(WARNING: SPOILERS NARUTO MANGA CH. 399-402)

"Me? ME?! I have caused you pain? You are the one who betrayed me!" Madara said indignantly. It has been nearly a hundred years, but he never forgot the pain that he had gone through. Saiyen's eyes faltered as she noticed a different tone in his voice. But it soon followed with hatred and scorn. "As a goddess of war and death, you should have known that my goal was right. But yet, instead of blessing, you scorned and left me with no reason whatsoever."

Saiyen's eyes grew narrow. "War? You call that war? Don't insult me, Madara. That's nothing like war. You call that meaningless slaughter. Don't get confused with warriors' pride and madman's desire to kill."

She stopped and gazed at her once lover. How innocent and naïve Suzaku had been… She could never imagine the gentle, ambitious young man could turn into the most threatening force for destruction of Konoha. The striving man who dreamed of uniting the various ninja faction now turned into a beast that thirsted for revenge, blood and his honor.

"What are you talking about? The birth of Konoha meant the death of Uchiha. We were discriminated, scorned and feared and we were never allowed to fit in."

"And do you not realize that you were the main cause of it? Your bloodthirsty nature was always too dangerous!!" She added quietly that he couldn't hear her. "….Even for me…"

"HA! I'm bloodthirsty? Have you realized what they have done to my clan after the Kyuubi incident?"

Saiyen flinched in response. It was around sixteen years ago, but it was still a sore subject to her. Well, for immortal being, sixteen years was nothing. Her mind drifted back to the recent past. When she used to be so happy, feeling protected, hoping that this segment of the life would never end.

Until that fateful day when everything was broken…

Was it better that Suzaku couldn't remember anything? Saiyen knew too well the reason of amnesia. When Suzaku passed out, her subconscious made a powerful wish: to forget everything. That was her way of dealing with pain. Never forgetting, but also forgiving. Well, that wasn't the case with Saiyen.

Before he could react, a shot of arrow was planted deeply in his shoulder. He gritted his teeth not to scream, refusing to show a weak side. He noticed the arrow too well: it was the same kind that almost sealed his doom a hundred years ago. He saw her eyes flash with unforgiving hatred. Smiling rather calmly, Madara gazed upon the goddess.

"Go on, shoot me. I have no reason to live anyway."

Hearing unexpected, Saiyen halted. Something was different. This wasn't Uchiha Madara that she knew. What had happened to him?

"The day you abandoned me, I have lost one of the reasons to live."

Within confusion, something little snagged her ears. "….One of the reasons….?" She was surprised to learn that his love for her was one of his reasons to live. The other one….. She knew so well….

The revenge for Konoha.

For him to say such things as not wanting to live, she knew immediately that he had done something. Her eyes grew narrow with sudden anxiety. "Madara, what kind of trick did you pull this time?"

Madara coolly smiled. "Oh, nothing. I just told him about his brother's true intention and what really happened around 16 years ago."

Her heart froze in an instant. "Don't tell me that he's planning to….."

His grin turned into a big fanatic smile and soon turned into laughter. "Yes, yes, yes!! While you were busy here trying to toy with our memory and emotion, Sasuke is faithfully fulfilling what Uchiha should have done a long time ago: destroying Konoha!"

Her five senses were clouded with horror. Wielding her bow calmly, she pointed at the still-laughing man.

"….Answer me… How long has it been since Itachi died?" she asked, trying to suppress all of her emotions.

Madara stopped laughing. His half-dazed eyes quivered over her face. "So you even figured out that he's dead, huh? Just like how I know you."

"Stop screwing around! Where is his body and how long has it been since he died?"

Lazily, he spat out, "I haven't touched the body after the battle and it has been about 2 days. But there is nothing you can do now. Your precious Konoha will fall by the hands of the clan you so much loved. Hahahahaha!""

That moment, she finally realized. This wasn't the man she had loved. The period of hundred years has finally made him mad. The want for revenge and jealousy broke his heart so completely that she couldn't even find crumbs. When she closed her eyes, a roll of tear trickled down. The man she loved was no more. Millions of memories passed through her mind. And her right hand holding the arrow released, piercing through the heart of the man whom she dearly loved once.

A sad cry rang through the cloudless night sky.


In front of Saiyen lied a body that hadn't been tainted by time. She didn't have to guess that Madara had put a jutsu so that Itachi would be preserved so that he could properly dispose it later.

"Are you still mad at me?" Saiyen asked quietly and turned around. Behind her was what looked like a ghost of Suzaku. She was just like when Saiyen took over her body: still young, silver haired, and crying.

"You didn't have to kill him, Saiyen! There could have been other…."

"What other ways? You think he would become better if you just left him like that? Because you didn't punish him properly, now Sasuke is on the way to destroy Konoha. Don't you dare think that I don't care about the village. We just handle things differently but our goal is same."

Heartbroken, Suzaku kneeled on the ground. "Why did he become like that? How many people have become like that in my lost memory?"

Saiyen couldn't say anything. It was a burden that only Suzaku can carry. Suzaku stared at the dead body of Itachi.

"He didn't deserve to die." She said.

Saiyen was surprised at herself that she agreed. Suzaku has softened her philosophy: that no one deserved a second chance. But… maybe for Itachi… she could see that Suzaku was right.

"Now you know that people deserve second chance." Suzaku murmured.

"Well, now you know that sometimes even second chance doesn't work and there is no other alternative," answered Saiyen, referring to Madara.

Suzaku nodded. "I... was wrong about you. I always thought that people will change if I just stand and watch. I thought that sometimes, there is really no other way around. I've been a fool…." She couldn't continue and Saiyen knew why. Watching her once-lover fall down mentally like that was hard, especially for Suzaku.

