Important AN at the bottom. Now read on for the long awaited chapter.

Crying in the Dark
By: drag-eart

Chapter 4: The Demon, the Crow and the Shadows

"Don't worry Sakura-chan, I'll bring him back to you. It's a promise of a lifetime"

"Please don't cry… I promise to bring him…back."

"I made a promise Sakura; I made a promise to bring him back to you. I'll bring him back and everything will be okay. You'll see."

"I promised Sakura, and I don't go back on my word. Now… for the last time, Go!"

"Goodbye... Sakura."

-Continued The War against Sound/Flashback-

Words. Forced emotions. Promises. Burdened promises she placed on his shoulders when she was young and so in love, promises he made to bring back a boy-now a man-that was far beyond her reach. So many times to stop it, to put the matter to rest, to release him, to save her best friend, to save him from his own desperate desire to bring back the past. To set things right. Team 7. His family. His life….

Countless memories passed through her mind, like mental slaps, of her knucklehead friend. The one who always had a smile for her, even when he was in so much pain. Always putting everyone first before his own happiness, making sure everyone was happy. Trying to save the world, when he was falling so far, giving no mind or thought to save himself.

She did this to him…She knew…this mad desire. She was the cause of it. This burden he placed on his shoulders. She was at fault. And now…she had to save him…save him…from his own self, before he was consumed by the flame, the same flame that engulfed Sasuke whole.

Once the oppressing aura of the Kyuubi left her, she breathed in deeply, lifting herself on one knee. She stared dazedly at the rubble beneath her feet, her hands placed on each side holding her body from falling completely. She was able to move, but her mind seemed to be in another world completely. Far away…Lost and so far gone.

She shunned him just the way the whole village did when she was younger; she was no exception, she followed them, she was ignorant of the truth, leaving him alone, even when it wasn't his fault. She had just followed…Even through the ordeal of all that pain and loneliness he still proclaimed he would protect his village, his friends at any cost, even with his own life, because he always said being a Hokage meant protecting the people, the village that was precious to him. 'Why can I only do the dumbest things for you…'

Digging her fingers into the gravel she slowly began to close her hand, straining the leather gloves when she squeezed her hand into a fist keeping the gravel-now grounded into dust-tightly inside.. Sakura closed her eyes for a second and felt the chakra course through her body. Flowing through every pore. The wind picked up unexpectedly and slowly circled along her frame encasing her in a whirlwind.

Not anymore…

Without a warning her eyes opened blazing with such intensity that would match the fiercest. She gave a large cry that shook nature itself and expelled all the repressed anger, the pent up regrets and mistakes building within her. With one fell swoop she reared her arm back, her fist encased in a green aura trailing along her arm like a flame.

She cursed loudly and smashed her fist on the ground creating a explosion so large, a piece of the cliff toppled to the ground below. She disappeared in a cloud of smoke and dust. She raised herself to her full height and stood steadily in her crater. The pink haired kunoichi felt the tremors beneath her feet, as it ricocheted continuously with no relent in the surrounding area. Once the dust cloud began to dissipate and clear she closed both fists on each side, Not anymore…concentrating the chakra in the soles of her feet, she jumped out of the crater and sped to the fast approaching battle.

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This pain…this continuous torture…being killed…to go through death so many times…and in so many ways. Death itself would have been a blessing. Sleep eternal, forgetting the meaning of suffering, pain, revenge, everything that came along with it. But this world didn't allow such a death…only a continuous cycle, an issued torture that would sever the body and destroy the mind from within. Killing him everyday and every night. No rest, or a time to breath…

Sasuke looked with unfocused eyes at the eyes staring above him. Spinning, forever spinning its deadly poison into his mind and he wasn't able to fight it. Even with all the power he attained, the training, his eyes, the blood and bones broken and loss wasn't enough. He was still no match for him. The bane of his existence…

He wanted to die now…Life in this world was hell in itself. How long had it been? Days? Months? Years? He'd lost count now…but in reality he knew maybe only seconds, or lucky, even minutes passed in the real world. He coughed harshly, his body shaking, he felt the blood rush up from his mouth quickly making him retch and splatter the pedestal of his crucifix.

