Jutsu
Time or separate place
"Conversation"
"Thoughts"
Chapter Four: Sasuke's Mangekyou Sharingan
"Because…he did die…"
Continued Flashback…Orochimaru's hideout one year ago…
"Why do you go this far for me?"
Naruto only smiled. "Because you are my friend." Naruto lifted his head and took a good look at Sasuke. "You are the Sasuke Uchiha I know. The one that has been in darkness for almost three years. The Sasuke that has a bond with me, as brothers."
Sasuke looked at him in complete shock. He twisted his head to look at the bright blue sky. "For almost three years, I've forgotten what a bond of friendship felt like. It felt better than anything else in my life. Sakura Haruno, Kakashi Hatake, how much did you change over the years?" Sasuke tilted his head to look at his newest friend. "Sai...although I don't know you, you reminded me about the bonds I had." Sasuke put a light grin on. "I was a fool."
Sasuke delved deeper into his memory, remembering the time when he witnessed his parents death at the hands of his older brother, Itachi. The blood of the horrific event still stained his mind. The corpses still litter Sasuke's mind. Remembering his promise to avenge the Uchiha clan. "But...although I swore to kill my brother...and I have a bond of hatred with my brother...maybe I went about it the wrong way." Sasuke took another look at Naruto, whose still inching closer to him on the battle-worn ground. "Naruto…" Sasuke muttered. Naruto stopped to listen to him. "You've become strong the right way. You're the true genius, I'm the dobe."
Naruto looked at him in complete shock. "Did…he just compliment me?" Naruto thought dumbfounded. "Now for sure, he is the Sasuke Uchiha I know. After all this time separated, he still acknowledges me the most out of everyone." Naruto let out an extremely big grin. However, to his surprise, Naruto heard some giggles. He looked at Sasuke to see he was actually laughing! Naruto joined in as well.
Sai heard the laughter. A smile appeared on his exhausted face. However, this was different. Kabuto stopped his assaults to actually witness something he'll never see again. Sai, an emotionless ANBU root member, is releasing tears of joy. "I have completed my mission..." Sai pulls out his drawing pad and draws his final painting. "Ninpou: Choujuu-Giga (Super Beast Illusion Sketch)!" The three creatures took form into three very large beasts: one frog, one snake, and one slug! Kabuto stood there petrified in the shadows of the gigantic beasts. "I'm done playing. You and Orochimaru are dead." Sai then ordered his beasts to attack Kabuto.
The laughter did not go unnoticed. From a distance, Sakura as well heard the merriment. "Sasuke…he's back…" Tears rolled down her eyes. She was filled with joy. After about three long years, he's finally back. However, she let her guard down...
Orochimaru summoned a giant snake to attack Sakura. Yamato used his moku justu (wood technique) to summon a tree to surround Sakura. The tree repelled this snake's bite, but a second snake lashed Yamato with its tail into a wall. Yamato was knocked out and his tree withered away. Sakura ran to help her commander, but a hoard of snakes slithered into her path. The snakes reformed into a duplicate of Orochimaru.
"Sasuke…" The real Orochimaru a few yards away from his duplicate looked at his former apprentice disgusted at the sight. "You're not longer useful to me." Orochimaru's duplicate launched itself at Sakura. Sakura punched the duplicate, but it split into dozens of tiny snakes constricted and bit her. Sakura immediately felt the bites and venom of more than a dozen snakes. She toppled over, unable to move her body.
"This venom…" Sakura thought and analyzed her situation. "I can't move."
"The apprentice of my former teammate Tsunade." Orochimaru chuckled as he walks up to his paralyzed prey. "I expected better from you. I won't kill you yet though. You did me a favor by killing Sasori. I have a personal matter to attend to first."
Orochimaru let Sakura go for the moment. He opened his mouth and a snake popped out. The snake opened its mouth to expel the Kusanagi no Tsurugi (Sword of the Heavens). Orochimaru wielded his blade and walked to his former apprentice
The two shinobis' laughter finally stopped. "This fight is over." Sasuke said.
