"Kabuto."

"Hm?"

"It's time for the next injection."

"Oh? Is it?" Kabuto filled the paper over on the clipboard. "…It is. How did I miss that? Well, it's a good thing it close to Lord Orochimaru's next round of medicine. Now, I don't have to make two trips. Follow me."

There were dozens of large tanks, filled to the brim with different liquids and solutions. Sasuke often wondered what the purpose was behind them. Were they for accelerated healing? Jail cells for forgotten and failed experiments? Despite his watchful eyes, Sasuke wasn't able to learn everything he wanted.

He followed Kabuto for his weekly injections and medical examination. His medical lab was on the complete opposite side of the underground hideout. It always was a bit of a journey, but Sasuke had been there enough to remember step for step, turn for turn, on where it was and how long it took to get there and back.

There were no words said. Both he and Kabuto knew the procedure. Sasuke sat in the chair and rested his open arm on the arm rest, waiting for Kabuto to set up. He looked around the room. Medical equipment filled nearly every space. Diagrams, charts, tools, and everything in between. If it had some kind of medical use, Kabuto acquired it.

There was a large work table in the center of the lab, filled with even more medical supplies. Jars of unknown liquids and different tests covered the area. There was a severed, decayed hand with a ring on the pinky finger. And next to the decayed hand was a vial on a stand labeled 'Counter Seven'.

Kabuto noticed Sasuke's wandering black eyes. "No matter how many times you're in here, you're always looking around."

"I like to know everything about the room I'm in."

"Even though you've been in it dozens of times?"

Sasuke didn't feel the need to respond. He simply rolled his arm over, telling Kabuto he was ready for the injection. "What's with the hand on the table? New experiment?"

Kabuto glanced at the appendage in question as he sanitized the needle. "Lord Orochimaru's condition is worsening daily. I'm trying numerous different tests to try and lessen his pain. Maybe some mistakes from the past can lead to a better future."

"Any success?"

"…Why the sudden interest in Lord Orochimaru's condition?"

"I have grown tired of training simply by his word. There have been no new instructions in months. I'm beginning to think he has nothing left to teach me."

"Lord Orochimaru is an endless book of knowledge and power. My suggestion is that you be grateful for that knowledge, like I have been."

Sasuke knew Kabuto wasn't grateful. In fact, he figured that the rouge medical shinobi was simply following Orochimaru until he learned a certain truth or he outlived his 'book of knowledge'. Either way, Sasuke could care less. All he wanted was Itachi dead at his feet. Nothing more.

"Whatever. Just get this over with. I have things to do."

Kabuto scoffed. He hated Sasuke's attitude. The arrogance that he projected was annoying. Sasuke was a strong shinobi. There was no question there. But he expected that of himself. And it was that arrogance that he hated the most.

Damn Uchiha. You're more like Itachi than you care to admit, Sasuke.

Slowly, Kabuto put the needle in Sasuke's vein and injected the liquid into it. A steroid, created specifically for him, that enhanced chakra flow, increased his chakra reserves, accelerated his healing, and increased his physical abilities. And Sasuke has been taking these injections since Kabuto created it three years ago.

"There." Kabuto threw the needle away and cleaned his hands. "Give it one hour and you can continue your training."

Sasuke silently pulled his shirt back up and sleeved his arms. He knew the drill, despite how annoying it was to wait.

There was a scream of agony echoing throughout the base. It was full pain and rage.

"Lord Orochimaru!"

Kabuto grabbed the preset tray of medicine and took off towards the pained screams of their master. Sasuke was left alone the lab.

Sasuke stood in front of the large table, glancing over everything that was scattered on it. He looked closely at the hand, specifically the ring. It was an Akatsuki ring. Orochimaru's ring. And his hand.

Creepy. Even by Orochimaru standards.

Then there was the vial, placed in a stand, labeled 'Counter Seven'. Being the student, Sasuke knew it was a cure for one of his master's many poisons. He just had to figure out which one.

Beneath the vial, there was a piece of paper. There were multiple different formulas and diagrams, telling all the ratios of chemicals and toxins that this poison was made of.

White Serpent blood has numbing agent that vaporizes when exposed to air. After years of self-experimentation, Orochimaru's own blood has develop similar affects. When new medicine causes side effects that draw blood, use vial labeled 'Counter Seven' to stop numbing agent.

Immunity only lasts for a short time.

Keep hidden until needed.

Sasuke held the vial in his hand. He gently placed it inside his open shirt. Quickly leaving the lab, he returned to his quarters. It was time to wait.

-One hour later-

The room was dark, unable to see anything but the few feet around the only lit candle. But that's how Sasuke preferred it. Everything he did was for a purpose. Seeing with minimal light trained his eyes to see practically everything.

While technically it was his rest day, Sasuke still trained in some way. He had to be at his best when it came time to face Itachi.

But first, his master needed to be dealt with. And that time had finally come.

Emerging from his dark room, Sasuke fastened his sword to his form. He waited in the dimly lit hall, listening. Severe coughing echoed down and throughout the underground base, signaling that there was an opening. Dashing down the hallway, Sasuke moved into position.

"Kabuto!" Orochimaru shouted in pain. "I need…more!"

The rouge medic stood there, next to his master's bed, holding the, empty, tray of painkillers and medicines that could potentially lead to a possible short-term cure for his arms. "Lord Orochimaru…if I administer anymore level ten medicine to you now, your body will give out. Let this round take effect."

"Just give more!" The pain the Snake felt was, without a shadow of a doubt, the worse he ever felt in his life. And it only got worse with each day. "I'll survive whatever you can give me!"

Sighing, Kabuto gave in to his master's pained orders. Honestly, if the medicine did finally kill him, Kabuto would finally have a break from all this screaming. "Fine. I'll be right back. But you can stop your screaming, I can hear you in my lab."

Kabuto closed the door behind him, leaving Orochimaru alone to suffer in silence.

The slightest twitch caused unbearable, horrible pain. The throbbing was complete agony. Each thump carried a thousand pounds worth of anguish, followed by the torment of being bedridden.

He was a Sannin! The strongest of the Three. Bedridden wasn't in his realm of possibility.

Damn you, Sarutobi sensei! You cursed me to be tormented by your last breath until the end of time!

No matter how far Orochimaru tried to escape the remnants of his past, they were always there. The skeletons he tried to bury for decades all came back to haunt him. In one way or another.

