Chapter 11: Conversations and Confessions, Prelims Pt 1

The light filtering into the tower was dim and muted as Kakashi sat across from Sasuke in a small, quiet room. The young Uchiha sat stiffly, his head lowered, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. The atmosphere was heavy with unspoken tension.

Kakashi studied Sasuke silently for a moment, his visible eye soft but serious. Finally, he spoke. "Sasuke, we need to talk about what happened in the forest."

Sasuke didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the floor. The black markings from Orochimaru's Curse Mark had faded, but the memory of the power it had unleashed still lingered in his mind.

"You've been marked by Orochimaru," Kakashi continued, his tone steady but grave. "That's not something to take lightly. Do you know who he is?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, but he remained silent.

"Orochimaru is one of the Legendary Sannin," Kakashi explained. "He was once a Leaf shinobi, but he defected years ago after his crimes were discovered. Human experimentation, forbidden jutsu, the pursuit of power at any cost... that's who Orochimaru is."

Sasuke clenched his fists, his voice low. "What does he want with me?"

Kakashi leaned forward, his gaze unwavering. "Orochimaru is obsessed with power and immortality. He sees you as a tool—your Sharingan, your potential—it's all he cares about. He'll use you until there's nothing left."

Sasuke's jaw tightened. "I'm not a tool."

"No, you're not," Kakashi said firmly. "But that's why you need to be careful. The Curse Mark isn't just a symbol—it's a way for him to control you. That power you felt in the forest, it comes at a price."

Sasuke met Kakashi's gaze, his expression a mix of anger and confusion. "What do I do, then? How do I stop it?"

Kakashi sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "For now, I'm going to seal it. It won't remove the mark completely, but it should suppress its influence. My skills in Fuinjutsu are limited, though. We'll need someone with more expertise to deal with it permanently."

"Who?" Sasuke asked, his voice sharp.

"Jiraiya," Kakashi replied. "Another of the Sannin. He's one of the few people I trust to handle this."

Sasuke nodded slowly, his expression unreadable as Kakashi approached. The Jōnin placed his hand over the Curse Mark, his fingers glowing faintly with chakra.

"This might sting a little," Kakashi said. "But it'll help."

He formed the necessary seals and whispered, "Evil Sealing Method."

Sasuke winced as the glowing symbols spread across his skin, forming a barrier over the Curse Mark. When the light faded, he exhaled shakily, his body relaxing slightly.

"It's done," Kakashi said, stepping back. "But remember, this is only temporary. Don't rely on that power, Sasuke. It's a path you don't want to go down."

Sasuke nodded, his voice quiet. "I understand."

Meanwhile, Naruto and Sakura sat on a balcony overlooking the tower's central courtyard. The tension of the last few days had eased somewhat, but the weight of their experiences still lingered.

Naruto stared out at the horizon, his arms resting on the railing. His mind was on the seal Orochimaru had tampered with. He could still feel the difference, even after Sakura had removed the interference.

Sakura sat beside him, her hands folded in her lap. She glanced at Naruto, her expression thoughtful. "You've been quiet," she said softly.

Naruto hesitated, then sighed. "It's just... everything that happened in the forest. Orochimaru, Sasuke, that seal on my chest... it's a lot."

Sakura nodded. "I don't know what that seal is, Naruto, or what it means. But I saw how worried you were about it."

Naruto looked away, his voice quiet. "It's... complicated."

Sakura placed a hand on his arm, her touch gentle. "You don't have to tell me if you're not ready. But I'm here if you ever want to talk."

Naruto glanced at her, surprised by her sincerity. "Thanks, Sakura-chan."

They sat in silence for a moment, the unspoken understanding between them offering a sense of comfort. Despite the challenges ahead, they knew they could rely on each other.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the tower, Naruto felt a flicker of hope. Whatever secrets he carried, he wasn't alone—and that made all the difference.

The tension in the room was palpable as the remaining genin stood before the Third Hokage. Hiruzen Sarutobi's presence was calm yet commanding as he addressed the group, his wise gaze sweeping over the young shinobi who had made it this far.

"Congratulations to all of you for passing the first two phases of the Chūnin Exams," he began. "Your courage, skill, and determination have brought you here. However..." His tone grew more serious. "Far more of you have passed than anticipated. As a result, we must conduct a preliminary round to determine who will proceed to the final stage."

Whispers and murmurs rippled through the room. The genin exchanged glances, some nervous, others eager. Even Naruto, usually full of bravado, seemed slightly uneasy.

