"Arigato, Sakura-san, Katsuyu-sama," an Iwa-nin spoke as he stood and ran on into the fray known as the battlefield.
On the other side of the field, the same thing with a different ninja. All over the place, ninja were being healed and returning to the war. Tsunade would have been proud that her prized pupil was saving lives left right and centre at the same time.
Sakura gasped as she dodged an attack, having to jump away from the injured. When she saw her opponent she gasped. She dodged a volley of senbon like she had previously one year ago. Suddenly, Sakura choked on blood as the sword pierced her stomach.
She had already run low on chakra, having summoned Katsuyu and healing their fellow shinobi through her. She looked up helplessly at the undead shinobi before her. Akatsuna no Sasori.
"Looks like I won this time, little girl," he spoke, almost sympathetically.
The poison from the katana was making quick work of her intestines. Her chakra itched to do away with it as it was so accustomed to yet Sakura kept her chakra running through to Katsuyu.
Sasori's eyes narrowed on her. "Why aren't you healing yourself? I know you're more than able to."
Sakura smiled softly to herself as she looked at him from her position on her knees. Her green Chunin jacket was quickly becoming saturated with her blood, yet she didn't twitch. Blood spilt down the side of her mouth.
"I know I'm going to die. I knew it when we first started, Sasori. I won't fight it, but instead, focus whatever chakra I have left to heal as many allied shinobi as I can."
"If that is your wish. I will watch you as you perish and sacrifice your own life to save those who are but strangers to you."
Putting her hands together, she released her Yin Seal and instead of healing herself, she sent it to all of Katsuyu's copies.
"Whoa!" Kiba gasped as his wounds healed at an incredible rate. "Go Katsuyu!"
"It's not me," Katsuyu murmured, confused. "It must be Sakura-sama."
"Where did she get the extra chakra from?" Kiba asked.
"Oh no! Sakura-sama must have released her Yin Seal?"
"What does that mean?" Shino asked as he landed next to Kiba.
"The Yin Seal is created to heal all injuries she attained, increasing her strength and speed exponentially. Instead, she's redirected the chakra to me and all my other selves to heal those who need it."
"So…"
"So…she's dying and giving her all for this war…"
Hundreds of slugs crawled into the battlegrounds between the Kage's and the Dyubi.
"Kat…suyu?" Tsunade asked weakly.
The slugs climbed all over the kage while spitting acid at the Dyubi.
"Tsunade-shishou, live," one of them spoke before they all glowed bright green, healing them.
Acid disintegrated the tree separating Tsunade and the slugs filled the gap between, pulling her together. One by one, the Kage rose again.
"Where is this chakra coming from, Katsuyu?" Tsunade asked weakly.
"Sakura-sama."
Tsunade's eyes widened as she struggled to stand.
"What's happened to her, Katsuyu? Tell me!"
"Sakura-sama is dying. With her last moments, she released her Yin Seal and redirecting the rapid healing chakra to everyone else. She wanted you to keep fighting for her."
"That stupid girl!" Tsunade growled but the others heard the tremble in her voice and the water in her eyes. "Then we can't let her efforts be in vain. We shall retreat so we may fight another day."
Tsunade and Gaara grabbed the other three Kage and made a retreat while all the slugs attacked the Dyubi.
"No, Neji!" Naruto screamed as Neji collapsed, his caged bird seal disappearing.
"Naruto, I thought you weren't going to let any of your friends die," Obito taunted.
Naruto clenched his fists.
"Naruto-sama," a tiny voice drew his attention.
Naruto looked down to see a swarm of Katsuyu's climbing all over Neji.
"W-What are you doing to Neji?" Hinata asked, horrified.
Katsuyu didn't respond as her antenna's twitched.
Sakura gasped as she heard the news. Neji was dead, as well as Shikaku and Inoichi. Neji had sacrificed himself for Naruto, Hinata and Hiashi while Shikaku and Inoichi died at HQ. Tears came to her eyes as she was hit with the first loss of the legendary Konoha 11 and friends.
