Let It Burn: Life [Sasuke Uchiha]

Chapter 27

"Founding father?" There was mild surprise in his voice before it grew hostile once more, "If that's true then he is long dead! Don't fuck around with me!"

"Madara is very much alive. But I can't force you to believe me, that's your choice."

"I've had enough of your bullshit!"

Itachi was too calm. Always treating Sasuke as if he was beneath him. It pissed him off!

"People live their lives bound by what they accept as correct and true," the young man said. "That's how they define 'reality'. But what does it mean to be 'correct' or 'true'? Merely vague concepts... their 'reality' may all be a mirage. Can we consider them to simply be living in their own world, shaped by their beliefs?"

"What are you getting at?"

"Like the way you simply decided that Madara must be dead. Like the way Mai and you believed I was a kind, caring brother."

For a moment the teen was reminded of how innocent the both of them once were. Because Itachi was right. He only acted like an ideal older brother to measure their capacity.

"I was so young..." Sasuke spoke. "My only explanation was that was all a horrible nightmare. I wanted to believe it wasn't real, that I was just trapped in someone's cruel Genjutsu. But it did happen! That was reality! And don't you dare bring her into this!"

Out of anger and frustration Sasuke threw out an arm as a lightning current ran through the limb. There was a shift in the room as the attack embedded into the back of the real stone chair. Inches from Itachi's face.

"My 'eyes' are wide open now! My Sharingan sees right through your Genjutsu!"

"How familiar," Itachi spoke, "you getting angry and shouting threats at me. Still, I suppose they're not just words this time."

The clone of the young man melted back into the floor.

"And how dare I bring her into this? What right do you have then? As if you care about her in the first place."

"Are you saying you do?" Sasuke snapped. "You nearly drove Mai insane without hesitation that night!"

"If you had been stronger, then you would have protected her."

The comment that hit a nerve in Sasuke because Itachi was right.

"I have been watching her very closely," Itachi continued. "Closer than you have these past few years. Unlike your selfish motives for your own goal, I've been the one to help her the shadows between the two of us. Now, our meeting here will help me decide one last thing."

"And what is that?" the teen asked through clenched teeth.

"Which of you has become powerful enough to break all logical boundaries and be viewed as a God amongst mortals."

A God amongst mortals? That was too dramatic.

"Does that mean you're ready to stop playing around?" Sasuke questioned.

The room filled with silence as the brothers watched each other. Itachi observed his opponent carefully.

"I can't help but notice you still don't have the same eyes as me, Sasuke."

"Then use your Mangekyou Sharingan and try to kill me now," the teen shot back. "Or am I too strong for you to measure your 'capacity' against?"

"Confident, aren't you?"

Itachi stood from the chair, slowly walking forward to the edge of the dais.

"The Mangekyou Sharingan has a very unique characteristic. From the day you awaken it, your eyes begin a slow descent into darkness. The more you use them, the quicker the process moves."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"The kaleidoscope will eventually lose its light."

And it all clicked into place. "Blindness. So that's the price you pay for gaining control of the Nine-Tailed Demon?"

The criminal nearly chuckled. "You actually listened to me and read the tablets in the secret meeting room."

"Who is Madara?"

Itachi continued slowly forward down the steps.

"A man whose eyes tamed the beast and controlled it like a pet," Itachi said. "My accomplice and teacher. The only person in history to learn the Sharingan's final secret."

Their surroundings changed. Sasuke was cast into a past memory, coming face to face with two original members to the Uchiha Clan.

"There were two brothers constantly competing to become the strongest. Both awakened their Sharingan and soon both obtained the power of the Mangekyou Sharingan. This had never been accomplished by any member of the Clan before and the two took control of the Uchiha. The elder, Madara, became the leader.

"But he began noticing something frightening. The more he used his eyes the faster the darkness crept in. Madara did everything he could to prevent it from happening, but in vain. He fell into despair and became possessed grasping for a new source of light. And he plucked both eyes from his younger brother's head. Light returned and the darkness never came again. A permanent Mangekyou Sharingan. But not only that, the transplant gave birth to a completely new Dojutsu. This exchange could only be done between Clansmen and many sacrifices built up between our people.

"Madara easily took control of every Shinobi Clan the Uchiha encountered and created an alliance with the Senju Clan giving birth to a new organization that would become known as Konoha. Both slowly began to disagree on politics within their Village and though Madara lost control, he formed a new organization, Akatsuki, hiding himself in the shadows. He was the one responsible for the Kyuubi's attack sixteen years ago."

The room came back into focus, neither of the brothers having strayed from their spot.

"Today, Madara is a pathetic shell of his former self. He's no longer worthy of being considered the greatest Uchiha. The only person who can surpass him is me. And now the time to take my prize and gain greater power than him has finally arrived."

Suddenly, his expression turned wild. No longer able to contain his emotions at the fact that his prize was now within reach.

"You, Sasuke, will be my new light!"

Sasuke grew alarmed by his brother's behavior and at the large head of a beast manifested behind the criminal.

"You were my spare! For decades the Uchiha killed their friends to obtain the Mangekyou Sharingan and killed siblings to make its power permanent!"

The creature's hair sought out Sasuke so quickly he had no time to react. It wrapped around his form restraining all movement.

"Our Clan was forever tainted because they couldn't stop flaunting their power!"

There was no possible ways to escape as tendrils drew closer to the younger Uchiha's eye in a claw like manner.

"Your fate has been drenched in blood since the day you were born! Now face me, little brother!"

It was drawing closer, and closer. For the first time in years Sasuke began to feel fear.

"Once I kill you, I'll be transformed and be freed of this wretched Clan's destiny! Any idea of limits, of 'capacity', will be shattered forever!"

He was going to die.

"You and I are each other's spare! That is the bond between all Uchiha brothers!"