Under the blaze of the summer sun, Kakashi observed his student with a sense of pride and accomplishment while Sakura walked on towards the bustling street. It was the evening before the Chunin Exam finals, so a lot of shinobi who had taken the following day off to watch the matches were milling about the Village, packing into restaurants and swarming bars since they didn't have to work the next morning.
They were also mobbing all of the training grounds, so Kakashi decided to turn in early and headed into his apartment building. He ambled up the stairs, mind on what he might cook for dinner, so the jonin was startled to raise his head and find someone leaning on the wall outside of his apartment.
Kakashi's eye widened and he couldn't quite keep the alarm from his voice as he asked, "S-Sasuke?"
The thirteen-year old Uchiha, wearing a black one-piece outfit and a mass of athletic bandages over his left arm, regarded him coolly.
"Kakashi." The boy stood up from the wall, casually acknowledging the jonin as if he hadn't been missing for the past month. As if ANBU hadn't scoured the Village searching for him just to find merely a handful of shop owners who thought they saw a couple of boys matching Sasuke and his future self's descriptions.
Konoha's higher-ups had been greatly upset by the Uchiha's disappearance since there was evidence Orochimaru snuck into the Chunin Exam with Sasuke potentially being his target. However, the Snake Sannin had disappeared in the Forest of Death, and despite Anko's efforts to locate him, the missing-nin had yet to be found. That was why Kakashi thought it more likely the older Uchiha left the Village and took his younger self with him—voluntary or not.
Yet Kakashi didn't reveal any of these thoughts as he stuck his hands in his pockets and said, "Ah, so you are alive." He stepped up to the door and pulled out his key, noticing Sasuke didn't tense while he passed him. "I guess your cousin must be alright too, huh?"
Sasuke frowned. "He is, but he left to do something." His voice was even and measured, the boy clearly refraining from saying more.
Kakashi didn't question his tight-lipped attitude as he pulled open the door and entered his apartment. He went up to his living room window, pushed apart the blue curtains to allow sunlight inside and turned back to Sasuke who hovered behind the doorway. "You can come in."
The Uchiha didn't move. Rather, his brow furrowed and a far away look entered his eyes.
Kakashi frowned, concern pricking his chest, and he was about to speak when Sasuke began. "You said..." His gaze fell to the floor before jumping back up as something dark flickered across his irises. "You said I could come to you if he ever made me uncomfortable..."
For two seconds, Kakashi didn't know what the boy was talking about, but then he recalled the last time Sasuke had been at his apartment when his future self first arrived.
"Oh." Kakashi nodded slowly, stunned the Uchiha was actually taking up his offer. "I did," he said as Sasuke walked in and took a seat on the sofa.
The jonin sat down on the other side of the couch, granting the teen as much space as possible while looking over the Uchiha from the corner of his eye. The boy had gotten taller, his front bangs hanging a bit longer over his face, and he didn't seem injured until the man noticed the tiny gap between the bandages coating his left arm revealed pink, blistered skin. The injury was familiar, too familiar. Had Sasuke's future self actually taught him that jutsu?
The thirteen-year old shifted and Kakashi snapped out of his thoughts, realizing the silence had gone on for too long. "So," he drawled. "There's something up between you and your future self?"
The Uchiha's face darkened, and his mouth opened like he was going to yell, but then his teeth clacked shut and he turned towards the window. After a few seconds, he hissed. "Why does he treat me like..."
Kakashi waited for Sasuke to face him, his eyes burning with frustration. "Like he hates me?"
The Hatake's brow rose. "Hates you?"
"He's always putting me down." Sasuke snapped. "And I know he's doing it on purpose because he always brings up specific things only we know about." His hands curled into fists on his lap. "He treats me like I'm not even worthy of being in his presence."
The jonin struggled not to blurt that arrogance wasn't exactly a trait only belonging to the older Uchiha.
"He says I'm pathetic." Kakashi was taken aback by the vehemence in the teen's voice as he spat. "That I'm weak."
Sasuke glowered. "But I don't understand why when he knows how hard I've trained all these years!" His voice dropped to a growl. "And even though we both know I'm at a higher level than he was at this age, he still acts like I'm not good enough." Almost to himself, he whispered. "I just don't get it." He glared at the floor.
Kakashi waited, making sure the Uchiha was done, and then he sighed. Sasuke looked up to see the man's eye curving down with sympathy as he said, "I think I get it."
The Uchiha perked up. "You do?"
The jonin nodded. "I can't say for sure, but based on what I know about you, what I've seen of your future self, and what you've just told me, I can conclude," his face turned grim, "Your future self does hate you."
Sasuke winced while Kakashi hummed. "But he also doesn't hate you."
"What?" Sasuke's face scrunched with confusion.
"It's not really you-you he hates." Kakashi stared thoughtfully at the ceiling before turning to the genin.
"Think about it." His eye narrowed seriously. "Your future self is currently living in a time period he perceives as the past, but what you perceive as the present, which means he isn't viewing the world the same way you are."
Sasuke nodded slowly, uncertain where this was going as Kakashi said, "For example, consider how your older self treats Naruto versus how you do."
Sasuke stiffened, recalling the very different interactions he and the older Uchiha had been having with the blond.
"Why isn't your future self getting into arguments with Naruto like you do?"
The Uchiha's forehead wrinkled under his headband, expression uncertain. "Because my future self...views Naruto...as a kid?" He guessed, recalling how the older Uchiha always treated Naruto like he was a rambunctious puppy. "Since Naruto is so much younger than him?"
"Yes," Kakashi inclined his head. "Though it's not just the fact he's older, but he's had different experiences with Naruto that you haven't yet, and those experiences are influencing how he sees Naruto." He grimaced. "Similarly, when he looks at you he's taking into account the actions he, or more accurately, you took in the future and judging you based on them."
Sasuke glowered. "So he's judging me on things I haven't even done yet?"
The jonin's gaze softened. "Yes, and it's not fair for him to do that, but this isn't just the past to him, Sasuke. This is hispast and your his past self, so when he sees you I don't think he's viewing you as an individual outside of himself so much as..." He seemed to think hard for a second before saying, "A mirror."
The Uchiha straightened up in surprise. Yet, it made sense. His older self tended to talk about Sasuke and himself without making much of a distinction between them.
"I am you."
Sasuke inwardly flinched at the recollection, but kept his tone mild while he asked, "So I'm not a person in his eyes?"
Kakashi nodded. "That's what I meant about him not hating you-you. He can't hate you when he doesn't view you as another person."
The thirteen-year old scowled. "But if he doesn't consider me another person, why does he always say that stuff to me?"
Kakashi's eye suddenly filled with such deep sadness Sasuke felt the wind rush from his lungs while the man sighed. "Don't you get it?" Pity leaked into the jonin's tone as he said, "Your future self hates you, he hates Uchiha Sasuke." The dark-haired boy's eyes widened. "But he is Uchiha Sasuke, which means—"
"He hates himself." The words fell from Sasuke's lips like lead, a numbness spreading across his body like an earthquake fracturing his skin while Kakashi stared at him with sympathy.