In between the thumps of the throbbing pain, Orochimaru felt a shift. A slight shift in his room. Someone had entered his quarters. And they were concealing their presence well.

"Who's there?"

The person was fast, faster than Orochimaru anticipated. He was able to roll out of the way and off the bed a split second before a sword came in to slice his head clean off. Using what little strength he had to stand, Orochimaru faced his attacker.

"So, it's come to this then?"

Sasuke, with sword drawn and Sharingan glaring down on his master, smirked. The shell that was the Snake Sannin was pathetic looking, barely able to stand on his own feet. "You're weaker than me now, Orochimaru. You have nothing left to teach me. I have no reason to offer my body to you."

"Big words coming from the runt of the litter of Uchiha. Remember, Itachi only spared you because you were so weak. I made you what you are today!"

"You only wanted me because you couldn't handle Itachi on your own. You are jealous of the Uchiha power. Isn't that right, Snake Sannin?"

Orochimaru had him pegged. Of course, he was jealous. The Uchiha clan were worldly famous for their abilities and beyond, the secrets that clan could uncover were much to be desired.

"In eyes of the world, you are a gifted genius. But compared to the Uchiha, you are nothing but pathetic. All geniuses are simply average when compared to the Uchiha name. And I'm someone who carries that name. fFom my point of view, your attempts to take our power are disgustingly pathetic that they're almost funny. Drowning yourself in medicines and drugs? Transferring bodies? It was never about reaching immortality or learning all the knowledge of the world. It was about your sick and twisted love to play god with other people's lives."

Memories of the night of his family's massacre came roaring to the surface, like a monster hunting its prey in the ocean. He remembered laying on the floor, eye level with his mother's lifeless body, as Itachi stood over them, blood still dripping from his tanto.

"Why, brother? Why did you do this?"

"…To measure my ability. To know my limits. It was very important that I knew what I was capable of."

The Sharingan burned hotter as Sasuke readied his sword once more. "You sicken me, filth!"

Dashing again, Sasuke aimed for Orochimaru's head. He was able to slice it clean off, but not before he was able to escape in his true, horrid form. Snakes combined together to amass one massive serpent with Orochimaru's likeness.

"So, this must be your true body…the lust of taking over others left you to experiment on yourself." Sasuke leapt around the serpent's attempts to capture and constrict him, slicing the heads off as they came. "Now, you're just a shell. A snake's shredded, molted skin. Utterly pathetic."

"Give me your body, Sasuke!"

More snakes drew in, ready to silence the threat and give their master what he desired. As calm as ever, Sasuke sheathed his sword and called upon the power that this abomination gave him. Gracefully slipping his arms from his sleeves, like shedding his own skin, wings spanned off his back and disposed of all the snakes near him. Becoming the predator of the snake. A hawk.

Orochimaru was so thoroughly impressed with Sasuke's mastery of the Curse Mark, he was stunned silent.

"This ritual of yours won't work on me. Not today. I haven't just been learning from you, I've been watching you. Studying you. This soul transfer technique of yours has a cool down period. And you are nowhere near the time of use."

Stunned further, Orochimaru had to know what Sasuke knew. "Impossible! No one knows how this technique works but me! I am its creator!"

Sasuke smiled, barring the fangs of his Mark. "Like I said, you are a genius to others…but not to me. I've watched you every closely with my Sharingan. I can see into your soul…I can see the distortion. The slow bleed. I've watched you fade away inside the body you stole. Your soul slowly dies, being consumed by the true soul of the body. That's why you need to constantly have a new body to transfer into. Because if the host soul takes back over, you cease to exist. Gone. Forgotten in darkness."

Flaring higher with rage, Orochimaru's form began bigger and stronger. The snakes that molded into the serpent flared out and created two more heads. Resembling faces of those bodies he stole from years past.

"And by my count, you still have a year left."

"GIVE ME THE SHARINGAN! SASUKE!"

His vision was blurred, distorted. Orochimaru lunged at Sasuke, going in for the ritual that would finally give him what he ultimately desired. But Sasuke faded away. And was replaced with his former master and his younger self.

It was a vision of him at his parent's grave, shortly after their deaths. Sarutobi had come comfort him.

Orochimaru knelt down over his mother's grave, reading her headstone, and he noticed something that resembled a snake next to the stone. He held it up for his master to see. "What is this?"

"Ah, good eye, Orochimaru! That's the shed skin of a white snake."

"I've never seen one before." The young Sannin could only stare in absolute fascination.

"Neither have I." Sarutobi chuckled. "These are extremely hard to find. They're so rare, in fact, people consider it to be a symbol of good luck, fortune, and rebirth."

"…Rebirth…?" He delicately moved his finger over the dead skin, being careful not to damage it. "It's so…beautiful."

Sarutobi smiled fondly at the boy. It was good to see him focus on something other than the tragedy. "The fact you found it next to your parents' graves must be a sign. Maybe, they've been reborn into new bodies somewhere in the world. And, perhaps someday, you'll see them again."

A small smile formed on Orochimaru's young, untainted face. "When do you think that'll happen, master?"

"Heh. I wish I could say, but I'm afraid I can't say. It's impossible to know. Maybe, you'll just have to learn more about it."

Orochimaru's final memory faded as the blood filled the floor, his serpent form separated into chunks that were scattered all over the room. And Sasuke stood in the middle of it all, without a single drop of blood on him.

"This is the end for you, my master..."

The transformation reseeded back intoSasuke's body, the Curse Mark pulsating as the skin returned to the normal shade. He slid his arms back into the sleeves and retightened his belt.

"W-Wait…"

Hardly giving a glance, Sasuke could see the severed main head still breathing. Somehow. "Have some final words?"

"My…blood…how is…it not affecting…you?"

Reaching into his open shirt, Sasuke pulled out a small, empty vial. Labeled 'Counter Seven'. "Did you really I wouldn't come prepared for poison? That's actually insulting."

"W-Where?! No one can…create an antidote for my…poisons!"

"Except for the one man who helps you create them. Kabuto knew the dangers of having a poison without a cure. You've trained him well."

"K-Kabuto betrayed…me?"!

Sasuke drew his sword for one final time. He raised it up. The final judgement on the damned below him. "Perhaps. Maybe, when you are reborn, you can ask him."

The swiftness of the slice echoed, as did the two halves of the same head hit the ground. Sasuke waited for the head to complete die out before sheathing his sword once more. The room was coated in blood and snakes.

