Chapter Summary: The three of them – four, including Itachi – are still weakened from the healing ritual. Danzō has the advantage of years of experience and the element of surprise.
Chapter Beta: None besides my own eyes and spellcheck software at the moment.
戦国時代
"But that's…that's impossible," Sakura says slowly, analysing what Sasuke said.
"Nohe Sasuke replies. "It just means that Danzō hasn't been idle."
"Danzō?" she repeats, and then it clicks. "Shisui's eyes were stolen. You think Danzō somehow…transplanted them, or—?"
Her speculation is cut off as another thunderous explosion echoes from up ahead. The green giant is joined by another leviathan of chakra—this one blazing the colour of a sunset. A flaming sword materialises in its right hand, shield in its left, and Sasuke's mouth goes dry.
"That's Itachi."
He slides back down through the leaves to the stronger tree branches and charges in the direction of the battle. Behind him, Sakura curses and does the same. She might know nothing about the Susanoo, but even she can figure out that if Itachi has had to activate it, things are dire.
Given how much chakra one needs to maintain it, we need to get to him fast!
On a normal day, a man like Danzō would be nothing for Itachi to defeat, either in single combat or like this. But the leader of the Uchiha, like his brother, is not at his full strength yet. And if he is using a Susanoo so quickly, it means he is hoping to end the battle fast, before he is too weak to fight.
He and Sakura burst out of the forest, intending to follow the path over the cliff and into the ravine, only to find their path forward obscured.
Around the smoking, caved-in ruins of the forest shrine, an all-out battle has broken out between the gathered forces. Main clans and their vassal forces clash, using their light weaponry and shinobi arts to tear each other apart in flagrant defiance of the supposed peace.
Naruto is in the middle of it all, splintered into several dozen clones which trade blows with their opponents. The scene is unfortunately too familiar to Sasuke, but to have it happen now of all places—
Wait.
His Sharingan picks up a detail that didn't immediately present itself: Naruto may be fighting, but he and his clones are not using lethal force. Even stranger, those people he is facing off against—are his own people.
Members of his own delegation.
A group of them—Senju, Uzumaki and their allies—surround the blond man. He vaults into the arms of a one of his clones, who swings him forward and around to kick his closest challengers in the face. The clone vanishes, but Naruto's momentum remains; in mid-air, he draws out his sheathed sword and whips it in a wide arc to down those coming at him.
"What's going on?" Sakura cries, stunned.
"I have no idea," Sasuke replies, distracted. He tries to see a way around the melee and get to where his brother is, but the moment he enters the clearing, several of his own allies attack him. Three members of the Hōzuki clan, judging by the swords.
Sasuke forces them backward, expelling a blazing katon in warning, but their place is taken by the bespectacled Uzumaki woman from earlier. She lunges, naginata sweeping at him in a deadly arc while chains of chakra lash out from her body, encircling his hands and sword before he can draw it.
Sakura darts forward, hands glowing, and with a quick movement slices through the chains with chakra scalpels, but the naginata nearly finds its mark. Sasuke manoeuvres into place to nudge it from its deadly path, taking a bruising wound to his shoulder in the process. In his peripheral vision, he sees the oldest Hōzuki swordsman approaching once more.
"Brace yourself," Sakura orders, but doesn't give him much time before stomping her foot down hard, sending a wave of crumbling earth at their would-be assailant. The Uzumaki woman also falters, crumpling to her knees, and Sasuke uses the opportunity to draw his sword, preparing to strike—
"Don't kill anyone!" Naruto bellows from nearby. "They can't control themselves right now!" At the last second, Sasuke reverse his sword and simply strikes her across the face to knock her out. Sakura catches her fallen naginata in both hands. "What the took you two so long?!"
Sasuke doesn't answer, instead countering, "What the hell happened?"
Behind Naruto, he can make out Hinata cowering beside the pale man that arrived with Sakura.
Sai, Sasuke remembers as he looks for Neji, because it's his duty to protect the heir of his clan, not one of the Senju—
And finds him kneeling on the ground several feet away, screaming and clutching at his forehead. He's not the only one, either—almost the entire Hyūga delegation is yelling and writhing as well. In the middle of them, Hinata's younger sister stands expressionless, fingers arranged in an unknown sign.
"What's she doing?" Sakura asks.
