Normal speech
Thought
Kyuubi/Nine-tails/Other big voices
InnerSakura
A/N:
Disclaimer
I do not own Naruto in any way, shape, or form, but I do own the OCs in this story… :-) This is merely for my, and hopefully everyone else's, enjoyment. Thank you!
Recap:
Sasuke has left the safety of the Leaf Village to seek out Orochimaru. To prevent this and Orochimaru getting his hands on the Uchiha clan's Sharingan, a team was sent after him. Two Chunins, Naruto and Shikamaru, and three genins, Neji, Kiba, and Chouji, make up the squad responsible for this task. In current pursuit of their target, Naruto is sidetracked and decides to help victims of the Sound 4's assault.
After helping Shizune, Naruto was now on course to reuniting with his squad. He hurried as quickly as he could. He flew through the treetops and across the terrain in hopes of making it in time before anything bad happened. He finally came to a stop in a clearing that was cluttered with more forest debris. The fighting had already started and he was too late…
Timing Is Everything
Naruto looked around to see nothing but rubble. He checked the area for any sign of his comrades. In the search he found a body with his head smashed in. From the clothes, he could tell that it was one of the Sound-nins. From further observation he realized that it was the big guy.
He was relieved that one of them had been defeated, but he still had no idea of where his team was. He focused and picked up on a faint signal not too far away. He traced it and followed it into the forest. He was shocked to find an unconscious Chouji up against a tree. The worst thing about this was that Naruto could feel him fading. He had to do something!
He grabbed Chouji up and jetted back to the village as fast as he could. He knew that he had to do this, but he couldn't help but wonder if the others were alright or worse off. He also wondered what could have happened and why he was alone there.
They finally made it back to the village and to the hospital. Before Naruto left again, Chouji briefly regained consciousness…
"Na-… Na-… ruto… is… is it over? Did we… save… Sasuke?"
"No… not yet… What happened while I was gone? Why were you all alone out there?"
Before he got an answer, Chouji lost consciousness again. Naruto couldn't just sit around and wait to see if he would come around again or even if he'd live. Right now he had to get back to the others. He left Chouji in the care of Shizune and a few Medic-nins and took off.
He rushed through the forest and onward back to the area he had found Chouji. He gave himself a moment to focus and searched for the signatures of his squad. He picked up on a couple and hastily made his way there. The closer he got, the more uneasy he felt. There was this intense chakra. He neared a signature that he recognized as Neji but he heard a loud booming noise…
"Ne-… Neji…!?"
He wasn't sure of what he was seeing but it was something he didn't want to see. Right in front of him was Neji, and he had been run through. He ran to his side and was slightly relieved to see that it wasn't as bad as it appeared. He pulled a kunai to cut the wire that was passing through Neji's shoulder. He was surprised when Neji spoke up…
"Na-… ruto…" he said faintly as he grabbed his hand.
"Neji… what happened here? What's going on? Where are the others?"
"They… went on ahead. I volunteered to fight this guy since I was better suited."
"Well… it seems like you made a mistake. You don't seem to be too bad, but still…"
He tried to cut the wire but once again was stopped by Neji…
"No… this is my fight… I'll finish it! I'll definitely win!" he said with a smirk on his face.
Naruto wanted to stop him but knew it would be pointless. He agreed to wait for the conclusion before he got involved. He watched as Neji cut the wire and limp off. He didn't understand what he was planning, but it would become apparent very soon.
He sat down and focused on the opponent's chakra, monitoring his movements. There was something strange about them. He was standing in one place and was in a bizarre stance. He tried to figure out what he was doing but couldn't until he heard something piercing through the forest…
"NEJI…!!!" he tried to warn him but was too late as he watched an arrow drill through Neji's body.
He was horrified as Neji was pinned to a tree that the enemy's arrow had just pierced. He wanted to help Neji but knew that this would be the perfect time to strike before he became the next target. He was amazed that he wasn't the only one with this in mind. Neji almost immediately cut the thread and ran by him after forcing his own chakra through it.
Naruto focused on the chakra as it flowed through the thread and down the throat of the enemy. Kidoumaru didn't know it was coming until it was too late. His body began to ache and went numb. He fell from his perch but was well enough to save himself from an agonizing crash. That was the good thing, the bad…
Neji ran as hard as he could, ignoring the pain the entire time. He would finish things here and now. He had to. He found his opponent and made a mad dash towards his hanging frame. Before Kidoumaru could detect him, Neji was right where he didn't want him to be… in his face…
"Gentle… Fist…!" he said as applied his "art" multiple times.
