"Your wounds... They're not healing!" Karin noticed. "The blade Madara stabbed me with did more damage to me than I thought. But it... serves me right. It's my fault why this happened. I guess... this is punishment... for my actions." I said, smirking weakly. 

"Don't say that! You're going to be okay! I won't let you die like this!" Karin said. I gently placed my hand on her cheek and smiled. "Karin, please. Just do as I say. Forget about me... and take care of Sasuke. You must... or Madara will hurt you." I said to her.

"But-!"

"I'm your guardian angel. I don't want anything to happen to you because of me."

I gave her weak and reassuring smile. More tears escaped Karin's eyes as she placed both of her hands over mine as it was still resting her cheek. "Heal Sasuke. Please. I'll be okay." I lied as my hand slipped off her cheek, gently hitting the ground.

"Go. Hurry." I said. Karin gave a small nod and wiped her eyes with her Akatsuki sleeve, then went back over to Sasuke's side.

I weakly smiled at her and turned on my side, my back facing them. Am I going to die here? But I can't die. I promised... my family... I promised Naruto...

I felt my eyelids getting heavier as I tried to keep them open. Eventually, I gave up trying to keep my eyes open and welcomed darkness.

Kyo's POV

After I took Suigetsu and Jugo someplace safe, I headed back to the Summit to find Nue. I found Gaara and his siblings talking with Naruto as they were telling him the whole story how Sasuke and Nue were at the Summit and about a plan a man named Madara Uchiha spoke of.

"You've got half the story right." I said, approaching them. "Who are you?" Naruto sked. "I'm one of Nue's summonings, Kyo." I introduced. "He was here right before Nue ran off." Gaara explained.

"I have something to tell you about your pal, Sasuke. He's so obsessed with revenge, he doesn't even care about his own team anymore. He nearly killed his comrades and Nue. All he seeks now is the darkness of his own will." I informed

"That can't be." Naruto denied. "It's the truth." I said. "We've relayed the message. Our job is done. Let's go home, Gaara." Temari said. "Well, I've done my job. I'm off. See ya." I said before walking away on my hands and feet.

3rd Person's POV

After Madara defeated the guards, he appeared in his own world to find Sasuke awake and healed while Nue laid on the floor, unconscious. It was unknown if she was dead or alive. He went over to Sasuke as the Uchiha stared at him.

"Let me out of here." Sasuke commanded. "All right. Don't fret. That's just what I'm about to do. I even have a present for you waiting outside." Madara said to him. He walked back over to Nue and went to check for a pulse until Nue's eyes suddenly snapped open.

"No... I can't give up... Not now... I have to... get out of here." She said as she weakly lifted her head. She began to crawl forward in attempt to escape Madara's world. Madara smirked behind his mask as he watched Nue's determination.

Before she could crawl any further, Madara stepped on her back, pinning her to the ground. He pulled out chakra-restraining cuffs and placed them around Nue's wrists.

Nue looked at her wrists, seeing that they were cuffed, then exhaustedly rested her head on the ground, blacking out, as if she was giving up. Once Madara had all three of the ninjas, he brought them back to the real world while Madara held Nue under his arm.

Waiting for them, was none other than Danzo. As Sasuke faced him, he activated his Sharingan. "So, you're here, Sasuke Uchiha." Danzo said, acknowledging his appearance. "You. Stay back. You'll die if you get involved." Madara advised Karin.

Taking his advice, Karin ran somewhere safe while Madara leaped back to watch the fight, still having ahold of Nue. "Now, this is just perfect. Now I can add both your Sharingans to my collection." Danzo said as he revealed the eyes of the Sharingan on his right arm.

Nue's POV

All I could see was complete and utter darkness as I gently floated in the air. "I thought I was dead." I mumbled to myself. No wounds? That's strange. I know I didn't heal myself. I didn't have the energy. But... where am I?

This wasn't heaven, and it definitely wasn't hell either. So, what is this place? "Probably your worst nightmare? Or maybe your paradise? It's a possibility that you've finally drove yourself to insanity." Eun said as she appeared behind me. I turned around to face her.

"Are you reading my thoughts now?" I asked. "Pretty much. After all, I am you." She stated. "What happened?" I asked.

"You seriously don't remember?"

"Remember what?"

Eun sighed. "You blacked out in Madara's world."

"Madara's world? Oh, that's right."

