Article 29 - Chapter 25 - The Fall of the Uchiha
Warnings: I do not own Naruto, it's intellectual property is owned by none other than Masashi Kishimoto. I own the OC's that I've added to the story and nothing more.
Notes: Just finished coaching my first season of soccer, had my surrogate father have a kidney removed due to cancer, and experienced the death of a close family friend. It's been an arduous and rough time but I can only do nothing for so long until compelled to return. Heres nearly 10k words, enjoy!
This seems like as good as time as any, So I'm shifting the rating of this story to M for Mature.
-Also, still accepting Beta readers! Hit me up with a PM-
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
(Last Chapter: Excerpt)
"An itchy head could just as easily just be from dried sweat or a dry scalp." I responded.
Hinabi seemed to accept my explanation quickly sweeping it under the rug. "Okay, okay. Can we go outside now? Come on."
Hinata let out a giggle to which I shortly joined her. We both grabbed one of Hinabi's hands and headed out the door while Hinata used her free hand to play with her hair, likely trying to make it presentable.
┬┴┬┴┤ Chapter 25 ├┬┴┬┴
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
(Mina POV)
Grrr… How could I have been so absent minded?
I twisted the wire poking through the hinges of the kilns door with my pale fingers.
Obito left and I forgot to remind him of the importance of the sealing method to store the puppets… Is it unrealistic to hope he'll remember and solve my problem for me?
My question sparked a hot animosity within myself. It was such a stupid question, why had I even asked?
Have I ever been the type to sit by and depend on others to get things done? The question after contemplation could only be considered rhetorical.
My shaky reign over my emotions only seemed to get worse despite being ever closer towards my goal… Why? Logically, I should feel more at ease -Yes?
My logic seemed flawless despite the burning anxiety still bombarding me. The glaring contrast between theoretics and reality on full display.
I hadn't grown a heart overnight have I? Do I feel like this because I don't want to kill the captives? Perhaps my subconscious is trying to tell me something...
The answer to my greatest question still eluded me.
Perhaps it was impossible to know for sure until arriving at the decisive moment when I take their lives. I haven't come this far to only make it this far… I'll finish what I've started.
A gust of air carrying the foul stench of the sewers circulated within the room to my dejection. An unsatisfied gurgle escaped from my core and my stomach seemed to drop uncomfortably.
This is a certain necessity! It is my responsibility to struggle and persevere! Who else but me could truly put up resistance against the damnedable Being-X. If the law of equivalent exchange is even remotely real it will take a demon to end a demon. I don't fear being tainted along the way if it is my responsibility to take that role.
Reaffirming my enemy at this point had become second nature to me.
Understanding your enemy is necessary to draw an effective plan of attack. What weaknesses does 'it' have?
I took some time to rack my brain for all relevant memories of Being-X.
...Undeniably it's hubris. It must imagine itself as quite something because it never seemed to confront the possibility of failure or defeat. So… either he knows what I'm up to and he still doesn't view me as a legitimate threat yet…
An icy chill ran along my spine causing me to twitch in my seat sending a metallic screech into the air.
-Or Being-X is not omnipotent. It doesn't have full knowledge or control, which is only supported by the fact it actually believes it will eventually convert me to some type of disciple for him. If Being-X can't read my mind without possession and instead has only been reacting to my actions… hmm... yes, this conclusion seems likely drawing from my personal experiences.
There were several options for it to interfere anywhere… At least under the assumption that it had full omnipotence, however has currently only ever interfered after something I've done. Thanks for the 20/20 hindsight asshole.
A beautiful radiant light peaked from over the metaphorical dark horizon. My lips pursed chaotically revealing a demented smile.
"Perhaps… A path to victory." I exclaimed.
Elation filled me being accompanied by a fleeting hope.
I took several steps back to inspect my handy-work.
The kiln was now fully completed and no glaring failures jumped out at me. It would seem there wasn't any problems following the design from Sasori's notes to a tee.
I toweled off the sweat caking my skin, but couldn't manage to feel clean. Unsatisfied, I wiped myself down again and again.
I felt impure and disgusting. My hair clumped in the back sticking to my neck in the sweltering heat, and it would only become hotter.
I loaded timbers stacked along the east wall until half of the stock was inside the kiln.
Pangs of emptiness reminded me of what was left to do after admiring the finished kiln.
All the prep work was now finished. Any excuses I could use to rationalize postponing the executions were gone.
Pushing the clasp apart with my fingers, my watch unlatched. I glanced down discovering it was much later than I had expected before jamming it back into a lab coat pocket.
People might be surprised to know how many useful items I managed to salvage from the underground laboratories and storage spaces. If their feeble minds could only comprehend the game they and everyone were playing, if they knew that all of the injustice they had ever experienced was actually thanks to the pathetic excuse of a deity, they would understand that nothing matters—
"—Which is why! I will cut you where it hurts most! What will YOU do when I attack your pride?"
Pride-ideee echoed through the room.
I found myself breathing harder due to my outbreak.
If anyone heard me they'd deduce I was losing my mind, however unlike before, I'm finally understanding my place in everything. Yes- I would make the 'god' bleed even if it were meaningless. Perhaps I can revel in the bliss of humbling a divine entity.
"...Approximately 2 hours till all the sedatives would be used… not to mention people can build a tolerance to it… In all reality, either of them could wake any moment."
Coming to terms with the observable reality that surrounds me was what I expected to be the hard part, however, realizing that it was my own choices which caused me to arrive here was disturbing.
The whole mess reminded me of a simple phrase Ayasha would use to scold me… the woman was so much wiser than I gave her credit for.
"Honey, If you hold your face like that long enough it will get stuck like that forever!"
My decisions to build and maintain a mask are the same decisions that have warped my personality… or perhaps… I had always been like this… I guess it doesn't matter. The monster had always been the enemy, but I must now hold my greatest enemy dearer than any friend.
