The Cursed Woman
Chapter Fifteen; Start of the Trial
For many lives she wandered the lands wanting to have a dream and motive, she wandered and wandered. Exploring the corners of the lands and creating adventures, she was weak and she was strong. She was impossible. She was used to facing something she had knowledge about, whether it had been ninjas or even diverse amount of trials, she had known it all. Though it had scared her when she had now been faced with someone she had known limited information about this trial and that had scared her.
Despite being the cursed woman she had lived many lives but had also learned and experienced many things throughout the span of her lives. As she had forced herself to get stronger she was able to live her previous lifes through her strength. However, despite her having both the knowledge and power, she didn't have it all. She had always lived her life killing herself with the simple summoning jutsu of the demon, the being who had controlled her like and puppet using her like nothing. She hated it.
She thought maybe being so strong would help everything, but it didn't. In fact, it had been even worse. Power was a scary thing to have. To feel as though she was above everyone, she experiences such desperation like others, she thought the world was evil. Eventually, she had become the thing she had feared the most, she had become her own villain. She had promised herself through every life she had wanted to help people around and grow stronger, but she had just gotten tired of it. Even now she could remember the madness, the feeling of this new-formed madness creating and shaping her new self.
She couldn't remember when it began or when it ended. Along that strange path, she had refused the help of many and one of them being Jiraiya, the man had taught her through her life. Though pathetic as it may have seemed she had succumbed to this darkness. Jiraiya had tried to help her countless times, she had always wondered why? Why did he try to help her? She was so foolish. So foolish for thinking that power had been universal and was everything. However, she had faced the reality of her words.
The man she had admired the most, Jiraiya, had killed her. She was strong. So strong. She had managed to beat Tsunade and was close to her killing her very own teacher, but it had been a moment of hesitation and her weakness being exposed. She had remembered the painfully feeling of apologizing to Jiraiya as he held her, she was bleeding out from the wounds he created on her and her depletion of chakra. She had been dying in his arms, and all she could ask was for forgiveness. She had watched as her teacher had gently kissed her forehead and told her to rest.
She wanted that to be the end but of course, she had found herself in another body. She had feared what power had done. But she had learned what it had helped. So she mentally prayed every night she wouldn't feel the same madness she did. After all, she was an Uchiha, and they had the Curse of Hatred. Maybe she could prevent Madara from experiencing it, hell any of her brothers. She held her thoughts as she watched Togoro's eyes settle on her, fingers clenched behind her back she didn't show a sign of weakness.
This had angered Togoro. He wanted the girl to bend to his will. He had some small hope inside of him that the girl would be begging to be released from the trial with using her sickness as an excuse, except he had watched her stand tall while controlling her breathing. He didn't want to admit it but she was impressive. His eyes had followed to her side seeing the small orphan boy and couldn't help but smirk as the boy looked up to him for a moment before gasping and looking down. That child was going to die. It was evitable, he was completely and utterly useless, like women in this household.
Togoro didn't give it too long before he assumed that the boy was going to be killed early, in fact, he had thought Akari could use his death as an advantage. She wouldn't have to protect anyone else but herself. He sighed as he looked around the youths lined up, their eyes hardened and shoulders broad as some had looked over to Akari with excitement. Some even looking at him with a certain glow in their eyes, he had to hide his smile for a moment as he began to explain the rules, which had been close to nothing except for going pass the boundaries which were leading to the outside of the forest.
His voice had been loud over the thoughts of many but Akari couldn't help but let her's wandered elsewhere. Her eyes devising a plan to quickly getting into the forest and avoiding contact, but she was sure that it was unavoidable. She lifted her eyes and narrowed them at Togoro her eyes briefly looking over to her family again. She refused to back down. Curling her fists she watched as Togoro walked away from the line of sight and she bent her knees, watching as the growing smirk held his lips.
Taking a deep breath she prepared herself for the unexpected and the expected. Hearing the loud sound ring in her ear and the shouts from around her, she didn't waste any time and dashed towards the treeline. Feeling the adrenaline inside of her she knew she could slip by them with her size and even manage to avoid them easily as some of them clash together, she ignored it and continued forward. She felt like she was flying and her feet were barely touching the floor, the rush filling her body with excitement.
