4,815The Valley of the End.
A majestic landmark in the Elemental Nations, featuring the towering statues of Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha facing each other across from a massive waterfall. The valley was framed by steep cliffs, with a roaring river below in which a lone teenager was perched upon a boulder as he gazed at the water descending from above.
It was ironic. He'd sworn to sever all bonds of his past, and yet he often found himself coming to this place time and time again to clear his mind.
Was it the imposing atmosphere that reinforced his beliefs?
The isolation?
After the war, none would be caught dead in this territory. It was no secret the teen made it a habit of visiting the border of the land of Fire and Sound.
No… There was something about this location that bound him to it.
Even now, the boy could imagine his "best friend's" goofy grin like it was haunting him.
Why couldn't he let go?
The teen looked up from the base of the waterfall to the statues, the hood of his cloak falling back to reveal his raven-black hair that covered half his face. An onyx colored eye squinted from the glaring sunlight that fell from the bright blue sky.
Closing his eyes, the distant sound of the waterfall seemed to fade away.
He was no longer alone.
"Are you another assassin sent to kill me? Don't waste my time."
His voice echoed like a ripple across the lake.
"Heh…"
A soft chuckle escaped the intruder's lips, causing the teen to sigh.
He was honestly not in the mood for this right now, and from the sound of it, he was about to deal with another clown that thought they could take him down.
The youth opened his eyes to look at his to-be opponent and froze.
Standing in the center of the lake was a woman wearing a light blue chiton with golden trimmings, and she was enchanting. But it wasn't her beauty that shook him.
Long, spiky yellow hair fell to her waist. Vibrant blue eyes that shone with confidence stared directly into his own with a hint of mischief.
The most notable feature, however, were the three whisker-like marks on the woman's face.
The boy's eyes narrowed. He was no stranger to such tactics, as this wouldn't be the first time someone used psychological attacks in an attempt to get his guard down. Most of which came from the Hidden Leaf assassins who tried to avenge the "Hero of Konoha".
As if he had anything to be guilty about in that regard.
This seemed to be the case this time around too, judging by the gold plated Konoha headband tied around the woman's forehead.
"An assassin? Nope. But I was looking for you."
The woman replied and started making her way towards the shore. The water was calm, but each step seemed to leave behind a tiny whirlpool.
A water affinity, perhaps?
"...Who are you?"
The boy hadn't noticed it before, but there was something… Unnatural about this woman. It was slightly unnerving. But even as she rounded the boulder he was sitting on and looked up at him, he maintained his composure.
After all, with the power he now possessed, nothing could stand in his way.
That wouldn't stop him from being too careful though, as his left eye glowed softly from behind his bangs.
"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you my identity… But make sure to keep it a secret, alright? I'm already bending a lot of rules to speak to you."
The woman said with a wink before placing her hands on her hips and grinning widely.
"I am Eddy! Goddess of the Maelstrom, and daughter of Aqua, the Goddess of Water! Yes, that's right! This beautiful and powerful goddess has appeared before you, troubled youth, to provide the proper guidance to put you back on the right path!"
. . .
Was this woman serious? A goddess? Also, who was Aqua?
Shaking his head, the boy stood up.
"The Hidden Leaf must be getting desperate if they're sending a kunoichi with a few screws loose to take me out."
"!"
Eddy's face dropped, it was almost amusing. But her surprise was quickly replaced by annoyance as her lips curled into a twitchy smile.
"I-I'll let that one go since the gods are still new to this realm… But just know, to make fun of a goddess is cause for divine retribution."
Coughing into her hand, the "goddess" straightened herself.
"You're Sasuke Uchiha, right? Black hair, brooding yet slightly handsome face, never smiles? Just making sure I didn't just reveal myself to the wrong guy. Kind of a rule up in Heaven for us to limit our presence in the mortal realm. Er-I guess you ninja refer to it as the Pure Lands, huh?"
"Is it in your 'Heaven's' rules for a goddess to go souvenir shopping?"
Sasuke asked, earning a quizzical look from the woman. Sighing, he gestured to his forehead.
Eddy touched the headband she was wearing, and her eyes widened in realization. Cheeks burning, the goddess crossed her arms under her bust.
"C-cut me some slack… This was my first time coming down here."
"...You really aren't from the Leaf, are you?"
Sasuke muttered, because he remembered seeing such a headband on his way out of Konoha in a shop. But if this woman wasn't a Leaf shinobi, then where did they come from?
"Weren't you listening to me!? I'm not from here at all because I'm a goddess! Sheesh… Super gramps was right, you do need guidance."
Eddy scratched the back of her head irritably. If she had known this conversation was going to be so frustrating, she would have asked Hagoromo for more advice.
Sasuke pushed back the sense of deja vu in favor of focussing on what the girl had said. He was beginning to piece together what this was all about.