"It's…it's juinjutsu," Hinata murmurs. "It's supposed to stop the possibility of rebellion within the family, but—"
"But she's using it to kill them!" Sakura cries. "How do we stop it?"
"I…I don't…"
If Sasuke didn't suspect Hinata's place amongst her people was in jeopardy before, he does now.
Sai is already vaulting towards the younger Hyūga. He brandishes a scroll, and with a flourish of ink, a living image of a bird appears, picking him up. It flies him over the heads of several combatants and drops him before Hanabi.
She lashes out at him with Jūken, but he grabs her sleeve, careful not to touch her. Using the sleeves to neutralise her arm, he tries to bring her close enough to land a blow. However, Hanabi twists her body backward and around Sai, aiming a back-kick to his sternum.
He staggers, releasing her, and she recovers, taking a menacing step forward. Sai regains his balance and snaps a kick to her face which sends her reeling. Then he lunges at her, skidding low as his builds momentum and trying to sweep her knees out from under her. She dodges, grasping at him with glowing palms that he just barely avoids.
"Hanabi, no!" Hinata shouts suddenly, but it cuts into a cry of surprise as giant of a man, almost twice her size, hammers down at her with his fist.
"Hinata!" Naruto shouts, running toward her, but his way is blocked.
He won't make it, Sasuke realises moments before the giant's blow connects. Hinata is thrown through the ruins of the building, blanketing the area in a thick layer of dust.
"No!" Naruto cries in disbelief, as the dust clears to reveal the broken body within.
It flickers and pops, leaving a block of wood in its wake.
"Kawarimi!" Sakura gasps in relief, and even Sasuke released the breath he didn't notice he was holding. Hinata appears several feet away, looking surprised that she was successful, but there isn't much time to celebrate as a new wave of combatants engulf Sasuke, Sakura and Naruto.
"Where is Tsunade-shishou?" Sakura cries, jabbing her stolen naginata outward to defend against the sudden influx of her own people. "And Shizune, and…?"
"There is no Tsunade!" Naruto replies furiously, retreating a few feet until he and Sasuke are back to back, bracketing her on either side. "Danzō had himself disguised. It was so well-done even Hinata and that other Uchiha couldn't tell—"
"Where's Obito?" Sasuke demands, knocking someone in the face with the hilt of his sword. "And Yakumi, and the others?"
"Somewhere in there," Naruto jerks his head toward the ruins of the shrine, which conveniently allows him to duck a shuriken thrown at his head. "With Shizune and whoever else got stuck in the collapse. Obito threw himself in front of Itachi when Danzō pulled his little trick. He's stuck under the rubble, and we're trying to get him out, but getting to him is…kind of not possible right now."
"Wait, but how—?"
Sakura is cut off as the world shakes.
Far below, in the forest valley below, the two chakra pillars clash that belong to Danzō and Itachi continue to clash.
Danzō's stolen Susanoo crouches forward, one palm out toward Itachi's, and the other holding its sword high, pointed forward. Then, it lunges. Itachi's jumps into the air to avoid it, drawing back its own sword and slicing outward in a wide arc. The green Susanoo—or rather, Danzō—turns at the last second to avoid it, and brings his blade up to breach the armour, near the ribs. Itachi's Susanoo shudders, and Danzō uses the blade as a hook, whipping Itachi and his Susanoo across the valley.
Forests splinter and streams evaporate on contact with the chakra monster.
"I don't understand," Sakura grunts, shoving an Uzumaki swordsman to the ground. "If Tsunade isn't here, where is she? And how did Danzō fool an entire delegation of people trained to detect deception? Even if he wasn't using genjutsu or henge, there aren't many cosmetic ways to disguise yourself so convincingly!"
"Kotoamatsukami," Sasuke answers grimly, using several strings of wire to trip a soldier about to stab Naruto in the back. "Shisui's dōjutsu ability allowed him to manipulate people's thoughts without them being aware of it." His cousin's Mangekyō was always rumoured to have been stronger than Itachi's, but the two of them were so close they never put it to the test. "But Obito should have noticed something…"
Members of Madara's bloodline are notoriously sensitive to other Sharingan.
"I think that's why Danzō didn't waste time," Naruto mutters. "One minute, Itachi was asking the conclave to wait until you two returned, and then Tsunade stood up and said the conclave was a waste of time. She said that it would be better if the Uchiha and their allies simply destroyed themselves and each other, for the good of everyone else. But then it wasn't Tsunade standing there anymore, it was Danzō. Next thing I know, everyone's attacking everyone else. I wanted to, too, but Kurama stopped me—"
"Hinata and Sai weren't effected?" Sakura wants to know.
