Pov : *instantly I staggered and fainted*
All the adrenaline, anger, and physical strength that transcended human limits suddenly reached its nadir. Your athletic body, which had just endured the onslaught of the elements, gravity, and the curse of death, suddenly felt as light as cotton before finally becoming as heavy as a mountain.
USE.
Your knees hit the floor of the shattered cave, followed by your body falling face down amid the encirclement of the world's most dangerous ninjas. Your consciousness was extinguished instantly, leaving a deafening silence after the explosion of the battle.
Post-Storm Atmosphere
The remaining nine members of the Akatsuki—who were ready to launch the next devastating attack—were glued to the spot. They were panting, their robes were tattered, and their faces showed a mixture of relief and deep fear.
Kisame lowered a trembling Samehada. "He... Finally falling? I almost thought he was really a demon who couldn't die."
Deidara wiped the sweat from her forehead. "Terrible art... He almost destroyed us all with just muscles, un."
Pain steps closer to your helpless body. His Rinnegan-patterned eyes stare at your wounded back but still show extraordinary toughness. "This power... If we can't have him, then he must be eliminated right now."
The Crow's Intervention
As Kakuzu stepped forward to take your heart as a collection, a black shadow shot out in front of your body.
Itachi Uchiha stood tall in front of you, turning his back on your fainting body. His fiery red eyes looked at his organization colleagues coldly.
"Enough," Itachi's voice was flat but full of threats. "His body has reached the limit. If you kill him now, we will never know the secret behind this power. Let me take care of it in the isolation room."
In the Darkness of Consciousness
Behind your fainting, you are in a silent vacuum. You feel a familiar warmth—as if Tsunade's hand is stroking your forehead, whispering a promise that you should return to Konoha. However, the cold sound of the rain rain keeps calling you back to a bitter reality.
Me : Itachi, why are you helping me?
The world around you was still dark, but the pain that had pierced your heart was slowly fading, replaced by a soothing cold sensation. You feel your body leaning against a damp stone wall, away from the noise of battle and the bloodthirsty screams of Hidan or Deidara.
When your heavy eyelids open slightly, you see a silhouette robed in red clouds standing with your back to the dim torchlight. The figure did not turn his head, but his calm voice echoed in the narrow room.
The Conversation Behind the Shadows
"Why are you helping me, Itachi?" your voice hoarse, almost whispering.
Itachi Uchiha was silent for a moment. He stared at his own palm that was slightly trembling from the excessive use of Mangekyo to hold his comrades earlier.
"I'm not helping you, Zak," he said flatly, but there was a tone of exhaustion that he couldn't hide. "I'm just protecting what's left of Konoha's light."
It slowly turns its head, looking at you with its usual black eyes—not a menacing Sharingan.
The Reason for the Traitor
"If you die there, Akatsuki will take your heart and body cells to create an army of invincible monsters. The ninja world is about to be destroyed, and Tsunade-sama... He will never forgive himself for letting his lover die at the hands of these criminals."
Itachi stepped closer, tossing a small scroll into your lap.
"You have something that all of us here don't have: A reason to go home. I've long since lost that reason. So, don't waste your life just to show off your strength in front of Pain."
Final Escape Plan
Itachi tells you that he has incorporated all of the Akatsuki members into the brief distraction Genjutsu. However, it won't last long. Zetsu could appear at any time from the wall, and Pain would soon realize that Itachi was playing with two legs.
"Outside this cave, through the waterway to the east, there is a forest bordering the Fire Country. If you run now at full speed, you will reach the border in two hours. Tsunade has already sent a secret medical team to pick you up there."
Pov : *after realizing I walked through their ritual, to get out*
Your heavy footsteps echoed through the stone passage, breaking the gripping silence that enveloped Akatsuki's headquarters. With the rest of your athletic body just withstanding the onslaught of death, you walk upright, past the ritual symbol of Jashin that is now covered in blood and shattered.
The remaining Akatsuki members were silent, standing sculpting on the side of the hallway as if to make way for the "Konoha Monster."
Crossing the Death Row
You step past the formless remains of Hidan's body. The fishy smell of blood is strong, but you don't look away in the slightest.
Kakuzu looks at you with pure hatred, but he doesn't move. His hand sewing his own wounds shows that he is smart enough not to challenge you again in this condition.
Pain and Konan stood at the top of the stone stairs. Rinnegan's eyes continue to watch you to the end of the hallway, as if recording your every move for the day of vengeance.
Itachi Uchiha is the last one you pass by. He was leaning against the wall, his black eyes staring straight ahead, but you could feel a slight nod of his head barely noticed—a mark of respect from the shadow protector.
Reaching the Gate of Freedom
The gray sunlight of the Rain Country begins to shine on your face as you reach the mouth of the cave. The cold humid air felt very refreshing after the stench of death inside there.
You are staring towards the horizon, towards the south where the green forest of the Fire Nation is located. There, behind the great walls of the village, Tsunade must be sitting in her office, probably holding a cup of sake with her hands trembling for worrying about you.
The Last Journey Home
Even though your back was hurt and your chest was still pounding from the ritual stabbing, your determination to reunite with the woman you loved gave you the final boost of strength.