Everything

Alone

No witnesses.

No one would see him rip this person limb from limb.

There was no one to stop him this time.

Mitsuki illuminated the clearing as sage mode activated. The last time he had used sage mode, he had only partially activated it in the Land of Earth. Then, he had been saving Boruto's life. What he felt then paled in comparison to what he was feeling now. There were no words to describe the depth of his fury or to fully express his loathing of the one who had taken Boruto away from him. The hole his Sun had left in his heart was gaping and it was pulling Mitsuki in. Soon he would be lost. Only the need for revenge was keeping him from being completely consumed. The strain of sage mode was making his bones creek and he knew his body would not be able to take it but any concerns he had about that had died with his Sun. It didn't matter what happened to him. That had never mattered.

He struck suddenly, almost blindly, moving on instinct alone. Lightning flashed, trees exploded and earth was leveled as Mitsuki attacked again and again, the object of his wrath infuriatingly just out of his reach each time. He kept pressing his attacks, leaving no opening for a counter, keeping the abhorred ninja constantly on the defensive. He screamed his frustration as yet another attack just missed, only barley singeing his target. But his attacks were starting to take their toll. His opponent was wearing out fast but it wasn't satisfying Mitsuki. The Hidden Stone ninja stumbled and practically fell behind the only cover available. How dare he think he could hide! Mistuki hissed as he prepared his next attack. He would destroy the embankment, force his foe to meet his wrath. His body shook with the strain of sage mode but he ignored it. This was for Boruto. It had always been for Boruto.

He fired his attack, another snake lightning, tearing apart most of the earth embankment the stone ninja was cowering behind. One more, that's all he needed to flush him out completely. Mitsuki prepared but was saved the trouble. His opponent calmly stepped back out into the open, ready to face him. He wove a single sign. One Mitsuki knew intimately.

"Shadow clone jutsu? Are you mocking me?" Mitsuki growled at the object of his deepest hate as four shadow copies popped into being. Mitsuki couldn't waste a moment. Every second this person continued to breath life was unacceptable. He had extinguished the light of his beloved Sun and now he was using Boruto's jutsu in blatant mockery of all that was precious to him. With speed that surprised even himself, he destroyed all the clones and finally held the original in his clutches. His white snakes twisted and wound around his foe, pinning him to Mitsuki's body. Then, they began to squeeze. Slowly. He released sage mode as the snakes constricted. He wanted this to be personal, to feel his victim's pain as he crushed the life out of him. He wanted to see the fear and regret in his eyes; yes, regret for stealing away Mitsuki's happiness. He took savage pleasure at the suffering he felt from his captive but it wasn't enough. Nothing would ever be enough. Mitsuki couldn't kill this man enough times to satisfy his need for revenge. No amount of pain could pay for the loss of his Sun. No sacrifice could possibly appease his rage.

The enemy gasped and choked as he squeezed. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.

"Mistuki, no!" His heart lept back to life.

"Boruto?!" Mitsuki's murderous focus broke in his hurry to look back, loosening his grip slightly. That had been Boruto's voice, he was sure of it. He scanned the war-torn clearing but only the broken remains of his Sun met his sight. Mistuki hissed as renewed sorrow pumped through is veins and he returned to the all important task of killing his beloved's murderer. His victim was desperate, somehow mimicking Boruto's voice in a final attempt to stop his fate.

"Boruto can't save you." Mitsuki taunted as he continued to squeeze, his victim twitching like a dying mouse.

Pain, white hot like lighting started at his lower back and quickly spread throughout his body. It was so sudden and intense his body involuntarily arched to escape the source and his grip on his captive loosened. A half second and Mitsuki regained his grip and whirled around, striking blindly over his shoulder at his new assailant. Belatedly, Mistuki veered his attack to just miss Sarada's face. It was a good thing she had jumped instinctively as well or else Mitsuki might have hit her. He had been so focused on his prey he hadn't noticed her approach. She landed just out of reach and took a defensive posture.

"Mitsuki! Are you awake?!" She demanded. Her voice sounded angry but it shook with fear.

Awake? What in his parent's name did she mean by 'awake'? His captive twisted and writhed in his hold, drawing his attention again. What he saw stopped his heart completely. He released his grip fast as if he had been burned, losing snakes in his haste to undo the stranglehold. Now free, his once captive gasped raggedly and collapsed, chest heaving. Mistuki moved involuntarily, taking him into his arms and pressed him to his jack-rabbiting heart; against clothing that was not soaked with blood, searching his body for injuries that did not exist with clean hands.

"Boruto..." He whispered, breathing his relief onto his Sun's forehead, ruffling his golden hair with the force of his breath. They sank together, Mistuki's relief making him unable to stand with Boruto coming to rest in his lap. Boruto's breathing was still strained but was slowly becoming more even. Even though it made Mitsuki's chest twinge with guilt, he still felt the sound of his Sun catching his breath was the most wonderful thing he had ever heard.

"Mitsuki... are you awake? Are you ok now?" Boruto rasped between dry coughs.

"Yes Boruto, I am because of you."