Chapter 25 "Smile"

I cursed before twisting my hips to deliver a push kick to Tanjiro's forearm—giving myself some space. "Kurama, is our chakra still good?!" I yelled internally as I used a shunshin to back up. Those chakra receiver knives were damn good at fragmenting within flesh—if I had even a few fragments within me, then my chakra control would be shot. "So you got the Three-tails?" I asked Tanjiro as I entered a taijutsu combat stance. I had to buy Kurama time to assess the situation.

Tanjiro used a shunshin to close the distance between us. He appeared to my left and began slashing in a coordinated yet wild manner. I drew two kunai from wrist seals and stepped closer to the older man, parrying his strikes. "No." He sneered, continuing his flurry of blows. With each blow he attempted, I blocked it and delivered rough kicks to his shins, trying to whittle away at the flesh over time. He roared, furious that he couldn't touch me.

"I can talk, but I can't help you, Kirisuto. Listen carefully!" Kurama answered, his voice giving off a sense of urgency. I perked up to listen as I fought to hold back Tanjiro's knives from impaling me. "This man has a Bijū, but it's not one of my kin!" Kurama exclaimed. My eyes widened in surprise before I let out a roar of anger as I channeled wind chakra into my kunai and sliced downward, through the knives and one of the false Jinchūriki's hands. He recoiled in pain before I seized him by the throat and tossed him with all my strength into some ice debris. "How did you get the chakra for that monster!?" I asked accusingly.

The Sage of the Six Paths—the originator of ninjutsu and father of the Uchiha and the Senju—needed the immense chakra of the Jūbi and the Rinnegan to create the 9 Bijū. How could a bunch of country bumpkins make a Bijū when their population was dwindling, and their chakra-sensitive people were scarce?

Tanjiro adopted a feral grin before he stood up, wiping fragments of ice from his body. "We can talk that over when you're in chains." He said haughtily. I narrowed my eyes. Tanjiro brought his hands together and flared his chakra. "With this, I show you how your empire will fall." He declared before the chakra he expended reached levels I had never sensed in another Shinobi before. His body expanded, becoming neon blue in the process, he grew to the point where he had to be 60 meters tall. "Bijū Mode. I can't believe it…" I thought, shocked as I saw the creature look down upon me. Its form resembled a lanky primate with limbs as then as a reptile's legs and lacking any sort of scales or fur. It only had sickly blue-white skin. Gunfire interrupted my thoughts, and I flinched in pain before diving behind some debris. I turned to look behind me and felt pain lance up my back.

I had been shot multiple times. "I thought they agreed to a deal," I muttered, though, I didn't really trust that these losers would abide by the rules of the battle. I should've been alert but seeing a guy turning in a kaiju was a little distracting. I tried to mold some chakra to see if I could distract Tanjiro long enough to think of…something but nothing happened. Worried, I formed a handseal that made molding chakra even easier and tried once more. Nothing happened.

"I see you noticed that you're powerless!" Tanjiro bellowed before he slapped the cover I hid behind out of his way. I looked up at him with an annoyed look. "Are these chakra receiving bullets?" I asked him, trying to think of a way out of this. The grotesque beast responded with a sneer before he tried to crush me with a punch. I bolted out of the way and started heading towards my squad. I drew my revolver along the way and began firing, killing ANBU that weren't fast enough to dodge the bullets. All the while trying to avoid lighting strikes that Tanjiro was sending my way.

Finally, I managed to get behind the earth wall and dived into the pit. I landed next to Asuka with my back to the other members of the squad. Asuka formed a few handseals before exclaiming, "Doton: Doryūheki!" A thick slab of earth formed a wall that sealed the entrance. "Good job, Asu—Raccoon." I said before trying to reach my wounded back. "Now we just need you to use a tunnel Jutsu so we ca—" I started before recoiling in pain. I tried to stay on my feet but fell to my knees. The sound of the gunshot was deafening since we were in an enclosed space. I turned and saw that Hokuto had shot me in the back with his shotgun. "Kiri-kun!" Asuka exclaimed before looking up to Hokuto. "I—I…we need to live!" He begged before turning his gun to the other members. "Hokuto, you need to calm down. We can get out of this!" Akechi suggested. Hokuto opened his mouth to answer but was silenced when a tanto blade emerged from his throat. Asuka shoved the bleeding coward to the ground with a grunt of frustration. "The punishment for betrayal is death." She stated before coming to my side, preparing a healing Jutsu.

