(Book the Third) Crimson Hatred in the Uchiha

Operation Start

I don't own Naruto. I own any OC, original jutsus, and plot changes. This story is copyrighted.

Sorry for the wait. Special thanks to all of you, who have voted on every chapter that came out. I wish I could do dedications to multiple people. I really do, because I want to give one to all of you!

Enjoy reading!

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A boy lay peacefully on a hospital bed. As young as he was, his cloths were singed with battle, and bandages covered his skin. On the boy's forehead, was a paper seal, seemingly simple, but underneath the surface calligraphy, there was something a little different.

Then someone stepped beside the boy's bedside.

The figure paused before chuckling behind a mask. He raised his hand over the boy's head, just as the crowd outside roared at Shiakamaru's forfeit.

***

Naruto leapt down into the arena, "IDIOT!"

"Oh shut up," Shikamaru snapped lazily, "you SUPER idiot!"

"WHY THE HELL DID YOU FORFEIT?! You know, I thought the stupid kid would be the last one, but NOOOO, you freaking forfeit TOO!"

Shikamaru rolled his eyes, "Just forget about it... Let's enjoy the next fight."

"Huh-?" Naruto slowly smiled. Oh yeah. Sasuke's match... It was next-

"Hey!" The audience shouted, "What about the next match?! Where's the Uchiha?!"

Naruto, for the first time, realized the meaning behind the audience's words, "EH?! Argh! What is that idiot doing?! How is he not here yet-" Naruto stopped shouting along with the audience, as a leaf suddenly floated past his nose. No, not float. Blew. It swept past, then suddenly more joined. Naruto leapt back as a cyclone of leaves spun around. The only one not surprised, was the cynical looking proctor.

Back at the stands, Sakura's bright green eyes widened.

Naruto slowly grinned wider.

Two people stood back to back as the leaves fluttered down.

The taller of the two smiled, "I hope we're not late."

"Hmph," Genma smirked, "Your name?"

Then the shorter one raised his head, his dark eyes glaring foreword. His mouth opened and he said firmly, "Uchiha Sasuke."

The one name everyone had been waiting for.

"Hah!" Naruto barked with a large smirk, "How late can you be? I was beginning to think you wouldn't show up cuz you were afraid to fight me!"

"Don't get too worked up, you total moron," Sasuke scoffed, returning Naruto's smile, "I still need to pay you back for last night."

As Naruto chuckled down in the arena, the Sand Siblings looked at one another nervously. This was it.

"You see..." Gaara said calmly, "he came."

***

The visitor watched the boy start to stir when suddenly, the boy shot up, a hand on the visitor's throat. The grip tightened before realization hit the boy with a bang.

"...huh?"

"Glad to see you so well," The visitor raised a hand to his face and took off his mask, then pushed down the boy's hand that was still hanging at the base of his throat, "you got beaten quite hard, Akira-kun."