Game of Shadows by Adrian King1

Chapter 130

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto nor The Gamer. I own nothing, really.

Cover Art: Kissuli.

Chapter 130

"So, what do you think?" Eiji had asked Sasuke once he'd finished talking with Itachi. He'd made sure to take as many precautions as he could. He'd gotten permission from the Spider Clan to host the meeting there, with all his team present for good measure. Granted, everyone stayed far enough away from the two brothers that they couldn't pick up on what was said, but if anything happened, they'd be ready.

Eiji wondered, through the whole event, if it had been the right thing to do. Especially once Sasuke came back and explained that on top of telling him about the massacre and what had gone on back then, Itachi had also offered him the Mangekyou, his Mangekyou to boot. That had caught Eiji off guard, to put it mildly. As if the whole mess wasn't enough by itself, he thought.

"I don't know what to think," the younger Uchiha replied with as they sat on top of a building in Suna, gazing towards the setting sun. For the moment, they were alone, although Sasuke planned on taking Naruto up on an offer to spend some time together. As it was though, he wanted to enjoy a bit more calm than was possible with the blonde. "I really don't."

"Understandable," Eiji said, which was the whole truth put in a single word. It'd barely been a day since the conversation. It would be stupid to expect the boy to already have gathered his thoughts. Hell, Eiji himself could barely keep up. The question had been more to see if he could help than anything else.

"It sucks," Sasuke told him after a few moments of silence. "When the world doesn't make sense and, at the same time, it does. It really sucks."

"It does," Eiji agreed.

"I hate Konoha, for taking away everything I loved," Sasuke said, his jaw clenching in suppressed anger. "I hate that my Clan was so... So..." he trailed off then, sighing in frustration. "Why did it all have to happen?"

"Sometimes there's no good reason for bad things, just like sometimes there's no good reason for good things," Eiji replied, wishing he could have better answers to give him. As it was, he didn't, so he could only offer his support and hope it would be enough.

"I hate that."

"Yeah, I do too," Eiji agreed, deflating slightly. And wasn't that the truth? Things would have been much easier for him if there weren't so many nonsensical things happening in the world. However, it was as it was. Maybe it was the shift in the laws that ruled the world, or maybe it was just like in his own world there had been things he didn't understand either.

"Not all my Clan had to die," Sasuke said then and Eiji glanced towards him at the shift in tone. Unsurprisingly, the Sharingan burned in his eyes as he glared off into the distance. "Danzo Shimura will die."

"He will," Eiji agreed with a nod. That had been the plan already anyway. "I can help with that."

"Thank you," Sasuke nodded. "I just... Maybe I..." the boy started, seemingly unable to find the right words to express himself. His tone then went from angry to tired as the words spilled from his mouth. "I think I just... need some time alone."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

"Ok then."

"... And Eiji... thank you."

"Don't mention it."

[}-o-{]