Chapter 35
Leaping from branches to branches, he wore and activated the cloak of Susanoo around him, forcing himself flying with an incredible speed. His eyes were as red as blood and he was boiling. Yes, he was known to be a cold man, always composed in every dire situation. He is still now, composed and with elegance, and everyone who looks at him will definitely described him as calm.
Well fuck them.
Uchiha Sasuke was far from being calm after knowing that he was the father of the little girl being taken by some psychotic maniac, and that the best part? He just knew the truth awhile ago.
…but he had the feeling…before…
All hell will break lose!
He was boiling with so much rage. He didn't know to whom it was for. Was it for the bastards who took his daughter? Was it for Sakura who hid him the truth? Was it for himself? Or was it for the whole situation? He didn't know. He felt like he wanted to destroy everything. Looking closely, he was clinching his teeth, his muscles rippled under his skin the way he was controlling his rage.
He will get his daughter back and he will burn the bastards to ashes!
His daughter….
…the child that has been around him during those times, giggled at him, scowled at him, and smiled at him…
…she was this close to him…
…she was this close and yet…
….Tch
He didn't know…
…but…
..somehow, how was it that a big part of him knew already?
…Ryuna.
Somehow, his chest swelled with pride. And in that corner of his mind, something was shouting like I have a daughter! That's my daughter!
My own flesh and blood.
An Uchiha.
His daughter was a proof that the Uchiha was finally on its way to restoration!
He had so much to ask, had so much to know that it feels like his head was gonna burst. Everything…this emotion was so raw and foreign that he was a bit afraid to know it, afraid to touch it. But he knows he must. The emotions he had killed when he defected, he had tried to return it and rehabilitate himself. After all, he was still a human.
And Haruno Sakura was the center of it all.
The woman made him realize those emotions…emotions that somehow made him scared, but he liked and welcomed the new warm feeling it brought within him.
When the Uchiha Clan was massacred, when Itachi died….Uchiha Sasuke also died. And he lived in a world of darkness. The flickering light brought by his friends who didn't stop going after him, Naruto and those who were concerned for him from Konoha, for Sakura…they were the reason why he still clings to that little sanity and believed in this world. Yet, he was overshadowed with pain, with his avenging. His goal was to get stronger...and it was always revenge and power.
But that single light showed him the way. The light Sakura gave him. The thought that someone had given him an unconditional love and waited for him brought that undeniable hope in him. He clung to it, even kept it in the deepest recesses of his heart. It led him to this path…to where he was now. It was always her wasn't it? Her love for him. It never died.
He must fix this once and for all.
But he knows what to prioritize. He must get his daughter back first. There will be a lot of time after that.
He stopped at that branch, overlooking the scenery before him, with eyes scanning the whole area. The place was a far bit off from Konoha, around a few thousand miles. The whole place was barren and dry, the earth had cracks everywhere. It was like a death valley, a deserted land without any life. The air was dry and hot, it was like he was in Suna but the place had no sand. Only dried and parched land but he knows this place was still in Fire Country. He looked farther, as far his eyes could see. Nothing. No buildings, no trees, no plants…he supposed not even a soul. There were a few boulders and uneven earth. It's actually odd how it became like this when just a few a meters apart, to where he was standing, the soil was fertile and abundant. There was a gap of around twenty meters from where he was standing up to the point where the dead earth begins. But Fire Country was a researcher's haven. There were still a lot of places in Fire that needs to be discovered. For them, who lived in the shadows, this was nothing new. They knew there were a lot of odd places in Fire. One particular place was the Forest of Giants where humungous and massive trees growing as high as a hundred meters in a very peculiar way can be found in Fire. Not to mention one secluded area, the Valley of Judgment*, where those eyeless people had been living for centuries.
He scanned the place again. Nothing.
But he smirked. Activating his *EMS, he summoned a full-armored Susanoo. Waving a series of complicated seals, his Susanoo jumped high and fly off and stayed in the air for a few seconds. Then, it dived towards the earth, blasting and shattering the ground. Smoke rises in the hot air.
As it clears away, a hole was created…but it's not just an ordinary hole.
It goes deeper than what it looks.
Aoi…or Daichi, whatever his name now…his hideout was under the ground.
He scowls even more as he clenched his teeth and curling his hands to fist.
I found you.
The tremor reached to where Aoi was. The three of them, Aoi, Maro and Sen were walking in a tunnel illuminated with blue orbs aligned on the decorated stonewalls. It creates an eerie and cold atmosphere with some roots seeping out from the wall and water drops here and there. The smell of dingy earth penetrated everyone's nose. A few pebbles and rocks fell as the tremor continues.
Aoi smiled, "He's here…" he chuckled, "Daddy hawk came to save his little chick," he said, tapping Ryuna's face. At that, Ryuna woke up, "Oh look, our little princess finally wakes up. That's greatttt! I can't wait for the little reunion!"
Ryuna's eyes became fierce as she wakes up and realized the situation, and just as what she had learned and practicing in school, she jumped out from Dai-sensei's hold, forcing her hands as leverage from his shoulders. In midair, she tried to twist her legs intending to land a clean hit on Dai's face, but he just caught her legs easily.
"Yes, it really runs in the blood. Genius, prodigy, whatever they call it," he held her leg up, but Ryuna tried to twist her small body again, throwing a senbon she hid on her hair. As he easily dodged it with just tilting his head to the right, she followed it up with a little swing and tried to hit him with her hands. He just blocked it with his hands though. Ryuna's face was in surprised while Dai-sensei smiles menacingly, "Give it another five or ten years, that moves could be a real threat," he said.