Glancing back she looked for her teammate and watched as he had been entangled in battle already. She turned around already getting a kunai, they had still been in eyesight of the compound and from a distance, she had seen her brothers gather at the gates gazing at her. However, as she prepared to throw she ducked as the sword swung over her head. Gritting her teeth she could feel the sword barely miss her skin and rolled out the way as the way of kunai's had been deflected off of her own. She narrowed her eyes seeing the Uchiha youth in front of her, she prepped her stance.
Watching from behind him she had watched Fuyuhiko had struggled and actually gotten a deep cut to his knee making him stumble all over. She gasped and quickly looked in front of her. Despite the trial just starting she had seen dozens of bodies scattered around, the blood seemed to colour the ground entirely. She gulped as she focused on her comrade and twirled her kunai and avoided his attack before she had and stuck her foot out. The boy had unexpectedly tripped as Akari couldn't help but scoff at his actions and head towards Fuyuhiko.
"Shuriken shadow clone jutsu!" Without any hesitation the dozens of shurikens buried into Fuyuhiko's opponent, the boy stumbled back grunting in pain as his fingers automatically went to his knee his kunai slipping from his fingers and onto the ground. The Uchiha in front of him hissed in pain as the shurikens were deeply buried into his skin, he crawled backwards watching as the Uchiha had turned towards Akari in an attempt to kill her. Though with many surprises Fuyuhiko watched as the small girl appeared in front of him within seconds.
Her fist buried into his stomach, he gasped and cringed as he heard the crunch of the impact of her fist and his body as her feet landed on the ground and pushed him forward. Letting the young boy's eyes widened as the older Uchiha was seen smack into a tree breaking it in the process, he gulped seeing the guy knocked out. Barely even getting a moment he felt the gentle hands on his body, "come on. I'll help you." He stared at her watching the sweat roll down the corner of her forehead, he could feel her hot breath on his face.
She was still sick.
"Hurry up. We need to get cover." With the sounds of the screams in their ears and the clashes of metal against one another, it seemed to escape impossible. However, he was aware of the speed she held, she had to be the fastest person he had ever seen. Breathing out he watched as Akari bent forward on her knees, stumbling to his feet he crawled onto her back gripping around her neck as she lifted his legs securing them around her. It had taken a matter of a few seconds for everything to happen.
The sounds of the scream and battle halted, letting the field remaining of the victors and the bodies of the dead. Fuyuhiko looked up and felt the tightened grip of Akari, "hold on tight." Her voice was strained, he gulped and nodded as he watched the three Uchiha's stand. Their swords drenched in the blood of their fellow clan's member, "I need you to be my arms." She stated quickly as her eyes looked around the field, "b-b-ut-" She grit her teeth in response, "I don't need to hear your answer just do it or we are both dead." He gulped again, feeling the fear bubble in his stomach.
He reached down and let one hand rest on his kunai pouch, "once we get into the forest I am going to hide you, I'll distract them and then we will relocate." He held his tongue and nodded again, he didn't want to add more stress on her already and simply bit on his lower lip. He looked over her shoulder watching as the tallest Uchiha, Yukio, had grinned as his two other teammates launched forward with speed. Akari's eyes were easily able to see them as they had been fast but not faster than her eyes.
She darted forward her eyes glowing as she watched their movements and especially since they activated their Sharingan she found herself looking at the ground. Closing her eyes for a moment she took a deep breath as she felt the footsteps echo in her ears. Focus. She took another deep breath. Focus!
Inwardly smirking to herself she ducked the swords without even opening her eyes, Fuyuhiko could only gasp and tremble with the small tears forming at the corner of his eyes as he watched Akari dodge the blades. His grip around her neck never flattering, Fuyuhiko gulped as she easily passed by the two Uchihas and was heading towards Yukio. Fuyuhiko had locked eyes with him and watched as he coldly stared at Akari as she passed him, his body still and arms crossed over his chest as he watched the pair vanish in the thick trees.
