Truth: Itachi Uchiha Love Story

C H A P T E R 3 6

My palm pressed deeper as a means to lull the pounding feeling that compounded at the back of my skull.

'Even with the byakugou seal, I only have a few more reveals left in me before I am out of commission'.

'Shiori! Show no weakness!' A familiar voice echoed in the back of my head. Suddenly the fainted image of my mother flashed across my mind. "Why now?" I whispered, straightening my back while grounding my feet.

"Showing weakness to the enemy... What kind of an Uchiha are you". His voice echoed, the words repeating with a sense of condescension that enflamed the blood in my veins.

'Show no weakness'. The repeating words ignited a feeling of excitement inside me. The fears that paralyzed me before washed away like footprints on the beach. The thrumming buzz of the pleasure of battle replacing it.

A grin tugged at my lips, laughter gargling deep within my chest, spitting out in methodical irony, "I'll show you weak!"

Reaching up to either side of my shoulders, fingers clutching the fabric of the half kimono-like shirt. In a swift motion, I yanked forward. The delicate material ripping from my body with a slithering hiss. A hushed gasp murmured behind, but I didn't care to look back. The garment snaked down my waist, the long bell-like sleeve that had covered my arms for the last decade finally gave way to the weight of the shredded clothing, revealing the white bandages that wrapped my chest and the swirling seals that decorated my upper and forearms.

'Now or never'.

Looking up, Madara had a noticeably intrigued look on his face.

My fingers twitched, cracking as the joints locked and unlocked as I rounded them. Slowly each finger ignited with dark-colored chakra.

"Five-element seal release".

Plunging the tips of my fingers into the opposite forearm. The lines that composed the swirled seals split apart, dissipating as they seemingly evaporated from my skin.

Like a tsunami, it hit me. The earth beneath my feet shook, the chakra that leaked from my body disintegrated the ground creating a creator of rubble. It had been so long since I had been in this released state. The surcharge of chakra that pumped through me lit every cell in my body blaring with joyful fervor. The feeling flooded over me in undulating euphoric waves. The excitement of battle, coupled with the heightened levels of chakra, intoxicated me.

*Back at the front lines*

"This chakra... I can't move... It's almost as unsettling as Madara's... No... It's more intimidating...." Naruto whispered. "Is this Shiori?"

Everyone on the battlefield stilled, paralyzed by the presence of the two dwarfing figures that have yet to even do battle.

"Hey, Naruto... Is this the first time you've seen Shiori fight?" Temari whispered, her body trembling from external forces.

"Yeah... I never thought she had this type of power".

"Garra?" Temari called. But there was no response. "Garra, are you okay?" She continued.

His expression was blank, mouth hanging agar. "She's terrifying".

"Your chakra is overwhelming. Reminds me a bit of myself". His voice laced with tender reminiscence.

"Don't compare us, I am nothing like you". I growled back.

Despite the distance between us, the sound of his cynical chuckling resonated across the battlefield.