Hinata of the White Lotus
Naruto vs Sasuke
The street around them was in utter disarray, a chaotic battlefield of shattered stone and broken wood. Craters dotted the cobblestones where attacks had landed, and jagged fissures snaked through the ground like wounds in the earth. Shards of glass from shattered windows reflected the dying light of the sun, scattered among the remnants of storefronts and homes reduced to rubble. The acrid smell of smoke and charred wood filled the air, mingling with the faint metallic tang of blood.
Amid this devastation, Sasuke fought against Naruto's relentless grip, his body twisting and thrashing like a wild animal caught in a snare. "Get off me, you loser!" he snarled, desperation and fury sharpening his voice. His elbow struck Naruto's stomach with a solid thud, the impact forcing the wind out of the blond's lungs. Naruto staggered, his grip faltering just enough for Sasuke to wrench himself free.
Sasuke stumbled to his feet, his breaths ragged and shallow. His eyes, one a fiery Sharingan and the other the swirling Rinnegan, blazed with purpose. Itachi… The name consumed his thoughts, fueling his every movement. He broke into a sprint, weaving through the debris-littered street with practiced agility.
But Naruto wasn't about to let him go.
"Not a chance!" Naruto shouted, his voice echoing through the wreckage. His wooden right arm, enhanced by Mokuton chakra, shot out like a serpent striking its prey. The arm elongated unnaturally, its surface shifting and creaking as it coiled around Sasuke's ankle with unyielding strength.
"I thought I already told you to knock it off!" Naruto growled, twisting his body and yanking hard on the wooden appendage.
Sasuke's momentum was ripped away in an instant. His foot caught, he was yanked off the ground with brutal force, his body whipping through the air like a ragdoll. The world around him became a blur of fractured rooftops and shattered walls as Naruto swung him with reckless determination.
For a brief, dizzying moment, Sasuke saw only sky. Naruto's swing launched him high above the ruins of the village, the wind rushing past his ears. Buildings became a blur of jagged shapes below him as he hurtled two blocks away, a streak of motion against the smoldering cityscape.
Gritting his teeth, Sasuke forced his body to stabilize mid-flight. He shifted his weight, angling toward the nearest intact rooftop. With a controlled flip, he landed in a crouch, the impact sending a sharp jolt up his legs. The force of his landing cracked the tiled roof, and he slid dangerously close to the edge before regaining his balance. His fingers dug into the rough surface of the tiles as he caught himself, shards splintering under his grip.
The rooftop he found himself on was old and weatherworn, its cracked tiles dulled to a muted gray by years of sun and rain. Small patches of moss crept along the edges where the tiles met the wooden beams beneath. Around them, the ruined village stretched out like a battlefield frozen in twilight. Smoke curled lazily from shattered buildings, mingling with the last rays of sunlight that filtered through the haze.
He pushed himself upright, his breathing heavy as he surveyed his surroundings. The ominous black sun hung low in the distance, pulsing faintly against the twilight sky. Its presence was a grim beacon, casting long, flickering shadows over the broken village. Sasuke's gaze locked onto it with singular focus.
Itachi.
The name echoed in his mind like a mantra, driving every thought and action. His Rinnegan flickered ominously, and the faint hum of its power thrummed in his ears. Sasuke's rage burned brighter than the flames consuming the village, its heat threatening to consume him whole.
Sasuke's breath came in heavy, uneven bursts as he stood near the rooftop's edge. His hands trembled at his sides, not from fear but from the adrenaline surging through his veins. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to move, to fight, to chase down the one person who had haunted his every waking moment. His Rinnegan flickered ominously, the swirling tomoe reflecting his tumultuous emotions.
Naruto landed opposite him, crouched low before standing to his full height. The black sun loomed behind him, its faint, rhythmic hum pressing against the tension in the air. "You calmed down yet?" Naruto asked, his voice low but firm, cutting through the eerie quiet that had fallen over them.
Sasuke's head snapped toward Naruto, his expression twisting into one of barely contained rage. "Calmed down?" His voice was venomous, low and sharp like the hiss of a snake. "You want me to forget about the person who slaughtered my entire clan? My mother? My father? The man who looked me in the eyes and told me to hate him before torturing me with genjutsu for days? You want me to forget all that!?"
Naruto didn't flinch, but his wooden arm flexed slightly at his side, ready to move. "Of course not!" he shot back, his voice rising with the tension in the air. "But you've gotta set it aside, just for now! That thing—" he gestured to the black sun—"is way bigger than your revenge. Whatever's going on with your brother, you can figure it out after we deal with this!"
"Figure it out?" Sasuke's voice rose, his disbelief and anger bubbling over. "You think I'm going to talk to him after everything he's done?" His Rinnegan flared dangerously, the purple light reflecting in the fractured tiles beneath them. "I'm not going to talk to him, Naruto. I'm going to kill him!"
Naruto's eyes narrowed, his cerulean gaze locking onto Sasuke with unrelenting determination. "I'm not going to let you do that," he said firmly. "I don't know everything that happened between you two, or even how he's alive, but I know this—" He stepped closer, the rooftop creaking faintly beneath his weight. "I saw your face when you thought he was dead. You weren't angry, Sasuke. You were broken. You regretted his death."
"I regretted not being the one to kill him!" Sasuke roared, his voice cracking with the sheer force of his fury. His hand shot out to point at Naruto, trembling with suppressed rage. "And what the hell would you know about it? You've never had a family! You can't possibly understand my pain!"
Naruto recoiled slightly, the accusation hitting him like a physical blow. For a moment, the usual spark in his eyes dimmed, replaced by a flicker of hurt. But just as quickly, his expression hardened again. He balled his fists, the creak of his wooden arm audible in the silence that followed.
"Maybe I don't know what it's like to lose a family because I never had one," Naruto admitted, his voice steady but tinged with raw emotion. "But I do know what it's like to have a brother."
Sasuke's scowl deepened, confusion briefly breaking through his anger. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about you, you idiot!" Naruto's voice cracked, his frustration and sincerity spilling out all at once. He stepped closer, his words heavy with conviction. "You and I ran up trees together. We fought side by side. We almost died for each other! That wasn't because of destiny, or Asura and Indra, or any of that crap! That was us, Sasuke. That was real."
For a moment, Sasuke faltered. Memories of their time as teammates flickered through his mind unbidden: their shared victories, their rivalries, the rare moments of laughter. He clenched his fists tighter, trying to drown out the surge of doubt that Naruto's words had stirred.
Naruto pressed on, his voice softening but no less intense. "I know the pain of having to fight your brother, because I'm feeling it right now. And if fighting you is what it takes to stop you from making the biggest mistake of your life, then I'll do it. I'll beat the sense into you, Sasuke!"
The raw emotion in Naruto's voice hit Sasuke harder than any punch ever had. For a brief moment, the anger and hatred that had consumed him wavered, giving way to something deeper—something he didn't want to confront. Doubt. The faintest spark of a desire to know the truth, to hear Itachi's reasons from his own lips, flickered in the depths of his mind.
But just as quickly as the doubt appeared, it was crushed by a sharp, searing pain that ripped through his skull. Sasuke groaned, clutching his head as his knees buckled beneath him. His vision blurred, and for a moment, the world tilted dangerously.
Naruto's brow furrowed in confusion as he stepped closer. "Sasuke? What's wrong?"
Sasuke grit his teeth, his voice trembling as he fought against the invisible force twisting his thoughts. "Get… out of my head…"
Naruto blinked, completely lost. "What are you talking about?" He reached out cautiously, concern flickering in his eyes, but Sasuke jerked away, his Rinnegan flaring with renewed fury.
"Stay out of my way, Naruto!" Sasuke roared, his voice cracking with desperation and rage. "Or I'll kill you too!" The sheer force of his will propelled him back to his feet, even as the compulsion clawed at his mind, driving him forward toward the path of revenge.