"But...why?" Sasuke exhaled, eyes falling to the floor.
Kakashi heaved a heavy sigh and ruffled the back of his hair. "Well, everyone has regrets, Sasuke." His eye gained a distant look. "Things we wish we hadn't said or done. I mean, if I could meet my younger self..." He huffed what was probably meant to be a laugh, but was too sorrowful to be one. "I'd probably punch that brat."
Sasuke froze.
"Give me one reason not to punch you."
The thirteen-year slowly got to his feet. "I have to go," he said tonelessly, a lump in his throat making it hard to breathe as he started towards the door. "I haven't completed my training."
The Uchiha's hand was on the doorknob when Kakashi said, "Wait."
The teen tentively looked back to see the jonin holding a rectangular box covered in blue wrapping paper with a silver bow on top. "Your birthday was last week, right?"
Sasuke's eyes widened as the man strode over and handed him the gift. "We got this for you."
"We?" Sasuke stared blankly at the tall box, unable to comprehend its existence because he hadn't celebrated his birthday since he was seven, and though the girls at school always showered him in boxes of chocolates and other useless junk on his birthday, he assumed since he was no longer attending the Academy no one would give him a gift this year.
"Don't worry." Kakashi chuckled slightly. "Naruto only contributed money, but it was Sakura and I who picked it." He opened the door and held it open since Sasuke's hands were full. "We weren't sure when you'd be home, so I've been holding on to it for you."
Sasuke walked out of the apartment, head bowing as he entered the corridor. He took one step away from the door, then another, but with every subsequent step he crossed less and less distance until finally he stopped in the middle of the hall.
The Uchiha looked back, fighting to keep his expression neutral as he said, "Thank you, Kakashi."
He meant it, truly Sasuke did because the man was chronically late and a shameless porn reader, but the jonin had truly done his best to train him and the rest of Team 7. However, he doubted Kakashi would survive the Village's destruction tomorrow.
The jonin smiled with his eye and nodded, oblivious to the fate awaiting him as Sasuke turned and walked away.
The seventeen-year old Uchiha scanned the streets for Naruto. Since the Uzumaki hadn't been at his apartment or his favorite ramen stand, Sasuke was hoping to spot him somewhere on the road, so searched over people's heads for a glimpse of an orange jumpsuit. Therefore, he didn't notice the girl walking pass him until her elbow brushed against his arm.
Sasuke was going to ignore the accidental touch, but the girl squeaked. "S-sorry, Uchiha-san!"
The teen stopped and looked down to see Hinata staring fretfully at him. "I s-should have been more careful—"
He tuned out her apology, recalling how this girl always seemed to have her eyes on Naruto during their Academy days. Maybe she knew where he was.
"Have you seen Naruto?"
Hinata jumped at the interruption, but quickly calmed and stuttered. "Um, well, no." Sasuke looked away. "But during my checkup at the hospital I overheard some nurses mention Naruto had been admitted for chakra exhaustion." Her cheeks reddened. "He...he must have been training very hard."
"Hn." Sasuke acknowledged and Hinata started as he shunshined to the roof of Konoha hospital.
The Uchiha wasted no time sprinting down the side of the building and running across it, glancing into each window he passed until he spotted spiky blond hair against white hospital sheets. He stopped, slid open the window and ducked inside. Yet as his legs stretched towards the floor, his body stiffened.
Sasuke's heart clenched as he landed roughly on his feet, his limbs frozen and sharingan flaring to life while his mind spun through the list of people who could have laid a trap for him in Naruto's hospital room. However, there was a quiet gasp and suddenly his muscles relaxed as a shadow on the ground withdrew from him.
"Sorry," Shikamaru said from Naruto's bedside, pulling his hands apart from the rat seal. "I didn't know it was you." He raised a brow. "Who enters the hospital through a window?"
Sasuke didn't answer as he went up to Naruto, his sharingan fading as he examined the blond. The boy was a little pale, but his expression was serene and breathing even. It appeared Naruto really was just sleeping off a case of chakra exhaustion.
"Does anyone know when he'll wake up?" Sasuke asked.
Shikamaru frowned. "No, but he's been out for three days and three nights, so he should be up soon." His expression turned wary. "Why? Is your cousin worried about him?"
The Uchiha's eyes narrowed at the boy's sharp tone. Had Shikamaru figured out he lied about his relationship with his younger self?
It didn't really matter if the Nara had since he posed little threat, so the teen said, "No, but Sasuke wants to talk to Naruto."
It wasn't a lie, considering he was Sasuke, and Shikamaru must have heard the honesty in his voice because he nodded. "Oh, well, I'll let Naruto know when he wakes up."
Sasuke crossed his arms. "There's no need. I can wait."
A guarded look flashed over Shikamaru's face, but it was gone in a second as the boy sat down on a stool. "If that's what you want." He leaned his head against his hand. "But it might be a drag to wait."
The Nara had a point. However, while Sasuke was considering leaving something dark flickered in the corner of his eye. He turned left and froze.
A crow was perched in the window, its eyes running over him before it threw open its beak and released a piercing caw. Shikamaru looked up, startled, yet Sasuke didn't hear the boy's question because the dark-feathered bird had red eyes. Could it be...?
The bird took off, and in a daze, Sasuke slipped out the window after it. He stood on the building's side, heart pounding when he couldn't find the bird in the sky, but then a caw resounded from the distance and he tracked the sound to the crow on a tree at the edge of a forest.
Sasuke sprung off the building and landed on the wall enclosing the hospital, quickly leaping onto the tree beside the crow right as the bird took flight and glided deeper into the woods. The teen hardly breathed as he hopped from branch to branch after the summon, a voice in the back of his head swearing this must be a trick while his heart bellowed he was here.
The crow dove and skimmed over the forest floor as it flew out into a clearing ahead. Sasuke jumped to the ground and walked after it, squinting against the orange sunlight peeking between the trees while he stepped out of the forest and found himself on a grassy hilltop.
Sasuke gasped at seeing the dark-haired figure garbed in an Akatsuki cloak sitting on a log at the hill's edge.
"Nii-san?" Sasuke couldn't even tell he'd spoken until the figure twitched and slowly turned around.
Raven eyes identical to Sasuke's own gazed at him and the whole world seemed to tremble as Itachi asked, "Sasuke?" His eyes widened slightly while he took in Sasuke's appearance, no doubt surprised to see his little brother so grown.
"Nii-san..." Sasuke exhaled, taking one shaky step forward before he burst into a run while Itachi stood up.
"Nii-san!" Sasuke didn't slow down as he came into reach of his brother, his hand rising to pull Itachi close and feel skin that wasn't waxy or cold and a heart that still beat, but as his hands grasped the fringes of Itachi's cloak, two fingers poked his forehead.
