The boy struggled under Sasuke's deathly grip, pleading for his life to be spared.
"Tell me what you know about the Akatsuki, or I will kill you," the young Uchiha coldly stated. He stared blankly at his victim with one hand firmly planted on his sword.
"Okay, okay! I'll tell ya the little bit I know, but it ain't too much! Rumors spreadin' that the Akatsuki got their hands on one of the greatest medical ninja in the leaf! Her name was…Haruno or somethin'? Yeah, well, from what's been goin' around, that guy who murdered all of the Uchiha clan all those years ago needed her for healin' his eyes. Apparently usin' that Sharingan or whatever it's called has done a number on 'em. People around these parts've been talkin' about the Akatsuki hideout bein' close round here. Can't tell ya exactly how close; that's information I don't have. But I can tell ya that it's said there's a strong seal forming a barrier around the place, keepin' it hidden. Now, you've got what you wanted! Please, please let me go!" The boy began struggling under his terrorizer's hold again. Sasuke released his grip, allowing the boy to make his escape.
The former-leaf ninja examined the area. Hmph. Using a barrier to conceal your location. How pathetic, he thought to himself as he began walking again. Itachi…So that's what you wanted with Sakura; you need someone to heal your eyes. Well, I don't mind ruining mine if it means killing you.
Sasuke's hatred for his brother coursed through his veins. The thought of driving a sword into Itachi's heart was one of the only things that brought him pleasure. Killing him would not bring their clan back, but it would send a heartless murderer to the hell that he belonged in. If only Sasuke had not been so young, helpless, and naïve at the time that his family was killed... then he could have stopped the tragedy from ever happening. He was useless.
The young traitor clenched his fists at the remembrance of the night his family was murdered in cold blood. How could someone do that to their own flesh and blood? he questioned. His thoughts brought him to a stop. Would he truly be able to kill his own brother? He despised Itachi for what he did, but…he's still family—the last family that Sasuke had left in the world. All of a sudden, an image of Naruto flashed through his head. Family…
Sasuke quickly tossed his doubts out of his mind. He knew what he had to do. He cut all of the bonds that he had left in order to gain the strength to end his brother's life, and there was no going back; he did not want to go back.
Itachi Uchiha…I will pierce the heart in your chest that must have been hollow the night you killed our clan…What have you done with Sakura, I wonder? She is weak. She must have been an easy target. Are you heartless enough to kill a girl who cannot even properly put up a fight?
The young Uchiha's thoughts went to his former teammate. She was always getting in the way; she was not strong enough to protect herself, much less those around her. Her friends were fond of her, however. Not for her strength, but for her charm. She was decently intelligent, Sasuke had to give her that, and she wasn't too hard on the eyes. He was glad that he ended up on a team with her instead of Ino; it could have been worse, he guessed.
The last time Sasuke saw Sakura, she had changed. She had become a bit stronger, but Sasuke still had to wonder what the extent of her new strength was. He had been hearing talk of her medical ninjutsu; it was said to rival even that of the great legendary sannin, Tsunade. Yet, the Sakura that Sasuke remembered was so weak and innocent. She knew little pain compared to him and Naruto; she had no motivation to become stronger, or so he thought. As he walked, though, he began to think about the fact that he never really took the time to know the details of her life. Had she experienced hardships just as him and Naruto had?
The young ninja was lost in thought. He had not allowed his mind to wander so freely in quite a while. What was Sakura doing at that moment? Was she healing his brother's eyes or attempting to fight?
If there was one thing that she had been decent at it was fighting for Sasuke's affection. How pathetic. He had never been able to understand her infatuation with him. He hadn't wanted to become close with her, Naruto, or Kakashi, but they had all pushed their way into his heart. That is why he had to sever those bonds; they were hindrances, nothing more. Bonds could only hurt people and hold them back. The midnight-haired Uchiha had no room for them in his mission.
…"So save up your hatred and take it all on me, I'm the only one who can take it! It's the only thing I can do! I will shoulder your hatred and die with you!" Naruto's words somehow found their way into Sasuke's mind. He cringed at them. Idiot. How could he ever hope to understand Sasuke? He never had a family to love, so he couldn't possibly comprehend what Sasuke had gone through!
Naruto…Maybe in another life, we could have…Sasuke shook his head. There was no changing what has happened in their lives. There was no point in thinking about the "what ifs". With his last thought, he cleared his mind. He had only one goal: find and kill Itachi Uchiha.