Under the veil of night, Naruto toiled relentlessly on his curse seal, pouring three years of relentless dedication into its completion. Yet, when faced with the prospect of inflicting it upon himself, he hesitated, aware of the seclusion and excruciating pain the integration demanded.
Exiting his laboratory, Naruto made his way to the training ground. Sakura and Sasuke were already immersed in their own dynamics. Without a word, he settled beneath a tree. Sakura, consumed by her pursuits of Sasuke, remained oblivious to Naruto's presence. Unfaltering, he pulled out a medical tome on surgery and transplants, diving into its profound pages.
Naruto, suppressing his growing impatience, glared at the ticking seconds on his wristwatch. The low hum of annoyance was palpable. Meanwhile, Sasuke lay sprawled on the grass, hands casually resting behind his head, though an occasional twitch betrayed his inner agitation. Sakura's frustration erupted into a vocal outburst, criticizing their sensei's unpunctuality and punctuating her words with assertions of Sasuke's supreme status among them. The tension in the air thickened with each passing moment.
Suddenly, like a wisp of smoke materializing, Kakashi appeared before Team Seven. Sakura, her frustration palpable, burst out, "Kakashi-sensei, how could you make us wait like this, especially Sasuke-kun?"
"Apologies, Sakura. I was helping out an elderly lady," Kakashi replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm. The corners of his visible eye crinkled in what seemed like an amused smile.
Sasuke, his hands still behind his head, shifted his gaze from the sky to Kakashi. The irritation was evident in his twitching eye, though he managed to maintain an air of stoic indifference. "Enough excuses. Can we get on with the test already?" he interjected, his patience wearing thin.
"Of course," Kakashi responded with a mysterious glint in his eye, as if unveiling a hidden challenge. From the folds of his ninja attire, he produced two silver bells.
"The test is rather straightforward. The three of you must launch an attack on me, and those who manage to secure a bell will be deemed successful."
Sakura furrowed her brow, "But sensei, there are only two bells."
A sly smile played across Kakashi's face. "Indeed, only two of you will pass."
The enigma of the three-man team left Naruto bewildered. "There's gotta be a catch," he muttered to himself.
Sakura's grin widened. "This is perfect. With Naruto out of the picture, Sasuke-kun and I can enjoy some extra privacy."
Sasuke grappled with the unfamiliarity of a three-member team, recalling his father's words about teams always consisting of four members. "Someone's going to fail?" he thought, interrupted by Kakashi's signal to start.
"Alright, let's get going," Kakashi declared, and in a blink, the trio vanished into the depths of the forest.
Sakura remained focused on locating Sasuke, daydreaming of a future where they'd pass together and live happily.
Sasuke, masterfully concealed, observed Kakashi, patiently awaiting the opportune moment. Meanwhile, Naruto distanced himself, contemplating Kakashi's elusive plan.
Under the dappling sunlight filtering through the leaves, Kakashi ceremoniously pulled out his revered book, an eccentrically bright orange. With a whimsical air, he delved into its contents, punctuating the stillness with occasional giggles.
Amidst the unfolding scene, Naruto decoded the hidden choreography of Kakashi's challenge. "To navigate this, I need to play the role of a team player."
Meanwhile, Sasuke, unsettled by Kakashi's apparent lack of seriousness, pondered a direct assault. However, before he could act, Naruto materialized with deceptive ease behind him.
"Sasuke."
The abrupt interruption compelled Sasuke to turn, finding Naruto calmly observing him. The fluidity of Naruto's approach had caught him off guard. Assuming a defensive stance, Sasuke asked, "What do you want?"
"Just aiming to pass this test. How about you?" Naruto responded, injecting a note of casual determination.
"Obviously, dobe," Sasuke retorted, his tone subtly layered with a thread of superiority.
"Alright, pay attention! I've got a theory about this test," Naruto declared, his voice firm with determination. "I think Kakashi-sensei wants us to work together to snag those bells. He's testing if we'll stick together or stab each other in the back to get the job done."
"Work together? With you weaklings? No chance! I'm an Uchiha; I don't need anyone's help!" Sasuke's reply crackled with disdain and pride.
Naruto stood his ground, then unleashed a potent wave of killer intent that sent Sasuke crumbling to his knees. Gasping for breath and trembling, Sasuke was overwhelmed by the sensation—a chilling reminder of the massacre's horrors. Before releasing his intense aura, Naruto had erected a shield to contain its force, shielding others from its overwhelming impact.
"Sasuke Uchiha... I couldn't care less about your arrogant attitude, but I won't let it mess up my plans!" Naruto's voice sliced through the tense air, carrying an icy tone that echoed with determination. His gaze bore into Sasuke, an unyielding force demanding cooperation. "Now, I'll ask you again – let's cooperate for this test, just this once."
