Sasuke Awakens

For the next few days, Sasuke lived in darkness.

The space Obito had arranged for him was like an isolated island severed from the world—there was no day, no night, and time had lost all meaning here. The only light came from several dim lamps on the walls, bathing the entire space in a murky yellow glow.

Sasuke spent most of his time asleep. His injuries were far worse than he had thought—the Raikage's final punch had broken three of his ribs, and his internal organs had suffered varying degrees of damage. If not for the pill Obito had given him, he might not have lasted even these three days.

But he had survived.

Each time he woke from unconsciousness, he could feel his body recovering little by little. The Uchiha bloodline, combined with the medicine Obito had acquired from who knew where, gave him a startling rate of recovery.

On the third day—or what he believed was the third day—Sasuke was finally able to sit up.

He leaned against the cold wall and looked down at his hands. They still bore traces of battle—cracked nails, bruised knuckles, and several deep wounds in his palms that had begun to scab over.

He clenched his fists, then loosened them.

The Raikage's fist. The power behind that blow remained in his memory like a thorn lodged deep in his mind, impossible to pull out.

"Awake?"

The voice came from the shadows. Sasuke raised his head and saw Obito emerge from the darkness, carrying a water flask and a packet of dry rations. He tossed them before Sasuke, then sat down across from him with his legs crossed, the eye in his mask watching him without expression.

"Eat. Drink. You need to regain your strength."

Sasuke said nothing. He picked up the flask