The moonlight filtered through the trees as Sasuke stood on the edge of Konoha, his gaze lingering on the village he had sworn to protect. The thoughts that had plagued him for months swirled around his mind: the loneliness, the desperation for power, the overwhelming feeling that he would never be enough. No matter how much he trained, no matter how much he fought, he was still far behind Naruto and Kaito.
Sasuke's eyes flickered to the village in the distance, his teammates—his friends—far away. He knew what he had to do, even though a part of him hated the decision. The curse of the Uchiha clan, the shadow of his brother Itachi, and the ever-growing pressure to surpass everyone pushed him to this moment.
"I'm not strong enough," Sasuke muttered to himself, his voice a quiet echo in the night.
He turned away from Konoha, the path ahead uncertain but clear in his mind. Orochimaru had been lurking in the background for too long, and Sasuke had come to a bitter conclusion: he needed power, power that only Orochimaru could give him. The need for revenge, the desire to surpass Naruto and Kaito, and the ache to finally defeat Itachi—these were all driving him.
As Sasuke moved through the darkened woods, he couldn't help but think back to the conversations he had with Naruto and Kaito earlier that day. Naruto had tried to be understanding, but Sasuke could see the pity in his eyes. And Kaito... well, Kaito was always there, calm, collected, and seemingly always one step ahead. Sasuke didn't want their pity. He didn't want to be seen as weak. He couldn't bear it anymore.
He wasn't sure when it happened, but he had made up his mind.
His path was set.
Back in Konoha, Naruto sat in his room, a frown etched on his face. He had been waiting for Sasuke to show up. They were always pushing each other, always fighting for that next level of strength. But tonight... something felt off. Sasuke hadn't come back yet. It was unusual, even for him.
He glanced over at Kaito, who had been unusually quiet since dinner. Kaito's eyes seemed distant, as if he were lost in his thoughts. Naruto opened his mouth to speak, but Kaito's voice cut him off.
"He's gone," Kaito said, his voice quiet, but resolute.
Naruto blinked, his heart sinking. "What do you mean gone?"
"He's left the village," Kaito replied, standing up and walking to the window. His eyes were narrowed, scanning the distance. "I don't know how long he's been planning this, but I can feel it. He's searching for Orochimaru."
"Damn it," Naruto muttered under his breath. "I knew he was slipping away. I knew he wasn't happy... but this?"
"He's been struggling with the idea of power for too long," Kaito said, turning back to face his brother. "He thinks this is the only way forward. He doesn't realize the cost."
Naruto clenched his fists, his mind racing. "We can't just let him go, Kaito! We need to stop him before he makes a huge mistake!"
Kaito remained silent for a moment before responding, "He's made his choice. But that doesn't mean we just let him go without a fight. If we catch up to him, we can still bring him back."
Meanwhile, Sasuke had already made it far from the village. His mind was locked onto one goal: Orochimaru. He had to find him. He had to become stronger, no matter the cost.
However, as he traveled deeper into the forest, something didn't feel right. A strange presence lingered around him, almost as if he were being watched. His fingers hovered near his kunai pouch, ready for anything.
Out of the shadows, a figure appeared. Sasuke's eyes narrowed as he recognized the man immediately. It was Ukon, one of the Sound Four, the elite group of Orochimaru's followers. He had heard about them—their strength, their ruthless loyalty to Orochimaru. Sasuke gritted his teeth, not ready to back down now.
"So, it's you," Sasuke said, his voice low and full of venom. "I'm here to find Orochimaru. If you're standing in my way, then—"
Ukon grinned, a cruel smile stretching across his face. "You're exactly what Lord Orochimaru has been waiting for. He knew you would come... that you would be desperate enough to seek him out. I'm just here to make sure you stay on the path."
Sasuke's Sharingan flared to life. "I don't need any help."
"Really?" Ukon's voice was dripping with mockery. "Because you've already made your first mistake. Orochimaru doesn't deal with weaklings. He deals with the strong. But don't worry, you'll be more than strong enough once you're his."
Before Sasuke could react, Ukon launched himself at Sasuke with terrifying speed, his body twisting unnaturally. Sasuke barely managed to dodge, but Ukon was quick, his movements erratic and unpredictable. The fight quickly escalated, with Ukon's body morphing into different shapes and attacking from every angle.
Sasuke's eyes sharpened. He was used to fighting skilled opponents, but Ukon's ability to warp his body was something Sasuke hadn't encountered before. He needed to think quickly.
"You're quick," Sasuke muttered, "but not fast enough."
He threw a barrage of kunai, creating a perimeter around himself. Ukon's body twisted and turned to avoid them, but Sasuke was already one step ahead. He followed the trajectory of the kunai with his Sharingan, launching a powerful Chidori from his hand as soon as Ukon exposed his weak point.
Ukon staggered back, his body writhing as he tried to regroup. Sasuke stood tall, his eyes blazing with determination. "I don't need Orochimaru's power... not anymore."
But as Sasuke took a step forward, Ukon grinned again, his eyes glinting with malice. "Orochimaru's waiting for you, Sasuke. Whether you like it or not."
Sasuke's resolve hardened. "I'll find my own way."
Meanwhile, Naruto and Kaito were already in pursuit, closing in on Sasuke's trail. They weren't about to let him slip away so easily.
"Hang on, Sasuke," Naruto muttered to himself, determination in his voice. "We'll bring you back."
Kaito remained silent, his mind already calculating how best to catch up with Sasuke without putting him in more danger. He could feel Sasuke's emotional turmoil, but there was no time to waste. They needed to stop him before he fell into Orochimaru's hands.
The chase had only just begun.