Chapter 14 – Wrath of the Ancestors
"The sins of the past never die. They linger, waiting for those wronged to claim justice."
Dusk had settled over the forest, painting the trees in shades of blood and shadow. Sasuke's mind, however, was elsewhere, tangled in conflicting thoughts — memories of Karin, the weight of his kiss, the fleeting intimacy of the past night, and the guilt he felt when thinking of Sakura. Each thought fractured his focus.
Jūgo walked beside him, sensing the tension, his own body trembling. "They're coming," he said. "Senju… they seek revenge. Not only for Orochimaru, but for all who followed him."
Sasuke didn't respond. His mind replayed every mistake, every step he had taken away from those he cared for. The hesitation cost him.
A sudden strike shattered the forest's silence. Blades of chakra and steel erupted from the shadows, precise and coordinated. Sasuke tried to react, but his thoughts betrayed him. The memory of Karin, of their stolen moment, and the guilt of Sakura's face flooded him.
A strike hit him squarely, and he fell to the ground, restrained, his Sharingan struggling to focus. Jūgo charged, swinging with raw strength, but the Senju's coordination was relentless. Despite his power, he too was overwhelmed and forced to the ground.
The Senju warriors approached, eyes blazing with ancestral anger. Sasuke tried to rise, but his mind was trapped in regret and distraction, leaving him vulnerable.
"You are all responsible," said the leader of the Senju, voice cold and unwavering. "Orochimaru stole the cells of our ancestor, Hashirama Senju. Kabuto used them — the Edo Tensei in the Fourth Great Ninja War was possible because of those cells. And you," he gestured at Sasuke and Jūgo, "chose to follow him. You enabled it. You are guilty."
Another Senju stepped forward. "We seek justice. All who allied with him will pay."
Sasuke struggled, fury and frustration building, but he was powerless — paralyzed by his own thoughts of Karin, of what he should have done, and of the guilt tied to Sakura. Jūgo groaned, attempting to rise, only to be forced down again.
Then came Karin. Her eyes widened at the sight of Sasuke, bloodied and vulnerable. Something inside her snapped.
"Enough!" she screamed.
The air around her vibrated violently. Her chakra erupted — immense, wild, uncontrollable. The forest trembled as energy swirled around her, massive, molten, overwhelming. Trees bent and cracked under the pressure. Her aura burned like a bijū unleashed, her fury and desire to protect Sasuke driving her beyond any limit.
The Senju faltered, frozen in shock. "What… what is that?" one whispered.
Karin didn't hesitate. With a sweeping gesture, waves of chakra surged outward, throwing the Senju violently into the trees and ground. Each strike carried the force of a storm, the raw, unstoppable power of the Uzumaki bloodline.
Sasuke watched in awe and disbelief, barely able to comprehend the scale of Karin's chakra. She moved with purpose, her eyes locked on the attackers, each pulse and wave of energy fueled by anger and the desperate need to save him.
Finally, the last of the Senju fell back, their attacks neutralized. The forest was scarred, the air trembling from the force unleashed. Karin knelt beside Sasuke, who was still bleeding but alive.
"I… I'm okay," he said, voice strained, eyes wide with awe.
"I will not let anyone harm you," Karin said, soft but resolute. "Not ever."
For a moment, the forest was silent, bearing witness to the terrifying power of protection, the bond between them, and the shadow of guilt and regret that refused to fade, even in the light of victory.