"They were the closest to me when it happened," Naruto explains. "I would have covered everyone, but…" A dark look of regret passes over his face. "I'm still not at my full strength since…you know."
There's an angry scream as Hanabi lashes out at Sai with Jūken,
They trade several blows, her on the attack and he trying to defend himself from her touch; the only thing that saves his life is the cumbersome nature of her fine robes. Hanabi seems to realise her impediment because she backs away and pulls something from her hair—a kanzashi which has been sharpened to the same deadly point as a kunai. She makes another move for him. The tip swipes his cheek, but Sai quickly catches her arm and pushes it back, grabbing it in two places to force it backwards. Undeterred, Hanabi flicks her wrist, tossing the blade into the air and catching it with her other hand, before taking a swipe at Sai's unguarded back.
He releases her arm and ducks at the last moment, the blade slicing through the back of his clothes but otherwise leaving him unharmed. She thrusts at him again, entering his own range, and he pulls her close, invalidating both their attack ranges as he fights her for the blade. They push it back and forth between one another's throats, and it seems here he at least has the advantage of strength.
Then, her pinky stretches out and rests against his hand, blocking the chakra points there. It must be painful, because he wavers, and the sharp edge brushes his throat.
"We have to do something!" Sakura growls, flipping someone over her shoulder.
"Be my guest," Sasuke retorts as he ducks an axe.
"Hold on, Sai—" Naruto begins, but then there's a shocked cry from Hinata.
Three men materialise behind her, too close in proximity for her to escape like before. She tries to do something—her hands and arms seem to be encompassed with blue flame for a moment—but then it flickers out.
Panic flashes across her features.
Naruto's eyes flit from her to where Sai continues to lose ground to Hanabi, and Sasuke sees him choose.
The blond man dives through the air, taking a running leap at the closest man to Hinata, bringing his fist down and punching him in the chest. He catches the blades of the other two with his bare hands, the edges not harming him because his palms are encompassed with the red-gold chakra of the demon. He shoves the swords back up, and while his opponents recover, lashes out with his limbs. Kicking out with his heel, Naruto sends the second man reeling back, and then downs the third with a right hook. As the first man recovers, taking a swipe at him, Naruto sweeps his foot in the air in an arc, downing him for good this time.
Landing in a crouch, he exhales sharply, and then glances back at Hinata. "Are you okay?"
She stares at him in awe.
"Naruto…Naruto-kun…"
Meanwhile Sai, alarmed by his situation, bends away from Hanabi's blade, sacrificing ground—the sharp edge bites into his shoulder—to gain a grip on her empty hand. He draws it closer and then bites savagely into the fleshy part of her wrist. Hanabi shrieks in surprise and pain, and using this distraction, Sai flips her over his back—and headfirst into one of the wooden beams of the ruined shrine.
The young girl groans and goes still.
All around them, the agonised cries of the branded Hyūga stop and they too slump forward in exhaustion.
"Well, that was bracing," Sai remarks tonelessly.
There's no time to time to rest, though, as thick ropes and beams of wood twist around Naruto then, growing thicker and trying to crush him within their grasp.
"Yamato-taisho!" Sakura cries. "Stop it!"
"This must be done," Yamato replies, making a squeezing motion with his hands. "For the good of peace."
There's a dreamy, lethargic quality to his voice, but it does little to mask the determination there. Sai brandishes his scrolls again, drawing several more birds that charge at Yamato, but spikes of wood hurtle from the ground, blasting them into splashes of ink. A wall of wood springs up between Sakura, which she slams her fist through, only to meet another appearing directly behind it.
"Sasuke, you need to—"
But he's having his own difficulties wading through the bodies separating him from Naruto on one side—and from getting to his brother.
"Hold on, Naruto-kun!"
Hinata's mouth firms, and she bends into the first stance of Jūken—forward, left knee bent and arm parallel, her right pulled back by her waist.
"Hakke Sanjūni Shū!" Hinata moves toward the opponent nearest to Sakura and Sasuke, then pivots on her ankle. A moment later she slams bother hand into him, hitting the chakra cluster of the throat and solar plexus. "Hakke ni shō!" She swivels around again and slams into another opponent, fist glowing with blue chakra. "Yon shō!" The veins in her temples bulge, pale eyes glaring with focus. "Hachi shō! Jūroku sho!"
