance. Momo, who appeared to be leading the group, called out to him. Naruto waited, calmly facing the group of students. Many seemed unsure, with Momo, Midoriya, Iida, and Hagakure standing at the forefront, while others provided support from behind.

"We know what everyone says about you, and we just want you to know that no matter what, you're still our teammate. You saved our lives," Midoriya spoke confidently, a noticeable change from his usual stuttering.

"Even if everyone thinks you're crazy, you can always count on us! We're your friends!" Toru's flowing uniform moved up and down imperfectly, emphasizing his excitement. "You yourself said that you consider us your comrades! We consider you our comrade too!" Several heads nodded in agreement with the invisible teenager's words.

"I shared with them... what Oka-san told me." Momo approached the group at a cautious pace until she stood just a few steps away from Naruto. "You nearly lost your life protecting us... we're sorry you had to face prison for us. Some of us still feel uneasy, and I won't deny that your methods can be intimidating at times, but we want to be your comrades, your friends, regardless of your demeanor." A moment of silence enveloped the academy's exit, with Class-A students anxiously awaiting Naruto's response.

Naruto's faint smile conveyed more than words ever could, bringing smiles to the faces of the future heroes as well. Perhaps it was indeed time to forge new bonds.

[ Reader's please help me achieve goals and I will upload bonus chapters..

GOAL:- 300 PS- 1 BONUS Chapter

600 PS- 2 BONUS Chapter

900 PS- 3 BONUS Chapter

Also if there are more than they will be calculated in same way and I will upload them on same day. ]