Soft black feathers floated down from the crimson smeared sky like ashes, their languid forms settling around Sasuke's pale feet. His limbs remained at his side, paralyzed no matter how vehemently he shouted at them to move, to reach out to the two figures kneeling before him. Desperation wrapped its thick, callous fingers around his chest, stifling his breath. He already knew what was going to happen. He already knew he couldn't stop it. But they were so close- so close that if he could just reach out his fingers, he could touch their faces. Each moment slowed to an agonizing length as he traced their features with his eyes, painfully aware of how each second gradually slipped through his fingers. This was the only place he could see them again, hear their breaths, and feel the soothing thrum of their chakra.
A piercing slash rang through his ears, the sound of flesh tearing causing his stomach to twist violently. His parents swayed before falling forward, their bodies dropping with lifeless thumps. A brief numbness spread through his veins and finally, finally his body moved- only to slump onto the floor, too weak to hold its weight. An ear splitting scream shattered his numb mind, and it took him a few moments to recognize the agonizing cry as his own. Inky, carmine fluid pooled around his body, staining his pale, shaking palms with fresh, warm blood.
"Foolish little brother," a voice called out, although Sasuke couldn't find its owner. "If you wish to kill me, then hate me, detest me, curse me, and survive in an unsightly way." All of a sudden, the glowing, hypnotic eyes of his bloodline appeared before him, encasing his limbs in burning ice.
"Run. Run and cling to your pitiful life."
Sasuke abruptly sprung from the mattress, burning hot adrenaline coursing through his veins. A rush of air flooded his constricted lungs as he gasped for breath, savoring the cool freshness like a parched man deprived of water. A booming throb consumed his head, echoing in his ears as he fought to orient himself once more. His sweaty palm clutched the cold bed sheets while his trembling fingers rested against his chest, feeling the pound of his heartbeat through the comforter.
"Run. Run and cling to your pitiful life."
The same words he had heard for years echoed through his head, the bitter voice of his older brother spreading to the far reaches of his mind.
Itachi...
Raw anger surged through his body as the image of his brother resurfaced in his mind, the sharp sting of betrayal bleeding and burning like a fresh wound. Emotions poured into his chest and overflowed his lungs, threatening to drag him under their currents and consume his whole. Unceasing, the words rang in his head, spoken by the voice that plagued his thoughts and haunted his memories. Sasuke knew, however, that, no matter how familiar the voice was, the words themselves were that of a stranger, someone who he had not known in childhood. They were the words of someone he loathed, someone who was not his loving older brother anymore.
"Get a hold of yourself, " he whispered under his breath, wrestling with the tempest of emotions raging inside of him. His fingers curled to grip the fabric of his shirt until the irregular pounding in his chest soothed to a steady rhythm. The throbbing in his head lessened into a dull ache, allowing him to gain some sense of his surroundings.
Pale blue light filtered through the glass windows into the room, caressing the white bed sheets with the hue of a robin's egg. However, every time Sasuke blinked, he could only imagine the violent hue of blood pouring from his parents and staining his hands. Resting his head against the headboard, he rubbed his eyes with his palms, trying to wipe the disturbing images from his mind. Just breathe...
The Uchiha was no stranger to waking up in the middle of the night with the image of his dead parents haunting him. His nightmares had rarely left him alone since he was young, refusing to allow him the sweetness of dreamless sleep. When he was exhausted or stressed, they would sneak in like thieves, robbing him of any peace or rest. It was why he had developed a habit of staying awake during dark hours, just to escape the torment they brought about.
A flicker of color caught the corner of his eye, and his gaze came to rest upon a dusty mirror hanging upon the wall. His breath nearly hitched as dark vermillion eyes stared back at him, their mysterious glow startling him. My Sharingan must've activated when I woke up, he deduced, watching silently as his kekkei genkai receded to the depths of his eyes.
As the lull of sleep loosened its hold on his system, he gradually began to notice a strange shift in the air. The troubling feeling of something being amiss settled itself within Sasuke's stomach, and his muscles grew taut and tense in anticipation. Something's not right, he thought, summoning his Sharingan as he peered through the heavy darkness like a thick fog. The ever so subtle shifts and creaks in the wooden floor tickled his ears, and he slipped his hand underneath his pillow to grasp the cool hilt of his kunai.
It wasn't long before his vermillion eyes landed upon a shadow hovering near the window, the stillness of its form too perfect for it to be natural. The Uchiha instantly pinpointed the shadow as the source of his unease, and when he concentrated, he could feel the faint pulses of a chakra signature emanating from the form. Who is that? he wondered with a growing sense of foreboding, bristling at the thought that someone had been watching him while he was asleep. This signature feels familiar, somehow. Why are they here?
The moment he shifted forward in the covers, the shadow took off, its speed startling Sasuke. The Uchiha's eyes widened in alarm, barely glancing at the sleeping form of his teammates before rushing to the window and throwing it open. Leaning outside of the sill, he peeked out just in time to see the shadow disappear over the edge and onto the rooftop. Refusing to waste a second, Sasuke scaled the side of the building with the power of his chakra before lithely leaping onto the rooftop and scanning the horizon with his kekkai genkai. As soon as his Sharingan was able to distinguish the dark form against the shades of the horizon, he sprinted and leaped across the rooftops in chase, pumping chakra into his legs.
