Chapter 77

Title: Conclusion

...

"That won't be necessary."

Hearing the unfamiliar voice in their midst, the group all tensed up, although too late as Gaara who was already exhausted was immediately knocked out and swung onto the shoulder of the new arrival.

"You! Put Gaara down this instant!" Naruto ordered pointing at the masked man who immediately raised his free hand in surrender like a scared kid.

"Kyaa! Tobi is a good boy. Don't attack!" He said while backing away until he was beside the armless Deidara.

"This guy!" Naruto shouted and ran to attack the duo but the masked man placed his hand on Deidara before the three sank into the ground and appeared a distance away from them.

"Hey! I said Tobi is a good boy. Why did you attack!?" The masked man cried out at the wrong time.

"Put Gaara down this instant." Naruto said with a glare at the man.

"Eh..?" The masked man said as he placed his hand on his jaw in thought for a brief moment before shaking his head reluctantly. "I can't do that."

"Why? Put him down now or you'll get it from me,"

However, the masked man only wriggled his waste as he hummed, as though torn on which action to take.

As he did that, Sasuke immediately flashed behind him and swung his sword at him, only for him to sink back into the ground and appear in another location.

"What's that Jutsu...?" Kakashi muttered to himself as he tried to analyze the technique but failed, and as though hearing the question, Tobi answered.

"That's no good one eyed Uchiha, as Shinobi, keeping our Jutsu secret is a norm right?" He asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"And why won't you put him down? You said you're a good boy right? Then be a good boy and put him down." Kakashi tried to reason with him but Tobi shook his head.

"I was asked to retrieve my comrades as well as the Jinchuriki. As a good boy, completing my task is the least I could do." Tobi nodded to himself, feeling proud of his answer.

"Well then." He said and caught Deidara by his clothes and immediately sank into the ground as soon as a whizzing slash coated with lightning passed where his head was once in.

"Tch. I missed the guy...again." Sasuke clicked his tongue in annoyance while sheathing his sword. "And what the hell is with that technique?" He muttered before turning to Naruto.

"Seems like your mission is a failure."

"You!" Naruto glared at the Uchiha who seemed entirely unbothered by the glare and looked at Kakashi.

"Do you have any idea how I got here? I was kinda in the middle of something back where I was before I was whisked away.

"Hey! Team Seven is on a mission right now. Why would you be thinking of leaving again?" Naruto, walking up to Sasuke, grabbed him by his collar and asked.

"Tch, let me go." Sasuke clicked his tongue once again and pried out Naruto's hands from his clothes. "First off, I left the village for a reason. When I'm done, I'll be back."

"When you're done? Sasuke, going down the path of vengeance isn't the answer to any of your problems." Kakashi tried to reason with his student.

"Humph. I'm not seeking vengeance, Kakashi. I'm seeking answers." Sasuke snorted and turned to look at the body that once had his brother's appearance. "And from this battle, I can say that I'm a little bit closer to getting the answers I need."

"Hasn't Shun-Nii already told us everything?" Naruto asked with a frown.

"Yes...yes he did, but that's his own story. I want to hear the true story from the horse's mouth, even if it means battling Itachi to the death." Sasuke replied.

"Itachi is strong, not even me can take him on in his peak..." Kakashi said.

"Are you implying that I'm weak?" Sasuke turned to glare at his former Sensei who chuckled at the quip.

From a point of view, Sasuke was actually calling him weak but Kakashi wasn't bothered about it and said. "Not weak, only that you have to make sure you're strong enough. So strong that you could make Shun fight you without a smile."

"Eh?" Came Naruto's confused voice. "What's Shun have to do with this?"

"They were the strongest of their generation. Simple as that." Kakashi sighed before shaking his head. "Not even the older generations can actually go against them and win completely."

"Oh? They're that strong?" Sasuke asked with a small grin.

"You haven't seen the half of it." Kakashi said. "Anyways, I don't know what Shun has told you about Itachi, but I'll just say this, be careful."

And as though Divine Intervention, Sasuke immediately disappeared and appeared in his room where a worried Jugo and Suigestu were prancing about.

"S-sasuke!" Suigestu cried and jumped at the Uchiha to hug him only to be met with a foot on his face.

"Behave yourself Suigetsu." Sasuke's cold voice snapped as he observed his surroundings. 'The hell is this bullshit? Was that a dream?'

He wondered and checked himself only to see the signs of battle between him and Itachi.

"What the hell just happened?" He muttered and right on qué, Orochimaru entered and said.

"Seems like he's still watching over you, Eh?" He said as licked his lips in amazement. "Come, tell me about it."

Orochimaru Pov

To be able to teleport someone from right under my nose...

Shun, Oh Shun, you really are becoming something else aren't you?

Is this perhaps the parallel dimension movement he spoke about? No, it's impossible for Sasuke to move all the way to the Wind Country from here from a parallel dimension. So it must be Teleportation.

But even at that...This breaks all common sense behind that technique. The Flying Thunder God Jutsu doesn't have this particular segment in all its three forms.

And to make matters worse, he does all this without a mark. I get his Domain Expansion revolves around Space but this...

