He dodged the log coming at him from behind and the one coming at him from the front at the same time. He dodged two more from the front. "Haru." He heard a voice call. He immediately stopped, ducked and cleared the vicinity of the logs that still swinging back and forth and removed his blindfold. He smiled as he saw his dark hooded subordinate before him.
"So it's you Jet." Haru smiled at him. "I heard about your run in with our friends from the leaf. Did you really have to attack three guys to grab their attention?" He asked, still smiling.
"I just thought that it would be more dramatic than just appearing in front of them then attacking." Jet replied. Haru was amused by his response. Of course that's what you were thinking.
"You watch way too many horror movies Jet."
"That's rich coming from you."
"What do you mean?"
"You set a whole town ablaze and killed the byakugan princess's sister all to send a message Haru. What? Mail wasn't an option?"
"Well I don't see why we can't cut loose every now and then."
"You always stress the importance of discretion Haru so I'm guessing you didn't do all that for fun." Jet voice had become serious. Haru decided he should get seiorus as well as he fixed the gold on his wrists and ears.
"You're right, discretion is important, but as you've seen this era has become too quiet, too peaceful, too boring. It's time to shake things up, don't you think so?" Haru said turning to Jet. It was rhetorical. Everyone in the Black Sun, was sensing the ripe time to make their move. "Tell me Jet, what do you think Boruto Uzumaki?" Haru asked in a serious tone.
"A prodigy for sure, but useless to us." Jet replied bluntly.
"So, he doesn't have his mother's byakugan, which leaves Himawari Uzumaki."
"The hokage's daughter, the one who's barely an academy student, the one always under the careful watch of her parents?"
"You sound scared Jet."
"Hardly. The thought of facing the seventh hokage and the byakugan princess actually sounds like fun." Jet had a malicious grin on his face. Haru knew Jet relished the chance to kill powerful ninja even if he knew he wasn't powerful enough to do so. "So you what do you plan to do about this town you've playing with?" Jet asked.
"We'll burn this place too." Haru replied.
"Haru Chinatsu. Is burning really the only way for you to destroy this place?"
"There are dozens of other ways I can destroy this town, but burning seems to be the most prudent way to do so." Haru paused, closed his eyes and thought about this town he'd been chief of for five years.
"You've been babysitting this place for five years and you feel no attachment to it?" Jet sounded slightly sarcastic.
"Don't insult me." Haru replied jokingly. "Of course I'm not attached to it. It doesn't matter if I was chief for five years or five-hundred years." Everything up till now had been for his mission. He had no time to be attached to any place or anyone.
"You really turned this place on its head Haru." Jet stated. "By just transforming into the Blue Rose Master once and with just one kill, you were able to plunge this town into civil war." Jet sounded truly impressed.
"It doesn't take much to start a war between two factions who hate each other."
"True enough, but what I don't understand is why didn't the real Blue Rose master deny anything?"
"I told him was I was holding his daughter hostage. The truth was I'd already killed her. See, I had no time to be holding real hostage, so I figured just saying I was would be enough." Haru continued. "After that I killed the Blue Rose master anyway, and conjured a tale about how it was someone else who'd transformed into the Blue Rose after killing and took his place."
"And then created the story of of how that man was part of greater conspiracy, after he supposedly committed suicide. You created an imaginary enemy."
"That is the best way to unite people and stop conflict, give people a common enemy to fear and hate. A devil, real or not, is what will unite people."
"At least until they figure out it's a lie of course."
"These people will be dead before that." Haru sighed. "I went to all that trouble and Boruto Uzumaki turned out to be a failure. But like I said, there's still Himawari Uzumaki." Haru tuned to face Jet whose hood was down revealing his long brown hair. "Come Jet let's blow this dump. Literally."
Sarada walked beside her teammates as they to re-entered the leaf village. She would never forget the events of their first mission, she would never forget the faces of the families they apologized to. Sarada understood the reason Boruto wanted to pursue the attacker. He wanted to prove his strength to be greater his father the hokage, just like herself. Perhaps, she to would've made the same decision were she in her friend's place, had she not seen the reactions of the families. This made her want to see her own family even more. Besides, I still have questions to ask them. Konohamaru-sensei led them towards the hokage office. The team was silent the whole way. Sarada guessed that they had their own thoughts about the mission as well.
