Sasuke opened his eyes and looked around the area where he was surrounded by a strange amber light.

"Where... is this place?"

He blinked and saw the figure of a boy with dark hair appear in front of him and he furrowed his brows.

"Who is that?" He narrowed his eyes at the boy, who kept his head down. "Is that... me? From a long time ago?"

"Mother and father didn't need to die!" The younger Sasuke trembled as he clenched his jaw and tears streamed down his face.

Sasuke's eyes widened as the area changed to show his parents' bloodied corpses lying in the middle of the floor.

"Everyone was killed." The younger Sasuke continued to speak to himself, unable to see his older counterpart. "I was powerless, so... the entire clan disappeared."

Sasuke's face twisted in pain as he slept and violet Chakra leaked from his body as sweat dripped from his brow.

Sakura stared wide-eyed at Ino as Team Ten stood protectively in front of her. "Ino... Why?"

"Sakura... I promised I wouldn't lose to you..." Ino furrowed her brows and kept her eyes on Zaku. "...Didn't I? I can't let you upstage me in front of Sasuke!"

"Squirming again..." Dosu furrowed his brows and shot a glare at Choji. "The Leaf village worms have wandered in."

Choji's eyes widened and he shuddered as he sat on the ground and Shikamaru held onto his scard. "W-What are the two of you thinking?! Those guys are seriously bad news!"

"It's a drag, but it can't be helped!" Shikamaru tugged on his scarf and furrowed his brow. "Ino steps out to help, but we men should run?"

Ino laughed quietly and looked between the two boys. "Sorry to get you involved! But anyway, we're a three-man-squad, after all. We're all in this together, aren't we?"

"Well, we'll see." Shikamaru turned his attention to the Sound Genin.

"No! I don't wanna die yet!" Choji shook his head and tried to crawl away, but was held in place by Shikamaru's grasp on his scarf. "Let go of my scarf!"

"You're being annoying! Quit wiggling and man up!" Shikamaru snapped and tugged on his scarf.

Zaku chuckled and smirked as he looked between them. "Oh, it's alright if the fatso drops out."

Choji froze and his eye twitched as his expression shifted. "What... did that guy just say? I didn't quite catch that."

"Huh?" Zaku blinked.

Shikamaru's eye twitched and he glanced at his teammate from the corner of his eye. "Uh oh. That word is taboo around Choji. Just try saying it again..."

"I said, if you're going to be a coward, then just drop out," Zaku furrowed his brows and then laughed. "...Fatty."

Choji snorted and turned around, glaring and clenching his jaw. "I'm not fat, I'm just big-boned, damn you!" He balled his hands into fists and punched the air, grunting angrily. "Hurray for big-boned guys!"

Sakura blinked at Choji, speechless as her mouth gaped. "W-Wow..."

"All right!" Choji pointed to Ino, still inhaling sharply with a growl. "You understand this, right?! This is a battle between the Leaf and Sound! Prepare yourself!"

"Hmph." Ino smirked faintly and put her hand on her hip. "We got lucky! He's totally fired up!"

"This looks like it's going to be such a drag." Shikamaru scratched his head and sighed softly.

"That's my line." Zaku glared. "Tch. I was told to take out Sasuke by the end of the test..."

"Sasuke..." Sakura frowned slightly and turned too look at him.

"Sakura." Ino looked over her shoulder at her, and Sakura met her eyes. "Those two behind you... take care of them."

Sakura nodded and smirked slightly. "Right."

"Well then, team Ino, let's go full-throttle!" Ino held up her fists and the boys nodded.

"Right!"

"Formation Ino!"

"Shika!"

"Cho!"

"I'm counting on you, Choji!" Ino grinned and he stepped forward.

"Okay!" Choji brought his hands together to form a sign and furrowed his brows. "Expansion Jutsu!" His body expanded and he swelled to an enormous ball, and retracted his head, arms, and legs inside of his clothes. "Next, Leaf style Taijutsu! Human boulder!" He spun rapidly and rolled toward Zaku. "Here I go!"

"What's with that Jutsu?" Zaku laughed. "Isn't it just a fat guy rolling around?" He faced his palms toward Choji. "Slicing Sound Wave!"

Air blasted at Choji as he drew closer, holding him back as he continued to and Ino's eyes widened as Choji was slowly pushed backward. Zaku gritted his teeth as Choji continued to slowly advance.

"You...!"He increased the air output to push back against Choji. Grass and dirt flung around the area from his rolling and Zaku's eyes went wide as Choji suddenly leaped into the air and spun high above him. "He jumped?!"

Zaku stopped his attack and watched Choji as he slowly descended, and he clenched his jaw. "The pressure of Slicing Sound Wave was less than effective against that rotation. Even if I do the Super Sound Wave, if I'm touched by something like that... the bones in my arms will be crushed!"

