𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐈𝐑𝐄 | sasuke uchiha

Death

The clanging sounds of metal against metal reverberated throughout the battlefield as the bloodshed progressed, Uchiha against Senju, shinobi against shinobi. The Senju and their allies had yet to make a dent in the forces defending the compound walls, and as for Sasuke and Itachi, they knew that they were in for a good fight if they ever wanted to complete the task set upon them by the Hokage.

"Sasuke! I'm going ahead!"

As Sasuke incapacitated his current opponent, he looked upwards to see his older brother darting further into the fray. The closer to the gate the battle went, the thicker the fighting got- soon enough, there was barely any space for anyone to move freely, resulting in a mass number of deaths occurring at once.

Without another glance at his fallen enemy, Sasuke adjusted his loose kabuki mask before dashing off after Itachi, effortlessly avoiding the several spats that obscured his way. As the gate came into view for Sasuke, he narrowed his eyes upon seeing Itachi engaged in battle once more; this time, with a foe he wouldn't have minded taking on himself.

"Why, what's this?"

Fugaku's voice boomed over the din as Itachi launched himself towards the clan leader, who was roaring with laughter at the sight of being taken on.

"Come on then!" bellowed Fugaku, activating his Sharingan as the masked figure approached. "Let's see how well you can go against me, Senju!"

Just as Sasuke was about to approach his battling father and brother, he leapt aside and narrowly avoided taking a kunai to the face, turning to look at whoever had been responsible for it.

"What's with the mask?"

Sasuke clenched his jaw as he came face to face with none other than Izumi, who looked like she had seen much better days. Her usually immaculately styled hair had been thrown into a messy braid, and the redness and puffiness in her eyes merely added to her disconsolate appearance as she sized up her masked foe.

"You want to get in? You'll have to get through me!"

Izumi's voice was a snarl as she charged at Sasuke full force, gripping her kunai tightly as she swung it at him with all her might. Sasuke easily blocked her hit with his own weapon, scowling at her as he jumped away from her. 

"Come here and fight me!" shrieked Izumi, charging at Sasuke once more. However, at the last moment she dropped her kunai and shot a fire ball at him, catching him by surprise as he leaped into the air for safety. Izumi continued to barrage Sasuke with jutsu after jutsu, each attack growing more frenzied and erratic than the last. There was no strategy to her actions, nor was there any sort of thinking involved- this was an Izumi that Sasuke was completely unfamiliar with.

The more Sasuke eyed her out, the more he realised that her unpredictability was most likely due to a breakdown of some sorts- and when he remembered how Itachi had taken Yuta and run off, he understood.

This is a woman who's lost everything, thought Sasuke grimly, his own thoughts trailing back to Tera in Suna. Itachi said he loved her with all his heart, and they used to be so happy together- but it was so easy for him to leave.

I would never do that, would I?

"DIE, YOU SENJU SCUM!"

Sasuke was shaken from his thoughts as Izumi screamed in his face, weaving the hand signs for one final jutsu to take him out. In his haste to move out of the way, Sasuke found himself falling to the ground as Izumi summoned all of her strength to put an end to him.

Just as Sasuke made to throw himself back up into action, his eyes widened upon seeing Izumi being subdued from behind. So engrossed was she in her anger that she had lowered her defences, and now, she met her fate at the stranger's hand.