CHAPTER 9
"Bodyguard detail." Laxus read out. "Perfect."
Team 7 had been taking harder and harder jobs lately in order to get stronger. Cana trotted over, reading the flyer.
"Protect a merchant as he crosses a river to gather material for a bridge." She read. "Attackers expected, probably powerful mages."
The job wasn't S-Class but it was the closest thing. They didn't want to take any S-Class jobs yet, because of Cana, she was too young and not strong enough.
They equipped themselves. Laxus wore a long sleeve and tracksuit bottoms, Cana wore black t-shirt and shorts with some leather armour and Sasuke wore thin black material with strips of white and a cloak with his sword on his hip, beneath his cloak. The group took the train to their destination. Cana slept on the train, while Sasuke and Laxus had a conversation.
They arrived at the destination and found their client. He was average height, in his late-forties which close-cropped grey hair and some stubble on his jaw.
"My name is Teppei." He told them. He was serious, and wore a slight scowl. "Your job is to keep me alive, no matter what."
Laxus quirked an eyebrow, but Sasuke spoke up.
"Of course, if that is what he have been paid to do."
Teppei scowled. "This bridge is important, so I must be kept alive, got it?"
No one said anything, so Teppei walked off on his own.
"The geezer's got an attiude, doesn't he?" Laxus laughed.
"He is right." Sasuke replied. "This bridge is important for trading. Plenty of people wouldn't want it built. Stay alert."
Rain began to pour down, soaking the trio to the skin. Laxus covered the back, while Sasuke and Cana covered the front. Teppei carried a bag over his back, filled with materials. They had been walking for a while and Teppei finally stopped.
"That's enough." He breathed. "I need to rest."
Sasuke looked back. "I insist that we keep going, if we don't-"
"No. I'm resting." The man sat against a tree, breathing hard. They were in a forest of thin trees, with sunlight dappling the ground through the trees. It was 1 o'clock, and they'd been walking for hours.
Sasuke drew his sword, guarding Teppei, when a dagger whistled through the air, embedding itself in the tree beside Teppei. Sasuke immediatly grabbed Teppei, shoving him behind the tree. A black-clad figure jumped from a tree, and plunged a kunai into Teppei's heart. The man went pale, blood trickling from his chest as he tried to grab the kunai.
The figure landed with a roll. Teppei groaned. Then he disappeared in a puff of smoke, revealing a log. The figure cursed and whistled, causing three more figures to emerge from the trees. Cana grabbed Teppei and began to run off. Sasuke drew his sword. Lightning began to crackle around Laxus. The blonde extended both his palms and hit one of the figures with the full force of his lightning. The figure was sent somersaulting backwards like a rag doll.
These guys were assassins. One of them went for Sasuke, the other for Laxus, while the remaining assassin ran off towards Cana. The assassin swung a short sword at Sasuke, who leaned to the side, avoiding the blade. The assassin splayed his hand, and a bolt of fire shot from his palm. Sasuke cartwheeled to the side, bringing his sword round to block the incoming sword. Sasuke kicked the assassin in the stomach. He followed up with a back kick, which sent the assassin sailing through the air. Laxus slammed his elbow into his attacker and sent them spinning.
Cana fought against the last assassin, who seemed to use a type of Speed Magic. The assassin rained strikes down on Cana, who was managing to defend. Cana slapped down a paper bomb which exploded, forcing her attacker to jump back. She threw a dagger, hitting him in the shoulder. The assassin grunted and pulled out the dagger, so Cana jumped forward, catching him on the jaw with a kick. The assassin crumpled. Teppei stood there, shaking. Sasuke and Laxus caught up with them.
"Assassins, obviously sent to kill you." Sasuke told Teppei.
"Y-Yes, of course."
"I suggest we keep walking?" The Uchiha raised an eyebrow.
"Right."
They walked for a while and Sasuke let his thoughts wonder. Eventually he thought of the Strauss siblings. He had seen them outside the guild. They seemed very close. Sasuke had a pang of regret as he thought about them. They reminded him... of how him and Itachi had been. His childhood with his brother seemed like a lifetime ago now. He remembered it was him, Itachi, and his clan.
That destiny had been ripped away from him now. He hoped the Strausses would realised how lucky they were. They said ignorance was bliss, and Sasuke supposed it was. The way they cared for each other... it reminded him of Itachi. He supposed he wished he could go back to the start, he could've had someone to look up to, like Lisanna and Elfman did. He could of relied on someone. They were bittersweet for him. He hoped they appreciated each other. He only realised how much he missed Itachi when he was gone. The bonds of siblings, he theorised, are stronger than any other.
He was snapped out of his thoughts by Laxus.
"I can smell something." He muttered to Sasuke.
