Naruto: The Uchiha Chronicles Re-Version:

Arc V: Kusanoka's Vengeance:

Chapter 24: Vindictive Shadows

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Land of Rivers –

Shadows crept across the unfamiliar room like grasping fingers. Ruddy orange light poured through the blinds and fell on a wall made of aged wooden planks with mortar slathered between them. The air in the cabin was stale and dust. A river roared in the distance. It almost covered the sound of several muffled voices from the next room. He sat on a chipped wooden bed with a lumpy straw mattress. They hadn't chosen the cabin for comfort. It'd been chosen for convenience. Nestled in a secluded valley in one of the many pockets of forest that dotted the land, it served as a good post while they waited.

He stared into the growing darkness. Inside a familiar anger burned brightly, smothered beneath layers of control and cold logic. It was a constant companion for the last sixteen years.

Clunk-Clunk!

His eyes narrowed at the loud banging on his door. He'd left clear instructions not to be disturbed for anything trivial. If one of the three fools he'd brought was bothering him over something stupid they'd regret it.

He spoke, his words coming out in a cold hiss. "You may enter." The handle clicked, and the screech of wood scraping on wood filled the room. Warm yellow light poured in through the opening. He had to suppress a scowl at the sight of the young man with short, spiky grey hair and matching eyes. The man's face was completely devoid of emotion. His face reminded him too much of him. His chest constricted tightly as he tried to hold in his emotions.

With the door open the voices were easily recognizable. He could hear his brother cackling at some comment made by Junichi. Hiroshi just barely resisted curling his lip in annoyance. He couldn't believe he had to put up with this bunch of fools. There was little choice, though. Not even their own faction would sanction this mission.

"What is it Takahiro?" He asked shortly. If he was aware of his annoyance, Takahiro didn't show it.

"Apologies for intruding Lord Hiroshi." Takahiro started. Though he said the words, his voice was so blank and emotionless it was impossible to tell if he was sincere. Hiroshi gave the man a short nod, indicating to get on with it. "We've just gotten word from the contact. The mission is a go. They've left the Hidden Leaf Village and are in route now. It's expected they'll arrive shortly after noon tomorrow."

Slowly, like a shifting glacier, a smirk stretched across Hiroshi's face. The left side felt tight and stiff. It was easy to ignore. A rare spark of joy lit in his chest. Though there were no positive feelings that came with it. His was a hollow, vindictive joy.

"Very well. Tell the others to be prepared. Especially my idiot brother. I want this to go without a hitch. Is that understood?" Hiroshi ordered. Takahiro gave him a slight nod of acknowledgment. "Then you're dismissed." He said.

Without a word, Takahiro slid the door closed. It shut with a soft–clack–that sounded deafening. Once more the space was enveloped in a dark cloak. Hiroshi fixed his gaze directly across from where he sat.

A simple, tall, wood-framed mirror hung above an oak desk. A medium-sized piece of paper with a single ragged edge was taped to the upper corner of the mirror. There was a large map spread out on the desk. Holding down one of the corners was a framed picture of a young girl, no older than thirteen with raven-colored hair.

The fading daylight gleamed in the mirrors reflective surface. He stood stiffly and strode across the room in two steps. Hiroshi gazed into the mirror at his own pale visage. Lank black hair framed a face with high cheekbones and a trimmed beard. A single acid green eye gleamed in the right side, the other covered with a simple eyepatch. Underneath a twisted patch of scar tissue disappeared into his beard.

Slowly, Hiroshi reached up to his eyepatch. Grasping it in his left hand, he flipped it up. Underneath lay the twisted, melted remains of what was once his left eye-socket. Now it was nothing more than a gaping maw filled with stretched skin.

His one good eye fixated on the piece of paper he'd taped to the mirror. A page torn from a bingo book. Half of it was taken up by a picture. The mere sight of the subject caused the rage that simmered in his heart to burn brightly. It was of a man with gravity-defying spiky silver hair, and a single dark grey eye, a gleaming silver Leaf Village headband pulled over the other. In fact, the entirety of his face was covered save for the eye.

"Soon Kakashi. Very soon you'll feel my wrath." He told the picture. Even though he knew it couldn't hear him, that stupid lazy look in the man's eye still filled him with yet more anger. "The time has come for my vengeance. You'll suffer the same as I did, and my village will have the Sharingan. After all, I gave you a very simple promise. An eye for an eye."

Hiroshi's eyes darted to the girls picture for just a single instant. As the last ray of dying light was extinguished, Hiroshi returned to his bed to turn in for the night. Tomorrow he'd have his vengeance. Sixteen years had been far too long a wait, but it would all be worth it.

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So obviously there's a pretty short chapter this time. Sorry about that. I just felt like the scene deserved to speak for itself instead of being lumped into a bigger chapter for the sake of more content.

The good news is I'm going to start posting every two weeks until further notice, so there's not going to be as long a wait this time.

Well, hope everyone is staying safe and healthy during the holidays. Happy New Year!

Until next time,

RinneTaicho, Signing Off!