Outsider Chronicals: Breaking the Curse
Being reborn can be a pain in the ass as any Outsider can tell you. However, at least most are born as their own person. I wasn't so lucky and now I have to put up with being one of the most hated characters in Anime. Oh, and Fangirls. Help.
And we're back. Nothing to say here, so lets dive straight in. Enjoy!
Chapter 9
"Owww, that smarts," I groaned as consciousness slowly returned.
I kept my eyes closed as I took stock. My whole body hurt and I could still feel needles sticking out of me. I was feeling utterly drained, but my Chakra levels were only slightly drained from where they had been before my impromptu magic trick. Whatever that spell had used as an energy source, it wasn't my Chakra. Next step was checking my surroundings with my mental powers.
"SasuIcantJkjahkfkbksahiuhte!"
"GAH!" I yelped, grabbing my head as a wave of thoughts crashed over me, "What the hell?"
"Sasuke, you're OK!" said Sakura's voice from right next to me.
I opened my eyes and saw my Teammate and Tazuna stood over me.
"I think so," I said, slowly sitting up, "I feel like I was run over by an Akimichi though. What happened?"
"Well, I'm not entirely sure," said Sakura, "I couldn't see much through the fog, but Naruto went crazy and managed to beat Haku. Now though…"
She looked towards the end of the bridge. I followed her gaze and was surprised to see Zabuza and Kakashi facing down Gato and his goons with Haku and Naruto behind them. I frowned as I noticed that, although he was still, he was missing the gaping hole in his chest I was expecting and I could still feel his life force.
"Sakura..?" I asked.
"Those men showed up just before Kakashi could hit Zabuza with a Jutsu," said Sakura, "Haku teleported in front of Zabuza and looked like he was going to take it, but Kakashi managed to stop in time."
Huh, that's interesting. It seems that Haku would be surviving this fight.
"Hey, where's my sword?" I asked.
"Its over there," said Sakura, pointing to where the blue sword was resting in a puddle.
I slowly got to my feet and staggered over to it.
"Should you be getting up?" asked Tazuna.
"I'm fine, just drained," I said, "My wounds are minor, so I'll be OK."
I picked up my sword and put my fingers on the gem in the hilt. I could feel the large reservoir of energy that dwelt within the gem, thanks to my newly expanded awareness. I experimentally tugged on the energy like I would my Chakra. The energy responded to my pull and flowed into my body, revitalizing me and washing away the ache of exhaustion.
"Ah, thats better," I said, rolling my shoulders, "I think I need to talk to Angela when we get back to the Village."
"S-sasuke?" stuttered Naruto, "You're OK?"
"Yep, a little sore, but I'll live," I said.
"Hey Sasuke, if you're awake, you can offer us some help," said Kakashi, "We're a bit outnumbered here."
I walked over to Sensei.
"So, what exactly is going on?" I asked, "Judging from the fact you and Zabuza aren't trying to kill each other, I'm guessing something happened while I was out."
"Heh, so you're alive," said Zabuza, "Guess Haku really is soft. Still, I guess its not that bad. As for what happened, we're no longer enemies."
"When you are quite done," said the short figure of Gato, "I'd like to get this over with so I can go home."
"So, he's cut you off?" I asked, "What a moron."
"What was that?" growled Gato.
"Don't you know that cutting of a contract with a Ninja and trying to kill them is a good way of getting a one way ticket to the afterlife?" I asked, "Especially if that Ninja is a Missing Nin."
"HAH! What can you lot do?" sneered Gato, "You're all exhausted, injured and Momochi can't even use his arms!"
"Pah, I don't need my arms to kill weaklings like those," said Zabuza, "Hey Blondie, lend me your Kunai."
"Here," said Naruto, who was kneeling next to Haku, tossing the requested weapon to Zabuza.
"You deal with the goons, Gato's mine," he growled, before taking off towards the mob.
"AH, stop him!" shouted Gato, running into the mob to get away from the charging Zabuza.
"HA, he doesn't stand a chance against all of us!" said one of the goons.
"Maybe not, but you didn't forget about us did you?" I asked as I appeared in front of the speaker.
"HUH!?"
"Genjutsu: Mass Hysteria," I said, my Sharingan on full blast.
The goons in front of me all stiffened as their eyes glazed over.
"What the, where'd he go?" asked one of them, looking around wildly.
"What was that supposed to do?" demanded Naruto.