"This round will consist of one-on-one battles," the Hokage continued. "The matches will be determined randomly. The winner will advance, and the loser will be eliminated. The proctor for this round, Hayate Gekkō, will step in if necessary to determine a clear winner or stop the fight if it becomes too dangerous."

Hayate, a pale, sickly-looking man, stepped forward with a slight cough. "You fight until one of you gives up or is unable to continue," he said in a raspy voice. "Killing your opponent is not permitted, but accidents do happen. Be prepared."

The tension in the room thickened. Naruto clenched his fists, his heart pounding with excitement and apprehension.

Before the matches began, Sakura stepped forward, her voice firm despite her nerves. "Excuse me! Hokage-sama, proctor—"

The room fell silent. All eyes turned to Sasuke, who stood with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable. He glanced at Sakura, his gaze sharp.

"Sakura, mind your own business," Sasuke said, his tone cold. "I don't need you to speak for me."

Naruto stepped forward, his voice rising. "Hey! Sakura's just trying to help! You shouldn't fight if it's going to hurt you—"

Sasuke turned to Naruto, cutting him off. "Stay out of it, Naruto. This is my decision."

Naruto glared at Sasuke, but before he could retort, Sasuke's lips curled into a faint smirk. "Besides... you're one of the people I want to fight."

Naruto froze, his surprise quickly morphing into a grin. "Heh, you'd better be ready when that happens, 'cause I'm gonna wipe the floor with you!"

The tension in the room thickened but Sakura did not speak another word.

Hayate stepped forward. "Now, we'll begin the preliminary round," he said, motioning to a large electronic board that flickered to life. "The first matchup will be chosen at random."

Everyone turned their eyes to the board, the names scrolling rapidly before stopping.

Sasuke Uchiha vs. Yoroi Akado

A murmur swept through the room. Yoroi, a tall, masked genin with an aura of confidence, stepped forward with an air of smugness. Sasuke followed, his posture calm and collected despite the weight of the Curse Mark on his neck.

Sakura bit her lip, her worry evident. "Sasuke..."

Naruto grinned, his voice loud and encouraging. "You've got this, Sasuke! Show 'em what you've got!"

Sasuke didn't acknowledge him as he stepped into the center of the room. Yoroi stood across from him, his hands twitching with anticipation.

Hayate raised his hand. "Begin!"

Yoroi wasted no time, lunging at Sasuke with surprising speed. Sasuke dodged effortlessly, his two-tomoe Sharingan activating with a faint red glow. Yoroi smirked, his hands glowing faintly as he launched a barrage of chakra-absorbing attacks.

Sasuke grimaced, narrowly avoiding a strike to his chest. He felt a tingle course through his arm as he deflected an overextended cross. He's stealing my chakra… even with marginal contact.

Yoroi's laughter echoed through the room. "You're already slowing down, Uchiha. What's the matter? Feeling weak?"

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He analyzed Yoroi's movements, waiting for an opening. When Yoroi lunged again, Sasuke dodged to the side and countered with a fierce kick to his opponent's ribs. Yoroi staggered back, his smirk replaced by a scowl.

"Don't underestimate me," Sasuke muttered, his voice low and steady.

The Curse Mark began to tingle on his neck, its sinister energy clawing at his senses. For a moment, he savored the sense of righteous purpose he felt, an almost religious zeal that made him feel invulnerable. He thought of Naruto's inexplicably red chakra that carried with it such a heavy presence. I won't lose to you. His eyes downcast, Sasuke felt small next to Naruto's growing strength and the ever looming, inexorable shadow his brother cast. He gritted his teeth, suppressing the mark's influence with the aid of Kakashi's seal as he pressed the attack. Each strike was precise and relentless, forcing Yoroi onto the defensive.

"Impossible…" Yoroi scowled deeply as he felt himself rapidly losing ground, both figuratively in terms of the battle's momentum and literally in terms of the floor beneath his feet retreating into the rapidly approaching wall. By inadvertent instinct, he locked eyes with his opponent. He cursed his mistake before even noticing that Sasuke's Sharingan now contained three methodically spinning tomoe.

Finally, Sasuke feinted left before landing a devastating blow to Yoroi's chest, following it by exhaling a Great Fireball Jutsu that hit head on, sending him crashing to the ground, bruised and burned. Yoroi groaned, unable to rise.