Naruto's normally bright blue eyes hardened, their warmth replaced by a steely resolve. "Then I guess I'll just have to knock some sense into you," he said, his tone low but firm. "This isn't how I wanted our fight to happen. We were supposed to settle this in the Chūnin Exams, remember? Back then, I couldn't wait. I wanted to see who was stronger—fair and square. But then Orochimaru had to ruin everything."
Sasuke remained silent, but Naruto caught the faintest flicker in his eyes, a shadow of the boy who once shared his determination to prove himself. That brief glimpse gave Naruto the courage to press on.
"Well, I'm still holding onto that." Naruto's voice softened, his expression flickering with the unshakable hope that defined him. "After I win this fight, I'm gonna make sure I get my match with Hinata. She advanced to the next round fair and square, and it's about time I catch up. And while this might not be an official match, I'm treating it like one."
The two stood locked in a tense silence, the air between them crackling with anticipation. They were so close, neither needing more than a single step to reach the other. It was a standoff, both waiting for the other to make the first move, the weight of unspoken challenges heavy in the air.
Naruto swung first, his wooden arm pulling back before snapping forward in a wide right hook. The motion was powerful but telegraphed—too telegraphed. Sasuke's eyes tracked every slight shift in Naruto's body, his Sharingan spinning with precision. His right eye, now three-tomoe, analyzed every twitch, every muscle contraction, reading Naruto's intentions before they even fully formed.
Sasuke caught Naruto's fist mid-swing, the impact vibrating through his arm but halting the strike in its tracks. It was a complete reversal of their clash at the Hokage Tower. Back then, Sasuke had been caught off guard by Naruto's explosive growth, his newfound powers eclipsing anything Sasuke had expected. But this time, Sasuke was ready. This time, he was the one with something to prove.
Naruto's eyes widened in surprise as Sasuke retaliated. The metal fist of Sasuke's mechanical arm came crashing into the side of Naruto's face with devastating force. The blow connected with a sickening crunch, the sheer power shattering Naruto's cheekbone and several teeth. Pain exploded across Naruto's face as his head snapped to the side.
The force sent Naruto spinning through the air like a broken top. He twisted uncontrollably, his body flung several meters backward before he hit the tiled rooftop with a thunderous crash. The impact shattered tiles beneath him, sending shards skittering in all directions as his body rolled to a stop. Blood dripped from his mouth, pooling on the cracked tiles as his vision swam.
Inside his mind, Kurama's voice cut through the haze of pain, sharp and irritated. "Oi, Naruto! The hell are you doing?" The fox growled, his chakra already seeping into Naruto's body to repair the damage. The healing was slow but steady, chakra knitting fractured bone and regenerating destroyed teeth. "He's got the Rinnegan, you idiot! You're not going to win without using my power!"
Naruto coughed, spitting blood onto the roof. The metallic tang filled his mouth as his jaw throbbed. His wooden arm creaked faintly as he pushed himself upright. "Shut up, I know that already," he muttered internally, his voice rough. Despite the pain, a defiant grin spread across his face as he stood to his full height, turning back toward Sasuke. "Now we're even, y'know," he said aloud, his tone laced with forced cheerfulness.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed, his expression caught somewhere between confusion and anger. "What the hell are you talking about?" he snapped. Was Naruto referring to the fight in front of the Hokage Tower? The memory flickered in his mind, unbidden but vivid. He had been humiliated, blindsided by Naruto's growth. But this?
Naruto wiped the blood from his chin, his grin not faltering for even a second. "You got a free hit. I owed you one," he said simply, as if that explained everything.
Sasuke's snarl deepened, his confusion giving way to frustration. "You think letting me punch you makes us even?" His voice rose, the incredulity in his tone palpable. "You think that's going to fix anything? If you're going to fight me, then take it seriously!"
Naruto flexed his wooden arm, the joints creaking as his chakra began to swell around him. "I was planning on it," he said, his voice steady but brimming with determination. The rooftop beneath him cracked slightly under the force of his aura, the air thickening with energy. He thought back to his fight against Kimimaro, remembering the lesson he had learned: never hold back. Holding back wasn't an option—not against Sasuke. Not now.
Forming his favorite hand seal, he called out, "Moku Bunshin no Jutsu!" A dozen wood clones emerged from his body in an instant, each one identical to the original. Their eyes burned with the same resolve as they charged forward, moving in perfect synchronization. Only the original Naruto stayed behind, his eyes locked on Sasuke.
Sasuke's lips curled into a snarl as he flexed his mechanical arm, activating the mechanisms hidden within. "Predictable as ever." Panels in his forearm slid open, revealing rows of sleek, metallic missiles. He didn't understand how they replenished after each use, but he didn't need to. The arm responded to his intent like an extension of his own will. With a sharp flick of his index finger, the missiles launched, streaking through the air toward the oncoming clones.
The resulting explosions lit up the rooftop, the force shaking the surrounding buildings and sending debris flying. Smoke billowed outward, obscuring the battlefield in a fiery haze. Sasuke's Sharingan caught faint flickers of chakra within the smoke, his eyes narrowing as he tracked the movements of Naruto's clones.
Through the haze, Sasuke noticed the jagged remains of what looked like splintered wooden walls scattered across the rooftop. His sharp gaze pieced together what had happened: two clones must have transformed just before the explosion, creating barriers to shield the others. The rest of the clones now surged forward, unharmed and relentless, their movements a stark reminder of Naruto's adaptability. These weren't shadow clones—they were tougher, smarter, and designed to press him harder than he expected.
The first clone reached him in seconds, its fist cocked back for a right hook. Sasuke's Sharingan tracked the motion effortlessly, the tomoe spinning as he moved to intercept. He went to catch the clone's wooden arm, prepared to counter—
Only to realize too late that the wood was bending unnaturally, twisting mid-strike in a way no human arm could. The clone's fist slammed into his cheek with bone-rattling force, sending him stumbling backward.
The second clone came from above, its leg extending like a whip. The ax kick struck the top of Sasuke's head with a resounding crack, the sheer force driving him down to one knee. His vision blurred momentarily, his head snapping back violently as pain shot down his spine.
Before he could recover, two more clones appeared at his sides, their attacks perfectly timed. Their fists crashed into his jaw and ribs simultaneously, lifting him off the ground. Sasuke's body arched in midair, the breath knocked from his lungs as he struggled to regain control.
"Uzu—" One clone leaped forward, its wooden arm extending unnaturally to grab Sasuke mid-flight. With a burst of strength, it hurled him higher into the air, the force spinning him like a ragdoll.
"Ma—" Another clone vaulted off the rooftop, its legs extending to deliver a devastating double kick to Sasuke's chest. The impact sent him soaring further upward, his body twisting uncontrollably.
"Ki!" The final clone was already waiting for him. Kicking off its comrades' shoulders, it launched itself into the air, spinning mid-flip. Its foot connected squarely with Sasuke's gut, the momentum propelling him higher into the sky.
"Naruto Rendan!" The remaining clones converged on Sasuke in the air, their coordinated assault relentless. They surrounded him on all sides, each preparing to strike simultaneously.
Sasuke's Sharingan spun wildly, his Rinnegan flaring as he tried to find an opening. But the disorientation from the clones' unorthodox attacks had thrown him off balance, leaving him with no time to think. Pain radiated through his body as he hung suspended in the air, completely vulnerable. If all these clones landed their strikes, it was over.
Sasuke's left arm shot out instinctively, desperation and rage surging through him. He needed something—anything—to end this barrage. His mind screamed for a way to turn the tide, and the Rinnegan answered, a name rising unbidden into his consciousness, whispered as though from another world.
"Shinra Tensei!" The words left his lips, and an invisible pulse of gravitational energy exploded outward from his body. The clones froze mid-air, their momentum halted abruptly as though caught by an unseen force. For a moment, they simply hovered, their wooden forms twisting slightly as the gravity around them shifted. Confusion flickered across their faces, and then the full force of the jutsu struck.