"The Sage of Six Paths sent you, didn't he?"
"Eh? You met Super Gramps? Then that makes this easier!"
Suddenly cheerful, Eddy flashed a foxy grin.
Such a simple person. They really were like…
Sasuke shook his head. Such ludicrous thoughts. Maybe he was tired.
But it sounded like this woman was somehow connected to Hagoromo, the Sage of Six Paths.
After obtaining the power of eight of the nine Tailed Beasts, Sasuke discovered the nine-tails had disappeared. Even after interrogating its kin, they could not pinpoint where the fox had gone. Not even its chakra was dispersed into nature.
To compensate, he had Orochimaru implant Hashirama's cells into his body to increase his power. It was then he had unlocked the Rinnesharingan, and in doing so, he met the Sage of Six Paths.
Hagoromo Otstutsuki, the creator of all things chakra, went on to reveal that Sasuke Uchiha was in fact a reincarnation of one of his two children, Indra Otsutsuki.
But none of that mattered to Sasuke. Who he was, or where he came from didn't mean a thing in the grand scheme of things.
What mattered was obtaining enough power to enforce peace upon the shinobi world so no one had to go through what his brother, Itachi Uchiha, had to suffer through again.
Hagoromo had tried to persuade him otherwise, preaching that true peace could only be achieved by working together.
"Like I told the sage… I hold no desire to work with others. I have obtained enough power to uphold peace by myself, maintaining it from the shadows. I am Sasuke Uchiha, Hokage of the Elemental Nations, and no one can oppose me."
The air grew heavy between them, with Sasuke's words lingering in the silence.
Perhaps now she would understand and give up, just as all the rest had before her-
"Pfft…! Nah, that's stupid!"
"!"
Sasuke's visible eye twitched in irritation. This woman was really starting to get on his nerves.
"Sasuke… It's true that you've accomplished a lot by yourself, I've been watching over the Elemental Nations long enough to see that much. But while you stopped the wars between nations, there is still so much death going on… There is no harmony, and ruling with an iron fist isn't the way to go about doing things."
Eddy smiled sadly while she spoke, and it only proved to irritate the last Uchiha even more.
"I only need more time, more power… Through the Rinnegan, I can create near immortal copies of myself to enforce my peace to the farthest reaches of the planet."
Sasuke raised his hand, clenching his fist as if to seize the sun itself. He was so close… He didn't care what this woman said, whoever she was. Nothing would change his mind.
Eddy seemed to be contemplating, like she was thinking of a way to combat what he'd said.
See? Not even a "goddess" knew how to argue against his logic.
Sasuke hopped down from the boulder and started making his way towards the forest. It was time to return to the Hidden Leaf Village. Kakashi likely had more intel on the latest renegades who stood against his rule.
"There's always going to be someone stronger, ya know?"
Eddy suddenly said, and a wave of pressure hit the Uchiha like a tsunami.
Spinning on his heel, Sasuke leapt back to put a great deal of distance between him and the thing that stood at the lake's edge.
Were they suppressing their chakra this entire time!? How did he not see it with his Rinnegan?
'No… That's not chakra.'
A bead of sweat rolled down Sasuke's cheek.
"What… Are you?"
"How rude. I already told you who I was, fool. I'm Eddy, Goddess of the Maelstrom."
Eddy replied as the golden energy continued to radiate from her entire being, brightening the surrounding area like a second sun.
But just as soon as it came, the pressure vanished as though it were never there and the light dissipated.
"Phew… It feels weird to release so much mana at once. Anyways, you seem to be the type who takes pride in their strength. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course. It's just that I don't think you're gonna get much stronger without working together with others, and when a new threat comes along and you're not strong enough to face it by yourself… That's it."
"..."
Sasuke remained silent, his eyes piercing the mysterious woman as she paced back and forth.
"For you see, and I've given this a lot of thought, true strength is only achieved when people come together and work as one. As powerful as you are, there's only so much you can do by yourself before you ultimately fall to someone stronger than you."
Eddy stopped and turned back to face the boy with a cheerful smile.
"...Are you implying that you could defeat me, then, goddess?"
Sasuke asked, his left hand twitching with restrained anticipation.
Eddy's smile curled into a mischievous smirk, her eyes gleaming with confidence.
"Whoever said anything about an implication?"
. . .
The quiet of the forest was shattered by the crackle of Sasuke's Chidori as he lunged toward the strange woman. His Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan blazed in his right eye, locking onto his target as he moved at lightning speed.
Sasuke knew he couldn't take any chances, the raw power radiating from this woman was just too unnatural.
Eddy simply raised her hand, meeting Sasuke's blade of lightning head-on. A shockwave boomed from the impact as her fingers wrapped around his wrist effortlessly, stopping the Chidori in its tracks mere inches from her whiskered face.