Sasuke, usually composed, found himself hesitating, a rare moment of vulnerability exposed as he faced an unexpected force. "Fine, just this once," he reluctantly conceded.
"Alright, let's go find your overenthusiastic admirer too," Naruto added, his stride purposeful as they embarked on a shared mission, the dynamic between them charged with unspoken tension and reluctant collaboration.
After four minutes, they tracked down Sakura, her fervent search for Sasuke evident in the determination etched on her face. The setting sun cast long shadows, painting the scene with hues of orange and pink, mirroring the complexities of their intertwined relationships.
Before any of the boys could utter a single word, Sakura's frustration exploded into the room. "Sasuke-kun, why did you team up with that creep?" Her voice, a mix of disappointment and betrayal, echoed through the confined space. Naruto's eye twitched in visible annoyance, an inner vow forming in his mind: 'Sakura Haruno, before I leave this village, I will deal with you myself!'
"Shut up, Haruno. The point of this test is to team up. There's no way genin can beat jounin, so he wants to see if we betray one another to pass the test."
Sasuke, usually composed, issued a response with a restrained irritation evident on his face. "I agree with Naruto," he declared, and though his words aligned, a silent disapproval lingered beneath the surface. Naruto, ever observant, picked up on it even before Sasuke acknowledged it. Sakura, caught in the crossfire of their tension, simply nodded.
"So, let's craft a plan," Naruto suggested, the urgency in his voice slicing through the room's thick atmosphere. The flickering light cast dramatic shadows, heightening the gravity of their forced collaboration. The air crackled with unspoken challenges as they grappled with the unsettling reality of the test ahead.
After a meticulous 10-minute discussion, their collective efforts crystallized into a plan.
Naruto, assuming a position in front of Kakashi, orchestrated his approach with careful deliberation. 'To play the part of a genin convincingly, I must embrace a deliberate slowness and employ low-level jutsus.' With this strategic resolve, Naruto set his plan into motion, darting purposefully towards Kakashi.
In a burst of agility, Naruto leaped into the air, aiming a swift kick towards Kakashi's head. However, Kakashi, ever the seasoned ninja, skillfully blocked the assault with his shoulder, effortlessly pushing Naruto away. Undeterred, Naruto executed a graceful backflip, landing gracefully on the ground.
Simultaneously, Sakura emerged a few meters behind, her determination palpable as she sprinted towards Kakashi. Capitalizing on Naruto's diversion, he swiftly wove hand signs and declared, "Earth Release: Feet Prison Jutsu!" The earth responded, ensnaring Kakashi's feet and anchoring him in place. As Kakashi turned to assess the sudden hindrance, Sakura closed in with a kunai in hand, poised for the next phase of their coordinated assault.
Kakashi swiftly drew his kunai and hurled it at her, but it sailed through the illusionary figure. 'Clone Technique,' flashed through Kakashi's mind, a realization hitting him too late. In a graceful aerial dance, Sasuke ascended, bellowing, "Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!" A searing ball of flames burst forth from Sasuke's mouth, homing in on Kakashi.
Just before the fiery projectile could reach its mark, Kakashi expertly dismantled the feet prison jutsu and agilely evaded the oncoming inferno. Yet, as he distanced himself from the heat, a swift blur streaked past him – Naruto, the embodiment of speed.
Halting at a safe distance from the engulfing flames, Kakashi dryly remarked, "Good planning, but it seems to have fallen short," astutely pointing out the flaw in their strategy.
The trio stood united, triumphant smiles playing on their faces. "Fallen short? What do you mean?" Naruto retorted, proudly displaying the two bells clasped in his right hand.
Kakashi, caught off guard, recognized that what he had witnessed was not an illusion but Naruto's extraordinary speed. "So, what's your next move? To whom shall you grant the coveted extra bell?" he inquired, acknowledging their clever and successful tactics.
A mischievous grin played across Naruto's face. "Kakashi-sensei, we've been onto this being a teamwork test all along. You just wanted to see if we'd betray each other to pass, right?"
"Hahaha. You've got it. Congratulations, you've all passed," Kakashi's voice echoed with a touch of amusement, his one visible eye crinkling in a subtle smile.
Sakura's heart swelled with relief, the prospect of escaping the academy looming distant now. Imagining a future beside Sasuke filled her with a sense of joy. Yet, Sasuke's expression remained a stoic mask, a subtle undercurrent of irritation beneath the surface. Naruto's uncharacteristic display of killer intent didn't elude Sasuke's discerning gaze, leaving him with a lingering sense of unease. There were questions, uncertainties that demanded answers.
