A/N: A Revised Version! : o! I'll re revising two and three also, and uploading four soon enough ^^

Chapter 1: In Memory Of a Friend

"Sasuke!" Naruto called to his former friend. The iris in his eyes burned a crimson red; his pupil taking form of that which resembled a fox's eye.

This was his third encounter with Sasuke that Naruto knew would end in a fight. But he knew it had to be done if he were to bring Sasuke back to the village. He had to prove that at least someone in Konoha was strong enough to be worth his time. That was the only way to get through to Sasuke.

Sasuke turned around, facing the friend the friend he abandoned 4 years ago. His eyes quickly ran over Naruto and he gave his usual "Hn," before his back was once again turned on the blonde whom had just summoned his attention. Team Hebi continued down the forest path that they were on, and now ignored Naruto.

"Sasuke!" Naruto called again, not about to allow this disrespect. Sasuke looked back again with a chuckle when his dark orbs rested on the sight of the Rasengan that Naruto held, showing that he was reading to attack. With a sigh of boredom, Sasuke pushed off the ground, his step infused with chakra- allowing him to vanish, and end his step inches from Naruto. In what seemed like moments passing, Sasuke had cleared ten feet, and buried the tip of his blade in Naruto's wrist, holding his hand that held the Rasengan off to the side. Naruto gasped once air filled his lungs, the breath he was holding finally being released. Blood trickled down the blade that continued to send what felt like fire pulsing through his arm.

"You're form of attack, Naruto, is pathetic." Sasuke taunted, before plowing the soul of his foot into Naruto's chest, kicking him back a couple of yards and pulling himself into the air at the same time. In the air, Sasuke turned and re-sheathed his sword as he lightly landed onto the surface of the earth.

"You got your revenge on Itachi! Now come back to the village! Remember?! You wanted to restore your clan after your revenge! This is your chance!" Naruto yelled, climbing back to his feet and grasping the wound that still burned, even with the torchful-blade removed. He wanted to get some sense into Sasuke's head, do something to get his best friend back. He didn't know what else he could try. Listening to reasoning was never what Sasuke was best at.

Sasuke laughed as the blond hair boy rose to his feet. Naruto gazed into Sasuke's eyes, being sure to not once remove his gaze from his. This would be an all out fight. He would not let Sasuke get the best of him this time. He just had to win! Naruto formed a hand seal in front of his chest that signified his signature move. "Kage bunshin no Jutsu!" as this technique was summoned, numbers of clones appeared behind him. These clones pulled out kunai knives and prepared to attack Sasuke and the other members of Hebi. This time, Naruto, too was serious about fighting Sasuke. It wouldn't be like any of the other times. He wouldn't allow himself be caught off guard, he vowed it to himself. There would be no holdbacks. There would be no questioning his motives of fighting the Uchiha.

Suigetsu stepped forward, Guillotine sword assembled, ready to fight and Aid his leader. Sasuke glared back at Suigetsu- and with that look alone, Suigetsu knew from the shiver of fear that ran down his spine that he was to back down.

Sasuke turned back to Naruto once he knew that his message of solitude in the fight was understood He took a stance, and with one word, the same word that broke their friendship so many years ago- Sasuke started the fight. "Come," Sasuke readied himself as he prepared to fight the blunt number of clones "Naruto!" he finished as brandished his sword and awaited for the army of clones to come at him.

As predicted Naruto and his clones closed in on the Uchiha preparing to go all out. As the clones approached him, Sasuke swung his sword in awing skill and grace, in seconds he had dispelled the clones easily, or so he made it look. Within moments, Naruto was left fighting solo, once again. 'Kuso...' Naruto cursed in his head as he stared Sasuke down, unsure of his next move now. He started looking for an opening. If he could prove that he had grown, then maybe he could convince Sasuke to come back, or so he had hoped.

Sasuke however wasn't going to give him a chance to find an opening. He quickly charged at Naruto, his sword having bolts of chidori dancing gracefully off of it. Naruto focused his chakra, waiting for Sasuke to strike. Once in range, Sasuke buried his sword deep into Naruto's chest, causing him to collapse instantly. Naruto lay on the ground, fighting to breathe, clutching his wound, which still stung with a glow of chidori crawling throughout it. Soon he became limp, lifeless. He no longer breathed, no longer fidgeted or fought.

Sasuke sheathed his sword, turning his back and sighing in disappointment. Naruto had become even weaker than the last time. Sasuke found it beyond pathetic, until he didn't even take a step before dirt shot up at him, shrouding the fist of a blonde hair boy- whom Sasuke so quickly assumed he had defeated. Naruto rose from the ground, delivering a jaw-shaking punch to Sasuke, knocking him airborne, then delivering one more punch, and slamming this rival to the ground. "Doton: Shinjuu Zanshuu no justu!"