Then he tossed her up using her leg then just hurled her hard on the ground. She made a loud thud as blood ooze from her mouth. Ryuna cried.
"Oi, Oi, Dai-sensei, you could kill her you'know. She's just a baby. And he will be so pissed when he found out you're treating her like that. You're gonna be sorrrry!" Sen said
"Opps, my bad!" He said as if he looked so shocked. Then he picked her up by pulling her hair, "Well, let me tell you a thing or two, just because you're his daughter, don't think I'll treat you like a princess, Missy. You're not even a pureblood Uchiha!"
"I am not Uchiha! My name is Haruno, Ryuna!" Ryuna shouted.
"Yeah, yeah.," Aoi pushed her towards the hallway, 'Isn't it just sad you didn't know Daddy, huh? Don't worry, you'll meet Daddy soon. He's here to get you. And you'll know your mother lied to you. Now walk! Or I'll drag you with your hair!' Aoi pushed her once more, "Maro-chan, you know what to do with her,"
"Of course," the old man with bucked teeth said, rubbing his two hands together.
Daddy? My Daddy is coming…here? Ryuna's was in a deep thought as she walked down that dim hallway. Mom, I thought…Daddy was faraway...or something? He looked at Aoi and remembered what he said, as there was confusion clearly mirrored on her now deep-forest green eyes…
..You're not even a pureblood Uchiha!
Mr. Uchiha comes to her mind…
…the erratic beating in her heart won't stop as that lingering thought started to dwell on her mind…
..could it be?
M-Mommy…I-I'm confused. Where are you?
SxS
"Sakura?"
She turned to see Naruto, slowly approaching her. She wiped the tears on her cheeks and gave the blond Jinjuuriki a bland smile, " So…he knows now,". Somehow, her voice was a bit raspy.
Naruto did not answer but just looked at her with that thoughtful expression, "…yeah,"
Sakura exhaled and slapped her face with two hands, "Yosh! I know I don't have time to mop around. So what if he knows," she tapped Naruto's shoulder, "You always said that I should face him for this, and I'm ready for it. I just didn't know he will learn of my deepest secret this way,"
"Sakura-chan, I—"
"No," She said as she shook her head, "I can do this. I don't need you to stand for me always, Naruto. I need to learn. You've had helped me a lot. I didn't listen before…to anyone of you so now, this is the result. As a matter of fact I know this will happen. Besides, this is my problem….and his. So…don't worry,"
"Okay," Naruto said after a few seconds. He understood. It's finally time for the both of them to settle this. "Let's go. We still have to kick those bastard's asses for taking Ryu-chan! We don't want Teme to have all the fun, do we?"
She nodded.
Then they heard that loud noise, like someone had blew up a bomb. They saw smoke rise in the air and both knew Sasuke had found them. Sakura's heart was beating like mad again on her chest. She's really worried for Ryuna.
Leaping from branches to branches with re-enforced chakra on their feet, it didn't take them too much time to reach Sasuke. They saw him standing on one of the branches, looking ahead in what it seems a wasteland. Was he waiting for them? They had followed his chakra which was flickering immensely like a signal. It was like a warning for danger.
Naruto landed besides Sasuke but she chooses to land on another tree's branch aligned with them. She didn't dare to look at him which was a relief because he didn't throw a glance at her either. He was concentrated looking at the desert, at that deep hole.
"Sasuke, they're below," Naruto said.
"Aa."
"That's a biiiig ruckus you made there Teme!" Naruto scoffs "Now they know that we're here! Where's that rule again that says Shinobi should be discreet?" Naruto laughs.
"Zip it,"
"Right, they're so gonna be ready for us now and you just put Ryu-chan's life in danger,"
"They won't do anything to her,"
"How are you so sure?"
"I know,"
She suddenly feels out of place. That feeling again.
Weak
Insecure
Useless
Looking at them, in this kind of situation, it feels like they were the Genins of Team 7 and they were in a mission. The two of them doing all the work and then the bickering while she stays behind…looking at their back.
"…Sakura?" Naruto called. She snapped from her reverie.
"Y-Yes?" she answered looking at Naruto who looks like he was calling her name a few times. He knows she wasn't listening. This time, Sasuke was also looking at her. She blushed.
Naruto's looked says Are you okay?
Sasuke on the hand tells her Concentrate.
Oh God demmit!
"You ready?" Naruto asked.
"Ah, yes…"
"Don't worry, we will get Ryu-chan back, Sakura-chan!" Naruto winked.
She smiled. Naruto was very considerate to her feelings. He knows her ups and downs after all. She smiled back and nodded a little as gesture of appreciation.
The three of them went to the edge of the hole and looked down below.
"Whoa! It looks so deep! I can't even see the bottom despite how big the hole was!" Naruto said
"There are traps…everywhere," Sasuke said his normal Sharingan swirling.
"Eh? How can you tell?" Naruto looked at Sasuke, the dark-haired man looked at him as if he was about to tell something but decided to shut his mouth instead. Realizing how dumb his question was, Naruto scratches his head instead.
Of course he can tell. No Genjutsu users can ever match to a Sharingan! It is the greatest doujutsu of all.
Sakura shook her head. Naruto was still the dummy Naruto she knows. She sighed, "This thing is in genjutsu Naruto. It looks deep, but it really isn't. I can repel this kind of Genjutsu,"
She positioned herself to get as close to the point of the mouth of the hole as possible. Before she could do so, Sasuke speaks.
"This kind of Genjutsu triggers a trap," she heard him said in his same monotone baritone voice. Was he giving her a warning? An advice? She didn't answer. Instead, she rolls her eyes secretly. Sasuke still sees her as the weakest in team 7.
Of course I know, jerk!
