The Night of the Massacre

Sasuke raced home and yanked open the door, searching everywhere like a headless chicken.

The entryway, the kitchen, the bathroom, the living room... As his search of every room turned up nothing, his fear grew, because every corner of the house was as dark as the streets outside.

No, no, there must be somewhere I haven't...

Sasuke suddenly remembered his father's dojo-like room.

His parents and brother rarely let him enter that room, and he instinctively ran toward it.

"There!"

As though he had found a lifeline, he stumbled toward the door, only to freeze just as he reached out to push it open.

Then terror swept through his entire body.

Someone's in there!

Breathing, a heartbeat, footsteps, and chakra—all completely unconcealed. Sasuke could sense them clearly. Someone was in the room!

But only one person.

Is it Dad...?

It must be Dad!

Sasuke's whole body tensed, trembling with fear and anger. Countless horrifying scenes flooded his mind, and he desperately tried to shake off that terror.

"Move, damn it, move!"

The young Sasuke gritted his teeth, fought the urge to flee, and reached out to push open the door.

Crimson blood.

Just as he had seen along the way, blood flowed slowly across the floor. The first thing Sasuke saw when he opened the door was his parents lying in a pool of blood.

The sight battered Sasuke's young mind. Shock and disbelief filled his face, overwhelming even his fear. Deep down, he refused to believe his eyes.

"Mom, Dad, what's wrong...?"

"You're here."

A faint voice drifted out of the darkness.

That voice was both familiar and strange.

Every hair on Sasuke's body stood on end, and his pupils constricted.

Who's speaking?

He raised his head in terror and saw that familiar face emerge from the darkness. His