Chapter 4: Sasuke

Uchiha Sasuke glowered at the messy feat laid in the center of a large dent below him.

Team Taka was able to track Danzo down after months of non-stop travelling. They found him at the borders of the Land of Rivers and Fire Country, near the ocean. When all were set, they ambushed him by the massive sea wall, in which Danzo had destroyed with his Reverse Four Symbols fuinjutsu – killing himself in the process.

The bastard had thought the seal could give him a heroic ending – with a giant black sphere trapping everything within it to his corpse.

What a waste of chakra, Sasuke simpered. For one, the four of the only needed to stay away from the sphere. And they did, thanks to Juugo for recognizing that ancient technique quickly. If Danzo was planning to kill him, then he could have just immobilized him before releasing that technique!

This lowlife had died for nothing. And isn't that pathetic? He felt disgusted at how the Konoha Elder ended this battle – and his life – in vain. But also, that's a good thing, for Sasuke was almost out of chakra and his eyes were strained.

He continued to watch as Danzo's mutilated corpse bathe in flesh blood in that awesome dent on the seawall. Then, as she recalled the fight in his head, as is mind showed him memories of that unforgettable night, his body came alive again.

His hands were buzzing in blue chakra, and everything about him was static. His emotions were ablaze, somewhere between grief and relief and pride. In an instant, as if his body willed on its own, Sasuke released a high-energy chakra, transformed it to bolts of deadly lightning, and darted it towards the lifeless man in mangles and Sharingan eyes to deface it further.

He couldn't stop, as the ordeal had kept him in a maniacal high he couldn't comprehend. The frenzy all happened inside, for his face didn't paint any emotion, not even a frown. He looked empty – an empty, heartless killer. But on the inside, he was in chaos.

Only when his chakra reserves drained dry did he stop the lightning attacks, just as his eyes closed and everything around turned black.

Hours before sunrise, Mitokado Homura was awakened in his quarters beside the renovating Hokage Tower. A former Root ANBU left him a scroll with yet another dreadful news.

It was only five months ago that the knowledge of Danzo's death by the Uchiha survivor spread like an epidemic across the villages. Now, this?

Yesterday, Koharu was attacked by the same team that ambushed Danzo, and by the looks of her body, someone with Sharingan had done it.

Homura stared at the scroll for the longest time. He wasn't thinking of how he could defeat the boy, but instead, he was brainstorming for ways to keep himself alive. It was evident that this Uchiha Sasuke was powerful. Both of his colleagues resorted to their ultimate jutsu. He could do the same, of course, but he won't risk it.

After he'd gotten over his initial shock, he walked over to his table, procured a sealed scroll, and cut his arm to let it bleed. With his blood, he wrote characters that locked a deal with one of his conspirators. Once done, the scroll disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Days later, maybe a little over a week, he was relieved. A white snake slithered to his pillow as a sign of confirmation. That night, he fled Konoha for Oto.

Kabuto didn't expect the elder's early arrival. Must be desperation, he thought darkly. He flashed a menacing smile to welcome his visitor, his hood shadowed half of his face, exaggerating the effect.

Danzo could have finished the job for him, but the old geezer decided to die. Homura's help might expedite it.

"The deal is simple, Kabuto. I'll give you Uchiha Sasuke, you keep me alive." The elder's flight was also a fast evasion to Konoha's council who would dig in to the reasons for the elders' unexpected attacks. The Hokage already knew, and he might give orders for his trial. Surrendering would only allow himself to be harassed by the council as fair trial might not be granted to him, due to Hatake Kakashi's acquaintances with the Uchiha.

Kabuto, on the other hand, thought he didn't really need the help of Homura. He was just hoping to speed everything up.

His alliance with Madara, before Konoha killed the latter, and his demise were both highly beneficial. One, he had access to Madara's research and Itachi's eyes, plus a few Sharingan eyes he might think of developing in the future. And two, those Akatsuki who had learned of his Edo Tensei were all dead. His one alas was still his own little secret.

His capture of Uchiha Sasuke would be a fulfillment of Orochimaru-sama's lifelong plans. He couldn't help but wonder what Sasuke's Tsukuyomi would be after Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan. And with the perfected cells of Orochimaru-sama's chakra and the Curse Seal of Heaven, his imagination ran wild with all the possibilities.

Unlike his dead master, he didn't really want to start a war. But like his master, he wanted to know the ultimate jutsu. And he would be researching all about it even if it took a hundred bodies just to keep him living.

It was overkill.

Sasuke and his team went over and about Fire Country – even venturing near Konoha – just to locate the last elder. And when they did, planned their attack and polished all else, something unexpected occurred.

Karin had felt that disturbing chakra, but they weren't prepared for Kabuto. During their stay with Orochimaru almost over a decade ago, the four of them were enough to fight Kabuto off.

However, with all the development that had occurred over time – considering that this was their first meeting since – they were on defense, and they were losing.

Earlier in the battle, when Homura was losing – as, despite Kabuto, he was trapped in Sasuke's great strategic skills – and had become a liability, he was eventually killed. Well, it was also Kabuto's intention to betray the elder, since he probably knew too much.

It was only Taka versus Kabuto now. And snakes were everywhere.

They were somewhere north of Fire, near borders of Otogakure. Locating the last elder was not easy, but at least it was convenient, with Karin's ability, Juugo's communication with animals, and his own Hawk summon. Another complication the encountered, though, was the fact that they were still international criminals at large. Stealth was difficult, but this was good practice.

It was in one of Fire country's forests that Homura, and apparently Kabuto, too – were hiding. Judging by the structure of the hideout, it was Kabuto's. Maybe even one of Orochimaru's from way back.

