Disclaimers: Naruto is someone else's, this is purely a fanfic using someone else's characters.
Warnings: This story includes strong language, violence, angst, hopefully some decent jokes, and (of course) beautiful SasuNaru love.
Chapter Warning: Gets a little more violent in this one- little more torture-y.. so just be prepared for that.
Chapter 14: The Real Monsters
"Easy is the kiss of death."
-Julie Ormond
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Sasuke raced away from Konohagakure as fast as possible, fear blooming in his chest as the night began to fade into daylight. He channeled as much chakra to his feet as possible and sped through forests and clearings, desperate to find Naruto.
He has to be ok.
He has to be.
He tried to reassure himself that he wasn't going to be late, that he'd make it in time to reset the hourglass, but time wouldn't slow for him, and he truly needed it to right about now. He had forced information out of the shinobi, though it took longer than he had hoped. He decided to start with the rendezvous place where he was supposed to have met up with the man that kidnapped Naruto, and then work his way from there. Sasuke kept his sharingan activated, still in full alert in case this was some kind of set-up, but so far he hasn't passed by a single person. Good- the last thing I need is anyone getting in my way and slowing me down.
When he finally made it to the place, he found it completely empty. No sign of anyone having been there at all. Sasuke scoured the area, hoping to find some sort of clue of where they could be hiding, and was relieved to find a small trail leading into the woods. It was barely noticeable, but it gave him something to go off of, so he took it.
He pushed through the dense forest and leapt across thick branches, making sure to follow the narrow path, when he spotted something strange. A small latch on a round metal door, the circumference just large enough for a person to step into. It was flush against the ground, well hidden, and very obviously a hidden bunker. Likely one of Orochimaru's old hideouts. Just one he never came across before.
He dropped down from the trees and scanned the small clearing as he cautiously moved forward. Finding that the coast was clear, he pulled open the shelter door and peered inside, his sharingan piercing through the darkness. A small stairwell dropped down to a stone platform. The air down here was musty with the heavy scent of earth, iron, and blood.
Sasuke clenched his jaw, staving off the fear and anger pulsing inside of him, then lowered himself into the hideout, leaving the door open for a quick escape. He walked through a hallway, and then down another set of stairs that led to a colder, dimly lit corridor. The place was filled with empty cells, but he could hear a solid repetitive thud echoing from further down the hallway. He crept forward, eyes scanning each cell, narrowing on the thick metal chains hanging from the walls, the blood splattered across the floors.
If he has done anything like that to Naruto I will fucking tear him apart.
He stopped at the edge of the cell the sounds were coming from, listening. It sounded like someone was throwing their body against the door, desperate to get out. He started to move closer when a loud shriek pierced the air. He froze.
That's not him.
He knew Naruto- they were friends, teammates.. and now something more. They have been through so much together. He would recognize Naruto's voice anywhere.. and thanks to that asshole he knew what his pained screams sounded like too.
And that is NOT Naruto.
So, who the hell is it?
He inched forward and peered into the bars to see the wild eyes of the man who had started all of this in the first place- the one who had put the Hourglass Curse on Naruto.
The man froze and stared at him, fear flickering in his eyes. Before he could look away, Sasuke grated out "Mangekyo Sharingan". He had him, and this time there was no barrier that could protect him.
The man suddenly found himself chained to the wall of his cell, thick metal bands wrapped around his wrists, ankles, and throat. He struggled to breathe, the metal cutting into his skin. The Uchiha stepped towards him, crimson eyes narrowed. "Where is he?"
The man's jaw tightened as he glared back. "Fuck you" he spat out.
Sasuke pulled a kunai from his pouch and threw it at him. It lodged deep in the man's chest, and he cried out, the pain excruciatingly real despite the illusion it came from.
"I'd make this easier on myself if I were you.." Sasuke stalked closer to his prey, pulling out another kunai as he went. "Where is Naruto?"
The man continued to glare at him with hate, but he refused to speak. He smashed his teeth into his lips, drawing blood, forcing his words back.