She positioned herself again but abruptly stops as he heard him saying something against the blow of the wind.
She felt the heat crawled on her cheeks as she looked at Naruto and see if he had heard what Sasuke was saying. The Jinjuuriki was looking at the hole alright but he was roughly fifty meters away from them, so instead, he looked back at Sasuke who was still looking at her.
'I am not underestimating you'
It's what he said, which made her blush. Sasuke knew what she was thinking!
After giving him a strange confused look, she focused herself on what she was about to do.
Analyzing the Genjutsu, she found out this was a bit complicated jutsu. A Demonic Illusion Technique* that uses double false surroundings. Not it only provides a realistic illusion of the entrance, it also acts as a barrier itself. She knows, something was hidden behind it as well. The moment she'll ward off the Genjutsu, she knows something will happen.
But she's not someone who can be frightened away for anything like this. Not when her daughter's life was on the line.
A series of hand sign was needed: Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Sheep, to determine the seals used, and the last two: Horse, Tiger will dispel it, but before she finished the last two seals, she inhales. "Ready!"
On her peripheral vision, she saw Naruto nodded while Sasuke has his full concentration on the opening. She finished the last two seals, "Now!
There was a loud blast and the whole area trembles. Cloud of smoke rises in the air, but they didn't avert their eyes on the hole. The wind was catching up so in no time, the smoke got cleared away but before it does, something in the air was swinging out towards them, like a huge metallic object. With auto reflex, everyone jump out of the way.
"What is that?!" Naruto shouted as soon as he landed a few meters away from it., "Sasuke! Sakura, you alright?"
Naruto saw Sasuke looking towards where the smoke and where the object came but his eyes went wide as soon as he caught that unmistakable pink head. "SAKURA!" Naruto shouted in horror.
The smoke partially clears and what they saw was Sakura, holding off that huge object swinging out to them which was actually a very big axe! It measures around a meter wide and five meters long. The metal, a blade, was a six inch thick with very sharp edges. When the smoke was completely gone, they saw who the wielder of that axe was.
The guy with the Hannya mask!
"Sakura!"
"Go on without me! I can take care of this one!" Sakura said.
"But—"
"Don't worry," Sakura said as she was overwhelming and pushing the giant, "I have a score to settle with this one,"
Naruto paused then smiled a bit, "Alright, let's go Sas— Ahhh!" He looked around, but there was no trace of him around.
"He went ahead dummy!" Sakura shouted as she pulled her hold of the axe which made the masked man stagger on his balance. Using that opportunity, she used the force he was putting on the axe and flipped him. The man spins a good ten meters away from them.
"Sasuke! I won't let have all the fun! Wait up for me you Teme! Sakura! After you're done here, follow us immediately. I can sense Ryuna-chan and she's near, okay?"
"Yes, this won't take long," she smirked.
Naruto jumped on the hole.
Now, it's one on one, she and the masked man, who was now on his feet.
The mednin pulled her gloves from her back pocket as she stared at the man, "I hope you still remember what you did in that forest. Though I don't care about Karin, I can't forgive you for what you did to her baby. I will kill you!" she said as she crunched the knuckles and joints on her hands, as jade orbs fired with fire.
The giant crouched and with a blink, he disappeared in front of her! 'He's fast considering the size of that axe he's carrying!' Her senses alerted as she looked around gauging where the attack would be. It was a split second before she sensed him on her back. He had given her a good kick on the right side but she was fast too, she had used her right arm to block that kick but before she could make a counter, he had disappeared again. And this time, he could not sense him. It was like what he did in that forest. The man has the ability of a sensor-type who can completely mask his own presence. Not only that, she was sure he has a different kind of ability as well. She turned around and search for him. It was impossible to hide in this open space so how was he doing it? She turned to her left, none. Right? None. Above? None. There's only one place he could hide. Below. "Shannarooo!" she punched the ground and he was there, came flying out together with the boulders and earth. "I know you can dig yourself on the ground but you are not using an earth-type skill!"
The man landed swiftly on the ground, still grasping that huge axe. The odd thing is, he moves really fast as if he was as light as a feather. He could even swing that huge weapon with so much ease yet with so much power. He was also wearing that heavy metal armor. But the mednin had a bad feeling about this. He swings his axe again and this time he run towards her. He was planning to brawl with her.
"That's more like it," Just as he was nearing her, he suddenly disappeared in front of her. 'Again?'
She looked around and just as she anticipated that he dug himself underground, a punch came howling at her at full speed, right in front of her, "What the—!" and just as fast, she had managed to blocked it once again. The mednin was pushed back with the impact but the block was not enough. It had dealt damage on her arms as she felt the numbing on it. She brushed it and shook her hands. His punches landed heavy, she thought.
"Look, as much as possible, I can change my mind of not killing you. Just tell me where is my daughter," she said. She looked at the armored man but it was too hard to assess any reaction or his next move. She hadn't heard him spoke either. That Hannya masked really spook her out. It was like a demon was staring at her.
She should really be careful. That last move he made wasn't ordinary. He could vanish and disappear in front of her that fast. She should observe him and crack how he was able to do it.
"What is your name?"
The man crouched again and with a blink of an eye, he was in front of her giving her a blow. This time, she was able to block it and hold his hand at the same time, "Aren't you rude? I was asking your name—" his left hand came towards her so she docked and pulled the arm she was holding and hurled the man. He flew but was able to land on his feet.
She thought there was no use talking to this man. She had observed awhile ago, he was not the same as the one she had met in the forest. They were the same but the presence was not. It seemed what she was fighting right now was a beast. So instead of waiting and trying to talk it out with him, she too started to attack him. She gave him a series of continuous blow which he just blocked easily. She stopped.
