Chapter 66

Chapter Inspiration: The Sound of Silence by Disturbed

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There was nothing they could do, staring at the corpse between them in shock and silence for a few seconds. Unable to believe what had just happened. They thought for a moment that it was all a sick joke, waiting for the body to turn into cloud of smoke being a shadow clone. That the Chakra Strings would somehow save her by pulling the Phantom Ninja together. Just like all the other times. This was Mai Be Fong. She was invincible. But when none of that happened, they lost it.

Naruto was the first to break, slamming his fist into the ground and cried out in heartbreak. Kakashi's head hung in despair shoulders shaking. Sakura fell back onto her butt and tried to stop the flow of tears, hands bloody from trying to save Jugo and Mai. Sai could only stare in shock. All of their hearts were heavy.

Sasuke was gasping from the amount of chakra he had used. Dazed and confused for a few seconds, he struggled to sit up. The young man tried to push away the pain that coursed through his body. He was also experiencing double vision. The whole world was pitching left and right as if on a boat, glancing around to make sense as to what just happened. Why did all the energy disappear? Another attack could come in at any moment to finish him off and Sasuke could barely move. His defenses were completely down.

He finally spotted Team 7 no longer watching at a distance. They were huddled over something on the ground feet away. It was Naruto's cry of agony that brought everything into focus catching sight of a limp and bloodied hand. Mai. It had to be her. And like them, he believed that his opponent would get up again to finish off the fight. Judging by all of their reactions though that wasn't the case. The blast of lightning–

Sasuke realized what he had done. Hands shaking, the young man noticed the blood on him when touching his face and pulling back to find the fingertips covered in red. The clothing was sprayed with it as well. It wasn't his. No, it was Mai's.

Naruto clenched his teeth turning towards the cratered ground. He strode forward without hesitation, an unforgiving look in his eyes as he reached towards the unsuspecting Uchiha. The Jounin dragged Sasuke by the collar to level ground. But it wasn't a helpful gesture as a fist slammed so hard into the young man's cheek it threw him to the ground spitting up blood.

"Naruto! St–!"

"Shut up!" he barked back at the Medical Ninja. "I have something to say to this bastard!"

Gripping Sasuke's shirt once more he pulled him up so they were face-to-face. The glare on his face was murderous.

"What were you thinking? Hoping to gain from all of this? Was it you all along? You were the serial killer that was hunting down rogues with your old team?"

So he had pieced it together as well, Sakura realized. Sasuke couldn't answer.

"You were our ally! We trusted you! And all this time, you've been–"

The knucklehead could barely speak, trying to collect himself with difficulty. After everything they had gone through, in the end Sasuke went back to a life of crime.

"Why couldn't you just stay?"

Again, the ninja received no answer. It made his blood boil, shaking the Uchiha roughly.

"I was the first one to make her smile when you deserted! I was the first one... and then slowly, everyone else began to see that she wasn't an emotionless person. Even if on the inside she was still hurting we supported her the best we could. Tried to make things as normal as could be. But every time you showed up, Mai would slip farther and farther away. She trained so hard to become stronger so you could see that she didn't need you to protect her! To stop you from continuing on this path for revenge! That you could come back to start over in Konoha! Why the hell would you give up something like that?"

Because he was obsessed with power and control, Kakashi thought to himself through tears.

"Why would you kill her?" Naruto yelled as tears dripped from his eyes.

Because he didn't know that the Be Fong had been the rogue. And that final attack was an accident trying to protect himself when the young woman refused to let up. She was completely prepared to end it all. Even knowing it was him all along.

"The girl who lost everything like you and me... The girl who your family took in when she had nothing... The girl you protected from your brother... The girl you silently promised to look after... The girl you encouraged and then left behind... The girl who chased after you, countless times to protect and bring you back... You killed her, Sasuke! You killed her! You're so selfish, and heartless! She deserved better!"

Tears now fell from Sasuke's eyes as the gravity of the situation sunk in. The two of them would never speak again, or hold one another, or kiss, or laugh, or support the other. This wasn't a nightmare he could wake up from. He was living it.

"Are you happy now? Is this what you wanted?"

The last thing he wished to see was Mai dead by someone else's hands because he couldn't protect her. Now it was him who had made that fear a reality in the end. And it was horrifying.

"Why would you do this?" Sakura whispered. "Why would you go back to all of this? A life of crime... this wasn't the way. But Naruto... Mai didn't say anything to him during his stay in Konoha regarding her involvement... That's why he didn't know..."

Maybe if he had known then none of this would have happened. The Be Fong had asked them not to say anything regarding No Face. That she had been involved in the failed mission. The real reason she was locked up behind the gates of Konoha for protection. The shinobi now realized it was for a very good reason to keep Sasuke in the dark.

Naruto shoved the Uchiha away. "That still doesn't make any of this better. He's a killer. Always has been, always will be." His eyes drifted back towards Mai lying on the ground.

