"Are you really my uncle?"
"My uncle… isn't someone like you!"
Tears streamed down from the corners of Uzumaki Naruto's eyes. The words spilled out before he could even think, and they wounded not only Uzumaki Raiden—but also himself.
Raiden stared deeply at Naruto, letting out a soft sigh, feeling helpless. Under his influence, Konoha had known peace in an otherwise chaotic world. Because of this, Naruto had been sheltered, never truly seeing the darker side of the shinobi world.
This upbringing had forged his current personality: strong-willed, righteous, and unyielding against injustice. But his idealism, heavily shaped by Jiraiya, remained somewhat naïve.
"I'm sorry. I'm not the uncle you imagined me to be."
"But this version of me… is the real me."
"I understand what Deidara did. As my subordinate, his methods may have been flawed, but he completed the mission I assigned him."
"As his superior, I will not take his life because of some dead people."
"He's still useful to me."
"I know you're confused, Naruto. It's normal—someone your age is bound to be confused."
"If you can't understand now, that's fine. One day, after you've experienced more, you'll understand why I made these choices."
"War is temporary. What we'll gain from it... is lasting peace."
Naruto was Raiden's own nephew, and their bond ran deep after so many years. Raiden didn't want to turn Naruto into someone like him. He just wanted Naruto to understand that the world wasn't as simple as he believed.
"Slaughtering an entire village of innocents—someone like that is unforgivable in my eyes!"
"And the uncle who protects him… is no different!"
"Don't talk to me about the future. All I see in front of me… is your sin!"
Naruto wiped away his tears and took a fighting stance. Uchiha Sasuke, standing beside him, opened his mouth as if to speak—but ultimately said nothing. He placed Hanako down gently and silently stepped beside Naruto, facing Raiden with firm resolve.
"So you've decided to fight me?"
Seeing Naruto and Sasuke prepare for battle, Raiden's expression grew serious. He hadn't expected things to escalate like this. Naruto's resolve seemed absolute. It was clear: their ideological divide could only be resolved in battle.
Using Kagura's Mind's Eye, Raiden scanned Naruto for any genjutsu—but found none.
This was Naruto's true will!
"Uncle, this can't happen again. War should never have begun."
"I know you won't agree with me. That's why I'm ready to fight you!"
Naruto pressed his thumb to his heart, signaling his unshakable determination. Sasuke looked slightly surprised, but he stood firm at Naruto's side.
Though Sasuke had initially supported Raiden's reforms, he hadn't seen any true benefit—only the descent into a Fourth Great Ninja War, far worse than any before it. Even neutral nations had been swept away under Raiden's control.
"I see. Then let's find out how far you've come."
"Deidara, take the girl and leave. Get far away."
Raiden waved his hand.
Although Deidara frowned in protest, he couldn't disobey an order from Raiden. He walked toward Naruto and Sasuke to take Hanako.
But Naruto didn't budge. He blocked Hanako with one arm, glaring coldly at Deidara.
Deidara shrugged and turned back to Raiden, gesturing that there was nothing he could do.
"Naruto, Sasuke, if you can defeat me, then reclaiming that child won't be a problem."
"Deidara won't disobey me."
Raiden's voice rang out.
Still, Naruto didn't entrust Hanako to Deidara. Instead, he formed a shadow clone and used the Reverse Summoning Technique to send her to Mount Myōboku.
Deidara clicked his tongue and flew off on his giant clay bird.
A moment later, Naruto seemed to receive confirmation from his clone. His expression eased slightly.
Seeing that they were ready, Raiden unsheathed the Sakegari no Tachi from his waist, stabbed it into the ground beside him, and smiled.
"Ready?"
"Then come. Don't hold back. If you don't have the resolve to kill me, you'll never defeat me."
But Naruto and Sasuke didn't need to be told.
They knew exactly what was at stake—and what had to be done. Even killing Raiden was a price they were prepared to pay to end the war.
"Sasuke, let's go!"
Naruto growled, and with the power of both Sage Mode and the Tailed Beast's cloak, he vanished from sight, moving faster than the eye could follow.
"His abilities have definitely improved. He's mastered Sage Arts and Tailed Beast power well."
"But... he's still not there yet."
Raiden praised calmly. He turned to his right, and an invisible forcefield shimmered to life before him—
Shinra Tensei!
Naruto reached Raiden and threw a punch at his face—but before it could land, an overwhelming repulsive force surrounded Raiden, halting Naruto mid-strike.