A massive shockwave rippled outward, a crushing wave of gravity slamming the clones downward. They plummeted like stones, slamming into the rooftop with a deafening series of cracks and crashes. The wood clones, far more durable than ordinary shadow clones, didn't dispel on impact. Instead, they splintered and groaned under the immense force, their forms struggling to hold together.
Sasuke gritted his teeth, the strain of the technique reverberating through his body. He poured more chakra into the jutsu, intensifying the gravitational weight. The roof beneath them cracked like a spiderweb, chunks of tile and stone crumbling away. The sound of destruction was overwhelming: groaning steel beams, splitting wood, and the rumble of concrete giving way.
The entire building began to collapse, the foundation unable to withstand the pressure. With a final, cataclysmic roar, the structure caved in on itself. Dust and debris erupted into the sky, enveloping Sasuke in a thick, choking cloud. The clones, unable to withstand the continued force, finally splintered into pieces of wood before disintegrating into chakra and fading into the swirling chaos.
Sasuke landed on the pile of rubble with a muted thud, the uneven surface shifting under his weight. He stood amidst the wreckage of what had once been a building—an apartment complex, a business, or something else entirely. He didn't know. He didn't care. His Rinnegan flared as he scanned the dust-filled air, searching for Naruto's chakra signature amidst the destruction.
For a fleeting moment, doubt crept into his mind. Had there been people inside? Families eating dinner, children playing, or someone working late? The thought was a faint whisper, quickly drowned out by the storm of anger and frustration within him. Sasuke clenched his fists, the sharp edges of the rubble biting into his feet through his sandals.
This wasn't supposed to be his fight. This wasn't supposed to matter. All he wanted—all he needed—was to reach Itachi. The rest was meaningless. His hands trembled slightly as he steadied his breathing, his mind racing to justify the carnage around him.
"I don't care about this village," Sasuke muttered to himself, though the words felt hollow. His voice was low and tight as though he were trying to convince himself. "I just want him. Just him."
And yet, a flicker of unease remained. He glanced at the rubble beneath his feet, the remnants of someone's life now reduced to dust and debris. For a fleeting moment, his thoughts turned to the Uchiha district, to the smoldering ruins he had once walked through as a child. The parallels gnawed at him, threatening to crack the wall of resolve he had built around his heart.
But then he shook his head violently, banishing the thought. There was no time for hesitation. The Rinnegan pulsed faintly in his eye, drawing his attention back to the distant black sun hanging in the twilight sky. His path was clear. "It's not about them," he muttered. "It's about him."
A sharp crack in the rubble snapped his focus back to the immediate danger. The swirling dust cloud obscured the battlefield, but Sasuke caught the faint flicker of several chakras moving toward him. His Sharingan pulsed as he scanned the shapes darting in and out of view, their movements erratic yet coordinated. His jaw tightened. "You're damn persistent, Naruto," he growled under his breath, his fingers curling into fists as his gaze darted around the battlefield. There was no room for distraction—Naruto wasn't going to let him go so easily.
A clone lunged at him from the left, its wooden arm extending unnaturally, aiming for his ribs. Sasuke ducked, his movements sharp but frantic as the clone sailed over him, missing by inches. Before he could regain his footing, another clone emerged from the haze, a sweeping kick aimed for his head. Sasuke bent backward, his body arching precariously to avoid the strike. The air buzzed with the sound of the clones' movements, each attack faster than the last.
The onslaught was relentless. Sasuke twisted and turned, his Sharingan tracking the faintest flickers of movement as the clones danced in and out of the dust cloud. They struck like a pack of wolves, never lingering long enough for him to counter. A punch aimed for his gut. A kick swept for his legs. Another fist nearly grazed his temple. Sasuke's movements became more erratic, his balance faltering as the attacks came faster, closer.
"Enough of this!" he snarled, flexing his pinky finger. His mechanical arm hissed as it opened at the elbow, revealing the energy cannon hidden within. Blue light surged to life, crackling with raw power as he took aim at the nearest clone.
The next clone came flying toward him, its extended arm winding back for a punch. Sasuke fired. The energy beam ripped through the clone's torso, obliterating it in an explosion of splintered wood and chakra. He spun on his heel, firing again as another clone emerged from the haze. This time, the beam struck it in the head, the impact shattering it into a spray of wooden fragments.
The dust began to clear as Sasuke methodically dispatched the clones. One by one, they leaped at him, and one by one, they fell. His Sharingan tracked their every movement, predicting their strikes with precision as he fired blast after blast from his cannon. The mountain of rubble was littered with the remnants of the clones, their shattered forms lying in jagged piles around him like discarded kindling.
Finally, the last clone fell, its remnants scattering across the rubble. Sasuke lowered his arm, his breathing ragged as he surveyed the battlefield. For a moment, he allowed himself a flicker of satisfaction. "Is that all you've got—"
The chakra pulsed again, surging through the wooden debris at his feet. His Rinnegan flared, but it was too late. The chunks of shattered wood began to writhe and twist, sprouting shoots of vibrant green. In seconds, the fragments transformed, bursting into a forest of trees that grew at an impossible rate. Roots coiled and snaked toward him like living things, their movements swift and deliberate.
"Mokuton: Deep Forest Emergence!" Naruto's voice rang out, clear and commanding. Sasuke's eyes widened as the roots surged upward, coiling around his legs and torso. He slashed at them with a blade of lightning chakra from his metallic hand, but the roots were relentless, regrowing faster than he could cut them. The ground beneath him shifted and cracked as the forest overtook the battlefield, the once-ruined building now a dense thicket of trees.
The roots seized him, binding his arms to his sides and hoisting him into the air. Sasuke struggled, his muscles straining against the crushing grip of the Mokuton. The pressure increased, the roots tightening like a vice until his breath came in shallow gasps. The trunks pressed in around him, their gnarled surfaces biting into his skin. His body was immobilized, save for his face, which remained exposed amidst the writhing mass.
Naruto emerged from the shadows of the forest, his wooden right arm still pulsing faintly with chakra. He stood at the base of the massive tree, looking up at Sasuke with a mixture of determination and weariness. "Ready to give up yet?" he asked, his tone firm but not unkind. "I've gotta go help everyone else, so do us both a favor and stop this stupid revenge business, will ya? We don't have time for it right now." He held up his arm, his palm open as if inviting Sasuke to take it.
Sasuke glared down at him, his pride warring with the cold realization that Naruto had spared his life. If the jutsu had continued for even a second longer, the roots would have crushed him completely. Yet here he was, bound but alive, with Naruto standing beneath him, hand extended in an unspoken offer of peace.
For a moment, silence hung between them, the weight of unspoken words and shared history filling the space. Sasuke's gaze flickered, torn between his anger, his pride, and something deeper—something raw and uncertain. But even as his mind wavered, the crushing weight of Kotoamatsukami began to stir once more, its insidious grip tightening around his thoughts.
Sasuke strained against the wooden bindings, his teeth grinding as his muscles bulged with effort. "Naruto…" he hissed, his voice trembling with frustration. "Where the hell did you learn to do all this?"
His voice carried more than just curiosity—it was disbelief, tinged with something close to resentment. The Naruto he remembered was brash, impulsive, and reckless. He wasn't a fighter who could predict his opponent's movements and systematically dismantle their strategies. Yet here he was, standing tall while Sasuke was bound and struggling.
Naruto crossed his arms, his expression a mixture of determination and bitterness. "I learned it by failing," he said simply, his words heavy with the weight of past mistakes.
The admission hit Sasuke like a slap. "Failing?" he repeated, incredulous. His glare intensified as he leaned forward as much as the wooden bindings would allow. "It must be nice to be a loser like you. To screw up over and over again and still be given chance after chance! You don't even realize how lucky you are!"