I eyed the remaining ANBU members who exchanged glances. "General, we should surrender." Hanae insisted, her voice becoming filled with desperation. Akechi looked torn. "If we are captured they will hold me ransom, rape you and Asu before killing you three." I said, my voice flat, as I was stating a simple fact. She recoiled. "I won't let Asu be harmed." I swore. Asuka looked at me with concern for a moment before she started to pry the bullets and pellets from my flesh. I grit my teeth. "There's no chance of speaking to Kurama now." I thought. I heard a metallic click and looked up to see that Hanae and Akechi had their revolvers trained on us. I narrowed my eyes.

"You can be shot all day, and you won't die, Uzumaki, but your bitch will!" Akechi cursed, his voice shaking with fear. "I won't die for anyone!" Hanae yelled, her eyes welling up. I looked up to Asuka, who was tensed up and ready to strike. I placed my hand on hers. "Asu, look at me." I asked softly. She hesitates before tearing her eyes away from the traitors. "I'll see you again." I said with a large smile. The smile I used all the time in the present. My fake smile.

Her eyes widened before I spat blood on my hand and slammed it on the ground. A sealing Jutsu formula spread out from the hand and Asuka was covered in a bright light before she disappeared in a puff of smoke. Hanae shot, but the gun went off kilter due to her trembling. The wall next to my head was cracked by the large caliber round. "Reverse summoning complete." I said before coughing in pain. I shakily rose to my feet.

Akechi tensed up, causing me to gain a weary grin. "There there, pussy. I'm giving up. But I'm not getting out of here unless I'm carried, or you install an elevator." I snapped. Light suddenly filled the hole, and I looked up to see Tanjiro had ripped the earth wall covering away. "I think we can reach a compromise." He yelled with glee. I opened my mouth to respond, but the creature interrupted by crushing me with a punch. I felt my ribs crack from the impact.

He then curled his fingers to pluck me up in his fist before pulling me out. I looked down, on the verge of passing out, and saw Hanae and Akechi looking relieved with their hands up. I grimaced but forced myself to remain calm. I shut my eyes, activating one last seal that was within my chakra coils. A seal I created to collect nature energy. I never give up but I sure as hell can lie about doing so.

Later, in the Prison of Sunagakure

"Wow, this place is pretty cool." I muttered as I lazily swung my body, my arms were shackled to the ceiling and I had leg shackles that only cuffed my ankles together. I also was stripped of weapons and armor. "Breezy. Makes me a teeny bit aroused. Just a bit." I quipped before I started doing some crunches. My jailor rubbed his temples as he let out a huff of frustration. "Jesus Christ…are you having fun?" The Akatsuki torturer yelled as he flogged my chest with his cat o' nine tails, a whip made of nine segments of leather that had chunks of metal and glass braided within them.

I laughed out loud. "Asu-chan and I are quite the dirty kids. I hurt more when she makes me call her Mommy!" I said haughtily. The torturer sneered before he struck me again and again. I just looked at him—bored. I was kidding around. If Asuka asked if she could Domme me I'd probably faint. The pain was no issue though. Being pelted with beer bottles throughout your entire childhood helped build up a tolerance to pain. I just hoped they didn't start ripping off nails or foreskins.

That shit wasn't great. I was exhausted after regenerating from the massive injuries I gained when Tanjiro captured me. "Most people ask for information before they torture people." I commented as the man took a small break from beating me. He grinned, showing off deadened teeth. "I am supposed to soften you up before one of the ten Akatsuki arrive to deal with you." He explained as he grabbed a javelin and began to heat up the tip of the weapon using an open flame. I narrowed my eyes, "what of my men?" The torturer smirked before he flung the javelin at me, impaling my stomach. I let out a growl of frustration as the red hot tip seared my flesh. "They are captured, in camps. I heard you're ANBU are being interrogated." He said, finding pleasure in my pain.

"ANBU? Asuka…" I thought before I started flexing, trying to break my arm restraints. "You fucking hicks. I won't let you hurt them!" I cursed, gritting my teeth as I tried to coax my chakra into breaking the seals they put on me. "You can't break those, boy." The torturer remarked. I started to kick my feet, struggling to throw my legs up so I could pry my chains off with them. "Those restraints were made to hold a Jinchūriki of your size." He said with a scoff. I narrowed my eyes. "Then I just have to be stronger than that. I won't give in to scum like you, rebel." I exclaimed as I crossed my arms, pulling with all my strength.