Sasuke stumbled back, eyes closing as he winced. "Forgive me, Sasuke." His eyes popped open to see Itachi smiling gently. "Another time, okay?"
"Forgive me, Sasuke..." Blood stained Itachi's mouth as his lips curved into a gentle smile. "This is it."
Itachi exploded into a flock of crows, shocking Sasuke from the memory while the screeching black birds fluttered around him before soaring high into the golden sky. The teen watched them leave, eyes large and chest heaving. A crow clone... Itachi had been a crow clone.
Sasuke might have gotten angry if the realization hadn't left him feeling so empty. However, as his eyes fell back down he saw a folded piece of paper lying on the log. Immediately he grabbed it, his dōjutsu activating when he saw the letter had been written so only a sharingan user could read it and desperately he drank in the message.
I don't have many answers for you. Since the seal is highly-complex, it will take some time to entirely decipher it. All I can tell you is my suspicion, which is that the scroll's time-space jutsu is based on two Uchiha kinjutsu called Izanami and Izanagi.
Sasuke's brow furrowed. Izanagi? And Izanami? The latter jutsu was particularly odd, considering Itachi had used Izanami on Kabuto mere minutes before Sasuke was transported to the future. Was that a coincidence...or were the two events related?
Doubting he could figure it out on his own, Sasuke looked back at the letter and continued to read.
You can find books about Izanami and Izanagi in the Uchiha district library, but if you don't have time to read about them, I will just tell you this. They are both very powerful justu, which require a considerable sacrifice to activate. If I am correct and the scroll's jutsu is based on them, I can only assume activating the scroll also requires a considerable price, even if the toll hasn't become apparent yet.
Be careful and stay safe.
Sasuke stared at the paper, memorizing every slant and curve of the ink. It was Itachi's handwriting—Nii-san had written him back.
Equal parts of joy and sadness bloomed in Sasuke's heart as he fell to his knees in the grass and clenched the paper tight because Itachi was alive! And yes, Sasuke had known Itachi was somewhere out there alive and breathing, but this letter was the first physical evidence he had that his brother truly lived.
The teen's eyes stung and he grit his teeth to hold in a wail that was stirring in his chest like a fire jutsu ready to be unleashed. Sasuke longed to see Itachi again, but this wasn't the time. Their enemies and this cursed Village were still standing, and Sasuke couldn't happily reunite with his brother knowing threats like Danzō remained.
The Uchiha stood up and gazed across the hill to the giant Village walls in the distance. Somewhere out there Itachi was receiving memories of their encounter from his crow clone, and he could only imagine his brother's reaction to them. Was Itachi glad to see him? Or did it make Itachi's heart ache, seeing Sasuke and knowing he couldn't be with his little brother?
Sasuke slowly raised two fingers to touch his forehead where Itachi had poked him and closed his eyes, savoring the memory.
Don't worry, Nii-san. "Another time" is sooner than you think.
Sasuke remained on the hilltop until the sky grew dark and the chill of the night drove him to leave.
Naruto walked through the empty street, gaze on the ground and shadows cast by the flickering streetlight emphasizing the downward tilt to his mouth.
He was fighting Neji tomorrow. The top of his class guy who had brutally beaten Hinata. With the Hyuga girl's blood still fresh on the arena floor, it had been easy to throw out bold words towards Neji. However, now that their match was a mere fourteen hours away it was starting to sink in just how powerful Naruto's opponent was, and he couldn't help imagining his chakra points being struck in a flurry of jabs until he was coughing up blood while Neji's pale eyes stared him down—
"Naruto."
The blond jumped, head whipping up to see the future Sasuke standing in a gloomy side street.
"Uchiha-san?" Naruto asked in surprise while the older boy came over, his black eyes narrowing as he took in Naruto's appearance.
The Uzumaki hastily straightened up and forced a grin. "You're back!" His smile became a little more genuine. "Everyone thought something bad happened to you and the teme, but I knew you guys were okay!" He glanced around the teen and his smile fell when he didn't see his teammate.
"Huh, where's Sasuke?" Naruto cocked his head. "Shikamaru said he wanted to talk to me."
"Actually." Naruto looked up at the teen. "I'm the one who wanted to talk to you."
"Oh." The Uzumaki frowned, but quickly recovered. "So what did you want to talk about?"
The teen inclined his head towards the road. "I'll explain on the way to your place."
Naruto nodded and started walking beside the older boy. Though his face fell the longer they walked in the silence, mind drifting back to the memory of Neji's cruel smirk.
"I need your help."
The blond stopped so suddenly his arms pinwheeled to keep him from falling. "Huh!?" He regained balance and swiveled around to see the teen's serious expression.
"Specifically, my younger self needs your help."
Naruto's eyes widened, stunned any version of Sasuke would ask for his help.
The teen's lips tugged up slightly and he set his hand on his side. "What's with that face?"
Naruto looked away embarrasedly and scratched his head. "Ah, um, it's just you've never asked me for help before."
The teen hummed in understanding. "Normally, I wouldn't, but considering I could die tomorrow—"
"Die!?" Naruto's head shot up, horror twisting his features while his shout rang into the night sky.
"Yes," the teen said far too calmly. "Die."
Naruto's heart clenched, the memory of Sasuke unmoving on the ground with senbon piercing him all over flashing across his head.
"I don't know... My body moved...on its own."
"That's why I need your help." The teen glanced at the nearby rooftops and scanned the street before facing him. "Let's keep moving, it's not safe to linger."
Naruto was going to demand answers, but noticed the puffiness around the older boy's eyes as if the teen was exhausted or had cried recently. The blond's mouth shut, and he forced it to stay close until the teen explained why he needed his help.
The Uzumaki's legs trembled as they reached his apartment door, and he gulped before asking, "Is that why you and Sasuke disappeared? Because it wasn't safe?"
The teen nodded, but seeing Naruto's overwhelmed expression, asked, "Are you still up for it?"
Naruto frowned at the floor, but soon his teeth clenched and he raised his fists in front of his chest with a determined expression. "Of course! I'm not letting you and Sasuke die!" Suddenly his arms dropped and his face fell. "But..."
The Uchiha angled his head. "What?"
Naruto looked up, blue eyes somber. "Why do you want my help? Wouldn't Kakashi or Jiji be better?"
The teen shook his head. "Telling the Hokage is too risky, and as for Kakashi..." His eyes narrowed. "I trust you more."
Before Naruto could question him again, the Uchiha's lips eased into a gentle smirk. "After all, you are my best friend."
Naruto gasped, eyes doubling in size.
Best...friend... He was Sasuke's best friend? They were friends!?
Naruto didn't dare breathe, terrified the slightest movement would make the Uchiha realize what he'd said and take back his words.
