(Sasuke POV)
Walking through the hallways of the hospital, it grew harder and harder to ignore the whispers—some of them mocking, others pitying. "The last of a clan," someone called me, while some questioned why I was the one left alive.
However, given my own knowledge, I know that answer, even if the very answer itself was almost as mocking as the gazes… but honestly, I could care less. To me, the Uchiha name was more a benefit in terms of bloodline than a family anymore.
And besides, revenge would solve nothing… Itachi wants me to find him. He wants me to kill him. I won't give him the satisfaction. Better to stay in the village and use my various perks to become the strongest than to risk going with the pedo snake.
A thousand variables could change, leading to that white-skinned weirdo doing the body transfer before I was ready—even if I went with him. So for now, as I head to the front desk, the secretary stares at me before silently handing me some medical forms, which I take.
After signing some of them and passing them back to her, her eyes move away from me… It's essentially an open secret that the Uchiha clan was dissatisfied with the village, given our treatment. But honestly, people like this, I won't even remember—so it's not even worth thinking of.
Danzo… Óbito… Madara… Orochimaru… Pain. These names are really the only ones that mean anything to me now. Even now, I am beginning to prepare. As I leave the hospital, I am constantly using my chakra sense. I could slowly feel the visuals becoming more and more clear… my range increasing ever so slightly the more I use it.
My Sharingan, however, is another matter entirely. I could feel my eyes had evolved to the next stage, but they had not yet become eternal. I imagine I'm going to need to get stronger, among other processes, to use them… not to mention the Rinnegan. I know I have it, but I can sense I'm not able to use it.
The sun was shining in the sky now, barely a cloud in the sky. I smiled, feeling the warmth of the sun on my face—something I never thought I'd feel again. I take a breath and instinctively feel that the air is cleaner. Given the fact that the industrial revolution wasn't even a thing here, nature was so much stronger.
A flash of fire enters my eyes, and as I take a moment, the memory fades. I clench my fists in a slight amount of frustration… but this was neither the time nor the place. Even now, I could sense the ANBU following me—not too many, at most three of them—but it was hard to tell whether or not some of them were secretly a part of ROOT or not.
I imagine I'm going to have to get used to feeling a subtle amount of paranoia, at least until I'm able to unlock the final level of my eyes…
The hospital itself was a few miles away from the Uchiha clan compound, and as I mostly took the main road, I didn't need to worry about being pulled into some dark alley. I kept my face distraught. Anyone could see the pain on my face, even if I'm not truly feeling it.
My steps were slow and heavy… I kept my eyes moving as if I was nervous, and to be honest, it wasn't that hard to sell given my current state of mind. As I got closer to the compound, less and less people appeared to be on the streets. Some of the market vendors were still in their homes, and I could see through their closed windows that they were huddled in corners, still afraid to leave their homes.
The front gate to the compound had been covered in tape and various ropes, but as I squeezed through some of the cracks, I saw that barely any of the bloodstains had been cleaned. The houses… the windows still broken… I felt something strike my lower side, and as I saw a child run past me, he disappeared as soon as he went beyond the gate… I placed my fingers against my eyes, trying to keep the memories from resurfacing.
Thankfully, my perks were helping me keep my calm and composure… Going further into the compound, I looked towards the graveyard and found it untouched, which in all honesty was as suspicious as it being completely destroyed. I knew that if I dug up any of those graves, their eyes had been removed. The fact that there aren't any bodies around confirms that fact.
Dozens of my clansmen's eyes removed from their sockets and their bodies probably disposed of… As I went towards the library, I found it similarly in a ransacked state on the outside. And as I placed my hands on the wooden doors and they opened, it fell apart at the seams, cracking into pieces.
Moving some of the debris out of the way, I walked inside and found all of the shelves empty—probably taken by Danzo, checking to make sure if anything could be reclaimed. I was disappointed to find a decent amount of them just simply burned to ash. But as I activated my Sharingan, I smiled ever so slightly, as the seals were still in place.
As I was the son of the clan leader, I was fortunate enough to gain access to secret information—specifically the location of the real library within the library. Only those with our eyes would be able to see them, or at least those with high-level dojutsu… You never know with all of the different pairs of eyes in this universe.
Tracing my finger along the wall, I began to complete the chakra circuit. The library itself was inlaid with concealing seals, so the various people I'm sensing outside wouldn't be able to see what's happening inside.