Thanks to his innate talent for speed, the Uchiha swiftly covered the distance between him and the figure, his arm letting loose the sole kunai he held in his fingers. With ease, the shadow blocked the projectile, and the sound of metal clashing rang out sharply against the Suna night. Without pausing, Sasuke laced his fingers together and swallowed his breath, summoning the burning chakra resting within his belly.
The searing hot flames unleashed themselves in his breath with fiery fervor, and crimson claws thrust and slashed the icy air. The figure threw themselves to the side in the nick of time, the dancing light of Sasuke's flame revealing a sliver of muted gray hair and the glint from a pair of glasses. The Uchiha's sharp mind quickly connected the pieces to form a guess as to who his opponent was, and he skidded to a stop to more carefully observe his opponent. As the glow of the pale moonlight bathed the rooftop and illuminated the calculating eyes of the man before him, Sasuke's guess was confirmed.
Kabuto, he realized as he sensed his opponent's chakra signature once more, placing it upon the genin who had curiously approached him and his team at the beginning of the exams. What is he doing here?
Although he hadn't known him for long, Sasuke already harbored suspicions of the man in front of him, with how he interacted with Sakura and bore a cold, cunning glint in his eyes. His coy and slippery demeanor reminded Sasuke much of a snake gliding through the grassland, its predatory amber eyes silently stalking its prey as it waits ever so patiently for the moment to strike.
Traveling gales screamed and howled throughout the city, violently pushing the hood of Kabuto's dark cloak back to reveal the sly smile that rested upon his lips. Sasuke remained unruffled, carefully schooling his features to reveal none of his inner thoughts.
"Oh, hello Sasuke," Kabuto drawled, resting a hand on his hip in a facade of nonchalance. "I was just taking a walk around the neighborhood. Care to join me?"
"Why were you outside our window?" Sasuke demanded, unwilling to play the crafty genin's games.
"Me?" The cunning man mocked disbelief before settling back into his haughty smirk, taking a step closer to the Uchiha. "I assure you, I was nowhere near your hotel."
"I recognize your chakra signature," Sasuke pointed out, refusing to back down.
At that comment, Kabuto fell silent for a couple of moments, his mind seeming to ponder his next move. "Okay, fine, you caught me," he suddenly chuckled, throwing his hands up in mock surrender. "I was just checking up on my favorite Konoha rookies, that's all. By the way, the three of you look so cute snuggled up together." A devilish aura came about him and he made quick work of closing the distance between them, however a warning look from the Uchiha slowed him to a stop a couple feet away. "Especially you and the girl. Sakura, I think her name was."
"Don't bring her into this," Sasuke warned, narrowing his crimson eyes into a sharp glare. He's trying to throw me off, he noticed, carefully planning out his next move. But why would Kabuto be interested in us in the first place? What could his motive possibly be?
"Or what?" Kabuto challenged, undeterred by Sasuke's scowl. Throwing off his cloak, he reached into his weapons pouch to pull out a pair of senbon, causing Sasuke to immediately sink into a defensive stance. He regulated the chakra throughout his body, adrenaline pumping through his veins as he prepared for battle.
"I've got years of experience ahead of you, Uchiha," Kabuto snickered. "I fear you severely underestimate me."
All of a sudden, plumes of smoke exploded in the air between them, and a thunderous boom echoed in Sasuke's ears. Throwing himself to the side to avoid the blast, he skidded across the concrete rooftop, planting his feet to stop and reorient himself. Curls of smoke dissipated in the wind to reveal the form of a well-built, older man, his body positioned directly in between him and Kabuto.
What Sasuke had first mistaken as part of the smoke revealed to be a ponytail of knotted, spiky white hair cascading down the man's back and onto the hefty, tightly-wound scroll hanging at his waist. Two bold scarlet marks streaked through his weathered face, their rich hue mirroring the haori he wore on top of his moss green kimono shirt. Perched on his broad shoulder sat a stubby toad, its beady eyes surveying the situation while a pair of aviator goggles hung on its neck.
Without dropping his guard, Sasuke paused for a moment as he tried to place why the stranger held such an aura of familiarity about him, despite never seeing him before. Memories of the academy and lessons on the Third Shinobi World War soon filtered into his mind, and once he was able to connect the pieces, he couldn't help but feel genuine shock over the turn of events. He's one of the Legendary Sannin, Sasuke recognized, nearly taken aback by the amount of power he sensed radiating from the aged shinobi. Although Orochimaru had much the same amount, this man's chakra exuded a much gentler and open presence that spoke of wisdom and great power.
"Kabuto." The Sannin's voice was low and rough, and his words were terse, likened to a stern reprimand. "Leave. Now."
For an odd moment, Kabuto's expression reflected his uncertainty, and his eyes met Sasuke's one last time before he heeded the Sannin's words and burst into a cloud of smoke, swiftly making his exit. The man released a deep sigh, the rigid expression on his face gradually relaxing into an easy smile as he tilted his head to address the Uchiha.
"Sorry, kid," he grinned, his change in demeanor abrupt as he began rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "If I had come earlier, maybe that situation wouldn't have escalated so far." At Sasuke's silence, he dropped his hand and extended it out to him in greeting. "Sorry for my bad manners, I haven't introduced myself yet."
"You're one of the Legendary Sannin," Sasuke remarked curtly, allowing his Sharingan to recede to preserve his chakra.
"Well, you certainly know your history," the Sannin responded with a deep-throated chuckle, flashing the boy a charming grin and giving him a thumbs-up.
"You can call me Jiraiya."
"Sasuke! Sasuke, are you there?"
