Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Naruto Shippuden. All characters in this story, excluding those that are created by me, are the intellectual property of Masashi Kishimoto. Please show support by reading or watching the original source material.
~Confronting the Shadow: Chapter Two~
"They're Ready"
As promised, Team 7 gathered together for training the day following their completion of the bell test. Kakashi, based on what he had observed during the examination, had apparently devised several training programs for each of his students. They were all based on each of their individual needs, and the trio would be lying if they weren't a bit excited to find out what they'd be learning.
For starters, they spent the first hour of the day doing a chakra control exercise that consisted of them walking up a tree without using their hands. Predictably, Naruto and Sayuri struggled, while Sakura flourished, completing the exercise on the very first try. After a while Naruto and Sayuri, by way of their fierce determination, managed to make impressive progress of the own.
"Alright, that's enough of that for now," Kakashi announced once he was pleased with their results. He watched with a bit of amusement as Sayuri and Naruto came falling to the ground, barely able to land on their feet.
It took a few moments, but he eventually had their complete and undivided attention. They were all pretty exhausted, even Sakura, who had been running up and down her tree to help improve her stamina. All in all, he was happy to see that none of his students seemed to lack a strong work ethic.
"A week from now, we'll begin taking on our first missions as a team," he explained after giving them a few moments to catch their breaths. "We'll train every day until then, and by the end of the week, you'll notice a difference in your skill level."
After going into a bit more detail about what they would be doing, Kakashi then revealed that they would each learn one jutsu during the week. He then handed both Sayuri and Sakura one scroll each before telling them to begin practicing in the clearing nearby. They both seemed confused as to why Naruto was staying behind, but nevertheless agreed and walked off into the distance.
Naruto, just as out of the loop as his two teammates, looked toward his new sensei for clarification.
"Naruto, I don't think you're quite aware of how much chakra you actually have," Kakashi revealed out of the blue. "It's why you're taking much longer to master the tree-climbing exercise than Sakura did. You have so much chakra that it's difficult for you to control it for something so precise."
Predictably, Naruto appeared somewhat skeptical, "What are you getting at, sensei?" he asked.
Kakashi smiled, "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
In a puff of smoke, a perfect replica of Kakashi appeared at his side. For Naruto, it wasn't that odd of a sight, considering all genin were capable of using the clone jutsu. It was an E-Rank jutsu that created an intangible copy of one's own body, without any substance. It had no actual battle use and was mostly used to confuse enemies.
"The clone jutsu? That's an Academy jutsu," Naruto remarked, his tone decidedly dismissive. "What does that have to do with me having a lot of chakra?"
Kakashi seemed as if he was prepared for that very question, "Attack the clone I just created," he instructed, much to Naruto's confusion. "Come on, do it now."
Deciding there would be no harm in humoring the masked jonin, Naruto shrugged before immediately lunging toward the clone with impressive speed. The clone raised its arms to block the punch, and much to Naruto's surprise, it caught his extended arm and flipped him onto this back, knocking the wind out of his lungs.
"How?" Naruto groaned out loud. "That's a solid clone?"
Kakashi then dispelled the clone into a cloud a smoke in a manner similar to how it appeared. He waited for Naruto to gather his breath and return to his feet before continuing. He was beginning to enjoy teaching, actually. Passing on what he knew while his student waited patiently for him to explain how things worked was oddly satisfying. Somehow, it felt more fulfilling than completing a mission.
"It is, but to be more specific, it's a Shadow Clone," Kakashi explained. "It is a jonin-level jutsu created by the Second Hokage. I evenly distribute my chakra among every clone, giving each an equal fraction of my overall power. The clones are capable of performing techniques on their own, and can even bleed, but will usually disperse after hit being a strong enough force."
Naruto, despite his carefree nature, seemed entranced at the concept of such a fantastic jutsu, "Is this the technique I have to learn by the end of the week, Kakashi-sensei?"
To his surprise, he received a shake of the head from his new sensei, "Not exactly. It's only the first step," Kakashi explained, leaving Naruto mildly perplexed. "The jutsu I want you to master by the end of the week is the Shadow Clone Jutsu taken to another level. It's a jutsu so dangerous that it has been declared forbidden – even I have to be extra careful when using it."
Naruto's eyes widened slightly, "What is this jutsu?" he asked.
"It is the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu," Kakashi revealed. "It is a massive version of the Shadow Clone Jutsu, in which you create hundreds upon hundreds of clones. It can potentially be dangerous to the person performing it since your chakra is evenly distributed among such a large number of clones."
Kakashi gave it a few moments for it all to sink in. This wasn't some Academy-level technique. It was a deadly jutsu that could be found within the Forbidden Scroll of Seals. At a surface level, it didn't seem all that dangerous. There were undoubtedly jutsu in the Scroll of Seals that were more deadly, but the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu was no joke. Kakashi had heard stories of people creating so many clones and immediately dying of chakra exhaustion.
"I spoke with the Hokage, and he and I both believe that you are the only person in the village who can use the Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu to its fullest potential," he continued, much to Naruto's shock. "Only you possess the massive reserves of chakra required to use it without risk."
"The Hokage said that?" Naruto began but immediately fell silent as he realized the sheer magnitude of what he had just been told. THE Hokage said that about him.
Kakashi realized that this moment was likely incredibly overwhelming for Naruto. The boy had probably grown up thinking that nobody was interested in his development, and now he was learning that the Hokage had enough faith to allow him to learn a forbidden jutsu. At the sight of his bratty little student's pleased face, Kakashi couldn't help but feel a warm sensation in his chest. It felt good being the bearer of good news for once.
After letting it all soak in, Kakashi handed Naruto a scroll of his own, "In this scroll is the Shadow Clone Jutsu, the basic version," he explained. "I expect you to learn it by the end of the day, so starting tomorrow, we can get on to the next step. Do you understand?"
Naruto nodded before his eyes narrowed in determination, "I'll do it, Kakashi-sensei," he assured, before walking off toward the clearing where Sayuri and Sakura were training.
As he watched Naruto walk away, his lone eye widened when he realized something rather astounding. Just now was the first time that Naruto had ever called him sensei. Sure, they'd only known each other for a little over a day, but in that amount of time, Sakura had addressed him as sensei so many times that it felt like the word was going out of style. Sayuri, on the other hand – well – let's just say he had realistic expectations when it came to her.
Kakashi chuckled. Sayuri, snarky as she was, didn't address anyone with the proper respect. Not even the Hokage was free from her attitude. It took quite a lot to irritate Kakashi, so he hardly took it personally. Now, if she was out there being respectful to everyone other than him, he may have felt some type of way about it.