A third man interrupted. "Your willpower is admirable, Uzumaki, but it is useless." Tanjiro said as he entered the room through a doorway behind the torturer. "Leave us." He ordered, and the sadist left immediately. Tanjiro looked to me, staring. I met the man's gaze with an unyielding stare of my own. "You are a fool, separatist. Even if you create a dozen Bijū, you couldn't recreate the Infinite Tsukuyomi. You lack so many components it's hilarious." I said with a laugh. Tanjiro smiled. "We lack the Rinnegan. It is only with the Rinnegan that the Statue of the Demonic Path could be summoned so that we could resurrect the Ten-Tails like your ancestors Madara and Obito Uchiha did before." He explained as he walked over to a nearby table to pick up a tool. "How do you know that? That's an S-rank secret." I asked, only those of the Uzumaki clan and the Emperor knew the truth about the Jūbi, the Ten-tails. Tanjiro smirked, "more people hate you and your kind than you could ever imagine, Uzumaki. Those with the power to destroy your nation." He threatened.

I looked down, my lips trembling. Tanjiro sneered, but the expression was short lived. A chuckle escaped my lips that rose to a laugh before I started to cackle. I moved forward, amassing as much of my own chakra as I could in my muscles, the chains started to strain. "Then we will remove them. Your military is inferior. You lack numbers and resources; you can't win." I asserted. "Surrender, and you'll live. Your dream is unattainable!" I yelled. Tanjiro stepped on a sealing formula on the ground, and the chains around me started to glow violet. "Chakra chains!?" I thought before my limbs started to bend backward.

"We will win because we are just. Your family seized power and forced their naive rhetoric on us, and we suffered for it. Both of your grandfathers prevented us from attaining true peace, and they killed those who disagreed. The blood of traitors and monsters fills your veins, Uzumaki. I won't submit to you…" Exclaimed the pseudo-jinchūriki. I grimaced before I stopped channeling chakra. "Chakra chains are made of spiritual energy and ki. So gathering nature energy should help…just have to be careful. I am not a Sage yet." I thought, closing my eyes to try to calm down enough to absorb some of the earth's power.

Tanjiro walked up to me and grabbed the center chain constricting my torso. He pulled, bringing my face down to his level, "I won't submit to you, but your friend will submit to me." He declared softly. My eyes open and I used all my strength to thrash at the chains. "You don't have her and if you do then don't you dare go near her! I'll butcher you before you die; I'll make a mess of your puny cock before you eat it!" I cursed. The chains sang sounds of creaking metal but refused to break. "I may do something like that to her, but you won't get the chance to even touch me." He said with a laugh before standing. I wanted to thrash about and rip Tanjiro's soul apart, but I had to calm down. I needed to escape.

I forced my eyes closed. I forced myself to breathe slowly. I needed to gather nature energy to escape. Maybe I could check and see if Asuka was really here as well. Tanjiro walked away as the torturer returned. "Don't let him rest. Take shifts." Tanjiro suddenly said. The torturer looked at him, confused, "what, Sir?" I looked up to Tanjiro a moment before he turned to me with an eerie smile, "we don't want him to enter Sage Mode, do we?" My eyes widened, no one but my family knew about my training. "Who betrayed us…?" I thought as I saw the torturer approach me with a red-hot stake.

Hours Later

I tried desperately to breathe but the feeling of heated metal pressed to my ribs made it nearly impossible. The man torturing me was trying his best to make me unable to even think he was quite successful. I couldn't think of a way to escape; the only thing that I could focus on was what Tanjiro was doing to Asuka, so Sage Mode was out of the question.

I felt like I was going insane. All I wanted was to protect Asuka with every fiber of my being, but I couldn't do a thing. I couldn't even ask Kurama for help or draw on any of his chakra either, I had been sedated, so I couldn't be stressed enough to gather Bijū chakra, and the chains turned blew my chakra control to shit.

An artificial crackle filled the air, and the torturer stopped cooking my flesh at once. "Can you hear me?" Asked Tanjiro through the intercom. "Yes, Sir." Answered the torturer. "Good. Listen." He ordered before I heard him moving back from the microphone. I immediately looked up to the speaker while I tried to subtly gather nature energy. This was my chance.