I paused having walked past a puddle showing my reflection. I squatted and stuck a finger in and out of the puddle breaking surface tension causing ripples to form.
"My name is Mina Hyuga. You must be the Monster. I'm sure we'll be spending a lot of time together so please take care of me." I said with a smirk.
An exhausted yawn escaped my mouth with little warning. The fog that blanketed my consciousness weighed on my mind.
"The deadline is now, I can't procrastinate any longer…" I said while stopping and laying my palm on the shoddy wooden door before me.
The rusted iron hinges were an eye catching brown-orange in contrast to the gray and moss green surroundings.
I never understood how moss could grow in the absence of sunlight. To be honest, I didn't care enough to research it before and probably never will, another fleeting thought that will be pushed back to focus on matters of actual importance.
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My energy levels felt abysmally low, and they had every right to be with how hard I've been pushing myself. My eyelids feel weighted down requiring my persistent discipline to hold them steady. I felt like shit and certainly looked the part.
A deeply ingrained compulsion forced me to reach for my neck, towards the pendant I could feel swinging through my shirt, my most treasured possession.
"I'm… I'm sorry… Ayasha." I whimpered dabbing at the corner of an eye. It was dry, vacant of the emotional proof of my defeat. It was a step forward.
I can only be sure to always keep moving. Consistent baby steps inevitably will lead to giant strides.
Shifting my weight forward, I leaned over the unconscious Leon Uchiha. His naturally brown locks clashed with the blond highlights jutting through.
This wouldn't be my first kill, I have done this before… but this time it feels more significant.
I gripped the surgical blade in my grasp harder. My free hand reached out and found its way to the teens throat. A slow yet steady pulse beat into my open palm.
This rhythm… is his life. When it ends… so does he.
His face was so relaxed. "To get what I want… To…" I started.
NO! Nothing excuses this… Don't pretend to have noble intentions, but infinite evil is reciprocated by infinite justice, and Infinite justice knows no morals.
"I… am Justice!" I shouted.
My conviction solidified. My hand slid up forcing the chin to raise to further expose the neck. Without much strength, I pulled the blade slitting the skin, and inserted tubing into the newfound hole sloppily.
The wound spurt excess blood in the same familiar rhythm. At times, so much came out the tube couldn't fit it all. Blood pooled on the neck as well as trickling downward towards the operation table.
Quickly I grabbed pieces of gauze, dabbing at the spreading mess. After each chunk was saturated, I disposed of it into a waste bin near my feet.
The job wasn't anywhere near done, but I bought myself some time before I'd need to tend to this body again so I could work on Neeko next. The absence of his right eye unsettled me, So I made an eyepatch out of gauze to prevent it from distracting me.
It would be so awesome to close my eyes for a fleeting moment. Sadly, A momentary reprieve was an impossibility. Any relaxation and I might lose my will.
So tired… I just need to finish this and I'll be free to sleep all I want.
I blinked repeatedly, hoping the action would chase away the feeling I would nod off into unconsciousness at any moment.
Groggily I slashed the throat. Following the order of operations and getting it done was the only way I was going to get any rest.
I pushed myself to go faster. I wanted to move as fast as I could without making mistakes. I only wanted my puppet completed.
It wasn't ideal, but I would need to store the puppets inside a typical storage seal until I could get Obito's assistance.
A leg started trembling uncontrollably and I had to shift my weight back to the left.
I rushed around the room, hanging both bodies upside down from their ankles to ease the draining of their blood.
I began whisking the chemical solution needed to petrify the flesh. If the solution was not homogenous the end result would be unacceptable.
My puppet needs to be perfect. There is no room for mistakes…
Leaning forward, I edged onto my toes staring down into the manuscript reigning in my focus.
Just a bit longer...
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The chill night air caused goosebumps to appear on my arms and legs. Even while sweating and panting I was shivering.
The CAWWWW of a crow rang out from my surroundings.
I was lost. I couldn't remember the way back…
I smacked my forehead hoping the ache and pain inside would dial back by a few notches.
My head burned so badly I couldn't bring myself to use the Byakugan.
A running foot sunk deep into a hole tripping me, however I caught and steadied myself on a tree before continuing on.
CAWWWW
A pit formed in my stomach. I am out of my element. I only cared about making it back to the alternate compound. I craved the safety of my clan. I needed my mission to conclude. I had to replace my clone before I was discovered.
What if… What if Itachi is nearby?
Dead leaves crunched underfoot with each step. An eerie fog was forming only adding to the difficulty of navigation.
Normally my memory is razor sharp… but trying to recall the route back seemed impossible. I can't afford to even think of Itachi right now.
My mind burned. My eyes were weak and dry.
None of this is familiar…
"Mina?" A voice sounded beside me.
I jerked my vision back and forth, spinning in a circle trying to find the perpetrator.
Dirt, trees, and shadows were all that entered my vision.
The light from the moon was fairly substantial despite the thickening fog.
"Who's there? Show yourself!" I commanded.
I was on my toes, ready for something. As soon as they appear I'll kill them… even if it's Zetsu. It would be his fault for sneaking up on me.
I clutched the storage seal in my hand from within the safety of my pocket. I will protect this seal with my life.
CAWWWW!
Despite the obnoxious crow and the whistle of wind through the trees, the environment fell silent.
Fed up, I decided it was worth it to try.
"Byakugan!"
Pain flared behind my eyes. My body fell hard to my knees impacting the earth, halfway landing on a protruding root from the ground. The numbing uncomfort of my knees were nothing compared to the anguish from my eyes.
Leaves rustled and I caught a blurry moving figure approaching me quickly.
"AAAAAAHHGH!"
Bone stretched towards the figure plunging into the flesh and skewering them. Quickly I retracted the bone and repeatedly stabbed back into it.
I gored the enemy until I was sure they were dead. Stabbing and slashing until the tinge of fear I was experiencing retreated.
To my surprise, I discovered my target I gored so successfully was nothing more than a deer.
