In Spite of it all (BOOK TWO)

Chapter 28

Nobody's POV~

The day was quiet. Unusually so.

Of course, while quiet days often mean peaceful, calm happiness and lazy days in the village, that wasn't the case this time. It hasn't been the case for a while.

Within the seemingly perfect village, secrets and deception lurked just beneath the surface. Several young shinobi, once just young genin who didn't know any better, had gotten together. They talked, but not casually. Not this time. They came together to talk about someone who had once been among them. Someone they thought had been among them, but despite that they had failed to realize that there never was a time when he was truly with them.

Higher, in the Hokage tower overlooking the vast village, more shinobi had also gotten together. Although they were talking about the same person as the young shinobi, these ninjas were much older and experienced. Despite that, they had also failed to realize what their students had failed to notice as well. They realized too late.

Somewhere else, a man was on a journey. He had a jutsu on his hands, a power that he knew, for sure, could turn the tides. He had succeeded his master. He knew he had.

It was this same man who was the cause of the reawakening of another man. A man who thought he was finally done with this world and had gotten rid of the suffering that plagued him for years. 

A man who, now, had a new mission.

Caught up in his ambition, the one who awoke him hadn't realized his mistake. He hadn't realized that it would cause his downfall.

Here he was, with enough knowledge to fill a bathtub and power that could command death, completely unaware of the mess he'd just gotten himself into.

Sasuke POV~

When Tsunade finally called us to her office, it was with a mission request.

She slapped a paper on her desk. "This is the location of two Akatsuki members named Kakuzu and Hidan. Naruto has requested help in wiping out the Akatsuki and even gave us their locations. He has provided everything he could, risking life and limb and using all the power he has, to give us this and win. Are you willing to take this mission?"

I had the feeling she was exaggerating a bit, but didn't call her out on it. To be honest, the Hokage looked like she just had a mental breakdown and was on the verge of another one. She also looked just about ready to punch something, which would be manageable with anyone but her.

So we took the mission. Kakashi side-eyed me, but said nothing.

I knew what he was thinking. I'd just killed an Akatsuki member (I doubted he was even fighting me with everything he had, so he basically killed himself) who was Itachi, of all people. Already, they were sending me out to take out more of them.

More evidence of Tsunade's possible breakdown.

Although I felt I could handle it, if she were in her right mind she probably wouldn't be sending me on this mission.

Perhaps it was because I still had no idea what I was doing. What I wanted to do. Honestly, I probably would have just gone rogue after Itachi's death if Naruto hadn't come and practically drag me to the village.

The rage was still there, as was the confusion, the burning hatred, simmering just beneath the surface. I was good at keeping feelings locked up until I wanted them out, so I did just that.

To be perfectly honest, I wanted nothing more than to murder Danzo. And the elders. Hell, if I had my way I'd destroy all of Konoha.

But I didn't. The uncertainty was there, and it was stopping me. Like I said, I still didn't know what to do. So I would wait. I would wait for my resolve to build up once more.