Chapter 9
Itachi and Kisame stood atop the towering monument, overlooking the village bathed in the soft hues of the Sun. The wind swept through the elevated perch, causing their dark robes to billow like ominous shadows. Kisame's sharp gaze scanned the village below, while Itachi, seemingly lost in contemplation, stared into the distance.
The breeze whispered through the air, carrying a faint echo of distant chatter from the village. Itachi's raven hair danced in rhythm with the wind, framing his stoic face as he brooded over the current state of affairs. His Sharingan eyes, usually sharp and focused, now revealed a subtle turmoil, reflecting the internal struggle within.
Kisame observed Itachi's contemplative demeanor and spoke in his deep, gravelly voice, "This Village.. they avoided total destruction but seems like the damage was extensive. Do you still have any lingering feelings for your old home?"
A brief pause lingered before Itachi responded, his eyes never leaving the horizon. "No, none at all," he murmured, the words carrying the weight of unspoken strength. The wind continued to swirl around them, emphasizing the gravity of the moment.
As they silently surveyed the village, Itachi's thoughts delved into the complexities of his relationship with his little brother. The burden of duty and the desire to protect Sasuke weighed heavily on him, creating a storm of conflicting emotions beneath his calm exterior. The rustle of his cloak echoed the turmoil within, a silent reflection of the tempestuous journey that lay ahead for the Uchiha brothers.
After a few moments, Itachi and Kisame moved gracefully through the dense foliage, their footsteps masked by the rustling leaves. The Sun light casting an eerie glow, creating a mosaic of shadows as they approached the back entrance of the village. The faint sounds of crickets and the gentle whisper of the night wind surrounded them.
As they neared the gate, a vigilant guard, alert to their presence, barked, "Halt! State your business!"
Itachi halted, his Sharingan eyes gleaming ominously. Without uttering a word, he met the guard's gaze, and a subtle intensity emanated from his eyes. The guard, caught in the hypnotic pull of the Sharingan, found himself unable to look away. A moment of silence hung in the air before Itachi's low, compelling voice broke it.
"You will forget you ever saw us. Open the gate, and let us pass."
The guard, entranced by the illusion woven by Itachi's Genjutsu, nodded mechanically. His movements were slow and deliberate as he opened the gate without making a sound, allowing the two shinobi to slip into the village unnoticed.
Kisame, ever watchful, followed Itachi as they continued their clandestine journey through the shadows. The guard, released from the Genjutsu, blinked in confusion, momentarily unable to comprehend the encounter that had just transpired.
Soon after arriving at the silent cemetery, the two men stood with unwavering composure before a weathered tombstone. The gray clouds hung low in the sky, casting a somber color over the graveyard. The wind, carrying the whispers of memories and the scent of fading flowers, swept through the rows of gravestones.
The air was heavy with the weight of grief, as though the very atmosphere mourned in solidarity. The rustling leaves seemed to echo the sighs of departed souls, creating an ethereal symphony of loss. The distant cawing of crows added a mournful undertone to the scene, a macabre chorus in harmony with the solemnity of the moment.
The tombstone, bathed in the muted light of a reluctant sun, bore the weight of memories etched in cold stone. Itachi as stoic per usual, pointed towards their goal, "Kisame over there, the Legacy of the Fourth. Let's not waste time."
Nodding the man dug up a brown casket box from the ground. Without uttering a word both soon disappeared.
⁂
Three decades on earth had taught Kakashi Hatake a number of things. Some mundane, others not. Bills could realistically be paid any time within their scheduled week. Collecting companies were made of people, after all. They hated the process just as much as any other person. Groceries were best bought in bulk. Attempting to buy when immediately needed almost always cost more in the long run. Much more than such trivial, day-to-day maxims, a single lesson had drilled itself into his skull permanently.
If something felt amiss, chances were, it was.
With experience on his side, he knew better than to write off the unsettled murmurs of the crowd as he and Guy made their way through the busy midday streets of Konoha's central sector. Passing a short look to his equally-seasoned comrade, the men exchanged a curt nod and began to follow the buzz. Tracking sound was a tricky procedure.
It varied from place to place, and determining an epicenter was a pain. In large part, it was trial and error. Or at least, it would have been. Luckily, ominously, for the Jonin pair, the source of the widespread commotion was making no attempt to hide its presence from those with the sensory capabilities to detect them.
There was a set of massive outliers among the unthreatening auras of the civilian populace. Two enormous sources of chakra. They stood out so starkly from the crowd that they may as well have been glowing. As both he and Guy picked up their pace and pushed through the swathes of people, Kakashi felt a bead of nervous sweat trickle down his forehead. Bystanders all around were milling about with a strained shuffle.
'They can feel it too. Something's wrong. They just don't know what they're afraid of, or why.' He thought to himself.
