A violent surge of Reiatsu erupted from within Sasuke's body. His already immense chakra seemed to burst forth, continuously converting into this new power. The shift in his aura whipped up a furious gale. The two Great Toad Sages quickly leaped from Sasuke's shoulders to Jiraiya's, watching the boy at the center of the storm with worry.
"I can't believe Sasuke has chosen this path after all," Lord Fukasaku sighed.
Compared to the Kekkei Genkai of the Uchiha, the path of a Shinigami was filled with far more unknowns. In truth, the Sharingan was already an exceptionally powerful bloodline limit. From Jiraiya and the Sages' perspective, Sasuke only needed to continue evolving his Sharingan to reach a level surpassing that of a Kage; there was no need to pursue the ethereal power of Reiatsu. After all, the unknown was always filled with danger.
But when Sasuke had asked them, "Can I catch up to Naruto by relying on the Sharingan?" they had fallen silent.
In their eyes, Sasuke's upper limit was Uchiha Madara. But the potential Naruto now possessed undoubtedly exceeded Madara's. He might not be as strong yet, but surpassing him was only a matter of time.
Now, Sasuke had made his choice.
Lightning began to crackle at the center of the storm. Jiraiya's expression changed. He grabbed Itachi and leaped away. Seconds later, a torrent of lightning descended from the dark clouds, engulfing the entire Valley of the End.
A heavy rain began to fall. Through it, they could see a lone figure standing tall amidst the lightning, taking the full force of the storm with his physical body, making no attempt to defend himself with ninjutsu.
Gulp. Jiraiya swallowed hard, at a loss for words. No ninja could survive such a storm with their bare body. Sasuke was sure to die.
"Sasuke!!!" Tears of blood streamed from Itachi's eyes as he clutched Sasuke's Sharingan, a pained cry escaping his lips. His heart was filled with regret. If he had never walked the path of annihilating his clan, perhaps Sasuke would not have had to bear such a burden, would not have been driven to abandon everything. If he had always been by his side, perhaps Sasuke could have grown up without a care in the world and still fulfilled his potential!
All of this was because of—
"Naruto!! Uzumaki Naruto!! I will kill you!!" A boiling killing intent brewed in Itachi's eyes. In that moment, he wanted to live more than ever before, to use his own hands to kill the man who had led Sasuke into the abyss! This hatred would fuel his growth!
Boom, boom, boom! The lightning at the Valley of the End finally subsided, revealing the devastation within. Not a single patch of ground was left intact; it was all overturned, covered in cracks and craters. The two great statues had completely crumbled, their forms no longer recognizable. The lake was almost entirely filled with rubble, all life within it extinguished.
And at the center of it all, Sasuke's figure still stood tall, his body wreathed in violent lightning. The lightning crackled and sparked before shrinking and receding into his body.
Thud!
As Jiraiya and the others watched in sorrow, Sasuke's body collapsed to the ground, charred black.
"Sasuke!!" Itachi felt the world spin, the pillar of his heart seeming to crumble. He spat out a mouthful of blood, and his vision went black as he fainted.
Jiraiya carefully laid Itachi on the ground and then rushed toward Sasuke, his own eyes wet with tears.
"Sasuke, you said you were going to bring Naruto back! You can't die like this!"
"Everyone is waiting for you to come home! You're the Child of Prophecy I believe in!"
"I believe you won't die just like this! A miracle will happen!"
Perhaps his prayers were answered. A soul suddenly emerged from Sasuke's body. The soul coalesced into a slender form with dashing black hair and a handsome face, and finally, a set of black robes. The soul then merged back into Sasuke's corpse, and an indescribable power began to spread as all his wounds started to heal at a rapid pace.
Soon, the Sasuke who had been lying on the ground stood up, his clothes in tatters but his spirit vibrant. He turned his head, and a pair of bright, clear black eyes met Jiraiya's.
"This is!" Jiraiya was stunned, a hint of confusion in his heart as he looked at Sasuke's clear eyes. But more than anything, he was overjoyed that Sasuke was alive.
What was strange, however, was that Sasuke's revival was different from Kakashi's. Kakashi's body had been left behind, but Sasuke's was his own. This was different from what Jiraiya understood of Shinigamification.
"I now possess eyes that have transcended everything, that can see through all of creation's void," Sasuke said, stroking his eyes with an enraptured expression. "From this day forward, I have been reborn."
Feeling the abundant power within him, Sasuke knew he had made the right choice. At the same time, his admiration for Naruto's magnanimity grew even stronger. Naruto was truly pushing everyone to become stronger, all so that he could have a good fight in the future. As expected of a man who chose to stand above the heavens.
It was precisely because he now understood the terror of Shinigamification that Sasuke could more deeply appreciate everything Naruto now possessed. He was still far behind.
He took one last look at Jiraiya, Itachi, and the two Sages, his voice filled with confidence. "I'll leave Itachi to you, Jiraiya-sensei. Let him spend the rest of his life atoning for his sins in Konoha."
With that, he turned to leave without a second thought. A white silk ribbon appeared in his hand, and he tied it over his eyes.
"Wait, Sasuke," Jiraiya called out hesitantly. His lips moved, and he finally asked, "Are you leaving?"
"This world is too filthy. Konoha, and all the other ninja villages, are filled with too much sin," Sasuke's voice was filled with a world-weary sigh. "I want to see what kind of scenery I can behold without relying on my eyes."
"Until I find a path I can believe in, I will not remove this," Sasuke said softly.
"Will you ever come back to Konoha?" Jiraiya asked, his face a mask of conflict.
"Do you think I will?" Sasuke asked in return, and Jiraiya fell silent.
"Thank you for your guidance, Sensei, and for Konoha's care all these years. But as I said before, I am casting everything aside to walk my own path, to live as Sasuke, not as an Uchiha of Konoha."
"As thanks for the past, I leave you the traitor Itachi and my eyes. Konoha will gain a shinobi who surpasses the Kage level with the Eternal Mangekyo. Let this be my final farewell to Konoha," Sasuke's voice echoed through the Valley of the End, and Jiraiya's expression grew even darker.
He couldn't help but say bitterly, "Naruto left, Minato left, and now you're leaving too? I've really been a failure as a teacher."
"Jiraiya-sensei—this is the last time I will call you that—don't be bound by the prophecy anymore. Step out of your well, see more of this world. Don't waste your talent any longer. What Konoha needs now is Jiraiya, not the Toad Sage of the prophecy." Having been reborn, Sasuke had many thoughts. He looked at the two Sages, his voice filled with gratitude. "Lord Fukasaku, Lady Shima, thank you for your teachings. But this time, I must walk my own path. Perhaps in the future, we can fight side-by-side. Or perhaps we will become enemies."
Although Sasuke's eyes were covered, they could feel his sincerity.
"We understand. Go, Sasuke," Lord Fukasaku nodded with pride. "Walk your own path. We are very proud."
Tap. Sasuke's footsteps echoed crisply. Each step was like a Shunpo, flashing five meters away. A faint, almost invisible lightning crackled around his feet, silently turning the rubble beneath them to dust.
"Sasuke! You're not going to join the Seireitei, are you?" Jiraiya called out.
"No." Sasuke's figure gradually disappeared from sight, his ethereal voice drifting back.
"I will make even the Seireitei tremble before me!"