"Ready to go, then?"

"Go?"

"I healed you, so you should be back to full strength. I even gave you more power so you could break the chakra cuffs from your wrist."

"What chakra cuffs?"

"The ones that Madara put on you right before you blacked out."

"Yeah, I remember that."

That bastard's head is mine when I get out of here. He is so dead. "Are you ready to go?" Eun asked. "Go?" I repeated. "You wanna leave, don't you? To save Karin? You promised you'd protect her as her guardian angel." She reminded me.

"Yeah... I did. Man, I feel like I've been here for ten minutes." I said, smiling while scratching the back of my head.

"Try almost an hour."

"What?!"

My mouth dropped open as my eyes went wide in disbelief. "You've been knocked out for at least an hour." Eun said, bluntly. "Then, hurry up and get me out of here!" I said, desperately. "All right, all right. Don't get your tails in a twist,"

Eun poked my forehead and a small golden glow appeared. "Just don't go dying out there, okay? I don't wanna be held responsible for your actions." Eun said. "Selfish to the end. You'll never change, Eun." I told her.

"Maybe I don't wanna change." She smirked. I smirked back as I felt myself snapping out of it.

When I opened my eyes, I found myself lying beside Madara's side as his arm was around my stomach, keeping me close to him as if I would escape from him at any moment. "You have enough chakra to break through those cuffs." Eun informed.

"Got it. Thanks, Eun." I replied in a whisper. "So, you're finally awake. For a second, I was beginning to think you were dead." Madara said as he looked at me. I ignored him as I looked at the battlefield. "Karin!" I called out as I saw that she was taken hostage by Danzo.

"Karin!" I went to get up until Madara's grip became firm. "Ah, ah, ah... Let's enjoy the show and see how this plays out." He said. I could hear the smirk in his voice. "Don't move, Karin. Hold still." Sasuke instructed her. I watched intensely to see what he would do to save Karin.

I gasped when Sasuke used his Chidori and struck Danzo through Karin. That rat batasrd!!!

"NOOO!!!"

"Karin... If you're slow enough to be taken hostage, then you're just a burden." Sasuke said to her. "Fuck you, Sasuke!" I yelled. Danzo let go of Karin and tried escape. Madara let go of me and jumped down, standing in front of Danzo's path.

"Danzo... I'm taking Shisui's eye." Madara said. "For the Shinobi World, and the Leaf, I cannot let you two live!" Danzo yelled, revealing his chest. "That's a Reverse Tetragram Sealing Jutsu! You have to stop him!" Eun informed.

I snapped off the chakra-restraining cuffs and created a gun in my hand. Before Danzo could perform the jutsu, I shot him in the neck and blood began to spurt out. Danzo choked on his blood as he grabbed the wound where his blood was spurting out. "Shoot him again!"

I did as Eun said and shot Danzo in the head, his body lifelessly hitting the ground. I panted lightly as I laid there on my stomach with the gun still in my hand before sighing in relief. "That was a close one. Nice job." Eun praised. "Yeah..." I agreed, making the gun disappear. 

I looked over at Madara and Sasuke as they talked amongst themselves until Madara disappeared into the ground. Sasuke looked over at Karin. I looked over at her as well, back at him, then at her again until my eyes widened.

"He doesn't plan to..." I trailed off, then leaped down to Karin. "You're losing too much blood. Just hang on. You're going to be okay." I assured her. I glanced back when Sasuke was behind me with his Chidori charged.

"No," I rose to my feet, shielding Karin. "You're not going to kill her." I said, coldly. "Move." Sasuke ordered. "Make me." I challenged. I summoned my gun and aimed it at the middle of his head. "No! Sasuke!" I looked over as Sakura stood there.

I still had the gun aimed at the middle of Sasuke's head with my finger on the trigger. "Sasuke! I'm here because I've deserted the Hidden Leaf! I'm coming with you!" Sakura called to him. I narrowed my eyes at her with a frown.

"What's in it for you to join me? Just what are you plotting?" Sasuke asked, almost emotionlessly.

"I'm not plotting anything! Ever since you left the Hidden Leaf Village, I just keep finding myself regretting not going with you! Look, I'll do anything that you want me to! I'm tired of regrets!" Sakura told him. "Do you know what I really want?" Sasuke asked, frowning.

