𝗛𝗢𝗠𝗘 || sasusaku

Chapter Thirty-Five: Interlude-Sasuke's Trial Begins

Sasuke stood up as the Chief folded the map.

"I will send a few of our men to lead the way. However, Sasuke, I'm afraid you have to go in yourself."

Sasuke expect that much. Besides, even if the Chief insisted on letting his men accompany him, Sasuke would only treat them as liability. He's better at working alone. But it seems the Chief himself would not go to such length of sending his men inside the cave and Sasuke wondered why.

When Sasuke walked out of the tent, his gaze landed on Taisho who stood just outside. No doubt he heard everything.

"So, he's sending you to the cave," Taisho said, crossing his arms. "I'll have some of my men and I to lead the way. We leave tomorrow."

"And what makes you think you get to decide when to leave?" Sasuke asked, clearly not amused with the display of superiority Taisho was giving him.

"You need to rest first."

Sasuke was not used to this side of Taisho. He almost sounded concerned, for some odd reason.

They walked near the lake. More like, Sasuke was walking towards the lakeside and Taisho following him.

Sasuke ignored him as he sat on the grass and took off his poncho with his katana.

"It's dangerous, you know," Taisho said and Sasuke almost couldn't hide his smirk.

"What? First time seeing a katana?" Sasuke asked mockingly. In turn, Taisho just rolled his eyes.

"Not that. I mean the cave, it's dangerous."

"I've been to too many dangerous places before and encountered many dangerous situation. You don't have to worry, it sets me off so stop it."

Sasuke momentarily remembered the time he spent inside that godforsaken laboratory with Orochimaru and he shook his head. He heard Taisho sighed but did not hear his footsteps. Instead, he heard shuffling from behind and saw Taisho sat on the grass beside him.

"My grandfather once hoped to retrieve that scroll. He sent his men in the cave. He even sent his own son to retrieve it. I was young, Kanao was still a baby, when our father went in that cave."

Taisho was silent for a few second, looking down on the grass solemnly.

"He never returned," he whispered.

For a few seconds Sasuke let his words sink in his mind. Before saying his response.

"And you think I would not return? You're looking at the person who rivals the strongest shinobi of this generation. Don't think lightly of me. And I don't need your worry." Sasuke smirked as he heard another shuffle and Taisho stood up.

"Tsk. I'm not worried about you." Taisho looked away and added to his statement. "I'm worried about the girl who will cry if you don't return."

On that instant, Sasuke saw an image in his mind. It was an image of Sakura. But it wasn't just her alone. In her arms, she was holding a small thing wrapped in blanket. It wasn't entirely a thing, Sasuke thought. She was holding a small human being. And Sasuke couldn't help the ghost of smile grazed his lips.

The next day, Chief Ginko sent Sasuke, Taisho and his men at the first bleak of dawn. They led Sasuke towards the cave. It didn't take them long to arrive there.

As they stood a few feet from the cave, Taisho walked towards Sasuke.

"You're on your own now. Be careful. Remember what my grandfather told you this morning."

Sasuke briefly remember Chief Ginko's words before they embarked. He said the cave may look like an ordinary cave but mysterious things loom inside. They suspected it was the pollen from the flowers that only grew inside the cave, the pollen creates illusion. And with that illusion, whoever inhaled the pollen would be send in a world of their deepest desire where they would never hope to leave until they die.

Sasuke knew it was a genjutsu, a far inferior form of the tree from the war. Sasuke has nothing to worry about. He looked at Taisho, his eyes shone as he activated his visual prowess.

"You're looking at someone who possess the two strongest kekei genkai. Genjutsu don't work on me."

Sasuke was gone in a blink. He stepped inside the cave. And so does his trial begins to retrieve the scroll that would dictate the future.
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I'm so sorry Sakura did not appear in this Chapter aside from Sasuke's thoughts! But don't worry, she'll be there next Chapter (probably).

Anyways, hope you enjoyed reading! Vote and comment.