As the black curse mark grew like fire from Sasuke's neck, his body shook and sweat dripped down his forehead. Sakura's hands were trembling as she applied a damp cloth to his head.
"His skin is on fire!" She wept.
Keeping watch with his eyes scanning the darkness, Naruto spoke up. "We have to move! That creep may come back!"
Sakura shook her head. "He can't even stand up! What if we move and the pressure grows?"
Naruto's fists became tight. He could feel the fear gnawing at the recesses of his mind. Further back yet, though, he held firm due to a burning need to protect his team.
There was a rustling.
Again, a massive snake leapt at the group. In barely enough time to leap forward, Naruto slammed a Rasengan at its nose. Smoke burst forth from the creature.
"A Summon?" Naruto breathed.
The white man reemerged from the trees above, his eyes glowing with satisfaction. "Sasuke-kun. The seed has been planted. Let us watch him grow."
Growling, Naruto advanced. "Leave him alone!"
The man chuckled. "Your power is interesting. But I've tagged him."
Sakura stood, cutting off Sasuke's unconscious body. "You can't touch him!"
The man tilted his head. "Crazy, but courageous."
He formed a seal on his hand, and the woods around them distorted, the tree branches bending oddly, forming a dome of shadow and wood.
A Battle for Life
Naruto did not hesitate. He charged after summoning two clones. The stranger dodged, but was taken aback when the clones transformed into kunai in flight. With electricity crackling from his palm, Naruto's real self then unleashed another Thunder Palm.
The man grabbed his wrist and slammed him into a tree, but the impact only held for an instant.
"Naruto!" Sakura cried out.
Blood was pouring down Naruto's cheek, but he was already getting up. "I haven't finished yet."
He clasped his hands together. "Pokémon Jutsu: Ember Clone Technique!"
His clones shattered into small balls of fire that shot in all directions. Sakura was able to pull Sasuke into a little indentation behind a set of thick roots while the attacker protected himself.
She attempted to reign in his fever by softly saying, "Come on, come on."
Grudgingly, the enemy crept forward. "All of you are tenacious. That impresses me."
Again, Naruto got ahead of Sakura. "You will have to go through me to get to them."
The Will to Protect
A massive blast echoed in the distance as the man made another hand seal.
Boom!
He hesitated. "Well, it looks like my time is up."
He glanced back at Naruto once, then leaped back into the trees. "Jinchūriki, you'll be entertaining to observe as well."
Naruto halted. "What did you say?"
But he was already gone.
The deformed trees slowly returned to their natural shape as the strange chakra dissipated.
Sakura crept up to Sasuke. "His fever is decreasing. The mark has stopped spreading."
With his body aching, Naruto sat beside her. "We have to get to the tower as soon as possible. This forest is a battleground, not a test."
The New Resolve
The leaves of the trees admitted morning light. Sasuke moaned and slowly sat up.
He whispered, "What happened?"
Naruto announced, "You were attacked. That mark was left on you by a weird guy."
Sasuke scrunched up his eyes and touched his neck. "It. hurts."
Sakura quickly added, "But you're alive. We covered for you."
Sasuke looked away. "I wasn't strong enough."
Next to him, Naruto knelt. "We weren't. We're not by ourselves, though. That's what it's all about to be a team."
He glanced at Sasuke. He didn't disagree, but he didn't speak up for once, either.
They began to make their way through the woods quietly, hiding from view and keeping other groups at bay.
Now each shadow appeared threatening. They jumped at every movement. But they did not give up.
Towards the Tower
They reached the clearing where the tower was located on the fourth night.
Sasuke kept moving even if he looked pale.
"We managed," Sakura panted.
Naruto looked at them, tired but determined. "But this is just the start."
With their scrolls in tow and their Team 7 relationship stronger than ever before, they stepped into the doorway.