38 True Sage

Before the strike could hit him, Naruto dashed forward and kicked Dosu's metallic arm and knocking him back more than 5 meters away effectively canceling out his technique. Huff...Huff...Huff… Lee panted as he knelt on the ground. He turned to look at Naruto in shock. Naruto stood there by his side looking at lee and said, "Your Taijutsu skills are great, however, you let your guard down against his technique. You weren't cautious enough. You already knew he had a special technique on his right arm yet you still tried to physically guard against it. What you should have done was use your speed. With your capabilities you should have been able to defeat him easily."

"Ah?" Lee let out a surprised expression. 'This guy. He's strong'. Lee mentally thought to himself. Shikamaru, who was hiding with Choji and Ino behind a bush nearby heard Naruto speak and said "When did Naruto become this smart and so strong? It's as if I am seeing a different person." Choji nodded in acceptance. Then INO said, "Even Sakura is looking calm and collected. It's so not like her to be this calm." Both Shikamaru and choji nodded.

Suddenly "Aaahhhhhh" everyone heard a shout from the cave. Sakura ran inside the cave looking worried. Once she entered the cave, Sakura saw me trying to get up and helped me sit. Then she saw my face and was surprised and said "Sasuke kun what happened? you have strange markings all over your face". She thought back seeing some strange mark spreading on the face of my clone before it dispelled. She started panicking.

I had two red circles covering my eyes and extending to my cheaks. Also had a circle and a dot inside the circle on my forehead. I felt refreshed and full of power. I looked at the panicking Sakura and rubbed her head comforting her and said "Don't worry Sakura, I'm fine. In fact, its the best thing that happened to me." and laughed. She got more worried and asked "The curse mark? That Orochimaru bit you with, but you said it's dangerous."

"Hahaha Sakura dont worry, its not the curse mark. Actually the curse mark activated this power inside me that was laying dormant which I was searching for a way to activate. That Orochimaru's curse mark just helped me trigger it and now it made me a lot stronger." I said happily. I stopped talking and concentrared. I could sense the whole forest. All the animals, plants and all the people. I felt peaceful and the marks on my face turned from red to green.

Sakura saw the changes in me and asked "Then what are the marks on your face Sasuke?" With a little worry in her tone. I patted her head again and said "No need to worry Sakura. I activated the First Hokage's true sage mode. The power that gave him the nickname 'The God Of Shinobi'. I've become much stronger than before." I said smiling.

Sakura got releived and also surprised at the same time and asked "How strong are you now sasuke?" With a broad smile on my face I said " I'm twice as strong as Kakashi with the sage mode and If I Use My sharingan along with it, I can go toe to toe with Orochimaru now. But i have not mastered it yet. If I master it, then I will be the Strongest shinobi In the world." I laughed again. Sakura was too surprised and also happy for me at the same time. Then I continued "Lets take care of the pests outside shall we?" And started walking as she followed me.

Once outside, I sensed all the people watching and saw lee panting heavily. I went near Lee and put my hand on his back and channeled some Natural energy healing him. Lee and Naruto looked surprised and Naruto asked "What happened to you Sasuke?" I said "I just got a lot stronger. Let's speak about it later. And shouted "Neji, Tenten, Shikamaru, Chouji & Ino. How long are you going to hide?" Naruto looked around and said "Ehh". I just shrugged and laid my eyes on the sound Genins.

Soon everyone came out of their hiding spots and Shikamaru asked "How did you find us". I just shrugged my shoulders and said "Just sensed all of you. Not a big deal." Neji jumped down from the tree activating his biyakugan and thought 'His chakra is so different. It feels like an endless ocean.' I then turned to the sound genins and said "Can't a guy get some good sleep? Why do you have to be so loud and disturb everyone?".

Zaku then said "Yeah right, we came for you Uchiha Sasuke. We will get what we came for" I just shook my head waving some hand signs and said "You want me, You got me 'Firestyle-Flame Dragon Missile' and sprouted a large amount of flames from my mouth. The three sound genins ran for their lives while a part of the forest was covered in fire. All the people watching me had their mouths open so wide that you could fit an whole egg in them. I said "Shit I overdid it". Everyone looked at me and nodded.

"Ok guys, lets see each other at the tower. Hope you all pass" Saying that I grabbed both Naruto and Sakura and with a swirling motion, Vanished from that place. Everyone who were there looked at each others faces, & finally Lee broke the silence & asked "What was that?". Shikamaru said "Might be a space-time jutsu. I have no idea." Everyone else nodded ans went on their own way.

Meanwhile, there was a swirling motion near the tower and all three of us appeared out of it. I then deactivated the sage mode and said "Naruto, Sakura, lets go to the tower and submit the scrolls." They both nodded and we walked ahead.