It was odd how much could change in a year or two.
How nations would grow and recede. How much a naive young chunin could become a force to be reckoned with. How wars would start and end so suddenly, and especially how quickly peace would be established. Indeed the shinobi world of today would hardly be recognized by previous generations.
The only part they would recognize would have been the Fourth Great Shinobi War, and even then it would be a jarring sight. In the time of Madara and Hashirama, wars would endure for countless generations, not begin and end in three days. In their day it was an endless blood feud between clans, brutal fighting in a brutal and fractured world. But in this age, the war had been fought by all nations. Not against each other, but beside one another. The entire world uniting against a common threat, piling together their resources and shinobi to see their world continue. The sight of this change would certainly be jarring for those of ages past.
Naruto chuckled at the image of old geezers standing open-mouthed at the thought of joining forces. Despite his current...Uphill route, Naruto felt no small amount of mirth thinking of how his world had gone through such an amazing metamorphosis from a divided - if relatively stable collection - of nations to a unified world of peace and prosperity. But then again, no metamorphosis was without its difficulties or share of ugliness, and the world needed to experience a true calamity before it rose above the ashes.
That thought caused Naruto's quiet smile to fade, but he continued his steep climb while the experience of the war flashed in his mind. So much had changed because of the events of three short days.
The war itself had been a nightmare from start to finish, an ordeal that would certainly be remembered for all of time. From the army of bizarre plant men called Zetsus to the reanimated corpses being forced to fight their former brethren, to all the tailed beasts fighting in one area. It was an earth-shattering horror unlike any seen before.
It only grew worse when the enemy of all shinobi, Madara Uchiha was resurrected. The bane of life, the walking nightmare had returned, and he sought what so many others wanted; power. The power to control all, to rule supreme over a world of his making. To that end he had summoned the king of monsters, the Ten Tailed Beast. A creature that possessed power that surpassed Madara and Hashirama's power combined a thousand fold. An eldritch abomination that had until that day existed only in myth.
Madara's plans were briefly foiled when his pawn Obito somehow managed to absorb the creature and fought against the Allied Shinobi Forces. But the efforts of Sasuke and Naruto had weakened him to the point where the ten-tails burst out of him like a fountain of supernatural horror. With Ten-Tails out in the open again, Madara sealed the beast within him as its nigh-unstoppable jinchuuriki, more powerful and devastating than Obito ever was. Naruto and Sasuke's combined strength didn't even slow him down. Nothing could stop him. His skill with the powers granted by the beast elevated him to a god that cut through hundreds of shinobi, and in the face of such power it seemed as if the shinobi world would fall. Darkness would reign supreme with Madara as its king.
But if there was one thing the world had learned from the war, it was that even in the darkest hours, one could find light and hope to keep moving forward. That hope had been in the form of Naruto Uzumaki, the number one knuckleheaded shinobi, whom had never stood down in the face of danger. Despite being battered and worn out, he somehow gathered the strength to go up against Madara, matching him blow for blow, a feat that was virtually impossible but somehow proved possible in his hands. Whether it was the grace of god or his own ridiculously thick head,Naruto pushed harder and fought fiercer than he ever had before in his life, fueled by some unbreakable resolve. He attacked with such ferocity that the majority of the forces were able to fall back and move the wounded while Madara and Naruto tore up the area.
But he could only fight Madara to a standstill for so long. It was only the timely intervention of Obito, Sasuke, Hinata, and a royally pissed off Sakura that gave Naruto a chance to regroup. A combination of Obito's remaining jinchuuriki power, Sasuke's Amaterasu, Hinata's Hyuga fighting style, and Sakura's targeting of Madara's weakspots - namely his face, neck, and groin - resulted in Madara's bond with the Ten-Tails was disrupted, which proved as enough of a distraction for Minato Namikaze to seal the other half of the Nine-Tailed Fox within his son.
With the full power of the fox in him, Naruto unleashed an assault on the unfocused Madara, whom couldn't even coordinate given the mindless nature of the Ten-Tails screaming in his mind. Obito himself fought with all his remaining strength to further twist and bend the connection, using a small amount of the Juubi's chakra he had clung to even as the creature burst from his body. By the time Madara regained his bearings, it was already too late.
Naruto had focused all his power into one jutsu. A massive golden and fiery Rasengan fueled by the Kyuubi, Sage Mode Chakra, and Naruto's own nature transformations. Then with one final effort, Naruto obliterated Madara and the tailed beast within him in a cataclysmic energy blast that left the entire world in awe, reeling from the sheer power the shinobi wielded. When the dust settled, the war was over.