It was evening now – late evening. Sayuri was practically drained of all stamina but stubbornly continued to train. Sakura and Kakashi had left long ago, so now only she and Naruto remained. He was on the other side of the clearing, creating what seemed to be clones of himself. From what she could tell, based on his demeanor, he had managed to learn the jutsu Kakashi had given him. So what? She completed hers on the first day as well.
Strangely enough, this was the first time they had actually been alone together. In fact, even with all the classes they'd jointly attended, outside of their brief interactions since becoming teammates, they hardly ever spoke to one another. Sayuri supposed that she was mostly to blame – though Naruto hadn't exactly made the greatest first impression when they initially met.
"That's enough for today," Naruto suddenly remarked, mostly to himself. He stood up straight and stretched his back.
Sayuri scoffed, "What, are you tired or something?" she asked, earning a side-eyed glance from her teammate.
"Nope, but I don't plan on spending the night out here," Naruto explained before gathering his belongings. "You can do that if you want, though."
"Hmm," Sayuri hummed before continuing with her training. "Whatever you say...sleepyhead."
Naruto visibly twitched at what he viewed to be an accusatory statement, "What are you getting at?" he asked, with a noticeable edge to his voice.
Sayuri merely shrugged her shoulders, "Nothing," she said.
Silence reigned in the clearing, with only the light of the moon above illuminating their surroundings. Naruto was staring at Sayuri, who was now practicing the hand seals of her jutsu as if he wasn't even there. His eyes then narrowed comically as he realized she was questioning his dedication to his training.
"How about we spar, you and I?" he asked with a cocky smile. "I think we can both agree that this is long overdue."
A rare smirk split over Sayuri's features, "I thought you'd never ask, you moron."
Sayuri turned and afforded Naruto her full attention. His stance was loose and void of any apparent weaknesses. She was no fool. She knew that Naruto was viewed by many as the best genin from their graduating class, despite them both having similar scores. This spar had a higher purpose in her eyes. She'd show him that perception wasn't always reality.
The two genin exploded towards one another and immediately engaged in hand-to-hand combat. It quickly became apparent that they were both equally skilled when it came to taijutsu. Still, she found that it was getting progressively more challenging to keep up with Naruto's clearly superior speed. Her eyes weren't capable of tracking a lot of the attacks, and only her refined instincts prevented her from taking any solid strikes to her body or face.
Suddenly, Naruto attempted a spinning kick to Sayuri's head, which the Uchiha prodigy countered by ducking and delivering a sweeping leg kick that knocked Naruto off of his feet. However, as Sayuri went in for a strike, Naruto twisted in the air and kicked her in the chest. She managed to block at the last moment, though the force still pushed her back. She was then blitzed, receiving a follow-up punch to the face that sent her tumbling to the ground. To her credit, she stood up quickly, but it was clear that Naruto had gained the upper hand.
As if to add to her woes, before Sayuri could even blink, Naruto disappeared once again. She turned over her shoulder to see the blonde Uzumaki now behind her, preparing to deliver what seemed like the final strike of the fight. At that moment, she realized just how behind she really was in her goal. How could she defeat him if she couldn't even beat Naruto?
Suddenly, as if triggered by her anguish, the world around her seemed to slow down, and she was surprisingly able to read Naruto's movements. She ducked under Naruto's punch, much to the blonde's surprise, and landed a powerful shot to his stomach, knocking him back a bit.
Naruto's eyes narrowed as he noticed the change in his opponent. The two charged toward one another once more, this time swapping hands at a much more equal level. It was astounding to Sayuri, as she had never before felt so under control in his life. Her perception had increased tenfold, and she was finally able to keep up with Naruto's insane speed, allowing her to dodge many strikes and nearly land a few of her own.
'I can see,' she thought to herself as she managed to dodge a kick that almost took her head off. Her eyes widened in excitement as she saw an opening. 'I can see!'
Naruto was then knocked back by a kick that clipped him in the chin. The blonde Uzumaki rubbed his jaw a bit before standing up, narrowing his eyes in visible irritation. Sayuri smirked as she realized that Naruto wasn't used to fighting opponents his age that were capable of going toe to toe with him.
The two genin stared each other down for a few moments, realizing that they had reached an impasse. It was clear that they were dead equal in taijutsu, and continuing to fight in such a manner would be pointless. Then, out of nowhere, Naruto blinked in apparent surprise before his posture stiffened.
"Those eyes," Naruto muttered with a very genuine glare, much to her confusion. Why did he look so uncharacteristically angry?
What was he even talking about? Then, it hit her, and she quickly removed her headband from her forehead and used it as a makeshift mirror. Much to her surprise, and elation, she did not see her normal onyx eyes looking back at her. Now, she saw a pair of blood-red eyes, each with a single tomoe.
'The Sharingan,' she thought to herself in awe. 'I've finally–'
"You have those disgusting eyes?" Naruto asked, interrupting her thoughts.
"And what if I do?" she replied, her voice cold like ice. "Is that a problem?"
Naruto gripped his head with his right hand and clenched his eyes as if he was wracked by a painful headache. Sayuri wondered if he was suffering the effects of exhaustion due to overtraining, but their spar showed that he was far from tired. It lasted for several seconds before he finally managed to relax and calm himself down.
"Whatever," he said, his voice sounding genuinely exhausted. "I'm leaving."
Without another word, he turned and began his slow walk home.
(One Week Later)
The rest of the week passed without much issue, and the genin of Team 7 all managed to rapidly improve themselves within the given time frame. From what Sayuri was able to infer, Sakura had delved into genjutsu over the past week. According to Kakashi, she had an affinity for illusionary jutsu because of her excellent chakra control. It made Sayuri consider delving into genjutsu herself. Any Uchiha worth a damn was at least serviceable in genjutsu.
Sayuri focused mainly on a new fire style jutsu – though she continued with her regular training regimen as well, refusing to allow the rest of her skills to dull. The jutsu she learned was called, 'Fire Style: Hiding in Ash and Dust' or something along those lines. With this new jutsu, she expelled chakra-infused ash from her mouth that blanketed a wide area, burning anyone who came in contact with it. It could be used as a powerful deterrent from attacks as well as a highly effective smokescreen.
Naruto's week, however, was much more of a mystery. He spent much of his time training alone with Kakashi, where she noticed that the two were having one-on-one sparring sessions. Imagine her surprise when she saw dozens upon dozens of Naruto clones fighting against Kakashi as well – all of whom seemed solid and not illusionary at all.
It seemed like Kakashi was treating Naruto with favoritism. It was obvious. The way he looked at Naruto was different from the way he looked at the rest of the team. There was some nostalgia in his lone eye, and genuine care as well. He also seemed abnormally invested in Naruto's individual development. It made her wonder if he was ever going to teach her something useful.
