Footfalls echoed from the shadowed ground. The deep obsidian and clean walls glimmered, edged, cut, and neatly assembled in a rough, cold cutaway from the stones of the mountain.
She's attacking me directly, then. Mizuki chopped downward. His jaw tightened as he studied Sasuke's face. The tip of the sword, glimmering with steel-point light like green water, glimmered in the shining light of the skylight. Murkiness and cold crept up the arm from the blade.
Sasuke charged forward, a determined and serious expression on her face.
Fine, then! I execute you! Mizuki's arm continued in a downward arc. His hand struck against the side of the rock. The sword trembled, slashing toward the body.
Sasuke's eyes widened. The tomoe in the center whirled, swirling rapidly in a circle. She gritted her teeth. The path takes me through that sword. No choice, then. Farewell! She extended her hand. I'll see you dead at the very least!
The sword suddenly twisted in Mizuki's grip, halting in midair. The edge of the sword held still several inches above Sasuke's shoulder. Mizuki's eyes widened. "What?!"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. Whatever just happened, I'm not letting the opportunity pass me by. Her hand drove into Mizuki's stomach.
Mizuki stared at the twisting multicolored lightning, his fingers clenching and unclenching. "This isn't enough to end my life. A perpetual chain exists in my being. Unlike those who served me, I can heal indefinitely!" He raised his arm in the air. "I alone can never die! My fate is to exist eternal, beyond death and destruction!" He clenched his fist. "This is—" His smile faded slightly as the lightning pulsed along his tongue. "It is not enough. Sorry to disappoint you, but I won't die from this little."
Sasuke turned. She walked away, her face lit by the strange coiling light of the technique.
"Have you given up so easily?!" Mizuki did not conceal his glee. His golden sword flickered. He gritted his teeth against the pain. "If so, then you should render up your life to me—" He gasped in pain. "More easily. Kneel, perhaps."
Sasuke stepped forward. She looked over her shoulder at the multicolored lightning blasting down around Mizuki's body. "You're a fool, Mizuki. This fight is over."
"Over?!" Mizuki laughed loudly. "This technique of yours won't last forever! And when it ends, you'll die!"
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. She stared over her shoulder.
"True, this technique of yours has lasted longer than expected. I should give you credit for that. You see, however, the result. My power cannot die, even from such a means." Mizuki stared down at his body. His eyes widened. His skin destroyed, pieces of flesh falling from his arms and regenerating.
"It's really true that you can't die from easy means." Sasuke looked around the room. "It seems that's true. You're really a monster." Her eyes narrowed. "But beyond death and life? That's hardly true."
Multicolored lightning swelled around Mizuki's body, not diminishing in the slightest. Mizuki screamed loudly. He clenched his fists, the bones flashing as the lightning passed through them.
"You see, this technique won't end until you do. At least, as far as I know it has no limit. Last time I used it that technique killed my opponent pretty quick. But he was a zombie and had a limit on his regeneration. You're different. You can't die? Have fun not dying for however long it takes." Sasuke turned away.
Mizuki gasped. His hand extended from the edge of the sword. Please! Answer me, my soul. Give me some kind of gift! The tips of his fingers tightened for a brief moment. He stared down at his hand.
There is but one way to escape the chain you have placed on yourself. The sword rumbled. The energy around the green space darkened. This technique I cannot undo; it belongs to life and the living as I cannot. But if you release me, you will know peace.
And die? And rot? Traitor! Traitor! Mizuki barked, his fist clenched around the sword. You betrayed me! Me, god!
You pretended at being a god for a long time, but you knew the truth as well as any! There are no gods. Not here or in the earth or in the heavens. Not the bearer of imperial burdens, nor the emperor. There are but men, and obscurities. The sword's shivering surface glimmered with the light of fell, dark stars.
Mizuki's eyes narrowed. He slowly released the sword. Fine. Go as you will. The sword turned over, striking the ground. The sword dropped to the ground.
Sasuke glanced over her shoulder. Her eyebrows furrowed. "What the hell?" she demanded. I thought that he'd try to run or negotiate. If it was one of the more hardcore members I could understand, but Mizuki didn't have any convictions. He'd do anything to stay alive.
Mizuki's body transformed into black dust, collapsing rapidly to the ground.
It is good to finally meet a proper heir to the Uchiha clan. The sword's edge glowed with faint crimson light. It did not speak but thought, the sense reverberating through the echoing caverns of Sasuke's mind.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed. "What are you supposed to be?" she questioned.
I am the blade of a shinigami, or something like it. The sword glimmered. Crimson light reflected from the metal.
"You helped out that guy." Sasuke gestured to the pile of black dust. "How am I supposed to trust you?" Sasuke demanded shortly.
Helped him?! I gave him aid until I met my true master. The sword shivered, the edge shifting in place. I might have changed sides sooner, had you found me first. That is all there is to say!
"Okay, granted. But how do I know you won't feel the same way about my brother?" Sasuke continued. She stepped forward. That being said, I can't really kill it even if I try. My energy is basically completely out. One hundred percent. She gritted her teeth. So because of that, I can figure something out.
The sword's edge darkened. I can hear your thoughts, so do not make such foolish mistakes.
Sasuke snorted faintly. Her eyes narrowed. This thing could be trouble.
You will hear this once from me, so listen well. I am called an Asauchi Zanpakutō by the shinigami, forged or modified by Uchiha Madara. He brought me to life from ashes and silverwork and the souls of a dying village. The sword paused. He said to me that when I met a true heir of the Uchiha, I would have met the end for which I was destined. Your soul would supplant what little existed in me, so you have nothing to fear. Can an arm betray a leg, or a person wound themselves purposefully? When you seize my hilt I can no longer exist as I am now. I will be you, and you I. There will no longer be a difference between myself and yourself. Take me up. Join me.
