Sasuke hates dying.
He lost count on how many times he had died. He was tired. Tired of Orochimaru, tired of Itachi and tired of Danzou and tired of Obito. He had killed them or rather tried killing them and other than Itachi not a single one had gone down without a repeat every time
Everytime he dies he wakes up on his graduation day. The first time he died was just after Sakura died. She protected him and the final form of sharingan flared in his eyes. He set Zabuza and the bridge on black fire of Amaterasu. He felt a dangerous aura out of Naruto. He didn't know about the nine tail fox at that time but the vile chakra suffocated him and everything went dark and he found himself seated in their classroom Iruka calling their name for the test.
It was disorienting. The first person he searched for was Sakura who was alive and sitting with Nara as usual. He wasn't sure what had happened and how he is back or how a simple C rank mission became an A rank one.
It was like a nightmare on a loop. It's like death was on a vacation and Sasuke was the lucky one to escape it everytime by repeating the same thing again and again.
The first time he told Kakashi he didn't believe him.He knew how absurd it was but then when what he said started matching the following events Kakashi believed him. He didn't take him to the Hokage no. He tried to fight Haku and Zabuza at the same time in their first meeting. Ending up killing himself. He felt his mangekyou flare and the vile chakra of a monster coming out of Naruto. In a second he was upon a very hurt Zabuza and almost dying Haku.
He heard Sakura tremble and say “This was not supposed to happen” and how true those words were only Sasuke knew at that time not knowing that Sakura may also know something important.
He knew it was because of him Kakashi was dead. Naruto was on a rampage and he didn't seem to stop. It was Sakura who bought him back from the haze of what had happened. She shouted out that they needed to stop him.
Both of them died fighting a gigantic nine tail fox released from its container.
Sasuke didn't need friends.His constant dying was making him soft towards his teammates who had somehow made a place in his heart.
The first time he had heard about his team he scoffed at himself for being in the team with Naruto and Sakura.Naruto because he was annoying and at Sakura because unlike other girls she never fawned over him but she was strange and she was the only girl he had lost against sparring matches and sometimes it felt like she purposefully lost to him. It took him more loops to know that Sakura was not what she looked like.
On one loop he was purposely rude to everyone. He did missions but never spent time with his team or fell for Naruto’s incessant nagging and trying to make fun of any situation. Sakura was the one to snap at him when Naruto and Kakshi were not around.
“What the hell is wrong with you Uchiha?” she snapped and Sasuke narrowed his eyes.
“Nothing is wrong. Do your own thing” he dismissed her
“Konoha works as a team asshole and you are not being a good teammate to us. I know Naruto is an idiot but you are an bigger idiot if you think you can take your revenge without him helping you to get more stronger” Sakura said
Sasuke scoffed “As if the dobe can help me” he knew now about the nine tails but he was not sure if he will be able to harness its power.He has done his research and found out how unstable jinchuriki could be but he has never seen Naruto unstable. Not until one of them is dying or dead.
“Mark my words Sasuke. He will be stronger than you. I can bet on it. So don't be an asshole.” Sakura sneered and went on warming up herself far away from him.
It will be a long time before he will know not to bet against Sakura.For some odd reason Sakura always wins and when she doesn't it definitely means something is going to shit. Oh the Irony of her being the student of the Legendary Sucker was not lost on him later in his life.
He found out about Root before he defected from Konoha. Later he demanded to know about them from Qrochimaru and whatever he said Sasuke didn't believe that sly man. But then when he found out about the same thing but in a different version where Obito had the audacity to remove his meddling, he saw rage. He wanted to burn the Village down and he would have if not for what his constant not dying has shown him how things are different than what it looks like.
“So you see, Itachi was just a discarded soldier for Konoha” Madara said. Sasuke was really stupid to think of him as Madara. He didn't want to work for him or bring whatever convoluted idea of peace he had. He wanted to ask his brother why? Why go to such length? He wanted to kill Danzo and that is what he did.
He tried killing Danzo but that horrid man had sharingan on his arms. He was successful in killing him but he had lost himself in revenge at that time. He had used every ounce of chakra he had and unfortunately died because of chakra exhaustion.
