Hashiramas Heir

Chapter 17: Power

Naruto stood in his one-tailed Jinchuriki cloak as he faced down his best friend, Sasuke, in the Valley of the End. Naruto had his eyes narrowed at Sasuke's new power as he had revealed to have attained the Mangekyo Sharingan. Naruto didn't know what his new eyes could do but could certainly feel the unbridled power behind them. Not to mention the warning he received from Kurama earlier about it's potential.

"I've never seen you use that power before. So how do you have those eyes?" said Naruto talking about Sasuke's Sharingan.

Sasuke smirked at Naruto's words. "You seem to not remember that you hid quite a few things from me in the past Naruto, your jinchuriki status and your Mokuton abilities. Who's to say that I never did. We all have our secrets." said Sasuke as his gaze shifted to the water that flowed between him and Naruto. As he stared at his reflection, he continued to speak, "These eyes are only attainable to those that have experienced the death of someone close to them. Like the death of a family member...or in my case, a best friend."

Naruto pondered Sasuke's words. "You killed your best friend..for power?" questioned Naruto, apprehensive about what Sasuke may have done.

Sasuke chuckled slightly at Naruto's words. "I would never stoop so low just to attain power. These eyes were born the day I witnessed your death, by my hands." said Sasuke as Naruto became confused.

"I'm not dead. Nor have I ever been dying by your hands. So how could my death have anything to do with that."

"Itachi." replied Sasuke in a low tone as he continued to stare into his own reflection. "Itachi made me kill you in his Tsukyomi (Moon Reader) over and over again. And I assume due to the realness of his Genjutsu, my eyes were born that day."

Naruto raised his eyebrows at that statement. "Why would Itachi do something like that? He'd have had to know that something like that could happen. Did he do it on purpose?" thought Naruto as he felt a chakra spike come from Sasuke, who was holding the tiger seal after going through six hand seals.

"Katon: Goka Messhitsu (Fire Style: Great Flame Destruction)" said Sasuke as he blew out a massive stream of intense flames. Naruto got engulfed by the sudden attack as Sasuke set him and the wooden wall behind him ablaze. Sasuke ended his attack after a few seconds as Naruto's wood wall was burning in an intense fire.

Not seeing any sign of Naruto, Sasuke scanned his surroundings for anything that could clue him in on his whereabouts. Finally realizing where he was, Sasuke jumped in the air to avoid a hand coming from the ground beneath him. Sasuke took the sword off his back as he stabbed it through the Naruto in the ground when he landed. Instead of flesh, Sasuke stabbed into wood as the Naruto beneath turned out to be a Moku Bunshin (Wood Clone). Sasuke turned to see Naruto standing behind him, without his Kyubi cloak and missing the right sleeve of his shirt. Seemed Naruto hadn't gotten fully away from Sasuke's attack as his right arm had burn marks on it along with his clothes being slightly singed. Naruto placed his hands in the snake seal.

"Mokuton Kuchiyose: Hori Nikushoku Butsu (Wood Release Summoning: Burrowing Carnivorous Buddha)" came the voice of Naruto as he slammed a hand onto the ground. A massive sealing array appeared underneath Sasuke as the ground beneath him rumbled. Sasuke immediately jumped away from the sealing array as a huge plant emerged where he just was.

"That plant is enormous." thought Sasuke as what appeared to be a four-sided venus fly trap appeared beneath him attempting to eat him. As Sasuke began his descent to the ground, he had to raise his sword to block a kunai strike from Naruto, who appeared in front of him with a Shunshin. Naruto then knocked Sasuke's sword aside as he lashed out with a quick elbow. Sasuke's Sharingan saw it coming however and he swatted it away causing Naruto to stumble slightly.