In fairness, neither he nor Guy knew exactly what had so disturbed the peace. In some ways, they were just as blind. The only difference was that they were worn enough to know what such an intense shift likely proceeded. Soon taking to the rooftops to cover ground more quickly, the men bounded across several buildings. Moments later, they were staring out over the town square.
In the center of the slowly-draining area stood two figures reading a directional map posted on a bulletin. Their postures were not hostile outwardly, but the taller of the two was absolutely oozing bloodlust. Both appeared to be male, donned in black robes stylized with red clouds. The more belligerently-tempered man had an oversized sword wrapped in bandages strapped to his back, and what little Kakashi could see of his skin almost looked blue in color. After another few moments of silent observation, both Jonin leapt down from their high ground.
By the time they touched down seconds later, the majority of those once permeating the square had scuttled out into adjacent streets. The sound of the two Shinobi's feet making contact with the ground prompted the two cloaked men to turn around. In addition to their robes, they were both wearing wide-brimmed hats with small strips of white cloth hanging from the sides. With their postures now open, and their fronts facing toward the Jonin, Kakashi was given a solid look at their faces.
Though slightly obstructed by the strips of cloth, he was able to form a concrete guess as to the identity of the shorter man, and a less confident, but still well-founded assumption for the taller but the off thing is about him that he has a small wood box in his hand. For a time, neither party moved. The tension in the air was palpable.
The deadlock was broken when two puffs of smoke appeared on either side of Guy and Kakashi, with Kurenai Yuhi and Asuma Sarutobi each being revealed within them respectively. Though the two new arrivals both took initial steps forward, Kakashi halted them with a raised hand.
"I've felt something coming for the better part of a week, but I still didn't expect it to be you of all people." the Copy Ninja said to the shorter of the two men. With slow, deliberate smoothness, the man removed his hat and tossed it aside. With his features fully revealed, a hushed collective gasp could be heard from Kakashi's three comrades.
"For a man who's known as a bit of a no-show, you're certainly out early for this, Kakashi." said Itachi Uchiha. The elder brother of Sasuke had certainly grown up a bit since the last time Kakashi had seen him, seven years prior. He was several inches taller, his voice was deeper, and his face was more mature. He had always had stress lines on his face, but they had deepened. He was now a man, if quite a sullen-looking one. One thing had not changed in the slightest, however. His eyes were as piercing and analytical as they had always been.
"I might've been late, but your friend made a show of it. Even for me, that was hard to miss." Kakashi shot back. Itachi's freshly-activated sharingan shifted over to his partner, who had also removed his hat to reveal an almost shark-like face.
"If I'd had it my way, this conversation never would have happened. We don't mean you any harm as of now." the Uchiha said. Kakashi pulled up his forehead protector to reveal his own dojutsu, his eyes narrowing.
"I find that hard to believe. What are you here for? What's in the box? This can't be just petty theft. Out with it." he asked. The sword-wielding man, whom Kakashi rightly recognized to be Kisame Hoshigaki of the Hidden Mist, then made his voice heard.
"We're here on business. Nothing that concerns you. Now, if you're all eager to contest us, I'm more than willing to let this get messy." he said, brandishing his sword from his back and pointing it toward the quartet of Jonin. At the unsubtle threat, Guy and Asuma each drew kunai. Much to the group's surprise, Itachi shook his head.
"We've already drawn more attention to ourselves than I would have liked. Kakashi-san in particular won't fall easily. Your methods are too grandiose." he chided Kisame. The swordsman scowled, but lowered his weapon. Itachi then turned his attention back to Kakashi.
"He's correct. What we're here for is no concern of yours. I'd suggest stepping aside." he said calmly. As unprovoking as his tone was, there was a threatening underbelly to his words that did not go unnoticed by Kakashi. There had always been a hidden edge to Itachi, and his multi-year absence as a rogue had only sharpened it.
"As far as I'm concerned, you being here at all is grounds to toss you in a jail cell or kill you. You're practically on the cover of the bingo book." the silver-haired ninja said, holding his ground unflinchingly. Itachi sighed and unbuttoned the top three clasps of his rob.
"Is that so? Well, in that case…" he said, vanishing into thin air before his sentence could conclude. Kakashi then felt breath on the back of his neck.
"...I'll make this as clean as I can." the Uchiha finished. Whirling around reflexively, Kakashi barely managed to catch Itachi's wrist before he could drive a kunai straight into his abdomen. They matched strength for a tense few instances, and the resulting stalemate was telling. For all that neither man budged, a vein popped on Kakashi's forehead, and Itachi's expression remained unchanged. Their struggle was interrupted briskly, as Kurenai and Asuma both came charging in from both sides.
