𝗛𝗢𝗠𝗘 || sasusaku

Chapter Seven: The Land of Steam

The two travellers, Sasuke and Sakura, neared the gate of The Land of Steam. Just like Konoha, the Village's gate is made of woods and it creaked as it opened revealing the town covered in steam. Despite the midnight hour, the stalls and stores were wide open and the lamps were lit of different colored lights.

Sakura glanced at Sasuke. The night isn't over so where will they stay for the time being until morning comes? She wanted to ask the question. But for some reason, she couldn't find her voice. Maybe because the inns in this Village are usually reserved for couples in their– in their– you know, honeymoon.

Suddenly, Sakura's face reddened. She shook her head. There's no time to think about it. Why was she thinking about such childish things at a time like this. The people in this Village are falling ill and she's here thinking about something so unimportant.

Before Sakura could muster up the courage and talk, Sasuke decided to speak. "Maybe we should head to the office of the Village Leader." Sasuke looked briefly at his pinkette companion and saw her reddened cheeks

"Or maybe we should rest for a bit and wait till morning. You seem tired." Because of that, Sakura's face reddened more. She looked at Sasuke and shook her head quickly as she gestures her hands no.

"I think we should gather some information about this disease." Besides, personal desires can wait later.

"I'm really worried about this mysterious disease," Sakura muttered but Sasuke still heard her. Perhaps it's in her nature. She's a medic ninja after all, the best he's ever seen. They walk in silence as they proceeded to where the Village Head is located.

Apparantly, it's located in a hotspring. Sasuke was right. The whole place is covered in hotsprings. This is perfect place for vacations. Such grandiose place, this was.

"Welcome, welcome!" The Village Head, a short old man with a bald head and white beard and a big belly, said as Sasuke and Sakura stood before him. He looks like he's always happy about anything. What a stress-free person. No wonder the Village never includes itself in war.

"You must be from Konoha, yes? Come, sit! What do you young lad and lass prefer? Tea? Coffee? We have herbal tea with sweet vanilla that will help with muscle aches. How about you? Such a beauty. I wonder if all the women from Konoha are as beautiful as you–"

Sasuke cleared his throat. A little louder than necessary. His eyes are close and his brows visibly furrowed.

He looks pissed.

"Sorry for interrupting. But we are here to assess the situation about the mysterious disease that apparently takes chakra from people in your Village. We are not here to have a chitchat about beautiful women and herbal teas."

He sounds pissed. The whole place suddenly fell silent. Sakura looked at Sasuke, to say that she's surprise was an understatement.

"I'm sorry, can you repeat that again?" The Village Head asked.

"The situation. About the disease that the Villagers are suffering from."

The Village Head blinked.

"What situation?"

Silence befall them. It's as if they're standing on a very thin ice that one wrong shift of weight and the ice will crack.

The room suddenly felt cold. A dark atmosphere looms around Sasuke as his bangs covered his eyes. He's gripping his katana as he controls his breath.

"Damn you, Kakashi."

Before Sasuke could snap, Sakura's hand tapped his shoulder as she looks nervous.

"Sasuke-kun, maybe we should calm down and clear things out. Maybe it's some kind of a misunderstanding."

Sakura could never believe that their Sensei would go as far as to send them on a false mission that includes the lives of people. Even for a prank this is going too far. So before Sasuke could fly back to Konoha and beat the crap out of the Sixth Hokage, Sakura must first clear the situation. Men should control their bloodlust.

The pink haired kunoichi looked at the Village Head who was now sweating and scared out of his wits. "We were told that the Villagers from the Land of Steam are falling ill due to a mysterious disease, their chakra are being sucked and our Hokage thinks it's connected to the previous war. So can you please clarify the situation. Are you or are you not aware of this? Because it's hard to believe that our Hokage would lie about something this serious."

What Sakura said made sense, Sasuke had to remind himself of that. Either the Village Head is the one who is lying or Kakashi is trolling around.

"Because believe me when I say, something this serious can be the spark of yet another war." Sakura slammed her fist on the wooden table and it almost crack in half. The Village Head gulped visibly as Sakura showed her brute strength.

"S-sure. Actually, there are people who are falling ill, indeed. But they are not here in the Land of Steam. You see, there is a small tribe north of this Village that used to be a part of the Land of Steam. They secluded themselves in a forest and would prefer to stay out of modernization. I heard that a few weeks ago, all of a sudden the people there began to fall ill."

After processing the Village Head's words, Sasuke stood up abruptly.

"Let's keep going, Sakura," he said as he turned around to leave, the pinkette following suit.

Perhaps, if they solve this problem, maybe an untold war would no longer blow its sparks. War. Everything they have fought to protect. The lives lost during the fourth great shinobi war. The sacrifices and pain that they endured. All for the purpose of seeing the young ones smile again. And those who survived the previous war must keep fighting for the sake of the next generation.

As the dawn blooms, the wind carried the remnants of the night. Slowly the horizon lit up as the sun made uts glorious return. And Sasuke and Sakura set off towards the tribe north of the Land of Steam, what awaits them is something that history have already seen. The time way back Ashura and Indra before they reincarnated countless times up until now. Perhaps, history does repeat itself.