Chapter 27: Memories

Sasuke stopped on the head of the statue of Madara Uchiha in the Valley of the End. He had led Naruto here, intending this to be the place of their final battle. He smirked as Naruto landed on the head of Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage.

"Well, Naruto, here we are. The two of us, ready to fight, just as we did all those years ago, and just as our ancestors did," he gestured down at the statues. "Last time, the Senju clan prevailed, but this time, the Uchiha will taste victory."

"Interesting," replied Naruto. "I didn't know you were one to give speeches."

Sasuke chuckled. "Naruto, I will win here today. You do not stand a chance."

"Sasuke, come back to the Leaf. We can fix this. Stop before you do something unforgiveable."

"Unforgiveable? Tell me, Naruto, why should I seek the forgiveness of the Leaf Village? Why should I even care? They killed my family. They destroyed everything I had. They can all burn in the flames of my Amaterasu!"

"Sasuke, listen to yourself. This isn't you! What happened to the old you? What happened to my teammate, my comrade? What happened to my best friend?"

"He died. Long ago. Just as you will today, Naruto."

"Sasuke," sighed Naruto. "I don't want to kill you, but if you continue, I fear that I'll have no choice."

"You? Kill me? Let me explain something to you, Naruto. You will never, ever kill me. You're nothing more than a pathetic child who sits in a chair ordering around his lackeys. You are nothing to me."

With that, Sasuke jumped forward, a Chidori charged and ready. Naruto powered up a Rasengan and jumped to meet Sasuke. The two jutsu collided, and both ninja were thrown into opposite sides of the canyon wall.

Thunder rumbled above, much like it did the last time they fought. Sasuke jumped out of his crater and threw a cluster of shuriken at Naruto, who had also emerged and was summoning a party of Shadow Clones. Two of the clones blocked the shuriken with their kunai, while the others surrounded Sasuke.

Sasuke counted the clones. There were a total of twelve surrounding him. The two who were hit by the kunai were beside the real Naruto, standing still. Sasuke realized that the twelve that now surrounded him were diversions, while the real Naruto and his two clones absorbed sage chakra. Sasuke had to get rid of these clones before Naruto absorbed enough sage chakra to gain the upperhand. He formed the serpent hand seal.

"Earth Style: Seismic Rock Slide Jutsu!"

Naruto, who was gathering sage chakra, nearly fell when the ground began to shake. The canyon walls began to crumble, smashing all of his clones, even the two he had held back. Naruto himself had almost been clobbered a couple of times, but he had moved out of the way. Darn it, he thought, I didn't get enough sage chakra. Oh well.

Sasuke smiled. His plan had worked perfectly. Now to kill Naruto. He charged a Chidori and flew across the river toward Naruto. Naruto caught Sasuke's wrist in his left hand, stopping the attack, and, using the little bit of sage chakra he had, formed a green Rasengan in his right. Sasuke tried to get away, but was unable and felt the wind knocked out of him by the force of the attack. Because of Naruto's grip on his wrist, he didn't go spiraling away, either. He felt his wrist dislocate as the attack ran its course, but Naruto's grip was stalwart. When the attack was done, Naruto slammed his fist into Sasuke's gut and let go of his wrist. Sasuke stumbled, coughing blood.

Now it was Naruto's turn to smile. "Sasuke, I'm sorry. There was a time when you truly were my friend, but now…"

"Save it. The only thing I want to hear from you is your final breath leaving your dying lips!" Sasuke awakened his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan and summoned Susanoo to shield him. The monstrous embodiment of chakra appeared, slamming its sword down into the ground where Naruto had been up until a mere second ago.

Realizing what was coming, Naruto had thrown one of his father's kunai into the canyon wall, and now was standing by it, waiting for the smoke to dissipate. Sasuke however, was not patient, and sent a blast of black fire Naruto's way. Naruto jumped and avoided the attack. The explosion, however, threw him farther up higher than he had intended, making him vulnerable.

Sasuke, noticing the fact that Naruto had been thrown so high, sent his Susanoo's sword to deliver a fatal blow, but Naruto summoned a Shadow Clone and used it to throw him out of the way. Susanoo's sword crashed into the clone, causing it to disappear in a puff of smoke. Sasuke turned to see that Naruto had formed a Rasenshuriken and was preparing to throw it at him. Sasuke chuckled. That jutsu couldn't break through his Susanoo. Naruto threw the jutsu, which Susanoo batted away easily.

"You're losing your touch, Naruto. That was weak." The Naruto he was speaking to, however, was suddenly gone.

"Over here, Sasuke!"

Sasuke turned to see Naruto, now covered in a golden light, charging toward him, a gigantic Rasengan formed in his left hand. Sasuke realized that Naruto must have used a Shadow Clone to attack before, the real one teleporting behind him. Naruto slammed the attack into Susanoo's back, shattering the armor that had protected Sasuke. Sasuke, not willing to lose to Naruto so easily, activated his Amaterasu.

!

The explosion was deafening. Naruto and Sasuke were thrown once again into the canyon walls. Naruto's impact formed a crater in Madara's feet, while Sasuke formed a crater in the First's feet. Smoke and debris flew around, leaving Naruto and Sasuke blind to each other's movements. Before this could clear, however, Naruto and Sasuke both looked up, hearing a loud cracking noise above. The large statues of Hashirama and Madara were beginning to crack all the way up, and large boulders were hurtling down all around. Sasuke's leg was broken as a boulder landed on it. Naruto felt his own hands and feet showered with rocks.

Water from the waterfall was now falling everywhere. The two statues that once stood to suppress it was now gone. Naruto and Sasuke were nowhere to be found. Finally, their hands emerged from the ground. They both crawled out, feeling the massive pain that now plagued their bodies. They glared at each other.

"It's over, Sasuke. Just come back to the village with me."

Sasuke said nothing. He charged up for his final attack. Naruto, ready for such a situation, had already entered sage mode and tapped his fox chakra.

"Sasukkkkkeeee!"

"Narutoooooooo!"

The Rasengan and Chidori clashed in brilliant burst of light and energy. When the smoke cleared, Naruto stood over the unconscious Sasuke. They had fought here in the Valley of the End, just like before, only now, Sasuke was the one at Naruto's feet. Naruto stared down at him with his Sage/fox eyes. He had never meant for it to come to this. Would Sasuke ever see the light?

"Sasuke, do you see now? Do you see the truth? The time has come. You will return to the Leaf."

"Naruto," Sasuke coughed. "You fool. You really think that the Leaf will welcome me back?"

"I'll make them," replied Naruto.

"Naruto, I will never return!"

With that, Sasuke leapt from the ground and pulled a kunai, stabbing at Naruto. Naruto grabbed Sasuke's arm and threw him into the cliff. A single tear fell from his face. He had tried, but he had failed.

Naruto walked over to Sasuke, and realized that it really was over. Sasuke told Naruto one last thing before he passed.

"Naruto, I'm sorry…."