Never Again: A Naruto Fanfiction

Chapter 40: Connection

Sayuri was growing increasingly irrate as she stood away from the group, her arms crossed over her chest and her Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan glaring brightly at the seemingly never-ending combination of purple darkness and light blue platforms that spreaded endlessly.

Obito was sitting calmly, his legs crossed over one another and his eyes closed. Sakura and Sai each sat by their sensei, also waiting patiently. The goal was to wait long enough to let Naruto and Sasuke battle it out, and yet. . .

"It's been fifteen minutes," Sayuri barked, her anger evident. "Why haven't you told us what's going on?"

"Because I haven't checked yet," Obito answered, his eyes still shut. "You do know that battles between powerful shinobi can last hours to even days, right?"

"Then they can't be that powerful." She bit back, remembering the fight with Itachi.

"Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha would like to disagree," Sai unexpectedly spoke up. "Their battle lasted two days and two nights before the First Hokage finally triumphed in the end." Sakura glanced back at Sayuri, worrying that the correction could set off the already extremely small fuse that led straight to the bomb that was always 'Sayuri Uchiha'.

"Just check already!" She hissed, whirling around and her eyes spinning wildly. "Before I take out one of your eyes and do it myself!" Sai was the first to stand up, unsheathing his sword and holding it at his side, ready to move.

"Don't," Obito breathed out. "I'll check, but when I don't have enough energy to fight, blame yourself when you have to save me." He opened his eyes and met Sayuri's raging glare.

"I'll just let you die," The darkness in her voice sent chills down Sakura's spine, her emerald colored eyes widening in surprise at her old friend's words. Could she really be cold-hearted enough to let one of the last of her clan die? Her sensei for that matter?

"Well you just killed any motivation I had for this stunt," Obito replied bluntly, forcing himself to his feet. He activated Kamui and everyone watched in shock as Obito's face seemed to be transparent, all of them able to see right through him.

Obito's arms fell to his side, defeated. Sayuri noticed it first and rushed forward, grabbing the Uchiha's shirt and shaking him. "Send me there now!"

"No use," She heard his muffled reply, the unmistakable sound of grief filled his tone, causing Sayuri's heart to sink.

"What do you mean, sensei?" Sakura's spoke, and only then did she realize just how small her voice really was. She was terrified, terrified as to what her sensei could have possibly saw.

"I said send me!" Sayuri screamed, her voice cracking from the volume. Obito's arm rose hesitantly, but after a moment, he made his choice and grabbed Sayuri's shoulder before she felt herself getting sucked in by his Kamui.

She closed her eyes, her head swimming and pounding in her skull. She hated this feeling, but she had to push through!

She fell to her hands and knees, pushing into the ash as she opened her eyes. The first thing she saw were the embers flying wildly in the air. She pushed herself up, stumbling slightly as she shook her head and cleared away the dizziness.

"What happened?" She heard herself speak in astonishment and horror, surveying the burning land underneath her. What was once the proud Village Hidden in the Rain, turned into rubble, was now nothing but ash. Not a single nail remained lying anywhere in sight, just the endless desert of ash in every direction.

"You," She heard the devil's voice speak, it sounding like a whisper in her ear. She whirled around and saw the source of Naruto's suffering, Sasuke Uchiha, standing twenty meters away. "The female fake version of me. I thought you lot would have returned to Konoha to warn your slavemaster of the unstoppable threat, but it seems stubborness is a multiverse-wide trait that every version of Sasuke Uchiha shares."