Yet the teen's expression didn't change, so in a fragile whisper, Naruto asked, "I'm your...best friend?"
The Uchiha's eyes were warm as he nodded. "Of course." His smirk faded into a neutral expression. "I know we didn't always get along when we were younger, but now and in the future," his eyes peered earnestly into the blond's, "You are my best friend."
Naruto felt like he'd been struck, and could only nod as the Uchiha gave him a farewell before leaping up onto the apartment roof. The genin watched him leave while his shock steadily bloomed into joy. He was Sasuke's friend. His bestfriend.
A borderline hysterical giggle spilled from Naruto's lips as he entered his home because he was friends with Sasuke!
Grinning wide, Naruto fell back onto his bed. However, his expression dimmed as he recalled Shikamaru's words.
"He has the same eyes."
Naruto had been leaving Konoha Hospital when Shikamaru followed him into the lobby and he'd turned back, face scrunched with confusion. "What?"
"Sasuke's cousin," the Nara said grimly. "He has the same eyes as Gaara."
Shikamaru looked serious while he warned. "Don't trust him, Naruto."
The Uzumaki frowned as he stared at his bedroom ceiling. Where had that come from? Shikamaru barely knew Sasuke's future self, so why was he so distrustful of him?
A surge of indignation swelled in Naruto's chest and he scowled. So maybe Uchiha-san wasn't the nicest and could be kinda scary—like that time he almost killed Kabuto—but in the end, he was still Sasuke, his friend.
Naruto's eyes narrowed. He wouldn't let anybody get between him and his friends, not Shikamaru or that evil councilman.
Sasuke was in the living room staring at the open gift box on the low table when his future self walked in. The older boy paused in the doorway, noticing all the lights were off, and Sasuke tonelessly said, "They got me a chokutō." His eyes were riveted on the blade in the box, near identical to his future self's sword except it was slightly shorter to better fit Sasuke's reach.
"For my birthday," he added, staring dully at the weapon gleaming under the moonlight that streamed in through the open shoji door. The blade looked new, expensive, and was undoubtedly the most thoughtful birthday gift Sasuke had received in the past five years. Yet looking at it felt like plunging a kunai into his chest, carving out his insides and leaving him hollow.
The teen came beside him and stared at the chokutō. After a beat, he hummed. "If all goes well tomorrow, I'll teach you how to use it."
Sasuke flinched, hands gripping his bandaged arms. He would throw up if he opened his mouth, so silently he dragged the top over the box and shoved it under the table while the teen stepped out onto the engawa.
The thirteen-year old was standing up when his older self said, "I know what your dream is."
Sasuke stilled. Then he turned and frowned. "What?"
The older teen looked over his shoulder, moonlight splashing across half his face while the rest of his body was shrouded by shadows. "To have a peaceful future hanging out with comrades."
Sasuke gasped, having never voiced his dream out loud.
"That's what you want." The older Uchiha closed his eyes. "But we both know that's not the type of future I come from." He opened them and his voice held a muted sadness as he said, "I'm a missing-nin, your comrades are my enemies."
Sasuke looked away, having figured that was the case, and the other Uchiha's eyes narrowed. "Kakashi didn't even hesitate to try to kill me."
His head snapped up, eyes wide, but his future self looked genuinely upset, so Kakashi really had—
"So much for not abandoning your comrades, right?" His older self scoffed before his expression went blank. "Even Sakura tried to put a kunai in my back."
Sasuke gaped. Sakura? His pink-haired teammate who always greeted him with a shy smile and had never dared to so much as raise his voice at him would one day attempt to murder him...
"My brother is dead."
Sasuke's eyes widened while the teen's voice turned into a coarse whisper. "I'm the only real Uchiha left." He turned to the night sky, the moon full above them. "And then there's the Fourth Shinobi War... For all I know, Naruto, Sakura and all the others have already been killed in battle."
Bile crawled up Sasuke's throat while he imagined his teammates strewn about a desolate battlefield, bodies crusted in dirt and eyes staring sightlessly at the sky.
"The man conducting the war wants to use the moon to reflect an infinite genjutsu onto all of humanity." Sasuke inhaled sharply while the other boy bowed his head. "Even I might not be able to escape a genjutsu that powerful."
His future self turned, gaze steely as he stepped towards Sasuke. "But I'm going to prevent that war and fix my past mistakes." He stopped and bent down to look Sasuke in the eyes. "Because my dream doesn't exist in that loathsome future."
Sasuke was frozen as the older teen smirked. "My dream is in the past... That's the only place it exists." Something fragile trembled and cracked in his dark orbs as he hissed. "Tomorrow is our last chance to fix everything." His face hardened. "Don't ruin it."
For a second, Sasuke was speechless, but gradually a scowl formed on his face. "I'm not you," he spat, and his future self pulled away, shocked.
Sasuke turned aside. "But I'll do what's necessary to avenge the clan."
He brushed past the other teen, going onto the engawa and walking around his house until he ended up at the downstairs bathroom.
Sasuke closed the door behind him, scowl melting into a rattled expression as he raised his trembling hands to turn on the sink. He splashed the freezing water onto his face and imagined his head dunking under the surface of a lake, the world muffled by the cool liquid and vision dimming while he sunk into its dark depths.
"If it's for the purpose of killing you, I will rush headfirst into whatever darkness may lie ahead!"
Sasuke gasped and accidentally inhaled the water he was splashing on his face. He sputtered and coughed into the sink, reaching blindly for the towel folded on the marble counter. He wiped his face with it, breathing regulating as he opened his eyes.
His future self stared back at him.
Sasuke's breath hitched and he gripped the counter tightly, teeth clenching as his eyes squeezed shut. "I'm not you," he hissed.
"Are you sure?" His reflection in the mirror asked with a smirk.
Sasuke glared. "I'm not you!" He repeated, and his reflection glared back, expression saying he didn't believe him, which was fine.
He didn't really believe himself either.
Sasuke watched the younger Uchiha as they walked down the concrete path, the stadium coming into view ahead. The boy was glowering at the ground, and though that was his usual expression, he seemed moodier than usual. He could guess why, and it annoyed him to see his younger self so reluctant to do what was necessary. Had Sasuke truly been so weak back then?
They passed the guards at the stadium entrance and were heading into the corridor when a voice called. "Sasuke-kun! Uchiha-san!"
They turned to see Sakura rushing up the steps after them and his younger self gaped as she stopped before them.
"S-Sakura?" The younger Uchiha's gaze was on the girl's hair, which hung just above her shoulders, and though her outfit was unchanged, Sasuke noticed an extra pouch clipped to her hip.
Sakura beamed, eyes bright with relief. "I knew you would come back!"
Gradually the boy's shock faded and he crossed his arms, scowling. "Of course."
Sakura smiled, used to his attitude. "And how did your training go?" Stars sparkled in her eyes. "I bet you learned all sorts of cool jutsu!" Before he could respond, she suddenly gasped. "Oh, I almost forgot!"