The nest had been destroyed.

And the hawk was ready to take flight.

Sasuke exited the door and closed the door behind him. The halls were quiet. Good. No one was alerted. He strolled through the hideout and returned to the room with the large tanks. He stopped at the one that had the most tubes connected to it.

"Took you long enough, Sasuke. I starting to think you were gonna chicken out."

Sasuke smirked, drawing his sword. "Orochimaru's time had come." Destroying the glass, massive amounts of liquid poured out of the tank. "I came to set you free, like we discussed."

The water began to take shape into a man with white hair and sharp, shark-like teeth. All the water absorbed into his completely naked body. "Yeah, yeah." The man sighed in boredom.

"What is it?"

"Do we really have to go get those other two asshats? I really don't like them." He groaned. "Probably will be a hassle to get along."

"You don't have to like them, Suigetsu. You just need to be able to get along well enough to work together. That's the condition we set for me to set you free, remember?"

Suigetsu sighed. "Yeah, I remember. Just not looking forward to those two. Jūgo is an uncontrollable monster. And Karin is just a bitch."

"Shut up, Suigetsu. Put some clothes on. We're leaving."

Oddly, Suigetsu stood to his full height, which was comparable to Sasuke, and pointed a finger gun at him, like he was threatening him. Sasuke read Suigetsu's body language and couldn't tell if he was being serious or not.

"Let's get one thing clear, alright? Just because you defeated Orochimaru and freed me from that stupid fish tank, doesn't mean you're my team leader or something. Everyone under that bastard wanted him dead. You were just lucky enough to be his favorite. You had all the chances in the world."

"…Get to the point."

"Right now, I'm in control…" Suigetsu waited for the Uchiha prodigy to flinch. But he didn't. He could have waited years. "…but it seems you're the real deal. Not even a change in heartbeats. No adrenaline. You weren't just lucky, it seems." He lowered his hand.

"Is that all?" Sasuke was getting tired of avoiding looking down.

Suigetsu chuckled. "Rumor has it that you were a part of the team that took down Master Zabuza. Strong from the beginning. I like that."

"..Master Zabuza?" Did that deranged sword monster have two apprentices?

"Not what you think. Zabuza wasn't my teacher or anything. I just admire the fact he was a ruthless killer. He was pretty damn good at it. If I'm gonna follow you around, we need to make a stop somewhere."

"Fine. Let's get out here. We need to leave before Kabuto realizes I'm gone."

Suigetsu followed in Sasuke's footsteps towards one of the many exits. "Where is that lab nerd, anyway?"

"Probably discovering Orochimaru's corpse. We need to hurry." Sasuke glanced over his shoulder and instantly regretted it. He looked too low. "And put some fucking clothes on!"

-Akatsuki Lair, days later-

The entrance slowly closed behind them. It was such a rare occasion that members were called to come here in person. The last time they were all together, physically, was when their group was first formed all those years ago. They had come together a handful of other times, but only by the projections they could manifest.

The remaining members of the Akatsuki stood together, waiting for their leader to appear. Kakuzu and Hidan bickered between themselves, all the while standing over a dead body they brought with them-who looked like a monk-while Kisame and Deidara remained silent.

"Only four left?" Hidan questioned. "God damn, we suck!" He laughed loudly.

"Hm. For once, I agree." Deidara grumbled. He was still upset about that stupid hunter ninja with that sword.

"You're just butt hurt about that bitch that cut your arm off!" Hidan continued to laugh.

Kakuzu, for once, decided to join in with his partner's banter. "And that I needed to stitch it back on."

"She got lucky!" Deidara shouted angrily. "I won't make the same mistake twice."

"She was using that Demon Zabuza's sword. She wasn't lucky." Kisame interjected. "Even Samehada was itching for more after that battle."

"She definitely had some skill. But no one is a match for my art. Hm." Deidara played with a small hump of clay with his reattached arm. "Not even that traitorous bastard."

"Speaking of which, any luck hunting his ugly ass down?"

"No." And that's all Kisame wanted to say on the matter.

Deidara rolled his eye. He was still suspicious about the whole thing. But with hardly any evidence, he couldn't bring it forward without the threat of being questioned heavily. "…Itachi isn't the easiest to track. He was one of us for a reason."

"Which is exactly why we need to abandon our search for him."

The four members stiffened. A powerful voice and even stronger presence emerged from the darkness of the hideout. The orange hair shined through, as did his Rinnegan eyes.

"Wonderful." Hidan commented sarcastically. "Our fearless leader is here."

"Shut up, Hidan."

"What's the occasion?" Kisame questioned. "It must be important if we're all together like this."

Pain nodded. "It is." Behind him, Konan emerged and joined the others. "We are all that is left of the Akatsuki. Our agenda has not changed. But we are lacking. Five of the nine Bijū still remain at large. Only the One-Tail, Two-Tail, Three-Tail, and Five-Tail have been captured. The longer we take to capture remaining Bijū, the more the world learns of our agenda and the more our numbers decease."

"This shit ain't easy!" Hidan shouted, like the hot head he is. "We're working in two man teams against god damn abominations of nature. How the fuck are supposed to beat these things in a timely manner?!"

"Bijū are like any other wild animal. A little force and discipline and they'll follow like a dog. You were personally chosen, by me, to be a part of this organization. But your mouth can, and will, not be tolerated. This is your final warning, Hidan. Do not make me send you to your god."

Grumbling, Hidan stepped back in line with the others.

"Our progress is unacceptable. From now on, forgo all other side missions and only focus on the bijū. We cannot afford more setbacks."

"What of the money?" Kakuzu questioned heavily. "I've collected hundreds of bounties in the name of this organization. This one…" He pointed to the monk, Chiriku, at his feet. "…is worth thirty million ryo. That Konoha shinobi, the former member of the Guardian Twelve, was worth thirty-five million. That's a lot of money to just forgo our other missions."

"You're lust for money, Kakuzu, is nothing short of a personal habit. Weakness. It benefited us for a time. Now, it's time to focus only on our true goal. No more setbacks."

"Even Orochimaru and Itachi?" Deidara questioned. "Forgetting about them? Hm."

"Yes. While the information those two carry is critical, we can't afford the time to continue searching for them. We will deal with those who have betrayed us in due time. For now, only the bijū remain."