She ploughs through the remaining enemies keeping them from Yamato and his prisoner. Anyone within the range of her arms and legs is drawn in, as if with centrifugal force, and she disarms them all with movements that are difficult to track. Her adversaries fall around her in a circle, leaving her panting in their midst.
A small smile emerges on her face.
"It worked," Hinata whispers, still surprised. It makes sense—as far as Sasuke knows, she's never been in active combat before.
"Not just a highborn noble, are you?" Sakura remarks, sounding impressed as she finally disperses and dodges through Yamato's wall of wood. She flits forward, appearing behind him and pressing two fingers between the back of his head and shoulder. His eyes roll back and he crumples to the ground.
Sasuke, meanwhile, expels a burst of flame, reducing the branches holding Naruto to cinders. His rival falls to his feet in a crouch, flailing his arms.
"Hey, watch it, that's hot!"
"They're just going to keep coming unless we kill them," Sasuke growls.
"You can't!" Naruto insists. "Whatever you call that ability of Shisui's, these people don't actually want to do this. We all came here for peace. We can't kill them for something they have no control over!"
"There has to be a way," Sakura agrees.
"To stop the command, we have to disable the Sharingan that gave it," Sasuke says.
"Basically, kill him, right?" Naruto asks. "There's no way that old bastard is giving it up without a fight…"
"Aa."
In the distance, Itachi's Susanoo, recovering from his last bout with Danzō, stumbles to its feet. Danzō doesn't give him much time, he's already lunging forward again. Their giant chakra blades meet, and Itachi is quick to use the strength of his to lever the enemy blade away; with his other hand, he lands a blow with his fist. Danzō's Susanoo doesn't seem much phased, lashing out with its elbow to shove the other giant. Itachi skids back to avoid this, then recoups and sprints forward—it's deceptively fast for something so large. Danzō barely has time to bring his sword up to guard. It does him no good, as Itachi's Susanoo sweeps low, ducking to avoid the incoming sword, and then abruptly vanishes.
A blink later, he materialises behind Danzō's Susanoo—Sasuke didn't even realise it was possible for a Susanoo to use Shushin—and slices his in an overhead swing. Danzō only avoids it because he stumbles backward, and as both giants try to recover, they circle one another warily.
"I have to get to Itachi," Sasuke says.
"I'm coming with you," Naruto and Sakura chorus, and then smirk at each other.
"Go," Hinata orders. "I will handle this."
"This isn't some sparring session with your instructors," Sasuke points out.
"I will be with her," Sai speaks up.
"And I am not useless," Hinata insists firmly. She glances at Naruto, and seems to straighten up even more, eyes softening at him. "Stop Danzō—perhaps today can still be salvaged if you do."
Though Sasuke thinks that's highly unlikely, Naruto grins and rubs his nose.
"We'll sort this out," he says confidently. "Believe it!"
They take off toward the valley where Danzō's Susanoo takes a new stance.
"Hinata's kind of amazing, isn't she?" Naruto says conversationally.
Sakura snorts, and Sasuke mutters, "You have the worst timing."
Danzō's Susanoo runs and slashes at Itachi, but the flame-coloured giant performs an effortless sidestep. It bends into Danzō, swiping the hilt of its sword into the unprotected part of Danzō's neck that the chakra armour doesn't cover. The helmet vanishes, a roaring crack in its wake, and Danzō's Susanoo is sent sliding back, slamming into the cliff face and causing a rockslide.
"Maybe he'll be okay after all," Naruto suggests.
"Not for much longer," Sakura says. "His chakra-reserves are low. I don't understand how he's keeping up right now."
Sasuke's eyes cut to her. "Are yours…?"
"I'll manage," she interrupts shortly, her tone forbidding him to ask anything further. But something like unease shines in her eyes.
Sasuke isn't comforted by this, mind running over the logistics of what is to come. The three of them—four, including Itachi—are still weakened from the healing ritual. Danzō has the advantage of years of experience and the element of surprise.
They touch down on a cliff that overlooks the valley where the two giant chakra creatures remain locked in combat. Sasuke can see that Itachi is losing—a sight he would never have even thought possible. And yet, before his eyes, he watches the brightness and solidity of his brother's Susanoo waver.
And then his field of vision is obscured by bodies.
