(Author's Note: Finally, I'm out of hiatus. I apologize for the chapter being shorter than most, but I believe my writing quality has improved. I have the entire story planned out now, so it'll be easier to update when you don't have to improvise on the spot (even though there's still the whole process of getting inspired to write). Well, enjoy)

The Necromancer, Chapter 21:

Sasuke heard Jiraiya utter his name as he entered the building. Sasuke turned to look at Jiraiya as he ignored the woman across from him.

"So, you finally came back, huh?" Jiraiya asked with a sneer, "Any certain reason?"

Sasuke looked away from Jiraiya as Suigetsu, Karin, and Jugo entered the building, the secret entrance closing, "Itachi is heading this way. I'm only waiting for him to show up. That is the only reason I'm here," Sasuke said.

Jiraiya sighed, "Well, I don't see the loss in your absence. Right now, you're like a friendlier Orochimaru... hopefully you stay this way."

Sasuke ignored Jiraiya's comment and changed the subject, "You have anywhere for us to stay?"

"I'm sure we have some empty rooms," Jiraiya said, "I won't assist you in finding them, though."

"Fine with me," Sasuke said as he glared at Jiraiya, The nerve of this man... he thought.

Hurried footsteps were heard in the distance. They grew louder before they stopped outside the door. It quickly opened, and Sakura entered the room, breathing heavily and sobbing lightly.

Great... just who I wanted to encounter... Sasuke thought grimly as he saw Sakura.

Sakura was about to explain the terrible events that happened, but seeing Sasuke in the room immediately took her mind off of what happened.

"SASUKE!!!" Sakura squealed as she ran over and hugged him tightly, "You're finally back!"

Sasuke grimaced at the tight embrace of Sakura. He smiled lightly, though, for part of him missed it.

"Unhand me," Sasuke said forcefully. Sakura backed away and looked at Sasuke with pained eyes. A look of realization came across her face as she remembered why she entered the room in the first place. She looked towards Jiraiya and took a deep breath. She bit her lower lip as she tried to explain what happened.

"I have bad news... Otoshi... he caused Hanabi and Neji to die..." Sakura said painfully. Jiraiya sighed heavily as he placed a hand on his face.

Outside of the room, Kiba and Tenten were there. They were going to ask Jiraiya something and they were close to opening the door until they overheard the news.

As the words proclaiming Neji's death entered Tenten's ears, something snapped in her mind. She had had a crush on Neji ever since they were assigned to the same team. She could never sum up the courage to express her love to him, and now she never would. Neji's presence brought her comfort, and now he was not alive anymore. Tenten couldn't take it. She whimpered and suddenly ran away with tears in her eyes.

"W-wait!" Kiba called out as he suddenly saw Tenten run off. He quickly followed her.

Jiraiya formed some handseals and placed his hand on his throat. Chakra flowed from his hand as he spoke, his voice amplified.

"Everyone, meet in the lobby in ten minutes. We're having another emergency meeting," Jiraiya said. He stopped the voice amplification jutsu and placed his hands on his face, muttering, "What am I going to do..."

Madara observed Otoshi's actions with interest. Seeing the man's unique jutsus and kekkei genkai impressed him greatly. He was a bit disappointed when he saw that the man was taking a break.

"What are we waiting for? Seeing that prick that killed me is riling me up..." Kakuzu growled.

"Yeah, I want to fucking demolish that kid that buried me. Him and every fucking person important to him!" Hidan spat.

Madara sighed. Sure, they were useful members of Akatsuki (except Hidan. His stupidity outclassed his usefulness), but they were awfully annoying and loud. They were testing his patience.

"Can we-?" Hidan began to ask for the umpteenth time.

"FINE! GO ATTACK THEM!" Madara snapped. Kakuzu and Hidan were gone as soon as Madara yelled the first word. Madara grumbled to himself and disabled the stealth jutsu on them.

Kakuzu and Hidan charged forward. Kakuzu moved the cloth covering his mouth downwards and he made several threads emerge from his mouth and rip a hole in a wall just to make loud noises and add fun by alerting the others of their presence. Kakuzu eyed some shocked ninja in the room past the section of wall he tore down, along with one of the Sannin and a pretty woman. Kakuzu chuckled as the threads shot out and wrapped themselves around the woman's neck. She made a choked yelp as Kakuzu drug her out of the room and went away from the ninja's view.