There was a silence that followed. None dared to speak out. Even Hidan kept his fiery mouth shut. The man before them was powerful, possibly to an unknown extent. There was a reason why they followed him when he recruited them. It wasn't solely about their personal. It was fear.

Fear is one of life's greatest motivators.

"What's the plan then, Pain?" Konan questioned.

"New assignments. Our old quota of one per member is no longer in play. You find a Jinchūriki, you capture them and bring them in. And, like before, we seal the beast away in the Gedo Mazō. Once the remaining have been collected, the final ritual will commence and peace will be achieved."

The rouge shinobi nodded, While it was a new plan, it was the same plan. No extra assignments, no hunting down traitors or bounties. It was just the mission now. Find, capture, and seal away the bijū.

"You're all dismissed." Pain ordered. "Hunt them down and finish the mission."

Without word of defiance, the remaining members of the Akatsuki returned to the world. Only Konan and Pain remained.

"Come, Konan. We need to return to Amegakure."

-Southern Hideout-

"This chakra…I knew it had to be you guys."

Suigetsu sighed. Of all the people under Orochimaru, Sasuke had to choose Karin. This despicable young woman was everything he hated in a person, let alone a woman. She wasn't strong, hardly attractive in his eyes, and, worst of all, she was unbelievably loud for no reason.

But giving credit where credit was due, Suigetsu knew Sasuke sought Karin out for a reason. In his own words, Sasuke's mission would be accomplished more efficiently with a full team supporting him. Karin had unique abilities and strong chakra. She would be a good team member to have. He just hated her.

"If you're alone…then the rumors are true. Sasuke, you actually killed Orochimaru."

Cheers echoed throughout the prison from the captives there. Karin stomped her foot and screamed just as loud.

"Quiet, you ingrates! Just because Orochimaru's dead, doesn't mean anything you! I'm still in charge here!"

The cheers died down quickly.

"Fuckin' animals." Karin huffed. "So, why are you guys all the way out here? There isn't anything of importance here."

"Sasuke's got a proposition for you, Karin. One that I don't think you'll refuse."

The young woman looked at the near empty expression on the young Uchiha's face. She wondered it could be about. And seeing how they were all the way out here, it must be important. Karin figured to, at least, humor the idea. "Yeah, okay. Come in here and we'll talk. I hate it when those low lives eves drop."

Karin led the two into a small room with a couch. Suigetsu immediately plopped his body onto it. "Ah! My feet were killing me from all that walking!"

Sasuke unfastened his sword from his lower back and sat down with it. He, too, relished in the comfort of finally getting off his feet. It was a long walk. "Come with me, Karin. I need you."

Flabbergasted, Karin could hardly speak. "Huh?!"

Finally!

"Why on earth would I leave?! I'm in charge of this place."

"Orochimaru's dead now, making this place obsolete. There's no reason for anyone to be here."

"What about all the captives? What's going to happen to them?"

Sasuke glanced over to Suigetsu, who was busy lounging and trying to fall asleep. "Suigetsu, go release the prisoners."

"Say what?!"

The man sighed as he sat up. He took one of his two cups of his belt loop and began to drink. "Still acting like the boss…"

"Stay right there!" Karin shouted. Suigetsu completely ignored her opened the door. "I'm warning you, shark bait!"

Suigetsu simply shook his head as he left the room. He knew she was of no threat to him. Never has been. Never will be.

Karin followed him up to the door and stood there for a moment. She silently locked the door.

"What's your reasoning here, Karin? With Orochimaru's dead, their purpose for being here is dead with him."

Her back was to him, Sasuke couldn't see her face. He looked her up and down, examining her body language from her backside. His eyes drifted down to her extremely short shorts.

Not bad. Sakura's is better.

Normally, Sasuke wasn't one to compare female bodies. But, at the moment, he simply couldn't help himself. Damn hormones.

"…I'll come…" Karin's voice had dropped her harsh tone. It was soft and lustful now. She swayed her hips seductively as she moved next to Sasuke. "If you really want me…you can take me."

Sasuke, hardly turning his head, looked at the woman leaning in way too close for his comfort. While acting uninterested and mildly confused, he knew exactly what Karin was doing.

Was this something he was against?

At the moment, yes. They needed to get moving.

Could he allow this to happen later on?

Yeah, probably. It had been awhile.

Sasuke was still a teenager at his core. Hormones and all. As was Karin. Hers were probably just as bad, or worse, than his own. Girls were troublesome, to quote that lazy Nara.

"So, that's it, huh?"

Karin was taken back slightly. "Eh?"

"You and I…that's all you want?"

Karin nodded, pulling off her glasses to be more seductive. "Yes, Sasuke…just tell me when and I'm yours…"

Rudely knocking on the door, Suigetsu ruined the moment for Karin. "Hey, c'mon! What's the big idea locking the door? Don't tell you two are trying to fuck in there!" He called out behind the door. Karin practically jumped away, readjusting herself. When there was no response, Suigetsu destroyed the door with a single punch. Coming through, Suigetsu's right arm was twice its original size, and double his normal strength as well. It quickly shrank back to its normal size. "Jeez, tells me what to do then tries to bang while I'm doing the dirty work. You're a shitty boss."

"We weren't doing anything!" Karin shouted loudly, trying to hide her embarrassment and arousal. "We were just talking!"

"Hm?" Suigetsu murmured with a knowing smirk. "That true, Sasuke?" It was nearly impossible to see through the Uchiha.

"Karin's decided to come with us. That's all that matters. Now, we move out to the Northern Hideout."

Karin's mouth nearly dropped. "Northern Hideout?! What the hell is out there?"

"Jugo." Suigetsu stated simply, as if it was something that simple.

"Jugo?! You're joking, right?!"

Sasuke stood from his seat, fastening his sword to his lower back. He moved Suigetsu, motioning for him and Karin to follow. "He's going to be a vital member for this mission. Did you release the prisoners, Suigetsu?"

Suigetsu chuckled mischievously, glaring at the Uchiha survivor. "Sure did, savior."

Sasuke stopped and turned to glare back. "What did you do?" He questioned menacingly.

"Oh, nothing." Suigetsu shrugged with a smile. "Just that Sasuke Uchiha killed the traitorous Orochimaru and that he had come to set them all free. And to spread the word that you're here to bring peace and prosperity to the world."

"What…the fuck?"

