Chapter 40:

Book 2: Chapter 1: A Step Backward, A Step Forward, and A Long Week Part II

Naruto: The Tale of Yuki Uchiha Volume 1 and 2


Book 2: Land of Sand

Chapter 1: A Step Backward, A Step Forward, and A Long Week Part II

1

Arriving at the Third Training Ground, I stared at Kakashi along with the rest of Team 9 and 7. Hiruzen-sensei obviously couldn’t attend due to the amount of paperwork. Not like he was missing much because all we heard was Naruto’s loudmouth complaining.

“What do you mean it’s us 3 against him? That’s not fair!”

“Yeah, that does seem a little disrespectful,” Sakura said, actually agreeing with Naruto, while Sasuke simply shook his head in silence.

“I knew this was a bad idea,” Kakashi muttered. “Are you sure you two can’t participate?”

“I’m sure Kakashi-sensei. Tayuya and I have stomach aches from lunch. Blame Yuki.” Sui said some ways away with Tayuya beside her. They both looked perfectly fine, and there was nothing wrong with my cooking!

“So there you have it. I’m sorry Naruto, but it will just have to be Team 7 against Yuki.” Kakashi said, closing his book. There, his gaze sharpened as he spoke to his Team. “But just because it’s three against one, you shouldn't let your guard down. Your only chance of winning against Yuki is by working together, got it.”

“I can take him on my own easy!”

Kakashi knocked Naruto into the ground. “That is the opposite of working as a team, Naruto.”

Naruto rubbed his head as a bump formed, and while I tried my best not to eavesdrop, I couldn’t help but wave to them with a sheepish laugh.

“Hey Kakashi, sorry to interrupt, but what’s the rules for this? I’d like to not fight in the dark.”

Kakashi stared at me then looked up at the sky. It was getting late, and it would get dark in about an hour or so. Then for some reason, Kakashi reopened his Icha Icha book and spoke.

“So Team 7, your objective is to take that scroll on Yuki’s back and hand it over to me so I can destroy it. It’s filled with forbidden Leaf knowledge that no Genin should have. Yuki, prove to me you’re worthy enough to have it by keeping it away from Team 7 until nightfall. Any questions?”

I raised my hand. “Just one. You’re not actually going to destroy it, right?”

“Well I was planning to,” Kakashi said without even looking away from his ecchi novel.

“Could you not?”

“Nope.”

I looked away from them as I muttered indescribable profanities about Big brother Kakashi and how he should burn in hell for the bullshit he was about to put me through.

“Any more questions?” Kakashi said, clearly ignoring me.

That time Sakura raised her hand. “When do we start since it looks like we’re just wasting time.”

“Whenever you want. Yuki’s already gone into the forest.” Kakashi said, pointing up at a nearby tree I was sitting in. Naruto and Sakura both stared at the spot where I was standing just moments ago. While Sasuke didn’t look too impressed by my movement. Either way, I didn’t like how Kakashi just pointed out my hiding spot.

“Thanks asshole,” I said, staring down at them.

There was no way I was going to start on equal footing with them if Kakashi was going to put my scroll on the line. Though I was surprised no one noticed me until I was pointed out. How far behind were these three? I wondered as they seemed to be making a plan to climb the tree. They knew how to climb trees, right?

“Get down here and fight like a man coward!” Naruto yelled as I looked down at him with a yawn.

“Why don’t you come up here and make me.”

“Alright, you’ll see!” Naruto ran at the tree and made it about a quarter of the way before falling down. “How did he get up there?”

“Uh, did you not use any chakra?”

“Wait, we have to use chakra to climb trees!”

“Bwahahaha!”

I scratched my cheek as we all heard Tayuya’s laughter. I mean, it was pretty funny to think you could somehow just brute force tree climbing, but I was mostly disappointed to see that Kakashi didn’t even show them that.

“Hey Kakashi, what the hell have you been training these three!”

Engrossed in his book, Kakashi ignored me and pointed at the branch below me where Sakura was standing in perfect form.

“It’s something like enhancing your body with chakra, right?” Sakura said as she had successfully made it halfway up to me.

“More like focus on your feet and on the surface you’re trying to climb, but you got it,” I said, giving her a thumbs up only to notice a series of shuriken fly my way. I leaned back, letting the weight of my scroll pull me back until the shuriken flew over my head, and I was standing upside down on the tree branch.