When he regained his bearings he gave an unexpected cry of pain when a blade pierced right through his back and protruded from his chest. Blood seeped across his robes staining the white cloth. The Katana dripping blood, his blood, on to the darkness below, the remnants trailing along the side of the blade and falling back on the gaping wound. His breathing became labored with dull eyes he watched as two Itachi's appeared before him from out of the darkness.

'But when will you see…when will you learn…'

He was clutching the ropes tightly without abandon, afraid of what was to come. He glared at his brother then, he clenched his teeth directing as much hatred at the figures before him. They slowly unsheathed their blades and brandished them to the eyes before positioning their blows. Unable to take the impending doom the young Uchiha gave a last battle cry, when he saw the incoming blades, screaming for the last time…he closed his eyes…he was battered, bruised and scarred…He was tired…and wanted this day to end….

Forever…

"Awaken," Itachi simply stated, dropping Sasuke roughly on the hard gravel face down, his arm twisted in such an odd angle. Itachi flipped his brother over and waited for any sign of life. The young Uchiha remained immobile for a short time till his eyes rolled back and began shivering uncontrollably, still being under the effects of the jutsu.

Sasuke's breathing was labored and heavy, beads of sweat poured down his forehead. He began to mumble incoherent words and undecipherable phrases. He dug his hand into the dirt he lay upon. Writhing under the weight of it all. After a moment, he opened his eyes slowly but steadily, trying to adjust to the light shining brightly. He was alive…

He lifted his body with a great amount of duress, taking quick intakes of breath that were sharp and painful to take. His mind disoriented and numb from the chilling effects of such a jutsu. The darkness began to fade, a silhouette started to emerge, shadows dancing across his vision. He focused on the images once again, the seconds passing by, his sight returning and his senses becoming in tune. He saw his brother standing before him, arms crossed across his chest waiting, waiting as though something bothersome was to appear.

Sasuke gritted his teeth, his eyes, his body, his heart, his very soul burned with such anger that boiled within his blood that wasn't so easy to contain. He exuded it through every pore of his body, the chilling aura of his seal being released once again.

"Itachi…" Sasuke gritted through clenched teeth. Grasping for the blade lying on the ground, he clutched the hilt tightly in his palm. He snarled like a rabid dog and jumped clear into the air, Chokuto extended and brandished. The blade reaching a mere inches from its intended target, was suddenly stopped abruptly.

He felt the raw power. Such oppressing power that weighed across his shoulders making his whole body heavy and making it hard to stand. This foul chakra licked around the surrounding area, the dark power growing stronger with every passing second. And he recognized it…

"He will come…" The older Uchiha simply answered, eyes unwavering, never flinching, or even making an attempt to dodge the incoming blade. "He will learn and you…will decide. The son of the many, the destroyer, and the savior…Your friend."

"Stop fucking with me. Damn you," Sasuke bellowed, raising his blade to slash across his brother's chest. To make him hurt…To make him bleed. Itachi merely side stepped the blade and grabbed the hilt to keep the chokuto in place.

"Is this truly what you wish I wonder. Do you falter in the face of the truth? In the wake of realizing your true place in this?"

They were interrupted when both missing-nin felt the presence of the creature fast approaching. The inferno of chakra surrounded its form, tails lashing against the wind like a coiled snake attacking its prey. The speed was unparallel it was almost invisible to the naked eye, but the vestiges of its power could be seen by the terrain being torn asunder.

Both brothers caught the movement in time to avoid the projectile when it collided in between them. They tore away from each other quickly, watching the figure stop at their location erupt into a massive explosion. Debris and dust fogged the surrounding area, covering them in a haze, the withering sunlight not being able to pierce through the fog.

