Chapter 7
The day had finally arrived. The day Sasuke would take his first step into the world of the gang, the world his brother had been a part of for years. He stood outside his apartment, waiting for Itachi, his emotions carefully masked behind a calm expression. But deep inside, a flicker of excitement stirred in his chest.
When the sleek black car pulled up in front of him, he straightened, watching as Itachi stepped out, dressed in his usual dark attire. His older brother walked toward him, his expression unreadable as always. But there was a softness in his eyes, one that Sasuke recognized.
“So, are you ready?” Itachi asked, stopping in front of him.
Sasuke gave a small nod. “Of course.”
Itachi ,"Than lets go ."
As they react to the base .
A ghost of a smile touched Itachi’s lips before he raised his hand, pressing his two fingers against Sasuke’s forehead in a familiar gesture.
“Be careful,” Itachi said, his voice quieter this time. “This is your first mission. Don’t underestimate anything.”
Sasuke closed his eyes for a moment, letting the warmth of the touch linger before Itachi lowered his hand. He knew this was Itachi’s way of showing his concern, of saying things he wouldn’t put into words.
“Best of luck,” Itachi added before turning on his heel and walking away.
Sasuke watched his brother disappear down the street before shifting his gaze to the large building in front of him. This was it. His first real step into the world of the number one gang.
Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the heavy doors and stepped inside.
---
The room was filled with new recruits, all standing around in small groups, talking in hushed voices. Some looked confident, others nervous. Sasuke walked in, his eyes scanning the area, assessing each person carefully. He wasn’t here to make friends, but he knew one thing—it was better to know who he could rely on and who would be a problem.
As he moved toward an empty corner, a voice called out to him.
“Hey, you.”
Sasuke turned to see a boy with sharp, shark-like teeth, white hair, and striking purple eyes walking toward him with a grin on his face.
“I’m Suigetsu,” the boy introduced himself, sticking his hands into his pockets. “What’s your name?”
“Sasuke,” he replied simply, watching Suigetsu closely.
“Cool, let’s be friends,” Suigetsu said without hesitation. “Missions are more fun when you’re not alone.”
Sasuke raised an eyebrow at his casual attitude but didn’t see a reason to refuse. He had seen enough of this world to know that allies were important, even if he didn’t fully trust them.
“Sure,” he said.
Before they could say anything else, the low murmur of conversations was interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. The room fell silent as a man walked in. He looked to be in his thirties, with white, spiky hair and a mask covering the lower half of his face. His single visible eye held a sharp, calculating look.
The recruits straightened, sensing his authority without him having to say a word.
The man stopped in front of them, his gaze sweeping over the group.
“My name is Kakashi,” he introduced himself, his voice calm but firm. “I’ll be overseeing today’s mission.”
Sasuke narrowed his eyes slightly. He had heard of this man before. Kakashi Hatake—the right-hand man of Kyubi himself. If he was here, then this mission wasn’t something to take lightly.
Kakashi continued, “This mission is a test. It will determine if you have what it takes to be part of this gang. If you fail, you won’t get a second chance.”
A heavy silence settled over the room.
Sasuke felt Suigetsu shift beside him. He didn’t need to look to know that the excitement in the boy’s expression had turned more serious.
Kakashi’s gaze landed on each of them before he finally spoke again.
“The details of the mission will be explained once we move out. Get ready.”
With that, he turned and walked toward the exit. The recruits exchanged glances before slowly following after him.
Sasuke exhaled quietly, his excitement now mixed with anticipation.
His first mission had begun.
The mission had been simple enough at first, or at least, that’s how it appeared. But the atmosphere had quickly shifted when we were tasked with retrieving information about a rival gang. Something didn’t sit right in the pit of my stomach, though I couldn’t place it. The others were already starting to act a bit differently—more tense, more suspicious.
I glanced at Suigetsu, who was sharpening his blade nonchalantly, as usual. But even he wasn’t as carefree as he normally would be. His eyes were scanning the surroundings, assessing potential threats. It was clear that something was off, and I wasn’t the only one who noticed.
Jugo was quieter than usual, his hands clenched at his sides, clearly ready for a fight if necessary. I understood that. Jugo’s temper wasn’t always easy to keep in check, but now, with the tension rising, it seemed like he was on the edge of losing control.
