Chapter 50

*Lhexi's Picture above*

*WARNING*

*Gore Content Ahead.*

Sometimes, I just want to pull out a gun and play Russian Roulette. My life would be interesting that way. But, I kept holding myself back from pulling the trigger at the last second because I was scared of death although I am already too tired to live.

I didn't feel the blade piercing through my skin before it fully cut off my arm. However, I saw my arm flying away, landing somewhere to my left.

Why do I have to protect these people when they mean nothing to me?

Or do they?

Either way, I don't know. The more days I spent in this world the more I want to leave it and just return to my old life to my family and friends. And just forget anything about what happened and look at Naruto as nothing more than a TV show for teenagers.

The familiar scent of iron was back in my nerves as I watch the man swing his sword towards me, aiming for my neck. Death knocked on my door several times, maybe this time it will turn the knob for me.

It didn't enter to my disappointment. The familiar green-colored knee-length jacket fluttered before me as I hear a hawk screeching from above. A strong gush of snow washed against me and I stood agape when the person I was expecting the least landed from the sky.

"Kyuuji...sensei...?"

He had the enemy's sword locked in between his gloved palm, gripping it hard enough to shatter the sword into thousand fragments.

"You're...Ryuugai--! Kuagrh!"

Kyuuji mercilessly clenched his right hand against his face, destroying his mask, revealing a bloody mess behind. He disfigured his face to the point that I could see one of his eyes popping out of its socket as he snapped his cheekbones.

Someone caught me in their arms when I fell back while I held my shoulder tightly to stop the bleeding. My breathing hitched every time I hear a crack. I have killed a lot of people even torturing them until they die but, this man was far worse than I am.

I gasped for air while staring in horror at Kyuuji whose bare hands ripped the man's arms and legs out of their joints, dividing his body into five parts. He let out a content sigh afterward and I could make out a pleased grin on his face.

He dropped the man on the ground while still making sure that he was barely breathing. His dark hazel eyes met mine once he turned around, his eyes traveling on my missing arm.

"You are really a weak-hearted one.", he stated and I looked down in shame.

He crouched down on his knee and I could hear him click his tongue on the roof of his mouth. The sound of thousand birds resonated in my ear and I looked back seeing several men get blasted out of the forest before tree branches locked them in place.

"Sasuke, make sure that she doesn't move."

Kyuuji abruptly touched my shoulder holding me in place, as he pull a wooden rectangular box out of his green cloak. I could see Sasuke nodding in return, unusually quiet.

"L...Lhexi...y-your arm...--", I heard Sakura's worried voice suddenly get cut off by Kyuuji.

"Sakura was it?", he asks and my female teammate shakingly bobbed her head.

"Get her arm and wrap it in a towel, we can still reattach it as long as we arrive on Konoha on time.", he stated, flickering his finger on the syringe and the needle sprinkled white liquid in the air, injecting me the liquid.

"The White Spider Lily doesn't have an antidote but, this will stop any poison for 48 hours.", he explained as he pulled out the needle. This time he took out a white bandage from his ninja pouch.

Sakura was back as she places my wrapped torn arm beside her, she helped Kyuuji stop the bleeding by binding my open wound. "But, Ryuugaime-san, it takes three full days without rest before we could reach Konoha.", Sakura explained and I stared at her for a second when I saw tears welling up in the corners of her eyes.

"If we use a summon, we would arrive in less than a day.", Sasuke stated as he holds me in place when I flinched after finally being able to feel the pain.

It seems like I'm forgetting someone very important. "Naruto...", I whispered as I creased my eyebrows in pain.

"He's not important right now, you're the main priority. If we let you bleeding out like this, you will die before the poison kills you."

I clenched his cloak with my right fist gritting my teeth. "Naruto...he was poisoned too..."

The corners of his eyes didn't react but, I could see his pupils dilating the slightest bit. As if on cue, Kakashi-sensei appeared in front of us, gently laying the sleeping blonde boy down his head first on the fluffy snow.

I felt his unmoving stare at my torn arm and he didn't have to ask to know what happened. "Sensei? How's Naruto?", I asked with labored breathing and trembling lips.

He eye smiled at me, the corner of his right eye crinkling. "Don't worry, Tenzo already administered him the antidote. It would stop the poison for a while."

I heaved a deep sigh of relief, the heavy pressure of Naruto's unwellness finally getting lifted off.

'Tenzo...huh?'

