JOIN:- patreon.com/The_GreatRed
[20% Discount on MostHigh Membership]
AND GIVE POWERSTONES
100 powerstone = 1 bonus chapter
AND COMMENT BECOZ IT KEEPS ME MOTIVATED TO WRITE...(LOVE U GUYZ)
.[ADVANCE CHAPTER IN PATREON] (WILL BE THERE FROM TOMMOROW)
.
.
...
At the Valley of the End, two figures stood facing each other—Sasuke Uchiha and Naruto Uzumaki, both only thirteen, both carrying the weight of their choices.
Sasuke's body had already entered the grotesque transformation of his Cursed Seal, Level Two, dark markings spreading across his skin as his power surged. On the other side, Naruto was cloaked in the burning aura of the Nine-Tails' chakra, a single tail swaying behind him as his eyes glowed with determination.
They glared at each other, the roar of the waterfall echoing around them.
"Sasuke!" Naruto shouted, desperation in his voice. "You have to stop this! Damn it—you can still come back to the village!"
Sasuke's expression twisted into a scornful glare.
"Back? To that worthless village? Don't be stupid, dobe. That place has nothing left to offer me."
Naruto gritted his teeth, his fists trembling.
"What about our bond?! What about our friendship—our team?!"
Sasuke chuckled darkly, his laugh cold and empty.
"Bond? Friendship? Hmph… don't make me laugh. Those are just meaningless illusions. If you really believe in them, Naruto… then I'll show you just how fragile they are. I'll shatter that bond myself!"
He lowered his hand, and lightning began to crackle violently—except this time it wasn't blue. The Chidori burned a dark, sinister black, a twisted reflection of his rage.
Naruto's eyes widened, but his resolve hardened.
"Sasuke… if that's how it is… then I'll break every bone in your body if I have to! I'm not letting you go to Orochimaru!"
He pressed his hands together, forming the Rasengan, swirling with violent chakra. The ground beneath them trembled as both boys prepared their ultimate techniques.
"Naruto!!" Sasuke roared, charging forward with his Black Chidori.
"Sasuke!!" Naruto shouted back, racing with his Rasengan in hand.
The two dashed at impossible speed, their jutsu colliding with a deafening crash, sending shockwaves across the Valley.
Inside Sasuke's mind, a single thought consumed him: I have to end this. I need power! I'm an avenger… this bond means nothing! With Orochimaru's strength, I'll finally kill Itachi!
Meanwhile,
"I… I can't let him go to Orochimaru…!" Naruto thought, gritting his teeth as his Rasengan roared with swirling chakra. "I won't let my friend fall into that damn snake's hands. Sasuke—I'll stop you! I promised Sakura… and I'll keep that promise no matter what!"
Naruto forced more of the Nine-Tails' chakra into his Rasengan, its violent energy spiraling wildly. Across from him, Sasuke's Black Chidori crackled with raw malice as he poured every ounce of his hatred into it.
The two boys roared as they clashed, the Valley of the End trembling under the impact. The sky itself seemed to shatter as Rasengan and Chidori collided.
Then—an earth-shaking explosion.
But this time… the outcome was different.
When the smoke cleared, it wasn't Uchiha Sasuke who stood victorious. Instead, Naruto's Rasengan had overpowered him, slamming directly into Sasuke's chest. The force launched him backward, crashing him violently into the statue of the Uchiha ancestor.
"Gh—!" Sasuke coughed, his body wracked with pain. He tried to rise, hatred burning in his Sharingan eyes, glaring at the only person who had ever been his rival… the only person he had ever, deep down, considered a friend.
But his body wouldn't move. His Uchiha pride screamed in protest, but his strength was gone. His vision darkened. Sasuke, the last Uchiha, finally lost consciousness.
Naruto, however, wasn't unscathed. The backlash of the clash tore through him—his body trembling, blood dripping from his chest and arm where the remnants of Sasuke's lightning had struck. The Nine-Tails' cloak receded, leaving behind only wounds, exhaustion, and unbearable pain.
But Naruto didn't care. None of it mattered. Not the blood. Not the pain. Not even his battered body.