Chunks of flesh was ripped from the bone, flung to the ground with splats of crimson painting the dim moonlit environment.
"A Nara deer? What, did they substitute?!" I exclaimed.
Something was overcoming me… A primal instinct.
An unrecognizable blotch of white was oozing chakra so instinctively I ran towards it.
My vision nostalgically distorted, alerting me to the regression of my dojutsu back into its basic form.
I was in no shape to face an opponent, but I was in an even worse situation if I tried to run. I didn't even know where I was.
CAAAAAWWW!
"Bird — IM GOING TO SLIT YOUR THROAT!" I screamed.
My shout echoed through the trees. A branch shook and flapping wings signaled it's retreat gradually fading out over distance.
"Come out, Come out, Wherever you are!"
The soothing sense of control washed over me.
I was ready to rip my stalker to shreds.
"Mina…" I heard.
My violent ecstasy peaked as I spun and pushed bone spikes from me in every direction I could, but didn't feel contact with anything.
My eyes must be lying to me! What the fuck is this?!
I stared at the form of Leon Uchiha impaled with my bone, but as I wiggled, I took note of his lack of materialism.
"GENJUTSU? WHEN?!" I bellowed.
My blood ran cold. My deep fatigue built over the past few days was washed away with Adrenalin.
My hand squeezed at the pendent beneath my shirt.
"HAHAHAHA! One of us will die! I wonder who it will be!"
The illusion of the teen vanished without a trace.
After shouting i went mute. My heavy breaths began to quiet. I was ready for anything. This could be my last stand, but if I had anything to say about it it would be only a step in my journey.
Seconds past, then minutes. All was still and silent.
I couldn't stand it! I didn't want to wait, I wanted nothing more than to rip whoever apart so I could return, but still nothing showed itself.
I found myself marginally relaxing, hoping that fainting weakness would compel the enemy to strike, but the strike never came.
It occurred to me that even with the brief activation of the Byakugan I never saw anyone.
Did I imagine the deer was a person? A Hallucination?! Or… But what about the genjutsu?!
I didn't have the faintest clue to what was going on.
Am I having a psychotic break? Was there or was there not a genjutsu?
Either way, now I was quite responsive; my brain catching it's second wind kicking into gear.
After 15 minutes of wandering around without coming to any reasonable conclusion, I found myself back on track towards the alternate compound.
Each step I took brought me closer to a comfortable feather stuffed mattress. I craved the soft touch of silky sheets against my skin.
The urgency to arrive at the bed only increased after fantasizing about it.
I walked, walked, and walked some more. The night had now shifted to late night or early morning, at this point I couldn't tell and checking wouldn't do any good. I didn't need to know the time, I only needed a pillow to lay my head.
My eyes felt crusted but I was nearly at the finish line. The great Hozu Manor broke over the forests' canopy to my excitement.
I scaled the wall with my eyes set on the top. As I neared the top, soft whispers of on duty guards from the other side carried.
No doubt Hiashi's men.
I pulled myself carefully onto the ledge focusing on the window.
I jammed a hand into my satchel retrieving several pebbles.
I grasp a stone tightly in my hand, winding my arm back. The stone launched in an arc, but I had barely missed the open window. The stone ricocheted off the wall with a SNAP falling to the dim depths.
I quickly armed myself with a new stone, launching it. The throw wasn't as pretty, but it got the job done, the rock went through the open window making it inside.
"WHO GOES THERE?" I heard a guard shout below the wall.
I would need to do it regardless, but it would be easier if I could establish vision to swap with my clone…
"Oii!"Another guard shouted.
It would have to be now. I thought while bringing my hands together.
The identifiable white hair atop a child's head peeked out of the window just in time.
"[Substitution], —[Release]." I whispered.
The clones conscious merged with my own, and before I could be discovered I reached beneath my bed for the bucket with water, a rag, and a towel.
I had expected to feel slightly better with the chakra from the clone having returned to me, however, instead it seems the fatigue the clone was experiencing was also transferred.
I wiped myself down quickly with the cool damp rag, the water on my skin was comforting despite me shivering. I toweled off, drying myself before pushing all the shit under the bed haphazardly with a foot. I contently leapt onto the bed face first in exhausted excitement.
My face impacted with the glorious pillow to my unbridled delight. My pillow smelled of my citrus conditioner which was oddly soothing.
A deep smile found it's way on my face despite the hell the last few days have been.
"I did it… I really…" before finishing my sentence I let out a tired yawn. "Really… did it."
I closed my eyes and quickly drifted off into sleep.
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
Muffled noises sounded amongst unconscious thought. Quaking vibrations shook through my being startling me, but I was so tired. I could always check on… that later.
"Whey cup! Whey cup?"
Hmm?
The voice was memorable but his name was lost to me. I only knew he was a teammate's father from my high school. He was such a kind hearted person, that is, as long as you stayed away from his jerky pantry.
"Whey cup?"
"Wake cup? Is that like that pre-workout stuff that gets you jazzed up?" I asked.
The father raised his hands in confusion while shaking his head no. Astounded he asked: "What? A Wake cup?"
Aaron was now fully attentive with the widest grin. The two shot glances at each other holding back laughter. Aaron himself was quite the showman, So I had a hard time imagining anything less of his father.
"No dumbass, this isn't some pre-workout, it's whey protein. Starts off as milk till they extract everything else but the protein pretty much. Makes getting your protein after a workout or in a pinch easy, sadly mixing it with water tastes like shit, but you'll learn it's easier to live with whey protein than trying to find normal food right after every workout." The father said.
"That's pretty much it. You'll get used to it around here especially if you're shooting for a starting position. You'll need anything to get you bigger, stronger, and faster than the competition, 'cuz your height ain't cutting it."
"Oh… Makes sense. I guess I'll try one." I said.
"Okay, but try your first one with milk, you can try with water later." Aaron condescended.