Sasuke trusted Laxus's instincts. Ever since he had gotten better and better at controlling his Dragon Slayer Magic, he had some of the perks, like enhanced senses. Sasuke hoped he wouldn't get motion sick like Natsu did. Although it would be amusing, it would hinder him on missions where they had to travel. Besides, Laxus would probably never recover from Sasuke and Natsu's teasing.
"What is it?" He asked.
They were advancing across a bank next a deep river. They'd nearly reached their destination without any other mishaps, apart from bandits, which had been easily dispatched. Sasuke scanned the air, activating his Sharingan. He saw nothing, except... a signature of magic, heading this way.
"Cana, get Teppei and run."
"But-"
"Now!"
The chakra heading this way was immense.
A puppet floated moved into view. It had a scorpion like tail, a demon mask on its back. He wore an Akatsuki cloak. But why were the Akatsuki here? Of course. To kill Teppei. They didn't want the bridge built, so they had sent one of their operatives to kill him. He had read the Akatsuki always operated in two man cells. So why was there only one of them that he could see? Maybe they thought that this job didn't require two. Sasuke and Laxus watched the figure shuffle towards them.
"Who's that?" Laxus asked.
"Sasori of the Iron Sand. But that isn't his true form." Replied Sasuke.
The puppet spoke. Its voice was gruff.
"Where's Teppei. Tell me, and you will be spared."
Sasuke mouth was slightly dry, but he raised his sword in a backhand grip.
"I see. I hate to keep people waiting."
The puppet's jaw opened. Senbon needles shot out. Sasuke leaned to the side, avoiding them. More and more shot out, until a sheet of senbon needles were bearing down on Sasuke and Laxus. They began dodging them. The needles whizzed past them, Sasuke slashing them out of the air. Laxus waited for an opening and jumped towards Sasori, the senbon flying under his feet. Lightning crackled around his fist.
"Lightning Dragon's Iron Fist!"
Sasori dodged to the side. Laxus smashed into the ground, throwing up debris. Laxus whirled, firing lightning at Sasori. Sasori whipped his tail round, deflecting the lightning to the side. Laxus cursed.
"A lightning rod. Come on, let's go."
Laxus sprung towards Sasori, with Sasuke running next to him. Sasori parried Sasuke's sword strikes, while Laxus followed up, lashing out. Sasori scuttled out of range.
Laxus growled as he advanced. Sasori stabbed the puppets's tail at the blonde, but Sasuke was there, parrying away the sharp tip.
"All this dancing around is starting to piss me off!" Laxus yelled as he smashed his hand through the puppet, breaking it into multiple pieces.
The puppet's head clattered to the floor. Laxus crushed it under his foot.
"Is that it?" He asked.
"No." Sasuke gripped his sword.
"Aw, you took down Hiruko. A shame. I liked him. He was my favourite."
A hooded figure came into view. It pulled off his hood, revealing a young man with red hair and greyish eyes wearing an Akatsuki cloak. Sasuke raised his sword in front of him. Lightning sparked around Laxus. Sasori smiled.
"But I have more than one favourite."
He brandish a scroll, which exploded in a puff of smoke revealing a puppet. It had long hair and wore a cloak, but it's features weren't human. Sasori entwined himself with his puppet. He laughed.
"I hate to keep people waiting."
He flicked his hand and the puppet flew towards the pair. Blades jutted out from the puppet's arm. Sasuke cursed. Sasori was fast. He barely blocked the blades. Sasori flexed his fingers, and the puppet snapped its arm out, flinging Sasuke's sword away from him. Sasori swept his other arm across, and seals on the puppet's arm began to jut out.
"1,000 Puppet Arms!"
Arms began to extend from the seals, double a tripling until thousand arms sped towards Sasuke. But Laxus was there.
"Lightning Dragon's Roar!" A roar of lightning ripped into the arms, pushing them back. Lightning exploded, throwing Sasori back. Sasuke and Laxus closed in, attacking furiously. Sasuke cut into the puppet with his sword.
Sasori twirled his fingers, causing his puppet to expel poison gas. Laxus ripped up the ground, causing the gas to billow away. Sasuke grabbed two handfuls of shuriken and hurled them at Sasori, who skillfully avoided the metal stars. The puppet master retreated away and curled his fingers. A strange black sand began to float out from the puppet's mouth.
"Iron Sand." Sasuke hissed.
"What?" Laxus replied.
"A jutsu developed by Sasori. Exactly what it sounds like. Stay light on your feet. Go for Sasori."
A cuboid of Iron Sand rose slowly into the air. It hurtled towards them. Sasuke dashed to the side, while Laxus dived to the other. The blonde threw a bolt of lightning at Sasori, who somersaulted back. Sasori narrowed his eyes. Those kids were both powerful foes, and they were both extremely fast.
