Note: This starts after chapter 19 of the original story. While I love chapter 20, it just doesn't fit, for many reasons (you'll see one this chapter)

"Are you ready Naruto?" Jiraiya asked while leaning against the gate.

Naruto slowly walked up the road, a nod coming from his head. "Let's go."

"You know we'll be gone for a long time right? Don't you want to say good-bye to anyone?"

Naruto shook his head. "My place isn't within this village right now but when we return, I will make amends."

Jiraiya laughed. "Spoken like a true shinobi." The duo started walking out of the village and into the sunrise, leaving their mark behind but taking with them the experiences and memories that they gained. They are off to a completely new adventure, exploring and learning as they go. This is the next chapter in their life as master and apprentice.

***************

Suddenly, Naruto stopped. "We're being followed, and closely."

"Who is it?" asked Jiraiya. "Can you tell?"

"Not yet..."

"It's Sasuke," said the newcomer. "I came to train with you. Konoha just isn't doing it for me, I need better training if I ever want to beat Itachi. I did get permission from Hokage-sama before I left, so I'm not a missing-nin."

"And what makes you think we would train you?" chuckled Naruto.

"One, as I am the last Uchiha, I am backed by the wealth of my clan. Two, I am a Sharingan user, and you are not going to convince me that you wouldn't like to study it."

"So you can barter. Aw heck, I'll train you anyway for the fun of it. Under one condition."

"Really? What?" This was going better than he had expected, although he didn't like the look on Naruto's face.

"Three things. One: I'm your teacher. Two: You have to call me sensei." Seeing Sasuke's look of horror, he said, "See why I said it was fun? Oh, and you shouldn't have revealed your possession of the Uchicha clan finances. From now on, you pay for ramen."

Stuttering, Sasuke swallowed his pride and spat, "Hai, Naruto-sensei."

Rubbbing his hands together with glee, Naruto laughed. "This is going to be fun. For me that is."

Groaning, Sasuke fell in step with the two ninjas.

*** Five hours later ***

It was dark now, and they had just pitched camp. Sasuke was looking strangely at the miniature tent Naruto and Jiraiya were crowding into. "Uh, guys? How are you going to fit in there?"

Naruto chuckled. "I figured you'd ask. Look inside." And to Sasuke's surprise, Naruto and Jiraiya fit into a tent that looked like it couldn't even fit one. Sighing, he peeked in, to see... nothing. There was a note at the bottom that read, "Boar, monkey, fox, snake."

"Hand seals eh?" Crouching down, he formed the requisite hand seals, and disappeared in a puff of smoke. Reappearing, he was surprised to find himself in an area as big as the Uchiha mansion. "H-how did you do this?"

"Simple," responded Naruto. "It's a reverse summoning. The hand seals activate a human puppet we 'borrowed' from Sasori. Don't ask, it'd take a while to explain."

"At least tell me who Sasori is."

"He's a member of Akatsuki who specializes in puppets."

"Akatsuki?! You mean..."

"The group of S-class missing-nin out to gather the bijuu blah blah blah? Yeah."

I need his power! There's no way I can beat Itachi at this rate! "Impressive. Then again, that is why I wanted you to train me."

"Speaking of which. Lets get started. First of all, as an Uchiha, your most effective weapon is your Sharingan. Show it to me."

Grr... why couldn't someone with a little respect have all the power?! "Hai, Naruto-sensei." Focusing, he activated his Sharingan, and his eyes turned blood-red.

"Two tomoe in the right and one in the left. Impressive as a starter, but nowhere near powerful enough."

"And how would you know so much about the Sharingan?"

"First of all, it took me exactly one hour to find your 'hidden' hideout. Under the sixth tatami mat on the right, correct?" Sasuke gasped. "Secondly, I've fought Itachi before. Apparently, I'm the first enemy he had to use Amaterasu on, and he only didn't go farther because I ran out of chakra and fled. I still have Amaterasu fire-sealed into a scroll for emergencies."

Sasuke's eyes widened even more. He sealed Amaterasu?! Even to get Itachi to use such a dangerous Mangekyou dojutsu on him is an achievement!

"Uh, technically," started Jiraiya.

"Technically, you sat around and egged us on, ero-sennin." said Naruto. As Jiraiya spluttered, he continued sadly, "Anyway, as you can see, I might know more about the Sharingan than you do. But enough of the chit-chat. It's time to help your Sharingan fully mature. I warn you, this will not be pleasant, and I truly apologize." Forming a record number of seals, he whispered, "Sharingan Fuin Genjutsu: Gaishu Teki Taiken no Jutsu!"

