Chapter 22- Even If Saving You Sends Me to Heaven
Sasuke and Shanan sprinted towards the outpost town, the scent of smoke and sweat filling the air as they navigated the crowded streets. Distant chatter and the clanging of pots and pans created a cacophony of sounds that clashed with the tense silence between them.
Shanan's eyes remained fixed on Sasuke's determined expression as he stopped at each inn, inquiring about Naruto's whereabouts. Her face was a mask of calmness, but her eyes betrayed a hint of concern.
As they walked, the sun beat down on them, and her pace slowed. Sasuke noticed, his eyes flicking to hers before returning to the path ahead. He knew better than to ask if she was alright; instead, he offered his arm, and she took it, her grip tightening as they continued their search.
After several false leads, Sasuke's inquiry at the next inn finally yielded a promising response. "Actually, we do have a pair matching that description. They're in room 3, just down the hall."
His eyes locked onto Shanan's, a spark of hope igniting between them. But as they approached the door, Sasuke's knock was answered by a pair who, although resembling Naruto and Jiraiya, were clearly not them.
Sasuke's anxiety grew, his jaw clenched in frustration. Shanan's eyes met his, her expression apologetic. But as they exited the inn, her gaze drifted toward a building across the street. Despite the growing ache in her head, she felt an inexplicable pull, a sense that they were close. "Sasuke," she said, her voice low, "let's try that building." His eyes narrowed, but he followed her lead. Inside, she approached the reception desk, her eyes locking onto the clerk. "We're looking for a pair of travelers," she said, her voice firm. "A boy with blonde hair and a large older man with white hair."
The clerk's expression turned thoughtful before he nodded. "Room 204. They arrived just yesterday."
Without a word, they turned and sprinted toward the stairs, their hands clasped together. They took the steps two at a time, their footsteps echoing off the walls.
As they stepped onto the second floor, Shanan's gaze swept the long corridor. Her eyes locked onto the group in the hallway - Naruto, Itachi, and his partner. Her heart skipped a beat as her eyes landed on Itachi, her mind racing with the implications of his presence. Her heart racing, she tried to surge forward. "Naruto..." she whispered.
But Sasuke's grip on her hand tightened, holding her in place. His eyes locked onto hers, a warning flickering in their depths. "Shanan, wait," he whispered urgently, his voice low and even. But her gaze remained fixed on Naruto, her mind screaming for her to act, to protect him. She tried to pull her hand free, but Sasuke's grip was unyielding.
Her gaze locked onto Itachi, and memories of Sasuke's dreams flashed through her mind – the pain, the fear, the lingering desire for revenge. Her palms grew sweaty, her breath caught in her throat as she considered the danger that now stood before them. "Sasuke..." she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and pleading. She didn't want him to confront Itachi, but she needed to protect her baby. The situation was impossible, and she felt helpless.
Itachi's voice cut through the tension. "I was wondering when you'd show up." He didn't turn to face them, his attention still focused on Naruto, but his awareness of Sasuke's presence was unmistakable.
Shanan felt Sasuke's emotions surge - hate, anger, and fear - but he was already poised to fight, gripping her hand tightly as he continued to hold her back.
Itachi turned to face them, smirking. "Oh, so you brought your girlfriend to witness your fai-?" But his taunt was cut short as he recognized Shanan. "You're that crazy brat Kakashi and I met that night, aren't you?" he asked. He took a step closer, his eyes glinting with hostility as he sneered at her. "If I recall, you and Kakashi share a...special bond. His smirk twisted into a laugh, and he turned his gaze to Sasuke. "And how does their relationship make you feel, Sasuke?" he asked. "I mean, what could a pitiful child like you ever hope to offer anyone compared to someone as renowned as the Copy Ninja?" His eyes seemed to bore into Sasuke's soul, his words designed to provoke. He tilted his head, his expression mocking. "Doesn't it eat away at you, knowing a man of his caliber is the one that truly has her heart?"
Sasuke instinctively moved to shield Shanan from Itachi's gaze and words, his protectiveness surging to the forefront. But Itachi's dry chuckle mocked his efforts, making him bristle with anger.
"Are you sure you have enough hatred in your heart to protect her from me?" Itachi taunted.
The air was electric with tension as his question hung, a challenge to Sasuke's very resolve.
