Naruto: Sasuke's Story
Original Story by Masashi Kishimoto, Written by Shin Towada

The Great Ninja War has ended, but to untangle the mystery that remains, Sasuke sets out on a journey—a journey that he hopes will allow him to atone for his sins. During his travels, those ninja faithful to the avenger Sasuke bring about tragedy. Meanwhile danger closes in on the villages of Konoha, Kiri, and Kumo, where red eyes burn with hatred. What is the future Sasuke stares down?

Here is a sneak peak from the new Naruto novel, available now.

PROLOGUE

I was alone and starved of love, a child spurred on by hatred. I took a different path from my friend, who knew pain similar to my own. I chose a path of further loneliness.

Connections give rise to the warmth of emotion, and these occasionally flashed brightly, exposing my own weakness in the harsh light of day. My body was enveloped in darkness; I turned my back to the light, my heart stained black with hatred.

To get revenge on my older brother, Itachi, who killed my clan, my family. To get revenge on Konoha for pinning all their crimes on Itachi, for using him. To bring about a revolution in this world and build a world without mistakes with my own power.

I can’t just let you go!!

And there, my only friend standing in my way. A shinobi who knows my pain. Relentlessly honest, he is a man who does not stray from his word.

I brushed him off any number of times, even tried to take his life. And yet he did not give up, he did not abandon me; he desperately reached out to me, locked onto me. And this man—the man I tried so hard to sever my relationship with—he pulled me out of my solitude.

I lost.

I remember the dazzling light of the morning sun in the Valley of the End—although I had chosen the place with the intent of a final, decisive battle—the pain we shared in our hearts, the warm tears on my cheeks. I will never forget.

Naruto. My friend. He said, What I wanna do is get all shinobi to cooperate with each other! Including you, of course!

I am in Naruto’s world. I am blessed to exist.

His was like the warmth I once got from my family. It made me feel that I truly existed in this world. The connections with my family, the love.

Revenge had supported me. At the same time, it had eaten away at me. Hatred raced through my body like a poison, and killed all other human emotion. And when I was in that state, he lit the fire in my heart once more.

I stepped onto a new path. A path leading from the past to the future. It is not an even path, however. This world still contains all kinds of pain.

Sharingan in my right eye, rinnegan in my left.

The future reflected in these eyes that once stared into darkness…