Chapter 22: Unexpected complications
The room seemed to erupt in half screamed questions after the declaration that they had, technically, not managed to pass to the next stage and needed to proceed with a preliminary exam. Sasuke repressed the groan he wanted to let out. He was done with these tests springing one surprise after another. Ever since they started with the examinations, things just refused to go to plan, ranging from annoying at best and death-defying at worst. The fact that Kagome tensed up the moment they laced a foot into the room, with her eyes scanning the gathered crowd, did nothing to calm his nervousness.
"Hayate-sensei? I don't understand what you mean by preliminaries." An irritatingly familiar voice managed to win against the others. "Why can't all of the remaining applicants just proceed directly to the next phase?"
"Well, I don't want to say that the first exams weren't demanding enough...but the truth is...we still have way too many contestants.," the man spoke between coughs; a dark part of Sasuke wondered what would happen if he were to fall dead right now, it certainly looked like a possibility. "Under the traditional rules of the exam, we have to have a preliminary test...to reduce the number of genins, who will pass to the next stage.
"As Hokage-sama mentioned, a number of honored guests will be observing you during the third exam." Right, they were to be little more than circus attractions to potential clients. "So we must make the exam intense, tight, and fast-moving...so, anyway...now that you know something about what it's really all about...anyone who doesn't feel up to the challenge...whether physically or mentally can walk away. Just take one step forward because the preliminaries start now."
The Uchiha almost scoffed.
Logically, there were a great many reasons someone could choose to leave. As it was, however, it was doubtful anyone would do so. Being so close and stepping away wasn't something someone determined enough to sign a waiver for their lives ever consider. That was probably the only reason Sasuke managed to convince his teammates not to try and stop him from competing despite the enormous disadvantage the mark on his neck was.
"Well..." The seven-times failed genin spoke between the crowd. "I'm outta here."
"Wha...Kabuto!" Naruto's yell was expected.
Dark eyes narrowed as he glanced at the older teen; there had been no signs of resignation or reluctance on his voice. Instead, the older teen was smiling. Even without Kagome's warnings, Sasuke could clearly see there was something distinctly off about him. This only served to reinforce his conclusions.
"Hmm, aren't you Yakushii Kabuto, from Konoha? Okay, you can go." the man coughed again. "In case I forgot to mention, from here on in, you fight as individuals...not as members of a team. You can make the decision that's right for you without worrying about anyone else, so...anyone else wants out?" This time, no one else raised their hands.
"Hey, Kabuto!" Unsurprisingly, Naruto was loudly complaining once again, seriously, how the boy wanted to become Hokage when he didn't know how to doubt others? "What's up with you quitting?"
"Naruto-kun, I',m sorry." The silver-haired teen smiled sheepishly. "But my wounds got worse after our fight with those guys. And ever since my first scuffle with the Oto nins before the first exam, I've been totally deaf in my left ear...now they're saying this could be a fight to the death, I don't think I'm up to that."
He was watching the older teen argue with his own teammates when his hand shot to his neck, a wave of pain threatening to overwhelm him. As much as he hated to admit it. Kagome was right; he needed someone else to have a look at the stupid thing as soon as the preliminaries were over. Soft fingers touched his, and he forced his breathing to slow down. The Uchiha knew too well the girl could be reckless enough to try and use her reiki again if he showed he was in too much pain.
The proctor of the second exam looked more nervous than when he vegan, a frown made its way to his face; he didn't need Kagome to warn him he had eyes on him. Kakashi-sensei didn't look bothered, but the fact that the man actually interjected in the conversation spoke volumes when talking about their lazy excuse of a teacher. Had the proctors been informed about what happened in the Forest of Death?
No.
The Taisho jounin didn't look like he'd bothered to make a scandal, and it was only them who knew about the mark. Even if Shikamaru and the others warned their teacher about the intruder, no one had said a word about the curse after they never actually said why he'd acted strangely. There should be no way the people in charge knew about what happened...unless...
"As there are a total of 26 combatants, we'll hold 13 bouts..." The proctor's coughs cut the sentence again, how was this man still able to go on missions? "and the victors of these bouts will advance to the third exam. This is a no holds barred combat. Each pair will fight until one of them is dead, unconscious, or admits defeat; as soon as you sense that your opponent is overpowering you, immediately concede defeat...if you value your life.
"Since we don't want a total bloodbath on our hands, there may be cases where we ascertain that there is an undisputed winner and step in to end the match. But don't count on that."