Shanan's mind raced to process the scene, but before she could even draw a breath, Sasuke sprang into action. With a fierce cry, he activated his Chidori and charged towards Itachi, his movements a blur. But Itachi, with his exceptional skill and rounded abilities, countered Sasuke's attack with ease. With a swift, precise motion, he caught Sasuke's arm, effectively deflecting the Chidori with minimal effort. His surprising strength was on full display as he snapped Sasuke's arm without a second thought, the sound of shattering bone filling the air and echoing through the hallway like a chilling omen.
Sasuke's eyes widened in agony as he crumpled to the ground, clutching his broken arm. A cry of pain and rage tore from his lips, echoing off the walls as he glared up at his brother with tears of anger and frustration streaming down his face.
Shanan rushed to aid him, her heart racing with concern. But Kisame stepped into her path, his massive frame looming over her as he grasped her shoulder, holding her back.
"You remind me of someone..." he said. "I could swear I've seen those eyes before... in Kirigakure." His expression turned thoughtful as he regarded Shanan. "Come to think of it, I seem to recall a certain... extermination. Yet, here you are." His grip on Shanan's shoulder tightened. "Try anything, and I'll personally make sure your luck ends," he sneered, his voice low and menacing.
Sasuke's gaze snapped toward Kisame, his eyes blazing with fury. "Let her go!" he growled, struggling to his feet despite his broken arm.
Just as Kisame's gaze flicked towards Sasuke, Jiraiya burst onto the scene, his confident tone and energetic presence immediately shifting the atmosphere. "You guys really must not know me," he declared, his eyes glinting with a hint of mischief.
Naruto, ever eager, pleaded, "Please help Sasuke, Pervy Sage!" His voice was laced with desperation, his eyes fixed on Sasuke's broken form.
But Sasuke yelled, "No!" - a fierce and desperate cry to stop anyone from intervening on his behalf. He knew that Itachi's wrath was his to face alone.
Itachi's gaze locked onto Sasuke, a cold, calculating smile spreading across his face. With a swift and merciless motion, he delivered a devastating kick that sent Sasuke crashing into the far wall. The impact reverberated through the air, leaving an unsettling silence in its wake. His eyes gleamed with a sinister light as he turned to face the group, his voice dripping with malice. "This is a family matter," he warned, his gaze daring anyone to intervene. "I suggest you all keep your distance... for your own sake."
Naruto surged forward, intent on intervening, but Jiraiya restrained him with a firm hand. "Stop, Naruto. Sasuke must fight his own battle," Jiraiya said firmly.
Shanan felt overwhelmed, trapped between Kisame's looming presence and her desperation to save Sasuke. He was already injured, and she couldn't bear the thought of doing nothing as he suffered further. Her heart ached with every labored breath he took.
Sasuke's voice cut through her anguish, weak but resolute. "Shanan, please, just run away...I don't want you to get hurt," he begged, his pain evident in every strained syllable. His eyes pleaded with her to flee, to escape the danger that was closing in around them.
Itachi approached him, his movements eerily calm, and delivered a ruthless knee to Sasuke's stomach. The blow doubled Sasuke over, leaving him vulnerable to the follow-up punch that sent blood flying from his mouth. Sasuke's head snapped back, his eyes wide with agony. "You're still just as weak as you were when I left you." His grip closed around Sasuke's throat like a vice, lifting him off the ground. He whispered something inaudible to the others, his lips inches from Sasuke's ear. Sasuke's scream pierced the air, a blood-curdling cry that sent shivers down Shanan's spine. She watched in horror as his eyes glazed over, his body rigid and unresponsive.
Enraged, Shanan transformed into a fine mist, engulfing Itachi's face in a thick cloud of water. The sudden attack caught him off guard, and he stumbled backward, releasing Sasuke from his deadly grip.
As Sasuke crumpled to the ground, gasping for air, Shanan continued her relentless assault. Her misty form swirled with ferocity, invading Itachi's mouth and nose, flooding his lungs and cutting off his air supply. His eyes widened in panic as he struggled to breathe, his chest heaving in desperation.
However, Kisame was quick to react, utilizing his own water chakra to resonate with Shanan's mist form. By synchronizing his chakra, he managed to create a localized disturbance in the water particles, effectively grabbing onto her misty form. With a swift motion, he pulled her off Itachi and slammed her onto the floor.
As she hit the ground, she solidified, her rage still burning like a wildfire.
