Naruto: A New Perspective

Chapter 17

"Surrender, Sasuke?" Naruto taunted, a kunai at his opponent's neck.

Aiko laughed beside him, "Why are you even asking? He's done."

Sasuke scowled, but his lips quirked in a smile, "You and your damn Shadow Clones, did you even know what they were planning?"

"I just knew to get you to this spot!" Naruto grinned, "The clones did the rest."

Naruto and Aiko were easily able to drive Sasuke into the woods, and Naruto's clones made quick work of the Uchiha boy. Short story was that Sasuke walked into a carefully placed trip wire that let loose a makeshift net, trapping the boy and leaving him hanging.

"Alright, no more Shadow Clones." Sasuke declared, "Cut me down."

Naruto took a kunai to the trap, quickly dismantling the dark camo wire net and letting his teammate go free.

"So, pure taijutsu now?" Aiko asked hopefully, "How about no more Sharingan?"

"How about no?" Sasuke suggested sarcastically.

"You won't get stronger if you keep relying on it." Naruto pointed out, "Asuma-sensei said-"

"What does Asuma know?" Sasuke scoffed, "He's not an Uchiha."

Aiko's expression turned guarded, but she spoke hesitantly, "Sasuke... remember, Itachi used to train all the time without-"

"Shut up." Sasuke sharply glared at his sister, "Why would you mention that name to me? You think I want to be like him?"

Naruto watched the conversation, silent. This wasn't a conversation that he should be a part of. Sasuke's demeanor had been relatively easy going, especially for him, but one mention of his brother and it completely changed; now he was seething.

"I just think that Naruto is right-"

"He's wrong. You're wrong. Drop it." Sasuke tried to control his anger, and his memories of that night. The seal on his neck twinged ominously, threatening to burst past Kakashi's counter seal.

"Sasuke..." Aiko sighed sadly, "I didn't mean anything by it, please don't be mad."

Sasuke's tight posture relaxed slowly, "Sorry, Aiko." He apologized, to Naruto's amazement. "You're right."

The Uchiha boy glared up at the sky, "I've been... relying too much on the Sharingan. My fight with Lee showed me that, I have to get faster, stronger too. The Sharingan didn't help against Orochimaru either."

Sasuke absentmindedly took out a kunai and twirled it on his finger.

The boy turned back to his silent teammates, Sharingan inactive, "Naruto... let's train without chakra again, I remember getting way faster from that."

"Sounds good." Naruto agreed, playfully he added, "Think you can keep up?"

"Hn." Sasuke smirked, "I'll blow right past you, Naruto."

"We'll see." Naruto slapped his teammate on the back, "Coming Aiko?"

Aiko smiled as well, "Sure."

The three teammates walked out of the woods together, determined to train harder than ever before.

_____________

"Ah," Kakashi glanced at his students, "You three are late... and you look like you slept in the forest."

Naruto was dirty, but he looked well rested and stood straight. Sasuke and Aiko had tried their best to keep up with the blond, but their strength conditioning without chakra had suffered during their latency period after the Wave mission, and Naruto had upped his regimen since then as well. The results were two very tired Uchiha.