ERADICATION

Bloody Twenty-seven!

The 'stupid cat' was winning.

At first, it seemed as though the fight was working out in the Uchiha's favour—although he wasn't involved in it and, well the creature wasn't either—however, in a matter of seconds the tables had turned. He recalled some words his father had said to him.

"Sasuke, you can take years to practice and enhance your skills in a game, but it only takes a second to flip the board over."

Words spoken to him to prove the fact that being a successful ninja did not depend on your hardwork. It was a profession based on luck and chance. The luck that you were born a prodigy, and the chances of you meeting death being low. According to his father, he lacked these two things. But what his father failed to mention was that it didn't matter.

Not when a prophecy hung over his head.

Even if he was the weakest man on earth, it will protect him, nurture and guide him until he was strong enough to fulfill the words sealed by fate. But for now, let us assume his father was right.

"Take the bridge builder and run away! You guys can't fight him!" Their leader called out from his water prison.

"Kakashi ~sensei!" Sakura yelled in anguish. Her inner self clutched her head

'ohmygodohmygodohmygod! I'm really going to die! I haven't even kissed Sasuke~kun yet' ...was her thought.

"Hurry up and leave! Zabuza cannot come after you because he has to keep me in here. Now go!"

The Uchiha was frozen. They were all frozen. To the black haired boy, it was over. No matter where they run to, he was sure the assassin would find them. And when that happened...he gulped. He didn't want to think about it. About the aftermath.

And so they ran

Through the forest, perhaps in an attempt to lose the killer who had no doubt already settled on the way they were going to meet their end. They could not travel on the trees. And if they could, no one could carry their burden and cause of their demise.

"Hurry up old man!" The Uzumaki screamed at the bridge builder.

He was sweating and panting profusely, unused to such forms of exercise. In the end, he was going to be the death of them.

Sasuke tried to align his thoughts. True, their only hope had been to find a way to free their sensei. However, Sakura had been close to fainting, Naruto could barely move a muscle and he? As shameful as it was to say, he was the one leading them in their attempt to flee. It was only a matter of time. Their enemy might probably send a shadow clone after them. But he doubted if they'd even be able to defeat that. Killed by a shadow clone.

Pathetic.

Just when did it spiral out of control? When their all so powerful teacher had failed to see through the second clone? When the ex swordsman threw his sword at them? When the dobe made noise on the boat? Or, was it way back, when it was so small they had been unable to see it. Back, as far back...

... as the demon brothers?

He skidded to a halt.

"What are you doing Sasuke~teme! This is no time to act cool dattebayo!"

The loser was right. It really was no time to act cool. That's why he was running like a coward. On his first mission outside the village, he had displayed his weakness. But, what if that weakness could become his strength?

His cowardice shouldn't have been focused on running away. Rather, it should have veered downwards, towards the cause behind everything. Towards it.