A slide of wood on the wall slid up, revealing an electronic screen.
"At the start of every round, we will display the names of the two combatants competing in that match." Honestly, it all sounded pretty simple. At least this way, the Uchiha hoped there would be no more unpleasant surprises. "So...Ummm, not to hurry you all to the slaughters...but let's begin. We'll announce the first round of the preliminaries."
A smirk made its way to his lips at the sight of his name being clearly shown in on the screen; right off the bat, it was good for him. It would probably be better that way anyway.
"Are you sure about this?" His eyes snapped to lock with azure pools full of concern, his hand suddenly held between two caring ones.
"I am."
"Oi, bastard...you'll be fine...right?"
"Worry about your own fight, moron," Sasuke scoffed; Naruto could be a loud and obnoxious idiot, but he was loyal, and it was that that subdued his usually cheery disposition. He had no chance to get Kagome to relax, but this at least he could do. "Or we won't be able to settle the score."
"Will the people whose names are on the scoreboard come forward now?" the proctor coughed as the Uchiha made his way to the center of the room. "Akado Yoroi, and Uchiha Sasuke...you two have been selected to compete, any objections?"
"None."
"I'm good."
Barely, he resisted the urge to flinch. The pain wasn't getting any better; trying to sleep the night before had done nothing at all. Yes, it was a good thing he wouldn't have to wait for long. The waves of pain kept getting stronger despite not using chakra at all since the day before.
"Umm, it's time for the first round to commence; everyone other than the combatants should move to the upper gallery."
"Sasuke."His teacher's voice sounded behind him. "Don't use the sharingan."
"How...did you know?"
"If the curse on your neck is allowed to run rampant, the consequences will change your life." He already knew that it couldn't have been more obvious.
"I figured."
"If they see any sign of that, the match will be suspended." Tension filled his form at his sensei's words. "And I'll be forced to stop you. Please, don't forget that."
The conditions around his fight just kept getting harder, didn't they...no...they hadn't really changed; he'd already promised his teammates he'd stick with pure taijutsu. Able to get rid of the thing or not, Kagome had managed to confirm the curse was tightly tied to his chakra system.
He took a deep breath; if this was able to stop him here, then he'd never be able to achieve his goals. His revenge would never become a reality. All of their sufferings would be in vain.
Something was wrong.
The thought wouldn't stop spinning around her head as she took her place in the gallery. Kabuto's teammate ending up chosen as Sasuke's opponent had to be one terrible joke.
"So you couldn't get rid of it." The low voice of Kakashi-sensei almost made her jump. Cold seeping into her as her eyes refused to leave the lower floor.
It was terribly vague, the way the question was worded. She didn't need the clarifications.
"In a few years...maybe I could." And didn't that killed her, to have the potential to help but still be so terribly useless. "If he kept rejecting it though...it wouldn't have ended well."
Following his example, her words were nothing but vague. Despite the lazy manner the man had spoken, Kagome had spent the last few months in constant contact with the man. That facade didn't work on her anymore. Not now that she knew what hid beneath the lazy and foolish mask the man often wore. Kakashi-sensei would know her words for what they were...an admission of guilt.
"You did the best you could." An unexpected weight fell on her head as her teachers patted her hair in a silly manner. "I'll handle it from here."
Before the girl had the chance to relax, at the offered support, the fight started.
It was easy to see, the moment the curse began to respond, a wave of pain sending Sasuke to the ground right after deflecting three shurikens in what should be an easy move. The urge to ignore the exam and just jump downstairs to stop the battle growing stronger with every second.
Unsurprisingly, the other teen didn't waste a moment, rushing on top of him in an attempt to finish the fight. Kagome ignored the pain in her wrist even as she felt the cloth wrapped around them become wet; she continued holding the railing.
"Yes!" Naruto cheered when the Uchiha managed to reverse and force his opponent to the ground.
She only clenched her fists stronger. Had the boy been in a normal state, this wouldn't be costing him half as much as he did. The strain in his arms as he struggled to keep his hold for a moment before completely losing it was impossible to miss.
Something was wrong.
Ice flowed through her veins as she could do nothing but watch him be pinned to the ground once again, a hand in his head and...and he wasn't fighting back.
"A jutsu..."
No, not just that, it was similar, but no quite like that. Her eyes hadn't missed a single movement. And yet, she had failed to see the older teen do any hand seals when or before the fight started. It had to be some sort of modification or natural-born ability that hadn't become a kekkei genkai. one that was sucking the strength out of him...