Her cheeks reddened as she asked, "Once the matches are over, do you want to grab some dinner?" His younger self stiffened, but the girl went on. "I invited Naruto too, and he promised to be on his best behavior even if he loses his match with you—"
"No," the younger Uchiha said, and Sakura blinked in surprise as the boy spun on his heel and marched into the stadium hall.
Sakura watched him, hurt spreading over her face.
"It's not your fault." She turned to Sasuke who sighed. "He's been tense all morning."
"Oh." Sakura bit her lip. "I didn't think... But he is going up against that guy..." She raised her face hopefully. "You trained him well, right?"
"No one could have trained him better." Sasuke smirked. "Besides, I got a feeling everything will go perfectly today."
Sakura nodded, looking reassured as she left to join the others in the arena while Sasuke went up the staircase leading to the competitors waiting room. He stopped in a shady area and gazed across the arena towards the stands where he could barely make out the Hokage and "Kazekage".
Sasuke watched them for a while and didn't look away even as his past self came up the stairs and stopped beside him.
"Keep it together," he hissed, and his younger self was taken aback a moment, but soon scowled.
Yet Sasuke turned to him and glared. "Don't forget the plan."
The thirteen-year old shrunk at the reminder, face falling as he recalled what happened a month ago.
.
Sasuke's future self knocked on the apartment door. The preteen shifted uncomfortably behind him while they waited ten seconds before the door swung open. "Gaara, where have you—"
Temari's mouth shut, eyes widening. "O-oh, it's you."
The kunoichi stayed still in the doorway, her whole body radiating tension as the older Uchiha said, "I'm here for your answer to my proposal. I've already sent a message to your guardian so he'll be here soon to make sure any arrangement between our clans is fair to both sides."
Temari's lips curved into a terse grin. "I see." She pushed the door open wider and gave a wide berth as the older teen strode in while Sasuke followed him.
The kunoichi flicked up a brow at seeing the large purple rope tied around the older Uchiha's waist since the teen had decided to wear his original outfit for reasons he wouldn't explain, but she looked away as she shut the door. Then Temari hurried through the living room, went to the hall, and knocked on the first bedroom door. "Kankuro, get out here, Sensei is coming!"
A muffled response came from behind the door and Temari returned to the living room, waving towards the low table. "You can sit."
Sasuke and his future self sat down on the cushions by the table. The girl looked like she would too, but a heavy knock resounded from the door and she moved to unlock it. The preteen straightened up as Temari returned with a stern-faced Suna jonin, half of his face obscured by a cloth hanging from his headband. Sasuke remembered seeing him briefly at the Chunin Exam preliminaries, meaning he was the Suna team's jonin instructor. But why did his future self invite him?
The Suna man's dark eye ran over Sasuke, making his skin crawl, yet it quickly moved on to the older Uchiha. His future self stared right back, expressionless, and after a moment, the jonin asked, "So you're the one who killed Orochimaru?" His voice was flat, making it hard to tell if he was being sincere or sarcastic.
"Yes, I did." His older self nodded.
"So he's really dead?"
Kankuro entered the living room, a few bandage strips wrapped over a splint on his nose, and maybe it was because Sasuke still remembered how the Suna boy bullied those Academy kids, but seeing a sign of his defeat at Sakura's hands made him want to smirk.
"We haven't confirmed that," the jonin said, eyes narrowing on the older Uchiha. "However, it appears he might be dead."
"So we're calling off the plan?" Temari asked, a hopeful glint in her eyes.
"No," his future self cut in before the jonin could answer. "Suna is still going to invade Konoha." His face hardened. "And I'm going to help you destroy it."
Sasuke's eyes widened and he ducked to hide his reaction. Sunagakure was planning to invade Konoha? But they were allies!
However, that explained why his older self was so confident he could destroy the Village and why he talked to Temari. He'd known about the invasion plot and planned to take advantage of it.
"Why should we trust you?" The jonin glared. "If you really killed Orochimaru, then you've killed a Suna ally and crippled our invasion plans." His tone was dangerous and Sasuke subconsciously moved his arm towards his shuriken pouch as the man stepped forward.
Temari and Kankuro backed up, their hands sliding towards their own concealed weapons, but then his future self said, "I didn't kill your ally."
All the Suna shinobi looked surprised, and Kankuro shouted. "What? But you said—"
"Orochimaru wasn't your ally," the teen said idly, dark orbs rising to meet the jonin's. "He was planning to betray you." He turned aside. "Actually, he probably already has."
The man's expression didn't change, and Sasuke remained tense, eyes warming with the beginnings of his sharingan, but then the jonin ordered. "Explain."
The teen stared evenly at the man and in an flat tone said, "Orochimaru killed the Kazekage and has been impersonating him ever since."
Temari gasped and Kankuro choked while the jonin's eye widened. Though the man quickly got a hold of himself and glowered. "That's impossible, I saw the Kazekage a few days ago and his appearance couldn't have been a henge or genjutsu. We check for that often."
"Of course it wasn't." Sasuke reached into the pouch on his back and pulled out five photographs. "Orochimaru's face copy jutsu is completely physical, not an illusion." He spread the pictures across the table. "As you can see by what happens to his victims."
Sasuke stared at the photo in the middle, which showed a group of large rocks in a field behind three unmoving bodies. Trepidation swelled in Sasuke's chest, but he forced himself to examine the corpses, and his mouth fell open as he recognized the first body as the Grass kunoichi Orochiamru had been disguised as in the Forest of Death.
Temari made a strangled sound, gaze locked on the photos, and Kankuro went stark white. The jonin's jaw clenched while the teen said, "After Orochimaru kills his victim, he takes the skin off their face and wears it—"
"Father, no..." Temari whispered, stumbling as if in a daze towards the table and dropping on her knees, tears pooling in her eyes.
It took a second to understand why she had brought up her father, but then Sasuke realized they'd been talking about the Kazekage's death and considering the deep-seated grief on Temari's face...the Kazekage was her father.
Sasuke felt sick, glancing between the corpse without any features and the horrified kunoichi while the jonin shook his head. "These photos don't prove Orochimaru killed the Kazekage and impersonated him, just that he's capable of doing it. Also, if Orochimaru is dead and was using this jutsu, then how did I see the Kazekage a few days ago?"
"Kabuto must have taken Orochimaru's place." The older Uchiha looked contemplative. "I guess he decided to carry on his master's will by impersonating the Kazekage and continuing the invasion plan."
The teen shrugged. "I can't prove the Kazekage is dead, but I suggest you check around your Village and the desert surrounding it for his corpse. I'm sure you'll find it in the same condition as the bodies in these photos."
The Suna jonin didn't speak for a long moment. Yet eventually his eye narrowed and he asked, "How do you know so much about Orochiamru's plot?"
