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"It's not brainwashing! Lord Orochimaru! He understands me!" Kimimaro suddenly emerged from the bone spur behind Gaara and once again attempted to pierce Gaara with a bone spear. "What do you know?! Die!"
Gaara was stunned.
For a long moment, he stared at the bone spear that stopped just a paper-thin distance from his eyes. He collapsed into the sand, exhausted.
"I've been completely defeated," Gaara muttered.
Lee and Gaara sat together under a forest canopy nearby, catching their breath.
Lee comforted him: "That's not true. Guy-sensei said even having a good face is a kind of strength!"
Gaara turned to him. "Do you feel that kind of rage too? Like that guy—when someone you admire is insulted?"
Lee suddenly interjected, "Naruto said that's called 'fangirling.' He said being a fan isn't always a good thing."
Gaara stared blankly: "…Then fight for people who matter. Like Uzumaki Naruto."
"Do you have someone important to you?" Lee asked curiously.
Images of Temari and Kankurō flashed in Gaara's mind, but finally, it settled on Naruto… Damn it. Crown Princess No. 2!
"Sasuke!" Neji shouted from behind as Sasuke dashed into the cave at the Valley of the End.
Neji followed close behind, but suddenly everything turned pitch black. From the shadows, his father—Hizashi Hyuga—appeared with a gentle smile.
Neji narrowed his eyes, formed the Tiger hand seal, and muttered, "Kai!"
A beam of light broke through the darkness, and Neji burst out toward it.
"Sasuke!" he yelled again as he spotted the Uchiha standing atop Madara's statue. "Naruto asked us to bring you back to the village!"
Sasuke, just about to leave, turned slowly.
"Nani?!" Neji froze in shock. A Cursed Seal had spread across half of Sasuke's face, his Sharingan glowing black with yellow, snake-like pupils.
"Well, well… Why didn't that idiot come himself?" Sasuke asked, smirking mockingly.
"Akatsuki!" Neji replied. "He was ambushed by six of them—red cloud cloaks and all! He's missing now!"
A flash of recognition lit Sasuke's face—Uchiha Itachi… Hoshigaki Kisame…
In a blink, Sasuke appeared in front of Neji, grabbing his collar. "Where did they go?!"
"So fast!" Neji thought, startled. He reflexively pointed in a direction. "Over there!"
Then he hesitated and added, "But Sasuke… come back with me."
Sasuke let go, shaking his head. "I already told Naruto… stop worrying about me."
Neji, without missing a beat, replied, "Okay!" and Shunshinned away.
Sasuke: "???" What the hell?! Shouldn't you at least try to stop me a little?!
Sasuke leapt off in the direction Neji had pointed, still baffled.
Neji watched him vanish into the trees, then sighed. "Naruto… I hope you're right."
Sasuke charged forward furiously toward the location of Naruto's battle with Akatsuki. "Naruto! Don't you dare die on me… Itachi! I'll end you!"
When Sasuke arrived, the battlefield was a mess. Towering trees pierced the sky, some burned, others shattered by lightning. Blood stained the landscape.
"Damn it! I'm too late!" Sasuke roared, slamming his fist into the ground.
"Sasuke?" a calm voice echoed behind him.
"Who's there?!" Sasuke spun around. A familiar figure with a ninja hound stood before him.
"Kakashi?"
Sasuke rose. "What are you doing here? Isn't Konoha in crisis? Don't they need their Jonin?"
Kakashi paused, then lied gently, "I heard you left the village. Naruto chased after you, so I came. I was worried. Come back with me, Sasuke."
"Heh… hahaha!" Sasuke let out a deranged laugh. "Go back? And rot in the Leaf as a weak flower in a greenhouse? Never! I need more power! I need to kill that man!"
Feeling the surge of dark Chakra from Sasuke, Kakashi slowly pulled out a kunai. "If you won't come willingly, then I'll take you by force."
Sasuke raised his head, the Cursed Seal creeping across his skin. "You're welcome to try."
Forming hand seals, he shouted: "Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"
Dozens of tiny fireballs launched from his mouth, speeding toward Kakashi.
"Pakkun, move!" Kakashi shouted at his summon, leaping aside.
"Nani?!" Kakashi noticed Sasuke had vanished mid-attack.
"Lion's Barrage!"
Sasuke came down from above, kicking Kakashi in midair.
Reacting quickly, Kakashi twisted and blocked with his elbows, but the impact still sent him crashing to the ground.
"He's faster than before…" Kakashi thought grimly as he stood up and lifted his forehead protector to reveal his Sharingan.
Sasuke quickly made seals midair: "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
Kakashi copied the same move in return: "Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
The two massive fireballs collided in a flaming explosion.
"The Cursed Seal's increased his Chakra and taijutsu significantly!" Kakashi analyzed. "This needs to end quickly. His Chakra's nearly matching mine!"
"Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
With rapid seals, Kakashi summoned a massive water dragon from the nearby river. Ten dragons spiraled toward Sasuke.
Sasuke dodged instantly. The Cursed Seal's Stage One speed boost made him appear beside Kakashi in a blur.
"Yahh! Yahh! Yahhh!" Sasuke unleashed a flurry of attacks.
Kakashi gritted his teeth, forming a single-handed seal. "Open!"
(Yes, Kakashi used Eight Inner Gates when climbing the cliff one-handed. Don't @ me.)
His speed increased drastically. He caught Sasuke's attacks and launched him backward with a strong kick.
Then, Kakashi extended his arm. "Chidori!"
Sasuke smirked and mirrored the action. "Raikiri!"
Kakashi stared at Sasuke's lightning technique and sighed. "So you've mastered it too…"
They charged. "Raikiri!!"
BOOM!
Thunder crackled violently. The sheer force of their clash blinded them both.
Both ninjas were blasted backward by the explosion.
"No doubt now…" Kakashi whispered. "He's truly trying to kill me."
"Damn it… I can't keep wasting Chakra like this!" Sasuke thought. "My taijutsu and raw Chakra are just under Kakashi's. If I keep clashing directly, I'll lose!"
"I'll create an opening with speed and ninjutsu—then strike with my ace."
Suddenly, the Cursed Seal spread fully, transforming Sasuke into Cursed Seal Level 2. His skin darkened, hair lengthened, and grotesque, wing-like appendages grew from his back.
"Nani?!" Kakashi's eyes widened. "His Chakra just multiplied fivefold!"
Sasuke lunged forward.
Kakashi narrowed his eyes. "So fast!"
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!" Sasuke launched another blast, following it with several shuriken.
"Demon Wind Shuriken Technique!" he added.
Invisible wires guided the shuriken's flight.
"Sharingan! Dancing Leaf Shadow: Triple Windmill Blades!"
He maneuvered the wires to entangle Kakashi and trap him against a tree.
"Nani?!" Kakashi gasped. "So fast! Damn it! I got careless!"
Sasuke bit down on the wire between his teeth, and his hands fell to his sides. "Dual Raikiri: Thunder!"
Twin bolts of Chidori-like lightning flared from his palms, crackling violently.
"Ten Thousand Volt Palm!"
A blue flash erupted as Sasuke launched toward the bound Kakashi.
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