Plus, fighting two of them was tricky. He needed to end this soon. And that black-haired kid. The Sharingan. So he was Itachi's brother. Interesting. A nail of Iron Sand glanced past Laxus, who barely dodged it. It nearly hit Sasuke, but he performed an impressive aerial cartwheel and got away.
"Be careful." Sasuke called out to Laxus, his Sharingan scanning the sand. "Poison. One graze will be enough to kill you."
Laxus didn't answer. He was too busy dodging. They were being driven back. Sasori was relentless. Another nail of Iron Sand flew towards Sasuke, slicing next to his side. Laxus's eyes widened. The blonde flicked his wrist.
"Lightning Dragon's Heaven Daggers."
The daggers exploded, sending Sasori sprawling. Sasuke lifted his shirt, revealing that it had only cut his clothing, not broken his skin. That was when Sasori exploded out of the smoke, sending Laxus and Sasuke flying. They twisted and saw Cana and Teppei standing there.
Sasori send a cuboid of Iron Sand at Teppei and Cana, but Laxus leaped in front of it. He pressed his hands against it. Lightning sparked as Laxus poured magic into his hands. Sasori tried to hammer a nail of Iron Sand into Laxus but Sasuke somersaulted in, cutting the nail in half with a Chidori Blade.
But Sasori jumped into the air. From there, everything happened in slow motion. A gust of wind blew, whipping Sasori's cloak. Everyone tensed. In that moment, Sasuke noticed the smallest details. The coldness of his blade. The smell of burning. The glare of the sun. Sasori raised his arms. A massive ball of Iron Sand hung in the air like a death sentence.
"Iron Sand: World Order."
Several branches thrust out from the sphere. Branches branched out. They branched out again. Until many razor sharp poinsonus branches of Iron Sand stabbed down. Sasuke's eyes widened as he saw the rain Iron Sand descend. He spun his sword in his hand.
Then there was Iron Sand everywhere-
and Sasuke whipped round to try and see someone but he had to concentrate-
he was dodging and slicing and he heard a yell and-
there was an explosion and Sasuke cut a spike in half-
suddenly there were loads of spikes stabbing and Sasuke tried to-
then his Chidori exploded, throwing back the spikes but-
a branch was coming at Sasuke couldn't get round in time-
but he spun anyway and the branch stabbed his sword away so Sasuke looked up- and it was over.
Sasuke stood there, exhausted but unharmed. He looked over to Laxus who's clothes were torn to shreds but he was standing without any cuts. But a feeling of dread sat in his stomach as he glanced at Cana, but miraciously she was unharmed and so was Teppei. Cana had managed to protect him. He looked at Sasori. The puppet master waved his hand, causing the puppet to lunge at Sasuke.
But the Uchiha was mad. He'd had enough. A burning pain started in his neck at worked it's way round to his face. Sasuke didn't want it. But he needed it. Energy flooded through Sasuke's body. As the puppet flew towards him, blades flashing, Sasuke ducked. The blades skimmed his face, but didn't touch him. Sasuke yelled in anger and pain, focus his last chakra reserves round his foot and lashed out with a side kick, breaking the puppet into pieces. The pieces clattered to the ground.
Sasuke was breathing hard, holding his ribs. But he stared Sasori down. Sasori looked at them, taking in Laxus, who was on the floor. Sasuke, who was having trouble breathing, and Cana, who was probably in the best shape out of all of them, yet she was covered in lacerations and bruises.
Sasuke felt the burning pain on his face subside. With that, all his strength was gone. He collapsed to the floor. He looked at Sasori, sure the Akatsuki member would finish them off. But he didn't. He looked at Sasuke some more, until he turned away. Incredibly, Sasori walked away. Sasuke struggled to his feet, but Sasori turned round.
"Stay down unless you want to die."
Sasuke's knees shook, and he sprawled onto the ground. He looked up, and Sasori was gone. Laxus managed to struggled over, and pulled Sasuke to his feet.
"You look like shit." He joked.
Sasuke tried to smile, but it hurt too much.
"Why did he leave?"
"I don't know. But he probably had a couple more tricks. Unless... No."
"What?"
"No. Oh no."
Sasuke ran over to Teppei, eyes scanning his body. Then he saw it. A small graze on the man's ankle. He pointed at it.
"Are you alright?" The urgency is his voice startled Teppei.
"Uh, yes. Wait, I can't move!"
"Shit." Sasuke hissed.
Cana cursed.
"Poison."
"Can you cure it?" Laxus asked.
Tears formed in Cana's eyes.
"I don't think so. It'a already spread to his internal organs."
She pressed his hands his chest, and she began to glow. After a couple of minutes, she sagged.
"It's no good. I can't help."
