The deafening crash of the explosion of light made everyone cover their ears and cringe, frightened of what else could come next.
Fortunately, it didn't last long and a moment of silence gained space amidst seemingly incessant madness.
"Did it kill that thing?" Weiss looked around and thanked that this absurd attack hadn't resulted in violent waves of wind, or else they would all be in bad shape without Aoda around.
The question hung in the air with no apparent answer, whose expectant response no one dared to utter for fear of being wrong.
Or so most thought.
"No," Sasuke took the liberty to spread the bad news but relieved that those who mattered were well and undeniably disappointed with the number of injuries presented before his eyes. "That attack wasn't even close to being strong enough, but it must have resulted in some damage."
Such an expectation remained despite the uncertainty, as he could not carry out another attack of that scale anytime soon.
Ruby, Weiss, Yang, and everyone who was aware, and had heard that voice before, froze in place when they focused on the terribly beautiful half-naked figure with flowing black hair amid the rays of light provided by the fading darkness and the clearing of storm clouds.
Of all the astonished people present, only two were able to escape their states of captivating fascination and had the courage to move; run towards the one who suddenly appeared.
"Sasuke!" Weiss and Ruby threw themselves at him without caring about anything or anyone, shedding tears accumulated by all the despair and hope cultivated since they set foot on this battlefield full of uncertainties and fears.
They were happy just to know that Sasuke was fine and had returned safely.
However, the name said didn't bring relief to everyone present.
Yang felt her heart stop beating for a moment.
That face... she knew it very well, always present in her hottest dreams. Those incompatible eyes, on the other hand, used to shine in the darkness of her worst nightmares.
This wasn't true.
It couldn't be.
She wanted to deny such nonsense, to refuse to believe it in front of her, and to claim that it was all just another illusion provided by fear, but... she couldn't.
It didn't matter how many neurons she burned, desperately trying to find a way out; a loophole to escape this unwanted reality presented... Yang couldn't do it.
All the facts were undeniable.
The hottest hunter... The god acclaimed for protecting Remnant... was the same person.
Both were Uchiha Sasuke.
Sasuke was the person Yang loved for keeping her mind away from what scared her, as well as the one she hated for being the living manifestation of her fears and worst nightmare.
What in the seven hells should I do about this?! Yang was almost hyperventilating in the face of this conflicting revelation. Even more, confused to the extreme to see her sister and archenemy embracing the target of her affection and disaffected with seemingly reciprocal care.
Anger and pain clung to her fractured heart, widening that existing chasm with something that Yang didn't understand and would hardly do while she lived.
Something she desperately wanted to get rid of before it devoured her completely; that harmful touch of resentment and chaos that could drive her crazy.
Sasuke didn't expect to be received that way, but he didn't even come close to considering rejecting the touch full of relief in the face of the concern imposed by recent events and struggled to return the gesture with calm and understanding.
"It's all right now," he assured them with a smile capable of calming even the most turbulent heart, stroking white and reddish-black hair as he was presented with salty drops of a thousand and one meanings.
"I know," Ruby nodded, enjoying every second of this cozy warmth exhaled by the pristine exposed skin, the unprecedented sense of security that spread through her body and filled her heart. I don't want to let him go...
"Sorry." Weiss looked at him, at the way those unique eyes showed nothing but acceptance despite the fact that she was nothing more than a burden at the moment, and raised an odious question. Can I really bring happiness to someone so incredible?
"There is no reason to apologize." Sasuke didn't know exactly what was going on in the head of these two, but he had a good idea based on the reaction shown. Everything that has happened recently and continues to happen... must be quite a blow to anyone who doesn't know this world.
By world, Sasuke was referring to his own and the weight his presence was causing on Remnant.
"But... we didn't help at all," Weiss looked away, whispering the discouraging truth that she learned about herself.
"In this situation, there are few who could help." Sasuke would be in the same group as them if he didn't have several means to keep fighting.
Words that brought comfort, because they presented truths. Ruby and Weiss didn't know or knew that there was anyone who could help against the craziness that was going on in Beacon. Winter and Qrow were the best bets, but even these two couldn't hold a candle against these monsters.
Still, was it really okay to accept that truth? They couldn't and didn't want to reconcile with this logic that represented limitation.
"Speaking of which, where is Aoda?" Sasuke looked around, trying to ignore the incredulous look of those who stared at him with fascination, surprise, and shock. He could imagine the headache he would have later, mainly based on Yang and her exaggerated expression with her mouth and eyes open to the limit, as well as the conflicted shudder of her body. "Don't tell me that his summoning time is over?"