It was clear now that it was my brother who ransacked the library, knowing that if anyone did show up, they would assume that all the knowledge had been destroyed. As I finished tracing the various names of all of the clan leaders along the walls, a portion of the shelves folded within themselves and revealed the hidden staircase.
I quickly ran down the stairs while closing the shelves behind me, and as I entered the basement, I found the real library… dozens upon dozens of rows of shelves pertaining to various jutsu, bloodlines, political relations, and various economic knowledge.
All of the knowledge above was truly something anyone could learn, such as our fighting style and basic information of our clan history, as well as some fire and lightning-style techniques.
But down here is the real knowledge… and for the next hour, I gathered all of the scrolls and books and placed them on the table. Placing my hand under the table, I tried to remember that feeling when I absorbed the key for my pocket dimension… and as a portal opened beneath the table, it fell into it. Seeing that the library was completely empty, I made sure to check—even using my Mangekyou for a split second—before I felt my reserves begin to plummet.
Note to self: don't use it until I gain at least Jonin levels of chakra reserves. Thankfully, due to my perfect control perk, I was able to use my eyes for about a few seconds.
But I was able to check and make sure that nothing else was hidden within the hidden part of the library… constant vigilance, and all that.
Satisfied with my haul, I walked out of the library, and as I saw one of the chakra signatures enter the library as soon as I got far enough away, I smirked, knowing they'll find nothing…
The walk back home was much shorter, and as I approached the entrance to the home, I felt my body begin to shake—an odd amount of resonance—and as my breathing began to quicken, I took one step forward after another…
{He's not there anymore. No one is here anymore…} I repeated this thought process, and as my body began to stop shaking, I entered the living area. I could still see the bloodstains. But what I wanted was to check the tablet beneath the floor.
As I removed the small piece of the tatami mat, I walked down under the staircase… this one was much shorter than the one in the library, and as I entered a small room, I saw the stone tablet. And while I was tempted to read it, I didn't want to pass out due to chakra exhaustion. I already knew what was on it anyway—or at least what the gist was.
But then there was something else I noticed on the left side of the room. There was another chakra circuit connected to a lot of seals.
What made this odd, however, was the seals were very new… at least in terms of how old they felt. And as I placed my hand against the seals, I felt a small prick on my hand, and as a small amount of blood fell onto the seals, they glowed with yellow energy before revealing a cave behind them—hidden by high-level Earth Style Ninjutsu and Genjutsu. Another set of stairs led downwards further, and as if pulled by an outside force, I began to walk down further and further until I found myself within another library.
This one was different. This one held actual books instead of scrolls. The designs were the exact same as back on Earth. But that was not what surprised me. Alone on the opposite side of the room, I could see a door labeled "Sample Collection."
Remembering what I could from the pamphlet describing some of my perks and items, I knew what was behind the door, and I smiled. However, in the center of the room, there was a large wooden table, and on top of it was a large scroll similar to that of a summoning contract.
And as I walked over towards it and looked, I saw images of a dragon rampaging—its black and gold scales fighting against beings that had six or four arms… I saw what looked to be water beginning to disappear and black fire emanating from the dragon's mouth.
I could almost begin to hear voices. I could hear the screams. I could almost hear the exact moment that the scroll was made.
And rather impulsively, I placed my hand on top of it, and as the seals from the scroll began to crawl along my body, I could barely make a sound before passing out….
(Hiruzen POV)
"Dog, report…" The tone of my voice left nothing to chance, and as one of my top guards lifted his head, he began to speak.
"Yes, Lord Hokage… After Sasuke exited the hospital, he headed straight towards the Uchiha district. He talked to no one and seemed to still be lost within his grief… After entering the Uchiha district, he went straight to the library, possibly hoping to recover any of the books from the massacre. However, after sending one of our operatives inside, he found nothing. We assume that Sasuke attempted to find any hidden knowledge but found nothing. Upon leaving the library, he headed home and hasn't left…"
I held my hand against my chin, my emotions in turmoil. The Uchiha had been a founding clan. To have them wiped out was no easy decision… but without Shisui and his ability to control the minds of the leaders behind the coup, there was no means to stop them… at least not without conceding both politically and economically… I just wish it hadn't come to this.
Giving Dog a nod, he disappeared and took his place outside the window. Itachi is in a very dangerous predicament. He now exists outside the system. Hundreds upon hundreds of ninja will attempt to kill him, not to mention that organization he mentioned—the Akatsuki...
"I know you're there. Come out!" The door to my office then opens, and as I see Danzo enter, I notice that there is some blood around his cast…
"How are you injured?"