"Don't you understand? I won't care what it is! I'll do whatever you say-!" Sakura insisted.

"To destroy the Leaf. That is what I want. You think you could really do that? Betray the Hidden Leaf Village for me?"

"Yes... I would... if you asked me to..."

"All right. Then, why don't you prove it to me? I want you to kill her right now. Do that, and I'll accept you're serious." Sasuke said, pointing at Karin.

"That's not gonna happen," I summoned another gun in my other hand, aiming it at Sakura. "If you kill her, then I'll have to kill the both of you. I don't care. I'm not letting you kill her." I said in a serious tone. I glanced at Sakura and looked into her eyes.

'She's bluffing. She won't really kill Karin' I thought. Even if that's the case, I've got to get Karin out of  here and heal her before it's too late. I shot at them at the same time; Sasuke quickly moved his head to the side so my bullet missed and Sakura used her kunai knife to deflect the bullet.

I quickly picked up Karin and leaped over to where I was recently sitting. "You're going to be fine. I promise. I will not let you die here, Karin." I said to her while taking off her cloak. I opened her shirt jacket and saw the wound.

I used my wing to cut into the palm of my hand, then squeezed my hand into a fist, spilling my blood over her wounds. "Please... Nue... Don't look at me like that..." Karin said, weakly. "Don't talk." I ordered as I healed her.

"Then... stop crying..."

I didn't realize I was crying until she mentioned it. "I'm sorry..." I quickly wiped my eyes with my sleeve, then proceeded to heal Karin.

Why... Why would I end up as this? How did I get her into this mess? I wanted to protect her, to keep her safe. But... I let this happen. No point in crying about it now. There's still time to make this right.

"What do you think you're doing, Nue?" Madara said as he appeared in front of Karin and I. "Butt out, asshole." I said, coldly. "What did you just say to me?" He asked in a deadly tone. "I said. Butt. Out." I repeated. "Do you realize who you're speaking to?" Madara said.

"Yes." I answered. When I was finished healing Karin, I helped her sit against a wall. "You okay, Karin?" I asked. She gave a nod, making me smile in relief. "Just sit tight." I said. I stood up and aimed my gun at Madara. "Put the gun down, Nue." Madara ordered.

I glared at him as I placed my finger on the trigger, walking towards him. "Dammit, I said, put the gun down! Now!" He snapped. "Or what?" I asked, still frowning at him. "Or, I'll punish you." Madara threatened. "I've heard that one before," I looked at him with a cold stare.

"I'm tired of taking orders from you, and I'm tired of being afraid of you. My whole life, I've been trying to run from my mistakes. But it ends here. I'm ready to face my consequences." I said.

"Do you honestly believe they're ready to trust you? To forgive you? All they'll see when they look at you is a monster. A freak, and that's all you'll ever be to them." Madara said. "Maybe, and I don't care. I don't expect forgiveness from the people I've hurt. Allow me to make it clear, Madara,"

I pulled the trigger, shooting him the shoulder. Surprisingly, my bullet hit him and he fell to the ground. I stepped on his chest, pinning him to the ground, and aimed the gun at his face.

"I don't care what you say anymore. You can threaten me, hurt me, and try to break me all you want, but I will not give up. I will never give up. I will protect my friends, and I will stop you. I'll protect everyone I care about or die trying. Bet on that." I said.

"Why, you...!" Madara glared at me through the eyehole of his mask. "This isn't over." He said before disappearing into the ground. "Coward." I muttered before putting my gun away. I quickly went back over to Karin. "Stay here." I told her.

I went over to the ledge to see how much I've missed. Kakashi showed up and Sakura was sneaking up behind Sasuke with a kunai knife in her hand. She was about to stab him until Sasuke turned around and grabbed her neck, taking the knife out of her hand.

"Sasuke, don't!" I called. I flew down there and grabbed Sakura, taking her out of Sasuke's hold. "Idiot! What were you thinking?" I yelled at her. I looked back as Sasuke wasn't giving up, then grabbed Sakura, tossing her over to Kakashi, out of harm's way. 

Sasuke grabbed my neck and lifted me into the air as he still had the knife in his hand. His movements were fast as he went to stab me. 'Shit!' I thought.

Right when I thought I was done for, Naruto showed up out of nowhere and grabbed my out of Sasuke's hold, getting his cheek cut in the process. "Naruto...!" I said in disbelief.