Ino with a grunt pressed her sword against Sasuke's kunai. She pushed her weight into it sending the teen to the ground. He erupted into a spinning tornado of kicks and punches which Ino struggled to dodge. Ino almost made it out of the attack but was caught by a finishing three kicks sending her flying back.
She tightened her grip on her sword, which was Naruto's chakra blade. He had let her borrow it because it would help her against Sasuke's faster movements.
She blasted from the ground and smashed the teen in the jaw causing him to stumble before she summoned sand wolves that grabbed his arms.
She screamed as she jumped forward, she drew the pummel of the sword in close before crushing it against his chest knocking him down. He continued to roll several feet before sliding to a stop on his knees where he flashed through hand signs.
He charged her with a lightning cutter. Ino remembered watching Naruto and channeled her chakra into the blade. The blade's edge turned a quaint blue as she charged back at the boy.
Their blades met and they slid past each other in freeze frame. Silent Naruto and Kakashi watched. Sasuke coughed as his body erupted in lightning. Ino's water release came through the blade causing his lightning to disperse in his body shocking him like a taser.
"Looks like Ino won this one," Kakashi said leaning over to Naruto.
Naruto with a big smile approached her. He grabbed her hand and held it above her head. "And the crowd goes wild." He shouted as they laughed. Sasuke slowly rose from the ground brushing himself off.
"I knew you could do it," Naruto said to Ino as she handed him the sword. She blushed at his praise slightly. She went to say something but he had already turned around and started talking to Sasuke.
"That was a good fight. Nice job on that combo after the disarm." He said to Sasuke causing his sour face to lighten somewhat.
Looking up at the now golden sky, Naruto jumped away from the group and turned to face them. "Shinoko is cooking a feast in the name of Team 7 and how far we've come. So if you want to stop by the compound later tonight, you're all invited." He smiled before vanishing in the trees. Shadow rose and stretched before running after him.
Ino and Sasuke looked at Kakashi without hesitation. "Well, I could use a free meal. You kids earned it." He said looking to the side. All three ninja dispersed after agreeing unanimously.
Line Break-
The three ninja stood in front of a large set of double doors. They looked at it with curiosity since it was truly the first time they've ever seen the compound in detail. Kakashi who was dressed in a somewhat more leisure form of his normal attire stepped forward and pressed the heavy doors open.
On the other side, they were met with a large green garden full of beautiful plants of all kinds, flowers from other villages and tall posts holding small lanterns giving it a pleasant vibe. A stone path lead them across the small field and over a bridge that had underneath it a shallow pond of crystal clear water, in it were three massive koi.
The tall buildings towered over them as they walked the compounds. Finally after walking for several minutes, Shadow approached them and rubbed his bushy tail against Ino scaring her. She let out a short shriek. Hearing the cry Shini came from one of the closer buildings.
"Ah! You guys must be lost, here follow me." He said waving them inside the building. Once inside they all followed behind the man for a few minutes before they could smell delicious cooking. They finally entered the main hall where Naruto sat propped against Shadow on the floor, the two were asleep. Shinoko was cooking and Tomoko was drinking tea while staring out the window at the garden.
"Oh! Welcome, everyone please make yourselves comfortable. Sasuke looked around the room and stopped when he saw a picture of his mother on the far wall. His expression fell as he walked towards it.
"So I assuming what Naruto told me was true about the Uchiha clan. What a shame, they were truly astonishing." Shinoko said walking up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Would you like to keep that photo? She looks a lot like you."
"That's because she was my mother...who is that red haired woman next to her?" He asked taking the frame off the wall.
"That's Naruto's mother, Kushina," Shinoko added before heading back to the kitchen. Sasuke fell silent and stared at Naruto as he slept against the spirit.
Ino made her way over to the nearby couch and sat down next to Shini and Tomoko.
"So I heard Naruto is teaching you to use a sword," Shini said eyeing the girl down. His eyes locked with her's, judging her.
"Yes, so far we've only covered the basics. I need to learn more though if I'm ever to be as strong as him and Sasuke." Her voice rang with determination.
"Eh, I wouldn't rush things, kid. It took that knucklehead almost eight years to master his technique and he still isn't a master of the sword. Give it time and I'm sure you'll be strong like him, just remember everyone starts somewhere." Shini said lifting himself from the cushion.
He grabbed Naruto by the ankle and lifted him upside down. In a blind stir, he spazzed awake. "Come on Shini just a little more." He begged.
"Your friends are here," Shini said dropping him on his head. Shinoko stared her brother down and everyone in the room could feel her intent before she went back to cooking.
Naruto flashed up and turned towards Kakashi who was leaning against one of the doorways.
"Thank you for coming Sensei." He greeted before greeting Ino and Sasuke.
"Mom how much longer until the feast is ready?" He asked Shinoko.
"Almost ready, will you set the plates?" She answered.
Naruto walked to the counter and placed the stack plates evenly on the knee high table in the center of the room. "Hey Ino, Sasuke follow me." He said stepping outside the room. The two teens followed with curiosity.
After a few moments, they stood outside in front of a shed. This where I store my sword, you should see Shini's." He said opening the door and pulling from the room a long single edged blade. It resembled a katana and had a strange pulsating feeling along the blade.
