CHAPTER SEVENTY

Requiem for a Dream

Trent stood on top of a hill as he watched the green sceneries that were around him as he caressed the jewel on the back of his gloves. He was smiling too, for having being part of those people lives, and knew that they will be facing the most challenging task they had ever faced.

"The world faces the threat of extinction," he said, "What choices will be made? What steps will be taken to save themselves while all of their fate is tied to the hand of two young shinobi."

He looked up toward the sky, "What will you choose Jack? Will you make the same choices as Angelus did before you or will you take a different path?"

Konoha

Jack and Sakura were walking in the trees that surrounded Konoha when he suddenly stopped. Sakura looked at him, curious about why Jack brought her here and as to why they had chosen such a location to talk about whatever he wanted to talk about.

"Sakura, I've told you before that we will be talking about the future of the world," he said without turning around.

"Yes," Sakura answered, remembering him telling her about it.

"I've got…a weapon if you want to call it that," Jack said, still looking at the trees, "I can use it and it could end all of this before it even begins."

Sakura looked at him shocked, "Why didn't you used it then?"

Jack sighed, "I'm going to, don't worry about it, but it's the price that both of us will have to pay I'm worrying over."

"Price?"

Jack looked at her, "Yes price Sakura, the Rosario is the strongest seal to ever being created. It will capture all of the Youkai chakra and seal it within a single body. It's a fail-safe device."

"But, that will mean…"

"The person who used it will die," Jack said, looking straight in her eyes.

Sakura's eyes widened.

"In this entire world, only you and I can wield a weapon of such power," Jack said, "since we both share the same mark."

He pulled off his collar showing her the kanji for YOUKAI.

"Both you and I are two pieces of the same soul," Jack continued, "Piece of a Youkai called Angelus who lived during the early ages of the shinobi world. For the world to know peace again, we have to forfeit our lives in order to save everyone around us."

"Jack…"

"But I don't want to choose that for you Sakura," he said gritting his teeth, "I've seen what you have in your village, friends, comrades, and teachers. My village already had forsaken me from their ranks. To their eyes, I'm not only a traitor but the lowest of the low. I think, they would be better off if I was dead."

WHAM.

A punch slammed into his face which sends him flying backward landing unto his back. He looked up in shock at the pink haired girl in front of him who was pulling back her hand.

"Stop talking like that," Sakura said, "I…I know that your friends still care for you. Sava, Payne, even your sensei. They still care for you and I don't want to hear you talking like that again you hear me."

"Then, what would you have me do Sakura?" Jack said, "Either way, either we both use the Rosario and die, or one of us do so with their Youkai aura and I know for sure that you don't have any control over yours."

"W…what?"

"Kakashi told Poison which in turn told me of what had happened in the Land of Iron," Jack said sighing, "Your Youkai awake due to anger and rage, which is somewhat unusual."

Sakura thought back, "So that power I've felt…."

"Yes, Youkai," Jack said, "It's the power you've gotten from Angelus soul."

"This Rosario then…,"

"It's the key to save the world from the coming Armageddon that is coming," Jack said.

Sakura looked down at the ground, knowing what Jack was implying.

"Why would you spare me Jack?" she whispered, "Why…"

"I never wanted you to take place in any of the mess that the Haruno clan had suffered," the boy answered, "Maybe that's why you didn't grow up the in Taiyou."

"You're forgotten something Jack," Sakura said, looking back up, "I am also a Haruno."

Jack smiled at that, "I didn't forget Sakura, I didn't forget."

The two stayed silent as the wind blew by them making the trees branches surrounding them dance and creak. Jack silently observed the girl before him, seeing the look on her face it was as if she was as far away as one could get in their thoughts, and he himself thought back to the past year and all of the things that had happened to them.

It was almost surreal.

"When do we begins?" Sakura asked, bringing him back sharply back to Earth.

"What?"

"When do we begin?"

Jack starred at her, "You…you're serious?"

Sakura starred back at him, her eyes filled with determination.

"When do we begin Jack?"

Jack simply stared at her for a while, wondering if the girl had given the matter any thoughts at all.

"Sakura, are you seriously going to give up everything you have around here?"

She hesitated slightly, "If I don't…they may never exist in the future."

Jack shook his head, "C'mon, we'll find Poison and tell her we need to start as soon as possible, since as you noticed, time is not a luxury we have."

The two walked back toward the village and Jack looked up at the sky.

i hope you're making the right choice Sakura.

Taiyoukagure

Soya was standing in front of the memorial. The names of every fallen ninjas who had died in the line of duty were written on there, names which she recognized from her days in the village, and she was somewhat shocked to see some of them here and she was saddened to see that some of her friends had died.

She saw the name Saki Haruno on the list too and she sighed somewhat.

I've protected him for you sis, she thought, now it seems that he won't be needing me anymore, nor any of us for that matter.

