The forest ended abruptly, spitting the Konoha squad out onto a wide, moonlit wasteland.
In the center of the clearing stood a wooden barrel. The lid was torn off and lay nearby. The barrel was empty.
In front of it stood a man.
He had ash-colored hair and pale, almost transparent skin. On his forehead—two red dots, the symbol of the Kaguya clan. He wore a traditional kimono that seemed too loose for his thin body.
In his hand, he held a white camellia flower. He looked at the petals with melancholic detachment, as if not noticing the approaching enemies.
Naruto raised his hand, halting the squad.
Qi Sensory, working at its limit, glitched.
What is this?
This man's aura was contradictory.
On one hand, it was sharp as a razor. Dense, cold, deadly chakra concentrated in his bones. It was Kage level, no less.
On the other hand... it was rotting.
The guy's life force was fading. Lungs destroyed, heart beating intermittently. He was a living corpse held together only by fanatical will.
"You are late," Kimimaro said quietly, not looking up. "He is already gone. He chose the path of power. And you... you are here to fertilize the soil."
"Where is Sasuke?!" Kiba barked, and Akamaru growled.
"He is going to the Master. And I am the wall you will never overcome."
Kimimaro squeezed the flower. The petals fell.
In the next instant, a sharp white bone burst from his shoulder, tearing skin and fabric. He drew it like a sword.
"Dance of the Camellia."
He disappeared.
Neji reacted first.
"Eight Trigrams: Rotation!"
He began to spin, creating a chakra shield, expecting a blow.
But Kimimaro didn't attack Neji. He slipped under the rotation zone, moving unnaturally low and smoothly. His target was clear—the commander.
The bone blade aimed for Naruto's throat.
Naruto didn't have time to draw a kunai.
Qi Control: Hardening.
He infused his left forearm with maximum Qi, turning bone and skin into organic metal, and put up a block.
CLANG!
The sound of bone hitting Naruto's arm was ringing, like the clash of two swords.
Sparks showered onto the grass.
The Uzumaki was thrown back five meters. He plowed furrows in the ground with his feet but remained standing. A deep cut remained on his arm, but the bone held.
Kimimaro raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Your bones... they are hard. Almost like mine. Interesting."
He attacked again.
It was a dance of death. Kimimaro moved with grace inaccessible to ordinary shinobi. Bones grew from his elbows, knees, ribs, turning his body into a hedgehog of blades.
The team tried to help.
Chōji tried to crush him with a Partially Multi-Size arm—Kimimaro cut it without even looking.
Shikamaru tried to catch him with a shadow—the enemy was too fast.
Kiba and Akamaru, using Fang Over Fang, were thrown back by a blow from a bone tail that grew from Kimimaro's spine.
"You are weak," the Kaguya stated. "Dance of the Willow."
He spun, scattering the Genin like skittles. Neji flew back, spitting blood. Shikamaru was pinned to a tree by a bone spike through his shoulder.
Naruto remained alone in the center of the clearing. He was breathing heavily.
Too technical. My strength isn't enough. He cuts all my attacks.
Naruto could have used the Cloak. Could have used Rasengan. But Kimimaro gave no time for concentration. He was everywhere. Clones could have tipped the scales, but the Jinchūriki couldn't afford to waste too much strength before the main fight.
Kimimaro, appearing out of nowhere, raised his sword for a final blow on the faltering Kiba.
"Farewell."
"Damn, no!" Naruto rushed forward, but knew he wouldn't make it.
At that moment, the air whistled.
"DYNAMIC ENTRY!"
A green blur smashed into Kimimaro from the side.
A double-footed kick to the chest was so powerful that the bone armor on the Kaguya's chest cracked. He was thrown aside.
Rock Lee, in bandages but with burning eyes, landed in his signature stance.
"I'm not late, am I?! The Power of Youth always arrives on time!"
Kimimaro stayed on his feet. He slid across the grass, braking with bone spikes on his feet.
"Another moth flying into the fire..." he raised his hand, and his finger phalanges shot out like bullets.