She had just barely scratched him! Damn! That armor is sturdy! Weakness, I must find a weakness.
As if not giving her a chance to find what she's looking for, the man attacked her relentlessly as well. She too countered it with same fervor and giving him blows that even resonates the air around them. She winced as she noticed that each blow she receives was giving her pain than the last one. His attacks were becoming heavier and heavier, but they were slower, so she noticed his hand below intending to punch her on the gut. She accelerated her speed and enhanced the chakra on her hand. As if sensing it, the man tried to expand the space between them, trying to get away from her as much as possible. Oh no you don't! She maximized the chakra on her right hand and tried to land a blow on his face, but he was able to dodge it immediately.
He was able to back away and distanced himself.
Sakura panted and wiped the blood on her mouth as she smirked. "Not bad,"
The left side of the mask snapped and a small crack formed on it revealing his left jaw. What she sees widened her eyes. Bones.
The hell?
The armored man noticed it and touched the part that broke. Then crouched again and with usual speed, he approached her taking advantage with her surprised look.
Sakura, snap out of it! This isn't the first time you encountered things like these. In fact, you even meet up with the devil himself!
With that she refreshed herself and snapped out of it. Calming and enhancing the chakra flow on her body, she looked at the masked man approaching her.
She inhaled to calm her nerves.
It was like his movements became slow.
Yes, that's right. You can do this. This one is easy.
He's near, five meters more.
He's not human.
Four meters.
He hurt Karin, he killed the baby.
Three.
They kidnapped children.
Two.
They took Ryuna!
One!
"Shannaaaaarooooo!
Her blow landed on his mask as she used his own force to make the damage. "I won't forgive anyone who took my daughter, you asshole!" She pushed more force and chakra while her hand was still connected on his mask, "Not when I'm still alive, go to hell!" The force of her blow shattered the mask and twisting her wrist more, she directed him towards the ground.
The force of her blow created a crater on the ground. Smoke rises in the air as she jumped out of it. As it clears away, she saw her little work. The armored man lay motionless on the center of the crater, revealing a skull behind the shattered Hannya mask. Little by little, the whole mask breaks as well as his armor, as the bones inside the armor turns to dust, gradually, as it was blown away by the wind.
The mednin summoned a little chakra and healed her numbing arms. His blows were really heavy.
One down.
Something hit her….on her right arm. "Wha—"
She looked at it and saw it was some kind of a small arrow, with red feathers on the arrow's tail. She immediately pulled it out and looked at the area where it came from. No one's there. She ran towards where she thought the arrow came from and just saw a small bamboo lying on the ground.
She suddenly felt dizzy. 'Oh shit, I've let my guard down, the arrow was laced with poison!'
She fell on the ground. She heard the crunching of the ground made by the steps of someone, probably the one who used the poison arrow on her.
"Just my luck, I didn't think I could actually pull this off. You were intense in that fight, y'know,"
She heard the stranger, but she felt like she was submerged in the water. She couldn't hear him properly, she couldn't see him. She felt heavy and relaxed. She was aware that the stranger had turned her on her back.
"That's just to put you to sleep and to suppress whatever chakra you may have," the man said.
The mednin could make out the stranger's appearance. Blue hair.
Then she went out cold.
SxS
They felt the tremor and a few rocks fell on them.
"Whoa, Sakura was sure doing all out in there," Naruto mumbled as he run behind Sasuke who never said anything since they entered the hole. "You think she's all right?"
"She can take care of herself," he said.
"Wow, and here I thought you have cut your tongue from that jump!"
"Dobe,"
"Na Sasuke, after this what are you planning to do?"
"None of your business,"
"Ryuna will be so happy, you know,"
"Did she know?"
Naruto stopped running and paused. Sasuke stopped too and looked at him "No…Sakura's decision. We tried to tell her, but she won't listen, I—"
"What I said earlier, that still stands. I can kill you for not telling me this. I thought we are brothers. As a brother, you should tell me everything…things as important as this!"
Naruto did not say anything. He was guilty after all.
"All of you had lied to me. All of you had judged me. All of you had denied me of rights, of the truth!
"I—I'm sorry," All Naruto could say.
Sasuke just looked at him. As he gritted his teeth, he turned around and run again, "There's a time for this. We must get my daughter back,"
Naruto run beside him, brushing the tears from his eyes, "It's so wonderful to hear you say that!" he cried.
"What?"
"You saying, 'my daughter'" Then he cried more.
"Dobe."
They reached the end of the tunnel, found an open entry and looked to see what it was. Both men's eyes widen as they saw the whole place. The throne in the corner, the tablet in their right, the Uchiha symbol on either side, the poster of the kanji for fox behind the throne…it was the exact replica of the Uchiha Hideout were the last showdown of Itachi and Sasuke took place!
Sasuke gritted his teeth and eyes activating the Sharingan. This place of all things!
He was boiling. How dare this man mock the memory of his brother! How dare he do this!
"T-This place….is…" Naruto mumbled as he looked around then looked at Sasuke.
"Ah, you're here!" They heard the cheerful voice from the corner. Both men looked and saw the man they've been pursuing. Daichi Furuhata. He was casually walking from the door towards the throne.
"Aoi," Sasuke's tone was biting. He was controlling himself.
"Ah, Sasuke-sama. I have missed you," he said as he seated himself on the throne. Naruto growled and was ready to jump on the man anytime. Sasuke's arm stopped him, "Welcome to…my palace. Do you like it? I specifically made this to be the exact replica of that place for you Sasuke-sama. Though we are still a bit far from completing the whole area, I do hope you like it. I made these for you—"
"Where is Ryuna?" Sasuke was not interested on what he said.