Kidoumaru slammed to the ground and began to convulse as his transformation reversed. A sick feeling washed over him as he questioned how this could happen…
"H-… how… are you still… alive? That… that should've… should've killed you instantly," he struggled to say.
Seeing Naruto just as confused, Neji decided to answer Kidoumaru…
"I knew I had no chance of dodging it, so I was prepared to take it. Also… I knew of my own weakness far better than you, the blind spot of the Byakugan that you tried to exploit. Once I realized where you were aiming, I could concentrate my chakra into that blind spot and detect the attack. This way I could avoid an instantaneous death…"
"E-… even though you didn't die… on the spot… you're still done for…"
"That may be since you're the strongest foe I've ever faced… but I had a reason that I couldn't lose," Neji said as he looked at Naruto. "The strongest of all who I once faced told me a great thing. I've always been recognized as a genius, so I couldn't lose here… Even if I succumb, there is a pride that I must live up to… especially for the sake of those who believed that I was a genius even though I'm so weak."
He began coughing up blood as his end was near. Before that, he wanted to point out one more thing, "Earlier you said, 'A weak enemy is destined to be defeated quickly', but look at yourself now. No one can determine another's destiny."
"Hah… Bluff all you want… but you'll be dead soon and for what…? Lord Sasuke came along on his own…"
"Currently Sasuke is engulfed in darkness… but there is someone who can find him within that darkness and save him from it… the same person who saved me from the darkness," Neji said with a weak smile before collapsing.
Kidoumaru scoffed at what Neji had just said and watched as Naruto scooped him onto his back. As the two ran off, Kidoumaru could feel his life slipping away more and more. This fight was now completely over.
Naruto rushed frantically to get Neji back to the village before his fate was sealed. He ran and ran but it seemed like he wouldn't make it in time. He was desperate in his thoughts of finding some way to make it back in time, but nothing that would work well came to mind. The desperation grew and grew until Naruto could feel a strange sensation… before one of pain overtook his senses as he crashed into something solid.
Kiba, Akamaru, and Shikamaru were still in pursuit of the remaining two and Sasuke. They were getting close.
"There are now two more enemies. With that it's even, 2 vs. 2," Shikamaru stated.
"No… there's three of us at the moment," Kiba corrected as Akamaru barked to prove his point.
"Ok then, maybe we can finish it in our next encounter. With the right strategy and if we play our hands right we'll be done with this chase…"
"How long has it been already? What could be taking those two so long?"
"It doesn't really matter… What matters is Lord Orochimaru. So far we've only accomplished one-third of the plan," Tayuya declared.
"Yeah, this is not good. Even if all goes well, we may not make it in time," Sakon said.
Naruto woke up to the noise of panic. He sat up to see a bunch of nurses, Medic-nins, and Shizune carting Neji off. He wasn't sure of what was going on but was relieved that Neji was going to get the help he needed.
"Wait…! That was Shizune, right?" he asked himself. "Then that must mean that we made it back… but I don't remember entering the village…"
He thought back in hopes of some explanation. He wondered if this was just a dream and pinched himself.
"What are you doing, Naruto?" someone asked.
Naruto turned around to see Lee coming out of the hospital doors, "Bushy-brow…? What are you doing here?"
"I've just finished with my recent check-up. This is the second time I've seen you come here with an injured comrade. Things must be pretty bad."
"Yeah, I guess so. That reminds me, I have to hurry and catch up to the others. Hopefully they aren't in any kind of trouble," he said running off.
Lee appeared to be upset by all this. His comrades were in danger and he still couldn't do anything.
Naruto ran out of the village. He was still unsure of how he ended up here in the first place. He remembered rushing through the forest with Neji on his back and then crashing into something. He then remembered waking up and being at the hospital, still with the aching pain of crashing. He couldn't figure it out but if ever there was a time for that to happen, this was it. He continued as fast as he could in hopes of getting to Shikamaru and Kiba before it was too late when a sensation overtook him again. He recognized this sensation as his vision blurred and his hair and eyes turned black…
Tayuya and Sakon were still making their way to the Sound Village. Suddenly, something caught their attention…
"We've finally caught up," a voice said from behind them.
"What the hell were those idiots doing!?" Tayuya clamored as she turned to face her pursuers.
"Don't worry, I'll kill them in a few seconds!!" Sakon exclaimed as he charged.
