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Chapter 10—Sasuke VS Sakura

Seeing Sasuke turn into a darker shade of color with wings that sprouted on his back made her shake in fear. She wanted to distance herself from him, but her feet refused to move. The only thing she could do is to stare at Sasuke completing his transformation of the second level of the 'curse seal'. She wasn't afraid of his power or anything, she was more afraid of what he had become for the past 8 years that they saw each other. Even though she hated to say it, the Sasuke she knew was gone only to be replaced by a murderous, blood thirty monster… or is he.

The moist and the coldness of the breeze didn't only made her long pink tresses follow the blow of the winds direction, but she involuntarily shivered feeling even more vulnerable.

Naruto who panicked and felt very uneasy about the situation called to Sakura to move and get out of the way. "Sakura-chan, get out of there! NOW!"

Apparently, the pink haired girl seems to have not heard him at all because she didn't even took notice of him but just continued to look intently at the incomplete transformed Sasuke.

Getting annoyed and even more worried, Naruto disappeared only to appear in front of Sakura and looking at Sasuke who was now at the complete transformation of the Level 2 of the 'curse seal'.

Sakura still didn't notice Naruto in front of her, but she kept on peering at the transformed Sasuke in disbelief. Some time passed and she spoke in a trembling voice, "What does Orochimaru want with Naruto to bring his Sound nins here?"

Sasuke's lips quirked into a smirk, "As Orochimaru's triumph card, everybody respects and everybody grants my wishes even Orochimaru."

"Y-you don't mean…"

"You bastard!"

"… so you want Naruto…" Sakura said weakly. "W-what for!" She tried to make her voice steady and louder.

"That is for me to know and you to find out now." He continued to smirk.

Sakura clenched her hands to a fist real tight making them turn white after quite some time. "What could you possible gain from Naruto when you're too busy caring about your revenge for your older brother, Itachi?"

The smirk on Sasuke's face disappeared. It seems like he was disappointed of what they said. After a while of glaring at them he snorted, "You know… for the smartest kunoichi I've met, you're quite oblivious."

Sakura frowned in response. She still didn't quite figure out why Sasuke wants Naruto.

Sasuke who saw the frown form on the Kunoichi's face became amused that she still didn't understand or figure out his reasons behind getting to all the trouble of abducting Naruto. "Think…"

"Bastard!" Naruto yelled at him and threw a punch aimed right at his face, which Sasuke blocked with the palm of his hand with ease.

Sasuke looked at Naruto in the corner of his eyes. "Don't you want to know the reason why I'm getting to all the trouble of abducting a dobe like you?"

"URUSE! From what I recall you didn't even want us to know what your mission is all about!" Sasuke still hasn't let go of Naruto's fist.

"I changed my mind." Sasuke shrugged. "Aren't you even grateful that I'm even letting you know the reasons of abducting a dead last like you?" He sneered at him.

"I don't care about your pathetic reasons!" Naruto screeched at him.

Sasuke snorted, " I just realized that you aren't even my target. So you were trying to stall me eh? Didn't work for long now, did it?" Sasuke chuckled highly amused at Naruto for being able to buy time for Sakura to escape, which she didn't.

With that said, Sasuke fled away from Naruto towards his newest target… Haruno Sakura. Naruto swiftly turned around and after Sasuke, trying to stop him.

Sakura still didn't get why Sasuke wants Naruto. What could he possibly gain in his revenge by abducting Naruto? Unless…

Figuring out Sasuke's reasons of going to all the trouble of abducting Naruto—or at least she thought she did. She wasn't sure if she was right. Looking up to hoping to see the calm and amused Sasuke standing at a great distance from her, but what she saw made her alarmed wide eyed that Sasuke was coming right at her. He was about to punch her when she was thrown to the sideways towards the ground with a pair of strong arms wrapped around her neck.

"Na… ru… to…" She mumbled slowly. She tilted her head to get a better look at the Kyuubi holder. She saw him manage a smile while sighing in relief.

"I'm glad you're alright, Sakura-chan." Naruto chuckled softly.