He smirked, "well this will be fun." The trial was specifically given the limit of three days, and those who had arrived back later will be forced to participate in the tournament. Akari had constantly grilled her thoughts in her head as she looked around, peering for a spot to rest and heal Fuyuhiko. The lack of daylight was slowly escaping them, their ears had quickly adjusted to the sounds of the forest with the occasional screams of someone dying in their ears. Lucky for them Akari had been out of the main pathway and instead was heading straight for Yakuna.
"Over there." The soft voice of the boy brought her too light as she looked over to the hidden spot of the thick trees, she jumped from branch to branch and soon landed on it. Quickly she gently placed Fuyuhiko on the tree, the boy quickly pressing his back against the hard solid trunk, quickly Akari wasted no time in healing Fuyuhiko who remained silent and stared in awe. He had always heard rumors of her being gifted with a wide vast of knowledge and the best healing hands, he almost felt ashamed being in her presence like he was unworthy of it.
She sighed softly, "good thing you reacted quick enough. The damage could have been worse if he had been any stronger, he could have torn a ligament or even punctured a muscle." Fuyuhiko shivered at the thought-feeling his shoulders tremble at the simple thought of it but stared at the girl. He curled his fingers in his hands, "thank you." She flashed him a brief smile before continuing her job. It was silent with Fuyuhiko trying to avoid staring at Akari too much, mainly because of any movement she had made her shocking blue eyes shined.
It had made it incredible for him to believe that she was a full-blood Uchiha and not mixed. Her eyes were unnatural and seen to be abnormal to the clan. Everything about her had been far from the clan's standards, her appearance, her attitude and even the way she carried herself. He found it amazing, she had been the talk around everywhere, somehow seeing her in front of him was absolutely different and it was mind-blowing, such a person was associating themselves with a person like him.
"Here." She passed him her container of water, he hesitated as she nudged it closer to him. He reluctantly took it and took a light sip before handing it back to her. His hands briefly touching her's, he gasped quickly shocking her, "you're burning up." A few moments passed as Akari nodded, "I know." He blinked scrunching his eyebrows together at the blank reaction, he started to even freak out he wasn't use to this reaction at all. All the worst ideas began to form in his head and before he knew it he was having more of a reaction than Akari.
Akari kept her lips together watching as the boy freaked out on her behalf, his reaction was so cute with the small tears forming at the corner of his eyes as his hands waved around madly. She reached forward sighing with a small smile on her lips and patted his head, instantly the boy froze at the action and pouted unconsciously. He looked at her, "we have to take care o-of you." His voice light and his confidence had easily boosted over her relaxed state on him. Akari nodded, "I understand. I will be careful. First, we must get the artifact." She gulped.
Reaching into her pocket she pulled out the map and instantly began to describe it. Throughout the entire process, she had to admit the boy didn't flinch at her words and took in every word even slipping in a piece of advice, she easily noticed that the boy seemed to have the traits of an advisor instead of being a fighter. Easily noting that too herself she had explained every through. She watched as his eyes fell onto the map again, her finger circling around the snake pit, he gulped in the thick silence.
She watched as the bead of sweat rolled down his neck, "a-are you sure? This seems dangerous." He looked at her, the sight of the innocent and crying boy seconds ago vanished and instead was replaced with the hardened dark eyes. She nodded, "my father had met one of them, probably his partner. However, she seemed to care, while he does not." She leaned back further letting her legs cross each other and her fingers curl in her lap. She let her eyes drift around her surroundings.
"The Elders are aware of him and the danger he poses, that is why they use the youths to be allowed into the forest. Like a form of sacrifice as either food or to display their subordination to him." She leaned back on her hands feeling as her hair drifted for down her back, "if we can bring his head. That will be more than enough. Maybe they will stop this so-called "tradition" of theirs." She watched as Fuyuhiko nodded, "you're right. H-However, we will be enough." She nodded. His eyes widened at the look she gave him.
"I have pack antidotes for poison and medicine. We will be fine. It's just the process of attaining and maintaining his head." He drew out a long breath, "if the others find out they may seek for the head. That will grant them a reward and power." She smirked, he was smarter than he had taken himself for. She stood to her feet and rolled the map into her pocket, she adjusted her clothing and reached her hand out too him. He stared at her hand and then her again, "we are really doing this." He whispered to himself.