Kiba and Shikamaru threw a couple of kunai and backed off as Sakon evaded them. He landed on the branch and noticed a shadow creeping towards him. He also noticed that one of the two was now rapidly spinning at him. With great reflexes, Sakon jumped into the air and avoided the shadow and Kiba.
Feeling a little safer, Sakon realized his mistake. Shikamaru jumped away and Kiba was now headed towards Tayuya. She readied herself only to feel a loss of control. This was familiar. She knew exactly what it was and cursed herself for falling for it. While focusing on Kiba, Shikamaru flanked her and caught her with his shadow technique.
Kiba grabbed the container and jumped out of the way, revealing Shikamaru's elongated shadow. Sakon turned his focus on Shikamaru and planned to eliminate him, but another drill attack surprised him. He jumped over this attack and noticed that he was about to crash into Tayuya…
"Shit…! I can't dodge…!" he thought as the two collided.
The Leaf shinobi decided that now was as good a time as any to get out of there. Sakon was now pissed. He wouldn't, no couldn't let them get away with this. He activated his seal and went after them. He was gaining but was stopped as he smashed into something… or someone…
"Ow, ow, ow," Naruto groaned while rubbing his head.
"NARUTO… GET OUT OF THERE!! WE GOT SASUKE SO MOVE…!!" Kiba yelled back at him.
Realizing where he was and that the enemy was getting up. He quickly jumped to his feet and followed after his team. He passed by Akamaru and then Kiba as he shouted, "Hurry up and finish setting the trap Akamaru!!"
Akamaru finished and tried to get away himself but was grabbed by his hind leg. Kiba saw this, tossed the container to Naruto, and immediately changed directions. He got to the two just as the explosive trap went off. The three began falling into a ravine. Naruto and Shikamaru stopped as they weren't sure of what to do at this point. They had no time for this as Tayuya was still around and coming after them. Also…
"What… What are you doing here… Kimimaro?" she asked frightened.
Shikamaru looked stunned at this odd outburst. Naruto on the other had turned and kicked back behind them, but it was ineffective as he was nearly knocked from the branch. Shikamaru turned to see but all he saw was a blur as Sasuke's container was seized once again.
Kimimaro was now standing in another tree as he began speaking to Tayuya, "You're too late Tayuya… Where are the other three? You who were once one of the 'five'…"
Naruto and Shikamaru looked this Kimimaro up and down. He had shoulder length white hair, two dots over his eyebrows, and was wearing the same outfit as Tayuya and the other three.
"Why…? Why are you…? Your body… You're not supposed to be able to…"
"I'm no longer moving with my body… This is the power of my will," he interrupted.
He ran his hand over the container before giving Tayuya an icy stare, "This is an important 'vessel' for Lord Orochimaru's dream, but you were too late!" he harshly stated.
Naruto couldn't take it anymore. He charged Kimimaro and was going to take Sasuke back by force. Tayuya somehow managed to get out in front of him and tried to stop him. He managed to bypass her by avoiding her kick but still received a boot to the face, compliments of Kimimaro. Naruto fell to a lower branch while Tayuya landed on Kimimaro's.
Kimimaro slipped behind her and whispered in her ear, "The only reason I've yet to kill you is because you can still be of some use to Lord Orochimaru… as long as you take out these pieces of trash."
He grabbed the container and headed out, leaving Tayuya to do as he ordered her. Shikamaru watched and was dumbfounded that all she pulled out was a flute.
"Dammit… another drawback. This mission is to return Sasuke back to the Leaf Village… I'm the one in charge so I'm supposed to make decisions based on the best suited to accomplish this…" he thought while looking at a seething Naruto. "Say, Naruto… do you think you can get Sasuke back from that guy?"
Naruto nodded and so Shikamaru informed him of his plan. Tayuya watched as they schemed and when they were done, challenged them to try and get to take her. They jumped at her shouting how they had the advantage in this situation. Shikamaru whipped out a kunai and Tayuya blocked using her flute. From there, Naruto bounced off of Shikamaru's back and over an unsuspecting Tayuya…
She just stared indignantly with her mouth open as Naruto taunted her by patting his butt before leaping off after Kimimaro. Irate, she turned to Shikamaru, "Shit! You bastards tricked me!! What kind of teamwork is that you bastards…!!?"
She spotted an abnormal shadow speeding towards her and instantly retreated to safety…
"Bastard…" she spat.
"You've got some quick reflexes. I couldn't even catch you that time," Shikamaru commented. "I guess that I just have to be content with the fact that he got away. But remember this, jutsus aren't the only means to win a fight," Shikamaru advised while tapping his head, motioning what he meant.