Sakura, Sasuke recognized immediately, tearing his gaze away from Jiraiya as he remembered his teammates. Sakura's words echoed amidst the stillness of the night, hints of concern and worry seeping into the edges of her voice. Capturing both Jiraiya and Sasuke's attention, they scanned the rooftops shrouded in darkness in an attempt to pinpoint the young girl. Sharp, deadly tomoe spun to life within the thick scarlet of the Uchiha's irises as his eyes searched the darkness with an enhanced gaze, finely tuned to the variations of chakra around him.
Eventually, the balmy warmth of Sakura's chakra flooded his senses, and the familiarity of her signature unconsciously eased the tension out of his taut muscles and shoulders. Naruto's signature moved along with her, its burning, radiating nature appearing out of place beside hers. The Uchiha was able to track their signatures as they made their way across the rooftops from the direction of the hotel, and after a brief moment, their silhouettes became noticeable as they moved closer to his position. It seemed as though they had spotted Sasuke, as he locked eyes with Sakura's darting pine orbs and signaled to them with a wave of his hand. Within seconds, their sandals landed noiselessly on the rooftop, although their attention was instantly snatched by the towering man commanding such a powerful chakra signature.
"Hey there!" the Sannin greeted with an enthusiastic smile and wink, an amused twinkle residing in his wrinkled eyes at the genin's sincere shock.
"J-Jiraiya-sama," Sakura gasped. The wind chill dusted her cheeks with blush, and her eyes bounced rapidly between Jiraiya and Sasuke, her gaze heavy with questions and confusion. "Why...how are you here? What's going on?"
"Wait! Who is this guy?" their blond teammate asked, utterly lost as he whipped his head back and forth between his teammates. "Do you guys know him?"
"He's Jiraiya, one of the Legendary Sannin," Sakura supplied, briefly glancing at Naruto before turning her attention back to the Sannin. "But why are you here? All of the jonin were recently called back to Konoha by the Hokage. Were you sent by him?"
"I'm well aware of the Hokage's orders," Jiraiya assured, although the carefree glimmer in his eyes grew sober. "As to what I'm doing here...well, this young man right here," he nodded to Sasuke, "got into a little bit of a struggle with one of the other genin. I was just helping him out."
Both of his teammates directed their questioning gazes towards him, and left with no choice, Sasuke disclosed the genin's name with reluctance.
"Kabuto," he answered briefly, taking no care to elaborate.
"Kabuto?" Naruto furrowed his brow, taking a moment to sound out the name before his eyes widened visibly in recollection. "You mean the guy from the chunin exams? He picked a fight with you?" His cheeks lifted as his lips curved into a childish smirk, an aura of mischief radiating from him like waves. "I mean, I thought he was just some nobody, but if he kicked your ass he must be more powerful than I thought."
Suppressing a scowl, the Uchiha simply clicked his tongue in annoyance, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Tch. We didn't even fight, idiot." Does he have an off-switch?
Losing interest in his teammate, Sasuke's attention wandered over to Sakura, observing her with a subtle curiosity. To his surprise, her reaction appeared fairly composed with a clipped nod, and if he hadn't known Sakura for so long, he wouldn't have picked up the way her eyes cooled and hardened and her body language turned tense.
There's something about Kabuto that she's not telling me about, Sasuke deduced, narrowing his eyes as he tried to hypothesize the connection between the two. Why does she act weird whenever Kabuto is mentioned? He thought back to the day before the chunin exams when he encountered Kabuto and Sakura together in the hallway, the atmosphere strained and their bodies positioned in discreet stances as if on the verge of battle. Did he say something to her?
No matter how much he theorized, Sasuke knew that the only way he was going to get an immediate answer was from Sakura, and the chances she would tell him were slim to none. After all, she had already assured him that nothing happened, although a tugging feeling at his gut suggested otherwise. Regardless, he filed the thought away for later, finding it more beneficial to stay tuned in to the conversation and the Sannin's presence.
"We'll talk about Kabuto later," Sakura decided, following much the same thought pattern as Sasuke. "You still haven't told us what you're doing here, Jiraiya-sama. Is there something wrong in Konoha?"
With no urgency, the Sannin pondered the question, and his age became evident in the way his cracked lips curled into a knowing smile. "Well, there have always been things wrong with Konoha," he responded with a sardonic chuckle, somewhat startling Sasuke in its bitterness. "It's just now that those problems are choosing to reveal themselves."
Something about Jiraiya's tone unsettled Sasuke, and he exchanged hesitant glances with his teammates, unsure of what to make of the Sannin's words. Jiraiya seemed to notice this, since his weathered expression gradually repossessed its childish disposition, the keen edge in his eyes softening.
"Well, your sensei did tell me that you were a unique bunch," he amended, studying the genin as he carefully thought out his next words. "And you're all Kakashi's students, so you must be bright..." His words trailed off as the wind swallowed the silence afterward, its invisible palms tousling Sasuke's hair and tickling the skin of his arms.
"Alright, I guess I could fill you in on some details about my mission," Jiraiya finally decided, winking at the genin and flashing his teeth in a friendly grin. "Although, it might be a better idea to talk in a place more secure. Where are you guys staying in Suna?"
Sasuke and Sakura exchanged a glance for a moment, and when Sasuke nodded subtly, Sakura slipped on a soft smile before turning her attention back to the Sannin.
"We're staying at a hotel near the testing center," she answered Jiraiya, gesturing vaguely at the direction of the building. "We can go through the window if you'd like to keep your presence a secret."
"That would be ideal," the Sannin nodded.