Aoi paused, "Ryuna? Ah you mean, the little girl. She's a feisty little thing I tell you…like a ball of energy, but…interesting," he said as if he was thinking and remembering something. "Well, aren't we in haste? Why not enjoy yourself a bit more? Hm? I promise I'll let you reunite with your daughter, Sasuke-sama,"
"Sasuke!" Naruto growled.
"Na-uh. Don't make any unnecessary move or…you'll know what happens, right? Hahaha!" Aoi said as he gave out that laugh. He made himself comfortable on the throne and poured himself with a wine.
"What do you want, you bastard! Where is Ryuna!" Naruto shouted.
"As I said, don't make any unnecessary move or you won't be seeing what you came here for, understand?" Aoi casually said.
"What do you want Aoi," Sasuke said.
"Sasuke, why are you talking to him?" Naruto said.
"You know what I always wanted, Sasuke-sama," Aoi said. Sasuke's mouth draws into a frown.
"I can kill you with a blink of an eye. Here. Now. " Sasuke said.
"Oh, I know that very well, Sasuke-sama. I know too well that you can kill me in an instant and blow this whole place with just a flick of your fingers. I know how strong the fox-boy too and the two of you together doesn't give me a chance to survive. But I will not do that if I were you. You know right? I have your heir's life in my hands. One small move and she will die. You don't want that right?" he sneered at him.
Naruto's eyes turned to red as he growled. The bastard knows how to piss them off and knows how to play his card really well. He was angry he couldn't do anything. Where is Ryuna? I hope Sakura had followed them already and came looking for Ryuna instead of following them here. He was so irritated he couldn't do anything. Their hands were tied and all they could do was to follow what this bastard wants.
The Jinjuuriki looked at Sasuke. He was still cool, not an emotion on his face. But he could feel that cold and fury coming from him. The Uchiha was pissed too because they couldn't do anything. Their only chance now is that Sakura was able to defeat her opponent and find Ryuna as they keep Aoi busy.
The door where Aoi came had opened and came walking in was the small old man with bucked teeth. He went towards the throne and whispered something to Aoi. The pale man smiled. "Uh, before that, why don't you enjoy yourself Sasuke-sama? I have prepared something especially for the fox-boy," he smiled wickedly. He tapped something on the wall, beside the poster and pillar. They heard a whirring sound and were surprised to see that the floor in the middle had moved and opened.
Naruto's eyes widened in surprised and anger.
"Zetsus…white zetsus!" Naruto whispered in horror. He remembered the 4th ninja war, how Madara had used these things against the Alliance.
Underground, hundreds, no…thousands of white zetsus are standing there.
"Surprised to see them? It took me years to retrieve a sample of them. The warzone is off limits you know, but I have my sources. With a vast land, you think the alliance can guard and cover such a wide area? It was fairly easy to get one small sample stuck in a tree. When you can have the labs that Orochimaru sama has, taking what he had left, it was really easy to cultivate them," Aoi said. "Though they're not as strong as the previous set, because I lack the Shodai's cell to fuse with them, still, I find them useful enough. Maybe if they're a few hundreds, they can die immediately," Aoi said as he seated comfortably in the throne again, looking intently on the two men staring on the population of white men below, "But what if, I release a….few thousands of them…towards Konoha?"
Naruto and Sasuke snapped their eyes towards Aoi, "Bastard!" Naruto shouted.
"Now, what are you going to do, Sasuke-sama? Hm?" he flicked a switch again and they heard another whirring sound from afar. "The sound you just heard is a gate being opened. Do you know where it was directed at?"
"Don't tell me—"
"That's right fox-boy. It's Konoha. Your beloved village. The tunnel below will lead those things towards Konoha," then he flicked another switch and the shutter on the floor was closing.
Sasuke did not answer. He looked at the immense number of those things.
"Sasuke, you deal with this lunatic and I'll take care below," Naruto said. "I'm sure Sakura-chan is coming, ja!"
"Naruto—" Before he could even continue, Naruto had jumped in towards the pool of those white things. "Tch,"
The shutter on the floor had closed.
"Look what friendship could do. He sacrificed himself for you and your village," Aoi said.
"Hm," Sasuke smirked, "You're way underestimating him too much," Sasuke said, "It may had been seven years then, after the war, you think he grew weak without stronger enemies around?"
"What do you mean?" Aoi said.
"Naruto did not sacrifice himself for me or for the village. He didn't need to. He was my brother, and Konoha is his home. We don't sacrifice, but we help each other. Besides, he's the best man against your army," Sasuke smirked. "Your dummies are no match for him, with his ultimate technique, he will finish them off even before they could make it outside,"
Aoi's pale face became paler and he looked shocked…surprised. Then they heard a rumbling sound below followed by a tremor.
Sasuke smirked. The dobe must have been doing an all out. He couldn't blame him. Seven years after the war with no one to use his incredible power must have been a bit frustrating. Releasing his tension by using the Tajuu Kagebunshin jutsu will take care of it.
"One important mistake you made is that you lack to research about Naruto. You focused too much on me. You also underestimated Sakura. You looked down on Konoha," Sasuke said as he slowly stepped towards Aoi, "Underestimating us, will bring you to your demise,"
"You must've forgotten that I still have an ace on my sleeve, Sasuke-sama?" Aoi smirked which made Sasuke stopped on his track. The Uchiha frowned, his brows draw closer and his lip sneer to a thin line. Aoi snapped his fingers and Maro pushed a switch. "This will interest you more," he said as he pushed a lever.
They felt the ground moved as pebbles and small debris came falling. Sasuke had to balance himself as realization came to him.
