The End

As the first ray of morning sunlight rose, Shiraishi Yoshijo appeared at the Valley of the End.

On the shattered statues, Naruto and Sasuke lay together in a sorry state. Each had lost an arm and was unable to move.

Shiraishi Yoshijo flashed in front of them and clicked his tongue twice. "That was one hell of a brutal fight."

Wariness appeared in Sasuke's eyes. "Where are Kakashi and Sakura?"

Shiraishi Yoshijo shrugged. "Didn't you tell me to keep an eye on them? They wanted to come, but unfortunately, they weren't strong enough to beat Right Red. Forget that, Sasuke. What are you planning to do now?"

As he spoke, he crouched down and began treating them both.

"Losing an arm or a leg is nothing. What matters most is that your brains are fine. Sasuke, you still have the right to choose which path you take from here on out. Your mother, brother, and clansmen are all in Peach Country. I can protect you too."

Naruto immediately grew anxious. "Sasuke, you just said you acknowledged me—"

"Naruto, if I die here, then the long cycle of fate the Sage of Six Paths spoke of will come to an end. That counts as a revolution too, doesn't it? To undo the Infinite Tsukuyomi, transplant my left eye into Kakashi after I die. I want to settle this myself."

"Don't try to solve everything by dying! Instead of dying, stay alive and help me. What I want is for all shinobi to work together—and that includes you!"

"That's just wishful thinking on your part. The people of the village may not forgive me."

"Enough. Stop being stubborn. Say one more word and I'll beat you up again, believe it!"

Sasuke stared blankly at Naruto, his gaze gentler than it had ever