"What? Nooooo...." Sasuke's voice died off, as he entered a vision of pure horror.

*** In Sasuke's mind; Genjutsu ***

"No... oh no,... Naruto, of all the possible horrors, did you have to pick this one?" moaned Sasuke. In front of him was an all too familiar scene: a busy alley in the Uchiha quarters in the city, and a dark shape advancing down the street. "Hello Ita-aieee!" screamed one Uchiha, as kunai sped to their targets. The alley filled with screams of betrayal and death gargles as within minutes, every last person was dead. By now, Sasuke had collapsed helplessly in the middle of the alley, not even bothering to look at his seven-year-old body. "Why, Naruto, why? Why-huh?" Suddenly, he realized he wasn't seven anymore; he was twelve again. A smirk started to form as he activated his Sharingan. Suddenly, the scene stopped, skipped, and replayed. This time, Sasuke used his Sharingan and tried to counter the kunai in front speeding to their targets. From the name, he didn't expect the genjutsu itself to be countered; but he would not just let his family be killed this time! Quickly, he unsheathed his kunai and threw them to counter – and missed.

"What on – how did I miss?" Trying again, he achieved the same result over and over again. Focusing his Sharingan, he saw that the kunai had strings attached, and were swerving too unpredictably to counter. Despite several iterations of this heartbreaking scene, Sasuke's Sharingan failed him again and again. Desperate, he sobbed, "Aunt! Uncle!" as they died for the sixth time in the past ten minutes, falling pathetically to his knees. Suddenly, in his mind's eye appeared a picture... a memory...

Flashback; Naruto's memories; Genjutsu

A crumpled, bloodied figure lies in front of a tall man, wearing Akatsuki robes. "Surrender," he says, "and I might spare you."

The figure, dressed in unmistakable bright orange, whispered, "Never," struggling to get to his feet. As if trying to convince himself, he whispered, "That is my nindo, my ninja way! To never go back on my word... and never give up." Suddenly, Naruto stared up into the bright Sharingan eyes. He vanished nda reappeared behind Itachi's back. Chuckling, Itachi blocked, impaling Naruto on his katana. Even as he fell through, Naruto plunged his kunai into Itachi's back. They both toppled over, dead.

Sasuke understood. The point of the exercise, in some unfathomable way, was to awaken his Sharingan, not torture him. Naruto, sensing his despair, was trying to inspire confidence in him with one of his memories. "That is your nindo..." he whispered. "A worthy nindo indeed!" Snapping his head up in time for the seventh iteration, the world seemed to come into focus in a way it never had before, as details he would otherwise never have noticed appeared. He blocked every kunai before it hit its target, and within seconds, Itachi was dead and the Uchiha clan survived.

*** Genjutsu End ***

Sasuke stared at Naruto, and almost growled. Backing up, Naruto said, "Hey! Hey! It was worth it! Look!" holding up a mirror. Sure enough, a third tomoe had grown in both eyes. Calming down, Sauske asked,

"How did you live through that?"

Sighing, Naruto replied, "As soon as I looked in his eyes it turned into a genjutsu duel. As soon as I 'died' I left the gen, but while it was ongoing I took advantage of the opportunity to replace myself with a clone. Still, it was a bit of a turning point for me; it was the first time I had been subdued so thoroughly since I started training with Jiraiya. As I mentioned earlier, I still ended up giving Itachi a run for his money. Literally; he really ought to guard his wallet better." Flashing a grin at Sasuke, Naruto continued, "Enough of that. Do you mind... no. Can you stand it if I used that as a training area on a regular basis?" Sighing at Sasuke's evident shock, he explained, "The high emotional stress of that time makes it an ideal moment for rapid improvement, though it is, as you may have noticed, a double-edged sword. I trained at the moment when the ANBU set to guard me when I was young decided to try to kill me instead."

"I'm going to seriously regret this later... but I guess so."

"Good. Now, lets see your genjutsu. Take out those ridiculously incompetent missing-nin trying to collect the bounty on me, using only genjutsu."

Well how's that for a start? Please, R criticism is welcomed, just please no flaming.

Every chapter, I'll list the translations of the Jutsus at the bottom:

Sharingan Fuin Genjutsu: Gaishu Teki Taiken no Jutsu: Sharingan Sealing Illusory Technique: Traumatic Experience Jutsu.