"Alright, team," Kakashi announced as he entered their little training ground, oddly on time today. "Today, we've been invited to take part in a special exercise. I figured it would be a good opportunity to – I don't know – cap off the week before we take our first mission."
Sakura, as usual, was the most inquisitive of the group, "What kind of exercise, sensei?" she asked.
Kakashi inclined his head in her direction, "The leader of Team 8 has so graciously offered to have our two squads train together today. I felt that by doing so, we'd be able to gauge just how much you've all improved during the week."
Sayuri narrowed her eyes in irritation. Team 8 consisted of one of the more annoying people she knew. Kiba Inuzuka. He was by far and away the loudest, most boisterous person in their class. He was the self-proclaimed rival of Naruto, even though he wasn't nearly as skilled. Great. Today, she'd have to once again listen to Kiba make a complete ass out of himself.
"Team 8 has Hinata on it, right?" Sakura asked before glancing at Kakashi for confirmation, receiving a nod in return. "She's nice, from what I remember."
Looking upon his three genin, Kakashi wondered if Sakura would be able to bring herself to come to blows with her former classmates. She was a kindhearted person by nature, and while she had been excelling and meeting all of his expectations thus far with her training, he still wasn't sure if she was ready for a mission outside of the village. He had similar concerns for Naruto and Sayuri, but for entirely different reasons. This match would be an excellent test.
"I have faith in you all," Kakashi continued. "Do your best, and work together, but there is something very important that you three need to do today,"
The three genin tilted their heads in confusion.
Kakashi smiled, "Win."
They all smirked – Sayuri included. They supposed they could manage that.
They arrived at a location of Team 8's choice. Sayuri was unfamiliar with the particular training ground, and found that the forests were denser in this area. Her eyes narrowed. It was clear that this environment favored Team 8, who could rely on Kiba's sense of smell and Hinata's Byakugan to navigate through the trees and brush.
"You've finally here. Welcome. I'm Kurenai Yūhi," the jonin sensei of Team 8 greeted politely. She was a beautiful woman with a slender build, long untamed black hair, and very unique eyes that were red in color, with an additional ring around the pupil. She also wore red lipstick and purple eye shadow. Unlike Kakashi's standard jonin garb, her attire consisted of a red mesh armor blouse with only a right sleeve.
"Well, well, look who it is," Kiba taunted as soon as Team 7 was within view. "You guys look the same as you did at the Academy."
"It's only been a week since we graduated, moron. You look the same too."
Sayuri's words were effective in riling Kiba up. Rather than getting upset on behalf of her student, Kurenai chuckled a bit. She admired Sayuri's wittiness and undeniable feminine strength. In her opinion, the village needed more young kunoichi to take up the mantle in the next generation.
"If it weren't for the fact that my beef was with whisker-boy over there, I'd gladly kick your ass first," Kiba declared, though his words failed to elicit a reaction from either Naruto or Sayuri – much to his annoyance.
Hinata, who stood to the left of her teammates, couldn't help but roll her eyes at Kiba's nonsense. The Hyūga heiress had always been a mystery to Sayuri during their days in the Academy. In the beginning, she could only be described as harmless – which was fine for a normal lifestyle, but not suitable for a shinobi. Then, however, she experienced a gradual change where she became much more competent.
The last remaining member of Team 8 stood in silence. Unlike most people in their class, Sayuri was well aware that Shino Aburame was not to be taken lightly, and knew that he was nothing like Kiba. He never did anything at the Academy that would attract attention. It was also clear that he had been holding back during spars to conceal his abilities. She couldn't really relate to his cautious nature, but there was one thing of which she was sure. He was strong.
Sayuri then shifted her attention to Naruto, who was currently looking up at the clouds with his hands behind his head. They still had yet to discuss the incident from their little sparring session. The way Naruto had reacted to her Sharingan was so unlike him. Sure, he was an annoying prick, but he never came off as violent or even remotely aggressive. That night she saw hatred burning behind his eyes. Not for her – no – for the eyes of her clan.
"So, Kakashi, what do you think?" Kurenai asked with a raised brow. "Think this is a good place to have a survival exercise between out teams?"
Any sort of daydreaming or conversation screeched to a halt as Kurenai-sensei laid out the terms of engagement. All at once, they narrowed their eyes in determination. It was more than likely that they would be pitted against one another. Kiba looked in Naruto's direction with a vicious grin, but he was completely ignored, which only seemed to fire him up even more.
Kakashi cleared his throat, "Today will be a three-on-three sparring drill," he explained. "The team that manages to disable or defeat the members of the other team wins. Simple, right?"
"But this is merely an exercise between comrades," Kurenai added. "That means no lethal jutsu that could maim or kill your opponents."
Everyone among the two teams of genin could agree to those terms. They had no desire to kill or hurt each other – that was for sure. Hell, even Kiba merely wanted to beat Naruto to prove his strength. He didn't actually hate Naruto or anything like that. It was as Kurenai-sensei said. They were all comrades from the same village. Even if some of them were more annoying than others.
"Kiba," Shino spoke up in his usual monotone voice, loud enough for only Hinata and Kiba to hear.
"Yeah?"
"You and I should work together to defeat Naruto," Shino said as he watched the blonde in question intently.
Kiba's reaction was predictably indignant, whereas Hinata appeared somewhat conflicted.
"What the hell? No way!" Kiba growled. "I've gotten stronger since he and I last fought. Let me fight him!"
Shino shook his head, "Neither you, myself, or Hinata can defeat him alone," he said, clearly realistic about Naruto's abilities. "Why? Because he is the strongest genin from our graduating class."
"But what about Sayuri? She's strong as well. She received the same scores as Naruto," Hinata asked, perhaps in an attempt to deflect some of the focus away from Naruto. It was one thing to fight a group three-on-three, but it was another to gang up on a single person – particularly when it was Naruto. She admired him quite a bit.
"She is a threat as well," Shino conceded. "But my insects warn me that there is something strange about Naruto's chakra."
Kiba crossed his arms and decided to glare at nothing in particular. It was clear that Shino was nervous about the fact that Naruto, for the most part, still remained quite a mystery. Everyone knew that he was really good, but not once had he ever been forced to use anything other than simple taijutsu. With chakra like that, Shino was certain that he had a talent for ninjutsu as well.
"We will isolate him from the rest of his team," Shino planned, talking more than they ever remembered him talking in the past. "Hinata will distract the other two, while Kiba and I dispatch him."
Hinata blinked, "Seems like you have this all figured out," she remarked as she crossed her arms. She wasn't arrogant. She was confident that she could go do well enough against just about anyone, but fighting Sayuri while also having to deal with a second opponent would be a pain.