Minutes later, Sasuke, Suigetsu, and Karin were exiting the hideout, and were greeting by the hundreds of captives that were just set free. Hundreds of men and women cheered as their savior walked through the crowd. Suigetsu couldn't wipe the shit-eating grin off his voice. Karin screamed at them to shut up. And Sasuke wondered if they really believed what Suigetsu told them.

Apparently so. Sasuke figured that if they believed what Orochimaru spoke, they'd probably believe just about anything.

The trio crossed the body of water and continued on to their next objective. The Northern Hideout.

-Somewhere in the Land of Fire-

"Thank you." Jiraiya bowed slightly to the chef as he received his plate of food. He moved back to join Tsunade, who already had half of her plate clean. "Jeez, Tsunade, we haven't even been traveling that long. How are you that hungry?"

"Shut it, pervert. Don't you know it's rude to comment on a woman's eating habits?"

"Yeah, but still. It's unusual for you."

"Just shut up before I knock you into next week."

"Lips sealed."

It had been a few days since the Sannin's departure. Using the main highway to travel through the land, they stopped for a warm meal at the one of the many rest stops along the way. While the prepared, dry meals for fine a quick meal, a nice, cooked warm meal was a good way to rebuild some energy and moral.

"So, where are we headed first?"

Jiraiya took his final bite and set his plate aside. "First, we need to head towards the Land of Rivers. The Akatsuki hideout there, the one that they took the Kazekage to, is right on a river. If my sources are correct, that river leads right into a massive body water deep in the Land of Rain."

"The Land of Rain…" Tsunade remembered that country. Horrible place. "That's where we fought Hanzo the Salamander."

Jiraiya nodded. "That country has been the warzone for every major conflict in the last fifty years. Stricken with poverty and disease. And it never stops raining."

Tsunade remembered well. That battle nearly killed the three of them. The only reason they all survived was because Hanzo was impressed by their skill and toughness and decided to spare them. Thus, being dubbed the Three Legendary Sannin. Jiraiya always thought Hanzo only spared them to keep his own legend alive, to keep his iron fist rule over the land.

And it was shortly after that battle that Jiraiya left for the first time. To train those three orphaned kids.

"Hey, do you ever wonder what happened to those kids you mentored for so long? Do think they survived all that war?"

Jiraiya had no response. Tsunade was met with silence.

"Jiraiya?"

"I think about them every day. For a long time, they were leaders in a rebellion against Hanzo's dictatorship. Last I heard, they were ambushed and slaughtered."

Tsunade shook her head. She knew that those kids meant something special to Jiraiya, he wouldn't have spent all that time training them if they didn't mean something to him.

"But, recently, I've heard different."

Tsunade perked. "What have you heard?"

"…My source have told me that someone with the Rinnegan is leading the Akatsuki."

"The Rinnegan?!" Tsunade gasped. "Isn't that the all-powerful third dōjutsu? The one who is destined to either bring creation or destruction?"

Jiraiya nodded. "Heard of that little bed time story yourself, I see."

"You're not the only one who knows stuff. Who's your source?"

Jiraiya hesitated for a moment. "…It was Itachi. I found him in some old Uchiha Hideout in the middle of the Land of Fire. We were ambushed by Danzō's men, who followed me there."

Floored, Tsunade had to process a lot of information quickly. "Hold on…Itachi is your source? Has he been your source this entire time?" Jiraiya nodded. "Why would he leak information to you? And why would Danzō send a kill squad against you?"

"Remember what I said about a method to his madness?" Jiraiya stated in a hushed tone. "Itachi is a genius through and though. There isn't a move he makes that isn't calculated and perfected over and over again. The knowledge he knows is detrimental. To everyone's survival. He knows things about Konoha that'll cripple us, economically and politically. He knows things about the Akatsuki that'll tear them apart. He's a double agent, Tsunade."

Tsunade could only stare in disbelief. "A double agent? For who? Konoha?"

"When this all started, yeah, he was with Konoha. But now, I'm not sure anymore. I think he has his own agenda to complete."

"Then what the hell happened with the Uchiha Massacre? If he's a double agent, why'd he kill all his clansmen?"

Jiraiya looked around, making sure that no one was near them to hear. Or that they weren't being watched. "That's where Danzō comes in. Fugaku, Itachi's own father, was planning a coup d'état against Konoha. According to Itachi, his father wanted to be the next Hokage and was angry that Minato was chosen over him. Then, after the Kyūbi incident, all trust was lost because they were ordered to be guards over landmarks and help in evacuations, instead of fighting with the rest of them. Danzō feared Fugaku could control the beast, and then turn it against Konoha. So, in an attempt to stop them without violence, Sensei used Itachi to spy from the inside. But Danzō had…other plans."

Tsunade was shocked to hear this. A rebellion from a clan? That was unheard of. "The massacre?"

Jiraiya nodded again. "Itachi chose to side with the village over his own father. And Sensei signed off on it."

Not realizing she was on the edge of her seat, Tsunade fell back in absolute shock. "I…can't believe this…I never knew Sarutobi sensei could order something like that…generations were lost in a single night."

"His hands were dirtier than we all thought. Did his journal ever say anything about it, now that you know?"

Still recovering from her shock, Tsunade shook her head slightly. "N-No. He never wrote anything. There's an entry on the day of the massacre. But nothing that pertained to the incident. Just that he wished he could've retired. There was a lot of that in his journal."

"Years of guilt built up. I think when Orochimaru attacked, he saw his out. I think that's why he told me to stay out of it." Jiraiya thought about that day a lot. Despite that everything that happened, he still missed his mentor greatly.

Tsunade hated reminiscing about the past. That shit needed to stay there. "So, what about the Akatsuki leader? How does he play into all this?"

"Intel on him is almost nonexistent. I went through every channel, every informant I know, and came up with nothing. He's a ghost. Itachi is the only one to give me any hard intel on this guy."

"Like what? We need to know as much as we can."

"From what Itachi has told me, he claims to be a god. A self-righteous deity." Jiraiya thought about the years training those three kids in the weeping country. "Remember after Hanzo, when we ran into the kids?"

Tsunade scoffed. "Yeah, how could I forget? Orochimaru wanted to kill them. Then you suddenly got all self-righteous and trained them for like three years." She laughed slightly. "Sarutobi sensei thought you were crazy for doing that. And so did I, for that matter."

