Prize: The Heart of Konoha

Hi y’all, this is a plot bunny that stalked me after I finished chapter 248 of the manga.

Naruto and Sasuke are twenty, Orochimaru is dead along with Itachi, and Sasuke is a supreme bastard.

Prize

Chapter 1

The Stolen Heart of Konoha

Naruto licked the crusted blood off his lips, being sure to look anywhere but at the red eyes he’d been lifted up to see. He no longer bothered scratching at the hand that restrained his throat, or kicking at the slight body that held his suspended in midair.

He was too broken, inside and out to continue fighting with Sasuke.

“Is that it Naruto?” asked the other boy impatiently. “I know you’re stronger than that, so why are you holding back?” he hissed.

Naruto simply stared at the floor with dull eyes. He didn’t have the strength or the will to tell Sasuke he was wrong. After all the training he’d undergone, he had somehow fallen behind the Uchiha. Greatly. The only way to beat him now would be to call upon the Kyuubi, and that was a risk he wasn’t willing to take right now.

“Why won’t you fight me?” Sasuke yelled slamming Naruto into a new bolder. New, because their epic battle had torn the landscape up so badly it was unrecognizable. No one would recognize this part of fire country.

Naruto looked up, his eyes narrowed. Only hours before, Sasuke had entered the brim of fire country, sending a messenger to cordially request Naruto’s presence. By his agreement, this would be the last battle. Sasuke had recently gained control of both the recently passed Orochimaru’s men, and Akatsuki. Under the terms of a strict contract, they would never cross fire country’s borders.

If he were allowed to fight with Naruto.

Tsunade hadn’t wanted him to go, but both saw it as a necessary evil. Sasuke’s forces, which had compiled into the ninjas of Sound, were too powerful. And in the end, to protect Konoha, Naruto had marched out to the battlefield. Alone.

Now, but a few hours later, he was beaten and bloody, being held up by the force of a pale but strong hand. His vision dimmed, in and out of focus. And it occurred to him, that he should have known from the beginning of the fight that Sasuke would gain the upper hand.

He spat in his face. Sasuke wiped the trail of saliva away with disgust before dropping Naruto who fell to his knees, wincing at the pain of landing on two broken legs. He supported himself with his right arm, which was his only unbroken arm, and glared at the floor.

“Are you finished Sasuke?” asked Tsunade in disgust. “Has it appeased you to know that you’re strong? That you could break the strongest man in Konoha?”

“Konoha has not yet met my agreement.” said Sasuke coolly.

Two sets of blue eyes widened and Naruto tried to get up. “Sasuke you bastard! I swear if you attack Konoha-”

Sasuke shoved Naruto over with his foot before roughly pinning him to the floor. “As is obvious, I barely attained any injuries. I wouldn’t call this a battle. It’s obvious the Kyuubi wasn’t trying.”

Tsunade stiffened, obviously wanting to attack. “What are you getting at Sasuke? Do you intend to start a war with Konoha?”

Sasuke smiled coolly. “Konoha was never my objective. My objective was a worthwhile battle, and I came back to get one. Though, that might be entertaining.”

“You’re walking on dangerous grounds Uchiha,” hissed Tsunade.

“Really?” asked Sasuke smirking as he lowered his weight on Naruto causing the boy to let out a pained grunt, he refused to whimper.

Tsunade winced. As much as she hated seeing Naruto suffer she was in the end the Hokage of Konoha. “What do you want Sasuke?”

“I wanted a battle Tsunade. I expected Naruto to give me one, because you and I both know he’s the only one here powerful enough to stand a chance, and I was disappointed.”

“Yes, you’ve made that exceedingly clear.” said Tsunade trying not to look at the blood streaked blonde’s pain filled face.

“I’ll be needing something to entertain myself in lieu of that battle.” continued Sasuke.

“What are you suggesting?” asked Tsunade narrowing her eyes.

“A prize I guess, for winning. Maybe a Kyuubi,”

A look of fury came to Tsunade’s face. “Absolutely not.”

“Hmm, then maybe the vessel. I’ll agree not to attack Konoha, or attempt to free the power of the Kyuubi, if you give me Naruto.”

“There’s no damned way-” began Tsunade.

“Tsunade-baa-chan!” snapped Naruto trying to lift himself on his uninjured arm. “His forces are too great.”

“Naruto,” murmured Tsunade, tears coming to her eyes at the blonde’s selflessness. “I can’t-”

“It’s my choice in the end.” murmured Naruto. “You can’t keep me here.”

She read the message loud and clear. You can’t keep me here. And you certainly can’t keep Sasuke’s forces out. She lowered her head, the gambler’s heart sinking at the ultimate loss.

“Well, Tsunade-baa-chan?” asked Sasuke mockingly.

She turned around bearing the red emblem of her gambler’s jacket. “Uchiha, I may not be able to conjure enough forces to crush you right now. But I can assure you, that-”

“No long winded revenge threats Hokage, make up your mind.”

She closed her eyes painfully, tears rolling down her cheeks. “Take him.” she said, her voice cracking. “But if you ever enter fire country again-”

She didn’t finish, Uchiha Sasuke and Uzumaki Naruto were gone.