Just then, I heard his voice as he ran towards us performing hand signs pushing out wooden limbs from his arms to cover the man barely breathing man behind us.

"Kakashi-senpai! Everyone! GET OUT OF THERE! HE'S PLANNING TO DETONATE HIMSELF!"

Kakashi-sensei was quick to carry Naruto On his shoulder as he carried Sakura with his arms. Sasuke followed, holding me on my back and behind my knees as Kyuuji intercepted the explosion by creating a massive number of layers of ice walls.

The bomb detonated, a flash of white light blinded my vision and I clenched onto Sasuke's blue scarf, afraid that we were gonna get separated. The grey tufts floating in the azure sky moved away from one another, a bright yellow color that rivaled the sun covering the whole town.

"Sasuke...!"

Third Person's POV

"Boom...!", the grown man whispered as he stood on top of the tallest tree, his white cloak fluttering into the wind before he smirked behind his white mask. He suddenly covered the lower part of his mask which was where his mouth was located. "Oh, shoot. I need to control myself...Looks like I overdid it a little...heh."

He slowly dropped his hood on his nape, revealing his chest-nut scruffy hair.

"I can't believe Kyuuji would lower his guard down. That's rather surprising...", he muttered under his breath while watching the entire town blaze into an explosion.

People dropped on their knees simply waiting for the bright light to engulf them. Some who still believed in hope began running away, screaming, and crying their lungs out. The jolting sensation wasn't anything they've felt their whole lives. The tree canopies sailed in the wind as the excessive wind speed stormed entire trees to uproot.

Houses were blown away, debris and wooden planks falling on top of one another. The towns people stepped on whatever that was on the ground, be it rocks, melted snow, woods, sharp blades, pets, or even children. They were blind, deaf and fully disoriented.

The wind carried a grey scarf towards the perpetrator's direction and he grabbed a hold of it before it could fly past him. He narrows his eyes at the scarf entwined around his fingertips, the corners of the cloth burnt, emitting a smoky and acrid scent.

"That girl...where have I seen her before?"

A bright gold jeweled-eye girl appeared before the white framework in his mind and he shuts his eyes in pain. "Who...was that?"

"Anyhow...I need to report back to Danzo-sama.", he left in a swirl of leaves still holding his eyes in pain.

Tsunade crinkled the paper on her hands, her eyes locked on the words written but, she was thinking of something else. She creased her eyebrows before groaning loud as she slammed the back of her head on the chair.

'It's gonna be alright, I sent Tenzo to help them, they should be back soon.'

A loud screeching hawk made her open her eyes and look back, outside the glass windows to see a familiar summon. Riding it was several people she couldn't recognize due to the distance.

Narrowing her eyes as the bird landed on the ground outside the village, she returned her attention back to the paperwork. Looking for the Hokage seal, she opened one of the drawers and noticed a cup of ramen, Naruto bought for her days ago.

Taking it, she looked to the side to see her assistant, sleeping on the couch, drooling saliva on the corner of her mouth.

"Shizune.", she called nicely and the girl continued her sleep.

"Oi, Shizune...!", she hissed.

A tick mark grew on her forehead increasing her volume. "Oi, Shizune! Get me some hot water!", she ordered enough to make the guards outside the doors flinch at her voice.

Shizune's eyes snapped open seeing the mad blonde glaring fire at her. Shrinking into a small child, she quickly dashed outside the doors afraid to get another scolding. "I'M SORRY LADY TSUNADE!", she yelled before the doors slammed close.

The Fifth Hokage sat back on her chair as she take the lid off halfway. Noticing a golden rectangular paper inside, she took it out.

"Hm? What is this?"

Her eyes slowly went wide as her eyes read the labels.

WINNER!

It didn't take long enough before the card dropped on the floor at the same time the doors blasted open.

"Tsunade-sama! Naruto has--!", She didn't have to listen to Shizune to know what happened. Shizune's horror expression and bulging eyes were

enough to tell her the situation.

Seems like even Naruto is unable to escape the curse of the necklace. She slammed her palms on the table as she stood up, a frustrated expression on her face as she marched past Shizune.

She can't cry, she's the Hokage now and the village comes before her family.

Sasuke's eyes were bloodshot wide after hearing the mad commotion going around his friend. His fingers smeared with blood shook furiously as he sat outside the Emergency Room, the sign glowing red.

He rests his forehead on his clasped fingers as his breathing grows ragged and unstable. His heart kept pounding loud in his chest making him unable to breathe.

