Chapter 140: A Twist of Fate
The thunder roared overhead as Naruto and Sasuke stood at the Valley of the End, the two statues of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha standing like silent sentinels to the battle about to unfold.
Rain fell in slow, heavy drops, soaking Naruto's clothes, but he didn't care.
His fists clenched. His heart pounded.
Sasuke stood opposite him, his expression cold, unreadable.
"I'm not going back, Naruto," Sasuke said, his voice steady and firm.
Naruto growled. "You think Orochimaru will give you power?! He just wants your body!"
Sasuke smirked. "Then let him try."
Naruto's blue eyes burned.
"Then I'll just have to beat you and drag you back myself!"
A gust of wind tore through the battlefield.
Then—they moved.
Naruto flashed forward, a Rasengan already forming in his right hand.
Sasuke's Sharingan spun, reading Naruto's movements, but—
Naruto was too fast.
Too powerful.
The blonde struck first, slamming a chakra-infused punch into Sasuke's gut, sending him flying backward into the stone cliffs.
Before Sasuke could even stand, Naruto was on him again, fist cocked back.
"Stay down, bastard!"
CRACK!
A brutal kick slammed into Sasuke's ribs, launching him into the air.
Sasuke flipped, landing on the Hashirama statue. He wiped blood from his mouth and scowled.
"Damn it… he's faster than before!"
Naruto grinned savagely from the Madara statue. "What's wrong, huh? Where's all that power you were bragging about?"
Sasuke growled, forming Chidori in his hand.
"Fine." His voice dropped to a whisper. "Then I'll kill you."
He vanished.
Naruto barely had time to react before Sasuke was on him, a lightning-coated fist aiming for his chest.
But Naruto, with his enhanced reflexes, twisted his body at the last second—Sasuke's Chidori grazed past his ribs, burning his flesh.
The two clashed violently, exchanging blows at blinding speeds.
Each strike shook the valley, each jutsu lit the sky in flashes of blue and red.
Naruto dominated the fight, his training and raw determination overwhelming Sasuke's growing rage.
Then—
It happened.
Sasuke staggered back, his body heaving from exhaustion.
"Why… why can't I beat him?"
Naruto stepped forward, his hands clenched into fists.
"Give up, Sasuke! Come back to Konoha!"
Sasuke laughed darkly.
"Give up?" His voice dripped with malice. "You really don't understand anything, do you?"
Naruto's eyes narrowed.
Then, Sasuke's body began to change.
Dark chakra exploded from him, his skin turning a sickly grey.
His Sharingan morphed, the tomoe merging into three-pointed stars.
Black markings spread across his face, his hands elongating into claws.
Then—
Wings.
Disgusting, webbed wings erupted from his back, stretching wide like some kind of nightmare creature.
Naruto took a step back, eyes wide in shock.
"What… the hell is this, is this what you'd stoop to, Sasuke?!"
Sasuke's lips curled into a grotesque grin.
"The power I need to kill Itachi, there's nothing I care more about, Naruto."
Then, he attacked.
Faster. Stronger. More brutal.
Naruto barely had time to react as Sasuke swooped down, his Chidori crackling violently.
Before Naruto could dodge—
Sasuke drove it into his chest.
Naruto gasped, blood gushing from his mouth.
The pain was unbearable.
Sasuke's hand was inside his chest, just inches away from his heart.
But—he missed.
Sasuke scowled. "Tch. Even now… you're lucky."
Naruto collapsed to his knees.
His vision blurred. His breath was shallow.
Sasuke looked down at him, Sharingan glowing.
"It's over."
He turned, walking away.
"I'll find power elsewhere."
And with that—he was gone.
Naruto lay there, rain washing away the blood pooling beneath him.
The world faded to black.
From the treetops, a figure emerged.
Black Zetsu observed the fallen boy with interest.
"The Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails… unconscious, broken, left to die."
A deep chuckle escaped his throat.
"Such an opportunity shouldn't go to waste."
Darkness swallowed Naruto's body—
And then, he was gone.
Naruto's unconscious body was placed on a stone table, dim candlelight flickering.
A voice echoed in the cavern.
"Why bring this boy here, Zetsu?"
From the shadows, a man stepped forward.
His long white hair flowed down his back, his red eyes gleamed with power.
Madara Uchiha.
Zetsu bowed slightly.
"He will be useful to our plans, Lord Madara. He is the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki."
Madara stepped closer, inspecting Naruto's body.
His lips curled into a smirk.
"Interesting… Infuse him with both my and Hashirama's DNA."
Zetsu blinked. "You're certain?"
Madara grinned.
"If I'm to have a true apprentice, he'll need more than just raw potential."
He turned away.
"Prepare the procedure."
Naruto's fate had been sealed.
Back at the Valley of the End, the rain continued to fall.
Kakashi arrived too late.
He searched frantically for any sign of Naruto or Sasuke, but—
There was nothing.
The rain had washed away all traces of battle.
No blood. No footprints.
No bodies.
Kakashi's hands shook.
Naruto and Sasuke were gone.
He fell to his knees.
"I failed them…"
He clenched his fists, his teeth grinding together.
"I failed my Sensei… my friends… Naruto… Sasuke…"
The pain in his chest was unbearable.
For the second time in his life, he had lost everything.
The sky wept with him.
When Kakashi returned to the village, he delivered the news.
Naruto and Sasuke—both missing.
Tsunade was silent, her hands trembling.
Jiraiya's face darkened, eyes shadowed with guilt.
But Harry Potter…
He alone knew the truth.
He said nothing.
"The time isn't right."
"But one day… I'll find Naruto again."
And with that, the world moved on.
But Naruto Uzumaki's true journey… was unkown yet.
To Be Continued…
AN: Interesting development, No? Tell me how many of you expected this, a Madara-trained Naruto? Drop some Powerstones for this.