The figure lifted himself slowly, the dust blew away from the creature as the foul chakra cast out and protected him. Sasuke watched the dark distorted figure begin to appear, seeing the tails whipping across one another, the red shroud that surrounded his person. Piercing blood red eyes connected with his own. Seeing the scars on his cheeks deepen, his canine incisors overlapping his lip. He grasped the Kusanagi by his side tightly.

"Naruto," The young Uchiha simply said, letting the word ring from his lips. He lifted the blade slowly, electricity beginning to flow through the body, crackling when it reached the tip. The tension mounted as he pointed it directly at him.

"Sasuke…I'm here to bring you home." The jinchuuriki of Konoha said, trying to concentrate on the weakening hold he had over the Fox, trying to contain the amount of chakra being expelled from his body, and in doing so, slowly losing control of his own mind. He could feel the Kyuubi no Yoko quickly approaching and he was terrified…so very afraid at what would happen if he allowed it.

Clenching his hands tightly, he felt the blood seep through cracks, but the self inflicted wound would heal simultaneously when he would continue to pierce the skin. Finding the pain a momentary distraction from the ensuing battle within.

Sasuke spit on the ground in disgust, "Like I would degrade myself and go back. I left on my own free will to obtain power and kill the man who led me to this." Eyes, eyes that were cold as ice stared intensely at the Jinchuuriki. "You're in my way." Sasuke slowly began lower his body to a combative stance, his chokuto raised at his side. Lightning coursing across his frame.

"Sasuke… Please stop here. Come home. It's over…just go home. Back to the village, back to everything. Aren't you tired of this?" Naruto finished, trying to get through to him in some way, somehow. Sasuke looked on with cold emotionless sharingan eyes. "What will you accomplish here, other than more death. Is that really what you want?"

Sasuke was taken back for just a second hearing the sad, tired, and desperate tone of Uzumaki Naruto he'd never heard before. Something was wrong…he could see it…he knew it. But taking a closer look was he able to figure out the reason for his dire need to end this…Naruto was being taken over. Sasuke watched patches of his skin beginning to darken…from his own blood and the next tail beginning to bubble and rise.

"You must destroy." Itachi's voice cut through the air between them. A slow, lazy drawl as he held his eyes closed. "In order to create. He is the means by which you can rival me." Sasuke's eyes widened as his brother's words echoed loudly in the vicinity. "Or will you choose not to fight? Will you surrender the effort I wonder." Itachi continued, not looking anywhere near where they stood. Instead, stared at the clouds above and remained quiet for just a moment until he lazily turned his head to Sasuke and stared directly into his eyes. "Will you choose to spare your new brother or to defeat the older one?"

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"We're nearing the clearing, keep your eyes open." The warriors following behind her announced their acknowledgement by spreading out to gather more ground. She began to slow her pace raising her hand to stop the advance momentarily. She motioned her brother towards her, Shikamaru following suit and other Captains leading a group of their own also.

"This is where we separate. Matsuri and Mikoshi take your faction around the bend and flank the Sound. It's essential that you keep them on course towards Gar-Kazekage-sama. Am I understood?" Both women saluted and jumped from their trees both signaling their band who burst through trees and followed their commanding officer.

Temari turned toward her brother next, "Kankuro take half the men and go help the Leaf on the battlefield directly, give them any support they need, find any of the fallen, and try to rescue as many as you can. Remember what Gaara said: drive them back to him, and don't do anything stupid." She gave him a pointed look that clearly warranted a large warning behind it. He only smirked in response.

"Don't worry, alrigh'? I got this." He shouldered the puppets on his back making sure it was set and turned towards his older sister, growing serious. He put a reaffirming hand on her shoulder and gave her a pointed look. "Be careful..."

With that Kankuro took off into the clearing, signaling with an array of hand gestures until he stopped on one specifically leading to a small tremor to occur when a large number of elite shinobi of the Sand followed after him. Jumping across the trees, and heading into combat, converging on the location that was assigned.

