Chapter Forty-One
Out Of Line II
"So my little brother was fixated on revenge until the end."
Tsunade's eyes snapped up when she heard the new voice and found the man sitting on the sofa by the wall. The man is no longer wearing the Akatsuki cloak, instead having it draped over the back next to him. Unlike before when those in the room last saw him, he looked more pale and sickly with his eyes being sunken and his lips a cold hue. He looked more frail compared to the nearly unmatched image he was presented as a missing-nin.
She could tell that he was not healthy just by the cursory glance and it made her wonder why he would come here in such a state. "Itachi. What are you doing here?"
"I heard my little brother had died," his words are steady and leveled but there is a slight edge to it that tells of how upset he was. "I came to see how it happened and who was to blame."
Tsunade's eyes narrowed at his words and sat forward, resting her elbows on her desk as she did. "Why does it matter to you?"
The man did not answer, instead coughing into a cloth he pulled from his pocket. She noticed the small amount of blood from the corner of his lips before wiping it away. That alarmed her to his health even more so but she still remained guarded against this man. He didn't need to fight you when his Sharingan can achieve anything weapons could without moving.
"Itachi," Karin turned around to look at the man and get his attention, her eyes peering from behind her glasses quizzically. "Sasuke died not having his answers but I want to know. You were ordered to kill the Uchiha clan weren't you? By Danzo, right?"
"Hm," Itachi smiled at that and put his cloth away before sitting back. "Danzo. I was happy when I learned that he was killed for treason. He had gotten away with a lot of things under Hiruzen's watch and I would have handled him myself if he was alive today."
"You're not answering the question-," Karin sighed and was going to turn around when Itachi spoke up more.
"Yes, I was ordered to kill my clan. Not just by Danzo, but the elders that advised the Hokage and the Hokage himself." Itachi's answer made even Tsunade pause with a narrowed gaze. "This is all verbal orders as no one could be found at fault for exterminating an entire clan loyal to the village. But there was the fear that an Uchiha responsible for the Kyuubi Attack was among our number and the risk they would do so again was a security risk."
"So they ordered you to kill all of them," Karin finished more to herself. "So Sasuke's desire for revenge had all been misplaced from the beginning. He had a feeling he was being lied to but he wanted to hear it from your mouth."
"If you were ordered to kill everyone, why was Sasuke left alive?"
Itachi chuckled at Tsunade's question and pointed to himself. "I threatened them. I still had village secrets, codes, and do you know how ugly it would have been if the rest of the village learned that any of them could be wiped out over suspicion and not evidence? The clans alone would be in an uproar and the Uchiha would have been the least of their problems in this event. I made sure they knew I was still around so nothing happened to my little brother."
"That's why you appeared after Orochimaru's attack," Suigetsu commented. "With Hiruzen dead, you needed to make sure they did not forget about the deal about leaving Sasuke alone."
"Otherwise, Danzo would have taken the time to gain Sasuke's loyalty," Karin nodded to herself.
"Smart kids," Itachi nodded his head with a soft smile. "But it means nothing now. My little brother died fighting Nagato and his Paths of Pain. My question is why did he die for this village?"
The three former teammates looked at each other as the question seemed directed at them and even Tsunade was looking at them for an answer. It was indeed one of her questions for later but with the rogue ninja now asking it she might as well listen for the answer as well.
"He's changed from when he left Konoha and killed Naruto," Karin began speaking slowly. "He's regretted a lot of his choices and he wanted to make it up. He told me it was so that when he eventually died and went to the Pure Lands, he could feel like he did something to honor Naruto's death. He was willing to die for the village Naruto, who he considered a brother, loved so much."
Tsunade scoffed and shook her head, the sadness she was feeling over Naruto's absence being pushed aside by all of her bitterness. How could that girl say all of that with a straight face? Sasuke regretted his choices? Regretted killing his comrade? Horseshit!
Where's my Sake?
She rummaged through his drawer's papers for a bottle but it was fruitless and she realized that Shizune must have cleaned her out recently. She held herself back from slamming the drawer shut and took a strained deep breath before exhaling.
"It's still surprising that my brother could kill Nagato," Itachi hummed without commenting on the Hokage's attitude. "None of us, in Akatsuki that is, could do so and I doubt Sasuke had grown so powerful in a short amount of time."
"That's…" Karin looked at Suigetsu for him to talk.
"Something empowered him after his first death." Suigetsu's statement shocked the two veteran shinobi and they looked at him questioningly.