Dosu's eyes widened and he furrowed his brows and ran toward his teammate.

"You think I'll let you?!" Shikamaru smirked faintly and held up a hand sign. "You're the most annoying one, so... Ninja Art! Shadow Possession Jutsu!" His shadow darkened and extended, shooting across the ground to Dosu, stopping him in his tracks.

"My body!" Dosu twitched and turned his head slightly to glance down. "What?!"

"Heh." Shikamaru chuckled and met Dosu's eyes. "Shadow Possession complete." He lifted his arms above his head, forcing Dosu's body into the same position.

"Dosu!" Kin's eyes widened and she furrowed her brows. "What are you doing at a time like this?!"

Shikamaru smirked as Kin looked at him. "Hmph."

Zaku dodged at the last moment before Choji slammed down into the ground where he had been, creating a deep crater. He gulped and looked over his shoulder Choji, still rolling in place furiously, and he exhaled quietly. "That was too close."

"A Shadow Paralysis Jutsu?" Dosu narrowed his eyes at Shikamaru.

"Ino, now it's just the ladies." Shikamaru turned his hands out, forcing Dosu's hands to imitate bunny ears.

"Okay, Shikamaru." Ino nodded and narrowed her eyes at Kin. "Look after my body."

"Gotcha."

"Huh? What's blondie going to do?"

Ino formed a hand sign and Kin blinked at her as their eyes met. "Ninja Art! Mind Transfer Jutsu!"

Kin's eyes widened suddenly, and then closed as her body slouched. Shikamaru caught Ino's body as it collapsed, unconscious, and Dosu's body copied his movements.

Choji turned and rolled at Zaku again, who quickly dodged to the side.

"Damn!" Zaku dodged again and looked over at Kin, who stood motionless. "Kin!"

"What happened?" Dosu twitched as he resisted Shikamaru's control and tried to look over his shoulder.

Kin's eyes opened and she smirked and held up a Kunai. "This... is the end of it."

Dosu and Zaku's eyes widened as Kin brought the knife near her throat.

"If you make one move, this girl named Kin is dead meat! If you don't want this to end right here, leave your scroll and walk away! Once you've gone far enough that I can't feel your Chakras, I'll release this girl!"

Dosu and Zaku chuckled under their breaths.

"These guys... what are they grinning about?" Ino furrowed her brows as Kin and watched the two Sound Genin carefully, then quickly looked over. "Choji!"

"Yeah!" Choji turned and aimed at Kin

"This isn't good!" Sakura gasped and yelled out to them. "They won't—!"

Zaku lifted his hand at Kin, shooting a blast of air that knocked Choji out of the way and threw Kin's body against a tree. She cried out in pain and blood dripped from Ino's mouth as Shikamaru held her.

"Ino!" Shikamaru's eyes widened.

"Ugh... I'm dizzy." Choji covered his mouth with his hand, wobbling as he got to his feet and burped.

Ino slowly lifted Kin's head to look at Zaku. "W-What kind of person... attacks their own comrades?"

"Heh." Zaku smirked. "Careless."

"Our goal isn't the scrolls or to pass this test playing by the rules." Dosu met her eyes.

Team Ten's eyes widened and Ino gasped as Kin. "What?!"

"Our goal is... Sasuke." Dosu's expression darkened and he glanced over to where Sasuke lay. "Hm?" He looked down and Shikamaru's shadow returned to him.

Shikamaru gritted his teeth and beads of sweat rolled down his face. "My Jutsu..."

"So, your precious Shadow Paralysis Jutsu is limited to five minutes?" Dosu chuckled and flexed his hand.

"It's not Shadow Paralysis! It's the Shadow Possession Jutsu!" Shikamaru scowled.

"Additionally," Dosu's eyes rested on Ino. "it seems that girl's Jutsu... seems to be a technique that allows her to take control over another's body. And, from the looks of the blood she's spitting up, if I kill Kin, that girl dies as well."

Shikamaru clenched his jaw. "You would kill your own teammate?"

Zaku smirked and pointed his palm at Kin once more. "Gladly, if it came to that."

Shikamaru's jaw clenched tighter and Kin's eyes narrowed as her hands began to tremble slightly. He sighed and then groaned. "This is no good."

"Shoot!" Choji balled his hands into fists shut his eyes.

Zaku stood to stand beside Dosu with his hand still aimed at Kin. "That's too bad... you're just a step away."

"You're too easy going." Dosu narrowed his eyes.

"Hmph. I don't like this at all."

Their eyes widened and they looked up to see Neji watching from a branch above.

