They moved and fought as if nothing else in the world existed. Every attack was sloppy like their academy days. With everything on the line, they moved in urgency. Naruto ducked under a kick aimed at his temple and aimed an uppercut directly at Sasuke's chin. The hit connected and the raven-haired avenger was launched into the air. The blonde Jinchuriki hadn't finished his onslaught just yet. He channeled chakra into his feet and jumped right above the flying Uchiha. He let a brutal ax kick hit his childhood friend center mass. Sasuke was sent to the cold ground and a crater was formed from his impact.

He laid in pain with a broken sternum and ribcage. Unable to move he was forced to stay in his current position. His thoughts lingered onto his life up to this point. He's killed so many, betrayed so many, wronged so many. Yet he felt no regret. He would laugh if it didn't cause so much pain at that moment in time. He wondered just how this situation would end but in the back of his mind. He knew the outcome as if it were predetermined. No matter how many times you fought your brother, they'd forgive you, right? He'd forgiven Itachi once he knew the truth.

Naruto's brain was racing a mile a minute. After his last attack, he'd expected Sasuke to stand back up and continue to fight. But he had laid there. The blond hero slowly trekked his way over to the crater with his kunai drawn in a reverse grip. He'd found the dark-haired teen in a pitiful state. He'd appeared to roll over onto his back into a flat position to try and alleviate the pain. Naruto crouched next to the injured avenger and they sat in deathly silence for who knows how long. Eventually, a lone leaf had flown past them and Sasuke had decided to break the silence

.

He spoke through slowed breaths and asked a rhetorical question, "I guess you won, eh Naruto?"

Naruto looked over him and smiled softly. The sort of smile where you cherish this moment forever because you know it'd never happen again. He wondered how they'd gotten in this situation. They had defeated the genocidal matriarch of all chakra Kaguya Ōtsutsuki. Then shit hit the fan almost instantly. The person closest to him had declared he'd unite the world by killing all the strongest threats to him. After they were dead, everyone else would unite once more and try to defeat him. If it had worked for the 4th shinobi war, why wouldn't it work a second time?

He spoke with a grin so wide his eyes closed and said: "I guess I won, you bastard!"

Naruto may lack common sense sometimes, but he was no idiot. Sasuke was in bad shape. His kick packed more power than he expected. He took the time to examine his best frenemies state. Sasuke's brow seemed to be permanently furrowed as he laid on his side. He softly cradled his ribs and had his eyes closed tight.

Naruto placed his left hand on Sasuke's scalp and ran his hands through his hair trying to comfort his friend. Every bone from his ribs to his sternum had punctured Sasuke in someway, and he was living on borrowed time. They both knew it.

"It feels like we are destined to do this time and time again Naruto. To be reborn and to die in an endless cycle that we have no chance of stopping. To grow stronger and stronger as time goes on, just for one of us to destroy the other."

A sad smile was replaced by a bitter frown on the orange ninja's face. He sat for a long time before responding.

"You might be right. Are we supposed to keep fighting until the old man sage's dreams are fulfilled? It makes me think that Neji was right years ago. Maybe our fate is decided before we're born."

Sasuke inhaled deeply before speaking with many labored breaths again. "But you naruto, are yourself unique. You and Asura's fate is to break fate itself. I believe that one day you will end our cycle of hatred. No many how times it takes, I know that one day you will succeed."

Sasuke Uchiha had closed his eyes and focused on breathing. Naruto reached for his hand and Sasuke accepted. Naruto noticed the weak grip and held his head low, his hair falling over his eyes.

"One day, we'll break the cycle. And one day we'll rest peacefully for all of eternity. I promise because that's my ninja way."

Sasuke Uchiha had died the last of his lineage. His final moments were shared with a brother that transcended blood itself. Their souls tied until their conflict was resolved. Left alone Naruto looked over Sasuke's body and felt a flood of emotions. There was only one thing left to do. Naruto wept.

But the sage was adamant they would be the last of Asura and Indra's reincarnation. He decided to intervene. One last time.