The next thing he heard was Iruka’s voice and he was still raging because of the betrayal he felt from the village. He wanted to kill that old bastard again. Rationality was shot out of the window when he went flying to kill the hokage’s in his office and blamed him and Danzou for killing his family. He was killed on spot not even subdued. He would have loved to know how they would cover his death with so many witnesses.
He knew he had to think rationally and he wanted to work alone but he didnt know how. He didn't trust anybody. Not even Kakashi. He knew in his revenge he didn't see what was right in front of him. About how the largest clan was killed just like that without raising any village alarm? How did everyone just accept it was just one person killing so many? He had been naive.
One time he asked for help from someone he thought would not be related to the higher ups and intelligent enough not to raise any alarm.He wanted to go about telling about his situation too but he was not sure if he would be dismissed. He knew deep inside himself Sakura doesn’t like him much but she will be willing to give her life for him if they are a team. Naruto too would do that and he himself had done that as well.
It was after their successful wave mission which ended in everyone alive that Sasuke asked for help. She was suspicious obviously and now that he looks at it Sakura was always noticing him. When he was harsh on Naruto too much Sakura had hit him hard for being a brat. She always calls them brat even if they all are the same age. She treats them like they are children and more than often it was her bossing them around if Kakashi was not there. He has seen her fight in the preliminaries and final. The fact that she wore weights never came to him if he hadn't watched her final match or the fact that the Jounin sensei Guy was somewhat like a sensei to Sakura as well for a long time.
These were few things that he had picked up on her and he had watched her during the wave mission and she had seemed extra panicking every time they had taken this mission. At first he thought it was just her nerves but then there was something about her that he couldnt put a finger on. He had asked what's wrong once and she had replied first time mission jitters.
Sakura was asked to come to the Uchiha compound and not his usual resident area. He was not a great sensor but he made sure that they were not followed and surprised to know that Sakura was doing that too, she had never done that before.
“I didn't know you could sense too” he had asked after they had entered his house which he had tried to clean before going to the mission.
“My range is not that good. It's just for precaution” she said while taking in the house.
When they were settled and Sasuke had put a silencing seal just for extra precaution he started “I need your help” he started pouring tea for both of them.
“And what kind of help do you need that Naruto or Kakashi cannot help you with?” Sakura asked as she put a sugar cube in her tea. He never liked sugar with his tea but he had bought some for her. There was another thing about Sakura.She like him never called Kakashi sensei when he is not around. She also had the habit to not call him sensei when she is mad with him or sometimes she just forgets to add sensei and adds it later like an afterthought but he had noticed her interacting with Guy and she never forgets to add sensei to his name. It was alarming to know that he knows too much about Sakura. He would never let it be known to anyone but Sakura is pretty and when he was a kid with all his family alive he had thought about being friends with her once but he didn't. It was strange to think about this now while drinking tea with her and planning to vomit his burden on her. He was glad she was not like those rabid girls who made it seem like he was a hero surviving a massacre and not just a toy in his brother’s grand scheme of killing himself by his hand later.
“How much do you know about my clan?” Sasuke asked and carefully noticed her reaction. She twitched a little then quirked an eyebrow like she was not sure why he had asked this of all things but in her eyes there was a flash of sadness and guilt. He had watched Sakura too much and he knew her tells well by now. Why she felt guilty he didn't know.
“Uchiha are among the 4 Elite clans of konoha.They are the founding clan of this Village when Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara made peace and started this Village.They possess a powerful kekkei genkai called the Sharingan. That's the gist” Sakura said while sipping her tea and Sasuke didn’t miss the way her face made a distasteful twitch saying Madara’s name.
“Official story is that my brother Itachi killed the whole clan in one night and left me dying. What do you think about this Official story?” Sasuke asked, knowing very well he had highlighted the word ‘Official’ in his tone. He knew Sakura was not stupid.He saw a round of emotions on her face from disbelief and suspicion and then there was the guilt again.
“I think the Official story is bullshit” Sakura answered carefully as if she was approaching a wounded cat then added “What exactly are you doing Sasuke?”
