二十三
vanity of saving
Itachi felt anger scorched in him at Orochimaru's very presence. Did Orochimaru really think he was there for a friendly talk? Then that was absolutely preposterous as his string of composure was on the brink snapping apart.
Anger is a futile emotion, he had to remind himself.
He took a deep breath to calm his mind as he activated his Sharingan. "Where is the Fragrance?"
Orochimaru's eyes sparkled with thrill as he licked his lips with his long tongue. "What beautiful eyes you have," he remarked, completely ignoring Itachi's question as he stared lustfully at Itachi's eyes. "And did I mention, you grow up like fine wine. Sasuke is indeed a very beautiful boy, but you, as his brother, are a thousand times better. A much more refined and masculine Uchiha, how desirable you indeed are—"
"Quit fooling," Itachi cut him off, his voice low and poisonous. "Where is the Fragrance?"
Orochimaru stifled a laugh. "Come on now, why so serious? Take my words as a compliment. You are indeed a beautiful masterpiece, especially that body."
Anger is a futile emotion. He repeated the phrase in his brain once more as he held his countenance composed.
Orochimaru clicked his tongue as he shook his head. "Oh my, why are you glaring at me like that? Well, well, I think I must have really miscalculated. I hadn't thought you would care enough to come retrieve the Fragrance yourself. Usually, you'd remain aloof to these kinds of worldly affairs, but right now you are rather uptight." He let out a chuckle. "I'm no match against you, of course, so I must apologise in advance that I have hurt someone in your care."
Itachi's eyes grew with brewing fury. "Where is she?" His voice echoed throughout the underground.
Orochimaru smiled, his eyes filling up with amusement. "She is indeed very adorable, no wonder you care so much. Did you know, when I listened to her moaning in pain, it felt I'm listening to the melody of the sweetest lullaby. And everytime I watched how her pale skin seeped red when a blade was drawn into her, mmnh, such a glorious sight. Would you like to see it with me?"
Itachi listened to Orochimaru's proposal, and the anger he had been bottling up combusted at that moment.
Anger is a futile emotion, but fuck futility.
A murderous urge filled him as his eyes gleamed red, blood trickling down his face. He strained his eyes, pain aching them as he let his Amaterasu ignite where Orochimaru sat.
Orochimaru's face scrunched up in pain as the black flame engulfed the throne, swallowing him whole. Instinctively, he scrambled onto the floor, screeching in agony.
"Tell me where she is." Itachi demanded for the last time, his voice echoing with a force that rumbled the earth.
Orochimaru wailed in pain as he rolled around, trying to put off the inextinguishable fire. "She's in the dungeon behind the throne, for goodness sake, why so serious!" He yelled at Itachi as he began twisting around, his skin peeling off.
Itachi closed his eyes and took a deep breath. With that, he walked past Orochimaru, who was sheathing himself from his skin, and towards the door behind the throne.
Orochimaru slithered on the ground like a snake. "Itachi!" he called out after him, his voice was deep and rich with amusement despite the condition he was in. "It seems you care a lot about her, don't you? But did you know, every nation within the Shinobi world is already beginning to split apart because of her very existence?"
Itachi stopped in his tracks, something within those words froze his movements.
Orochimaru let out a deep chuckle upon seeing Itachi had halted his steps. "Everyone within the Shinobi world, all of the five greatest nations - Iwagakure, Kumogakure, Kirigakure, Sunagakure, and Konohagakure - are deploying troops to fight for the last Fragrance. They are willing to go to war just to claim her."
Itachi lowered his gaze and took a sharp breath. "I have seen the extent of her power. No nation would breach peace for such an inane girl."
"That's because they are not breaching peace for the girl. They are breaching peace for her Kekkei Genkai. The girl doesn't utilise her Kekkei Genkai well, that's why you perceive her power as worthless. But if that power falls into the hands of a capable Shinobi like me, it could be trained for greater things, even the impossible like defying fate. Hence, every nation will wage war against each other just to fight for this one power."
Itachi stared blankly at the wall, a bleak feeling piercing him. "Then I will not let anyone have their hands on her. If they want to wage war, let them wage it against me."
Orochimaru let out a laugh. "How passionate. But Itachi, when we were partners, even I could easily tell that you're ill. How long do you think you have left to live? How long can you keep her safe from the vast world that targets only her?"
"I have my ways."
Orochimaru made a tutting sound with his tongue. "No. Not this time. It seems you underestimate the seriousness of the situation. Did you know a war will not only be inevitable, but also never-ending?"
"How so?" Itachi muttered under his breath, knowing he shouldn't lead the snake on. Yet, he needed to know. Anything concerning peace had always been something he couldn't cut ties with.
"If one nation successfully has a vessel for the Fragrance's brain, the other nations would try to capture that vessel for the Kekkei Genkai, and then the next vessel, and the next vessel thereafter, never-ending." Orochimaru laughed in his throat. "But there is one solution, Itachi. The only way to stop this cycle would be for a person with no desires or greed for her power to kill her off and burn her brain away, ceasing the existence of her Kekkei Genkai for all eternity - just like what the Kaori Clan had tried to accomplish with the annihilation. But who would do it when we all as humans are inclined to greed and power. Who do you think could do it, Itachi? I leave you with this question."
Itachi felt his heart sink as a strange surge of feeling he despised flushed over him. The feeling was no different from the one he felt when Shisui died. And it was no different from the one he felt when he received that order from Danzo. Was Orochimaru trying to provoke him or was he telling the truth?
He took a deep breath, refusing to believe the words of a snake. He buried the thought at the back of his mind, too afraid to process it through, knowing it would shatter him completely.
Without thinking through anything more, he stormed through the door behind the throne and headed towards the captivity of the Fragrance.
*
𝐹𝑅𝐴𝐺𝑅𝐴𝑁𝐶𝐸
うちはイタチ