Chapter 48
Sasuke sat alone in the dim light of his small apartment located in the heart of Kumogakure's residential district. The room was sparse, with only the essentials—a bed, a table, and a chair. The faint glow of his sharingan illuminated his face as he stared out the window, watching the flicker of lanterns in the streets below. He had been expecting this moment, but that didn't make it any easier.
A knock at the door broke the silence. He stood, his heart heavy, and crossed the room. When he opened the door, Yugito stood there, her usual poise replaced by a somber determination. She wore her standard uniform, the loose fabric of a baggy cloak draped over her shoulders, her hood down to reveal her dark, tear-framed eyes. Without a word, she pushed her way into the room.
"It is time," she said simply. Her voice was steady, but the resignation in her tone was unmistakable.
Sasuke nodded and shut the door behind her. He moved to sit heavily on the edge of his bed, deliberately making noise to ensure the guards stationed outside would hear. It was all part of the illusion—an effort to make the Raikage and his spies believe that the two were carrying out their "duty" to secure the Uchiha bloodline for Kumogakure. His crimson eyes flicked to Yugito, catching the faint shimmer of tears on her cheeks. He'd never seen her eyes so red, their bags so pronounced.
"Yugito…" he began, his voice uncharacteristically hesitant. "You don't have to do this."
She shook her head, her golden braid catching the faint light of the moon streaming through the window. "The choice is made, Sasuke," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
"There's still time to back out," he said, almost pleading. "We can stay here tonight. We'll figure something out in the morning."
Her dark eyes met his, and for a moment, he thought he saw a flash of anger. But it wasn't anger—it was giref. "If we stay here, you'll be arrested at dawn. Imprisoned. Forced to…" Her voice broke slightly, and she looked away. "They'll make you procreate under supervision. They'll extract your genetic material, Sasuke. They won't stop."
"And you'll be spared," he said softly. "That would be worth it."
She let out a bitter laugh, one that held no joy. "Spared? I could never live with myself if I let that happen." She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. "I'm not like you. I can't stand by and watch injustice, no matter how small."
He studied her face, her unwavering resolve, and felt a pang of guilt. "You're throwing away everything," he said. "Your rank, your home, your village. For my stupid dream."
Yugito met his gaze, her expression softening. "And as the resident expert on throwing everything away for a dream," she said with a faint smile, "I expect you to guide me through this.."
"You know, for someone who claims I'm the stubborn one, you're surprisingly hard to convince." Sasuke let out a quiet, humorless laugh.
She didn't respond, only pulling her hood up over her head and turning toward the door. "Let's go then," she said, her voice firm. "To the Hidden Sound."
He stood, moving toward her. "You're okay being hunted down by your own village? Branded a missing-nin? You know they'll come after you."
Yugito hesitated, her hand on the doorknob. She turned to him with a smirk that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I'll manage. Besides, if I'm with you, I figure trouble will come to us regardless."
Sasuke reached for his sword, strapping it to his back, and nodded. "To the Hidden Sound, then."
Yugito stepped aside, gesturing for him to lead the way. "After you, Otokage-sama," she said, the faintest hint of sarcasm in her tone.
He paused, glancing at her with a rare smile. "Don't call me that."
Together, they slipped out into the night, their footsteps silent as they made their way toward the village gates. Above them, the stars watched in silence as the two prepared to leave behind everything they had ever known.
Naruto flung open the doors to Tsunade's office with his usual reckless exuberance, his energy filling the room before his words even had a chance. "You should've seen me, Tsunade-baachan!" His grin was wide, his blue eyes bright as he spun into the room dramatically. "I absolutely obliterated Kakuzu! My new jutsu kicks ass. You would've been so proud—"
Tsunade pinched the bridge of her nose, her other hand already reaching for the sake bottle she kept stashed beneath her desk. "Naruto..." she began, her voice heavy with exhaustion. "Now really isn't the time."