Reacting with more immediacy than Kakashi could muster, Itachi kicked the Copy Ninja square in the chest and sent him flying back into the bulletin board. As he crashed down onto his back, Kakashi caught sight of the short exchange that took place between his fellow Jonin and the rogue Uchiha. In a space of time insufficient for Kakashi to even complete his fall, Itachi froze Asuma in place with a mere glance, and doubled him over with a harsh knee to the gut.
With only Kurenai remaining, he sidestepped her linear blitz and knocked her out cold with a chop to the back of her neck. Each movement was completely lacking in fat, and he had performed them all effortlessly. In one exchange, he had completely incapacitated Kurenai, and by the time Kakashi regained his bearings, Asuma had yet to rise from his knees even though the blow to his gut not having been particularly devastating. Rushing to his feet, Kakashi stole a look to his right, where Guy was fiercely engaged with Kisame.
Things had spiraled out of control, and quickly at that. Worse yet, they were down two combatants right from the start. Numbers were the same on both sides, and if Itachi's ease of dominance was any indication, they were in no way evenly matched despite that fact. Ignoring the ache in his sternum, Kakashi drew a pair of kunai and ran in to engage once more. Itachi produced his own blade and met his aggression with patience. For nearly a minute, they dueled in close-quarters. In that time, Kakashi was unable to strike the Uchiha even a single time.
At numerous points, time would seem to skip forward ever so slightly. One moment, he would be facing square with Itachi, and the next, without any movement or use of a substitution, the rogue Uchiha would be right behind him. As a result, he was countered at every turn, and his nose was soon made to bleed. Finally, after a dozen or so confusing exchanges, Kakashi was knocked backward for a second time. He managed to keep his footing, but was forced down to a knee by the ringing in his ears. He was being comprehensively battered.
"You can't look him in the eyes, Kakashi!"
The Copy Ninja jerked his head left, where Asuma had regained his autonomy at long last. The advice was obvious, and Kakashi had done his best to avoid direct eye contact with Itachi throughout their scuffle. Unfortunately, it was far easier said than done. Their eyes had met in passing multiple times amid the chaotic dust-up, and Kakashi had paid the price. The genjutsu had been subtle, but it had robbed him of his effectiveness. Spitting blood out of his mouth, Kakashi readied himself for another round.
"You were a good kid, Itachi. It's a real shame you became such a rotten man." he said. The rogue Uchiha responded by vanishing once again. When he appeared, he was within inches of Itachi, with his eyes boring into Kakashi's. The ability to recognize a problem and the capability to solve it were two very different things, and for all his awareness, the gap in speed and strength was simply too much for Kakashi to parse.
In a fragment of time too small to be perceived, the world around the Jonin completely melted away into a jumbled stew of colors. His body numbed, his hearing muffled, and his sight blurred. Even his sense of smell was suppressed. When his bearings were returned to him, he was no longer in the town square, and he was no longer a free man.
He was strung up on a wooden cross, with his arms and legs tied in place by thick leather cords. The cross was standing in an endless shallow pool of water reflecting a deep red light from the featureless sky. He was in another reality entirely. Almost certainly a genjutsu, but one completely unlike anything he had ever experienced. He was not alone, either. Standing before him with a sword in hand was Itachi.
"It wouldn't have come to this if you had simply stood down like I asked." the Uchiha said, almost sounding disappointed. Kakashi struggled against his bindings, but they held painfully firm.
"I have a job to do. Besides, you wouldn't even give me a real explanation for why you're here at all." he said. Itachi stepped forward, testing the distance between them with his blade.
"There are things you don't understand, Kakashi-san. Plots in motion you aren't even aware of." he said, stabbing the sword into the Jonin's side. The anguish and sensation felt all too real. He felt his skin rip, his blood flow, and his organs puncture. To make matters worse, a crowd composed of clones of Itachi soon appeared, and its scope may as well have been infinite.
"Don't bother straining. This is my world, and you're my subject." Itachi said, his voice echoing a thousand times over in the swarm of copies. Kakashi was unable to respond, as he was stabbed by two clones before he could do so. For what he felt to be three entire days, the Jonin was repeatedly skewered all over his body. Every time it seemed as though Itachi had run out of places to stab, his wounds healed just enough to be usable.
After seventy-two hours of torture, the dark red world of anguish cracked and broke. Suddenly back in the town square, Kakashi found that he was down on his knees at Itachi's feet. From what he could tell, despite the horrific length of the cruel illusion, practically no time at all had passed in reality. Guy and Kisame were still battling several meters away, Kurenai was still unconscious, and Asuma was still looking badly crippled by what Kakashi could only assume was a similar experience.
Glaring up at Itachi, Kakashi saw something strange. The rogue was staring straight ahead, his eyes transfixed on something. Mustering what little strength he could, Kakashi managed to turn around enough to look behind him. What he saw froze him in place. Unexpectedly blood started slowly flowing from his Sharringan eye.
