"I have you, damn it."
Naruto's words echoed through the mist in the Valley of the End. Sasuke hung his head, droplets running down his chin and falling into the waterfall's current. There was no telling whether they were mist or something else.
His breathing slowly steadied. The pattern of his Mangekyō Sharingan made one final rotation in his pupils, then gradually dimmed.
"That approach of yours..." Sasuke's voice was low. "It won't change anything at all. Do you know that?"
Naruto pulled him up from the water's surface, his golden Chakra Cloak giving off a warm glow in the waterfall's spray.
"At least I won't let you go off to die alone."
Sasuke pushed his hand away and staggered toward the edge of the waterfall. The Kusanagi Sword was still embedded in the water's surface, the lingering lightning on its blade flickering.
"You didn't understand what I said." He reached out and gripped the hilt. "This world's system is rotten at its roots. Konoha is, and so are the other villages. Everyone is maintaining a superficial peace, but hatred will never disappear."
"So you're going to shoulder all the darkness alone?" Naruto caught up with him, his voice rising half a pitch. "Then what? Once you're dead, another Madara Uchiha comes along?"
Sasuke spun around, holding the Kusanagi Sword across his chest as his Sharingan lit up again.
"Shut up, Naruto. You don't understand what I'm saying at all."
"Then spell it out!" Naruto's voice almost became a roar over the thunder of the waterfall. "What exactly do you want to do? Overthrow the Five Great Nations? Kill everyone who opposes you? Then make the whole world hate and fear you? Is that your plan?"
Sasuke pointed his sword at Naruto, but his hand was trembling, not because he