"Just distract them for as long as you can manage while we take out the most dangerous threat. But don't worry," Shino concluded ominously as the drill was about to begin. "It shouldn't take Kiba and I very long."
"What do you think they're talking about?" Sakura asked, her arms crossed as they watched Team 8.
Naruto appeared relaxed, as usual, "They're probably coming up with a strategy," he deduced. "Let's just hope that it's Kiba that's doing the planning."
Sayuri and Sakura both smirked, internally sharing in his sentiment.
"Begin!" Kakashi and Kurenai both shouted simultaneously, starting the match. They both smiled with pride as their genin vanished into the forest, deciding not to fight each other directly.
"May the better team win," Kurenai said politely.
Kakashi nodded before pulling his book from his weapon pouch, "Yes. The better team will win," he said with thinly veiled confidence.
Kurenai raised her brow, noticing the particular tone of his voice, "And you're certain that team is yours?" she asked.
Kakashi simply nodded his head in confirmation. It was no secret that Team 7 had the most talent overall, with the two best students from their graduating class. Yet, that didn't mean that they would work well together as a team. Kurenai felt that her team meshed together perfectly, and in these dense forests, in her mind, there was no chance Team 7 could evade or defeat her squad.
"I've never known you to be so arrogant, Kakashi," she replied with a smile, not really upset, still viewing this all as a bit of friendly competition.
Kakashi shrugged, "I'm just acknowledging a fact," he said before looking up from his book and off in the distance. "I hope your squad doesn't underestimate mine – for their sakes."
"Sakura's the weakest," Kiba commented as the leaped through the trees. "Hinata! You should take her out first."
Hinata blinked, "Excuse me?"
Kiba rolled his eyes, "When you confront the two chicks of Team 7, you should take out Sakura first."
Hinata was beginning to wonder if her teammates were being a bit overconfident. She wasn't a fan of this plan of theirs, and not just because it involved them ganging up on Naruto. No. She felt that they were completely overlooking the other two members of Team 7 if they actually thought that she could beat them on her own. Sayuri was strong – incredibly strong.
"They don't stand a chance against you, Hinata," Kiba continued. "You're a Hyūga. Once you get in close, it's over."
Before Kiba could speak any further, Shino intervened, "The plan is for Hinata to distract, not engage," he corrected. "It would be unfair for her to fight against two opponents by herself, especially when Sayuri is among them."
As usual, Shino was proving himself to be the most sensible of the bunch. Since they began working together a week ago, Hinata was surprised at how assertive Shino was. Based on her brief interactions with him in the past, she had always assumed he was quiet because he was shy or lacked confidence. That was definitely not the case. He had no problem speaking his mind or taking control when necessary. It was admirable, actually.
"Here," Shino continued, handing Hinata a pouch. "Use these smoke bombs. In the smoke, you'll be the only person able to see because of your Byakugan. Use that to your advantage."
Hinata accepted the pouch, feeling a bit more confident in Shino's plan now. Her job was to simply keep Sayuri and Sakura occupied long enough for Kiba and Shino to defeat Naruto. Though, her heart sank at the thought. The very image of Naruto being forced to fight two opponents on his own was something that she couldn't quite stomach.
"Don't try to defeat them," Shino finished. "Just make sure they do not interfere in our fight with Naruto. We'll assist you when we're finished."
Hinata nodded in understanding. That seemed more manageable...unless, of course, Sayuri showed that she was a whole level above what she had demonstrated at the Academy. After all, just like her clan, the Uchiha had been famous for their ocular prowess. Hinata wasn't sure if Sayuri actually had the Sharingan yet, but if she did, things would probably get rough fast.
Their discussion was soon interrupted when Kiba caught hold of a scent in the distance. Hinata activated her Byakugan, evidenced by the bulging of the veins near her eyes and temples. She was immediately able to see Team 7 up ahead, and from what she could tell, the group seemed to be talking about something. Her brow raised when she saw Sayuri flip Naruto off, clearly offended by something he'd said.
"They're up ahead, in a small clearing," Hinata whispered.
Kiba slammed his fist into his open palm and grinned, "Alright!" he said. "Let's do this!"
Shino spoke before Kiba was given a chance to charge in without a thought, "We'll use this ambush as our opportunity to separate Naruto from the rest of his team."
Team 7 seemed mildly surprised when a smoke bomb landed at their feet. Their initial reaction was to cover their mouths and noses in case it was poison. It was only an assumption, but poison seemed like a tool that Shino would employ. However, they soon remembered the rule against using lethal force and realize that it was likely just smoke being used to hinder their eyesight.
Kiba's nose twitched and he grinned viciously when he identified Naruto's location within the smoke. Without hesitation, he immediately dove into the fray with only a single target in mind. Shino was right at his heels, while Hinata remained perched in a nearby tree. He soon landed directly behind Naruto and elongated in claws in preparation to slash his opponent across the back. However, he hadn't been quiet enough, and Naruto managed to react just in time.
Now only able to rely on his hearing and instinct, Naruto tensed up when he heard a distinct buzzing approaching him from the side. He lunged back, recognizing that the source of the strange sound signaled some severe danger. His instincts were quickly proven to be correct when he finally escape the cloud of smoke, only to see a cloud of insects trailing behind him.
Once the smoke finally cleared, Sayuri frowned when she noticed that Naruto had vanished from sight. She quickly realized that he had been separated from the rest of their team to be picked off. Was this Team 8's strategy? Were they planning on defeat them one by one?
Cursing her inability to sense chakra, she focused her hearing and was able to detect combat in the distance. She signaled to Sakura, and they made to sprint to where she assumed Naruto was, but they were forced to stop when a set of kunai landed in front of them, blocking their path. Sayuri activated her Sharingan and was able to notice more smoke bombs attached to the steel weapons. She muttered a curse when the area was engulfed with smoke once more.
"They left one here to keep us from interfering. Dammit," she cursed under her breath before turning to where she could still feel Sakura. "They're trying to trap us with smoke."
Suddenly, she felt something shifting through the air and pulled Sakura as another volley of kunai nearly hit them, each with another smoke bombs tied to the ring at the end of the handle with shinobi wire. Right as the cloud of smoke had begun to fade once more, another was produced immediately after.
"I hope Naruto's okay," Sakura said with worry, her voice muffled as she covered her mouth with her arm.
"He'll be fine," Sayuri responded, her tone solemn as she remembered their spar. "He won't lose."
They were then forced to dodge another round of kunai and shuriken.
"You. Slippery. Bastard," Kiba growled in between his attacks, annoyed as none of them managed to land. This was how it always was when he fought Naruto.
