"I want to make a deal with you."
Sasuke doesn't glance up to see if the Governor has been startled or not. He's busy cleaning the blade of his sword. It annoys him that the man in front of him left it as he found it, coated in his own blood.
"So you're alive," he says. "I've to admit that after the second day, I thought you had died."
"You couldn't kill me so you waited and hoped for the best?"
"Well, you've to admit you were in a pretty bad shape. I don't know what you did to keep anyone from entering that room, but it was really effective."
This time Sasuke does move his gaze upward. The Governor's posture is calm yet calculative; a fake, diplomatic smile plastered on his face as he meets his eyes head-on. He doesn't seem surprised that now they're black instead of the purple and red color he first saw when Sasuke woke up in this world, he merely takes a slight breath and moves towards him.
"So this deal you've mentioned, what's it about?"
Sasuke tilts his head and puts the cloth he was using to clean aside. "Done treating me like a child then?"
"You did incapacitate my men while injured. Who knows what you'll be able to do now that you seem better?"
Sasuke doesn't answer. The Governor doesn't seem the kind to compliment someone unless it'll benefit them. And he's going to trust his instinct. Perhaps it is Orochimaru's influence after years of training under him but Sasuke has grown to like verbal sparring matches. Subjugate someone using just words when he has the time to enjoy.
Currently, time is something he doesn't possess.
He places his sword on top of the desk so he can use both elbows to lean forward. "I've seen the door of the house you offered. I've also seen the walls. I didn't have the keys to lock anything and was injured. And you tried to enter because of it but couldn't. Want me to explain that, or not?"
The Governor's lips thin. "What are you offering?"
"Your hospitality for my methods," he says. "That means the same thing I did to the room on the borders of this place. No monster will be able to enter. Doesn't matter how many they are."
The intrigue is clear on his face as he thinks. It makes Sasuke wonder what other methods the Governor has tried in order to enter. "And what's this thing you're offering? How does it work?"
Sasuke leans back on the Governor's chair, lips curling slightly in a 'wouldn't you like to know?' gesture. The man still standing in front of him lets the question be, guessing now an answer will not come.
There's silence for long seconds until Sasuke raised an eyebrow, impatient at the time it's taking the other to think.
"You took me hostage and now want to make deals? That's amusing. I know this country is no longer what it used to be, but call me old-fashioned for doubting the promises of a kidnapper."
"Let's be clear, Governor," Sasuke says, laidback attitude dropping as he stands. "I could kill all of you without a problem. What am I offering is a way to coexist. I won't drop my guard as I'm sure you wouldn't, either. The deal gives us benefits to both. However, if you cross it. If someone attempts to kill me after I completed my part, I won't have mercy."
The silence is deafening as they look at each other. Sasuke's eyes briefly turn red, using enough chakra for the change but not for the three tomoes to form. Even so, that small action tires him. Luckily the Governor looks away first and Sasuke can let his shaky breath out before the other notices he's done it.
He places the sword on the table with his good hand. With a hand-seal, he seals it inside the tattoo on his hand. That will be its place until he finds a better-suited belt. He grabs the cane leaning against the wooden desk and gives a step aside. No longer standing behind the desk the Governor must have used before to let others know who was the leader. He wants to give the Governor some semblance of control. Desperate men's actions are easy to prevent but they're also more dangerous because they've got nothing to lose.
Leaning on the cane so his height seems less imposing as he stands next to the Governor, Sasuke asks, "What would be your choice, Governor?"
.
.
Sasuke gives the Governor three days for him to think about the proposition. Three days to let the others in command know about the deal. Three days for him to get used to his languid body.
He can't do anything too exhausting. Katas are out. As with most physical conditioning. He's always taken advantage of his speed and all his fighting style depends on it so stretches are the only thing that would work so he doesn't lose his flexibility. Even if they're one of the easiest exercises, they still hurt whenever he flexes his muscles too fast. That alone speaks a lot of his current strength. It's humiliating how simple exercises to warm his body leave him sweaty and shivering. The civilians are afraid of him. And while he doesn't care what they think of him, it'd be bothersome to have to watch his back around the civilians too.
So he trains outside. Not something physical, of course. One thing is to make them less afraid; another is to make them realize how weak he really is. He's still living in the house that was given to him. It's the same except now he uses the small guest room with no adjacent bathroom. And he'll continue to do so until he fixes the door of the other room. And that will be then where he exercises.
