The Lives Worth Saving

Chapter 2: Mission to Kumo

Chapter 2 – Mission to Kumo

"Sasuke!"

He fell back, horror twisting his heart as a familiar figure shoved him away, darting in front of the oncoming Chidori.

"Sasuke, no! Move!"

The raven-haired General glanced back a heartbeat before the attack struck, a smirk playing on the man's lips even as Sharingan eyes met cerulean. And then blue-white lightning seemed to explode in front of them, engulfing the Uchiha as Madara's hand thrust clean through Sasuke's chest. Streaks of lightning spread outward like snakes, wrapping around arms and legs and twisting them to awkward angles.

Through it all, he stayed frozen to the ground, breath frozen in his lungs as the lightning died and a broken body tilted backwards. He barely managed to pull enough brain cells together to catch the deadweight before the General hit the ground.

"S-Sasuke?"

His eyes drifted to the gaping bloody hole in the Uchiha's chest, seeing the damning injury and smelling the sickening scent of burnt flesh but not comprehending. This was Sasuke, his teammate, his rival, his best friend, his brother, and this was not supposed to happen .

"D-Don't you- dare," Shocked blue eyes flickered back up to meet dull onyx, the light inside them fading fast even as the Uchiha's gaze clung desperately to his. "Don't you dare..." Sasuke rasped again, crimson spilling from his mouth and staining his lips. "Let him win. Naruto."

And then he was gone, black eyes becoming sightless as the last spark of life spluttered and died, his entire body turning slack.

He couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't hear anything as he strained his ears in vain to catch the telltale breaths from the prone figure he was crouching over save for the harsh raucous laughter of the man standing only steps away from them.

"He's gone now too, Naruto-kun. Another one you led to his death. Another one you killed. When will you learn your lesson? It is futile to stand against me. This one's last of your pawns too, is he not? Or do you have another one to sacri-"

In the next moment, all he could hear was screaming and he barely registered that the agonized sounds splitting the air were coming from his own throat as he hurtled at the mocking figure with a vengeance, insanity threatening to conquer his mind. Yet still, still he could hear the sound of mad laughter, cutting into him with terrifying accuracy because Madara was right , it was his fault, his fault again, and once more he had lost another of his precious people, lost the last of whom he had sworn to protect-

With a choked-off cry, Haruki shot up in his bed, momentarily disoriented and drenched in sweat as he gasped for breath. One shaky hand reached up to cover his eyes, mentally pushing the most recent of his former life's memories back.

Sasuke had been the last of his friends to go, loyal and unwavering to the very end. That Sasuke was gone now, the one with whom he could banter with and spar with and be Naruto with, not Hokage , but there was another Sasuke he could still save, one that he now had a chance of giving a better life to.

Breathing finally steadying, Haruki lowered his hand, dropping it back into his lap as he glanced at the plastic clock he had bought yesterday. 5:10AM stared back at him and the redhead could only sigh as he tossed back the blankets and got out of bed. Three hours of sleep was actually pretty good in his book so he wasn't complaining.

A quick shower and a cup of ramen later and Haruki was on his way out the door, whisker markings hidden behind a henge and his new weapons concealed on his body. He had gone on a shopping spree yesterday and had even managed to find a lightweight katana, one with an indigo hilt and a blade of tamahagane so strong that a hint shimmering blue flashed across the blade when wielded properly. The katana could channel elemental chakra, which was perfect for Haruki because most of his attacks with his old katana consisted of combining chakra with the sword. Haruki had bought it at Tenten's family store, and while he hadn't seen the future Weapons Mistress, he had shaken hands with her father. The man had recommended this katana after listening to Haruki's detailed description of his former blade.