"You do realize that I can torture you for months in here while mere minutes pass by out there, right?" Sasuke stepped close, pressing the point of the kunai against the man's gut. "Is that really what you want..?"
Without warning, Sasuke slammed the knife into the man's stomach- down to the hilt. He shrieked, his cries echoing throughout the chamber. Sasuke smiled sharply then wrenched his hand to the side, widening the gash. A horrible sound tore from the man's throat, tears rushing down his face, blood gushing from his abdomen, but Sasuke didn't stop. He roughly twisted the blade, ripped it out of him, then immediately shoved it back in. The man screamed his throat raw as Sasuke brutalized him, but the Uchiha wasn't done.
Not even close.
Sasuke growled, a low feral sound, as he grabbed the man's hair in a tight fist, jerking his head back. He yanked the kunai out and stabbed him over and over and over, deaf to the screams, the sobbing, the gurgling as blood filled his mouth.
"WHERE THE FUCK IS HE?!!!" Sasuke screamed, rage consuming him, apathetic to the horrid cries echoing around them. All he cared about was finding Naruto. He would do anything to find him in time.
Anything.
When Sasuke finally pulled away, the man's flesh was completely shredded- his body covered in thick gashes and drenched in blood. He was weeping hysterically, shaking so violently that the restraints cut deep holes into his wrists, and likely his ankles as well. His throat was raw from scrapping it across the metal band, and blood ran down his lips from where he had bitten into them as he tried to bear through the pain.
Sasuke threw the bloody kunai to the side with a look of disgust. "Fine. Let's try something else." He grabbed the man's face and forced his left eye open, then pulled another kunai free. He spun it in his hand before jamming the point forward, holding it steady mere millimeters from the man's dilated pupil.
The man inhaled sharply, wide eyes staring in horror at what might be the last thing he ever sees. He was having a hard time believing this was all just an illusion. The pain- the pain was unbelievably real
"Wai-wait..pl-please.." he choked as a sob forced its way up his throat. "Ple-please.."
"Where. Is. He." Sasuke ground out.
"He -he was here! I swear!! He was- he was in this cell. Wait- ple-please! I'm telling the truth.." his body shook, and the words came out in a rush. "He attacked me when I came back. He escaped, and locked me in."
"So, your portals don't work in here."
"There's a chakra block on the cell! I swear. He locked me in and took off. I don't know where he went."
Sasuke narrowed his eyes as he studied the man, but it was clear that he wasn't lying. "When was this?"
"I- I- I don't know!"
Sasuke's mouth curled into a tight snarl.
"He's probably been gone a couple.. a few hours! Maybe less."
Sasuke studied him carefully, then nodded and tucked the kunai away. The illusion evaporated and they we're back in the real bunker- the man still trapped like a wild animal in his cage, with Sasuke peering in at him. The man's legs gave out on him and he collapsed to the hard stone floor, retching. Sasuke looked down at him with an absolute lack of pity or concern. In fact, quite the opposite. It took everything in him to not slaughter him on the spot.
But he still needed him.
"Naruto and I will come back to retrieve you" he stated, his tone sharp and authoritative. "When we do you will end the curse. Or I will end your life." He flashed his sharingan towards him once more, "do you understand?" He watched him swallow thickly, then nod as tears escaped and ran down his face.
Sasuke turned to leave, then stopped. He went back to stand in front of the man's cell. "You know- he actually wants to help you", he said.
The man looked up and just stared at him.
"You and I- we are the real monsters. You were willing to torture an innocent person for your own twisted vengeance, and I will take my time destroying your mind before I kill you."
"I am the monster you have accused Naruto of being." Sasuke's eyes darkened. "You don't deserve his mercy or his help, and if it were up to me, you wouldn't have it."
He clenched his jaw. "You better fucking hope it's up to him."
Sasuke let the threat settle in the air between them, then turned and stormed back through the corridors and up to the surface in search of his missing blonde, and that asshole's last chance.