Outside, where the grass is not evenly cut like in other houses, he mediates. That way he trains his chakra network and makes himself known among the others, at least in their presence, while maintaining a perfect awareness of his surroundings.
On his first day outside he felt two people aiming at him. They were well hidden but he made a point to look at them until they lowered their weapons, to make the Governor know he was always aware. They haven't agreed yet to anything so he lets it slide.
However, the second time they aim, he makes sure to throw two pens, one for each one, aiming at their hands and making sure no one besides them has noticed.
Most think only shinobis exude killing intent and that's a lie. Every action with some negative intent can be classified as killing intent. However, because they're not as potent, they're easy to ignore. One can learn to identify them even in animals if one trains for it.
And if he's learned something from Orochimaru, who most of the time only felt amusement whenever he attacked him, it's to distinguish even the smallest grain of killing intent.
That's why, on his second day, when his new guards try once to aim closely at his person, he guesses it was probably in curiosity, Sasuke glares at the direction where he felt the slight spike in killing intent until the other retreats. Then he closes his eyes again and continues meditating until the sun hides and the weather gets colder. That's when he goes back inside to continue the physical training.
It's not until the sky is completely dark and everyone is sleeping that he goes outside once again, making sure to not be seen by his bored and tired guards.
He goes to the small library the doctor mentioned before. The language is written differently so he grabs some books that are obviously meant to teach kids how to read. It's going to be slow progress without the Sharingan but not impossible. He's always been a fast learner.
-
"Your decision?"
This time the Governor is behind the desk, obviously trying to gain whatever little upper hand he can. It doesn't bother him; it's better to let him think he's the one in charge.
"It depends, are you going to explain what are you planning to do?"
Sasuke doesn't say anything and that itself answers enough.
"How will we know that what are you trying to do will work?"
"Because I plan to complete my part of the deal first. When you see that it works, the ball will be in your court."
The Governor smiles. Is not a nice smile but one filled with condescension. "And what will stop me from killing you then?"
"I think the people you send to guard me already told you that the second someone plans to aim at me, I'll know. I restrained myself from killing because we hadn't agreed on anything yet. If you accept and they try to aim, then… I won't stop."
The frown and slight red on his cheeks tell him enough. Sasuke lets a small smirk show on his face as he waits for the other to speak.
"Yes, very gifted indeed you are," the Governor murmurs. His back relaxes, and his tense posture is no more as he taps two fingers on the desk absently. The smile returns as he glances back at him again. "Let's add another clause to this deal, what do you think? As you probably don't know, let me inform you that here in Woodbury we're a close-knitted community; we all work for its well-being. And, as it is, what kind of example would the others get if you have your own house and are admitted into our home after all the ruckus it happened when you woke up, um?"
Sasuke raises an eyebrow. "Stop the roundabout. What do you want?"
"Me? No, no. I'm just telling you everything would go more smoothly if you had a defined role to fill inside our community."
"You already have something in mind, I'm sure."
"Well, you've shown all of us your prowess in combat and we've some people that could benefit from your experience. The younger especially. Most of them haven't seen what's outside."
He frowns. The Governor has seen what he's capable of, yet he wants him to socialize with his people? What's the purpose?
"You'll give me free rein of your people's training?"
"Of course not. This was something I had planned to do for some time. I had some candidates to give this task to. You'll work with them."
That's clever. He knows he won't be able to keep an eye on him If Sasuke stays inside the house all the time, even so… there's something else he's not seeing.
"If I do this, what do I get?"
Because a house is not enough for him to do all this. And the Governor knows it.
.
.
"Well, we can give you a house but you still need electricity, water—the essentials. You can fight people and the biters, but what about the weather? Winter is coming and the nights are merciless without calefaction or a body to share warmth with."
His words ring true. However, something doesn't feel right. The Governor pokes at sex in a way that's… It hits him then. When that look is set upon him. The one he remembers his father giving when he was young and claimed to be ready for jutsus. Is not condescension. Not entirely. Bordering amusement, yes; the kind an adult can only give to someone younger.
He wants him to form bonds. The question is why.
