Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto...

Note: This is merely a continuation of the flashback episode from chapter 2.

Normal - conversation/narration

Italics - thoughts

Italic Bold - Jutsus

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Flashback continues

Sasuke had stopped and was hiding behind a tree, looking closely at the walls of Konoha. So far, he had not seen any watcher nins atop the towers, but he couldn't be too sure.

He starts moving from tree to tree as quickly and silently as possible.

"Being spotted right at the gates of Konoha would be too risky. I don't want to expend any chakra, not until I've found Tsunade or at least Kakashi."

Sasuke felt awkward thinking of his former mentor as his opponent. Kakashi had taught him so much, even the only original jutsu Kakashi had created: the Chidori. But he knew that this battle would eventually be inevitable, and so he was ready for it. He was actually somewhat looking forward to fighting another Sharingan user, because he knew that if he could beat Kakashi, he would have a chance against Itachi.

Sasuke finally finds himself right at the foot of the walls of Konoha. And yet, he still had not seen any watcher nins on the wall, and none of the ANBU seemed to be attacking him, despite the fact that he was currently wearing a forehead protector from Sound.

Sasuke felt uneasy as he started to scale Konoha's walls. There were no watcher nins atop the towers, and the ANBU who were usually making their rounds around Konoha were nowhere to be seen.

"What the hell? Did something happen during the Chuunin Exam? Why the hell is security so lax?" Sasuke was puzzled at this new development.

Uke suddenly appears behind him. "Sasuke-sama, this seems… wrong. There are no guards, no watchers, and no ANBU in the area. Rui and Masashi have already confirmed this. Do they always keep Konoha this under-defended whenever the Chuunin Exam is held here?"

Sasuke noticed a slight tinge of worry in Uke's voice. And he knew that Uke rarely worries about anything. Being the strongest of the Sound 4, he knew that Uke was probably just as strong or even stronger than Kakashi.

"Where are the others, Uke?"

"Rui and Masashi are currently on the walls, killing any of the remaining watchers, that is, if there are any. Kuroro is currently inside the village, securing our routes towards the 5th Hokage's residence. Everything is currently going according to plan…" replies Uke, partly with worry and partly with determination.

"Good, at least we're going according to plan. This recent development has made it easier to finish the mission. Heh, I don't know what happened at that Chuunin Exam, but it's definitely turning out to be beneficial for us." But that feeling of worry would not seem to go away.

Atop the wall, he saw that Rui was looking over and calling out to him.

"Sasuke-sama, please hurry." Worry was clearly etched on her face.

Sasuke takes larger steps towards the top, and finally reaches it. And at the top, Sasuke is greeted by a horrible sight.

Kuroro's lifeless body was lying on the ground, with numerous kunai sticking out of him. He had clearly been killed by an ambush of numerous ninjas… however…

Rui looked puzzled as she was looking at Kuroro's body. "Before I brought him here, I found something strange… from what I could infer, Kuroro didn't fight back. His muscles were still relaxed when he was killed, meaning he wasn't even aware of the attack even until the last second…"

"So you're saying he didn't even defend himself during the ambush? Now what kind of stupid…" But an idea had struck Sasuke.

"Wait a minute… I heard from years ago that there was a certain shinobi in the Leaf who could bind his opponents using his own shadow... This might not be as easy a mission as I thought. They already know we're here. Damn…"

Sasuke takes his eyes off Kuroro and starts surveying the area. Rui was still bending down, looking at the body, while Uke was busy scanning the area of enemy nin who could be hiding. Masashi seemed to be missing, but he knew that despite of Masashi's rough tongue, he could easily take care of himself.

The top of the wall was 3 metres in width, enough for a handful of nin to do battle, but once they were caught in between a pincer attack, they would have to go on the defensive, and that could cost them chakra and waste their time.

The wall was also overlooking the city, and Sasuke could clearly see a great part of village. However, from this position, he knew that all those enemy nin could see them, and that they were sitting ducks for enemy kunai and shuriken.

"Rui, we need to move. Forget about Kuroro for now. We'll take his body later. We need to complete the mission."

Rui could only nod in agreement, but before they can move, the ground underneath them suddenly turns into a river of mud which sinks them and pushes them towards one of the towers.

"Damn it, we've been caught in a jutsu!!!" Uke cries out, as they were slammed right into the wall of tower.

"Watch out, Sasuke-sama!!" screams Rui, as multiple blasts of fire are suddenly coming from above them.

"Tch, they really aren't giving us a chance to escape. Oh well. This will have to do." Uke starts doing hand seals amidst the powerful current of the river of mud. "Fuuton Kaze no Tate!!"

A sphere of wind suddenly surrounds the three, deflecting the blasts of fire and creating a circular area which blocks the river of mud.

"Damn it, I can barely keep the shield up. This mud river's current is just too damn strong."

But Sasuke could hear a familiar sound, coming closer at high speed.

"No… it can't be. Is it… Chidori!?!"

Sasuke begins looking around, trying to determine the source of the Chidori, but is only met with the darkness of the night.

"Sasuke-sama, are you alright?" Uke asks. Sweat was beading on his face as he attempted to keep the shield of wind from faltering.

Suddenly, before any of them could react, Kakashi appears from above, piercing through the shield of wind, and impaling the wide-eyed Uke right through his left shoulder. The mud river suddenly disappears, and all three are left lying right next to the tower's wall, dazed.

"What?!? Are you…ugh…Copy-ninja… Kakashi?" Blood spatters everywhere as Uke tried to move his left shoulder. Rui was paralyzed because of the scene before her, and would not move an inch.

"It's impossible for you to create seals with that much damage on your left shoulder." Kakashi's voice seemed colder to Sasuke than he remembered, although he didn't seem to look any different than what he remembered from three years ago.

"Sasuke, you won't be treated any different from these guys, now that we see you've completely defected to Sound. Prepare to die."

"Hmph, Kakashi, what makes you think you can beat me," Sasuke replies arrogantly.

"Don't underestimate me, Kakashi. I'll tear you apart once I unleash my curse seal." Sasuke got ready to unlock the curse seal, only to realize that… for some reason, he couldn't.

"Wha-What, what's happening?"

Sasuke could finally feel it. The feeling of desperation and, as he would hate to admit it, fear.

"Wha??? I can't move… either… damn it!!! What's happening?"

Sasuke could only watch in horror as several Leaf nins suddenly appears around them. Each of them had kunai in hand, waiting for Sasuke or Rui to make their move. Cold sweat suddenly forms on Sasuke's forehead as he watches them launch their kunais straight at him.

"So this is how it is to die… damn. I can't die yet, not until… not until…"

Pain came from every single inch of his whole body. Not even Rui's scream could block out the extreme pain that he experienced, as he felt each kunai lodge itself into his body.

And after the pain, darkness seemed to close on him quickly. And the last thing he hears is Kakashi's voice…

"Goodbye, traitor."

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Glossary:
Fuuton Kaze no Tate - Wind Release; Shield of Wind
a sphere of wind that protects the user/user's group from harm. however, it draws a lot of chakra especially if the shield is being constantly attacked.
Chidori - Thousand Birds
Kakashi's only original jutsu; a great amoung of charka is gathered at the palm of one's hand and is used to pierce through the opponent's body.

Author's Note: Well, I guess this was just as long as my previous chapter. Oh, and it won't stay in Sasuke's story for long. The next chapter will be the last flashback scene. Read and review please! (Is anyone even reading this? Oh well...)