She grinned, "believe in me." She spoke, her eyes hardened as he gently took her hand standing at her height, she leaned forward poking at his chest, "believe in yourself." His eyes widened as he stared at her, the words she had spoken were so sure so confident. It was still unbelievable that a person like her existed, but he was sure that her existence and the impact she would create on the Uchiha clan would soon become more than significant in the clan's life. Her driven attitude and confidence, even the skill she had that alone was going to cause reform.
Despite the burst of courage, he had Fuyuhiko had still been oblivious to the possible outcomes of his future. Whether he had died in the forest, or he would continue his life. He had been a mere boy who was living day-by-day, he wasn't sure what tomorrow would hold, he had often wondered if it was worth living. Giving this gift when so many other people had lost it, the family he had were long gone and being alone had been a crucial feeling he had gotten used too. He didn't enjoy of course.
Aside from being alone, he was weak. Meaning he had always been at the bottom of the chain, the first to be eaten. However, would it be that way in the case of this forest?
The two continued on through the forest without many complaints until Akari had decided to rest, the night had drawn quicker than they expected and the thick drops of rain fell onto them. It had made them both retreat inside a small cave, the two had placed their belongings neatly inside and built a fire and ate berries they had found. The silence was thick but comfortable. Both had been extremely tired and quickly had wanted to rest, Fuyuhiko had been adamant about Akari taking a rest first as she had been sick and wasted chakra on him earlier.
"Are you sure?" Her voice was soft but easily filled with the tiredness, he nodded his head and leaned against the wall. She sighed before retreating near the fire and curling into a ball. He had watched her shoulders move and her eyes close before it took less than a few minutes for her to fall asleep. He hid the small smile on his lips looking at her. She was beautiful. Like really beautiful. She was also so considerate, throughout the entire time they had been travelling she constantly asked about his wounds.
Of course, he explained he was fine but she never believed him. He had heard so many rumors about her from her beauty, maturity, and skill. She had been rare among the Uchiha children. She was a healer. It was shocking to see her actually use it at first, many people in the Uchiha compound praised her but also belittled her, some say she had been blessed by the gods and were the spirit of an ancestor who had been talented in her abilities of the sword and healing. Others had spoken of her a curse and breaking the traditional ways of the Uchiha.
Fuyuhiko had wondered along with many. Who was her master at her healing? And how could she do it so easily? He had thought to himself, as foolish as it may seem, she had probably the knowledge of one of her ancestors directly passed down to her. Because the experience and talent she demonstrated so were easy and fluid-like. He shook his head at the thought, that was impossible, right?
He sighed to himself and walked closer to the edge of the cave, he admired the scene watching as the thick downfall of rain lapped the ground and trees. The sight was beautiful and hypnotizing until his eyes had fallen on something else, or particularly someone else. He squinted his eyes but he had managed to see three individuals close to each other, one of them had been injured badly and was being carried by another guy, while the last one had been deflecting kunai were thrown his way. He gasped watching as their situation seemed dire.
Looking back at Akari he watched her sleeping form, he bounced on the balls of his feet. His heart was tingling was nervousness, he didn't want anyone to die, let alone he couldn't trust these people. It was the Battle of Ages, mercy and alliances had been critical but useless. Before he had been aware of his own feet he found himself heading towards them, he headed towards one of the traps him and Akari had laid out and made eye contact with one of the boys. He jabbed his finger towards the discreet cave.
"O-h, she is going to be so angry." He mumbled to himself as he watched behind the tree as the group of boys heading towards the cave, he had caught the glimpse of one figure and didn't hesitate in cutting the steel-string. The harsh and devasting sound of a scream and the impact of a body against the log echoed in his ears, he shooked himself and quickly peeked behind the tree and watched the bloody figure against the trunk of a tree, not moving. He gasped and quickly turned away before dashing towards the cave, he met the boys as they arrived in front of it.