"Then follow me." She paused for a moment, making sure that everyone heard her, locking her jade eyes with Sasuke's for a quick second. Then, she took off.
Within minutes, the group hopped through the window into the hotel room, careful to mask the presence of their chakra until they were safely inside. Sliding the windowsill shut, Jiraiya swiftly surveyed the room, deeming it suitable with a short nod. Sasuke glanced at the untidy bed as he entered the room, creases still lingering on the pillowcases where their heads had rested a little while ago. Unconsciously, his gaze wandered over to the dirty mirror hanging on the wall across from the bed, and for a moment, a flash of red flitted across his vision. The image of his shaking body and sweat-soaked hair, along with the eyes of his bloodline, stared back at him, dragging up unpleasant memories from his nightmare. He squeezed his fist, his nails digging deep into his palm until the image receded, the mirror once more reflecting the room's soft candlelight and his charcoal eyes.
Focus, he reminded himself. Leaning against the wall, Sasuke folded his arms above his chest and silently observed the Sannin make himself comfortable. So far, Sasuke's impression of Jiraiya had been underwhelming, although, from the stories he had heard, his expectations shouldn't have been high. The man seemed to possess the manner of a child, and his temperament changed at the flip of a coin, making him unpredictable and hard to read. His eyes held the mischievous twinkle of a man concealing many layers, daring whoever he comes across to try and figure him out. It wasn't a quality Sasuke was too fond of, and he decided to proceed with caution, even though the Sannin had appeared to intervene on his behalf against Kabuto.
"So, why were you sent here?" Sasuke questioned, sparing no time for small talk. "What's your mission?"
Lifting the scroll from his back, Jiraiya placed it against the wall before turning to face Sasuke. This toad summon remained perched on his broad shoulder, simply blinking its amphibian eyes as it awaited its master's command with patience.
"Actually, kid, I'm not here on an official mission," Jiraiya corrected. "It's more so...a hunch. A personal investigation, if you will."
"A hunch?" Naruto echoed, his confusion similar to Sasuke's. "You mean you weren't sent by the Hokage?"
"What exactly is your hunch?" Sakura followed up, growing more curious by the moment.
"My hunch?" Well..." Jiraiya paused, gathering his thoughts. "How about you all tell me a little bit about your stay here? Has anything seemed off to you? Ever since your sensei left?"
The three genin gave each other a knowing look, silently communicating before turning to face the Sannin once more.
"Well, actually..."
Starting from the second stage of the exams, Sakura began to recount their battle with Orochimaru, all the way up to the ambush by the Sound Ninja. When she mentioned the curse mark, Sasuke barely hid the scowl twisting his expression, his rage simmering at what Orochimaru did to him. Although it had been a couple of days since he'd first been bitten, the presence of Orochimaru's chakra felt foreign in his body, and every so often he'd have to suppress the urge to try and claw the seal off of him. He'd noticed his body growing weaker and weaker as time passed, the parasitic chakra sucking the energy out of him, and at night, images of serpents and forked tongues would permeate his dreams, creeping in when all was still.
The sheer amount of power he had wielded when the seal took over astounded him, letting him experience some sort of twisted euphoria, drugging him with the chakra's intoxicating effects. The serpent's chakra had suppressed him with its power, unleashing his vengeful desires from their shackles and blinding him until the only thing he could see was rage. It wasn't until Sakura had wrapped her gentle arms around him that he felt the chakra's grip slip. How close he was to slipping into madness had frightened him, but what had frightened him more was how, for a brief moment, he had yearned for it to consume him.
"...that was certainly not what I was expecting." Jiraiya's comment startled Sasuke out of his train of thought, and he shifted his gaze back towards his teammates, who had just finished narrating his reaction to the curse mark. Sasuke noticed how Sakura deliberately left out the ending of that scene.
"I mean, I suspected something underhanded going on," he elaborated, "but not that it was the work of a familiar face."
"Orochimaru used to be your teammate, right?" Sasuke pointed out.
Jiraiya nodded, motioning Sasuke to come closer. "Would you come over here for a moment, Sasuke? I just want to check that cursed seal of yours."
The Uchiha frowned at his request, but after a beat, stood up from the wall and made his way over to Jiraiya, turning around and exposing his mark. The only response the Sannin gave was a grim nod, his features grave as his wrinkles deepened like carvings on stone.
"The Cursed Seal of Heaven." His voice rumbled and shook the silence like an earthquake, communicating the weight of the situation at hand. "You've certainly gotten yourself into quite a mess, Sasuke."
"How do I get rid of it?" Sasuke's words were impatient, eager to free his body from the snake's imprint. There must be a way to remove it, he assured himself, although the way Jiraiya's expression sagged only intensified the panic plaguing him.
"...You can't," Jiraiya finally answered, his tone heavy with remorse and resignation.
"What?!" Naruto's eyes reflected a shocking azure as he questioned Jiraiya on behalf of his teammate. "You mean there is nothing you can do about it?! Aren't you supposed to be a Legendary Sannin?"
"Settle down, kid," Jiraiya sighed, shaking his head in response. "Orochimaru's Curse Seal serves one purpose: to corrupt its bearer and corrode their mind until they are too weak to resist him. He then seeps into their body and consumes whatever is left of their soul. The only one that can undo his seal is himself, and the chances that he would let you, Sasuke, slip out of his grasp are slim to none."