When they entered the hokage office Sarada was surprised to find the hokage gone and rather his right-hand man Shikamaru Nara there in his place. "Ah Team Konohamaru, your back surprisingly early. The construction finished?" Shikamaru said to them in normal lazy tone.
"Not quite. The chief, Haru Chinatsu simply sent us back, but gave he gave us the full pay." Konohamaru-sensei replied.
"Is that right? Awfully generous isn't he?"
"I suppose so. So where's-"
"Where's my dad?" Boruto cut off Konohamaru-sensei.
"He went home early today." Shikamaru replied.
"What are you talking about? It's the middle of the day. He never goes home this early." Boruto sounded surprised.
"Well today he decided to do so."
"He can do that, huh?" Boruto sounded disappointed. Sarada guessed that he was wondering why the hokage wasn't home so early everyday. In fact she was wondering the same thing herself. Why spend so much time away from home when you can go back when you want?
"Boruto." Shikamaru's tone became solemn with hint of sadness on it.
"What is it?" Boruto replied.
Shikamaru hesitated as if he there was something he didn't want to tell Boruto. "Never mind. Well, you three can return home. Konohamaru, you stay here and give me the details of your mission. I'll have your mission wages sent to your homes by tomorrow." Shikamaru announced. Sarada, Mitsuki, and Boruto took their leave. "I wonder what he was going to tell me." Boruto said.
"Well judging by his tone." Mitsuki began, "it was either something that he realized was unimportant or something he was afraid to tell you."
"What do you mean afraid?" Boruto asked.
"I have my guesses, but I suppose if it was indeed something important you'll find out sooner or later." Mitsuki crossed his hands behind his head.
"Well I'm gonna head home and ask my dad about it." Boruto announced.
"I've got something I need to ask my dad too." Sarada said.
"What's that?" Mitsuki and Boruto asked in unison.
"Just some stuff about my clan."
"Oh." It was clear that Mitsuki and Boruto understood that they should not pursue this topic any further. I'm glad they understand.
Before Sarada realized it, all three of them separated along the way. She remembered the good-byes but couldn't remember exactly when. She supposed her mind was on her father the entire time. When she finally approached her doorstep she took deep breath then opened the door. "I'm home!" Sarada announced. She saw her pink-haired mother run towards her. "Sarada!" Her mother gave her a tight but controlled hug. Glad she didn't crush this time. "We received a call for the hokage that you were home early. What happened?" her mother questioned.
"She can tell us later. For now let's just be happy she's home." She heard her father's voice as he walked up to her and gave a warm hug. "This time it's my turn to welcome you home Sarada." He said warmly.
"Yeah I guess so." Sarada giggled. "Dad can we go sit down? There's something we need to talk about."
"Alright, sure." Her father sounded confused. Sarada led her parent to the living and sat down with them after setting down her bag.
"Alright Sarada what did you want to talk about?" Her father asked nicely.
"Itachi Uchiha." Sarada didn't want to beat around the bush for this one. She would not get the runaround this time.
Her parents shared a shocked expression. Her mother looked almost frightened; her father did look frightened.
"How do you know that name?" Her father stammered out.
"We were talking during our mission and we began talking about him. I heard a lot but I'd like to hear what you have to say." Sarada tried to stay as calm as possible. She could tell by the expression on her father's face that this was something he hadn't hoped to talk about.
As her father was about to speak her mother spoke up first. "Sarada listen-."
She was cut off by her father. "It's okay Sakura, we can't have avoided this topic forever and now I suppose there's no point waiting any longer now that she's heard the name." Her father took a deep breath before beginning. "Sarada, Itachi Uchiha was my elder brother. He was your uncle."
"I heard that. I also heard that he's dead. Can you tell me why?" Sarada didn't want to mention the things she heard. This had to come from her father.
"I killed him." Her father looked like he'd stabbed himself as spoke. Her mother turned her face as if she was in pain.
"Why?" It was all Sarada could do to keep from yelling.
"It was for revenge. You see, my brother was the one who slaughtered the old Uchiha clan."
So it's true. "So did you kill him for revenge?"
"Yes. I killed him for revenge." Sarada could tell her father was struggling against all hope to look her in the eye.
Sarada took a deep breath. "When did this happen?"
"Why do yo want to know that?" Her father did sound truly scared.