Kimimaro reached a clearing but stopped as he was soon surrounded by a multitude of Kyuubified Narutos…
"Oh…" he said nonchalantly as he took a gander at the number of enemies. "So much trash littered about…"
"Why are you doing this?! WHY DOES OROCHIMARU WANT SASUKE?!!" Naruto screamed.
"And who might you be to ask, trash?"
"I'm Naruto Uzumaki! Who the hell are you!!?"
"Naruto Uzumaki…? I'm Kimimaro…. So you are the one…"
"The one…? The one what…?"
"The one that was chosen to take my place… I wonder why you of all people. Is it because of your strange chakra…?"
"What are you talking about?"
"If this Sasuke had not been chosen to be my successor as Orochimaru's new 'vessel', it would have been you. You would have even received the same seal as me. It's interesting that we meet like this. Now… I get to test and see why Lord Orochimaru ever thought you were worthy," he calmly stated as something slipped from his long sleeves and into sight.
"I don't care about all that…! Why Sasuke of all people?!!"
"Lord Orochimaru has completed a jutsu that grants him immortality. He would like to acquire all jutsu of the world, but that requires time. Though immortal, his body isn't… He must replace his body with a new and stronger one before his current one gives out," he informed him.
"That's… That's what Sasuke's for!?" Naruto growled.
Kimimaro didn't say a word. He just coldly looked at Naruto…
"I won't let you do that!! I won't let you take Sasuke!!!" he roared.
Many of the Narutos furiously rushed in and were cut down by Kimimaro in an instant with his "Dance of the Willows". The Narutos were surprised to see that Kimimaro was slashing through so many of them with just bones.
"Wha-… What the…?"
"This… is my 'bloodline limit'," Kimimaro claimed as he pulled a long bone from his shoulder.
He waved it around like he had just drawn a sword. A couple of Narutos tossed some shuriken and, using his bone, Kimimaro cut them from the sky.
"These are no ordinary bones… They are compressed to maximum density, making them as strong as steel. Now behold… the 'Dance of the Camellia'…"
Once again he cut through many clones as he flailed his bone-sword about. He was doing quite a number on the clones, but Naruto wasn't done just yet…
"DRAGONS' WRATH!!!" the Narutos roared as they simultaneously blasted chakra at him.
Kimimaro effortlessly and gracefully avoided this devastation by jumping into the air. The Narutos then hurled a wave of shuriken at the now vulnerable Kimimaro. With no means of escape, Kimimaro flailed about and managed to knock quite a few away but was inevitably hit…
He disappeared into the smoke from the collision of the Narutos' previous attack but they knew that it wouldn't be that easy. One of the Narutos realized that Sasuke's container had been left unguarded and made a play for it. Unfortunately, as they figured, Kimimaro wasn't finished yet. Some shuriken flew from the smoke and destroyed many of the clones. Kimimaro then emerged from the smoke and sliced the clone in half himself. He then ducked back into the smoke as the Narutos followed after him.
"One to go," Kimimaro said as the smoke cleared.
"Dammit! What's with this guy!? Even with the Shadow Clone jutsu I'm having a hard time with him. And what's worse is that my ability isn't allowing me to predict his movements. It looks like I'll have to up the level…"
Naruto noticed that Sasuke's container was smoking. It exploded and from it emerged someone with a lot of hair. The hair began to shrink to the point where Naruto could recognize who it was…
"Sasuke, what the hell are you doing with these guys!? Let's head back to the village!" Naruto happily shouted.
Sasuke just began laughing. It was awkward as he just laughed as if he had gone mad. With absolutely no greeting whatsoever, Sasuke leapt off into the forest.
His mind on other matters, Kimimaro used this opportunity to slip behind Naruto in an attempt to behead him…
"LEAF WHIRLWIND!!"
Kimimaro was turned away and knocked through the dirt. He stood to his feet and looked the assailant up and down…
"And you are…?" Kimimaro questioned.
"The Leaf's proud, handsome beast that has been resurrected… I am Rock Lee!!" he said as he shifted to a position that seemed to be welcoming the opponent to attack.
"Bushy-brows…? And he isn't the only one… those guys from the Sand are around here too, but why?"
Lee told Naruto to go after Sasuke while he covered for him…
"If you're sure about this then, just be careful. This guy uses his own bones as weapons. He's no slouch either. He's insanely strong… Try to defeat him quickly too, there are others that you may have to worry about here as well. If things get out of hand, retreat back home and I'll take care of the rest," Naruto said before departing.