In the aftermath, Naruto wounds were tended to by Sakura. She had applied expert medical care even as she alternated between crying in joy that they had survived and chewing out Naruto for being so damned reckless...Again. But the two of them were alive and well, and surprisingly happy. Eventually they both were carried to the medics tent, as Sakura herself had wounds from the fight she had been unable to address. Many others were healed in a slow process. But every life gained was more than worth it. There were many dead, and every person who could be saved from the Reaper's clutches was each a small victory.
Those who had died on the battlefield would be buried and forever remembered for their sacrifice in ensuring the world had a future. There were many losses, but they had died to end the threat of Akatsuki and Madara. All the fighting and bloodshed had ended, and the people of the shinobi world would live to see tomorrow.
There had been other changes since that day, ones that were made by leaders who were sick and angry with the disgusting measures taken by their governments. There was a public reveal of the circumstances behind the Uchiha revolt and the Nine-Tails attack on Konoha, thus finally telling all the world the truth. It was a hard one to stomach, but Tsunade refused to cover up such horrid events for so long and demanded the new world had a fresh start, and to prevent something like that from happening ever again. Danzo's Root organization was disbanded and reintegrated back into the Konoha community, and his full machinations were revealed. Naruto smirked despite his predicament, knowing that Danzo's vision of Konoha was dead and buried.
The Tailed Beasts sealed into and released from Madara's body had all but disappeared from the world. Naruto, Killer B, and the Kages knew that the creatures had gone into temporary exile. They wanted to "get a vacation, some sweet relaxation" as Killer B described it, before they would come back. It was likely they would return soon, thankfully far more peaceful after meeting Naruto in the war.
Then there were more mundane changes that were almost as shocking as the war's ending. One that shocked the entirety of Konoha was Fifth Hokage Tsunade's decision to adopt a son, namely Naruto himself. Even Sakura, the one who knew Tsunade better than anyone was shocked. After all the only motherly instinct the Hokage had displayed was a spectacular track record at "discipline," her own form of tough love. But when one got past the thick layers of crabby behavior, she was a loving woman, and one he had gotten to know very well since first meeting her. So Naruto accepted her as his adoptive mother, and with a nearly bone-cracking embrace Tsunade welcomed him as her adoptive son.
So now Naruto had a second mom...
He still had a hard time processing that, Sakura even moreso. Naruto smiled faintly as he remembered her ridiculous overreaction to the news. She had actually fainted because she had...Trouble processing her wise yet legendarily cranky mentor as a mom. Naruto didn't blame her one bit.
But the most shocking change, one that may have surpassed even the return of the Ten-Tails, was the peace that came after the war had ended. While the shinobi villages and nations were still separate, the animosity and intense divide between them had all but disappeared. Where there were once tense truces there were now joyful welcoming of brothers-in-arms, of friendship forged in the fires of war. It was decided that the Allied Shinobi Forces would work in tandem to rebuild the damage and loss done by the Akatsuki and Madara, building a brighter tomorrow. The shinobi world was moving forward with a speed and optimism that had never been seen before.
But Naruto didn't smile at that thought. After all, he still had work to do.
While the progress that had been made was nothing short of stunning and amazing, and he looked forward to perhaps leading the village of Konoha in this new age when Kakashi retired, he couldn't focus on that. No, not yet.
While he was joyful at the end of the war, there was still one last enemy to confront. An individual who had escaped the war without being caught. One final adversary that if left unchecked could destroy the peace they had all fought for.
Naruto grimaced, gripping onto a slippery rock to lift himself up. His circumstances in coming so far from the village weren't pleasant. He didn't want to be out here in the pouring rain. There was someone else who didn't want him going out on a dangerous mission either...
"Naruto, you don't have to do this."
"I know." His headband and shoes were secure.
"Orochimaru and Madara are dead. The Ten-Tails is gone. The War's over. He's got nothing. No allies or army, nothing."
"I know." Gloves were tight, and his utility belt was good.
"If he doesn't get picked off by ANBU, then another nation will find and execute him eventually."
"I know." His trusty sword Namikaze was sharpened, and his scrolls were packed.
"He's still a threat, but he's not stupid enough to attack Konoha with you and me here."
