Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

Okay, here is the first part of the battle that everyone is waiting for. I had a rough time with this one… a lot more than with the other ones. And I am trying really hard for the other part. PLEASE let me know what you think… it will help get the second part out faster. – laydee kai

A Son's Path: the Last Namikaze

Chapter Thirty-Six: Naruto vs. Sasuke

The two ex-teammates stood in the clearing, starring at each other. Neither backing down. This had been a long time coming for them.

Sasuke broke eye contact and looked around. The clearing was massive, yet it was familiar. His eyes roamed all over until they landed on Naruto once again.

"Returning home brings back so many memories."

"Indeed it does, Uchiha… but don't fool yourself. This is not your home anymore. It stopped being such when you decided to leave it."

"This is where we fought Gaara. Do you remember?" Sasuke continued, ignoring Naruto's comment.

"No, this is where I fought Gaara and where he beat your ass… as I recall."

Sasuke looked at Naruto and narrowed his eyes. He didn't appreciate the blond ruining his walk down memory lane. He seethed a little bit.

"I am glad that we are able to finish our battle from all those years ago. I have regretted that it wasn't ended then…"

"Hai… it will be finished today. Things are different and I'm not the same person I was back then." Naruto said as he set his eyes in a death glare. "And we all know that you aren't the same."

"Hai… we have both grown up. But this is where you will die… so close to home."

"I'm not the one who will die here." Naruto laughs a hard cold laugh. "The only reason that you're still alive now is because I couldn't kill you then. I thought that you were my friend… my brother… and I couldn't bring myself to kill someone who meant so much to me."

"And that is why you will not kill me this time. You may talk hard… but you are still the same weak, dead-last that you have always been."

"You don't know what you are talking about… I hold no such delusions of you anymore."

Sasuke starred at him. He slowly walked around his opponent. Neither taking their eyes off of each other. Naruto was getting itchy; there was too much talking going on. One of them had to make their move.

"I have my sources… and they have told me that you are next in line to be the Hokage. The only reason they would consider you is because I am not here any more…" he taunted.

"I'm sick of talking. I will prove to you why I am the next Hokage." Naruto slid his battle jacket off and threw it to the side. "Now, Uchiha… you shouldn't deny Kami her judgment any longer!"

Naruto, tired of waiting, decided to make the first move. He charged at the raven haired enemy standing in front of him. Naruto balled up his fist, drew back and sent it flying towards Sasuke's pale face. The fist makes contact, sending Sasuke skidding backwards slightly. Sasuke returns with a fist of his own. Naruto moves slightly to one side just missing the fist.

Naruto brings his elbow up, trying to hit the Uchiha in the chin but Sasuke catches it with his other hand and pushes him away. Naruto spins around trying to connect another fist with Sasuke's face. Sasuke moves slightly causing Naruto to just barely graze his cheek. Sasuke quickly returned the punch and landed it right in Naruto's gut. When he landed the first blow, the charged his other fist with chakra and connected another one. This time, very slightly winding him.

Naruto jumped back and coughed. Naruto ran back in his direction ducking under another punch. The blond swept under Sasuke's legs, causing him to jump over his out stretched leg. As he was coming down, Naruto met his chin with a chakra covered fist of his own, sending Sasuke flying backwards.

Naruto fell back into his taijutsu stance and raised his hand, taunting the Uchiha to try again. Sasuke stood and dusted himself off. When he looked up, his Sharingan eyes blazed to life.

"I was wondering when you were going to use those." Naruto scoffed.

Sasuke mirrored Naruto's stance. "Does that bother you?"

"Not at all, my whole life has been a challenge… what is another one?" Naruto yelled as he charged at his foe.

This time, with the Sharingan activated, Naruto's attacks were meant blow for blow. Naruto increased his speed and Sasuke met it. It was clear that if it remained like this, then it would go on for a long time, and neither wanted that. Naruto was considering upping the antae and using jutsu when Sasuke slugged him square in the jaw.

Naruto jumped back and rolled his jaw, but never took his eyes of off the target. Sasuke glared at him with contempt. It was clear that Naruto's unyielding stare into his Sharingan showed that he did not fear it like everyone else who locked eyes with him. That unnerved him.

"You have not changed much Naruto. Still rushing head first into battle without thinking."

"What's there to think about? You need to die and I am here to do it."

"Foolish as always."

"And how do you figure that?"

"Only a fool would look directly into my eyes without fear."

"Why should I fear something that you won't use?" Naruto replied evenly.

"Are you so sure?"

"Hai…"

"I am intrigued. Please enlighten me as to why I won't use it?"

"It's not that you won't use it… obviously since you have activated it, you are using it now to counter my taijustu. What I mean… is that you won't use the Mangekyou. The reason behind it is quite simple… you still think I am beneath you and you don't think that you will need it to defeat me."

"Well, you are correct in that aspect… I don't need something that strong to finish you off."

"And I am the fool?" Naruto said as he clinched his fists and ran at Sasuke again.

Sasuke looked at the oncoming ninja and laughed. "Again?" Growing tired of this same thing, he flipped through the appropriate hand signs and spewed out several massive balls of fire that scorched the earth.

Naruto's eyes widened slightly when he saw the flames heading for him. In a yellow flash, he was gone. Sasuke's eyes danced with excitement and he let out a loud burst of laughter.

"I am disappointed in you Naruto! You would carelessly perform that move in front of me? Your father's infamous Hirashin no jutsu? How stupid of you!" He cackled sinisterly.