"No, Hinata and the rest of the Hyuga clan need Neji as Ino and Shikamaru need their dads," Sakura whispered as she performed the last jutsu Chiyo ever used and ultimately herself as well.
Everywhere, Katsuyu's began disappearing as Sakura's chakra dwindled dangerously low until only a few were left, the one beside her and ones on Neji and those just killed in HQ, transferring her life energy into them.
"Sakura-sama, what are you doing?" The infatuated Iwa-nin asked as he approached them with Kankuro and Temari.
Sakura looked up at them and gave them a weak smile. "I'm saving a life."
"Stay back," Sasori threatened.
Sakura nodded to him and refocused on Neji and the others who just needed a hard pull back to earth.
Neji looked around him. All he saw was white.
"Neji? Come back."
"Who's there?" Neji called, searching.
Suddenly, his parents materialized before him.
"Tou-san, kaa-san."
"Hello, Neji-kun, it's good to see you," his mother greeted. "My, you've grown to be a strong, proper young man."
"Are you here to take me? I honoured the Branch family. I saved not only Hinata-sama's life, but Hiashi-sama's as well."
They stepped forward before there was a green light coming from beneath Neji.
"What's this?" Hizashi asked, surprised.
"It looks like someone is trying to take you back," his mother spoke softly.
"But that's impossible!"
"Is it?" His father asked. "You've seen this jutsu before."
Neji's eyes widened with understanding.
"But how? Only Chiyo-san could perform it and she took it with her to the grave."
"Just because she didn't teach it to someone else, doesn't mean they didn't develop it themselves. Who do you know that has the ability to perform such a high healing technique?"
"Hokage-sama and—"
"Neji."
Spinning around, he found Sakura standing there.
"Sakura, it's you that's trying to bring me back."
Sakura looked around in awe before looking back at him and nodding.
"Katsuyu found you guys and told me what happened. Come now, it's time to go back."
"But how? This jutsu requires a life sacrifice."
Sakura just smiled. "Don't worry about it, Neji. I'm really smart too, you know. I modified it a bit so now I can resurrect the newly dead with an enemy's life, not my own. Now hurry. We're still in the middle of a war."
Neji looked back at his parents who were smiling sadly at Sakura before smiling at Neji.
"Go, son. Continue to make us proud. You are even a better shinobi then I," Hizashi announced.
His mother hugged him before pushing him in Sakura's direction.
"I am so proud of you, my son. My only regret is that I didn't get to spend much time with you and never got to see you grow up."
Neji's eyes watered but he didn't cry, only nodded and walked to Sakura who held her arms open to him.
"Ready?" She asked.
He nodded and ran to her. Everything around them darkened until they could no longer see. The same thing happened to Shikaku and Inoichi.
Neji gasped, taking a large intake of breath as he was brought back to life.
"Neji!" Hinata cried and hugged him.
"Get him out of here!" Naruto ordered.
Hinata and Hiashi disappeared with Neji. Katsuyu panted before she disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Sakura let out a breath as she returned to her body.
"Goodbye, Sakura-sama," Katsuyu cried before she disappeared in a puff of smoke.
As the chakra rolling off her in waves came to an end, Sakura's green eyes dulled.
"Sakura!" Kiba yelled as he appeared with Shino.
"Did you… see my strength…Naruto…Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked weakly.
She rocked back on her heals as her arms hung weakly by her side. She could only stare at the dirt ground before her.
"Was…I…" Sakura couldn't finish as she fell forward, face first into the mud and the muck.
Strong?
"Sakura!" Ino screamed as she came upon the scene with Shikamaru and Choji.
No one moved as dread filled them all. She was dead.
Did I make you proud of me Tsunade-shishou? Do you believe in me now, Kakashi-sensei? Have I blossomed, Ino? Am I beside you yet, Naruto? Do I understand you now, Sasuke?
Was I strong in all of your eyes?
Was that as sad for you as it was for me?
I almost cried making it TT_TT