CHAPTER 15

The next morning, they stood at the threshold of the old couple's house, preparing to leave. The elderly couple had already packed a bundle for them—food, spare clothes, and a small amount of money.

"Take care of yourselves, children," the old woman said, her voice warm but tinged with concern. Her wrinkled hands trembled slightly as she handed them the bundle, her eyes full of an unspoken worry. "If you ever pass this way again, you'll always have a place here."

Hinata, standing with her hands clasped in front of her, smiled softly, bowing her head in gratitude. Her voice, though quiet, was sincere. "Thank you, so much… We will never forget your kindness."

The old woman's eyes softened, and she nodded in return, her smile gentle, as though she had seen many faces pass through her home over the years, each one carrying their own stories.

The old man, standing beside her, gave a brief nod, his expression kind yet laced with a knowing, almost solemn wisdom. "Safe travels," he said in a gravelly voice.

Hinata gave one last smile before they turned to leave. As they stepped onto the path, the weight of their bags pressed gently against their shoulders.

Sasuke moved ahead with his usual composed, almost detached pace. His footsteps were steady, and his back was straight as he cut through the morning air, his eyes scanning the path ahead. His dark cloak fluttered slightly with each step, his expression unreadable.

Hinata trailed a little behind, her footsteps soft against the dirt, her gaze lingering on the house one final time. She turned her attention to the trail ahead, but a part of her felt torn. The warmth of the couple's hospitality clung to her, but a gnawing unease began to build within her.

A few minutes passed before Sasuke abruptly stopped. He reached into his cloak with a smooth, practiced motion, pulling out a worn map the old man had given him. His eyes narrowed as he scanned the intricate markings, tracing the path ahead with a practiced finger. After a moment, he folded it carefully and tucked it back into his cloak, his lips curling into a small, confident smirk.

"We're near our next destination," Sasuke said, his voice calm and sure, but carrying an air of quiet determination.

Hinata glanced at him, puzzled. "Are you sure? The map… it looks old."

Sasuke didn't reply immediately. His dark eyes remained focused on the trail ahead, but the faintest of sighs escaped his lips. "It's from the old man," he said, his voice steady but tinged with an unspoken weight. "We don't have a choice but to trust it. We're close."

As they continued their trek, Sasuke suddenly reached into his cloak again, this time pulling out a katana—its hilt gleaming in the morning light, polished and well-maintained, as though it had been carefully cared for over time.

Hinata's brows furrowed as she glanced up at him, her voice tinged with confusion. "Where did you get that?"

Sasuke didn't meet her eyes as he strapped the sword to his side with a casual, almost indifferent movement. "The old man was hiding it in his house. He doesn't seem like a normal person, so I figured he might have something like this."

Hinata's heart skipped a beat, a chill running through her as her gaze darted between Sasuke and the sword. Her eyes widened in disbelief. "You… took it from them?"

Sasuke's movements were calm, but there was a certain coldness in his voice when he spoke. "It was necessary. We need it."

Hinata's breath caught in her throat. She took a small step forward, her voice trembling slightly. "But… how could you do that? They helped us, and you stole from them?"

Sasuke's gaze remained ahead, his face a mask of indifference. His tone was flat, lacking any sign of regret. "They knew the risks when they offered to help."

Hinata's chest tightened, her heart heavy with the weight of his words. She took a deep breath, swallowing her frustration. "They gave us food, clothes, money… And you took their sword?"

Sasuke paused, his eyes briefly flicking to her, though his expression remained as unreadable as ever. His voice was firm, almost dismissive. "You're too soft. Survival comes first. They've already given us what we needed. This sword will help us survive the next part of the journey."

Hinata's breath caught in her throat, her voice barely above a whisper. "I just… I don't understand. How could you take their sword?"

Sasuke's gaze remained fixed ahead, his expression unreadable. He didn't respond.

The journey continued in tense silence, the weight of their unspoken thoughts pressing down on them. The path before them stretched out like an endless ribbon, but for Hinata, the unease in her heart seemed to grow with each step.

Sasuke and Hinata had been traveling for days, their bodies weary from the journey, but their resolve unwavering. The path had been long and treacherous, filled with dangers both known and unknown, but they had pressed on, driven by the weight of their mission.

Finally, they reached their destination—a secluded shrine hidden deep within the heart of the forest.

The area was eerily silent, the kind of silence that made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. The scent of damp moss and ancient wood hung heavily in the air, a reminder of the age-old secrets this place held.

Sasuke stood motionless, his dark eyes scanning the structure in front of them. His posture was relaxed, but there was a tension in the air around him, as though he were preparing for something important, something inevitable.

"This is it," he said, his voice low and almost reverential, yet tinged with an unspoken urgency.

He took a step forward, his gaze never leaving the small, weathered shrine. The stone steps leading up to the entrance were covered with a thin layer of moss, the ancient stones seeming to shift beneath his feet as though acknowledging his presence.

The shrine itself was modest, its walls cracked from years of exposure to the elements, but there was a sense of solemnity about it that made it feel far more significant than its humble appearance suggested.

At the center of the shrine's entrance was a sealed door, its surface etched with intricate carvings—symbols and designs that were unmistakable. The Hyuga clan's emblem, marking this place as something sacred to her people, decorated the door in an elegant, precise pattern.

Hinata's heart skipped a beat as she took it all in.