"He told me one day when I truly master the western sword style I can learn to use the katana. He says it has something to do with mastery and culture but all I know is that this is one awesome sword." He said admiring the weapon before holding it out for Sasuke and Ino to inspect.
The teens sat down and Naruto began to talk about the wonderful stories he had while he was at Konoha 7. Sasuke was even intrigued and followed along with the stories and Ino was more than ecstatic to hear about how he mastered the chakra cloak version 1 and how he learned to master wind and earth techniques.
It had been nearly an hour before they finally started to head back to the feast. Once they entered the room, the Shinitoris cheered the team on and brought out a cake for them. The all ate and joked wildly and finished the meal off with the cake Shinoko made for them.
As the night drew on the group sat outside by a large fire pit on the southern side of the compound. Shini and Kakashi talked with each other and Tomoko talked with Sasuke and Naruto leaving Ino alone.
She sat staring at the fire with thoughts in her eyes until Shinoko got her attention. "I'm sorry you feel this way, I can tell by the way you look at him. You know it's funny once you think about it. He may not be as strong as you think but his determination is what gives him strength, that's what gives you strength." Shioko said handing her a warm cup of tea. The cool night air was brisk against their skin.
They all sat in the light until Naruto and Shini stood. Behind them in the shadows came three figures in black with red eyes on their chest.
"Who are you?" Shini demanded reaching for the small blade he carried on the back of his waist.
As they continued forward, Naruto recognized the center figure. It was the lady from the orphanage so long ago. Her crimson hair shined orange in the fire.
"What are you doing here?" Naruto asked bewildered.
"You've done well to cultivate the Kyuubi's chakra. Now it is time to bring it home." She said as the two other figures bolted forward. Sasuke activated his Sharingan and countered one of the figures before Naruto took to other.
The red haired woman charged Naruto while he fought off the still black figure. Shini slammed his shoulder into her knocking her back before grabbing her arm. He bent it behind her and pushed his blade against her throat.
"Explain yourself!" He shouted to her.
"Very well, if you wish to make this difficult." She sighed before Shini was sent flying overhead into the fire. Naruto smashed his fist sending the figure flying before rushing over to help him out of the fire.
When he touched his body chakra threads grabbed hold of him. His body was flown back and stretched into a T-pose next to the woman. He fingers moving like spider legs. She froze one hand the fingertips channeled chakra, she placed her hand on his stomach.
A circular black seal appeared. Kakashi dashed in and cut the threads with his Kunai causing Naruto to drop to his feet. Kakashi was tackled by two more black figures. In a twirl, they were both sent flying and Kakashi regained his footing.
The four ninja stood staring at the four figures and the woman. "I thought you were an Uzumaki?" Naruto shouted to her. She laughed into his hand.
"You truly believe fate was fortunate to give you that scroll. I lied so as to get you to train and learn to awaken the Kyuubi. My master needs the beast and I plan on delivering you to him." She answered.
The four figure exploded into thick clouds of smoke before she reached inside her long white kimono. She pulled from it a specially marked kunai and tossed it towards them. The knife flew straight at Naruto before it split into several hundred kunai.
Shini although a little drunk easily blocked the blades with his own. Kakashi used his Kamui to transport himself and the others away, leaving Naruto, Sasuke, and Shini. Naruto used his special claw jutsu to strengthen his arms allowing him to swat the kunai from the air. He looked over to Sasuke and saw his speed couldn't keep up.
Although he had a Sharingan he didn't have the physical ability to keep up with it. Naruto launched himself towards him and blocked the kunai. When the attack finally ended Naruto fell to his knees. Sasuke watched in horror.
Naruto had nearly a dozen knives sticking out of his chest and stomach. All of Sasuke's dreams of training and defeating his brother washed out of him. He dropped to one knee and lifting Naruto's body. He lifted his head and looked him in the face. Naruto's breath was slow and stopped as their eyes met.
Sasuke dropped his body and stood. His head faced the ground and his body was limp in the arms. Red markings stretched over his face, slowly forcing his skin to turn a dull gray. He looked up to the woman, his eyes bleeding. The Sharingan had formed a second tomoe across from the first.
He stepped forwards. The woman stared deeply into his eyes. She fell to his Sharingan, he had fully matured into a Mangekyo Sharingan. The loss of his chance to obtain the power to kill his brother was taken from him causing the Genkai to mature so fast.
From everyone's perspective, they were just staring at each other face to face, however, from their perspective, she was in a Genjutsu of a thousand torments. Her body was locked in place by an immense spear, she experienced the pain of hundreds of torturers in a second.
Sasuke now feeling his chakra let it out in the form of a black flame. Her inanimate body was caught with this black flame. It spiraled her body and consumed her flesh. Only when his chakra ran out was she freed from the Genkai. Sasuke now out of chakra feels to the ground. She, on the other hand, screamed in pain from the fire. Everyone watched in disgust as she collapsed into a pile of flesh and ash before the flames ceased.
AN: Short chapter I know, but it was just there to show what the next major events would be about and to give Sasuke his trump card against Naruto so they stay somewhat rivals like in the series.
