(Book the Second) In the Eye of the Snake ~Crimson Light in the Uchiha

Otogakure and the Red Dawn

Itachi's POV

I stand at the stairs leading to the gate that stood in front of a shrine. I stare at Orochimaru who pants on the steps below me. He smiles but I simply look back at him with my mangekyo sharingan activated.

"This can't be...." pants Orochimaru, "I've been caught in a Kanashibari no Genjutsu...what great eye power...it's splendid."

This troublesome man, I focus my sharingan and wooden beams appear on Ororchimaru, some of them even stabbing straight through him. Orochimaru tries to raise his arms but I close my eyes and my hand swipes through the air. His left hand flies through the air and lands at my feet.

Orochimaru doubled over and grasped his left wrist which was no more than a bloody stub. He grimaces in pain and I smile at him. "Orochimaru," I chid, "all your jutsus are ineffective in front of those eyes... And besides," I let my arm drop to my side, "I thought I would enjoy some vengeance on you for doing that to her." I look calmly at Orochimaru, "you know perfectly well who I'm talking about."

Orochimaru let out a chuckle, "Kabuto-kun told me you killed her mercilessly and now you seek revenge for how I treated her."

He hit a target. I should be careful for what I say. I put away my kunai and I turn back. "I hold no interest for your pathetic goals. You are a hindrance to the Akatsuki. You may have succeeded in many things with Sasori, but without your power in the face of your own acquaintances in the Akatuski..." I shake my head, "you are useless." I walk up the stairs and I leave Ororchimaru behind.

It was useless to hold a grudge against him and Kabuto for what they did to my sister. I was a hypocrite. I killed her, how can I get angry at people who hurt her if I ended her life myself?

Orochimaru's POV

Damn....Uchiha Itachi, I really wanted your body so that I could acquire the sharingan. But now with you overpowering me and me left with no other person to be my host...I must leave this organization.

I have no more connections with this "Akatsuki." I will work alone with just Kabuto and I. My ambitions don't even include this organization anyways.

I pick up my severed hand and I tuck it into my robes. turn in the opposite direction of Itachi without a second thought and I proceed down the stairs.

"Ororchimaru-sama!" Kabuto rushes at me, "Your hand!"

"we are leaving, Kabuto," I rasp, "let's go to the nearest Otogakure head quarters."

Kabuto stands there stunned for a moment before he nods, "Hai!" We start running down the cobble-stone path and we leap into the forest.

Itachi's POV

One by one, flickers of people appear in the dark cave. Pein stands in the middle and his rinnegan eyes survey us coldly. "You are a witness, according to Zetsu. What happened with Orochimaru?"

I glance at the plant and I look back at Leader. "He has left us. He tried to 'posses' me but failed. I severed his hand with the ring. He took the hand so that he would not be able to be replaced by another member."

Sasori who stands beside me stiffens, "That bastard," he growls, "I should kill him." I wider how long Sasori will keep this grudge. He had been Orachimaru's partner, after all. If I remember clearly, it was those two who infiltrated Konoha on the day I went to investigate Suna with Kakashi and Shisui.

Shisui......the Uchiha Clan and my parents......I clear my mind and I think of them no more.

"What is done is done" says Leader loudly, "in the mean time, we will need to find a new member soon. A new ring can be issued out. We cannot have Sasori without a partner."