Two Fates

Synopsis
Kakashi praises Naruto's timely appearance while Sakura realises in shock that Sasuke truly meant to kill her. Naruto attempts to convince Sasuke to turn back on his quest, claiming he would be there to save Sasuke no matter what. Sasuke smirks and replies that he doesn't need rescuing, and that he wants nothing more than to destroy Konoha for the way they treated the Uchiha clan and to snuff out of the villagers from whom he hears nothing but laughter and condescension. Naruto notifies Sasuke that he knows the truth about Itachi, having been told by Tobi, and that he understands exactly what Sasuke wants to do, stunning Kakashi and Sakura.

Sasuke reminds Naruto that as he had no parents or siblings, he could never understand how he feels. Wanting nothing more than vengeance, he declares that he has already killed Danzō, a village elder responsible for the Uchiha Clan Downfall, and that he can feel his clan's name being purified. Kakashi is shocked to discover that Sasuke killed Danzō all on his own, and realises that Sasuke has changed from his student on Team 7 and that he is a by-product of the cycle of hatred perpetuated in the shinobi world. Sasuke forms his Chidori and begins to approach them, while Naruto creates two shadow clones in response. Kakashi, however, bars Naruto and his clones from engaging in combat, telling him to take Sakura and flee instead since he does not want them to see what he is about to do. Naruto asks if his words imply that he is going to kill Sasuke, but Kakashi merely produces his Lightning Cutter and takes a stance towards Sasuke. Gritting his teeth, Naruto has a shadow clone restrain Kakashi while using the other to form his Rasengan, and rushes towards Sasuke, who is also running towards him.

As they head towards each other, Naruto recalls how he was treated when he was younger and muses how their roles could have been reversed, imagining himself using Chidori and Sasuke stopping him with Rasengan. The two remember their last battle at the Valley of the End as their attacks once more clash against one another; Sasuke and Naruto look at each other. In his mind, Naruto tells Sasuke that he could have been just like him, as he once hated all the villagers for treating him badly and that he wanted revenge against them too. He credits his change in attitude to Sasuke and Iruka, with whom he formed a bond, the latter even saving his life from Mizuki when Mizuki revealed to him that he was the vessel of the Nine-Tails. Naruto reflects on how he was happy to realise that Sasuke was an orphan like him and thought they could talk and bond over it; however, he and Sasuke had a chasm in skill between them and so Naruto decided to be his rival instead. Smiling, he declares that since that day, Sasuke has been his goal.

Trivia

 * In the beginning of this episode, there is an animation error:
 * Sasuke is depicted with both of his wrist bracelets when the one on his left was taken off during his battle against Danzō.
 * For this episode and part of the last, Sasuke had no pupils in his eyes, but when he clashes with Naruto near the end of this episode, Sasuke has his pupils.