The teen scoffed. "Isn't it obvious?" He stood and gestured to his clothes. "I was Orochiamru's student."
Sasuke's heart stopped. He was lying, his future self had to be bluffing...
Sasuke stared at the teen, hoping to see a sign his older self was lying, but then his eyes fell on that purple rope around his waist. Something about it was familiar...
The preteen choked, realizing Orochimaru also worn a rope that looked just like that and his older self could summon snakes...like that giant black-ringed viper who mentioned Orochimaru by name...
The Suna man must have noticed the similarities too because shock splayed across his face as he asked, "You betrayed your teacher?"
Sasuke folded his arms and shrugged. "He was planning to steal my sharingan, so I abandoned Otogakure a while ago." His expression turned dark. "But I do share his goal of destroying this Village."
The jonin nodded. "According to Temari, Konoha killed your clan and you want to avenge them."
The teen's eyes sharpened. "Exactly."
The man suddenly turned to Sasuke. "And do you also seek vengeance?"
The preteen hesitated before he gave a sharp nod. "Yes."
The jonin sent him a suspicious look, noticing his hesitance, but the older Uchiha pulled a scroll from his weapons pouch and offered it to him. "Here's my invasion plan."
The man took the scroll, opening it and scanning it over. Yet a loud bang made him look up and Sasuke whipped around to see Kankuro with his fist against the wall and snarl on his face. "This is crazy!" His eyes lowered, voice dropping to a hiss. "If Father is dead, then we have more important things to do than invade Konoha, like killing the guy who's imperson—"
"Killing Kabuto would be foolish." The older Uchiha cut in sharply, glaring at the Suna boy. "Since Kabuto is following Orochimaru's plan, he is going to attack Konoha and will offer you reinforcements during the invasion, which you'll lose if you kill him now."
The teen turned back to the jonin. "Of course, that's assuming you still want to invade Konoha."
Kankuro shook his head. "No, we—"
"Quiet, Kankuro."
Kankuro's mouth closed while his teacher glared at him before turning back to the scroll in his hands. "The Kazekage and the Suna council agreed to the invasion months ago, so even if he's dead, our reasons for agreeing still very much exist."
The man looked to Sasuke's future self, voice hardening. "Though I wonder if we'd benefit more by warning the Hokage of your and Kabuto's plan."
His threat rang clear, but the older Uchiha smirked. "You're right, telling the Hokage about the invasion plan would indebt Konoha to Suna, and as compensation you could ask the Hokage for the financial aid you've been in desperate need of since the Wind daiymo cut Suna's budget."
The jonin's gaze sharpened. "You wouldn't admit this if you didn't think you had something better to offer."
The teen's smirk broadened. "Just look at my invasion plan, Konoha Hospital and the Academy won't be harmed during the attack, which means there will be plenty of Konoha medic-nin left to heal any wounded Suna shinobi, and afterwards, you can learn secret Konoha medical techniques from them."
The jonin's face tightened, well aware Konoha had the most advance medic-nin techniques out of all the shinobi Villages, mostly thanks to the research provided by the Legendary Sannin Tsunade.
"You can also use some of the Academy students as well as the genin and chunin who survive the invasion to add to your own shinobi forces. That includes clan ninja like the Hyuga and Nara."
Sasuke bit his tongue to keep from shouting because his future self was offering Konoha-nin like they were objects, and looking at the jonin's expression, they were enticing objects.
"Finally, if you help me destroy this Village." The teen's expression grew serious. "I will give you Konoha's jinchūriki."
All the Suna-nin gasped, even Temari looking up in amazement, though Sasuke was simply confused until the jonin stuttered. "You can't mean—"
"The Nine-Tailed Fox's human container. I'll give him to you."
Sasuke paled. The Kyuubi was alive? In a human?
The jonin's mouth flapped open and close. Eventually though, he managed to ask, "You know who it is?"
The teen nodded. "Yes, and I'll unleash the Nine-Tails on Konoha during the invasion to prove it." His sharingan flared to life. "With these eyes, I can easily awaken the One-Tails as well, so we can unleash two tailed beasts on Konoha."
The man's eye widened while the teen turned to Sasuke and gestured for him to come, and Sasuke stood.
"You have two weeks to find the Kazekage's body and prove to yourselves I'm telling the truth." The teen passed the jonin, Sasuke on his heels as they headed to the door. "Then another week to decide whether to join me." He grabbed the doorknob. "I'll send a hawk to retrieve your answer, but no matter what—"
A dark chakra suddenly clouded the air and a bright purple aura rose around his future self like smoke from a flame, searing the atmosphere. Sasuke gaped, rooted in place as the teen looked back with mangekyō sharingan eyes. "I will destroy Konoha."
The purple aura faded as he opened the door and walked out. It took Sasuke a second to follow, firmly shutting the door behind him before he hurried after his future self. He slowed once he was behind the teen, burning questions on his tongue, but when he saw his future self's dark expression, there was only one question he could ask.
"What...are you?"
The teen stopped at the top of the stairwell and looked back, his face perfectly blank. "The same thing I've been since I was seven." He smirked, but his eyes were cold. "An avenger."
He turned and descended the stairs, but Sasuke didn't go after him. He just watched the uchiwa on the teen's back fall farther and farther away until it disappeared around a corner.
.
Sasuke came back to himself and saw the older Uchiha still awaiting a response.
Scowling, he said, "I won't forget."
The older teen nodded and walked up the steps to the waiting room. Sasuke also went up and stopped by the railing beside Sakura who didn't even notice him as she watched Naruto's match. Sasuke realized he had missed quite a bit of the fight right when red ribbons of chakra started whipping around Naruto.
For a second, Sasuke thought his sharingan was activated, but he didn't feel chakra warming his eyes, and glancing around he saw the other competitors looked astonished. So the chakra was visible to everyone?
"Why does his chakra look like that?" Sasuke questioned as Naruto started moving faster than he'd ever seen while throwing kunai at Neji.
His older self smirked. "You'll learn soon enough."
There was an ominous note in the other Uchiha's voice so Sasuke didn't ask again as he watched Naruto and Neji clash in a whirlwind of red and blue, and the resulting explosion rocked the arena.
"You did it!" Sakura threw her arms around Naruto at the waiting room entrance, stunning the blond and causing his face to redden.
"U-uh, well, of course!" Naruto raised his fist triumphantly as Sakura let him go. "I told you I wouldn't lose!"
Sasuke rolled his eyes and looked back from his place by the railing. "Don't get carried away just because you won one match." He smirked, though his smug expression felt more forced than usual. "I can guarantee you won't make it to the third round."
Gaara's gaze was heavy from the other side of the room, but Sasuke kept his eyes on Naruto who scowled before grinning challengingly. "You scared I'm going to beat you? I must have looked pretty tough down there, eh, Sakura-chan?"