The impact sent a jolt of pain through her head, and her lingering headache surged to a debilitating crescendo. For a moment, her vision blurred, and she felt a strange, unsettling sensation – as if something seemed to shift behind her eyes, ever so slightly, stirring to life.
Her hands flew to her head, her fingers clutching at her temples as if trying to hold her skull together. Dazed, a faint, whispered cry escaped her lips – "What...?"
Sasuke's gaze snapped to Shanan as she was slammed onto the floor, his eyes widening in alarm. He watched in horror as she clutched her head, her face contorted in pain. Despite his own agony, his concern for Shanan took over. With a Herculean effort, he whispered, "Shanan... your head... are you alright?" His voice was barely audible, but his eyes spoke volumes, filled with worry and fear for her well-being.
Her eyes fluttered open, and she gazed at Sasuke, her expression twisted in concern. His face was a mess of bruises and blood, his broken arm twisted at an unnatural angle. She saw the pain etched in his eyes, the way his chest heaved with each labored breath. A wave of panic washed over her, and with a sudden movement, she flung herself over his battered form, shielding him with her own body.
Kisame's eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed on Shanan as she shielded Sasuke's broken form. With a swift motion, he raised his foot, aiming a brutal kick at her ribs. Sasuke's eyes widened in horror, but he reacted instinctively, wrapping his arms around her waist, trying to absorb some of the impact. His broken arm throbbed in agony as he moved it, but he gritted his teeth, determined to protect her even just a little.
The kick landed with a loud crunch, and Shanan's body jerked beneath the impact. Sasuke's arms tightened around her, trying to shield her from Kisame's relentless assault as the villain's foot came crashing down again and again. Her eyes were closed, her face set in a grimace of pain, but she refused to let go of Sasuke.
Kisame's kicks grew more vicious, aimed squarely at her head. Sasuke's eyes filled with tears of rage and helplessness as he watched her endure the brunt of the beating. He tried to protect her head and neck, but Kisame's blows rained down on her with merciless intent.
Itachi, still reeling from his own exertions, struggled to catch his breath, his chest heaving with exhaustion. He coughed violently, expelling water from his lungs, a lingering effect of Shanan's earlier mist attack.
Just as it seemed Kisame would stop at nothing to crush Shanan, Jiraiya began to weave an intricate hand sign, his eyes glinting with a fierce determination. "You know, I think it's time for a change of scenery," he taunted. As he finished the sign, the walls, floor, and ceiling of the hallway began to shift and writhe, like a living entity. The air thickened with an eerie, slimy moisture as the surfaces transformed into the stomach of a massive mountain toad.
Naruto's voice rang out, witnessing Shanan and Sasuke's desperate bid to shield one another. "I can't just stand here anymore!" he exclaimed, dashing toward them with a frantic look on his face. His eyes were wide with worry, his heart racing with fear for his family.
The toad's flesh began to wrap around the feet of those still standing in an attempt to trap them in place.
As for the young couple, the flesh wrapped around their bodies, pulling them protectively into its stomach lining.
Shanan continued to cling to Sasuke, her eyes shut tight, despite the odd sensation of being swallowed whole. She was prepared to sacrifice herself to protect him, unable to bear the thought of him being hurt again.
The sound of the toad's stomach muscles contracting grew louder around them, the walls squeezing in with a slow, crushing pressure, threatening to engulf the group whole.
Meanwhile, Naruto and Jiraiya pursued Itachi and Kisame, only for them to escape by creating a hole through the wall of the toad and bursting free.
Naruto approached the hole, a curious look on his face. "What is this? Black fire?"
"Stay away, Naruto!" Jiraiya cautioned. "Don't touch that." He hastily removed a scroll from his bag and unrolled it, laying it on the ground. "We need to take care of this."
"But what is it, Pervy Sage?" Naruto asked, looking back at Jiraiya.
"It's a cursed flame that can't be extinguished which is why I'm sealing it. Just stand back," Jiraiya said as he began the process.
As he finished sealing away the cursed flame, the walls of the toad's stomach began to shift and contort. The toad's stomach muscles relaxed, gently releasing Shanan and Sasuke from its grasp. Slowly, they emerged from the safety of the lining and back onto the ground, still clinging to one another as the corridor of the inn returned to normal.
