𝗛𝗢𝗠𝗘 || sasusaku

Chapter Thirty-Six: Interlude-Sasuke's Desire

When Sasuke entered the cave, he instantly felt the difference in oxygen compared outside. The place was barely lit and as he walk farther, the light that seeped from the entrance started to dim. He could faintly hear the pitter-patter of water on the cave floor and he tried his best to ignore it.

Sasuke didn't know how long he was walking. Or if he's still walking straight ahead or in circles. Chief Ginko said the scroll was located at the heart of the cave. So it might be somewhere in the midst.

Sasuke has his visual prowess activated in case something happens. He knew he hasn't fallen in a genjutsu, his mind is as clear as a mist-less morning.

He stopped when he caught a glimpse of light. Sasuke took a turn and found himself standing in the middle of a clearing. His eyes travelled around his surroundings before it landed on something resting atop a stone.

"Seriously? This is easy," Sasuke muttered as he stare at the scroll. He was walking towards the scroll, but he couldn't ignore one thing crawling at the back of his mind.

"This is too easy to be real."

A few steps away from the scroll, he halted. He briefly close his eyes, racking his brain to remember what could've possibly gone wrong. He was on guard the moment he stepped inside the cave, actually he was on guard even before he stepped inside.

When was it? When did he succumb to a genjutsu? He didn't see anything suspicious on the way here. Nothing suspicious since he entered the cave. Now that is what is suspicious.

Sasuke frowned. He tried to release himself from the genjutsu. But nothing happened. Or perhaps, he hasn't succumb to an illusion yet and the scroll was indeed in front, at arm's reach.

Sasuke opened his eyes and looked down. He slid his foot aside and saw a flower he so accidentally stepped on.

He looked around on the ground and saw dozens of the same flower. The glimpse he saw a while ago that led him here was the pollen.

Sasuke cursed under his breath. Judging by how many seconds he's already standing in the middle of those flowers, he's already inhaled the pollen. It would take him about a minute or less before the illusion kicks in.

He wasted no time to take the scroll when he heard something from behind. Even if Sasuke's rational mind told him not to look, his instinct to see what it was got the better of him. He looked behind and saw nothing. But when he looked back, his eyes widen.

The scroll. It was no longer on the spot where he last seen it.

Sasuke straightened up as he looked around again, trying to find where the scroll had magically gone to. But to no avail, he found no scroll.

Is this a genjutsu now?

Sasuke closed his eyes, he didn't hear anything aside from the echo of the pitter-patter. He opened them again, activating his visual prowess, tomoe pattern appeared on his rinnegan as he stood motionless.

"Sasuke-kun?"

Sasuke could've sworn he heard something but when he turned towards the voice he saw no one. Is his mind playing tricks on him? Sasuke gritted his teeth. It seems the genjutsu is as annoying as an insect.

"Sasuke-kun?"

He heard it again. The voice echoed throughout the cave like it was flowing towards him.