Shisui Uchiha POV
Finally, we left the testing room. We kept our original formation, everyone in complete silence. We went down to the third and final floor of that lab, according to Amaya.
At first, I found it weird that there were no traps on the way to this last floor, but as we passed through one of the many hallways, we came face to face with a kind of gigantic maze.
The fastest way out would be to find a high spot and guide ourselves from there. But the maze walls in front of us went all the way to the ceiling, so we couldn't climb up to see anything.
That left us with only two options to get out: we'd either need to know the exact path already, or we'd have to navigate it through trial and error.
And the second option defined our situation.
Although Amaya knew some parts of this facility, it was only in a general way. And it wasn't any different with this maze. The redhead knew most of the paths we should take, but she wasn't aware of the traps waiting for us.
We must have been walking through the maze for at least ten minutes now, and so far, nothing, absolutely nothing, had happened. No traps, no problems.
As much as I wanted to feel at ease about that, I couldn't. Something had been bothering me since the start of this mission, and I still hadn't figured out exactly what that feeling was.
Everything felt off with our team:
I was restless and couldn't think straight like I usually do, in a controlled way. The biggest proof was me not reacting to the trap on the second-floor hallway, letting Amaya get hurt in my place.
The scarecrow guy hadn't shown any annoyance with me or any of my comments, and of course, he was being extremely understanding and welcoming towards my sister.
Even knowing it was because we were accompanying her in the place she must hate most in the universe, even for a Hatake, being like this for so long was strange.
Koji was another factor adding to my unease. Ever since I heard Danzo insist to the Sandaime that one of his subordinates join the mission, I'd been wary.
Having been in the Anbu for three years, I knew a thing or two about the branch Shimura created, the Anbu Ne. Most of the "dirty" work was done by them, sometimes even without the Hokage's knowledge or prior authorization.
That alone made me suspicious of the jounin sent to meet us. And his withdrawn behavior towards the team and indifference to the environment didn't help me feel comfortable around him either.
The only thing that seemed to really hold his attention was Amaya. Everything she did or said captivated him intensely.
And to make his presence even more suspicious, he didn't act like an Anbu member. I knew there were differences between Anbu and Ne members, but one thing was common to all of us: not showing any emotion on a mission.
But Koji acted completely careless about this basic rule for us Anbu. In my case, I didn't need to follow it right now since I was only assigned to the mission as a jounin. But for him, it wasn't like that.
– We must be about halfway there already – Amaya suddenly announced – The path from here is simpler than before.
– Isn't it strange that we haven't encountered any traps yet? – the scarecrow guy asked.
– Yes... – the redhead agreed slowly – It is strange, because we should have been facing them since the moment we set foot here.
– So what could be happening? – I asked – Because from my perspective, it seems like someone deactivated them.
– For that, they'd have to know we were coming – she said, her tone a bit more serious.
– "They"? – Koji asked – You think more than one person is responsible for this place?
– It's a personal theory... – the redhead said simply, deliberately avoiding details – Anyway, don't let your guard down.
And finally, in my unease about the team, there was Amaya...
On missions, she was always serious and very quiet, but on this one, it was even more pronounced. I couldn't say it was unusual for her to be like this given the current situation, since this was the place where she'd suffered since her creation.
But even so, something about her seemed off... She'd been distant for a long time, visibly lost in her thoughts, and that worried me.
Whether it was for her mental health, being surrounded by her painful memories, or for the team's integrity. If Amaya isn't really paying attention to where we're going, we could run straight into a trap at any moment without knowing.
I shifted my gaze to the redhead leading our formation. Her posture was even more tense than before, clearly indicating that something was bothering her at that moment, especially for it to be so evident.
– Amaya – the scarecrow guy called out to her suddenly, and the Uzumaki, like me, turned her eyes to him – The further we go, the stronger a smell in the air gets. It seems like...
– Ether – they announced in unison.
– It means we're on the right path – my sister clarified immediately.
Ether? I pondered. That smell is usually found in hospitals, since it's used as a painkiller in most cases. But it can also work as a sterilizer for the environment, like alcohol. The question now is: Why would that smell be here? It wouldn't have...
