The clearing, once a serene training ground for new genin, was now a warzone. The dust lingered in the air, mixed with the lingering echoes of destructive jutsu and the smell of burning wood. Craters, broken trees, the ground was littered with shuriken, kunai and scattered debris painted the scene as a testament to the battle that had just taken place. The very earth felt as though it had been shaken by the force of the combat.
Kakashi chuckled, his voice tired but impressed. "You've got potential, Sasuke. But don't forget, this was still a team exercise."
I smirked faintly, wiping blood from my mouth. "This wasn't about teamwork. It was about seeing how far I could push myself."
Kakashi gave a rare genuine smile. "Then I'd say you passed."
Hiruzen, who was watching the whole fight through him crystal ball signals his Anbu to prevent anyone from going in that training ground and take them to the Hospital.
He sighed deeply. "So, this is the result of five years of training," he murmured, shaking his head. "I knew it, but to witness it firsthand... Danzo wouldn't like this. I must be prepared."
"Um, Sakura-chan, should we call for help?" Naruto asked, his voice trembling slightly.
"I think so, Naruto." Sakura replied, her voice filled with concern.
The training field was eerily quiet after the battle had ended. The scorched grass, scattered claw marks, and signs of the clash between summons bore witness to the ferocity of the fight. Kakashi and me laid next each other, our breathing heavy, both bleeding from eyes, cuts and bruises, but both of us in a battle of staring to see who lose eye contact first.
Naruto and Sakura hovered nearby, unsure of how to process what they had just seen. Both stared in stunned silence, their faces pale. The fight had been far beyond anything they could have imagined.
Naruto gawked. 'Sasuke! How the hell are you this strong?! What have you been doing all this time?! You were fighting Kakashi-sensei like you were jonin or something! Ninjutsu, sensing, healing, that glowing thing...Wait—what? Is there anything this guy can't do?! How am I supposed to keep up?"
Sakura, still reeling from the intensity of the fight, stared at Sasuke, her mind racing. 'Such power and conviction. Such ruthlessness. If I want to stand by him, I need to become stronger. Am I cut out for this ninja life?'
Kakashi said while grinning through gritted teeth, voice raspy, "You're good, kid. Real good. That was one hell of a fight. You've got talent, kid. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."
I smirked, "You do realise that I am still 12, right?"
Kakashi chuckling weakly, his voice strained, "You sure know how to make a guy feel old, Sasuke… But that was enough to make me feel alive again. But next time, I won't go easy on you."
I laugh a little, my hand pressed to my side where the blood flowed freely, "Sure. I will be looking forward to it."
Just then, a team of ANBU arrived, summoned by the Hokage. "Lord Hokage ordered us to take you to the hospital," one of them announced.Kakashi nodded. "One of you help Sasuke," he instructed.I declined their assistance. "I'll go to the medical center in the Uchiha district. The police have secured the area. I'll ask them for help."An officer stepped forward and assisted me, supporting my weight as we made our way towards the Uchiha compound.Kakashi watched me go, then turned his attention to Naruto and Sakura, who were still in a state of shock. "You passed," he stated. "Eat lunch and then go home. We'll meet again the day after tomorrow."Naruto and Sakura simply nodded, still processing the intensity of the events that had just transpired.In the Root base,Danzo, having been briefed on the events that transpired at the training ground, listened intently. "That boy... he's far more dangerous than I anticipated," he mused. "With such power at this age, he's a threat to the delicate balance of the village. If left unchecked, he could destabilize everything. The Uchiha clan may rise again if he continues on this path. I must act before that happens..."A chilling smirk spread across Danzo's face. "The Uchiha's flame has not been extinguished. It burns brighter than ever."The calculation behind his words was evident, leaving an unsettling feeling in the pit of his stomach."A dangerous player... but a player nonetheless," Danzo concluded, his uncovered eye gleaming with a dangerous light.In the Uchiha district, Sasuke was receiving medical attention."Hina," I instructed, "prepare two large summoning circles using my blood. Place them near the sensory unit inside the district.""Yes, Lord Sasuke," Hina replied, disappearing to carry out my order."Kuro," I continued, "deliver this information scroll detailing the new security changes to the Hokage.""Yes, Lord Sasuke," Kuro acknowledged, vanishing into the shadows."Denka," I addressed my most trusted feline, "remove all existing security seals from the district and prepare to activate the thirteen eternal seals."Denka hesitated slightly. "Lord Sasuke, out of the thirteen seals you requested, we only found seven in the Uchiha library, Nya. And among those, only six met your exacting standards. We had to commission the most skilled seal masters, and even then, they could only replicate two of the remaining seals. So, we currently have eight seals, Nya. But the remaining five... they are incredibly complex. The seal masters warned that it could take years to recreate even two of them. And one of the five... they believe it may be impossible to replicate, Nya."I nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "I know. I know those five are difficult. Here," he handed Denka five intricately drawn seals. "These are the remaining five. Begin the activation procedure."Denka, upon examining the seals, gasped. "T-those five seals... I don't know where you obtained them, Lord Sasuke, but the creator was a genius beyond compare."With a sense of awe, Denka accepted the seals and began preparations for their activation.As Denka disappeared, I remember the time I asked for those years before.