"You sure don't waste time, do you?"
Eddy teased, her eyes twinkling with amusement.
Sasuke's eyes widened, but he didn't allow himself to stop there as he yanked his arm free and spun, sending a sweeping kick toward her head.
Eddy ducked under it with ease, her movements fluid and relaxed as she went. With a flick of her wrist, she sent a shockwave rippling through the air, aiming to knock him off balance.
Sasuke leapt back, skidding across the ground, his Sharingan analyzing every detail of her movements.
'She's not even trying…'
He thought grimly, his frustration building more and more. But he forced himself to calm down, for he was nowhere close to using his full strength either.
Without warning, Sasuke vanished again, appearing above the woman with Kusanagi drawn, aiming in a downward strike. Eddy's grin widened as she sidestepped the attack, her reflexes impossibly fast. Sasuke spun mid-air, swinging his blade in a rapid arc, but each strike was effortlessly deflected or outright evaded.
"Not bad… But you're still holding back."
Eddy chimed, ducking beneath another slash.
Sasuke gritted his teeth, frustration growing as every attack seemed useless. He quickly formed hand signs and inhaled deeply.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
A massive torrent of flames erupted from his mouth, engulfing the area where Eddy stood. The heat scorched the ground, but as the flames cleared, Eddy stood untouched, lazily brushing ash from her clothes.
"That all you got?"
She asked with a playful smirk.
Sasuke didn't respond. Instead, he flickered behind her, his Chidori sparking to life again, ready to drive it into her back. But just as his hand neared her, Eddy vanished, reappearing a few feet away, arms crossed and looking almost bored.
"Are you really going to protect the Elemental Nations like this?"
But Sasuke wasn't finished. His Sharingan spun, reading her movements as best he could. He dashed forward, closing the distance in an instant, unleashing a flurry of blows. Eddy deflected each one with ease, her expression unchanging. Sasuke's frustration mounted with every blocked attack.
In an instant, Eddy retaliated. Her hand shot forward, catching Sasuke off guard as she landed a powerful blow to his chest, sending him flying backward. He crashed through the trees, but quickly flipped back onto his feet, glaring at her from a distance.
"Getting serious now, huh?"
Eddy mused, rolling her shoulders.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, panting slightly from exertion. He hadn't felt this kind of pressure since the Fourth Great Ninja War.
He charged again, this time faster, his Sharingan catching every slight movement Eddy made. He was relentless, pushing her back with a series of rapid-fire punches and kicks. Eddy dodged and blocked, her smirk never leaving her face. But Sasuke wasn't giving up.
Eddy finally stepped in with a counter, catching one of Sasuke's punches and twisting his arm behind his back.
"This is starting to feel familiar."
She teased, her voice playful.
Sasuke growled, using his free hand to summon his Chidori again. But this time, he let it burst out wildly.
"Chidori Stream!"
The rampant electricity forced Eddy to jump back, gently landing on the boulder near the lake.
She opened her mouth to speak, but Sasuke threw Kusanagi right at her. Leaning slightly to the right, Eddy deadpanned as the weapon flew past her.
'Is he giving up?'
But to her surprise, Sasuke's body shimmered and was seemingly replaced by the sword. Eyes growing wide, Eddy had but a fraction of a second to spin around to fend off another Chidori.
'He switched places with the sword!?'
She raised her hand, a spiraling ball of energy in her palm.
Sasuke's eyes widened in shock.
It couldn't be.
Rasengan… that was Naruto's technique. But how-
The two attacks collided with a deafening roar, energy exploding outward in a shockwave that tore through the forest, uprooting trees and sending debris flying in every direction.
Sasuke felt the raw power of her Rasengan pushing against his Chidori, and for a brief moment, it felt like he was clashing with Naruto again. Even now, it was like he could see his old friend supporting the goddess from behind.
The energy surged, and with a final burst, the two were thrown apart, crashing into opposite sides of the clearing.
Sasuke struggled to stand, his body aching from the impact. His mind was racing. That jutsu… it couldn't be a coincidence. There was only one person alive who could use that technique, and they were back in Konoha.
He looked across the clearing to where Eddy stood, completely unscathed. She dusted herself off, a satisfied smile on her face as she walked toward him.
Sasuke didn't move. His thoughts were muddled with memories of Naruto, the familiar feeling of that clash still fresh in his mind. Something caught the boy's eye, and he glanced up. It seemed they finally arrived.
"My Genjutsu… Why hasn't it been working on you?"
"Is that what that tingling in my eyes was? Sorry, but my Goddess Vision can see through any illusion."
Eddy replied with a cheeky grin when a shadow suddenly covered their surroundings. Looking up, she raised an eyebrow.
"The heck are those?"
High up in the sky were five enormous rocks that were slowly closing in, one of which was now completely blocking out the sun.