Meanwhile, the very same swarm of insects that forced Naruto to separate from his teammates in the first place made another appearance. Not willing to test the danger they presented, Naruto abandoned his scrap with Kiba in favor of finding a location in the forest with more favorable conditions. He eventually settled on a small clearing, and decided to make his stand there.
"It's over for you now, you bastard!" Kiba shouted as he and Shino eventually caught up with him.
Naruto observed the situation before smirking, "Oh yeah? So you've finally realized that you can't defeat me alone?"
Predictably, the accusation set Kiba off. Shino was unable to stop the Inuzuka from charging forward, and he cursed the fact that he had to be paired with such an unruly brute. It was clear now that Naruto was going to use Kiba's fragile ego against him. It wasn't all that complex of a strategy considering how easy it was to rile Kiba up, but it still showed Naruto to be rather pragmatic.
As Kiba was mere feet from reaching Naruto's guard, Shino felt his instincts screaming at him to intervene. Naruto was akin to a coiled snake waiting for the opportune moment to strike, and Kiba's hasty advance was providing a lot of openings. Realizing the danger, Shino directed his insects like a conductor, and managed to create a makeshift barrier between Naruto and Kiba before it was too late.
"Calm down, Kiba," he warned. "Why? Because you can't fight Naruto when your mind is clouded by anger. It's how he always defeats you so quickly."
Kiba huffed before nodding his head and clenching his fists. This was good. Now it seemed like Kiba had calmed down a bit and recognized the situation they were in. Frankly, Naruto was stronger than they were, and they couldn't afford to make any mistakes.
The wall of insects flew back to their master and hovered around him defensively as the three genin stared each other down. Naruto's expression was rather relaxed as always – though it was clear that he was actively thinking of ways to defeat them. Despite his individual strength, he was at a severe numbers disadvantage. Shino hoped it would be enough for them to pull out the win.
"Where is your dog, Kiba?" Naruto asked, breaking the silence when he noticed that Kiba's signature puppy was missing.
Kiba glared at what he viewed as a subtle insult, "He's at the vet," he explained. "And you're lucky, because Akamaru and I together would make quick work of you!"
Naruto hummed in apparent contemplation, before smirking and placing his hands in a strange seal that neither Kiba or Shino had ever seen before. Shino's insects vibrated intensely inside of his body, signaling that there was a serious amount of chakra being poured into whatever jutsu Naruto was about to use.
"That's a relief. Between the two of you, Akamaru was always the one I felt threatened by the most," he remarked, causing Kiba to scowl. "Still, two on one seems pretty unfair. Let's even the odds a little bit."
In puffs smoke, two perfect copies of Naruto appeared, both looking as if they were ready for battle. Kiba scoffed, assuming them to be E-Rank illusionary clones, but Shino knew better. He couldn't claim that he actually understood what they were, but if the smirk on Naruto's face was anything to go by, it was very likely that they weren't ordinary clones.
His reservations were proven to be well placed when the two clones charged toward them and began engaging in direct hand-to-hand combat. They both quickly got past their shock and defended themselves as best they could. Kiba fared much better since his main style of attack was close range taijutsu. Shino, however, was a mid to long-range fighter, and was currently out of his element.
"Are these solid clones?!" Kiba asked after backing away from a kick.
"It seems that Naruto has learned a new jutsu," Shino grunted after blocking a punch. He never enjoyed taijutsu.
His eyes then widened behind his sunglasses as he saw that the original Naruto was now gone. Damn, he had focused too much on the clones. He looked over his shoulder and saw the original was right behind him, with his arm cocked back in preparation to deal what would likely be fight-ending strike. Thankfully, Shino was narrowly able to lean back and avoid it by the skin of his teeth.
Swarms of insects then erupted from his sleeves, eliminating one of Naruto's clones and forcing the original to leap back to the edge of the clearing. Relentless in his counter-assault, Shino unleashed yet another wave of insects, which Naruto once again moved back to avoid. All a part of his plan, Shino continued attacking his opponent from all angles, slowly but surely directing him toward the river at the edge of the clearing.
Naruto seemed unaware that he was slowly approaching the water's edge, and it was only at the last moment that he realized the predicament he'd been led into. Unless he was able to swim faster than Shino's bugs could fly, moving back was no longer an option. He also mentally measured the width of the river and confirmed that it was too wide for him to simply jump across.
And yet, despite his apparent disadvantage, Naruto couldn't be any more confident with how things were playing out. Shino thought he was clever, pushing him towards the water. If only he knew that water style ninjutsu was his specialty. He'd never been granted much of an opportunity to utilize them in the Academy, so it was actually somewhat of a trick he had hidden up his sleeve.
He began weaving through a familiar set of hand seals, "Water Style: Water–"
A small splash from behind him interrupted his jutsu, and as he looked over his shoulder he saw a puppy flying toward him with bared teeth. He cursed his stupidity. He should have known that Kiba was lying. As if an Inuzuka would actually go into battle without his signature ninja hound. Naruto honestly hadn't thought that Kiba was smart enough to hide his canine partner to use as an ace in the hole – though, it seemed more like something Shino would come up with.
Akamaru bit into his forearm with a surprising amount of force for an animal his size. It was actually strong enough to penetrate his jacket sleeve and draw blood. It was then that an ominous buzzing reminded him of the insect threat that was still approaching him from the front. They'd played their cards well, he'd have to give them credit.
Seeing that he didn't have many options left, Naruto jumped back and landed into the river with a splash. Predictably, the cloud of insects halted their advance, and in the distance, Shino narrowed his eyes at the surprising move. If only Akamaru weren't still just a puppy. Sure, his small size was what allowed him to flank around without being noticed, but if he were larger, he could have ended the entire fight with his bite.
"Akamaru!" Kiba shouted with concern. Dogs couldn't breathe underwater, after all.
Before he could charge forward, a hand on the shoulder stopped him, "Kiba, wait," he warned. "Something isn't right."
Shino parted his cloud of insects so they could get a better view of what was going on. The surface of the water had calmed, with only slight ripples revealing that someone had just jumped inside mere moments ago.
Suddenly, Akamaru climbed out from the water without so much as a scratch on him. The poor animal took in some much-needed intakes of breath before shaking the water from his fur and sniffing around for his master. It didn't take long for him to find Kiba, who he immediately took the puppy in his arms with a degree of concern that looked foreign with his normally feral features.
'He dove into the water knowing that he'd be able to hold his breath longer than Akamaru,' Shino deduced. He then frowned. The amount of time that Naruto had spent underneath the surface of the water so far demonstrated a level of familiarity with the element. Was water his affinity?