Sakura continued to stare at her savior until someone snapped her out of her trance.

"You didn't even become strong enough to protect yourself, Sakura." Sasuke faked a sigh to tease her. "Just like always. Trying to impress more boys, are you Sakura. Since I was gone, whom did you try to impress huh?" He continued to taunt her.

The two stood up only with Naruto cursing at the Uchiha and with Sakura just looking at him blankly.

"Sakura-chan, get out of here and let me take care of the bastard. I'm his target anyway, I don't want you to get mixed up in this." Naruto said demanding.

Instead of doing what her ex-teammate told he to do, she remained glued at her spot. She lowered her head so that her bangs covered her eyes and she clenched her fists real tight, making them turn white.

"Are you really that anxious to die?" Sasuke asked, indicating more to the pink haired Kunoichi.

She lifted her head up so that her eyes would be visible once more only to glare at both of her ex-teammates.

"Naruto…" She said not bothering to face him, but she kept her gaze at the Uchiha. "… you don't trust me do you?"

Naruto only quirked his brows in response indicating that he didn't understand anything she'd said.

"You think that I left for two years to take a vacation, Naruto."

Dead silence.

"You think I can't protect myself, Naruto. Everybody thinks I'm weak…" she paused, snorting. "… I'll prove to you that I'm not weak." Sakura stated, so that both the person who was trying very hard to protect her and the person who was trying to kill her would hear her perfectly. "Just trust me…"

She just hates it when others are protecting her and all she does is just watching them risk their lives for her sake. She felt like she's betrayed them somehow. For once in her life in Konoha, she wants to risk her own life for the people who cared about her. From this point on… I'll protect you, Naruto.

Maybe you have changed after all Sakura. Sasuke thought amazed at the new and improved Sakura. He wasn't quite use to her turning from his own opinion a 'weakling' to a strong willed person. But still, just because of her change in attitude over this pass few years doesn't mean that he would just abandon his lifetime mission to leave the Sound and join them back in Konoha. Hell no! His brother Uchiha Itachi would be dead first before that happens, but when that happens…

Regaining his composure, he smirked at his target, "You really don't think you could beat me now do you Sakura?"

…. will he even have a home called Konoha to return to.

All he received was dead silence. Sakura just remained silent looking at him intently. She didn't exactly glare at him or peered at him with piercing gazes. Indicating this as a sign to attack, he became a blur at first and then disappeared from her sight.

Naruto was confused that at a time that Sasuke as in the Uchiha Sasuke she used to adore, admire and follow around, she would be as calm as this. She didn't even flinch nor gasp, but remained as calm as the ocean. Deep inside him, he knew that he wanted to protect her somehow, but if he intrudes Sakura's chance to prove herself then he knew that it would result of Sakura ignoring and holding a grudge against him… for at least to say… as long as he lives.

Sasuke has disappeared for at least a minute now, but there was only silence in the surroundings. The only sounds that were heard were the rustling of the leaves from the blows of the wind, chirping birds flying high above the sky and the howling of the wind.

The wind was blowing from the side of her face making her pink tresses sway and flow towards the winds direction. Suddenly, she felt the wind change the direction of its course. He's coming… She quirked her brows turning it to a slight frown that was barely noticeable.

She swiftly moved backwards evading the attack that was purposely aimed for her. She saw Sasuke looking at her with his cold onyx eyes after his first attack and then he disappeared again, planning for his next strike.

Sakura raised her arms when she detected him coming at her, blocking his punches and kicks that were most likely aimed for her abdomen and face; however, she winced in pain as she blocked each strike. Even though she was blocking them, he still somehow managed to hurt her with the force of his attacks.

She was almost struck by a kunai that Sasuke swung towards her. It was meant to hit her neck, stabbing her and even killing her in the process. She ducked just in time, evading the kunai that missed her in inches with some strands of her pink hair falling down towards the grass. He really is serious about killing me!

"I must admit that you're quite amazing to have been able to last this long with me in the second level of the 'curse seal'." He said coldly. He looked at her and sneered at the expression on her face. "But you will never be able to stoop to my level."