"We're flying?" Sasuke said.
"Yes!" Aoi excitedly said, "The lost technology from the lost civilization of the Sky people! I found them Sasuke-sama! It was hard at first, it took me years to study them, but just when I was on the verge of discovering it, I was taken prison in the Grass! Everything was stopped, everything was ruined. But thanks to you, I was able to continue where I have left it, and now, I have completed it! This! This is the discovery of the century! You know what it means?"
"Are you from the Sky Country, Aoi?" Sasuke said.
The pale man paused as he looked at Sasuke, then he laughed. He laughed so hard he was clutching his torso, "How did you figure that out? Yes, I was a scholar in the Sky, the country that Konoha had destroyed long ago and I was with Shinno when he plot to release the Zero Tail. I was the one who help him rediscover the lost technology from Sky but that was incomplete. The fool had used the power from the ZeroTails to make the Ancor Vantian fly. But this? This is completed. We don't need any Tail Beast as the driving force to make things fly,"
"I'm not interested on this. Where is Ryuna,"
Aoi, stopped smiling and looked annoyed at Sasuke. He was really engrossed when Sasuke had asked him if he was from Sky. He felt that somehow, the man had become interested in him.
"Maro, let him meet his daughter,"
Maro nodded and pushed a button. Out of the wall on their left opened and came Ryuna tied in a cross-shaped metal. Her hands and her feet were in cuffs while there's a black cloth on her head. Aoi approached the little girl and removed the black cloth over her head.
Sasuke gritted her teeth. She was gagged. Her face became fierce as soon as she saw Aoi. There were stains of tears on her face and she looked dirty.
Aoi removed the gag on her mouth.
"Let me go!" she screamed. Aoi chuckled.
He looked at his daughter and didn't miss the features he was so familiar with. That beautiful color of her eyes, the vibrant green was dimmed, probably because she was scared. But the brilliance of hope was left on her eyes.
And he felt proud, his chest swelled. His daughter was not weak.
He should move as soon as possible.
"Let me make this better for you Sasuke-sama," Aoi said as he signaled something to Maro. The buck-teeth old man pushed another switch and another panel on the wall open.
Sasuke's eyes widened when he saw who was tied up with chains to the floor.
"Sakura!"
"Mommy!"
Sakura was unconscious but as soon as she heard the shouting, she stirred up, though a bit groggy and weak. "R-Ryuna…"
"She's very strong, even Lin* did not have a chance against her. But I was right to send Sen after him. So, he threw a tranquilizer, enough to knock down ten elephants and inject her with chakra-suppressants, and there you have it,"
"R-Ryuna! Ryuna are you alright? Tell me you're alright sweetie!" Sakura said as soon as she get up, tried to run but the chains were just long enough for her to kneel.
"Mommy!" Ryuna cried.
"Thanked Kami, you're fine…my baby,"
Sasuke was raging, he scratched the floor with the sole on his feet.
"I wouldn't move if I were you," Aoi said as he gave off that wicked smile. "Oh, isn't this wonderful?" He said, his smile changed to that of a cheerful one, "A family reunion. Now, Sasuke-sama, I don't want you to make unnecessary moves. Each chain on their hands and feet can release electricity, high enough to kill a mammoth in an instant. You don't want them to be a toast right?"
"What do you want Aoi?"
"I want to keep you forever," he immediately said. "Them, in exchange for yourself. I want to preserve you in that current state, so that the world will know of your greatness. Pictures and books are not enough to describe of who you are, of what you are! I want to…I want to keep you…forever..."
"Sasuke, don't listen to him! Don't listen to this maniac!" Sakura shouted. Aoi approached her and slap her hard, her mouth bleed. She rolled towards the floor.
"Shut up you bitch!" Aoi said as he held her face. Aoi's eyes were bloodshot because of resentment.
"Bastard!" Sakura shouted. "You cannot use us to do what you want. Sasuke is not the type of guy who will bow down to your demands just because you have me or my daughter!"
Aoi was breathing hard, but he inhaled and smiled. He relaxed and turned around and went towards Ryuna.
"Where are you going? Come back here!" Sakura shouted, "Sasuke, do something!"
"He will not listen to you woman. Now, Ryuna-chan," Aoi said as he smooth out a finger to the little girl's face, "Do you know that man standing over there?"
Oh God no. It's not gonna be him who will tell these things! "Sasuke, stop him! He doesn't have the right to do this!"
"Don't move Sasuke-sama," Aoi warned, as he saw Sasuke shifted his body again. Maro showed him a switch, "Just a single, teeny tiny step from you and Maro chan might pushed that button y'know," Aoi said as he wickedly smirked at the Uchiha again. "Now where are we,"
"Sasuke!" Sakura said as she started crying.
"M-Mommy," Ryuna whispered.
"Now, do you know that man?" Aoi said. Ryuna slowly looked at Sasuke then back to Aoi, she nodded.
"Y-Yes. He's M-Mr. Uchiha," she said.
"Do you know he's your mommy's friend?"
"Y-Yes,"
"What friends do, Ryuna-chan?"
"Friends help each other, and be good at each other," Ryuna said.
"Honey, don't listen to him!" Sakura shouted. She had a bad feeling about this. "Please,"
"Ryuna-chan, do you know that…Mr. Uchiha over there had tried to kill your Mommy many times? And that he's a criminal for trying to destroy Konoha?"