"Alright, tomorrow marks the beginning of training, and we'll delve into some D-rank missions. But for now, go home and take it easy," Kakashi declared, vanishing into a wisp of smoke.
"Sasuke-kun, how about a date?" Sakura proposed, her voice carrying a hint of desperation.
"No," Sasuke's response was curt, his tone serious.
Turning away from Sakura, Sasuke directed his attention to Naruto. "Can we talk?" he requested, the weight of unspoken inquiries hanging in the air, like a palpable tension waiting to be unraveled.
Naruto, hood draped over his head like a cloak of mystery, locked eyes with Sasuke. In that intense gaze, Sasuke could decipher the unspoken query forming. "Fine, follow me," Naruto declared with a subtle nod.
As they briskly moved away, the crunching of leaves beneath their footsteps echoed in the quiet. The ambient sounds of the training ground faded, leaving Sakura standing alone, her gaze lingering on the departing figures. The air carried an unspoken tension, thick with the weight of undisclosed conversations and unfolding narratives.
Guiding Sasuke to his cherished spot by the river, a place where the echoes of the Sharingan's discovery still whispered through the rustling leaves, Naruto unraveled the enigma surrounding his strength.
"You're strong... How?" Sasuke inquired, his voice tinged with a touch of envy.
"I am. How? Well, I'm different than others," Naruto replied, a cryptic smile playing on his lips. The dimming twilight cast elongated shadows across Naruto's face, intensifying the eerie atmosphere that enveloped him. The soft rustle of leaves seemed to harmonize with the sinister undertones of their conversation.
For the first time, Sasuke witnessed Naruto's smile, but there was an unsettling intensity to it. The riverside scene, painted with the muted hues of dusk, framed this rare moment of revelation. As Naruto spoke, the ambient sounds of nature seemed to hush, creating a chilling contrast to the warmth usually associated with the twilight hours. Sasuke couldn't shake off the feeling that he was treading into uncharted, ominous territory.
"Sasuke, during our introductions, you mentioned a person you wanted to kill. Did you mean Itachi Uchiha, your older brother, the one who single-handedly extinguished the entire Uchiha Clan in a single night?" The words hung in the air like a dark specter, laden with the weight of shared histories and unspoken, darker truths, as if the very atmosphere absorbed their ominous implications.
Sasuke stood in stunned silence, realizing that the secrets of his past were known only to himself. "How do you know?" he questioned, a mixture of surprise and suspicion in his voice.
"That doesn't matter. What matters is, I can give you the power you need to confront and defeat your older brother, Sasuke," Naruto spoke with a wicked undertone, his words weaving a sinister melody in the air.
Sasuke laughed dismissively, "I acknowledge your strength, but you're nowhere near the level of being my master."
This declaration ignited something dark within Naruto. He emanated a killing intent that surpassed even the previous display. Sasuke, now breathing heavily, found himself confronted by a force that transcended the boundaries of their shared reality. Naruto's movements became a blur, culminating in a powerful kick that sent Sasuke hurtling 100 meters away.
"Sasuke, don't be foolish. I can grant you the power you seek—something beyond what this village can offer," Naruto's voice echoed with an unsettling assurance.
"Prove it!" Sasuke challenged, defiance etched across his face.
Naruto chuckled ominously, "Fine. Tomorrow, after the mission. Agreed?"
"Fine," Sasuke reluctantly conceded.
With that, Naruto employed the Body Flicker Technique, disappearing from Sasuke's sight. The residual tension lingered in the air, leaving Sasuke alone to grapple with the weight of the impending choice and the shadows of his past that seemed to converge upon him.
Naruto Arrived to his base
In the solitary depths of his thoughts, Naruto relished the prospect, thinking, "Finally, with this, I can bestow power upon those who choose to stand with me, much like Sasuke-kun tomorrow." An evil smile etched across his face, foreshadowing the ominous path he was about to tread.
Seated in a dimly lit room, Naruto poised himself on a chair, extending his left arm. Delicately, he injected an unknown substance into his veins with his right hand. In an instant, the once-pulsating life within his veins transformed into an ominous shade of black. The room was shrouded in silence, and Naruto's tortured screams, akin to the rending of his very limbs, echoed within the confines. Thanks to a carefully placed sound seal that enveloped the area, the anguished symphony remained unheard by any unsuspecting ears.
As the night unfolded into dawn, Naruto stirred from his uneasy slumber on the floor. Although he awoke to a new day, the lingering sensation of power coursing through his veins served as an unsettling reminder of the curse seal's transformative influence. The room bore witness to the aftermath of his mysterious undertaking, leaving an atmosphere tinged with the darkness of an irreversible choice.