She exhaled an unsteady breath, as she watched her brother disappear over the brush. She shook herself, feeling weakened for a second realizing the dire situation they were placed in. Her brothers being in the front lines, in the middle of the chaos, the possibility that they may never return sent a cold chill down her spine.

She closed her eyes for just a moment and collected herself. When she opened her eyes, she reverted back and resumed her role as the leader of her own faction. She turned around abruptly watching her warriors stand at attention. "Move out," with a small gesture she took off, her band following close behind.

"Temari… back in the woods," Shikamaru started, taking her by surprise and out of her deep thoughts. She turned her gaze on him and watched the young shinobi furrow his eyebrows thinking about what he wanted to say, and seeing his demeanor growing serious, while continuing to avoid her gaze. " I was out of line. I'm so…"

"Don't," she interrupted, realizing where he was heading with this. She knew where he was coming from when the outburst had occurred and she certainly wasn't going to pass judgment on it. They both had loved ones in this war. "I understand." She said softly, before turning away from him. Silence settled between both warriors, only the padded feet against bark and trees was heard in the vicinity. Shikamaru turned to her then.

"Thanks," he said, before leaping into the condensed forest to their destination, with her warriors following closely behind.

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"Futon: Kage Ken," Naruto bellowed, grabbing one arm tightly by his forearm. He concentrated his chakra, the wind encircling his hand, defining the red chakra into a bladelike shape. Sasuke watched with mild interest getting ready to attack again. Naruto launched himself toward Sasuke without any hesitation or warning. Sasuke quickly parried the blow down, making him bury the blade into ground. Naruto twisted his body following his initial attack with a rolling kick catching the young Uchiha by the shoulder making him stagger.

He shielded the blade thrown by Naruto, when it came to pierce him again, it clashed harshly against one another sending sparks flying across their features, alighting them. Slitted eyes stared into the Sharigan orbs. Naruto snarled like a rabid wolf, trying to slash the flesh. He smelt blood, and he wanted more spilled. The fox was taking over, he knew, every attack he made were his, but the intent behind it was all the Kyuubi.

His mind momentarily distracted, he was barely able to fall in step with the roundhouse kick Sasuke attempted to lessen the blow. It scraped his chin leaving him a bit disoriented, before both fighters flipped away from each other. Sasuke held the blade loosely trying stop the vibrations resonating along his arm, they were powerful, every attack, and every blow leaving it numb in its wake. He looked down and realized with mild interest that the wind blade was leaving shocking indentions on his chokuto.

The sword was considered to be indestructible, but here it was slowly being destroyed. Summoning his chakra, he tapped into his elemental quickly, letting it course once again through his body, allowing the power to over take him. He charged his Chidori Nagashi, and expelled it from his body, with electrifying power.

"That useless attack again?" Kyuubi-Naruto mocked, his face feral and animalistic as he crouched down on his haunches, bending forward his claws dug deeply into the ground, reminiscent of a predator stalking its prey. He was slowly getting into frenzy now…the human part of him being overtaken by the demon.

Sasuke didn't care to give a response, but quickly followed it by blasting from where he was rooted and struck again. Naruto's eyes widened as the young Uchiha seemed to become quicker and faster with every second. His attacks were relentless, the chokuto cutting to and fro, up and down, and he was barely parrying every blow.

Sasuke brought the blade over his head and collided with the wind blade Naruto still had formed. He held it in place the sparks falling around him, as the young Uchiha's chokuto pushed forward. Sasuke flipped backwards catching Naruto right on the chin causing the junchuuriki of Konoha to stagger backwards. Naruto never fully in control was shocked when Sasuke followed with a strike again.

He was barely able to transfer the blade to hit any vital points, but being disoriented by the kick Sasuke caught him with a moment ago, he received a large slash across his shirt, the tip of the blade cutting the skin. Naruto fell on one knee, grabbing hold of his chest, blood flowed on his hand before it evaporated and fully healed on its own.