"Naruto...Lhexi...", he muttered as his lips began to quiver, he was paralyzed with both panic and fear.

Warm hands embraced his own and he flinched before relaxing to the touch. "Sasuke-kun, he's gonna be alright, Tsunade-sama is tending to him right now. She's the best Medical Ninja in the world, I'm sure she can cure him."

He lowered his head a little relieved. He turned away gritting his teeth. Again. He was unable to do anything. He was supposed to be the one in Lhexi's state, it was him who was supposed to be slashed that time, he was the one who should be in pain right now.

No.

If he was just stronger, he could have at least protected Lhexi, he didn't have to lose her. A low voice began echoing inside his head making him cower in fear and hatred, messing up with his mind.

"You're weak, that's why you will lose everyone precious to you. You are destined to be alone from the start."

"Sasuke-kun? Your hands! They're bleeding!", Sakura noticed his fingers digging through his skin. Quickly taking out ointments from her pouch, worried about the Uchiha.

"Shut up...", he growled underneath his breath.

"Sasuke-kun?"

"There is no value in killing the likes of you... My foolish brother... If you want to kill me... curse me! Hate me! And live a long and unsightly life... Runaway... run away... and cling to your pitiful life. And then someday, when you have the same eyes as I do, come before me."

"SHUT UP!"

Kakashi gripped Sasuke's wrist before he could hit Sakura. "Calm down, Sasuke." The raven-haired stopped, his eyes softening at the pink-haired girl who flinched before he looked away in shame.

"Sakura, it's best to leave him alone for now.", Kakashi explains to his female student who retaliated but, nodded in the end.

"If you need me, I-I'll accompany you anytime...", Sakura whispered and Sasuke remained still. Kakashi eye smiled at the bright-haired girl thanking her for the concern before she walked away with a bitter taste in her mouth.

Kakashi silently sits beside Sasuke who was gritting his teeth in frustration. "Have they found Lhexi yet?", the Uchiha asks and Kakashi closes his single eye.

"Lady Tsunade just sent a search party. It will take a while before they find her.", he explained with his silky voice in an attempt to calm down the teenager.

"I see...", was all Sasuke could reply.

Kakashi was mentally exhausted, frantic, and depressed, his shoulders gradually slide into a slump and he tries to cover it up by adjusting to a straighter posture. This was one of those times, reading Icha Icha Paradise won't help.

Sasuke was a child being forced to take in all different emotions at once and Kakashi is aware of this. He is watching over him to make sure he doesn't lash out nor does he keep it inside him too much that could take his mental stability to the worse.

The silver-haired Jonin felt like a failure. It has already been one and half a day since the whole town was obliterated to dust, completely wiped out from the map. Now, he's not even sure if Lhexi is still alive or not.

Blood decorated the walls in messy strokes, the arterial viscous and dense opaque colored liquid pooling on the dirt matted floor. A small child remained paralyzed on the table, staring above at the four lights, his eyes lifeless and dead.

The frontal lobe of his brain splattered on the edge of the table like mashed scrambled eggs, a warm liquid resembling that of a ketchup dripping on the corner of the rectangular desk. Pale hands squelched the insides of his belly, around his round and oval shaped intestines, his body occasionally moved everytime Orochimaru removes a particular organ from his body.

He carefully plop his liver inside a jar filled with a transparent saline liquid to make it remain fresh and moist. His lips slicked into a quiver of ecstacy as he began to cut the child's arm using a chainsaw.

He was still unsatisfied with only being able to regain the movements of his hands with the help of taking over a new body. It would take only three years at most before he would lose the use of his arms once again. But, now that he have found the perfect vessel, time is just what keeping him on his seat.

The door creaked open as the bottom rail scraped the floor. "Orochimaru-sama, that child has woke up."

The snake Sannin stopped for a moment before he turned around facing Kabuto. "It wouldn't hurt to congratulate her she's still alive, right?"

"Indeed. And she's being a well behave child to my surprise.", Kabuto added as he follows Orochimaru along the hallways.

The torches flickered on the side of the walls as they light up the dim shadows.

Orochimaru chuckled amused. "That's rather surprising, I thought I had to force my way once again. Well, considering she lost her arm, I am guessing she would ask for my help so she needs to remain cooperative. I can't lose a precious vessel now."

"Konoha has already began their search, although they would never guess where she ended up.", Kabuto stated and Orochimaru grinned in response.

"We shall see.", Kabuto raised an eyebrow at his master who was still yet to tell his secret plan. "I am more interested why she haven't killed those people yet."

