Crackle!
The Lightning Cutter pierced toward Sasuke, and the protective cube of Susano'o, meant to shield its wielder, left no room for evasion!
"Damn it, Sasuke is in danger!" Karin realized, immediately stepping forward to shield him. But before she could act, a hand grabbed her shoulder and yanked her back!
"Huh?!" Karin froze in shock.
Sasuke's side profile appeared before her—cold, cruel, and utterly unfamiliar.
Without hesitation, Sasuke pulled Karin in front of him, using her as a human shield!
Crack!
The Lightning Cutter mercilessly pierced through Karin's chest.
"Karin!!" Kakashi's face hardened, but his resolve didn't waver as he pushed forward with his attack.
Thud!
Jūgo, in his Cursed Seal form, leapt forward and wrapped his arms around Kakashi's waist, trying to hold him back.
Kakashi's killing intent remained resolute as he continued to force his way forward.
Jūgo, struggling to hold him, shouted, "Suigetsu!!"
Suigetsu sighed and shook his head. "Sasuke... all of us... something must be broken in us."
Splash!
Suigetsu's arms transformed into massive water appendages as he pushed Kakashi back with all his strength.
The combined effort of Jūgo and Suigetsu finally halted Kakashi's momentum. Together, they dragged him down from Susano'o's towering form.
"Sasuke, you..." Kakashi's gaze was heavy with sorrow as he looked at his former student during the fall.
Karin's chest wound gaped open, the cold wind whistling through it. Tears streamed down her face—tears of despair, helplessness, and heartbreak. Her body trembled as if plunged into an icy abyss.
"Sasuke, I..." She tried to speak, but a mouthful of blood spilled out instead.
Sasuke's voice was low and merciless. "Karin, you're useless to me now. Die as a stepping stone on my path of vengeance."
With a cold push of his hand, Sasuke sent Karin's limp body tumbling down.
"Sasuke... even if you hadn't done this, I would have stood in your way to protect you..."
Precious memories buried deep in Karin's heart flashed before her eyes like a fleeting lantern.
The first time they met during the Chūnin Exams in the Forest of Death—when that boy saved her life. In the end, he had pushed her into the abyss.
"If only time had stopped back then..." she thought.
Thud!
Karin's body hit the ground, motionless.
Choza Akimichi's massive hand caught Kakashi mid-fall.
"Kakashi, I'm sorry," Choza said. "I couldn't stop it."
Kakashi clenched his fist. "It's my failure, Choza."
"There was nothing else we could do," Choza replied gravely.
Creak, creak, creak!
The breach on Susano'o's protective cube began to regenerate.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes. "To damage Susano'o so effectively... Kakashi also possesses a Mangekyō Sharingan. I can't let him live."
Snap!
Susano'o drew its bow and nocked an arrow, aiming directly at Choza and Kakashi.
The arrow flew, splitting the air with terrifying speed.
Choza's pupils shrank. "Not good!!"
"Daytime Tiger!"
Boom!!
A massive shockwave in the shape of a tiger intercepted the arrow mid-flight, swallowing it in a whirlwind of force.
Thud!
Might Guy, cloaked in the blue flames of the Seventh Gate, landed in front of Choza.
Kakashi, exhausted, looked at his comrade's back and muttered, "Guy..."
Elsewhere, Suigetsu landed on the ground and drew his Executioner's Blade. Flashing a toothy grin, he said, "Well, if we're all going to die anyway, might as well go out with a bang!"
Whoosh!
Before Suigetsu could act, Konoha's ANBU squad leader, Xiang, appeared with a flash step, slashing at him with a sword.
Slash!
However, Suigetsu's liquefied body rendered the attack useless.
"Huh?" Xiang's expression beneath his mask tightened in surprise. "So, you're from the Hōzuki Clan."
"Too bad for you—physical attacks don't work on me!" Suigetsu grinned as his water arms lifted the Executioner's Blade, swinging it toward Xiang's back.
But Xiang's reflexes were sharp. He twisted his sword behind him just in time to block the strike with a loud clang.
Suigetsu's face twisted in shock. "What the hell? How is this guy so strong? He blocked my attack with barely any preparation?!"
Clang!
"Young man," Xiang said without turning, "don't underestimate Konoha's strength."
His fingers formed a seal in front of his chest.
"Lightning Release: Surrounding Thunder!"
Crackle!
A surge of lightning erupted from Xiang's sword, coursing through Suigetsu's liquefied body.
Suigetsu grimaced. "Damn it! Of all things, it had to be lightning—my worst matchup!"
"Ninja Art: Super Beast Imitating Drawing!"
Sai's ink tiger leapt forward, sinking its fangs into Suigetsu.
"Hahahaha! Kill them all! Kill them all!!!" Jūgo, consumed by bloodlust, prepared to unleash chaos after landing.
Unfortunately for him, his opponent was none other than Hiashi Hyūga.