"The Tailed Beasts that I captured. I usually keep one in each corner of the continent in case I need a boost of power, but I called them over the moment you showed up."
Sasuke revealed as he picked himself off of the ground. The rest would arrive soon, but he planned to finish things before that even happened.
"Oh… Don't you think they're kinda sad being all cooped up in there? How would you feel if you were being used as a living battery?"
Eddy frowned disappointingly.
"I'm the one who's asking questions now. You… you're connected to Naruto somehow, aren't you?"
Sasuke said, his voice low and steady. He wasn't asking. It was a statement, one he was certain of now. The way she looked… The way she fought. Hell, even her chakra felt similar to the dunce.
Eddy's eyes softened, as if she were remorseful of something.
"I can't tell you everything. Let's just say… you're not wrong."
"Don't play games with me… You're no longer in a position of power here!"
Sasuke shouted, his temper rising. Using the power of his Rinnegan, he started pulling from the near limitless pool of chakra from the Tailed Beasts.
Eddy felt the sheer amount of energy pass over her and into the Uchiha. A bead of sweat rolled down her cheek.
'This… Might get a little ugly.'
Her premonition proved right as Sasuke's chakra levels spiked to an inhuman amount. Dare she say it, the boy was even nearing her power level.
"I'll give you one more chance to tell me the truth… What is your connection to Naruto?"
Sasuke demanded in a threatening tone, his dual dojutsu glowing menacingly.
"I'm sorry… I can't answer that."
Eddy responded, bracing herself for what was about to come.
The last Uchiha lowered his gaze. Although unsurprised, he was always disappointed when he was forced to use this power. All he wanted was peace, and yet people insisted on standing in his way. Even if their efforts were futile, meaningless, and resulted in vainful deaths.
"So be it… I'll just force the answers out of you."
Sasuke said and held his hand out.
"Hnn…!"
Eddy grunted as her body was jerked forward by an invisible force. Another Rinnegan power?
But she noticed something peculiar as she was pulled towards the shinobi. He appeared to be crying… tears of blood?
'Ah, crap.'
Eddy thought and crossed her fingers, and she left a trail of Shadow Clones as she flew.
'Another one of Naruto's abilities… But it doesn't matter.'
Sasuke thought as he activated the power of his Mangekyou Sharingan, even as the mob of Eddy's pounced on him.
"Inferno Style: Flame Lightning."
Black flames erupted from the ground, successfully impaling all of his attackers.
Luckily for Eddy, a clone had pulled her just out of the jutsu's reach as it was activated.
As the Amaterasu faded away, Sasuke jumped back into a close quarter's brawl. His fist lashed out, aiming for Eddy's center, but she twisted gracefully, like the flow of water as her feet swirled around on the ground.
Sasuke followed up with a spinning kick, his foot striking through the air where Eddy had been a second earlier. She countered with a sweeping motion of her hand, but Sasuke saw it coming and leapt into the air, flipping over the attack and landing with precision several paces away.
Lightning flickered to life in his palm again, and he was upon Eddy in the blink of an eye.
"This attack again? Just because you're a little faster now, doesn't mean this'll work on me."
Eddy taunted as she caught the boy's wrist at the last second, the ground beneath her cracking from the impact.
"If I can't strike you physically, I'll tear your soul out directly."
Sasuke stated coldly, his Rinnegan gleaming. He released the Chidori, focusing his energy.
Eddy's cerulean eyes narrowed as a faint, ethereal glow surrounded Sasuke's outstretched hand. The air grew heavy as the Rinnegan's power intensified, its pull targeting the goddess's very essence.
She staggered slightly, feeling the unnatural force tugging at her, as if trying to separate her spirit from her body. But as the pull grew stronger, she planted her feet firmly, her aura flaring.
Sasuke's eyes widened as nothing seemed to be happening. No matter how much he focused, Eddy's soul remained untouched, as if an unshakable barrier protected it.
"Impossible…"
He muttered, his voice tinged with frustration.
Eddy's lips curled into a smirk.
"You think my soul is something you can simply take? Let me show you what it means to face a goddess"
Before Sasuke could react, Eddy's hand began to glow with an ominous black energy.
"Drain Touch!"
The dark energy surged into him. Sasuke gasped as his strength began to drain away at an alarming rate, his body trembling under the overwhelming power of her foreign ability.
The ground beneath them cracked as Sasuke mustered his will, his chakra flaring violently to keep up with the drainage. With a surge of determination, he grabbed Eddy's wrist with his free hand, his Sharingan locking onto her.
"You're not invincible."
He hissed, forcing himself to counter her draining technique with sheer force of will.
"Perhaps not. But you'll find I'm far harder to conquer than your other enemies."
Eddy's smirk deepened as she pushed more energy into the technique. Releasing more of her divine mana, the goddess slugged the ninja right in the face.
