Eternal Rivals: Yin and Yang

by Zipzapdoowoop

For millennia, 2 lineages have controlled the history of the continent. The world is kept in constant war. Death, suffering, and anguish are mixed in with instability. However, the birth of the last 2 of the bloodlines will transform the crowded continent of today into the barren wasteland of tomorrow. *Split-Personality Naruto*, *Byakugan Naruto*.

14. Chapter 9: Bad Blood

Yo. Wanted to say that the next chapter after this will be the last chapter of Part 1. After that is Shippudden, and that is when some crazy shit will happen.

Some quick plans for Shippudden are; I'll alter the timeline a bit to fit my headcanon and set up for future plot points.

I'll start some world-building beyond the Elemental Nations. It is canonically confirmed that there are other continents besides the Elemental Nations. I'll use that to the best of my ability, although there is no way for me to fully flesh the world out. It's too damn big.

I'll introduce some new characters too. Most will be side characters that will move the plot forward, like the Konoha 12. However, a handful will become massive characters in the story later on.

I will change some of the lore and introduce new abilities.

So yeah, that's the content update. This chapter is the introduction of the Akatsuki and the prelude to the Sasuke Retrieval Arc. I skipped the Tsunade Arc because honestly there's nothing I wanted to change in it. It'd be a waste of time and boring to read.

Again, the next chapter is the full Sasuke Retrieval Arc and the end of Part 1 Naruto. I did all I wanted to with part 1, so be ready for the craziness of part 2.

Anyways, enjoy the chapter, and let's get on with the story.

General narration

"Talking"

Flashbacks

'Thinking'

Narration

"Yami speaking"

"Bijuu talking"

'Bijuu thinking'

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, or Naruto Shippuden, nor the Naruto Manga. They are owned by Viz Media and Masashi Kishimoto. I only own "Narrator" and other OC's.

---

Jiraiya uses a telescope to observe the women inside the bathhouses. His smile is droopy, with drool oozing from the corner of his lips. He giggles lecherously. Despite being too far to hear him, his giggles make the woman he's spying on shiver in disgust.

"You're still playing the buffoon, I see." States a gruff voice.

"Heh. Just doing a little research." He pauses for a second. "So, Homura Oji-chan and Koharu-sensei, what could you two scholarly advisors want with me?

Homura grunts. "Don't waste our time. You know perfectly well what this is all about."

Jiraiya stands up and turns to look at the elders. A serious expression is set on his face. After an uncomfortable silence, Jiraiya smirks. "Come on, why the long faces? From what I hear, the talks with Sunagakura no Sato went off without a hitch."

Homura returns Jiraiya's previous serious expression. "Sunagakure has publicly stated that Orochimaru was responsible for all of this. At any rate, they've offered their complete surrender to Konohagakure no Sato. So at this point, their betrayal is a moot point."

Koharu continues. "We have accepted Sunagakure's surrender in order to shore up our power in the region,"

Homura frowns. "However, the strength of Konohagakure no Sato has just suffered an enormous blow." The trio takes a break to gaze at the destruction and construction around the village. "As things stand now, our top priority is preparing for the onslaught we believe will come."

Koharu squints her eyes at Jiraiya. "We have no way of knowing when one of the surrounding nations might try to make a play. Therefore, until the village regains its strength, we've decided to gather the top shinobi from each squad as well as the Clan Heads and assembled an emergency executive committee to handle the situation. But before that…"

There is a pregnant pause between the three. "We need a strong and trustworthy leader. It is more than just Orochimaru we have to worry about. It is the seed of a much greater struggle."

Jiraiya scratches his back. "I don't know why you are explaining this to me. I'm already aware of this."

"This village needs the Godaime Hokage immediately. And yesterday at the emergency committee with the Daimyo of Hi no Kuni, it was decided. We chose you, Jiraiya."

Jiraiya narrows his eyes slightly. "I don't know. It's not really up my alley."

"It has been decided. Besides, if one of the renowned Sannin isn't suited, then who else is?"

Jiraiya raises his hand to halt the elders from speaking. "If you're so set on a Sannin, then there is another. You're forgetting Tsunade."

The elders look at one another, wordlessly communicating with each other. "There's little doubt the girl has the capability. But it hardly matters. No one knows where she is."

"I'm sure I can dig her up. You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

"But-"

"Tsunade's got the brains for it, more than someone like me does." Jiraiya eyes the elders challengingly. "So what do you say?"

"Very well, then. We'll give it some thought." They concede reluctantly. "You can take whoever you want with you."

Jiraiya smirks. "There is one guy I wouldn't mind having along for this journey. I've stumbled across a very interesting little egg."

---

Shudders and whimpers saturate the halls of a hidden underground lair.

Kabuto helps his master sit on his throne, albeit with difficulty. Orochimaru's arms lay on the armrests of his seat, bandages wrapped all over his frail limbs.

"Damn you, Sarutobi." Grinds out the Snake Sannin.

Kabuto twitches a small, near-invisible smirk of his lips to his master. Anyone else would've failed to notice it, but not everyone is Orochimaru. "You didn't think it would be easy, did you? Look at who you were playing with; one of the most renowned ninjas in all the Five Great Shinobi Nations. You did well though. Two of the five are now out of the way."

"Shut your mouth!" Snarls Orochimaru. He lifts his gaze and levels a withering glare to a now unnerved Kabuto. "I won't be patronized, do you understand me? I'll kill you."

Kabuto's lips press into a thin line. "Forgive me. I didn't wish to- I'll grant you, we didn't bring down the village. But let's not forget our other objective, Uchiha Sasuke. You've done it. Your leash is now around his neck."

Orochimaru chuckles, albeit weakly from the agony in his arms. Despite his weakness, he isn't able to hide the bitter sarcasm in his voice. "And all it cost me were my arms and the entirety of my jutsu."

There is a pregnant pause in the room that Kabuto doesn't dare break in fear of infuriating his master. Finally, Orochimaru speaks. "If only I'd gotten hold of Uchiha Itachi from the beginning, we wouldn't be in this mess."

Orochimaru's reptilian pupils slit further, conveying his growing malevolent intent. "But it's too late now. That dream has died. Itachi is stronger than I am. He is why I pulled myself out of that dreadful organization." He stares at the hand of his old rotten body, where a white and blue ring is still attached to the withered digit of his left pinky.

---

Two men wearing full-body black cloaks decorated with red clouds and straw hats are enjoying Dango and tea in a small shop inside the Leaf Village. When they feel many strong presences near them, they disappear into the wind. The only evidence of them being in the shop at all is a handful of notes paying for their meal.

…

Those same two men are near the outskirt of the village by the canal. Two Jonin step into their view, stopping them from advancing.

The bearded Jonin speaks up first. "You guys aren't from around here, are you? What are you doing in this village?"

"It's been a long time, Asuma-san, Kurenai-san." The voice of the shorter, and pale-skinned man lingers in the air. His voice is calm, soft, and elegant, yet carries power and weight you wouldn't expect from a man with such grace in his movements.

"The fact that you know our names must mean that you're a Shinobi, one formerly of this village." That much was obvious.

The shorter man tilts his hat upward slightly, showing his face. Effeminate, if slightly dainty features are scrunched up in a scalding glare, one that is enhanced by the crimson glow of his eyes. The Sharingan.

"You-you're-"

The man takes off his hat fully. Long, raven locks frame his delicate face, further amplifying his more feminine features. His scratched Konohagakure no Sato head plate keeps his bangs from entering his eyes and marks his betrayal toward his home. He slowly begins unbuttoning his cloak.

"Well, what do you know? Uchiha Itachi." Asuma and Kurenai begin sweating.

"Are these friends of yours Itachi-san?" Inquires Itachi's giant of a partner. "Well then. I suppose I should introduce myself." He takes off his hat, exposing baby blue skin and gills. He smiles, revealing serrated shark-like teeth. The intensity of his gaze makes Asuma and Kurenai nervous. "Hoshigaki Kisame."

Asuma shakes in excitement and rage. "Why should we wait till later when I can just wipe the floor with you both now?"

Kisame grins widely. "Wow, Itachi-san. It looks like they hate you as much in this village as they do in mine."

Asuma grunts. "Itachi. I've got to hand it to you. The fact that you'd even show your face in this village, after what you did, it takes guts."

Itachi merely shrugs off all the remarks. "Asuma-san, Kurenai-san, I'm warning you. You don't want to interfere with me. It isn't my desire to kill you."

Asuma scoffs. "Pretty funny from a guy who murdered his own people."

Kurenai butts in. "Now out with it. I know you didn't come skulking in here dressed like that for no good reason. What are you after?"

Kisame draws the bandaged thing strapped to his back. "These guys are getting on my nerves. Can I kill them?"

"Well, I guess we're not going anywhere without a fight. Just try not to overdo it. Your moves tend to stand out too much."

…

A short battle made quick work of Asuma and Kurenai. When Kakashi appeared as backup, the tide of battle quickly changed for Konoha. Despite all his strength and skill, he was soon done in by Itachi's Tsukuyomi technique, leaving Kakashi bedridden. The Akatsuki duo soon retreated once Might Guy appeared. He was too much of a threat at the moment.

They weren't in the village to start a fight. They are here for the legacy of the Yondaime Hokage.