"I was trying to teach them, so that they could defend themselves. They were just kids, Tsunade, in a country riddled with war. They needed something to grasp onto. To give them hope."

Tsunade sighed. "Yeah, I know. We've had this talk before. But, what do those three kids have anything to do with the Akatsuki leader?"

"…"

Jiraiya's silence spoke for him.

"…No…"

Jiraiya nodded. "Yahiko, Nagato, and Konan. Those three had some of the best natural talent I've ever seen. Even when compared to Minato. I didn't realize at first, but Nagato had the Rinnegan. He, somehow, kept it hidden from me for the first few months. It wasn't until he killed an enemy shinobi to save Yahiko he used its power."

"Unreal…" Tsunade gasped. "But, you said that they were killed in an ambush by Hanzo?"

"That's what I had heard. After that, I pretty much stayed clear of the Land of Rain. There was no reason to go hunt for answers there." His guilt slowly crept back into his mind. "If I had known…maybe, I might've been able to stop this from happening."

Tsunade reached across the table and took Jiraiya's hand, comforting him. "Don't start that blaming shit again. What happened to them was not your fault. You took it upon yourself to train them to be better, so that, someday, they could live in a country without war. You can't keep living in the past. I know I'm not one to talk, but the past needs to stay there. Look towards the future and fight for it." She squeezed his hand tighter. "You got that?"

Lifting his head, Jiraiya smirked. There she was. The girl that he fell in love with all those years ago. That's the Tsunade he knew. "Yeah…I got it."

"Good." Tsunade stated with a smile. "Now, what do we know about Nagato and his abilities? The Rinnegan won't be an easy fight."

"We've got sometime before we reach our destination. Let's cover some more ground first."

-Northern Hideout-

The newly formed team stood on the cliff side that over looked the water. Off in the distance, there was a tower that was built into a large rock formation on the lone island.

Suigetsu sat down on a nearby rock. "Man…more walking? What the fuck, Sasuke? I'm exhausted, man. Can't we take a break?"

"You're so lazy, Suigetsu!" Karin shouted. "We haven't even made it there yet."

"Gah…this shit is so exhausting."

"Be quiet, Suigetsu. We press on to the Northern Lair."

Karin shook her head. She could hardly believe that she was doing this. She really needed to keep her hormones in check. "This is suicide. We'll be dead as soon as we step foot on that island."

"I only know it from maps and rumors. Is it really that dangerous over there?"

"There's a reason this hideout was built in the middle of an ocean. It could easily be destroyed if things went wrong."

Greatly interested, Suigetsu stood back up. "If what went wrong?"

Karin closed her eyes, trying to rid her mind of the mental images from stories she was told. "Human experiments. Unnatural monsters were created in that place."

"Human experimentation?" Suigetsu chuckled. "Sweetheart, I can turn myself into water and can mold my body into nearly anything because of it. Where do you think I got it from? My parents? They dropped me off in some random town faster than it took my mom to push me out."

Karin rolled her eyes. It was useless to try and reason with them. "Why are you with Sasuke anyway? What's in it for you?"

"I have plans of my own. Sasuke will help me if I help him." But first, he needed that damn sword. "Actually, I should be asking you that. You were so adamant to not come. Yet, here you are. What gives?"

Karin stared back. She decided to avoid the question entirely. "Whatever it is you are trying to do, why do you need Jugo?"

Suigetsu sucked up the last of his drink. "I fought him awhile back. He's got some good abilities and he's crazy strong. Never liked him, though. A real oddball, that guy was. Apparently, he came to Orochimaru of his own free will. Shows how crazy he is, don't ya think?"

It was obvious Suigetsu didn't know a thing about Jugo. "Well, why do you think that is?"

"Because he's fucking stupid?"

"No, jackass."

"Then what?"

"He wanted to be rehabilitated."

Suigetsu raised his brow. "Rehab? For what?"

"To stop his urges to just kill. Killing is like a drug to him. It's his addiction."

"Killing?" Suigetsu questioned. "He'd make one hell of a member for the Swordsman Guild. Probably would get his rocks off with the bodies too, eh?"

"That's just fucking gross!" Karin berated. "And no. He could normally bottle up the urges. But he'd snap eventually. And just go on a murdering spree."

"Huh."

"Jugo's urges caught Orochimaru's attention. He used Jugo's blood to create a special enzyme that would induce a similar state in normal shinobi. And I'm pretty sure you know what I'm talking about."

Sasuke glanced at Suigetsu. Did he actually know or was he playing dumb?

"It's the Curse Mark."

"The Curse Mark?" Suigetsu pondered out loud. "Oh yeah, I've heard of that. Those four…the Sound Four...had that mark, right? Orochimaru's personal bodyguards, right?"

Karin nodded. "Yeah. Those four had the perfected mark. But Jugo is the original host. That's his power."

Sasuke stepped off the cliff and landed on the raging waters below. "Let's go. We need to find him."

The two followed Sasuke across the waters. Once they reached the shore, the island was riddled with bodies of prisoners and guards. It looked to be the aftermath of a jailbreak. Parts of the main tower were destroyed.

"My god…" Karin never liked this kind of stuff. It always reminded her of the stories her mother would always tell her about their homeland.

"Man, I wonder if Jugo is still alive."

Sasuke scanned the bodies with his Sharingan, checking to see if one of them was still alive. Towards the entrance of the hideout, a man had pulled himself up to sit against a rock. "Hey…" Sasuke moved to the man. "…there's one still alive."

Karin knelt in front of him. "He's one of the guards."

"What happened here?" Sasuke questioned.

The guard was barely able to open his eyes. "Sasuke Uchiha…please, help us."

"Tell us what happened then." Suigetsu hated the sob story of a dying man.

"When the word that Orochimaru had been killed…the prisoners started to riot. We tried to stop them…but he….wouldn't…." The man's eyes closed and his final breath left with his soul.

"Oops…he's dead. Oh well."

Karin's sense spiked. She felt a strong presence approaching them rapidly. "Something's coming!"

A large creature, similar to that of a monster, landed thunderously near them. The skin and hair reminded Sasuke of his own transformation with the Curse Mark. He quickly deduced the man was not Jugo.

"Uchiha…?" The man questioned.

"What the hell?!" Suigetsu had never seen anything like that before.

"That's the Curse Mark! I can't believe he's already in 'Level Two'!" Karin shouted. "This is bad!"

