Naruto: Chronicles «COMPLETED»

1

Chapter1: The Birth of Menma

Land of Wave: Incomplete Bridge

...Drip...

...Drip...

...Drip...Drip...

"Sheesh...I knew you couldn't save yourself...always weighing me down...teme," Naruto rasped out.

"W-what?" Sasuke stammered in surprise. His newly awakened Sharingan had seen what had happened but his mind took a few seconds to catch up. "Naruto you..." his expression turned to shock when he saw Naruto covered in Senbon needles.

"Now get that lame expression off your stupid face..." the Uzumaki managed weakly.

"W-why?" Sasuke asked not knowing what else to say.

"Hn...I used to hate you, you know," Naruto said as he felt his strength leaving him.

"Then why did you...you should have minded your own business!" Sasuke shouted at him.

"...How should I know? My body just moved...on its own," Naruto gasped out before he fell back and Sasuke caught him.

"You're going to be fine Naruto, just...just don't move," Sasuke said trying to reassure them both.

Naruto just scoffed with a wince, "I swore I wouldn't die...until I became Hokage...I thought my oath would save me...but...don't you dare die here...Sasuke."

'No...no...' Sasuke thought as tears cascaded down his face.

In that moment...

Uchiha Sasuke's eyes changed again...

"Without any sign of hesitation, he sacrificed himself to save you; he was a shinobi worthy of respect who in order to protect someone he cared about, threw himself headlong into what he knew full well was certain death. Is this the first time you've seen a comrade die? Such is the way ninja exist," the masked nin a few feet away stated.

"Shut up," Sasuke's voice was low as the air around them suddenly became heavier. "I won't forgive you," he said with shaking fists at his side. He turned suddenly with his Sharingan spinning and changing, the pupil shifting into a helix-like pattern. "Amaterasu!" he exclaimed in hatred as black flames exploded from his eyes, setting the ice dome ablaze with unquenchable fire.

'W-what? What is this?' the masked nin asked in thought as she watched on. He stepped back slightly as the intense feeling of rage washed over her. 'Such foul and disgusting chakra; he's completely different from the boy I was fighting just a minute ago...what is he?' she mused as she quickly escaped from his ice mirror and threw herself outside the dome before it was completely melted.

"I may not have liked the dobe when we first met but he didn't deserve to die," Sasuke said as his fists shook in anger. "I'll make you pay for this."

'Zabuza-sama...' Yuki Haku thought as Sasuke shot forward again intent on finishing the job. 'I...have failed you,' a kunai was thrust into his chest and he was flung back over the bridge.

And for the first time since the Uchiha Massacre, Sasuke cried over the pain of his first and only true friend in this cursed world...

The mist cleared to reveal everyone else on the bridge; Kakashi had his fist driven through Zabuza's chest and Sakura stood with the client at the very back of the bridge. Kakashi pulled his arm out and Zabuza's corpse fell to the ground. "Not bad Kakashi...it looks you win," Zabuza's gasped out before the last of his life drained from his eyes.

"Sasuke?" Kakashi asked his student over his shoulder.

"I'll be fine sensei...just...give me some time," Sasuke said as he wiped the tears from his face.