Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters used within the story.

Nothing much to say here... enjoy!

Akatsuki I

Chapter 4

"Was that necessary?"

"If you mean getting the last word in and threatening Itachi, I do think it was necessary. Losing three members before we have commenced with our plans? Unacceptable."

"Yes, but what of Madara's agenda to recruit Sasuke? He has given us multiple reasons for his plans to induct the younger Uchiha."

The red-haired man knew what his counterpart spoke was the truth. "We cannot take everything Madara tells us at face value. Even if Sasuke were to be proven a more powerful ally than his brother, it would still be a waste to let one of our most integral and loyal members perish this early in the game. Itachi has executed all his missions perfectly – it would be a disservice to let such greatness go to waste."

Purple eyes blazed with unconcealed fury. "And there is also the fact that he threatened the Akatsuki... inexcusable. Such blatant disregard for a child to show in front of his superiors cannot go unpunished. If anything, his actions have proven him far harder to control than Itachi – would you not agree, Konan?"

The blue-haired woman inclined her head. "You have no arguments from me here. I only hope you have what it takes to deal with him."

"Do not worry about him. I'm sure you have your plans too. After all..."

The man closed his eyes as if in remembrance of something emotionally distressful.

"...true Pain is the only path to Peace."

Large, overgrown trees of the thick, lush green forest rushed by.

"You know Itachi-san, I know you like to keep to yourself, but I am quite interested – your reaction to your brother's rather... fascinating way of getting your attention was very uncharacteristic. Never seen you so surprised, even in the most dire situations."

There was no reply. Samehada's wielder grinned widely.

He had never seen this side of Itachi. From the outside, his partner looked completely and utterly focused on the mission assigned by the leader—his face kept in a cold, impassive mask—but Kisame would like to think he knew Itachi better than most. If the years of working with the Uchiha had proven anything, it was that the calm that Itachi portrayed was a far cry from his usual composed self if the occasional nervous eye glance was any indication of the kin slayer's true feelings.

"Hide it all you want, but it is very clear to me that you have some ulterior motives – contrary to the Akatsuki's plans. You should know that I despise liars and I don't want you, one of the only people I respect to be amongst them."

For a moment only the sounds of creaking branches and rustling of leaves could be heard as the two infamous rogue ninja jumped from tree to tree, intent on reaching the assigned location.

"Kisame," his partner spoke up. Finally—finally! "I understand your grievances and I assure you, I shall execute the mission assigned by the leader perfectly – as I always have. You have nothing to worry about."

Then Itachi suddenly stopped, halting Kisame in his tracks. Unusual.

"What's wrong Itachi-san?"

The Uchiha performed a series of hand signs—the same signs for the Summoning technique Kisame detected. He tightened his grip on Samehada, the sentient sword responding to his unease. If his dearest partner was truly intent on escaping, the Monster of the Hidden Mist knew he would have to resort to more extreme measures to prevent him from slipping away.

In a puff of smoke, a crow materialized, replacing the haze that had initially enveloped the area. Kisame watched with fascination as Itachi engaged the crow in a genjutsu, evident by the distinct Sharingan present in place of the usual black eyes of the summon. The Uchiha proceeded to hand the bird a scroll.

"This crow will grant us the advantage of flight to reach our destination faster," Itachi explained calmly, then pulled out a kunai and a small glass vial from a hidden seal marking on the underside of his sleeve. Kisame's gaze never wavered as he observed the process. With practiced efficiency, Itachi made a small cut on his hand, allowing a few drops of his blood to flow into the container before sealing it shut and handing it to the crow. "Once I receive a signal from my summon, I shall link your chakra to mine, enabling direct teleportation to the intended location."

Was this a joke?

"Are you suggesting we are not fast enough to reach the Outpost before this... crow...? Do you truly have such little faith in our abilities Itachi-san?" Kisame questioned his partner's reasons for pulling such a stunt.

