(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited smoothly. https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)
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"Nani!"
Hearing Kurama's words, Naruto was overjoyed.
"Where? Where is he?"
Kurama's voice carried a hint of solemnity.
"The brat's state is very wrong; it gives me a bad feeling. Are you sure you want to find him?"
Naruto didn't hesitate.
"There are some things I must ask Sasuke clearly!"
After speaking, he remembered the task assigned by Tsunade and divided hundreds of Shadow Clones to search for White Zetsus who were disguised as regular ninjas.
With the support of Kurama's immense Chakra, it was all very easy.
"Pervy Sage, Konan, you can head to the battlefield first. Kurama has found Sasuke's trail."
Jiraiya understood his intent and frowned.
"Naruto, Sasuke's matters can wait."
But Naruto shook his head, his figure already speeding away, much faster than before.
It turned out that he had been holding back to keep pace with Konan and Jiraiya.
His voice reached Jiraiya's ears as he disappeared.
"Sasuke is connected to the masked man; maybe I can get some information from him."
Jiraiya sighed as he watched Naruto vanish and turned to Konan.
"Let's go. The battle report from the front line isn't good; we have no time to waste."
Under Kurama's guidance, Naruto quickly caught up to Sasuke, who was riding a hawk.
"Sasuke!"
Sasuke heard Naruto's shout, turned his head briefly, then ignored him and continued on.
Naruto couldn't hold back any longer.
Chakra's coat stretched out, forming an energy palm that grabbed Sasuke and forced him to the ground.
"Don't interfere with my business, Naruto," Sasuke said impatiently.
He didn't want to fight Naruto right now.
After killing the two Konoha elders, he had gone to the Uchiha clan's stone tablet.
With his Eternal Mangekyō, he had seen the tablet and recalled what Itachi had done.
After learning more about the masked man's plans, new doubts arose in his heart.
He desperately needed answers.
"Sasuke," Naruto's golden aura glowed even brighter.
"I can't let you make another mistake. This time, I will pull you out of the abyss!"
"Mistakes?"
Sasuke laughed wildly as if he had heard a great joke.
"What do you know? Why do you say I'm wrong?"
"Isn't it a mistake to kill the village elders?" Naruto stared at Sasuke; disappointment evident in his voice.
Sasuke drew the Kusanagi sword, pointed it at Naruto, and then lowered it after a moment's thought, placing his hands on it.
In the Konoha Village, only two people held special significance to Sasuke.
One was Colt.
Whether it was in strengthening his abilities or the ties of Uchiha blood, Colt was very special.
Combined with the truth Colt had revealed about the Uchiha massacre, this emotion became even more complex.
The other was Naruto, standing before him.
From childhood to now, the connection between them had never broken.
Even when Sasuke went to Orochimaru, Naruto remained persistent.
Today, Sasuke wanted to know: What would Naruto do in his place?
"Do you know about the Uchiha clan?"
Naruto was taken aback, not understanding why Sasuke suddenly stopped drawing his sword, but he nodded.
"Then listen to this story..."
Sasuke's eyes were filled with complexity as he looked toward Konoha.
He recounted everything he had learned from Colt and the information he had tortured out of the two advisors before killing them.
He told it all, from the village's founding by the First Hokage to the Uchiha massacre by Itachi.
Naruto's expression changed from serious to puzzled and finally fell silent.
Seeing Naruto's speechless reaction, Sasuke asked sarcastically.
"Do you still think it was wrong for me to kill those two advisors?"
At that moment, Naruto didn't know how to respond.
In all fairness, hearing Sasuke's story, he was deeply impressed by its complexity and strangeness.
From Sasuke's perspective, there was absolutely no issue in killing them.
But Naruto was a Konoha ninja, and he loved the village too much to simply say 'yes.'
"Sasuke, couldn't you have handled it another way? Colt killed the main culprit, Danzo. The two advisors had already lost their power, and the village is getting better under Granny Tsunade's leadership."
"Then my parents! My clan died in vain!" Sasuke yelled at Naruto, interrupting his plea.
"You say you're my friend, so why are you stopping me from doing what's right?"
Naruto remained calm and asked in a deep voice.
"All your enemies in Konoha are dead. The last enemy is the masked man. Why would you join forces with him?"
Sasuke's eyes flickered.
"Danzo and the others are dead, but this flawed village still exists. I want to destroy Konoha and create a new system!"
"You're also a Konoha ninja!" Naruto was angry.
Sasuke actually spoke of destroying Konoha! His home.
"I will never let you harm the people in the village!"
Sasuke's eyes grew crazed.
"Then I'll start with you! This is the first step in my revenge on Konoha!"
In the next moment, Sasuke's Mangekyō Sharingan activated, and his hexagram pattern turned ominous and dangerous.
The third form of Susanoo appeared and raised its longbow and fired a giant arrow imbued with Amaterasu flames at Naruto!
"I'm not the same as before, Sasuke!"
A huge Chakra arm suddenly emerged from Naruto's back, forming a [Wind Style: Rasenshuriken] that met the attack head-on!
Boom!
A massive explosion echoed through the forest, sending both of them flying hundreds of meters away.
Sasuke and Naruto stood atop the tallest trees, staring each other down.
"It seems you've gained new powers, but they are still futile against my eyes."
Sasuke sensed Naruto's strength but remained disdainful.
His Mangekyō's pupil power surged, and the Susanoo's body grew more solid and towering.
The half-bodied Susano evolved into a full-body form, fully clad in Tengu armor.
"Complete Body: Susanoo!"
Naruto's expression turned serious as he spoke to Kurama in his mind.
"Kurama, let's go!"
"I already had a bad feeling about this Uchiha kid," Kurama grumbled as the fully powered giant demon fox emerged, shocking Sasuke.
Standing nearly 100 meters tall, it faced the Susanoo head-on, not yielding in the slightest!