Seemingly without knowing, the worst case scenario reared its ugly head.
Unknown
The figure's lone eye, once hidden in the overwhelming darkness, suddenly opened. A single blue eye gleamed through the void, revealing a presence that transcended the limitations of its senses. The eye reflected a profound awareness, as if the figure had become a nexus between the ethereal and the unknown. Soon the darkness around him began morphing, he began to see visions that'll change his view on his ideals completely. His lone eye focused on the vision that became clear as day.
A pregnant woman was walking down the aisle. Her dress was as white as the untouched snow around the pool of the Gardens. Even from a distance he could see that the bodice was sewn with pearls and silver and golden thread. Pearls were woven into her red hair as well, which was half braided back from her face to allow her golden curls to tumble down her back.
Around her shoulders was a black cloak made of fine velvet. He swallowed hard as she came to a halt on the opposite side of the pool to him. Everyone in the Gardens seemed to have turned to stare at her, and he vaguely wondered if she looked as enchanting to them as she did to him. He had always known she was beautiful, it seemed only now he was appreciating just how captivating she really was. He took a deep breath, knowing that this was it. He could not allow the silence to continue much longer.
"Do you take this man before the Gods?" The priest proclaimed
"I do" she smiled beautifully
"And do you take this woman before the Gods?" The priest proclaimed
"I do" He smiled a tiny smile for her.
He offered his hand at once and she gave her own without hesitation. Naruto put a little pressure on her hand as he took it in his, holding her eyes and sharing a smile with her before they both turned slightly to face the holy tree. They knelt as one, their hands still clasped, and bowed their heads in submission to the priest who started the ceremony.
A happy contented life and family.
After being alone for so long that's all he asked for. That's all he ever wanted now. He squeezed her hand lightly again once he had finished, hoping that she would understand the pressure. She squeezed his hand back, and he assumed that she had.
They both went to kiss to seal the marriage but time froze.
"It's time to wake up, Naruto.." A voice rang out, suddenly he was filled with volatile chakra, the void within his soul slowly been mended.
The ground began to shake and Naruto screamed falling through the black void.
Soon the figure's lone eye, previously hidden in the darkness, suddenly opened. A single blue eye gleamed through the void, revealing a presence that transcended the limitations of its senses. The eye reflected a profound awareness, as if the figure had become a nexus between the ethereal and the unknown.
Darkness surrounded Naruto, he felt as if he was floating in air. His mind was still in a haze , he tried to open his lone eye. Finally he blinked his eye open, sitting up as he did so. Had he already woken up? It felt like he'd just been stabbed a second ago; He was still tired and miserable and just didn't want to deal with all the stuff that being awake would inevitably bring.
Blinking the last of the drowsiness from his eye, the Uzumaki looked around for a moment before realizing that he couldn't be in anything but the afterlife. After all, there wasn't anywhere in the world that was just a blank, endless expanse of nothing. He tried to get to his feet, thinking quickly.
"W-where am I? Am I really dead?" whispered Naruto the the void hoping for someone to answer him. He just wanted to hear a voice, a voice that would assure him, to ease him. He believed himself to be dead, but was he truly? Naruto felt the hairs on his neck suddenly he was on edge. He didn't know how, but he knew he wasn't alone here. Someone else was with him, just out of sight.
Suddenly a voice cut through the air like a knife through butter.
"So that is our dream…" A deep voice seemingly coming from every where.
"Face me!? Where am I?" The blonde asked desperately
"You're in a realm between life and death that which is eternal."
He twisted around quickly and spotted a man some ways away, it almost resembles.. him?. He was a red hair man with the most scariest eyes he has ever seen. His chakra was emitting from his body and his eyes glowed red, the stranger was wearing a slim fitting white robe, navy blue pant leggings and shirt sleeves poking out from underneath the robe's lower half and sleeves, respectively.
There was a Whirlpool necklace pattern going along the open neckline, said opening reaching down to just above the middle of his chest. He bore matching tattoos on his chest and back: on his chest was a vertical column of six magatama or tomoe topped with an emblem resembling a black mallet across his chest, and on his back was a vertical column of six smaller black mallet emblems.
Naruto felt a sudden lump in his throat as his gaze reached the man's face but what captured the young shinobi attention the most was his solid red slitted irises, filled with surprise, understanding, and…something else he couldn't quite identify. Anger maybe, but not directed at the younger of the two.
"I-Its me?" Naruto muttered, lone eye widening in recognition. The older Naruto didn't deny the accusation, just stood there motionless.