"I know." Everything was ready. He was ready. Satisfied and prepared for the coming battle, he slung his backpack over his shoulder and-
"Naruto, what are you looking for?"
He stopped.
The rain fell like mad. It hammered down on the forest, on the cliffside, and of course of Naruto, a mere speck of existence, an ant in the face of this torrential downpour. He loathed it to his core. It had been falling since he'd left the village, and it showed no signs of stopping for anyone or anything. Least of all a single shinobi, who was making a difficult climb despite the storm.
Naruto grunted as his hand gripped on the edge of a rock, hanging limply with a fragile hold over a dizzying height. His other hand slammed hard into the rock face, and with an uneasy foothold he leaped up ten feet. He quickly grabbed a particularly large piece of stone before gravity took hold, planted his feet on a large root, and took a moment to catch his breath. His climb would be a lot easier if there wasn't a storm overhead. Even with his hood up, this weather was proving detrimental to his progress. The rain splashed against his face, disturbing his eyesight to where he averted his gaze. Looking down he saw the thick forest he had trekked through surrounding the gigantic building. A beautiful sight, somewhat marred by the storm around him.
The downpour had been raging since he arrived in this area, and it made the ascent all the more difficult. The rocks were horribly slippery now, and the dirt was gradually turning into mud that wet his gloves, which only made it even more challenging.
Naruto thought back to Kakashi-sensei scaling mountains with one hand tied behind his back. As a kid he thought the exercise was ridiculous, insane even. Now that he was scaling a straight drop with the worst weather possible spattering his face, he was beginning to sincerely regret turning down Kakashi's climbing lessons.
Naruto would say anything to satisfy whatever bitter god had sent these dark clouds. He would happily tout the absolute genius of Jiraiya's perverted Icha Icha books from the heavens if it would get this damn rain to stop.
"Focus. Come on. You can't stop now." he thought, shaking off his mental ramblings.
Swallowing his frustration, Naruto dug his fingers deep into the caked soil around the rock and likewise brought his feet up, resting them on a bit of rubble sticking out of the cliff. The grip wasn't perfect, but it would have to do.
Naruto narrowed his eyes as he looked up. A few more jumps and he'd reach the top of this accursed pile of rubble. Or at least it looked like a pile rubble in it's current, wretched state.
Slowly he closed his eyes and took one deep breath to focus and quiet his mind. There was only the mission, and he had to complete it. It was that simple, and completing it began with finishing this climb. With force strong enough to dislodge the deeply embedded rocks, Naruto shot upwards.
Naruto bolted up the cliff like an eagle, knocking out the dirt and rocks from where he jumped. With agile skill he hopped from rock to rubble to indents in what had to be the remains of a massive wall. In one final leap, Naruto soared up and over the top, rocketing through the air to gain a clear view of the wrecked and crumbling structure around him. The sight wasn't pretty.
The rubble was scattered everywhere, a sign of a battle. The dome roof was collapsed in several places, and the interior of the building was definitely showing its age. The only remaining structures were two large square towers on opposite ends of the building, so tall they towered over Naruto even as he reached the top of his arc.
He fell back down with lightning speed, not bothering to worry about injury from something so piddly as a fifty-foot drop. His hood and black coat flapped out behind him like tails as he rocketed straight down to the roof faster than the rain itself. His feet landed with a small but harsh impact, joined quickly by his fist slamming down into the concrete. The decayed material cracked and splintered under him, signaling the arrival of Naruto Uzumaki. He had made it.
He didn't bother checking the area for enemies. He didn't need to. He'd scanned the entire complex with his Kurama-enhanced senses as he had scaled the cliff. There was only one person here who didn't want to hide. Why should he? Naruto and Sakura were the only ones on the planet who could be a threat to him. Besides, he and Naruto were both expecting this, they had been since the war ended.
"Naruto. It's about time you arrived."
Naruto's fist tightened as he slowly rose from his crouch. His head was angled down with arms at his side, ready for any sudden moves from his host, who seemed nonchalant about this sudden meeting. With an icy gaze Naruto pulled off his hood to glare back at the only other living creature within five miles of the ruined building. Ever since the battle between two brothers, all the wildlife had fled this building and the nearby forest from the magnitude of that the insects, birds and deer were utterly gone.
Naruto still remembered seeing the devastation wrought by that battle. The blood, the sick chakra in the air, the grim and rotten tang that hung over the entire building. But most of all he remembered the evil, monstrous flames that lingered for days, burning everything in their path. Those abominable black flames.