"Yes. You are free to have your reservations, but there is no doubt we will reach there in time," Itachi responded, his tone blank as always. The crow—whose eyes were now black—flew away with a flutter of its wings. "Come Kisame, we have delayed the mission enough as it is."

"And exactly whose fault is it?"

Itachi didn't respond choosing to instead body-flicker away to the destination.

As usual, so closed off Kisame thought, performing his body flicker to catch up to his partner.

Sasuke stood tall and composed on the back of his hawk summon—Garuda—as clouds floated lazily above, casting fleeting shadows over large expanses of land. The forest floor looked like a patchwork of vibrant greens and earthy browns, with occasional streams snaking their way through the dense vegetation.

The breathtaking view of the Earth below him never failed to captivate Sasuke's senses. The beauty of nature was undeniable, and in any other circumstance, he might have taken a moment to appreciate the marvels of the world around him. However, today was different. Today, he had a far more critical objective in mind.

Blackmailing the Akatsuki to force them into sending his brother was merely a front to disguise his real objective. His actual motive was to lure out Obito—the man who possessed the most slippery space-time technique he had personally witnessed, barring the Fourth Hokage's jutsu and Kaguya's portals—and Black Zetsu the true mastermind behind the despicable schemes that had destroyed the Uchiha clan.

Killing the two was not just to save the world, but also to satiate his vengeful desires. He remembered how the black, slimy filth smugly described how he had manipulated his clan to do his bidding until they were no longer needed for his plans.

Sasuke would decimate him and the pretender who dared associate with the name of the Uchiha clan. He would eviscerate, burn and eradicate any evidence of their existence until they were nothing but ashes just like they had done to his people.

As the wind ruffled his dark hair, Sasuke's mind drifted to the past—memories of his family, their strength, their honor, and their reputation. The once-proud Uchiha clan, reduced to mere ashes by the treacherous plans set in motion. His right eye, the Sharingan, swirled with the intensity of his emotions, the unique starburst pattern of the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, the likes of which the world had never seen since the late Uchiha Madara.

He would never forget his mother's gentle smile, his father's stern yet loving presence, and the camaraderie among the Uchiha. He would never forget his promise to avenge them, to undo the injustice done to his people.

He would never forget.

"Sasuke," the voice of his summon jolted him from his musings. Sasuke shook his head in annoyance. He needed to stop distracting himself by entertaining his darker, melancholic thoughts. "There are two people about 30 degrees to your left."

"Describe them for me, Garuda," He ordered.

"One of them is wearing a black robe with an Orange Mask to cover his face – his mask has a single eye hole. The other is... not human. One half of his body is black, the other... white. It also looks like he has been partially devoured by a Venus fly trap."

So, they're here before elder brother and Kisame... Good.

A smile danced on his lips, full of excitement at the prospect of killing the two. Just the feeling of knowing that he was the one to end their lives sent tiny electric bolts coursing through his body. It made him feel so... alive.

"I see. Thank you for your assistance Garuda. Feel free to undo the summoning jutsu."

Using the power of the Rinnegan to form a single large black rod, Sasuke jumped off his summon intent on sending the two to the pure lands.

As Obito emerged with a swirling vortex, he found himself standing on a cold, unyielding stone platform, granting him an elevated view of the vast land below.

His mind was consumed by contemplation, reflecting on Zetsu's narration of the brazen stunt his precious pawn—Sasuke—had pulled. It dawned on him that his carefully laid plans were about to be accelerated beyond his initial expectations.

The younger Uchiha's decision to confront Itachi earlier than anticipated, coupled with the elimination of two Akatsuki members, was a revelation that both excited and surprised him. It spoke of talent, it spoke of power, and most importantly... it gave him a marvelous opportunity to sweep in and reap the benefits. If anything, the death of the 'immortal' duo was most definitely a boon to his plans if it meant receiving even more firepower to his side.