Sasuke's eyes fluttered open, his gaze scanning their surroundings. His arms remained tightly wrapped around Shanan, holding her close as if he'd never let her go. The pain from his broken arm and bruises threatened to overwhelm him, but his concern for her eclipsed everything else. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes as he thought about the beating she'd endured, his helplessness to protect her eating away at him.
"Shanan... they're gone," he whispered. "Are you alright?" His gaze was fixed on her trembling form, his eyes searching for any sign of serious injury. Despite his own pain and limitations, he gently caressed her hand with his, offering what little comfort he could.
Her body shook uncontrollably, tears streaming onto his chest, her sobs silent but convulsive.
"Hey, we're safe now." He repeated the words, as he stroked her hand, his touch warm and reassuring.
Guy Sensei's sudden appearance - having followed his student, concerned for her safety - brought a sense of calm. "Alright, Shanan," he said, gently grabbing her hands. "You can let go now." She opened her eyes, cautiously surveying her surroundings.
As he helped her sit up, she gazed up at him, her eyes wide with surprise. Though she didn't say a word, her expression spoke volumes about her confusion and gratitude. His warm smile and gentle nod reassured her, but her attention was soon diverted to the figure lying beside her.
Sasuke's eyes, red-rimmed from tears, met hers, and her composure crumbled. She took in the sight of his bruised arms, the blood-stained corner of his mouth, and her mind reeled with the thought of all the pain he had endured. A sob burst from her lips, and she leaned forward, grabbing his face in her hands. She pressed her forehead against his, her tears falling onto his cheeks as she cried silently, her body shaking with anguish.
Guy Sensei placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, but her focus remained solely on Sasuke, her heart aching with every beat.
Sasuke's eyes fluttered closed, and he lifted his unbroken arm, his fingers gently delving into her hair. He held her close, his body shaking with silent sobs as he let out all the emotions he'd been holding back. The weight of his helplessness, the pain of his injuries, and the anguish of seeing her body tensing as she shielded him from Kisame's attacks all poured out of him.
As he cried, Shanan's tears fell onto his skin, warm droplets that mingled with his own tears. After a moment, he opened his eyes, his gaze locking onto her tear-stained face. He gently caressed her cheek, his thumb tracing the curve of her jaw. "I'm alright, Shanan," he whispered, but his eyes betrayed the pain and trauma still lingering within.
Her lips trembled, and she blinked rapidly, trying to process her emotions. "Y-you screamed, Sasuke..." Her voice cracked, and she dissolved into tears once more, her eyes fixed on his battered face.
He sat up very slowly, his movements labored, as if recalling the traumatic experience was a physical burden. "He... put me in a genjutsu," he whispered, his eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment, he just stared at her, his gaze filled with a deep, abiding fear.
Her heart skipped a beat as she saw the look in his eyes. It was as if he'd seen something that had shaken him to his very core. His voice was barely above a whisper as he spoke again. "I thought I'd lost you forever..." His words trailed off, and he reached out, his hand trembling as he touched her face.
As his fingers made contact with her skin, his eyes seemed to glaze over, and his face contorted in pain. He clutched his chest, coughing up blood with a violent, racking gasp. Shanan's eyes widened as he slumped forward, his head falling against her shoulder. His body went limp, and he passed out against her. She wrapped her arms tightly around him and she looked up at Guy Sensei, worry etched on her face.
But as she held him, her own strength began to falter. Pain flooded in, threatening to overwhelm her as her adrenaline began to wear off. She gasped, her breaths coming in short, sharp bursts. Her body trembled, and her vision began to blur. "Sensei..." she whispered, her voice barely audible between breaths. "My... adrenaline… is…"
Guy Sensei's expression turned grave, his eyes filled with concern. "Easy, Shanan," he said softly. "I've got you." He quickly steadied her, his hands gentle but firm.
Her eyes remained fixed on Sasuke's face, her arms still clinging to him as she struggled to stay conscious. "Please... help..." she whispered, her voice cracking between ragged breaths. "Sasuke..." Her body went limp, her arms falling away from Sasuke as she lost consciousness.
Guy Sensei caught her, cradling her fragile form in his arms as he gazed down at her pale face, his expression a mix of concern, compassion, and a deep-seated worry for his student's well-being. He shook his head as he sighed. "Always putting others first…"
The scene was one of eerie stillness, the only sound the soft rise and fall of their chests, as if the very air was holding its breath in anticipation of what was to come.