Hateshinai kimi no moto e
13
Dark eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What do you want?"
Kakashi smiled behind his mask.
14
Kakashi escorted Sasuke along the corridor to the Hokage's Office. The younger boy watched the man from the corner of his eye. "What was this all about?" asked Sasuke monotonously.
"You'll see."
He glared. There was something odd in that tone. Something he didn't like. But of course. He disliked a lot of things. And that included Kakashi. "What will I see, sensei?" Sasuke said with a snarl.
Kakashi chuckled. He recognized that tone. It was the 'I-am-your-god' superior tone. And the most dangerous too. The type that spelled P-U-N-C-H-I-N-T-H-E-F-A-C-E.
"Ne, Sasuke-kun, I bet this meeting will make you happy."
The Uchiha snorted, thrusting his fists inside his pockets. "I have a very bad feeling about this." He muttered darkly.
Kakashi clicked his tongue. "So suspicious. Trust me."
Sasuke snorted mockingly. "Trust you?" He drawled coldly. "That's exactly the point. I don't."
Kakashi shook his head, looking at him thoughtfully, his brows crinkling in mild amusement and a tinge of irritation. Asshole, he thought. Kids these days, no manners, no respect. "Again, so suspicious. Genes like yours are hazardous. And to think you planned to reproduce." He shook his silver head. "Suspicious manner-less Uchiha monsters."
"Don't speak my name in vain." Sasuke growled.
Kakashi faked a surprised look. "What are you, God?"
15
They reached the Office and found it deserted except for Shizune's pig. As usual, the office was wide with large red banner hanging from the ceiling: DO YOUR BEST, UNDERLINGS! Sasuke raised his brows and glanced at the pile of paperwork waiting to be read. And to think Naruto dreamed to be a Hokage… he's in for a rude awakening. Sound of doorknob turned and door being pushed open, Kakashi (who hid his educational tool back to his pouch) and Sasuke faced the doorway. Tsunade walked in, followed by Shizune and other Jounins and few masked ANBUs.
Sasuke kept his glare and Tsunade glared back.
"What is it this time?" asked Sasuke coldly.
"A mission for you, Uchiha,"
The boy frowned suspiciously. "Hn. Another damned E-rank—"
"THERE IS NO E-RANK MISSIONS, UCHIHA!" Tsunade thundered.
Sasuke snarled. "Whatever."
Tsunade gritted her teeth and sat down roughly. "Asshole." She muttered, crossing her arms. "Shizune!"
"Hai!"
"Turn it on."
"Hai!" Shizune scrambled towards the TV set, grabbed the remote and handed it to Tsunade. "Alright…" the Fifth pointed it to the TV screen. Instantly, the screen flickered into life, showing the deceased Third's face.
"Was it the…Third?" Gai asked, amazed.
"Oh come on. Who else?" Tsunade said, rolling her eyes. Upon seeing Third's face, Gai burst into tears, murmuring how he missed their whoring days. "SHUT UP, GAI!" Tsunade screamed. "Anyway. Apparently, the Third and the Fourth both left a message—"
"The Fourth? You mean, THE Fourth??" Gai demanded.
A vein twitched. "Are you a retard, Gai?" growled Tsunade. "Just watch and listen." She eyed Sasuke sharply. "Especially you, Uchiha Sasuke."
16
After several minutes, there was a stillness.
"So, there's a Heiko shi hen kei Product?" asked Anko.
"I thought it's a legend?" Ibiki pointed out.
"A legend became a reality?" Kurenai said.
"It can't be! If it is indeed true, that product is very dangerous." A female Jounin argued.
'The Project Heiko Shi Hen Kei yielded a perfect weapon of destruction.'
"The legend of Heiko Shi Hen Kei must remain a legend, Hokage-sama."
Tsunade leaned back to her chair. "Didn't you hear? The weapon was designed to—"
'—to protect Konoha.'
"I know, Hokage-sama but the Third said—"
'—the result was not what they expected.'
'—something went wrong.'