Sasuke told her everything. He told her about him dying so many times about Itachi, about Danzo and about Madara who he thinks is not Madara.He talked about Orochimaru and he talked about how he felt when he got to know about Itachi’s truth. He was crying by the time he had finished. He knew he said too much. He was only supposed to ask about her opinion on this whole thing. He was conflicted about talking about him repeating everything but once he started talking he couldn't stop. He couldn't believe he was crying in front of Sakura, showing her weakness.
Sakura had tears in her eyes but she was not ugly crying. She had a pained look in her eyes.
“Your eyes Sasuke” Sakura said she was not looking at him but she passed on some tissue to clean up his blood.
“You do trust me right?” Sasuke said and he hated the vulnerability he was showing her.
“I do Sasuke. I do” Sakura said and took a deep breath and said “I will tell you a story. Would you listen to me first?” Sakura asked, steeling her nerves for what Sasuke didn't know but this was the moment his whole life changed.
He just nodded.
“A brave shinobi saved the village hidden in the leaves from the nine tailed fox, his name was Namikaze Minato. He sealed the fox into his own son…….”
Sakura spoke for hours. She told Sasuke about the Akatsuki about things that she shouldn't know. She told him about Indra and Asura. She told him about Obito, about Shisui.She told him about Kaguya and ended with the end of the 4th great ninja war and Naruto being the 7th Hokage.
“How?” Sasuke asked
“I knew this the moment I was born and I can't tell you how. Not right now. I am sorry Sasuke. I couldn’t help and there were a lot of spies around us who would do anything to get this if anything was leaked from me.” Sakura said in a small voice.
“Why tell me then?” Sasuke asked. He wasn't sure what to ask. At first he thought she was in the same situation as him but the more she said he knew it was impossible for her to know a number of things. He doesn't blame Sakura for keeping everything to herself. He has seen the world around him and he knew how her kind of information would have been exploited but still he wanted to know how she knows so much?
“You are in a situation I don't know how to break but I have a feeling you are not to die until and unless you can stop Zetsu or seal Kaguya. God knows what will happen to this world if he is not stopped or the 5 great nations doesnt band together. There are things that are necessary to happen but i don't know how much death needs to happen Sasuke. I can't stop everything myself. When I was born I was scared...” Sakura said and stopped herself from saying anything more.
“We can help each other” Sasuke said.
“We can. Will you be defecting again?” Sakura asked
“It's better if I am away from Konoha. I stayed in Konoha and Orochimaru was always onto me somehow. Now I know it's Danzo again. Tsunade even send me out with Kakashi to long term mission under the mask” Sasuke said
“You were Anbu huh” Sakura understood
“Yes.I want to remove Danzo as soon as possible” Sasuke said
“But I think it would be better if he is dead after Tsunade gets the hat” Sakura said.
“Yes but for that I need to know the inner working of his organization and everything which I dont think will be easy to find” sasuke said pacing back and fourth after the initial shock of everything discussing plan of action was better than thinking what a fucking clusterfuck this whole thing was.
“Sasuke we need Naruto and his clones for this” Sakura said and Sasuke wanted to deny his help but he knew. He knew Naruto is the only other one to be trusted. He wanted Kakashi to be in this as well but he was not sure how much to trust that man. Was he really that naive to not question the Uchiha massacre and believe that just Itachi killed everyone or was it Shisui’s eyes that mummed every shinobi. He was not sure how powerful his eyes could be.
“How much should he know?” Sasuke asked because he was not sure how much to share.
“About Root and his parents. I wanted to tell him so much but I always feared that him knowing now would not be a good idea. I have said everything that is important to you and I think it's time he deserves an answer too.” Sakura said and Sasuke agreed. He didn't want to die so easily this time. He wanted to do everything right.
“Thanks for telling me Dattebayo!” Naruto hugged Sakura and Sasuke tightly and he couldn't believe he was the Son of the 4th Hokage and he was enraged to know about Danzo.
“I trust Kakashi Sensei you know” Naruto said after a while as they discussed how to find Root and Sasuke being the closest one to Anbu he taught everyone their signs.
“We can't risk it, Naruto.” Sakura said. Naruto had argued about his jiji not doing something like this but the more Sakura argued the more he understood. Sasuke didn't argue, he just got angry for not believing him and even though he wanted to argue back he understood where he was coming from. He was also angry about Sarutobi not telling him who his parents were.