With the shirt exposed though was Sasuke able to see the state Naruto was in. Dark blotches of blood littered his body, slowly expanding with every passing minute. Naruto remained there on one knee breathing deeply trying to retain some coherent thought, "Sasuke…Enough." He started, speaking as though every word was cutting at something within him. "Come home. I don't know if I'll be able to hold back…much longer."

"Don't make me laugh," Sasuke retorted, launching himself towards Naruto once again. The blade raised above his head, electricity running across the body of the Chokuto, he slashed down on the jinchuuriki of Konoha.

Naruto covered his hand with his body, concentrating quickly, a blue swirl started to appear in the palm of his hands. It spun faster and quickly began to expand into a large sphere. Without a thought, he jumped towards Sasuke, his arm outstretched colliding with the electrified blade. A black orb encased them, lifting both shinobi up until a large explosion occurred, sending both warriors careening from one another. Sasuke fell roughly on the ground sliding across the gravel.

Naruto sailed across the air colliding on a mountain wall, the impact took his breath away disorienting his vision before he fell on the ground, like a dead weight in water. He slowly lifted himself on his knees but oblivious to the stones falling overhead-shaken loose by the collision-they toppled the young shinobi. Sasuke lifted his body from the ground, holding his battered arm that was caught from underneath him as he slid across the ground. Sasuke smirked in response.

Itachi watched with mild interest, never moving…still waiting.

"Why don't you dispel that clone, Naruto, and come out. You're wasting my…." His eyes widened when the ground rumbled from under him. Sasuke turned around trying to anticipate the attack, but a fist connected under his chin.

He was sent flying through the air, not a second passed before Naruto reappeared again above him and sent a devastating elbow into his gut smashing him to the ground, creating a enormous crater in the aftermath. Sasuke coughed loudly as a spew of blood was spit out of his mouth. "I'm sorry… Sasuke," Naruto choked, his throat dry and raw. "But… it's over."

He looked down at the form of Sasuke laying in a pool of blood, his eyes remained closed his breathing but apparent on him. Naruto breathed in deeply trying to gain some semblance from the Kyuubi as it still teetered closer to taking over. He looked behind him and saw the three tails lashing at the wind. He was running out of time…

"Now it's your turn," the Kohona jinchuriki said roughly, before turning around on the older Uchiha. He snarled seeing the elder still watching from afar with mild interest, never moving from the spot he was rooted at. Naruto took a step forward gnashing his teeth together letting the anger within him boil, but was stopped when a hand gripped tightly on his ankle. Naruto quickly looked down and was shocked to be seeing two mismatched eyes staring back.

"It's not over," Sasuke breathed, taking sharp intakes of air as he lifted his battered body from the crater he was sent in. Ritual markings began to appear across his body as the Cursed Seal coerced across his skin, through his veins, feeling the raw power over take his person. He bent over as the power fully took over. His hair grew longer as it fell across his shoulders, his skin darkening, the mark of the seal appearing on the middle of his face like a cross stretching across the bridge of his nose and forehead. Up turned, hand shaped wings erupted from his back, expanding in the length.

Sasuke looked up from his position staring directly into Naruto's eyes. Naruto-kyuubi snarled in response recognizing the demon before him. Yellowish-blood red hues of the demon stared from them, but never moving, allowing the Snake's seal to regenerate and mend broken bones, skin, and tissue from his battered arm.

"This battle isn't over, far from it…"

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Fifth Kazekage of the Sunagakure no Sato, Gaara, jinchuuriki of the demon Shukaku the Ichibi was in the middle of the fray deflecting kunai and shuriken left and right, killing fleeing Sound from the battlefield.