Everyone's faces were grim. Teppei shuddered.
"Please..."
Then he went limp, and his eyes became glassy. Cana began to cry. Laxus patted her head awkwardly. Sasuke couldn't believe it. He was so focused on Sasori, and attacking him, that he overlooked the simple detail of poison and defending the most vulnerable member of his party. He cursed himself over and over. How did he overlook this? Why was he so weak? He took a scroll out of his pocket and slammed his palm into it.
In a puff of smoke, a shovel appeared. Laxus probably could of dug the grave quicker with his magic, but Sasuke wanted to dig the grave himself. The shovel slammed into the ground. Again. Again. Sasuke placed Teppei's body in the grave and began to fill it in. Sweat ran his face, mingling with Laxus's blood and Cana's tears. Blood, sweat and tears. Sasuke discarded his tool. He shook his head. With that, Team 7 walked away.
Eventually, they reached the guild. They were still extremely beaten up. Makarov looked at Sasuke, eyebrows raised.
"Failed mission?"
Cana eyes looked empty, and Laxus looked bitter. But Sasuke looked different. He looked angry. His anger practically radiated off him, it was tangible. Makarov needed to talk to him.
"Sasuke can you come to my office?"
The Uchiha scowled, but did as Makarov told him. The old man was a Guild Master, so he deserved a small amount of respect. Sasuke sat in a chair and Makarov sat opposite him.
"What happened?"
Sasuke told Makarov what had happened, hand gripping his sword tightly. Once he had finished, Makarov had a frown on his face.
"The Akatsuki...What are they up to?"
"I wouldn't know."
"Oh? Considering you're probably investigating them currently."
Sasuke didn't show anything in his facial expression but his hand twitched. Makarov was not to be underestimated, he was sharp. He deduced that Sasuke was investigating the Akatsuki with relative ease. There was no point denying it.
"You are correct."
"Is it Itachi?"
Now they were touching on some sensetive issues.
"Revenge."
Sasuke's knuckles were white now.
"The Uchiha massacre a while ago. You want revenge for the killings."
"I suppose."
Makarov knew what the uneasy feeling was now. Thirst for revenge could destroy people. He didn't want Sasuke turning out like that. Everyone in the guild was family, and he didn't want anyone straying down a bad path.
"Revenge isn't good. It will not benefit you."
"You may think that. But I make my own decisions. It is my goal. It is the path I walk."
"Listen Sasuke, I am old. It will be a while, but one day, I will have to pick a new Guild Master. You are being considered for that role."
Sasuke raised his eyebrows, and was silent. But he eventually said something.
"I do not think I am suited for that. Maybe consider Laxus instead."
"Maybe I will. But even if you don't become a higher member of the guild, you can be S-Class. I don't want you be ruined."
Sasuke frowned.
"But. If you are going to extract revenge, you must keep it away from our guild. I cannot interfere with you, but I cannot have you involving any of the guild in this without their permission. Are any in on it?"
"Laxus and Cana."
"Are you planning on involving them any further?"
"Probably. But they insisted. And when Itachi dies, I will be the one holding the sword."
"Right. Sasuke, our guild is family. Family works on trust. We need to trust each other. Can we?"
Sasuke considered.
"Yes."
"Right."
Sasuke was suprised to see Makarov smiling.
"Thank you, Sasuke."
Sasuke emerged from Makarov's office and repeated the conversation to Laxus. He trusted Laxus. They had spent hours together discussing their future, whether they were training or simply sending a day in the forest, watching the sun rise and fall. Laxus listened impassively, but was surprised when Makarov told Sasuke about the Guild Master position.
"What did you say to him?"
"I said I wouldn't be suited for such a role. I said he should think about you."
Laxus laughed. "Cheers, Uchiha."
"You owe me now."
"Shut up. But what did he say?"
"Someone's a bit too eager."
"Shut it."
"He said maybe."
"Huh."
Sasuke asked Laxus if he wanted to train. The blonde accepted and they walked to a nearby forest when they saw Erza training.
"Ah, Sasuke nice to see you." The redhead smiled.
Sasuke nodded. "Erza."
"I've been looking for you." She said, "The Master told me something is occurring soon."
"What do you think?"
"I think it has something to do with the S-Class trials."
A/N: Rushed this chapter a bit. But I hope you enjoy it anyway. Makarov clears up his doubts with Sasuke, Sasori is shown, and we get a scale of power. Sasuke and Laxus could manage to keep with Sasori, but he wasn't fighting full power. Next set of S-Class trials soon. Sasuke will participating.
As for Fairy Tail, this a slightly late, and we are supposed to be getting a chapter today, but I had to release this chapter as early as I could because it was late. The timing is awkward so sorry about that.
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Katsu :)