Sasuke stood up, annoyed that the head hunter technique was used on him by not only Kakashi, but now even the boy he was always so superior to taunted him with it. Sasuke looked over to the slain Naruto, which was now only a log. As he turned back to Naruto, his eyes scoped in on the newly formed Rasengan. He quickly reacted; [Ushi-sagi-saru] He performed the three handseals as the sound of chirping birds echoed into the air and the appearance of the chidori exploded in his hand. Naruto was already charging, inches away from his target. Suddenly a sharp pain surged throughout his body.

'D-Damn it… What… just happened?' Naruto asked himself upon the impact of his back hitting the earth below him. "Chidori Nagashi!" he heard Sasuke call.

Naruto had shot backwards, hitting the ground and rolling backward in a few summersaults caused by his momentum. Once he heard Sasuke, he quickly regained balance and glared him down. He had decided that he was going to handle this by using the training that Gamakichi and him endured together in the past year. The blond Shinobi bit his thumb and spread the thick, red liquid that flooded the surface of his skin thoroughly across the sweaty, warm palm of his opposite hand, then went in to a series of hand seals [Inu-Hitsuji-Saru-Tori-Buta] "Kuchiyose no jutsu!" Naruto yelled as he slammed his hand with blood on the ground. Black seals spread from his hand, infecting the ground around him which was followed be a poof of smoke. When the smoke cleared, a small orange toad, who, unlike normal, was fully armored, and carried two miniature sized Katanas at his disposal stood in the center of the transmutation circle. "Hey boss!" the toad called, leaping on Naruto's head as he observed the situation and opponent they was facing.

He didn't even need to ask questions as he lay his eyes on Sasuke, he already knew what was going on. Gamakichi brandished his two swords, and Naruto quickly channeled Chakra throughout his amphibious companion, and the blades that he wielded. This gave them a sharp, piercing edge of wind chakra, which would be much more affective than just the swords alone. Sasuke glared, analyzing what his opponents were doing. Naruto had surely grown, he could see that, but there was no way this was the Naruto he knew.

The Naruto he knew never had enough ability to wear the vest of a chunin. Nor did he have this much chakra control, he studied him more thoroughly, eyes narrowing. 'he can even channel his chakra through another network...damn, he's changed!' Sasuke couldn't believe this was his former teammate, who was always so pathetic. Naruto and Gamakichi grinned in unison. Naruto formed his clone handseal, creating 3 clones of both him and the armored toad.

The clones stepped forward as the Gamakichis jumped off their heads toward Sasuke, wind blades drawn. Naruto's clones followed this raid by taking in deep breaths, focusing chakra with this and releasing the Fuudan, which was first used by the Shukaku. Three fuudans followed the toad clones, targeting the Uchiha that they were fighting.

Sasuke dodged each blade that was swung at him, dispelling the toad clones without any trouble. The array of Fuudan approached Sasuke as he jumped, spinning in the air and landing with the wind bullets behind him. He landed on one knee, palm to the ground to prevent any damage from impact. It seemed even a pulled muscle would be trouble against Naruto now.

Naruto had grown, and Sasuke knew this. To show that he acknowledged Naruto's growth, his eyes slowly slid closed- re-opening in a flash and revealing his Kekki Genkai, his Sharingan. Naruto smiled at this sight. He understood what it meant. Sasuke finally realized the strength that Naruto contained. This made him anxious to continue fighting. If he continued to push more and proved more growth- maybe Sasuke would come back!

Naruto stepped forward, the three clones turning into smoke as they were dispelled. The gaze of the Uchiha's Doujutsu… The Sharingan… this was indeed something special for Naruto. He took great pride in this opportunity and decided that Sasuke deserved the same respect. His eyes slipped shut, copying Sasuke- only whence they had shot open, the essence of Kyuubi was once again visible.

Without wasting any time the two shinobi sprinted towards each other, fists drawn back. They collided with Sasuke holding back Naruto's fist with one hand, and throwing his own with the other. The blond haired boy mirroring him in corresponding movements. The two challenged each other's strength staring deep into one another's eyes. They suddenly broke their clash and jumped back, Sasuke throwing shuriken, Naruto knocking them away with a drawn kunai knife. As soon as they felt the ground beneath them, they broke into another sprint towards each other. This time, they sparred with adept forms of taijutsu. Sasuke did a roundhouse kick as Naruto instinctively grabbed his ankle that was flying at him. Thinking quickly, Naruto spun Sasuke by his ankle, throwing him, and appearing next to him quickly, giving two open palm thrusts and then a full weight punch to the spine. Sasuke, trying to recover, realized that Naruto had rendered his attempt useless by slamming his face into the dirt, holding him in a chokehold with a kunai up to the back of his head.

"Sasuke! Are you ready to come back yet?!" Naruto questioned as he placed pressure on the kunai, slightly cutting into the back of Sasuke's head open. The crimson liquid dripped down Sasuke's neck, onto the ground as he replied with a "Hardly."

