Chapter 196: The Battle That Ended

Rumble! The shockwaves from the explosion devastated the surrounding buildings. Fortunately, the area was remote, and the Akatsuki had immediately organized the evacuation of villagers after the invasion, preventing any civilian casualties.

However, the deafening sound of the explosion exceeded even the chaos from Little Leopard's battle with the Gedo Mazo, drawing the attention of all the ninjas in Konoha Village.

"What happened?!" Shikaku and Shizune, still in the Hokage's office, felt the tremors and questioned Anbu outside the door.

"The explosion occurred near Naruto's last known location. We suspect it was caused by his battle," the perception ninja replied.

"Naruto and Sasuke…" Shikaku muttered, concern crossing his face. "I didn't expect their fight to escalate this much. Where's the Anbu unit we sent?"

"We lost contact after the explosion. Their status is currently unknown."

"Send reinforcements immediately! No matter what happens, protecting Naruto is our top priority."

"Yes, sir!"

Shikaku's brow furrowed in regret. Did I make a mistake, allowing Naruto to face a member of the Akatsuki alone? There was no time for second thoughts now—only action. If anything happened to Naruto, Tsunade would undoubtedly tear him apart when she returned.

As the dust settled, the once-sturdy underground battlefield had been reduced to rubble.

Boom! A purple skeletal arm shoved aside a massive concrete slab, revealing Sasuke staggering out of the ruins, protected by Susanoo. His breath was ragged, and his steps unsteady.

Scanning the area, Sasuke failed to spot Naruto. Without a word, he turned toward the Hokage Building, his resolve unwavering.

"Sasuke, you're in no condition to keep going. Rest for a bit, will you?" Suigetsu's liquid form emerged from the debris and reconstituted itself. He carried the broken remains of his Kubikiribocho (Executioner's Blade) and eyed Sasuke worriedly.

"This is a rare opportunity. I won't let it slip away," Sasuke retorted, clutching his bleeding eyes as Susanoo finally dissipated.

Suigetsu sighed, slinging his broken sword over his back. "Man, you're stubborn. I'd just let you go if it weren't for my promise to protect you. If you die, my dream of collecting the Seven Ninja Swords goes up in smoke."

"Don't follow me if you don't want to. This is my path," Sasuke shot back, trudging onward.

"Do you honestly think they'll let you walk out of here alive?" Suigetsu muttered under his breath but continued to follow.

Crash! From the rubble, a blond figure pushed aside the debris and slowly stood. Naruto, bruised and covered in dust, emerged. His Sage Mode had dissipated, leaving him unable to replenish natural energy since the scroll and Fukasaku were buried under the ruins.

But Naruto stood tall, staring unflinchingly at Sasuke. "What's happened to you, Sasuke?"

"Tch. Why couldn't you just stay down?" Sasuke growled. Lightning crackled around his palm as he began forming Chidori once again. "It's meaningless for you to know. You won't live long enough."

The Chidori faltered, flickering out of existence. Sasuke grimaced, his trembling hand betraying the strain. "What… why? My chakra… it's draining too fast…"

"I won't let you rampage through Konoha any longer!" Naruto shouted.

Swish! Several Anbu, clad in animal masks, appeared around Naruto, surrounding him protectively. One of them stepped between Naruto and Sasuke, watching Sasuke closely.

"Sasuke, reinforcements are here. We need to go!" Suigetsu urged, feeling the Anbu's lethal intent.

"I won't back down," Sasuke muttered, despite the pain blurring his vision. He forced his chakra to form Chidori again—

Snap! A hand emerged from nowhere, seizing Sasuke's wrist and halting him.

"Enough, Sasuke," said a calm, deep voice. The masked man—Obito—materialized beside Sasuke, his Sharingan glowing ominously. "Nagato's in trouble. If we stay, we'll be overwhelmed. You won't achieve revenge, and you'll lose your life."

Sasuke scowled, his bloodshot eyes narrowing. "I'll come back. No one can stop me."

"Sasuki!" Sasuke turned away as Naruto shouted desperately. He didn't look back. Obito's Kamui swirled to life, pulling Sasuke into its space.

"Wait, Sasuke!" Naruto cried out, his voice echoing in the ruined battlefield.

Obito lingered a moment, his figure halfway vanishing into the vortex. "Next time, Konoha won't escape so easily."

With that chilling promise, Obito disappeared.

"Damn it!" Naruto yelled, punching the fractured ground in frustration as Sasuke's presence vanished completely.

Elsewhere, in the devastated Forest of Death, Little Leopard roared and landed a powerful punch on the Gedo Mazo, sending shockwaves through the ground. The beast wailed in agony, its massive form cracking further.

Seeing his chance, Little Leopard's tails coiled together, forming a giant fist that struck the Gedo Mazo with even greater force.

Roar! The Gedo Mazo howled before suddenly vanishing into a puff of smoke, leaving behind a massive crater.

"Is it over?" Naruto asked, surveying the battlefield with his Byakugan. With the Gedo Mazo gone, he guessed that Jiraiya's team must have dealt with Nagato.

The Gedo Mazo's disappearance wasn't surprising—controlling it severely drained Nagato's chakra and life force. It was a trump card Nagato wouldn't use unless absolutely necessary.

With the battle ending, Little Leopard shrank back to the size of a small pillow and floated into Naruto's arms. Naruto gently checked him for injuries. "You did well. Let's get some rest."

Looking around the village, Naruto noticed that despite the Akatsuki's attack, Konoha had suffered relatively little damage thanks to Shikaku and Shizune's quick response. Civilian casualties had been avoided, though the ninja forces had suffered losses.

The most devastated area was the ruins of Danzo's Root base, now completely leveled. It was clear the confrontation between Naruto and Sasuke had been the fiercest battle.

End of Chapter.

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