Hayate stepped forward, raising his hand. "Winner: Sasuke Uchiha."

The room erupted into a mix of cheers and murmurs. Sasuke stood over his fallen opponent, his breathing heavy but controlled. He turned and walked back to his team, his face unreadable.

Sakura exhaled in relief. "He did it."

Naruto grinned, clapping Sasuke on the shoulder. "Not bad, Sasuke! But you'd better save some of that for when we fight!"

Sasuke smirked faintly. "We'll see."

As the next matchup began to roll on the board, the tension in the room reignited. The preliminary round had only just begun, and the true tests of their strength were yet to come.

"You used the Curse Mark," Kakashi said finally, his voice low but steady. They stood in the medical room and spoke in hushed, harsh whispers.

"Only for a moment," Sasuke protested, his jaw tightening.

"That's not the point," Kakashi said, stepping closer. "I warned you about that power. It's dangerous, Sasuke. The more you use it, the more it will consume you."

Sasuke turned his head, his Sharingan flaring briefly as he met Kakashi's gaze. "I'll use any tool I have at my disposal to fulfil my goal. If it helps me become strong enough to fight him, why shouldn't I?"

Kakashi sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Because that's exactly what Orochimaru wants. He's luring you in, Sasuke, promising you power, but it's a trap. That mark isn't a gift—it's a curse. You're giving yourself—your power and your mind, to that snake."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "And what would you have me do? Wait? Hope that training with Naruto and Sakura will somehow make me strong enough to defeat—" He stopped himself, his voice breaking slightly. "You wouldn't understand. He took everything from me, sensei."

Kakashi's visible eye softened. "You think I don't know what it's like to lose people? To have them taken from me and to want revenge? To feel powerless?" He paused, his voice dropping. "I've been where you are, Sasuke. And I've seen what that path leads to."

Sasuke clenched his fists, looking away. "I don't have time to wait."

Before Kakashi could respond, the air grew heavy. A sinister presence washed over the training ground, and both shinobi instinctively went on guard.

"Such conviction," a smooth, menacing voice echoed.

Kakashi and Sasuke turned to see Orochimaru standing a short distance away, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement. His posture was relaxed, almost casual, but the malice radiating from him was unmistakable.

"Orochimaru," Kakashi said, his voice cold as his hand moved toward his kunai pouch.

Orochimaru raised a hand in mock surrender. "Relax, Kakashi. I'm not here to fight. Not yet, anyway."

"What do you want?" Kakashi demanded, his stance tense.

Orochimaru's gaze shifted to Sasuke, his smile widening. "I wanted to see how my gift was progressing. And I must say, Sasuke, you've exceeded my expectations."

Sasuke stared at him, his emotions unreadable. Orochimaru's words lingered in the air, tempting and insidious.

"I can give you power, Sasuke," Orochimaru continued, his tone soft but compelling. "The kind of power you'll never achieve here in the Leaf. The kind of power you'll need to fulfill your goal."

Kakashi stepped forward, his chakra spiking as he formed the seals for the Lightning Blade. A ball of crackling electricity roared to life in his hand, illuminating the darkened training ground. "You won't touch him."

Orochimaru chuckled, his amusement genuine. "Always so protective, Kakashi. But you should know by now—this is Sasuke's decision."

Sasuke's fists tightened, his mind racing. The promise of power was alluring, but he felt Kakashi's gaze on him, filled with a mix of concern and frustration.

"You're not taking him," Kakashi said, his voice firm. He lunged forward, the Lightning Blade aimed directly at Orochimaru.

But before the attack could land, Orochimaru vanished, his body dissipating into a swirl of smoke and shadow. His voice lingered, faint and mocking. "We'll meet again, Sasuke."

The training ground fell silent once more, the weight of Orochimaru's words hanging in the air.

Kakashi extinguished the Lightning Blade, his hand trembling slightly as he turned to Sasuke. "This is exactly what I was talking about. He's trying to manipulate you."

Sasuke didn't respond, his face unreadable as he stared at the spot where Orochimaru had stood.

"I'm not giving up on you, Sasuke," Kakashi said quietly. "But you need to trust me. That power isn't worth the price you'll pay."

Sasuke stood, his posture rigid. "I'll think about it."

With that, he walked away, leaving Kakashi alone in the fading light. The Jōnin sighed, his gaze distant as he contemplated the growing storm surrounding his student.

Jiraiya... I need you now more than ever, Kakashi thought, his expression grim.