"Right. Tool made to protect Konoha. But still a tool capable of destruction—" Ibiki started.
"We will retrieve this weapon and bring it here." Tsunade announced firmly.
"WHAT!"
The ninjas gawked at their leader.
"But it was sealed somewhere! The Third said—" argued Iruka with a frantic wave of his hands.
'Only the Haruno Family knows where.'
"Yeah sure…" Gai drawled.
"But there's one minor flaw. They're dead." Ibiki said. "ALL of them."
Tsunade twitched. "Do I look stupid to you? Course they're dead."
"Hokage-sama, it's dangerous!" Shizune cried out. "You must think over and over again before deciding so impulsively!"
"Are you crazy? It can protect Leaf from invaders—" the blonde Hokage started.
"Or destroy us." Kakashi interrupted coolly. His colleagues gave him weary glances. "It depends on who uses it for what."
Tsunade was silent for a while. Then she spoke. "Precisely, anyone can want it. Orochimaru can want it."
There was a loud silence.
Sighing, Tsunade twirled her hair around her finger. "The Third knew Orochimaru wants it. I last heard he began searching for it last year when Sasuke decided to come back. You don't have to be a genius to figure out he'll use it against us—" she paused, "against Leaf." She narrowed her eyes. "But we'll beat him. I will beat him to the pulp. That sick bastard." She turned to Sasuke. "Uchiha-kun, I told you to listen well, didn't I?"
He frowned. "Well enough to hear the Fourth wanted me to look for this weapon."
"Excellent. You'll leave tomorrow morning."
"Alone?"
"Scared?"
The boy snorted.
Tsunade smiled. "Alright, you're dismissed."
Sasuke left without saying goodbye.
'—send Uchiha Sasuke-kun. Send him alone.'
Why the kid? Why him?
'—Send him alone.'
The Fourth demanded Sasuke to go and retrieve the weapon.
An image of the Fourth Hokage Yondaime registered in her mind.
And the Fourth HIMSELF said that?
'—Send him alone.'
'—Send him alone.'
Send Sasuke...alone.
Sasuke…
The Fourth knew…there's a Heiko Shi Hen Kei Product…he knew… but how? And most of all…why specifically request Sasuke to be sent?
17
"WHAT!"
Hinata had to cover her ears as Naruto hollered at their sensei.
"NOOOO WAYYYY!" Naruto yelled while shaking his head vigorously and moving his hand side by side in front of his face.
"Naruto—"
The blonde boy suddenly clung to his sensei, wrapping his arms around Kakashi's neck, his eyes large and watery. "Oh please oh please! Let me go with Sasuke!!"
"Naruto—"
"He's under probation, is he?? So why would the Old Hag give him an S-Rank mission!!??"
"Naruto—"
"Besides," Naruto let go of Kakashi's neck. "I AM LEAF'S NUMBER ONE NINJA!!"
"Who said so?"
The three of them whipped their head around and saw Sasuke all geared up. Naruto's golden hair stood up in the end, his blue eyes widened and steam came out from his ears making him look as if his hair was on fire.
"YOU…?" Naruto exclaimed in horror (and anger and jealousy).
"What?" asked Sasuke with brow raised.
"You stole my MISSION!"
"Your mission?" he mocked. "Who told you it's your mission?"
"You bastard—" Naruto was about to strangle Sasuke when Hinata cut in.
"Naruto-kun, calm down. It's about time Sasuke-kun to perform a mission." Hinata said gently while tugging Naruto's sleeve.
Naruto turned to her. "BUT S-RANK MISSION…?" he whined. "No way!"
"Shut up." Sasuke turned to Kakashi. "I'm leaving." He said with a curt nod and turned around to walk towards the Konoha gates.
"Hey YOU asshole! Make sure you'll come back alive!" Naruto yelled.
Sasuke looked back at him. "Dobe."
"WHY YOU—"
18
Day 7:
Sasuke stared hard at the map. Right…turn? Yeah sure…then there would be a— wait, forest again!? How many forests does he have to cross?! That would be the thirteenth forest. He read the tiny scrawl at the bottom of the map.