"Kiba, get back."
If Shino had one weakness, it was his love of insects. They weren't just a tool that he used in battle. No. They were a part of him. They quite literally lived inside of his body by way of a symbiotic relationship. With that said, he wasn't willing to sacrifice them in spar just to achieve a hollow victory. Therefore, when a tendril of water suddenly formed out of the lake and threatened to kill his entire swarm, he called them back.
Thankfully, he had reacted quickly enough to get them all away from the impact of the water jutsu. They all receded back into his sleeves – alive and ready to be used again as the battle continued to escalate. Surprisingly, however, it didn't. After the initial water jutsu, there was nothing.
Then, suddenly, his insects began to vibrate inside of him once more. Almost immediately after, Naruto exploded out of the water, propelling himself into the air. Then, it happened again as another Naruto leaped out of the water. And another, and another, and another, until there were dozens upon dozens of copies flying towards them, almost resembling Shino's cloud of insects due to their quantity.
Kiba happened to sum up Shino's thoughts on their situation quite nicely, saying, "Well, shit."
Well, shit, indeed.
Sayuri was beginning to have enough. Whoever was bombarding them with smoke bombs was starting to become more annoying than Naruto on his worst days. Their situation may not seem like that big of a deal, but it actually was a perfect diversionary tactic. She and Sakura couldn't see at all, and if they ever tried to escape the smoke, they would be at risk of being hit with shuriken...which they wouldn't be able to see coming.
"Whoever it is has to be close to running out of smoke bombs, right?" Sakura asked, breathing a bit hard.
Sayuri shook her head, "We can't just wait for them to run out."
Sakura paused, putting her mind to the test as she attempted to come up with a solution. While not nearly as powerful as Sayuri or Naruto, she could still find a way to be useful by putting her big brain to work.
"Alright. We'll both try to escape in opposite directions. That way, they can only target one of us," Sakura proposed. "It'll divide their attention, and at least one of us will be able to go help Naruto. There's only one problem."
"Whoever is targeting us isn't going to make things easy for us," Sayuri concluded on her own, finishing Sakura's thought.
Sakura nodded, "That means they'll engage one of us, and they'll probably pick you since you're the greater threat. If they attack you, my job will be to go to Naruto. I'll leave the situation here for you."
Deciding that the time for waiting was over, they both ran in opposite directions as planned. Sayuri ran in the direction Naruto was, hoping that by doing so, she'd find out what the hell was going on with him. She had expected him to beat his opponents rather quickly, and she was beginning to wonder if he had bitten off more than he could chew. He was a cocky bastard, after all. It wouldn't be difficult to imagine him underestimating his opponents.
Sayuri finally got clear of the smoke, and assumed that the assailant had chosen to prevent Sakura from leaving instead. However, she was proven wrong when she was forced to duck underneath a palm strike that nearly hit her temple. She quickly recognized that it was Hinata Hyūga – who, similar to Sayuri, was the heiress of her clan. The only difference was that Hinata's clan wasn't extinct.
"I'm sorry, Sayuri," Hinata said, her lavender-white eyes narrowed in determination. "But I can't let you pass."
Things began making sense now, "You were the one who was keeping us trapped in the smoke," Sayuri deduced. "With your Byakugan, only you could have targeted us with shuriken despite the lack of visibility."
Her statement didn't prompt any kind of response, and the two girls faced off for several moments without making a move. After a while, Sayuri realized that Hinata had no reason to attack first, since her only job was to keep Sayuri from advancing. Therefore, she reached into her weapon pouch and threw a handful of shuriken toward Hinata, officially making the first move.
Hinata effortlessly weaved out of the way, which didn't come as a surprise to Sayuri. She'd only thrown the shuriken as a diversionary tactic to set up her next move anyway. With impressive speed and dexterity, she leaped into the air and landed at Hinata's back.
"Fire Style," she muttered after forming the tiger seal and allowing the fire chakra to expand in her chest. "Fireball Jutsu."
The large ball of flames scorched the ground below as it headed straight for Hinata. It proved fruitless, however, since Hinata had complete 360-degree vision. She was able to narrowly avoid the jutsu despite its speed and size. Admittedly a bit impressed, Sayuri closed the distance and prepared to gauge Hinata's skills in taijutsu.
As to be expected from a Hyūga, Hinata's hand speed was impeccable. Nevertheless, Sayuri's Sharingan allowed her to avoid the strikes by the skin by just a hair. Hinata was by no means unskilled when it came to taijutsu, but one needed to be fast beyond reason to get passed the eyes of the Uchiha clan.
'So this is the Gentle Fist?' Sayuri thought internally. She could see the chakra concentrated at Hinata's fingertips. 'If even one of those hits me, it'll be bad.'
"Not bad," Sayuri complimented after dodging another strike. "But not enough."
Her Sharingan glowed a crimson red as she kicked up her speed. Before Hinata could even fathom what was going on, Sayuri appeared at her back for the second time in their brief fight. And yet, even though could see the attack coming, her body wasn't fast enough to keep up with her visual prowess. Sayuri landed a chop on the back of Hinata's neck and watched as her former classmate crumpled to the ground.
The Sharingan and Byakugan both shared a similar weakness. While both jutsu made it easier to see attacks coming, the user's body still needed to be fast enough to react in time. In that sense, it could serve as a double-edged sword. Nothing was more frustrating than seeing an attack coming and lacking the ability to do anything about it.
Sayuri took in a deep breath of fresh air. It felt good to finally be out of the smoke, even if it had only lasted for about five minutes. She'd never take the purity of air for granted again.
"Well, time to see what the jackass has gotten himself into."
"Your genin knows the Shadow Clone Jutsu?" Kurenai asked Kakashi in shock as they observed the ending of the survival exercise.
Kakashi inclined his head, "He took to it like a fish to water," he confessed. "It's as if the jutsu were made just for him."
"Indeed," Kurenai mumbled to herself. She had never seen anyone make so many clones.
To think that one of Kakashi's students would be capable of defeating both Kiba and Shino on his own. Shino was the trump card of her team – someone she felt could overcome any genin in the village. However, Naruto made quick work of him. And that wasn't even mentioning the fact that the Uchiha girl was supposed to be equally as skilled. Talk about an oversaturation of talent.
She watched both Team 7 and Team 8, making the long walk back and couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. Not in her students, no...but in herself. It had only been a week since they had been assigned to her, sure; however, a part of her felt that she could have prepared them better for today.
"Your genin came up with a good strategy," Kakashi complimented. "It was the best plan possible considering the situation. Sometimes you just don't win. It's not the end of the world."
Kurenai glared at the ground, "Out there in the real world, defeat means death."
