16章: The Golden Dragon

Before him, Sasuke was shook. The Golden Dragon held out it's hand for its owner to climb onto but before she did, Itsuka looked at the being as if it was telepathically speaking to her.

She nodded and quickly sat on its shoulder. "Let's go!" She ordered. The Golden Dragon roared with all its might and flew over to the direction of the snakes, Orochimaru and Kabuto in front of it.

This was going to be her final mission to kill Orochimaru after what he did to her mother and her life. He was the man she wanted to annihilate more than ever. Kabuto was a close second and she was hoping they would both be defeated once and for all here.

She wanted to see him suffer like she had suffered.

She wanted him to see the sight of him drenched in blood.

She wanted him dead.

As soon as they took flight, Madara stepped back now cautious of The Golden Dragon and Itsuka's next move.

Suddenly a scroll exploded in the sky mid-air near Itsuka and she managed to maneuver The Golden Dragon out of the way in time however they were sent throwing to another direction and had little time to recover.

Itsuka realised then that every time Orocohimaru's hands came into contact, the scrolls started to turn into snakes and they were aiming to bite The Golden Dragon. In retaliation, the being scratched the snakes in half and also used its tail to counterattack any bites coming it's way. What followed was Itsuka ordering The Golden Dragon to lay a hard punch through the scroll-like snakes so fast that Madara fell back onto the ground.

Orochimaru and Kabuto had managed to land safely onto some nearby trees but the snake king was slightly injured from the impact. Orochimaru must have sensed Kabuto looking at him and proceeding with his next plan when Kabuto jumped up to Madarawho recovered very quickly and whispered something to the snake.

It began to screech and evolved into three heads in a short amount of time. The sight of this did not surprise Itsuka however as she charged forward again.

"Kabuto!" Orochimaru yelled. "You cannot kill her!

"You said it yourself. The Uchiha is who you want." He shouted back and whispered something to Madara.

The three-headed snakes spat poison at the Golden Dragon as it took flight into the sky. The golden beast took a deep breath in; its body began to glow and out came a golden beam from its mouth, striking at the snakes. A big explosion followed and Itsuka gripped onto the dragon as hard as she could to prevent from falling off.

Still the aftermath of the poison splattered against its wings and a little onto Itsuka. She could feel the poison seeping into her and likewise, The Golden Dragon. All she could do was scramble through her pockets for an antidote. It was to no use however because as soon as she reached for it, a sip of the antidote brushed on her lips and the rest on The Golden Dragon's tail. While she licked as much as she could off her lips, it was to no avail.

Itsuka and the Golden Dragon watched as the three snakes tumbled onto the ground and made sure they wouldn't get up again due to the golden blast. Thank goodness that finishing blow made sure it didn't get up.

The Golden Dragon made it's slow departure to the trees and let Itsuka walk onto the branches of a tree. For once, they had a chance to get a long moment to really look at each other. Ituska and The Golden Dragon both knew there was no chance of surviving and they were going into their sudden demise. A tear rolled down Itsuka's cheek as she had to admit defeat and had to make a decision about the status of her and The Golden Dragon. Maybe she could be saved but the golden beast had to go.

"You may rest now!" She told the Golden Dragon, the beast began to dissolve into gold dust as it would always do once Itsuka said those words. However, this time it would be forever. She winced at the pain of her wounds and whatever leftover poison was now seeping through her blood. She tried to lean against the tree and watched the beast that had long been inside of her dissolve into the sky.

"Goodbye..."

Itsuka had no idea whether she had made the right decision or not. But in order to delay Orochimaru, Kabuto and any other threats from getting the power of The Golden Dragon, this was the only way. Who knows if she would be able to summon it? Or rather...would Itsuka be able to survive to see another day? She thought about this as she stared at her now bleeding stomach. Would she be even be saved, after all?

"Itsuka!" She turned her head around and smiled when she saw Sasuke running towards her. Hope was in both of their eyes.

The same happiness was in his eyes and he even smiled. Everything was going to be okay. For that moment it seemed. It felt like slow motion when he saw a shiny object shoved into Itsuka's back several times.

"No!" He screamed but it was to no avail.

Sasuke's happiness subsided when he saw a sudden change on Itsuka's face…

There were tears…and pain and her body suddenly fell from the tree.

Sasuke growled and ditched the ninjas facing him when he saw Kabuto behind her with a sharp kunai. How he had suddenly appeared on that tree, he did not know.

Her fall panicked him and he didn't care about any incoming dangers around him. His priority was Itsuka. Sasuke raised his hands out and fell with Itsuka safely in his arms supporting her head and upper body. But even then he could stl feel the blood seeping from her back and knee he couldn't do anything to stop it.