Naruto blinked, startled by the venom in Sasuke's voice, but he didn't interrupt. Sasuke's voice grew louder, his emotions spilling over like a dam that had finally burst. "I don't get that luxury, Naruto! I can't afford to fail, because if I do—if I fail—I'll die!"
Naruto's brows knit together, genuine confusion clouding his expression. He shook his head, taking a step closer. "Why, Sasuke? Why do you think that? Nobody's trying to kill you right now! Your brother isn't even your enemy anymore!" He pointed a finger at him, his frustration boiling over. "The only one trying to kill anyone is you! Why can't you see that!?"
Sasuke's breath came in harsh gasps as he glared down at Naruto, his anger reaching a fever pitch. "I have to kill him!" he roared, his voice echoing across the shattered remains of the building.
Naruto flinched, the sheer desperation in Sasuke's voice cutting through him like a blade. This wasn't just anger—this was something deeper, darker. Sasuke wasn't just fighting to settle a score; he was fighting like a man possessed, like his very survival depended on it.
Naruto took another step forward, his fists clenched at his sides. "Why, Sasuke? Why do you have to kill him? What are you so afraid of!?"
Sasuke's mouth opened, but no words came. The answer didn't exist in his mind—not because it wasn't real, but because it wasn't his own. The compulsion of Kotoamatsukami twisted his thoughts, feeding him lies that felt like truths. The idea of failure equated to death, and the only path to survival was through revenge.
He snarled, his voice breaking under the weight of the genjutsu's influence. "You wouldn't understand!"
Naruto's voice softened, though his resolve remained firm. "Then explain it to me. Help me understand." He searched Sasuke's face for any sign of the person he considered a brother, the boy who had once trained alongside him and shared his dreams. "Because all I see right now is someone running toward the edge of a cliff—and I'm not gonna let you jump."
For a moment, Sasuke faltered. The words hung in the air, heavy and unrelenting, pressing down on the fragile threads of his rage. But then the burning compulsion flared again, twisting his thoughts and shoving him back onto his path of destruction.
"Stay out of my way, Naruto!" Sasuke shouted, the Rinnegan in his left eye glowing fiercely. The bindings around him trembled as his chakra flared, his desperation manifesting in an eruption of raw power.
Sasuke's hand surged with chakra, the piercing sound of a thousand chirping birds echoing through the rubble-strewn battlefield. Even within the dense wall of intertwined tree trunks, the sound of his Chidori roared like a declaration of war. The glow of his left eye intensified, the tomoe within his Rinnegan spinning as he locked onto a fragment of debris behind Naruto.
"Amenotejikara!" he muttered, vanishing in an instant.
Naruto barely registered the shift before he sensed Sasuke's presence directly behind him. "Ah, crap—!" He leapt to the side, but it was too late. Sasuke's lightning-coated hand slashed through his wooden arm, severing it cleanly at the elbow. The detached appendage tumbled to the ground with a dull thud, faint wisps of smoke rising from the cauterized wood.
Naruto stumbled backwards, clutching his stump, his mind racing to regrow his arm. But Sasuke was relentless.
"Bansho Tenin!" Sasuke commanded, his Rinnegan pulling Naruto toward him like a magnet. Naruto had no time to react as his body jerked forward, hurtling straight toward Sasuke. As Naruto flew past, Sasuke ducked low, his leg sweeping up in a devastating arc that connected with Naruto's chin.
The impact was brutal. The force of the kick launched Naruto skyward, his body flipping uncontrollably in the air. Sasuke followed without hesitation, his movements a blur of precision and fury. "Shishi Rendan!" he called, his voice echoing with cold determination.
In the blink of an eye, Sasuke unleashed a devastating combination of strikes, each blow carrying the weight of his fury and desperation. His first punch slammed into Naruto's ribs with a sickening crack, the sound of bone breaking echoing through the battlefield. Naruto's breath escaped him in a sharp gasp, his body lurching forward just in time for Sasuke's knee to drive into his stomach, folding him like paper. The force of the impact sent shockwaves rippling through Naruto's torso, his vision blurring from the sudden rush of pain.
Before Naruto could recover, Sasuke's metal arm struck like a hammer, slamming down onto his shoulder with enough force to dislocate it. A wet pop accompanied the strike, Naruto's left arm falling limp at his side as he let out a strangled cry. The relentless assault didn't end there. Sasuke pivoted with surgical precision, delivering an elbow to Naruto's temple that sent him spinning midair, dazed and vulnerable.
Naruto barely had time to register the pain before Sasuke's final attack—a spinning kick—connected with his chest. The blow hit like a battering ram, his body plummeted, colliding with the rubble below in an earth-shattering impact. The ground beneath him cracked and splintered, a plume of dust and debris rising around him like a cloud of defeat. Naruto's body lay twisted amidst the wreckage, his limbs bent at unnatural angles. His shallow breaths came in ragged gasps, each inhale rattling painfully through his broken ribs.
Sasuke landed moments later, his sandals skidding across the uneven rubble as his knees buckled under him. His chest heaved with exertion, his breaths labored and sharp. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, its metallic taste bitter on his tongue. He reached up to clutch his left eye, the Rinnegan burning like a hot coal in its socket. The relentless use of his abilities had pushed him to his limit, his vision dimming at the edges as fatigue clawed at his mind.
For a moment, the battlefield was silent, the chaos of their clash giving way to the stillness of devastation. Both warriors stood—or in Naruto's case, lay—on the brink of collapse, their bodies battered but their determination unbroken. Yet even in this moment of supposed victory, Sasuke's expression twisted with something unspoken: frustration, regret, and the faintest glimmer of doubt.
But he had done it. Naruto was down. The fight was over.
Sasuke stood slowly, turning his back on Naruto as his gaze drifted to the shrinking black sun hanging over the village. It was smaller now, its edges flickering faintly, but it was still there. And underneath it, beneath the dying light of the portal, stood Itachi.
His goal. His reason for enduring. His revenge.
Yet as Sasuke took his first step toward the final confrontation, something inside him faltered. A gnawing regret clawed at his heart, whispering doubts he couldn't ignore. This wasn't a clean victory. Naruto had bested him earlier in the fight, catching him in that Deep Forest Emergence technique. This win felt hollow, tainted by the struggle and his own desperation.
"If I can't even beat Naruto…" he thought, his hand trembling as he clenched it into a fist. "How am I supposed to fight Itachi? How am I supposed to win?"
For a fleeting moment, the curse of Kotoamatsukami wavered. Cracks appeared in the genjutsu's grip, small but significant. Sasuke could feel his mind pushing back against the compulsion, the edges of his true thoughts fighting to resurface. The hatred, the drive for revenge—it wasn't his. It was something planted, something artificial.
But the genjutsu wasn't done with him yet.
The flare of defiance faded as the compulsion reasserted itself, forcing Sasuke's body forward. His Rinnegan gleamed once more, but this time it was dim, as if reflecting the inner battle he couldn't yet win.
Sasuke's steps grew slow and deliberate, each one weighted with purpose. The curse that clung to his mind tightened its grip, narrowing his focus to a single, unyielding point. He didn't glance back at Naruto, whose body lay motionless amidst the rubble. This wasn't about his fallen teammate anymore. It wasn't about justice, redemption, or even revenge. It was about ending the torment that had consumed his life for as long as he could remember.
His gaze locked onto the shrinking black sun, its fading light mirroring the flicker of doubt buried deep within him. Sasuke's voice emerged low, barely audible against the silence of the battlefield. "Itachi… I'm coming."
The words barely left his lips when the air behind him changed. A sudden, suffocating wave of malevolent chakra exploded, its oppressive force rippling through the rubble and nearly knocking him off balance. The weight of it pressed down on him like a living thing, crawling across his skin and filling the air with an undeniable sense of dread.