"Yeah…Too bad I couldn't beat you!" Naruto added.
"In your dreams dobe!" Sasuke replied. The two of them burst into laughter again. However it was cut short when a shadow appeared over Sasuke. Sasuke looked up to see his former sensei holding the sword to his head.
"Sasuke, after all this time training you, this is all you have to show!" Orochimaru lifted his sword high pointing upward. "I'll carve out your eyes and place them in another body!" Orochimaru stung his blade down. Sasuke tried to move, but his body was still too worn out from the last battle. Sasuke closed his eyes and waited for the end. However, it never came. Sasuke opened his eyes to see Naruto protecting him with his body.
"s…sa…sa…sas…sasuke…" Naruto's body fell on top of his body. Sasuke could sense Naruto's heart. There were no pulsations. Sasuke gasped at the sight of Naruto on him. He was dead, killed by the man who broke their bond.
Orochimaru chuckled as he removed his sword from Naruto's back. "Kukuku! Ha! Sasuke, have I trained you for nothing? You need this brat to die so you can survive? Is your life that precious to you? If it is, run, and run and cling desperately to life!"
Sasuke gasped at the words Orochimaru stated. Sasuke delved into another painful memory. "Foolish little brother, if you want to kill me…Live Miserably! Hate me! Survive through the ugliness. …Run…Run…Learn to Survive. Hate, spite! And survive pathetically! Cling desperately to life." Sasuke was immediately enraged by these words.
Elsewhere, Sai noticed the developing events. "I have to end this now." Sai ordered his three beasts to finish Kabuto. Kabuto stared helplessly as the giant snake, frog, and slug surrounded him. The three beasts spat ink that changed into a corrosive substance. Kabuto used his mystical palm technique to neutralize the acid. However, the three ink creatures jumped and crushed Kabuto drowned in a lake of ink.
Sasuke was infuriated. He clenched his fists and gave Orochimaru a deafening stare with his Sharingan. Large amounts Chakra was releasing from Sasuke, but wasn't the cursed seal chakra. Sasuke, despite his exhaustion, lifted the dead Naruto off him and stood up. "I'll avenge you Naruto! That's a promise!" Sasuke shouted. Chakra was rushing to Sasuke's eyes. The three tomoe sharingan morphed into its ultimate form, the Mangekyou Sharingan.
"Where did he get such power?" Orochimaru thought.
"Is…is this the type of power Naruto had?" Sasuke pondered. "This power is much stronger than the cursed seal's. This is my true power!" Sasuke shouted. He stretched his eyes wider and veins emerged from his eyes. The wheel of the mangekyou sharingan also enlarged. "Tsukuyomi!"
The darkness of the genjutsu settled around Orochimaru. Orochimaru found himself crucified on a wooden cross. Sasuke slowly walked towards Orochimaru, savoring Orochimaru's distress. "You used me!" Sasuke stated. "Drove me away from my home village and destroyed the bonds there! I'LL KILL YOU!" The mangekyou sharingan expanded once again. He narrowed his eyes and focused on Orochimaru's restrained body. "Amaterasu!" His eyes widened and beamed the ninjutsu straight at Orochimaru. Orochimaru felt an extremely fiery sensation along his body. The cross he was crucified to started burning a black flame that engulfed Orochimaru. Orochimaru, for the first time, felt true pain. His snake-like body couldn't slither away this time.
Sasuke however was having a difficult time maintaining the mangekyou sharingan. "Dammit…just a little longer…one more attack." Sasuke bent down and picked up the Kusanagi no Tsurugi. "Orochimaru shall die by his own sword." Sasuke tightened his grip on the sword. The sacred blade emitted a dark blue aura and flames burst from the Kusanagi no Tsurugi. "The last ability of the mangekyou sharingan. Susanoo!" The flames intensified. Sasuke pointed the blade at Orochimaru and drove in. "This ability is using up too much chakra. I only have one shot." Sasuke drove the burning sword into Orochimaru. The blade impaled straight through his body. Orochimaru let out a horrendous screech of pain. His entire body melted in the mixing of the black and blue flames.