"You lowlife Sound Ninja..." Neji furrowed his brows and scowled down at them. "Bullying the second-rate guys and putting on airs like a winner."

"What?!" Dosu narrowed his eyes.

All eyes turned to Neji and Tenten, and Sakura blinked. "Those are Lee's teammates..."

"Lee!" Tenten's eyes widened as she saw him lying unconscious.

"You messed up." Neji crossed his arms.

"Hah! Coming out of nowhere just like cockroaches..." Zaku smirked.

"That kid with the bowl cut lying there is on our team, but... but you messed with him, didn't you?!" Neji glared and veins bulged around his eyes as he activated his Byakugan.

Dosu's eyes widened and he stood rooted in place as he looked at the boy. "What's with his eyes? It's like they can see through everything..."

"If you're going to continue... I will fight with full strength!" Neji warned, and Tenten reached for a Kuani.

"Huh?"

"What's wrong, Neji?" Tenten looked at him as he froze.

"That Chakra..."

"If you don't like me, don't play cool, just come down here already." Dosu chuckled low.

"Hmph." Neji closed his eyes and smirked. "Evidently, there's no need for that."

"Hm?" Dosu frowned, then froze once more and his body trembled. He turned slowly toward where Sasuke lay, as bright purple chakra visibly poured from him to form a column above his body. All eyes turned to Sasuke as his face twitched and his brows furrowed in his sleep.

Sasuke looked down at his younger self as the boy clutched his head and cried.

"After all... without power... I can't do anything! Because I had no power... Everyone was killed! Everyone was taken from me!"

Sasuke's eyes widened as the boy's face twisted into a menacing smirk, covering one tearful eye, and met his older self's eyes.

"No... you let them be killed. You only watched it happen. If I only had power..." The young boy tore off part of his face, revealing Orochimaru's pale flesh and his bright, glowing yellow eye. "If I only had power..."

Sasuke slowly stood, enveloped entirely with purple chakra the resembled flames and Sakura's eyes widened.

"Sasuke! You're awake—!" She froze at the sight of him and her body began to shake.

Shikamaru and Choji sat rooted in place, their bodies trembling uncontrollably at the overwhelming power.

"Is that really... Sasuke?" Ino's eyes widened as Kin and her mouth gaped.

Bright orange markings spread over the left side of his body and the menacing Chakra swirled around him. Sakura trembled and her eyes watered as he turned to look at her.

"Sakura... Who did that to you?" His Sharingan glowered as he stared at the Sound Ninja. "Who was it?"

Dosu stared at Sasuke, unable to move and a bead of sweat rolled down his temple. "The Curse Marks run around his entire body?!"

"Sasuke... your body...?" Sakura's lip quivered.

Sasuke glanced down at the markings that covered his left hand and arm, then lowered his arm and looked back out at Dosu. "Don't worry. On the contrary, strength is rapidly flowing in..." He smirked and clenched his fists. "Right now... I feel good. That guy gave this to me."

"Huh?" Sakura blinked slowly.

"At last I understand... I'm an Avenger..." Sasuke furrowed his brows. "On my road, I must amass power even if it means abandoning my self to the devil."

Zaku gritted his teeth at Sasuke appearance and Chakra and Dosu continued to stare.

"So... I see... the mark on his neck that the girl called Sakura spoke of before... it was the Curse Mark. But... I didn't think he would be able to stand up..."

"Sakura, tell me... Who hurt you?" Sasuke growled and glanced at her, and she only stared at him in reply.

"Heh." Zaku smirked and chuckled. "That was me!"

Sasuke's Sharingan rested on Zaku from the corner of his eye and he scowled, then turned to face him.

"Ino!" Shikamaru called to her from the bushes where he lay her body down gently. "If you stay over there like that, you're gonna get involved! Comeback to your own body already! Choji, you too! Come hide over here!"

"Y-Yeah!" Choji hurried quickly over to him and Kin formed a sign quickly.

"Release!" Kin's body fell to the ground unconscious and Ino's eyes slowly opened.

"Alright, she's back!" Shikamaru smiled and put a hand on Ino's shoulder.

"Shikamaru!" Choji crouched beside him and frowned. "W-What's going to happen now?!"

"How should I know?"

Sasuke glared at the Sound Ninja and clenched his teeth, the Chakra continuing to swirl around him as the marks glowed orange again and spread further over his body.

"W-What?!" Dosu stepped back slightly "W-What's this?! No matter... how you look at it... his Chakra is... too great!"

"Dosu, this half-dead bastard is nothing to be scared of!" Zaku pressed his palms together and glared.

"Stop, Zaku! Don't you understand?!" Dosu turned to his teammate, reaching out a shaking hand.