I understood that milk was the equivalent of cutting corners toward my ideal goal, and that taking it in water would make it taste horrible, but impressions mean everything, and I could serve to learn a lot from Aaron and his family, I just need to get them to like me.
I straightened my posture and put on my most convincing grin. "Nope—I want my whey cup in water."
"Oh yeah? A rip the band-aid off kind-of-guy? I likeeee. Respectable—You know?" Arron's dad said.
I smiled and nodded his way. "Yeah, thank you."
It was working. The man was warming up to me, and unlike Jeremy who got into his beef jerky cabinet and ate so much the man refused to ever invite him back, I'll respect his desires for our mutual benefit.
In the end, there are only two types of people, mutualists and parasites. Because after all, who wants to have to feed other peoples' parasitic natures? We are supposed to bring up our surroundings, so finding mutualists who could at least pay it forward only made logical sense.
"Wake Up!"
The jarring phrase broke my suspension of belief.
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(Tokuma POV)
"Mina I need you to listen to me! Hello?! Anything?"
She continued laying unresponsive, seemingly enjoying her dream despite my countless attempts to raise her from her slumber.
Sure, it was 3:50 AM, but still she's never been this heavy of a sleeper…
My arm grabbed a hold of an ankle shaking it to wake her.
Man, she looks out cold, but emergency orders are to return to Konohagakure within the hour, so it's not like there's any real choice in the matter.
I sat on the wrinkled bedspread for a moment. Every time I see Mina, it inevitably reminds me of nightly conversations with Ayasha. She's Ayasha's final momento left behind and maybe I accidentally tried to rob that from her too quickly.
Geeze, I don't know how to be a dad and she doesn't pretend she thinks I do either. Mina's sass reminds me a lot of 'her' though, at least a younger 'her'.
Inside my stomach, I felt a yearning and a nothingness. The duality between appreciating what 'we' had, and longing for what 'we' could have had… is a constant struggle everyday.
"—Even though she doesn't look anything like you… She reminds me of you so much Ayasha . I'll make sure nothing happens to our daughter." I said while patting Mina's legs tenderly.
I made sure to consciously smile and take a deep breath.
"Rise and Shine" I yelled. "It's Morning! Wake up—Wake up!"
She was finally joining us in the realm of the living, opening her eyes with attitude.
"MMMMMMHHH!" She hummed.
"Honey, use your words."
She tossed back over to her side and nuzzled her head into the pillow.
This was highly unusual. Not for normal people mind you, but for her it certainly was. She always made it easy to forget she's still just a little girl.
A thought occurred to me and my smile widened. Quickly I stepped up and threw together my daughters possessions.
Picking up a bag, curiosity overcame me, and despite wanting to respect her privacy I caved to depravity. I opened it peering inside. With a hand, I pushed spare clothing and empty food wrappers to the side when I saw something odd.
A silver ornamental pocket-watch I wasn't familiar with and had never seen before. Along the entire edge of the watch was an engraved serpent eating its tail.
"An Ouroboros inspired watch, where did she get this? She didn't steal it did she?"
A snore from beside me forced me to drop the watch back into the bag looking back to Mina for confirmation.
Still asleep, phew.
The dirt visibly smeared into the silk sheets as well as embedded under her fingernails clued me in to what was really going on.
Mina was so brutally efficient that it stifled her creativity. She seems to only do something if she can get something out of it. Even as a small girl she never was interested in decorating, art, or material possessions really. Her tunnel visioned straightforwardness was if nothing else predictable.
Nah, I even said it, she's not interested in material things, so why would she steal?
I bent down on a knee to reach under the bed, tapping something with a finger before pulling it out. I sensed the smell of body odor as I pulled a wet towel out from underneath the bed. Stained brown and green, caked with mud and vegetation.
"Must have been hard at work training again… She outworks grown men…" I said.
I pulled my face lower towards the ground, peeking under the frame.
I spied a bucket as well, which I pulled out and set aside.
A sense of pride filled me with joy with the knowledge that she was so extraordinary, but I still wished she could realize that there is more to life than that.
"Keep dreaming princess, Your daddy's got this one."
I strapped both of our luggage to my back, and scooped the young lady into my arms.
While pocketing a loose pen, my hand bumped into my flask.
My eyes fell on Mina's face to be sure she wasn't awake. Her eyes closed peacefully and her chest slowly heaving.
I reached for the flask, retrieving it stealthily. The cap twist off as easily as always.
She would never approve… Even my daughter belittles me for being too weak to cope. She deserves a better father than me.
Tilting my head back, I took a long indulgent swig, The liquor went down warm. After gulping a few mouthfuls, I sputtered and coughed lightly making sure to pocket the flask as soon as possible.
Mina was still fast asleep with no signs of waking.
I'm such a coward, is all I can do retreat?
I let out a defeated sigh before shifting her weight around more comfortably in my arms. After walking out of the room, I began making my way back to the courtyard where we would soon embark.
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
(Mina POV)
The afternoon sun bled through the gap between the window curtains. A shaking branch outside from the wind created an endless cycle of shadows and light. The shifting light show had caught my barely conscious attention.
I squeezed my eyes shut again, flipping over in the bed.
Alert of something off, I jolted to attention and surveyed my surroundings.
I found myself back in my own room within the Hyuga compound, back in the village.
Did I black out? How did I get here?
I wasn't sure how exactly I'd gotten here, but I was here now, so I'll have to make the best of it.
A realization knocked my breath out of me as I leapt to my feet. I desperately scavenged around the room.
"No, NO, NO! ~please!"
I opened and slammed my closet door.
My breathing hastened as I tore the room apart.
I dropped to a knee thrusting a hand underneath the bed and the familiar cloth satchel strap wrapped around my sliding hand.
My heart settled marginally as I pulled it out from beneath my bed.
I frantically dumped its contents onto the floor with reckless abandon.
After the satchel was emptied, I pressed a fingertip around the brimming of the bag, pinching and pulling the thread out.