A feminine voice interrupted my thoughts, "what are you doing now?" I bit my lower lip in worry and frustration. "Asuka…" I murmured. "Kiri-kun? You're alive?" She asked softly in a pained voice. I closed my eyes tightly as I nodded, "I'm fine. Tanjiro, I'll talk just let her go." I begged. "No, Kiri-kun! I am fine. You must resist!" She yelled back. Tanjiro then responded before I could react, "I'll respect your wishes." He said before the sound of a whip came over the intercom shortly before I heard a pain-filled hiss. "I'm okay, Kiri. I'm oka—" Asuka said with a shaky voice before the connection cut out.

I looked down, stinging tears in my eyes, my anguish was so great that I didn't notice I felt no pain anymore. The torturer walked to a wall for a stave, intending to hack at my limbs, "that girl will have it bad. The other men here aren't as nice as me." He said with a bit of strain as he reached for the polearm. "They aren't afraid to dirty their toys." He finished with a harsh sound of metal shearing apart scared the torturer into turning around. He received a clawed hand over his mouth and a bone-shattering stomp to the knee for his trouble.

I tried my best to silence my ragged breaths, my rational mind in danger of being overcome by instinct and fear. "If you scream I'll crush your spine, your balls then your head. If you talk, then I'll just break your legs, and you'll pass out." I said, my voice warped due to the amount of Kyūbi chakra filling my body. I released the man's head, and he bit down on his arm so he couldn't scream in pain. "God…I…the girl? The girl is in a cell two floors up! Room 310." He exclaimed. I stared at him, two tails of chakra flowing behind me. He looked into my demonic eyes and trembled, "I swear! There are barracks near it, but you should have no trouble!" He explained. "Please, I don't want to die." He begged. I stomped on the man's thigh, breaking his femur before I punched him so hard that his head bounced off the pavement. "I won't." I murmured.

I sprinted out of the room in search of a staircase. Asuka had to be alive… My worry gave way to anger, and I started to run on all fours. She saved a freak like me. She needs me. She is kind so she must live.

I found a staircase and started scaling the wall using chakra until I reached the second floor. The moment I crossed the point where the stairs ended, and the second-floor tile began I tripped an alarm. A loudspeaker flared up, and an automated voice started yelling, "Bijū chakra detected at staircase 4! All Bijū containment troops prepare for battle." I sunk my chakra covered claws into the wall out of anger before I tossed a chunk of drywall at the speaker.

"I have no time for fodder. I must find Asuka." I uttered before I looked for a sign of how close I was to Asuka's room. I observed a sign. "Second floor. Rooms 200-245." I clenched my fists, cutting my palms with my claws before I slashed the sign in two out of anger. I took a bipedal stance and looked upward. I would kill the liar later. I had no time. I had my chakra cloak's arm grow in size as I threw a savage punch toward the roof above me.

The sound of a round being chambered interrupted my thoughts. I looked down and saw five men with their rifles trained on me. I eased into a low crouch before pushing on the ground with my arms, legs, and tails. I leaped explosively straight up into the air a second before the men shot. My body broke through the weakened cement and tile floor above me with ease but not without pain. The pain helped though. It made me even angrier.

I observed a sign similar to the first one. This floor went from rooms 300-330. I smiled, a glimmer of hope filled me as I started to run. The numbers engraved on the walls counted up as I sprinted down the main hallway. The space between each door was sizable. If the rooms were comparable to the torture that I was in then, that wasn't surprising. I got past room 306 when a larger pair of doors appeared.

The doors seemed to be made of steel. "A trap." I thought, my mind growing more clouded by the second. I looked behind me and saw that another tail had sprouted and the cloak had grown darker, my blood had begun to seep from my pores. My irises became larger, my lips curled back to reveal all of my sharpened teeth, my lips and eyelids grew dark and cracked, and my nails grew into black talons. I looked at my torn uniform and ripped off the jacket as I kicked open the door.

Within two dozen troops had taken cover behind concrete metal shield walls that seemed to rise out of the ground. I entered the room wearing no shoes, a tattered long-sleeve mesh armor top, and navy military pants. Not wanting to waste time, I rushed the soldiers and pounced. I landed on a pair of soldiers and slammed my claws into them so hard that the tile beneath them cracked. The sound of a gunshot in my ear caused me to let out a hiss as I turned and swung my tails at the shooter. A man who had fired his rifle at the side of my head was slammed into a wall; the loud snapping noises insinuated that he died on impact.

