Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto.


And then they were falling.

Like the last time they fought, they were enveloped in a soft, golden glow.

Unlike the last time they fought, Sasuke was fatally wounded.

Naruto's eyes widened in panic, almost forgetting that the two of them were plummeting towards the ground at terminal velocity. He was sickened at the sight of fresh blood pouring copiously from his rival's chest as he disappeared into the mist, chuckling softly to himself. Had Sasuke gone completely berserk?

"Sasuke!" he shouted desperately, trying to twist around in midair but only succeeding in feeling even more light-headed than before. He heard a cold, insane laugh somewhere below and grimaced. Seriously, Sasuke should get a grip on himself. This wasn't a laughing matter.

"Sasuke!" he shouted again, determined to locate and perhaps save him if he had enough chakra remaining in his system. Or he would die trying. He attempted to turn his body around again, and caught sight of a dark shape in his peripheral vision. He struggled to place his shaking hands together.

"Save your breath…Naruto." Sasuke spoke in a detached, distant voice, sounding abnormally calm after his maniacal laughing episode.

"No," Naruto said flatly, trying to concentrate his chakra to produce a single kage bunshin. If only he could just create one, it could catch Sasuke, and…

"You were right."

Naruto instantly lost his concentration. And his temper. "Sasuke-teme…!" he yelled furiously. Curse the Uchiha for saying something like that at a moment like this! When did he ever admit that Naruto was right, huh? He was such a – Naruto, focus… He forced his hands to form the clone seal a second time, even though the wind generated from freefalling prevented him from being able to move a few inches at a time. "Shadow clone jut –"

"We're both going to die."

"Dammit, Sasuke!" Naruto yelled in frustration. This wasn't time for games! Why did he always lose to him, even at a time like this, when he couldn't afford to? When they both knew he couldn't afford to?

Because you're a loser…

He was startled when a pair of dull, crimson eyes, level to his own, materialized out of the swirling mist. He had thought Sasuke was below him, but it seemed as though they were falling at the same rate, at the same ever-decreasing altitude…

Naruto shook his head, trying to clear the dizziness. He stared back into Sasuke's eyes, defiant.

"You told me…if we met in battle again…we would both die," Sasuke said at last, breaking the silence. He pointed below where the ground was gradually getting closer. With a jolt, Naruto realized that he had deactivated his Sharingan. His eyes were like coal – dark, empty, expressionless. That last clash had left them both drained, and Sasuke was losing blood at an alarming rate. If he was unable to keep up his dojutsu…?! As they spiralled lower and lower, Naruto tried to repress a crushing wave of despair and a sudden urge to vomit. Sasuke was right.

"Not…if I can help it!" Naruto gasped, gritting his teeth. He tried to summon a final burst of energy, determined not to die, not like this. No luck. He had exhausted his own chakra supply. He couldn't sense the Kyuubi's presence anywhere, so he wouldn't be able to resort to the fox's power, even if he wanted. And at this moment, he did want to. Real fear clouded his mind. He had never been so powerless, so utterly on his own until this moment. He didn't suppose Sasuke would lend him some chakra, even if he could.

"It's no use," Sasuke said brusquely.

"Shut up, Sasuke!" Naruto snapped automatically.

Sasuke's lips curved into a humourless smile. "I know what I'm taking about."

He gestured ostentatiously to the gaping wound in his chest. Naruto balled up his fists, his anger flaring. "You're not going to die," he promised.

"Don't make promises you can't keep."

"Argh!" he forced his fingers into manipulating the clone seal and closed his eyes, trying to ignore Sasuke's words. Concentrate…

He felt the last of his energy leave his limbs…but still no shadow clone…he was having trouble concentrating, and he was slowly…losing…consciousness…

-:-

"Uzumaki Naruto."

"H-hai…?"

He opened one eye warily. It made no difference. Wherever he was, he was either blind or it was very, very dark. He opened his other eye as well, and peered at his surroundings, hoping to see something, anything, to confirm that he still had his vision. He started as he spotted a pair of luminous eyes watching him. Though Naruto could not see anything else, not the facial features nor the body of the person, he had no doubts about who it was. One Rinnegan. One Sharingan.