"Bastard! Shut up! Shut uppp! How dare you! Ryuna, don't listen to him! Don't! He's lying! He is lying to you! Sasuke, don't just stand there!" Sakura was in a fit, trying to pull her arms from the chain. If only she was not tied in chains, she will smack the bastard's face. The past events, many things that Sasuke had done like trying to kill her many times and his defection was the last thing she wanted Ryuna to know about. Because above those things, there are reasons that needs a lot of explanations for the little girl to understand...besides she loves Sasuke and there was a best time to let her daughter know about it. Not this moment. And Sasuke was the best person who should tell her about that.
"And you know what else?" Aoi said as he gets closer to Ryuna's ears, "Mr. Uchiha is your one and only Daddy!" he said with that menacing smile. "Isn't it sad, how Mommy hides these things to you? How she lied to you?"
Ryuna's eyes widen as she slowly looked towards Sasuke, "He had tried to kill my Mommy and destroy Konoha…but he is my Daddy?" Ryuna whispered.
"Yes, Daddy is a criminal,"
"Don't listen to him Ryuna! Look at me!" Sakura shouted in angry voice, "Look at me Ryuna!"
Ryuna looked at Sakura still with those surprised and shocked look on her eyes, "M-Mom—"
"Listen to me well! He's right. Sasuke…Sasuke is your Daddy. And he's also right, he had tried to kill me many times, but that's because he was defending himself! You hear me? It was Mommy and Uncle Naruto's mission before to look for him and bring him back to Konoha. We have hurt him and it was only natural to defend yourself. Do you understand? Many things had happened before. But I want you to listen to me and know what is important! Long ago, Sasuke…no…Daddy has to do something and he can't come back to Konoha. Daddy has many things to do. He's not bad Ryuna. Daddy is not bad!"
Sasuke stoic face scowled, his lips drew into thin line. Need. To. Control. Thy. Self!
"Shut up you woman!" Aoi went towards her, "You are the reason why this things happens!"
Aoi had slapped her and punched her
"Mommy! Don't hurt her you meanie!" Ryuna cried but Aoi kept on slapping her, "I said don't hurt my Mommy!"
Aoi turned around and looked at Ryuna then he laughed. "Look!" he pulled Sakura's hair, "Look at her eyes. She's so angry at what she's seeing that it manifest on her eyes. Sharingan is the manifestation of hatred!"
Ryuna had unconsciously activated her Sharingan, with one tomoe swirling on each eye, looking as if she wanted to kill Aoi.
"No baby! Calm yourself! I'm okay!" Sakura shouted struggling to escape from the cuffs and chains.
Sasuke stared at his daughter and looked surprised…and grinned. It was a weird thing to see another person with a Sharingan. There's no doubt about it, Ryuna was his daughter. The Sharingan was the proof of it, but even without it manifesting right now he won't have a second thought that the little girl was his own flesh and blood. The fierceness on her eyes, her straight and long black hair…he knew it now, those features…it was as if he was looking at himself. Ryuna is an Uchiha! "I think this is enough," Sasuke said as he made a single step.
"I said don't make a single move or they'll be toast!" Aoi shouted.
Sasuke made the second step.
"Don't test me Sasuke-sama!"
Sasuke made another step. Aoi was trembling
"You leave me with no choice! Maro!"
Maro pushed the button he was holding. Sakura closed her eyes and wait for the electricity to run to her body.
Tick tock tick tock.
Click click click. It was Maro pushing the button again and again.
Nothing. Nothing happened.
Sakura slowly opened her eyes. She was okay. She was still alive. How did this happen?
"I'm back yo! Dattebayo!" they heard his voice. He was clutching tons of wire and threw them on the floor.
"Naruto!" Sakura shouted.
"You work really slowly," Sasuke said.
"I did not know which wire to cut so instead, I just pulled them all together. Besides, I have to take care of the blue-haired punk too!" Naruto said.
"You're done with the zetsus?" Sasuke asked.
"Uhh..my clones are on it. One of my clones said the whole Konoha force are helping out as well,"
"I-Impossible! Sasuke-sama knows you're here and was just waiting for you? How did you get up here?" Aoi screamed.
"Ah, that was easy, as soon as we figured out that this things was about to fly, I hold to the wall and silently snuck up here and saw everything. Ne Sakura-chan, you think I'm doing well with hiding my chakra now?
Sakura chuckled. "Well, you're still a loud ninja,"
"Mou~" Naruto pouted. "Anyway, Sasuke, do your thing already, I'll go ahead and looked for a way to bring this thing down. You have a minute," Naruto said as he run out towards the tunnel they came in.
"This won't even take a minute," he said as he started to walk towards Aoi who was backing out towards the throne, "Now where are we," he flashed towards Aoi in a blink, holding the pale man's throat. He was squeezing his neck.
"Urrrhhgggg….P-Please, s-spare me…I'll—"
"I would have appreciated it if you didn't spout those things to my daughter, but there's nothing I can do, you have crossed the line of my patience," Sasuke softly said, gritting the words. He had activated his Sharingan, right eye was of EMS while the left was of Rinnegan. He was emitting a bloodthirst, killing aura. "She will know the things I did in the past, sooner or later. But…those things should not come from you. What you did was unforgivable,"
"Hii!" Aoi shrieked as Sasuke put more pressure on his hold to his throat.
There had been a lot of explosions and tremors awhile ago and it must have been Naruto overdoing it. He was literally running amok on the whole floating area, destroying whatever was on his path.
"Do you know why I didn't use this from the very beginning?" Sasuke asked, pertaining to his ability to flash and use the Sharingan, "Honestly, I could manipulate everything, the moment our eyes met you could fall into the Sharingan's illusion. But I didn't. You know why?"The furious Uchiha pushed the pale man, which made him shrunk into the throne. "Because you're not worth it. A mere illusion of suffering is not enough to kill a vermin like you, who flaunt against the power of an Uchiha. A struck of a blade to your heart and the burning of this place is what suited you most,"
Aoi heard something struck. As he looked down, he saw one of the kunais lodged deep into his chest.