Kakashi looked away from his book for a moment, "Which is why we're here to protect them until they're strong enough to look out for themselves. They'll be fine."
The two jonin then put their conversation on hold when their teams made it within hearing distance. Kakashi watched his team, who were confident and uninjured, and smiled softly to himself.
'They're ready,' he thought.
Naruto couldn't help but walk with a bit more pep in his step than usual as he made his way home. Despite having grown accustomed to defeating his opponents back at the Academy, this was the first time he'd really been allowed to let loose and use his ninjutsu in combat. Fighting against Kiba and Shino showed him that he was clearly on the right path. His training had resulted in him being strong enough to defeat to other members of his graduating class simultaneously.
"Um, Naruto. Are you free to talk?"
The voice was so subdued that he almost didn't notice it among the chatter of other villagers going about their business. He turned over his shoulder and was surprised to see Hinata standing there, looking somewhat nervous. It was a bit strange, seeing as she'd always come off as composed back at the Academy. Was she embarrassed by how her team performed during the exercise?
"Hinata," he replied as a greeting before turning to face her directly. "You need something?"
Finally able to speak with Naruto alone, Hinata was at a frustrating loss for words. Coming up to this moment, she had been so sure that she knew exactly what she was going to say to him. However, the instant she caught up with him, all of her confidence was thrown entirely out of the window. This always happened when she was around him, and even now that she was a genin, she still couldn't hold herself together.
After taking a moment to compose herself, she continued, "I just wanted to say that you and your team did a good job during the training exercise," she complimented. "I hear that you managed to defeat Kiba and Shino."
She could have pretended that she wasn't surprised when she heard the news, but that would have been a lie. Even someone as strong as Naruto shouldn't have been able to defeat two opponents at once. Especially if one of them was Shino. Apparently, he'd somehow managed to use a clone jutsu that allowed him to make solid copies of himself. That was something she could have loved to see with her Byakugan.
"Yeah. Kiba was annoying as usual," Naruto replied. "And Shino was way tougher than I thought. If you had been with them, I probably wouldn't have won."
Initially, Hinata felt her cheeks flush at the praise. Naruto had always been incredibly confident, so for him to openly admit that her involvement could have tipped the scales of battle out of his favor, it meant that he took her seriously as a shinobi. But once she recalled her defeat at the hands of Sayuri, she felt herself overcome with shame once more. How could she ever hope to stand at Naruto's side if she couldn't even be his equal?
The two eventually sat down on one of the many benches that lined the roadside and talked for what Hinata felt was an eternity. With every exchanged word, she felt her discomfort subside more and more. Naruto was far more easygoing than he came off, and talking with him was no sweat. He was incredibly witty, always replying with some kind of clever remark that couldn't help but make her smile. It was fun.
"I always knew that Sayuri was strong," Hinata brought up, changing the topic of conversation. "But when we fought, I felt a clear difference in our strength. It was almost as if the result of our fight was inevitable, no matter how hard I tried."
Naruto's expression grew pensive as he appeared to contemplate her words. She couldn't even begin to guess what he was thinking. Ever since she had first laid eyes on him, Naruto was someone that would be best described as enigmatic. He didn't seem interested in getting to know anyone back at the Academy, so all she could do was observe him from afar, which was how she was able to learn so much about him.
Watching him rise from being an unknown kid to the number one ranked student in class was what inspired her to take her training more seriously. Naruto didn't have a fancy surname that anyone in the village would recognize like she or the other clan heirs in their class did. At face value, he should have never been able to rise above their heirs of all of the Leaf Village's most powerful clans, and yet he did! If he could defy his odds and succeed, then so could she.
"There's always next time," Naruto finally replied, causing Hinata's eyes to widen. "If anything, the real winner of a spar is the one who loses. The winner learns nothing, but the loser learns where they still need to grow. You lose now, so you'll win when it really counts."
Hinata continued to watch on as Naruto smirked, "I mean, you probably don't remember, but I used to get my ass kicked all the time," he confessed, much to her shock. "I almost thought about quitting a couple of times too, but at the end of the day, I was too stubborn."
Wait. Naruto almost gave up on being a shinobi? The very thought alone seemed ludicrous. Naruto took to the shinobi arts like a fish to water, and imagining him working some ordinary job with all of that unbridled potential lying dormant inside him was so alien that it was almost comical. She placed her hand over her mouth to stifle a giggle as she imagined Naruto bagging groceries with a disgruntled scowl on his face.
Naruto gave her an inquisitive side-eyed glance, looking as though he was about to ask what she found to be so funny. In the end, however, he decided against it. He'd said what he said to make her feel better, so he supposed her laughing meant that he had succeeded.
The two continued to talk for a bit before both eventually going their separate ways. As Hinata made her way back to her clan compound, she couldn't help but feel as though her spirit had been uplifted. Deciding to view today's loss as a learning experience, she was now more determined than ever to continue to grow.
And once again, she had only one person to thank.
"Mom's gonna kill me," Sayuri complained to herself as she ran through the streets of Konoha, masked in the darkness of the night.
As she finally made it to the Uchiha District, she skidded to a stop as she felt an eerie feeling creep up her spine. Sayuri looked up at the top of a utility pole where she could swear she just saw someone perched atop, watching her. She continued to stare at it for a few moments before shaking the thought from her mind and continuing on.
However, she soon wished that she had stood in that spot for the remainder of her days, because once she ventured further into the district, she came upon a scene that would be engrained in her mind for the rest of her life. Bodies were littered about, all belonging to people she knew. Many were shinobi, many were civilians, but they were all her clansmen.
Upon viewing the carnage, she did the first thing a child her age would think to do and immediately hightailed it toward her house, where she hoped her parents would be. The possibility of them being dead as well crossed her mind for a single moment, but she crushed it instantly. Her father was the head of the Konoha Military Police, and her brother was a renowned prodigy. If anyone was alive, it was them.
As she ran through the compound, she developed a tunnel vision, blocking out the various bodies littering the streets. She currently felt as if she was navigating through a bad dream, and at any moment she expected to wake up a sweaty mess in her bed. If only reality were so kind.
When she first entered her home, she couldn't help but be unnerved by the almost alien silence. For the entirety of her existence, her family had been her consistent reality, and now, she felt as if she were standing alone in her house for the first time. Could it be possible? Could they really be…?
"NO!" she shouted to herself, interrupting her own thoughts. The sheer volume of her voice startled her, only for it to be swallowed up by the same suffocating silence.
She searched the house high and low, finding nothing through the slow and arduous process. With every room she found empty, her heart sank deeper and deeper into despair. In the end, she found herself standing in front of the only room she hadn't checked – the great room, the largest room in the entire house. As she stood before the double doors, she inhaled a deep breath and closed her eyes as she slowly pushed them open.