On top of everything they did have to attend the Chunin exam. They wanted to ditch it but Sakura was the one to tell them how things could go wrong and though Naruto didn't know about Sasuke’s looping Sakura made something up for Naruto as well. She knew if Orochimaru didn't get Sasuke in the forest of Death things could go wrong but that doesn't mean she wants Suske to have a curse mark.
“Tell me Sasuke, are you faster than me without my weight? I guess you have seen me fight?” Sakura had asked before the day of their exams and the same day Naruto will be sending clones to spy on Danzo.
“No, at least in this body I am not fast yet” Sasuke said.
“Then the moment we see Orochimau we run ok? I dont know much about the curse mark and as you have said it fucks with your head its better to not have it at all isn’t it?” Sakura said.
Sasuke was not sure what to do now. In every situation he had let Orochimaru bite him. He could have run but he had once bit Sakura and she died and he would never tell her how he went on a rampage and almost killed Orochimaru. He had then seen the slime Kabuto coming towards them and he had lost it at that moment.
“But you will not let Orochimaru bite you Sakura. I have seen you die enough as it is” Sasuke said with a sigh.
“Don't worry brat. I can run like Flash himself” Sakura snorted
“What? And stop calling me brat” Sasuke said with his trademark glare.
Sakura chuckled and Sasuke knew it was a private Joke to her and he really wanted to know what this Flash thing she meant.
Things went downhill when they entered the forest of death like fate itself was warning Sasuke that this loop was going to end.Naruto slumped over with one hit Sakura tried her best to run with both of them but it was not enough. Orochimaru got her.
“Fu fu fu! It was your gift Sasuke-kun but i guess….” he couldn't even finish the sentence when the black fire of Amaterasu raged. Orochimaru tried to run but he couldn't. The purple Susano that formed blocked him in every way. Sasuke knew it was no use but he would come back from another cursed mark but he was angry. He should have used his Susano from the beginning. He didn't and now he is paying the price again.
“Sakura!” he shouted but he knew her heart was not beating. She was dead and something in him broke again. He knew at this moment with clarity that he refused to live in a world where Sakura is dead. Oh he knew he had a crush on her since childhood but no he was sure. He would bring the whole world to an end for her and the irony of him and Obito was not lost on him but he knew this was different than Obito’s situation. If he dies now he will see her again and alive.
It was the first time he took his life without a second thought.
Root recruited him and he gladly joined, citing he wanted to kill Itachi and protect Konoha and made himself loyal to Danzo.
How he hated every minute of it! He wanted to kill that bastard but he knew this was not the time. He almost played his cards right. Almost. Because this time he didn’t have much meaningful conversation with Sakura still somehow she found out he was working for Danzou again and confronted him.
“Are you working for Danzou Sasuke?” she asked bluntly. They were in her house and he could see various traps and seals around the house. He didn't know Sakura was studying seals as well. When did that happen? He thought. He had been in her medical care many times and he for some reason should have known she would catch on to this somehow.
“You don't need to worry. I know what I am doing” Sasuke said, not sipping the tea he was sure was laced with something. He thought he knew Sakura enough but truthfully he didn’t in a sense he has never been close to her when ever he had decided to stay in Konoha and neither did she say anything other than what was needed other than that one time he doesn't like to think. That didn't mean they never met, only this time he had kept her and Kakashi at arms length more than usual unlike other times.
“Do you really know what you are doing?” She asked, sipping her tea. He couldn't help but smirk at her. He remembered the loop in which she had confessed of knowing things she shouldn't and now is the perfect time to see her falter.
“I do know Sakura. But the question is do you know what you are doing?” He asked. Sakura’s eyebrow twitched when he smirked. He knew she didn't like him smirking. He knew she knew he was doing to get on her nerves and Sakura is Tsunade’s student he knew she would not go down so easily in a verbal competition. Danzo had eyes on her as well but Sasuke had said she was loyal to Tsunade. He is glad she had Tsunade or he did fear Danzo would have taken her.( Later he did find out he did have plans)
“What do you mean?” she asked innocently
“Don't put your nose on Danzo’s business. I know about the real truth of the massacre. He doesn't have much time to live anyway” Sasuke said as he was pulling the Tea to drink Sakura stopped him.