Gaara closed his eyes, gathering the chakra in his body, and in doing so, all the minerals around him began to dissolve and turn to sand. The earth beneath him began to dissolve. until he was floating in the air with a large portion of the earth supporting him. Ninja of the Sound looked on in horror as the sand descended upon them. Andand with a sickly thud it was over, they were no more. Entrails of the sand were sent forth to pierce enemies who were nearby already heading towards the death trap.

The attack itself wiped out a large portion of its retreating Sound ninja, who had been at battle with the Shinobi of the Leaf. Stragglers were left remaining, beaten and torn, he knew his army wouldn't have been able to wipe them all out. But it was essential to take out as many as they could for the time being, to further weaken the Sound. Be it by both body and mind, to destroy their morale and resolve to return and fight against a combined army that attacked from what seemed like both fronts, which the statement in itself was true.

A subordinate appeared in front of him, bowing in respect, "Kazekage-sama, we've done what you ask. We await for further orders."

Gaara assessed the situation watching the Sound dwindle significantly in number, allowing for advancement. He was about to give his command when he felt an ominous power overtake him. The Kazekage stood stiffly fighting through the raw limitless power. He looked in the direction the chakra was coming from, the reason why the sound were fleeing for dear life. Over the cliff far beyond the eye could see he was able to decipher a battle happening and the red chakra being expelled from there was proof.

He turned towards his subordinate, "I want the rest of the men to go towards the battlefield and assist the Leaf and provision them with whatever they need. Scout for any survivors and imprison them." Gaara said, speaking clearly so the Ninja standing before him would understand every word and letter to a T. "I must keep moving forward. Don't follow me. None of you. I must help an ally of mine right now… so go."

"Yes, sir." In a puff of smoke he was gone and appeared again heading towards the battlefield, directly into the heart of the chaos. He motioned with one hand to the other warriors waiting and soon converged towards the new location. Hearing his subordinate issue his orders. Gaara, without giving a second thought sped off towards the location of the foul chakra. Not a minute passed when he was catching up to two fast moving figures. Kazekage of the Wind jumped across the next outcropping revealing them.

He recognized the blond buxom woman immediately as the current Hokage and his political equal, Tsunade, the slug sannin, Godaime Hokage of Konahagakure no Sato. And recognizing the man rivaling her speed as none other than her old partner, the toad sage of the Sannin, Jiraiya. However, neither seemed to pay the Kazekage any heed as he came up beside them. "Hogake-sama," he finally said after a moment of studying their focused expressions. "Naruto…"

"I've sent for teams to help us," blond haired kunoichi interrupted, "Kakashi, Yamato, and other elites are being sent with the power to slow him down and defeat…Naruto." She said the last word forcefully, not really believing the very words that were uttered from her lips. She didn't want to fight him. Of all people, not him.

"We gotta hurry and quickly," Jiraiya continued, feeling the demeanor around Tsunade change drastically. He stared at the red haired young man running on the other side of the Slug Sannin and addressed his concerns, their concerns over Naruto. "This feels different than the other times he's fought with the power of the Kyuubi… something is wrong."

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"Keep calm," Naruto whispered, holding a now limp arm, whereas Sasuke moments ago twisted the appendage to the point of dislocating and ripping tissue on his shoulder. He held his shoulder up trying to find a place to lessen the pain. The Kyuubi was taking longer than usual to mend the aggrieving wound. He knew why though, the Kyuubi was limiting as much power he was able to use, to weaken his resolve and morale. To allow him to take over more easily, and he was succeeding…

'I can't stay in this form for long.' Naruto thought frantically, trying to juggle everything, to keep his composure and not lose his cool when he attacked again. For now, he was just keeping the transformed Sasuke at bay, deflecting his lightning attacks, his unbelievable speed, and chokuto from causing more damage. He was hanging by a small thread, and Sasuke was gearing to make him fall. 'This is bad… really bad.'