Sasuke spun around, his eyes narrowing in disbelief as he faced the source of the energy. "What now?" he muttered, scanning the rubble. He expected to see Naruto beaten and out of the fight, but the sight before him made his stomach tighten.
A vortex of red chakra swirled around Naruto like a living storm, its oppressive energy thick and suffocating. For a brief moment, the chakra twisted into the shape of a fox's snarling visage, its teeth bared in a silent roar. The image vanished, but the sinister energy remained, enveloping Naruto in a crimson aura. His body rose from the rubble as if lifted by an invisible hand, his broken form mending itself with terrifying speed.
When Naruto's eyes opened, they were no longer the clear blue Sasuke was accustomed to. They burned a deep, furious red. His whisker marks had darkened and thickened, his teeth sharpening into menacing fangs. The aura surrounding him pulsed like a heartbeat, the sheer force of it making the rubble quake.
Naruto's voice ripped through the battlefield, distorted and primal, carrying the weight of the chakra that now surrounded him like a living beast. "Sasuke!" he bellowed, his voice reverberating with fury and desperation. The red hue of his chakra flared violently, twisting and coiling like flames. His wooden arm, ripped off moments ago, began to regenerate. But this time, it didn't stop at merely returning to its normal form.
The Mokuton chakra writhed unnaturally, twisting the arm as it regrew. The wood creaked and groaned, stretching in jagged, sinewy patterns. It extended outward, the wooden hand sharpening into claw-like fingers before twisting into something grotesque and alien, resembling the coiled body of a serpent. The arm surged forward with terrifying speed, closing the distance in an instant.
The wooden tendrils wrapped around Sasuke's neck with unrelenting force, tightening until he could feel the searing heat of Naruto's chakra burning into his skin. "Argh—!" Sasuke choked, his hands clawing at the tendrils. His nails dug into the wood, but it was no use; the grip was unyielding, as though Naruto's very will was constricting him. His breath came in short, ragged gasps, his Rinnegan flickering faintly as his vision blurred.
Naruto roared again, the sound guttural and animalistic, as he yanked Sasuke forward like a lifeless doll. With a savage swing, he hurled Sasuke through the air. The Uchiha's body collided with the side of a nearby building with a deafening crash, embedding itself deep into the wall. A crater formed around him as the force of the impact sent shockwaves through the structure, causing cracks to spiderweb outward. Debris rained down, showering Sasuke in jagged pieces of stone and broken wood as he hung limply for a moment, his head slumped forward.
Naruto stalked forward, his movements disjointed and predatory, every step vibrating with menace. His wooden arm didn't retract; instead, it began to mutate further. The wood expanded grotesquely, the tendrils writhing and twisting as the chakra infused them with raw power. The fist ballooned in size, growing larger with every pulse of his chakra.
Veins of deep green energy spread through the wooden mass like blood vessels, pulsating as the arm swelled to twice its original size. The fingers warped, their tips curling into jagged spikes. Three times larger. The enormous appendage cast a shadow that stretched across the battlefield, its sheer mass distorting the air around it. The wood groaned under its own weight, but the chakra flowing through it kept it intact.
Sasuke groaned, forcing his head up as he regained his bearings. His entire body ached from the impact, his ribs screaming in protest with every breath. Blood dripped from a gash on his temple, tracing down his jawline and splattering onto the rubble below. His Sharingan flared weakly, struggling to focus on the towering figure approaching him.
"You seriously don't know when to quit," Sasuke growled hoarsely, his voice rough but defiant. He shoved himself free from the crater, stumbling as his feet hit the uneven ground. His knees buckled momentarily, but he gritted his teeth and forced himself upright.
Naruto's glowing red eyes locked onto him, feral and unrelenting. The sight of his former teammate—now consumed by rage and raw power—sent a chill down Sasuke's spine, but he pushed it aside. He wouldn't lose here. Not to Naruto. Not when Itachi was still within reach.
Sasuke raised his left arm, holding it out to the side. At first, it seemed like nothing happened. The battlefield was quiet save for the crackling of Naruto's chakra and the groaning rubble beneath their feet. Then came the sound—faint at first, but growing louder—a whizzing, metallic hum that filled the air.
The first kunai zipped toward Sasuke's arm, embedding itself into the metal surface of his prosthetic. Then another, and another. Blades from the battlefield—discarded weapons, shrapnel, fragments of broken tools—were drawn to him by an invisible force. The Rinnegan's magnetic power surged, amplifying with each passing second.
Dozens of kunai swirled toward him, layering over one another with a sharp metallic clang. The pile grew, reshaping into a jagged, uneven mass around his arm. The cluster expanded rapidly, forming into the crude shape of a hand. The metal spikes jutted out at odd angles, giving it a menacing appearance.
The arm continued to grow, the dense cluster of blades swelling to match the size of Naruto's wooden fist. The two combatants stood facing each other, their grotesque weapons casting colossal shadows over the battlefield.
Sasuke flexed his fingers, the jagged kunai shifting and clinking together with each movement. "Let's finish this, Naruto!" he shouted, his Rinnegan blazing as he lunged forward, his kunai-coated arm glinting with lethal sharpness as it hurtled forward
"Sasuke!" Naruto roared, his bestial voice shaking the air around them as he lunged forward. His massive wooden fist swung with devastating force, the chakra radiating from it scorching the ground in its path.
The two fists collided mid-air with an earth-shattering boom. The sheer force of the impact sent shockwaves rippling outward, flattening rubble and shattering windows in the surrounding buildings. The deafening roar of their clash drowned out everything else, their individual cries of rage lost in the chaos.
The energy from their collision radiated outward, the combined power of their strikes tearing into the ground and sky alike. The rooftop beneath them cracked and buckled, unable to withstand the sheer power of their blows.
The world seemed to freeze, the air around them humming with the raw force of their clashing power. Suspended midair, Naruto and Sasuke strained against each other, both refusing to yield. Their colossal fists remained locked, the pressure between them sending cracks spiderwebbing across the ground below.
Time stretched, every second dragging into eternity.
Then, it happened. A faint creak. A subtle shift. Naruto's eyes flicked to Sasuke's weaponized arm just in time to see the structure of the kunai falter. The jagged blades began to rattle, their magnetic cohesion weakening under the relentless force of Naruto's blow. In an instant, the entire mass collapsed, the kunai raining down in a metallic clatter.
Naruto's fist surged forward unopposed, its massive wooden structure hurtling toward Sasuke.
For a brief moment, Naruto thought he'd won. Relief flickered across his face as his enormous fist swung freely, ready to finish the fight.
But then he saw it—the smirk tugging at Sasuke's lips.
Before Naruto could react, Sasuke's Rinnegan flared with a pulse of oppressive energy. The gravitational force of Amenotejikara activated in an instant, seamlessly swapping their positions with a precision that came from Sasuke's rapidly growing mastery of the technique. One moment Naruto loomed above him, the next, Sasuke hovered where Naruto had been, his Sharingan glinting with anticipation. Meanwhile, Naruto was hurtling helplessly forward, caught in the technique's relentless pull.
Naruto's enormous wooden fist, grotesquely swollen with Mokuton chakra, crashed into the side of the tall building. The structure groaned under the devastating impact, its foundation crumbling as the immense force shattered its walls. The building collapsed inward with a deafening roar, a cascade of debris raining down around Naruto's arm. The weight of the rubble engulfed him, the jagged remnants of stone and wood pinning his oversized appendage in place.
"Damn it—" Naruto grunted, his body twisting as he fought against the crushing mass. The red chakra swirling around him flared wildly, flickering with frustration as it pushed against the encroaching weight. But no matter how hard he pulled, the building's remnants held firm, trapping his giant wooden arm beneath the rubble.
