Paths of Divergence

Pain

Chapter 43
-Pain

     A week and a half went by without a second thought. Although their relationship is like walking on ice for now, Shizake and Sakura were able to make amends. They embrace the full ups and downs, further strengthening their bond with one another. Although that is one amendment out of the way, Shizake still has others to make it up to. Specifically, Azumi, who has still been imprisoned on grounds of treason. The village leaders and his ANBU guard have prevented him from visiting her.

     The boy even had a welcome visit from his teammates, namely Toshika and Kita who haven't seen him in quite a while. Nitatchi came by a few more times to check in on him and even brought his parents who were elated to see Shizake alive and well. Although his recovery was a slow journey, regular healing treatments by Sakura and other medical ninja helped speed up the recovery.

      The boy was enlisted into a rehabilitation program, mainly to help him heal his chakra network. The jutsu he used against Itachi left him with a condition known as Chakra burnout. Effectively his chakra system had worked so hard in the fight that it left his network unable to produce a regular amount of chakra.

       Shizake suffered and endured periods of barely being able to produce a mere shadow clone. Although, every step of the way Sakura was by his side. Eventually he was able to return to his normal health.

    However... dark omens were on the horizon. The day of infamy had arrived. The village would soon be submerged in nothing but pain.

*

     The boy was deep in slumber, tossing and turning in his sleep. Bad dreams plagued his mind, namely flashbacks to his clash with Itachi. He watches from a third person point of view, his final clash. His lightning essence overtakes his every being, a monstrosity born from his own bloodthirsty hatred. He looks over, seeing Sasuke watch on with a mixture of horror and anguish awash in his expression.

      Volts of lightning spark past his head as the lightning form growls and roars in its final push. Then came the end - the lightning spear broken in half followed by Shizake being slammed into the final standing wall of the Uchiha complex. Then came darkness but the clashing sounds of battle could still be heard but not pinpointed.

      Shizake then woke up to the entire building shaking. The glass of water next to his bed splashes him, waking him up even further. The boy stumbles out of bed, falling to his side as the building rocks once more. He opens up the blinds to black clouds overhead and the sight of pure destruction plaguing the village. His eyes go wide as he stares in shock.

     Destruction was all he could see in the distance. Buildings and homes laid in crumbled heaps along with small fires slowly burning along the sky line. He opens up the window leaning out, scanning the horizon. A stench fills the air, a stench he is all to familiar with. It reminds him of the night of that massacre. That stench was none other than death itself. He estimates that thousands upon thousands of lives have already been taken.

     The door to his room flies open, Sakura rushing to his side. "Shizake! The village is under attack, we've evacuated most everyone out of here but we need to leave right now!" she exclaims.

    The building rocks with even greater intensity, shaking the foundation to its very core. A ear screeching groan fills the entire building as it begins to collapse. Shizake immediately grabs Sakura by the waist as he takes both of them out the window. The sprint to the other side of the street just in time as the hospital collapses upon itself. Anyone remaining inside is certainly dead.