Hidan noted that Kakuzu went elsewhere, so he began looking for Kurenai, the lover of that man he killed. He did not know how he knew of this information; perhaps Jashin was blessing him and granting him vengeance.

Kakuzu had found a secluded room to hide in as the other ninja in the building were wondering what was happening. He eyed his catch. She was quite a looker. Her futile struggles excited Kakuzu as he moved the threads from around her throat to around her wrists and ankles.

"Unhand me, you sick freak!" Julia spat at Kakuzu.

"Oh, a fiery one, are we? I like spunk in a woman," Kakuzu said with a lecherous grin, the threads emerging from his mouth slightly impairing his speech. The threads ripped off Julia's shirt, exposing her bare chest. They began caressing Julia's nipples, causing them to stand.

"Stop!" Julia cried, "You monster!"

"Oh, but you seem to be enjoying it..." Kakuzu grinned as more threads came and gagged Julia to prevent her from speaking. She cried and struggled as the threads began molesting her legs and breasts. Kakuzu quickly became bored of the woman. The threads suddenly gripped her chest hardly, resulting in a sharp outcry from her. Blood began seeping down her chest as it was slowly ripped open. Julia was ungagged by the threads covering her mouth. She yelled a horrible yell of pain and torment as the threads that were covering her mouth entered the wound and ripped out her heart. The threads suddenly receded into Kakuzu's mouth, taking the heart with it. Julia was dropped to the ground like a worthless toy. She looked up at her murderer as her final tears fell from her eyes.

"Hmm... I thank you for the generous donation of fire..." Kakuzu said as he exited the room. Immediately as he left the room he spied two medic-nin. Easy prey. The network of threads shot out of his mouth once more and quickly plunged into the chests of Ken and Megumi, taking their hearts as well.

"Wind and water," he mumbled as the threads receded into his mouth. He saw several ninja staring at him in shock. He eyed the Kyuubi kid that killed him. He laughed wildly.

"Not even death can take me away!" Kakuzu exclaimed.

Hidan had found her. She was currently staring at him, terrified. Hidan laughed lightly to himself as he slowly approached her.

Kurenai was shaking madly. This man fit the descriptions of the one that killed Asuma! He approached her with a slightly hunched over posture. His slicked back silver hair and shining, piercing violet eyes (normally traits that would be considered handsome) were absolutely terrifying with his smug expression. He wore an open Akatsuki robe and a necklace with a symbol: an inverted triangle set within a circle. The mystery of that symbol enhanced the man's intimidation. The most horrifying aspect of the man was the large tripled bladed scythe he held in his left hand. She tried backing away from him, but she was against a wall. She felt completely helpless, as she was too afraid to use her genjutsu skills to try and flee.

Hidan grabbed Kurenai's chin and leaned close to her. She could feel his warm, haggard breath on her face. He moved his mouth over to her ear and whispered into it.

"I'm taking you away."

Kurenai let out a small whimper as that dreaded whisper sent chills down her spine.

"Kurenai!? Are you oka-!?" Shikamaru called out as he entered the room, but his words stopped short when he saw Hidan standing in front of Kurenai. Hidan looked back at Shikamaru and smirked at him as the two suddenly vanished, a breeze passing by Shikamaru as that happened.

Shikamaru was left in shock momentarily as his mind comprehended what had happened.

I've got to save Kurenai!!! his mind yelled as his feet moved. He had no knowledge of where he took her, but it couldn't have been outside this building. He had to look in every room!

Tenten had closed herself in a utility closet. She was kneeling to the floor in despair. Her tears had stopped flowing; she had none left. She heard the noises outside, but they were repelled by her depression. Nothing mattered anymore.

"Tenten?" Kiba called out. Of course, she wouldn't respond. Kiba's voice said nothing more. He had been caught by the chaos Kakuzu was causing, and he had deemed the assailant more important than her. Oh well. This didn't affect her at all.

She said nothing as she reached into a pouch and took a kunai out. She held it up, her bleak and empty face reflecting off the metal. She placed it against her neck. She bit her lip as a few more tears mustered the strength to squeeze themselves from her eyes.

One cut. One cut was all that it would take. For some reason, her body would not move. Her mind was at ease as she lay at death's door. The silence was mocking her as her body would not take her own life. She bit harder down on her lip, drawing blood. The pain made her body move.

A splash of red.

Relaxing, calming peace as she fell.

And all was black.