Tsunade was to be in the operation room but was discussing things of the current situation…
"A team comprised of genin was sent after the targets… That's pretty unreasonable," Raidou commented.
"A team of Jounin should be sent to help them," Genma suggested.
"That can't be done… in the aftermath of Orochimaru's invasion, the Leaf Village lost its power as a major nation. We've sent countless Jounin and Chunin out to deal with dangers inside and outside the country. Our top priority is to avoid war with the other countries."
She looked out the window to see Kakashi leaving the hospital. Soon, Sakura ran up to him. She wasn't sure, but she was sure she could tell what their conversation was about.
"Kakashi sensei did you just come from the hospital…? Is it true that a couple of the members of the team that was sent after Sasuke are in there?! Is the rest of the team ok?! What happened to Naruto and Sasuke?!" she scrambled.
Kakashi felt overwhelmed and exhausted after just listening to her. He tried his best to calm her down so that he could explain things as best he could…
"I'm sure things aren't as bad as it seems. They'll be back before you know it and we'll all be back together again…"
"SASUKE…!!!" Naruto shouted as he finally caught up to him.
Sasuke stopped and turned with a menacing smirk on his face. The smirk wasn't the only thing that gave Naruto the creeps about this. Now the mark of his was covering half his face and his eye was black. He even greeted him like nothing had happened. This angered Naruto and upset him as well…
"Why are you…? What made you this way? Why!!?"
"I have my own path. I won't let anyone else lead me any other way… My childish games with you and the Leaf are over," he said in a cold tone.
"What are you saying, you jerk!? Chouji… Neji… Kiba… Shikamaru… and even Bushy-brows… they all risked their lives to get you back, and you're just gonna disregard their sacrifices…!?"
Keeping with the icy attitude, Sasuke said, "What do I care… I didn't ask any of them or you to come after me. I'm going to Orochimaru's."
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK OF YOUR LEAF COMRADES!!?" Naruto yelled as he flung himself through the air and on top of Sasuke.
Naruto reared back and with no reaction from Sasuke, not even a flinch, he punched him. Sasuke just chuckled it off and spit in his face.
"Tch! I could care less about these 'comrades' if they can't give me any power. I'm going to Orochimaru's," he scoffed.
"Do you have any idea what you're saying…!? Orochimaru was the one who killed the 3rd and tried to destroy our village!! You think he's just gonna give you some power for free…!? Of course not! He wants to take over your body!! You might not come back! You might die! I can't let something like that happen!!"
Again with the cold look and tone Sasuke said, "I don't care. All I care about is that I accomplish my goal."
After an intense exchange of stares, Naruto declared, "Then I'll just have to take you back by force!"
Naruto reared back to deliver another punch. He dropped the hammer but hit a wall. Sasuke had blocked his punch with one hand and now had the other around Naruto's collar. He forced himself from underneath him and held him off the ground…
"That look in your eyes… it's not like the one before when we were on the roof. What's the matter, you don't want to fight me…? Come to think of it… we never did finish that fight, did we?"
Naruto tried to free himself from Sasuke's grip as he couldn't breathe. With an opening, Sasuke didn't hesitate to punch Naruto in the gut and back across the head of the giant statue, off of it, and into the waterfall below. Sasuke enjoyed this feeling and the sight of Naruto being washed away.
"What… is this power?" he thought. "I like it!"
Sasuke really was enjoying this, even as his curse receded. The thought of the power he had when only a little bit of his seal was released was great, but the thought of power when it was fully released was invigorating. He was more than happy to see Naruto crawling out of the drink since he wanted to test more of this power…
Naruto blindly charged straight at Sasuke who retaliated in a similar fashion. A quick kick from Sasuke sent Naruto reeling but not out. He created a few clones and, using the statue, landed a swinging kick that sent Sasuke crashing into the statue's eye.
He approached Sasuke asking if he had been awakened yet and he responded, "Yeah… I've awoken from a foolish dream where I wanted a peaceful future with my friends and comrades. That's why I left the village. That's why I desired power!"
He jumped up and landed a vicious punch to Naruto's face and watched as he fell into the water below. Not long after, Naruto pulled himself to the surface with an unsure look on his face.
"Neji… you were right. Sasuke is within darkness," he thought as he tried to shake himself dry. "You're actually serious about this…"
"Yeah… I intend to kill you," Sasuke replied.
"Then I guess that that means that we aren't friends… Did you even think of me as one? Everything we did as a team… was it all meaningless to you?"