The repulsion slammed into Naruto, flinging him away like a red comet, vanishing from Sasuke's view.
"Naruto?!"
Sasuke shouted, alarmed. He turned a wary gaze toward Raiden.
Naruto had underestimated this fight.
"You've come a long way… but you're still far from being my match."
Raiden raised his hand toward Sasuke. A terrifying suction force pulled Sasuke toward him at high speed.
Sasuke's instincts kicked in. Midair, he adjusted and launched an attack.
"Chidori!" A crackling mass of lightning surged from his palm as he closed in.
"Too slow!"
Raiden's right hand snapped forward, grabbing Sasuke's wrist mid-strike. With a twist, he slammed Sasuke into the ground.
BOOM!!! A cloud of dust erupted from the impact.
But the next moment, a massive purple chakra arm emerged from the smoke and struck at Raiden.
Susanoo. Though still immature, its power was undeniable.
Raiden, calm, let lightning armor envelop his body. As the massive hand came down, he didn't even flinch—he raised one hand and caught it.
Despite being formed from chakra, the Susanoo arm shattered like tofu upon contact.
"Chidori!" came a voice from behind.
Sasuke, hidden in the dust, had flanked Raiden and lunged with another Chidori aimed at his back.
"Good strategy—but the wrong enemy."
Raiden had anticipated him.
Another burst of violent repulsion erupted from Raiden's body. Caught off guard, Sasuke was launched away in a blur of light.
BOOM. A muffled impact echoed from afar.
The wind swept across the battlefield, clearing the lingering dust.
Raiden stood at the center, eyes narrowed. Kagura's Mind's Eye locked onto Naruto and Sasuke from a distance.
Shinra Tensei's force shouldn't have been enough to keep them down this long.
He frowned. Something felt wrong.
Suddenly—
"Ehhhhhh!!!"
"You said you're the Sage of Six Paths?!"
"How is that even possible?!"
Inside Naruto's mind, the Sage of Six Paths floated before him, holding his head with a helpless expression. Yet, he patiently explained.
A similar scene unfolded in Sasuke's consciousness—though he remained more cautious toward this mysterious figure.
Raiden, observing them through Kagura's perception, watched the two remain motionless. Just as he was about to check on them, Naruto stirred.
He rose to his feet—his body wrapped in a brilliant, multicolored chakra cloak.
It resembled Chōmei's wings. A tail flicked behind him, carving deep trenches into the earth.
Moments later, Sasuke stood as well.
His eyes had changed—one now a perfected Mangekyō, the other a Rinnegan with nine tomoe.
Their transformations weren't limited to appearances. The chakra radiating from their bodies had increased immensely.
"What happened?!"
"This form..."
Raiden's heart sank.
He recognized this moment.
This was the same transformation Naruto and Sasuke underwent after their encounter with the Sage of Six Paths—before their final battle with Madara.
Naruto's form had changed slightly due to the Tailed Beasts, but Sasuke's transformation was identical to what Raiden remembered.
Even the tattoos appeared: the Sun on Naruto's palm—signifying control over Yang Release and regenerative creation—and the Moon on Sasuke's, symbolizing Yin Release and the power to materialize from nothing.
Naruto's physical energy had peaked. He could regenerate life itself.
Sasuke's mental energy had reached its zenith. He could create matter from nothingness.
They were no longer ordinary humans.
The Sage of Six Paths had split his power in two—bestowing physical energy upon Naruto and spiritual energy upon Sasuke.
They had become "Half-Sages."
"Raiden… I won't be able to help you in the next battle."
Inside Raiden's seal, the Nine Tails suddenly spoke.
"...Because of the Sage of Six Paths?"
Raiden frowned.
"You knew? How did you know it was him?"
Kurama hesitated, then looked stunned that Raiden had guessed so easily.
"You call him 'old man'... so it really is him."
"I can't believe I've been marked for removal."
"How ridiculous!"
Raiden chuckled softly, but there was no joy in his voice. Kurama knew: Raiden was angry now.
"Raiden, I—" Kurama tried to explain.
"No need. I understand."
"To you, these thirty years were just a prison sentence. I was the jailer."
"And he—he created you. He's your father, in a way. Of course you'd take his side."
"That's fine. Stay here. You're not needed in this battle."
Raiden formed a single-hand seal. His chakra surged into the seal, and the Nine Tails—after years of freedom—was locked away once more.
With that done, Raiden turned his focus back to Naruto and Sasuke.
The earlier battle had merely been a warm-up.
Now, the real fight begins.
(End Of Chapter)
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