Sasuke was calm as ever as he drew his sword. With swift and power, Sasuke slashed the man's head clean off his body. Blood sprayed from both ends as the body collapsed to the ground. The head rolled to a stop nearby, returning to normal with the body.

"We press on and find Jugo."

Both Karin and Suigetsu could hardly believe Sasuke's speed. It happened so fast that neither were able to see it happen. In the blind of an eye, the man's head was cut clean off. And there wasn't a drop of blood on Sasuke.

His speed is unreal. Is that what training under a Sannin will do? Karin could only dream what it was like to be that strong.

Suigetsu kicked the head as he walked by it. "This guy…was he a prisoner?"

Overcoming her shock, Karin nodded. "Yeah. One of the human experiments I was telling you about earlier."

"If you don't catch up, I'm leaving you behind."

Both Karin and Suigetsu decided to catch up to the Uchiha. It seemed like a good idea. They entered the hideout and saw only more bodies. Guards that had tried to keep order, only to be killed by the monsters they created.

Coming into a large hall, dozens upon dozens of jail cells had been busted open. Bodies riddled the grounds and hung from the catwalks. This wasn't just a riot. It was a complete massacre. At the base of the hall, a massive horde of fully transformed prisoners convened. They were fighting and killing each other.

"Do we stop them?" Karin asked, looking down on them from the top catwalk.

"Do you want to get in the middle of that?" Suigetsu asked, knowing that he didn't want to if he didn't have to.

Sasuke watched the carnage below. Limbs were being ripped from bodies. Heads being torn in half. The sheer gore was enough to make a sane person sick to their stomach. But Sasuke had seen worse. There wasn't much that could appall him anymore.

"Is Jugo down there, Karin?"

Karin put her hands together and held a hand seal. She focused her senses to hunt for Jugo's chakra signature. "No. He's not down there." She focused harder to find him elsewhere. "Found him. He's in solitary confinement." Karin looked at the map on a nearby wall. "This way."

With Karin taking the lead, Sasuke and Suigetsu followed closely behind her. Through dozens of halls and turns, they were able to come to the section of the hideout where Jugo was. In fact, Jugo's cell was the only one not busted open. It was locked behind chain and key.

"He's in here." Karin stated.

"Here." Suigetsu held up a set of keys. "I swiped them from one of the dead guards we passed. Figure they'd be useful."

Sasuke nodded. "I'll open the door, if he's as dangerous as you say, Karin."

Karin took a step back. "Yeah, good call."

"Well, I'm not. If he's a deranged lunatic, I want a piece of him!"

"Suit yourself."

Twisting the key in the lock, the chain fell loudly to the ground. Inside the cell, Jugo's ears perked up. The black markings across his face made his orange hair stand out more. His sadistic smile only grew as the door began to open.

If it's a girl, I'm killing her!

The door opened more. He could see Sasuke's eye peer inside.

No, if it's a guy! He's dead!

The opened fully, revealing Sasuke in his full.

"YOU'RE FUCKING DEAD!"

Sasuke readied himself. But Jugo's speed was nothing to be ignored. In a split second, Jugo slammed his transformed arm into Sasuke and slammed him into the wall. Then, Jugo's elbow opened up and, like a jet engine, fire propelled his fist forward.

"HAHAHA!" Jugo manically laughed. "I'M GONNA KILL YOU ALL!"

Karin ducked away, shielding herself from the blast. Sasuke! But she quickly felt the change in him. Hold on…no way!

Sasuke's wing from his back acted like shield and caught Jugo's attack.

Jugo was just as surprised. "ANOTHER COPY?! EVEN BEING ABLE TO PARITALLY CHANGE IS IMPRESSIVE, YOU'RE STILL GONNA DIE!"

Sasuke's shield pushed Jugo's arm out of the way, being able to see eye to eye with him. Half of Sasuke's face was covered with black marks. Even his eye was completely different. "I have no intention to fight, Jugo. I just want to talk."

Jugo stopped for a moment, seemingly coming to his senses. But his rage came roaring back. "YOU'RE STRONG! I HAVEN'T FOUGHT SOMETHING THIS STRONG SINCE KIMIMARO!"

Jugo's punch was intercepted by Suigetsu. He buffed his arms to match Jugo's unbelievable strength. Even buffing his own strength, it was hard to keep the man at bay.

"YOU!"

"Glad to see you remember me? It hurts me that you didn't use this power when we fought. That's disrespectful." Suigetsu looked back at Sasuke. "I'm taking him on, Sasuke. I've been wanting my rematch."

"No, Suigetsu." Sasuke stated, pulling himself out of the rubble. "We aren't fighting him. I'll talk to him."

"Speak for yourself!" Suigetsu kicked Jugo back, pumping more power to his arms. "Listen, he's not the type to who'll just let you talk. We just have to take him down by force."

"STUPID LITTLE PUDDLE BOY!" Both Jugo's arms transformed further, razor sharp blades grew from his forearms. "I'M GONNA GUT YOU LIKE THE FISH YOU ARE!"

The two charged at each other, ready to kill. While Karin would happily let that happen, Sasuke had quickly become annoyed with their actions. He dashed between them and summoned large snakes from his sleeves, binding them.

Suddenly, the air shifted. Both Jugo and Suigetsu felt death wash over them, like a drowning sensation.

"Do you…want me to kill you?"

Suigetsu was frozen. Fear for his life had instantly overtaken him. The lack of concentration shrunk his body back to normal size. He couldn't believe. He had no idea Sasuke could project the intent to kill like that.

That feeling…it reminds me of Orochimaru…Unreal.

Karin was ready to throw herself at Sasuke, willing to do anything he asked of her. Oh…Sasuke….you're just too much!

Jugo's transformed limbs receded back into his body, his features returning to normal. Seemingly coming out of a coma, Jugo immediately went into a hysteric frenzy. "Where am I?!" He screamed as he ran back into his cell. "Lock the door, quickly! Do it!"

Confused, Sasuke stepped into the cell, followed closely by Karin and Suigetsu.

"D-Don't come in here! Please, leave!"

"Jugo, I just want to talk. We came all this way to free you. Come with us."

"No! Leave me be!"

Suigetsu couldn't believe he was staring at the same person. In the matter of a few seconds, Jugo turned from a homicidal maniac to a fearful prisoner. Did Sasuke have that much power?

"I don't wanna kill any more people! Just let me die here!"