Does he see him as a tool he wants to wield? Most likely. But he's also young in his eyes and from what he's seen, people of his age are kept away from the affairs of this small town, shrugged off as inexperienced and immature. On the scale of power, they're at the bottom, just above the little kids.
So… He probably sees him as a teenager who still looks for approbation and seeks connections, driven by hormones and impatience.
"How old are they?" he asks though he already guesses the answer.
"There are some close to your age, no need to worry. Others older, too, who don't know how to protect themselves."
"My age? How old do you think I am, Governor?"
"Well… you can pass as twenty. Are you finally going to give me some personal information? You haven't shared your name as of yet, after all."
He can use the Governor's bad judging of character to his favor.
Sasuke smirks in a way he knows will make him look like a brat. "I'm seventeen. I don't wish to give you my name but you can call me Uchiha. No need to worry, Governor, I accept the deal."
The Governor is less than happy. He sees it in the way his face tenses, becomes hard. A sneer wants to escape past his lips. However, it's a smile the one greeting him. Next comes an extended hand for him to shake. Sasuke accepts it.
"What materials are you going to need?"
This time Sasuke is the one amused because fuuinjutsu is not known in this world and there's not enough ink for him to use. He has to make ink from scratch. Fuuinjutsu ink.
What he's going to ask next will get him some raised eyebrows.
-
He sometimes forgets how people don't need to be ninjas to be shrewd. Civilians can be crafty and manipulative without special training. The Governor is a clear example and Sasuke's impressed despite himself.
"We found ourselves in a time where desperation claws at us. Fear takes our minds and we do inconceivable acts in order to survive. If we start losing our morals now, what will be next? We won't need a bite to become monsters.
"This young boy behind me was injured when he woke up, found himself in a place he didn't know, surrounded by strangers. He panicked and did what he could in order to survive. After days of thinking about his actions, secluded in one of our empty homes, he came to me asking for forgiveness. His age was the one making him act so impulsive, without thinking of consequences. And I say, if we can't forgive the innocent, inexperienced youth, then it would mean they, those monsters, this whole situation trying to bring us down, has won."
The Governor waits for the murmurs and grunts of agreement to stop. Then he places a hand on top of Sasuke's shoulder in a supportive and slight condescending manner, continuing his speech about how they need to help the youth and the kind.
After Sasuke mentioned he needs ink to complete his part of the deal and that it'd take him two days to make it at least, the Governor offered his support on the deal by starting completing his own part. He promised no weapons would be aimed at him and he's keeping his word by informing his people of him.
Though that doesn't mean he isn't doing his best to damage him in other less physical ways.
Public humiliation seems to be his favorite.
The Governor is a good actor; he has charisma. Not the same Naruto possesses that's one that leans more toward honesty and empathy, but it's charisma nonetheless. Sasuke can see the sympathy towards him in some of the people surrounding them while smug smiles are shared between the soldiers. The ones he defeated now find it amusing that his leader is making him known to others as the foolish boy who needs the help of others.
"…He's offered his help to atone for his actions. Some of you've seen how skilled he's in combat. And that's something good to know these days. I've been thinking for some time about using some of our skilled protectors and hunters to pass some of their experience in combat to the ones interested, in the same way, Doctor Stevens taught first aid to you. We live in a dangerous world now, we need to learn whatever that'll help us protect our family, friends—the community. Unfortunately, most of our people, who risk their lives constantly, are too busy for this task." He pats his shoulder twice and he's lucky Sasuke has enough auto control to not kill him where he stands. "However, with the help of this young man, that'll change."
.
.
The murmurs start again, this time louder. Sasuke ignores it as he senses something going on at his back. It's not the same feeling he gets when someone aims at him. There's no killing intent. There's nothing distinguishable but emptiness and death. The wind is going against him, brushing his hair away from his face, but his nose still picks the scent of discomposed, sick flesh.
He's spent enough time around Orochimaru's twisted experiments to not recognize that peculiar smell. A dead body is behind him.
Sasuke doesn't turn to look. The Governor's hand is still on his shoulder. He pats it once more before he walks forward, towards the center. It looks as if he's moving to have a better view of his people, but Sasuke is not stupid. He's walking away from him, to safety.
"But what kind of leader would I be if I just agreed without knowing, and showing you, the skills of our new would-be teacher? Curriculums don't matter now, so we need something else to test him, right?"