"But there is a way to repress the seal, right?" Sakura suddenly spoke up, stepping forward. Although she was asking a question, there was a certainty in her jade eyes that appeared out of place amongst the rest of her teammates. "Tsunade-sama taught me a sealing method that could potentially repress it, although I'm not sure I've mastered the method."
Raising his brow at this, Jiraiya cocked his head as he studied the young kunoichi in front of him, his expression revealing nothing of his thoughts.
"Yes, there is a way to repress the seal," he finally conceded, nodding his head at Sakura. "The Evil Sealing Method. I'm surprised Tsunade even mentioned it, since it's a high-level jutsu not typically taught to genin, or jonin, for that matter. It'll repress the curse seal enough to avoid its ill effects..." Pausing, the Sannin shifted his attention back to the Uchiha, his wise, keen eyes boring into the boy's. "...however, Sasuke, the method will only work if you choose it to work. The moment you lose your will and surrender yourself to its power, the sealing will mean nothing."
Nothing? Sasuke lightly traced his fingertips over the seal tattooed on the nape of his neck, hyper aware of the malicious chakra within his body. So it would be his decision in the end. There was no doubt that he was repulsed by the very idea of that snake trying to consume his body...but, there was something within him that made him hesitate. Some part of him that resided in the very depths of his soul, that commanded a darkness he attempted to keep hidden from his teammates and his teachers, that was fueled by rage, open wounds, and the deepest of loathing, craved a sip of the seal's intoxicating power. It heeded the whispers of Orochimaru's chakra, seduced by its subtle callings and promise of absolute strength.
"Please Sasuke...I don't want to lose you."
The memory of Sakura's soft voice arose within his mind unconsciously, disturbing his thoughts like raindrops upon a still pond. No matter the time, whenever his mind had drifted to his curse mark before, somehow, his thoughts would always end up on Sakura, even if it was just the sound of her voice. She had barely whispered those words under her breath, her voice muffled by his shirt and the sound of the curse mark's chakra receding; he almost hadn't heard her. Almost.
Her whispered words had struck him like lightning, forcing him to pause as he took in the sheer amount of emotion her voice held. At that moment, she reminded him of himself, losing everyone he cared about to the edge of his brother's blade. His knees dropping to the dirt as he cried and begged his brother, moments before he was swallowed by his genjutsu.
From that day on, he had vowed to himself he would never let it happen again. He would never let those he cared about be slaughtered in front of him. Never again.
Gathering himself, Sasuke nodded in acceptance towards Jiraiya, ignoring the concerned glances of his teammates at his pause.
"I'm ready," he stated with not a hint of hesitance, steeling himself. There are other ways to gain power and other ways to defeat him. I won't surrender to Orochimaru, if only for my sake...and theirs. "I'll do it."
His words weighed upon them with an aura of finality, earning Sasuke the attention of the three ninja. Beside him, Sakura studied him intently, and Sasuke could tell she was genuinely surprised from the discreet way her eyes widened and lips parted. However, when their eyes locked, the kunoichi's expression dissolved into a genuine, encouraging smile, and Sasuke didn't miss the way her eyes flickered with pride.
"Well, alright then," Jiraiya nodded with approval, his eyes wrinkling as he split his lips into a joyous grin. "The sooner we complete the sealing, the better. I'm not sure whether or not we'll have a chance to meet together like this again, so my strong recommendation is that we complete the preparations tonight."
"Wait a second, Jiraiya-sama," Sakura began. "You still haven't told us what your investigation is here is Suna. And you," she spun around towards Sasuke, "still haven't told us why Jiraiya found you with Kabuto."
"Hey, Sakura-chan's right!" Naruto exclaimed, his head frantically whipping between the Uchiha and the Sannin. "You still haven't answered our questions. Tell us, dattebayo!"
When the silence following Naruto's words grew too long, Sasuke begrudgingly spoke up, not too keen on discussing his failure to catch Kabuto.
"I caught him watching us from outside the window while we were asleep," he informed his teammates. "I chased him for a while and caught up to him, but he left after Jiraiya showed up."
A startled gasp passed through Sakura's lips at his words, and her expression reflected clear distress as her eyes desperately sought his. "Wait a second- you mean he was surveilling us?!"
"That's so creepy," Naruto frowned, shivering to emphasize his point. "Why would Kabuto be interested in us?"
"Kabuto is Orochimaru's lackey," Jiraiya chimed in, folding his arms across his broad chest. "You could even say he's his right-hand man. Wherever Kabuto is, Orochimaru is never far away, plotting from the shadows."
Sasuke's jaw nearly slackened at what the Sannin disclosed, his thunderous orbs flashing with brewing anger. That bastard was affiliated with Orochimaru all along? he seethed, his loathing more intense at his failure to capture the snake's spy.
"He's watching us to keep tabs on Sasuke's seal," Sakura pieced together, her eyes reflecting her mind swiftly at work. "And since he met you, he's likely going to report to Orochimaru about your presence in the village. Did your investigation have anything to do with Orochimaru, by chance?"
Solemnly shaking his head, Jiraiya replied, "No, I wasn't aware of Orochimaru's appearance in Suna. But, based on what you three have told me, his presence only strengthens my initial theory. I believe that Sunagakure is engaging in some underhanded tactics and could possibly be preparing for war with Konoha, although it might as well be Orochimaru himself pulling the strings. It could explain why the jonin were so suddenly pulled back to Konoha and why Suna was able to host the exams in the first place."
"Didn't Suna request to host the exams as a thank you to its allied villages?" the kunoichi countered, considering the Sannin's theory. "They're grateful for their help with the sandstorms, right?"