But they were too late. Jiraiya had already taken Naruto out of the village by then.

Jiraiya and Naruto are wandering around Hi no Kuni in search of the final member of the Sannin. Senju Tsunade.

---

Sakura takes a box of homemade dumplings from her mother toward Ino. This would be a good way to mend their broken friendship.

As she goes to Ino, she thinks about the closest friends she's made recently. 'I'll save some dumplings for Lee. He's been really down lately. I'll save some for Sasuke-kun as well. I wonder if he has a sweet tooth. ' Sakura giggles to herself. She pauses. 'What about Naruto?'

She remembers her conversation with Sasuke in the hospital the day after the invasion. She thanked Sasuke profusely for saving her from the sand during Gaara's attack.

When he said he didn't, but that Naruto saved her, she almost thought he was being modest. But no, the way he spoke about the event and the tone of his voice told her that he was telling the truth. It seemed almost comical considering that at the other side of the roof, Naruto was busy nearly popping a blood vessel from trying to summon the Chidori. But then again, that's Naruto. He's as stupid as can be, but you can't help but like him.

Yeah, it's decided. She'll save some for Naruto too.

---

A screeching blue explosion consumes the figure of what once was a boulder. Sasuke pants, catching his breath from his latest attempt at Chidori. He's training harder than he ever has before, all in the hopes of even the smallest improvement.

Another second of being able to hold the jutsu. Every bit of extra chakra he is able to focus and control in the jutsu. And the ability to go from 2 bursts of Chidori to three, everything matters to him. Because…

"I wasn't able to do anything." Sasuke grits his teeth. "I don't ever want to feel that again. Watching all those I care about fall right before my eyes. And the frigid helplessness of being able to do nothing about it."

Sasuke's breaths become uneven. They become harsher and more aggressive. He's hyperventilating. 'Naruto just gets stronger and stronger. Compared to him, I-' NO! He refuses to finish that thought!

Sasuke does the seals for Chidori again. He'll keep going until he reaches a breakthrough or collapses. He won't stop until he catches up to Naruto.

…

After a few hours of being stuck in his training, Sasuke decides to visit Kakashi for tips. When he walks into Kakashi's room, he sees many oddities, specifically the people in the room.

"Why is Kakashi asleep? And why is his room full of Jonin?" When none of the three Jonin answers, Sasuke gets impatient. "What are you doing? What the hell is going on?!"

"Uh, not much really." Answers Guy apathetically. He makes sure to avoid eye contact with Sasuke while he says it.

A random Jonin runs into the room to address the 3 elite Jonin in Kakashi's room. "Is it true that Itachi has returned?" Sasuke freezes and stiffens like a frightened cat. Guy glares at the Jonin.

Unfortunately, said Jonin didn't notice either of these things. "And is it true that he's come here to get Uzumaki Naruto?"

Sasuke turns around and his eyes widen like saucers. His blood runs cold, like shards of ice are flowing through his veins. 'Itachi… is back? And he's here for Naruto? What does this mean? Has he come back to take someone else from me?' Sasuke's eyes pulse with his breaths and his body trembles in nerves.

He bolts out of the room, making sure to shove the ignorant Jonin out of the way.

---

Sasuke leaps from building to building toward Naruto's apartment. As he lands in front of his door, he opens it at the same time Sakura is leaving. A purple bundle falls out of her hands onto the floor.

"Sasuke-kun, I-" Sputters Sakura.

"Where is Naruto?!" Cuts Sasuke.

"Eh? Well, I don't know. I just got here myself. I only wanted to… leave him some sweets." Sasuke sprints away from the apartment and toward the village center, halfway into Sasukra's sentence. He doesn't care for whatever she's doing. Naruto is more important.

'If Naruto gets caught, he's dead! I won't let that happen!' Sasuke steps into the Ichiraku Ramen shop so he can speak to his only source of information. "Ossan, Naruto stepped in here today. Do you know where he went after he left?"

The owner smiles in recognition. "Oh, Naruto, let's see. He met Jiraiya-sama here around noon. They had some ramen, then said they were headed off somewhere."

"Where to?!" Demands Sasuke.

Teuchi scrunches his eyes in concentration. "Now that I think about it, I believe he mentioned that outpost town a ways out from the village. And then he set out with Jiraiya-sama."

Sasuke knits his eyes together in confusion. "Jiraiya?"

"Yeah, one of the Three Legendary Sannin. If you're looking for him, he's a massive old fella with a head of white hair."

"Big guy, white hair." Sasuke jumps away and toward the village gates. He needs to catch up to Naruto as fast as he can. Not even the indignant yells from the owner of the ramen stand to come back will stop him.

When he finally leaves the village and enters the surrounding forest, his face is marred with a stern, determined glare. He will save Naruto even if it costs him his life.

---

When Naruto and Jiraiya arrive at the port town, Jiraiya immediately ditches Naruto at the hotel so he can have his fun with a beautiful young woman flirting with him.

At the same time, Sasuke arrives at the port town at lightning-fast speeds. He goes door to door at every shop and inn, trying his best to find his best friend before it's too late.

...

A knock is heard on Naruto's motel door while he is focusing on his chakra. Naruto grunts. "Hmph. She dumped you already, huh?"

The knocking gets louder. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming."

When Naruto opens the door, he pales at who he sees in front of him. A tall, handsome, and scary-looking man is glaring at him with the same Sharingan eyes as Sasuke. As a matter of fact, he looks just like Sasuke if he were a few years older.

Naruto hears a chuckle behind the scary-looking pretty boy. "Heh, hard to believe that such a child carries the Kyuubi." The one who says it is a mountain of a man the size of Jiraiya. He's... blue.

Naruto's eyes widen. 'How does this guy know about the Kyuubi, dattebayo?'

The one who resembles Sasuke addresses him. "Naruto-kun. You're coming with us."

Naruto trembles. He feels… What is this feeling? He hasn't felt this emotion since Nami no Kuni. And before that, he's felt this whenever he walked into the village square. What was this feeling again? Oh, right.

Fear!

He is afraid, not for the well-being of others or the village, but for himself. These men are the real deal. They could destroy him on a whim. The fact he isn't dead means he is completely at their mercy.

"Why don't we take a walk?" States the ravenette with apathy.

Naruto obeys. He has to. He doesn't stand a chance. Despite it being phrased as a request, the question felt more like a demand. He walks out of his room and keeps his head low.

The massive shark-like man turns to his partner. "Hmm, Itachi-san, it'll be a pain in the ass if this kid makes a run for it. Maybe I ought to chop off a leg, just in case." He grabs the hilt of Samehada and approaches Naruto.

Naruto stays frozen in fear, just like the Nami no Kuni mission.

Everything becomes still at the sound of halting footsteps. "It's been a long time… Sasuke."

At the end of the hall stands Sasuke with his gaze toward the floor. "Itachi. Uchiha Itachi." Sasuke raises his head and glares searing holes at the back of Itachi's skull with his Sharingan.

"Well, the Sharingan. And he looks an awful lot like you. Itachi-san, who is this kid?"

Itachi still doesn't turn around to face Sasuke. "He's my otouto."

Naruto gapes at the revelation. The man Sasuke wants to kill is right in front of him. And they're siblings.

Kisame chuckles. "That's funny. The last I heard the whole Uchiha Clan was wiped out. By you." Itachi doesn't deem the comment with a response.

"Uchiha Itachi, I hope you're ready to die." Itachi finally turns around and looks at Sasuke. His younger brother has grown so much since he last saw him. He heavily resembles their mother, Mikoto.

The second Sasuke saw Itachi, all thoughts of saving Naruto were wiped in his mind. No, more like buried by his deep, limitless hatred and desire for vengeance. All of it focused on the man in front of him.

"It's just as you've said, Nii-san. I've fostered my hatred for you all this time. I've lived my life for one single purpose." Sasuke's hair starts floating from the pressure of his chakra. The furious screeching of 1000 birds grates the ears of all in the vicinity. A harsh blue light casts artificial shadows all over the hallway. Sasuke has activated his Chidori. His eyes gain a gleam of insanity and instability. "To see you die! It ends here!"

Itachi quirks a brow in genuine shock. "Chidori?"

"Enough! You're dead!" Sasuke drags the ball of static wrath across the walls of the inn. He roars a hoarse, desperate scream, hoping, praying that his frustration will make him stronger. Even just a little bit.

Once in range, Sasuke thrusts his jutsu at Itachi. His sense of self-preservation is severed for blind rage. When the jutsu is about to strike, Itachi lifts a hand and grabs Sasuke's wrist. He pushes Sasuke's arm to the side, diverting the entirety of the Jutsu's force to the wall to his right.

Sasuke's jutsu fades, and his wrist is stuck in Itachi's vice grip. Even then, Sasuke will keep glaring at Itachi, hoping to inflict at least the smallest bit of pain to this man.

Naruto panics. He starts connecting his chakra with Yami's so he can draw from the Kyuubi's chakra. The orangey-red aura surrounds him like the eye of a storm.

Kisame looks back at Naruto with a manic look. "Ahh, the air is ripe with chakra. This must be it. The power of the Kyuubi."

Itachi looks back to see the Kyuubi's chakra. His eyes widen slightly. That chakra is so dense, rich, heavy. It's magnificent.