A hole revealed itself and I jammed two fingers inside. The distinct feeling of parchment and the unmistakable shape of a ring set my heart at ease. My breathing regulated as I relaxed.
It's still here… thank god.
While realizing I just inadvertently acknowledged Being-X, it didn't dampen my mood much. After all, I had finally achieved my goal.
I flopped back onto my mattress, favoring to stare at the mesmerizing rotating ceiling fan.
I did it… A Mangekyo Sharingan Puppet. Finally I have a way to combat unfairness. A way to survive if shit ever truly hits the fan. A last lifeline. A final safety net.
A wholehearted smile spread across my face and my spirit soared to unexplored heights.
It all paid off, everything. I was right all along.
Finding myself in the uncommon position of no immediate goal to strive for, I continued laying atop the bed.
I don't have any real reason to do anything right now. I could simply enjoy the day.
I thought that, but there was nothing I wanted to do besides lay right here and let a nice breeze sooth over me. A content sigh found its way out of my smiling lips.
My stomach rumbled reminding me of my lack of nourishment. I briefly thought of heading downstairs to prepare food, but instead I did nothing, lying sprawled out comfortably.
I glanced over to the clock several times, watching the time fly by as I accomplished nothing.
3:03pm — 4:21pm — 5:36pm
When would it be enough, when would I finally pull myself up? At least I need to find food. I can't just lay here all day.
I should do something, but it was still difficult for me. I was drowzee, sore, and aimless. But despite those afflictions, I forced myself downstairs. I scavenged through the pantry so that I wouldn't have to make my way to the clans kitchen.
Here's adzuki beans, Eww… Shiitake mushrooms —no. Soba noodles, Hmm… But I don't want to cook, not to mention we don't have any meat to add.
I meandered over to the kitchen, dragging a chair over and placing it inside of the open pantry.
Crawling up, I rested a hand on a shelf for balance, and peered at the contents of the top shelf.
The grand majority of the contents of the top shelf were various liquor and sake bottles lined up neatly.
"No matter how organized and neat you make your vice, it's still a dependency." I said before clicking my tongue of anger.
To the very edge of the shelf laid a box, a box that I recognized.
I stretched my arm pushing myself onto my 'tippy' toes and stuck my hand into the box grabbing ahold of several plastic wrappers.
Nutritional bars —Perfect. An easy answer that was both quick and balanced.
A quick thump like something tipping over and landing on the ground in a different room caught my attention.
I wandered around the house trying to pinpoint what had fallen or made the noise.
Three solid knocks' informed me of my inaccurate first assessment.
I hurried down the hallway past the families cubbies arriving at the door.
Twisting the doorknob, I opened the door.
Neji was standing outside, his arrival was unexpected but not unwanted.
"Hey, what's up?"
"—Has anyone told you yet?" He asked.
"Hmm? What?"
Neji stared at me incredulously before finally continuing. "It's —The whole clan, all the Uchiha's are dead."
Genuine surprise overcame me.
Cold sweat seeped from my pores.
"All? Every last one of them!?" Surprise evident in my voice.
It couldn't be, He must have phrased it wrong. Sasuke lives.
Neji didn't blink, or falter, or look away. Instead he met my gaze with a solemn determination.
"That's what everyone is saying at least."
What have I done? Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!
"...Sasuke."
I didn't understand why, but I thought I've become used to losing people. So if I was used to it, why was I over reacting?
Am I upset that I lost him as a potential ally? Or the fact he would have made a great shadow puppet I could control? Maybe it was that he was an important and central figure to a story I enjoyed as a kid? Or… Could it be genuine attachment.
"—I'll meet up with you later!" I shouted over my shoulder running ahead.
The instantaneous footsteps behind me informed me he wasn't done yet.
"Wha—" I started.
"—I'm coming too."
Stopping in my tracks, I turned around facing the Hyuga prodigy.
"You don't even know what I'm doing? Do you?"
His eyes went wild before gradually settling.
"Yes. You're going to do something stupid." He replied seriously.
My cheeks felt hot being rebuked by a child, but he probably wasn't too far off base there.
"It's alright. I'm just—" I tried again.
"—I'm coming." He announced adamantly. The fiery passion in his eyes told me I wasn't negotiating my way out of this.
I turned back on course sprinting up the narrow cobblestone pathway.
"Suit yourself."
We headed out the front compound gate, underneath the arches, and onto the road.
He couldn't have died. He's just hiding in his compound or in hospitalization… or perhaps Itachi found Jade Uchiha's residence and decided to take Sasuke with him? Would he really do that?!
I jumped into the air, eventually falling onto the roof of a building in the industrial zone. Hopping from roof to roof I focused only on my destination.
The sheet metal beneath my landing feet sunk in a bit, however it was out of mind within seconds.
Quickly I found myself at the entrance of the Uchiha compound. Hyuga clansmen were stationed outside and the entrance was cordoned off with yellow caution tape.
"We're not going to be able to get in there. The Hyuga are responsible for taking over the police force now, but only active shinobi and recruits are allowed inside." Neji announced from behind me.
Reason and logic, my previous cornerstones of life now stood in firm opposition to me.
"Is there anyway I can get inside?"
One of the two guards looked down on me recognizing me.
"Uhh… Your not on the Police Taskforce so I'm afraid not." He said.
I turned to the female guard hoping she would be of more help. "Can I join this taskforce? How can I join?"
The female Shinobi was visibly disturbed by my questions, favoring to turn away from me gripping her wrist.
"Kid, you don't want to go in there. I don't even want to go in, it's not pretty."
I can't give up. He's still alive.
"Please? There has to be someway?" I pleaded.
"We should go…" Neji whispered to me, tugging lightly on my sleeve.
"Wait, just let me—"
"—Your making a scene. Think, these underlings can't get you what you want. Your going to have to appeal to someone higher." He said.
Ofcourse! Why hadn't I thought about that. Besides the hospital isn't too far away. I could check and see if Sasuke is in the patient logs. If he's not there I could always ask Hiashi-sama to appoint me to the taskforce or just sneak into the compound later.
