Chapter 01 - Tainted Soul

Itachi Uchiha.

During his sham of a life, the name Itachi Uchiha, other than the dead giveaway to his ancestral lineage, was a name that resounded throughout the ninja world of the Elemental Nations for one thing, and it wasn't because he possessed the fabled dojutsu, the Sharingan, or his terrifying genjutsu.

What carried his name far and wide was the source of his only regret and his greatest heroic act – He massacred his entire clan – from his parents to the aged elders, and down further to the crawling children – save only his younger brother.

If anyone ever asked, Itachi would say that the reason he carried that mission out was out of love. A love that put his village before his clan, family and lover.

It was for this same love that made Itachi Uchiha force his last living family to a path of revenge and power at the tender age of seven.

What tainted love would make a brother to psychologically manipulate his brother of seven years to make his only goal in life an ardent dedication of killing his own elder brother?

Who knew love could ever be this warped?

…..

Looking at the fading form of a grown and powerful Sasuke after he released the Edo Tensei, Itachi feeling like he had finally achieved peace in death and was finally free of the ugliness of the human world, closed his eyes and let his soul drift into nothingness, or hell. Any one that was open to a sinner like him.

He felt the sensation of his spiritual form breaking down into dust particles but paid no attention to it.

After a whole lifetime of living under orders and duty, duties that still got to him even after he died and ended up bringing him back to the world of the living which he finally completed moments ago, all Itachi Uchiha felt upon his final death was a cold serenity.

He didn't care of the mysteries of the afterlife or if his soul would suffer eternal damnation, all he wanted was to close his weary eyes and drift off to an eternal sleep. And sleep he did.

…. But not for the eternity he sought.

…..

After slumbering for a time he knew not of how long, his consciousness was roused up by the bright peering light of the sun that seemed to be shining directly on his face.

Sitting himself up, Itachi saw that he had been lying on a grassy plain in the middle of nowhere with no recollection of how he got there.

"Is this… The afterlife?" He muttered.

He clearly remembered his soul-link to the human world being severed as soon as he undid the Edo Tensei, and even when his body faded away to nothingness.

"This is the afterlife." This time he said with a level of sureness in his words.

The only thing he had on him was a basic yukata and pants; nothing from his life as a ninja crossed over with him, not even a kunai or wire, something he was rather glad about.

Other than the slight discomfort he felt upon waking up, he was completely fine. Neither his blindness or the sickness he had during the latter end of his life were present.

Walking past the grassy plains into the surrounding forest, Itachi aimlessly walked around, not at all in a rush like he had been all his life.

"Sasuke…" His worried thoughts wandered to his brother, the last Uchiha, hoping his younger brother would finally give up on the path of revenge he had put him on, ever since that fateful night…

He shook his head slowly, knowing that even if Sasuke strayed too far down the wrong path, he had someone who would be there to pull him out. Someone who was more of a brother to Sasuke than Itachi Uchiha ever was.

"Whether it's Sasuke or the Leaf, they will be fine…" Worrying about his brother or the village after his death would do no one any good, least of all him, so he tried not thinking about it.

But then another thought plagued him: if this really was the afterlife, what would happen if he came across his former clansmen, the very same one he slaughtered?

If an underworld of fire and torture are the only things that awaits him at the end of these dense trees, he'll gladly accept it if it meant an atonement for his sins.

However for Itachi, all the solemn thoughts that had been pushing through his mind calm to a slow grinding halt as he exited the trees and his eyes immediately caught sight of what looked like a mini-village off in the distance - a complete human-looking settlement.

Not knowing what to expect and what not to, he went in its direction and it was only when he came closer that a clearer picture appeared before him.

No doubt, this was a human settlement through and through. An impoverished one to boot.

Despite his confusion, Itachi's eyes surveyed the people on the village's outskirts as he drew closer; it wasn't that he wanted to, but old habits die hard.

Other than sparing him a few glances, some longer than others, everyone kept to their circle and didn't bother Itachi as he entered the village, having more questions now than ever.

Even if he loved and hated that part of him, his experience as a ninja was still fresh in mind, even after sleeping for who knows how long, enabling him to perfectly blend his mannerisms and gait as if he was familiar with his surroundings.

However, even after spending over an hour walking around, he didn't get much except that this place was called Rukongai, one of its districts at least, concerns for the coming winter and a few other unimportant things.

As he couldn't get anything good and informative after walking around, Itachi decided to ask one of the group of children playing around.

"Are you a new soul in the Rukongai?" That was the first reply Itachi got, and from the implication of those words, he had to deeply consider if this was really the afterlife or not.