He was shaking violently in anger. His fists were clenched as he watched Kabuto leave. He thought to run after the sound ninja but Itsuka had squeezed his hand and Sasuke just couldn't do it...he couldn't leave her even as she gripped his shirt.

"Sasuke...thank you..."

"No...heal yourself!" He quivered. "You can do it right? Right?" The last part was a little louder, a crack in his voice that erupted in tears pouring out his eyes.

Itsuka shook her head. "Won't work...thank you Sasuke!"

The last comment sent the Uchiha into a mini panic. Once she said that, the jutsu for her eye colour wore of. It slowly disappeared from the turquoise blue that he had fallen for into the yellow reflecting her father and one trait that resembled him the most. The band on her hair suddenly unravelled and the length of her hair stretched out covering Sasuke's legs.

Itsuka was about to speak as she reached for his hand. "S...Sa..."

"Save your breath!" Sasuke interrupted. Once he realised her hand, Sasuk grabbed it and pulled her slowly towards him as to not hurt her anymore than she was.

"Love...y..."

No, he thought. He felt it. He saw it. And he couldn't believe it. But he couldn't hear her anymore. Itsuka couldn't finish her sentence and Sasuke was waiting...waiting for the words that he would never hear at all. Itsuka's hand slumped to the ground and her eyes closed. Her skin got colder but Sasuke still pulled her closer and embraced Itsuka's body. His tears had stopped for now but his heartache was breaking him inside.

"Kakashi-sensei!" He could hear Naruto shout from a distance with a few footsteps behind him. Sasuke didn't even bother to look in their direction. His eyes were on Itsuka and he couldn't bring himself to speak. "Sasuke! Sa-"

"Wait!" Kakashi yelled and that's when he heard the cease of footsteps. The rest of Team 7 looked on at Itsuka's lifeless body and without realising, Naruto burst into tears.

"She's really...?" Sakura didn't even manage to finish that sentence as she covered her mouth in shock.

"Sasuke..." Naruto reached out his hand for Sasuke's shoulder in pity.

But when the Uchiha finally looked to his side, he didn't see it that way and Sasuke instead hissed at Naruto. "Don't touch her!"

His eyes reflected anger but also hurt and Sasuke didn't even realize he was crying again until Kakashi mentioned it. He retreated his vision to Itsuka but knew Kakashi's shadow loomed over him.

"Sasuke, we have to bring her back and give her a proper burial." Kakashi said calmly. He didn't try to touch him like Naruto or lean closer to him and that's what Sasuke preferred. He got to his feet with Itsuka still in his hands.

"I'll take her." He finally responded before he began walking. Sasuke could feel the eyes of Team 7 around him showing sadness and regret towards the situation. Inside however, Sasuke was burning. Not only was he not strong enough to fight back Orochimaru and Kabuto but he was unable to help and save Itsuka from being harmed. As much as Sasuke wanted to turn around and go after the sound ninjas for what they had done, he knew his heart couldn't do it. At this moment, making sure Itsuka had the proper burial was his priority.

It was when Itsuka's body came into view from the corner of his eye again that Orochimaru showed a slight weak side of sadness then retreated with Kabuto by his side. It wasn't supposed to be this way. His only child who he could have raised to be as gifted as him. Not only because it was a waste of power and strength but also a waste of his only child's life. Who was going to succeed him in case his immortality reverted?

Orochimaru could only recall one memory of him and his daughter that still haunted his mind even when he closed his eyes. A good memory in fact to Orochimaru but his weak self showed too much.

Itsuka's father's nice side was a mere cover up for what he had actually planned for her. One memory he had was escorting her near the outskirts of Otokagure, two sound ninjas hidden away at a distance. Itsuka must have been 6, almost nearing her birthday when this occurred. Orochimaru wanted to test how her powers had accelerated but also had a target in question. But what better way to test that out than to take her to the Land of Rain, Amekagure. A dark and gloomy atmosphere still loomed on this village. Not many people roamed as it was still a land that was still suffering after the Shinobi War. With just four people, they walked around trying to blend in with the gloomy villagers. Orochimaru made sure they were covered and blended into the misery crowd of people with black hoods down to their feet in the main market square.

What followed on was a fight and a surprise attack that had them all separated. At one point Orochimaru was worried. He had been away from Itsuka for several hours and had found himself cornered and the person in question had done this clearly. Fighting the remaining ninjas that had surrounded him, the snake ninja thought he was safe when the last ninja hit the ground.

But there was someone there, someone lurking in the shadows who had managed to go unnoticed. Orochimaru sensed this but sustained a small injury due to his lack of awareness. He was pushed back to the wall of the cave and realised his mistake there.

Fortunately, when Itsuka saw her own father cowering in fear over this person attacking him, she screamed. Her gold glow illuminated her body and her scream evolved into a animalistic roar, and Orochimaru knew she had awakened the power of the Golden Dragon. The power was so amazing to him, he couldn't help but be amazed as the the glow turned into multiple whips growing from her back.