"It's his chakra." Kakashi-sensei's word managed to get her attention, dread pooling beneath her. "He's consuming his chakra."
And if Sasuke's chakra was consumed, then the seal...
It wasn't because of the exam. They could take on the test again later on. No, it was the effect it had on his mind. The way his control just seemed to slip away scared her. Not out of fear for her life, no, but for the damage he could cause to himself if he were to just act on his impulses.
The plea for her teacher to stop the match was on the tip of her tongue when the Uchiha finally managed to kick the older teen away.
"Heh, heh, imagine a little vermin like you having any strength left to oppose me." Arrogance filled the loudly spoken words.
A shuddering breath left her.
Without being able to use any chakra, not even to enhance his physical abilities, having to withstand the waves of pain from that accursed mark, and now without being able to come into close contact...
Was there any way he could actually win this?
"How can you call yourself Uchiha Sasuke!" Naruto's scream pierced her anxiety. "You are a disgrace to...to yourself! Aren't you embarrassed to have everyone see you like this?!"
The Higurashi heiress watched as his eyes landed on someone on the other side of Naruto. A look of realization lighting his face for a second, he'd noticed something.
"You couldn't have picked a worse time to let your mind wander!"
She could feel her blood slipping from her wounds while her gaze refused to leave the fight. Yoroi was sprinting toward him, clearly decided to make this the last hit. Half of her was prepared to be disqualified and intervene, uncaring of the consequences. Only to stop at the sight of the older teen being sent high into the air in a somewhat familiar position.
It had only been once, but Kagome could recognize the stance Sasuke used to place himself in position, right underneath his still flying opponent.
"After this, I'll limit myself to my own techniques, but for now..." The Uchiha's voice was steadier than she'd thought possible. "It's over!"
He flinched, and she could see it, the dark marks of the curse spreading through his body, threatening to consume him. A hand landed on her shoulder, probably to stop her from jumping down.
How much was he suffering now?
Was there any way to stop this?
Should she have taken the risk and try to unravel the curse back in the forest?
Had she made a mistake?
"...Sasuke..."
For an agonizing instant, she could hear her own heart, loud in her ears as doubts and fears gnawed at her before the black ink-like substance began receding. The mark was going back...
Kagome could've laughed as she saw him smile, his body moving once more with the freedom and agility she was used to. His leg seemingly blocked by his opponent.
"Stupid amateur."
"Stupid amateur indeed." Her teacher's words echoed the arrogant words of the older genin.
This time, it wasn't dread what filled her as she leaned forward to see his second kick connect, the force sending the older teen down with an alarming speed that was only amplified by the following punch.
Once more, Sasuke twisted in midair as they rapidly approached the ground. The loud crack of his opponent crashing painfully against the floor echoing through the stadium.
The harsh way the boy launched landed caused her to flinch. It wasn't quite the same, she noted; he'd had to make some adjustments to make up for Lee's insane speed and strength. There was probably a bit of improvisation there too, since they never got to see the older land due to the summon interfering. The cold grip around her heart lessened even as he watched the boy struggle back to his feet.
"I'm halting this match before it goes any further, in other words..." The main proctor coughed again. "Uchiha Sasuke is the champion of the first battle...and advances past the preliminaries to the next level."
"He did it!" Naruto's cheer was loud and familiar.
The grip on her shoulder vanished the moment her mind registered that the Uchiha was swaying, about to fall. Abandoning her place by the railing, she rushed down the stair, pretending not to notice her body's protest at using her full speed while injured to reach the bottom.
She took a second to watch the boy tiredly reply to the blond's relieved shouts leaning on Kakashi'sensei's knee before he doubled in pain once more.
Uncaring for the rules, the girl rushed into the make-shift arena. Once again, the pain from landing on her knees in front of the boy went ignored. The hands that had begun to move in a familiar string of seals were stopped by a larger, tired one.
"You managed to reopen your wounds..." Sasuke's voice was tired but filled with affection. "How did you even manage that when you weren't the one fighting?"
A weak smile made it's way to her lips at his half-hearted attempt at easing her fears. "Oh hush, Naruto's right; you look like you're the one who lost."
"Uchiha Sasuke." A group of medics was making their way towards them. "We must escort you too; put you in the care of the medical corps so you can get the best treatment possible."
"You have no idea what you'd be getting yourselves into. I'll handle him." Kakashi-sensei stopped the men in their tracks. "He can come with me right now, and...I'll seal the curse mark."
