Several more days passed.
At the Valley of the End, the Curse Mark on Sasuke's face had yet to recede. Hands in his pockets, he prepared to walk away into the distance. All traces of childhood innocence had vanished; he was ready to seek out Orochimaru in pursuit of power.
"Sasuke!!"
Naruto's silhouette lunged forward, tackling Sasuke to the ground and pinning him. He immediately drove a fist into Sasuke's face.
"This... this isn't the fight I wanted..." Naruto's voice trembled. "Even now, I still..."
Looking at Sasuke, Naruto couldn't help but think of Kanon. Both siblings were the people he cared for most in this world. Now that Kanon was gone, and Sasuke was attempting to leave too, Naruto felt as if his heart were being shredded by a blade.
"I don't care what you want."
Coldly, Sasuke hoisted Naruto up and hurled him away, before slamming a fist into him that sent Naruto crashing into the waters of the Valley of the End.
Watching Naruto fly back, Sasuke marveled at his newfound strength for the first time.
"Heh... Hahaha! This is the power he promised. And it's fusing into my very body!"
Deep beneath the water, Naruto watched the sunlight filter through the surface. In the silence, he heard a phantom whisper, Kanon's voice.
"Keep going, Naruto! Let me see you become Hokage and save the ninja world!"
"Naruto! Stand up! Bring my brother back!"
It was as if she were right there, the blue Uchiha trench coat, the waterfall of black hair, that exquisite profile.
"Kanon! I'm sorry... it's all my fault. It's because I wasn't strong enough that things ended up like this."
"If I had just looked you and him in the eye from the start, maybe it wouldn't have turned out this way."
Whether it was the lake or his own tears, Naruto felt his heart breaking. But he had already lost Kanon; he refused to lose Sasuke too. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists.
BOOM!
The water exploded as Naruto leaped out, charging at Sasuke with blistering speed.
"You'd better wake the hell up!!"
But Naruto was met mid-air by Sasuke, who kicked him back down into the water. Sasuke took the opportunity to snatch Naruto's tool pouch away.
Landing on the shore, Sasuke replied indifferently, "I woke up a long time ago."
"A future where I stay with companions and live a peaceful life with you all every day... I'm done with that foolish dream."
"Kanon woke up even earlier, which is why she left the village. Now, I'm leaving too."
"I seek power. My dream has no future; my dream is the past. It is everything that exists for Kanon, for me, and for the Uchiha clan!!"
Sasuke closed his eyes. He remembered Itachi walking ahead while he constantly chased his back, and Kanon, stumbling behind them as she tried to keep up. Even when she tripped, she never cried out in pain; she just kept chasing them despite her scrapes.
Naruto glared at Sasuke, hurling a volley of shuriken. Sasuke dodged effortlessly and threw his own shuriken laced with wire, binding Naruto to a stone pillar.
"Sasuke... are you serious?!" Naruto gritted his teeth.
"I told you, I don't need a future with you. In my heart, there is only Kanon!"
"Since she's gone, what meaning is there in staying in Konoha?!"
Sasuke's hands blurred through signs. "Fire Release: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
With a roar, terrifying flames engulfed the area around Naruto. Sasuke watched the inferno with a detached expression. This was his choice. He would not forget what Konoha had done to Kanon.
Suddenly, a ball of fire erupted from the blaze, charging toward him.
"SASUKE!!!"
Naruto slammed a fist into his face, but Sasuke didn't even flinch. He turned his head back slowly.
"You bastard!" Naruto swung again.
Sasuke remained expressionless, seemingly immune to the pain. He let Naruto strike him until Naruto's knuckles bled, yet Sasuke remained unscathed.
"Is that all?"
"If this is your limit, I don't even need to use that."
"What?!" Naruto's pupils shrank.
"Haven't you noticed? I'm not even using the Sharingan."
"Don't look down on me!" Naruto swung again, but this time, Sasuke blocked him perfectly.
"It's not enough. Not your power, not your feelings!"
"It was because you were so weak that Kanon was forced to leave the village!"
"And it's because I was so weak that I couldn't protect her in Konoha!"
"If I keep playing 'ninja friends' with you..." Sasuke sent Naruto flying with a heavy blow, then followed up with a rain of relentless strikes. "I'll never obtain the strength I need!"
Sasuke looked down at Naruto, who was buried in the dirt. "Yes... I need this. I need power, and I need hatred. I must kill that man with my own hands before Kanon does!"
"No matter how much darkness lies ahead, I will press on! I must have power, no matter the cost!" Sasuke thought back to Kanon behind the stone tablet at the shrine—scarred, broken, her eyes devoid of life.
Sasuke's palms bled from the force of his clenching fists. This was his rage. When his sister was desperate and helpless, he had lived on without a scratch. What had he even been doing these past few years?!
Sasuke hated it. He hated himself! After the massacre, he had known true solitude, but Kanon's presence reminded him: without power, he couldn't protect her, and he couldn't protect the colorful "flower field" she loved.
From that day on, he was an Avenger!
Naruto poked his head out of the water, glaring at Sasuke. "Am I not your comrade anymore? Does everything Team 7 did together mean nothing to you?!"
"No. It wasn't meaningless."
"To me... you are my best friend."
"And you are the best friend my sister acknowledged."
Naruto froze, looking at Sasuke in confusion. "Then why..."
"That is exactly why," Sasuke interrupted. "Because of that, you are someone worth cutting down."
Sasuke stared at Naruto, his expression deadly serious.
"I still don't quite get it... but I understand one thing. You really intend to kill me."
"Sasuke!"
The two charged at each other once more.
…
Konoha Village
Sakura saw Kakashi leaving the Hokage's office and rushed over.
"Kakashi-sensei! Naruto is—"
"Sakura, don't worry about a thing."
"Leave Kanon, Naruto, and Sasuke to me."
"But..."
Once outside the village gates, Kakashi performed a summoning.
"First, track the scents of Kanon, Naruto, and Sasuke. Spread out in all directions!"
Pakkun looked up, puzzled. "Track Kanon, Naruto, and Sasuke? What exactly happened to them?"
"I'll explain later. Just know it's an emergency," Kakashi said shortly.
"Got it."
"Once you have a lock on their scents, call me. Dismissed!"
The Ninken scattered. Kakashi sighed internally. Even if he told Sakura not to worry, knowing she had seen Naruto and Sasuke's previous fight, it was an impossible request.
I was too naive. I kept thinking the three of them would get along... but now Kanon is missing, and Naruto and Sasuke might actually kill each other.
I'm a failure as a teacher... Kakashi cursed himself silently.
Suddenly, a howl echoed through the forest—Pakkun's signal. In an instant, Kakashi vanished.
I have to make it in time!