"That's precisely my point," Jiraiya nodded, his gaze darkening to a hue of burnt umber. "I believe that the sandstorms entirely were a mere fabrication. Did any of you glimpse any damage from these so-called 'devastating storms'?"
The genin only responded with a hesitant shake of their heads. Satisfied with their answer, the Sannin carried on. "Although I'm not entirely sure of Orochimaru's motivations, they can only be malicious. And Orochimaru being able to place the curse seal on Sasuke gives him plenty of motive to separate the genin from their jonin guardians. Now," he nodded to the toad perched upon his shoulder, "I intended to send a message to Tsunade regarding my status, but now I believe I should contact Kakashi as well. He must be informed about Orochimaru and the curse mark."
"Are we going to seal the mark tonight?" Sasuke asked, carefully hiding his desperation to do so. Despite his nonchalance, the Sannin saw right through him, and his lips quirked upward at the Uchiha's impatience.
"Once I send these letters, we will begin preparations," he assured, slipping a pair of compact scrolls from his pocket. "We must make haste, however. This process must be completed in secrecy, and we haven't much time until dawn."
Taking in the Sannin's words, Sasuke once more brushed his fingers upon his neck before nodding.
Never again.
The lone clip of footsteps echoed throughout the empty hallway, disturbing the tense silence that was normally filled to the brim with chatter and cots being rolled this way and that. Pressing her paperwork close to her chest, Tsunade meandered through the maze of hospital corridors, growing weary of the stark white walls and the flickering fluorescent lights overhead. It had been a slow day at the hospital, thankfully, with the schedule permitting most of the staff to return to their abodes by early evening.
Although she had returned to Konoha mainly to research the time scroll, Tsunade soon found herself tangled up in Konoha's hospital matters once more, unable to resist the pull of her craft. Of course, the Third Hokage's urging and Shizune's nagging had played a role in her emergence from retirement. However, she couldn't deny that she held some curiosity as to how Konoha changed during her years abroad. Upon her return, she seamlessly assumed the position as head medic, as her abilities far outranked the current head's, and handled communication between the medical department and the Hokage. When alone, however, she spent her time researching time travel and the jutsus that can harness its power, as well as the forbidden technique Sakura mentioned had been performed on Zabuza during her mission to the Land of the Waves.
At the moment, Tsunade was completing her rounds for the day, checking in on patients and confirming that staff on the overnight shift were present. Her strides were swift and purposeful, her eagerness to return home, have a warm cup of sake, and resume her research apparent. Turning a corner, her pace slowed to a stop as she came upon the office of someone familiar, her amber eyes glancing over the words etched onto the nameplate.
Dr. Yami, Tsunade read, peeking at the checklist of names she held in her slim fingers. If I remember correctly, she's Sakura's supervisor. She's supposed to be night shift, but I don't sense her chakra in her office. Curious, the Sannin turned the doorknob and entered the room, flicking on the light switch to illuminate the sparsely decorated room. The office was chilly and bare, but that didn't surprise Tsunade, based on what she had gathered Yami's personality to be in their sparse interactions. Although there was almost no personal touch to the room, the petite handbag hanging off of the chair and the ID tag strewn across the desk confirmed that Yami at one point had visited her office. She must be in the records room, Tsunade reasoned, putting her curiosity to bed as she turned on her heel to leave.
However, her interest reignited once more as her gaze settled upon a miniature bookshelf tucked into the nearest corner of the room, a collection of books residing on its oak shelves. Oddly enough, the bookshelf appeared almost out of place in the bare, basic room, its books clearly used by the notable absence of dust on their covers. Titles ranging from Sunagakure to their cuisines and herbs adorned their spines, almost all of them relating some way or another to the Village Hidden in the Sand. That's right, she's a transfer from Sunagakure, Tsunade recalled, a brief memory of Sakura mentioning the detail resurfacing in her mind. It wasn't uncommon for transfers to decorate their offices with momentos from wherever they came from, may it be precious Iwagakure minerals or sketches of the mountainous peaks of Kumogakure. Sakura told me she transferred only a couple of weeks ago. Maybe she left because of the sandstorms?
In recent weeks, Konoha had been flooded with refugees from the Sand, most of them escaping the violent winds of the sandstorms raging across Sunagakure. According to the Kazekage, the sandstorms had recently died down, and Sunagakure suggested they host the Chunin Exams, both as thanks to their allied nations and as a celebration for overcoming the natural disasters that befell them.
But why would an accomplished medical-nin leave during a time of disaster? Wouldn't they need all the help they could get? The thought puzzled Tsunade, and she momentarily forgot her rush to return home, her emerging curiosity coaxing her to stay. It was certainly something that stumped her, especially with her knowledge of how deeply the Fourth Kazekage cared for his village. It was out of character for him to allow his most valuable doctors to transfer during a time of peril for his village, and any seasoned medical-nin would understand how desperate a village could become for medics during a time of need.
And it's unlikely that the cause is personal issues, Tsunade deduced. Most shinobi are profoundly loyal to their nation. It's almost unheard of a shinobi leaving their village during a perilous time, unless of course, they were planning to go rogue. So what could be the reason? Gaining more momentum, Tsunade's astute mind spun with questions, trying to unveil the mystery Yami so artfully concealed.
In a moment of thought, the memory of her last conversation with Jiraiya surfaced in her mind, recalling the grave expression his dark eyes carried.
"So, you will be heading to Sunagakure then? To the Chunin Exams? What are you hoping to find?"