Sasuke takes the chance to swing a haymaker with his free arm.

Itachi grunts. "Enough." Itachi flicks his wrist. A loud, sickening snap is heard from Sasuke's radiocarpal joint.

Sasuke screams in agony, holding his limp wrist toward his chest. Itachi uses his free hand to sucker punch Sasuke in the gut. He crumples to his knees.

"Alright, that's it!" Naruto focuses the chakra into his handseals. "Ninpou: Kuchiyose no-"

"Too slow." Kisame swipes his sword over Naruto's head. Immediately, all the chakra he has built up is gone.

'What the fuck?! I can't feel my chakra! What the hell is going on?'

"Sorry kid. My blade, Samehada cuts through chakra and devours it."

Naruto is left dumbstruck at Kisame's absurd display of power. A feeling of overwhelming despondence fills Naruto's gut, withering away at his boisterous bravery.

"Forget about the legs." Kisame points his sword at Naruto. "Maybe I ought to start off with those arms of his."

Naruto stays frozen. It's hopeless. There's nothing he can do other than hope for a miracle.

Narrator: Thankfully for Naruto, he has something stronger. Plot armor. :-|

A puff of smoke appears in front of him. A toad larger than himself appears and blocks Samehada with its metal arm guards.

Another puff of smoke appears behind him. "You two don't know me at all, do you? Should have done your homework. Jiraiya the Toad Sage falls victim to no woman's charm. It isn't in my nature to be duped by the wiles of women. When you reach my level, the women kneel and worship at your awesomeness." On his shoulder, Jiraiya is carrying the woman who was flirting with him earlier. She appears to be unconscious.

Naruto growls like the beast within him. "Don't give me that shit! One wink from a pretty girl and you turn into a mountain of mush! You fell for it like a ton of bricks, you perverted loser!"

Jiraiya winces. "Ouch. I screwed up badly enough for you to skip my pet name and go straight for insults, huh?"

Naruto bristles. "I don't care anymore! We have better things to worry about Ero-Sennin, like the guys behind me, dattebayo!"

Kisame chuckles in amusement. "Whatever name you go by, Jiraiya-sama, I must say, you're something of a disappointment. A lecherous old man with the disposition of a child. Even the blond brat in front of me is being more serious about this than you are. It's almost impossible to believe you are one of The Legendary Sannin."

"Uh, I-uh, don't be fooled by appearances." Sputters Jiraiya.

Itachi finally speaks up. "So you managed to break the Genjutsu I cast on her."

Jiraiya's face becomes as cold as ice. He places the woman against the wall. "What kind of coward would do something like that? Using his Sharingan to inflict a Genjutsu on an innocent civilian woman, all in order to separate Naruto-kun from me."

Hearing his name in such context, Naruto can't help but gulp.

"I know that he's the one you're really after." Jiraiya narrows his eyes slightly.

Itachi closes his eyes in understanding. "That explains how Kakashi knew. Now I understand. He learned it from you."

Sasuke tries to growl from his place on the floor, but it comes out as a weak mewl. Almost a whimper.

Itachi continues undeterred. "But you are right. Naruto-kun is the prize the Akatsuki are after. And we will have him."

Jiraiya's eyes narrow further. He dispels the toad guarding Naruto. "No way you're getting Naruto."

"We'll see about that."

"Actually, this is all very convenient. I can eliminate you both at the same time.."

"Stay out of this!" Demands a booming voice. It takes even Jiraiya by surprise.

Grunts of exertion are heard behind Itachi as Sasuke wills himself to his feet. "The one who is going to eliminate him-" Sasuke glowers at Itachi. "-is me!"

Sasuke takes deep shuddering breaths to restore the wind knocked out of his lungs.

Itachi grunts in annoyance. "Go away. You don't interest me at the moment."

Sasuke activates his Sharingan and charges at Itachi. "Well get interested!"

Itachi spins away from the fist and slams a back heel kick to Sasuke's gut. Sasuke is launched across the hall. His momentum is interrupted by the hard wall his back slams into. Sasuke's broken body sways on the floor. His dizziness threatens to make him blackout.

Naruto runs after Sasuke. "Damn you lousy-!"

Sasuke's pointed gaze pierces the blond. "Naruto! Don't butt in. Mind your own business!" Naruto stops, if only out of respect for Sasuke.

Sasuke forces himself to his feet once more. "I told you before, I've lived my whole life for this day, this moment!" Sasuke re-activates his Sharingan. "This fight is mine!" Sasuke sprints back toward Itachi. Spirited yells from the depths of his soul give him the extra speed he lacked earlier.

Sasuke readies a punch. Itachi swipes the fist away and jams his elbow deep enough into Sasuke's cheek that a crack is heard. Sasuke is thrown back to the wall he came from with even more violent speeds. Sasuke coughs up blood from the impact.

Naruto's breaths become weak, wispy little things. Seeing Sasuke being handled so easily with no difficulty seems so surreal, He has spent his entire life trying to become equals with Sasuke, and seeing him broken down like that… It's terrifying.

Sasuke tries to move his hand to perform Ninjutsu, but he can't even manage to lift a finger. "Not… finished." He belly breathes. He swallows harsh, labored breaths to try and get as much energy back into his lungs as possible. He has to or else he'll choke on his own pain. "This fight… is mine."

Itachi's eyes narrow at Sasuke. "So be it." Itachi strolls toward the downed image of Sasuke.

Jiraiya tries to intervene, but Kisame gets in his way. "You heard him, old man. That fight is none of our business. Let the two of them sort it out." Jiraiya clicks his tongue.

When Itachi gets close enough to him, a manic glee sprouts in Sasuke's eyes. "Finally!" Like a coiled serpent, he pounces up from his position toward his prey.

Unfortunately, Itachi isn't ordinary prey. Itachi easily finds the gap in Sasuke's lack of a guard and lands a full-brunt sucker punch on Sasuke's ribs, making Sasuke fold into Itachi's arm. Itachi flicks his arm from under Sasuke and over. He slams his elbow into the back of Sasuke's head and jerks up his knee to ram onto the underside of Sasuke's chin.

Itachi keeps beating Sasuke without an ounce of mercy. Blood flows from Sasuke's wounds and out his mouth. He jabs another fist into Sasuke's gut, keeping him pinned between the wall and his fist.

The whole time, Sasuke feels like the world is caving in on him. 'How? After all these years, nothing has changed. How can it be?' Sasuke collapses to the floor, barely able to keep his eyes open. 'What have I been doing all these years? Was it- Was it all for this? Just to be in the same place I started, and now falling behind the shinobi of my generation.'

Itachi grips Sasuke by the throat. He lifts him and pins him against that wall so they can see each other at eye level. "You're still too weak. You don't have enough hate. And you know something? You never will."

Despite hating the grating feeling of Itachi's words, just like a masochist or a beaten slave, he keeps coming back for more. He looks Itachi directly in the eyes, and that mistake would change who Sasuke was forever.

Itachi closes his left eye. He builds and gathers Chakra into it. When he opens it, a Shuriken pattern replaces his typical Sharingan design. Blood leaks from the eye. "Tsukuyomi."

...

When Sasuke blinks, he finds himself standing alone in a dark void. He can't see anything; it's so dark. He can't see his hand even an inch from his face. He can't hear any noise other than his thoughts. He can't feel anything other than his heartbeat. And somehow, someway, he knows he's falling endlessly into this abyss of despair.

He blinks and he's once again at the Uchiha Compound on that night. He is back in his body from when he was 7. He whimpers. "I know this place."

A voice addresses him from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. "Yes. This is our childhood home. You remember this day, don't you? You'll keep witnessing every atrocity from this event for the next 72 hours."

Sasuke sees his parents in front of him. "Tou-san! Kaa-san!" Itachi appears behind his parents, poised to cut them down again.

Sasuke tries to look away, but another Itachi appears behind him. He forcefully holds his face in place and uses his hands to keep his eyes open. For some reason, Sasuke can feel his Sharingan is active. He… He won't ever be able to unsee this! No. No! NO! NO!

The Itachi behind him chuckles. "You're weak, Sasuke."

Sasuke begins to cry. "Please… don't." He doesn't care about his pride at the moment. He's begging, pleading to the monster he once called his brother for even a shred of mercy.

He can feel Itachi's grip tighten on him. "You'll be weaker still."

"STOOOOPPPPPP!"

…

In the real world, Sasuke's tortured screams of terror and misery make the hairs of the people watching stand on end. They shiver and their jaws hang agape.

To them, it only happened in an instant. For Sasuke… it was a lifetime.

…

Sasuke watches the tragedy of the Massacre happen over and over again. It happens continuously in a loop without pause. The quality is clear and untainted like he is experiencing it for the first time over and over again. His Sharingan makes him see it play out again every time he blinks. He's lost count of how many times he's seen the tragedy. The pain feels just as fresh every time it happens.

How long has he been here? Hours? Day? Months? Years? It feels like an eternity. Maybe he's died and this is his own personal hell. If so, then what has he done to deserve this?

"Foolish otouto. You're not even worth killing. If you wish to kill me one day, foster your hatred and despise me. Surviving in such an unsightly manner as this. By all means, flee. Cling to your wretched life."

Finally. The illusion ends, and Sasuke is back in the abyss he was in at the beginning of the technique. Maybe he's finally dead. Good. At least he'll be free. He'll see Tou-san and Kaa-san again, and the rest of his family.