Sasuke's words pierced through her like she was being stabbed by a sword through her heart; however, she tried to remain as stoic as she could. He was just like he was 8 years ago. The Uchiha Sasuke that criticizes her whenever she asks him on a date about her being weak, but somehow the Uchiha Sasuke she has got to know and spent time with 8 years ago was more caring and determined yet proud Uchiha. Now… the Uchiha Sasuke that she loves has turned from caring to cold and emotionless, determined to obsessive (in killing Itachi) and proud to arrogant.

Somehow, deep inside her, she felt like it was close to impossible bringing Sasuke back to Konoha. Both Naruto and her tried, but in the process one had a broken heart and one was almost close to death. Could they do this? Practically, the Uchiha Sasuke they failed to bring back was softer, in a way than the Uchiha Sasuke she was standing in front of now.

"Why would you want to make Naruto suffer by killing me? What has he done to you?" She really didn't care about the reason why he wants to kill her besides the reason of making Naruto suffer.

Sasuke just remained silent, looking at her with those piercing cold onyx orbs.

"He was your friend. You were on the same team! Even though you guys fight and argue a lot, you still protected each other when you needed to. You did missions together, and you even eat ramen together—" she abruptly stopped realizing what she'd said. "… well sometimes," She looked down on the ground, looking at it with regret and sorrow. "You'll just throw that away… the friendship you've worked for." She said in a shaky and soft voice.

She waited for him to respond for a minute until she heard a cold and emotionless voice. "What friendship?"

Shocked and wide eyed about his response, she looked at Sasuke finding him coming towards her with immense speed. She released a gasp when he was came at her with punch and kicks that she evaded feeling a gust of wind as he withdrew his arms and legs, trying to get force for the next hits he threw at her.

As low as her guard was when she was too busy with her emotions a moment ago, a sudden force and pain struck her cheek making her slide backwards a couple of feet away from him.

"You shouldn't let your guard down in a battle with an opponent at all times Sakura. It shows how weak you became this past few years." He said coldly acting like he never heard a thing from her. "Stalling me like that won't work, Sakura. You can never change my mind about killing you."

Blood started to ooze from the corner of Sakura's mouth and dripping towards the ground, staining the grass with crimson drops of blood. Lifting her wrist towards the corner of her mouth where the blood way seeping through, she wiped the remaining blood dripping at the corner of her mouth with the back of her wrist making the blood smudge more on her face.

Sakura peered behind her where Naruto was. Their eyes met; both cerulean and emerald orbs met. Emerald orbs were staring at cerulean blankly, and cerulean orbs were staring at emerald with a tint of worry. She was relieved that Naruto gave her a chance to prove herself fighting Sasuke no less. He trusts her, but she knew that if things get out of hand, he would butt in and fight Sasuke instead. He was making a big gamble of letting Sakura fight Sasuke, even though he has doubts that Sakura might not win.

She turned her gaze back towards Sasuke who miraculously didn't think of attacking her. Maybe he wanted her to make a move now to know what she was capable of. Instead of attacking him like he wanted her to, she just stood there. "About Naruto…

"… you'll really abduct Naruto just so that you could lure Itachi to him, and then kill Itachi from there. You're that in a rush to kill your older brother and have revenge." She said with an unreadable expression on her face. Her voice was just normal and her face was blank.

Upon hearing this, Sasuke started chuckling. "What do you know? You weren't that oblivious after all."

From afar, Naruto was shocked and furious that Sasuke was just trying to use him for his revenge on his older brother who was in fact after him because of the Kyuubi inside him. Gnashing his teeth and clenching his fists, he was trying very hard to restrain himself from jumping in the middle of Sakura and Sasuke's battle.
Sakura narrowed her eyes, putting a frown on her face. She sighed, "Why do you even want to get revenge to your older brother?"

Sasuke crooked an eyebrow, "I thought you knew that already."

"But why though?" She inquired in curiosity.

"I don't need you to take care of me." Sasuke was getting annoyed with Sakura again.

"I'm not saying that I want to take care of you, I just want to understand you."

