Chapter Twenty-two

The Fight Begins pt. 7 Akira vs. Sasuke

Akira stood in front of the Uchiha with a smirk on his face. "You know that last time I was fighting you I held back, due to my own reasons"

"Tch…whatever" Sasuke snorted.

"Well this time I won't hold back. I'm going to give it all I have and when I'm done with you I'm going to kill all of your friends…and take Hinata for myself"

"Teme" The Uchiha hissed. Akira ran towards Sasuke as he started throwing punches at him. "He's fast; I can't even keep up with him. If I let my guard down he'll be able to get a hit in" The raven haired ninja thought as he held his arms up to prevent Akira from hitting him. Akira smiled in a devious way as he continued hitting him.

He sent another blow which knock Sasuke back into a tree. "Heh…you I think this fight is going to be really fun" He stated as he got into his stance.

Sasuke looked up at him with his Sharingan activated but before Sasuke could even react Akira had already appeared before him and was currently punching his stomach.

"You're weak and a waste of my time" Akira stated as he stood up glaring down at the Uchiha who was clenching on his stomach. Sasuke struggled to stand but Akira raised his foot and kicked him back down with his foot.

"Don't even bother getting up Uchiha…it's no use. What happened to the Sasuke that I fought? Even though I was holding back that time you had me going" He looked at him and frowned. "You're weaker then before" Sasuke frowned as he listened to the guy as he stood up slowly.

"I'm not weak so don't compare me to you" Sasuke yelled as he punched Akira in the face sending him sliding back but the blue haired ninja remained standing.

"Heh…that's what's I'm talking about" Akira said with a smirk. He pulled out his kunai as he threw it at Sasuke as he threw one as well. Both kunai's collided with each other and as soon as the weapons collided both Akira and Sasuke disappeared.

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They were both fighting really fast one who would be watching this fight wouldn't even see them they were fast. Sasuke delivered punches and kicks to the ninja as well as Akira did. Both blocked each other fist when they saw that they were aiming for each other faces.

"You know you're pretty strong after all. But I'm going to win" He smirked. As Sasuke was looking at him he noticed that Akira's eyes were turning black and his ears were starting to disappear into his head.

"You know I've never fought anybody in the form your going to see me in…you're the first" Sasuke eyes widened when Akira started screaming as he started growing ears on top of his head. His face was growing black hair all over and not only his face but his hands and arms…everything. Akira fell to the ground holding onto his head screaming out in pain as his clothes began to rip open and he started growing wings and fangs.

"AHHHHHHHH" He screamed. Sasuke stared at in mostly in fear. He didn't know what was going on at the moment. Akira was transforming into a beast right before his very eyes.

"What's going on? What is he?" He thought as he looked at his fully transformed self. He was a large black bat. His eyes widened at the sight of him.

"Are you frightened of my form Sa-sa-ke" Akira stated in a deep tone different from how he usual speaks. Sasuke said nothing as he looked at the beast.

"I never thought that I'd have to transform into this thing but you have proven me wrong" The now bat looking Akira stared at Sasuke hard.

"W-What a-are you?"

"Why I am the seven tailed Shichibi 'Makumori'" The bat smirked. Sasuke looked at him as he clenched onto his kunai tighter causing him to bleed. Makumori noticed this and smirked.

"You are scared kid? Well you should be" The bat flew up in the air flapping his wings as he flapped his wings together creating a sonic blast towards Sasuke.

The wind was blowing so hard towards the Uchiha it was hard to maintain his balance and the noise was in unbearable. It was a very loud screeching noise. Sasuke couldn't hold his ground any longer; the sonic blast blew Sasuke yards away from him.

Makumori smirked as started to fly away to find the Uchiha.

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Sasuke laid on the ground for what it seemed like hours thinking about how defeat Akira. He slowly pulled himself up and as soon as he did he felt the bat's foot slammed down on him then he felt himself being pulled up into the air.

Sasuke screamed out in pain when the bat's grasp on him tightened. Sasuke began performing hands seals. He slightly turned his body around so he could be facing the bat creature.

"Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu" Sasuke yelled as a huge ball of flame is exhaled from his mouth towards the bat's face. Makumori screamed out in pain as he dropped Sasuke. As Sasuke was falling in the air he did a backwards flip in the air as he landed on a branch.

He looked up as he watched the bat flapping his wings screaming out in pain. He took the opportunity to throw his shuriken's at him. Only one hit him while the other missed since the bat watch flying around.