Itachi appears in front of him, breaking that fantasy. That last shred of deluded hope he was hanging on to. The hope that was keeping him sane, it fades to black. "Congratulations. One second has passed." He smirks maliciously. "Only 71 hours, 59 minutes, and 59 seconds to go."

Narrator: Those of you reading have the privilege of not understanding the full scale of what is happening. The torment happening to Sasuke is equivalent to that the worst souls experience in Naraka. Or in the Outer World, those in the Ninth Circle of Hell go through.

And be glad that I have to describe the torment to you rather than show you. 'Sasuke's expression turns ghastly. His lips quiver and his body fails him. Despair, true, unadulterated despair, and anguish fill his being. He feels like he's gonna die. He's breaking. He can feel his mind crumbling, destroying his inhibitions, his happiness, his compassion, and leaving behind the madness.'

From that moment, Uchiha Sasuke had truly died. And with his death, so too does hope and salvation die for this generation of Shinobi. The Shinobi World died the day Uchiha Sasuke died.

And despite that, his heart is still beating.

…

Sasuke's screams expressing his devastating loss of sanity make even Jiraiya cringe. Kisame smiles sadistically. "Using Tsukuyomi on his own brother. How despicable."

Naruto feels tears prickle the corners of his eyes. Sasuke…what happened to Sasuke? He's going through the most unimaginable torture possible, and he couldn't do a thing about it. He just stood still like a scared puppy. He should've helped him. It's like Nami no Kuni all over again.

If Sasuke dies… it'll be all his fault. He would've killed his best friend. He couldn't live with himself if that was the case.

Sasuke's body goes limp. The tears immediately dry from Narutos eyes, and the grief is replaced by a cold rage. Naruto spronts toward Itachi, successfully getting past Kisame.

Kisame chases after Naruto and Jiraiya cast the handseals needed to secure a victory.

Flesh starts spreading from the cracks on the walls and ceiling. It goes further until it connects and seals itself off. The entire hallway is now covered in flesh. Jiraiya's hands are on the floor. He did this. "Ninpou: Gamaguchi Shibari."

The flesh on the floor starts binding Kisame's foot and drags Sasuke deeper into the wall and out of Itachi's grip. Their struggle is pointless. The jutsu had been fully cast anyway.

Jiraiya smirks. "You've both just been swallowed by the Mountain Toad. Welcome, my guests, to the belly of the beast. He has a very sensitive digestive tract. Not the most glorious way to die, is it? Must be humbling."

Naruto starts to panic. "Whoa, I'm not liking this at all, dattebayo!"

"Naruto! Stay calm. Stay absolutely still and trust in my jutsu."

Itachi grunts in annoyance. "Kisame, come."

Kisame reciprocates the grunt. "Easier said than done." Kisame has to use much more force than he'd like to free his feet from the stomach, and he had to pry his sword free from the mucosa wrapping around it.

Itachi and Kisame sprint down the hallway toward the window, trying to find a way to escape.

Jiraiya clicks his teeth. "It's useless! There has been no ninja to have survived this stomach!" Jiraiya wills the flesh on the floor and the walls into tendrils. The arms and wall of rapidly moving flesh came after the Akatsuki duo.

Kisame slices through the flesh, but it's nothing more than a delay tactic. The need to break free, and soon.

Itachi closes his right eye and channels chakra into it. When he snaps his eye open, his normal Sharingan design is replaced with a shuriken. His Mangekyou has been reactivated. "Amaterasu!"

When Jiraiya hears the thump and crash synonymous with the breaking of a dimension, he sprints toward where the Akatsuki duo went. When he gets to the other hall, he pauses as he sees the gaping hole in the wall leading outside.

The two have escaped. And the only evidence they were ever there is the scorching, wisping tongues of black flames eating away at the flesh of the stomach. And for some reason, the fire isn't dying down.

What kind of flames are these? For it to be able to burn the mountain toad when it's able to spit fire itself is unbelievable. Impossible, even.

Jiraiya pulls out a scroll and some ink. He dips a brush in the ink and quickly writes out a complex sealing matrix on the scroll. He sets it near the flames. "Fuinjutsu: Fūka Hōin!"

Chakra leaks from the scroll, forming a blue arm. It wraps around the flames and absorbs them, before returning back to the scroll. Jiraiya ties the scroll and stuffs it into his haori. "That's one thing settled." Jiraiya stomps and releases the jutsu he cast.

The flesh disappears and Sasuke emerges from the depths of the wall. Naruto catches Sasuke to break his fall. Naruto stares wide-eyed at Sasuke. Sasuke's body is limp, so he thought he was unconscious. But no, Sasuke is awake, but he is unresponsive. Sasuke is staring at nothing, seeing nothing, hearing nothing, and feeling nothing. It's like Sasuke's soul has left his body and all that remains is the empty flesh shell. It's like he's become a doll.

Naruto gnashes his teeth in shame. Something awful happened to Sasuke… and he did nothing. Sasuke is in this state, and it's all his fault!

His train of thought is broken by a kunai striking the wall furthest from them. A rapid figure approaches them but before any of them can react, he hears a frustratingly familiar yell. "Dynamic Entry!"

…

After a petty argument between the two, Guy and Jiraiya get serious. "We've got to get Sasuke-kun to the Medical Corps at once."

Jiraiya nods. "Hai. He's badly beaten up. His arm is broken, and he's been knocked out by whatever jutsu it was that Itachi used on him."

Guy's eyes narrow dangerously. 'Could it be the same thing he used on Kakashi?'

Naruto runs up to Jiraiya. "Ero-Sennin, Sasuke is gonna be alright though, isn't he?"

Jiraiya remains silent for a few seconds. He desperately tries to find a way to break it to Naruto, but he pulls a blank. He needs to be blunt. "Physically, yes. But I'm worried about what may have been done to his mind."

Naruto growls and clenches his fists. His nails dig into his palms, successfully drawing blood. "What did Sasuke ever do to deserve this? Okay, Ero-Sennin, it's time for a new game plan, dattebayo. Starting right now. I admit I let those goons scare me a little. But that's over. No more running. After all, they're after me, right? Well, okay then, it's time I give them what they want!"

Jiraiya scoffs. "Nice speech, kid. But I'm afraid you wouldn't stand a chance against them. You're not in the same league as them. You aren't even playing the same sport as them if we are staying within the analogy. What would've happened if I hadn't shown up just now, huh? It took all I had to keep them away from you."

Naruto points a finger a Jiraiya. "So what are you suggesting? That we just do nothing? To just sit here and wait for them to hit us again? What kind of strategy is that?"

Jiraiya lays Naruto a stern, powerful gaze that immediately makes Naruto straighten up. "Just be quiet! You haven't earned the right."

Naruto averts his eyes and stares at the floor. He growls, grits his teeth, clenches his fists, he does anything to vent. He can't say anything to Ero-Sennin as he is.

Jiraiya turns to Guy. "I'm sorry, Guy. I wanted to let Sasuke fight his own battle. I now see that I should've intervened."

Guy remains stern. "This is obviously the same sort of jutsu that Kakashi was hit with. We don't know when he'll come out of it."

Naruto jerks up. "What? Kakashi-sensei!"

Guy's expression softens when he gazes at Sasuke. "There's nothing worse than seeing your students fall in battle. It's like losing little pieces of your soul. What we need is a supreme medical specialist, a master of healing arts, and soon."

Jiraiya nods. "You're right. And the woman you are talking about is the one we've come to find."

Guy's neck turns at a deadly speed. He looks at Jiraiys incredulously. "What?! You can't mean her!"

Jiraiya smirks. "That's exactly who I mean. Another of the Legendary Sannin. The Slug Princess, and best Medic in the world."

---

Itachi and Kisame are sprinting back toward the hideout. Kisame is upset at them having to retreat again. "So we just run away again? We do a lot of that."

"There's no rush right now. We'll get Naruto-kun when the time is right. Besides, I feel it wise for us to find someplace to rest for a while and recharge my powers."

Itachi takes a clumsy step on the water and nearly loses balance. He's shaking and he's sweating slightly. "On top of Tsukuyomi twice today, to have to use Amaterasu as well, it was more exhausting than I thought."

---

The last month was a wild ride for Naruto. He was confronted by International S-Ranked criminals. He learned to pop a water balloon with his chakra. He then learned to pop a rubber ball with his chakra. He trained so hard burns and blisters formed on his hands. They grew calloused as a result.

He met a really beautiful and young-looking old woman, who is addicted to gambling and loves Sake more than Jiraiya does boobs. It just so happened that woman was another Sannin and was chosen to be the Godaime Hokage! He couldn't keep a lid on his words and was then easily beaten up by her. He made a fools bet with her afterward for some petty reason. He had to mater the Rasengan within the week.

He then took part in a fight involving the Three Legendary Sannin. He mastered the Rasengan with the help of Shadow Clones, and he witnessed the resurgence of Senju Tsunade. Her declaring herself Godaime Hokage was pretty cool!

And then there was the Three-Way deadlock! That is the stuff of fairytales!