Sakura's eyes narrowed, and she raised an arm as if to hit him. Naruto cowered, ready to take back his words, but then her hand fell on his shoulder. "Yes, Naruto," she said sincerely. "You looked pretty tough."
Naruto's jaw hit the floor, eyes blown open wide, and Sasuke scoffed as he turned and leapt onto the railing. Gaara disappeared in a whirl of sand before reappearing down in the arena near the proctor, and Sasuke bent his knees to jump when Naruto shouted. "Sasuke!"
The Uchiha looked over his shoulder to Naruto whose eyebrows were slanted in determination. "I want…to fight you too!"
Sasuke knew he was repeating the words he told him after they passed the Chunin Exam preliminaries—if only to get Naruto to stop trying to goad him and his future self into childish competitions—and normally he would have brushed off the sentiment, but considering what was going to happen soon...
The thirteen-year old Uchiha looked seriously at Naruto. "Yeah...no matter what, we'll have our fight."
His future self sent him a sharp look, but Sasuke ignored him while surprise flashed over Naruto's face before a grave expression replaced it, and almost like he understood what Sasuke really meant, he nodded. "Yeah."
Sasuke turned forward and jumped down, hearing Sakura and Ino cheering his name until the roar of the crowd swallowed their voices as the audience chanted—
"Uchiha!"
"Give us a show, Uchiha!"
Sasuke landed in a crouch on the dirt ground and stood with his head held high as he took his place across from Gaara. The redhead glared at him, killing intent lashing through the air, and Sasuke glared back while the proctor spoke around the senbon in his mouth. "The rules are the same as in the preliminaries—"
Sasuke tuned out the man as an eager smile twisted Gaara's mouth and the Suna boy snickered lowly.
The Uchiha narrowed his eyes, bandaged hands flexing. His future self had warned him Gaara was unhinged and would try to kill him regardless of the invasion plan, which meant Sasuke couldn't afford to make a single mistake.
"Begin!"
The proctor jumped back while sand rose from Gaara's gourd. Yet Sasuke was already running at his top speed and Gaara was stunned as the Uchiha vanished just to reappear right in front of him.
Sasuke's fist smashed into his cheek and the Suna boy spun through the air, crashing hard on the ground while Sasuke skidded to a stop a few feet away. Gaara dragged himself to his knees, a spiderweb crack on his face and sand armor chipping off it, yet the Uchiha gave him no time to recover as he sped at him again.
The sand swirled defensively around Gaara, but Sasuke jumped over it and landed behind the redhead, his foot swinging up into Gaara's chin.
Again the Suna-nin was sent flying and tumbled roughly to the ground, his sand falling limp beside him. Sasuke's heart beat quickened as he ran over to Gaara who had pushed himself up, though he wasn't winded yet. Still, Sasuke was careful not to move at his top speed as he ran circles around the redhead and kicked up a dust storm.
In vain, Gaara tried to track him, his sand rising and falling like the waves of an ocean during a storm.
Sasuke smirked, seeing the boy's frustration, and broke from his circle to run at him. He went slow enough for Gaara to notice and his sand converged into a solid wall before him, but Sasuke weaved around it and flipped between two sand tendrils to land beside Gaara and kick him across the face.
The Suna boy fell back with a choked noise, but Sasuke grabbed him by the strap of his gourd, pulled him towards him, and kneed him in the gut. The sand suddenly converged into a fist above him and Sasuke released Gaara, launching into the air as the sand fist slapped down on where he'd been.
He landed meters away and rose while Gaara sat kneeled on the ground, panting.
Sasuke smirked, holding his hand in the Strong Fist waiting pose and asking, "What's the matter? Can't you land even one hit?"
A fire blazed in Gaara's eyes and a wicked grin warped his expression as he slowly stood. "I'll make you bleed," he said, hands coming together to form the tiger seal and Sasuke's smirk fell as adrenaline flooded his body because this was it!
The Uchiha swiftly unclipped the black strap around his bandaged hand and formed three hands signs, pulling chakra into his palm while sand rose and arched over Gaara to form a sphere around him. Sasuke gritted his teeth, feeling the prickle of electricity sparking around his hand as the holes in the sand sphere started to close until there was one last hole shrinking in front of Gaara's face. Now!
Sasuke ran at full speed and dove into the sphere a second before it fully closed. Gaara's eyes widened as Sasuke tackled him to the ground, Chidori bursting in his palm and highlighting Gaara's horrified expression.
"NO!" Gaara roared, sounding partly hysterical, but mostly enraged. "Mother," he called. "Do something—"
Sasuke slammed Chidori into Gaara's shoulder, searing through flesh and blood. Gaara froze, looking confused until Sasuke pulled his hand back as the lightning died away and the Suna boy turned to see blood seeping through his shirt sleeve.
Gaara screamed loud enough to ring Sasuke's ears while his sand sphere cracked and crumbled around them. Sasuke squinted at the sudden return of sunlight, but his eyes quickly adjusted and he got off of Gaara, backing up.
The Suna genin looked murderous as he raised a trembling arm. "I'll kill you."
Sasuke smirked, sharingan flaring to life. "Keep dreaming." He pulled the boy into a genjutsu illusion that was essentially a replay of their match, except in their battle Sasuke wasn't fast enough to avoid his sand defense.
The boy didn't resist the genjutsu, his face going lax and arm dropping as his eyes glazed over. Sasuke's sharingan melted away while the proctor walked over, and only glanced at Gaara's immobile body before raising his hand. "Winner, Uchiha Sasuke!"
The crowds exploded into applause as two medic-nin rushed into the arena and carefully picked up the unresponsive Gaara, placing him on a stretcher and carrying him away. Sasuke looked up at the waiting room and grinned when he saw Sakura cheering while Naruto shouted something that was half-insult and half-compliment knowing him.
However, Sasuke's face went blank when he noticed his future self staring down at him with an expectant look. The younger Uchiha looked away, a sinking feeling in his chest as he walked towards the staircase. One step down.
One more to go.
Sakura stood beside Naruto at the waiting room entrance, eager to congratulate Sasuke. However, the older Uchiha suddenly stood from the pillar he'd been leaning against and walked past them.
"Uchiha-san?" Sakura questioned.
"It looked like my cousin took a hit when he was in that sand sphere," the Uchiha said. "I'm going to check on him."
"A hit?" Sakura gasped, having thought Sasuke avoided all of Gaara's attacks.
"But he didn't look hurt." Naruto frowned.
"I might be wrong, but if he's hurt, I'll take him to the medic-nin."
The Uchiha walked out, leaving Sakura to wring her hands nervously because Gaara's sand had crippled Rock Lee, so if Sasuke got hit even just once—
"Hey, hey!" Naruto jumped in front of her, loud voice cutting through her thoughts. "Even if Sasuke took a hit, he probably wasn't hurt that bad! Believe it!"
