Naruto sprinted toward the Valley of the End, his grin gone, replaced by a snarl. Sasuke was close, his chakra a dark pulse Naruto could feel. "You're not getting away, teme!" he shouted, but his heart was cold. This wasn't about saving Sasuke or Konoha; it was about power—proving he was stronger, that he could stand alone, that he didn't need the village's lies or its bonds. The Nine-Tails' chakra burned in his core, ready to explode, and Naruto would use it to crush Sasuke's betrayal and cement his path to freedom.He found Sasuke at the valley's waterfall, his curse mark fully activated, his eyes gleaming with malice. "You're too weak, Naruto," Sasuke sneered. "Stay out of my way." Naruto's grin flashed, fierce and defiant. "Weak? I'll show you power!" He summoned a thousand clones, their numbers flooding the valley, but Sasuke's Chidori cut through them, his speed blinding. Naruto's Rasengan clashed with the Chidori, the explosion shaking the earth, but Sasuke's curse mark gave him the edge, his attacks brutal.Naruto's Nine-Tails' chakra surged, red and wild, cloaking him in a one-tailed form. His wounds healed, his speed doubled, and his clones fought with feral strength. "I don't need Konoha!" he roared, his voice raw. "I don't need you!" Sasuke's Sharingan countered, his fire jutsu scorching the ground, but Naruto's sheer numbers and the fox's rage kept him in the fight. The valley trembled, their power leveling trees and cracking stone.Sasuke's words cut deeper than his attacks. "You're a monster, Naruto. That's why they hate you." The truth—his Jinchuriki status—stung, but Naruto's grin returned, bitter. "Then I'll be the strongest monster!" He pushed the Nine-Tails' chakra further, a second tail forming, but it was too much, the fox's rage clouding his mind. Sasuke's final Chidori pierced his chest, and Naruto fell, his vision fading.He woke hours later, rain soaking his battered body, Sasuke gone. Kakashi stood over him, his face grim. "You did your best," he said, but Naruto's grin was hollow. "Yeah, whatever," he muttered, his heart heavy. He'd failed, not just to stop Sasuke, but to prove he was strong enough. Konoha's lies, the Fourth's choice—they were still out of reach. He needed more power, more control, to roam the world and find the truth alone.
