A Different Path

Scars Of Chalk

Naruto's POV

"Watch out!" Naruto heard Gamaken's cry right before he turned around and grabbed Sasuke's waist as they rolled off of Gamabunta's back and onto the ground with a loud thud. He let out a painful groan, his mouth ajar while his arms were starting to loosen around the raven who was huddled on his chest and breathing heavily. He was sure that the proximity between them wasn't helping either.
Being out of the enemy's range, Sakura and Kakashi had managed to jump off while Gamabunta was sent flying by a snake who was aiming for the toad's nape.
"Are you okay?" Sasuke asked as he rolled off of the blond and got up to his feet, lending out his hand to pull him up, which Naruto gladly accepted.
"Yeah. Don't worry about me. Just make sure you're fast enough to not get swallowed by a snake." He brushed off the dirt on his baggy pants. "Chief!" He cranked his neck to glance at the toad who was trying to get up.

"I'm fine! You take care of the shinobi!" Gamabunta croaked, his throat seemingly sore. Naruto nodded his head slightly and shot the raven a stern look.
"I'll make sure Sakura doesn't get hurt. You go and get rid of these things." Sasuke kept his hand from patting the other's shoulder. But before he could jump away, the blond ducked only to see a snake thrown over them and an angry pinkhead at their right.
"Who said I needed any help?" She clicked her tongue with annoyance, tugging at her brown gloves. Naruto sighed with a small smirk on his face and pulled out his katana in one swift move. What he did next seemed to have surprised the raven. He swung it around and threw it at him, who immediately caught it, his coal-black eyes widening slightly.

"What about you?" He voiced his thoughts as his gaze fixed the other's.
"I have Sage Mode. Besides, I hate slicing snakes when that green blood coats my clothes." He scrunched his nose in disgust, his face turning to his left while he raised his right hand and formed a seal, tapping into the Nature Energy he had stored inside a seal using Fuinjutsu. The art the Uzumaki Clan excelled at. His eyes turned sandy and more serious as he glanced at Sasuke one more time. "I know you do know how to use it." He saw the Uchiha tense up as his gaze clouded upon hearing his monotone words. Even back then, they'd used to spar using katanas they'd borrowed from some Jonin who were actually willing to lend them. But one of the things Sasuke didn't know was that Naruto had known how to maneuver it long before they had met.

"Don't feel bad, kit. It's in the past." Kurama nudged his Jinchuriki gently once he felt the pang in his heart. "He'll get over it. Just don't let it show that it affects you too."
"I know." Naruto said no more and jumped out of a snake's way, somersaulting until he landed on his hands and then back onto his feet. Not a second later, he charged at the creature as he crashed his fist into its head, throwing it into the ground while it split open. With the corner of his eye, he saw Sasuke slice down a snake's throat, maneuvering the katana majestically. He really is good with swords. The blond swallowed the guilt rising up in his throat and let the Tailed Beast chakra surge into his veins. He needed to get rid of the snakes fast. His fists balled before long, sharp claws erupted out of his fingers and his eyes took on the form of a black cross, outlined by a tint of red. His canines turned into small fangs, but he wasn't going to use them. Not today.

In a flash, he cut through rows of slithering creatures while his cloak remained untouched by their gooey blood. He looked around him to find himself surrounded by five black snakes bigger than the previous ones. A smirk tugged at his lips. He leaped onto one of their heads and clamped its muzzle closed, making the unfortunate snake shriek halfheartedly as it bit down on its tongue until blood oozed out. Naruto quickly dug his fists into the rest's heads and jumped down, bodies falling to the ground behind him. He glanced at his green-bloodied palms, his eyes narrowing. It brought back unpleasant memories. He shrugged it off and sheated his claws as he wiped them clean with his cloak and put his black gloves, deciding that it was time to stop acting so beastly. He was no animal, as some would like to say. Gamabunta, Hiro and Ken had been slicing through snakes all around them while Kakashi pushed his kunai into their scales, leaving Sakura to crack skulls and Sasuke to cut massive throats. But everything is due to an end.