In the worst-case scenario, that last attack could have hit his summon and that wouldn't be a good thing.
"Oh yeah!" Ruby remembered this absurdly important detail, pointing to the mountain of rubble. "H-He was buried while protecting us!"
Sasuke focused on the indicated location and visualized the Chakra of his summoning.
"Indeed," he acknowledged when the girls reluctantly let him walk to the rubble and wove hand seals for a smaller Jutsu. "Earth Style: Landslide!"
The mountain of debris shuddered and collapsed safely to the opposite side, revealing the blue scales of the buried snake.
"On your feet, Aoda," Sasuke spoke only once and his summons responded accordingly.
"Lord Sasuke, I have no feet." Aoda shook the dust off his aching body, deciding to avoid these great human constructions in the future. "But I appreciate the help."
"Hn." Sasuke worried for a moment, but it proved unnecessary. After all, the snakes in the Ryuchi Cave are extremely resistant, in addition to holding a healing factor far above normal.
"Aoda!" Ruby appeared in a whirlwind of rose petals, performing what appeared to be a kind of hug on her gigantic new friend with contentment. "I was so worried!"
"An unnecessary concern." Weiss approached more calmly but pleased to know that her scaly ally was whole. "I knew you were fine."
She didn't know, but what mattered was the intention.
"Thank you for your concern and trust, Lady Ruby, Lady Weiss." Aoda was more grateful that not one of them was injured during that last attack. If Lord Sasuke hadn't redirected... He didn't like to think about the disastrous outcome of that possibility.
"You guys are getting along, I see," Sasuke commented with a slight touch of surprise. What happened between them while I was gone? A show of friendship like this wasn't born that easy.
According to Sasuke's standards, at least.
"That aside," Weiss didn't want to deduce the things Aoda told them, effectively changing the subject. "What happened to Roman and what was that thing?"
"That thing is Roman," Sasuke clarified, and he couldn't blame anyone for the disbelief expressed about his claim.
"Is?" Ruby found it hard to believe, but since Sasuke was saying it, she didn't question it and looked toward the cliff where the lightning dragon exploded. "You mean that…"
She didn't finish, the floor vibrating and dangerous roaring completed what she meant.
"Yes, as I said before, that thing is still alive." Unfortunately, Sasuke would say, but not for long. Soon, I make this thing become smoke again.
"What are we going to do, then?" Weiss expressed her concern when she couldn't think of anything other than the remote possibility that Sasuke couldn't cope with this walking disaster. "If not even that dragon of lighting can destroy it, what in the world can?"
After Sasuke dropped the pile of rubble that Beacon had become, it was possible to see the damage that that black sphere caused. It would be no exaggeration to say that the map would have to change later... That's if there was still civilization to make such a correction, and that hypothesis was the most frightening of all.
When fear was about to hold her heart, a soft touch on her forehead made Weiss forget her dark thoughts and look at Sasuke without understanding what just happened, until she realized what he had done and found it strange.
Suddenly, it was like everything was going to be all right and fine.
Weiss wanted to claim that Sasuke used some kind of magic on her, but... if he did, it must have been in her heart, when he filled her with hope.
"This is something for me to worry about, so trust me," he reassured the girl with her possible pessimistic imagination and won a smile as pure as the white of that hair, motivating him to guarantee the victory to come. "Aoda, can you still fight?"
"Yes, sir," Aoda had no doubt about it, almost eager to triumph against a creature of Bijuu level. "Ready when you are."
"Great," Sasuke nodded, fully satisfied. This time, he focused on the other people present, especially those who were unconscious. I don't think they will last much longer. There was a limit to the treatment that Aoda could do. "But first, I need to heal these people."
Ruby heard this and perked up, waking up from the euphoric appreciation she had when watching the moment shared before her.
"Ohh! Are you going to do that sinister head thing that chews people up?!" She remembered, expectant and grateful for Sasuke to prioritize the wounded over the coming fight against the giant monster.
"That chew?" Weiss came out of her momentary trance and raised an eyebrow, curious about this interesting choice of words.
"Hmm, I think you'd better see for yourself," Ruby said awkwardly, anxious to see her friend's possible reaction and prepare to stop anyone who had the wrong idea about the madness about to happen.
