From the Ashes

EVOL(End)

Not even a day later and they were traveling through the Land of Swamps,leisurely tree jumping until the time came that they ran out of trees in the midst of what was supposed to be an enormous forest..Only by looking up was the cause identified.

"This is it." Saryn spoke after a moment.

Wordlessly Sasuke had turned to her,following her gaze to the fortress that had finishing rising miles above their heads. "-I can feel everyones's energy here."

"Everyone?" The Uchiha asked,cocking an eyebrow at the girl.Saryn's skin had marred with the appearance of a dark symbol,the black crescent moon appearing atop her forehead and the lightning patterns that trailed down from there had made the technique obvious.

"I can't pinpoint anyone in particular:there must be thousands of souls up there outside of that doctor." The Uchiha nodded,staring absently at the sage form of his—well he wasn't sure what exactly she was to him—but Sasuke was no fool,the snake had shown him the existence of nature chakra and how it could be harnessed and weaponized.His ever-expansive arsenal was proof of that fact.

It would be the same arsenal that must be called on if they wished to reach the Land of Sky.

"Distance is close to 1,250 feet in the air... " Sasuke trailed off,shrugging the large kimono-style shirt off as he passed a preoccupied Saryn.

Red markings spread across his own body,darkening and overtaking his pale skin until it became a sickly gray...matching with the savage hand-like wings that sprouted from his backside.

The power increase was enough for the Kaguya to finally open her eyes,turning toward the currently radiating beacon of nature energy that completely ruined her sensory ability.

Cursed energy.

"Sasuke?" She raised an eyebrow,watching as her partner stared at the behemoth above them.

He turned back,revealing the star-like marking spawning atop his nose as he stared at her.

"I'm going on ahead...I'll flare my chakra four times when I've got it."

Before she could say anything the wind kicked up around them,following Sasuke as he took off soaring towards the fortress.

Saryn watched him go for a second longer...and caught wind of the orange firebird from almost a month before.

Her mouth opened and snapped shut as a flaming raptor zipped above and ahead...with the ensuing boom of ash and fire immediately reaching her ears.

Her eyes,previously standard platinums—had intensified as the pupil became nonexistent.

Veins could be heard crackling and expanding as her Byakugan came to manifestation,the uniqueness shining through as the genetic duo of rings surrounding the pupil persisted.Saryn didn't stop there however as her collar glowed,beeping in warning as her chakra began rising exponentially past its set limiters.

The use of nature energy had remained a reliable bypass to such a system,and sage markings made to shadow her closed eyes had preceded her latest evolution as usual.

When she opened them the white lotus flower had formed in her iris,glistening with the luminescence only the Tenseigan could boast.Having had it for a month,you can be sure the Sannin had ensured the capabilities of such a beautiful eye was seen to.

Even after plenty of trial and error,abandoning the security and consistency of the ground remained an uncanny experience.Feeling and seeing the world around her grow more and more minuscule in comparison as she gained speed towards the land above.

In the clear sunlight and rushing winds,Saryn smiled at the sensation nature had always brought.It was almost metaphorical in its process:Untethered and unfazed she soared towards her current goal...