“You knew it had something, so why the hell are you drinking it now?” Sakura said annoyed and Sasuke couldn't help but smirked again and put his cup down.
“So I hope you know i am not as evil as you think I am”
“I never said you were evil Sasuke”
“We have been teammates for a few years. I know you better than you think Sakura” Sasuke tisked. She may not like him but she never thought him as evil.
“You do know Tsunade Shishou would help you with the war hawk right?” Sakura asked
“Do you really think I should leave a person like him to the Hokage now Sakura ?” Sasuke asked not amused at all.
“No you shouldn't” she said, not looking at him. He was glad to know she still knew when murder is necessary she will not back out or snitch on him.
“We will talk later, after all we do need plans to do something about Kaguya huh?” Sasuke said with a smirk
Sakura narrowed her eyes “What?”
“We will talk later, after I off Danzou I need to have a chat with my dear brother again. I hope you will help me with a little eye transplant.” Sasuke said
“Again huh? Have you contacted him then?” Sakura asked with a raised eyebrow. Honesty she is just going with everything. She has no idea what Sasuke is planning or to trust him how much but something was off about him and not in a bad way but she wasn't sure if it was good either.
“I hope you will keep this from the Hokage? Well you have been keeping a whole lot of things in you for a long time anyway and well I would like to know how you know about what you know some other time Rose Levesque” Sasuke said and sunshined away.
In one of the loops Sakura had said once upon a time that was her name and Sasuke had not forced her to say anything.Sakura’s parents had died because of something which had to do with Danzou on that loop and Sasuke had forced her to be emotionally vulnerable to him. It was a coincidence that she trusted him enough to spin a tale about a world where you can't join the military before the age of 18. A world where children can be children. She didn't say much about herself but she did say her other name. He knew the story of another world not on the map of the ninja nation was bizarre but he met Kaguya once and he is trying his best not to meet that creature again. He refuses to call it a God.
In a week the Village hidden in the leaf announced the news of the murder of the entire Council. Before people could mourn, Tsunade put their Dirty laundry out in the open.
Naruto too came back from his trip along with Jiraya and even though there was no proof to say who did it all the ninja knew involuntarily that it may have been Sasuke but Sasuke had his perfect Alibi.
The Hokage herself of course.
“Hokage-sama you called?” Sasuke asked. Shikaku Nara, Jiraya, Kakashi, Sakura were all present. He had not talked to Sakura after his last encounter. She was expressionless and He couldn't help but look at her for more than a few seconds. He knew he made her go through a big amount of emotional turmoil last week. (He had kept tab on her)
Just as Tsunade was about to speak everyone heard Naruto pop in.
“Hey ba-chan! You called? Oh wow Kakashi sensei is early”
Everyone saw the thick vein on Tsunade’s temple and before it could explode Sakura twisted Naruto’s ears.
“Hey Hey Sakura-chan what the hell?” He squeaked
“Address the Hokage respectfully you brat! Did the Toad sannin teach you nothing?” Sakura hissed and even Jiraiya flinched.
Tsunade smirked.
“It's like you created a mini you” Jiraya said to Tsunade.
“Oh no she is better than what I was at her age and she will surpass me by the end of this year” Tsunade said proudly
Sasuke knew Sakura doesn't need monster strength to kill people.He had seen her kill people with just a touch. She would have been a good Anbu but Sakura didn’t like killing if not necessary. She had taken places with many Anbu Medic without the Anbu training and that was not something many people knew. She was unofficially the emergency Anbu Medic.
“As I was going to say” Tsunade started “Sasuke as we all know what really happened with your clan. I will pardon Itachi. You request for an eye surgery to be only done by my apprentice. I would suggest that Sakura would need to have documents to know more about the sharingan and she will be needing assistance and I or Shizune will be there but that too need your permission. Here is the document. Read it carefully” she said, still eyeing Sasuke.
“Is that it?” Sasuke asked
“No. We found a lead on Orochimaru and I want to send team7.You are free to contact Itachi on your own if you want to find him yourself” Sasuke knew better than to be pulled into the bait.
“I don't know how to contact Itachi.” Sasuke said and Tsunade gave a dry laugh.
