Sakura followed him closely, though there was a flicker of hesitation in her eyes. She wasn’t sure what to expect from this reunion with Sasuke, but she knew one thing: things had changed. This wasn’t the Sasuke she once knew.

  They moved swiftly through the base, finally reaching the open area where Naruto and Sai stood facing the very person they had come here to find. Sasuke stood on the edge of the roof, his posture casual yet full of quiet power. The sight of him stirred something in Naruto, but it wasn’t the excitement or longing to see his old friend. No, this was different—there was an edge of contempt in his voice when he spoke.

  "Sasuke," Naruto said, his tone ced with a deep sense of frustration and anger.

  Sasuke didn’t flinch, his expression as cold as ever. He didn’t even seem to acknowledge Naruto’s emotion, merely looking down at them with a bored look, his words dripping with indifference.

  "Sasuke," Naruto repeated, his fists clenched at his sides.

  Sasuke’s eyes finally flicked to Travis, who had been silent, watching everything unfold. The recognition was clear in Sasuke’s gaze—a quick, calcuting gnce that seemed to appraise the situation, sizing up the new pyer in this ongoing battle. 'So he’s the one who defeated Orochimaru. He must be strong,' Sasuke thought, his eyes narrowing as he watched Travis carefully. 'I’d like to face him to see if I can defeat that snake when the time comes.'

  Travis didn’t seem to be concerned by Sasuke’s gaze. He had been expecting this moment, knowing full well that Sasuke would eventually face him in some capacity. He was ready. His gaze never wavered from Sasuke as he listened to Naruto try once again to reach out to their old friend.

  "Come back to the Leaf with us, Sasuke," Naruto said, his voice soft but firm, as if it was the only thing he could say that might bring Sasuke back. But there was a flicker of doubt in his tone, a hint that perhaps he knew it wouldn’t work.

  Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the words, the hint of a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. He tilted his head slightly, almost as if he were toying with Naruto's desperation.

  "Huh? You're still on that?" Sasuke’s voice was ced with a certain detachment, his expression unfazed by Naruto’s plea. "You speak as if I was forced to leave. I left on my own will."

  The words struck Naruto like a physical blow. He flinched but quickly masked his feelings with determination.

  Sakura, standing off to the side, watched the exchange with a mix of emotions. She had hoped that Sasuke might have softened, might be willing to listen, but this—this was not the Sasuke she remembered. This was someone different, someone who had chosen his own path, far removed from the bonds they once shared.

  'I never thought it would come to this. Sasuke... why are you so distant now? Why is everything so cold?' Her heart ached with the weight of her unspoken thoughts, but she stayed quiet, her eyes never leaving Sasuke.

  Travis, however, was unfazed by Sasuke’s dismissal of Naruto. He could see how this was going to go—Naruto’s pleas wouldn’t reach Sasuke, not yet. But something would have to give. He wouldn’t let things remain the way they were.

  Sasuke’s grip tightened on his sword as he readied himself to face Travis. The air around him hummed with tension, his eyes narrowing, preparing for what would be a fierce confrontation. With a swift motion, he pulled the bde from its sheath, the sound of metal slicing through the air ringing in his ears. He took a step forward, determined to finish this. But before he could even draw in a breath, something extraordinary happened.

  He felt a presence behind him. His instincts screamed at him, and in an instant, his body moved on its own. He leapt backward, heart pounding, as his senses went into overdrive. He spun midair, his eyes searching frantically, expecting to see a devastating blow about to nd.

  But there was nothing. Only the empty space where he had been standing a moment before.

  He looked back toward the spot where he had originally been and saw Travis there, perfectly still. A flicker of confusion spread through his mind. Was it a clone? Was it a genjutsu? His thoughts raced as his eyes darted between the two positions. 'Is that his clone?'

  Before Sasuke could make sense of it, a cold, firm hand grasped his neck, tightening instantly around his windpipe. Sasuke gasped, the suddenness of it stealing his breath away. He tried to move, to struggle, but his body was frozen, unable to react in time. The pressure on his throat was unmistakable—Travis could have crushed it in an instant.

  Sasuke’s mind raced as he attempted to gather his bearings. 'He could have killed me just now. No hesitation. He's too strong, even for me!!!' His chest tightened, and a cold shiver ran down his spine, the reality of the situation settling over him. He was facing someone unlike any opponent he had ever encountered.

  Travis’s voice broke through his thoughts, cold and calm. "No, that’s not a clone. Nor are you in a genjutsu. I’m just that fast. So fast that even light has trouble picking up where I really am." He paused, the words sinking into Sasuke’s mind. "That’s what we call afterimages."

  Travis released his grip on Sasuke’s neck, stepping back and letting the Uchiha gasp for air. Sasuke staggered slightly, his pulse racing, his chest heaving with rapid breaths. He had barely registered the words before he felt the crushing force of Travis’s presence. It was overwhelming. The sheer speed, the control, the power—it was all too much.

  The cold, disinterested voice of Travis echoed through the space as he returned to his original position with ease, his hands resting casually by his sides. "Well, that was boring."

  Before Sasuke could react, Travis appeared before Sakura in the blink of an eye, his eyes locking with hers. The sheer speed left Sasuke frozen in disbelief. 'He's that fast?'

  Sasuke blinked, still processing the events that had just unfolded before him. He watched as Travis turned toward Naruto. "Naruto, let’s go. He’s not worth your time at the moment. Remember what you said?" Travis’s tone was casual, as though he were bored, disinterested in the confrontation that had just taken pce.

  Naruto, still gring at Sasuke, turned away, his jaw clenched with resolve. "Yeah, Sasuke. I’ve been thinking about getting you back to the Leaf for as long as I remember... but not anymore." His voice was steady, unwavering, as if a deep shift had taken pce inside him. "In fact, not until I get stronger. Then I can simply beat you until you can’t walk, and bring you back to the Leaf."

  He turned away, his back now to Sasuke. "Let’s go, guys."

  Sakura hesitated for a moment, a soft look of concern flickering across her face. "Naruto, are you sure about this?"

  Naruto’s response was simple, a small but confident smile tugging at his lips. "Yes, I am. So sorry, Sakura. I have to pause that promise I gave you."

  Sakura looked at him, her heart tightening. But she saw the fire in his eyes, the determination to grow stronger. Her lips curved upward, and she nodded, understanding the unspoken resolve behind his words. "No, it’s alright. I believe I need to get stronger as well, so let’s focus on that from now on."

  Without another word, the three of them walked away from Sasuke, leaving him standing there alone, his mind a whirlwind of confusion and disbelief. The air felt still, as if time itself had paused in the wake of what had just transpired.

  Sasuke watched them leave, his heart a maelstrom of emotions. What the hell just happened?

  His thoughts flickered to the words that had echoed in his mind when Travis’s hand had been at his neck. ' Vengeance...' It was all Sasuke could think of now, the burning desire to avenge everything he had lost, to prove his strength, to silence the voices that had whispered that he would always be weaker than those who had abandoned him.

  'I’ll show them all. I’ll be the one who decides my fate.'

  The image of Travis’s effortless speed lingered in his mind, a symbol of the power he had yet to achieve. It only fueled Sasuke’s desire for vengeance. He would become stronger. Stronger than anyone. Stronger than Travis, even. And when that time came, he would make them all regret underestimating him.

  Sasuke stood there, a storm brewing within him, as the sounds of Naruto and Sakura’s footsteps faded into the distance.

  TO BE CONTINUED