There's a long low groan coming from behind him. Sasuke doesn't tense. His posture is laidback. One hand tucked close to his chest, wood and bandages covering the damaged arm. The other is grabbing the cane as his legs are still weak because of all the work he made them do to match the Kaguya's speed.
"I know it's early, but this is a special occasion, isn't it? Let's start."
The only warning he gets is the sound of running feet. Battle instincts make him sidestep as the body moves past him, stumbling. The thing tries to turn around but a shove with the cane pushes him to the ground. It tries to stand up but Sasuke pins his head with the end of the cane. It still tries.
Sasuke leans down, to inspect it as he places the cane under his upper arm. He grabs the back of its head to check the pale face. Yellow, unfocused eyes meet his. There's no nose and the hair is dirty and greasy. Half of the cheek is falling and the upper lip is nonexistent. The lower jaw is broken, teeth missing.
From what he's heard, they call them biters. Easy to get infected. He understands now.
He lets it go, wanting to know its abilities. If the Governor wants him to teach others how to fight them, he needs to know what they can do.
The biter pushes itself forward, trying to jump towards him, arms attempting to grab him. He noticed its hands and he clutches its wrist, bending it behind its back so as to not let him turn around. It tries to bite him but its head is too far away.
The tip of the fingers is cut off, he notices.
Sasuke ponders what to do next, and how to finish it off. He could use his cane, but he currently uses it to walk and he doesn't want to break it. He shoves the biter forward again and uses the space to take his sword out from his back, where he put it so as to not show his sealing abilities to the public.
It doesn't get to turn around as Sasuke slashes twice. Both arms fall to the ground. The biter staggers but doesn't stop. He makes another slash on its stomach, intestines joins the arms. He sniffs once. The organs haven't gotten too bad. Whatever the infection is doing it isn't enough to stop the body from working, it seems, though that doesn't mean they aren't decaying. Probably the only thing making it moving is the brain.
The biter falls to its knees, some organs are dangling. Sasuke tilts his head, slightly amazed that it keeps moving towards him, not caring about the lack of body parts. It just wants to eat him. It's like an Edo Tensei gone wrong. It groans once more and Sasuke cuts the middle of his head, where the brain is.
It seems that's all, he thinks as the body falls as if the strings holding it up to have been cut. He puts his sword in its place to use the cane again. He walks to where the top part of the head went and grabs it. It's not a healthy gray with a slightly pinkish tone. It's a dark, sick gray.
He's not a scientist and never wanted to be one, but he's been trained by one and, despite himself, he feels a curiosity that's born by having to check experiments during his breaks from training. A morbid curiosity that wants to know what happened.
It's not strong though and he easily shrugs it off and looks away, towards the Governor. He's smiling. It's not a pleasing smile, but an empty one made for business. The claps and roars of the people are easy to ignore but not that disturbing smile that sees him as if he were an object he's gained.
Sasuke doesn't smile or bow to acknowledge the others, choosing to stand tall, waiting. His eyes roam the sea of faces, memorizing and searching for any distinct gestures—categorizing the possible threats. He can't use the Sharingan but his eyesight is still good.
The Governor walks to stand next to him and when the claps subside, he exclaims, "Let's welcome our new member: Uchiha."
He ignores the next announcements and doesn't talk until everything is over.
"I'm going to need that body," he says, loud enough for the Governor to hear.
The Governor looks at the dead biter. "What for?"
"Hide glue."
Sasuke's no seal master. He can't wield seals and make them crawl as bugs with a snap of his fingers towards his enemies or draw complex seals on the fly, able to counteract and disarm an attacker as Orochimaru told him the Uzumaki clan could in battle. Fuuinjutsu is not easy to learn as it's always been more of an esoteric study than a science. Even if there are still techniques and procedures, it's not consistent. One needs to feel them, or so the Uzumaki said, to give the right power to the words.
He doesn't understand that. That's why he can't create new formulas and is barely able to understand them. However, there were two methods Orochimaru used to instill patience in him. One was meditation; the other was seals.
Thanks to his Sharingan he can recreate them exactly as they were shown to him, but his own replications have never been as powerful as Orochimaru's or even Kabuto's. He's not gifted at making them and sometimes he wonders if Naruto, with his Uzumaki blood, has that gift.