"It's finally over." Sasuke let out. The genjutsu dispelled, leaving no trace of Orochimaru. Sasuke's Sasuke turned around and walked up to Naruto's dead body. "Naruto, I am sorry." Sasuke confessed. "You idiotic dobe! I should've died! But you, had to protect me!" Sasuke knelt down and slammed his fists into the ground. "Why? Why don't I have the power to ever save anyone? First my parents, and now, my best friend!" Sasuke recomposed himself and picked up the body.
"The venom; it finally wore off." Sakura lifted herself off the ground. Yamato woke up from his unconscious state. "It appears that we've won this, but at what price?" Yamato questioned himself. He and Sai joined up with the rest of team 7. Sakura looked into the distance. She narrowed her eyes to get a better look at the figure walking to them.
"It's Sasuke!" Sakura shouted with great joy. She ran up to her friend she hadn't meet for almost three years. However, when she arrived, Sakura noticed that something was wrong on Sasuke's depressed face. Tears were trickling down his face that landed on the face of Naruto in his arms. "Sasuke, is Naruto alright?" Sakura took a look at Naruto's pale face. She gasped at what she saw. As a top-ranked medical ninja, Sakura can diagnosis the condition of her patients just by looking at them. "Nar…naruto…" Sakura collapsed with grief. Tears streamed down from her eyes. Sasuke knelt down next to her and placed Naruto on the ground. He walked a few feet and began digging into the battle worn earth.
"Wha…what are you doing Sa…Sasuke?" Sakura dried her tears to see Sasuke digging.
"Naruto deserves a proper funeral." Sasuke emotionlessly said. When he was finished digging, he picked up Naruto's body.
"Not yet." Sakura said, stopping Sasuke. "I promised that I would be able to protect the both of you. I can't keep my promise if one is dead." Sakura took another glimpse at Naruto's peaceful face. "I witnessed a resurrection jutsu before by a sand ninja named Chiyo that relied on the life force instead of chakra."
Sasuke's eyes widened at this response. "No…" Sasuke flatly stated. "Naruto wouldn't like it if you did that. He kept his promise to you. Is that right?"
Sakura remembered that promise Naruto made all those years ago. "I'll definitely get Sasuke back home! It's a promise of a lifetime!" "Sakura! I will…keep my promise no matter what!" "I won't break my words so easily. That's my way of the ninja…" This memory made her cry even more.
"Naruto doesn't deserve to die…" Sakura sniffed and cleaned away her tears. "He's done so much for the village, you Sasuke, and me. So please Sasuke! Let me use the resurrection jutsu!"
Sasuke looked at Sakura's face. He turned to Yamato. Yamato nodded. "Alright…" Sakura stared at him with surprise. "If it truly matters this much to you." He placed Naruto on the dirt. Sakura then placed her hands on his heart.
"Wait…" Sai added. "Sakura instead of your life force…use mine…" The whole team looked at him in complete shock. "I'll say this again, even though I don't know Naruto that much…he is willing to chase Sasuke this far. And me with him, I must have a reason to be here. My mission is to protect the bonds between Sasuke and Naruto. I believe this is my reason."
Yamato and Sasuke understood his feelings. "Okay…" Yamato conceded. "Sakura, continue using Sai's life energy." Sakura nodded. She looked at Sai's face. His feelings were true. He had no regrets. Sai placed his hands on Naruto's heart. Sakura placed hers over his. Green chakra emitted from Sakura's hands. Sai felt as if he was slipping away, but he didn't care, as long as he completes his missions.
"Where am I?" Naruto thought. He looked all around. He was in a blank void of emptiness. He looked up to see a hand coming down to help him. It looked like Sai. Naruto raised his hand and grabbed on. Sai pulled him up from the void.
"What…What happened?" Naruto slowly opened his blue eyes, and saw three figures above him. "Sakura? Sasuke? Yamato?" Naruto slowly muttered.
"You're back!" Sakura shouted. She wrapped her arms around his neck, with tears of joy streaming from her eyes.