"Please. Answer my question." Sarada did her best to keep calm.
"It happened when I was 16."
"That young? So I'm guessing it was during the war."
"No it was before then."
"What? Like was it was a mission for the village?"
"No." Her father stammered. "I'd left the village of my own accord to do it."
Sarada felt like there was an ocean raging in her stomach. So it's true. "So I'm guessing that's why you were gone for three years when you were a genin wasn't it?"
Her father said nothing.
"Am I right Dad?"
"Yes." He replied, barely a whisper. "I abandoned the village and everyone in it for three years, to pursue my revenge."
Sarada was struggling to hold back her anger. "So you walked away on all your friends to go kill your brother. You became a rogue ninja. Are you some kind of criminal?" Sarada spoke up. "Answer me Dad! What did you do to get your revenge? How many people did you ki-" She was cut off after she realized her father had his sharingan activated. The second she looked into it, everything around her began to change. He's pulling me into his genjutsu.
She was standing in the village at night. She saw a young pink-haired with tears in her eyes pleading to black haired a boy who had his back towards her. "Please Sasuke take with you!" The girl cried. She couldn't believe it that boy was her father on the night he left the village. "Your still annoying." The boy Sasuke said with a smirk and before Sarada realized he had appeared behind the pink haired girl. "Sakura, thank you for everything." Sasuke sounded sincere. Immediately afterwards she knocked the girl, her young mother out cold. Dad, how could you? Later she bore witness to Sasuke leaving with four ninja from the sound village, they giving him some sort of pill that knocked him out.
Next thing she new she was at a valley. On either end of stood two great statues one was of the first hokage, the other she didn't recognize. On top of the statues stood two figures facing eachother. On one stood Sasuke, and on the other stood a boy dressed in orange with blonde hair and three whisker markings on each cheek. That has got to be the seventh hokage, Naruto Uzumaki as a genin.
"My days, of playing ninja with you kids in the leaf are over." Sasuke spoke. Sarada was appalled at the words that escaped his mouth. It was clear that Naruto felt that same way as Sarada because he immediately launched himself at Sasuke and punched him square in the face. "Are you telling me you comrades mean nothing to you?!" The genin Naruto called out.
"None of that matters now. I'm going to where Orochimaru is. He will help me get my revenge."
"Are you crazy? He only wants to take your body!"
"I will gladly give my body to him if it means I an have my revenge." Sasuke immediately punched Naruto away. What followed afterwards was a brutal fight between to the two genin. That resulted in her father's victory. Sarada couldn't believe what she was seeing. She always wondered what the hokage and her father were like as children but this changed her mind. Sasuke stood over Naruto and looked like he was about to kill him. "Dad don't!" She called out. As if Sasuke had heard her, he walked away with a sad look in his eyes.
The next vision had skipped ahead to her seeing her father, Naruto, and her mother all a bit older meeting again at what looked like was Orochimaru's hideout. Her friend Inojin's father was also present along with a younger Captain Yamato. She saw her young father defeat all four of them. He was stopped short of killing them by Orochimaru. The next vision was his defection from Orochimaru and the formation of his personal four-man cell, Hebi. She had this roster before. So this is how you met them Dad. She witnessed her 16-year old father defeat a man called Deidara from the Akatsuki. Later she saw her father in large building secluded in the forest confronting another man who resembled greatly who also possessed a sharingan. There was no doubt that this other man was Itachi Uchiha. The battle between her young father and uncle was even more brutal than the one her father had with Naruto Uzumaki. The building was destroyed by Sasuke's technique, Kirin. Her Uncle Itachi however utilized the chakra avatar Susanoo, a technique she'd seen her father use. She was sure that Sasuke was done for only for Itachi to poke his little brother in the forehead and then dropped on the ground, lifeless. Shortly afterwards Sasuke collapsed as well. The sheer power demonstrated by her father at this age made her quiver about how powerful he would be in the present. She wondered if it was over, if her father would return to the leaf now, but she wasn't so lucky. The next vision showed her father being told by the masked man Tobi about the truth behind Itachi Uchiha. How the village elders had ordered Itachi to murder his clansmen who'd threatened a coup d'état. Sarada had always been led to believe her clan was very important to the village. That they were the most powerful and losing them was both a military and personal blow to them. Now she knew that she'd been lied to her whole life. She was even more shocked to learn that one of the elders, Danzo threatened the life of young Sasuke should Itachi not go through with the mission. Though Itachi spared Sasuke so he could one day receive judgement by his brother's hand. He led his little brother to believe he was his enemy so he'd be driven to kill him and become a hero of the leaf. When she saw the look upon Sasuke's face, she guessed that she must've been wearing the same look. A look of pain, regret, sorrow, and anger. Now he has to go back to the leaf. After all, that what Uncle Itachi wanted for him. Her vision now took her to a cliff side where Sasuke stood with his members of Hebi. "We are now Taka." Sasuke declared. "And our new mission is to destroy the leaf village!" Sasuke's announcement stabbed Sarada's heart. She now understood just how deep the hatred was in he father. It was almost he didn't want happiness. He simply wanted to destroy the world that had take so much from him.