"This shrine…" Hinata breathed, her lavender eyes widening in disbelief, "it's a Hyuga ancestral site."

Sasuke's gaze flickered toward her, his eyes sharp and calculating. "Then you know what's inside."

Hinata's stomach twisted with unease. She had heard whispers of this place, but she never imagined she would stand here, before its sealed door.

Her instincts screamed at her to turn back, to leave this shrine untouched. There was something dangerous about unlocking the seal—something ancient and buried that might best remain hidden. But Sasuke's presence beside her, his steady posture and unyielding determination, made it clear that he had come for something specific.

She couldn't help but wonder if it had been his obsession, his relentless pursuit of power, that had brought them here.

"I'll open it," she said softly, her voice steady despite the racing thoughts in her mind. "But only if you promise me one thing."

Sasuke raised an eyebrow, the faintest trace of a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "You're in no position to negotiate."

But Hinata's gaze was unwavering, her lavender eyes meeting his with a fierce intensity that even Sasuke couldn't ignore. "Promise me," she continued, her voice firm and unyielding, "you won't use what's inside to harm my clan. Whatever you're looking for, whatever power it holds… it can't come at the cost of my family."

For a moment, Sasuke didn't speak. He studied her with that penetrating stare, as if weighing her words against his own goals. His Sharingan flickered to life, a flash of red that seemed to pierce through her resolve. But then, after a long moment, he simply nodded. His voice was low and final, carrying an air of reluctant agreement. "Fine. I promise."

Hinata exhaled a soft breath, her shoulders relaxing slightly. She knew Sasuke's promises were often fleeting, but in this moment, it was enough.

With a deep breath, she stepped forward, her fingers brushing the ancient carvings on the door. She activated her Byakugan, her chakra flowing out like a current, searching for any hidden mechanisms. The chakra barrier that enveloped the door glowed faintly, like a living thing responding to her presence.

Hinata pressed her hands against the door, her chakra flowing steadily into the seal.

The air grew thick and charged. The barrier began to dissolve, the ancient mechanisms inside the shrine unlocking with a soft, almost mournful hum. Slowly, the door creaked open, revealing the shadowy interior beyond.

Inside, the room was dark and cool, the air thick with the scent of aged parchment and timeworn stone. The silence inside was oppressive, and at the center of the chamber, resting on a stone pedestal, lay a single scroll. Its surface was pristine, untouched by time, as though it had been waiting for them, its purpose dormant until now.

Sasuke's eyes narrowed, his gaze locked on the scroll. The faintest glimmer of satisfaction flickered across his face. Without a word, he stepped forward, his movement fluid and precise as always, his fingers brushing the surface of the scroll. Hinata instinctively reached out, her hand touching his arm, her fingers curling around the fabric of his cloak.

"Be careful," she warned, her voice barely above a whisper. "This knowledge comes with a price."

Sasuke didn't look at her, pulling his arm away with a quiet, almost dismissive gesture. His expression remained unreadable as he approached the pedestal. The air around them seemed to tighten as he reached for the scroll, his fingers brushing the delicate surface. The moment he lifted it, a faint pulse of chakra rippled through the room, like a heartbeat echoing through the chamber.

The shrine trembled.

The walls groaned under the pressure, and the intricate carvings began to glow, faint lines of light tracing over their surface like veins of energy.

Hinata's Byakugan flared to life, her eyes scanning the area, her heart pounding as the atmosphere shifted into something darker, more foreboding. Her voice, urgent, cut through the rising tension.

"The barrier—it's reacting!" she shouted, her voice tight with alarm. "We need to leave, now!"

Sasuke didn't hesitate. His Sharingan spun, his body moving with the fluid precision of someone who had long since perfected the art of escape. He tucked the scroll into his cloak, the precious object secured, but the danger was far from over. "Move," he commanded, his voice low but filled with authority.

They sprinted toward the exit as the shrine's tremors grew stronger. The ground beneath their feet seemed to shift, as if the very foundation of the structure was crumbling under the weight of the forces they had unleashed.

Behind them, the sound of cracking stone filled the air, and Hinata dared to look back. The entrance to the shrine was collapsing, the ancient stone door crumbling into dust as if trying to seal away its secrets forever.

Hinata's breath hitched, her chest tightening with the realization of what they had just done. "What have you done?" she gasped, her voice sharp and raw with emotion. "That scroll… it wasn't meant to be disturbed!"

Sasuke met her gaze, his expression as calm and impassive as ever, even in the face of the chaos around them. "It was meant to be found," he said simply, his voice devoid of regret. "And now it will serve its purpose."

Hinata stared at him, her chest heavy with unease. The words lingered in the air between them, a promise that hung like a dark cloud.

What purpose? she wondered, her mind racing with the unknown consequences of Sasuke's actions. The weight of his words pressed down on her, and she couldn't shake the feeling that they had just unleashed something far more dangerous than either of them could comprehend.

Author's Note:

Hey, everyone! I'm on a two-week vacation, so there's finally time to write. Can you believe it's almost Christmas?

This story's getting way longer and more intense than I planned. Plus, I started a new story, From Hyuuga to Uchiha, and now they're kind of tangled in my head! Haha! What a mess. I sometimes need to reread everything to figure out what was going on lol!

I just couldn't resist having Hinata go for Sasuke this time. Their dynamic is so fun to explore—can't wait to share more with you all!