"Sakura?" Naruto weakly muttered. "Where's Sai?"
Sakura let go of Naruto. She backed away with her head drooping. Sasuke turned his head away and Yamato's eyes were looking down. Naruto looked past them to see a body lying behind them. "Sai? Hey! What's the matter? You shouldn't be sleeping at a time like this!" Naruto shouted happily.
"Naruto…" Yamato interrupted. "He's not sleeping."
Naruto gave a long stare. First at his teammates, then at Sai's body. He understood everything at that moment. "Why…" Tears trickled down from his eyes. "Why did he do it?"
"It was his mission." Sasuke added. "He's a part of ANBU 'root', isn't he? It's his job to complete his mission. His mission to protect our bonds."
Naruto calmed down. He slowly pushed his stiff body up. "Sai, you put up your life for us." Naruto picked up his body. "At least have a proper funeral for him."
"Alright…" Yamato said. "The mission is a success. It's time to head home." Team 7 silently agreed and headed home.
End Flashback…
Sasuke opened his eyes again. His sharingan eyes narrowed on his older brother. He drew his kusanagi "Remember this blade brother? It's the blade used by that snake bastard. Although it may have belonged to him, this sword will kill you by my hands!" Sasuke's sharingan transformed into the mangekyou sharingan. "Susanoo!" The Ksusanagi blazed a dark blue aura. Flames burst from its blade. "I have only one shot." Sasuke lunged forward at full speed. "But with these eyes, I can't miss. HA!" They met in a burst of blinding light.
"What power!" Sango, the demon slayer, stared at the attack. "Who are these people?"
The light fainted. A body flew in their direction. It was Sasuke's! Naruto caught his comrade's flying body. "What happened?" Naruto questioned. He looked at Itachi. His hands were blazing the same dark blue flames. "No way! He has the same technique as Sasuke!" Naruto shouted.
"Little brother...you have grown much stronger, but not strong enough." Itachi collapsed on the floor and passed out.
Sasuke's body ruffled a bit. Naruto placed Sasuke's arm around his shoulder. "Nice job. Sorry it didn't work out though." Naruto said. Sasuke smirked and passed out as well.
Shippo, the young fox demon, cautiously walked towards Itachi's body. He looked at the body, but it wasn't the same. "Hey guys!" Shippo shouted. "Come look at this!" Everyone soon joined up with Shippo. Miroku, the monk, examined the body once more. "This is not the same person."
"You're right." Naruto stated. "They used this technique again. Those cowards. Using another person's body to do the dirty work."
"Oh, by the way thank you for helping us." Sango said. Kirara meowed in agreement.
"Thanks!" Naruto said. "By the way, who are you guys, and…why does he have dog ears?" Naruto looked at Inuyasha's head. The ears twitched at bit. "Are they real?" Naruto got closer to get a better look at them.
At the same time, Sakura joined in with Kagome. "Hey you guys!" Kagome shouted. She ran up to reunite with her group. "How's Inuyasha?" Naruto moved aside to let Kagome look at Inuyasha's beaten up body.
Naruto placed Sasuke next to Sakura to let her heal him. "So who are you guys?"
"I'm Kagome." The miko priestess reincarnation stated. "This Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Kirara, and Inuyasha!" All the stated members greeted the ninjas happily.
"I'm Sakura Haruno." The pink-haired kunoichi introduced.
"Sasuke Uchiha." The dark-haired shinobi said.
"And I'm Naruto Uzumaki!" The blonde haired shinobi grinned.
"Hey!" Inuyasha said while trying to get up. "Where are those bastards that attacked us!"
"Stop worrying! These ninjas saved us!" Kagome explained. Inuyasha gave them a disgruntled look.
"How strong are these guys?" He thought.
Chapter 4 is done! That was a really long flashback starting from chapter 3. Sasuke and Itachi both have the three abilities of the mangekyou sharingan now. Poor Sai, dying to protect their bonds. R&R some more. Sorry about not having Inuyasha in this story that much. He and his group will make more appearance when they interacting with the other ninjas in Konoha.