-This is the Reiko no natsu forest.
Reiko no natsu?
-But also called…Twilight Forest.
He remembered what Tsunade told him.
"Don't ask me where I got this map. Obviously, I won't tell. But for sure, Orochimaru has the original copy."
"How?"
"Don't know. So there's a possibility you'll meet him and his henchmen so be careful and work more secretly and silently." She pointed a finger at the map. "This forest—also called the Twilight Forest. It's a forbidden forest. This forest is at the very edge of the Fire Country's borders. The last forest the country has on its border." She traced a finger, stopping at the X-figure. "This is your last stop. This is where the product lies. I told you this forest is forbidden, didn't I? Know why?"
"Who cares?"
Tsunade scowled. "You will because the Twilight is the forest of Fire."
"Forest of Fire?"
"Yes. The trees here are burning."
"Tree torches…?"
"Hai. Anyone who enters this forest will be destroyed by fire."
Sasuke raised a brow.
"In other words, this is the entrance to Hell."
"You're giving me a free and immediate passage to Hell?"
The woman smirked. "Hai, free fare, eh?"
"Whatever."
"People who dare enter the forest are perished by fire. The Fire Country highest officials prohibit entrances. They even pass a bill. However, according to my research, it wasn't what they describe it."
"What do you mean?"
"It's—"
Sasuke jolted.
Fuck. I slept. He flexed and stretched.
Day 8:
He looked up. A huge sign was placed in front of the forest.
DO YOU WANNA SEE SATAN? THEN GO AND ENTER THE FOREST OF HELL!! You asshole! You want to die so bad!? And have a rendezvous with the DEVIL! Go and fucked up, human! DIE! DIE!
Sasuke snorted. That's one hell of a way to ward off people. He ignored the sign and entered the forest. And walked…walked…until he noticed it. It's so hot…so hot…he felt his skin contracted…
A trickle of hot beady sweat rolled down to his jaw.
19
Sasuke was amazed. For the first time, he was really amazed. And who fucking cares if he sounded sarcastic? He was amazed, believe it, because the fucking forest was on fire.
Damn it!
Damn that woman for tricking him. But—
He blinked. It…wasn't really…burning.
But the trees were all leaf-less.
Yes, that's it. The trees were leaf-less. No wonder people thought the forest was burning. Because of the bald trees, one could feel the searing heat of sunlight; the direct rays will certainly give sunburn and people will die in dehydration here. Also, everything was blindingly bright and orange.
Kind of reminds him of idiot Naruto. Him and his 'kill-me-I'm-here' fashion sense.
Now where the hell was the weapon?
For several hours he walked. Damn. It feels like I'm walking across the desert except that there are trees… Suddenly, he came to a sudden halt.
"Aw shit… what the fuck is this?"
A volcano.
A volcano.
A volcano.
A WHAT?
Volcano inside a forest?
Fuckshit. Am I seeing things? Am I going to die? Is this Hell already?
The volcano was dormant but…damn it…his vision was blurring.
What's wrong?
Then he began to see a waterfall.
A waterfall.
A waterfall.
He rubbed his eyes. Waterfall.
Blink.
No, a volcano.
Blink.
It's a waterfall.
Blink.
A volcano, he's sure.
Blink.
No, it's a waterfall, are you blind?
Blink. Blink. Blink. Blink.
DAMN IT!
In anger and frustration, he activated his Sharingan.
To hell with this!
"SHARINGAN!"
Red eyes, black commas swirled.
He was inside a steel-walled circular dome-shaped room. And there was clapping. He whirled around and saw—
"Orochimaru…"
"It's you…it's you, Sasuke-kun."
What?
"You are the key to lift the jutsu. You are the key to awaken the weapon."
Awaken the weapon? Was it something to awaken?
A digitalized female voice rang all through out the room.
'ACCESS DENIED'
"ALL EXITS AND ENTRANCES ARE SEALED'
'WELCOME'
'UCHIHA SASUKE'