"We're two of the same half's, you're Yang and I'm Yin..." Yin Naruto proclaimed
"Yin? But where are we? A realm between life and death that which is eternal?.. just what kind of place is it." questioned the young boy as he stared at the man tired and numb, the light did not obey Yang Naruto's whim as the 'realm' was dark, too dark.
"A realm of nothingness would be precise." answered the man. "A place that sits between two higher powers. Welcome to the Void of Darkness"
Naruto stared at it for a moment taking in his words, just where was he? How is he talking to himself?
Naruto dawned a small smile , it doesn't matter anymore "Well that's good if I'm dead… maybe now I get to see my mother. I'm finally free..."
Silence permeated throughout the void until the man spoke once again.
"You're not dead.. yet, just stuck for the moment."
"Well, why am I here?"
The figure stared at Naruto for a moment longer before finally speaking. "As you can see I'm you. The Yin version of you that you refuse to accept."
Yang Naruto still confused posed a question "So you're me but do you want from me?"
"I want you to accept your fate, the people in this village, no shinobi itself are pitiful. The real truth is, there are billions human being's on the planet and those feeble children exist for the sole purpose of feeding the true lords of the world.
Honestly it's pathetic how shinobi fight and kill each other not realizing the true corruption at hand. Before it was the fight for peace but now it is simple subjugation. The Federal Lords control everything.. You have no say so unless you change fate itself. You and me? We are the pillars of change.." He shook his head in disappointment
"How can we really change the world? Is that even possible?"
"In this world people only listen to power. If you instill enough fear to the people with your overwhelming power then people… No the world itself will bend to your will." He said sagely
Yang Naruto looked down to the ground in sadness, he wanted to be a hero not make people fear him. "That goes against my Nindo I made, I must protect the world. I must be a hero!"
Yin Naruto smiled softly and shook his head "Hero huh? You sound just like that foolish Sannin…" his face turned cold "But like him you are naive child.. look into my eyes and see the truth."
Slowly he placed his hand on Yang Naruto chest imbedded the Nine Tails within.
The boy eye widened then suddenly, Yang Naruto gripped Yin Naruto wrist as red chakra started to form around him. Its energy sizzled, crackled like lighting in the heavens. The red energy hissed upon bodily contact causing Yang Naruto great pain. He screamed when memories suddenly flashed once more.
For a brief second he saw a red haired woman being held by a blond haired man.
"Even in birth, a celebration of life, you was stained with blood.."
"Naruto..." a feminine voice echoed his mind.
"My Naruto don't be a fussy eater…eat a lot and grow up to be a big boy. Go to bed early and sleep well, take your bath every day." The voice coughed. She sounded like she was in pain "Make friends, it doesn't matter how many. Just make sure they're real friends…people you can trust even a few is enough. And study your ninjutsu…I was never good at it, maybe you will be."
"Everyone has things they are good at and things they are not. So don't feel bad if you can't do it all. Make sure you listen to the teachers at the academy."
Yang Naruto's head continued to spin as he kept screaming. The red chakra whirled around him and began to sprout tails
one….two…three.
"There…there's so much more I want to say…to teach you…I want to stay with you. I love you my baby."
Four….five….six tails. The agony continued.
Yin Naruto voice rang out "You have always been alone child...
He showed him visions of his childhood
He was always treated differently than the rest of the children in the orphanage. He noticed when the caretakers left the door to his room open on rare occasions that the children who ran by or curiously peeked into his room were better dressed than him. The quality of their clothing was still secondhand but it wasn't as shabby as his. It wasn't the lack of resources that kept him in rags unfit for the weather. It was deliberately done by the caretakers of the orphanage. The other orphans were dressed warmly for the impeding cold weather but he was in thin, inadequate rags.
The children were also treated with affection and care. They were hugged by the caretakers, doted on. They had their small injuries treated gently and dressed carefully in bandages. They were also fed regularly as the children ran inside from the large playground for their three consecutive meals while he only had one meal for the entirety of the day.
It confused him greatly and it also made his anger grow. Why? Why was he treated so differently? Why was he treated so terribly? What did he do wrong? He was only a child- a literal toddler- why was he treated with such scorn? He couldn't fathom any excusable reason for the treatment he faced. He was a defenceless child. He knew there had to be a reason. Nobody treated anyone with so much hate for no reason.
He couldn't find any answers and the maltreatment continued and he was helpless to it all in his small, vulnerable form. The words and actions of those around him were legitimately abusive. With every bruise he received, his ire grew and his rage simmered but he held it all in, cataloguing every person who hurt him, committing their words and actions to his memory so he would make them pay. He would give it all back when he was stronger. He would make them pay for hurting him. He will not be the type to let bygones be bygones.
Six… Seven… He continued to shake in pain
He grew more bitter and resentful with each passing moment. He had nothing to look forward too. No friends and no kin. He had nothing. He did not want to form any relations. Everyone despised him. He had no want for any of it. When he grew strong enough, he would leave this wretched place.