The sweet sensation of logic and reason on my side once again gave me renewed hope.
"Okay, next stop —the hospital." I announced.
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
We arrived inside the hospital lobby. I used the bottom of my shirt to wipe my forehead with no regard if anyone could see beneath it.
Stepping up to the counter, I waved at the receptionist who greeted me with a casual smile.
"Hello, how can I help you?"
Resting my palm on the counter, I looked up at the brunette woman without hesitation. "I'm here to visit Sasuke Uchiha." I said confidently.
Her face twisted after hearing Uchiha, the smile receding. She looked down at something at her desk before answering with: "I'm sorry, I don't think I can help you."
"Can you tell me if he's here at least?" I interjected. "Please, he's a close friend and I don't even know if he's alive."
I sent her a pleading look, opening my eyes wider, and bringing my arms closer to my body in front of me.
Yes… Feint helplessness.
The woman frowned, turning to each side of her suspiciously like she was scanning the area. She turned back to me and waved me in to lean closer to her.
"Shh… I could get in trouble for telling you so you didn't hear this from me, but Sasuke Uchiha is currently in the emergency ward. Sorry, but I don't know about his condition other than he is alive."
I knew it! Oh thank G—G-Great.
"Thank you! I appreciate it very much." I said bowing to the receptionist before facing Neji again.
The receptionist sighed, a smile returning to her face. "No problem. Don't mention it cutie." She said from behind me.
Looking back, I nodded to her brandishing my own cosmetic smile.
He's alive.
I lead Neji to the corner of the room and relayed the information that was given to me. The odd mix of clashing relief and indifferent vibes he gave off was jarring.
"So what's the plan now?" He asked after a pause.
"No idea… I guess I'll just study at the medical library for a bit while I'm already here."
He nodded slightly but his sharp eyes still stared into me, like he was looking for an alternative motivation. His eyes unsettled me.
What is going on in his head? What is he thinking? Does he suspect me of something?
"...Very well, but remember to get some rest. Hiashi-sama informed me that we have morning practice tomorrow."
"Thanks for your concern, but I actually rested a fair amount already." I replied.
A smirk appeared on his face. "Ah, No doubt, I mean you slept the whole way back to the village in Tokuma-san's arms."
Oh… so that's how I got back to the village.
I playfully reached out and shoved him. I could feel my face getting hot again and I wanted to avoid talking about the subject any further.
"Tell anyone, especially in our class and I'll castrate you."
Bewilderment arrived and faded in moments before he replied holding a serious expression: "...Caste-rate? Knowing you that can't be good."
Grinning wildly I made scissor impressions with my hands opening and closing them maliciously at him.
"Well… Farewell. Don't do anything stupid."
Before letting him get too far away I shouted after him. "Thanks for your vote of confidence Senpai."
He waved a hand effortlessly over his shoulder, not even bothering to look back.
I made my way to the library's main entrance as opposed to the back entrance which I first snuck into.
I didn't have my pass on me but the receptionist could still look it up and wouldn't pester me much because of the prestige of my clan.
My initial deduction turned out to be spot on, the receptionist let me inside without any trouble having recognized me from my many visits.
"Let me know if you need help finding anything." The elder spectacled man said.
"That shouldn't be necessary."
Okay, let's just browse around for a moment to make sure the coast is clear before I slip into the Archives room.
Slinking from one bookshelf to the next, I pulled a few publications that seemed interesting enough without spending much effort.
Even if I end up returning these without reading them that would be fine.
To my annoyance, the library was a hotspot today for whatever reason.
Several Chunin, identifiable by their jackets, were re-cataloging part of the library's collection. At the same time, medic nin trainee's apparently had an exam before the weeks end according to one of the girls I bumped into.
I took a seat at a clear desk away from the crowd and bided my time with my books.
Little by little, hour by hour, the traffic inside the library died down until I was nearly the only one left.
Good enough. Now that my objective was complete, I wouldn't need Orochimaru's notes anymore so I could finally dispose of them.
It was unreal. Ever since I placed them here I hadn't even got to use them once. They were useful as backups, and since my copies disappeared from the sewers they certainly could have come in handy, but now they would be more of a liability.
Oh well, all of this will soon be behind me.
I slipped into the Archives quickly making my way to the correct filing cabinet.
Pulling it open, I speedily ran my fingers down the dividers stopping at B107-E918.
"Thesis: The Similarity, Thesis: The Similarity, Thesis: The Similarity..." I mumbled.
I scrolled through the documents and folders finally reaching the end without noticing the title I was looking for.
Must have stuck together or just missed it.
My fingers pulled apart each file starting from the beginning again. I made a conscious effort to slow my pace, looking at each folder and document individually.
Nope… Nope… No…
I had already made my way back through what looked like half of B107-E918's Archives.
I slowed my pace even more, wanting more than anything to find the file this time through so I could leave.
Nuh-uh… No… Nada…
There were only so many files left, it was difficult to keep doubt from entering my mind. I found my heart beating faster and my palms dampening.
No...NO...NOO
The final folder resting in my hand. "Research Paper: Dairy's estrogen and its effect on muscle progression."
My heart was racing inside my chest, beating like a snare drum played by a coked out musician.
I must have missed it. It's got to be here.
The third check however still showed zero results. The folder was gone, the documents were gone.
This is bad. I need to leave.
I turned to leave, but my gut wrenched stopping me in my tracks.
What if I'm being watched… right now… what would this look like?
Adrenalin flushed through my system and my fight or flight response engaged.
I have to be able to explain this if it ever comes up…
I made up my mind. I'd need to play it off.
I stepped to the side and opened the next drawer over, barely glancing over the titles of each work, but in the back of my head I still hoped I'd run across it.
Yes, someone could have pulled it out and misfiled it… But if anyone asks what I was doing here what can I tell them? What would they believe?
