Battle at the Valley of the End!

Sasuke stood there, black curse marks coiling around his body.

That immense yet extremely unstable power made everyone present shudder.

"Sasuke! You're awake! Great! Come back with us!" Naruto shouted anxiously and joyfully, ignoring his injuries.

However, Sasuke merely shot him a cold glance. The unfamiliarity in his eyes was chilling. "Go back? Go back where? A place like the Hidden Leaf Village can't give me the power I need."

"You're wrong! Kakashi-sensei, Sakura, everyone... and me! We can all help you!" Naruto argued heatedly, trying to step forward.

"Help me? Like just now, when you were beaten by this trash without being able to fight back? Or like before Itachi, when you were left at someone's mercy like a dead dog?"

His words stabbed into Naruto's heart like blades.

"It's not like that! We can grow stronger together!"

"Too slow!" Sasuke growled, black chakra surging around him. "I can't wait that long! Orochimaru can give me power, right now!"

He looked at the Sound Four. "Let's go."

"Sasuke!" Naruto panicked completely and rushed forward to grab him.

"Don't get in my way!" Sasuke spun and threw a punch! The blow, wrapped in cursed seal power, slammed viciously into Naruto's chest!

Caught off guard, Naruto was sent flying. He crashed heavily into a tree and coughed up blood.

Shikamaru, Kiba, and the others all changed expression. Sasuke was terrifyingly powerful now, and terrifyingly cold.

"You bastard, Sasuke!" Kiba roared, trying to charge forward, but Shikamaru held him back tightly.

"Don't be rash! Something's wrong with him right now!"

Ling Yue watched this scene, feeling powerless. So it had still... come to this.

She took a deep breath, stepped forward, and stood between Sasuke and the Sound Ninja.

"Sasuke, I understand that you want power for revenge. But relying on Orochimaru is like seeking a tiger's skin. He's only using your body!"

Sasuke's gaze finally fell on Ling Yue. Those dark eyes seemed to ripple slightly. "Using me? So what? As long as I gain the power to kill that man, any price is worth paying."

He paused and looked at Ling Yue, his tone carrying a trace of barely perceptible complexity. "Those threads of yours... and your Lightning Release, they're interesting. But they aren't enough. Far from enough to see the darkness of this world clearly. Move aside."

Ling Yue did not move. "What if I say no?"

"Then don't blame me." Sasuke slowly raised his hand. The piercing sound of Chidori's Cry rang out again, but this time, strands of black were mixed into the lightning.

Cursed Seal: Chidori!

The conflict was about to erupt!

"Enough!!"

An angry roar came from behind them! It was Naruto!

He struggled to his feet as orange-red chakra surged from his body once more. The Nine-Tails' demon fox cloak became even denser, and his eyes turned into beastlike vertical slits!

"Sasuke!!" Naruto stared at Sasuke, his voice trembling with rage and pain. "I don't care about power! I don't care about revenge! All I know is that you're my comrade! I'll never let you walk into darkness! Even if I have to break your arms and legs, I'll bring you back!"

"You?" Sasuke sneered.

"Me!" Naruto roared, turning into a streak of red lightning as he charged forward!

The two collided in an instant!

The violent clash between Nine-Tails chakra and cursed seal chakra unleashed a shocking shockwave of energy!

The ground cracked, and trees toppled!

The battle had fully erupted!

This was no longer a spar. It was a deadly battle with their beliefs and futures on the line!

Naruto's attacks were wild and direct. Relying on the immense chakra and recovery granted by the Nine-Tails, he launched relentless assaults!

Sasuke's movements were sharper and stranger. With the cursed seal empowering his Chidori and taijutsu, his attacks were terrifyingly strong and even faster!

Chidori and Rasengan clashed again and again! Every collision shook the earth and mountains!

The two fought from the forest to the river, then to the famed Valley of the End!

The enormous statues of the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara silently overlooked this fated confrontation.

Shikamaru and the others wanted to intervene, but the recovered Sound Four blocked them firmly, leaving them no choice but to watch anxiously.

Ling Yue was also entangled by Sakon's clone and could not break free. Watching the two figures fight madly atop the waterfall, her heart felt heavy.

She knew outsiders could hardly interfere in this battle. This was a decision that belonged to Naruto and Sasuke.