The shudder of everything around, however, indicated a change of plans when the Grimm Bijuu destroyed the mountain of rocks that prevented it from moving and made its way to break through the skies, eclipsing the sun again to send a new wave of despair to those witnessing his rise after the fall.
"Tsk." Sasuke hoped he had soaked this thing for twice the time that had passed until then, so he could do everything he needed and prepare for combat. This way, I won't be able to heal anyone.
"By the heavens!" Port swore, dropping the remains of his battle-ax. "How can we hunt something of this magnitude?!"
"You don't hunt..." Doctor Oobleck clarified, discredited. "Because it's impossible."
That monstrosity even made the giant snake next to them pale in comparison, and somehow it seemed to be bigger than before.
"R-Ren," Nora tried to speak without trembling but managed only to whisper the words in her heart. "If we die today..."
"W-We won't!" That possibility was unthinkable, Ren wouldn't let it happen. "I will... I will cover everyone's emotions and... and..."
He didn't finish, Nora didn't let him by shutting his mouth with hers.
"I love you," she said with a smile that couldn't be said to be happy or sad... it was just acceptance and contentment, hugging him before an answer could be given.
Most of the female audience present shared a strange fluctuation in their bellies and a slight touch of friendly envy for wanting something similar and being happy for a friend in this dark moment.
Although, in a different perspective, it was also a sad sight to behold. If Sasuke couldn't stop that thing, death was a certainty and that love consolidated in the midst of despair would cease to exist.
"I know..." Ren always knew. His Semblance could do more than just hide emotions... he could tell them apart. "And I always loved you too."
"You could have said that before, you idiot!" This time, she actually smiled, just as she shed tears of joy.
If death wasn't hanging in the air, Nora would say that she was living a dream.
However, unaware of this fact, this affectionate exchange was effective in minimizing the gravity of the situation and raising morale based on the desire to see the dawn of a new day.
"Suddenly, I feel that if I don't save you two, I will regret it later..." Sasuke retained an exasperated sigh at this unexpected development and the responsibility weighing on his back. Damn epiphany. Things were much simpler when I didn't care about anything or anyone.
Maybe that was why Naruto had got so powerful; caring for the well-being of those around him was quite a task, requiring much more from the individual to perform such an unorthodox act.
Words spoken by what everyone believed to be a god, served to reinforce that fragile thread called hope.
"Sasuke, are you really going to face that thing?" a rhetorical question, Weiss knew perfectly well as she approached him with mixed emotions. The scene that just unfolded moved her deeply. Her heart was turbulent, divided as to seize the moment and confess what she felt, or... possibly die without having the opportunity to say anything.
"Are you sure you can fight again?" Ruby spoke amid her friend's hesitation, probably in conflict with a similar feeling. Do I tell him? Was this the moment for her to express herself?
An exchange of glances between the two and the answer seemed to be obvious.
This was not the right time.
Considering the possible results, they preferred to believe and wait.
The last thing Sasuke needed was more distractions and worries when there was no room for it.
That monstrosity hovering on the horizon was more than enough.
"Ren, I think God was talking about us," Nora poked her lover quickly, intrigued and vastly hopeful at the words spoken.
"You don't need to comfort us," Ren smiled at the young god focused on the winged enemy that would result in the destruction of the known world. "If the destiny is to perish here..."
"It won't be." Sasuke hated that rant about predestination; an abstraction that unfortunately proved to be real and had an influence on the destruction of his life. "Because, at the moment, I'm the one how is going to dictate that course," he looked at this new couple and expressed a half-smile. "So you must be grateful and live a very long life, have a lot of children whose name of the firstborn must be Itachi. If it's a girl, then it must be Mikoto." The reaction of others based on his disconnected request was priceless, almost amusing. However, his words had a purpose: to give everyone a reason to keep their heads up and see beyond the current situation. "I suppose you guys do that much, don't you?"
Nora and Ren blushed at the idea of having children but were delighted with the possibility of dazzling such a future. Furthermore, they would definitely comply with the request made if they have a chance to do so.
The Grimm Bijuu showed clear signs of recovery from the damage received and stopped grunting, soon shifting its attention away from Beacon to the relief of some and the concern of others.
"What is that thing doing?" Weiss narrowed her eyes, somehow having a bad feeling about this. "Why he isn't attacking us?"
Not that she was complaining, but compared to before, that thing was far too calm.