Sasuke, still airborne, wasted no time capitalizing on the opportunity. Spinning in midair, he extended his left hand in a commanding gesture toward the kunai scattered around him. "Shinra Tensei!" he roared, unleashing a powerful wave of gravitational force.
The scattered kunai, shards of steel still hovering from Sasuke's earlier attack, shot forward with deadly precision. Propelled by the overwhelming force of the technique, they converged into a storm of razor-sharp projectiles. The air itself seemed to hiss with their velocity, each blade glinting like a falling star as they streaked toward Naruto's pinned form.
Naruto's eyes widened, the storm of kunai filling his vision. Hundreds of blades cut through the air with lethal intent, their trajectory unyielding. The crushing weight of the debris around him rendered him motionless, his massive wooden arm anchoring him in place like a shackle. He gritted his teeth, his muscles tensing as he fought to move, but the effort was futile.
"Ah, damn," Naruto muttered under his breath, a fleeting moment of bitter humor breaking through the rising dread. His body relaxed slightly, his head tilting back against the jagged rubble. For a brief moment, the flickering red glow of his eyes softened, and a rare stillness settled over him. This was it. Despite all his strength, all his resolve, this was where it would end—not cut down by an enemy, but by the hand of his own friend.
The whistling of the kunai grew deafening, the storm of blades hurtling toward him like an unrelenting tide. Naruto closed his eyes, the chaotic sounds of the battlefield fading into the background. For a fleeting moment, everything around him seemed to slow. He felt the weight of the rubble pinning his arm, the sting of exhaustion coursing through his body, and the sharp inevitability of what was about to happen.
Then the tension shifted, subtle at first—a strange pull deep within his chest, like being yanked backward through water. The roar of the battlefield dulled to a low hum, and the oppressive heat of the red chakra surrounding him seemed to gather and fold inward.
When Naruto opened his eyes again, the battlefield was gone.
He stood within his seal realm, his feet splashing in the shallow water that rippled beneath him. The suffocating heat remained, only now it came from the massive figure looming before him. Kurama glared down at him from behind the bars of its cage, the fox's crimson eyes glowing with fiery intensity. The oppressive weight of its chakra filled the space, pressing down on Naruto's very soul. The faint echo of the whistling kunai still lingered in his ears, tying the two realities together like a thread that refused to snap.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Naruto?" Kurama growled, its voice booming, yet oddly sharp. The raw power in its tone matched the urgency of the moment. Naruto blinked, startled to find himself here, yet his confusion quickly gave way to frustration.
"Give me a break, Kurama!" he snapped, spinning around to face the fox. "What am I supposed to do? There's a million kunai flying right at me, and I'm stuck! My arm's trapped, and I can't even make more wood clones!" His voice cracked with exasperation as he threw his arms wide. "If you dragged me in here just to chew me out, then save it!"
Kurama's snarl deepened, his lips curling back to reveal rows of razor-sharp teeth. "It's not like you to give up, you bastard! What happened to your ninja way, huh?" His clawed paw slammed against the cage, the sound reverberating like a drumbeat. "What happened to 'never going back on your word'?"
Naruto stomped forward, slamming his fists into the watery surface below, sending ripples cascading outward. "You think I don't know that?! You think I want to give up? But what the hell do you expect me to do? All I've got with this wood style is clones, and they're not going to stop a storm of kunai! Without my arm, I can't even fight back properly!"
Kurama's crimson eyes narrowed, his tone shifting from anger to biting condescension. "And why in the hell do you think you need to rely on wood style in the first place? You've been fighting like a fool this whole time, forcing yourself to use a technique that's not even yours."
Naruto froze, the fox's words cutting through his frustration like a blade. "What are you talking about?" he asked, his voice quieter now, but still tinged with desperation. "I've been using wood style because it's all I have! It's supposed to be my power now, right?"
Kurama snorted, his sharp teeth glinting as he leaned closer to the bars of his cage. "Wrong. That's where you've been screwing up, Naruto. Wood style isn't your power. It never was. You've been fumbling around trying to use something you don't have any real talent for." The fox's growl softened, just slightly, as if sensing Naruto's growing confusion. "You're fighting like you're Hashirama or Asura, but you're not. You're you."
"Then what the hell am I supposed to do?" Naruto threw his arms wide, water splashing up around him. "If wood style isn't my power, then what is?"
The fox let out an exasperated sigh, his tails swishing in irritation. "You don't get it, do you? Asura had Mokuton naturally, and so did the First Hokage. They were born with it. You, on the other hand, only gained it when your chakra merged with Asura's… but you've been trying to use it without understanding what your chakra is actually telling you."
Naruto scowled, folding his arms. "Then what are you saying? That I'm not good enough? That I shouldn't even bother?"
Kurama leaned forward, his massive head lowering until his sharp eyes were level with Naruto's. "I'm saying your natural affinity isn't wood style, idiot. You've been forcing it. And forcing something that doesn't belong to you is why you keep getting your ass handed to you."
Naruto's mouth fell open slightly, his indignation faltering. "Wait… then what's my actual affinity?"
Kurama chuckled, the sound low and almost amused. "Wind," he said simply. "Knowing your father, it was always going to be wind. But you've also got earth and water from Asura, which combine into Mokuton. That's why you've been able to fake wood style all this time."
"Wait, wait, wait." Naruto held up his hands, his mind racing. "If I've got wind, earth, and water, then… doesn't that mean…?"
Kurama's grin widened, his fangs glinting in the dim light. "Exactly. Three affinities together make a Kekkei Tōta. You don't have Mokuton. You've been using something much bigger—something uniquely yours. Seed Style: Shuton."
Naruto stared at the fox, his eyes widening in disbelief. "Shuton…? What the hell is that?"
"Something with possibilities far beyond Mokuton," Kurama explained, his tone uncharacteristically patient. "You've been using it without even realizing it. Growing wood clones? That wasn't Mokuton—you were cultivating seeds, Naruto. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. With Shuton, you could grow forests, or reshape this entire world if you put your mind to it. You've been limiting yourself this whole time."
Naruto's breath hitched as hope flickered in his chest. "You're saying… I could stop those kunai? That I could actually fight back with this?"
Kurama nodded sharply. "Of course, you idiot. You've already got the power. You just need to stop holding back and use it for real. You've spent so long trying to master something you weren't built for that you haven't let yourself embrace what you're meant to be."
Naruto blinked rapidly, his hands trembling. "But… I don't know how. I've never done anything like that before."
"You do know how," Kurama said firmly, his voice carrying an edge of encouragement. "You've been using it this whole time. Stop overthinking it. Trust yourself. I already said it: You're not Asura, Naruto—you're you. So stop trying to be someone else and fight like it."
Naruto's lips twitched into a shaky grin as determination flared in his eyes. "You're right," he said softly, his voice growing stronger with every word. "I can do this… Thank you."
Kurama snorted, turning away with a flick of his tails. "Don't thank me. I'm not doing this for you. If you die, I die. And I've got no intention of going down with you, you hear me?"
"Sure, sure," Naruto said, chuckling as he turned his gaze inward. He closed his eyes, letting Kurama's words settle into his bones. The doubt and fear melted away, replaced by something fiercer: belief.
"Let's do this," he whispered, and when his eyes opened again, he was back in the real world.
The kunai storm closed in, seconds from impact.
Naruto gritted his teeth, his arm trembling as he struggled against the crushing weight of the rubble. Kurama's words echoed in his mind: "You're not using wood style—you're forcing something else entirely." Desperation surged through him, mixing with a flicker of understanding. His eyes narrowed, focusing on the remains of his wooden arm pinned beneath the debris.
There—buried deep within the fractured Mokuton construct—he could feel it. A faint pulse, alive with raw potential. A seed. His lips curled into a determined smile. "So that's what you meant, Kurama."
