Just then the world erupted in white as the Unbreakable Rasengan met the unstoppable Chidiri.

----------

The Energy release that resulted from the two Jutsu's was devastating. The explosion that followed totally decimated all plant life in a circle more than three hundred feet across, and when the smoke cleared there appeared to be only one person still on his feet. Orochimaru couldn't help but smirk even wider when he saw the victor.

----------

Almost one hundred miles away, a village had just gone on high Alert.

"Alright People" said Tsunade "You know what that Aura means, and you know what may have just happened."

Tsunade looked intently at the faces gathered. They included most of the ANBU, Jirayia, Kakashi, Hyuuga Haishi, and several others.

"The Kyuubi may have broken loose."

Everyone present flinched

"It's not a certainty, but it's a possibility. So to be on the safe side, Hyuuga-sama, you will take the ANBU and start the evacuation of the city into our mountain holds. They are not necessarily a perfect protection, but they are certainly better than nothing. If anyone asks, tell them it's a readiness exercise. Kakashi, you and I are going to investigate. If the Kyuubi has indeed broken free, I will attempt to slow or stop it long enough for you to get back here to warn everyone."

Tsunade noticed that several people were opening their mouths, presumably to argue with her.

"THIS IS NOT A REQUEST."

She managed to reign in her temper, but only just barely

"As Hokage, it's my duty to keep everyone safe. None of this is negotiable; if you open your mouths the only words that had better come out are 'Yes Hokage-sama' anything else will be considered as treason in a time of war, and the result will NOT be pretty. Am I clear?"

Almost as one voice they answered "Yes Hokage-sama"

Hmmm I may need to try that more often Thought Tsunade.

"All right, Kakashi with me, everyone else, dismissed"

Back at the clearing the smoke had finally drifted enough for the snake to see properly, and what he saw both shocked and amazed him. Standing nearest to him was Sasuke, His hand frozen in the same position it had been in when he went for the kill. That wasn't the surprise however. The surprise was the fact that Naruto had his left arm holding Sasuke's just off to the right hand side of his body. The REAL shocker however was the fact that Naruto had not only managed to catch and hold Sasuke in the middle of the Chidiri strike, but he had also used the Rasengan to scratch a single line across the center of Sasuke's forehead protector.

For a moment the silence hung heavy in the air, and then.

"Who are you?"

Silence

"Who are you really, that you need to go to such great lengths to prove your own weakness?"

Silence. Sasuke just stood with his mouth open, staring at Naruto. Naruto on the other hand had his left hand holding Sasuke in place and his right about five inches from Sasuke's head plate.

"I used to know a man, this man had your face, your voice" Naruto released Sasuke's hand

"He used to find things funny, he used to laugh. Then a terrible thing happened. His family was killed by a traitor."

Sasuke's mouth just opened and closed. Naruto appeared wreathed in a nearly pure White Aura. I say nearly pure white because as you looked you couldn't help but notice that the white seemed to be at container for a red aura, and the red appeared to be caged within.

"This man I knew was strong however. I was certain that he would have no trouble pulling through. In fact, I was, no, I AM surprised he wasn't pulled through by the people of the village in which he lived. You see they loved him. Any of them would have helped had they the slightest indication that he needed help. It was an honor therefore when I was picked to join him. Although I didn't show it, I was secretly thrilled. I Uzumaki Naruto was to work with the great Uchiha Sasuke. I did work with him. In fact he and I became close friends. Despite our differences, I would have been proud to call him my brother."

Naruto's voice dropped to a whisper

"In fact, I looked up to him with an adoration that only a younger brother can feel. In public I acted a fool. In private I trained, I pushed myself to my limits and beyond. What I didn't, what I couldn't see was that my brother was killing himself. Slowly but surly he let hate and despair kill him. He became so obsessed with power that he refused to let anyone near him. I know for a fact that his other teammate loved him."

"THAT'S A LIE!" Sasuke shouted, finally managing to break the spell Naruto had him shrouded in. "IT IS NOW, AND NEVER WILL BE ANYTHING BUT A CRUSH!"

"You're wrong Sasuke" said Naruto, his eyes glowing slightly "and we both know it. She may have only had a crush to begin with, but I think we both know that it's more than that now."

"I never asked for it" Whispered Sasuke "I never wanted it to happen, not until I killed Itachi"

"I know Sasuke," said Naruto "but it happened anyway, and even worse for your ambition, I think you love her back."

"NO! You LIE! You LIE and you're just trying to stop me! Well it WON'T WORK!"

As he spoke these words Sasuke's Left hand charged up another Chidiri. The moment it was complete he thrust it forward into Naruto's stomach.

Pain beyond all pain my friends; Naruto had never known such pain as he felt in that one blinding moment. Sasuke, in his blind rage had unwittingly pushed his hand right through the fourths seal…. and completely destroyed it. Yet for some reason Kyuubi didn't react to his newfound freedom. Instead he remained silent.

Sasuke fell to his knees "BROTHER!" he wept, "Oh brother, what have I done to you?"

Naruto didn't respond. He just lay there silent. It was at this moment that Kakashi and Tsunade arrived. Sasuke didn't say a thing, he just sat and wept. Kakashi stood looking down at the still form of Naruto. Kyuubi…. Kyuubi was having an argument within himself. You see, true bravery, true purity is a rare thing. In our world as well as theirs and although Kyuubi was now free, his presence was the only thing keeping Naruto alive. Even the greatest of all demons was not without emotion, and things are rarely everything they seem to be. He stayed. He stayed out of simple morbid curiosity to see if the last of the Uzumaki had the spirit within him to survive. Tsunade on the other hand was frantic.

"NARUTO!"

Tsunade, the fifth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf village, the mover and the builder of the Leaf's future, rushed forward "Naruto, Ototo! You had better not die on me!" she started sobbing even as she frantically worked to repair the damage "I... I don't know if I could survive the…. The loss of another loved one… Please… Please… Hang on…" With that she broke down crying, for all her skill his heart had just stopped, and she couldn't bring it back.

In the trees another of the Sennin was silently retreating. There was nothing he could do at the moment, not with so many leaf shinobe around, but he hadn't given up yet. Oh no, not by a long shot.

Soon Sasuke-kun. Soon you will again be compelled to seek me out, and THIS time that blonde brat won't be around to stop you. You've just made sure of that!