"Because..." Glynda managed to get to her feet with the support of Velvet and Coco, frightened by what she was about to suggest. "Grimm is attracted to negative emotions... and at the moment, there must be hundreds of thousands of people watching everything that goes on here..."
It didn't need much more to understand what the Professor was implying.
As terrified as Beacon's students were, they were nothing more than an aperitif compared to Vale's kingdom.
"No!" Ruby couldn't let that happen! Her eyes showed a faint hint of silver light, convinced that Sasuke wouldn't allow it! "All those people... We have to do something!"
"Ruby…" Weiss shared her friend's concern and desire, but she also understood that she was unable to help even after having her entire Aura reserve restored. Sasuke... can you really defeat that thing?
She was about to talk to him about it and find out if anyone really couldn't help him when one of the teachers took the lead.
"Unfortunately, Ms. Rose, there is nothing we can do," Doctor Oobleck said what everyone should know and before words of denial were said, he looked at the young god and added: "Us, that is."
"Uchiha Sasuke…" Glynda focused on the young heartbreaker, carefully considering what to say. "What will you do? There is no library or anything we can offer to you now, so..."
"Stop," Sasuke demanded before Ruby and Weiss spoke for him. It wasn't even necessary to look at this woman to know that she had swallowed her own words out of fear. "Not only you have nothing I want, but I didn't ask for anything." Turning to these people, he faced them calmly as his eyes changed the pattern and took on the supreme form of the Rinnegan and the Mangekyou Sharingan. "As I already said, I'll handle it."
"Sasuke, your eyes..." Weiss almost forgot about the danger, finally being able to catch a glimpse of the so-called red six-pointed star, most likely what Aoda called the Eternal Mangekyou. Not only that, that left eye, which she supposed to be the Rinnegan, got six black commas characteristic of the standard shape of the red-eye, or the Sharingan.
"They changed," Ruby completed her friend's daydreams, admiring something that seemed so simple, but that couldn't be more expressive. It wasn't as if she could see it, but Ruby felt that this change went far beyond the outward appearance.
Sasuke's own Aura, previously clearly weakened, seemed to have inflated to absurd levels.
In the distance, when the Grimm Bijuu finally recovered completely and grew stronger with the intoxicating accumulation of fear and despair emanating like heat in the desert from an absurdly vast source of life, madness consumed him. With thirst and uncontrollable desire taking over his irrational mind, the Grimm moved forward with the violent flapping of its wings; aiming to celebrate at the served banquet and indulge his endless hunger.
Its sudden action didn't go unnoticed by those awaiting the movement of their protective god.
"He's going to the city!" Ruby was close to panic, but a strong hand on her shoulder reminded her that not everything was lost. "Sasuke?"
"Calm down and watch." He closed his left eye, slid his right foot forward, strained his muscles with the focus of Chakra, and extended his dominant hand with the crescent moon seal, directly to the thing moving away and recited loudly while his Rinnegan burned with power: "Planetary Devastation!"
With immediate effect, in the distance, plains, hills, and mountains opened up, and collapsed in devastation. While stones and rocks of substantial size were uprooted from nature by force, the winged calamity about to genocide the life of an entire kingdom has stagnated. Suddenly, as if it were the epicenter of a gravitational force, rock after rock and stone after stone joined the spherical accumulation centered on the Grimm, growing every second in restrictive size.
Sasuke clenched his teeth and groaned when pain went through his head and blood flowed from the Rinnegan for forcing the use of Chakra that he barely had to spend, seeing himself forced to stop before completing the seal. If he continued, he could temporarily lose the ability to use his left eye and that was simply unthinkable at the moment.
Damn Indra. Sasuke was gaining more and more reasons to hate this past life, adding one more reason from the difficulties resulting of that stupid fight for the control of his body. Even though it was an internal fight, it seems that I was and exhausting my eyes the whole time.
Meanwhile, the others were presented with a definite and undeniable confirmation about the divine status of Uchiha Sasuke with the appearance of this artificial moon. It was massive, even bigger than the creature being trapped inside, which would have disappeared completely if hadn't been for the absurd extent of the wings and tails that remained struggling outside the floating sphere of debris.
"Sasuke! That was so incredible!" Ruby approached with nothing but smiles but lost all that excitement when she saw the blood running down the face of her beloved hero, almost as if it were tears. "Y-You are bleeding!"
And that wasn't the first time this had happened to his eyes!