I racked my brain trying to come up with any feasible excuse, but I couldn't. As hard as I tried, nothing came to mind.
"Thesis: Empirical Analysis of Chakra Conversion for Medical Ninjutsu."
This is right up my alley. Anyone could easily believe this is something I would read. I would believe it.
I snagged the file from the cabinet, closed the drawer, and exited the room.
I scooped the books I had set aside on the desk into my arms and made my way to the front entrance to the receptionist.
"Did you find everything you were looking for?" The man asked.
"Mmhhmm." I hummed with a nod and a smile. "I also would like a copy of this Archive."
I reached my hand out holding the file to the elder. He took it with his twitching hands pushing his glasses back with a finger.
The man laid the file on a special desk behind him, opening it and counting the pages inside.
He grabbed several blank sheets from a stack laying them side by side the open Archive file.
He retrieved a black vial, popping the top, and pouring its contents onto the table into a groove.
He held his hands over the papers while they illuminated a green glow. The ink from the groove warped, shifted, and slithered onto the fresh sheets of paper into kanji before he pulled his hands back with another smile.
"Thank you so much. How much do I owe you for the copies?" I asked reaching into a pocket before realizing my fatal error.
I didn't have any money, how stupid can I get? Hello? Brain?
"It's on the house. It's wonderful to see the young with a thirst for knowledge. Come back any time."
I lucked out, this would have looked so bad if I had to leave empty handed.
I bowed to the man in great respect. His humanitarianism was greatly appreciated. "Thank you."
The elder chuckled under his breath handing me my stack of papers in a brand new manila folder. "Come back now 'ya hear?"
"Of course." I replied cheekily before shoving all my research material under an arm and leaving.
As soon as I reached outdoors I couldn't hold it together any longer. I began panting and clenching my chest. My heart which had been racing all this time hadn't settled in the slightest.
Someone's found it… FUCK FUCK FUCK!
I could hardly stop myself from throwing a tantrum. All I could do to hold myself back was grit my teeth and grind.
What am I going to do? Breathe —Breathe stupid.
For the moment, I took several deep breaths, feeling only slightly calmer.
Okay… They were all in Orochimaru's handwriting. Of course I knew there was a chance it would be found, and logically there shouldn't be any way to implicate me, so just calm down!
"I'm fine. Everything is going to be okay - as long as I can get Obito to help me seal the puppets soon." I mumbled.
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
(Hiruzen POV)
"This is a great tragedy. How could you let it come to this?" I asked earnestly standing from my seat.
The room was dimly lit by a candle, the light flickering at the whim of the wind.
"ME? You were weak. You knew all along, Itachi came to you - I know it! You stood by and did nothing while I settled everything." My old friend clad in black robes with a half bandaged face announced.
"Settled everything? Do you hear yourself? Do you not see the huge problem we're left with?"
Donzo struck his cane into the floorboards demanding attention. "Compared to what would have happened, I consider these problems minor."
"You're right, this is my fault. I shouldn't have entrusted this to you. Donzo, I can no longer allow you to act on your own authority."
Donzo's one visible eye narrowed threateningly. "Had it been left to you we would be embroiled in civil war. I did this for the village. I am the roots, the foundation the village is supported by."
I pinched a glob of flesh on my forehead in my wrinkled fingers. "As of this moment, I relieve you of your duties as my 2nd in command. You may return to your quarters."
"There is… something else." Donzo said lowering his voice.
"Yes? What is it?"
"Before the massacre began, my team discovered that Jade Uchiha's residence was vacant with the telltale signs of violence. In my opinion, they either fled and staged the scene not wanting to participate in the coop, or a third party intervened."
"And I'm just being told of this now?" Hiruzen grumbled.
What is his aim?
"I wanted to analyze the weapons used and gather more information before bringing it to your attention. By the time we discovered the scene, the massacre was inevitable, and the results were only recently finalized."
"-And what were these results?"
Donzo's lips curled slightly into a jaded grin as he responded: "Medical sciences combined in an unorthodox way. They combined tranquilizer and chakra toxin indicating the intention to avoid fatality. Does this remind you of anyone?"
My lungs seized forcing me to collapse back into my seat. With a fist I struck my chest coughing and letting out a shaky weeze.
"Hiruzen!" The man shouted in zealous concern.
"Yes… Orochimaru." I fought out.
The sharingan could very well be in his possession, if not then in someone else's.
The leaf's shadow stood straighter, approaching my seat, towering over me now in a newfound position of power.
"This is the second time your weakness has hurt the village only recently. You are the light of this village, and I am the darkness. Together we can maintain order, but separate we lose cohesion risking chaos."
"...You've given me much to think about. If that is all please return to your quarters while I make my decision." I said emptily.
A sinking feeling in my chest that was not my lungs made me feel hollow.
"Hmmph!" Donzo huffed exiting.
I leaned forward folding over holding my head with my hands.
He wasn't wrong… I am as much to blame in all of this. -What to do? -What to do?
A tap from the roof forcing me to adopt a more befitting posture.
"Enter." I called out.
A ceiling tile shifted allowing my personal Anbu to drop in front of me onto a knee. The dog mask fitted to the operators head like a faceless man.
"Kakashi, please remove your mask." I ordered.
Within seconds, a hand shot to the mask ripping it off displaying a scar running down his face and the blood red pupil of the sharingan between the gash. His silver hair dancing in the breeze mimicking the flame of the candle.
"Yes Third-sama."
Many thoughts swam into my head. This overall proved nothing, but it did make me realize the necessity to keep an eye open. Orochimaru…
"Kakashi Hatake, I'll be temporarily resigning you to the Konoha Police Force starting effective tomorrow."
Kakashi winced at my words causing a mellow chuckle to escape me.
"Sir, I don't mean to be disrespectful, but are you sure that is where my talents are best suited?"
"I'm entrusting you with mentorship of a rising pupil." I said with a nod. "You should be familiar with her as you have encountered her on a previous mission."