His red chakra flared wildly, enveloping his body in a fierce glow. Twisting his torso with all his strength, Naruto poured every ounce of chakra he had into the seed. The energy resonated, the seed responding like it had been waiting for this moment. With a sharp yank, Naruto pulled the seed free, leaving the rest of the wooden construct behind, still trapped under the rubble.
For a heartbeat, all was still. Then, a sharp tingling sensation coursed through the stub of his arm. The seed pulsed, bursting to life as vibrant green tendrils spiraled outward, weaving together in intricate patterns. The growth was rapid and precise, forming a perfect new arm. Fingers emerged at the end, flexing naturally as if they had always been there.
Naruto stared at his newly-grown arm, relief and exhilaration washing over him in equal measure. The limb hummed faintly with Shuton chakra, alive and brimming with possibility. He clenched his fist experimentally, the motion fluid and seamless. A grin spread across his face. "Now we're talking," he muttered, the weight of despair lifting.
Above him, the kunai storm loomed closer, the metallic hail glinting menacingly as it streaked toward him. Naruto's grin widened, his eyes burning with determination. With his new arm, he formed three seals, the movements instinctive, as if they'd been etched into his very soul. His chakra surged, blending earth, water, and wind in perfect harmony, vibrant and alive.
"Shuton: Tanesandan no Jutsu!" he roared, his voice echoing through the battlefield as he unleashed his counterattack.
The air exploded with motion as a storm of seeds erupted from Naruto's arm, tearing through the night like a barrage of bullets. They surged forward with unrelenting force, their vibrant energy humming with raw power. The kunai storm, glinting cold and deadly, raced to meet them in a deadly collision.
The seeds struck the kunai head-on. For the briefest of moments, it seemed like the two forces were evenly matched—an illusion shattered as the first seed detonated. A violent, concussive blast tore through the air, scattering the kunai like leaves in a hurricane. The explosion didn't stop there. Each seed ignited in succession, a chain reaction of devastation that lit up the battlefield like a second sunrise.
The power of the blasts was overwhelming, the ground beneath their feet quaking violently. Buildings trembled, their foundations groaning under the force of the shockwaves. Tiles shattered, rubble skittered across the streets, and windows exploded in a chorus of shattering glass. The roar of the detonation drowned out every other sound, a deafening symphony of destruction that consumed the night.
Above, the black sun seemed to dim against the radiance of the mushroom cloud rising high into the sky. A luminous column of light and debris climbed upward, blotting out the stars and casting the battlefield in an eerie glow. The heat of the explosion rippled outward, a tangible force that pressed against the skin and rattled the bones of everyone within its reach.
When the dust settled, the battlefield was unrecognizable. The kunai were gone—not scattered, not broken, but utterly disintegrated, leaving no trace of their existence. The air hung heavy with the acrid scent of scorched earth, and the silence that followed was as deafening as the explosion itself.
Naruto stood at the epicenter, his arm still faintly glowing with the residual energy of his technique. His chest heaved with labored breaths, his body trembling from the exertion. Every muscle ached, his chakra reserves dangerously low, but the sight of the battlefield—cleared of danger—brought a flicker of triumph to his weary face.
Sasuke stood motionless, his Rinnegan dimming as he struggled to comprehend what had just happened. His gaze shifted from the dissipating mushroom cloud to Naruto, his mind racing. The sheer destructive power of the seeds had completely overwhelmed his kunai, obliterating them as though they were nothing. His fingers twitched, his grip tightening as frustration welled within him.
"You…" Sasuke's voice was low, but the tremor in it betrayed the storm raging inside him. His body shook, whether from exhaustion, frustration, or a volatile mix of both, even he wasn't sure. "Over and over again… you just keep getting stronger and stronger!" His right fist trembled as it curled into a tight ball, his nails digging so deep into his palm that they threatened to draw blood.
"You don't stop! You never stop!" His voice grew louder, each word laced with mounting rage. His teeth clenched, and his breathing grew ragged as his Rinnegan throbbed painfully, a searing reminder of just how much he had already pushed himself. "Why the hell don't you just give up?! Why do you always have to stand in my way, Naruto?!"
Sasuke staggered forward, his legs weak from the toll of the battle. Every muscle in his body screamed for him to stop, to rest, but the fire in his chest burned too fiercely. His left arm twitched at his side, his fingers crackling as he forced more chakra into them. Sparks danced along his metal arm, the faint glow of lightning flickering hesitantly before surging to life. "Just let me do the one thing I have to do," he snarled, his voice cracking. His breath hitched, and for a moment, his fury seemed to falter, giving way to something deeper, something raw.
"Let me kill my brother… damn it!" The words left his throat like a cry of anguish, echoing in the shattered silence of the battlefield. It wasn't just anger—it was desperation. It was the culmination of years of pain, of betrayal, of being shackled by the singular purpose that had defined his existence for so long. Sasuke's legs nearly buckled beneath him, but he forced himself upright, his entire body vibrating with the energy he could barely contain. His eyes burned, his Sharingan spinning wildly, while his Rinnegan pulsed erratically, its power stretching thin.
Lightning crackled louder, his Chidori forming with difficulty, sputtering like an engine on its last dregs of fuel. The sound of the thousand chirping birds roared to life once more, the bright blue glow illuminating Sasuke's sweat-slicked face. He gritted his teeth, every fiber of his being screaming that this was his last chance—his last hope to prove himself, to finish what he'd started.
But even through the haze of anger, exhaustion clawed at him, dragging his movements down, clouding his thoughts. His vision swam, black edges creeping into his peripheral vision, but he didn't care. He couldn't care. Failure wasn't an option. It had never been an option for him.
His Rinnegan flared once more, its purple hue glowing ominously against the fading night. The power of Amenotejikara surged within him, a final act of defiance against the boy who was his closest friend.
In an instant, he vanished. One moment he stood on the rubble-strewn battlefield, and the next he was inches from Naruto, his lightning-cloaked arm raised, the Chidori humming with lethal intent. The air around him crackled and popped, and time seemed to slow as Sasuke locked eyes with his opponent. His face was twisted in fury, but his eyes betrayed the truth: a deep, unbearable pain that drove him forward.
This was it. Everything he had left, everything he was, poured into one final strike.
Naruto didn't flinch. Despite the blistering energy of the Chidori screaming mere inches from his face, his sapphire eyes remained calm, steady, and resolute. They bore into Sasuke's furious gaze, not with anger, but with a quiet, unyielding determination. "I can't do that," he said, his voice low but firm. "because I'm your brother, too."
For a brief moment, Sasuke froze, his Sharingan capturing the raw sincerity in Naruto's eyes. His Chidori faltered, flickering as his focus wavered. It was only a moment—a fleeting heartbeat—but it was all Naruto needed.
Gritting his teeth, Naruto formed a single seal with his re-grown hand, channeling the dregs of his chakra into one final technique. He could still feel the faint chakra signatures of the glowing remnants from his earlier explosion—tiny, flickering orbs scattered across the battlefield like dormant embers waiting to reignite. They hovered weightlessly, their glow faint and subtle, like fireflies caught in the night. Naruto's bruised and bloodied face was illuminated in their soft light, a reflection of the resolve that had brought him this far.
He didn't have time to question it. Drawing from the wellspring of Shuton that Kurama had awakened within him, Naruto acted instinctively. His chakra surged, breathing life back into the dormant orbs as their golden light brightened.
"Shuton: Hotaru no Jutsu!" Naruto roared, his voice cracking with exertion as the orbs pulsed to life, their radiance growing until they blazed like miniature suns.
The battlefield lit up with a blinding golden light, washing over the rubble like dawn breaking after a long night. Sasuke's Sharingan flickered wildly, overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of the light. The Chidori in his hand faltered, sputtering as the lightning chakra dissipated into harmless sparks.
Blinded and disoriented, Sasuke swung wildly, his fist slicing through the air. But there was nothing to hit—Naruto had already moved, and Sasuke's strike cut through nothing but empty space.