Obito's true agenda, known only to only Nagato, Konan, and Zetsu, was to merge Sasuke with the Gedo Statue—a crucial step towards achieving the Infinite Tsukuyomi. Black Zetsu, his ever-loyal agent, had diligently observed the younger Uchiha brother, providing Obito with unwavering confirmation of Sasuke's potent chakra. The occasional visits Obito paid to monitor his clansman's progress had only served to fortify his resolve to move ahead with the recruitment plan.

"Now, if only he was here..." Obito spoke out loud, his voice carrying a hint of annoyance.

"Still speaking to yourself, I see. You really have to stop that habit of yours."

"Zetsu," he commented, turning to face the humanoid creature. "You have arrived earlier than anticipated."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"Us."

"Same thing. It's not like we are slow just because we lack your fancy eye ability."

Obito ignored his partner, choosing to address the more pressing matter at hand. "He's not here."

"Huh? Wait... you're right – I can't sense him anywhere."

"Maybe he has a different plan in mind – something not so straightforward. Perhaps an ambush of some sort?"

Obito rubbed his chin in contemplation. Black Zetsu's suggestion was not out of the realm of possibilities. However, that also brought out another problem, an obstacle in his recruitment agenda. If neither he nor Zetsu could sense his prized pawn, then it was also likely that Sasuke could slip through his fingers at a crucial moment which was not the ideal outcome.

"That is... plausible. Very well, Zetsu spread out and search—"

POWERFUL.

It was only for a fraction of a second but Obito felt, for the first time in his life a chakra signature that completely overwhelmed all his senses. It felt as if the weight of the entire world was thrust upon his shoulders, the sheer magnitude of the chakra signature that decided to make its appearance—

BEHIND HIM!

Obito Uchiha, the student of the Legendary Uchiha Madara, possessor of the most powerful Mangekyou Sharingan ability known to man, the man who had triumphed over the Yellow Flash was one of the most formidable shinobi to walk the Earth.

Yet for all his power, for all his speed, he found himself far too... slow.

"ARGHHHHH!"

Pain.

Pure, white-hot pain was all he felt as he saw a black rod pierce his abdominal region.

"Uchiha Obito."

Through the whirlwind of agony, Obito barely managed to make out the voice addressing him. "Uchiha Sasuke! You are responsible for this – How?!"

"How? That is a question a lot of people have been asking me and the answer has always been – wait. You are not going anywhere."

"No! let me go! Let me go! LET ME G—!"

Black Zetsu, begging? He had never heard Madara's will sound so desperate, so eager, so hopeless in the decades he had worked with the loathsome creature. He tried to force his body to move—

Only to find out that he could not move.

Nothing would move. Not his eyes, nor his mouth, nor his fingers—none of his voluntary muscles exhibited even a single ounce of movement.

And it was with such a cold, overwhelming realization that Obito realized there was an invading chakra in his system, the same engulfing chakra he had experienced earlier. But that was impossible! The Paralysis technique was nowhere near this powerful and it had a very simple way to break it, something he knew he could do. There was only one other possible way to immobilise an opponent using those black rods...

"Planetary Devastation!"

Rinnegan.

That technique was only possible with the power of the Rinnegan.

Sasuke Uchiha was in possession of the Rinnegan was the conclusion his mind reached.

It was only at that moment did the true hopelessness of his situation start to slowly seep into the very core of his heart.

"NoNoNoNONONONONONONONONO!" he heard Madara's 'will' scream. "Mother! You hear me! I will not allow it! I will-mmphhh!"

The very ground beneath his feet cracked and groaned, unable to bear the overwhelming weight of power unleashed upon it. Trees, rocks, and shards of stone were sent flying upwards as the very Earth was uprooted. The once serene landscape was transforming into a desolate barren crater. However, Zetsu's plight was not his concern for he had more pressing matters to attend to. What he was concerned about was living.

Izanagi!

Kamui!

Izanagi! Kamui! IZANAGI! KAMUI!

None of his most powerful techniques responded. He tried to overwhelm the invading chakra in his body, tried to deflect, tried to overpower it—nothing worked! He was too weak to even make a sliver of progress in his hopeless endeavor.