I abruptly stopped my train of thought as I understood the reason for that smell here, and where we were heading: The combat room.
There were few things Amaya had told me about the lab's structure, but the one she described in the most detail was the room where she was forced to fight and kill the other children.
The redhead didn't fear all the pain she went through in the lab that much, nor the cruelty with which she was treated or kept as an experiment. That didn't disturb her, at least not as much as being forced to fight. That was her biggest trauma.
I looked towards Kakashi and noticed that, like me, he had understood where we were heading. This explains Amaya's sudden withdrawal when we reached this floor..., I concluded.
I let out a heavy sigh, but quietly. I could feel the tiredness taking hold of me. We'd already been exploring the lab for hours since we arrived, and for almost all that time I'd kept my Sharingan active.
Even though I had good control over it, the amount of chakra spent over the long term was still significant.
– Let's take a break – Amaya informed us and stopped walking, turning towards us.
She brought her gaze to me for a moment, giving a weak nod. She heard when I sighed tiredly and understood it was because of how long I've had my Sharingan activated..., I thought. And here I was thinking she was really immersed in her thoughts and disconnected from her surroundings...
– Is stopping now really a good idea? – the Hatake asked cautiously – You yourself said it's not normal that no traps have been activated.
– I know – the redhead said quickly – But we need to recompose ourselves, even if just a little – She stared at him – We've been walking for almost a day and spending chakra without replenishing it. If we run into any problems ahead, it's better if we're ready – I agreed, as did the scarecrow guy.
I sat on the floor and grabbed the canteen I'd brought for the mission, drinking almost all the water in it. I saw the Hatake also sit on the floor, leaning his back against one of the walls.
Amaya, however, remained standing. She was clearly restless, and I was sure she wouldn't be able to rest like us at that moment even if she tried.
Before I turned my attention to Koji, I saw the redhead walk off on her own to where the Anbu was, stopping beside him. The man was also standing, apparently analyzing something on a nearby wall.
I made a move to stand up and go to them, but Amaya just glanced at me sideways and signaled for me to stay where I was. Although they were a bit away, I could still hear what they were saying clearly.
– Found something? – the redhead asked in a lower tone, since she was close to him.
– There are some cracks in this area – he commented – With small lichens and mosses growing in them.
– Growing? – Amaya questioned, visibly confused – Without sunlight, they'd need at least water to develop in a place like this... – she pondered.
The redhead quickly began analyzing the nearby walls, possibly searching for what was making those small plants develop here underground.
And it was at that moment that everything began...
It started with the sound of a stone being dragged against others, followed by complete silence, even from our team. All our attention went to Koji, who was frozen with his hand on a stone slab on the wall, more sunken in. He quickly moved it away from there.
The sounds came next. They came from all sides, from every nearby wall. The sound of water flowing, like a torrent.
And the water itself came seconds later, trickling out of every crack present in the stone walls around us. The next sound started then, complementing what we saw: The cracks widening, indicating they would give way at any moment.
– Run... – Amaya raised her voice anxiously – Now!
We didn't think or even try to understand more about what was happening. The Hatake and I got to our feet the moment my sister spoke, immediately starting to run.
– Kakashi, focus on the smell of the ether to guide us! – Amaya called out louder, both because of the loud sound of water gushing from the walls and because she was following behind us.
She let the three of us go ahead while she followed from the rear. Amaya was clearly the fastest among us, but even so, she matched our pace.
The first wall cracks began to give way, and the water crossed our path through the corridors as if it were a blade, so high was its pressure.
As the water kept coming, it didn't take long for it to start rising high on our legs. We had to concentrate chakra in our feet to move quickly there.
– This way! – the Hatake suddenly warned, turning into a corridor to the left.
I was the closest to him, but I still kept an eye on the Anbu behind me, as well as Amaya. And because I was so busy watching them, I neglected my own situation.
– Shisui! – Amaya shouted in alarm, her expression worried.
I looked ahead and only then noticed some stones collapsing from the ceiling onto us. I couldn't think much, but I acted. I joined my hands and prepared to use my Teleportation Jutsu.