"Well then stop trying because I don't need you to!" Snapped Sasuke.

"Weren't you lonely when you were in the Sound without any friends?"

"I don't need friends. All they do is just get in the way of everything I do."

"So you think that revenge is all the reason you live for."

"It is my destiny to kill my brother and avenge my clan's death."

"You're wrong…" She mumbled, but loud enough for Sasuke to hear.

Getting annoyed of the fact that Sakura was again trying to talk him out like 8 years ago, he snorted. "You know, you're really starting to bug me." Swiftly getting a kunai from his pouch, he threw it at her direction. Even though she saw the kunai coming towards her, she remained perfectly still and calm. The kunai flew towards the side of her face and sliced some of her pink strands.

Sasuke smirked when he saw that Sakura didn't move from her spot. "That was only to get your attention. This time I will be serious at killing you." He narrowed his eyes, another kunai at hand. Throwing it towards her direction without any intention of missing, he saw her remained unmoving like before.

Before the kunai struck her, she caught it with her hand swiftly from about two inches gap to her face. Because of the speed and force that the kunai had when thrown, blood started leaking from the part where her skin and the kunai made contact. Blood dripped from her wound falling to her wrist and dripping more towards her elbows.

"What a shame—here I am inflicting two wounds on you already while you haven't even gotten a chance to touch me—not even once." He snorted and smirked.

Despite the wound on her hand, Sakura twirled the kunai at hand so that she could grasp it properly.

Naruto was getting impatient and annoyed that the fact that Sakura was fighting Sasuke while he was just standing there. They both knew that Sasuke's target was him, all along.
"Just trust me…"

That was what Sakura said to him before her fight began with Sasuke. Trust her… he's got to trust her. Trust her? It was easier said than done. He wasn't exactly the type to just watch everything from the sidelines.

He watched as Sasuke and Sakura were fighting yet again with kunais now. The blades of the kunais always seem to clash against each other when each of them was trying to attack each other. No surprise there! After all, Sakura was trained by Tsunade-baa-chan for 6 years, but there was something else. Something looked different about Sakura, but no matter how many times he tried looking at her graceful movements when fighting, he can't seem to find out the difference about her.

Kunai met kunai; that was all they had been all they're using since. They had been attacking each other like there was no tomorrow. Whenever one was about to struck the other, it was always deflected with the others kunai. However, even though this had been the cycle for a while now, it didn't escape the fact that both of them had hit the each other, inflicting slight cuts and wounds.

Another clash of the kunais was heard with both Sasuke and Sakura pushing each other's kunai with all the force that their arms could muster. Both of them were trying to push of the other's kunai with neither of them winning. Getting another kunai from his pouch, Sasuke tried stabbing Sakura on the shoulder, but Sakura's other hand stopped the kunai, grasping the blade firmly. This caused another wound on her other hand, resulting both hands being wounded.

Naruto couldn't think of what to do. Right now, his body wants to move in and interfere from Sasuke hurting Sakura more, but something was holding him back from doing so. Deep inside him, he wanted to trust Sakura and let her fight Sasuke by herself. He didn't know anymore which one he wanted to do; to fight or to trust.

After seeing Sakura holding the other kunai Sasuke tried to use on stabbing her with blood oozing from where the blade and Sakura's skin made contact, Naruto knew that at this time Sakura was at the disadvantage. Well, maybe he thought that Sakura was at the disadvantage long before, but now he couldn't restrain himself any longer and ran towards the fighting Sasuke and Sakura.

Kabuto who was also watching from the sidelines was annoyed at the fact that the Uchiha survivor was playing with his two ex-teammates. What is he doing? The plan was to abduct Naruto and get out of here as soon as possible. Why is he wasting his time with her when I could have been the one to kill her instead? Orochimaru-sama would have a fit if we were late.

From the information he had gathered, it shows that the Kunoichi Haruno Sakura was more conscious of her self-image than training. She didn't have any special techniques, nor any special bloodlines; therefore, she was a weak ninja… and he expected her to be like that.