Then he finally felt his body move... without his control.

A sense of desperation filled the air as he watched his body move against his will, manipulated like a mere puppet on strings. He was forced to turn and face the reason for his downfall, to confront the source of his defeat—Sasuke Uchiha. If the two Rinnegan-based techniques did not confirm Sasuke's possession of the legendary dojutsu, seeing it in place of what should have been a Sharingan most definitely did.

Obito's shock was further fueled by a large purple ethereal construct that materialized and grabbed him to prevent a possible death against the gravitational pull of the previously launched planetary devastation.

He has the Susano'o too?!

How?! How had Sasuke unlocked the final form of the Sharingan too? It required the transplant of the eye of a close relative, something which would require Itachi's help.

Something which would require Itachi's help.

Something which would require... Itachi's... Help.

It was at that moment that the true hopelessness of the situation settle in; the Uchiha brothers had played him like a fiddle with their schemes. Sasuke's posturing in front of the Akatsuki was nothing but a front to hide his true intentions. The realization seeped into him like a pit of vipers and he would've laughed bitterly if he could. He had thought himself to be the manipulator, the puppetmaster, the one who controlled the plight of the two siblings—yet the irony of his current circumstances was exactly the opposite of what he had envisioned. He was the one who was controlled, used, and manipulated in the end.

In any case, with Sasuke's possession of the Rinnegan along with his powerful chakra presence that rendered his weaker chakra useless, there was only one possible outcome for his current situation: Interrogation and... Death.

And it was with those final thoughts did the last dregs of hope vanish. Any resistance he posed to the intruding chakra disappeared as he stopped his futile attempts to withstand its control. Unbidden, memories and thoughts of his old comrades flashed before his eyes. A girl too pure for this world, a man so bright, so blonde, another man who grieved far too much for his own good and humanity itself. He had failed them all.

In the end, nothing had changed. Nothing. The world would be in an endless state of misery, an endless loop of loss until no one had anything left and it seemed that it would stay that way with his demise. All his hopes, his dreams, and his sacrifices were reduced to worthlessness. He was still that same naive failure of a child whose dreams were far bigger and brighter than his future.

What a waste. What a failure he was.

It was never supposed to be this easy.

He had expected more. He had expected both Zetsu and Obito to pull a new technique, a new plan, a new escape method that would somehow grant them enough time for a retreat or an unexpected ambush. Yet none of that happened.

As he stood before the colossal ball of rock, with the millennia-old puppetmaster trapped within, and Obito, the once feared Uchiha, now broken and defeated, he couldn't shake the feeling of emptiness that washed over him. This confrontation lacked the feeling he had sought, leaving him with a sense of disquiet. He had thought he would feel a rush of blood, a sense of accomplishment, perhaps even dark amusement.

Instead, it just felt... empty, boring, and bland.

Obito appeared to have lost all hope for this world, just like Sasuke once had. The similarities between them pricked at the edges of his mind, but he scowled and swiftly pushed those thoughts away. There was no room for introspection now; he had a mission to complete.

"For what it's worth, I shall give you a quick, merciful death," he told his fellow clansman who he knew heard him.

Activating the Deva Path's gravity manipulation, he pulled the massive floating rock toward him and Obito. With his controlling power, he forced the masked man to move, guiding him until he stood mere inches away from the gargantuan construct. Sasuke infused additional chakra into Obito, compelling him to perform the Kamui on the floating rock, aiding in its transfer.

Within seconds the massive object vanished into the Kamui dimension, sucked away into a spiraling vortex.

Without hesitation, Sasuke closed the distance between himself and Obito. He unsheathed his sword with a swift, fluid motion, bringing it down in a single arc that severed Obito's head from his body.

There was no exultation in this kill, no thrill of victory. Sasuke felt a mix of conflicting emotions but chose to ignore them for now.

Amaterasu! Kagatsuchi! Utilizing the black flames he burnt Obito's body into nothingness in case some sort of necromancer decided to resurrect the dead man. He didn't want any of those undermining his authority any time soon.