Even with the blood dried and flames gone, Naruto could feel the dark aura emanating from this place that was centered around the sole resident. Above him was their proud symbol: a large red war fan. Beneath it the man sat on a chair carved out of the stone that once comprised his clan's hideout. Naruto's former teammate and friend. A man he once called his brother, whom he'd gladly lay down his life to protect, whom he promised to bring back to their home no matter how many bones he had to break. Who'd been the cause of such pain in this world to so many innocent people, who now were calling him "The second Madara."
Now he was just his target, an objective. Another mission he had to complete.
"You're not exactly easy to find. Sasuke."
"Naruto, what are you looking for?"
He stopped, Sakura's question ringing in his ears.
"I just feel...Heavy."
"What do you mean?"
"I feel this burden on me. That's it." He averted his gaze with a troubled grimace, but she quickly walked up to him with a faintly commanding and nurse-like tone.
"Hey, come on now baka. Do not shut me out." She spoke sternly, though she softened at seeing him so troubled, and spoke quietly.
"Talk to me. Please." Her eyes pierced into his soul. He sighed, unable to hold up under her emerald orbs.
"There's a weight on my shoulders Sakura. I need to remove it. I need to remove...Him."
"But he's not coming back-" Then he snapped, barely containing his anger and fear.
"We don't know that! We can't know for sure that he won't go on the warpath, again! I am not risking anyone's safety over Sasuke suddenly becoming complacent! Least of all yours Sakura!"
"Naruto.." Sakura muttered, surprised by his burst. He sighed, apologetic.
"I'm sorry Sakura. I don't mean to get angry at you. I just...I have to do this,"
He stroked her pink hair.
"I'm not happy about choosing to do this Sakura, I wish he could just disappear forever, leave the rest of the world and us get on with our lives. But I know he won't."
She looked deep in his eyes with a question burning in her mind.
"Do you hate yourself for choosing to do this?" she asked
Naruto paused.
"No."
Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki. Two sides of the same coin. Brothers, rivals, friends, opponents, comrades, enemies. Glaring at each other, they stood atop the ruins of what was the Uchiha hideout as the torrential downpour fell across the dome, slowing gathering into dirty puddles or slowly flowing off the parts of the roof that were still intact around them. The clouds overhead were black as night, heavy as steal, growing more intense the closer Naruto got to the hideout. Now they stood in the center of the storm, its apex. The weather itself seemed to mirror the deathly air created by the two shinobi.
A large, heavy raindrop fell onto Naruto's headband with a faint plink. Slowly it fell down the smooth and polished metal until it fell, fell just below Naruto's eye onto his cheek. But he didn't react, he was too focused on his enemy. His senses were picking up everything around him. He noticed that raindrop, every raindrop that fell on his body. He felt the faint cold breeze flowing through the rain, and he felt every fiber, muscle, and bone in his body stand ready. Ready to fight the Uchiha who sat leisurely on the crumbled throne, glaring back at Naruto with his clear black eyes. Eyes that held a much darker power than most in this world, that could trap one's mind in a never-ending torture, or bathe the target in nigh-immortal black flames, or even summon a radiant giant capable of rewriting the maps with a single sword swing. Right now, Naruto faced a monster with cold killer instincts, yet was once his best friend.
"So...How are you nowadays Sasuke?"
Sasuke's blank stare barely changed at the question, and he remained silent.
"Are you doing well?" Naruto looked at the surroundings. "You've got a nice place now. Though it could use some patching up in...Well, everywhere." Sasuke remained silent.
"Have you found somebody? Some nice girl to settle down with?" Naruto asked. "Or are you still doing that brooding routine? I guess that works if you want to be all mysterious. Being the strong silent type and such."
"Evidently you still prefer to babble on, Naruto." Sasuke said. "I'm surprised Sakura didn't pulverize you a thousand times over by now if you're still as talkative as ever."
"You have no idea." Naruto chuckled. "Thankfully she learned showing affection with her fists isn't the best approach."
"...So, you two are together I'm gathering."
"Pretty much yeah..." Naruto's eyes narrowed. "You jealous?" Sasuke almost showed an emotion when he scoffed.
"Please. It hardly matters to me that my former teammates are lovers now-"
"Vigorous lovers." Naruto interjected.
"-it doesn't matter to me anyway. I never had interest in her to begin with." Naruto would've burst into laughter at that line, if he didn't feel so mirthless with Sasuke's casual disregard for them all.