I then pushed off the ground with one of my arms and stuck myself on a wall. "The Nine-tails, it's up there," yelled a soldier as he turned to me. The other soldiers got the message and started firing at me. I sprinted along the roof before I managed to leap behind a sofa that was placed in the corner of the room; I wondered if the room was meant for conferences.

I had my chakra tails split and grow long enough to slice and stab the gunmen to keep them occupied. Then I ran through a few handseals before expelling a massive torrent of fire from my mouth with a roar. There were so many flames that it hit the far wall and the flames started to go skyward. "Katon: Gōka Mekkyaku." I said quietly afterward as I stood up straight and walked through the flames. They couldn't harm me when I wore a cloak of chakra. "I decided to use one of Madara's Jutsu since you guys like his plan so much," I said calmly as I reached the door and opened it. Fire tried to escape in the enclosed space, but I held it at bay with my chakra. "You're welcome," I muttered before I slammed the door shut in a burning corpse's face.

I continued to sprint down the hall when an alarm sounded. Suddenly doors hidden along the hallway opened and Shinobi wielding chakra receiving blades appeared. One leaped forward at high speeds while two more moved in to pierce my sides. I slammed my tails down, pinning the two side attackers' arms, and propelling myself forward to meet the other head on. I stopped the blade by catching the man's hands and smiled before I threw my weight backward. The man hit the wall head first, and his neck snapped. I let myself fall until I could kick off a wall to the next group. Three more rushed forward. "How fortunate." I thought, my bloodlust reaching new heights and my rationale all but gone. I sunk my claws into the tile a few feet from the Shinobi and twisted my hips. My chakra tails hardened and impaled the three. I let out a content chuckle before a war cry ended my merriment.

I turned and saw seven or so Shinobi advancing. Beyond them was a sign that read, "Rooms 307-311." My eyes widened. I needed to focus. I nearly forgot Asuka. I rushed the Shinobi. I slashed them apart with my claws and tails. Delivering punches and kicks. Striking like a man and a beast.

A moment later and a dozen ninja were dead. I rubbed my temples, trying to keep a clear head, as I started to run. I passed one more doorway and found a large room with doors on every wall. The second to last one was 310, in the back on a wall that leads to another staircase. I took a step, and the door behind me closed. I looked to see if I could break it, but a blood-curdling scream caught my attention before I could check—Asuka's scream. I turned and saw no less than 30 Akatsuki ANBU rip offs in front of room 310. "Asu-chan…" I murmured, my voice distorting further as I lost even more control.

My skin was torn from my flesh and disintegrated instantaneously as my chakra cloak grew so dark it turned black. Blood poured out of me and tainted the black cloak. The black-red cloak then condensed around my body until it looked like the exoskeleton of an insect but didn't resemble the shape. No, two horn-like ears formed from the cloak, a vulpine snout sprouted in front of my lips and four tails flowed behind me. But I didn't succumb completely, my true form was faintly visible, and my face was clearly visible in the cloak though my features were demonic. My face had become a dark red due to a lack of skin, and my eyes lacked eyelids, so my entire eyeball was exposed. My fuller, sharper mouth full of teeth was also visible.

"ASuKAa!" I howled. The Shinobi visibly tensed in response. "Here he comes. Fight until Tanjiro-sama can complete the process." Ordered a captain. I stood up and roared with all my might at the offender, who had to shove his blade into the ground to keep his footing. Those behind him weren't so lucky and had to leap or stick to the roof with chakra to avoid being knocked off their feet by the vibrations. The officer yelled out, "attack!" Right before I started my attack. I moved so fast that I appeared to be using Shunshin or some teleportation Jutsu. I killed two ANBU with my limbs before I realized these Shinobi were too powerful to face with my claws alone.

I leaped to the roof for safety before I made a one-handed handseal, "Hyōton: Sashiki no Jutsu!" I yelled before throwing my hands outward. Blood shot from my wrists, hardened into icicles and impaled two unsuspecting ANBU. I made one last handseal, and even more, icicles exploded outward from the two Shinobi. I then smirked as I weaved a few more handseals, "I'll allow you to see a Jutsu of my own creation. Hyōton: Frostbite…" I hissed before clapping my hands and expelling a small amount of Yang chakra from my body. Yin chakra gave form, and Yang gave life. With the chakra, my blood that pierced the two Shinobi gained life and had one thought in mind—reproduce.