“Hey, I’m trying to teach here. Could you wait your turn Sasuke?” I said, staring down at the only person who made no effort to climb up to me.

“I don’t have time to waste on your games, Yuki.” Sasuke flashed more shuriken in his hands, throwing a barrage at me. I could have deflected them or even dodged them while keeping my position, but Sasuke obviously wanted to bring me down to his level. So I did just that and jumped down from my spot, standing face to face with him.

“Now what—”

Sasuke’s fist flew forward, aimed for my face, and I moved to the side, only to be met with his knee to my jaw, knocking me up in the air. It didn’t hurt too much as he didn’t reinforce it with any of his chakra, but man did fighting without my Sharingan suck.

“Wow, Sasuke’s amazing.”

“Pssh, I could’ve done that,” Naruto grumbled at Sakura’s swooning as I landed on my feet with ease.

“Lucky shot—”

Two kunai flew at me, yet their trajectory was off. They would never hit me—My eyes widened as they hit each other instead and ricocheted off one another, striking at the straps I used to keep the scroll on my back. And the moment I heard the ground shake from the scroll hitting the ground, I saw Sasuke stare at me with cold eyes that kept me in place. In fact, I noticed all eyes were on me as I was just letting Sasuke walk all over me. I knew this was a bad idea. Damnit, did Sui really believe I wanted to fight Sasuke right now—

“Talking in the middle of combat. Teaching your enemy. You think this a joke?”

I scratched my head with a laugh. “Wow, you’ve improved, little brother—”

“Don’t call me that.” Sasuke appeared behind me and whispered. “My older brother isn’t so weak.”

With that, he grabbed the scroll, only to be stuck in place. There I stared at Sasuke as he broke a sweat trying to pick up the scroll I carried endlessly on my back. We really were different. With the way he was now, Sasuke would die if he faced Kimimaro, let alone Itachi. I really do baby him. I thought as the world grew cold.

“Heavy, isn’t it,” I said without so much as a smile. “That’s the weight the Third Hokage entrusted me with. I can barely even move without using chakra to strengthen my body.”

“How are we supposed to even get this thing to Kakashi?” Sasuke said as he couldn’t even move the scroll an inch from its spot, and for some reason, it pissed me off.

“That’s the funny thing. You don’t.” I punched Sasuke faster than he could see and hard enough to knock him through the trees. “Sorry, little brother, but I can’t have you ruining the trust I built with my sensei.”

“Sasuke!” Sakura screamed as she ran into the forest after him leaving Naruto behind. There was a slight tremble in his hands that he seemed to fight off as he stared into my eyes.

“They’re… red….”

“Yes. Naruto. This is the Sharingan. It chills me to my core. But without it, I wouldn’t have the strength to win.”

“Hey, don’t underestimate me!” Naruto placed his hands together. “I’m going to become Hokage one day! And if that scroll is a part of the weight they carry! Then I’ll carry it too! Believe it! Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!

“Impressive.” I stared at the Narutos surrounding me and counted 20 of them. I had no idea how he created that many without dying. Hell, he was even standing. Maybe he really was a monster, like everyone said. Yet I’ve already faced multiple monsters, so compared to them, Naruto is practically a kit.

“Ahhh!” The Narutos charged me, screaming their hearts out.

I doubted Naruto had a plan, but even if he did, I’d see right through it as I got into my gentle fist stance. I glanced over at Sui, who gave me a thumbs up, which meant I got the footing right. Then as one Naruto rushed me, I stopped him with a blow to the chest, turning him into a cloud. Another threw his fist at me. I deflected it with my forearm and sent a palm strike to his chest as well. 2 down.

I glanced back at the scroll, and it seemed that’s where the majority of the Narutos were aiming for. Using numbers to carry it while some hold me off was a good plan but—

“Earth Style: Earth Turning Palm Jutsu!” I placed my hands on the ground and raised the earth under the scroll until it was a pillar out of their reach, yet with my hands occupied, three Narutos took the opportunity to attack. I couldn’t use my gentle fist, but I didn’t need to as I pushed off the ground and launched into the sky.