I really do wonder what heights he'll reach.

"So? What are your plans now that you've fought and defeated that version of your brother?" I asked the young Uchiha I have had the pleasure of mentoring for the past 2 years plus.

To say it wasn't a pleasure would be a lack of sincerity on my part, not that I'm going to show it. But during these few years teaching him, I can say for sure...

He's someone who's Wind will bring about some major changes to the Shinobi world. Not even Itachi gave me this feeling.

Pain, as he called himself, did give me such feelings, but it was fleeting, but this kid... Kukukuku, I really look forward to what storms it'll bring.

"..."

"I don't think I have much to learn anymore." Sasuke began, and he was right. I have taught him everything he could learn. Genjutsu, Fire and Lightning Ninjutsu for attack and defense. Earth Ninjutsu for maximum defense, kenjutsu, Taijutsu, Bukijutsu(all Shinobi weapon techniques).

"I've spent the last few months sparring against Kimimaro, Suigetsu and Jugo which has taken my experience to a whole other level, however." Sasuke paused and looked at his fist.

"I feel like something's holding me back. I lack the ruthlessness needed to take a life, the decisiveness, and even if I did, it's clearly my shortcoming." He said as he recalled how that masked man was able to always notice his presence at the last moment.

General POV

Sasuke knew he hid his presence well, it was one of the first things he learnt under Orochimaru, so he could only assume it was his killing intent leaking.

He hadn't really taken many lives since he began his journey as Shinobi, so his killing intent shouldn't be that massive, yet, it was still noticeable.

-Killing Intent? Psh, that is some form of psychological presence. Nothing you can learn with constant battles.- he recalled Shun's words about killing intent during his last visit.

"I need to leave." Sasuke finished causing a smile to appear on Orochimaru's lips.

"That's good. As a Shinobi, going on a journey sometimes helps in broadening our horizons." Orochimaru said as he turned to leave. "Every capable Shinobi I know have all gone on one such journey, even your teammate, Naruto. In that aspect, he may have a better outlook on life than you."

Opening the doors to the room, he turned and looked at the other three. "You guys go with him. I don't need your assistance any longer."

"Orochimaru-sama!" Kimimaro shouted in both shock and fear.

"What?"

"Did we- did I do something wrong?" Kimimaro asked while the other three had worried expressions. They didn't particularly have the same level of devotion kimimaro had towards the man, but they still held a certain level of respect towards him.

"Humph, I'm done with you lot and you're all still young. Staying with me will only hamper your growth. Get out of here as soon as possible." He said as dearingly as he could before leaving.

One would think he was a cruel person, but Orochimaru ever only wanted what was best for himself and those he deemed useful.

Yes, he did conduct human experiments on children but it was under orders of his superior Danzo. And when Danzo found him to be outside his control, he cut all ties with him and exposed him to Hiruzen.

And even then, he truly was looking for a way to safeguard life as it was known for the people of the future generation. It was a case of 'For the Greater Good.'

That was his belief. And even in the cases of Jūgo, kimimaro and Suigetsu, he only found their physique to be an interesting study into life as it was known.

Were there different reactions in comparison to the normal human body? With Suigetsu Water Water body, was there a possibility of him being Immortal? Was there an Immortal characteristic he didn't know about?

The same could be said for Jūgo and his Nature Intrusive Physique. Kimimaro was the only one he took in due to circumstances. He was merely passing by when he came upon the brutal scene of the Kaguya clan and saved the boy out of his potential usefulness.

However as time went by, he appreciated the boy's talents but fate had a way of playing with people as the boy came up with a strange illness that even he couldn't heal.

It wasn't until a year ago that Shun came and swiftly cured the boy, further adding to Shun's mystery in Orochimaru's eyes.

"Was that the right thing to do Orochimaru-sama?" Kabuto asked as he appeared a little bit behind Orochimaru.

"I could ask you the same. You sticking by me all this time...Is that the right thing to do?" Orochimaru asked back with a smirk that didn't expose any particular meaning.

Kabuto tapped his glasses as light from absolutely nowhere flashed on it. And to make matters worse, they were actually underground, and in a dark passageway.

"I believe in the work we've put into your dream, Orochimaru-sama. My staying with you is the right thing to do." He replied, causing Orochimaru to chuckle.

"I see."

Shun's POV.

Well this just got...meh.

Seems like the plot was gonna follow the same line as it did in the original. The only silver lining is that no one would be dying other than Shukaku who will be extracted.

Sakura was already back in Sunagakure with Kankuro and Temari. In a few days time, he'll regain consciousness.

I guess the time lapse will be enough for Shukaku to be extracted.

Knock* Knock*

"Yeah?" Waving the images in front of me away, I answered the person knocking, allowing the door to open and one of my subordinates entered

"Shun-sama, it's time for the Black Squad meeting. Hanakage-sama asked that you be there in time this time around. There's something urgent he'd like to address." The guy reported.

"Tch. Directly wording it like that..." That guy, was he trying to make sure I don't come late like the other times?

"Sigh, whatever, tell him I'll be there on time."

"Understood!" Saying that, he disappeared from the room.