"His first death?" Tsunade barked out.
"Sasuke died using Susanoo to protect a bunch of us - me, Hatake, and the Akimichi - from the technique that leveled the village into a crater," Suigetsu specified, getting a look of understanding from Itachi and a narrowed gaze from Tsunade. "He died for all of half a minute before he exploded in this fiery energy. It burned with the power of Amaterasu but it was pure and did not look like the hellish flames."
Itachi's thoughtful gaze seemed to morph into shock and then a small grin made its way across his lips. "The legends are true."
A soft laugh left his lips as he let his head hang back on the couch with his smile turning into a wide grin. More, heartier laughs escaped him as he giddily stomped his feet on the carpet. He kept repeating himself as small lines of tears dropped from his eyes before he exploded into coughing fits.
Everyone watched in shock and concern of what got the rogue ninja who is usually so composed into this fit. However, Karin exploded to her feet when she noticed the large amount of blood splattering across the man's fist and lips. She approached him to help calm him or heal him of his ailments but she was waved away from him.
"No," he laughed as he shooed her away and grabbed his cloth to clean himself. "I'm fine. Haha- I can't believe Sasuke was chosen."
As he wiped his mouth, Tsunade narrowed her gaze and scrutinized the man closely. He was dying just by gauging his symptoms and current physical condition. She hazarded a guess that he was on some kind of medication but that doesn't seem to be doing jack squat anymore.
If this is how he is now then he likely had little time left untreated.
"I'm sorry," the last Uchiha breathed out in shallow breaths. "I needed to hear that. Thank you."
Karin sat back and looked the man over, unsure if she should drop the topic of his health or not. He looked fine now, relaxed, but she can see the shudder of his body from whatever ailment is affecting him.
"What's this legend you mentioned," Karin questioned instead. "What chose Sasuke?"
Itachi hummed to himself softly, staring at the wall as he thought. "The Uchiha have a myth of their origin that would make us into the Uchiha known around the world. It's all tied to our ancestor, Indra, and his path of redemption where he was ultimately cleansed with the Flames of Solara. Our Amaterasu technique is born of this pact with her."
"What is Solara? Is she a supernatural spirit or an alien?"
Itachi shook his head at Tsunade's questions. "Solara is a divine Phoenix, the pet of God's Flame. She is neither alien or spirit, just a living being in a different sense compared to us."
He chuckled again as he felt himself grow weaker, colder, on the couch. "And she chose to lend her power to Sasuke. He must have been special… to be granted that honor."
As he closed his eyes to no longer see his vision swimming, he had a smile on his lips even as his consciousness faded. I guess it is funny that Sasuke accidentally stopped Madara's plans for the world. Without the Rinnegan they can't accomplish anything.
Haku had not been in this part of the Entertainment District in a very long time. Ever since Naruto first found him four years ago, that is, and took him with him. He hasn't had to look back ever since and as he looked around he couldn't be more grateful.
This building was filled with poor Sinners who sank themselves deeper into their sin of choice. They let themselves be used and abused, or did the abusing themself. All just to feed the empty hole they built in life without the strength or hope to stop.
Haku could have been one of them too. Without the guiding hand of Zabuza, he could have gotten close with the wrong people and be just as miserable as these people. If it wasn't Velvette's clothing company it was going to be Valentino's debaucherous nightclubs and cinema. There was no other use for a pretty effeminate boy than being a model of some kind.
Now that he's been gone for so long, he could only feel pity and sadness when he looked at these people. None of them looked truly happy, the few who did have made their living by being the abusers and tying themselves to the Vees' empire. But they were so far and few that it was only the exception to the rule.
It was one of the things that made Haku more careful and engaging with Angel Dust when he arrived. He knew that the boy was coping with his afterlife choices as well as trauma from life. Who he currently was, was built on protecting himself in the environment he was in.
Drugs and sex all came from his service in Valentino Studios. The porn demon's special smoke and liquid being stronger than any other drug on the streets with the power to ensnare anyone's senses. Sex was one of the only ways to get rid of the effects and as such it was easy to get those victims into porn movies to sate the desires.
Naruto saw the use of the industry but even then he did not like the methods used. Haku thought to himself with a grimace as he noticed one particular girl slumped over her chair.
He did not agree with the blonde at all on that. People like Valentino and the aggressive lackeys that keep this cycle in constant motion did not deserve the easy life they continue to enjoy. But Haku did not care enough to fight on the topic, especially since he was of the mind that the victims don't have the nerve to fight back. Even if he somehow got Naruto to change it all, there was no way these people would stick up for themselves.