“I have already send my message”
“We will kick that bastard's ass” Naruto whopped.
“Oh did I forget to tell you Naruto you are given a different mission. You are to meet the Jinchuriki of the 8 tails. We have scheduled a meeting with the Cloud. We will soon have a meeting with all the Villages. Akatsuki needs to be wiped out before the situation escalades” Tsunade dropped a bomb and if Sasuke was not in touch with his brother he would have been caught off guard about how things are moving forward than before,only time will tell if things go right.
“What Ba-chan! You can't do that!” Naruto protested and Tsunade had enough
“I am the Hokage and you need to follow orders, Naruto! The mission details are already in the scroll. Yamato and Sai will be taking yours and Kakashi’s place as usual” Tsunade said dismissing them
Killing Orochimaru was easy. Sasuke himself knew the ins and outs of his bases and the mission was a success. Sakura had gained her Strength of Hundred Seal on this mission and even though Sasuke had seen her use it in the war, it was the first time he noticed how it formed on her forehead. She didn't need to activate it this time though. It was a happy coincidence. Tsunade had been proud.
“Are you taking the medicine Tsunade gave you?” Sasuke asked Itachi
“I have and I will be ready for the eye transplant before the summit” Itachi said
“I have forgiven you Itachi.” Sasuke said after a while.
“I don't think I deserve forgiveness Sasuke”
“I have lived many times to forgive you. It was not as easy as you think it was for me” he said
“I understand”
“So Sakura Haruno?” Itachi started
“No. We are not talking about that.”
Itachi had a little twitch in his face. For anyone it would be nothing but Sasuke knew he was amused.
The Summit was thankfully not a disaster. Blames were thrown around and a lot of cursing and verbal fighting later the five great nations for the first time band together as a set of mixed teams to tackle the Akatsuki situation.
Kakashi was of course set to hunt down Obito and the 3 remaining Jinchuriki refused to stay hidden when they could help. Pain was confronted by Naruto and Jiraya themselves. Hidan and Kakuzu were hunted by a team with Nara and Cloud shinobi. The team made up of Sand and Rock shinobi were after Deidara and Sasori. Kisame Hoshigaki surrendered himself to mist and last but not the least Black Zetsu was taken care of by Itachi and Sasuke.
“You can’t capture me” he shrieked
“Oh yes we can. I refuse to see the face of Kaguya again” Sasuke sneered as he whipped out a seal especially made to capture him.
“You will never be able to stop Mother” he screeched as a shit load of white Zetsu attacked them but then both the brothers had no problem in cutting them down smoothly.
In no time the black mass tried to run when he finally got the message that he was losing but he didn't have time to do so.
When Black Zetsu was finally sealed Sasuke knew at that moment something changed. He knew this time that if he died he would not be able to repeat everything again.
Obito was fighting with Kakashi nearby; he refused to believe that his plan failed. He refused to hear Kakashi and Kakashi was losing blood. Obito went for a fatal blow that he did not see coming but Sakura interrupted it at the last moment.
“How could you do this Obito!? Do you think Rin would be happy with this? Killing Kakashi? She will be disgusted!” Sakura sneered as she threw a kunai which passed through him but it detonated at the right time which threw him off guard. Sakura took the moment to heal Kakashi. She has been fighting with an Akatsuki member she had no idea from her previous life a while ago. Her chakra was running low and she had used her ultimate healing more than it should be used.
She fought off all the attacks from Obito but she had forgotten that her previous opponent had used a different kind of mist that could have been poisonous with a late effect. Little did she know even with her Byakugou Seal it would not help, the poison was specially made for her. Her full body froze at that moment two things happened. Obito pierced her skull with a simple kunai in between her eyes and Sasuke screamed.
“Sakura!” he couldn't do anything as he saw her die in an instant
“No no no this is not happening. This is not happening” He screamed black tears came out of his eyes, his sharingan flared. A new pattern bloomed into his eyes and he blacked out.
“Sam” a soft voice whispered and Sam opened his eyes slowly. He saw a woman with green eyes wearing a hospital gown looking at him strangely.
“Sakura?” He asked groggily.
The women’s eyes widened.
“Sasuke?” the woman asked with tears in her eyes.
“Rose?”