"No! How conceited of you! You think that just because your damned eyes saw it that you can copy it? I don't think so! You see you are lacking one crucial thing in order to pull off my father's jutsu Uchiha!"

"And what is that, Namikaze?"

Naruto raises his arms out from his sides and grins. "My Blood."

"What?"

"You see, my father was a smart man. He was well aware of the Uchiha eyes and developed a move that no matter if your eyes followed it, you could not execute it." Naruto proudly replied.

"That is impossible! My eye can copy everything!"

"You sound like you did when you were a genin, whining because of how special your eyes were. Grow up."

Sasuke trembled with anger. How dare someone like Naruto mock him? The sight of the blond was making him sick. He had decided that it was time to quit playing and kill him.

Naruto felt the spike in his enemy's chakra and in a yellow blur was nose to nose with the Uchiha.

"Now, where were we?" Naruto's chakra powered fist made hard contact with Sasuke's sun deprived jaw, sending him through a few trees. "Ah, that's right…I was going to send you to Kami. You shouldn't keep her waiting any longer…"

Naruto stood in the same place waiting for the large cloud of dust to settle. Before he could even pick out Sasuke's body, an enormous snake erupted from thin air. The summon flicked it's tongue out, taking in its surroundings. His eyes drifted upward and landed on the person standing on his head.

"What do you want Uchiha?"

"Is that anyway to speak to the one who summoned you?" he spat. "Don't forget what happened to the one who was before you."

"You summoning me is a mere technicality… I can refuse to honor your contract. Don't you forget that."

Before the Uchiha could reply, Naruto summoned Gama Bunta. Now the two ninja were both standing on the heads of the Lords of their respective summons.

Bunta's large beady eyes looked around and narrowed when he saw where he was. He eyed the large snake and the man on top of it's head. He rolled his eyes and looked at Naruto standing on his own head.

"What did you summon me for?"

"I am sorry to disturb you, friend. But I think the snakes may need someone to play with."

Gama Bunta sighed as he looked over to who he had thought to be Lord Manda originally.

"You aren't Manda… where is Manda?" he croaked.

"He's dead. I killed him." Sasuke sneered, earning a glare from both the snake and Gama Bunta. "Don't worry, you will be going to see him soon."

"Who are you?" he asked the Snake.

"I am Lord Dokueki, the new King of Snakes." He hissed.

"I am Gama Bunta, the King of Toads." He returned his eyes to the pale man on the snakes head. "I may not care for the snakes, but for you, their summoner, to kill the King, that is unforgivable."

"Spare me your droning." Sasuke said arrogantly.

"I'll occupy the snake for you Naruto. But you must kill that boy."

"You heard him Uchiha." Naruto laughed. Two hundred clones burst into existence. The original pointing to Sasuke. "Kill the Uchiha!"

Obeying their master, two hundred copies of Naruto sped down the side of Gama Bunta and closed the distance between them and the snake. Sending chakra to their feet then ran up the sides of the snake.

Dokueki shook violently trying to rid himself of the army of clones. He hissed loudly. He had been dragged into a battle that he wanted nothing to do with by a summoner who was less than worthy. In the eyes of the newly appointed snake king, this was not a good day.

Sasuke grunted with displeasure. He had always hated the blonds over abundant use of clones. He unsheathed his sword and ran down Dokueki's side, slashing his way through the clones with little effort spent.

Naruto watched with a careful eye. His smirk revealing that this was what he wanted. He wanted to get the Uchiha to use his sword because he wanted to see the flow. After all, when your wife is the rightful heir as a member of one of the most prestigious sword organizations, you do tend to pick up a few things here and there. Even more so when she beats it in to you.

"Naru-kun, I want to train you in swords." Yuri said out of the blue.

"Huh? Why? You know that I am not one for swords." Naruto replied.

"Hai, I know that… but you know as well as I that the Uchiha has and uses a swords quite well. It's not so much so you can cross swords with him, but defend yourself from his sword."

"I see what you mean now… I think that you are right. It would be a good idea."

"I know." Yuri sighed. "That's why I said it."

- - xXxXx - -

"Now, you have never crossed swords with me before…" Yuri began.

"Hai… I don't want to die." Naruto thought out loud, interrupting Yuri. She glared at him as he swallowed hard. "Sorry, Yuri-chan."

"Now as I was saying… since you haven't done that, then you wouldn't know my tendencies making battle all the harder. Watch, make a clone and have it attack me."

Naruto complied, knowing the clone wouldn't last long. The clone charged and was easily dispelled.

"Now again…" Yuri said.

"Okay." He replied. Making another clone, he sent it at Yuri. Surprisingly enough, the clone was able to dodge the first attack, but fell to the second.

"Now, what have you learned?" Yuri said as she re-sheathed her sword.

"Well, if I am able to see you use it, then I am able to understand your flow better. And if I send a whole mess of clones I get to watch them battle, and I get their memories so I have instant knowledge and experience in fighting that opponent."

It didn't take Sasuke long to masterfully cut his way through the clones. He took satisfaction in each ones demise being as he was thinking of cutting down the original. He stood at the feet of the massive toad.

"Are you scared to face me?" he yelled.

Gama Bunta laughed heartedly. "Take this shit stain off the map Naru."

Naruto's smirk still firmly in place. His eyes focused on the spec of Uchiha at the feet of his summons. "My pleasure." Naruto blurred down the side of Gama Bunta, ready to take the head of the snake.

- END -