"Uchiha Obito," he snarled, all rationality wiped clean from his mind. Kage bunshin no jutsu. Rasengan! He didn't stop to think about how his chakra had been able to replenish in such a short amount of time, only concentrating on smashing the blue orb of energy into the stupid man's face. The heterochromic-like eyes blinked once in mild amusement. Naruto heard the soft whoosh of a pair of hands performing seals in rapid-fire succession. His Rasengan halted, hovering a few inches in front of Obito's face. He growled in frustration as the glowing chakra faded from his palm, tingling uncomfortably. The jutsu subsided and Naruto lurched forwards, managing to poke the man in the eye. Obito didn't react, so he supposed it was a genjutsu version, or perhaps, kawarimi no jutsu. Naruto withdrew warily, somewhat miffed at his failure.

"Now, now, no need to be so hasty," Obito clicked his tongue disapprovingly. He raised his left hand and invisible ropes wrapped themselves securely around Naruto's torso. Naruto toppled over and crashed headfirst into the wall.

"Hey!" he cried, struggling to pull free, to no avail.

"Calm down, Naruto," Obito commanded, "I just want to talk."

"Talk?!" Naruto spat incredulously, "And why should I trust you? You've tied me to the wall. I can't see anything because it's pitch black in here. And you expect me to believe you – ow!"

Light suddenly flooded the room. He closed his eyes, cursing the inability to shield them with his arms as the ropes snaked around his entire body. "What was that for?"

"You were the one complaining about the darkness," Obito said crossly, "Now will you listen?"

Naruto looked at the scarred face in disgust. This man…the one who started the war…the one who had gotten so many of his comrades killed. And now Naruto was powerless against him, yet it made no sense. Why didn't he just kill him now? Obito must be mocking him, trying to break him. A last bit of sadistic, symbolic fun. He gulped. Just thinking about it scared him.

"Okay. What did you want to talk to me about?" Naruto asked dully.

"This war," he said seriously, "Naruto…do you know how long you've been in the Kamui dimension? It's been three months since the end of the Fourth Shinobi War."

"I don't, wait…what?!"

"Three months," Obito repeated, his face taking on a strange look, almost…pity? Naruto gagged discreetly.

"Then I've been…unconscious for three months," Naruto muttered. No way! That guy was definitely lying.

"I don't care if you don't believe me," said Obito, turning away to inspect the wall. "I'm not here to waste your time. I'm here to make you an offer."

Naruto laughed bitterly. "You're already wasting my time even bothering to talk to me. I'm not foolish enough to fall for your lies, so consider your offer rejected. Don't even try."

Obito spun around slowly, his strange eyes fixed unsettlingly on Naruto's face. "If you don't hear me out, you'll regret it."

"And if I do, I'll regret it even more," he retorted.

The Uchiha's grin was disconcerting. Naruto decided that he was most likely utterly insane. Seeing as he was bound by ropes, he probably didn't stand a chance against preventing him from talking. He was right.

"We have won," Obito said in a strangely tight voice, "We have won, but Madara is dead."

He was already dead in the first place! Naruto wanted to scream, but he kept silent, allowing his rage to simmer. But he couldn't help it. He needed to know one thing. "And the Allied Shinobi Forces? The casualties?"

"You don't want to know," the other said matter-of-factly. "The point is, your dream of peace…my dream of peace. None of them will ever become reality in this rotten shinobi world. You will live the rest of your life in pain and misery, knowing that you failed the ones most precious to you. You will spend the rest of your days with regret as your sole companion. You –"

"Aaah! Shut up! Shut up!" Naruto's face contorted and he fought to keep his rage under control.

Obito smiled. "You can even become Hokage, Naruto. The Hokage of a deserted village, the village that used to be Konohagakure."

Naruto's breath caught in his throat. Was it true? Was everyone killed the past three months? No! Naruto had to concentrate, it hadn't been three months. It was only a few hours ago that he and Sasuke had had their battle, the battle that left his friend and rival severely injured. And the last time he had seen him, he was on the brink of death…

"Where's Sasuke?" he asked quietly, dreading the answer.

Obito's smile widened. "Unlike the rest of your comrades, he is still alive. He's resting right now in another section of the Kamui. Like you, he was unconscious throughout the final stages of the war. How fortunate the both of you were."

Despite himself, Naruto felt a twinge of bittersweet relief. So his efforts had not been in vain. Sasuke wasn't dead, and he could still bring him to Konoha! A small, traitorous part of him whispered, what good would it be to bring Sasuke back to Konoha if Konoha is gone?

"Argh!" Naruto bellowed in frustration. He couldn't let Obito get to him. But the small part of him persisted. What if everything he said was true?

Naruto struggled with himself for a moment, torn. He was going to punch himself when Obito untied him.

"What's your offer?" he asked, sighing in defeat.

Obito's grin became impossibly wide. "You won't regret it."

"I already do…" Naruto muttered under his breath.