"You fool!" Weiss saw that and wanted to hit him! "I knew you weren't well!" She held his confused and surprised face, examining those unique eyes as they returned to the previous pattern. "You must have pushed the optic nerve to the limit..." If everything she learned was true, then those eyes were Sasuke's greatest source of power. Using a handkerchief to clean the blood, she couldn't help but worry that he might have harmed himself. "You should have been more careful! See the result of your recklessness! What are you going to do if you end up blind?!"
"Yeah!" Ruby expressed a mixture of sadness and indignation when agreeing with everything Weiss said. "You don't have to try so hard! Even heroes can ask for help!" she didn't want to scream, but it was stronger than her. Soon these emotions made their way through her silver eyes that continued to shine, down to her sad face. "I don't want to see you hurt..."
Sasuke was speechless with this joint display of anger and genuine concern for his well-being. What should I say in a situation like this? He had no idea.
However, he knew that something should be said.
"Sorry," Sasuke sighed, again going against his usual self to ward off what prevented the smile of these two from blooming. "I didn't mean to worry the two of you."
Weiss was between punching or kissing him! Choosing to calm down, she crossed her arms and looked away, hiding the appearance of a shallow smile.
"As long as it doesn't happen again, I can forgive you," she said quietly, knowing full well that it was a lie, as she would forgive him independently.
"Yes, having bleeding eyes is not good," Ruby wiped her eyes and pouted, unable to stay angry for long. Especially when Sasuke made such a cute expression like that and even apologized.
"Unfortunately, that is not possible," Sasuke destroyed the expectations for these reasonable requests, but out of reach. "This eye bleeding is normal for me, and no, it doesn't affect my vision. In fact, it is nothing more than a symptom of exhaustion and nothing more."
"Are you sure?" Weiss insisted, focusing on him to see if there was any evidence of a lie.
"Absolutely," Sasuke smiled a little, amused by this display of courage to confront him for his own sake.
"In that case, I will have to believe you." Weiss didn't have much of a choice, at least not without knowing more about him. One day, definitely! And she couldn't wait to learn!
"So it doesn't hurt you?" Ruby insisted stubbornly.
"Hn," Sasuke nodded, confirming his half-truth again.
"Does this happen every time you use your eyes?" Ruby didn't know if she was okay with that, but she could learn to live with that detail. That's if Sasuke wasn't pulling at her foot.
"Only sometimes." There were some exceptions, but Sasuke didn't find it relevant for the moment.
"Hmm," Ruby relaxed, but there was still something of extreme importance to be questioned! "Are all the powers in your eyes as cool as that one?!"
Weiss rolled her eyes but smiled as the tension disappeared. It must be a gift... or too much sugar on the blood, she couldn't think of any other explanation.
"I don't know how to answer that," Sasuke didn't care about the aesthetics of his Jutsus, but about mortality... Well, maybe a little. Or else he wouldn't have molded most of his techniques into dragon-like mythological representations. But only because they are intimidating and represent power.
"Like," Ruby held out her hand towards the moon with wings and tails, recreating what Sasuke had done just now. "Planetary Devastation is the coolest attack name I've ever heard!"
Really, if she could do the same, the planet would have hundreds of moons orbiting it, because she could never have enough of it!
"And extravagant," Weiss commented, still discredited with such power and the notion of having such skills. "Not as much as the result, but definitely eye-catching."
"I'll take that as a compliment." It seemed to be the kind of description that Naruto's techniques should receive, but Sasuke could live with that.
"Seriously, your ability seems to be limitless," Weiss wondered what else he could do. "When are you going to stop surprising me?"
"Don't expect it to be so soon." Sasuke could say that he was able to create at least eight more of these artificial moons and twice as big if he wasn't tired, but he would leave that detail for another time. "Unfortunately, that seal will not hold forever."
"Seal?" Ruby focused her attention on the false moon and saw the members of the monstrous Grimm move, with every second that passed with more agitation and strength. "That thing is trying to break free..."
"I see," Weiss concluded after analyzing and determining what this skill was about. "You contained the Grimm, but with the negativity being exhaled throughout the kingdom, strengthening it, this... seal will not be able to hold it for long." She looked at Sasuke and he nodded at her words. However, there was another reason to look at him and smile. "You knew you couldn't destroy it with this, but you did it anyway."
"Eh?" Ruby was confused, not understanding why Weiss said this as if it were a good thing. "Then why do it?"
It couldn't be just to show off, as cool as it was.