"God Blow!"
Crack!
Her golden fist met the surface of what appeared to be a purple… ribcage?
"Wha-"
To her further surprise, two streams of energy manifested from the sides of the spectral bones until they formed a pair of arms.
Eddy yelped as the giant fists came crashing down on her. Diving out of the way, the goddess's back was pelted by stones that were sent flying by the impact.
Rolling back onto her feet, Eddy put her hands together while making a beeline for the forest. She needed to limit the guy's vision as much as possible.
"Running away?"
Sasuke taunted as his Mangekyou Sharingan spun, and the purple construct expanded further until it created the skeleton of a human's upper body. Muscle and tissue followed, along with a spiritual set of clothing. Nearing its completion, the construct drew what appeared to be a crossbow.
"What the hell is that!?"
Eddy barked when she looked back to see the creepy thing taking aim.
"Susanoo."
Sasuke uttered, and he released his technique. A bolt made of pure chakra was launched at the goddess with tremendous speed, mowing down tree after tree whilst in pursuit of its target.
Eddy clicked her tongue and released her hands, taking aim with her palm at the oncoming projectile.
"Explosion!"
Boom!
The condensed ball of mana collided with the Susanoo projectile, resulting in a deafening eruption. The valley became shrouded in smoke, but Sasuke was still able to see the whereabouts of his opponent thanks to his Sharingan.
He saw one speck of light turn into hundreds of lights, and they all dispersed throughout the forest towards him.
Sucking his teeth, Sasuke began to fire off arrow after arrow. But the sheer amount of numbers allowed the clones to get close enough to make contact.
Redirecting his Tailed Beast chakra into the defense of his Susanoo, Sasuke began to lash out at the doppelgangers that emerged from the smoke.
God Blows, Rasengans, the clones threw everything they had at the chakra avatar. But none of their attacks managed to pierce its seemingly impenetrable armor.
Crack!
Sasuke flinched when he heard the sound of breaking glass, and he was surprised to see a splinter.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
The sound continued as more and more splinters formed from the goddess's relentless attacks.
What changed? Was she pulling her punches earlier to get him to lower his guard?
It was then Sasuke noticed the eyes of one of the clones. They were yellow, with toad-like slits. Coupled with the orange pigmentation boarding their eye sockets, those were clear signs of a toad sage.
'Senjutsu…!'
Sasuke realized just as one final sage-powered punch broke through his defence and nearly took his head off. He flared his chakra, pulling more power from the Tailed Beasts.
A gust of air forced all of the clones back, along with the dust and debris obscuring his vision.
Sasuke's feet left the ground as he took his Susanoo to the next level.
Its body grew, towering over the battlefield as thick, spectral armor forged itself piece by piece, covering the figure in a brilliant exoskeleton. The plated helm crowned the transformation, its design sharp and commanding.
Perfect Susanoo.
The user peered down at the landscape with keen eyes, taking count of what clones remained. He'd rather limit the amount of damage dealt to this area, but the woman had managed to push him this far.
Holding back at this point would be pointless.
The Susanoo gripped the hilt of the sword that had manifested on its waist. It then proceeded to draw the spectral blade and drag it across the ground in a horizontal motion.
The damage was devastating, as a good portion of the forest had been all but obliterated.
Sasuke released a breath. While he had a near limitless amount of chakra at his disposal, it was exhausting to use for extended periods of time.
Looking off into the distance, he could see the remaining three Tailed Beasts making their way towards his location. Too bad he wouldn't be needing them anymore, as all of the specs had disappeared.
"Wow… That's a lot of destruction."
"!"
Sasuke snapped his head to the left to see Eddy standing on the shoulder, whistling as she looked at the ravaged forest.
"Too bad this world doesn't have any Crimson Demons, they could have this all patched up in a couple of hour-Woah!"
Eddy was forced to move when a giant hand came crashing down where she'd been standing.
"Rude!"
"Shut the hell up and answer me!"
Sasuke barked and swiped left and right, the Susanoo mirroring his movements as he tried to squish the pesky woman.
Bang!
An explosion went off on his right, knocking the enormous entity off balance.
"Explosion!"
Eddy shouted and fired off another spell, this time aiming for the Susanoo's hand.
The detonation forced the giant to drop the sword, causing the spectral blade to fly off into the distance until it pierced the side of a mountain.
The goddess then leapt from the behemoth to avoid being crushed before turning around. Lifting her hand into the air, a Rasengan formed in her palm.
But she didn't stop there and began to make a short chant under her breath.
'I've been meaning to try another one of dad's techniques!'
Eddy grinned victoriously as the blue sphere grew in size and completely changed shapes. Even the color morphed into a vicious red color as four wind blades sprouted from its sides, resulting in a loud screeching sound.
"Explosion Series: Rasenshuriken!"
