The Return

Chapter 19

 Sacrifice

"Sasuke? Aw jeez, not again" Suigetsu rolled his eyes as he watched him intently. Sasuke's eyes burned with an intensity he hadn't seen since he set out to kill Danzo. Don't tell me I'll be stuck with him being all bossy again. Honestly, he's just as bad as Juugo, he thought.

Kill Sakura, kill Sakura, kill Sakura. Those words burned into Sasuke's brain, filling him with a rage he couldn't contain. If she was killed, he would lose absolutely everything. She was the one thing that grounded him to this Earth, that made him feel anything. If she were gone, he'd experience the same loneliness and sadness as when he lost his brother and clan. He couldn't let that happen. He would protect her by any means necessary.

He used his Rinnegan to teleport inside the room where the figures were talking. They looked up in shock as he took out his sword and slay them both. He cut through them like water, but then their forms shifted like static. A genjutsu? But that was impossible, especially with his Rinnegan. He was impervious to it. So, what was going on? Some sort of ninjutsu?

"Sasuke! What the hell are you doing?" Suigetsu called out, backing up against the stone wall.

"Suigetsu, what-?"

"You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?" a deep voice asked. "Sho, your abilities are no longer necessary here. Go, find the girl, and end her!"

"Right away master" a timid voice responded.

Sasuke used his eyes and found a lizard-like figure making its way towards the exit. He teleported, stabbing it before it had a chance to escape. "I guess it was that easy after all" Sasuke retorted, turning his eyes on the other figure who was draped in a black cloak. "Now, it's your turn."

"Are you sure about that?" a voice responded, making his skin tingle.

He turned around to find a clone of himself, a darker and crueler version from his past. "So, that was your ability all along. You use a toxin to create visions of the things we fear."

"You're good, I'll admit that. But let's see if the great Sasuke Uchiha is just talk now. After all, you know I'm the stronger one" the fake replied.

"We'll see about that." Sasuke didn't hesitate in springing to action. "Inferno Style: Flame Control!"

A ring of black flames engulfed the mirage.

"Hey, be careful with those!" Suigetsu called, jumping out of the way.

That's right, Sasuke thought. The poison specialist was hiding somewhere, while he destroyed everything in his path trying to defeat the vision. He had to refocus his chakra and suss out the real one. He made a hand sign and took a deep breath.

There. "Chidori Stream!" he called, sending the Jutsu straight for the lizard-like figure, who he could now see tucked inside a crevice. Sho cried out in pain and collapsed.

"One down, one to go" Sasuke smirked. He could feel the power coursing through his veins. This wouldn't be over until he destroyed the Akai Hebi. He wouldn't rest until their forces were vanquished for good.

"Uh, Sasuke?"

"Suigestsu. Go find Sakura and make sure she stays with Karin and Juugo. Protect her while I deal with him."

"What? Why Karin? I'd trust her the least out of all of us, honestly."

"Suigetsu!" Sasuke turned his eyes on him.

"Alright, alright!" Suigetsu scrambled, jumping back. "You'd better not become all twisted again though. There's only so much we can handle."

"Just go, I'll be fine," Sasuke said turning back towards the enemy. He could feel the darkness swirling within him, wanting to take over but he didn't have time to think about it. Right now, he had to face this enemy. Sakura's life depended on it.