"To gain time," Weiss pointed out, reminding her partner of what mattered most at the moment. "And so to be able to heal those in need of help."
"Ohh!" Ruby perked up, running to take Sasuke's hand and pull him towards the wounded. "What are we waiting for then?!"
"Lord Sasuke," Aoda approached his master based on his growing concern. "You need…"
"No," Sasuke interrupted his summons before more could be said. "Start molding your Chakra and get ready. For this task, I must have enough."
"As you wish." Aoda could feel his master's reserves and didn't believe the words said, but he chose to obey. Lord Sasuke understands that to kill that thing, my Chakra may not be enough, but he is still choosing to use what little he has left to help these people...
Truly, his master had changed a lot. Before, he would hardly be concerned with other people, even more with strangers from a foreign world.
In that case, I must concentrate and support him to the best of my ability! Aoda closed his eyes and concentrated on absorbing the remaining uncorrupted natural energy from the area.
Sasuke let himself be guided by Ruby while being closely followed by Weiss. The people present gave way to him and even bowed in a mixture of respect and fear. Of all, only one dared to get in his way. Someone Sasuke knew and would rather not have met.
"Yang?" Ruby found her sister's attitude strange, especially in the way she didn't even seem to recognize her existence and focused only on Sasuke.
There were so many things that Yang wanted to say that she was lost and didn't even know how she had the courage to put herself in front of this guy, this being the third time. Considering what had happened in the other two, regret was taking over her with every second that passed with this growing desperate feeling of being forced to know fear again. Even more, because this time those sinister eyes were on the face that was always present in the thoughts that helped her sleep at night.
"W-What do you intend to do?" Yang managed to ask, going straight to the point that plagued her along with the disturbing revelation before her.
"Heal them." Sasuke narrowed his eyes and the blonde girl winced. "Is there a problem with that?"
Damn it! He looks like someone else! Yang cursed. Just a little while ago, he was talking and showing smiles with her sister and Weiss. Now he looked cold and distant, almost willing to kill her if she said anything that irritated him.
"I don't know what you're trying to do, Yang." Weiss stopped beside the confused and frightened girl, having more than an idea of what could be tormenting her at the moment, but this situation left no space nor time to deal with these extremely justifiable internal conflicts. "If you are finished, it's better be out of the way."
Feeling the touch and hearing the words of someone whose face she came to loathe, made the embers of anger burn again.
"No, princess!" Yang pushed the hand over her, refusing to obey any command from this girl who was stealing what she wanted the most in this world. "I want to know, first! Find out if he's going to save Blake and resurrect everyone!"
It wasn't that, she knew she was lying by merely opening her mouth. Yang cared about her partner, only... such concern seemed to have disappeared the moment Sasuke revealed himself to her.
How does she know that? Sasuke wanted to believe that she was making a hunch based on all of these divine claims. Those lilac eyes, however, contained more than a turbulent heart conflict; there was conviction in the words spoken.
This girl truly believed that he could revive the dead.
The question now is: how did she come to this conclusion? Looking at his summons, even focused on his task, he shrank with the confirmed suspicion. "Aoda, you talk too much."
The summons merely bowed its head in a silent apology.
"I-It wasn't his fault!" Ruby came to the defense of her new friend, again surprising Sasuke by this unexpected friendship or demonstration of benevolence that knew no limits. "I insisted on asking!"
"Exactly," Weiss also wouldn't let Aoda take the blame, especially considering the way this information was revealed without the intention of betraying Sasuke. "He is not responsible for our insistent curiosity."
"It doesn't matter." Sasuke never imagined that someone would be able to pull something out of his summoning and by free will on top of that. Ruby and Weiss must have managed to get to him, almost as they did to me. A dangerous skill that could rival even Naruto's soft talk. "Because, in the end, it doesn't change the fact that I can't revive these people."
"What?!" Yang came out of her trance provided by fear and anxiety, unconformed. Not just for the words spoken, but the way he looked at her; in the unprecedented difference compared to the other two, as if she were nothing... "Y-You are a god! You can do anything!"
He could accept her too! Free her from the darkness that consumed her and make her smile again... allow her to sleep without fear the incompatible brightness of those eyes!
"Even if I can, it doesn't mean that I will." Sasuke was right that there was something wrong with this girl, in her eyes. Yang looked... desperate and it wasn't because of the denial of his ability to save those fallen and lifeless.