"Well, then...right, let's get the next match going." If the girl had any doubts the proctors were aware of what was going on, the lack of reaction from the chuunin would've vanished them.
"Can this wait?" Sasuke spoke from his seating position. "I want to watch everyone else compete."
"No."To her relief, their teacher's answer was unyielding. "Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment. This thing is spreading like a disease, and it's already close to the point of no return. I let you have your way once, and it's already made you greedy."
"In that case, let me go with you?"Kagome quickly added. "Reiki can boost another's techniques. I've only tried it once, but I know I can do it. I have enough to be able to help at least a little."
"If you really have enough strength, it could probably help a little." The man took out his little orange book. "But, we don't know when your match is going to happen; they won't make exceptions for you. If you're not here when they call your name, you'll be disqualified."
"I'll try again next year then."
"Kagome, don't."
"But..."
"I don't want you to lose just because of this." Despite the hardness of his voice, she could still hear the concern beneath it. It was ironic, really; just as she was silently panicking about him, the boy was clearly worried about her. "Have your match, watch Naruto's and the others'. I'll find you as soon as this is done. Go upstairs."
"I did just say not to let your emotions cloud your judgment, Kagome-chan."
She didn't want to.
She couldn't care less about the title of chuunin if it got in the way of letting her help those she loved. The memories of all the times the boy had held her during the nights she woke up gasping and screaming coming back to her as she looked into his eyes.
He wanted her to win, though.
Forcing herself to take a deep breath, she nodded slightly before standing up. She would see this through if that was what he wanted.
"Don't worry, you'll be back home by tonight." The words were meant to be reassuring, but Kakashi's assertions did little to help.
Kagome smiled weakly before willing her legs to walk towards the stairs once more, her eyes landing on the bright orange clad boy looking at them with a worried expression on his face.
Regret began to pool inside. The girl had made a spectacle of herself, sprinting all the way there, but while she didn't care for what others could make of it, now Naruto's worry had clearly multiplied. Kagome may have learned how to mask her emotions, but she never learned how to suppress them. They moved easily inside her, and this time, there had been no chance to mask the wild worry underneath the surface.
"Is he..."
"He's alright." She smiled, it was tired and weak, but it was the best she could do. "Kakashi-sensei will take care of everything."
"Y-you're bleeding!" A soft voice had her head snapping to Naruto's left. Hinata-chan's expression showed genuine worry.
"Huh..."
The Higurashi looked down at her arms. Oh right, she'd forgotten to pay attention to the pain in her arms. Now, patches of crimson were slowly growing. Her reiki was still too low to heal the deeper wounds, so she'd just wrapped them up, planning to wait for her body to slowly recover at the rate it decided.
"Ah, it's not that bad."
"I...I c-can help if you want..." Hinata trailed off, her insecurities trying to catch up.
"Sure."
Her smile felt a little less forced as she followed the other two back to the gallery. She hadn't expected the Hyuuga to go after Naruto, let alone for her to offer help in such a public setting. There would be no hope word of the shy heiress aiding the Uchiha's ward wouldn't reach her father's ears.
Tiredly, Kagome allowed Hinata to unwrap the bandages, ignoring the little gasp as she saw the damage done to her arm.
It wasn't really that serious.
She'd been tired when she faced the Oto nins, but she had still been fairly well in the stamina department. The attacks that actually hit were the ones she knew wouldn't hit anything important or the ones the girl had redirected to pierce relatively harmless patches of skin. Some of the lighter scratches were already gone, but at least half of her wounds were too deep. Of course, since they were currently bleeding again, the whole thing looked way messier than it actually was.
Azure eyes focused on the electronic board as Kagome did her best not to wince while the shy heiress applied some poultice to avoid infections before replacing the bandages with new ones. The Higurashi didn't have the heart to tell her she was probably wasting the ointment since by this time next weeks., there would likely be no sign she'd ever gotten injured. If she'd healed from Haku's attack in a couple of weeks without any issues when she'd felt like a pincushion, then this would be a breeze.
Still, a relieved sigh left her once the names appeared on the screen.
She'd have some time to recover her calm. And it seemed this one promised to be quite interesting. Her gaze found the silver-haired genin smirking at the screen that was displaying his name. It looked like Taisho Inuyasha was fond of fighting.
Hatake Kakashi tried to focus on the seal he was painted on his student's skin instead of letting his thoughts fly around what he'd just witnessed.
Unsurprisingly, it was a fruitless endeavor.