Kabuto blinks his eyes as he fixes his glasses. "Eh?"

"She clearly has the ability to defeat them and yet she's not doing anything.", he explained as he turns into the next corner.

Kabuto laughed. "You are overestimating her abilities, Orochimaru-sama."

"I once thought the same like you. However, it's best to overestimate a Ryuugaime rather than underestimating them for I have yet to uncover the secrets of that tragic clan.", Orochimaru looked back, his lips smiling coyly. "And, it seems she is unaware of the scope of her powers. The fact that she lost her arm is a clear evidence of that. What a waste of abilities."

Kabuto remained silent while walking down the empty, long, and narrow passageway.

"I still can't believe she would protect those children. It like she's forgetting her real purpose, well that's given because she's beginning to lose her memories. It won't take a while before she completely forgets her past.", the snake mused out earning an unclear expression from Kabuto.

"What do you mean by that Orochimaru-sama...?...just what have you discovered?"

Their conversation was cut off as they stopped in front of a door, a seal placed on it.

The metals scraped the floor after the girl opened her lips in acknowledgement to the two adults who entered the room she was locked in. A black cloth was tied around her eyes, blocking her sight as she senses someone menacing approaching, she didn't has to see his face to know who it was.

The metals clasped around her neck, ankles and her wrist prevented her from moving.

"My...my...my, look at you poor child.", Orochimaru started, mocking the child with his slithery voice. "You have quite grown considerably weaker than before."

"Enough of the chit-chat, why am I here?", Lhexi asks agressive and lacking respect. Well, she is inside the snake's hideout, acting won't send her anywhere.

"Oh my, look at that. Starting off feisty huh?", Orochimaru chuckled as he sat on a chair, facing Lhexi. Kabuto remained standing, listening to their conversation quietly. "Hm...where should I start. Well first off, I'm quite disappointed that we were able to retrieve you late. If you were brought to me weeks earlier, I would have been residing in that body not in this one."

Lhexi didn't responded and Orochimaru continued talking with his creepy voice.

"You lost your arm protecting the people you are supposed to kill. How far have you been lead astray by that emotion you call love?"

"You talk as if you know me.", Lhexi smirked. "Love? You are right, this love you speak of brought me where I stood right now. If I haven't learn the meaning of love I wouldn't have felt suffering and hatred."

Kabuto glanced at the young girl who didn't flinch one bit at Orochimaru's aura that usually strangles most people to death.

"The more I look at you, the more you remind me of your father."

Lhexi stopped, her thoughts circulated at the words that left Orocimaru's mouth.

"He was a powerful figure, he was blessed with an incredible visual prowess, he was an unstoppable foe. He could have been the definition of strength if he didn't have a weak mentality. Your clan would be alive right now if he wasn't such a failure."

Something snapped inside Lhexi, that she could not pinpoint. He can disgrace her, she wouldn't care but, it's a different story when someone talks down on her family, especially her father.

"You...!"

Metals clang loudly in the room, the girl breaking the chains by freezing them. Orochimaru didn't move an inch as Lhexi's voice turned hoarse, he could feel her wrath. And it's all going according to his plan.

Removing the patch covering the girl's eyes, his eyes widened mesmerized at the dazzling jeweled gold-eyes of the young Ryuugaime. Three blue circles appearing on them.

"Anger is the source of your power. The more rage you keep inside you, the more powerful your eyes become.", he moves closer, his yellow eyes boring through her flaming orbs. "But, if I were you, I wouldn't recklessly activate them. Every jutsu has a weakness, the Seiryuugan is not an exception. And considering how reckless you are, I'm pretty sure you do not recognize it yourself."

The young girl glared daggers at the Sannin, furious yet curious. "What do you mean?"

"You are slowly losing your memories."

Orochimaru watched the girl stop on tracks. Her eyes dilating, visibly shaking. She looks down at her hands before she slowly turns to the glass pane attached on the wall. She stared at her reflection before clenching her fist against her head.

"It won't take long before you forget who you once was. By then, Konoha would never pay the price for killing your beloved clan."

A/N

I'm sorry for not updating for so long😭😭😭, I was busy setting up my online business.

I just procrastinated this in an hour or something...I'm really sorry, especially for those who had been waiting for the release of the new chapter...!

We finally reached 50 chapters! Hooh! Just a little bit more!

So...

Belated Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

And Happy 40k reads to me hehe...thank you so much you guys! Old and new readers alike! You're literally the best!