"Ma'am, are you lost?"
Haku would have continued walking even while hearing that if not for someone grabbing his shoulder. He stopped in his tracks, partly because whoever's large as fuck palm was on his shoulder was preventing him, and looked to see who it was. He found a large hellhound holding onto him while a tall and lanky hellcat stood next to him. They were both wearing tank tops and joggers.
"Come with us, we will help you," the hellcat grinned flirtatiously, not the one that spoke first.
"Get your hand off of me please," Haku told the hound calmly and kindly. "I already know where I am going."
"Hey! Dumbasses!"
The two hellborn froze as the shout from Velvette stopped them from insisting, and they looked at the female Overlord in slight fear.
"Ahem!" The hellhound cleared his throat as he let Haku go and faced Velvette. "What do you need, ma'am."
"Well, to start, for you to not bother my guest," Velvette smirked at the hellborn. "He's here representing Naruto. So you would do well to mind your business, capisce?"
The hellborn glanced at the boy in surprise before nodding their heads. They apologized quickly before speeding off without looking back, both bemoaning to each other about something or another. Haku knew it had something to do about him or the silent threat made by Velvette; either way, he was grateful to be left alone again.
"Alright," Haku finally said now that he was left alone by the hellbeasts. "Thanks, Velvette. Was expecting to have to break some arms if they continued."
"I'd rather wait for the big confrontation before you get to do that," Velvette smirked and jerked her head to the elevator. "Come on."
The big confrontation. Velvette only knew that Haku was doing what was needed to put the two Overlords back in line, and' do what Naruto should have done in the beginning'. She had no idea beyond that and that was necessary for this plan to have the shock value needed.
Despite Velvette coming to Haku and truthfully believing in Naruto's reign over the Entertainment District, there was just no way he could trust her wholeheartedly. No one gained power like that in Hell through well wishes and honesty; there was a lot of cheating and manipulation that played into someone's control and position.
Chime!
The elevator's golden doors opened to reveal a long hall of expensive marble sculptures and paintings. Extravagant seems to not be expressive enough.
"Vel, babe, you back already-?"
Valentino stopped and his words seemed to die in his throat as he stopped at the end of the hall and stared at the two of them. His eyes behind his rose tinted glasses were wide and frozen as he tried to work out something to say.
"Nice to meet you, Valentino," Haku greeted as he calmly walked forward. "My name is Haku Yuki, and I'm here on behalf of Naruto Uzumaki. If you would kindly…"
He raised his hand and immediately surrounded the moth demon in thick ice. The tall man's arms were pinned to his sides and everything below his neck was completely frozen. Even his smoking cigarette holder was encased and snuffed out from the extreme cold.
"…follow me so we can get your partner as well," Haku finished and controlled his ice to carry the man with him.
The ice glided over the floor at Haku's command, leaving a wet trail behind like a snail would as it moved. The water would clean itself eventually as there is no chakra to fuel its existence to survive in Hell. It was also one of the many reasons why Haku barely used his Kekkei Genkai to fight; it cost too much chakra to feed it when it was always being melted by the hellish temperature.
Ignoring the man's grunts to get free, Haku entered the main room that Val had come out of. Velvette followed behind with a skip in her step, her hands behind her back as she hid her excitement from the others. Call her sadistic but she was looking forward to seeing her former partners squirm under someone else for a change.
Out with the old and in with the new. This is what they get for constantly treating me like a child.
"Val, have you messed with my cameras again? None of them are coming in."
Haku watched as Vox walked from the back of another room. He had a tablet in his hands and was fiddling with the screen without looking at them.
"Vox, hon, we have a problem," Val softly got the Overlord's attention. "We have a guest."
Vox looked up and his eyes widened when he saw Valentino encased in ice and Velvette standing behind one of Naruto's top minions. This is exactly the thing he did not want to happen, at least not yet, and he knew he had one person to blame.
His screen sent out sparks as he grimaced when he realized what had clearly happened. "I see you were just playing us, Velvette. Should have known you'd choose that bastard's dick over your freedom."
Velvette examined her nails as the man insulted her, unimpressed and bored if anything. "Oh, calm down, old man. If you weren't such a prick, I would have kept my nose out of your business and just watched your plans fail on their own."
"Instead you backstab us," Vox tossed the tablet away in anger.