What pissed Sasuke more was the fact that it awfully felt like things were repeating itself. Kabuto had announced his intentions.

The acquisition of his Mangekyou Sharingan, or better yet, the control of his body. Uchiha bloodlines could be well utilized if it was contained in an Uchiha body.

"That's the reason why Hatake Kakashi's Sharingan was inferior to yours," Kabuto explained.

After a long rally of jutsu, and even more deflections of attacks, the team was exhausted. Kabut might also be, but his chakra levels were still higher than theirs.

It was time to finish it. And no one could make Uchiha Sasuke lose his stance but just this one person.

"Kuchiyose no jutsu!" Kabuto jeered. In a flash, there stood Uchiha Itachi behind the smokes from the seals.

He was still how Sasuke saw him last. The same long hair tied loosely to the back, same cloak from the recently defeated Akatsuki group.

And when Sasuke saw his brother, he felt the same feeling as he would think of him: longing.

"Hello, Sasuke," greeted Itachi. But the younger one was speechless. His initial reaction was somewhat serene upon seeing Itachi again. But knowing how Edo Tensei worked, for he had read a lot about it during his stay with Orochimaru, he was in a rage for desecrating his brother's body.

That said, Sasuke leapt from his stupefied stance and charged his whole upper body with electricity. He brandished his sword and swung his right hand at Kabuto, who was standing behind his brother. But before any contact, Itachi pushed him down to the ground.

"Good job, Itachi-san. Now, tame your brother." Kabuto watched Sasuke's struggle and found it amusing that Sasuke was once again surprised, no, appalled!, at the discovery of Kabuto's mischief.

"Why does this corpse have Itachi's eyes?" he demanded, trying to push Itachi's zombie away.

"Uchiha Itachi isn't Uchiha Itachi without his Sharingan, is he?" What confused Sasuke was how Kabuto was able to acquire those eyes.

He hadn't thought of transplanting his own, even when he was nearly blind. He didn't even remember to take, or look for it, after Madara's death. And now this? Some bastard had stolen Itachi's eyes and was even using it!

He had vowed not to attain Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan by taking Itachi's eyes, for he had wanted to take his own path to redeem the Uchiha's name. And of course, transplanting it would mean he had succumbed to the dark history of his clan: brothers murdering brothers for power.

Sasuke still, despite his own thirst for more strength, didn't approve of that means.

Itachi pinned him down even further, and turned his head back to Kabuto. "How would you like to take him, dead or alive?"

"Alive, of course. But leave his eyes and his hands unscathed."

Itachi looked around, then returned his attention back to the one below him as he lowered his head to his ear. Sasuke had noticed Itachi's eyes madly spnning.

"Hide," he whispered.

He didn't understand what that meant and felt even more lost when an explosion erupted, coming from above him. Immediately, with his own doujutsu, he knew that Itachi had created a genjutsu.

"SASUKEEEE!"

"What the fuck, Itachi! I told you to keep him alive!" cried Kabuto, as he ran towards the commotion. "Your eyes, god damn it!"

Hurriedly, he took out his kunai and stabbed Itachi's head off the already burning body.

In Sasuke's view, however, there was a body burning beside him. It was Itachi's container, then some parts were shedding off. His skin seemed as if it had turned to flakes that had fallen off to bits. Although the body was decapitated, Sasuke heard it speak.

"Hide for now, Sasuke. Take your team with you. Kabuto is dangerous. Then, when you're ready, defeat him," Itachi's voice instructed. "I hope someday you can find your peace; I'm sorry if I took it from you. Though, I know you would, and that's probably why I feel at peace now. Goodbye, otouto."

Sasuke just laid there, listening to that voice he didn't know where it was coming from. But he could feel his brother. He was there. He continued playing his words in his head until his eyes poured tears of grief.

And he stayed like that, as he silently cried. He didn't know why Itachi didn't want him to kill Kabuto now, now that he was under a powerful genjutsu. Either way, his brother saved him yet again.

In that truth, he had hoped. This time, every elder involved in the Uchiha Massacre was dead. Yet his relief wasn't due to this feat. Pain was still there, always would be, when he thought of the tragic end of his clan. But it was more of sadness and longing to have his family all together once more. This time, having seen Itachi for one final time, it was only true forgiveness he could offer. Itachi's final whispers were simple, yet it affected him and gave him peace.

It was a beginning of a new chapter. Somehow, he found closure.

He would start to move on. Maybe alone for now, or with his team if they wish it. But he would manage. For the person he would have wanted to have a new life with had finally moved on and had a family of her own.

He would need to do so, too.

Thus, he shook the memories of that pink-haired little girl, held by that painter ninja he saw in a town outside Konoha, off his mind and rose to dust himself off.

Kabuto had already gone, but his teammates were still there. Karin was wailing at the 'explosion' in front of them, Suigetsu was convincing Karin to leave, while Juugo had his mouth agape at the scene.

Sasuke walked towards them and dispelled the genjutsu. They were all confused at first, even looking back to the supposed explosion and were surprised there was only but a corpse burning in his place.

"You were under genjutsu," declared Sasuke. And, after all explanations and frivolities, mostly from Karin, were done, Sasuke walked over to the fire. The body used for Itachi's resurrection was no longer there, as it had immediately turned to dust; only the clothes were left to burn. Sasuke cut his arm deep enough to make it bleed. He let his blood flow down to where the body was burning.

"Uchiha Sasuke died here," he announced, and there was no going back. "Let's go."

AN: Thank you again for the patronage. Now, there you have it! :) With that, I end this chapter saying, "Happy Birthmonth, Sasuke-kun!"

Enjoy! :3