The ways is barred by several dozen black-clad figures, all wearing the kamon of the Shimura clan.
"I think it's safe to say you're Danzō's people," Naruto growls.
"How dare you," Sakura steps forward, fist clenched. "You are sworn to the service of Senju Tsunade. Whatever motivates you to do another's bidding means nothing in the face of the oaths you are betraying!"
"The Uchiha menace must be destroyed," one of the faceless men says, his tone utterly neutral in the face of his own impending demise. Sasuke doesn't know if that's an effect of the Kotoamatsukami, or their natural obedience.
"Yeah, good luck with that," Naruto says.
Sasuke's Sharingan spins, and he channels a current of electricity through his blade. Beside him, Sakura cracks her knuckles and spins her naginata with one hand, raising it over her head and bringing it down and forward in furiage.
"You will not interfere," the man tells them, as he and the rest of Danzō's men take attack stances.
"Well…all I can say is that you've all made a huge mistake," Naruto says, and suddenly he seems to erupt into fire. Light shines from within his very skin, and his katana appears to burn like a flaming tongue of light. Several dozen flaming copies of Naruto appear around them. "Sasuke, you go for Itachi—Sakura-chan and I can stop these guys!"
Sasuke nods and zips through the line of black, taking a run down the side of the cliff toward the battling leviathans. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a flash of pink, and Sakura is still beside him.
"Stay with Naruto!" he orders.
"You can't stop Danzō on your own any more than Itachi can," she counters. "He's so focussed on getting rid of the Uchiha, he probably doesn't care which one he takes out first, you or your brother. You divert him and I'll take him from behind. He'll think you're just the distraction and come after me, and then you can put him down permanently."
It's a double feint, and risky as it is, he likes the idea.
"Tch. Annoying woman…"
Meanwhile, Itachi's Susanoo leaps into the air, bringing down his sword like a scythe. Danzō meets it, pulls back and offers his own overhead strike, which is caught once more on his opponents' blade. The blades explode with sparks and fire where they meet, and they stumble past one another when one or both of them are forced to give way. Itachi tucks and rolls, flipping back into a fighting stance and going for Danzō.
Instead of moving to avoid it, though, Danzō seems to bend into the oncoming attack. When their blade cross this time, he uses his strength to shove Itachi's Susanoo backward into the cliff face. As Danzō's sword comes closer and closer to his opponent's unguarded neck, Itachi angles the hilt of his sword forward and thrusts savagely into his opponents face. He shoves him away and, using the momentary distraction, slices clean through Danzō's blade.
Rather than pause to recover, Danzō's empty-handed giant continues to charge forward, as if uncaring of the blade Itachi's holds before him. Moments before they clash, it ducks down, and thousands of glowing, green projectiles explode out of him, slicing through Itachi's Susanoo's armour.
While he staggers back to recover, Danzō leaps up and wraps an arm around the giant's throat, trapping it within the crook of his elbow. With the free hand, he pushes forward, clearly trying to snap the head clean off.
"Itachi!" Sasuke cries out, watching in disbelief as his brother's Susanoo begins to slowly lose its limbs and head. Soon it fades back into nothing but a neck and ribcage, while Danzō's Susanoo continues to apply pressure.
"Let's do this," Sakura says, the black ribbons of her Byakugō sliding across her skin. She gives him a nod—both a sign to start their plan and a possible farewell if it all goes wrong—and then vanishes into the surrounding trees.
Sasuke takes off as well, heading directly for Danzō. As he does, he allows electricity to charge through his katana, building up as much explosive energy there as he can manage. As he comes to the trampled space where the two Susanoo still fight, he can see Itachi within the transparent ribcage, hunched over and breathing hard. Within his on guardian, Danzō is supremely focussed.
"Danzō!" Sasuke yells, and as the man's attention falls to him, Sasuke lobs his katana straight up at him, willing as much of his power into it as possible. The blade pierces through at the shoulder, and lightning radiates outward. Danzō's Susanoo staggers back, releasing Itachi's, which vanishes.
Itachi himself falls several storeys downward, barely landing in a crouch on the ground.
"You…shouldn't be here," he pants at Sasuke when the latter crouches beside him.
"Shut up and let me save your life," Sasuke replies, placing himself in front his brother. He glares up at the green giant before him, and the black-clad, scarred figure in its heart. "Besides…you shouldn't have to face something that belonged to Shisui."