The question is which of you will continue to become more powerful and break all logical boundaries, Itachi's words echoed in his head. And possibly be viewed as a God amongst mortals. Sasuke got what he wanted all along. What he strived to be since their first encounter as a Genin.

"You're clearly the strongest... guess that's all you really wanted to prove. Are you happy now?"

Sasuke couldn't find it in his heart to answer any of them because everything now... seemed pointless.

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Belva stood at the gate pacing back and forth with Hinata, Shino, and Izumo. Kotetsu leaned against the open doors. The sun was beginning to set as they continued to worry that no one had arrived back yet from the search party. All they could do was watch the woman fret.

"They'll come back," Izumo stated.

She knew that. But 'when' was the answer none of them could voice. There was no telling if they managed to stop the Be Fong before she reached her target. And even if she had, there was no telling what the outcome was of the ordeal. Belva hated waiting.

"Something's coming," Hinata spoke up. Having activated her Byakugan she could see the approaching group.

"Are they all there?" Belva asked.

"There is another chakra signature." But it wasn't exactly the one she was searching for. The levels were fairly low.

The group came from around the bend further away. The woman stopped pacing to watch their approach. The closer they grew they could make out the Uchiha among them, hands tied and his head bowed. That didn't make any sense at all, as it seemed like they were treating him like a criminal. Team 7 was on edge just based on the way they carried themselves, Sai guiding their prisoner from behind. Belva's eyes went to Kakashi for answers, who was carrying someone in his arms. Mai. The older woman breathed in relief to see they had returned with her.

"Something is wrong," Hinata spoke up.

The low chakra was coming from the Uchiha. Which didn't make any sense as to why that was the case, but from staring at the hunting party her Kekkei-Genkai could not lock on the one person they feared for. Her eyes remained trained on the Phantom Ninja. It was dark.

That was when Belva saw it. The pained and anguished expression in the Jounin's eye as they made eye contact, and the hollow look in Sasuke's. All of their pupils were red with tears, silent ones continuing to fall down Sakura's cheeks. Naruto was trying to hold back his anger. The woman looked to her protégé seeing the blood on Kakashi's uniform and hands, as well as staining the young woman's visibly pale skin.

Belva wailed, a cry of anguish causing a chill to run through Izumo and Kotetsu as they watched the situation unfold before them. The woman dropped to her knees at the sight of her dead pupil, while gripping the front of her top feeling her heart breaking. Hinata took a hesitant step forward before moving past Belva and crossing the space. Tears brimmed in her eyes threatening to spill over. Naruto moved past Kakashi swiftly and met the Hyuuga halfway. The blonde caught her up in his arms not allowing her to get closer and that caused Hinata to fight back.

"Let me go," she whispered.

The ninja pulled against his grip trying to get free, but he wouldn't let her, holding Hinata tighter to him. Her hands fisted and began to beat against his chest.

"Let me see her!" the Hyuuga's voice rose. The tears began cascading down the cheeks. "Please, Naruto, let me see her!"

"She's gone, Hinata," he whispered in her ear.

"I don't believe you," she sobbed. "I don't believe you!"

But it was no lie. Her shaky hands grasped at his shirt out of desperation and cried out. No matter how much the ninja wished to deny it.

"Get to the Hokage," Kotetsu ordered Izumo, finally breaking from his shock. "Now."

Mutely, the man nodded and rushed off. No one could enter Konoha like this. The noise was starting to draw the attention of a few people passing by. The ninja closed the gates to block them from view. He approached Kakashi, who paused halfway between Hinata and Belva staring at the Chuunin lifelessly.

"You can't enter Konoha like this." Everyone waited.

Members from ANBU, Root, and Phantom swarmed the gate within twenty minutes as the Village was placed on lockdown. All its residents were forced back into their homes for the remainder of the evening. None could believe the sight they were witnessing as Tsunade and Ibiki came forward through the gates. The air was filled with a tense silence as the woman observed the scene before her, shocked to find Sasuke Uchiha accompanying them in such a manner.

"What have you done?" a voice shouted from the ninja around them. It was Mushu, as he stared enraged at the Uchiha from behind the mask.

"Silence!" Ibiki shouted before a fight broke out.

There were many in attendance that wanted to rip the Uchiha limb from limb. That was not going to solve anything. They needed answers as to what happened.

"All of you surround the Village and forest. Nothing gets in or out this evening. Vulpine Squad, with me." No one move at first. "That is a direct order, move!"

The only ones left were a handful of Phantom members, all wearing masks to conceal their identities.

"We move through the Village in the shadows. No one is to see any of this, understood?"

Because the brutality of the kill was far too violent for some to witness.

"Yes, sir," one answered.