"Wait for it…" I said.
"ARHHH!" yelled one of the goons suddenly, "MONSTER!"
He lashed out and slammed his club into the goon next to him. That seemed to be the trigger as the rest of the goons caught in my Genjutsu started screaming and attacking one another.
"Hehe, its over," I said, "Anyone caught in this Genjutsu will begin seeing their allies as monsters. The more time passes, the worse it gets until they either tear each other apart or keel over from exhaustion. If it remains active for too long, they can even suffer heart failure from fear. They won't be fighting anyone but each other for a while."
"Where did you learn a Jutsu like that?" asked Kakashi, "Its not one I know. Was it Anko?"
"Nope, I found it in the Uchiha library," I said, "That place is stuffed with all sorts of Jutsu my Clan has gathered over the years. I couldn't learn everything in there if I had a hundred years."
"Very impressive," said Kakashi.
"I'll say," said Naruto, "I wish I had something like that."
"Huh, I didn't think of that," I said, "Tell you what, when we get back to the Leaf, you and Sakura can have a look through it."
"What? But isnt that only meant for Uchiha?" asked Kakashi, looking surprised.
"Technically yes, but nothing in there are Clan Secrets, there stored elsewhere," I said, "And besides, I'm technically the head of the Uchiha Clan since I'm the last loyal Uchiha."
"Ohhh, what happened?" groaned Haku, sitting up and rubbing his head.
"Oh, you're OK!" said Naruto.
"AH, where's Zabuza?" he gasped, trying to get to his feet, "What did you do?"
"Calm down Haku," said Zabuza as he walked up to us, covered in blood, "They're not our enemies any more."
Haku immediately relaxed. He stared at me for a moment, before turning and bowing to Zabuza.
"Forgive me Zabuza, I was weak," he said, "I wasn't able to be a True Ninja."
"Sit up Haku," said Zabuza, walking over to the bowing boy.
Haku did as he was told, looking up at Zabuza with blank eyes. That blank gaze was replaced with surprise a moment later though when Zabuza fell to his knees and embraced his student.
"M-master?" gasped Haku, "W-what…"
"You damn brat," said the Demon of the Mist, his voice thick with emotion, "Do you know what you've done to me? You made me a poor Ninja…"
"I-I'm sorry," stuttered Haku.
"Don't be," said Zabuza, "Thank you Haku."
"W-why are you thinking me?" asked Haku, clearly completely out of his depth, "I-I'm just your tool to be used."
Zabuza gave a pained smile.
"Heh, not any more," he said, "Haku, you're not my tool. I think I stopped thinking of you like that a long time ago, I just never realized it. I've raised you since you were a child, taught you everything I know and seen you grow into a fine young Shinobi. I'm proud of you."
Haku's eyes widened, before he teared up. His arms slowly came up to return the hug.
"Well, thats not something you see every day," said Kakashi, tugging his headband back down over his eye.
"Whats going on?"
We turned to see the Villages armed with all sorts of tools staring at the few remaining thugs who were still in the grip of my Genjutsu and the embracing Missing Nin.
"Your late Brat," I said, "We've already finished up here."
"Zabuza Momochi."
I stiffened and spun around to face the source of the voice. Stood on the railing of the bridge was a group of cloaked, masked Shinobi bearing the mark of the Hidden Mist. One of them was holding the Kubikiribocho over his shoulder.
"Hunter-nin," growled Zabuza, "So, you've finally caught up with us…"
"Calm yourself Momochi," said one of the Hunter-nin, "We're not here for your head."
"Then why…"
"The war is over, Yagura is dead and the new Mizukage, Mei Terumi, has ordered you to return."
"Mei is Mizukage?" asked Zabuza, sounding surprised, before he narrowed his eyes, "How do we know you're telling the truth?"
"Lady Mizukage told us you'd say that and said to show you this," said the Hunter-nin, holding up a scroll with the kanji for Black on it.
I have no idea what it was, but Zabuza apparently did as he went white.
"Alright, I believe you," said Zabuza, "But I'm not leaving Haku."
"Fine," said the Nin, "Come, we will see to your wounds on the way back to the Village."
Zabuza nodded and turned to us.
"Well, this has been fun, but we need to go," he said, "I hope we meet again in better circumstances."
"Likewise," said Kakashi.
"See ya Haku," said Naruto.
"I hope we get chance to finish our fight some day," I said, "Good luck Haku."