"Unlike you, I stand by my word," Velvette shot back. "I have a deal with Naruto and I plan to stand by it. It's not like I've lost anything by working with him, it's just you guys wanting more out of greed than anything."
"Then you will fall with the bastard," Vox threatened before he began transforming into his full demon form.
His suit was torn apart as his humanoid body split apart from his neck down. His screen grew in size into the dimensions of a large TV while five other monitors appeared behind the screen; the smaller screens were attached to large cables that sprouted from his TV. His arms duplicated to be six in total and his nails grew to three inches long on each hand. His legs turned into cables the size of sewer pipes and dug into the floor.
"ZZZzzt- Now you will be the first to fall as I take back everything I had built-tttzzzt-!" His voice warbled as his shout exceeded the natural limit of his screen and the bass made the speakers blow out.
Five large drones dropped from the ceiling and fanned out around the transformed Overlord. The tops of them were armed with a turret while they emitted a small pulse of heavenly energy. They are armed with heavenly steel tipped bullets, an inexpensive cartridge since most of the bullets were not consisting of the rare metal.
Haku raised an eyebrow at the transformation, finding himself unimpressed with it all despite the hellish power that was wafting off of the Sinner. This was nothing to the other energies he has been in the presence of - and he was with the Holy Spirit for a long time. He knows what true power is, granted that it is unfair comparing someone to God.
Valentino was cooing at the power of his partner, even as he stayed in the shell of ice. He had noted that he could not break out as this magic was different from the energies everyone else could harness. But with Vox not being surprised, he would have no problem avoiding this same predicament.
"Now-vvvvvv-w I shall broadcast this and the destruction of your res-zzz-taurant to all of my-y-y-y networks!" Vox froze and glitched as he shouted.
That is, until he loaded to the rest of his network that connected all of his cameras and drones together. His eyes widened and he stuttered incoherently, making Velvette and Valentino look on in confusion.
"It seems you've realized," Haku began and the temperature in the room began to drop as it was slowly saturated with his chakra. "Your empire was dismantled before you even had the chance to fight."
Haku always knew that the techno-centric Overlord relied on his cameras and drones to project his reach and strength. The man was no small fry, but it was his control and extent of technology that made him the danger that everyone sees him as. His ability to cast a genjutsu-like illusion to manipulate the minds of others had been a not-so-known power and even now no one knows that when they watch his streams they are just feeding his power.
His televisions that are constantly live around the city, streaming anything his cameras are catching or producing in the V Tower, are constantly feeding him power. Naruto had noted it two years ago when he was getting wary about the security of his restaurant. He had notes and compilations of evidence that described each of the Vees' powers so that he knew everything they were capable of.
So, Haku made the decision he won't grant a grand battle that will decide the winner. There was no reason for it. Instead, he had Minato and Jiraiya go to all of the points where the drones, cameras, and televisions are set up and destroy them. Minato had his Hiraishin and Jiraiya could create the most Shadow Clones of any shinobi other than Naruto, being just short of sixty at once.
But that was not all that Haku had prepared for this encounter. He knew Tayuya needed experience on the field with what she's learned from Jiraiya so she is out doing another thing for him.
"Vox, you may think yourself smart and prepared for anything, but you have never faced anyone like us," Haku informed the silent Overlord, indicating to himself and the others loyal to Naruto. "I never came here with the intent to talk or to even fight. I've never had to when there are other avenues to destroy a person."
"What you've just realized is your carefully crafted empire, built on fragile drones and screens, being destroyed right under your nose. Not only yours, but the same is happening to Valentino as well. I took the liberty to set you back on your knees in preparation for this confrontation."
Haku paused in his speech and looked up at the large screen that was still frozen and silent. "Now it'll be easier to repent and beg for forgiveness."
"What did you do?" Velvette questioned in awe as she was shocked that Vox was still frozen stiff.
"I destroyed everything connected to Vox's network of control, and completely destroyed all clubs owned and operated by Valentino and his subordinates."
Now that snapped Vox out of his stupor as his clawed hands and moved to swipe at Haku. "I WILL END YOU-U-U-U!"
"Chill," Haku stated, activating his chakra that saturated the room.
Instantaneously, the cords became frozen solid from the arms to the floor. It was horrifyingly beautiful, and Velvette shivered at the cold now being blatantly clear.
Haku channeled chakra into his arm and fist and swung at the large pillar. His fist connected with a thump and fractures sprouted from where his punch landed. It didn't seem to do much more for a few moments before they started hearing it.