Hiashi's Byakugan locked onto Jūgo. "I see. Such incredible chakra..."
"Die!!!" Jūgo roared as he charged at Hiashi.
"Hah!" Hiashi shouted as his palms struck forward.
"Eight Trigrams: Air Palm!"
Boom!!!
A massive shockwave sent Jūgo flying.
Whoosh! Hiashi dashed forward, his Byakugan pinpointing Jūgo's chakra points. With a precise strike to Jūgo's chest, he exclaimed:
"Gentle Fist: Chakra Point Strike!"
Pop!
With that single blow, Jūgo's chakra flow was sealed off. The Cursed Seal receded, and Jūgo collapsed to the ground, where Konoha's ninjas quickly restrained him.
Hiashi declared firmly, "The Hyūga are Konoha's strongest. Remember that!"
Rustle, rustle, rustle!
A slug crawled to Karin's side. "Lady Tsunade, what should we do? This girl's injuries are severe. I can't heal her with just this clone."
Tsunade, seated cross-legged as she performed the Slug Technique, frowned. "Sakura should be nearby. Have her handle it."
Sakura arrived and knelt beside Karin. "Lady Slug, leave her to me."
"Thank you, Lady Sakura," the slug replied.
Sakura placed her hands over Karin's wound, green healing chakra glowing from her palms.
Karin murmured Sasuke's name faintly.
Sakura paused, her eyes softening. "I see. You care about Sasuke too..."
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Susano'o's full form continued its rampage. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before the village was completely destroyed.
Guy clenched his fists beside Kakashi. "Daytime Tiger won't work on that thing anymore! To stop him, I'll have to open the Eighth Gate!"
Kakashi's eyes widened. "Guy, think this through! Sasuke is an enemy we all have to face together. There's no need for you to sacrifice yourself!"
Guy began unbuttoning his shirt. "No. If we drag this out, more lives will be lost. Opening the Gate of Death is the fastest solution. I wasn't here when Pain attacked the village, and Naruto saved us all. But now, Naruto isn't here. So, it's my turn."
Kakashi clenched his fists in frustration. "Guy... I'm sorry. I always—"
Guy grinned. "Don't look so down, Kakashi. Youth is all about charging forward!"
Thunk!!!
Just as Guy was about to activate the Eighth Gate, a kunai landed in front of him.
"What?!"
Guy and Kakashi turned toward the source of the kunai.
"It's Naruto!" Hinata exclaimed, her Byakugan spotting the figure standing atop the Hokage Rock, his cloak billowing in the wind.
From within Susano'o, Sasuke's gaze locked onto Naruto. "So, you've finally come, Naruto."
Susano'o's bow drew again, black flames forming into an arrow.
"Blaze Release: Kagutsuchi!"
A familiar scene—but this time, they weren't allies.
Buzz!
Naruto raised his hand, forming an enormous Rasenshuriken.
"Sage Art: Massive Rasenshuriken!"
Boom!
Wind and fire collided in mid-air, erupting into a black-flamed tornado that tore through the skies above Konoha.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The scorching winds roared, their force shaking the village to its core.
Crack! Crack!
A fine crack appeared on the Hokage Rock's engraving of Danzō.
As the dust settled...
At the Valley of the End.
Naruto stood on the head of the Hashirama statue, his cloak fluttering as he stared into the distance. Finally, he turned and walked away.
Sasuke knew that Naruto's presence here meant he had defeated Tobi. If Sasuke didn't defeat Naruto first, his path of vengeance would go nowhere.
"Hmph. Just as I wanted."
Susano'o spread its wings and soared into the sky. After leaving Konoha, it dissipated, and Sasuke sprinted, chasing Naruto's shadow all the way to the Valley of the End.
Whoosh!
Sasuke landed atop the Madara statue, where Naruto was already waiting on the Hashirama statue.
Sasuke stood and said coldly, "As you wished, I'm here, Naruto."
Naruto slowly turned to face him. He had removed his mask, and his eyes were covered with a black cloth.
Yes, Naruto had blinded himself to prevent the crow Itachi had implanted in him from interfering.
But Sasuke didn't know this. To him, it was an act of arrogance.
"What's the meaning of this, Naruto?!" Sasuke shouted, furious.
Naruto smirked slightly. "Right now, you're not worth looking at, Sasuke."
Sasuke's anger boiled over, and he laughed coldly. "Good. Very good, Naruto. You'll pay for underestimating me!"
"I've never underestimated you, Sasuke," Naruto said solemnly, raising two fingers to form the traditional shinobi Seal of Confrontation.
Sasuke stared at him silently. After a moment, he returned the gesture with his own Seal of Confrontation.
"Come, Sasuke!"
"Come, Naruto!"
The wind howled, clouds churned, and at the Valley of the End, the two fated rivals prepared for their ultimate battle!