As the visions clung to his mind the old memories played again, he snarled like a wounded animal and clenching his fists in fury as he shook in pain.
The cruel laughs echoed around him as he was shoved and kicked down by those older, stronger and larger than him. The hatred not only stemmed from the orphanage but it was present everywhere. He was hated by everyone.
"Accept you are unwanted in this world, but we can fix that..."
Even outside onto the streets, he found the hatred was even worse. The civilians and adults were even more cruel in their words and vicious in their treatment. At least with children, they would beat him down or throw around the same insults repeatedly due to their limited vocabulary but adults were much worse. They used more hurtful phrases when they saw him. They glared at him with so much loathing, spitting at him as he walked by them. His small body curled into himself, tight and stiff as he stormed past them. The civilians spoke loudly, uncaring of the pain their words caused.
They said that he should die, that he shouldn't be allowed to live, that he should end his wretched life. That he was unworthy to live...
Unworthy
Unworthy
Unworthy
Yin Naruto voice came again "Soon child you'll understand that this world has no place for you and me. The true way of peace is removing the corrupted from the world and Unifying it with unyielding power... That is true peace
Different voices of people echoed in his head
Demon.
Monster.
Beast.
Fiend.
Unworthy
Unworthy
Unworthy
UNWORTHY!!!!!
Eight… Nine tails. Complete
A vision of a blonde haired man "Eight Trigrams seal!" both the female and male yelled.
Yang Naruto screamed in pain and became unconscious, slowly mending with the void.
The red chakra surged around his body as Yin Naruto eyes glowed red one last time. He will not be a mere pawn to a village that didn't appreciate his sacrifice. A slave to the shinobi system. His hatred intensified.
Hidden Leaf Village
Sasuke walked through the familiar streets of the village, lost in his thoughts. The Chunin exams had concluded, yet the weight of his unresolved past lingered, casting a shadow on his restless mind. Visions of his family, Naruto, the Uchiha clan's demise, and the burning desire for vengeance against his brother Itachi consumed him.
As he strode through the quiet streets, an unsettling determination etched across his face, Sasuke contemplated the paths to power. His mind raced with strategies and techniques that could elevate him to a level where he could confront and surpass his formidable brother. To protect everything his family has build, to fulfill the dream the old Naruto would've wanted.
Suddenly, a surge of potent chakra jolted through the air, disrupting the stillness around him. Sasuke's onyx eyes widened, and without a moment's hesitation, he sprinted toward the source. The urgency in his movements betrayed a hunger for strength, an unyielding thirst that drove him to seek out the power he believed would pave the way to revenge.
Reaching the edge of the village, he scanned the horizon, trying to pinpoint the origin of the chakra surge. The distant echoes of a battle reached his ears, and Sasuke, fueled by both curiosity and the burning ambition within him, sprinted towards the unfolding conflict. Running he suddenly stop when he heard a familiar voice.
"Look at you. All grown up."
Itachi projected, his voice surprisingly soft and reserved. For what felt like an eternity, the siblings stared at one another without a single word more. Then, when the pressure felt as though it might crush them all, Sasuke bared his teeth.
Truth be told, he had not expected to ever meet Itachi Uchiha. A small part of him had even wondered if the man was still alive at all. Seven years as a rogue shinobi was a perilous stretch of time, even for those of great strength. Bounty hunters, unpredictable weather, and international authorities were all threats. For his elder brother to have survived such a climate for the majority of a decade had almost sounded foolhardy to the raven haired boy.
The scene was grim, and Sasuke had clearly missed the battle. Kakashi was down on his knees, Kurenai was limp on the ground, and Asuma looked completely stuck on his own knees. The only ally of Konoha in the premises who was not down for the count was Might Guy, who himself was visibly damaged from what appeared to be a long-running duel with a large man wielding a wrapped sword. Most striking of all was Itachi himself, and where he was standing.
Kakashi eyes rested on them. He saw their pupils were red, with three distinct tomoe encircling them. A set of fully-matured sharingan. Both stood there staring a whole into each other, daring one another to make the first move.
The similarities between the two was eerie to say the least. Mostly in the face, while they were not identical, Kakashi could clearly see the family resemblance between the two brothers. Their eyes were similarly shaped, their cheekbones were identical, and their mouths rested in the same position. The differences were predictable. Itachi's jaw was sharper, his face longer, and he was much taller than his brother. From a distance, he appeared to stand nearly six feet in height.
Pushing the comparisons aside, Kakashi shakily glanced at his student, whose eyes were wide as saucers. His hand, which had been clasping his, slowly slipped from his grasp. With a shaky step forward, the boy's entire body began to tremble. Kakashi tried reached out and gripped his shoulder, but he was shaken off.