Upon finishing the blend between jutsu and skill, Eddy threw the shuriken shaped ball of destruction towards her opponent.
Sasuke's eyes widened as the ferocious attack cut through the air. It was different, but this was definitely another one of Naruto's techniques.
But he wasn't about to sit there and take it.
From the back of the Perfect Susanoo sprouted a massive pair of wings, and the avatar took to the air just as the Rasenshuriken hit the lake.
"...Oops."
Eddy's face paled as all of the water instantly evaporated from the resulting explosion.
At least the statues were still intact… Who knows how angry Eris would have been had she destroyed a historical landmark in the world she was overseeing.
But that was the least of her troubles.
While she'd been distracted, Sasuke had been absorbing even more power from the sealed Tailed Beasts.
Also, was it just her, or were there more rocks in the sky than before?
"It's over now, goddess. I have gathered all eight Tailed Beasts here. Not even your might can stand up to me now."
Sasuke stated, and his Susanoo began to overgo through a change. The plates of armor shifted as if it struggled to contain its power within, and a massive bow made out of pure lightning manifested in its left hand.
Eddy landed on the ground with a thump. Even without her Goddess Vision, she could visibly see the energy leaking out of the boy's chakra construct.
"I don't feel like laying waste to half the country, so I'll give you one last chance. Who are you really, and what is your connection to Naruto Uzumaki?"
Sasuke asked with narrowed eyes. He had to know. If there was an inkling of a chance that Naruto was still out there somewhere, he had to know so he could finish what he started.
It would certainly explain his uneasiness these past few weeks, and why he had been visiting this location more frequently.
"What a troublesome fellow… I already told you, I can't! I haven't learned how to fly yet, so come down here and face me like a man!"
Eddy barked while shaking an angry fist.
"...So be it."
Sasuke uttered the words and raised his arm. A bolt of lightning struck the Susanoo's hand, forming a makeshift arrow. Bringing it to the bow, he drew it back in preparation of his final attack.
It was regrettable, but he would have to say goodbye to the Valley of the End. Maybe that would also force him to snap out of whatever slump he was in.
'In the end, you were all bark and no bite… Goddess.'
Sasuke thought and prepared to release his jutsu.
Back on the ground, Eddy's foot tapped the ground as she went over her options.
'That jutsu seems pretty strong… It would be troubling if it hit the ground.'
Maybe she could create a dozen clones and spam Explosion magic?
'No… Base Explosion didn't even scratch that chakra armor earlier, and now it's even stronger than before.'
Even if she tried using a more powerful variant like an Explosion Style: Super Massive Rasenshuriken or something, the damage to the planet would probably be noticeable from space.
Eddy scratched at her whisker marks. This entire time, she'd been fighting like her father. While fun, it put her at a stalemate with her opponent.
A mischievous grin formed on the goddess's face.
'If dad's style isn't working… Let's try fighting a little more like mom.'
With that thought, Eddy sprung into action and created a dozen Shadow Clones.
'She's up to something, but it doesn't matter… Indra's Arrow is complete.'
Sasuke thought when he noticed multiple movements on the surface. He then released his hold on the attack, and the heavenly arrow fell down towards the Earth like a godly hammer.
At the same time, a bright light shone on the surface as a blue circle made up of strange symbols came into existence.
'Fuinjutsu!? No… It's made up of that strange energy. What is she-'
Sasuke's thoughts came to a complete halt when Indra's Arrow made contact with the mysterious barrier, and it came to a complete stop.
"Reflect!"
Eddy shouted triumphantly, and with one final push, she sent the dangerous technique hurtling back towards the Uchiha.
Sasuke cursed and maneuvered his Susanoo out of the way, and the jutsu whizzed past him and flew straight into the stratosphere.
BOOM!
A cataclysmic explosion detonated, and a seismic shockwave slammed into the shinobi's back.
But Sasuke was too angry to pay any mind to it. That was it. That was the final straw.
"It doesn't matter! I can just fire another one! I'll drain the Tailed Beasts until they dry up if it means killing you!"
Raising his hand again, the teen started pulling chakra to form another Indra's Arrow… Only to find that he couldn't.
"Wha-"
"Sacred Break Spell!"
Standing upon each of the eight orbiting Tailed Beasts stood a clone of Eddy, that same blue circle appearing under their hands that rested upon the rock.
Just like that, Sasuke felt his hold on the chakra monsters shatter instantly. The seal, his Genjutsu, all gone in the blink of an eye.
No longer able to maintain its powered form, his Susanoo reverted back to normal.
Sasuke gritted his teeth. Why was this happening? Where did this woman come from? Was she actually a goddess?
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU!?"
"Do I really need to tell you a third time?"
For the second time in their fight, Sasuke was startled to find his opponent had snuck up on him. But this time, she was right outside the crest on the forehead of his Susanoo.
