-Sasuke-
As the call to start the fight happened, numerous things happened at once. Chakra surged to Sasuke's eyes as he cast Genjutsu after Genjutsu through his Sharingan onto Gaara, his right hand came up with a bundle of shuriken already in them as he launched them, only for his left hand to begin to make seals. 'This should surprise him!' As chakra surged towards his lungs, he breathed out, fireballs landing on each of the Shuriken he had thrown, before soaring towards Gaara!
None of that mattered as Gaara simply waved his hand, and from the gourd on his back a wave of sand rose up, and batted the shuriken away, and the Genjutsu completely ineffective. 'Tch! He didn't even flinch.' However, the wave of sand wasn't finished, as it started to rush directly at Sasuke! 'Fast, but I can outrun this!'
In an instant he bolted into action, running around the edge of the 'arena' that they had for the fight, hands flipping through seals.
-General POV-
'When did he?!?' Turning towards the disguised Kakashi, a twitch developed above Naruko's eye at his smug look. 'He learned it THAT fast?'
Mutters broke out around the arena as the Jutsu was unveiled, looks of shock spreading around the Jonin, and confusion for the Genin. 'Kakashi.. to think he would teach him that Jutsu.' Might Gai looked on with a glint of surprise in his eyes.
'You truly have grown Kakashi...' In the shadows cast by his Hokage cap, Hiruzen Sarutobi grinned.
'Kukukukuku'
-Sasuke-
The chirping of thousands of birds began to echo around the arena - before it began to quiet down. In the corner of his eye, Sasuke could spot the now quietly sitting there, covering his hand blade of lightning. His voice spoke up, filled with both confidence and reverence at the Jutsu. "Rakiri." With a single flex of his legs, he disappeared right as the wave of sand was about to collide with him, and the next moment he appeared directly above Gaara, body twirling in the air, before his hand thrust forward!
'I've got him!' Puchi. His hand pierced through Gaara, his entire forearm entering his stomach. 'Wait, why did he not try to-' His eyes widened as Gaara turned to sand.
"You're too slow." The words that echoed out behind him were monotone as if commenting on the weather. Sasuke reacted, instantly, leaping forward in an attempt to dodge whatever attack was coming... only for nothing to happen as he landed farther away. Turning around towards Gaara, he found him... just standing there, arms crossed. Once more, Gaara's voice broke out. "Continue, you won't be passing this stage, so you might as well display what you have in the vein hopes your Hokage will promote you."
His words were still lacking in all emotions, yet they struck Sasuke in a way no other could. 'You... bastard!' The short redhead overlapped in his vision with a much larger black-haired man with three-tomoe spinning in his eyes. That pose. That confidence. That arrogance. Looking down on him...
His teeth ground together as his hands clenched and unclenched. 'I'll show you, how dare you look down on an Uchiha!' Hands flying through hand seals once more, Fire and Lightning jutsu after Fire and Lightning Jutsu left his mouth, and yet...
Each time he launched one, or tried to make a sneak attack with a Kunai, or throw a Genjutsu. No matter what Sasuke did it was always blocked, or just outright ignored. 'I... can't beat him. I'm not fast enough, my chakra isn't sharp enough.' Sweat poured down his face, rapid breaths escaped his mouth from exhaustion, and in the end, Sasuke deactivated his Sharingan and raised his hand. "I forfeit."
As murmurs and gasps echoed out, he reluctantly nodded toward Gaara before he walked out of the arena and up to the catwalk. As he walked up and turned to face Sakura and Naruko... all he saw was worry from Sakura, and a wide grin on Naruko's face, before she gave him a thumbs up. "Good job Sasuke! I knew you wouldn't lose yourself, and you're gonna have to tell me when you learned Rakiri, y'know? Who thought that bastard would have time to teach you while I was gone."
As he finished walking up to his team, and Naruko's words washed over him as Sakura began fretting, he felt... good. Yes, he felt good. Did he even feel... happy?
