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Team 7 had left Suna and was moving on. Orochimaru's lair was somewhere near here, Naruto thought. But he was interrupted by a katana flying out of nowhere. Naruto dodged the missile, but was unprepared for its owner

"Going somewhere, dobe?" said a very familiar voice. Sasuke. He was wearing Sound robes and his eyes were red. Kakashi looked at his eyes. Has he obtained the Mangekyo Sharingan? Kakashi thought. Sasuke retrieved his katana.

"So," said Naruto. "You left Orochimaru?" He hoped Sasuke would come back to Konoha with them. He never really admitted it, but he was Sasuke's best friend.

"He gave me power, and that is all I need." stated Sasuke. "I have killed Itachi. Now, dobe, I only have one more goal. To kill you." He pointed his katana at Naruto, ready to slit his throat. Sakura saw this and was beside Naruto in an instant. "Don't you dare hurt Naruto-kun!" she yelled, cracking her knuckles. She looked into the obsidian eyes of the boy she once loved.

Cold.

Empty.

Bottomless.

What had she ever seen in those eyes?

"-kun?" he replied. "You must have been lonely, to take him. I can kill you too, unless you come with me." If this had happened three years ago, she would have been the happiest girl in the world. To see Naruto gone, and be with Sasuke, was the best thing that could ever happen to twelve-year-old Sakura. But she wasn't like that anymore. This time, it was Naruto who snapped. "Don't you even think of hurting Sakura-chan, you bastard," If you hurt Sakura-chan, I'll kill you, teme, he thought.

"Then I will kill you, dobe," said Sasuke. He went into a ready stance with his katana. "Chidori Nagashi!" (Chidori Current), he yelled, lightning coursing through his sword. He charged in, ready to strike.

"Rasengan no Yaiba!" (Rasengan Blade) Naruto yelled in response. He blocked Sasuke's katana, breaking the shield of lightning around it. I broke his best jutsu, thought Naruto. Let's see what he can do next.

Sasuke backed out of Naruto's range, making a few hand seals. "Katon: Gokakyuu no Jutsu!" (Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique) he yelled, shooting a fireball from his mouth.

Naruto saw the fireball, and performed his own hand seals. "Suiton: Kaitate no Jutsu!" (Water Release: Sea Shield Technique) A shield of water formed in front of him, and the fireball dissipated into steam.

So, thought Kakashi, he learned to use Suiton jutsu. And he has Nidaime-sama's talent. But how? That isn't just something you can learn from a scroll. Or is it?

Dobe learned how to use advanced Suiton jutsu? thought Sasuke. He attempted another jutsu "Habataku Chidori!" Instead of chirping like a regular Chidori, a roaring sound filled the air. He charged towards Naruto, but didn't see his opponent making hand seals.

"Futon: Kaze no Yoroi!" (Wind Release: Wind Armor) yelled Naruto, as a shield coalesced around him, breaking Sasuke's jutsu. He then grabbed Sasuke's fist and executed a palm thrust, pushing Sasuke backwards.

Crap, thought Sasuke, dobe can easily beat my ninjutsu! Well, let's see about taijutsu. He spin-kicked Naruto, but the blond did a handstand. Sasuke used the momentum to go into a jump. He raised his leg up almost vertically, ready to drop it on Naruto's collarbone. Naruto blocked the axe kick and sent Sasuke flying. Sasuke used his palm as a turnstile, and landed feet first on the ground. He dashed behind Naruto and kicked him in the back of the neck. Naruto slid and turned so he was facing Sasuke, and made four shadow clones. "U-ZU-MA-KI!" they yelled, attacking Sasuke from four different directions. "Naruto Rendan!" yelled Naruto, sending Sasuke skyward with a high kick.

Sasuke landed back on the earth, and drew his katana. Naruto formed his Rasengan no Yaiba again, and blocked Sasuke's slash.

"Why? We were best friends, teme!" he yelled.

"Friends?" said Sasuke strangely. "I have no friends, dobe." He went in to stab Naruto, but the blond was ready. He blocked again with his blade, and in his anger, he activated the first tail.

So, thought Yamato, the real fight has begun.

Eight purple tails resembling a snake appeared, and purple charka coalesced around Sasuke's body. "My bijuu. Hachibi no Orochi."

Looks like the odds are stacked, kit. I barely beat Orochi the last time we fought, said Kyuubi. You're gonna need the ninth tail. Naruto had already mastered eight tails, but that would only put him on equal footing with Sasuke.

Sasuke already mastered his bijuu completely? It took Naruto constant training to do that, thought Sakura.

"Orochimaru told me I had a bijuu on day one. And I've been training how to use it," stated Sasuke. He completely resembled a giant snake by now. Naruto unleashed all the tails, and dropped to fours. The two jinchuuriki squared off.

It's more like monster versus monster now, thought Sakura.

Sasuke started making hand seals. Tsukuyomi! (Grasping Moon) he thought. Naruto found himself trapped in darkness, a red moon shining above. Sasuke appeared before him. "For the rest of your life, you shall feel my Chidori every 2 seconds." Naruto yelled in pain as the punishment began. Sasuke laughed softly. "Sayonara, dobe."

Kyuubi was speaking to him in his mind. I have an ability which I can give to you, Genjutsu Kai. Just invoke my chakra, form a seal and say Kai, like you're canceling your own genjutsu. All right, thought Naruto, I –ahh—gotta –ahh— hang on. Though he was finding this increasingly painful and difficult, after hard effort he formed a seal and said "KAI!" The genjutsu dispelled, he stood up, the Kyuubi's chakra covering him again.

"Are you all right, scaredy-cat?" Naruto taunted. "Fight me face to face. Don't hide behind a genjutsu."

"Ah, so you learned to use Genjutsu Kai," said Sasuke. "Wouldn't think you figured that out, dobe."

A muscled in Naruto's eye twitched. "DON'T…CALL ME DOBE!!!" He was about to attack Sasuke with all his might, but something made him stop. "Orochimaru?"

"Foolish gaki," said the snake sannin. "You can't escape me, Sasuke-kun." Orochimaru made hand seals and yelled "Fushi Tensei!" (Living Corpse Reincarnation). A whitish substance flowed out of his head and into Sasuke. Sasuke collapsed and got up. But this time, his eyes glowed an evil red.

I have to kill teme now, thought Naruto.

Cliffie! Things are going to get intense.