The shockwave must have pushed him close enough to the surface for her to jump up here.
"EDDY!"
"God Requiem!"
Eddy's hand burst to life with a brilliant golden hue and punched the spectral armor with colossal force, bursting through the armor with ease and connecting with the boy's gut.
Sasuke's vision spun as he was forced through the back end of his Susanoo.
Now freefalling, he tried to right himself, but quickly found that it was becoming harder and harder to move his limbs.
Come to think of it… This was his ninth day going without sleep. After excessively using the Tailed Beast chakra so much, it was only natural his body would give out at some point.
All he could do now was watch as the stones from his sealing jutsu fell to the Earth.
He was so tired… All of the fighting, the killing, the solitude.
'Was… Was I wron-'
Sasuke hit the ground with a sickening crunch, and everything went black.
"...ater! Create Water! Create Water!"
Sasuke groaned internally as his consciousness began to fade back in. His head was killing him…
"Create Water! Create Water! AHHH! This is so tedious!"
Who the hell was shouting… and Create Water? What was that? Some kind of party trick?
Attempting to open his eyes, Sasuke found that he was laying on the ground next to the base of the lake.
…The lake?
"He-Cough! Cough!"
Sasuke opened his mouth to speak, but his voice came out a croak as his throat was completely dried up. Scrambling to his hands and knees, the boy crawled over to the lake and dunked his head in the water.
"Oh, you're awake! That was my first time casting Resurrection, so I'm glad it worked!"
Eddy beamed as she watched the boy drink his fill.
Gasping for breath, Sasuke shot a glare at the woman.
"What did you do to me? Also, where did all of this water come from? Your technique evaporated the lake."
"Someone came back to life on the wrong side of the dirt…"
Eddy grumbled to herself with a twitching eyebrow, but she continued to "Create Water" and pour liquid into the reservoir.
"You died, so I cast Resurrection and brought you back to life. Those Tailed Beasties wanted to rip you to shreds, but I told them that I was here on a favor for super gramps. You're welcome, by the way. As for the lake… I felt bad for ruining your favorite spot, so I've been filling it back up while you were asleep."
"I… Died?"
Sasuke looked at his hands in disbelief.
After everything he'd done, all that he'd accomplished… He'd died, just like that.
He considered attacking the girl, take her by surprise. His wounds were healed, and his chakra was mostly recovered.
But in the end, the outcome would probably come out the same. After all, he no longer had access to the Tailed Beasts. Even now, he could sense their chakra signatures getting farther and farther.
Noticing the look on Sasuke's face, Eddy grew sheepish and stopped creating water. Taking a seat next to him, the goddess scratched at her whisker marks awkwardly.
"Hey, don't beat yourself over it. Human lives are fragile, no matter how strong you become."
Her words lingered in the air, and Sasuke looked up at the statues of Madara and Hashirama.
In another timeline, had things been different… Would he and Naruto have fought here again? Would the outcome have remained the same?
No… Such thoughts were pointless. Naruto was gone, and he had lived to become the Hokage the world needed.
Or at least, the Hokage he thought the world needed.
"Why me?"
The question escaped Sasuke's lips as he eyed the supposed goddess before him. If she wasn't here to kill him, then he might as well hear her out. Once she said her piece, she would probably leave him alone.
Eddy looked at the boy for a long moment. Before coming here, she'd read the ongoing file of Sasuke Uchiha. Heaven had a lot of resources for the land of the living, even in this newly-ish discovered realm.
But she needed to choose her words carefully. This boy was finally giving her a chance to speak, and she wasn't about to throw that chance away!
"When I finally found you, I saw someone walking a path of loneliness and hatred. Haven't you learned by now that it's not the way? It didn't work for you before, and it won't work now."
Eddy responded, and the shinobi stiffened, her words cutting through him like a blade.
She had said them so casually, yet they struck deep, reminding him of the long, difficult road Sasuke had walked in his youth. Naruto had tried to pull him back from the edge, but he had died.
"Work together."
Eddy continued, pulling the boy out of his thoughts.
"That's the only way this world gets better. As you've seen, hatred and isolation will only lead to more pain."
Sasuke was silent, his mind swirling with thoughts. Her words echoed the very things Naruto had always tried to tell him, but there was something more, something that made him listen this time.
Was it his recent doubts? Was he just not strong enough to face the isolation?
Eddy looked at the water and smiled as an idea came to her. Reaching a hand out, she dipped a fingertip into the lake.
"The way I see it… Alone, a single drop of water is fragile, easily swept away by the tides. But when many drops of water come together…"
The droplet fell into the lake, and the water began to move in a spiraling motion.
"They form a current that cannot be ignored."
"..."
Looking unconvinced, Sasuke flickered a rock into the water. It caused a splash, which disrupted the tiny spiral.