"W-Wait Sas- ARGGG!!!!" Kakashi suddenly fell to his knees as blood poured from where his Sharringan was.
Sasuke's eyes widened as he saw his Sensei eye missing, he then narrowed his own and stared Itachi in the distance, a silhouette against the backdrop of haunting memories. His initial instinct was to move forward, to confront the complex emotions that stirred within him. As he took hesitant steps, a conflicting storm raged within his heart.
His mind echoed with the resolve to do what was right, to find a path beyond hatred and revenge. However, the mere sight of Itachi, the embodiment of a painful past, unleashed a surge of raw anger, a torrent of darkness that threatened to engulf the flickering light of reason.
Sasuke gritted his teeth, clenching his fists in an attempt to quell the turmoil within. His internal struggle manifested in a dance of conflicting emotions, torn between the desire for justice and the consuming flames of vengeance.
The air crackled with tension as Sasuke faced his brother, the embodiment of a seemingly insurmountable conflict. Dark thoughts whispered in the recesses of his mind, urging him to embrace the shadows, to succumb to the alluring call of revenge. Despite his efforts to move forward, the anger within Sasuke's heart cast a looming shadow on the fragile balance between righteousness and the abyss of darkness.
"I've been counting down the days." He finally croaked, his voice hoarse and brittle. A step forward followed. He was emanating a haze of raw contempt that caused everyone to narrow their eyes in slight surprise.
"I've been through Hell over and over again, all for this. To find you again one day." He continued, his tone regaining its life as audible anger poured into it. He then began to weave hand signs.
"And I swore to myself that when I found you…" he hissed as electricity began to crackle in his right palm. Kakashi backed up a step as his students chakra sparked and flared in all directions.
"...I'd rip your heart out of your chest!" He screamed in a frenzied rage. His Mangekyō Sharingan raged in power which made Itachi almost broke character.
"How?" Itachi said to himself, this was too soon. He activated those cursed eyes way too soon, this messed up all his future plans.
Suddenly Sasuke blasted across the town square, his right arm completely encased in volatile electrical chakra. Kakashi ignoring the excruciating pain felt a panic rise in the pit of his stomach as his student streaked in toward his brother. No matter how enraged he was, the chances of Sasuke being able to overcome somebody who had bested him in combat were utterly nonexistent.
Predictably, his fears were realized, but the damage that followed would cut far beneath the skin.
Sasuke saw nothing but red as he tore across the asphalt toward his brother. There was not a thought in his brain currently that didn't involve the brutal murder of Itachi Uchiha. Recent months had mellowed him, and brought him joy. At times, he had even managed to forget about his conviction of revenge for short stints. It never lasted. Note without Naruto, his brother dominated his subconscious. It was an accomplishment, in some small way, that he had managed to relegate that bastard influence over him. But seeing him reminded him of his failures.
Mother. Dead.
Father. Dead.
Shisui. Dead
Dozens of uncles and aunts. Dead.
They had all been taken from him by one man, and at long last, he stood before him. His own flesh and blood, at one point his favorite person. Itachi was within spitting distance, and he would not allow the opportunity to slip through his fingers. The closer he drew to him, the angrier he became. He was the same. Small details had changed, he had certainly grown, but his facial expression mirrored the same cold apathy he had displayed all those years ago.
As he came barreling in, Kakashi still reeling in pain from his missing eye jumped aside. He was clearing the path for him. A beat later, the collision came. Sasuke had not known what exactly to expect. He hadn't thought far enough ahead to consider the possible outcomes of such a direct assault on his brother. One thing was for certain, though. No amount of self-awareness could have prepared him for the ease with which Itachi stopped him dead in his tracks.
Without even bothering to adjust his feet or back up a step, his brother caught his wrist a few inches from his chest. The interception halted his trek completely. Sasuke could not push through his grip. As the dust cloud he had kicked up faded away, Sasuke clenched his jaw as Itachi glowered down at him. So close to him, with their eyes locked, the younger of the two siblings saw the truth. There was a massive, insurmountable chasm between them. Even with his new eyes, Itachi was beyond him by orders of magnitude.
"Have you already forgotten what I told you, Sasuke?" His brother asked, pulling his wrist out to the side despite his efforts to stop him. The boy was unable to speak. Too many emotions were running wild within him. Sensing this, Itachi seized him by the throat and lifted the boy off the ground.
"We may have the same eyes, but you're still inexperienced. Growth or no growth, you don't have a prayer without it." he said, applying more pressure to Sasuke's windpipe. Choking and struggling, the genin was completely trapped. Even while floundering, he could still see his eyes. They had changed. No longer were they a set of mature sharingan. The tomoe had fused and twisted into a pinwheel-esque design. He had seen his secret power only two other times.
