Kaze no koibitō

17

Naruto dodged yet another sword swipe from the Uchiha, backpedaling in circles around the dunes. Sasuke's face was one of pure, unadulterated hatred and anger as he tried repeatedly to hit the boy. But it seemed the Sharingan was having trouble predicting the movements. Everytime he would see the phantasm of Naruto's body move, the image would slow or speed up, confusing his eyes.

It was, to say the least, infuriating.

The raven-haired boy thrust the sword forward, catching Naruto's cloak and tearing a gash all down the side of it, splitting it in twain. Naruto leapt back again and grasped the torn fabric. He frowned at first, the frown soon turning into a full-blown death glare.

"This was my father's jacket. It has priceless sentimental value to me and you ruined it."

Sasuke smirked and settled himself into a low sword stance.

"Your father? Don't make me laugh. A loser like you doesn't have family. You don't have parents. You don't have a legacy to live up to. I do. I have a family to avenge. I have a legacy to live up to. Remember that day when I said I would kill you on a whim? I'm killing you with purpose now."

Naruto's face was set in a grimace as he jammed his staff into the ground and let the fabric fall from his hands before shucking the coat and tossing it aside. His shirt followed and Sasuke noticed the seals drawn onto his arms and his pectorals.

"What are those loser? Tattoos?"

Naruto smirked and stood up, rolling his pants legs up as well. The necklace around his neck bounced in the wind and he put it into his pants pocket, lest it get lost.

"You'll find out later if I actually need them Sasuke. I didn't just appear into this world you know. I was born like you were. I had parents who were more special than yours."

Sasuke blinked and the blonde disappeared. Sasuke looked around frantically, only to have a familiar arm wrap around his neck and a kunai thrust against his Adam's apple. Naruto leant down to his ear and whispered.

"My parents were amazing shinobi Sasuke. Amazing. There were none like them and there never will be. The Uchiha never made a Hokage did they? They never accomplished anything. Itachi was the best of you all and he went rogue. You can't hold a candle to him and do you know why?"

Sasuke grit his teeth and eased his sword back to strike the blonde. Naruto chuckled and pushed the kunai harder into the boy's Adam's apple.

"You will never beat him unless he lets you. You simply can never catch up to him because he will always be better than you in skill. 'Only an Uchiha can kill an Uchiha' you said one time. I think that's a bit facetious. I had plenty of opportunities to kill you at the Valley of the End and Haku did a good job of rendering you helpless. He could have taken you out at any time."

Sasuke jerked his head backwards, headbutting Naruto in the nose and turned around quickly, jamming his Kusanagi into the blonde's chest. Naruto coughed up blood and looked down. Sasuke grinned and twisted the blade, making the boy gasp and spit up more globules of blood.

"Worthless. Just like the rest of them. You were never on my level Naruto. I only acknowledged you that one time because I had thought you a worthy rival. But you were never on my level."

A low chuckle came from the blonde as he grasped the sword hilt and looked into Sasuke's eyes.

"You're right. I've never been on your level because I surpassed you long ago."

With a burst of smoke the clone was gone and Sasuke twirled round and round to find Naruto standing several feet away with his staff in his hand. The Uchiha activated his Sharingan again and sneered at Naruto.