"Why not?!" Yang demanded, almost shedding tears. Why did only she have to be left out while she was consumed by the fear of her mistakes?! "If you can do it, then do it!"
Give her a reason to want to continue living!
The shout sounded like an order and everyone feared the worst. Ruby had never seen her sister like that, so… devastated that it hurt to look at her. Weiss was nervous, ready to try to intervene in any possible extreme reaction triggered by this accumulation of emotions and unstable that her teammate had become.
To everyone's surprise, Sasuke took a deep breath and walked calmly until he came face to face with Yang who suddenly seemed aware of her recklessness and had the fear that she so wanted to get rid of resurging with more force than ever.
Ruby held out her hand, wanting to say something, but Weiss stopped her.
"Don't worry," she assured, believing that she was making the right decision. "He won't hurt her."
Not physically, but Weiss didn't want to have an even more anxious and concerned Ruby. That was a Yang she didn't expect to see, one that resulted because of the kind of mentality set on antagonizing Sasuke as the culprit for everything that is wrong in the world and holding him responsible. At the same time, deposit all her positive thoughts in the same person without knowing it.
Weiss found it difficult to even imagine what was going on in that emotional and definitely broken head.
"You know, at first, I thought I didn't like you because of your resemblance to someone who gets on my nerves." Sasuke had no idea what was going on in this girl's mind and didn't have time for that, especially with the constant reminder that she represented. No matter how much he wanted to say that he had overcome his differences with his spirit brother, the truth was different. "Now, however, I realize that you are just like Naruto, running your mouth over things you think you understand, but that couldn't be more wrong." His finger nudged her forehead and focused on her eyes close enough to feel each other's breath, emphasizing: "Put that on your hard and emotional head. Yes, I can revive the dead." Sasuke could feel hope arising in others based on those words. Unfortunately, he would have to destroy that hopeful feeling. "Only, the reason for not reviving them is not because I don't want to, but because I can't die doing that."
"I-I don't understand..." Yang managed to utter, caught between a mixture of fear because of the expression and serious tone of his voice, and excitement at the closeness shared with the one who divided her heart.
She wanted to have the courage to move and steal those lips before someone else did and so put an end to this endless conflict that tortured her own soul.
"To revive someone else, I need to die in the process," Sasuke never thought he would be forced to explain about Rinne-Tensei to someone from another world, especially someone who wouldn't even seem really interested in it if the slight blush on her face and harsh breath would serve as an answer. Then, he decided to conclude with a slight touch of sarcasm: "So, I'm sorry if I'm not altruistic enough to sacrifice myself for people I've never seen in my life."
With that said and feeling that the girl was about to do something reckless, he passed her and stopped in front of those who deserved his attention.
"Yang..." Ruby didn't know what to say to her sister. "Don't be like that. You knew there was a possibility that he couldn't revive anyone."
Yang didn't care, she didn't even remember the dead. She could only think that, for a moment, those eyes were no longer scary and it relieved the turmoil in her heavy heart.
"I think nothing can be more complex than life and death," Weiss reflected, watching Sasuke perform more hand signals, certainly a preparation to begin the healing process for those who could still be saved. "As in the old storybooks, it is said that there is something called the equivalent exchange law. You must always give up something in order to receive something. In this case…"
"The price is life itself..." Ruby knew she shouldn't have created such an expectation about the possibility, but... believing in a dream was and always would be rooted in her.
Sasuke disconnected from the world around him, focused on molding and accumulating all the Chakra available in his Rinnegan, focusing on summoning the entity capable of carrying out the intended task.
"The path of truth and restoration! Naraka, The King of Hell!" he joined his hands in the last seal and purple flames burned to open a path to this world.
"K-King of Hell?!" Weiss opened her eyes wide, almost startled by the sinister sensation that spread through the air, what appeared from the flames and the name given to the bizarre creature with familiar eyes. How did he use this thing to heal me...? She stopped her train of thought when she remembered what Ruby had said earlier, that madness about a sinister head that chews people. You got be kidding me!
"I-I hadn't heard that part before," Ruby swallowed what she didn't have in her throat, starting to worry about what kind of god Sasuke was in order to be able to summon and control an entity with such a scary title.
"D-Do you mean that heaven and hell are real?" Yang had come out of her selfish daydreams to be gifted by this disturbing vision and the memory of her friend needing help. This revelation, however, only added one more fear to the list with her possible after-death fate and wasn't happy with the scales hanging over the hot side.