The doubt that hung over Kakashi like a storm cloud dissipated hearing my intentions.
"This is a task I can leave only to you. Do you understand?"
"This pupil... is it Mina Hyuga by chance sir?" he said, his eyes blazing.
"It is. I will inform her tomorrow. I received new knowledge today that only cements my decision."
"Third-sama, can I ask what it was?"
I folded my hands together interlocking my fingers and sighed an old mans sigh.
"It's probably nothing, but there is a chance the sharingan has fallen into a third parties hands."
"—And you think she is capable of—"
"—All I know is that it reeks of Orochimaru. Whether it was him, donzo, or anyone else, we need to keep our eyes peeled."
"Ofcourse."
"I'll brief you on the rest of the details tomorrow. This old man is tired and needs a nap." I said hoping to shift the mood of the room. "You are excused."
My trusted Anbu took his leave as I pulled open a desk drawer reaching into it for Trusty, my old friend. Fumbling around in the drawer for the pipe, I instead bumped my hand into a folder. Recognizing it, I pulled it out, my eye caught by the text.
"Thesis: The similarity of agricultural and medical uses of nutrient replacement."
"Mina Hyuga… What are you playing at?"
┬┴┬┴┤神の起源├┬┴┬┴
Authors Notes: Let me know how I'm doing. When I see your comments telling me what I did either good or bad, It helps me motivate myself to write more often! Thanks everyone for making it this far in the story.
Reviewer Question: - Who is your favorite villain in fiction? (Mine would probably be either Sans from Undertale or Walter White from Breaking Bad.)
…
**SPECIAL THANKS and COMMENTS to the great people below who left me a review, It means a lot!**
-Irina Akashira - " Mina has not implanted a sharingan in herself. I don't believe she would consider this especially without Uchiha DNA as the Chakra strain would be far too high, look at Kakashi for example, and it would lock several of her powers away from her since the sharingan was matured outside of her possession aka she'd be stuck with EMS on at all times, even more of a strain than Kakashi's standard who in act 1 is debilitated by it as an elite jonin and former anbu captain, what would this do to Mina chakra pool?. Yeah, you envision Mina and Hinata entering a relationship? In a comment before I mentioned this as fluff, meaning the relationships likely doomed to fail or never start. However we'll see as I keep writing, who knows ;)"
-Re Fenrir- " Her insanity is developing nicely, and as much as she doesn't want to, she's acknowledging the fact she can't be solely dependant on herself not to mention Hinata is everything Mina's not, making her want hinata all the more."
-ShotoGun - " It would be neat I admit, but like I mentioned above in Irina's comment, too much chakra drain, then there's the fact obito left before she killed the Uchihas. But especially for the parallels it would have been really cool. Would have done it if I felt I could have made it work"
-kingsoteng - " Eh, maybe? His chakra pools are prolly around Chunin levels, and his practical fighting prowess is getting there, however Chunin are less about pure power and more about being competent leaders, and he is simply too young and irresponsible at that point to be at chunin level, but certainly Genin level tho easy."
-Drunkle Qrow - "Fantastic! Seems you much like our MC have decided to join the rebellion against Being-X. Hard may he fall."
-18sprar1 - " It's a possibility I don't want to directly address with a yes or no answer. This is one open question I'd like to see evolve as the story continues."
-writegood - " Thanks for all of your assistance, You have been a very positive influence on my writing and on the story, This chapter certainly wouldn't have shaped up as well as it did without your assistance beta reading.."
-Maelaeran - " Thanks for your comments, not sure if you continued reading, but your excitement brought a smile on my face more than once.."
-Immortal ninjaaa - " Thanks for taking the time to go back and read the parts you skipped over. Glad to be able to see your reactions as you went from chapter to chapter. Hope to see your continued support."
-raymondarnold663 - " I love you for loving this story."
-Erxen - " 'Logic: reasoning conducted or assessed according to strict principles of validity'- While yes, determining that someone is or is not a god by whether or not they are inclined to assist mankind would not be logic, however there are multiple reasons as to why the character came to the conclusion, and a character's perspective is irrelevant to determining my authorial knowledge as the character is a lens skewing the perception of the story through. A fellow author/writer should know that :)"
-vincent1875 - " We as human beings are a mix between logic and emotion. Adamantly demanding that what they see is 'logical' when in reality is more skewed toward the emotional was the intent to show a flawed character."
-InCK - " Thanks. Hope to see your continued support."
-Dispel - " No- THANK YOU for taking the effort to write your encouraging comment. I never want the reader to get too comfortable so expect and search for foreshadowed twists and feel free to speculate in the comments."
-Aileron97 - " You are correct about the fact that I did a poor job handling certain characters youth in entirety and in particular scenes. As for training underage, while it could be detrimental for the skeletal system, it is not detrimental to the muscle fibers which will increase the number of ribosomes in the cells aiding in strength and rebuilding muscle. These ribosomes are permanent and will last far after stopping training allowing you to much easily arrive back at your peak strength of you ever lose muscle mass. Also the Skeletal problems are negligible because of the Dead Bone Pulse."
-iMayBeACatLover- " Glad to see your first review and hope you'll continue leaving more :D -Orochimaru will becoming a bigger and bigger presence in the future so I love that your so excited about the potential stories that could unfold. Stay tuned."
-Aeonir - " You are absolutely correct, sometimes I handled characters poorly due to their age, but hopefully I learned something from my mistakes. This story is only a platform to grow from and become more competent. However, Dojutsu clan kids do have faster and more advanced brains do to the extra information their brain is required to process, and in an environment that basically whips the childishness out of them even if its little by little.
- As for the T.I. arc when she was tortured, the Sandaime already had Orochimaru's research papers that was linked to Mina. Even as an author I'm unsure if Ibiki was let in on this tidbit of knowledge, but regardless Hiruzen would have insisted that the truth will come out. Hope this helps fill in the gaps that seemed to be there."