Soya started coughing suddenly and put her hand on the black stone so that she can uphold herself and another hand on her mouth. When she stopped she pulled her hand away and looked down at it.

It was covered in blood.

Her mouth had the iron blood taste as she pulled out a phial and took a pill and checked what was left.

Only two left, she thought.

She wiped the blood off her hand with a tissue and said, "Hello Tomaki."

Hunter who was approaching her from behind stopped a few feet away.

"Soya."

The woman turned toward him, watching him with her good eye, "You wanted something?"

Hunter laughed, "We haven't seen each other in what more than ten years and this is all you've got to say to me?"

Soya's eye turned cold, "I'm not my sister Naki, so don't expect a hug."

Hunter gazed at her and she stared back tension filling the air.

"You haven't changed at all," he said.

Soya glanced back toward Saki's name and said, "Why you think I was on a vacation all those years?"

"I know you weren't," Hunter said, "Just wanted to talk to an old friend that's all."

"I'm not interested in what you have to say Hunter," Soya answered.

Hunter sighed and said, "Even so, you'll be part of SOLDIERs during the assault. I heard all of us will be in the front lines while Chunin and Genin will be guarding the village. I expect to see you there."

"Tch,"

Hunter turned around and said, "It was great to see you too, Lightning."

Hearing her SOLDIER codename, she glanced back toward Hunter's retreating back, and turned back toward the memorial, and put a hand on her covered eye.

I'll have to use your power if we're going to win against them, she thought.

She remembered that she only had two pills left.

I'll have to make those counts.

With Sheva and Mirror

The seal had being completed and Mirror placed his palms on the ground.

"Sealing Rune: Youkai Prison."

The entire area started to glow and the Bijuu started to disappear around them until they were all sealed into Seven Scrolls which were all standing up in keys point in the seal.

"Now, that's over," Mirror said, huffing slightly, "You're going to tell me why you're here?"

Sheva removed her Akatsuki cloak to show the robes she was wearing underneath and he noticed the twin swords and the Scythe that she used in the Youkai Realm.

"Han's army will be moving soon," she said standing up.

"Yeah, those ninjas sure got one hell of a battle waiting for them," he said, standing up and checking the scrolls.

"That's if Jack use the Rosario against them?" Sheva said.

"Ah yes," Mirror said, "but the Rosario is not that simple to use. It's raw power."

"Raw power huh?"

"if the person is a Youkai Lord like you and I," Mirror said, "The Rosario will release all of that power. But for someone like Jack, it will release something even more dangerous."

Sheva looked at him.

"You don't mean…"

"The beast that attacked Taiyoukagure village seventeen years ago," Mirror said, "The monster that lied within the boy. His Youkai side."

"Don't he have control over it?" Sheva asked.

Mirror laughed, "Control? Jack only transformed once and he almost destroyed his entire village…He is nowhere near to control the beast that lay inside. Which is why I'm going to Konoha at the moment…That's where he is right?"

"He mentioned something like that," Sheva said.

"Great," Mirror said starting to walk away, "That way he'll be easier to find. I'm heading there right now, you coming?"

"Yeah, yeah don't get your panties in a bunch," Sheva said following, "Hey what about the scrolls…"

She glanced back toward the rune and noticed that all of the scrolls had gone and the seal had vanished.

What the…

Mirror glanced back at her with a grin on his mischievous face, "So, you coming or what?"

Sheva shook her head, "Sometimes I wonder about you."

With that the two disappeared in flash of yellows.

DC HQ

Han was standing there looking at the boy in front of him.

"Well," he said.

Sasuke Uchiha chuckled to himself. This power, it was so exhilarating that he couldn't help the giddiness that was taking him over. It was even more powerful than the curse mark that Orochimaru had placed upon him, and this time, he could control it with a mere thought, similar to how the curse mark worked put at the same time, it didn't exhaust his chakra at all.

"This is perfect," he said, "This power is so…delicious…so addicting."

Han inwardly smiled, knowing that he had the boy now.

"I'm glad to hear that you're enjoying it."

He looked up both of his eyes having slit thought it was still in Sharingan mode, and on his forehead, the symbol of DC was glowing ominously.

"I am," Sasuke said chuckling, "So, when do we begin?"

Han smirked, "Patience Sasuke, Patience. You'll have your chance soon enough to test your strength."

"I just have to kill Jack and Sakura right?" Sasuke asked as he stood up.

"Yes."

He chuckled again, "Consider it done, since I've wanted to see who is stronger. Guess I'll be heading toward Konoha."

"Not alone you aren't," Han said.

A woman in black outfit stood there as her red hair falls over her face, "This is Saki, the one who saved you the other day and she will be accompanying you."

Sasuke glared at the woman, "Just don't get in my way."

Saki stayed silent.

As the two walked away, Han watched them.

You better not fail me Uchiha Sasuke.

There you have it. Sasuke is heading for Konoha and Sakura had made a choice. But will it be enough?

Jacques0 out.

R&R.