Without paying attention to the reactions gained, Sasuke made blood run through his eye again, as well as from his nose and ears as some black strands of his hair whitened.
With little Chakra, he needed to force the creation of more, or else his efforts would be in vain.
The King of Hell received the command and the power necessary to start the task presented to him, growing without stopping until it was enough and opening a mouth of impossible size. Then, to the disbelieving horror of those watching, dozens of tongue-like hands left Naraka's mouth to swallow the injured people.
Worse, the thing literally started to chew everyone up.
"Holy shit..." Yang let out exactly what those around had in mind, but were in shock to be able to say for themselves.
"D-Did that happen to me?" Weiss didn't know what to say, almost horrified by the revealed truth and grateful for not being conscious during this hideous and questionable healing process.
Soon that sinister thing became irrelevant to them when they realized that something was wrong with Sasuke, and Ruby and Weiss didn't know what to do about it.
Sasuke's teeth were clenched with effort, his knee gave out and touched the ground, refusing to let his hands separate from the seal made as he began to weaken both physically and mentally.
Why am I trying so hard? What did he gain by risking his life in this hero game?
Sasuke wasn't Itachi.
Was he doing this to try to be like the older brother?
No matter how much he wanted to be, he could not match his brother and bear the brunt of the decisions made by him.
So it was to pay for his crimes? No... in his eyes, besides trying to kill Naruto, Sasuke did nothing wrong. Those acclaimed Kages, each of them must have committed so many disgusting acts in their lives that calling him a criminal for disinheriting and confronting them was nothing but a joke.
Perhaps it was to meet the expectations imposed on him by this new world? His clan has always been hated and despised, never truly respected but feared. In Remnant, that was not the case, and Sasuke slowly saw a new kind of restart; a place where he could restore his clan and honor. Still, it wasn't just that. At this point, Sasuke didn't just have that childhood dream to fulfill.
What was it then? Was that what made him push himself over the edge and continue without caring about the consequences?
A gentle pair of hands touched his shoulders and Sasuke felt the darkness that surrounded him with doubts disappear. With the heat emanating nothing but genuine concern, he finally understood what was guiding him beyond his cold, vindictive self. While, yes, he wanted to redeem himself for his mistakes, disastrous choices, to live up to his brother's sacrifice, and to help the world that glorified his family's cursed name, it was only a small part when compared to the real reason for his efforts.
Sasuke wanted to respond to the feelings of those who pulled him out of the endless darkness where he wanted to sink and disappear, and continued to believe in him.
I cannot show this pathetic side to them, can I? As if this realization rekindled the flame of determination, Sasuke stood up and the Chakra feeding Naraka burned harder while his hair went whiter. If I am the God of this world and the hero of these two, II must never falter! He opened his eyes and showed his teeth. Ever Again!
Ruby watched with pain in her heart the visible effort put in and the suffering felt by Sasuke. I just told him not to try so hard…. That he could ask for help... So why do you keep getting hurt?
She wanted to be strong to help him, to ease that absurd burden from his shoulders, instead of merely standing by his side doing nothing.
Weiss disliked every second of this act of selflessness and self-sacrifice. The trembling of his body, the bleeding from facial cavities, and the bleaching of his hair couldn't be normal. Even if Sasuke said otherwise, she wouldn't believe him. Again, she understood that Sasuke was not obliged to help anyone, but he did it independently. No matter how much people cried out and that the divine claims became true, Sasuke was just a stubborn and proud man in her eyes.
Both wanted to stop him from going on and getting hurt even more. However, there was that focused look and expression determined not to give up...
If so, how could they?
They just couldn't, and just had faith and hope that everything would be okay. In addition to scolding him a lot later, they were sure of that.
Hmm, I know what you're thinking: Will this... "arc" ever end? The answer may surprise you, but I don't want to make false promises, so I just ask for your patience because this is something that I don't have to read stupid comments about the progression of the story or lack of it.
If you think it's bad, just drop it, go write a better one yourself, and don't fuking bother me.
For those who appreciate the effort and dedication that I put into writing new chapters and give me relevant opinions, I am grateful. You guys keep me writing.
My anger aside, today I am also posting the first chapter of the rewrite! Cool, right?! You can go to my profile right now and read it if you wish.
The new version will be called "Re: Eyes that Reflect the Soul." I know, it's super creative! Ha, ha!
Anyway, review! If I can write new chapters, you can give me feedback!
Give to receive!
Until then ~