Sasuke thought of what Itachi had told him that day on how to get the same eyes as him, and, unexpectedly, he replied, "No… it wasn't… because… my closest friend is right here when I need him most…"
"You need me…? Then… we can head back..?" he asked unsure of what was meant.
"No, like I said, I will kill you!" he stated while activating his sharingan.
Naruto was still a bit confused, but, "I don't quite get it, but… you seem serious about killing me…"
They glared at each other and then charged for another clash. Sasuke sprinted down the statue while Naruto ran across the water and up it. They both blocked the other's punch with Sasuke's momentum forcing them down the statue. Sasuke jerked Naruto towards him only move to the side. He set his foot and tripped Naruto as he grabbed his weapon pouch. With pouch in hand, Sasuke ran down the leg of the statue with Naruto in hot pursuit. Naruto quickly gained ground on him but was surprised by a sudden halt on Sasuke's part. Once again, Naruto tripped and smashed face first into the statue as he tumbled.
He hit the ground and rolled into the water. He regained his footing and looked up at Sasuke's smirking face. He hitched Naruto's pouch on the back of his shorts before saying, "Even you were anxious for this, right? This time we can carry on with no interruptions… This time… I'll kill you!"
He began cycling through seals and electricity jumped from his hand. With a cold expression, he stormed at Naruto. Naruto retaliated by making a Rasengan and joined in. His clone spun him around until his feet were off the ground and launched him in Sasuke's direction. Losing a little altitude, Naruto began running the rest of the way to meet Sasuke. Their two attacks collided in an explosive fashion as both were sent flying backward…
Sasuke pulled himself together as he looked on at Naruto floating near the water's surface. He didn't seem to be moving an inch as Sasuke made his way over. Naruto just looked up at him as his curse spread over his body. Sasuke grabbed him by the collar and held him off his feet. Naruto didn't even struggle one bit as Sasuke charged up his Chidori and… thrusted into his chest.
From a distance, Yuuki had appeared on the scene. She watched helplessly as Sasuke picked Naruto up and drove his hand into his body. Just as Naruto's blood dripped, she dropped to her knees in tears. She was worried as to what was taking her brother so long and set out to find him. She was hoping to be of some help but now this. She was too late.
She cried uncontrollably as the horrific scene played over and over in her head. She wasn't just upset that she had lost her brother but that she was so useless. A wave of emotions crashed down on her as a familiar sensation grew within her. She could feel the Kyuubi's chakra leak from her body and welcomed it as she had a great urge to kill the one responsible. With hate in her eyes, she was ready to pounce but stopped as a sudden movement caught her attention…
Naruto had averted Sasuke's aim and forced him to target his lung instead of his heart. He tightly grabbed Sasuke's arm and yanked it from his body. He teetered for a brief second before shoving Sasuke away. Sasuke was shocked that he was still ok, for the most part…
"It's too late, Naruto!"
Though he said this, he was taken aback by the sight of Naruto's wound. Shortly after being impaled, Naruto's body was recovering right before Sasuke's eyes. His attention was brought elsewhere as Naruto began to speak…
"There's no doubt about… you really are serious about killing me, huh?"
"Of course, I've said it many times already," he replied callously.
"From the very beginning, I knew you were a loner. I thought we were the same. I was happy to see that there was someone else like me. I even tried to befriend you, but you wouldn't say anything back. In the academy, you were always the best no matter what it was. Even when I did something outrageously terrible, everyone's attention was focused on you… From that point on I decided that you would be my rival and I didn't want to lose to you no matter what! I'll be honest… I always wanted to be just like you. I aspired to be just as good, no better! Because of all this, I won't lose here! I'll bring you back even if I have to break every bone in your body!!"
Naruto raised his head and showed his tears and Kyuubi-like red eyes. Following suit, his hair changed to match this. Unimpressed, but maybe a little thrilled, Sasuke cycled through his seals…
"Fire Style: Rapid Fireball Jutsu!!"
Naruto jumped into the air to avoid this but Sasuke appeared right next to him. He tried to land a kick to the face but it was blocked by Naruto. He grabbed onto Sasuke's leg and tried to plant his foot in Sasuke's face as well but missed. In a slick fashion, Sasuke avoided being kicked in the face and freed himself by spinning both he and Naruto through the air. With one well placed kick to Naruto's body, Sasuke thrusted himself from Naruto's grip and a short distance away.
Naruto roared through the water as he rushed Sasuke. With one swipe of his clawed hands, Sasuke was forced through the water below. He snapped to as he saw a chance. He cycled through seals and…
"Fire Style: Grand Fireball Jutsu!!"
