Arc II Chapter 11

Arc II Chapter 11

II

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Arc II Chapter 11

━━━━━━┛༻❁༺┗━━━━━━Fịndd new updates at novelhall.comi offered a benign smile. “Long time no see, Itachi. I hope that life has been treating you well.”

“Long time no see?” His shark toothed colleague raised an eyebrow. “Itachi, who is this girl? I never knew you had a girlfriend. Why didn't you tell me about her? I always thought we were friends, Itachi ...”

Asami used her little distraction manoeuvre to whisper to her team mates, “Aritame, Yukihiro, run.” If they wanted to survive, they had to run. Their chances of survival were slim with their capabilities. But Aritame and Yukihiro refused to move. They were paralysed by fear and trepidation. Only Masasane maintained a semblance of composure.

Asami whispered again, “Run! Run as fast as you can!” Why didn't they run? Didn't they understand the severity of the situation?

Itachi didn't even bat an eyelid, his stoic face unchanged. “Kisame, I neither know the girl, nor do I recall having ever met her.”

Asami shook her head in disappointment, further stalling for time. “Itachi, you sadden me. How unfortunate. It seems that you have forgotten me. You might not remember me, but I certainly remember you, Itachi. I would never forget such a lovely person such as you.”

Itachi narrowed his eyes. Meanwhile, Kisame laughed openly. “You know, Itachi, the girl is ... strange, but I like her already. She has a good sense of humour. I heard you being called many things, but never lovely.”

“Lovely, indeed.” Asami deployed her most suave smile. Her tactic worked. Itachi and Kisame both dropped their guard. They didn't take her seriously. Confident in their victory, they grew careless, which gave her and her team an advantage.

Asami whispered to her petrified team mates, discarding any sense of subtlety this time. “Aritame, Yukihiro, run! For the last time, run! Masasane and I will hold them back. We will buy you as much time as possible.” Her hand curled around the hilt of her sword.

Her life would be so much easier if Aritame and Yukihiro retreated. They represented a burden. They were dead weights. This fight required all of her chakra, all of her power, all of her concentration. After all, their opponent was Uchiha Itachi, a legend among legends.

Masasane gulped, cold sweat running down his face. But he was prepared to fight nevertheless, ready to die.

It was, however, Aritame who crossed her wonderful plans. His answer was no, of course. The idiot stood his ground, gripping his kunai and marshalling all of his courage. “Asami, sensei, we won't run! We will never leave you both behind! True Konoha ninja never abandon their comrades.”

His words amused the man named Kisame. His teeth spread menacingly in a wide grin, openly mocking her. “Oh ... Spoken like a true Konoha ninja. Listen to your teammate, Asami-chan. Didn't you learn that Konoha ninja never abandon their comrades? Don't you know that it is Konoha custom to die together?”

Asami clicked her tongue, ignoring Kisame's taunts. It was Aritame who had her undivided attention. “Have you gone mad? Only death awaits you here, Aritame. Do as I say! Run! Run for your lives!”

“NO!” Aritame stood his ground, his conviction unwavering.

“I said, run!”

“No!” Even Yukihiro joined his side. Not that idiot, too.

“...” A glare was her response. No words were spoken.

Kisame clicked his tongue. “Tch, still playing the stubborn one, aren't you? So what about a little game, then? You give me your name and I will let you live, if you survive, let's say, for two more minutes. What do you think?”

“...” Asami narrowed her eyes in distrust.

Kisame smirked. “Don't worry, girl, you can trust me. I might not look like it, but I am a man of honour. Unlike others, I keep my word.”

“... ... ...” Asami closed her eyes. Her purple chakra coated the blade of her sword in the heat of flaming plasma. Her blade was prepared to fight, and so was she. “Asami. My name is Asami.”

“See, was that so difficult?” Kisame readied his blade. “Now show me your resolve, Asami.”

“Gladly.” Asami opened her eyes and attacked. Three black tomoe led the charge.

His sword and her blade interlocked among the falling rain. This wasn't over yet.

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“There you are ...” A sitting Itachi spoke from the branch of a tree. “I was waiting.”

Kisame flashed a grin. “Sorry for making you wait, Itachi. Just took a bit longer than expected.”

“...” Itachi remained unimpressed, yet his watchful eyes didn't fail to notice the scorch mark in Kisame's coat around his shoulder. The smell of blood and burnt flesh permeated the air. “Your shoulder ... What happened?”

Kisame dismissed his question. “Just a minor flesh wound. Nothing else. The girl took me by surprise. Shouldn't have underestimated her.”

“I see ...” Itachi turned to leave. “Let's go then.”

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Asami closed her eyes, her body healing now that she had a moment for herself. Her chakra was restoring her body to its former pristine condition, with a fine mist of purple particles closing cuts and open wounds. It was a testament to the limitless possibilities that a powerful energy such as chakra held.

Ghostly purple flames engulfed Aritame, Yukihiro, and Masasane, her funeral pyre illuminating the encroaching night. Her fire burned until nothing remained of their bloodied corpses but ash, until they were history.

Her heart felt no anger, no hatred, no rage ... There was just sadness, a profound sense of sadness ... Aritame ... Yukihiro ... Masasane ... They didn't deserve this end.

Her three black tomoe turned, changing. From the ashes of death and grief, arose on red, on purpled shaded ground a sixteen petalled flower, a black chrysanthemum. It was the day that Asami awakened her mangekyou sharingan.

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