And then, there was Gaara. The quiet one. The one who seemed almost detached from the rest of us. Normally, I wouldn’t have paid him much mind, but now, with everything happening around us, I couldn’t help but wonder. Was he the traitor? No, that didn’t make sense. We had worked together too well for him to be a spy for the enemy.
---
The Test Begins
The rival gang ambushed us, throwing us into a firefight that forced us to scatter and take cover. I could hear the sounds of gunshots echoing in the distance, and the roar of engines as the enemy’s cars screeched to a halt. I ducked behind a pile of crates, assessing the situation. That’s when I heard it.
“Gaara’s the traitor,” Suigetsu hissed under his breath.
“What?” I shot back, my eyes narrowing.
“Think about it, Sasuke. He’s been acting strange from the start of the mission . Keeping to himself, not talking much.” Suigetsu’s hand gripped his sword tightly, ready to make a move.
I didn’t want to believe it, but doubts started to creep in. I kept my eyes on Gaara, who was crouched low, scanning the area with cold, calculating eyes. He hadn’t made a move yet, and that made me even more suspicious.
“We can’t act on assumptions,” I said, my voice low but firm. I glanced at Jugo, who nodded slightly, keeping his position steady. There was no immediate action to take.
But as we waited, the words “traitor” kept echoing in my mind. Could it be Gaara? Or was this some sort of test from Kyubi, the boss? I had heard stories about him, how he tested his recruits, how he expected us to perform under pressure. But this? This felt different.
---
As the battle raged on, I caught sight of the leader of the rival gang, a man who appeared to be in charge of this entire operation. He was moving toward Gaara with a menacing look in his eyes. It was then that I made my decision.
I charged forward, using the cover of darkness to get close to Gaara. I didn’t know what was going to happen, but if he was going to betray us, I couldn’t afford to hesitate. Just as I was about to get close, I heard Gaara speak.
“You really think I’m the traitor?”
His voice was calm, colder than usual. He wasn’t fazed by the situation, but there was something about his tone that made me hesitate.
“Who’s the traitor then?” I demanded, my eyes narrowing. I needed answers, and I needed them now.
Gaara turned, meeting my gaze, his expression unreadable. “I’m not the traitor, Sasuke,” he said, his voice a steady whisper. “Their isn't any traitor ".
Before I could respond, the rival gang leader lunged at Gaara, aiming a gun. But before he could pull the trigger, Gaara was already on him, moving with a fluidity and precision that I had never seen from him before. The man was on the ground in seconds, unconscious, his weapon discarded.
The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. This wasn’t about Gaara. It was about us.
---
It wasn’t until after the battle that things became clear. Kyubi had orchestrated the entire mission. The suspicion, the pressure, the ambush. It had all been a test. A test to see who would break under the strain, who would fall for the lie that there was a traitor in our midst.
I felt a surge of frustration. We had all been played, but it wasn’t a bad thing. It was a reminder that loyalty and trust weren’t given freely in this world. They had to be earned. And only those who could keep their heads under pressure, who could hold their ground when everything around them seemed to be falling apart, were worthy of being a part of Kyubi’s inner circle.
When we regrouped back at the base, kakashi stood before us , his arms crossed. “Good work,” he said, his voice cool and detached, as always. “You’ve passed the test. Now, you know what it takes.”
I nodded, but there was a knot in my stomach. I had been tested, just like the others. I had doubted, hesitated, and almost made a wrong move. But in the end, I had kept my composure, and that had been enough.
As the others celebrated their success, I stood apart from them, reflecting on what had just transpired. I had never been tested like this. This mission had pushed us to our limits, and in the end, it had revealed something I didn’t expect.
Trust wasn’t something I could give freely, not anymore. But maybe that was the point. If I wanted to be part of this world, if I wanted to rise to the top , I had to learn to trust my instincts, to rely on my team, and to keep my composure when everything seemed to be falling apart.
I glanced at Gaara, who was silently standing in the corner, his gaze fixed ahead. I wasn’t sure what was going on in his mind, but I had a feeling he understood what this test had been about.
I didn’t know if I could trust him completely yet, but for now, I could trust him enough.
The mission was over . But now he is going to meet the one and only kyubi .