"What-how can I defeat this thing?" He thought out loud.

"You kid. You and Akira both work for the same guy…why are you fighting him" The bat asked.

Sasuke didn't answer because he chose not to. He thought back to Akira's words.

You know that last time I was fighting you I held back, due to my own reasons

"He didn't want his teammates to see him in his form. He was afraid of what they might think of him" Sasuke thought as he looked at the bat. He knew although Akira wouldn't admit it Akira cared for both of his teammate's safety.

"Akira why are you working for Orochimaru-sama?" Sasuke asked.

The bat stopped as he looked at Sasuke. "Akira can't answer you or can he hear you" Sasuke eyes widened. "He is in a deep a slumber" he smirked.

"A-A deep slumber?" The bat said nothing else as he just stared at Sasuke.

"Enough talk about Akira…let us-"The bat stops talking when he looks down at the Uchiha who was currently looking up at him smirking. Sasuke was performing Chidori without Makumori even noticing it and using his speed to run towards him and attack him.

Blood spilled out of the bat's mouth as he looked down at the Uchiha. "Y-You sneaky little teme" He hissed as he felt his body growing weak. Sasuke began throwing punches at the bat as they were both falling down the bottom of the forest grounds.

As they both fell Sasuke jumped back landing on his feet as he looked at the bat. He watched Akira was slowly transforming back into his true form. When he fully was back into his human form Akira eyes slowly opened as he looked at his hands.

"Hn…what happened" He sat up as he held onto his head still not even noticing that Sasuke was standing in front of him. He looked up and finally noticed the Uchiha standing there.

When Sasuke looked at him he noticed that Akira was back to normal but his eye remained black.

"…Sasuke…Uchiha Sasuke what are you-"Then it hit him. He was fighting Sasuke. He frowned as he looked at him. He was still holding onto his head trying to gather his strength to stand.

"You…you, I don't not like you" Sasuke said nothing as he looked at him.

"But you and I are very similar. We both lost someone close to us, we both live to take down that one person who destroyed everything we had to live for" Akira then smirked as he looked at the Uchiha.

"Isn't that right Uchiha Sasuke?" Although Sasuke wouldn't admit it Akira was right, they were very similar to each other.

"Well shall we finish our fight or are you just going to stand there and stare at me all day?" Akira stated with a smirk but then he frowned as he got into his fighting stance.

Sasuke just continued to frown as he looked at Akira. Just as Sasuke was getting ready to run towards Akira someone jump in front of him.

"Why don't you stand back for awhile kid and let me deal with this kid" The deep cold voice stated as he looked back at Sasuke glaring at him.

Akira eyes widened as he looked at the person. "R-Reno…?"

Reno looked back at Akira. "I told you to come looking for me but you never came and I see that you've grown stronger…so fight me" He glared at the blue haired ninja.

Sasuke looked at the guy wondering who he was. But looking at him he didn't know why but he remained him of his older brother Itachi.

"Reno…"

"Tch I came here to fight you not hear you repeat my name over and over" He stated.

As Akira looked at Reno all of his memories that he had with Mai were filling up his mind. "You…killed her" Sasuke looked at Akira and noticed tears coming from his eyes.

"YOU KILLED HER THE ONLY PERSON THAT I CARED FOR"

Reno frowned as he listened to the younger guy. "Tch she was meant to die"

"She was your sister, how could you be so unemotional about that?"

"I guess I just don't care" He smirked. Sasuke looked at the guy as he frowned.

"Now enough talk let us fight" Reno ran towards Akira as he took out his sword. Akira ran towards him as well.

"I'm going to avenge Mai and kill you" Akira yelled. Reno started swinging his sword at Akira but Akira dodged each swing as he came close in Reno's face as he smirked right before punching him in the stomach.

Reno fell to the ground as he touched his stomach patting it. "Kid…don't tell me that you're growing weak on me this quick" He smirked. Akira frowned.

Reno ran towards Akira as he started punching him in the stomach and in the face. Sasuke just stood there not knowing what to do. Should he help or just stand there like an idiot watching the two fight?

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Well that was chapter 22 finally. Originally Reno wasn't going to come until the next chapter but I made him come in this chapter thus interrupting Sasuke's and Akira's fight. Should Sasuke help Akira? Or should he just stand back and watch? Stay tuned for the next chapter. Oh please leave reviews.