True Bonds

Return of an Old Foe

'What happened?' Sasuke said, clutching his head in confusion. His eyes turning to his hands, the Uchiha noticed that his fingers were wrapped around Kiba, some of his pockets looking like they had been rummaged through. Immediately, Sasuke turned his head, to see enemies assaulting his blond teammate. 'Raiton: Raimei (Lightning Style: Thunder Roar)!'

All of the conscious genin clutched their heads in pain, the thunder hurting their eardrums. Sasuke continued his barrage by performing the Uchiha Clan's signature ninjutsu, emitting a huge burst of flame at Saya.

Still reeling from the conflict with Ino in Sasuke's mind and Sasuke's attack on her ears, Saya failed to dodge, Sasuke's fireball scorching her puppet and leaving ashes behind. 'NOOO! My doll!'

Sasuke grinned, taking his place by Naruto's side. Sasuke brandished his twin blades, glinting under the bright sunlight.

'About time you got here, teme.' Naruto said, a lone kunai knife in his hands. Receiving a grunt from his teammate, Naruto smirked triumphantly. 'Futon: Daitoppa (Wind Style: Great Breakthrough)!'

'Katon: Gokakyu no Jutsu (Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu).' Sasuke added, launching a powerful flame that forced the gloved genin in front of them away. The fireball merging with the wind resulted in a powerful attack that would scorch any enemy who dared to block without chakra, leaving the gloved boy with the only option of dodging. 'So, the one who isn't fighting is the one that holds their scroll, huh?'

'Yeah.' Naruto confirmed Sasuke's suspicion, assessing the situation. 'I'll go for the scrolls. You take the doll girl and the glove boy!'

'Hn.' Sasuke nodded, Kiba crackling with lightning chakra. Leaping at the gloved genin from Sunagakure, Sasuke activated his Sharingan, ready to fight his enemy.

'Mamushi! Watch out!' Saya yelled, advising her teammate to stay wary of Sasuke.

Sasuke began engaging Mamushi, his swords failing to penetrate Mamushi's sleeves. 'What are those sleeves made of?'

Seeing an opening, Mamushi lunged at Sasuke, many snakes appearing from his sleeves. Fangs filled with venom, the long snakes attempted to pierce Sasuke's flesh with their razor sharp teeth, only to be met with a fire ninjutsu from Sasuke.

'Katon: Hosenka no Jutsu (Fire Style: Phoenix Flower)!' Sasuke roared, jumping back as he spit out burning hot fireballs at Mamushi's snakes.

Immediately, Mamushi slammed his fists into the sand, the sand flying up to form a defensive barrier. His tactic paying off, Mamushi used Sasuke's confusion as an opportunity to launch more of his snake army at the Uchiha.

His Sharingan activated, Sasuke slashed at where the snakes were coming from, repelling the serpents from biting him. Weaving through another sequence of hand seals, Sasuke performed another ninjutsu. 'Katon: Goryuka (Fire Style: Fierce Dragon Flame).'

Slamming his hands into the sand again, Mamushi attempted to reuse the same trick twice, but to no avail. Seeing the flame still en route to his body, Mamushi barrelled out of the way, preparing his second assault. The snake summoner performed a long pattern of hand seals, dodging all of Sasuke's attacks by running or rolling away, definitely charging up for a big attack. 'Now!'

Suddenly, Sasuke's body stopped moving, one of Mamushi's snakes having bitten him around the leg. Having burrowed under the sand towards the Uchiha, the snake that made contact buried its fangs into Sasuke, injecting the paralysis venom into the Konoha genin's body.

'Hebi no Atsumari (Gathering of the Snakes)!' Mamushi roared, licking his lips excitedly. His arms turned into long, brown snakes, all of them carrying lethal poisons in their fangs, unlike his sleeve snakes. The brown snakes rushed at Sasuke, mouths wide open and ready to devour their prey.