Naruto's counter came swiftly, powered by desperation and everything he had left. His wooden arm extended again, growing with unnatural speed as it coiled into position. He pivoted his hips, planting his feet firmly despite the tremor in his legs. His extended fist arced upward in a devastating uppercut, the wood snapping into place with the force of a battering ram.
The blow connected with Sasuke's jaw, and the impact was thunderous. Sasuke's head snapped back violently, his body lifted clean off the ground. The world seemed to slow as the force carried him upward, his arms flailing uselessly, his Rinnegan dimming as the last of his energy bled away. The sound of the impact reverberated across the battlefield, a visceral crack that echoed like the final note of their brutal clash.
Sasuke's body crashed down onto the rubble with a sickening thud, the ground beneath him shuddering from the impact. Dust and debris billowed upward, shrouding him in a thick, suffocating cloud. He lay sprawled in the broken remnants of the rooftop, his limbs motionless, his chest rising and falling in shallow, uneven breaths. The fight had left him completely and utterly drained—his strength, his rage, even his will to rise again had been spent.
Naruto stumbled forward, his body swaying as if it might collapse at any moment. His breaths came in ragged gasps, his vision blurred, and every muscle screamed for him to stop. The extended wooden arm retracted, shrinking back into its normal form as the Shuton chakra within it dimmed to near nothingness. His legs trembled, nearly buckling under the weight of his exhaustion, but he forced himself onward.
With his last ounce of strength, Naruto let himself fall onto the rubble beside Sasuke. He landed hard, his arms barely catching him as he slumped against the jagged ground. His heart pounded in his ears, drowning out the chaos of the distant battle still raging elsewhere in the village. For a moment, the world seemed to stop, leaving only the sound of their labored breaths.
Naruto turned his head slightly, glancing at Sasuke, who lay beside him, his face turned toward the night sky. Despite the throbbing pain coursing through his body, Naruto's lips curled into a faint, weary smile. He had done it. Somehow, he'd stopped Sasuke—at least for now.
Sasuke's chest rose and fell unevenly, his breath shallow as his gaze remained fixed on the stars above. The glow of the distant black sun reflected faintly in his eyes, an ominous reminder of the chaos they had both momentarily left behind.
Breaking the silence, Naruto's hoarse voice carried a trace of humor, tinged with exhaustion. "You're… really stubborn, y'know that?"
Sasuke didn't respond right away. Slowly, he turned his head just enough to glare at Naruto from the corner of his eye. His voice was sharp, but softer than usual, almost grudging. "You're one to talk… idiot."
A quiet chuckle escaped Naruto's lips, rough and uneven. He pushed himself upright with a groan, resting his wooden arm across his knees as he sat amidst the rubble. His eyes drifted toward the black sun in the distance, its eerie glow painting the night sky in shades of crimson and gold, casting jagged shadows over the ruined rooftop. His chest rose and fell heavily, his words tinged with both regret and resolve.
"I was supposed to help out over there, y'know," Naruto murmured, his gaze unwavering. "But… I don't know if I've got anything left in the tank." His voice was soft, almost wistful, as if he were speaking more to himself than to Sasuke.
Sasuke turned his head slightly, still lying flat on his back. His gaze wasn't on the black sun or the battlefield beyond—it was on the stars overhead, twinkling faintly in the indigo sky. "Even now," he began, his voice low but steady, "you keep talking about wanting to help others. Why would you go so far for my brother? You don't even know him… and didn't he try to capture you?" There was a bitter edge to his words, though it wasn't aimed at Naruto. It was frustration born from confusion, from a truth he couldn't yet grasp.
Naruto gave a tired shrug, the motion loose and unguarded. "It's not like I'm doing it for Itachi's sake or anything," he said, his voice carrying the honesty Sasuke had grown used to—and resented—in him. "I may not have a real family or anything, but you're my brother… which kinda makes Itachi my brother too. And I don't want to lose a single person in my family."
The simplicity of the statement hit Sasuke harder than any punch or jutsu ever had. For a moment, he didn't speak, his mind racing to process what Naruto had just said.
Then, almost involuntarily, he chuckled—a soft, hollow sound at first, before it grew into a weary laugh. "Heh… Damn…" His voice cracked slightly as he exhaled. "I just can't win against you. You're a pain in the ass, just like a real little brother."
Naruto tilted his head, his expression softening into a faint, tired grin. "Guess that makes you the pain in the ass big brother, huh?" he quipped lightly, but there was no mockery in his tone. Only warmth.
Sasuke's laughter faded, his eyes fixed on the sky again. The stars above seemed clearer now, their light cutting through the lingering haze of battle. He felt something shift deep within him—something fragile, something heavy. For so long, his heart had been weighed down by rage, vengeance, and the relentless grip of Kotoamatsukami. He hadn't even realized it, but the curse hadn't fully controlled him. It had only magnified what was already there: his hatred, his grief, and his unrelenting need for revenge.
And yet, even under the influence of Danzo's vile jutsu, there had always been doubt. Regret. When he thought Itachi had died, it hadn't been satisfaction he'd felt. It had been loss. Not for the vengeance he couldn't enact, but for the words he'd never spoken. The questions he'd never asked. The truth he'd never uncovered.
That regret stirred now, breaking apart the last chains of Kotoamatsukami like brittle glass. Sasuke closed his eyes, letting out a long, shuddering breath. He could feel it—the curse unraveling, its hold slipping away entirely.
"It's gone," he murmured, his voice quiet but resolute. "The curse… it's gone."
Naruto glanced at him, his brow furrowing in confusion. "The curse?"
Sasuke didn't answer immediately. His lips twitched into a faint smile, though it was tinged with sadness. "Danzo… He used Kotoamatsukami on me. Made me believe that if I didn't kill Itachi, I'd die. I thought I was free from it… but the truth is, I didn't want to be." He opened his eyes, the faint glow of his Rinnegan soft in the moonlight. "Until now."
Naruto's expression shifted, a mix of concern and relief washing over him. "You're saying you're free now? Like, for real?"
Sasuke nodded slowly. "For real." His voice was heavier now, carrying the weight of his realization. "I've been running on hatred for so long, it felt like the only thing keeping me alive. But now… I see it. I was wrong. About everything."
Naruto leaned back again, letting his gaze drift toward the sky. "Took you long enough to figure that out," he said lightly, though his tone lacked any malice.
Sasuke let out another breath, this one lighter than before. "I just needed someone to knock some sense into me," he admitted grudgingly. His voice softened further. "Thanks… little brother."
Naruto froze for a moment, the words sinking in. Then, his grin returned, tired but genuine. "You're welcome, big brother."
The two sat in silence for a while, the weight of their fight and everything that had come before settling between them. Above them, the black sun continued to shrink, its eerie glow fading slightly. There was still chaos ahead, battles yet to be fought, and questions still unanswered.
But for now, they simply sat—two brothers, scarred and battered but, for the first time, truly at peace.
Chapter End
AN: The Shuton（種遁）is literally just "Seed" Style/Release, and is the combination of wind, water, and earth. I decided to make it seed for two reasons. One, I thought seeds felt kinda small and primordial in the same way the only other known Kekkei Tota is, the Dust Release. Two, I thought of it kinda like how birds carry seeds far distances, and introduce plants/trees to areas they weren't originally indigenous to.
Then the two techniques Naruto used so far are Tanesandan（種散弾）no Jutsu, The Seed Buckshot Jutsu- and Hotaru（蛍）no Jutsu, The Firefly Jutsu. In the same way the Dust Release is an Atomic theming, I'm kinda going for a light/growth theming for the Seed Release, not just purely seeds as we think of them. There will be a lot of utility involved, but that will be explored later, but for now this is why I had actually been limiting Naruto's use of Mokuton earlier as he was only growing seeds and not properly utilizing his true power.