"Had to deal with some spies. It is not my blood…. But that is not why I am here. The young Uchiha boy—what is going to be done with him?"
"What we agreed upon… he's not to be touched, old friend. You do know his older brother will make good on his threat should we even attempt to harm a hair on his head." My old friend simply scoffs as he walks towards the window and stares outside. I can almost feel the envy in his presence. Ever since the passing of Lord Second, I have seen the darkness in his eyes grow ever so much stronger.
"His older brother is now out of the village. He has no means of keeping tabs on his youngest sibling. It would be simple—a single night—and we would never have to worry about him betraying the village should he find out the truth." I scowled, thinking back to the broken child I left at that hospital.
"No… unless he takes actions against the village, his loyalty remains untampered with… am I clear?" The hidden threat behind my voice would've been clear to any academy student.
He then turns towards me with that same closed-eyes look that he's always had… I can sense his agents around the tower… I should almost feel insulted.
"You would leave the boy? You would leave one with the ability to find out what really happened? Hiruzen, you know he will find out eventually."
"He is no Madara Uchiha, Danzo… A singular Uchiha cannot bring down a village without being the exception… Besides, I checked on the boy today. He could barely look me in the eye. All he knows is that his older brother killed his clan for greater power—and that is all he shall know. This discussion is over… Have you found any traces of Orochimaru?"
"No… My agents have found nothing. But given the fact that he most likely has labs across the entire continent, it is likely that he has simply gone underground. He is a scientist first and foremost, and once he has his materials, he rarely ever needs to show himself." Gritting my teeth, I am reminded of my greatest failure….
As I stand up, Danzo watches as I begin to leave the office. "So you are simply going to leave the boy alone? This is stupidity beyond words."
I extend a portion of my chakra and stare at my old friend dead in his one eye… "Nothing is going to happen to the boy. If I find any ROOT agents, we will have words… Now if you will excuse me, I must go and deliver Naruto his monthly stipend."
Exiting the office, I could almost see the beginnings of a smirk form on my old friend's face, and I simply wonder if the draw of this position is becoming too much for him…
(Sasuke POV)
"Did someone get a license plate for the truck that just hit me?" Groggily getting up, I find myself in an entirely different space. The library had given way to an endless void.
As I looked around, I attempted to use my Sharingan to see anything but found that I couldn't access it. And as my breathing began to slightly quicken, I again looked around, but as soon as I blinked, I found a large serpentine creature in front of me.
For a few moments, I stared into its eyes. The multiple red eyes glowed in the darkness as it began to circle around me…
"Well, isn't this interesting? The mind of a man in the body of a child… Truly, fate has such strange intrigues…"
My heart stopped, but as I tried my best to keep a calm façade, the serpentine being simply laughed…
"It's been a long time since someone's been able to look me in the eyes after having one of their greatest secrets revealed in front of them… Now the question is, what will you do next?" Instead of answering, I simply walked forward. And as I got closer and closer to its lowered head, I could see the beginnings of a smile form on its face.
"Hmmmm… it's good to see one so fearless in the face of my majesty… Many would, however, confuse your boldness for arrogance… Who are you to stand in front of me?" I narrowed my eyes, and as I focused, I felt that connection form again.
Smiling, I snapped my fingers. The entire space around us became what looked to be a version of paradise… Blue skies and a yellow sun above both of us as we stood standing on top of a lake in the center.
"Here I am king… Now the question is, who are you?" The serpentine creature then began to coil its body around my own, and as I'm lifted higher and higher into the air, closer to its face, my gaze never left its eyes.
For a few moments, we stared at one another until the creature began to chuckle, and the chuckle became roarful laughter…
"HAHAHAHAhaa… You amuse me, anomaly. But enough with the theatrics… now is the time for introductions. I am the Dragon of Drought, of Chaos, the enemy of gods and kings… and, currently enough, the Zero Tails. It seems I am your contracted beast, and you are my sacrifice. I can't say there is anything wrong with you, though. I imagine you will grow into a fine young specimen."
OK, this is getting weird now…
"It's nice that you think so highly of me. I assume you've seen everything?" The creature continued to smirk at me.
"I've seen enough… I've seen your ambition, your past, and your present, and I admit—I like what I'm seeing… I see rage, I see pain… so many delectable emotions… I am Vritra, and from now on we are one and the same. Please take good care of me…." The beast then let me down, and as I stood up upon the water, I watched as the beast began to shrink.