All that mattered was one thing.
He had won.
He had kept his promise.
He had defeated Sasuke… and now, he could finally bring him back.
Despite the agony, a small smile crept onto Naruto's face. "I… I did it. I'll bring him home. I'll show everyone… that I can protect my comrades. Maybe now… the village will finally see me as more than the Nine-Tails… maybe… they'll acknowledge me as a true shinobi."
With determination burning in his eyes, Naruto staggered forward. He lifted Sasuke's unconscious body onto his shoulder, even though his arm was bleeding heavily. His chakra was nearly depleted, his steps unsteady, but he pressed on.
After some time, the towering gates of Konoha came into view. Naruto's vision blurred, but relief filled his chest. He smiled faintly as he saw three figures rushing toward him—Kakashi Hatake, who had come searching for his students, Sakura Haruno, the girl to whom he had made his promise, and the Fifth Hokage herself, Tsunade-baachan.
Naruto let out one last tired smile. His body finally gave in, his chakra fading completely—
—but even as his consciousness slipped, one thought stayed clear in his heart:
"I kept my promise, Sakura… I brought Sasuke back."
As Naruto collapsed in front of the village gates, his chakra completely drained, he finally lost consciousness. Kakashi rushed forward, quickly grabbing both Naruto and Sasuke before they could hit the ground too hard. Looking at his students, he murmured with a heavy voice,
"...Naruto. Sasuke."
Tsunade immediately bent down, checking their conditions with practiced hands. After a quick examination, she exhaled.
"They're both alive. We need to get them to the hospital immediately. Kakashi, carry them. Sakura, come with me."
Without wasting another moment, the group hurried toward the hospital.
Two days later…
Naruto's eyes fluttered open slowly. His body felt heavy, his limbs like lead. The white ceiling above him and the sterile smell of medicine told him exactly where he was.
"...Tch. Damn it," he muttered weakly. "The hospital, huh?"
Of all places, this was the one Naruto Uzumaki hated the most. To others, a hospital meant recovery, safety. But for him… it was full of bitter memories. Memories of being beaten by villagers as a child, left bleeding and ignored. The Third Hokage would sometimes visit, offering words of comfort, but most of the time Naruto had been alone. That place was always a reminder of his loneliness.
He tried to move, only to notice that his body was restrained to the bed with chakra seals to suppress his power. The Nine-Tails' influence had taken its toll, and Tsunade wasn't taking any chances.
"Figures," Naruto sighed. His body ached, but that wasn't anything new. What caught his attention instead was something else—his bedside was empty. No flowers, no gifts, nothing. For a brief second, disappointment flickered across his eyes. Heh… guess that part hasn't changed much, huh? Even now…
Still, he quickly shook his head. No. Things are different now. I've got Kakashi-sensei. I've got Sakura-chan. Even Granny Tsunade believes in me. Things are changing… little by little.
Just then, the door slid open. A nurse stepped in, holding a clipboard. She didn't look up at first, her eyes scanning the papers. But when she finally glanced at the bed and saw Naruto sitting up, her eyes widened in shock.
For a brief moment, Naruto thought she was surprised that he was awake. But then… her expression twisted. A sharp, hateful glare burned into him.
Naruto froze. It had been a long time since anyone had looked at him like that. Ever since he became a shinobi, those glares had slowly faded. The villagers no longer dared to openly treat him the same way they had when he was a child. But this glare… it was different. It was colder. Harsher.
Before Naruto could say anything, the nurse spoke in a flat,Filled with Disgust tone.
"So… you're finally awake, huh? I'll inform the Hokage."
With that, she turned sharply on her heel, but not before shooting him one last glare, filled with venom.
Naruto sat there in silence, staring at the door as it shut behind her. His fists tightened in the sheets. For the first time in a long while, he felt that old ache again—the reminder that to some people, he would always just be the demon fox.
"…Damn it," Naruto whispered, shaking his head. But then, he forced himself to smirk, even if just a little. "Whatever. I don't care. I've been through worse. I'll keep proving myself… until they all acknowledge me. Believe it."