"I gathered that when you tried killing her. Twice." Naruto faintly snarled. Sasuke could only sigh.
"Are we really going to be spending all night talking about romance Naruto?"
"Well it's not like we could talk about the weather now could we." Naruto looked up at the sky, seeing the heavy pitch black clouds looming overhead. Clouds that waited for the inevitable bloodshed to stain the water. "Sasuke, you should have found a different place. Maybe one with a roof." Sasuke merely sneered as rain fell around them with a soft pitter-patter as it collided with the stone.
"Well, it's not like I had anywhere else to go." he spoke venomously. Naruto shook his head with a bittersweet sigh. Even after all this time Sasuke had to know better than that.
"You had a home Sasuke." Naruto faintly snickered. "Once."
Naruto's gaze remained affixed to Sasuke. The former Konoha shinobi wore a black cloak nearly identical to his former Akatsuki garb, minus the red cloud pattern. Naruto could see the edge of a red and white circle on his back, the Uchiha symbol. His former comrade bore the hatred of his clan on his back, and it shined through his now blood red Sharingan eyes. He didn't attack, he didn't even move a muscle. Merely looked back with those damned eyes, filled with contempt and loathing of the knucklehead shinobi.
"The village was never my home Naruto, never our home." He indicated to the fan symbol of his clan, and looked back at Naruto with quiet disgust. "My clan was broken and tamed by the First Hokage when they came to the village. It was a prison for them, and it stopped being my home when it ripped the Uchiha to shreds."
"The plans of a corrupt few ripped your clan apart Sasuke." Naruto corrected. "One of whom you killed already, and the other two were fired for incompetence...Finally." Sasuke spat at the ground.
"Don't try to pretend the village is innocent in this. Your beloved Third Hokage agreed with their plan, and used my brother to kill everyone he ever knew, save me. Did people mourn for my clan's loss? Did the villagers ever acknowledge the massacre? No, they moved on from a clan they had wronged from the very start."
"We did build a memorial to your clan Sasuke, after the war ended."
"Is that supposed to make me forgive you all?" Sasuke responded. "Nice try, but nothing has ever filled that void Naruto. None of you ever came close to healing that wound, and you never will."
"So, it all meant nothing to you then. The time spent fighting, bleeding, laughing, it never meant a damn thing in your eyes." Naruto chuckled as the rain continued to fall. "No, if it meant nothing to you, there would've been no point in you trying to kill me back at the Valley. Guess you're a lot more heartless than I thought. if you're willing to kill your best friend...Again."
Sasuke did not respond as his blank face morphed into a frown. His fist clenched tight on his chair as Naruto felt a flow of dark chakra from him.
"It did mean something, once. The friendship we once had made me stronger and helped me realize my goals. But it does not mean anything to me now. Now that village is just an insult to my clan, made by the same villagers who are now living in peace, while the last monument to my clan crumbles around me! My brother is dead, Obito is dead, Madara is dead. Everyone in my clan is dead! I'm the last of the Uchiha, but I will not let our legacy die here!" Sasuke rose from his seat, picking up his sword and holstering it at his side. Naruto began to feel a tenseness in his gut. It wouldn't be long now.
"The sight of my clans home is now a mass grave, abandoned to the ravages of time. I cannot let that village stand free of their crimes." Naruto gazed back into Sasuke's bitter eyes, unfeeling. His eyes were focused but lacked emotion, staring forth and fueled by hatred as black as the flames of Amaterasu.
That village.
That was all what Konoha was to Sasuke Uchiha now. Just the oppressors of his clan, a crime he felt that every man, woman, and child was fully guilty of. It was an insult to him and his clan, something to wipe of the face of the earth.
"And if I cannot have my revenge, then I will take you, who, the bandits now call the 'Orange Fire Shadow ' with me." Naruto couldn't help but feel a tiny spark of pride at his nickname that had spread across the countries. But he regained his senses as Sasuke slowly stepped down from his throne.
"I can't just let you waltz in and destroy my home Sasuke. You know I wont let you touch a single hand on a single villager. If I have to take you down, then I will."
Sasuke drew his blade, Kusanagi, and brandished it with practiced hands.
"I want Konoha gone, yet you want me dead. It seems we're at an impasse."
"I never said I wanted to kill you Sasuke." Naruto responded grimly. The words made Sasuke scowl.