Just as Naruto looked up, the transformed Sasuke attacked with his Chokuto in hand, lightning entrails lying in his awake, as he streaked across the battlefield directing his line of attack to pierce the blond shinobi's heart. Naruto fell back, kicking the sword by the hilt making it sail from Sasuke's hand imbedding itself in the ground hundreds of feet away. The jinchuuriki of Konoha landed on his upper back, using his hands, he pushed his body off the ground allowing him to land on his feet.

Sasuke continued with his attack throwing a wide hook for his head, Naruto caught the movement in time to avert the punch by grasping his forearm, countering with a knee straight in to the sternum. The very attack made the Uchiha retch loudly, not allowing a time to recuperate, Naruto grabbed his head and jumped giving him a high knee to his face breaking his nose in the process, pulling back Sasuke's head, all the blood seeped from the gruesome wound, down his lips and on to his clothes.

Sasuke countered by flicking his wrist to loosen Naruto's grip, and countered by grasping his arm fully and sidestepping at the same time, sweeping Naruto's feet from under him. It left Naruto airborne and unbalanced to allow Sasuke to pull the arm towards his body and toss him over his hip making him fly.

The Jinchuuriki landed roughly on the ground face down scraping his face against the hard gravel of the battlefield. It gave Sasuke ample time to recover from the punishment he received moments ago. He reached up and straightened the nose that was making it hard to breath, stopping the bloody mess from continuing any further.

The junchuriki was slow to rise, breathing heavily, he lifted his body to its full height, with a snarl he headed towards Sasuke without warning and attacked on pure instinct instead of logic. Sasuke also doing the same, both running at such extreme speeds, they were a blur flying towards one another, but the black haired shinobi was able to surprise the jinchuuriki by sliding across the ground before impact, taking out his legs, he kicked him roughly into the air. Naruto coughed harshly spewing blood from his lips as the kick connected at a vital point in his body, strong enough to break a few ribs.

Sasuke took advantage of Naruto's extended airtime, by disappearing and coming even with him, he grabbed the blond haired shinobi's leg tightly, straining every muscle in his body, he gave a mighty roar and threw him into a mountain wall.

Upon impact, Naruto's left arm was shattered, his sharp intake of breath awoke him in the darkness, feeling the numbing pain waking him up fully from his senses by that alone. He slowly lifted his body from the crater he created with his body, his arm hung loosely by his side, having to maneuver his way with one arm. 'Damn, I think he broke some of my ribs. It's hard to breathe… and my arm. This is really bad. I have to...'

Sasuke watched the battered form of his former comrade's appearance. He looked ragged, broken, and above else beaten. His shirt was in tatters, his chest completely covered in blood, only patches of his skin could be seen, his right eye was swollen shut, his arm completely useless from the impact of the mountain, and he was clasping his chest breathing heavily, to the point of collapsing.

"It's over Naruto," Sasuke stated, he closed his eyes for a moment before turning away from the battlefield, staggering a couple of feet feeling the effects of the battle that just passed. But resolved, he headed towards Itachi. But the spike in chakra prevented him from taking another step forward, he turned back where Naruto resided watching him create a large sphere on his good arm, while a clone created the casing necessary to give it shape. The ball condensing, and then expanding into a large sphere.

His eyes widened as the clone disappeared in a puff of smoke and Naruto began to run down the length of mountain, jumping off it when he reached the bottom, the ball at his side, he gave a large battle cry as he neared. Meanwhile, Sasuke was powering up the one weapon to match in its intensity, his Chidori.

He concentrated his chakra into his hand, combining his elemental in one fluid seam, the process so smooth and well practiced. It sparked around Sasuke's arm immediately, crackling in its raw power of lightning. The orb turned from a white bluish hue to a jet black masterpiece. Unwanted memories of his friendship with Naruto ran rampant through his mind over, and over again. But all was forgotten when the Chidori was fully complete.

Without any hesitation, he dashed toward his former comrade, hand raised. Both warriors leaped at one another hands outstretched.