He quickly lifted the large wooden panel and allowed them to rush inside. He slammed it behind him as he peeked out through the limited view from the cracks. He watched as the bloodied body had then been surrounded by another Uchiha, then another and another, it kept growing. He gasped watching as the amount of Uchiha's had gathered together, they all had been working together. His fingers shook as his grip around the wood tightened in his grip, he counted and counted for a few seconds watching as they retrieved the barely alive boy and vanished in the rain.
They had no chance. With that many ganging up on him and Akari, as powerful as she may seem she was still sick and he was useless. They will be killed in this forest. He stepped back hearing the squeak and the sound of a sword being drawn, he watched as Akari held the sword to one of the boys. Her eyes narrowed as she glanced over to him, "Fuyuhiko." Her voice cold and her eyes alert, "care to explain?" She raised a brow the shimmer in her shocking blue eyes becoming more shocking than the fire itself.
His breath trembled, "h-h-he's injured." She craned her neck, "I can see that." She nodded as she pressed the blade into the neck of the boy. He trembled against the movement, "why are they here?" The sound of her voice echoing around them, as the injured Uchiha cradled his leg in pain and whimpered as the other one tightened his grip on it. He looked back and forth, "listen-we-he's just injured. We need a place to stay for a bit." The taller Uchiha raised a brow, his dark eyes locked with her's as she looked at the bleeding out boy and their condition.
They all seemed to be relatively injured but they had one bleeding out. Fuyuhiko cautiously approached her with raised hands, "b-but they would have been killed." He took a deep breath as her cautious gaze locked on him, "they are creating alliances." Her eyes widened as she looked at her teammate. She curled her lips, "what." She was angry. However, she expected them to play dirty at least with Togoro taking control of the event, she was sure she would be spoiled and feel some inequality during this trial.
The Uchiha nodded as he eyed the sword, "that's right. They created an alliance. We were keeping intel on them, we only planned on gathering information before we do anything." Akari stepped forward pressing the blade into his skin, successfully nicking it. Her eyes narrowed, "what do you mean 'before you do anything'?" The guy glanced back as the other one nodded encouragingly. He sighed before lifting his eyes to her, "we actually were kinda protecting you." Akari blinked a few times with the thick silence.
She stepped back and went over to her weapon, Fuyuhiko sighed as he thought she would sheath her weapon. He was slightly surprised at her being so convinced easily, instead, she received for her second sword. The tallest Uchiha let out a scream as he scrambled back, "did you think that would convince me? Let it be one or a hundred, I will always win. I don't need help from anyone." The teen gulped as Akari raised her sword and swung it to his neck, his friends scrambling with their own movements while he remained still.
Her blade strong and steel. She had the intent of killing him, she didn't want to create alliances with anyone. She had a feeling that it was a set-up that was what she had thought. Her eyes flashed on his neck, the shining stainless steel necklace and the markings on it. It was thin and simple. She paused letting the blade stop inches from his neck, she narrowed her eyes staring at the teen watching his Adam's apple bob and even the thin sweat line form down his neck. Stepping forward she allowed her fingers to grasp the necklace and tugged it out.
She took in the appearance of it. It had been Kanato's necklace. She had remembered the exact same indent and markings on the necklace, it had been given to him by their deceased grandmother who had apparently crafted it herself. She felt the sense of familiarity flow through her and allowed her fingers to gentle cross over the markings. Whenever she had slept with him she would often play with it as a way of trying to sleep, apparently with the small container inside the necklace had herbs that were meant to help you sleep better. So naturally, she had found herself liking the unique necklace.
He had never given it to her to wear but someone he had entrusted it to this guy. She hid the slight burning feeling in her chest and bit back the better thoughts. Her brother had thought of her, he had wanted her to form alliances during the trial. She had to admit it she had never thought about it, especially since she was sick and was set on training instead of building relationships. It appeared to her that her very own brother was much more clever than she had originally anticipated, something she never thought she was capable of.
The sound of her sheathing her sword was heard as the teen released a breath, "next time my brother sends you tell me before I slice your head off." The boy sighed rubbing his hand down his face and sat on the rock, she walked over to the two other teens seeing their eyes glued to her. She crouched down and pinched her lips together and quickly begun to work, her eyes focused with the green hue of medical jutsu reflecting in her shining eyes, "talk." Fuyuhiko had felt his heart jump as he handed the injured boy a bottle of water who gratefully accepted.
