The Weight of Revenge
Slowly the blindfold was removed, but it was very dark. "Good evening, Uchiha Sasuke. You might be wondering where you are or who's talking to you. The answer to both is unnecessary. What is necessary is your place in the world I am planning to create. Allow me to preface this by saying you were not a choice I made to stand with us.
The videotape, the conspiracy revolving your family and Konoha, and your presence here was all suggested by Uzumei Natsuko. She's taken a particularly strong liking to you. Especially since her family was killed in almost the same way yours was. Birds of a feather I suppose…," The voice which had been on the videotape said. A chuckle escaped its lips. Sasuke couldn't see anything, but he supposed this was coming from some speakers around the area.
Suddenly the lights flashed open. In front of Sasuke were two separate mirrors. However, what made Uchiha Sasuke widen his eyes was...seeing Uzumei strapped to a chair. In another room was another woman in the same state. Unlike Uzumei, this woman was gagged.
She frantically shook her head back and forth. "Uzumei-san seems to think that you have such strong needs for revenge that you are a welcome, hell irreplaceable, ingredient for my goals. I, however, am not so convinced. Therefore, if Uzumei has chosen wrong then the price shall be her life, and you will watch as the woman who has so much faith in you is killed before your very eyes," The voice claimed. Sasuke paled and with the light from the windows he was able to see that he too was in a locked room.
Sasuke tried to open the door to his room, but it was locked. No matter how hard he pulled it wouldn't break, and curse him...he had just used his chakra practicing. He didn't have enough to blow the door down. "In the second room, you have Kai Shingen, wife of Takamura Shingen, one of the wealthiest underground bosses which has been birthed within the elemental nations. I will tell you a secret, Sasuke-san. Besides Itachi, you are not the only Uchiha left. You still have some distant family members remaining," it said.
Sasuke stopped struggling against the door. He turned around. "What are you talking about?! I saw Itachi kill every last Uchiha with my very eyes! He tortured me with it for what felt like days! I HAVE NO ONE LEFT!" Sasuke roared, but he was only met with silence for a moment.
"That remains to be seen. You see, there is one surviving Uchiha member in this organization. She was held here...by Takamura Shingen-san and his wife here as their property for who knows how long," it said. Sasuke widened his eyes and he turned to the woman, Kai Shingen. She screamed and cried behind the window, but their glass casing made it impossible to make out anything she said.
"Yes, it seems Uchiha blood is rather popular among slave traders. Sunagakure, Iwagakure, Kumogakure, Kirigakure, hell even some minor nations all have one or two Uchiha sold to them. Each of their disappearances were covered up by Konoha...and those who worked for the Shingens," it teased.
Sasuke stared at her. His anger was quickly rising. If that was true then that meant she was also an instrument in the destruction of his clan and his family! He was so angry he could barely think. He wanted to lash out. He wanted to hurt her! He wanted to crush her and her husband beneath the weight of Uchiha justice! "Why are you telling me this if I can't get to her?!" Sasuke asked.
"Because my friend, you will have a choice to make…," the voice said over the speakers. The young Uchiha then watched as water poured into both room. He watched Kai twist and tear her body in her chair frantically. Uzumei was quiet, almost...patient even. Her eyes were closed as if...accepting what would be.
"Children talk of grudges so many times, and yet their conviction fades with time. I don't need pathetic angsty child's rage in my world. The water completely fill both rooms in ten minutes. Kill Kai Shingen in the name of your clan...or Uzumei Natsuko dies where she sits for her choice in attempting to accept someone with faulty revenge. You may shout Room 1 or Room 2 to release a special surprise for whom you pick," The voice explained.
Tch, faulty revenge?! HIS?! Uchiha Sasuke was an avenger! His entire clan murdered! Uzumei Natsuko had believed him! She had experienced his pain and suffering. Was it even a choice?! "I choose Window…," Sasuke paused when the speakers came aloud.
"Now now, this requires a bit more thinking than that Sasuke-san. You see, Kai Shingen and Takamura Shingen have a son of their own. In fact, he is in the academy training to be a shinobi worthy of Konoha. He has remained blissfully unaware of the plight of his family. Kept in the dark by previous agents who worked for his father, he has no idea what is befalling his parents.
That's right, Sasuke. Revenge...is a poison which drains the hope from the veins of the living. If you kill Kai Shingen, then...for your revenge you will be no different from Itachi who took your mother away from you. Just as you were created in hatred...so too will you make their son walk his path of vengeance to kill you and avenge his family. Is Itachi's death...worth that on your conscience? Tick tock, Sasuke. You can't have both. Your revenge...or your humanity, give up one. Tick...tock!" The voice left with that.
Sasuke bit his lip so hard he let it bleed. If he wanted his revenge, then he would have to create someone who felt just like him! He...would become like Itachi and set another avenge down the long road of betrayal, hurt, and death! In order to get what he wanted, he would have to become a monster...and breed a monster in return to continue the cruel line. He watched the water get higher and higher. It covered the floor and began to rise past their knees.
Sasuke cursed. This stupid woman! What was she even doing?! Sasuke shouldn't even care about her. She was just some no-name lady who got him involved in this crazy nonsense. If she was going to die then that was her problem! Why was he the one deciding her fate? She gave him the chance to claim the strength needed to get to Itachi. He just...had to make a fellow classmate suffer as he had suffered. He had to be an unforgiving, unredeemable monster.
"There is no value in killing the likes of you… My foolish brother… If you want to kill me… curse me! Hate me! And live a long and unsightly life… Run away… run away… and cling to your pitiful life. And then some day, when you have the same eyes as I do, come before me."
Sasuke clutched his head. The memories of his fallen aunts, uncles, cousins, and so many others cried out to him for justice. Those wrongly accused underneath Konoha and those who had not done a single wrong. What did he train so hard for? Why did he forsake those idiots at the academy?! Because attachments that did not help his goals were worthless. Konoha had ordered his clan to be killed! This anger, this rage, it threatened to make the Uchiha collapse.
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