"It doesn't matter how many droplets come together if one big powerful force comes along to destroy it."
"You think so?"
Eddy's grin grew, and the boy followed her gaze to find the rock being swept away by a larger current. The water continued to swirl until the entire lake seemed to be in motion. The rock didn't stand a chance as it was carried away towards the center of the vortex.
"That doesn't count, you're causing this with your power. You're strong, which makes you a contradiction to your own ideology."
Sasuke scoffed as he watched the shifting waters.
"My power… it flows from my mother, my father, and all my precious followers. Their belief in me is my strength, and the shared mana within me stands as proof of that."
The goddess fondly said as she looked up at the sky. The sun was beginning to set, and she could see the faintest twinkle of the night stars. Memories of that night in the seaside village flooded her head.
"Even now, my followers are working hard to improve themselves."
She wondered if she could get away with taking a break to visit those children. Maybe with another Shadow Clone…
"There will always be fighting. I've seen that now. Peace was never an option, was it?"
Sasuke sounded defeated, his eyes reflecting the emptiness that was beginning to settle in.
"I wouldn't be so sure... Just look at the whirlpool. It's constantly moving, always clashing with itself to get to the center. But none of the water is ever destroyed. I believe that combat is necessary for us to grow stronger together, constantly in motion, always growing."
Eddy rose to her feet, stepping onto the swirling surface of the lake. The churning waters seemed to calm beneath her feet, leaving her untouched as she glided effortlessly toward the center of the whirlpool.
Sasuke followed after her, but he was instantly pulled along with the current. Despite this, the boy allowed himself to be carried off by the stream.
"The maelstrom pulls in all waters, rivers, streams, and oceans alike… Binding them in a single force. So too must we embrace all who seek strength, for in unity, our power is made complete."
The words flowed from Eddy's lips with a calm certainty, though she wasn't sure where they came from. Yet, as she stood enveloped by her element, the swirling waters reflecting her serene determination, it felt as though the truth had always been within her, deep down, waiting to surface.
"A still pool reflects only what it is, but the turning spiral reveals what could be. Through motion, through struggle, through battle, we ascend."
As the goddess reached the center of the whirlpool, her body began to glow with that same powerful light.
Sasuke squinted against the blinding energy, its brilliance overwhelming his senses. Yet, unlike before, he no longer felt threatened by it. Instead, the radiant light seemed to enhance the goddess's presence, making her appear almost otherworldly, surreal in her divinity.
He couldn't bring himself to look away.
"Finally, in the center of every storm, there is calm. Fortitude is found not only in the struggle, but in the peace that follows, where clarity guides the next battle."
Eddy closed her eyes, smiling as she felt the water swirl around her. This was her guidance, her teachings.
"Hehe… I think I'll call it The Spiral of Unity. What do you think, Sasuke?"
The goddess asked just as the boy was pulled into the calm center of the vortex with her.
"I…"
Sasuke was at a complete loss. What he had just witnessed was nothing short of absurdity, and yet… Something deep inside of him seemed to resonate with the woman's words.
Turning to face the troubled youth, Eddy flashed one final fox-like grin.
"I'm sure you need some time to think…. Just promise to remember what I said, Sasuke Uchiha. I know you'll find the right path. You've got people who still care about you. Don't let them down."
With her final piece said, Eddy, Goddess of the Maelstrom, was enveloped in a pillar of light that shone down from the heavens and disappeared.
"..."
Sasuke stared at the spot where the strange woman-no… Where the goddess had stood. The swirling energy she left behind lingered in the air, shimmering faintly like the remnants of a dream.
"Tch. I didn't ask for a philosophy lesson."
He clenched his fists, the weight of her words pressing against his mind. Her supposed teachings, her presence… It was unlike anything he had ever encountered.
No… That wasn't entirely true.
Naruto had once held similar views. The bonds he had forged with his friends, his mentors, and even his enemies had shaped him, taught him that unity was far stronger than any one person's might.
Sasuke frowned, his mind unwillingly drawing the comparison. He could still hear Eddy's voice echoing in his thoughts, her words striking chords he hadn't realized existed.
"The maelstrom pulls in all waters… binding them in a single force…"
He clenched his fist, his gaze hardening.
"Naruto… you always find a way to haunt me, even when you're not here."
Sasuke's jaw tightened as he turned back to the lakeshore. He never got an answer from the goddess in that regard, but that was the least of his problems now.
As he walked away, his steps slow and deliberate, he couldn't shake the feeling that Eddy's presence had stirred something within him.
Something he couldn't ignore.
A/N: The long awaited Eddy vs Sasuke! I might do an omake about Eddy walking around Konoha later, but I just wanted her encounter with Sasuke to be the focus this time around.
We're back to our previously scheduled program next time!
Review and let me know what you thought of the chapter!
Spirit out.