And after that, when he and Tsunade had their rematch, it went the same as last time, except Tsunade ends the fight by kissing him on the forehead. And she gave him a shiny necklace to go along with it. 'Ever since that kiss, I can't stop thinking about Tsunade baa-chan. The way she looked at me and the feeling of her lips on my skin, is that what a mother's love feels like, dattebayo?

But Baa-chan was hesitant to come back to the village at all. She pretty much abandoned her birthplace for years. If she can do something so extreme, then what's stopping others from doing that. What if instead of their homes, people abandoned each other?' Naruto doesn't know it yet, but that singular stray thought birthed his greatest fear behind being alone.

Abandonment.

After everything that's happened, the quartet of Naruto, Tsunade, Shizune, and Jiraiya finally made their way back to the village, where Tsunade will serve her role.

---

Despite Tsunade returning to the village as the new Hokage, it seems she forgot the most important reason for coming back, at least in Naruto's eyes.

"Not so fast, Baa-chan! Before you can relax, isn't there something you're forgetting about, dattebayo?"

Tsunade lifts an eyebrow and purses her lips. She looks at Naruto incredulously. She's so confused she didn't even realize Naruto started calling her "Baa-chan". "What would that be?"

Naruto stomps on the ground and pouts like a boy his age would. "Oh, come on, are you kidding me? What about Kakashi-sensei, Sasuke, Shikamaru, and bushy brow, dattebayo?"

Tsunade's eyes widen. "Oh yeah, I did forget about them. Alright, before I can relax, let's make a quick stop at the hospital."

Naruto beams. "Yosh!"

---

A knock is heard on the door to Sasuke's hospital room. "May I come in?" Not waiting for an answer, Tsunade walks inside. She smiles at Sakura, who she sees tending to Sasuke.

In sprints Naruto. "Sakura-chan, Sakura-chan! You'll never believe it, dattebayo! She's gonna make everything okay again! Sasuke's gonna be alright now, dattebayo!"

Sakura turns to Tsunade, desperation showing in her tired, baggy eyes. "You must be the one Guy-sensei told me about. Please, if you can save Sasuke-kun…"

Tsunade forces herself to smile at the girl who seems exhausted beyond belief. She needs to give this girl hope, or something bad could happen. "Well, I'll see what I can do."

Tsunade's hands glow a green aura and she places them on Sasuke's head. She frowns at what she's reading. 'Signs of severe and continuous stress to the mind. His hippocampus is firing off at a rapid speed, far faster than normal. I imagine it's been firing off the whole time he's been unconscious. I heard that he was under the effects of an S-ranked Genjutsu at the minimum. It's like his mind is still stuck under the jutsu despite no longer being conscious. And the number of folds in his brain is abnormally high. It surpasses that of a veteran shinobi. Not even Sarutobi-sensei would have this many folds in his brain. It's like his mind is over a hundred years old, but his body is yet to catch up.'

Tsunade cringes. The trauma he's suffered through and the hyper-activeness of his hippocampus as well as what she's heard of the Genjutsu tells her that Sasuke has experienced over a lifetime's worth of memories already. It's a miracle he hasn't gone insane yet, or that he hasn't developed a mental illness or disorder, especially considering most of these memories are filled with despair. This will require effort to treat, but it shouldn't be too big of a problem.

She focuses more chakra into her hands and relaxes. She deactivates her Mystic Palm and waits. Sasuke groans and his eyelids flicker. Slowly, Sasuke opens his heavy lids, finally seeing the real world for the first time in over a week. In his mind though, it's been an eternity.

Naruto and Sakura yell out. "Sasuke/Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke sits up and stares blankly at his blanket.

Sakura runs after him. "Sasuke-kun!" She gives him the tightest hug she can. Her tears soak into his shirt. But still, Sasuke doesn't respond. He keeps staring at the blanket. He's numb to everything around him. His mind hasn't caught up to his new circumstance. He's trapped in his mind for the time being.

Naruto goes toward Sasuke but stops. His face falls as he sees the way Sakura clings onto Sasuke. She hugs him with all her might, all her need, love, and desperation. At that moment, Naruto has never felt so far away from her. At that moment, he realizes that Sakura would never be his. Sasuke would always have her heart, and Sakura would have it no other way.

Naruto eventually begins to smile. It's a small, sad, if bitter smile, but it's genuine. If they are happy together then he's happy too. He cares about them way more than he cares about himself. He'll let them have their moment.

Naruto slowly makes his way out of the room, resigning his claim on Sakura forever.

Tsunade smiles proudly at Naruto. 'You really are a kind child.'

"Oi, Baa-chan, you're not done yet."

…

When Kakashi is awoken, he is immediately ridiculed by Tsunade. "Disgraceful. To be taken completely out of the game by two low-life punks like that. I thought you were supposed to be the best."

If Kakashi knew this was would await him when he woke up, Senju Tsunade of all people grilling him on his abilities as a shinobi, he would've chosen to stay under for longer. It would've spared him the humiliation and the lecture.

…

After Tsunade wakes Shikamaru from his induced coma and heals his major wounds, she gives the room to Naruto so he can talk to his friend.

"So, uh, how you doing, dattebayo?"

Shikamaru groans. "If I knew I'd be in this much pain when I woke up, I would've asked to stay asleep. I put in all that effort and nearly got myself killed over some stupid mission. This is such a drag. Tell me though, did we at least succeed in bringing Sasuke back?"

Naruto groans in a Nara-like manner. "Ugh, that was nowhere near the end of our troubles. We had to fight Gaara. And it turns out that from what we've seen of him before, that is his weakest version. He wasn't even in his final form, dattebayo!"

Shikamaru's eyes nearly pop out of their sockets. "What?! He was that strong while holding back most of his power? Geez, that guy is a monster. Sorry, I left you guys to deal with that. Seems like my sacrifice didn't count for much. What a drag." He puffs an annoyed breath.

Naruto pats Shikamaru on the shoulder, eliciting a wince from the lazy boy. "Maa, don't say that! You lifted a big weight from our shoulders back there. Without you, we wouldn't have made it in time to save Sasuke." Naruto grins cheekily at Shikamaru. "And besides, it's not like nothing came from your work. You got a pretty badass scar on your eyebrow, dattebayo! It makes you look rebellious, like a punk!"

Naruto makes his point clear by presenting Shikamaru with a mirror. Looking at the image before him, Shikamaru has to concede that point to Naruto. The scar on his left eyebrow fits him really nicely. He really likes it, although he'd rather not admit to that. It'd be too much of a drag to deal with the teasing from Naruto and Ino. "Ehh, I'll live. So, I'm curious, who managed to defeat Gaara?"

Naruto's grin widens. It expresses pride, savagery, and excitement. What a strange combination. "Would you believe it if I said I beat him, dattebayo?"

Shikamaru's eyes widen once more. He chokes on the air he's breathing, triggering a painful coughing fit. He sighs apathetically. "Honestly, despite how impossible that sounds, I can't help but believe you. I couldn't see Sasuke beating Gaara, and I can't imagine you beating Sasuke, yet I can actually imagine you managing to defeat him. It's probably because of the way your respective skills match up to each other." Shikamaru smiles slightly. "You did good, Naruto."

Naruto's jaw hinges open. He grins widely. "Hehehe, thanks Shikamaru! You're a great guy, dattebayo!"

Shikamaru's smile widens. "Yeah, yeah. Now leave me alone. I need to rest."

Naruto nods eagerly. "Okay! Get better soon!" Naruto sprints out of the room.

Shikamaru shakes his head and smiles. The kid is so weird. And stupid. And an overall total loser. Even then, you can't help but like him.

…

When Tsunade and Naruto get to Lee's room, she looks contemplative the moment she sees the Guy look-alike. "Hey, Guy, is this one of your students?"

"Yosh! He's more than a student, he's like a son to me!" Guy yells out with manly tears.

"I see." Tsunade gazes at Lee in sympathy. She stays quiet for a long time, not really sure what to say.

"Naruto."

"Huh?"

"Do you really have time to be dawdling around here?" Tsunade urges, not that Naruto was able to hear the desperation in her voice.

"Ah, you're right. I almost forgot I'm supposed to meet Iruka-sensei."

Tsunade smiles at him. It's just a touch forced. "Better run along then."

"Yeah! I'll let you take it from here, dattebayo!" Naruto waves goodbye and leaves Tsunade with Guy, Shizune, and Lee.

Tsunade's expression turns solemn. Now, what is she going to do with Lee?

---

"Oii. Naruto!"

Naruto pouts and glares at the approaching figure in indignation. "Finally, Iruka-sensei. Where ya been?"

Iruka rubs the back of his head sheepishly. "I'm late, sorry. It's all the preparations for the Godaime Hokage."

"Tch. Whatever." The two go inside the ramen shop and order their food.

Naruto takes a massive bundle of noodles into his mouth and slurps loudly.

Iruka turns to the boy. "Naruto."

"Hm?" Naruto can only say that much with food in his mouth.

"You've sure come a long way since the time you were just a kid trying to earn one of these." Iruka adjusts his headband as a demonstration.

"I'll say. I'm glad you noticed. Admit it, aren't you glad you gave me this headband? It looks pretty damn good on me, don't you think?"

Iruka chuckles at Naruto's bravado. "I wouldn't be so cocky. You've still got a long way to go. Be careful that you don't get a swelled head."

Naruto pouts. "Hmph!" He crosses his arms and looks away.