Sasuke did not even use his Kusanagi to strike him!
Aoi laughed as he started to have labored breathing, "Hahaha. So even a touch of your Kusanagi is not enough for me? You don't want to stain your blade with my blood? I must've really infuriated you,"
Sasuke went towards Ryuna, but stopped, "Nothing can describe this raging emotion inside me, but I have learned to control myself. You're just a pathetic loser who wants attention," he said as he swings his Kusanagi. The chains and cuffs that bind Ryuna broke down to little pieces. He caught his daughter carefully and cradled her on his arms and looked at her. "I did not change," he looked at Aoi, "I will kill people who endangers Uchiha,"
Sakura was a spectator on the whole thing. She still feel weak, the chakra-suppressants was still on her bloodstream, preventing the flow of her chakra to run efficiently. She was much weaker than a normal human.
Ryuna was in the verge of waking up and falling asleep and she didn't know why. One thing she was sure of, her Sharingan was activated forcefully. And activating a Sharingan needs chakra. She should deactivate it as soon as possible but Ryuna did not even learn about chakra manipulations yet!
And to think she was just four and her Sharingan was fully activating!
She should tell Sasuke about it.
The tremors and explosions are getting stronger and bigger, the stones and cracks on the walls were falling all over the place. A wall was shattered and Naruto came running in from the smoke and debris.
"Sasuke, c'mon, this place is done for." Naruto shouted.
"Go," Sasuke said.
"I'm not leaving without—"
"T-Then," they heard Aoi, "t-there will be no problem if I do this!"
He pushed a button from the underside of the throne and a panel on the floor opened…a panel where Sakura was.
She fell just as she saw Sasuke (who was holding Ryuna) and Naruto were running towards her, just as she heard a very loud explosion on that room and things came falling down. She saw a large stone fall towards the throne, where Aoi was.
She was falling at an incredible speed and saw the whole floating place was torn and burning, smoke rising out in the air. Naruto did an awesome job on destroying the whole place.
She was falling just as the floating thing was also falling in her background.
Her hands were tied. She could not hear anything. The world was silent as darkness started to cover everything.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
Her eyes snapped as he heard it. She looked up and saw Sasuke diving towards her. He was holding Ryuna securely on his chest as he made that summon in midair. Again, he didn't make any hand seals. She could not describe the feeling as tears started to well up on her eyes.
A very large bird, a hawk appeared, one of Sasuke's personal Summons and saw him ride on it. It's piercing cry reverberated in the sky as it dives towards her and caught her. She heard Naruto do the summoning too and saw that unmistakable red-orange personal summon of his, the giant toad Gamakichi.
"You dumbass! Why did you summon me in midair!?" They heard Gamakichi's thunderous voice. "Now we are falling!"
"I forgot I don't have any flying summons!" Naruto shouted.
"Naruto! You dumbass moronnnnnnnnnnnn!" Gamakichi shouted.
Both of them were diving faster than the falling fortress.
The cuffs and chains on her hands were broken to pieces just as Sasuke unsheathed the Kusanagi on his back. She was sitting as her knees can't hold her yet.
"T-Thanks," she said softly as she rubbed her wrist, "Ryuna, let me see Ryuna," she said as she extended her arms.
"You're still weak," Sasuke said.
"I don't care Sasuke, just let me hold her!"
Sasuke looked at her for awhile before gently giving her the child. Sakura cradled Ryuna on her lap and hugged her tenderly, kissing her on her head and brushing her hair. Ryuna was unconscious.
"Ryuna, it's me. Wake up honey," Sakura whispered as her tears flowed. Sasuke was standing and looking on the falling fortress. Each time, there was an explosion, large chunk of rocks and stones were falling from it as well.
"Sasuke, she's not waking up," Sakura said as she sniffs, brushing the tears from her cheeks. The mednin gently opened Ryuna's left eyelid and saw that the Sharingan was still activated, "It's still activated. I-It should have been deactivated right? She will be chakra-depleted and—"
"Relax," Sasuke said as he took Ryuna from her hold and gently laid her on her back.
"What are you going to do,"
"It's normal that she can't control it yet so I'll have to force and deactivate it," Sasuke said as he activated his Sharingan to normal. He opened both of Ryuna's eyes and saw that both her eyes had one tomoe swirling on it. He went closer, his forehead touching his daughter's forehead and looked towards her eyes. The tomoe on Sasuke's eyes swirled fast as he forced the little girls Sharingan to deactivate.
Slowly but surely, Ryuna's eyes were back to its vibrant green color. There were no traces of the red color of Sharingan on it. But she was still unconscious.
Sasuke looked at his daughter and brush his thumb gently on her face. She looked relax. His heart swelled with pride and happiness and other feelings he couldn't start describing anymore. She's safe, his daughter…and she had her Sharingan at this age…the one and only proof of an Uchiha…their bloodline.
"She's sleeping," he said. The mednin hold the little girl again and rocked her gently as she kissed Ryuna's nose, her forehead and cheeks.
Sasuke looked at Sakura, "We're going home,"
Notes:
Valley of Judgement – see Naruto Shippuden episode 306 "The Heart's Eye" where Neji goes to Valley of Judgement to retrieve Eyebright, a medicinal herb said to cure eyestrain.
EMS – Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan
Demonic Illusion Technique – something like what Tayuya use. A camouflage illusion.
***Sasuke was thinking about the events in the movie Bonds (NS Movie 2 – Bonds)
Lin – the Hannya wearing mask guy.