Naruto AU: The Untold Story

Chapter 15: The Depths of Revenge

"I-Itachi destroyed the clan?" Hisako asked, her voice in a whisper as she struggled to accept what she had just heard.

Sasuke's eyes were so cold, so full of hatred and anger and rage that Hisako grew scared, terrified, of the new version of her cousin she was seeing. He hated his brother. Hated him with a burning in his very soul. That much was plain for her to see. But, Hisako still couldn't understand how Itachi could have done it.

"I saw it with my own eyes," Sasuke continued, his voice so cold, so hard and emotionless, Hisako fought back tears, "he slaughtered everyone," Sasuke's gaze finally came up to lock with Hisako's, "and I will avenge my clan,"

Hisako sucked in a deep breath as the weight of his gaze bore down on her. It seemed like shadows surrounded him like they were reaching out and caressing Hisako with the same darkness they were embracing Sasuke with. Hisako's green eyes were wide in shock, as she sat there completely lost for words.

"Itachi Uchiha is now considered an S Ranked criminal," Lord Hokage continued, "I have teams searching for him, but I doubt we'll find anything. In the meantime, you're free to leave the hospital, Sasuke. I have set up an apartment for you, here's the address and the keys."

Lord Hokage leaned over and set down a piece of paper with some keys to Sasuke's new apartment before he stood up. No one said another word as Lord Hokage dismissed himself from the hospital room. There was nothing to say. Nothing that could make this better.

There was a long moment of silence after Lord Hokage left, it was a heavy silence. One that not even a Katana could cut through. Hisako wasn't sure what she could say. She had prepared herself for grief, anger, rage, and pain, the same feelings that she dealt with after the Glacier Village was destroyed. But, this, his feelings for revenge, took her by surprise. She wasn't sure how she could help him now. She never had someone she could blame for the destruction of the Glacier Village. At least not someone she could take revenge on. That entire day was a mess. A total nightmare. To not be among the dead Hisako had to learn to move on.

Sasuke now had a name and one single face he could give all of his pain and hatred. And that was a lot easier to get revenge on one person than on hundreds of unknown enemies. It made sense that he would want to go down that route. But, a part of her couldn't help but feel like if he went down this route of revenge, then, he would lose himself. He would never grow past the destruction of his clan. She couldn't help but feel like he would become obsessed with this, and if he didn't let the feeling of revenge go, he would never live in the present again.

But, one thought still plagued Hisako's mind and heart. One notion that she couldn't get rid of, even though the evidence was plain for her to see.

She didn't believe Itachi did kill the Uchiha clan with malicious intent.

For some reason, somehow, she knew deep inside her soul, in her heart, that Itachi was innocent.

"You intend to kill Itachi," Hisako finally said, more as a fact than a question.

"Yes," Sasuke replied, in that cold, emotionless voice she wasn't used to.

Hisako grimaced, "Sasuke, please. It's so soon after what happened, I think you need some time to recover and think things through,"

"He was the one who killed everyone, Hisako! He killed everyone!" Sasuke interrupted, his voice raising a few octaves, Hisako couldn't help but shrink back against his words, "he told me himself. He also told me that the only way to gain true power is by going down the path of revenge. I will become an Avenger, and I will avenge my clan!"

Hisako's gaze softened, and her voice stayed even despite Sasuke's rising emotions building up within him. She had to be the calm in his storm.

"I see," Hisako replied gently, standing up from his bed.