"Nothing, if I'm lucky. But that's rarely the case, is it?"
He was going to investigate Sunagakure, Tsunade remembered. Before she had seen her former teammate off on his journey to Suna, Jiraiya had confessed his suspicions to Tsunade, shortly after his visit to the Sandaime. She had been aware of his beliefs for a while, although she wasn't sure if she shared them since, at the time, it had seemed highly unlikely. But when she put more thought into his theory, pieces that she wasn't even aware existed fell into place before her, gradually forming an image that more or less supported Jiraiya's suspicions. The convenient timing of the sandstorms. Suna's request to host the exams. The minimal damage to the village, at least according to Kakashi.
Sakura had even informed Tsunade that in her previous life, Orochimaru, her deranged ex-teammate, had orchestrated an attack on Konoha as well as the assassination of the Third Hokage. Could he have masterminded the sandstorms as well? Tsunade's grip on her checklist tightened until the paper crumpled, a sense of dread encompassing her. Although the room wasn't particularly cold, a sudden chill passed through her body, and she felt goosebumps travel down the skin of her arms under her haori. An awareness rooted itself within her that she had missed something very, very important.
Bare walls. Sparse desk. The medic's keen eyes flickered from one side of the room to the next, taking in every minuscule detail before her. No personal items, whatsoever. Nothing that could reveal anything about her other than her name and that she transferred from Suna, which is common knowledge. Even her handbag was nothing special, and the only thing other than case files atop her desk was her ID tag, which only had her name and access code. These are traits of someone who wants to blend in and hide from the interest of others. Traits of someone who wants to be invisible.
A spy.
Although the thought certainly surprised Tsunade, she couldn't fight the disturbing feeling that it made sense, despite all of the pieces in the puzzle that remained shrouded in darkness. Acting upon her hunch, the Sannin closed her eyes, immersing herself in the knowledge shinobi were taught and the training she had undergone. If she is a Suna spy, I need to discover Suna's motive for sending her, as well as find some evidence to confirm it. Many shinobi use scrolls as a way to communicate information, but the question is, where would she keep them?
Lifting her eyes, Tsunade scanned the room once more, this time filtering her perspective through the eyes of a spy. If I was Yami, where would be a safe location to store my secrets? The only logical location was her own office, since it was the only place where Yami could spend a significant amount of time without raising suspicion, as well as gather intel. Muting her chakra and praying that her colleague didn't discover her, Tsunade moved throughout the room with the grace of an experienced kunoichi, checking in drawers and behind shelves, careful to leave no trace of her presence.
Despite her vigorous search, the Sannin couldn't help but feel somewhat relieved that she hadn't discovered anything. Well, there goes the rest of my evening, she chuckled to herself, gently sliding the desk drawer shut after thoroughly inspecting it. I've been spending too much time with Jiraiya. Could she have been so paranoid over Sunagakure to accuse a colleague as traitorous? A colleague who she knew next to nothing about, with the only evidence of her attachment to Suna being a couple of books lying on her shelf.
Still, Tsunade could not rid herself of the twisted feeling in her stomach that something was deeply wrong. She just couldn't place her finger on exactly what it was.
The Sannin's lips let out a sigh of resignation before she returned to her full height, halfheartedly marking down that Yami was indeed present on her checklist. Gathering herself, Tsunade made her way to the doorway once more, her thoughts in a state of tumult as she gripped with her shinobi instincts and the shame of suspecting her own colleague. Just as she passed the desk, the sound of her heel hitting the wooden floor resonated throughout the room.
Tsunade paused abruptly in her step.
The floor, it sounds...hollow, she noticed, realization dawning upon her. Could it be...? Not wasting time any more time dwelling, the Sannin swiftly dropped to her knees, tossing her checklist onto the tabletop before diverting her attention to the floorboard. Balling her fist, she rapped her knuckles against the wooden board, pressing her ear against the floor to hear the fluctuation in sound. It's hollow, she confirmed, pressing her lips together in anticipation as she straightened her back. Digging her fingers into the edges of the floorboard, she funneled her chakra into her palms, cautious to keep her chakra signature dim so as not to be discovered. The wood was weak against her might, and soon enough it creaked and splintered against her hold, her hands prying the board out of the floor with ease.
The board revealed a small, hidden compartment underneath it, with the bold characters of explosive tags lining the sides of the scroll tucked within. The Sannin held her composure, narrowing her intelligent eyes at the mess of wires strung just above the scroll, mimicking the web of a spider. If I trigger even one of the wires, the tags will detonate. Working her slim fingers through the wires, she gradually unraveled the web, the practice of thousands of surgeries honing her hand-eye coordination to be as sharp as ever. Once the wires were out of the way, she carefully extracted the scroll from the compartment, weaving her hands into a series of signs before dispelling the seal that stretched across the tightly wound parchment.
Rolling out the parchment, Tsunade's expression slackened in shock at the paragraphs upon paragraphs of information it contained, her keen intellect unable to decipher the strange symbols and words that crowded the page. A cipher, she recognized, her eyes roaming across the sea of ink peppered throughout white pages before her.
Although Tsunade couldn't decode the text, the fact an accomplished medical-nin was in possession of a ciphered scroll was enough evidence to potentially convict her and subject her to interrogation on grounds of treason. To Tsunade, however, the scroll all but confirmed her already growing doubts. This could only mean one thing, she thought to herself, the weight of what she had just discovered dawning upon her.
Konoha has been infiltrated.