Sasuke paused. "Okay," she stated after a long moment of silence. "I still don't quite trust you, but I don't have much of a choice here." She reached downward. "After all, a weapon is a lot less dangerous at my side than my enemy's." She grasped the hilt of the sword. Crimson light billowed up around Sasuke's body. Sasuke inhaled sharply. Her eyes widened as she stared at her body.
The sword changed shape. Slowly, it dwindled to a smaller, shorter blade with a curved blade and an octagonal guard, silver and jade intermixed on the hilt.
Sasuke grasped the hilt of the sword. The crimson energy swirled upward around the tip of her blade. Lightly, she pricked her finger.
What are you doing?! The sword glistened a deep red with the spilt blood at its tip.
"I thought your power would work the same."
Do you think your soul can possibly be the same as that odious piece of work calling itself Mizuki?! the sword barked sharply.
Sasuke's lip curled up. She hesitated. After a moment, she shook her head from side to side. "No. You're right."
Then in future, please refrain from experimentation on yourself with these powers. The sword shook steadily. Others, of course, you may attempt, the sword continued cautiously. But do not, for the love of all holy, use it on yourself.
Sasuke's hand slid the sword into the belt at her side. She nodded. Her eyes narrowed. "I don't suppose my soul has any tracking capabilities, does it?"
Hardly within the job description, the sword replied dryly. Your soul is no better at finding people than you are.
Sasuke nodded. "All right." She walked back along the corridor, gathering up the caltrops with a delicate finger and caution. The water remained splashed across the ground. "One more question." She ran the edge of her finger along the hilt of the blade.
The sky darkened, clouds passing over the mirrored and glimmering surface of the portal of light high above.
Sasuke frowned. She glanced upward briefly. "Was it supposed to rain out here?" she asked aloud. Her eyebrows furrowed. It must be some kind of technique. I hope the door guard is all right.
It's possible, the sword replied doubtfully. Is that really all you wanted to ask? Its blade darkened as it passed through the shadow of the long-hanging stone walls.
"No." Sasuke shook her head from side to side to side rapidly. "No. I wanted to ask about shinobi powers and shinigami powers. As I understand it, those two are exclusive. Kūkyo lost her abilities as a shinobi. So did Mizuki. Am I going to lose mine, too?"
Direct. Good, this is the foundation of our relationship as shinigami and sword. Try it.
Sasuke raised her hand. A faint crackle of electricity danced around her fingers.
Seemingly you can use our techniques simultaneously. It is, if I guess right, a feature implanted originally by Madara's work.
Sasuke exhaled. "Looks like I can keep going, though my endurance is shot to hell." She stumbled forward. "I probably can't keep going much longer. I definitely can't use any complicated techniques." She leaned against the wall, her hand pressing closer. "But I can at least support Naruto from here." She stumbled forward again. "I can save him."
What is this Naruto of which you speak? Or rather, what is he to you?
"He's a friend. I—" Sasuke exhaled loudly. "You know. If I'm being totally honest, to me, he's a genuinely good companion. I think to me at least he's a person I can entrust my future—" She blinked. Her eyes narrowed. "Wait. You're my soul. Shouldn't you know this already?"
The metaphor I used earlier is inaccurate. Say rather that we are part of the same soul, but I do not know myself what it is you want. I know only what your most basic desire is. The sword flickered with a lurid red light.
"That's a contradiction." Sasuke turned from side to side. After a long moment, she selected the left corridor, proceeding downward apace. The hint of wear briefly betrayed her, suggesting an inaccurate passage, but at a glance it seemed to come from someone else doubling back on their path.
It is always thus. No human is without contradictions; indeed, everything is filled with bizarrery and darkness. It is rare to encounter such a being in this world. A human without contradiction would be quite terrifying.
Sasuke smirked. "You're pretty smart for a sword." She hurried down the left corridor, turning toward the depths of the mountain.
I am your soul. Show a little more respect. The sword made a sound like a kettle warming toward fire.
Sasuke nodded. She glanced to the side again, studying the straight wall. I don't like it. It's too dangerous. She glanced toward the sides of the passage. But, well. For now it looks like they're not planning an ambush. No. Rather, it's more likely that they can't. The situation doesn't allow it. Thinking it over, to begin with the idea of them plotting an ambush—bearing in mind that they have limited manpower—is absurd, because they'd have a limited number of people to do so. The best they can do is work based off their limited potential. Ambushing us in these tight corridors—sure, it'd be easy if there were sections atop the walls. She reached upward with the sword. The tip of the sword scratched along the wall. But from what I can tell, it doesn't look like it's possible for them to alter that and those sections are closed off, so that's out. Bearing that in mind, they have limited options for an ambush. I managed to pull it off once, but I was fighting against a guy who, honestly, doesn't have anything resembling a genuine shinobi. Her eyes narrowed. If I was going up against Shikamōto, though? I'd have gotten my ass kicked trying that. This environment just doesn't lend itself to that kind of combat, and frankly, I'm glad for it. If it did I'd have a real— She glanced around her body.
Shadows covered the ground, completely concealing any form of dark threads.
Holy shit. Sasuke inhaled tightly. But at the same time there's not much I myself can do about it. So I can't proceed too swiftly, but at the same time I will get killed if I underestimate that woman's abilities again.
The shadows pressed down over the field. An ominous feeling gathered around the form.
A/N: I talked things over with Black Caesar in PM, and will address the issues he raises in future installments. The story will, however, be continuing at its current pace barring inability to continue writing. As always, thanks for reading.