His mind was whirling with theories and paranoid suggestions about how someone that was so high in the Bingo book had managed to get past not only the outer layers of the village's protection (which, to be fair, a bit more relaxed with all the foreigners the exam brought with it), but also got past their inner defenses that had been elevated around the exam site.
And when those thoughts were finally pushed away, the whispers in his mind kept bringing back the unnerving sight of the one student who took so much care in keeping her outward appearance as spotless as possible just crash on the battlefield in desperation.
From the very beginning, he'd been aware that their relationship was more than just a bit too close to be considered healthy. There was a possessiveness to it that kept almost anyone away from them. At first, he'd wondered if it was Sasuke who drove everyone away, unwilling to let the girl out of his sight. The notion hadn't been long-lived, though if he doubted it, that scene would've done it.
There had been so much more tension in her form when he asked her to go back compared to when she tried to diagnose the boy. There was possessiveness in her as well; she was just more subtle about it. That she didn't hesitate for even a fraction of a second before offering to fail the exam all because, maybe, she could offer some help was slightly problematic. Kakashi wasn't sure he'd be able to convince her to go back to the gallery had Sasuke not intervened.
Bringing his mind back to the present, the copy ninja took a closer look at his charge.
Sasuke's breathing was a bit irregular as he struggled to keep sitting up in the middle of the darkened room. Truthfully, he was a bit surprised the boy was still conscious at all. The mark had to be placing the Uchiha in indescribable pain. And yet, during the fight, when it looked like he was going to be forced to stop it, it was his sheer will that contained it.
The strength of the Uchiha blood was frightening, indeed.
Itachi may have been the one lauded as a prodigy, but looking at the younger Uchiha's performance today, stealing and adapting a move he saw only once while under the strain of the curse...Sasuke may not be as behind as some had thought. If his progress continued like this, there was a good chance the boy could suppress the prodigy.
Shaking those thoughts away from his head, he looked at the string of seals drawn in blood. There were no mistakes, regardless of its complexity.
"It's all done." Whether he was speaking to inform the boy or reassure himself, Kakashi wasn't really sure anymore. "Just a little longer, and it will all be done."
Despite the boy's screams of pain, the technique worked. The crimson characters receding and forming a containment ring around the mark on his neck. And the copy ninja couldn't help but be glad the girl wasn't here.
Oh, what little she could do would've probably been helpful in one way or another. The copy ninja was sure Kagome had more than enough inspiration for her nightmares to add the sound of the Uchiha suffering.
"Even if the curse mark awakens again, the power of the Fujihoin should contain it." Which sounded simple, but it wasn't quite that simple. "But, Sasuke, the foundation of the spell's power is the strength of your own will. You have to want it to work, and you must believe in your own power to control it. If you don't...the curse could have its way again."
Whatever the Uchiha's response would be, he'd never know, as the boy swayed in place and fell to the ground, unconsciousness finally willing against his stubbornness. One single dark eye focused on his student's face, the slack expression on it so foreign Kakashi could barely reconcile it with the Uchiha Sasuke he'd come to know.
"So, you've mastered the spells of sealing, Kakashi." A low voice echoed behind him, sending chills down his spine. The man that had thrown the exam into chaos was slowly advancing towards them. "Looks like you're all grown up."
He could feel his muscles tensing as he turned around to face the rouge nin; Orochimaru was supposed to have been the Third's student, yet the appearance of the man in front of him didn't look like it.
"It's been a long time since I've stepped foot in this place." The snake Sannin spoke, an amused glint in his eyes. "Pardon my rudeness, but...I have no use for you...I'm here for the boy behind you."
"What do you want with Sasuke?"
"Oh, you know how it is, two guys have something, and a third one's just got to get it too." There were supposed to be more guards; vigilance had skyrocketed since Anko sounded the alarm; how did the rogue nin continue to bypass it? "You haven't had it for very long yourself, you know.
"To be honest, I was tempted to give my gift to the pretty flower that's glued to his side, but well, there was no way I could pass up on it, the sharingan. And, in the end, I'll get them both."
So this was it...the man had been targetting two of his three students because he wanted to get his hands on their power.
"What for?" Kakashi asked, looking for a way to stall and gain some time to think. There was no way he could grab Sasuke and make it out of the room without being stopped, and leaving the Uchiha behind was not an option. Could he signal the ANBUs that were supposed to guard the place? Were they even still alive if Orochimaru was inside it already?
"The newly created hidden village, Otogakure. That's my home, you see?" The smile on the Sannin's face stretched even further. "Is it becoming clear?"