Soon enough, I saw the beast resemble an older woman with striking blonde hair and yellow eyes, wearing a gothic black dress… and as she stood over me, she smirked.
"And you, once mortal, and once entirely new, are now Sasuke Uchiha… and now, one more question—what is your ambition? What is your goal? Now answer this carefully…"
Her eyes glowed that same red color as before, and for a moment, I felt as if I should be afraid, but here that feels impossible… I looked and saw a house in the distance. I listened to the rustling of the leaves and the nearby trees. I took in the air, the sights, and sounds, and as I activated my Sharingan, I witnessed the true beauty of this place.
Due to Vritra's presence, this place had been exposed to an immense amount of Sage Chakra. Nature itself bloomed in every direction, and I could see no imperfections for miles. The touch of man had not reached this place.
Looking back to the Dragon of Drought, I answered her, "I want to make a world like this for myself, and myself alone. I do not want to ever exist under the orders of another. I've seen that road. I've witnessed what lies at the end. I've seen too much… but I can't create a place like this on my own, especially not now. I'm too weak. I'm simply too weak."
Her smile became feral as she abruptly laughed as if finding the perfect candidate, and as she took me into her arms and held me close to her, she began to swing me around like a teddy bear.
"YES! Yes! It's perfect! Truly the goal of a dragon—to carve out their place in the world or to create an entirely new one. I do apologize for the presentation. I wanted to make sure that my contractor wasn't a weakling, after all… but for now, I do believe I should give you the tour."
To be honest, I'm just happy she let me go, as I felt like I was about to pass out due to being crushed against her chest. But I will admit to myself that it wouldn't be the worst way to go…
As she caught my gaze, she smirked before holding her hand against her cheek.
"It seems that my contractor isn't just Uchiha, but also a pervert… for shame, contractor…"
"I'm calling bullshit on that—"
"Ha! Of course it is. I'm a dragon contractor. We are creatures of desire, but unlike the devils, we are the apex of existence. I could care less if you took dozens of lovers in the future. But for now, it's just you and me."
Taking a silent gulp, I do imagine I will need an adult in the future.
"I am an adult, though…"
You can read my thoughts, can't you?
"Unless you truly want me to stop, then yes, I can hear your thoughts. But do feel free to fulfill your greatest fantasies with me in your mind. My majesty is just too great not to see."
Great. Looks like I have my own preverted dragon in my head.
"Life is too short to not indulge, contractor. But for now, let me show you to your new abode. I do imagine you'll want to know where you dropped off all of those books earlier, do you not?" That brought my attention back to the conversation, and as she transformed back into her dragon form, I rode on top of her head. I could almost hear the Dune music effect as I rode the top of the dragon, which was, to be honest, closer to a snake.
The trip barely took a few minutes, and as we arrived in front of a Japanese-inspired building, that sense of peace I'd been feeling grew stronger. I felt invincible here—not of body, but of mind. I saw my greatest moments and focused on the individual emotions…
But as I did so, I saw the beginnings of something begin to take shape in the sky—the beginnings of a name. But as I felt myself being pulled downwards, I entered the mansion by myself, and as I did so, I found all of the books I had placed from the Uchiha library on the table.
But that wasn't the strangest thing. The building wasn't normal—doors appeared and disappeared at random, as if I could control the amount of space there was. As I focused on creating a library, I felt the subtle shifting of the building before a door appeared in front of me.
And as I entered it, I found that all of the books that were on the table had been moved onto the bookshelves…
Not only that, I saw that same sample collection room had been moved from that library next to the tablet shrine, and I made sure to keep it there, as I do not want those samples getting out. However, I did notice that the library itself was empty, and I realized that I have yet to move those other books…
As I left the building, I saw Vritra sitting on the porch step, looking out onto the serene view… and as I thought about leaving the dimension, I did something a bit impulsive. I sat down next to her, and as I looked out onto the peaceful sky, I held my hand out towards the sun, imagining making my own world like this—a place that could no longer hurt me, a place to watch the sunset unalone.
"The journey is just beginning, contractor… Eventually, you will rise above all of those who would seek your demise… Just don't be stupid… and while we have the time, let me tell you about the time that I made Indra—the god, not your ancestor—nearly cough up blood due to my shenanigans…"
I'm pretty sure the story ends with her getting captured, but I'll just let her talk. And as she did so, I felt changes begin to enter my body. My chakra became much stronger, almost bursting at the seams… In that moment, I felt the power of a Jinchūriki. And as I made a small cut on my hand, I saw it regenerate almost instantly….
Yes, this is a good start…