K-crack! Crack! K-k-crack!
Collectively, the spiderweb of fractures began expanding and moving further throughout the ice. Not just around but inside of the block of ice was cracking and coming apart. As it seemed to reach its climax, a resounding explosion boomed and the ice trapping Vox's arms exploded apart. His cords holding his hands blew apart With each part flying everywhere in the room.
Suddenly, Vox was left without his hands and the only cords left are the ones holding his monitors around his face screen.
Haku stared at the man in silent delight, taking in the shocked and horrified expressions of the man before deciding enough was enough.
"Now, let's review the punishment for going against your deal with Naruto-kun."
Naruto's eyes were cracked open as he just stared at the ceiling of the dimly lit room he was in. It wasn't his cell anymore, not that he could really look around to tell. But hey, at least he wasn't chained up anymore.
"So, Mortifer, you got an explanation on why all of us are here and why the Promised One is not chained up?" Mars asked as he stood outside of Naruto's vision.
He was not the only one there, either. Other than Mortifer, who he addressed as soon as he appeared in the dark cave, there was the rest of the inner circle of the New Order. Shibai stood near Mortifer with a large book in his hands, his finger skimming over the pages while muttering to himself. Óðinn is at Naruto's feet, his iconic armor and cloak worn for whatever the occasion was.
And lastly is the heir to the previous fifth member of the founding New Order. This one is a bird-like demon, a Geotia demon, with light blue and white feathers that sparkled like exquisite diamonds. He wore expensive clothes and jewelry, the pearl necklace of his mother, the other founding member, being around his neck. This is Andraelphus, Marquis of the Goetia, and the demon who inherited the seat of the inner circle.
Andrealphus had been taught growing up by his mother to eventually take her spot as an Inner Circle member in the case she would ever die or go missing. However, despite the teachings, he was a very lackadaisical member that was not around for every meeting. It was always that he was either keeping up appearances he built growing up before becoming a member or that the meeting was not important enough to risk someone noticing he was missing.
"It seems that the last viable Uchiha had destroyed the only Rinnegan of Ninkai and its wielder," Mortifer began informing everyone as everyone had finally arrived.
They're talking about Sasuke, Naruto thought to himself as he listened to his captors talk.
"That means the Moon Eye Plan that they planned on doing to release one of Shibai's descendents has been completely stopped. That, in turn, affects our future plans."
"And instead of waiting for a new Rinnegan to be created," Shibai interrupted Mortifer as he created a clone of himself that began writing lines around Naruto, "we plan on just giving them a weapon to speed everything up. What better weapon than a shade of the Promised One?"
Now that got everyone's attention. A shade of the Child of God?
"We're creating a clone of the Promised One?" Andrealphus questioned lightly with narrowed eyes. "Wouldn't that backfire?"
Shibai did not answer immediately but he was still looking over the page in front of him. "What God made the mistake of doing was making His child with chakra. Unlike magic, which follows the rules of existence, chakra follows the rules of creation. His creation, that is; time, life, death, every cycle and law that he put in place. The powers He uses solely will be used against Him."
"What's the plan with the clone then? Will he carry it out himself?" Óðinn asked the question with a thoughtful gaze.
"The mortals carried out most of the plan, so they are no longer needed," Mortifer pulled out a marble - this one glowed orange. "Good thing that we did not need his father or else this would not have been an option."
A steely dead glare was sent at Óðinn making him tense just briefly before the Dead God simply turned back to the orb in his fingers. He passed it to Shibai, getting a nod of thanks, before he placed it in one of the circles dotting the complex circle diagram. Just at a glance, it would be like a ritualistic circle but this one held symbols and shapes unknown to the fallen gods and Goetia.
Is that Kurama? Naruto questions himself as all he can see is the glinting marble. He must have been taken when I died?
"The mortals have most of the pieces, and with this one, they will get the rest." Shibai told them before he produced more objects from his pocket space. "The sacrifice of blood, tied to the birth of chakra. The delivery of a heart, once beating with the purity of God. And finally, the vessel of which it will copy and manifest."
Shibai looked down at Naruto, their gazes meeting although the Ōtsutsuki God assumed he was still under the intoxication of the drugs and torture done to him.
"If we cannot break the true Promised One, we will simply fracture him," Mortifer told everyone. "We will make our own miracle that will deliver us our true futures. Equal destiny begets equal power, but this one will be malleable. He will be what we need."