He spit a giant fireball from underwater. Naruto jumped into the air as it broke the surface but realized that, with its massive size, he had no means of escape. He inhaled deeply and let out a fearsome cry that dispersed the giant fireball and forced Sasuke deeper into the water.
"What!? With chakra alone, he…"
Before he could finish his thought, Sasuke saw a stream of chakra headed for him. He managed to barely roll out of its path but noticed something swimming rapidly for him. Before long, he felt surrounded as blow after blow found its mark. His breath was knocked from him and he started to lose consciousness. Though unpleasant, he was relieved to be dealt a blow that forced him from the water. He crashed into the mountain side but was still conscious. He coughed and spit up blood as he gasped for air. He tried to dislodge himself but was pinned by Naruto…
"So… are you awake yet!!? 'Cause if not, I'll make sure to immobilize you this time!!" Naruto said as he drew back.
He stopped short as Sasuke had picked an inopportune time to laugh, "Shut the hell up… What do you know about me? You've never had a family so how could you possibly understand me… YOU'VE HAD NOTHING FROM THE START!! WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TO PREACH TO ME!!? THE BONDS WE CREATE ONLY CAUSE SUFFERING!! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE TO LOSE THEM!! YOU--…!!"
He was interrupted by Naruto punching the mountain. With a sullen look on his face, he said, "You're right. I don't fully understand what it's like to have a bond like family and suddenly lose it… but… I understand not wanting to lose them at all. When the old Hokage was still alive, it was like he was really my grandpa. He would treat me exactly the same as Konohamaru and showed me the very same kind of love. When I'm with Iruka sensei, I often wonder if that's what it's like being with a father… When I'm with Yuuki, I think that this must be what it's like to have a sister. I feel this way about everyone I know and I couldn't stand to lose any of them… But most importantly, there's you… When I'm with you… I wonder… if we're something like real brothers…"
Sasuke now looked depressed after hearing Naruto. He couldn't understand why he would go this far just for his sake…
"For me… it's one of the first real bonds I've ever had. That's why I have to stop you," he responded without hesitation.
Sasuke shoved Naruto off and reached into his pocket. He pulled out his village headband and tied it on as his sharingan evolved from two tomoe to three. He then beckoned Naruto to try his luck to save this bond as he tried his best to destroy it…
"If you want to break them, then why, now of all times, did you put on your headband?" Naruto asked.
"I'll acknowledge that you're strong because… you're someone who knows the same pain of loneliness as me. I'll defeat you and become even stronger. From now on, we'll fight as equals, but that'll all change once I beat you."
"You're full of yourself," Naruto spoke up.
"Humph… You won't even be able to put a scratch on my forehead. Now… let's do this. The time for talking is over…"
Naruto heeded his call and charged. Sasuke watched his movements very carefully, trying not to miss a beat. He evaded a straight forward punch from Naruto and stepped to the side. Naruto slid to a stop and turned to try again. Again and again Sasuke managed to slip by Naruto's attacks. He then pieced this together…
"His movements… I couldn't figure them out before. My body is the same as when it was influenced by the cursed seal, but… When he moves, even the subtle way he is now, the image of his next movement appears before my eyes!!"
He ducked a straight right from Naruto and proceeded to land an uppercut, but Naruto leaned back to avoid it. Naruto then tried a front kick and Sasuke countered by jumping over it and throwing a kick to Naruto's face. Naruto caught his foot and tossed him. Sasuke landed on his feet as it looked to be a stalemate.
"These eyes…!! If I have these eyes, I can preserve more chakra by predicting my opponent's movements and taking advantage with perfect offensive timing, but… it's not working well against Naruto. It must be because of his ability. I have to find some way around it," Sasuke pondered.
Naruto started the attack again as Sasuke ducked, dodged, and weaved everything that came his way. Using his ability as best he could, Naruto did the very same to evade Sasuke's counters. He managed well enough to avoid any serious damage but couldn't escape without any bumps and bruises. All it took was one little mistake…
Naruto had Sasuke on the edge of a cliff and tried to deliver a punch but was evaded. Sasuke took advantage and shoved him off. He followed and wrapped his legs around Naruto's head and drove him into the ground. Naruto's body went limp as he fell over and floated across the water.
Naruto couldn't move his body and ended up before the Kyuubi. It mocked him as it slowly engulfed him with its chakra…
"Kukuku… You're weak, boy! With my aide, you'll win. You should be thanking me and the one who sealed me," the Kyuubi snickered.