"He had come to us and wanted us to protect you." She continued healing the leg, first controlling the method of preventing blood loss, "in case you are unaware we are his friends." She kept her eyes focused, strange. She had never seen her brother with friends, he had either made his time completely to her or had been alone focusing on jutsu's or writing poetry. This had been the first time, she scrunched her eyebrows at his words, the boy she was healing scoffed and craned his neck as she glanced up.
"I can understand he didn't mention us. We aren't anything special. No connection to the main branch, just regular Uchiha's." She could hear the slight hurt in his voice. He had envied them. She didn't blame him. She and her brothers had everything aside from the snide remarks from some Uchiha's about her everyone treated them like royalty. Their skills had been beyond exceptional especially since they were so young, Madara had begun to enter the ongoing war and demonstrated his talents beyond what they thought, and Izuna the same.
Her older brothers, Ryuusuke had been the brains and had constantly been forging new alliances with merchants and clans opening pathways for the Uchiha's growth while Kanato had been talented in literature and understanding jutsu's along with translating in different languages. Her family had been talented and it was clear they were unlike anyone else. However, she had been shocked that the boys were never mentioned, she was friends with people from a different branch and found nothing out of the ordinary. Maybe it was because she was still adjusting to the newfound politics in this clan or her own experience.
"Nothing is wrong with being a regular Uchiha. Your name is enough to hold authority in the clan. Ranks mean nothing. It is through skill and effort you are to determine who you are." There had been a pause around her as she carefully dressed the room, the boy laughing lightly through the pain, "for a kid you seem to sound like an old man." She looked up briefly before stepping back and heading towards her small pack, she reached in and handed the taller boy a bandage, "I assume you can put it on yourself." The boy looked down at her and then stared at before taking it.
She crossed her arms as she sat on the rock, her eyes narrowed as she stared into the fire her fingers clasped together, "now what do you plan on doing to get out of this trial?" She raised a brow, "Kanato has already gotten an artifact. He just needs us to help you get yours." She grinned, letting the boys being taken back at the action and change in her demeanour, it was terrifying with the simple actions she had created and the way she acts to change the entire atmosphere around them. It made her seem like a true Uchiha.
"Can you help me is the question?" She propped her knee up resting her forearm against it letting the smirk cross her lips, she was entertained. She wanted to see their reactions. Would they claim she was mad? Would they run away? She let her imagination run while as she glanced over to the nervous Fuyuhiko, watching the sweat drip down his neck. Yes, the boy had been shy for his own good. However, she planned on convincing him to stay in the cave and find Yakuna herself and then when she got the head she would simply meet up with him and head back together.
If not she would leave in the middle of the night, or even slip something in his food. She had planned various ways and all of them included the boy not being involved in killing Yakuna.
She rested her chin on arm and stared into the fire watching as the group of boys stared at each other, "tell me." She breathed out, "can you truly help me?" She asked again, her voice harder and her gaze focused. The taller boy gulped but nodded, just because he had been friends with Kanato hadn't been the entire reason he was doing this. He would be a fool to follow his friend like a complete idiot, even he had his own reasons, and reasons Kanato had planned to help him and his family. Maybe he just was a fool, but he was a fool for his family.
"Yes." He strained his voice, she hummed and craned her neck. He gulped, he wanted to know what she had planned to get. He had heard of her training until she had gotten sick, but even till now, he can see that the girl was 100 steps in front of him. She had analyzed and mapped the situation, everything about it. In all honesty, he was beyond shocked that the rumors about the young Uchiha had been nothing on her. Despite the cold and beautiful blue eyes that made everyone wondered if she was full-blood, her kindness was different hard but existed.
Maybe she had been a killer. But, she had her reasons, right?
Killing a dozen men who had kidnapped her had been enough. So, what could this young girl have planned?
"Tell me-have you heard of the tale of Yakuna." His world stopped and so did his fellow friends. But, Akari smiled brightly. She was excited to do something that even shook them. Seeing the looks on their faces had been a pure terror. However, she was anticipating the look from Togoro and the rest of the clan.