"Stay away!" She roared. Her scream prior had triggered the golden whips to attach the unknown ninja. He fell to the ground surprised and tried to defend himself. The ninja's hood came off and his red hair showed but the guy quickly got to his feet.

The person ran without a second to escape and Itsuka allowed it once she watched him pass. That person who ran was a pretty young person and now that Orochimaru remembered, it looked vaguely like Nagato.

"Itsuka well done." He said as he rubbed her head. Itsuka's sudden embrace however surprised him.

"Are you ok Father?" She was so sincere in asking, Orochimaru didn't know how to feel upon this. But he returned the hug knowing that no-one was around from what he could sense. It was very out of his way but it also felt right.

"Yes." He nodded. "Thank you."

"I'll protect you anytime Father." Itsuka said with a smile.

"Orochimaru!" Kabuto's cry of his name brought him back from his memory and he looked up to see they were slowly out of the woods and back in Otokagure. Looking at his right-hand man, it seemed Kabuto had to escort Orochimaru in the last few steps as he felt his left leg in pain and himself limping about it. He couldn't even recall what had happened. "Be careful, what were you even thinking about?"

"I..." He hesitated whether it was a good idea to bring this up. "I killed...my legacy and I can't take that back."

The funeral...it was the most painful ceremony that Sasuke had ever attended. As painful as when he found out his brother had killed his entire clan and left Konoha. Even though he distanced himself from Team 7 and all of the other teams, he couldn't bring himself to hide his emotions. Cloaked in a black cape compared to his usual funeral attire, he bawled.

Sasuke bawled his heart out.

Silently but surely to the others around him, all the leaf ninjas could tell this was affecting Sasuke badly. He was shaking slightly from the trauma of her death and only Naruto bravely managed to approach him and put a hand on his shoulder. He gravelled to the floor and his tears became more visible to the villagers attending more. He hit the ground and a puddle splashed into his face, not that he cared much.

That night, Sasuke sat in his room contemplating. Revenge. That was what seemed like the right thing.

"This is the only road out of the village." Of course someone was going to stop him. But he didn't expect out of all people for him to hear Sakura's voice. Maybe Naruto, Neji or even Shikamaru but not hers.

"You should go to bed."

"Why Sasuke? Why is it always a few words with you?" She questioned but the Uchiha didn't reply. "Are you going to leave?"

"I have to get stronger." He told her honestly.

"Listen, I'll never be like you and Naruto or even Itsuka." He choked after saying her name but then raised his head up again. "This is a new beginning."

"Sasuke, I'm so in love with you, I can't even stand it if you would only be with me, I can give you happiness."She confessed.

No matter of words though would sway Sasuke's attention and he was sure Sakura just said that as a way to distract him. Out of all the times to say something like this, Sasuke wondered if she realised that her words meant absolutely nothing.

"No Sakura. Itsuka was my happiness and she was taken away from me." The fact that he had to admit that Itsuka was actually gone made him choke. "The person I l-loved."

"You and I both know Itsuka wouldn't be happy with you going to her father."

"I'm getting stronger and I'm getting her payback."

"Sasuke, I'll do anything for you so please, just please don't walk away. I'll help you get your revenge so stay here with me. And if you can't take me with you."

Her pleas were starting to get on his nerves. Sasuke wondered how long she was going to do this for. "You haven't changed, you're still annoying." He shouted.

"Don't leave me. If you go I'll scream." Sakura retorted back but it was to no avail.

"Sakura, thank you for everything." He told her. Without another word, he had managed to sneak up behind Sakura without her noticing. He punched her back in order to not hurt the kunoichi but to put Sakura in a deep sleep for a while.

There was no regrets for this action. And he felt nothing when she fell to the ground. Without another second, Sasuke stepped over her body and walked out of Konoha accepting his choice. A little while later out of the village, he was met with four sound ninjas that had a presence.

"We've been waiting for you Sasuke." One of the sound ninja told him. Sasuke merely didn't bother replying and walked around them. They in turn followed behind the Uchiha boy without another word. This was it. This was something Sasuke was prepared to do.

This was the path he was going to take in order to get revenge for Itsuka, himself and get stronger than his Konoha classmates. This was going to be his new goal.

10 years ago, I began this story after watching half of Part I. I'm sorry that it is rushed. There was a lot more to write however I have other stories I need to finish. But it was still an achievement. I finished watching Part II last year and have grown a lot: graduated, lived in Japan and been travelling to more countries yearly.

I am in the process of writing books, Miragen and Jaybird. My spicy food blog is coming in Feb 2019: so please watch out for that! Please DM me if you are interested!