Why can't he just finish her off already! Kabuto thought getting impatient. From the looks of their battle, Sasuke was winning because he remained unscratched while Haruno Sakura had two inflict wounds on both her hands

Suddenly, he saw their target, Uzumaki Naruto running towards Sasuke and Sakura's battle. From the looks of it, he was trying to interfere and save Haruno Sakura. We can't let that happen now, can we? Because of his abilities in stealth, he was able to go towards Naruto at a great speed without being noticed.

He ran towards his two ex-teammates at full speed. He was stopped by a when he noticed a kunai flew right in front of him. Getting his full attention, Naruto stopped and looked at the direction the kunai came from.

Turning to his right, he saw the person who threw the kunai was none other than Kabuto. How could he forget that he was also there with them! Kabuto wouldn't just stand and watch the fight when he could do something useful—like now.

"I don't think you should go any farther, Naruto." He said while adjusting his glasses. From the past years that he has been with Sasuke, he knew from experience that if he were interrupted during one of his matches, it would be bad news—very, very bad news!

He smirked when he heard the Kyuubi holder growled. "You have to fight me first before you can go any further. So I suggest that—" a sudden force and pain hit his left cheek making him tilt his face sideways. Because of the force, not only did his face turned but his whole body twisted while he was airborne. He landed on the ground face first. He tried standing up, but wobbling a bit in the process.

He looked up and saw a Naruto from before and a new one located just beside him. Bushin no Jutsu. The Naruto from before abruptly disappeared in a puff of smoke, making him curse inwardly.

"SHUT UP! I DON'T TIME FOR AN ANNOYING BASTARD LIKE YOU!" Yelled the real Naruto.

"Really now…" Kabuto swiftly did some hand seals. "The plan was to bring you alive, but it didn't say that we can't bring you half dead."

Positioning his hands fro his Jutsu he scowled at Naruto. "I copied this Jutsu from the Fifth Hokage if you don't remember. I assure you that you'll have a chance of 50 to live from this attack." His scowl suddenly turned into a smirk, "If you're lucky enough that is. Satsugaite no Jutsu!"

Holding the blade of Sasuke's kunai at one hand, and struggling to force back his other kunai, she gripped the blade of Sasuke's kunai tighter giving her leverage to kick Sasuke in the gut. She took hold of the kunai he was aiming for her shoulder before when Sasuke's grip loosened on it right after she kicked him.

Grunting in pain, Sasuke flew backwards slamming on a nearby tree full force making his back painful for a small amount of time. Before he was sliding back to the ground because of gravity, two kunais struck each sides of his shirt, sticking him to the tree in place. Damn it! Why did I let her do that to me!

Chakra started to become visible from Kabuto's hands. He disappeared from Naruto's sight and abruptly reappeared before him, trying to push his palms towards the skin from where his heart was.

Naruto turned sideways and did some somersaults when Kabuto's hands that were filled with chakra almost made contact by inches. Disappearing from sight, he reappeared and kicked Kabuto on the back.

Kabuto turned around ready to strike Naruto when big chunks of the earth flew upwards. One big chunk of earth hit him in the chins, making him fly upwards. He fell to the ground with the chakra from his hands dissipated from the lack of concentration.

He was confused. How could he manage to break the ground so easily like that? Suddenly, he started cursing at himself when he realized that he was so close into accomplishing their mission.

He lifted his body up expecting to see Naruto smirking at him, but instead he saw Naruto with the Kunoichi Haruno Sakura. Uzumaki Naruto was looking at his teammate with awe while Haruno Sakura was looking right at Kabuto blankly.

Kabuto smirked, "So it was you, wasn't it, Sakura-san."

When he didn't receive any reply or a glare from the Kunoichi, he continued. "So you're trained by the Fifth Hokage I see."

Kabuto received a slight frown from the Kunoichi this time. "And that's a surprise for you."

Kabuto just chuckled.

"I won't let you harm Naruto."

A/N: Another chappie done! I'm not really sure how people think about this fic considering that I got about 100 hits last chappie with only 9 reviews.

Please review my fic and tell me how it is. All it takes is pressing the 'Go' button there and type your review. Come on people! Just NO flames!