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The death of Mai Be Fong sent a hush over the Village. Everyone was solemn, the atmosphere depressing, as the hours ticked on. But that didn't mean there weren't those mourning. That happened behind closed doors where no one could see the ninjas breaking down unless they were among loved ones. Shikamaru's legs gave out from under him when a raven came to the door of his compound with the news. Ino and Choji were over waiting anxiously after going to the Hokage to report of the Be Fong's disappearance. The woman had sent them home, but they decided to return to the Nara Compound that was closest. There was little talk between them so upon hearing the noise the two rushed to see the Chuunin sitting on the ground helplessly as the animal flew away.

"Impossible..." he whispered. The other two teammates went numb once taking the piece of paper from his hands and reading the contents.

"Is this a sick joke?" Ino asked breathless. Neither spoke up to answer.

Kiba walked mutely through his household clutching the crumpled up scroll in hand. Akamaru whined as his partner's sudden shift in mood and pressed his cold nose against a hand. But the ninja didn't reach up to pet him, instead raising it to stare at the palm shaking from the mere thought of the Be Fong meeting her match.

"Shit..." he muttered.

Naruto refused to return to his apartment alone. He helped the distraught Hinata through the streets where no wandering eyes from windows could see. He brought her there where they could mourn together in peace because the Hyuuga didn't wish to go to her compound. The ninja didn't want to be reminded of the fact that she was the last one to see Mai alive and that weighed heavily on her mind. If only she had noticed sooner that something was up maybe Hinata could have stopped her. If she would have voiced the fact that Sasuke had been the serial killer Mai thought... maybe they could've reached her sooner. But she had so desperately wished to not believe it could be real. Even Shino was acting off and had quickly distanced himself from the others once leaving the gates. This greatly troubled him.

All missions had been postponed. No one was in their right mind as news spread quickly in the Shinobi World to give a reason to this sudden command. The council had to worry about the criminal now sitting in their cells being interrogated by Ibiki. Or at least he was trying. The Uchiha hadn't said a word. Not only that but there were plenty of ninja in Konoha who wanted to do nothing more than to kill him without trial. He had to be under constant watch, but their options were limited. Too many people had connections to the Be Fong. More than she realized.

Sai had been one of the few that offered who the Hokage could trust. She was grateful for that, standing in the morgue at the hospital. She dismissed the doctors and nurses as Shizune handled the paperwork outside. No one needed to see this. The Hokage found herself partly responsible for this mess and saw it as her duty to perform the autopsy. Even if it was clearly obvious what killed her. It was all for formalities. The woman would have to tell the other nations too what happened so they knew of the Be Fong's lack of presence. But only after Sasuke's conviction. There was nothing she could do to spare him. And the woman felt guilty pitting the two against each other. If she hadn't sent Mai on that mission...

Tsunade sighed in defeat. "I wish we could've done something different," she whispered. "What went wrong to where things had to end up this way?" Staring at the lifeless corpse on the table was haunting. "Maybe... it all started at the beginning and it was a matter of time, but this wasn't the way I wished for it to end..."

The young woman had been completely stripped of the uniform and weapons, wounds cleaned for the examination to be more thorough. In death... she finally appeared at peace. As if this was what she wanted all along. To just be done with all that suffering. The woman shook her head.

"Let's get started..."

The Hokage pulsed chakra into the palms, examining the body and attempting to mend the wound further for the funeral. It was gruesome really. The lightning ripped out the skin, bones, and muscles in its path so someone could see completely through to the other side. And the edges of the wound were charred and burned. She deserved better than being exposed for what truly killed her. A shock ran up an arm, startling Tsunade and causing her to pull away abruptly. That reaction had not been her doing.

She searched slower. It didn't happen again oddly as the woman focused on the hole in the Be Fong's chest, pulling together the outer skin as best she could. The discoloration was still noticeable. They would need to dress her in a high collared outfit. She even pumped healing chakra into the scattered bruising and cuts along the arms and legs, including the back of the head where the skin split. The crusted blood had been washed from the hair. Something was bothering her though, and the Hokage found herself performing a second exam.

This time her chakra hummed. Tsunade quickly caught onto it and refused to let go. The sensation pulled her towards the lower abdomen region, realizing it was lingering chakra. Mai's chakra. How this was possible, the Medical Ninja did not know, seeing as there were no traces left anywhere else. And in death all chakra should have disappeared completely. There had to have been a lot concentrated into this area for it to remain this long. But why? The attack had been to the chest. Why waste it here when her life was on the line?

It fluttered against her palms. The Hokage's eyes widened and searched further before confirming her findings. The woman threw open the doors, shouting,

"Shizune!"

Startled, the assistant nearly dropped the files in hand before rushing to the Hokage's side.

"I need you for this, but get me the head doctor now."

"What–?"

"Now!"

There wasn't time to argue here, seeing the look of panic in Tsunade's eyes. Something was wrong. Very wrong. [song ends]