Flashback to when Indra came to meet Sasuke,
"Who are you?" I demanded, my voice tight with suspicion.The figure, radiating an aura of power and wisdom, spoke with a voice that resonated deep within my soul. "Consider me a reflection of your potential, a glimpse of what you might become."I narrowed my eyes, unconvinced. "A reflection? A trickster spirit?""Neither," the figure replied calmly. "I am a part of you, a legacy you carry. The choices you make will define your path, shape your destiny."Intrigue warring with caution, Sasuke lowered his kunai slightly. "What do you want?"The figure smiled faintly. "Knowledge. Understanding. And perhaps, a chance to guide you down a path that leads to redemption."A million questions swirled in my mind. Who is he? Hagoromo? Hamura? Indra? Someone entirely new?However, before I could voice any, the spectral figure raised a hand. "Seek answers on your own, young Uchiha. The path to wisdom is paved with self-discovery. This world has already chosen his protector and the path you have chosen is not in the favor of this world's plan. So destiny will try to stop you. But remember, you have to become so strong that even destiny couldn't stop you. Rise where I fall young uchiha. I have given you a gift which will reveal himself when you will get eternal light. Now it's up to you when and how you want to get eternal light."Indra continued, "Always remember, Neither of us is better than the other. This world is full of beasts, not gods or humans. But some of the animals... who hides behind the good to hide their bad. No one will ever decide for you whether you are a traitor, a righteous person or a sinner, a criminal or a hero. Just you. Only here. Only your soul. Nobody else. No one will decide for you what is good and what is not. And how it is possible, and how it is no longer possible, to protect it. Only your soul. No one else's."My mind raced, trying to decipher the encounter and sight I just witness."Why did Indra appear?" I thought, his brow furrowed in concentration. "Why was he here?! What changes? Did some unforeseen event occur? What will happen when I obtain the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan?" A knot of unease tightened in my stomach.With those words, the figure who was staring me with red eyes began to fade, the tremor dissipating.The tremor that accompanied the being's arrival, the undeniable presence of the Sharingan – it all pointed towards one inescapable truth: I had just encountered Indra."INDRA WAIT!" I shouted, halting his departure.The tremor stopped and Indra materializes again, with his sharingan activated, "Oh? You know me, huh. Good. Otherwise I would be disappointed. So? Tell me, what is it you desire?"I swallowed, "I will give you all the knowledge I can access on fuinjutsu and I want you to create 5 seals for me."Indra raise an eyebrow in amusement, "And what are those 5 seals?""Those are..." I began, outlining the specific characteristics of each seal.Indra listened intently, his expression becoming serious. "And why do you think I can create something like that?" he inquired."Because you are a genius who invented hand seals at the age of 9 and your intelligence puts even the sage to shame."Indra stared at me, assessing my words.Before Indra could answer, I interrupted, "In return I will defeat Ashura's reincarnate. And from defeat, I mean no tie, or no friendship or no victory in a single battle, as long as I am alive, I will be stronger than Ashura's reincarnate and will also make him admit that he lost."After hearing this, Indra chuckled, "You know, I would have accepted even without this bribery, but sure. I shall create the seals you require and give it to you after two years.""Thank you," I acknowledged, bowing my head in respect.Indra nodded and decided to leave, but then stopped and decided to take a look at the memories now. As he make eye contact, all the memories flooded in his mind the memories worth of 30 years, and memory of two lives.Two minutes goes by and Indra was still staring at me."What?"Indra smiles a little and said, "Thank You. I am honored."I was taken aback. "Why? What for?"Indra smiled faintly. "We don't always need a reason to say thank you. Sometimes saying it is enough to make someone's day and if you have a crush, say this to him/her and then walk away, she/he will think about it whole day and think what could he/she have possibly done to earn a thank you, and if luck in on your side, he/she will also think all the things you have done for him/her."With those enigmatic words, Indra vanished.In the blink of an eye, I was alone once more, a silence hanging heavy in the air.Flashback ends.
(DONE! Have a great Day/ Night!)