Naruto faltered, his grin dimming as he took in the room properly. Three Hidden Cloud shinobi stood stiffly before Tsunade's desk, their expressions ranging from cold to outright furious. Samui's icy stare pinned him where he stood, Omoi's fingers hovered near his sword, and Karui's fiery glare seemed to burn a hole straight through him. There was something else there too, in Karui's expression—something vulnerable, almost betrayed.
"Uh… everything okay?" Naruto asked, his tone suddenly cautious.
Samui's eyes narrowed. "Spare us the act, Uzumaki," she said coldly, her voice sharp as frost.
"Yeah!" Karui snapped, her voice cracking with anger. "Don't pretend like you weren't involved, asshole! We trusted you!"
Naruto's brows knit together in confusion. "Huh? What are you talking about?"
Tsunade sighed heavily and pulled out the sake bottle, pouring herself a generous amount. "Sasuke's gone, Naruto," she said flatly. "He fled the Hidden Cloud Village last night or early this morning."
Naruto froze, his eyes widening in disbelief. "What?!" He looked rapidly between Tsunade and the Hidden Cloud shinobi, his brain struggling to catch up.
Karui's fury only deepened at his reaction. "Enough with the idiotic act! This was your plan, wasn't it?" Her fists clenched at her sides, her voice trembling with barely contained rage.
Naruto raised his hands defensively, his face earnest. "I don't know what you're talking about! You found us, remember? Took us captive. If Sasuke escaped, then I guess we're even, right?"
"Even?" Samui's voice was cold as ice. "He escaped with the Forbidden Techniques of our village. He reneged on his agreement. And, worse, he kidnapped a vital asset to our village's security."
"What are you talking about?" Naruto's confusion deepened. Sasuke.
"The Two Tails Jinchuriki," Tsunade said grimly. "Yugito Nii."
Naruto's jaw dropped. "He what? But—why? I don't even know her."
"She is one of us! How do we know Sasuke isn't working with the Akatsuki? Your 'friend' has a history of going rogue." Karui's scowl deepened.
"Don't insult Sasuke like that!" Naruto growled, his fists clenching at his sides. "He'd never work with them!"
"Enough!" Tsunade barked, her voice cutting through the escalating tension like a blade. She turned her sharp gaze on Karui and Samui. "I have multiple issues with your accusations, Chūnin," she spat, making it clear she had no intention of tolerating their hostility in her office. "The first is your claim that Yugito Nii is 'one of you.' My sources tell me she's been listed in the Bingo Book as an S-rank missing-nin. So which is it?"
Samui stiffened, her lips pressing into a thin line.
"And another thing," Tsunade continued, her amber eyes blazing. "Your implicit threat will not go unnoticed. Allow me to be explicit, foreigner. The Village Hidden in the Leaves expressly disavows the alleged actions of Sasuke Uchiha. He is considered a rogue asset, as he has not communicated with me. However—" she held up a finger to silence Naruto's imminent protest "—until such time as we can confirm his actions with our own investigation, he is still a member of this village. A member who, for all intents and purposes, was being held hostage in an enemy village."
"You know that isn't true." Samui's frown deepened.
Tsunade's voice turned icy as she spoke, "I know nothing of the sort. I have only the word of foreign shinobi to guarantee he's still alive. Be grateful that my notion of hospitality is not as distorted as your Raikage's. You are free to move about this village, but you will not leave until this issue is resolved. Am I clear?"
Karui looked like she wanted to argue, but Samui placed a hand on her shoulder, stopping her. "Understood," she said curtly, her tone as frosty as ever.
Naruto watched them leave, his fists still clenched. "Sasuke…" he muttered under his breath, his heart heavy with confusion and anger. What had his teammate done this time?
Tsunade went on to castigate him for his reckless use of his Rasengan Whirlpool. The technique was dangerous in its current form, and even Naruto admitted that the idea of taking ten minutes to regenerate his arm in the midst of a fight wasn't realistic. She classified it an S-Rank Forbidden Technique and dismissed him.
Despite the gravity of the situation, Naruto grinned. My very own Forbidden Technique. You've come full circle now, Uzumaki.