"I almost believed for a moment that you'd done it. That scream was convincing. You certainly do hate me." Itachi said, reeling his broker in toward him with his arm.
"But it's not enough. You're still too weak." he sneered. Sasuke's stomach and chest burned with hot fury, but he could do nothing. His jutsu had fizzled out some time ago, and his grip was iron. He was utterly helpless. Itachi then brought his forehead to hers.
"And at the rate you're going…" he began, clamping down on his wrist and breaking the bone in two.
"...you always will be." he concluded as his behest screamed out in pain. As his arm seared with pain, and his world grew fuzzy from the choking, he met Itachi's eyes one last time. It proved to be a mistake, as when he did so, he was completely swallowed by an illusion of his brother's creation. The genjutsu rendered him completely unconscious in an instant.
With Sasuke dealt with in short order, Itachi tossed his brother's limp body back toward Guy, which stopped the fight between him and his partner. A disheveled Kakashi who had look of worry on his face was at his side in no time at all. A quick check of his vitals revealed that Sasuke was thankfully still breathing, though his heartbeat was erratic and he was sweating profusely. Standing up and stepping in front of him, Kakashi ignored the pain in his eye and assumed a shaky stance. Itachi gave him a bored look.
"Come on, you're smarter than that." he said. It was a pointless fight to pursue, and Kakashi knew it. Every fiber of his body screamed for him to run. He was hopelessly outmatched, and he was already hesitant and afraid. Even at his most violently angry, he would be crushed like an insect. He simply saw no other viable options. Retreat was unrealistic. Diversion even more so. In Kakashi's first and so far only stroke of luck that day, he was not forced down the road of confrontation.
Just as he took his first ill-advised step toward the rogue Uchiha, the roofs of the buildings rimming the town square all went up in smoke, and when the clouds cleared away, a dozen or so Masked Root Nin were revealed. Itachi frowned and took a cursory look around. He then cleared his throat.
"That's our cue to leave, Kisame-san." he called out to the swordsman. Kisame, grumbled something under his breath and knocked the flamboyant Jonin away with the flat of his blade. He then rejoined Itachi in the center of the town square. Before any of the other Shinobi present could act, the pair vanished in a flurry of illusory crows. When it all faded away, there was an empty space where the two rogues had once stood.
Danzo appeared quite troubled, the Nine Tailed Fox was out their possession. Truly the worst case scenario but he couldn't tell them of that information or it would be revealed he was working with the enemy. He will keep this information to himself and work within the shadows to one day get their weapon back. He then looked around and shook his head.
They had escaped unscathed, and they had left several broken bodies in their wake. Kakashi was still fell on the ground clearly barely conscious, as was Asuma. Kurenai was still knocked out entirely. Guy was the only remaining member of what Danzo could assume was the original group that had been resisting Itachi and Kisame, and even he looked worse for wear.
"He's in shock. From what, I'm not sure, but she needs to be stabilized." one of the medics said, to which the others concurred. As he awoke, Sasuke's eyes snapped open with a bloody scream.
⁂
Fire Country
In the dim light of the sun set, Itachi and Kisame sprinted through the dense forest, their breaths intermingling with the crisp air. The towering trees enveloped them, their shadows danced on the forest floor. The only sounds were the rhythmic thuds of their running footsteps and the occasional rustle of leaves underfoot.
The air hung heavy with anticipation as they navigated the silent trek towards the border. Each step seemed to echo the urgency of their mission. The big brown box clutched tightly in their hands held the promise of salvation.
After hours of heart-pounding pursuit, they finally found a secluded spot to catch their breath. Eagerly, they opened the box, only to discover its emptiness.
Itachi eyes narrowed as Kisame was openly confused. The real question is, Where is Naruto Uzumaki?
Land of Waves
Cerulean blue eyes slowly opened, the boy found himself lying on a vast platform surrounded by water that seemed to stretch to the horizon. The rhythmic melody of crashing waves against the concrete echoed in his ears, a symphony of nature's embrace. The air was filled with the invigorating scent of salt, and the azure sky above stretched infinitely, inviting the birds to dance freely within its expanse.
With a profound sense of rebirth, he sat up and felt the spray of water on his skin, a tangible confirmation of life's essence. The waves, like an ancient lullaby, whispered tales of resilience and beginnings. The lone figure stood at the water's edge, his cerulean blue eyes reflecting the endless possibilities that lay ahead.
As he marveled at the birds soaring gracefully overhead, he realized that this moment was a canvas awaiting the strokes of his own existence. The world around him embraced his awakening, and with each breath, he felt the pulse of life coursing through him, as if the very act of rising had transformed him into a creature reborn from the depths of the cerulean waters that surrounded him.
The unwanted child has finally risen from the dead.