This was a complete insult!
Who was Uchiha Sasuke? He was the last of the Uchiha clan, once known as the "strongest in the ninja world." He carried the Uchiha bloodline, and with it, the legendary Sharingan.
Sasuke was proud—fiercely proud—of his heritage. As a true Uchiha, he excelled in everything he attempted. With just one look, he could master techniques that took others weeks to learn. Graduating from the Ninja Academy at the top of his class, he was assigned to work with the renowned "Copy Ninja" Hatake Kakashi. But what he didn't expect was to be placed on a team with Haruno Sakura, a lovestruck girl, and Uzumaki Naruto, the so-called "dead-last."
In truth, Sasuke had always looked down on Naruto, feeling embarrassed to be in the same team. But even he couldn't change the team arrangement, as it was a decision made by the village itself. So, he endured it in silence, though he often mocked Naruto on any chance he got.
During a recent mission in the Land of Waves, Naruto had been so terrified by an enemy ninja that he couldn't even move. Sasuke had sneered at him, walking over with a smirk and asking, "Hey, coward, not hurt, are you?" The remark had hurt Naruto deeply, and he'd angrily pricked his hand with a kunai, swearing that he would never let himself freeze in fear again.
That scene felt as vivid as if it had happened yesterday.
But now, the roles were reversed. This time, it was Sasuke who was paralyzed with fear, while Naruto stood firm, looking at him with defiance and calling him a coward.
How could this be?
Sasuke was torn inside. He could almost picture his father's disapproving face, calling him a coward and telling him he wasn't worthy of the Uchiha name. He didn't want to be a coward, but how could he fight against an enemy as powerful as this one?
"Naruto…" he muttered, staring at his teammate, who was bloodied but still standing strong. Memories of all the moments they'd shared flashed before him like scenes from a movie.
"A stupid, weak coward like you isn't... the Sasuke I know!" Naruto said, spitting blood, his voice filled with determination.
"Even if Naruto's an idiot, he doesn't give up," Lee thought from his hiding spot. "At least he has guts." For a moment, Lee considered teaching Naruto the basics of his martial art style one day. But he quickly dismissed the idea; he wasn't strong enough yet to take on that risk.
Suddenly, a long, bright-red tongue shot out from the shadows, wrapping around Naruto and lifting him into the air. It was the female ninja's tongue, stretching over three meters long!
"Let me go, you creepy snake!" Naruto struggled with all his might, but her grip was too strong.
"I never imagined the Nine-Tails brat would still be alive," the female ninja murmured, holding Naruto in front of her and studying him with cold, indifferent eyes. She clasped her hands together, forming a strange hand sign.
"What is she planning?" Lee wondered, his heart racing.
"Nine-Tails' power leaks when you're overly excited. Hm, a clever seal by the 'Yellow Flash,'" she said, almost to herself.
"What are you mumbling about, you snake freak?" Naruto yelled, trying to pull away.
With her tongue, the female ninja pulled open Naruto's jacket, revealing a strange seal on his stomach. "Unlucky for you, kid," she sneered. "Five Elements Seal!" She raised her hand and slammed it onto Naruto's stomach.
Naruto let out a scream, his face contorted with pain.
"What did she do to Naruto?" Lee wondered anxiously, unable to see the seal or understand her actions from his vantage point. He could sense that this could have been his chance to learn what was inside Naruto, but he was missing it. It was frustrating!
"Sasuke, save Naruto!" Sakura cried, grabbing Sasuke's arm in desperation. But Sasuke stood frozen, unable to move.
"Even Naruto's braver than you," Sakura said softly, disappointment in her eyes. "He may be a pain and do annoying things, but at least he isn't a coward."
"A coward… is that all I am?" Sasuke whispered, a look of confusion and shame on his face. In his mind, he could see his older brother's mocking face.
"My foolish little brother… if you want to kill me, cling to life with all you have. Run, survive, and keep getting stronger," his brother's voice echoed in his mind, like a curse haunting him.
"No! I'm not a coward!" Sasuke suddenly shouted, clenching his fists as his Sharingan flared to life once more. This time, there was no trace of hesitation in his eyes.
"Heh, finally showing some spirit?" the female ninja thought, watching Sasuke with interest. "You truly are an Uchiha. For you, I'd even abandon Kimimaro, who's the strongest close-combat bloodline I've ever found. Don't disappoint me!"
"Show me your potential, Uchiha Sasuke!"