Kapitel 56: Chapter 51: Shared Burden.
Author Note: Nothing of importance, just enjoy the chapter, and if you have any questions, make sure to comment!
And like always, remember if you want to read up to 18-22 chapters ahead go to https://www.patreón.com/cornbringer
I'm currently updating the novel 2-8 chapters a day in patreeeeon. On chapter 69 so far, though by the end of today it will be chapter 71-74
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Enjoy you sexy bastards.
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[Arata Takeshi - POV.]
I sat in my room, a book about advanced chakra control open in front of me. The quiet of my surroundings was calming, which was something one could expect from the Uchiha compound. Tsuki lay curled up beside me, her rhythmic purring adding to the tranquil atmosphere. It had been a few weeks since we returned from our first C-ranked mission. After our success, we had started taking mostly C-ranked missions.
A nice change of pace for the most part. We still did the odd D-ranked mission here and there, but it didn't bother me as much now because we had variety.
As I read through the pages, my thoughts began to wander, drifting away from the text. For a few months now, I had been meaning to talk to Itachi about Danzo, about how much of a threat he was. The knowledge of what he did to my parents was a heavy burden, one that weighed on me constantly.
I knew why Danzo had targeted my parents. It wasn't because they were a threat to the village or because they were traitors; it was because they were an obstacle between him and me. He wanted me as a weapon, and I had no doubts he wanted Itachi as well, for the very same reason he wanted me. The difference was Itachi had an entire clan behind his back, not just two people.
Itachi deserved to know the truth, not only for his safety but because he had become like a brother to me. But every time I considered bringing it up, something held me back. I wasn't sure what exactly.
Maybe it was the fear of how he would react, or perhaps it was the uncertainty of what would happen next. Itachi was smart, probably the smartest person I knew, and I had no doubt he would understand the gravity of the situation.
I sighed, running a hand through my hair.
My thoughts circled back to the day I found out about Danzo's involvement in their death when my father's summon came to me, giving me a feather with a message. The raw, searing pain of that moment was still vivid, and the anger that followed was like a dark cloud, always hovering just at the edge of my consciousness. I had spent countless nights lying awake, thinking about how I would kill him.
How I would avenge my family.
Taking a deep breath, I glanced over at the book again, trying to refocus on the techniques it described. But no matter how hard I tried, my thoughts kept drifting back to Danzo and the secret I was keeping from Itachi.
There was also the fact that once I told Itachi, there would be no turning back. It would set off a chain of events that I couldn't predict or control. Itachi was fiercely loyal to those he cared about, and once he knew the truth, I knew without a doubt that he would be compelled to act. And that action could very well put him in direct conflict with Danzo, a dangerous position for anyone, let alone a young shinobi.
If he told Lord Fugaku and Lady Mikoto, and they tried to investigate the matter, things could get out of hand, putting everything I care about in danger before I was ready to defend it.
Sometimes, I wondered if Itachi had his own suspicions about Danzo or about me keeping something from him. He was perceptive, often seeing through the facades that others couldn't. But even if he did suspect something, he had never pressed me for answers. Perhaps he was waiting for me to come to him, to trust him with the full story.
I sighed again, deeper this time, and closed the book.
Perhaps I should just go ahead and do it. The more time I spend thinking about it, the more I would find a way to stop myself from telling him.
"What do you think, girl?" I asked, looking down at the small, ebony cat curled up beside me. She blinked her jade-green eyes sleepily at me, then yawned and rested her head back onto her paws.
Hmm, I suppose I will take that as a yes.
Letting out a deep breath, I tossed my book aside. Tsuki, my adorable cat, was right. Enough was enough. I couldn't keep pushing this off. It was time to tell Itachi the truth, and even if that meant I wouldn't have control over what would happen after I told him, it was the right thing to do.
Steeling myself, I stood up and made my way out of my room, Tsuki following me closely. Itachi was in his room, probably studying or meditating as he often did. And his room was just a few steps away from mine, making the amount of time where I could change my mind almost non-existent.
Knocking gently on his door, I waited for his response. "Come in," came his calm voice.
Opening the door, I found him sitting by his window, the setting sun casting a warm glow over the room. He looked up from the scroll he was reading and gave me a small, welcoming smile. "Takeshi, what brings you here?"
I took a deep breath, stepping into the room and closing the door behind me. "Itachi, there's something important I need to talk to you about."
His smile faded, replaced by a look of concern. "What is it?"
I sat down across from him, gathering my thoughts. I honestly had no idea how to word this out, but I suppose just telling it like it is should suffice. "It's about Danzo... and my parents."
Itachi's eyes widened slightly, and he put the scroll aside, giving me his full attention. "Go on," he said, his voice steady but tinged with worry.
I took another deep breath, feeling the weight of my words even before I spoke them. "There's no easy way to say this… Itachi, the night my parents died... it wasn't because of the Nine Tails. Shimura Danzo was behind their death. He ordered some of his men to kill my parents. The reason behind this being that he wanted me for his own purposes, and my parents were, in his eyes, nothing but an inconvenience in his plans."
Itachi's eyes narrowed, his hands clenching into fists as his chakra turned sour with anger. "Shimura Danzo... that man."
He believes me… just like that? There were no signs of doubt or anything similar, just trust.
His unwavering trust in me was both touching and terrifying. He wasn't questioning me or doubting my words, even though I knew he understood the gravity of the situation and what this meant. It was as if he had blind faith in me, willing to believe me despite the potential consequences.
I nodded, pushing my thoughts aside for the time being. "I learned about this truth soon after their death. My father's summon came to me and showed me his last moments. My dad fought bravely to protect me, but he was sick… and eventually, his heart gave out. Before that happened, my father managed to leave me a message using a special technique from his summons, warning me about Danzo and his possible plans with me. He told me to be careful and to watch out for you as well."
Itachi's expression softened slightly, the anger in his eyes giving way to a look of understanding and determination. "He wants our talent."
Just as I expected, he understood the main motive behind that bastard's actions.
"Yes," I said, my voice heavy with barely contained rage. "He sees us as tools to be used for his own gain in what he thinks is the best for the village. That's why he had my parents killed. And it's very likely he's keeping an eye on you too, waiting for the right moment to strike. It's just harder to do anything against you, seeing you have an entire clan behind you."
Itachi was silent for a moment, processing the information. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" he finally asked, his voice calm but with a hint of hurt.
I looked down, feeling a pang of guilt. "I wanted to, but... I didn't know how. Maybe I was scared of what it would mean, of what would happen next. I suppose a part of me didn't want to drag you into this mess, or perhaps I thought it would be best if I just dealt with this on my own. I don't know, to be honest."
Itachi reached out, placing a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "You are both the smartest shinobi I know, and the most stupid one. We're a team, Takeshi. And more than that, we're brothers. You don't have to carry this burden alone. I won't let you."
As I stood there, speechless, I felt something wet on my face. Slowly, I reached up and touched my cheek, surprised to find it damp. Tears. I hadn't even realized I was crying.
"You do realize what my goal is now, don't you?" I chuckled, wiping away the tears from my face. "I want to kill him."
Teresa was going to have a field day with this display of emotion.
"I know," Itachi replied, his eyes freezing over with a newfound hate, something so new in them; that it felt out of place in his normally kind eyes.
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein