The battlefield of Konoha lay in ruin, a chilling tableau of strewn debris and dismembered limbs. The air hung heavy with the acrid scent of blood, mingling with the dust of shattered stone. An eerie silence blanketed the scene, broken only by the occasional groan of a fallen shinobi. Amid this devastation stood Sasuke Uchiha, a solitary figure radiating menace. His dark silhouette loomed like a demon born of vengeance, his katana dripping crimson with the blood of Konoha's finest—ANBU, Jonin, and countless others who had dared to stand against him.
At fourteen, Sasuke understood the futility of his path. Revenge could not restore the Uchiha clan and could not undo the massacre that had scarred his soul. Even if he succeeded in cutting down every enemy, he would but an empty void. Yet, the abyss of vengeance called to him, a siren's song he could not resist. His coal-black eyes, tinged with the red of the Sharingan, scanned the battlefield, noting the remaining shinobi trembling in his presence. There could be no softness in his heart now—not for a single second.
As he raised his blade, preparing to end the lives of those still standing and pursue his next target, a sudden shift in the air halted him. The atmosphere crackled with raw, primal energy, and a familiar presence approached. Sasuke's gaze snapped toward the source, his eyes widening in surprise. There, emerging from the haze, was Naruto Uzumaki, his form wreathed in the swirling, fiery chakra of the Nine-Tails. Naruto's face was a storm of emotions—determination, regret, and an unshakable resolve.
The surviving shinobi of the Hidden Leaf let out collective sighs of relief. Their saviour had arrived. With the power of the Nine-Tails, they believed Naruto could end Sasuke's rampage. Hope flickered in their weary eyes as they watched the blond ninja approach his former friend.
Naruto's steps were heavy, each one burdened with sorrow. "I wish you could let go of your hatred, Sasuke," he said, his voice soft but resolute. His blue eyes, glowing faintly with Kurama's influence, locked onto Sasuke's. "This ends here." The words carried a weight of regret, a plea for the brother he had lost to darkness.
Sasuke's lips twitched, a murmur escaping him. "It doesn't have to end this way." But even as he spoke, his hand tightened around his katana. He could feel the eyes of the Hidden Leaf ninjas closing in, their weapons drawn, their resolve bolstered by Naruto's presence. They thought they had him cornered. They were wrong.
With a surge of chakra, Sasuke unleashed a devastating thunder jutsu. Lightning crackled around him, a roaring tempest of electricity that spread outward in a merciless wave. The arcs of lightning tore across the battlefield, striking the approaching shinobi with ruthless precision. Bodies fell, twitching from residual shocks, their screams swallowed by the thunder's roar. The air was thick with the scent of ozone and charred flesh.
Naruto stood unmoved, his form shielded by the swirling chakra of the Nine-Tails. His eyes widened as he realized the extent of Sasuke's wrath. Rage contorted his features, his fists clenching as he gritted his teeth. "Sasuke!" he roared, summoning a Rasengan in his palm. The spiralling orb of chakra glowed with an intensity born of Kurama's inexhaustible power.
Sasuke met Naruto's charge head-on, his Sharingan blazing. Empowered by the Nine-Tails, Naruto was a force of nature, but Sasuke was no ordinary foe. He summoned his Susanoo, the ethereal warrior enveloping him in a protective aura. Naruto's Rasengan slammed into the spectral armour, shattering it into fragments of chakra. Sasuke countered with a Fire Style jutsu, a blazing inferno that roared toward Naruto. To his shock, Naruto extinguished the flames with a Wind Style: Rasenshuriken, defying the elemental logic that fire should overpower wind.
The battle escalated into a clash of titans. Sasuke's Chidori sparked against Naruto's defences, only to be blocked. His Kirin, a colossal bolt of lightning summoned from the heavens, was dodged with impossible speed. When Sasuke unleashed Indra's Arrow, a technique born of his deepest reserves, Naruto countered with a Six Paths: Ultra-Big Ball Rasenshuriken. The collision of their attacks shook the earth, sending shockwaves through the ruins of Konoha.
Sasuke's vision began to blur, his body pushed to its limits. Blood seeped from his wounds, and his chakra reserves dwindled. He stumbled, falling to his knees as the weight of his exhaustion pressed down on him. From the shadows, the Hidden Leaf ninjas closed in, their silhouettes menacing in the flickering light of the battlefield.
Naruto approached, his heart heavy with sorrow. "Let me end your pain and hatred, Sasuke," he said softly, his voice trembling with the weight of what he had to do.
Sasuke's breath came in ragged gasps. He knew time was slipping away. His wounds bled freely, his chakra a mere flicker. Yet, even at this moment, he felt no regret for diverging from the path of the "original" Sasuke. He wasn't some stranger inhabiting this body—he *was* Sasuke, reborn with memories of past life at the age of nine. Those memories had reshaped his destiny, revealing the true scope of his enemies: not just his brother Itachi, but the high-ranking officials of Konoha and the clans that supported the Third Hokage's regime.
His mind flooded with memories—years of training, plotting, and sacrificing everything for revenge. A wry smile touched his lips. He still had one final card to play. With a surge of will, Sasuke activated his Mangekyou Sharingan. The world seemed to slow as his eyes glowed with an otherworldly light, granting him the power to bend time and reality itself. He could rewrite this moment, heal his wounds, and turn the tide.
But before he could use his ability, a sharp pain pierced his back. Sasuke gasped, his concentration shattered. He looked down to see a Black Rod protruding from his chest, its dark energy seeping into his body. His vision darkened as his form began to dissolve, his Mangekyou Sharingan flickering in vain.the source of the attack—the Sage of the Six Paths himself, intervening in this mortal struggle.
Sasuke's powers, though formidable, were no match for the dforce of the Black Rod. His body crumbled, his thoughts a chaotic whirl of defiance and regret. He had crossed time and defied fate, and yet, in the end,he still failed. As the world faded to black, Sasuke's final thought was i don't want this ending.