"You two Naruto, Sasuke," he replied.
"Hey kid, before I go, I want to give you something," said Zabuza, "You seem to be learning the Way of the Sword, is that right?"
"Yeah."
"Then take this."
I caught the scroll he threw to me.
"That contains the sword I used before I was given Kubikiribocho and a scroll on Kenjutsu techniques."
"Are you sure?" I asked.
"You need it more than me," said Zabuza.
"In that case, I accept," I said, "Thank you."
Zabuza nodded, before he and the other Mist-nin vanished.
With Gato now gone and nothing to threaten them, everyone in the Village pitched in to help on the Bridge, including us and an army of Shadow Clones, the Bridge was done within two days. Now we were stood at the far end of the bridge, saying our last farewells. Naruto and Inari exchanged their tearful farewells, but I was more interested in the scroll Zabuza had given me. It contained a number of different techniques for everything from Zanbato to Tsurugi and both one and two sword styles, which was handy since I could master the use of both swords, although it would take some work to alter the style to work with a Longsword and Katana rather than two Katana's.
Speaking of the Katana, the sword Zabuza had given me was currently still in the scroll until I could get another Sealing tattoo on my other hand. It was a Katana, as I mentioned, with a pure-white hilt with a circular hand-guard and a white sheath. Altogether, it was a weapon that didn't really seem to suit a man known as a Demon. It was a fine weapon and I couldn't wait to get started with it.
Without a Civilian slowing us down, it took only six hours to get back to Konoha where Kakashi dismissed us with orders to meet again tomorrow at six (or nine to be more accurate). Naruto and Sakura headed off to do their own things, leaving me to head off to find Angela.
"Hello?" I called out as I entered her shop, looking around for the Witch, "Anyone home?"
The colourful bird in the window eyed me as I slowly made my way into the shop and up to the counter, looking around for the mysterious proprietor of the shop.
"Ah, hello Sasuke," said Angela from right behind me, nearly making me jump out of my skin.
"Don't do that!" I growled, resealing my sword which I had summoned on instinct.
"Aren't you Ninja supposed to be aware of your surroundings?" asked Angela, her eyes twinkling as she headed around the counter and leant on it.
I just let out an irritated growl, which made Angela laugh.
"So, what can I do for you," she asked once she had stopped laughing.
"I used magic," I said bluntly.
"Oh. Tell me."
I filled Angela in on everything that had happened on the mission, including my advancements in the exercises she'd taught me.
"When I came to you to learn Magic, I was expecting it to use Chakra, but what that spell I used on the bridge used most definitely wasn't Chakra," I said, "Do you know anything?"
Angela nodded.
"As it happens, I do," she said, "I was planning to hold off on this, but since you've actually used Magic now, I'll skip the games. You are aware that Gramarye uses energy in the body to achieve its effects and the amount required is the amount that would normally be needed to accomplish the task, so I can skip that. What you don't know is that the energy used is the physical part of Chakra, the Yang. Thats why using too much will kill you because the body loses the energy it needs to keep its basic functions running. There is an art that makes use of Mental Energy, Yin, but I don't know much about it I'm afraid."
"I see," I said, "So it does technically use Chakra, albeit only half of it."
I thought for a moment, before looking at Angela.
"So, what now?"
"Now, we start your education into the Ancient Language and Gramarye," said Angela with a grin that made me fear from my safety, "Don't worry, I'll make sure you master it."
Her evil laughter made me want to run and hide.
And thats that done. Not bad, two in a short time and I managed to finish the Wave Arc, so that something.
The end part of the fight between Naruto and Haku was pretty much as canon, but Haku didn't get stabbed by Kakashi and survived. And headed back to Mist with Zabuza. They'll probably be back later.
I'm pretty sure that Mass Hysterea is my own Jutsu and it does exactly what Sasuke said it did. Its not very effective against the strong minded though.
I know that Zabuza was acting a bit OOC, but my muse kinda got away from me at that point. Eh, it works fine.
Two sword style is really cool, which is one of the only reasons I gave Sasuke another sword. Its design is based on one of Zoros swords from One Piece, but its just a generic sword in this story with no special powers.
I hope my explanation into how Gramarye works and differs from Magic makes sense. Basically, while it doesn't use Chakra, it does use Physical Energy and so drains the caster a lot quicker than Jutsu would.
I hope you liked this chapter enough to leave me a review!
