Saruto | The Bloodline Prophecy (Part 1)

Chapter 31: The Boiling Leaves

As we soared through the treetops, I became fixated on the task at hand. Soon I was starting to become aware that I was being watched. Turning around I was met with the lingering eyes of Naruto. He squinted at my arm, before widened in shock.

"Hey," Naruto raised his arm, "Wait up!"

Immediately everyone stopped in their tracks. Naruto was quick to walk over to me across a neighboring tree branch. He was light on his feet as he hopped over to the tree branch that I was on. Suspicious about his behavior, I put my guard up. Unsure as to what his goal was to stop our entire company for. I hesitated as I stepped slightly away from him but his smile could comfort even the most stubborn soul.

"You're hurt," he said, gesturing to my arm.

Looking over to wear his eyes locked, I noticed that my shirt was soiled in blood. I was surprised that I didn't pick up on the pain before. I guess with the recent events of the last few days I hadn't even noticed.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Shikadami begin to worry and curse at herself. Probably because she didn't notice. I mean no one did until now.

I didn't notice that Naruto was already about to take action against treating it. But as if instinct I signalled him to stop before I pulled up my sleeve myself and then used my healing jutsu to heal it myself. I was so caught up with fixing the problem that I did even realize what I had just done. Shit. Looking over to Inojou and Shikadami, their expressions only scratched the surface as to what I was feeling.

"You're Anbu," Sasuke concluded as he twisted his head to the side to get a better look.

My tattoo. Shit.

Immediately I turned my back to them as I continued to heal my wound. Apparently Naruto was not the first person to notice because once Sasuke had said something, naruto was curious to see for himself. There was no hiding it now, especially from my very perceptive grandfather, Sasuke.

"Yes," I looked down observing the progress of the jutsu.

Shikadami and Inojou probably felt threatened by Sasuke's claim as a means to expose us because they immediately leapt onto the same branch as I to stand by my side. But I remained to keep my composure as a means to show confidence and no weakness.

"And I assume you two as well," Sasuke snarked with sly grit.

Inojou and Shikadami immediately exchanged looks.

"What?" Naruto cluelessly wondered.

"Yes, they are some old friends from my days in the Anbu," Kakashi added as he leapt on to a branch above us.

As I looked up at him, I struggled against the peering light of the sun. It almost looked like a religious gesture. Suddenly there was a change in the leaves and air as it became still. A daunting chakra flooded the underbelly of the trees.

Following its origin, I was led to my grandfather. His daunting figure wasn't something evil but rather powerful. His chakra was that of a pure Uchiha. I could feel my blood begin to boil as I stared him down. Releasing my healing jutsu as it finished its job, I stood up straight as I locked my own eyes with his own. Or death match seemed to break down one another's chakra on a cellular base. The air all around us began to stir up the falling leaves as they missed their swaying mark. Slowly I found myself pushing through Shikadami and Inojou's gap to face him on my own.

I was careful as to not allow him to read my chakra. Cloaking it with a sealing jutsu that I initiated at the beginning of our counter. I came to the conclusion that he never noticed. It was weird seeing this side of my grandfather. He seemed so... unimaginably powerful. While I didn't show it, my blood boiled. But something about it wasn't from Sasuke. Soon the boiling sensation stretched from my previous wound up into my eyes. I fought back the sensation, I stood my ground. I felt as though my kekkei genkai were being initiated from some other force. Like before with Chinoshiki. But, I didn't understand why. There wasn't any Otsutsuki around. But as I glanced to the corner of my vision, I saw the Valley of the End. We were so close. Was I reacting to it somehow?

"Sasuke!"

Immediately Sasuke blinked away and rubbed his head. I did the same but in a more composed manner. But really inside, I felt an ache in my heart. My vision blurred in and out before I was able to compose myself one hundred percent. It wasn't until Shikadami had reached to touch my arm that I felt once again in control.

Glancing back to Sasuke on his branch, he seemed disoriented as he rubbed his eyes. His hair hung over his eyes so I was unable to see what his distress was. Naruto was quick to leap over to his branch while putting his hand on his shoulder.

"Sasuke, are you alright?" Naruto asked with concern.

After a few moments, Sasuke shook his head and then looked up. My eyes widened to see that his eyes were bleeding. Noticing that we were all looking at him, he reacted swiftly to feel his face and then wipe the blood off. Lowering his hand into view, he observed the blood and then looked back up at me who stood there aimlessly.

Shaking his head once more, Sasuke then turned back to Naruto to brush off his hand from his shoulder.

"Yeah," Sasuke cursed, "I am fine."

He seemed to show a sort of stubbornness, unable to explain what had happened. Turning his back to us, he leapt off the tree branch and towards the Valley of the End. The momentum of his push shook the entire tree, sending Naruto to temporarily be caught off balance. Flaring about, Naruto held his ground after many trials and then leapt off as well.

"Sasuke, wait!" Naruto exclaimed as he disappeared behind the trees after Sasuke.

Turning towards their direction, I was ready to continue as well before Kakashi jumped down to our branch. With his hand in his pockets, he stroked through his hair and sighed.

"What the hell was that?" Kakashi casually wondered.

I stood there lost in thought as I started toward the horizon. I watched as both Sasuke and Naruto's shadows leapt into the distance. Soon, their shadows grew one behind the other forming one unison shadow. One person. On one side there was the setting sun and the other the coming night.

Turning back towards Kakashi-sensei, I met his gaze and tilted it to the side. I formed a frown before addressing his concern.

"I'm not sure."