"So, it's just your greed and delusions of grandeur."
"Good help is so hard to find these days..." he continued, ignoring Kakashi's words. "And I need all sorts of pawns at my disposal."
"So, you think Sasuke is one of those pawns?"
"Oh, not just Sasuke, I think you know that." He did, as much as the copy ninja would've liked to deny it. "And they're both such special pawns, real keepers.
"Completely unlike those boys that are currently going through the rigors of the exam. Now, those boys are disposable."
"Stay away from them."
The loud sound of chirping filled the room at the same time pale blue lightning brightened it. Kakashi wasn't sure if he was bluffing, or if he actually thought he could do anything on his own, but that hardly mattered. Between letting this man do anything he wished, having to look at his students as he told them he failed, and dying in the attempt...he'd rather rip his own heart out. Rage was drowning his caution as his mind couldn't help but bring forth images of days past, of watching his three little brats train and laugh and joke. Ice filled his veins as the thought of losing them threatened to become a reality.
"Even if you are one of those three ninjas..." He had to try. "I can take you down!"
Laughter overpowered the loud sound of his Chidori, the temperature of the room seemingly plunging drastically, at the same rate as his confidence.
"What's so funny?"
"You say one thing..."Orochimaru's words grated on his ears. "and do the other."
"What?"
"The curse binding seal you placed upon Sasuke was futile." Kakashi wasn't sure if he was thankful for the explanation or would've rathered the continued laughter. "When a heart is sufficiently focused and ruthless in its desires, then for good or for evil, the end will justify the means. Sasuke possesses just such a heart, the heart of an avenger."
"So that's how you plan to get your hooks in him." Preying on their weaknesses like a vulture. "But Sasuke is not..."
"A day will come when he will seek me out, hungry for power. And then, she will follow as well, don't you find it interesting? That a girl so opposed to violence happens to be so fond of excruciatingly painful poisons?
"Meanwhile, however," the man continued, apparently satisfied with his gloating. "I believe you were offering to kill me...care to try?...or, are you all talk?"
He couldn't breathe.
His body froze as the feeling of a blade slicing his skin filled his mind, overwhelming his senses, the image of his head falling to the ground enveloping his vision. It wasn't genjutsu...just plain bloodlust.
Kakashi staggered as the pressure from the room disappeared, unable to do anything but watch as the biggest threat to his students calmly walked out the room.
How much of an idiot had he been...thinking he could take on such a monster on his own...
Forcing his body to move, the copy ninja moved to pick up his unconscious brat. After taunting him like that, he sincerely doubted Orochimaru would come back to get him, but the faster he got them both back in the public eye, the better. They could place ANBU on his infirmary room (for all the good that would do, considering there were supposed to be two of them guarding the entrance of this place), and then, he'd go back to the tower.
Kagome and Naruto had to be pulling their hair out in their worry.
...Kagome...
Who knew how the girl was dealing with being alone while knowing the Uchiha was in so much pain. A part of him wondered if she'd even be in the right state of mind to fight, especially as injured as she was...
He couldn't tell them about this.
Not a single word.
If he did, their worries would only get worse, and they needed to focus on their matches. They shouldn't worry about this; he would make it so they didn't need to. No matter the cost.
It seemed his kids were not the only ones who needed to up their training. How much good that would do, Kakashi wasn't sure, but he'd also been praised as a prodigy; if he had to push his body to his limits to keep them safe, then he would do so.
He wouldn't fail this team like he'd done his previous one.
He couldn't fail them...or he wasn't sure he'd be able to live with himself.
A/N: I was told that Kirby Morrow, the english voice actor for Miroku passed away this past away, thank you for bringing it to my attention. I only ever saw the movies in English (since it's not my native language) but I have to say he did an amazing work there, he will definitely be missed by many.
As for the story and the fights, I won't be describing every single one, it would take way too much, they will all be mentioned to some degree, but only the ones relevant to the story for plot or character development will get long descriptions, the POV will also depend on what will give more new information since we've all already seen those fights.
Also, just a little clarification, considering Kagome was a child when she last saw Itachi (and that the last thing he did was traumatize her and Sasuke) her saying she loved him last was entirely platonic, she uses that word a bit more freely, she'd probably say the same about Naruto without giving it much thought. Also probably the reason why Sasuke didn't really have much of a reaction
As always, thank you guys so much for reading, any and all review/comment/criticism is greatly appreciated they not only give great motivation but also help me know if I'm getting the message across or if I should be more careful in some sections so I can give you guys better chapters