"I want you to listen carefully, Naruto. Konohagakure no Sato is up against the wall. We lost the Sandaime Hokage, as well as many of our Jonin and Chunin. Our strength is down to less than half, but even so, we still have to carry through with all the missions we're given."

Naruto looks back at Iruka. "Huh? Why do you have to? Turn 'em down if you don't have the manpower."

Iruka snaps his chopsticks near Naruto's eyes so he can grab his full attention. "Use your head, Naruto. If we started turning down missions, it would be the same thing as telling the world that our village is weak. So everyone has to pitch in, even the walking-wounded, like Kakashi-sensei."

"That's too bad. You're up against it, alright." Naruto takes another slurp of his meal.

Iruka grunts. "It concerns you too, hotshot! You may be asked to carry out missions too, and to fight battles you aren't ready for yet."

"Nah, I'm ready. But you can't expect me to fight well on an empty stomach, dattebayo." Naruto blatantly ignores Iruka and goes right back to eating.

Iruka smiles forcibly. His face twitches in annoyance. He chuckles, and it's actually genuine. "I guess you haven't changed that much." Iruka pats Naruto on the head and smiles endearingly at the young shinobi. "I know you'll do your best."

Naruto chuckles. "I'll take another bowl!"

"Whoa, you're kidding, right?" Exclaims Iruka in dismay.

---

Tsunade takes her hands off of Lee's back after her evaluation. "No one would hold it against you if you give up on being a shinobi."

Lee gasps sharply. Guy chokes on his own breath. Shizune averts her eyes from the scene.

Guy turns to Tsunade. "But- Tsunade-sama, but you're not serious. You're exaggerating, right?" Guy smiles in jest, fully believing this is some cruel prank by Tsunade.

"His injuries have left numerous bone shards and fragments embedded in his spinal cord. It's interfering with his sensory and motor nerves. If it was only the vertebrae, then it'd be a different story. It's a miracle he can still move at all. He's physically incapable of carrying out the duties of a shinobi."

Guy's smile becomes empty and forced. "This is some kind of test, right? You don't really mean that." Desperation laces Guy's words.

"Even if I were able to operate-"

"Don't listen to her, Lee! That's not Tsunade-sama! It's an imposter. Some kind of demon that's transformed itself to look like her. Who are you? What do you want?" Guy points angrily at her. Complete denial of reality consumes him at the moment.

Tsunade looks back and gives Guy a sad look. She doesn't make a sound. Guy's arm slackens, and his fury loses strength.

Lee swallows. "So I have no chance? It is hopeless?"

"No one but me could even attempt the operation. But even with my skills, the risks would be enormous."

Guy perks up again. "What risks?"

"The chances of it succeeding are 50-50 at best. And if it should fail… he'll die."

Despair from the deepest pit of hell consumes Lee. His clothes, the walls, the grass, the trees, the skies, Sakura-san, everything seems to just lose its color. It's like looking at the world in black-and-white. Everything is grey, and everything feels cold.

Guy grits his teeth and tries his best to hold his tears in front of the Hokage. "Lee."

Lee starts sweating profusely. He gasps for air. His lungs suddenly feel too small for his body. Lee roughly puts his leotard back on and he reaches for his crutches. He falls over trying to grab them.

"Lee!" Yells Guy in worry.

Rock Lee slams his palm on the ground and wills himself back to his feet. The effort it takes is like training for 3 days without pause. Taxing beyond words. He picks up his crutches and drags himself out of the hospital room, closing the door with uncharacteristic gentleness.

Guy looks at Tsunade with an accusing look. "If I had known you were going to do this, I would have never let you see him."

Tsunade frowns. "I understand your pain. Believe me, I get no pleasure from this. But he needs to know the truth and to know it now. A choice has to be made. Putting it off won't make it any easier."

Guy painfully sighs in acceptance.

---

The next day, Lee is in an isolated part of the village staring into the village canal. He's been there since morning, and it's nearly sunset. What he was told yesterday has been looping in his head nonstop. Despite there being many choices for him -take the surgery and risk death, or not and live as a civilian- it feels like he has only two. Live as a shinobi, or die as a shinobi.

It's cruel. It feels like fate has deemed him unworthy and is doing everything in its power to make sure a failure can never break the mold. At a moment like this, he can't help but think Neji was right. Naruto is wrong. Naruto is the idealistic fool.

"Oh, Lee-san! There you are."

Lee's spine straightens and a light blush stains his cheeks. "Oh, Sakura-san."

Sakura walks up to Lee with a warm smile. She holds out a bouquet of flowers to him. "These are for you."

Lee's blush spreads slightly. His eyes widen and he looks around frantically, disbelieving that this is really happening. "For- For me? Really?"

Sakura nods. Her smile doesn't falter.

Lee's lips stretch into his widest smile and his blush darkens slightly. "Arigatou Gozaimasu!" Lee reaches out for the flowers, but he loses grip of his crutches. He trips and falls forward.

Sakura catches Lee and puts his arm around her shoulders. She supports him with her body. Lee's blush intensifies, likely from being so close to Sakura. His blush becomes strong enough to finally become visible to Sakura. "Uh, sorry about that Sakura-san."

Sakura smiles and shakes her head. "Don't sweat it." She leans Lee by the railing so he can stand upright. "Did you hear? Sasuke-kun is awake now. They say he'll be back to his old self in no time." She hands the flowers back to Lee and gets on her knees to pick up the crutches. "It's all thanks to Tsunade-sama."

Lee smiles warmly at the flowers. "I'm glad to hear it. That is good news for everyone."

Sakura hands the crutches back to Lee. "She's everything they say she is. You should have her take a look at you. She can probably help you speed up your recovery."

Lee averts his gaze. "Hai."

Sakura beams at him. "In the meantime, if there's ever anything I can do to help, you know you only have to ask me, okay?"

Lee's blush returns. It's faint, so Sakura doesn't notice. Lee bows as best as he can in his condition. "Arigatou Gozaimasu, Sakura-san."

"Okay then. See you later." Sakura waves at Lee and runs off.

Lee's cheerful countenance withers. He bites back tears at seeing Sakura leave. He might never be a shinobi again, and if that's the case, then he can never be good enough for Sakura. Inevitably, they'd grow apart. Civilians can never understand shinobi. It's the same regardless of if the civilian is ex-shinobi or not.

This moment, no matter how sweet it is, he can't help but feel like this is fate mocking him for daring to free himself from its chains.

…

Later that day, Lee goes to the roof of the Academy. He thinks back on his experiences inside the building and everything he did, his struggle to gain the crumbs everyone else spilled. It's depressing to think about given his current condition.

His thoughts are broken when a hand grips his shoulder.

"Heh heh, I thought I'd find you here." Guy winks a Lee.

Lee's tired eyes stare at his teacher. "Guy-sensei, how did you know where to look for me?"

"I know everything about you Lee. I hear you've been skipping out on your physical therapy. You know better." Guy flicks Lee on the forehead.

Lee turns downcast. His eyes become dull. "Back when I first made Genin, I swore I would realize my every dream, right here on this spot. And Neji laughed at me back then. But I meant every word of it."

Guy remembers that moment clearly, including every word Lee said then too. "I am going to become a splendid ninja as well, even if I do not have any Ninjutsu or Genjutsu. I want to prove it to the world." His reflection is interrupted at the sound of Lee's voice.

"I remember you told me that with the right amount of passion and some healthy competition, we would all be great ninjas. And to make it happen, we would have to work for it." Lee smiles awkwardly at bitter-sweet memories. "I knew I could do it."

He exhales. "Back in the Academy, there was not a single person, sensei or student, who said that kind of thing to me. Your words were a relief. Just as I was starting to feel lost, you lifted the fog from my eyes. I knew all I had to do was work harder. Harder than everyone else. Earlier than everyone else. Longer than everyone else. More extreme than anyone else."

There is a momentary silence on the roof. Lee continues after getting his thoughts in order. "And when I said that hard work was no match against true genius, you told me I was a genius of hard work." Lee's smile turns warm and more genuine. "Thanks to you and your encouragement, I finally learned the importance of believing in myself."

Frustrated tears pour from Lee's eyes. He remembers Tsunade's diagnosis and her warning. It brings a deep ache to his chest. Quiet sobs escape his lips. "But- But it's not the same this time. Even if I believe in myself and try as hard as I can, it will not make the slightest difference."

Lee's sniffles and shaking, his complete loss of hope nearly breaks Guy.

"Guy-sensei. Please, tell me what to do. How come I am the only one being punished like this? Tell me, what should I do?" Guy does his best to hold in his tears. Lee sounds truly defeated. Guy never thought it was possible to break Lee's will.

"Listen, Lee. If you wish to be freed of this suffering, you need to make a decision."

Lee gasps. "Do you mean that I should be prepared to give up on my dreams?"

Guy shakes his head. "If you lose your dreams, you'll undergo pain far worse than what you feel now. The two of us have a lot in common, Lee. Without our nindo to guide us, you and I would never survive. Get the operation, Lee."

Lee's lip quivers. "You know, it is funny, but I remember when you and Kakashi-sensei decided to compete against each other in a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors. He said that skills were not enough, that sometimes you needed luck. And this surgery is 50-50 too. Live or die. But… this is not some kid's game!"