I dropped down to the ground and weaved three hand signs, "…Kazakiri." I said, huffing from the amount of intoxicating chakra filling my body. Green wind chakra started to form around my arm, spinning in thick torrents down my arm that all met to form one point above my right middle finger. "Kakashi of the Sharingan's Jutsu!?" Exclaimed one of the ANBU, sounding afraid. I grinned before lunging forward and sinking my arm up to my elbow through the man's chest. With so much power dulling my mind I could only answer, "no…just inspired this…"

Two frostbite creatures finally gestated enough that they could burst from the body's I attacked with blood. Two creatures that resemble thick snakes with gaping jaws that were made of scabs and frozen blood. I looked at the frostbites and beckoned them over. They flew through the air until they hovered over my shoulders. The false ANBU finally decided to strike back and charged. The first line of soldiers had chakra receiving blades while those behind them prepared jutsu ranging from Fire Style to a few Kekkai Genkai like Scorch Style.

I felt another tail start to form and prayed I could have enough control to save Asuka. I trusted myself. I knew that Kurama's chakra allowed me to sense those with hate for me. Even if I were brain dead, the chakra would find evil. I just had to stay alive. I turned to the ice beings I created and murmured two words before I lost consciousness, "…bleed them."

"Kiri-kun…"

I blinked and noticed that I was no longer in front of the ANBU-like Shinobi. A soft hand rested on my face, and I felt warmth in my chest. Then I realized that Asuka was before me…her cheeks were covered in scratches, she had a black eye, and her hair was matted with blood. "Asu-chan!" I exclaimed as I moved to hold her only to feel resistance—my right arm was caught in something. I looked down and saw I had stabbed Asuka; my Kazakiri had pierced her heart and damaged her spine.

"N-NO!" I screamed as I yanked my arm free at once before I started to create a healing Jutsu with the Kyūbi chakra and healed the wound. "A-Asuka, I'm sorry. Are you okay!?" I asked hurriedly as I cradled her in my arms. I didn't even think to look around to make sure she was safe. I just clung to her—as if holding her close would prevent her from dying. She gave a pained smile and nodded slowly as she ran her hand through my hair. "A-Asu-chan…" I said, tears welling in my eyes. "I-I hurt you…" I said, to myself more than her. She yanked my hair, the pain giving her my attention. She tried to pull me close but lacked the strength.

I moved closer to her, so close that my forehead almost touched her own, she let out a small laugh. "Sorry for asking…I can't do it myself." She said, wheezing a bit. I turned all the chakra I could into healing energy, trying to ease her pain. She let out a small content sigh as the green energy started to ease her aching muscles and torn flesh. "Jeez…you really can't help but save me, can you?" She said, thinking with her face blank, staring downward. I looked at her, confused, "I-I can't even say how much you help me, Asuka. You…I…can't lose you…" I said, tears flowing freely. "Please…" I begged. Asuka gave my chin a small kiss as she hugged my neck. I was crying so hard that I couldn't even feel it. All I felt was her arms.

"Look, Kirisuto." She said with a soft but firm tone. It was an order. I looked up and saw her beautiful blue eyes soften a bit before she gave me a gentle, nervous kiss on the lips. I had the faintest of blushes before I pulled her closer and deepened the kiss. Stopping only to breathe. "I…love you, Asuka. I don't wan—…I love you so much." I said quietly with a weak voice. "Kiri-kun…I…I was alone as long as I could remember. No one saw me. I just wanted to die…just end it so I wouldn't have to feel my heart hurt anymore." She whispered as she broke the kisses off. She settled into my arms, holding me close. I was so close that I could smell her silly fruit-scented shampoo in her hair even though it was damp with blood.

"But you…you made me feel like I wanted to live, Kiri. You saved me!" She said, and I felt the warmth in my stomach start to sting. I held her close and kissed her softly. "So…Kiri…stay strong. Live for me, okay? I-I know you'll…be scared but…know I love you. I love every part of you." She said quietly with a smile. I bit my lower lip as I tried to hold back my tears. "No, Asu…you gotta stay. I can do something. I can use Izanagi!" I suggested as I held her hand. She nodded her head no as the shine in her blue eyes started to fade. "You need those eyes to stay strong, cutie…" She said before resting her lips along the crook of my neck, "don't forget to smile, Kiri…I love your smile." She asked quietly. I heard her breath start to fade, "I will live for you, Asuka. I can't help but smile for you." I said, hiding my face in her shoulder. She let out a small laugh that grew quieter way to quickly.

Asuka died, my Mangekyō Sharingan was born, and I cried with a smile.

Chapter End