"What…the hell? A split personality?"

"No, that's not it." Karin corrected. There was a small part of her that felt bad for Jugo. He didn't want to be like this. "I told you, Jugo is driven by uncontrollable urge to kill. It's not his fault."

Sasuke crouched in front of Jugo. "Come with us, Jugo. Orochimaru is dead and this place is crumbling. If you stay here, you'll go down with it."

"Good." Jugo said, his voice full of fear. "Then, at least, I won't be able to kill anyone." He looked up to stare at Sasuke for a moment before looking away again. "Just what the hell do you want from me?"

"To come with us. I need you for my team. You're a vital part of it."

An offer that was too good to be true. "But…I can't stop killing people."

"Relax." Sasuke was trying to be as comforting and approachable as possible. "I'll be your 'prison'. If you try and kill anyone, I'll stop you."

Jugo scoffed, not convinced. "What do you think you can do? The only person who could calm me down was Kimimaro. You bring him here, and I'll come with you."

Sasuke hoped that this next part wouldn't send him into another frenzy. "Kimimaro is dead, Jugo. He died for my sake."

Jugo went still. Completely frozen. Sasuke was prepared to restrain him with his Sharingan the second he looked up.

"Kimimaro was who again?" Suigetsu whispered over to Karin.

"He was one of Orochimaru's favorite subjects, alongside Jugo. They've been here for experimentation since the day they built this place. Kimimaro was the only one, in the entire organization, that was strong enough to stop Jugo from hurting anyone."

"Ah. Well, shit."

Jugo finally looked up. "Wait…then that makes you…Sasuke Uchiha?"

"Yes."

The memory of their last conversation filled Jugo's mind. He had no idea Kimimaro died. Had it been that long since he was last let out?

"You're leaving?" Jugo questioned, peering through the opening of his cell door. "But you're still sick? You can't afford to leave now."

"Sasuke Uchiha is to become the next vessel for Lord Orochimaru. My body can't hold out long enough. Now, my purpose is to bring him here. The others failed. I cannot."

"Is he that valuable that you'd risk everything?"

"He and I are the only fitting vessels. No one else can carry one Lord Orochimaru's will like we can. You could say that his existence is my rebirth. I must bring him in…even if it costs me my life."

The door began to close. Darkness filling his cell once more.

"You have my thanks, Jugo. Your powers have increased my own. Goodbye, Jugo. I'll see you soon."

The light from the open door shined brightly into the cell. Covering Sasuke, like he was a reincarnation of some kind. Jugo could see it. He could see what Kimimaro was talking about.

"Okay…I'll come with you."

"Good."

Sasuke stood and allowed his new team to form together. It was finally time. Years of careful planning were finally coming into place. His revenge was coming to a head.

"Now, that we're all gathered together. It's time I explained my purpose to you all."

"Foolish little brother."

"I'm going to kill Itachi Uchiha of the Akatsuki. And I want your help."

Suigetsu scoffed. "Knew it."

"Before we begin planning, we need to discuss something. We need to get along and work together. I don't care if we come out of this experience enemies or not. I don't care if you three like each other or not. But teamwork is going to happen. Got it?"

The three nodded. Karin and Suigetsu glared at one another, telling Sasuke that it would take some time for those two to work together cohesively.

"Sasuke, there's something you should know." Karin spoke up.

"What is it?"

"Itachi Uchiha isn't a part of the Akatsuki anymore."

Sasuke's eyes went wide. "What?!"

"She's right. Some of the guards were talking about it a few weeks ago." Jugo added.

Sasuke couldn't believe it. His imagination wondered as to why Itachi wonder no longer be in the Akatsuki. Something felt off about it. Why on earth would he join that organization, only to defect a few years later? It didn't make sense to Sasuke.

Itachi's crazy, but not stupid. Something must've happened.

"Regardless, our goal stays the same." Sasuke had to ponder that intel later. Maybe digging up some old contacts of Orochimaru may give him some answer. "Are you willing to follow me?"

Suigetsu smirked. "I'm sticking close to you. Whatever happened, Itachi will know where Kisame is. And that sword of his. I'm taking it from him."

"Sword collecting? Really? Fuckin' lame."

"Oh yeah? What about you, four eyes? What's in it for you?"

Karin glared at the white-haired ugly bastard. Her rapidly beating heart betrayed what her face was saying. "Wouldn't you like to know? I have my own goals. That's all that matters."

Suigetsu rolled his eyes. "Whatever. Probably just following Sasuke around so that you can suck his dick at some point."

"Hey!" Karin shouted, getting in Suigetsu's face.

"Stop it. Now."

Not wanting to feel that same intent as before, Suigetsu kept his mouth shut. Karin grumbled slightly before stepping back.

"I'm with you, Sasuke. Kimimaro gave his life for you. You're his reincarnation. I need to see for myself how strong of a shinobi you are."

Sasuke nodded. Their personal goals hardly meant anything to him. But he needed their help. Especially now that Itachi will be harder to track down.

"It's settled then. From now on, we move as one and are known as Hebi. Hebi's main goal is to find and eliminate Itachi Uchiha. Any questions?"

The trio was silent.

"Good. Let's move out."

-With Kabuto-

He placed the finishing touches. It was a simple headstone. Kabuto thought it fit. It's not like the deceased had any input.

Kabuto could hardly believe that he was here. That his mentor, his guide, had been killed. Orochimaru was such a powerful man, it was hard to imagine that someone had the strength to take him down.

But, none of that matter now. For the second time in his life, Kabuto was without a purpose. Without something to lead him forward.

For years, he bounced between the nations. Wandering and trying to fit in. Using his skills to help. No one would ever spare him the time of day. He had to steal clothes to stay warm. Fight for sleep. And kill anything that moved for food. He was a rat in the gutter.

Until Orochimaru found him. Then everything changed.

Orochimaru admired Kabuto's talent. He trained him. Nurtured him. And when the time was right, Kabuto rose through the ranks and quickly became his second in command. The world was at his fingertips.

For once, Kabuto was happy.

Then Sasuke Uchiha came.

And it was that arrogant bastard that killed Orochimaru. Using Orochimaru's own ruthless teachings against him.

Sasuke robbed Kabuto of his happiness. Of his direction in life.

Sasuke Uchiha will pay for his actions.

But for now, it was time to mourn.

Orochimaru, one of Three Legendary Sannin, was dead.