Within the safe wall of chakra, Danzō stares down at him contemptuously. "You're a foolish boy to think you can stand against me alone where your brother could not."
"Tch."
Compressing as much chakra into his body as he can, Sasuke wills the temperature within him to burn as hot as he can make it. He inhales until his lungs cry out in protest, then releases his most powerful katon. It's so strong that his knees buckle beneath him and he loses feeling in his limbs.
The rolling wall of flame charges toward Danzō, moulding and shaping itself into the head of a dragon. Its gaping maw snaps around him and his Susanoo, engulfing him completely in flame.
Trees are reduced to dust in its wake, and there is such power in the blast that it continues to charge upward and into the sky. The clouds there blacken in response, becoming thicker and lower; in the distance, thunder rolls.
But when the smoke clears, Danzō remains there, safe within the Susanoo.
"It was a fair trick, boy…" he tells him coolly. "But ineffective against my protection. And now you're weak and at my mercy."
"I am not weak," Sasuke grunts, "and I never said I was alone."
The sun above them is suddenly eclipsed not only by clouds, but by Sakura's familiar figure. Her healing mark fully emerged, she brings down the naginata with two hands, screaming, "SHANNARO!"
She shoves the polearm into the head of Danzō's Susanoo with such force that the heads cracks open and shatters, reducing it to its skull. It goes staggering, and Danzō whips around to see the reason for it.
Sakura lands before him, fists clenched.
"You disgrace the clan to whom you swore fealty," she snarls at him. "As the heir of the Senju, I will make you regret that."
"What does a common born whore know of the Senju?" Danzō dismisses. "I, who learned at the knees of Hashirama and Tobirama, will not be shamed by Tsunade's pet."
Sakura cracks her knuckles. "Wrong answer."
She darts forward while Danzō tries to crush her with his Susanoo's giant foot, and meets the appendage with her own hands, grasping the huge boot. The force of it sends her backward, her strongly planted feet kicking up troughs in the dirt as she is pushed back. He seems caught off-guard at this at first, and then rallies, putting more weight on her. She endures, but is forced to throw off the weight a moment later, causing the giant to teeter.
Sakura gasps, the hand not holding off the giant hand clutching at her front for a moment, and then shakes her head and stands. Sasuke tries to get to his own feet, glancing skyward where the thunderclouds continue to roll in. As soon as enough power gathers there, he'll be able to unleash his strongest attack when Danzō doesn't expect it.
Danzō rears back, preparing to crush her with the flat of the Susanoo's palm. Before he can do so, a wall of mud slides between them, hardening enough to stop the attack from connecting. Sakura rolls away, crawling to her feet, while the rest of the mud slides beneath Danzō's Susanoo, forcing it to its knees. She takes a running jump and once again hammers her fist downward.
This time he is waiting for it, however, and slaps her away as if she's only an irritating mosquito. She is sent flying toward the mountain face he had previously thrown Itachi into.
Sakura stops herself before she can make an impact against the rock, forcing her chakra to her feet and allowing her to land instead of crash. Then she is running forward again, fist raised and prepared to attack, primed to once more crush her fist through the flaming green wall of armour—
There's an echoing boom as her fist meets the Susanoo's, and she suddenly screams in agony, the bones in her arm piercing through skin. Her healing seal fades away, and Sasuke realises with horror that she's finally tapped her already dwindling chakra-reserves.
As her arm hangs uselessly at her side, she clutches herself around her middle—broken ribs, he thinks as Danzō brings his broken sword back into being.
"Sa…Sakura…!" Sasuke chokes, trying to make it toward her. His last technique is not ready, not yet, but if he doesn't do something, she will be killed right in front of him.
But he's too slow.
Danzō thrusts the chakra sword forward while she stares down her incoming death.
The impact, when it comes, is nothing like anyone expected.
Because it isn't Sakura that is hit.
Instead, Itachi materialises between his brother's lover and their enemy, shoving her clear of the path of the blade. The shield of his Susanoo's ribs curves around them.
For a moment, Sasuke thinks he was successful, because Danzō's blade shatters on the impact.
But so does the remnants of Itachi's Susanoo.
And then, to Sasuke's horror, blood spills over Itachi's lips, and he falls to his knees.
つづく
Reviews and constructive criticism are much appreciated! Also, if you are in a supportive mood, you can check out my tumblr!
Thanks for your interest in my work!
クリ