Upon doing so, Sayuri was greeted with a sight beyond even her worst nightmares. She wasn't quite sure what she had expected, but deep down, she knew what she was walking into. Nevertheless, seeing her parents sprawled atop one another on the floor in a bloody heap was worse than anything she could have imagined. She opened her mouth to scream, but no sound came out.
"M-Mother...Father."
They were clearly dead, but a voice inside of her head was chanting over and over that this couldn't be happening. She made to approach them but stopped when she noticed movement in the shadows at the back of the room. Whoever was back there did this, that much was obvious.
However, imagine her surprise when she saw brother emerge from the shadows. At first, she was relieved to know that he was alive, but then she took note of his appearance and demeanor. He was wearing his Anbu armor, and his facial expression revealed nothing. Her brother had always been a stoic person; however, the look on his face didn't belong to a person who just saw their parent's dead bodies.
"Itachi," she asked. "What's going on? Who did this?"
Her answer was a shuriken whizzing by her left shoulder, slicing her arm and embedding in the doors behind her. She was too shocked to speak, gripped the bleeding wound, and winced. It was a momentary distraction from the recent devastating developments, but her attention was grabbed tightly once more when she remembered that she wasn't alone in the room.
"You were always foolish...little sister."
Crimson Sharingan eyes gleamed in the darkness, and she was too inexperienced to look away. Suddenly, they switched to a different pattern, and she felt herself transported into what felt like another world.
Her eyes opened, and she immediately noticed that she was in a completely different plane of existence. The sky was blood-red, and everything around her appeared in colors of black and white. She looked down at her arms and noticed that she, too, was effected by the color change.
Sayuri was unable to move her body, and as she stood in place, she was forced to watch the members of her clan being slaughtered around her. No matter how much she screamed or shouted, it changed nothing, and she could only watch in frozen horror as everything she loved was taken away before her very eyes.
"Stop it, Itachi!" Sayuri shouted with tears in her eyes. "Stop showing me this!"
Sayuri was given no time to grieve as she was brought back to her home, where she now saw Itachi looming behind her parents with his sword raised. She was too exhausted to scream anymore.
"Please...Itachi," Sayuri begged with tears streaming down her face. "Father and mother."
Her eyes glazed over in misery as she watched the sword cleave into her parent's flesh.
"You failure."
With a shock, Sayuri looked up toward her father and saw that his corpse had raised its head to look at her. With every word he spoke, blood leaked out of his mouth and onto her mother's chest. His face was twisted in a scowl that made her want to puke her guts out. Sayuri could would have never imagined her father looking at her this way.
"You could never make me proud," he continued, breaking her heart. "Now our clan is left with only you. Pathetic..."
She could find no words to describe her misery, and merely watched on in shock as her father's corpse continued to issue out insult after insult, lamenting how pathetic, weak, and disappointing she was. It took a toll on her mental state, and she was praying that the torture would end.
When it did, Sayuri collapsed face-first into the ground. Her mind was a mess, and her body was sore and groggy as if she had just undergone the most physically taxing training of her entire life. Itachi looked down at her impassively, though from what she could tell, there was a twinkle of disgust hidden within his eyes.
"Why...Itachi…?" she asked. "Why would you do this?"
Itachi remained quiet for a while before responding, "To test the limits...of my ability."
The response shocked Sayuri almost as much as the bizarre torture she had just experience had. It wasn't that she expected some sort of rational excuse for her brother's actions, but now she was beginning to realize one simple fact. Her brother was insane.
"You murdered every single member of our clan, to test your ability?" Sayuri asked, her voice having calmed down considerably due to rage. She then rose from the ground and sprinted toward him, prepared to attack.
"YOU'RE OUT OF YOUR MIND!" she yelled.
Her admittedly gutsy attack was stopped instantly by a hard fist to her gut. The wind was knocked out of her, and she collapsed back to the ground. Feeling her brother looming above her, as if she were an insect, she realized the difference between their power.
"I-I don't want to die," she stammered, unintentionally voicing her thoughts.
Sayuri found her legs again, but this time, she ran in the other direction. She burst through the double doors and immediately exited her childhood home, symbolically leaving it behind. Her adrenaline took over, and she hardly remembered anything she was doing as she ran through the district with no particular destination in mind.
Her escape was stopped, however, when she turned a corner and found Itachi standing, waiting for her. It further reinforced just how hopeless her situation was. Itachi was so much stronger than her, or anyone she had ever met for that matter.
"Please don't kill me," she begged, her desire for survival overpowering her need for justice or revenge.
Itachi looked toward her, his expression still not having changed at all since she found him standing over her parent's bodies. He was far more terrifying than any monster she had ever heard of. His face and demeanor revealed nothing, and she could only be left to imagine what was going through his sick mind.
"You aren't even worth killing," Itachi stated, almost dismissively. "Foolish little sister, if you wish to kill me, then hate me, detest me, curse me. Continue to survive. Even if it means living in such an unsightly manner as this. Run away. Cling to your wretched life. Then, one day, when you possess the same eyes that I do, come before me."
His strange-looking Sharingan then flared to life once more, and Sayuri collapsed to the ground.
Sayuri awoke with a start. She was practically hyperventilating as he eyes frightfully darted around his room like a frightened animal. Once she realized where she was and that she was safe, she placed her face in her hands and released a slow and shaky breath. That nightmare was actually pretty frequent, and in a way, she was grateful for that. It served as a constant reminder of what she needed to do, and why.
Regardless, she gripped her sheets in anger all the same. Itachi had been living rent-free in her head for some time now. Sayuri imagined it was what he wanted. The idea that even to this day, she couldn't erase his face from her mind was probably something that would bring a sick smile to his face. He was the devil, after all. He loved making her suffer.
Sayuri shook her head to purge the memories from her head. She was still trembling, and her body was dripping with sweat, but despite herself, she couldn't help but grin. It wasn't a happy smile. In fact, it was a lot like Naruto's. She was pleased to finally be experiencing meaning progress. She had the Sharingan now. She was one step closer to putting Itachi in the ground once and for all.
And when that day arrived, she could finally sleep.
~End~
Here's to another upload. If the quality of the writing seemed lower at some points in this chapter it's probably because I wrote certain sections a while ago. Some of these scenes were actually from a story I was writing a couple of years ago, and I repurposed them for this story.
Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and are excited for the next. I'm actually really proud of Chapter 3. I feel like it's one of the best chapters I've ever written. The only time I felt as pleased about the quality of a chapter was when I wrote Chapter 2 of "Naruto: The Second Coming" so look forward to that.