Chapter-4:


After the incident with the hidden scroll and Mizuki-sensei, they learn to be wary of strangers.

"I always knew he was up to no good," Sasuke mutters (after he is done breaking Naruto's bones and shoving a fistful of grass into his mouth for believing a traitor and running amuck. It is the first time he's come close to losing Naruto and it leaves him feeling alert and wild.)

"Like fuck you did," Naruto replies, black-eyed but grinning like a mental patient, because hell- they just made genin and have a forbidden technique at their disposal and just you watch world, no one can stop them now!

They train relentlessly.

Sasuke learns the Kage-bunshin jutsu in just a few hours. He teaches Naruto the shadow shuriken. They create clones and spar, and learn to manipulate weapons and clones and chakra to the maximum.

By the end of the week, Naruto is pleased with the burst of power surging through their veins.

(But it isn't enough. It still isn't enough.)

Unless he is mistaken, and instinct told Sasuke he is not, an additional need required to be covered.

The Sharingan.

(Kekkai –Genkai was all. It was everything.)

With Naruto's help, they break into the Uchiha archives and raid all the jutsus.

They train whole days and well into the nights, stopping only when the body collapses in sheer exhaustion.

"Study every detail, Sasuke," Itachi taunts in his dreams, with burning red eyes looming to devour him, "There's always something you can use to kill me."

"SASUKE! Open your eyes, teme!"

"So right, Sasuke," Itachi winds around him, "the scent of blood so deceptive and right.."

"SASUKE!"

Sasuke jumps. The veins in his throat throb from screaming, his chest heaves heavy and his eyes were wet with crimson for the first time.

His eyes were crimson.

The red at first is peaceful. Then frightening. Bewildering and appalling.

Until Naruto exclaims, shattering the silence, "Fuck, Sasuke!" That's fucking cool!"

Sasuke blinks and nods his head.

.

.


Review, dear reader :)