Guy smirks. "And what happened after that? You do remember, don't you, Lee?"

Lee smiles in melancholy. "Of course, how could I forget? It was the day when you first taught me the principles behind our self-imposed rules."

"You worked hard, Lee. There's no doubt in my mind the surgery will be a success. You have the power to shape your own destiny. And in the 1 in 1000, no, the 1 in 1,000,000 chance something should happen to go wrong, I will die right along with you."

A tear falls from Lee's eye. He has never been so touched. Despite looking so similar, he and Guy-sensei aren't related. But even so, from this moment onward, he couldn't stop himself from seeing Guy as his real father even if he wanted to.

"Since the day I met you, my nindo has been to train you to become the most splendid ninja possible. That's a promise." Guy gives Lee his signature nice guy pose.

"Guy-sensei!" Lee leaps from his seat and crashes into Guy, hugging and squeezing him as tight as he can. Loud sobs pour out of his mouth. Guy pats Lee on the head to comfort him.

---

Jonin are gathered in Tsunade's office for a quick meeting.

"To be honest, I don't really understand. It seems there were opinions that with the final exam being suspended no one should be promoted this time around. But I hear the late Sandaime Hokage praised your match highly. It seems he intended to recommend you for Chunin. The Lords of the other lands who observed the fight and the proctors were all of the same opinions. In any case, it's not my place to say this or that about it.

From now on, strive to perform in a manner that is worthy of your headband. Congratulations! As of today, you are a Chunin! Everyone, a round of applause for Chunin Nara Shikamaru!" Claps and teasing whistles buzz around the office.

Shikamaru groans. "Ugh. This is such a drag."

---

It's been a few days since Sasuke has woken up from his coma, and he's still in the same position he was in since he's woken up. Staring at the white hospital blanket unblinking and unmoving. Sasuke wouldn't react to a sound or look at any shadows. It's like he's an empty doll now. He hasn't even eaten a bite of food yet.

Sakura places flowers next to his bed. "Thank goodness your injury wasn't serious. Naruto was relieved too." Sasuke twitches slightly hearing that name, but Sakura doesn't notice.

Sakura sits next to him. "Sasuke-kun, you must be hungry. Is there anything you want to eat?" No response. "I'll go buy something for you." Sakura goes off shopping.

For Sasuke, everything feels so far away. Sakura's speech sounds like he's hearing her speak from underwater. The clicks of heels of the nurses roaming the halls echo as if they are on the other side of a great chasm.

It's only the laughs and squeals of the children outside that breaks through his clouded mind. He winces and grabs his head. He shakes his head side-to-side, trying to rid the cobwebs from his mind. He lays back down and glares at the ceiling.

"Right now, I have no interest in you."

"Your target is Naruto-kun after all."

That was jarring. Enough so that the thought of Naruto being Itachi's focus instead of him elicits a wince out of Sasuke. It's physically painful to think about.

He sits back up when his vision gets blurry. He hears footsteps approaching his door. Before the figure can open the door, their attention is stolen by a yell.

"Hey, Sakura-chan!"

Sasuke grimaces. He bears his teeth and glowers in the direction of the voice. He trembles in rage. "Naruto…" His Curse Marke pulses.

...

In Otogakure, Orochimaru feels the pulse of Sasuke's emotions through his link to the Curse Mark. He grins. "Now is the right time. You four." He stares at 4 figures in the shadows. "Get going."

…

When Sakura walks back into Sasuke's room, she sees Sasuke in the same position he was in earlier.

"I got some apples. You like them, right?" No response. She pulls one out of the bag. "Here. Doesn't it look good?" She shows it to Sasuke and waves it in front of his face. Even then, she doesn't even get a twitch from the young Uchiha. She places the bag down and looks around the room. "Huh? I wonder where I put that knife."

Naruto walks up next to her. "It's right in front of you on Sasuke's bed, dattebayo. It's so lame you getting all scatterbrained just because you're in front of Sasuke."

Sasuke winces at the voice. 'Naruto.' He remembers Naruto's display of power against Gaara. The way he overwhelmed, no, overpowered the monster in a human shell the Sunagakure shinobi was. He gets shivers thinking about Naruto's summon, that massive toad he brought to assist him in defeating the transformed demon.

His lip curls up, showing his clenched teeth and revealing his frustration at remembering having to admit to Sakura that Naruto saved her, and not him. He remembers when Naruto got a shock win on him during that spar. He shivers. His shivers bring about cold sweats. He shudders at every intake of breath.

Sakura peels the apple she showed Sasuke on a plate. The sound is grating on his ears. God, why does she have to be so annoying? She's more insufferable than Naruto.

"You're still too weak. You don't have enough hate. And you know something? You never will." Sasuke bears his teeth in bitterness.

"Good. I peeled it nicely. I'll cut it to make it easy to eat and…" Sakura's voice is completely drowned out by the blaring voices in his head.

"Naruto-kun is the prize the Akatsuki are after."

Sakura puts an apple slice on a toothpick and presents it to the Uchiha. "Here, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke glares venomously at her. He's had enough of her blabbering. The nonsensical flapping of her gums has reached a boiling point for Sasuke. He swings his arm out and slaps the plate off her hands. The apples fall to the floor and the plate shatters on impact.

"S-Sasuke-kun?"

"What's going on, dattebayo?"

Sasuke turns and glowers darkly at Naruto. No, it's more of a black look. A dangerous look meant to inflict an enemy with the fear of God before you inevitably kill them. It's a look not meant to be inflicted on a friend.

A chill crawls up Naruto's spine. "Wh-what? Y-you, don't have to glare at me like that." Naruto feels slightly nervous now.

Sakura looks back and forth between her teammates in trepidation.

"Oi, Naruto."

"What, dattebayo?"

"Fight me. Right now!"

Naruto's face blanks for a moment. "Huh? But here you are just treated by Tsunade Baa-chan. What're you saying?"

Sasuke activates his Sharingan. "Just fight!" He yells. He's completely serious about his challenge.

Naruto gulps.

"You think you saved me? I don't care if she's the Godaime Hokage, a cheap whore, or whatever but… she should've just minded her own business!"

Naruto's eyes narrow. "What did you just call Baa-chan? Why are you saying this?"

Sasuke leaps out of his bed and looks Naruto in the eyes. "You said you wanted to fight me, right? I'm saying let's do this now!" Sasuke smirks maliciously. "Or have you chickened out, you dirty fox?"

Naruto winces and clenches his fists. That was a low blow and a hurtful one at that. It's like Sasuke is trying his hardest to offend him and goad him into a fight. Despite knowing that, it's working.

Sakura tries to intervene. "Sasuke-kun. What's going on?! Naruto, you say something too! What is this all of a sudden?"

Naruto relaxes his twitching jaw and purses his lips. His lips form into a challenging smirk. "Actually, this is perfect, dattebayo. I was just thinking to teach you another lesson."

"That was a fluke!"

Naruto's smirk takes a teasing tone. "Really? If that's the case, then I'll just have to prove last time wasn't a fluke, dattebayo."

Sakura tries to mediate once more. "S-stop it the both of you, okay?"

Sasuke's eyes narrow slightly. "Come with me." Sasuke walks off. He steps on one of the apples Sakura prepared for him. He walks on, not even paying an ounce of attention to it.

Sakura feels like crying. Is this how much Sasuke cares for what she does for him?

…

Naruto and Sasuke take slow, methodic steps up the stairs of the hospital until they reach the top floor. They standoff on opposite sides of the roof and glare at each other.

'What's… this feeling? My lower belly feels tight. And I feel a thrill.' Naruto lifts his head and smiles.

Sasuke doesn't like that at all. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing's funny, dattebayo. I'm happy. Last time didn't count, it was a gift. I can agree with that. But now, I get antsy when I think I can finally beat you here! And for real!"

Sasuke's eyes crinkle further. He growls at Naruto, genuinely offended at the notion. "What did you say? Don't speak nonsense you inept loser!"

"I won't be such a loser after I win today, will I?"

Sasuke's breathing stutters. "How dare you! You… A failure like you has no business acting all high and mighty!"

"Ha! It's not like you to lose your cool and start a tantrum. What happened to the calm and controlled Sasuke? Am I making you nervous, dattebayo? It couldn't be that you picked a fight with me and got scared could it Sasuke?"

Sasuke smiles in a manic, almost sinister way. "Bring it."

"Put on your headband before that. I'll wait."

"Don't worry. I don't need that thing."

Naruto glares at Sasuke. "Just do it!"

"You wouldn't even be able to lay a single scratch on my forehead."

"That's not the point! I'm saying this is a testament to fighting on equal terms as Konoha Shinobi!"

"There you go acting all high and mighty again! You don't honestly believe that we are equals?"

"Yeah, I do! I've never once thought that I'm inferior to you, dattebayo!"

Sasuke snaps. His scowl becomes threatening. "You're a complete embarrassment!"

Naruto's smirk turns malicious. "You only say that because next to me you're ashamed at how weak you are! Isn't that right, Sasuke-chan!"

"Naruto!"

"Sasuke!"

They swing haymakers at each other, trying desperately to get the other to shut up. They manage to block each other's hits.

Sasuke swings a sidekick to Naruto's ribs. Naruto catches the offending leg and swings Sasuke around.