Still. He can draw working seals and that's enough. Besides, he doesn't think these people are going to need a really powerful barrier. One that can do what he needs to is plenty.
"Here's the blood, kid," a man called Martinez says, giving him a bucket with barely disguised distaste.
He looks inside and grimaces. Sometimes having a good nose is not good. The blood is more solid than liquid at this point; it coagulated. It'll be harder to work with it but not impossible. He glances at where the skin he cut from the biter is boiling with some blood, almost ready, before continuing crushing the coal he got from them.
Is not going to be quality ink, but it'll work. He knows that to make a barrier against someone, something, one needs to get as much of the sample as you can get mixed with the ink. There are ways to do it with a more complex seal and just a drop of blood but he doesn't think he can make it. The one he's currently planning to do is complex enough. Four seals are placed in the exact cardinal points of the place to ward it and one, a more complex one, at the center to sustain the other four.
It'd be easier if he was alone, but there are three people guarding him while he does everything currently. Merle, Martinez, and a woman called Rowan. Plus Milton. The researcher guy seems to be interested in his work after the Governor explained to him what he's set to accomplish. Apparently, he got really curious when he heard no one could enter his room after all the unexplained methods they used. He's tried to talk to him about whatever he's doing but after not receiving answers, he's stopped, content to just watch.
When every 'ingredient' is ready, he puts them inside a pot with what remains of the biter's blood, stirring the mix gently with a chakra-conducting kunai. Already knowing that trying to incorporate his own chakra is going to take a while to accomplish.
-
"So, what are you going to do, some kind of black magic?"
It's the woman who talks. Milton is busier trying to write in his small notebook all the scribbles he's doing on the floor. They haven't said anything while he was writing the other four as he was quick to finish and move to the next but with this one, he needs to be careful and their patience seems to have reached its limit.
Without his Sharingan to give him a mental picture of the seal and the exact movements they were used, he needs to rely on his memory. It's good, almost photographic even. But it's not perfect. And the one he's making is the center that will power the others and is where the main function is written. This one is important.
"Shut up," he says quietly. It's the first phrase he's said in hours but he doesn't want to lose concentration. The ink is thicker than he's used to; the brush is not one of good quality and he's using his chakra to keep the strays bristles from painting where they don't need to. However, now making the seal is more of pride than because of the deal. He needs to prove to himself he doesn't need the Sharingan to do everything.
He finishes a large glyph around the matrix that's meant to sustain the seal and not make explode everything inside. Then two more so it'll be able to let the air go in and out. Before he finishes with what he doesn't want to enter: the infection.
A small sigh goes past his lips. He closes his eyes and sits back on the ground, posture slouching as he tries to stop the dizziness that comes from using his chakra in the brush. He stays that way for a couple of long minutes until he's sure the ink is dry. He can feel the curiosity around him but he ignores it.
Suddenly, he sits straight again. Doctor Milton is the one that startles the most, his notebook slipping from his hands. Sasuke catches it. Not to be kind. He just doesn't want his work to be damaged.
"Thanks," he says, receiving his notebook with a breath of relief. "So, um, that's it?"
"No."
Sasuke grabs a kunai from one of the pockets in his pants and slashes part of his palm, deep enough to make some blood pour, not more. He taints the other hand with it and presses the now bloody palm against the dry seal, using his chakra to activate it. The seal glows faintly and he can feel it sucking his chakra to reach the other four more seals. Once he reaches them, he can hear a soft 'click' inside his head. Then there's a barrier standing around the town. It's not really notorious but if one is looking at the sky or one has a greatly developed peripheral view, then it's hard to not miss it.
Luckily it only stays there for a couple of seconds before it flickers out of view.
He hears some gasps as he clutches the cane to stand up. The gazes of his guards are up to the sky, trying to catch a glimpse of what they've seen.
It's Merle the one that notices him first. "Where ye goin', kiddo?"
"My part of the deal is done."
"Ye still need to go to the Governor for the teachin' stuff."
"Two days from now." He looks over his shoulder. "He knows where to find me."
He keeps walking away, ignoring how Merle repeats his words in a mocking tone loud enough for him to hear. He obviously wants to taunt him and make him lose his calm for defeating him twice. But Sasuke doesn't care for his wounded pride. His legs are trembling and he's leaning more weight on the cane than he should. He needs to return to the house quickly and pass out for a couple of hours.