The newly renamed Taka no engaged the eight-tails jinchuriki, the five kage, and Sasuke engaged the sixth homage-candidate Danzo personally and killed him. Each battle Sarada witnessed Sasuke's power, malice, and anger growing. It reached it's peak in his battle with the original Team Kakashi in which Sasuke horrified Sarada, by truly trying to kill Sakura. Despite this however, Naruto still plead with Sasuke to change his ways, and kept calling him his friend. Sarada couldn't comprehend the future hokage's actions. Why would he consider forgiving Sasuke after how far he has fallen?
Her vision now changed to one of Sasuke reuniting with his reanimated older brother. This had to have been the fourth great ninja war; she'd heard how countless deceased, legendary ninja were reanimated by the enemy for the war. It made sense that Itachi Uchiha would be as well. After she witnessed her father and uncle defeat the then-evil Kabuto Yakushi, she was brought to tears by her uncle when he embraced his younger brother and would love him no matter what he does. It takes a saint to be able to love so greatly. A saint or a fool. The vision then showed her father with the members of Taka as well as that man Orochimaru in front of the reanimated hokage. At the end of the first hokage's recount of his history with Madara Uchiha she was glad to hear her father's declaration of protecting the leaf and honoring his brother's wishes.
Seeing her young father fight alongside the future seventh hokage and young mother again warmed heart and cooled her mind. Maybe there was hope for him. All those hopes were dashed the second the enemy Kaguya was defeated and Sasuke declared his intention to revolutionize the ninja world by killing the five kage and eliminating the tailed beasts and Naruto as well. Her hopes hit ice-cold waters when he placed Sakura under a violent genjutsu and claimed to not understand why she held any feelings for him to begin with. Her father then led Naruto to the valley where they had their first battle. Here Sasuke declared that Itachi was the true hokage. He became the world's enemy so everyone would live in peace and Sasuke planned to follow the same route. After Naruto condemned Sasuke's words, their final battle began. It was a battle of titanic proportions she'd never dreamed of. It resulted in the destruction of the valley and the loss of both their dominant arms.
With both of them unable to move after the battle they lay side by side where Sasuke admitted defeat and decided to let himself die. Naruto clearly wouldn't have that and said that he desired cooperation between everyone including Sasuke. Sarada was was surprised to find Sasuke moved to tears and accepting Naruto's friendship. Soon after Kakashi and Sakura arrived where Sasuke sincerely apologized for his actions and Sakura forgave him. At last they returned to the leaf where Sasuke prepared to leave on journey of redemption refusing a prosthetic arm. There she was surprised to see her father expressing genuine affection towards Sakura and to departed after accepting his former headband back from Naruto.
Finally the genjutsu ended she was back on the couch in the Uchiha home. Her head was still spinning, she had gained great knowledge and such little time. In front of her, her father was the age she knew him by. His sharingan deactivated, he looked to be holding back tears. It was clear this was very difficult for him. "Dad, I- why didn't you accept a new arm?" She stammered out. She didn't know what else to say to him.
"Sarada. I, I just couldn't forgive myself." He seemed be choking back a sob.
"What's that supposed to mean? Is that why you left mom for years? Is that the reason you accepted such a long mission?"
"Wait, Sarada." Her mother cut in. "Your father was the only one capable of the mission that was the only reason he accepted it." She seemed to be lying.
"Is that true Dad?" Sarada turned to her father.
"Well sort of."
"So that wasn't the only reason. What else was there?"