Sasuke propelled his lower body in a fashion that caused him to kick Naruto off of him, regaining his ground and jumping up, looking down on the stubborn ninja. Naruto stood swiftly, noticing the black markings that had appeared on Sasuke's arm and face. By now he was familiar with this, for Sasuke had used it in their fight before he left for Orochimaru. The curse mark. Naruto's most hated tactic of his most hated enemy. The blond boy cursed Orochimaru. It was because of him that these two were in a fight this serious, and it was his fault that his bonds with Sasuke were broken. A red chakra started pouring out of Naruto's chakra points, soon becoming a feint aura. Deep depression filled his eyes with memories he shared with the Uchiha that he was so violently going at, causing the Kyuubi's chakra to spread further. Sasuke grinned as he took in a deep breath, shooting out a projectile of fire. Naruto came inches from being hit as he suddenly vanished into thin air, appearing above Sasuke and taking in an equally deep breath. In a moment Naruto released a second shot of Fuudan at his opponent, who so effortlessly cut through this attack with a flame-engulfed sword. Sasuke and Naruto grinned at each other. They were both starting to enjoy this, for it is exactly how they wanted it; no talk and all action.

Naruto charged at Sasuke once more, only to have Sasuke do the same. [Ushi-Sagi-Saru] Sasuke performed his famous three hand signs and chidori broke from his palm. Naruto instantly formed a perfect rasengan, having the ability to use his technique without any clones now. As the two collided, the attacks cancelled each other out; causing extreme tension in the area from the amount of chakra that was produced. The two jumped back as the ground that they were standing on fissured and rose about half a foot due to the chakra tension.

Jugo, Karin, and Suigetsu quivered from the shock wave that splashed over them that was aroused from the colliding attacks that the two ninjas had just previously wielded. "These guys are… pretty scary" Suigetsu pointed out as his teammates nodded.

The two shinobi stared each other down, out of breath, sweating from exhaustion. Sasuke thought to himself that it was quite impressive how much Naruto had grown. He hadn't enjoyed himself, nor had any emotion other than emptiness since he left team seven. As he realized this he gave his usual "Hn" and straightened himself out, making sure he was in a respectable stature. Naruto knew he was about to reach his limit, but had one final trick he desperately wanted, no, needed Sasuke to see.

"Sasuke! Now I'm gonna show just how much 'power' friendship and bonds can give someone!" Naruto yelled as he formed a handseal [Hebi]. Naruto now lowered his voice to almost a whisper "In memory of my best friend…" he said performing more handseals [Tora-Saru-Ushi-Uma-Tora]. Sasuke quickly realized the jutsu that was coming for this was his own family's specialty. Without knowing this jutsu, Sasuke would never have been able to call himself a true member of the great Uchiha clan! Naruto inhaled deeply, holding his breath in his aching chest for a few moments. Whence Naruto released this breath, flames roared from his mouth toward Sasuke, taking form of a fireball as it got in his range.

"Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu!" Naruto cried as the flames raged in Sasuke's direction. He had put everything he had in to learning this jutsu, for it was the one Sasuke had used so frequently in their time together. And because he trained so hard to learn this jutsu, in memory of Sasuke, he had put everything he had into invoking this attack. Sasuke distracted by the shock of Naruto knowing this jutsu snapped back to reality when he felt the heat of the flames that Naruto had poured his heart and chakra into. Even with dodging, Sasuke felt the graze of the burning flame of will and despair.

The Uchiha strove to catch his breath whence he was back on the ground, eyes wide with surprise and amazement at the fact that Naruto had just performed the Goukakyuu, whom was now lying on the ground, collapsed from using so much chakra. A raindrop landed on Sasuke's face. A light sizzle came from the water hitting Sasuke's exhausted body. He looked up to see the sky as a light, cool, rain started fluently flowing down from the gloomy gray skies above.

Sasuke eyes narrowed from the combination of the splashing of the rain and the exhaustion as he looked over at Naruto, wondering why he would still care so much about him like he did. Could it truly be those bonds of care and respect that gave him so much power? Was it his bond with Sasuke that had aided him to learn that Goukakyuu? It had to be. Otherwise his respect for his father would not have given him the power to learn it himself when he was a kid. Sasuke now focused on moving out before the jinchuuriki awakened; fore if he didn't there would be a rematch of that fight sooner than Sasuke wanted.

Several hours later

Kakashi, Sakura, and Sai landed on the ground next to the unconscious Naruto. Kakashi picked up his student's limp body, soaked from the rain that still fell from the sky and fastened him on his back. The three nodded and jumped into the trees, headed back for the Konohagakure, their home, the place where they could safely and accurately give Naruto medical attention. Recover him from the fight that he had just gone through.