Conflict (sequel)

Chapter 16 | Uzumaki

By nightfall, Asami was still walking, but by the smoke in the distance and the number of bodies encountered, she could tell she was getting closer to where the actual fighting was occurring. The Uzumaki tried to ignore the corpses. The sight of them only increased the guilt which was already eating her alive.

Asami knew she was doing the wrong thing, yet she refused to leave the path of the wrongdoer. She chose her own wishes over the interests of the people fighting in this war. Even if peace was achieved, would she benefit from it in any way?

She wouldn't.

That's why she chose for herself. She was done trying to please others, trying to seem a good person while she was actually the opposite. Mito would be disappointed if she saw her only sister now, but Asami would have disappointed her anyway. If the younger Uzumaki had told Mito she was leaving with Madara, the older sister would have been let down by her choice, feeling betrayed. That's why Asami never told her. She didn't want to be looked at differently, and she also didn't want to hurt them.

Asami sighed and looked up to the sky, her mind clashing with her heart. The conflicting thoughts in her head bothered her to no end, but it didn't matter anymore. She had made her decision and she wouldn't change her mind.

Asami's eyes widened in surprise when she was suddenly engulfed in light. The connection between her soul and this body broke and a feeling of freedom enveloped her, though this was only short-lasting.

She remembered Madara's red eyes, his Sharingan staring deep into her green orbs as he put a spell on her. For a moment, Asami's vision filled with white to the point that she couldn't see and her mind blank. She lost the control over her body. Her mind blindly followed the instructions given by Madara's Sharingan and her hands performed the seals needed to stay in this cursed body. Asami was disgusted with the fact that techniques like these existed, but she constantly told herself;

just a little longer

And then she could go to Kouta, and hopefully see Madara there as well. Her precious little boy should be ascending back to the Pure Land now the summoner had ended the technique. He was resting again instead of being in a wartorn area. The thought of this made Asami relax her shoulder. She hadn't even noticed how tense she had been until this wave of relief washed over her.

Looking up to the darkening skies, Asami watched as what seemed like dozens of lights were rising up into the air, disappearing into the white clouds. Kouta was one of those luminescences. Asami would have liked to see him go back to their resting place herself, just to make sure he was freed from this awful technique, but she didn't have any choice but to believe he was back there, waiting for his mother.

Sighing, Asami kept watching everyone go before her until there were no lights anymore. She started to walk again, continuing her journey to the middle of this hell.

This grey, gloomy sky without any illuminations was more fitting for the current situation.

.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~.

''This view brings back memories!'' The older Senju exclaimed as he eagerly observed the village from the Hokage Rock. It satisfied him to see how much it had grown. A few things were still the same as when he was Hokage. It brought back joyful memories.

From the corners of his eyes, Hashirama saw one of Sasuke's comrades trying to run away, only to be kicked back by a woman. He simply watched as the both of them caused a ruckus.

When the red-haired women decided to cling to Sasuke, Hashirama turned to Tobirama. ''Who is she?" He asked, slightly baffled.

''Judging from the chakra and that red hair, she's from the Uzumaki clan.'' Tobirama spoke. The sight of her reminded him of the Uzumaki sisters. As an image of them flashed through his mind, he suddenly sensed the chakra which belonged to the youngest sister. Then he looked over the village into the distance, his eyes narrowing.

This 'Karin' wasn't the only Uzumaki whose chakra he sensed.

''Brother...'' Tobirama murmured. 

Hashirama pressed his lips into a thin line. He wasn't a sensor type, but he could already tell from the circumstances and Tobirama's tone.

''She's here too, isn't she?"