-Location ???-
"Zetsu." Sitting at a ramen stall, he didn't even look as the black plant-like creature appeared next to him. "What is your report?"
"The invasion is on. The Ichibi Jinchuriki made it through, and so did some of Orochimaru's rats. Konoha managed to sneak in a Taki team and the Kyuubi Jinchuriki. Entire platoons have been slowly shifted from key sealing locations all across the world to center on Konoha, it seems like they know what is going to happen."
Nagato did not respond immediately, taking time to savor his ramen. "What of the fool?"
For a brief moment, Zetsu's acidic yellow eyes narrowed at the impertinence. But, he responded nonetheless, "He doesn't care. He does not believe it will impact our plans."
Nagato's lips twitched upwards in amusement. "Foolish. Beating back an invasion, and seeing her comrades die will harden the will of Naruko Uzumaki, foster the seeds of the next generation, and allow the legendary Sandaime Hokage to go down in history for saving his village at his venerable age before dying. It will foster hope, and urge Konoha to grow stronger and stronger as they rally together. If Konoha is not crushed during this invasion, it will only make them stronger." As his voice echoed out in the Ramen stall, he took another slurp of his ramen, before standing up.
"I suppose if you aren't going to do anything, then I will."
"Madara-sa"
As Zetsu went to speak, Nagato instantly turned towards him, Rinnegan activated, chakra pressing down upon him. "Do not play that game with me Zetsu."
Zetsu instantly adjusted, seemingly not affected by the Chakra that was cracking the floorboards without any actual movement from Nagato, "He will not approve."
"Do I need anyone's approval?" With those arrogant words, Nagato stepped out of the ramen stand.
Unseen to either of them, a tiny red mite hidden in a metal lid began to scuttle away...
-????-
His cane silently tapped against the rocky road of the mountain as with some effort he forced his tired aged body to continue to climb. Yet, even though he was practically hunched over to his knees, there was no look of pain or exhaustion on his face as he climbed one step at a time. Patrol after patrol of Shinobi passed by him during his climb, yet no one saw him.
He was well over 100 years old. Covered in scars, and could barely move. Yet, none of that mattered.
For he was Uchiha Madara. What should be the death rattle of someone on their final breath escaped him, yet he continued moving forward, chakra churning inside of him as he crested the top of the mountain. He saw the dozens of buildings, the well-defend walls, team after team of Shinobi in the hidden compound... yet he simply walked through the front gate.
Walking directly through the middle of the camp without a care in the world, Madara opened the door to the most well-defended, yet smallest building, before he stepped inside and closed it behind him.
Taking a moment to adjust to the lack of light, an ancient wry grin appeared on his face, as his eyes turned foggy. "I can't believe it would be me who would break this seal..." His eyes turned towards the roof, black pupils turning purple as concentric ring after concentric ring appeared.
"But, if Kaguya truly has sunk her roots in, then chaos is needed. In this chaos, she will be hesitant to act, and the next generation will be able to grow." For a brief moment, he - Uchiha Madara hesitated.
He remembered as a young lad, him and Hashirama fighting together, back to back. He remembered blood dripping from his brows. He remembered as Hashirama showcased the true height of his power for the first time ever... and he too the same. He remembered the two of them sharing a laugh as they both confirmed the others thoughts.
He remembered Izuna and Tobirama shaking in fear as they realized what kind of monsters their brothers truly were, that all their fights had been mere facades, as gods among men fought only for the whims of the mortals around them.
A brief smile emerged on his face. "It appears this time Hashirama... it'll have to be you guiding the way into battle, and not the hot-blooded Uchiha. This next Uchiha will have to be one following behind..."
Madara's wrinkled and shriveled-up hand reached into the air, where seemingly nothing was. He shattered the seal and stared at the tiny pinprick in space that had just appeared. He stared as it greedily gobbled up the nature chakra all around them, slowly growing in size... before he turned around and walked out, heart heavy. "Perhaps our next lives will be able to do what we couldn't in this one, and all the past ones..."
The ancient Uchiha disappeared from the mountain, no one ever knowing he was there.