Sasuke, standing opposite him, was soaking wet, his face as gloomy as the sky at this moment. He suddenly looked up, his Sharingan glaring crimson under the lightning, his voice filled with uncontrollable anger and confusion:
"Naruto! Why?! Why do you keep doing this?! Why won't you stop chasing me?!"
"Because you are my friend! You bastard!" Naruto cried out in agitation, rain and tears mixing as they slid down his cheeks.
He shouted the deepest bond in his heart with all his strength, "You are the person whose recognition I finally managed to earn! I will never let you go to a guy like Orochimaru! I'm bringing you back to the Village!!"
"Friend... recognition..." Sasuke whispered the two words, a flicker of extremely complex emotion crossing his face.
But it was immediately covered by a deeper coldness and resolve, "I'm not going back."
"Why? Just why?!" Naruto couldn't understand and questioned in pain.
Sasuke's eyes suddenly became sharp and hollow. He seemed to see that figure haunting his nightmares through Naruto, his voice carrying deep-seated hatred and an imperceptible trace of sorrow:
"Why? Because you and I are different... You are the lucky disciple of a Sannin, with someone to teach you, someone to care for you..."
His voice suddenly rose, filled with resentment and indignation:
"And what about me? I have nothing! All I have left are these eyes, and this shell that craves power! I need to become strong, at any cost! I'm going to find that man... and get my revenge!!"
"But you'll die if you do that!!" Naruto shouted.
A nearly crazed, cold smile appeared on Sasuke's face. He opened his arms as if embracing the destructive rain and hatred, his voice chillingly calm:
"It doesn't matter..."
"As long as I can gain the power to kill him, this body, this life... it doesn't matter."
This determination to cut off all paths of retreat and turn himself into fuel for revenge was clearly transmitted to the heart of every viewer through the heavenly screen.
Facing Sasuke's cold declaration of sacrificing everything, including his life, for revenge, Naruto wiped the rain and tears from his face with force, his eyes becoming incredibly determined. He took a step forward and shouted:
"No! I absolutely cannot let you fall into darkness! I will definitely bring you back!"
Sasuke looked at his stubborn appearance, the last flicker of emotion in his eyes completely vanishing, leaving only pure coldness and killing intent.
He slowly raised his hand, the Kunai glinting coldly under the lightning:
"You can't do it, Naruto."
"I never go back on my word, that's my Ninja Way!" Naruto responded without backing down, even forcing a hint of his signature, silly yet incredibly stubborn smile onto his face.
However, this "Ninja Way" that attempted to reclaim their friendship sounded incredibly grating to Sasuke's ears at this moment.
Sasuke's Sharingan locked onto Naruto, his voice sounding as if it were seeping out of an ice cave, carrying undisguised warning and resolve:
"Naruto... don't push me."
"I don't want to kill you."
This was already the final bit of restraint Sasuke could muster amidst the flames of hatred.
If Naruto had retreated then, perhaps... but how could Naruto retreat?
"I don't care about any of that! Come back with me!!"
Naruto roared, wasting no more words. His Chakra suddenly erupted, and his figure, like an arrow from a bow, rushed towards Sasuke without hesitation!
He was going to use his own way to pull back the friend who had taken the wrong path!
"Hmph! Seeking your own death!"
Seeing Naruto rush forward without flinching, the last trace of hesitation in Sasuke's eyes was completely obliterated, turning into sharp killing intent.
He didn't want to kill Naruto, but if Naruto insisted on becoming a stumbling block on his path to revenge, then... clearing him away didn't matter!
Bang!
The two men's fists collided fiercely, producing a dull thud of flesh hitting flesh!
The Battle of the Valley of the End officially broke out amidst this torrential rain and lightning!
Although they were still young, the strength the two displayed at this moment already far exceeded their peers, even making many adult Ninjas feel alarmed.
Relying on his massive and violent Chakra and his reckless fighting style, Naruto's offensive was fierce. His Shadow Clone Jutsu appeared one after another, attempting to overwhelm Sasuke with numbers and momentum.
Sasuke, on the other hand, was like a precise leopard. With the excellent dynamic vision and insight of his Sharingan, he always managed to avoid Naruto's attacks at the last possible second and counterattacked from even more tricky and ruthless angles.
His movements were concise and efficient, every strike aimed at vital points. Kunai, Shuriken, and basic Fire Release were all at his fingertips, demonstrating the solid foundation and combat talent of the Uchiha Clan's genius.
The death match in the torrential rain at the Valley of the End on the heavenly screen, along with the two's desperate dialogue, finally made the entire Ninja World understand the truth behind Uchiha Sasuke's defection.
It wasn't for power, it wasn't for ambition, but to gain the strength to seek revenge against the man who slaughtered his clan—Uchiha Itachi!
Outside the Akatsuki Organization base.
"Sss sss sss..."
When Orochimaru heard Sasuke personally say on the heavenly screen that he would "go to Orochimaru" to gain power, he was so excited he almost trembled.
His long tongue uncontrollably licked his cheek, and his golden vertical pupils flickered with extreme greed and pleasure.
He subconsciously looked towards Uchiha Itachi's direction, just in time to meet Itachi's cold gaze from his Mangekyo Sharingan.
Their gazes met briefly in the air, invisible killing intent and vigilance spreading.
Instead of being afraid, Orochimaru laughed even more excitedly, his voice hoarse and eerie: "Hehehe... I didn't expect it, I really didn't expect it... The future 'savior' Uchiha Sasuke, who stands at the peak of the Ninja World and tries to save the world, was actually... trained by me? This is truly miraculous, truly wonderful!"
Orochimaru seemed to have already seen how he would "carve" this perfect piece of unpolished jade in the future.
But unfortunately, he had actually failed? He hadn't taken him for his own!
Meanwhile, alarm bells were ringing in Uchiha Itachi's heart. He had to prepare in advance; he absolutely could not let Orochimaru harm Sasuke!
Hokage Office.
"Sigh..." Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the two children fighting desperately on the heavenly screen and sighed deeply, feeling an unprecedented headache. "They're both problem children... one wants to destroy the world, and the other wants to defect for revenge..."
"Hmph!" Hearing this, Tsunade let out an unceremonious sneer, her arms crossed, her voice mocking: "Isn't this the result of your own self-destructive actions?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression changed abruptly. His lips moved as if he wanted to argue, but in the end, it turned into a powerless silence.