The battle became unimaginably brutal.

Naruto was knocked down by Chidori again and again, only to rise each time with the Nine-Tails' chakra. He was covered in wounds, but his eyes remained steadfast!

Sasuke was also left in a sorry state by the Rasengan and Shadow Clone tactics. Though the cursed seal's power was immense, the burden on his body was equally great. Blood began to seep from the corner of his mouth, yet the obsession in his eyes only grew more frenzied!

"Why! Why are you forcing me!" Sasuke roared in fury. Chidori tore through Naruto's defense again, leaving a charred wound across his chest!

"Because... I said... I'd bring you back!" Naruto spat blood, yet still gripped Sasuke's hand tightly. A Rasengan condensed in his other hand once more. "This is the oath... I made to my lifelong rival!"

"Meaningless bonds!" Sasuke leaped back, driving the cursed seal's power to its limit. "Then I'll make you despair completely!"

Chidori Stream!

A massive black thunderstorm erupted around him, sweeping across the entire lake!

Naruto was blasted away by the overwhelming force, and even his Nine-Tails cloak dimmed considerably.

The two stood on opposite sides of the lake, panting violently. Both had reached their limits.

"It's over, Naruto." Sasuke slowly raised his hand. His final chakra condensed into a massive Chidori Sharp Spear. "You're too weak. So weak that you can't even understand hatred."

Naruto looked at Sasuke, at the utter darkness and despair in his eyes, and suddenly smiled. The smile was bleak, yet filled with unmatched determination.

"Yeah... maybe I don't understand your hatred... and I really am weak... always the dead last..."

He slowly straightened his body. The dim Nine-Tails cloak around him ignited once more, burning even more fiercely than before!

A huge amount of red chakra poured from his abdomen, taking the shape of a single tail!

"But!" He raised his head, his eyes blazing with a fire that refused to yield. "I will never let you walk into darkness alone! That's my ninja way!"

He poured all his strength, all his will, and all his bonds into his final strike!

Rasengan!!!

Sasuke also fused all his hatred, all his pain, and all his resolve into that pitch-black Chidori!

Chidori!!!

Carrying completely opposing beliefs, the two charged at each other!

Between the statues of the First Hokage and Madara, their massive chakra collided with a thunderous blast!

Blinding light swallowed everything!

The enormous explosion was deafening!

The entire Valley of the End trembled violently! The lake water evaporated, and rocks shattered!

When the light gradually faded.

The two stood with their backs crossed.

Sasuke's Chidori stopped before Naruto's chest, but did not pierce him.

Naruto's Rasengan pressed against Sasuke's forehead protector. It shattered on impact, and a slash cut through the Hidden Leaf symbol.

"Why..." Naruto looked at Sasuke and spoke with difficulty. "Why did you... hold back at the end..."

Sasuke panted heavily. Looking into Naruto's still-clear eyes, filled with confusion and sorrow, an extremely complex emotion flashed through his own. But it was quickly swallowed by darkness once more.

He slowly withdrew his hand, his voice hoarse and weary. "...I just suddenly felt that killing you... would be meaningless."

He turned around without looking at Naruto again and walked toward the Sound Four waiting for him.

"Next time... when we meet again, we'll be enemies."

With that, he did not look back. Following the Sound Ninja, he disappeared step by step into the shadows of the forest.

Naruto watched his retreating figure and reached out as if trying to grasp something, but his hand ultimately fell weakly. The light in his eyes completely faded as he slowly collapsed backward, unconscious in the cold lake water.

Ling Yue also broke free of her opponent and landed beside Naruto. Looking at his tightly furrowed brow even in unconsciousness and the shattered forehead protector on the ground, she felt an indescribable mix of emotions.

In the end... she still could not change it?

Shikamaru and the others looked toward the direction Sasuke had disappeared, silent.

The pursuit mission had failed.

At some point, a light rain began to fall from the sky, washing over the scars of the Valley of the End but unable to wash away the grief and helplessness hanging in the air.

Ling Yue looked up, letting the icy rain strike her face as she felt that heavy sense of powerlessness.

Her determination to grow stronger had never been so intense.

She looked at the unconscious Naruto, then toward the direction Sasuke had gone.

This road was still long.