"I'll take care of all of them... in one fell swoop!" Zaku faced his hands toward Sasuke and curled his fingers slightly as claws. "Super Sonic Slicing Wave!" An enormous explosion of wind and light erupted from his palms, blasting the trees and undergrowth in the clearing and knocking Dosu back.

Once the light had faded, Zaku took in deep gasps of air, breathing heavily as he smirked slightly. "That finished them for sure..." He chuckled "He must have been blown to pieces."

"Who did?"

"Huh?!" Zaku's eyes widened and Sasuke hit him hard with the back of his hand, sending him flying across the clearing.

"Zaku!" Dosu watched him roll to a stop and cough. "He's fast! Moreover, he took those two and in the blink of an eye..."

Sasuke turned to look at them and they froze, then he formed a series of signs and sucked in a deep breath of air. "Fire style! Phoenix Flower Jutsu!"

Flames erupted from his mouth at Zaku, who quickly got to his feet and held up his hands to shoot out a blast of air.

"I'll blow them out!" His eyes widened. "W-What?!" The fire dissipated and revealed several Shuriken heading directly for him. "There were Shurikens in the fire?!" He raised his arms to guard his face and he cried out as they struck his body.

"Zaku! Below you!"

Sasuke appeared in front of Zaku in a crouch, then behind him to grab his forearms with a foot firmly on his back. He smirked wide and chuckled darkly, gripping Zaku's arms tighter.

Ino trembled and watched, unable to look away. "The quality of the Chakra is completely different... is that really Sasuke? What happened to him? What in the world...?"

"It seems like you're really proud of your arms..." Sasuke slowly pulled Zaku's arms back while pressing firmly on his back with his foot. "You..."

"S-Stop it!" Zaku glanced over his shoulder at Sasuke, his eyes wide as he pleaded.

Sasuke chuckled and a loud snap echoed and Sakura's eyes widened further as she covered her mouth with a shaking hand. Zaku screamed and fell to the ground as Sasuke kicked him away. Dosu trembled violently as he watched, and Sasuke turned to Dosu, his smirk growing wider. "You're the only one left."

He turned to slowly walk toward him. "You... had better make it a little more fun for me."

Dosu remained fixed in place and Sakura's eyes watered.

"This isn't... this isn't... this is not like... Sasuke!" Tears spilled down her face and she stood to run toward him. "Stop it!" She threw her arms around Sasuke tightly in an embrace and cried. "Stop it!"

Sasuke glared at her over his shoulder at her and she shuddered and cried.

"Please... stop. Sasuke... please."

The marks glowed orange and retracted, returning to the mark on his neck and fading.

Dosu gulped and stared unblinkingly at Sasuke. "The Curse Mark is withdrawing... we're saved for now."

Sasuke's knees buckled and he fell to the ground, with Sakura touching his back gently.

"Sasuke!"

He gasped for breath and his body trembled weakly.

"You're strong." They turned to Dosu, who held out his scroll. "We can't defeat you the way that you are now." He set the scroll down onto the ground. "This is our fee for settling this... Please allow us to withdraw from here."

Sasuke and Sakura looked down at the scroll and Dosu stepped back to lift up Zaku and Kin. "It seems selfish, but we now have something we need to confirm, too. That being said, let's make a promise. If there's another opportunity to battle with you in this test, we won't run or hide."

Sakura watched as Dosu walked away and looked at Sasuke, then back to Dosu. "Wait!"

Dosu stopped and turned slightly to look at her.

"Just who exactly is Orochimaru?! What did he do to Sasuke?! Why Sasuke?!"

"...I don't know..." Dosu answered slowly. "We were just given orders to make the hit on Sasuke."

Sakura frowned and Dosu continued to walk away.

"Though you ordered us to assassinate Sasuke, you got to him first. Moreover, you didn't kill him, and left that Curse Mark instead. I don't know what you're thinking..."

"Hey! Are you okay?!" Choji called out to Sakura, and Shikamaru to Ino as they ran out of hiding to help.

"It's a drag, but Ino, I'll leave Lee to you."

"Got it!"

"That Chakra... It's abnormal." Neji frowned and crossed his arms as he watched Sasuke. "The Uchiha clan... is this good, huh?"

"Hmm... Sakura's in danger..." Naruto blushed and mumbled in his sleep. "It's okay... I'll protect you, Sakura."

Shikamaru and Choji looked at Naruto, then blinked at each other, and Shikamaru sighed and scratched his head.

"Well, what should we do with this guy? Kick him awake?"

"Can I do it?" Choji took a step toward Naruto and Shikamaru shrugged.

Sasuke held his wrist and stared at his hand as it trembled. "W-What... am I...?"

"Sasuke..." Sakura frowned and bit her lip as she watched him.