After leaving a panting Mabui on the bed, Makima stepped out for some air, her heels clicking against the cobblestones of Kumogakure.
The night was hot, saturated with the scent of sweat, alcohol. The city pulsed with a chaotic, almost animal energy. Since she'd taken control, she'd loosened the reins, letting debauchery and decay settle in like an endless party.
The old Raikage, that rigid bastard, would've had a fit seeing this: Lightning Country bandits had already plundered the daimyo's stores in a day, turning Kumogakure into a den of rogue ninjas, thieves, and degenerates. The streets buzzed with laughter, fights, and drunken shouts.
She walked, hands in pockets, her gentle smile contrasting with the surrounding chaos. Wherever she passed, people bowed—some with genuine reverence, others with wary glances.
"Master Makima!" slurred a toothless drunk, raising a stolen bottle.
"Long live the Raikage!" shouted a woman.
She gave them a nod, almost absent-minded. *They love me, huh?* she thought, amused. *Or at least, they pretend to. But I sense it—the hatred fermenting beneath. A rebellion brewing, maybe. The loyal Kumo ninjas and civilians will never accept this unless they're completely broken.*
She knew she was already a target.
*Just like that assassin lurking around,* she mused, her smile widening.
She wasn't afraid. She was too powerful for that. Even without chakra, she'd crush anyone. But she saw further. Kumogakure was an amusing toy, a playground she'd soon put in order, her way.
For that, she needed an asset. Someone who knew the ninja world's ropes and large-scale jutsu. And who better than that pervert Orochimaru? His forbidden jutsu, his twisted experiments. He was perfect for the role.
The problem was he was constantly monitored by Konoha, well-guarded by those hypocrites she'd erase from the map. *Patience,* she told herself. *I'll get him out of there, and he'll work for me, whether he likes it or not.*
Makima sighed, the warm air caressing her face, and turned into a dark alley. The party noises faded, replaced by silence.
She stopped abruptly.
"You can come out," she said, her voice sharp.
Nothing. Not a breath.
Then, suddenly,
She leaped into the air just in time, dodging a wave of black flames that burst from nowhere, scorching the cobblestones where she'd stood a second before.
She landed on a roof, light as a feather, and burst into laughter, a clear, mocking sound.
"Oh dear, Uchiha-kun is angry?" she said, hands on hips, her golden eyes sparkling.
A portal opened behind her, a swirling distortion of space. Makima half-turned, thinking a stealth attack was coming from behind, her smile not faltering for a second.
A clone appeared and kicked her into the portal.
*Finally, some fun,* she thought.
"Come play, then," she murmured,
Letting herself fall into the other dimension.
The icy blast of winter howled across the vast white expanse. Snow-capped mountains rose to the horizon, their peaks piercing the gray clouds. The deadly silence of this frozen environment was broken by a faint crunching, like hurried footsteps on snow. Sasuke Uchiha, clad in his black and purple outfit, advanced with determined steps. His Sharingan swirled in his eyes, scanning the horizon. He had dragged Makima here, into this snow dimension, a place where he thought he could channel his powers and prevent her from escaping.
Makima, for her part, stood on a snow-covered ridge, her bright red coat fluttering in the icy wind. Her impassive, almost inhuman gaze pierced Sasuke, as if she already saw him as a mere piece on her chessboard. She had killed the Raikage, taken control of his village, and Sasuke, having heard of her deeds, had decided to stop her. This battle was inevitable.
"Unknown target: Makima," Sasuke said. "You've brought destruction and death to the daimyo and the Raikage... I don't know where you come from or your intentions. Nor if you're some kind of Otsutsuki, but... The chaos ends here."
"Sasuke Uchiha," she replied, a mysterious smile on her lips. "You think you can stop me? You're far beneath me to think that way ~"
Sasuke knew he couldn't underestimate this woman. She was formidable, unpredictable, with forbidden jutsu still unknown and a possible dojutsu. He activated his Mangekyō Sharingan, the patterns in his eyes swirling with intensity.
Makima moved first, with terrifying speed. She raised her hand, and an overwhelming pressure crashed down on Sasuke, as if the atmosphere itself was trying to crush him. Sasuke grimaced, feeling the weight of her power. He instantly used his Teleportation Jutsu (Amenotejikara), disappearing from where he stood to reappear behind Makima.
"Katon: Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" he shouted, a massive fireball bursting from his lips and heading straight for Makima. The explosion engulfed the air, vaporizing the surrounding snow. But when the smoke cleared, Makima stood there, unscathed.
"So pathetic," she murmured, almost amused.
At that moment, she had decided Sasuke was beneath her. The reincarnation of Indra was in deep trouble.
She waved her hand, and a wave of grotesque figures appeared around her. These creatures, demons she controlled, rushed toward Sasuke. Sasuke activated his partial Susanoo, the giant purple armor enveloping his body. With a swift motion, the Susanoo swept away the demons, reducing them to dust.
Makima showed no sign of worry. She raised her hands, and the ground began to tremble. Cracks appeared in the ice, and giant tentacles emerged, rushing toward Sasuke with lightning speed. Sasuke used his Chidori Nagashi, lightning enveloping his body and repelling the tentacles.
"Raiton: Chidori Senbon!" he shouted, a rain of electric needles falling on Makima. She dodged with supernatural grace, but Sasuke had anticipated her movements. He activated his Rinnegan, using Shinra Tensei to push Makima back with brutal force. She was hurled through the snow but rose almost immediately, a mocking smirk on her lips.