The sky was black. Kaguya's hair floated like snakes. Her empty eyes saw through us.
Naruto stood in front of me. His body was shaking.
I'm not afraid. His voice cracked. I'm not.
Liar. Sasuke stood next to him. His sword was drawn. His hand was steady. His voice was not.
Hah. A dry laugh from Kakashi. He was sitting on the ground. His one eye stared at the sky.
I've fought gods before. Pain. Madara. Never thought I'd fight the mother of all chakra.
Kaguya raised her hand.
Bone. Black. Flying.
I grabbed Naruto. Teleported left. Sasuke dodged right. Kakashi rolled.
The bone hit the ground. The earth cracked. A sound like a thousand trees falling at once.
CRACK
Naruto looked at the hole. His face was white.
That would have killed me. Even with Kurama.
Yes. I pulled him up. It would have.
Kaguya spoke. Her voice was soft. Like a mother reading a bedtime story. Like a knife sliding between ribs.
Why do you resist? I am your beginning. I should be your end.
Sasuke stepped forward. His Sharingan spun. His Rinnegan glowed.
You are not my beginning. My beginning was a brother who killed my clan.
Kaguya tilted her head.
Brother? I had two sons. They betrayed me. Locked me in a moon.
She looked at her hands. Pale. Perfect.
Children always betray. It is their nature.
Naruto's fists clenched. His blue eyes burned.
My father sacrificed himself for me. My mother died for me. Iruka-sensei believed in me. Not all children betray.
Kaguya's eyes narrowed. The first emotion I had seen on her face.
Anger.
You know nothing of sacrifice. I ate the fruit to end wars. I became a monster so humans could live.
HAH
A loud laugh. From Kakashi. He was still sitting on the ground. His empty sleeve moved in the wind.
You became a monster because you were afraid. Fear always wears the mask of love.
Kaguya floated closer. The air grew cold.
CRACKLE
Ice formed on the ground. White frost crawled up our legs.
Naruto shivered. Sasuke jumped back. I pulled Kakashi.
Kaguya raised both hands. The frost spread faster.
I will freeze this world. Start again. Make better children.
Naruto's teeth chattered. His voice was barely a whisper.
Shin... I can't move...
I looked at my legs. Ice up to my knees. My regeneration was fighting. Losing.
The voice inside my head. Not the system. Something deeper. Older.
You have taken from the dead. Now take from the living.
What?
The Six Paths. The Sage left his power behind. In Naruto. In Sasuke. Take it.
No. That would kill them.
They will die anyway. Kaguya will make sure.
I looked at Naruto. At his frozen face. His blue eyes. Still believing.
I looked at Sasuke. His cold eyes. His jaw tight. Ready to die.
Kakashi smiled at me. His visible eye was soft.
Do it, Shin. Whatever you're thinking. Do it.
How did he...
You have that look. The look of a man about to do something stupid.
I closed my eyes. Reached inside. Not to the system. To something else.
My hands touched Naruto's shoulder. Touched Sasuke's arm.
Give me your power. Just for a moment. I will give it back.
Naruto gasped. His eyes went wide. Orange chakra flowed out of him. Into me.
Sasuke screamed. A short sound. Like breaking glass.
AAH
Purple chakra. Black flames. Lightning.
It all poured into my chest.
My body burned. My eyes changed. I felt new holes open in my chakra network.
Truth-Seeking Balls formed behind my back. Nine of them. Black. Floating.
Kaguya stopped. Her white eyes widened.
That chakra... my son's...
I stepped forward. The ice shattered beneath my feet.
CRACK CRACK CRACK
My voice was not mine alone. Three voices spoke as one.
You are not my beginning. And you are not my end.
Kaguya raised her hand. Bone spears. A hundred of them.
I raised one hand. The Truth-Seeking Balls moved. Became a wall.
THUD THUD THUD
The bones hit the wall. Turned to dust.
Kaguya screamed. A high sound. Like wind through a broken window.
NO!
I walked toward her. Each step left cracks in the air.
Behind me, Naruto fell to his knees. His voice was weak.
Shin... what did you...
Sasuke caught him. His own face was pale.
He took our power. All of it.
Kakashi laughed again. Soft this time.
Hah. A ghost's laugh.
He said he would give it back.
I stopped in front of Kaguya. Close enough to touch her white hair.
She looked at me. Her empty eyes were not empty anymore.
I saw fear.
You are just like them. My sons. You will betray me too.
I raised my hand. The Truth-Sealing Balls formed a cage around her.
No. I am not your son. I am the ghost of a dead soldier. And I am putting you back in your box.
She screamed again.
AAAAAAAH
The cage closed.
Her body dissolved. White light. Red eyes. Then nothing.
The sky returned. Blue. Normal.
The Truth-Seeking Balls faded. The power left my body.
I fell.
The ground hit my face. Dirt in my mouth. Blood on my tongue.
Naruto crawled to me. His hand touched my back.
Shin. Shin!
I turned my head. Looked at him.
My eyes were normal again. Brown. Tired.
I said I would give it back.
Sasuke stood over me. His face was hard. But his eyes were wet.
Tch. Idiot. You almost died.
Almost. Not dead.
Kakashi limped over. Sat down next to me.
The three of us lay in the dirt. The ash. The blood.
Naruto started laughing. A broken sound.
HAHAHAHAHA
We beat her. We actually beat her.
Sasuke looked at the sky.
Hn. For now.
I closed my eyes.
The voice whispered. Not the system. Just my own tired mind.
Tomorrow. More will come. The Collector is still out there.
But tomorrow was not here yet.
I slept.