Sasuke plants his left hand on the ground and rights himself. He twists his body and plants his right hand on the ground and contorts his body to rear back a mule kick with his free leg on Naruto's face.

Naruto is launched back, but he steadies himself midair and lands on the fence. He launches himself back to Sasuke, using his momentum to swing a right hook.

Sasuke diverts the strike and uses Naruto's momentum to flip him on his back.

Naruto twists his body and lands on his feet, skidding backward from the speed he was traveling at. Sasuke uses this distraction to get into Naruto's space.

Sasuke commences a series of jabs and a flurry of light strikes all in hope of landing a good strike on his opponent. Naruto puts up a guard and blocks any strike too central with his forearms. He diverts any wide strikes threatening to break his guard, and he catches any straight strikes.

Sasuke gets Naruto on the defensive and the moment he sees Naruto over-committing to his attacks, he uncoils a rapid high kick to Naruto's chin, getting fully past his guard. Naruto is sent flying and crashing into one of the blankets hanging to dry on the roof.

Sasuke goes for the bundle of cloth on the floor and pulls it back, only to realize Naruto wasn't in the blanket like he thought.

Sasuke sees something run past one of the more distant blankets. He grabs the blanket on the ground and leaps into the air, hoping to see where Naruto was at. The blanket is only a tool he plans to use to secure his victory.

When Sasuke reaches his peak, he has to squint to keep the sun out of his eyes. Because he was distracted, he didn't notice his blanket gaining girth and weight.

Naruto, releasing his transformation as the blanket plants a cheap sucker punch on Sasuke's face, sending him sailing toward the fence.

Sasuke rotates his body and lands feet first on the top of the fence. "Don't get cocky, you loser!" Sasuke flexes his quad muscles and springboards his body toward Naruto.

Not expecting that action from Sasuke, Naruto isn't able to react to the fist barreling toward his nose.

Naruto involuntarily spins in the air, crashing through and breaking the hammocks keeping the blankets hanging.

Naruto runs along a row of blankets, trying to disorient Sasuke. Unfortunately, he forgot about Sasuke's Sharingan.

Sasuke's heel rams into Naruto's left cheek. His body gets tangled with the blanket as he flies through the air. Naruto crashes into the fence. The pain in his spine makes him slip down to his knees.

Sasuke charges in and keeps the blanket secure over Naruto's body. He pins him to the fence and snaps a right hook on Naruto's chin. He thrusts a left undercut on Naruto's liver. His right shin bludgeons Naruto's left temporal bone behind his ear, and his left knee plows into Naruto's ribs. Sasuke rotates his body and jabs a left elbow into Naruto's sternum. Naruto stays where he is taking blow after blow, completely defenseless like a punching bag.

Naruto flexes his leg up, trying to score a low-blow on Sasuke's crotch. Seeing the intention in time thanks to his Sharingan, Sasuke jumps back to create space. He scowls at Naruto.

Naruto removes the blanket and glares offendedly at Sasuke. He clutches his midsection and wipes the blood from his lips.

They stand on opposite ends of the roof. They leap onto the fence and jump at each other. In mid-air, they go pack to basic one-two punches that are easily blocked by the other.

Naruto goes for an especially predictable punch. When Sasuke diverts it, Naruto reverses the momentum of his arm and lands a solid backhand on Sasuke's cheek.

Sasuke spins with the momentum and slams a vicious ax-kick on the back of Naruto's head. The boys and on the ground panting. They glare at one another, both blaming each other for what was happening at the moment.

Naruto puts up his signature handseal. "Tajuu Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" Naruto surrounds Sasuke with a horde of clones. The clones charge at Sasuke with wild abandon.

Sasuke adjusts his taijutsu to focus more on calm, fluid footwork. Sasuke's taijutsu is punishing counterattacking defense at its best. He only moves in reaction to what the clones do. Quick, precise, chain movements do quick work of thinning out the horde of copies.

When the sheer number of clones overwhelm him, he includes his hands as part of the plant-and-go movements he's been doing. When he gets to a full handstand, Naruto and his clones take action.

Two clones slide from low and kick Sasuke up into the air. "U-"

Another clone punches him upward. "-ZU-"

Another kicks him on the stomach in mid-air. "-MA-"

A final clone kicks him on the spine, sending him to his peak. "-KI-"

Naruto jumps up and spins downward to deliver an ax-kick to the back of Sasuke's head.

Sasuke reacts by seeing Naruto's shadow with his Sharingan. He swings an elbow back to block the kick from Naruto. Sasuke kicks Naruto on the face, sending him soaring down to the ground. While still in mid-air, Sasuke casts a tiger seal.

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu!" Sasuke spits a massive fireball at the hospital roof. The heat and the explosion destroy all the Naruto clones in one move. The blankets turn to ash and scorch marks are left on the floor.

"Naruto!" Yells out Sakura from the side, worried for her knuckle-headed teammate.

In the middle of the lake of fire, some of the flames spin in a dome. The phenomenon resembles the eye of a firestorm. Inside the storm are Naruto and a shadow clone. There is a bright blue spinning ball of chakra in the middle of Naruto's palm, dissipating the fireball.

Sasuke's eyes widen. He can feel the density and power of the chakra in the jutsu. It's practically monstrous. He has no choice but to match it with his most powerful technique. At the thought, the vengeful screeches of 1000 birds create a cacophony of chaos, complementing the whirling hum of Naruto's jutsu. The boys aim their technique at one another and charge.

"S-stop it." Meekly squeaks out Sakura from the sidelines.

"I'll win no matter what!" Bellows out Naruto.

"I'm not finished with you yet!" Bites back Sasuke.

"Stop fighting. Both of you, stop." Pleads Sakura.

"RASENGAN!"

"CHIDORI!"

"STOP IT!" Sakura sprints to get in between both of her teammates.

'Damn it, Sakura.'

'Shit! I can't stop completely.'

A pair of firm hands grasp both Naruto and Sasuke's wrists and throws them to the water towers on top of the hospital. It's Kakashi.

'Naruto. That jutsu. Is that what I think it was?'

The techniques collide with the thick metal of the towers.

"What do you two think you're doing? That went a little too far for just a spar, don't you think?"

Naruto's Rasengan creates a deep crater into the metal of the tower, but only deep enough to barely make a dent past the metal and into the water.

'There's no doubt about it. It's the Rasengan. But Naruto mastering that jutsu? How is it possible?'

Sasuke's forearm is inside the tank. The metal is crinkled from the static electricity of his technique. He pulls his arm out of the tank. A large, deep wound is left on the tank, creating a massive geyser for water to come rushing out of.

Comparing the damage done to their respective towers, Sasuke smirks in satisfaction. Even with a fancy jutsu, Naruto is still no match for him.

"Were you going to kill Naruto, Sasuke?" Demands Kakashi.

Sasuke stays quiet.

"You've really got to watch over this sense of superiority you have." Sasuke glares in defiance at Kakashi. What does he know?

"The size of that Chidori there wasn't one to be aimed at a comrade of the village." Sasuke's glare darkens.

"When are you finally going to grow up, Sasuke?"

"Hmph!" Sasuke spits on the ground and jumps off the roof.

When he lands on his feet, his sense of hearing is bombarded by the sound of heavy drops of water crashing to the ground. When he looks up at the water towers, he sees that the backside of Naruto's tower is completely destroyed, as if it exploded. His tower's backside is in perfect condition, however.

Sasuke grits his teeth and scowls. His scowl turns into a venomous glower. He trembles in rage, no, in envy.

He punches the wall. "Kuso!"

'Naruto. How far have you..?' He can't take it. It's killing him, consuming him. The thought of being inferior to Naruto makes him nauseous. He's a pest. A damned roach. He needs to get rid of him. Maybe then, he'll finally get rid of that sick feeling he gets seeing his skills

Narrator: Pride has been the cause of the downfall of many people and Nations. People have lost their life to over-estimating their own skills, after all. Pride is also a source of direction for others.

For Sasuke, his pride serves as a source of power. It gives him the ambition to keep improving. It makes him want to be the best. Pride makes him work harder than most, and confident enough to trust in his own abilities. His pride is heavily tied to his darker emotions, so it serves as a catalyst to his heavier and dormant chakra. It makes him as fearless and independent as his Uzumaki teammate.

But his pride also serves as his downfall. A man who can be so easily wounded by someone else's progress is a weak man. And weak men inevitably fall. And when they do, they never fall alone.

It's to be expected from the heir of a clan cursed with pride, a pride that curses those around them to suffer as much as they do.

Misery loves company, and one day, with someone as miserable as Sasuke around, the world will be a bleaker place because of him. It makes you wonder if Sasuke's mother ever learned what became of her son, would she have... no, no, that's too far. That is a topic for another time.

---

That's the end. Pretty much setting up the finale of Part 1, and emphasizing certain scenes. Nothing too special.

I love writing Sasuke. When I write him, I further understand his character and what he truly represents. He's so interesting.

I have nothing to say, other than let's go for the Quadruple! Come on Liverpool! YNWA!

Soccer stuff for my fellow Americans who don't care. What a shame.

I've gone on a bit of a tangent, but that's it. I'll see u guys soon.

As always, If you have any questions or concerns, even criticism, Please PM me or Review. I'll always answer.

This is Zippy, out.