"Maybe I was wrong as well," Saiyen said softly. "I never thought that death was an unfair treatment to those who have committed crimes. But seeing Itachi.. and you has changed my mind. Sometimes, people do deserve second chance. Death is not the only way to deal with dishonorable people."

Suzaku smiled faintly. "We've both learned each other's way." Saiyen nodded. Suzaku held out her arms. "Now, will you come back to me?"

As Suzaku hugged Saiyen, they could feel the emptiness in their heart being filled up.

"Not everyone deserves death and punishment."

"But not everyone deserves forgiveness."

"We shall be the judges for those who will meet their doom."

"And together… We will watch over this world…."


His eyes slowly opened and the first thing he saw was… ceiling of the hut. Huh… So the afterlife could be domestic? Slowly getting up, he was surprised to find that none of his body parts was hurt. But then, it was afterlife….. or was it?

He saw a fireplace in the middle with the pot on it. The stew, which seemed to be freshly made, was releasing steam and through the steam he could see… a girl?

"Good morning, Uchiha Itachi." The girl said, turning around to face him. Her striking amber eyes penetrated him. He had a strong feeling that he knew this girl, but he had no idea who this girl was. Where was he? What was going on?

"Confused?" The girl chuckled. Something about the girl's manner told him that she was a lot more than a mere teenage girl. The girl walked up to him in light steps. When he looked up, she was in front of him. And everything happened so quickly.

But as he saw the magnificent red wings sprouting out of her back, he knew exactly who he was talking to.

"I'm the one who gave you a second life, Uchiha Itachi."

Incredulous, Itachi murmured the name he never thought possible. "……Suzaku….." Then he finally understood what happened to him. He wasn't dead. No, he was far from him. He was blessed with another chance...

Quickly, the wings were gone. Stretching her arms, she sat down casually and picked up her bowl of stew. Before he knew what was going on, she handed him a bowl filled with stew. "Eat. I managed to fix all of your disease and injuries, but you should be starving since you used all of your strength in that battle."

Staring at the bowl blankly, Itachi slowly put the spoon in his mouth. He couldn't believe that he was thinking that the stew was delicious in this kind of dire situation. He still didn't understand what was happening, but for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to ask her.

Two of them finished the meal silently. As the food began to digest, he could feel some of his strength returning. So did the clarity in his head. He looked at Suzaku, waiting for the explanation. Noticing his gaze, Suzaku scratched her head.

"Well, I gotta explain what happened. You should remember what happened to you and Sasuke, yes?"

"Is he safe?" He blurted out. Suzaku let out a small laughter.

"Yes, he's very safe. But something you feared has happened."

Itachi quickly caught on what she was talking about. "Madara…"

"Correct." Suzaku added cautiously. "And Sasuke knows the truth."

Itachi's eyes grew wide with surprise. Sasuke knew the truth? What was going on between Konoha and Uchiha? Then… he knew why Itachi had been like this all the time.

"That… filthy…!! I will go finish him off."

Suzaku stopped him before he could do anything stupid. "Now, now, calm down. Madara is already dead."

Itachi stopped in the middle of standing. Slowly he sat down. Suzaku continued. "There was a brief time when Saiyen took over my body. At that time, she killed Madara."

Then Itachi realized that something was amiss with Suzaku. Of course, he has never met the goddess himself, but according to his study on his ancestry, Suzaku wasn't… like this. It was as if she had turned into a different personality.

"Saiyen…? That's your second personality, isn't it? The Goddess of Death and War."

"Good for you. You have done your study very well." Suzaku stared at the floor for a moment. "I know it sounds ridiculous," she started. "I will explain everything I know, but you have to promise me that you will fill in the gap for me."

For a moment, Itachi was confused. "Fill the gap?"

"Because of Orochimaru's invasion to Konoha, I was forced to re-awaken some of my demon powers." She explained. "And in the process, I have lost my memory. The only segment of memory that I have right now is from the very beginning until the establishment of Konoha. That's how I remember Madara." She stopped for a short break. "When… Saiyen and I decided to become one again, oddly enough, her memory didn't morph with mine. Of course, Saiyen had all of the memory intact, but I guess since I was the host of the body I couldn't reclaim my lost memory… All I know is that… He was involved in Kyuubi incident, whatever that is, and…" Suzaku's expression grew painful. In anticipation, Itachi waited for her to finish her sentence. With heavy heart, Suzaku said,

"And that Sasuke is on his way to destroy Konoha on your behalf."

Itachi's heart almost stopped in shock. He now knew what she had meant by 'what you have feared has happened.' Sasuke attacking Konoha was the worst scenario that he never hoped to happen. His fists were clenched.

"Now, you have to tell me, Itachi. What did happen to Uchiha clan and Konoha sixteen years ago? I have no memory of that."

Taking a while to calm himself, Itachi painfully recollected what had happened. How Madara has released Kyuubi in spite of Konoha, the sacrifice of Fourth Hokage, the coup de tat, the deal between him and Madara, everything.

Suzaku felt a pang in her heart as she listened to the story about Fourth Hokage. Why? She wondered. Did he have to do anything with my memory?

After finishing his story, Itachi didn't do anything. Suzaku stood up, looking at the window. The sun was already rising. A new day… It could be the last day of Konoha if they didn't hurry.

"Itachi, we have to go to Konoha immediately and stop Sasuke."

Itachi nodded and stood up as well. "How are we going to get there?"

"Unfortunately, we will have to get there by foot. There is no way your Sharingan can get both of us to Konoha. It's just too far away. Mine should be able to do it, but as you can see, all of my strength hasn't returned yet." She pointed to her small body and silver hair. "Well, we can try to find the Temple and use the Portal, but the Temple is farther away from here. It will be faster to go to Konoha directly."

With defiant heart, Suzaku and Itachi headed off, hoping to protect their precious.