"So, my old teammate has made a surprising appearance, hm?" Orochimaru hummed, folding his hands in front of his chest as a sickening smile eased onto his pale lips. His intense reptilian eyes shrouded his thoughts in mystery, the flickering flames of the torches creating shadows that contrasted sharply with the striking amber hue of his irises. Adjusting his glasses, Kabuto simply nodded at his master, the dim lighting of the room hiding his features in the shadows.
"I had been surveilling the Uchiha when he appeared," Kabuto elaborated, a slightly troubled frown adorning his features. "He had chased me from the hotel room onto one of the rooftops, and then Jiraiya had appeared. The rest of the team soon joined them. I eavesdropped on them for a while, but I believe Jiraiya sensed my signature. He revealed almost nothing about the reason for his presence and urged the genin to return to the hotel."
Orochimaru didn't seem surprised in the slightest by this, clearly aware of the profound abilities of his former teammate. Instead, he shifted his predatory gaze to the darkness in front of them, peering past the steel bars to a figure writhing on the floor, their entire body cloaked in shadow. The faint light of the torches only illuminated about half of the room, leaving the other half consumed by thick gloom. Within the prison, the dim outline of a person shivering and thrashing could be glimpsed, their quiet moans echoing unanswered in the vast chamber.
Following the Sannin's gaze, Kabuto lightly tossed a vial in his palm, a cunning smirk pulling at his lips. "Should I give it to her?" he asked his teacher, his tone almost indifferent, with a slight touch of amusement. "It's already been two hours. At this rate, she'll pass out again."
"...let her suffer a little longer," Orochimaru hissed, his striking eyes narrowing slightly. "She chose this path; let her atone for her mistakes." His apprentice only nodded in agreement, leaning against the wall as they silently watched their prisoner struggle in darkness.
Once again, the trembling voice of their captive broke the fragile silence. "O-Orochimaru-s...sama," she barely choked out, her words shaking like leaves in the wind. "I...I...told you everything, I...swear! You...you c-can't keep me...here-"
With the speed of a viper, Orochimaru's hand lashed out into the cell, his arm stretching to an inhuman length as his fingers clutched the woman's shirt and dragged her to the steel bars. Something strange flashed over his expression, his eyes darkening several shades as he lined his face with his captive's, his smile only widening. "I gave you those eyes," he whispered into her ear, her body stilling. "And I can take them away."
In the blink of an eye, he tossed the woman back into the depths of the cell, stepping back to his original position as if nothing had transpired. A pained gasp erupted from her throat, and Kabuto could tell she had collapsed by the thump that resounded soon afterward. Glancing at his master, the sound shinobi proceeded to slip into the prison once Orochimaru gave him a subtle nod, careful to close the gate fully behind him.
The thick scent of blood and sweat permeated the stuffy air, and Kabuto unconsciously wrinkled his nose in disgust as he made his way closer to their captive. Plucking the cork from the vial, his hands gripped onto the back of her scalp before tugging her head backward, her smog-hued locks tangled in his firm fingers. He tilted the vial slightly into her chapped, parted lips, letting the greenish liquid dribble into her mouth.
"The transplants seem to have more ill effects than I intended," Kabuto mused as he released the woman from his grasp, watching with mild apathy as her weakened form toppled onto the ground. "No matter, the benefits far outweigh the consequences. After all, we wouldn't have discovered that girl, Haruno Sakura, without them. According to the old hag, her chakra possesses strength beyond her time. Certainly an interesting teammate for Sasuke, isn't she?"
"She conceals many secrets," the Sannin agreed with a slight nod, his gaze tracking his apprentice as he left the cell. "However, our main priority is the Uchiha. He has already had a taste of the overwhelming power the seal possesses. It's only a matter of time before he falls prey to his own ambitions."
"Dosu informed me of their encounter," Kabuto nodded. "The Uchiha seems to have great potential. He also told me that the girl had tried to destroy the bracelet before Dosu and his team intervened. She must have suspected something."
Orochimaru brushed off his apprentice's words with a wave of his hand, his reptilian eyes fixed upon their unconscious captive. "It's of no consequence; we do not need to track them anymore. After all, they are bound by the confines of the village."
"Such a shame," Kabuto clicked his tongue with a sardonic chuckle. "The old hag worked so hard to persuade her. She's a good actress, if I do say so myself. What shall I do about Jiraiya?"
"Nothing," the Sannin ordered, turning away from the cell and moving to the doorway. His apprentice followed after him, the reflection of the torchlight covering his glasses with a crimson sheen. "I have reason to suspect my former teammate already knows I'm here."
The healed flesh of his tongue wet his lips, and something ignited in the Sannin's cold, dead eyes. "I look forward to our reunion."
Hey guys! Long time no see...
Sorry for the long wait. I know that this chapter has been long awaited, and honestly I was planning on releasing it months ago, but life happened. I still have exams, so chapters will be a little slow for a while, but once they're over I will have a lot more time to focus on this story.
*IMPORTANT: Quick note, while revising, I realized that I wrote that the break between the preliminaries and the finals is one week. This is wrong- the break is the same length as the show, which is one month. The details about what exactly is going on in that sense will be released next chapter.
Thank you so much and please let me know your thoughts about this chapter! I'd like to say thank you for the well-wishes you all sent me and your continued support. I'm trying my best to make time and put effort into this story, so I appreciate whatever feedback, criticism, or opinions you all have to offer. It encourages me to keep writing this story.
Once again, thank you for your patience and I hope you have a lovely rest of your day :)