Sasuke tried to catch his breath as Naruto floated along. Suddenly, Naruto sprang up and punched him in the face. He fell back holding his face as he peeked through his fingers. He watched as Naruto's red chakra completely covered him in a strange way. It took a form of its own as he hunched over in a feral state.
"Wha-… What is this?!"
Kakashi was starting to get worried about the recent events involving Sasuke. Not wanting to waste a single precious second, he sent his ninja hounds out in search of any trace of Sasuke or Naruto. While waiting, Sakura approached him…
"Ka-…. Kakashi sensei… did… did you hear about Sasuke?" she sniffled.
He simply nodded as Sakura continued, "Do… do you think… that everything will be alright? Do you think… things can return back to normal?"
Kakashi knew that things would never be the same again but he did his best to hide this fact. He reassured her as best he could before hearing a howl from his hounds…
"Don't worry about a thing Sakura, I'm going after them now and I'll be sure to bring them both back here."
With a smile from the girl, Kakashi departed to find the two and return as soon as possible.
"Thi-… This pressure… it's coming from Naruto! All this chakra, is he some kind of monster!?"
"Naruto's using the tailed form… For some reason, I feel like using the Kyuubi's power as well. What's with this sensation?" Yuuki thought as she watched from the shadows.
Naruto's howls echoed through the valley. Without warning, he attacked. Sasuke tried his best to read his movements and managed to dodge a swipe. Unfortunately, he still took damage as the chakra jumped off and slapped him across the valley. Once he stopped, he contemplated for a way to get past this. The chakra had a will of its own and Sasuke couldn't anticipate both, even with his eyes. He began to feel his chances of winning this fight slipping away, but he was determined to win. He cycled through seals and rapidly unleashed a flurry of fireballs…
This was totally ineffective as Naruto took every fireball without stopping. He reached into Naruto's weapon pouch and pulled some kunai, shuriken, and wire. He hurled them and tied Naruto to a giant strand of hair from one of the statues. Before he could take advantage, Naruto effortlessly broke free and went after him. Sasuke tried to keep his distance but was grabbed by Naruto's strange chakra. Sasuke quickly fired a massive fireball, but it was once again ineffective as he was slung and slammed all over the valley. Desperate, Sasuke activated his seal and upped the level, but not before Naruto yanked him into a devastating punch that sent him smashing into the mountain.
When the smoke cleared, Sasuke's form had changed. Two giant hand-like appendages were sticking out from his back as if they were wings. His hair grew longer and changed shade as did his skin and eyes.
"That power of yours… it makes you special. But you know what, I'm more special than you," Sasuke stated. "Do you know…? This place, the country's border, is called, the 'Valley of the End'. It seems to be a fitting place… where it allcomes to an end!"
He cycled through his seals and created a Chidori that was much darker in color. On the other side, Naruto began a transformation of his own. His tail broadened as horns grew from his head as did wings from his back. He then formed a red colored Rasengan as the two launched themselves at each other.
From the moment she saw the Kyuubi's chakra enshroud Naruto, Yuuki had been feeling a sort of pull from within. For reasons unknown to her, she wanted to use the same power. The longer the fight dragged out, the more excited she felt about. That sudden urge would soon come to an abrupt end however as Naruto and Sasuke poured all the power they had into this one attack.
The shockwave from their collision shook the entire valley and the nearby forests. When it finally quieted, both boys had reverted back. Exhausted, Sasuke struggled to stand. Before him laid Naruto as he realized which way he had to go. There was something odd happening with him however. His hair seemed to be rapidly changing in an uncontrollable manner. He walked by and noticed that he was in fact still conscious…
"Sa-…… Sasuke…"
He continued past as Naruto rolled over onto his belly and onto his knees. He grabbed his head and clutched his chest as he groaned in pain. Sasuke just ignored this as he didn't want to fight any longer. A flash of light caught his attention. He turned to see a golden haired, black-eyed Naruto standing to his feet…
"You… aren't going anywhere… SASUKE!!!" he claimed as he motioned to attack.
Sasuke didn't even have time to react before Naruto was all over him. He was knocked to the ground and kicked to the side. He got to his knees only to receive one to the temple. Naruto continued to kick Sasuke around until he decided to put an end to it. He grabbed Sasuke by his collar and looked him in his bloody, battered face and crimson eyes…
End of chapter...
The mission takes its toll on the young Leaf shinobi...
Nearly home free, Sasuke is stopped once again by Naruto as his powers explode...
Next chapter: Conclusion...?