Looking down, I smiled at Naruto. Though he couldn’t climb the pillar by normal means, he was trying to use his clones as a human ladder. And for that, I had to show him my resolve.

“Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!”

“C’mon guys, we’re almost to the top—”

In an instant, 15 Narutos were met with a blaze of fire that swallowed them whole, and when I landed, there were 3 left with sparkling eyes.

“Wow, you’re strong Yuki!”

“Not enough, to be honest,” I said, scratching my head with a smile. “But you definitely have some catching up to do.”

I appeared in front of them and threw out three kunai, each meeting their mark and turning them into clouds. I was missing the real one, but luckily, I didn’t have to search as Team 7 came walking out of the forest together. Naruto still looked raring to go while Sasuke was bruised up and leaning against Sakura for support, but his eyes told another story as he finally smiled with eyes like mine.

“Oh, so that’s what it’s like to only have one Tomoe. Can’t control it, huh.”

“Shut up.” Sasuke spat blood onto the ground and drew his kunai.

“Are you sure we can stop him?” Sakura asked as she drew her own kunai.

“We won’t know unless we try!” Naruto yelled before charging me.

I sighed as I felt my eyes start to give way. I still hadn’t fully recovered from my fight with Kimimaro, and in hindsight, I probably didn’t need to use Jutsus to win, but I was having so much fun I couldn’t help it. “Wind Style: Whirlwind Sprint Jutsu!”

With wind blowing around me and a smile on my face, I met Naruto halfway, appearing behind him before his eyes could even register I had moved. And with a single chop to his neck, Naruto collapsed to the ground unconscious. “That’s one.”

“He’s fast!” Sakura screamed as she stood in front of Sasuke almost instinctively. It was cute how she thought she could protect Sasuke. And while she may be quick to learn, her skills on her feet still needed much improvement. I threw 3 wired kunai at her, and she froze up.

“Sakura move!” Sasuke pushed Sakura aside to help her dodge, but all he did was make me move my fingers slightly as the wired kunai ricocheted off each other and wrapped around Sakura. In that instant, Sakura fell to the ground, tied up.

“That’s two,” I said, spinning a kunai around my finger.

Sasuke began doing hand signs. The ones that were drilled into us since birth, and I met him in kind.

“Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!” We said as we both spat out balls of fire that clashed against one another. Obviously, with Sasuke injured and my training, he had no chance of winning, but as I glanced at the night sky. I had already won, so why not let my little brother have some of the glory. I thought as I relaxed my eyes and felt the roaring fire that burned within Sasuke. It was warm.

2

Laid flat on the ground, I stared at my Team’s disapproving looks. I had no idea why they looked pissed. I won, didn’t I?

“You really had to put on a show, eh Yuki.” Sui said with an outstretched hand, forcing Tayuya to do the same.

“Yeah, I thought you were actually going to lose to that trash.”

“Did you really?” I asked as I let them pull me up.

“Nah, because if you did, I would’ve killed you.”

“Noted.”

“Hey!” Naruto yelled as he ran up to us, already recovered from the fight. “Yuki, when did you get so strong!”

“I’ve always been strong.”

“No, in the academy I could’ve sworn I’d beat you!”

“Yeah… Naruto you might just be an idiot. But seriously though, you’re definitely not at the level of a recent graduate.” Sakura said, staring at me as if she would somehow learn my secret.

“Yuki has always been like that,” Sasuke said in between heavy breaths. “Doing unnecessary things like staying in the academy for me. Or letting me win in a clash of fireballs.”

“What? I didn’t let you win. I ran out of chakra. You three were exhausting to fight.”

Everyone gave me a blank stare except Naruto, who somehow completely bought my lie, saying things like aww man, we were so close too, if I had tried just a little harder. Yeah, in his dreams, Naruto would surpass me.

“But I won’t lose next time,” Sasuke said, ignoring Naruto. “So you better be prepared Yuki… Nii—”

At that moment, I wrapped my arm around Sasuke and tapped his forehead against mine, laughing while he protested. There I gave him a bright smile as all of the anger from before washed away. I don’t know if I was ever a good brother to Sasuke, but seeing how much he’s grown to the point of trying to help out a teammate. Well, I must not have been too bad.

“Sasuke, I look forward to that day.” 

T.K. 月狐
icon-reaction-3
Sevenlock
icon-reaction-1