He grinned and Sakura tried to smile back, but her smile felt brittle as they returned to the railing. Though her negative thoughts were again disrupted as Ino shouted. "You're making Team 10 look bad!"
Sakura raised her head in time to watch the blonde kunoichi shove Shikamaru over the railing, the boy tipping over it with a cry.
Naruto gaped in horror, but then Ino glared at him and he looked to Sakura. "Umm, maybe I should wait for Sasuke on the steps."
Naruto fled before Sakura could answer, leaving her and the two other kunoichi alone in the room. However, Temari soon pulled out her fan and summoned a wind current, riding it down to the arena and leaving her and Ino behind.
Sakura's eyes fell on the arena, hands gripping the railing tightly, but stopping when the metal creaked under her fingers. Ino stood on the opposite side of the room, expression blank yet her anger as tangible as a flame.
The Haruno didn't know why, but ever since the Hokage announced she'd be going up against Ino in the finals, the Yamanaka had been avoiding her. She originally thought Ino was just upset at having to fight her because of their history as former best friends, but when she went to the Yamanaka shop to buy a flower for Rock Lee, Ino's expression had gone from curious to hostile at the sight of her.
The blonde wordlessly took her payment, not even bothering to insult Sakura's choice of flower, and ignored all of the pink-haired girl's attempts to speak to her.
The crowd broke into applause and Sakura looked down to see Temari being pronounced the winner, though the Suna kunoichi looked stunned while Ino stomped her foot and growled. "That baka! How could he give up? He had her!"
Ino glowered, but then she noticed Sakura watching her and her expression turned cold.
Sakura bit her lip. "Ino..."
The Yamanaka brushed past her, as if she didn't even notice Sakura there, and headed down the staircase.
Sakura, knowing their round was next, steeled herself while she also went down the dark staircase. The Haruno told herself she was prepared, remembering all the days she worked herself to the bone in a training field.
Yet suddenly all of her hard work felt like it hadn't been enough as she entered the arena and hundreds of eyes fell of her while she took her place across from Ino.
She glanced up at the waiting room, but frowned, seeing it was empty. The kunoichi then tried searching the other stands for Naruto and Sasuke, but all she could make out were unfamiliar faces.
The girl wilted, heart beating like an elephant stomping in her chest when a quiet whistle caught her attention.
Sakura looked up, squinting until she spotted silver hair against the stadium wall and realized it was Kakashi using chakra to stand there. He sent her a thumbs up and Sakura could hear his voice in her head.
"I'm going to teach you how to lose."
"What!?" Sakura had balked in the middle of the field before crossing her arms and giving the happy-eyed jonin a suspicious look. "What are you trying to say, Kaka-sensei?"
Kakashi shrugged. "What I just said, I'm going to teach you how to lose." Sakura scowled, ready to shout, but the man added. "After all, you don't have to win to become a chunin."
Sakura faltered while Kakashi's gaze sharpened. "So I'm going to teach you to lose," his voice was warm yet serious, "And you're going to walk out of that stadium wearing a chunin vest. If that's what you want, Sakura?"
The kunoichi's eyes were wide, but soon her lips angled in a smirk and she nodded. "Hai!"
Sakura's eyes narrowed, determination alighting her spirit at the memory while Ino stared cooly at her, and finally the proctor announced. "Begin!"
The Haruno jumped back and was glad she did because Ino was already throwing kunai at her. Sakura landed in a low crouch, ducking under the weapons. Yet she quickly stood and broke into a run when Ino pulled out more kunai and started flinging them at her head.
The iron knives whizzed past Sakura like water bullets as she reached back for her largest weapons pouch. However, five kunai came flying at her with paper bombs attached and she switched to the pouch on her hip, pulling out her own kunai and throwing them at Ino's.
Sakura trusted the accuracy of her throws, so didn't watch the kunai clash or the bombs go off above while she pumped chakra into her legs and ran even faster.
Yet Ino chased her from the other side of the field, keeping up easily while tossing kunai after kunai at the civilian kunoichi. Sakura ducked and jumped over the weapons, her body starting to heat up from the exertion. No, she couldn't tire out now!
Sakura reached into her side pouch and pulled out a smoke bomb, tossing it at her feet. Ino stopped as the smoke billowed around Sakura and the pink-haired kunoichi quickly reached back for her weapon pouch, tearing out a blue-edged scroll. She unraveled it, laying it on the ground and placing her hand on the middle.
"Hiding again, Sakura?"
The Haruno paused, surprised to hear Ino's voice after a month of silence.
"And here I thought you'd grown a spine!"
Sakura frowned, but wisely didn't respond to the taunt as she pushed a little chakra onto the seal in the middle of the scroll. The paper glowed and Sakura backed away from it, abandoning her smoke cover. Only for a wire to wrap around her ankle and tighten painfully around her skin before it yanked her forward.
Sakura gasped as she landed on her back in the dirt and a sandaled foot stomped on her stomach. She looked up at Ino who glared, hands forming a circle and aimed at her in preparation for the Mind Transfer Jutsu.
"Quit now." Ino ordered. "Or I'll make you."
Sakura frowned, but then she smirked. "Make me, Ino-pig."
The Yamanaka grit her teeth. "You arrogant—"
Water shot up from the scroll like a geyser and Ino gasped, turning to it. Sakura swiftly smashed her elbow into Ino's ankle, making the blonde cry out and stumble off her. Then she jumped to her feet and fell back on her hands, flipping away as the blonde pushed herself up and the water from the scroll fell down like rain.
Under the downpour, Sakura wove the ox, snake, and ram seal and allowed her chakra to spread through the atmosphere, crushing the falling water droplets and dispensing them across the air until a dense fog covered the arena.
"Really, Sakura?" Ino called from somewhere ahead as the civilian kunoichi slipped a poison-tipped kunai out of her pouch. "Are you that scared to let others see that big forehead of yours?"
Sakura pursed her lips, walking slowly towards the sound of Ino's voice. All she had to do was catch Ino by surprise, get one good cut with her poison kunai, and the battle would be over, Sakura could win!
The pink-haired girl paused as the earth rumbled beneath her feet—an earth jutsu?
Sakura glanced down, surprised Ino knew an elemental jutsu, but the rumbling stopped and the kunoichi looked up. Yet her eyes widened at the tall, dark figure standing above the fog.
A disquieting ran over Sakura's skin like a cold chill and she knew something was very wrong before the fog above her parted to reveal a ginormous, green snake in the center of the stadium. Suddenly the sound of metal clashing and battle cries merged with shouting swelled around Sakura as a shadow fell over the kunoichi.
Someone screamed her name, but Sakura didn't see who it was before the serpent's tail came bearing down on her.
Thanks for all the reviews and appreciation last chapter! I hope this chapter is as enjoyable to you all as it was for me to write it :)
Next time: Older!Sasuke tries to destroy Konoha, but an encounter with an old enemy complicates things...
Keep safe!