I had improved it since I used it in the Chunnin Exam against Amaya, and now my speed almost resembled the redhead's when she teleported using Hiraishin, although in my case it was only for short distances.
With that, I managed to dodge the falling stones, as did the Hatake in front of me. We hadn't completely escaped the collapse, so we ended up being thrown forward by the strong wind created by the impact of the rocks with the ground.
The water covering the floor, in a way, helped cushion the fall, but I still felt my whole body aching. I stayed still while feeling some smaller stones hit my back, still falling.
When the loudest sounds ceased, I finally raised my head to see what had happened to everyone. The Hatake was closer to me, with some light injuries, just like me. Dust and water filled the environment as we stopped to try and see Amaya and Koji. But all that was behind us was a wall of rubble.
– No, no, no... – I said worriedly and approached it.
– Amaya! – Kakashi called her, and only then did I notice the concern on his expression beside me.
– Koji-san! – I called for the Anbu too.
Please, someone say something!, I pleaded. A sound of rocks clashing together came softly, possibly from the other side of the collapse.
And then everything stopped.
The only thing audible at that moment was the sound of the water that continued to flood the maze we were in, along with my racing heartbeat.
No, they can't have been caught in the collapse..., I thought, my worry skyrocketing. Th-They can't have...
I looked at the Hatake beside me and saw him slowly move his head from side to side, as if he were sniffing something. He stopped suddenly, and his expression softened from the concern it showed until then.
– It's Amaya's scent! – he announced, looking at me – It's approaching, from behind all these rocks!
– That means she... – I started to say but stopped when the platinum-haired guy nodded.
A sudden relief washed over me, and I sighed with relief at just the idea of my sister being alive. But I soon worried again. Being alive didn't mean she wasn't hurt, especially after all that collapse.
– Amaya! – I called to her – Can you hear us?
– Amaya! – the Hatake joined me in calling her.
Fifteen seconds.
The longest and most agonizing seconds of my life up to that point.
– Shisui! Kakashi! – we heard the redhead's voice, extremely faint, echoing from the other side.
– We're here! – I called out loudly so she could hear us – Are you hurt?
– I'm fine... – she said, but her voice sounded tired.
– Is Koji-san with you? – the scarecrow guy asked – Is he hurt?
– I... – Amaya stopped speaking for a moment – I don't know where he is...
– What? – I asked – Do you think he might have ended up... – She interrupted me.
– No! – her tone was more serious – I felt his chakra until just a little while ago, but it suddenly vanished, completely – I looked at the Hatake beside me.
It was clear that something about this situation was wrong, and if I was already wary of this Anbu before, now my suspicion had tripled.
First, it was his total focus on Amaya from the start. Then his lack of adherence to the standard Anbu behavior. There was also the situation involving the activation of the maze traps, which at first could have been considered accidental. And now there was this, his sudden disappearance amid the chaos we were in.
– Listen... – Amaya said – Keep following the smell of the ether to get out of this maze. You don't have much time, since the water keeps rising.
– What about you? – Kakashi asked quickly – How will you get out of here?
– I'll find a way out. Now you just need to think about yourselves to get out of this place, okay? – I was about to protest, but the Hatake spoke first.
– Alright – his tone was obedient, but his expression showed pure reluctance.
Him and this damn habit of following orders and rules to the letter!, I complained. It's obvious he's not okay with leaving Amaya behind, but even so he...!
– How can you ask us to leave you behind? – I asked, slightly irritated – Especially here, in this damn place where you suffered so much? – There was a brief silence before she answered.
– Because this is a mission – Amaya said coldly and with a dry tone – And that's my order to you, as your leader – I clenched my fist – Are we understood, Shisui? – I closed my eyes for a moment.
– Yes, ma'am – I replied reluctantly.
– Now go! – she said finally.
My body hesitated to obey me and move away as Amaya had instructed. Looking at the Hatake, I saw he was in the same situation. Damn it..., I mentally complained before turning and starting to run away from there, accompanied by the scarecrow guy.