Chapter 3 – The Scream of Still Life
"Some monsters are not created by humans. Some are simply born of silence.
The Shōkoku marshes stretched as far as the eye could see, shrouded in mist and dotted with dead trees with gnarled trunks. The ground oozed mud, and crows circled above the stagnant waters like black sentinels in the service of a forgotten god.
Sasuke walked alone, his feet sinking into the mud, his gaze sweeping the horizon.
He had heard stories of strange beasts in this area, of howls in the night, of travelers torn to pieces and found with no chakra in their veins. Some said it was a demon. Others said it was a remnant of the war. He knew. It was neither.
It was Jūgo.
Suddenly, the ground shook.
A beastly howl erupted, shattering the silence like a clap of thunder.
Sasuke quickened his pace.
He found him at the edge of a swampy cliff, chained to a giant tree that had partially collapsed. His body was deformed, partially transformed by the enzymes of his June, black veins running beneath his skin, his arms like organic blades. His eyes were filled with nothing but rage and pain.
And yet... he did not attack him.
"Jūgo," Sasuke said simply.
The other man raised his head slowly.
A hoarse growl escaped his throat. He was breathing heavily.
"You... found me..."
"You were screaming so loud that even the dead would have heard you."
A grimace appeared on Jūgo's damaged face.
"I... I try not to hurt others... but the anger comes back... the voices... they're worse since the war ended. Too many deaths... too much blood in the earth."
Sasuke approached. Jūgo didn't move.
"You chained yourself up?"
"Yes. Every time I lose control, I tie myself to a tree. Like... a mad dog."
Sasuke remained silent. He understood. All too well.
He slowly drew his katana. Not to kill him, but to cut the chains.
Jūgo growled.
"You'll regret this... If I lose control..."
"Then I'll stop you," said Sasuke.
He cut the chains.
They walked together for a while. Neither of them spoke. Until Jūgo broke the silence.
"What are you doing here? This isn't the kind of place for a hero."
"I'm not a hero."
"Did you come here to kill me?"
"No. To help you. If you still want help."
Jūgo looked at the horizon. His face darkened.
"I don't know anymore. I've lived with the beasts, with the dead. I feel their cries in my bones. The war has left everything open. I'm afraid of what I've become."
Sasuke nodded.
"Me too."
The wind blew hard. The swamps seemed to weep through the trees.
Suddenly, a kunai whistled through the air.
Sasuke narrowly dodged it. A troop of ninja hunters emerged from the shadows, masked and determined.
"Sasuke Uchiha!" declared one of them. "You are wanted for aiding and abetting an unstable subject. This monster has killed eight civilians this week. He must be eliminated."
Jūgo backed away, his eyes wild with fear.
"Sasuke... I didn't mean to... I swear..."
Sasuke's Sharingan activated.
"He will not be killed. Not today."
The hunters attacked.
But they were not prepared to face the Eye of the Night.
Sasuke neutralized them without killing them. A genjutsu here, a blow from his sword there. Precise, surgical. He knew that if he let his anger get the better of him, he would be no better than them.
The hunters fled. One of them swore they would return with reinforcements.
When calm returned, Jūgo collapsed to his knees.
"Why did you defend me?"
"Because I know what it's like... to be seen as a beast."
"Do you think I can change?"
Sasuke looked at him for a long time.
"I don't know. But I know you won't change on your own."
Jūgo looked up, his eyes filled with tears. His body was still shaking unsteadily. But for the first time in a long time, he was no longer trembling with fear.
"Where are you going, Sasuke?"
"Where the world is still hurting."
"Then I'm coming with you."
Sasuke stared at him for a moment. Then he nodded.
And, in the silence of the swamp, two shadows set off, side by side.