It was done.

With two of the most slippery members of the Akatsuki dead, the likelihood of Kaguya's resurrection was next to nothing. But there was still a chance, a possibility of the other Rinnegan wielder causing the formation of the Ten-Tails. That was something he had to eliminate before it got out of hand.

With those thoughts in mind, Sasuke decided to continue his journey toward the Hidden Rain hopefully this time without interruptions.

As for his brother... Sasuke's thoughts lingered on Itachi, the burden of their shared history weighing heavily on his mind. He knew there would be a confrontation between them, a much-needed conversation, but now was not the time. He needed to stay focused on the greater threat at hand.

Performing a body-flicker, he vacated the immediate premises intent on finally completing his objective.

Itachi came to a sudden stop, halting Kisame in his tracks too.

"Kisame, my summon has reached the outpost."

"Oh? So fast?" Samehada's wielder was shocked. He and Itachi had moved at top speeds to reach the intended location, but it was still quite surprising for a crow to cover such distances quicker than two of the fastest ninjas alive.

Itachi extended his arm towards him, beckoning him to place his hand on the appendage. "Just like I mentioned earlier, I will link my chakra to yours and we shall teleport directly to the outpost."

"As always Itachi-san, your quick thinking never ceases to impress me," Kisame grinned and placed his flat palm slightly above his partner's wrist.

And the scenery suddenly changed.

Where previously there was an overwhelming presence of trees, rocks, and shrubbery, it was swiftly replaced by a dark wooden room. Dim rays of sunlight filtered through small cracks in the walls, casting subtle patterns on the floor below. The interior was vast, with high ceilings and rows of wooden support beams stretching into the distance. The air was cool and slightly musty, hinting at the passage of many years since the building's construction. If Kisame were not taking part in a highly important mission, he would've taken his time to explore and admire the place.

He turned to face his partner.

"Itachi-san this is not—"

Gone.

Uchiha Itachi was gone.

As such Kisame found himself and Samehada alone in a barely lighted wooden warehouse, far, far away from the location assigned by the leader. It was at that moment did the painful and bitter realization settle in—his partner, Uchiha Itachi, the man who he respected and admired for his wisdom, composure, and intellect without a shadow of a doubt... betrayed him.

Kisame snickered.

Unbidden, memories of his treasonous partner came to the forefront of his mind. The subtle twitches, the occasional look of sadness, the cracks in his mask whenever Sasuke was mentioned, and the lack of focus he had displayed during the current, ongoing mission.

Kisame snickered again.

How had he never forcefully pried for information? How had he never bothered to look underneath the closed-off mask Itachi portrayed? Had he been so utterly blind, deaf, and dumb to the blatant suspicious behavior? What kind of ninja was he?

Kisame found himself laughing harder and harder—

Because the betrayal stung more than any other comrade he had killed for his village. It cut deeper than any blade could ever. It felt far more painful than any other—

The laughter grew louder, tinged with anger and frustration.

Kisame was broken out of his bitter trance by Samehada pricking him in the leg. The semi-sentient sword garbled unintelligible words in response to the anger he directed at the sword.

He sighed, suppressing all of his negative emotions for the far more important task at hand. Patting Samehada a few times, the Monster of the Hidden Mist molded some chakra to summon the Akatsuki to inform them of the latest developments.

"Looks like this world truly is filled with lies," he mumbled out, his voice coloured with sadness and a distinct lack of hope.

He hoped Sasuke gave Itachi a torturous death. However, if the younger Uchiha failed to kill his sibling, then he himself would take upon the task of killing the traitor.

And he would stop at nothing to accomplish it.

AN: And done! I love Obito, so this chapter hurt like hell to write.

Guest (the first one): I already said this is a not a romance focused story. I'll see what to do with Sakura later.

Guest and Hidden bane: I personally think it's a mixture of the two. It's not complete indifference, neither is it love.

Guest (the newest review at the time of posting this): I don't have a consistent schedule and I'll update when I want to.