The dumb-ass came here with such weak resolve, so little mettle in his heart, and expected to survive!?
"Then tell me Naruto, what do you want? Why are you here!?"
Naruto did not respond, titling his gaze up to the clouds. They poured down on them as if the angels themselves were crying for the battle that was about to begin. He looked up at those clouds with thoughts Sasuke couldn't feel. For all his time spent with the jinchuuriki, the dope could still keep his thoughts and motives to himself.
That the idiot came here without intent to kill was only further insult to him. It was like Naruto refused to acknowledge his emotions, still insisting that he'd bring Sasuke back home to Konoha!
"Well, you'll have to kill me first if you want to accomplish anything!" Sasuke charged straight at Naruto, splashing through puddles with lightning speed, jumping through the air with sword held high and flickering with lightning that swung through straight down to Naruto's head.
But with a magnificent clang that scattered water all around them, Sasuke found his blade meeting Naruto's own weapon: Namikaze. Forged from special chakra-absorbing metal and Naruto's old headband, the collapsible wide blade had extended from his arm in a flash and knocked aside Sasuke's Sword of Kusanagi. Sasuke quickly moved his feet to nimbly kick off the blonde shinobi, who hardly reacted from the sudden force. The Uchiha landed in a puddle with a large splash while the Uzumaki readjusted his stance through several small patches of water with Namikaze extended to its full length on his arm.
There they stood. Friends & enemies. Ready for battle.
The two bolted straight at each other, blades at the ready. Sasuke brought his sword rushing down while Namikaze sang it's metallic melody through the raindrops that landed on its blade. The weapons moved so quickly that raindrops were divided in their wake, and then they collided. The force was so great the rain all around the dome briefly stopped, scattered aside from the impact.
For a split second, the dome was calm, quiet. Then the torrent resumed, crashing down on the roof as the warriors engaged each other. Their weapons danced as their wielders slashed and stabbed at each other in a flurry of swordplay. Only one would survive. Only one of them would live to see their dreams come true. But something tickled Naruto's mind, distracting him in the midst of the battle.
Sasuke's question still rang in Naruto's ears as their blades danced through the rain.
Why had he come here?
"Why are you doing this Naruto? We've won the war."
"I know we have. It's just that..."
Naruto slumped down on their bed with a heavy sigh. Sakura sat next to him, pulling him close to her and resting his head on her shoulder.
"I know you're not doing this out of revenge Naruto. You're not going to kill him, or anyone out of petty childhood squabbles."
"Well, we all had a hand in those...Disagreements Sakura." Naruto spoke dryly.
"I know..." She leaned on him, stroking his hair in silence for a time as the memories of their days bickering with each other in Team 7 came racing back. Arguing amongst themselves and ridiculing one another without mercy. She had thrown such scorn at him. So many punches.
But most of all she remembered the day she begged him to bring back Sasuke, a day that caused him so much grief for years. She still felt guilty over it, him making that damn promise.
"Naruto," she whispered "I can't ever apologize enough to you, but I'm still so sorry for all the pain I caused you back then."
Naruto merely smiled, kissing her cheek in response.
"Don't be. It's in the past now, and besides...It was all worth it just to be here with you."
"...Really?"
"Yep."
"...Thank you." She whispered with a content smile.
For a while, the two sat there, taking time to enjoy being with each other. Hearing the sound of the others heartbeat, the rise and fall of their breathing. Sakura was truly content. No, overjoyed to be here with him, her one true love.
"Naruto, I'm happy beyond words to be here now. But taking up this mission. Going off to kill...Him. I can't help it, but I'm scared." Naruto sat up quickly to look Sakura in the eyes with fierce determination and assurance.
"Don't be. He'll never come back to haunt us." Sakura frowned slightly in response.
"I'm not scared for myself Naruto. I'm scared for you. Even if Sasuke is just a loner now, he was once a person I was fond of. You two were like brothers before he left. I know he meant a lot to you just like he did me. He was our teammate and friend, and I'm frightened of what killing him will do to you."
Naruto had no words to respond with, and Sakura's eyes drilled into his very being.
"Naruto, why is it that only you can do this?" She said. Naruto opened his mouth, but he was hushed when Sakura placed a finger on his lips. Fingers that could pierce through titanium rested like a feather
"Now don't you dare say something like closure, I know you. You loved Sasuke like a brother, and this can't be something as simple as closure. Please, look me in the eye and tell me why, why is this something only you can do?"
End of Part 1