"Sarada." Her mother cut in again. "You need to understand that your father needed to atone for what he'd done. He couldn't be here until he did. Your father needed this."
"What about us? Weren't we enough? How can you accept his decisions like this? After how he hurt you?" Sarada was no longer trying to hold back her tears.
"Sarada please-"
"No Sakura." Her father interrupted. Sarada waited for him to say something.
"Well Dad? Do you have anything to say to me? Anything to justify yourself? Anyway to prove that I wasn't without a father for twelve years because of the mistakes you made?"
Sarada received no answer.
"I see." She got up to leave neither of her parents stopping her. "So you really haven't changed much then have you? It's still all about you." She heard a sob behind her, no doubt from her father. Sarada didn't look back. She went upstairs and locked herself in her room.
Boruto came home to find both his parents on the couch in eachother's arms, his sister crying into her father's shoulder, and his mother seemed like she'd just finished crying herself. He dropped his bag on the floor. "Wh-What's going on?" He was actually afraid of the answer he'd be getting.
"Boruto." His father began. "I don't how else to say this. Your Aunt Hanabi was killed on a mission." His father's voice was soft but it did nothing to lessen the impact of the news he'd received. Boruto dropped to his knees.
"No. That's impossible. Aunt Hanabi is super strong. No way she could be killed. This is some kind of joke right?" It was clear from the sorrowful aura surrounding his family that this was in no way a joke. "No. No." Boruto's tears came out of their accord. Damn it, stop crying you idiot. He felt his father's strong arms embrace him. "Cry Boruto, please. Don't hold back."
"I'm a ninja, damn it. I have to be able to endure this. Why?"
"You loved her, so you have every right to cry, to grieve. Please let it out." His father's arms were shaking. He was crying too. "Damn it all." Boruto barely managed to get those words out.
Mitsuki stared at the black-bladed knife given to him by his mother. The sun blade she'd called it. It was an heirloom of her family's so by right it would go to Mitsuki. But Mitsuki had no desire for this burden. He didn't want to be chosen by the sun, especially after their mission. He'd recognized the ability used by the man he and Boruto encountered. It was an ability that can only be achieved by those don't possess chakra. Just like Mom. "That means the Black Sun has arrived. I wonder if Father knows, or even cares." He said out loud, smiling at the sun blade in his hand. "No. He doesn't have much interests in wars that he didn't start himself, does he?" He spoke as if the sun blade could hear him. It didn't matter, it's the only thing he had left of his mother, thus he treated it like he was talking to her. "Oh well, I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens. Maybe I'll go see Father, see what he can tell me." He placed the the knife back on the wall and walked to the kitchen to fix himself a snack. He decide on eggs. These always were Father's favorite.
His father had told him that the leaf would be safer than at his hideout. "The seventh hokage will be able to defend and give you a real life like your mother wanted, but if you want to stay with me that's fine too." Mitsuki had actually given careful thought to it. He knew his father was allowed to go free after the 4th great ninja war, but he was till kept under watch. In the end he decided on going to the leaf village. "You'll like it there son. You made a good choice, but that shouldn't be a surprise, you're Himiko's son after all."
"I'm also the son of Orochimaru, an infamous rogue ninja, how do you think the seventh will react to that?"
"Well, who says he has to find out? I'm sure he'll treat you well all the same but perhaps it's still best you keep your heritage a secret. I'll teach you how to resist the mental probing used by the Yamanaka clan."
Mitsuki had mastered Orochimaru's ability flawlessly. A feat his father had been relatively proud of. But he said it is to be expected of child of one of the Sannin. On the day he left his father gave him the sun blade he'd been keeping safe for Mitsuki's mother along with his mother's note. After he'd left, he came to the village under the appearance of being sick and ill, due to special pills his father gave him to fool others. In truth he came to his father's hideout like his mother's instructed him where he was nursed back to health. He'd be forever grateful for the care his father had given him, and he'd grown fond of him, despite knowing of his status and his deeds. His mother taught a person should never be defined by their mistakes and failures, thus he treated his father the way such a philosophy entailed. Despite that he knew he'd never understand the immortal Orochimaru. The man over sixty years old, who still looked like he was twenty. He hadn't seen him in years but guessed that he would still look the same. He decided he'd worry about that later and decided to eat. He smiled at his eggs. "I wonder what you're up to Father?"