Bone bullets flew at Lee, who hadn't yet recovered his speed after injuries.
Suddenly, a wall grew between Lee and the bullets.
A wall of sand.
The bullets got stuck in it and crumbled.
A sand cloud slowly and majestically descended onto the clearing.
On it stood Gaara.
Temari and Kankurō landed nearby.
The Sand Jinchūriki looked calm. His eyes no longer burned with madness. They were cold but rational.
Kimimaro froze.
"Sand? Konoha allies?"
Gaara looked at Naruto.
"You saved me from darkness, Naruto Uzumaki," he said in a low voice. "You showed me the Path to the light. Now it's my turn to clear the path for you."
He raised his hand. Sand around the clearing rose, taking the form of a tsunami.
"Go. This sick one is my prey."
Naruto instantly assessed the situation.
Kimimaro—a monster. To defeat him takes time and resources. Sasuke is leaving. Every second the distance increases.
Gaara—the perfect opponent for Kimimaro. Absolute Defense against Absolute Attack.
"I trust you," the Uzumaki nodded.
He turned to his team.
"Listen to the order!" the Commander barked. "This guy is Kage level, but he is dying. His time is running out. Don't try to be heroes. Your task is to support the Sand team and survive. Neji, Chōji—you stay here, cover Lee and Gaara. Don't let him break through."
He looked at Shikamaru and Kiba.
"You two—with me. We continue the pursuit."
"Got it!" Shikamaru pulled the bone spike from his shoulder, grimacing in pain. "Let's go!"
Naruto, Kiba, and Shikamaru took off, skirting the battlefield.
Kimimaro tried to intercept them by throwing a bone whip, but Gaara's sand wall stood in the way.
"Your opponents are us," Gaara said calmly, crossing his arms. "Sand Burial."
***
They ran for another ten minutes.
The forest thinned. The sound of water could be heard ahead.
"Stop," Naruto braked.
"What?" Kiba sniffed. "I smell Sasuke! He's already close!"
"I know," the Uzumaki looked ahead. There, beyond the trees, began the Valley of the End. "But from here on, I go alone."
"What?!" Shikamaru protested. "There are three of us! We can surround him!"
"No," Naruto cut off. "You are wounded. You have a hole in your shoulder, Shikamaru. Kiba is exhausted. And Sasuke... his chakra has changed. It's become black. He is no longer the one we knew. If you go there, he will kill you."
Naruto put his hands on their shoulders.
"Stay here. In the forest. Set up an ambush. If I lose... or if more enemies appear... you are my last line of defense. Don't let anyone pass toward Konoha."
Shikamaru looked into his friend's eyes. He saw determination there that wasn't to be argued with.
"Fine. But if you don't return in an hour... we're coming after you."
"Agreed."
Naruto turned and walked out of the forest.
***
Valley of the End.
A giant waterfall roared, casting tons of water into a lake.
On either side of the waterfall towered two colossal statues.
Hashirama Senju. And Madara Uchiha.
Two founders, two rivals, frozen in eternal confrontation.
The symbolism of the moment was almost palpable.
Naruto jumped onto the head of Hashirama's statue.
The wind ruffled her hair. Water spray cooled his skin.
On the opposite side, on Madara's head, stood a figure.
Sasuke.
He stood with his back to Naruto, looking at the rising sun. His jacket hung at his waist. His skin was covered in black patterns that glowed with sickly purple light.
He didn't look like a fugitive. He looked like a king surveying his domain.
Sasuke slowly turned.
Naruto saw his face.
The left side was distorted by the Seal. The right remained human, but the eye... The Sharingan burned with madness.
"You're late, Naruto," Sasuke's voice echoed off the cliffs. "I've already made my choice."
Naruto clenched his fists. The Pseudo-Core in his stomach spun, preparing for battle.
"Choice between what and what?" he asked, his voice overcoming the roar of the waterfall. "Between being human and becoming a bedwarmer for a snake?"
The Uchiha smirked.
"Between weakness and power. And I chose power."