"Odama Rasengan!" Naruto cried loudly, he tapped into every chakra reserve he had left to finish it. To end it. Drawing further power from the Kyuubi no Youko, his body was a bloody mess he knew, his insides were on fire, the only part on his body left untainted was pieces of his face. The two elementals collided, keeping them airborne as the power condensed in the area, suppressing the chakra into one Black Orb.

"Habatuk Chidori," Sasuke bellowed at the last minute charging the attack even further, the electricity of the Chidori darkened to a tainted purple aura with sparks of black coming from it. They remained in a standstill as one tried to overpower the other, none of them were hurt, but the sheer power of it all was toppling cliffs, trees, and other things alike. A powerful standstill that hung in the balance.

But a little slip was all it took. The slight fluctuation from Naruto's flow in chakra was what determined life and death. The Kyuubi no Youko within Naruto had succeeded to disrupt the flow of his greatest weapon, enough to weaken the Rasengan, to fall against the might of the Chidori. Naruto watched with wide eyes as the Chidori slowly overtook the Rasengan, until it engulfed it whole, leaving the Jinchuuriki of Konoha exposed. Sasuke took advantage of the moment, not waiting for another opportunity to present itself.

Maybe it was the heat of the battle, adrenaline taking course, running rampant along the young Uchiha's veins, or simply not having the power to stop an attack that couldn't be stopped, or if Sasuke really did intend to end it. But deadly jutsu collided against Naruto's chest, plunging the technique forward piercing right through his right lung.

An array of conflicting emotions flashed across Sasuke's face seeing the sight before him. This wasn't what he wanted, this wasn't how it was supposed to end, Naruto coughed and grabbed Sasuke's forearm steadying his body, but shuddered when the kiss of death drew nearer.

A chocking sound escaped his lips, when the blood began rushing up his throat and spilling it out. His breathing labored and strained, he was only able to take sharp in takes of precious air. Naruto tried to hold on, to hold on any vestiges of life, but he felt it slipping away, his eyes were beginning to glaze over. His glassy empty blue hues stared directly into Sasuke's own. "Sa...suke…"

"And so one falls." Itachi whispered, loud enough for Sasuke to hear his words. "And the other attains...nothing."

Sasuke remained rooted in place never remembering how he pulled his hand from his former comrades chest, or how Naruto was spread on the ground with him staying kneeled by his side grabbing a fistful of tattered clothing in his hand, and his head left bowed. Naruto's body slowly returned to normal, the trace of Kyuubi disappeared, only a hollow shell left in its wake. The grip on Naruto's clothes tightened.

Itachi took a breath, almost sighing before he turned his back to the scene walking away from the battlefield, "Worthless."

"Na..Naruto..." Sakura screamed, but the name died on her lips as she stood frozen in place seeing the sprawled out form of Naruto, lying in a pool of blood, his blood. He lied motionless, the color from his face drained, lifeless, he was so pale, and the scars on his cheeks barely visible under the shadow of the man who kneeled before him. Her eyes remained on Naruto. Her heart constricted, her body shuddered on its own accord, fast quick breaths escaping past her lip, as the total weight of the sight before her settled on the Kunoichi of the Leaf. Her eyes, falling with unshed tears, remained on Naruto…

Naruto's eyes closed involuntarily. He was able to hear the screams, the cries, but the sounds slowly faded into nothing. Silence settling on his state of mind, he was completely overshadowed. He was falling, spiraling, spinning into darkness...

-ooOoo-

AN: Finally done with this chap. If you don't have alerts on my other story, Things that go wrong with Foxes and Monkeys, I recently told my readers that I've returned to fan fiction. It's been long time coming I know, but hey, I'm back right? Anyways, I'm starting to get in the flow of things again so expect other updates coming your way soon. For now check out my other stories and my profile from time to time to keep you up to date with the happenings on this story, and others included.

Anyways, thanks for sticking with me. Review. If you can't for some reason though, Message me.