Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or any of the characters.
Chapter Three
For You, I Will Fulfill Any Wish
His subordinate had arrived from Kirigakure, vividly recounting the events concerning a certain pink-haired kunoichi.
Things were progressing superbly, nearly identical to what he had been hoping for. It appeared that his little cherry blossom had developed and refined her jutsu arsenal; she had become quite the formidable shinobi.
"From what I could gather, she rose through the ranks with ease and is now ANBU Captain of Squad 2. However, there are no records or sightings of her abilities besides that of a medic-nin. It looks like your informant has kept his end of the bargain. He's kept her skill set hidden exceptionally well."
The candlelight flickered, being snuffed out almost completely, as he snickered with malicious glee. "So, the weak member of Team Seven has found her strength. I wonder who helped her reach such prowess. Tsunade can only teach her so much."
Yes, dear Sakura-chan. Maybe it's time to remind you who your true master is. Konoha cannot keep you safe and your sensei won't be able to stop me this time.
Copies of files were scattered about the metal table, each one filled with reports of Otogakure and their shinobi. Sakura sat across from the man she had captured, prepared to initiate the questioning. While she did not enjoy playing the role of interrogator, she understood that it had to be done for Konohagakure's sake.
The interrogation room was made of dull, concrete walls with one exit and a two-way mirror. Various instruments of torture lay upon a desk to the far right. They were merely a coercion ploy—Sakura preferred using her medical jutsu over the crude devices. The temperature in the room was low enough to be bothersome, another notable tactic to shake up the victim.
Her prisoner was strapped to a chair by means of chakra ropes and seals. Sakura did not want to take the chance of him committing suicide to avoid betraying his village. His worth outweighed all they had—for the moment.
"Now, will you kindly explain your reason for traveling on Kirigakure lands? Keep in mind—I won't get physical unless you force my hand. Provide the answers to my questions and there will be no need for torture."
The man huffed and reacted to her statement with a harsh glare. "Oh shove it, you bitch. You think Orochimaru-sama doesn't train us for this kind of thing? I've felt pain that you could hardly imagine." He leaned as far forward as the restraints allowed and smirked knowingly. "Do what you like, I won't even blink."
Sakura examined strands of her pink tresses absentmindedly; an air of nonchalance surrounding her. If he was trying to discourage her from torture, the man was doing a poor job of it. Apparently, a correction of his attitude was in order and Sakura was willing to oblige.
Breathy, innocent laughter filled the room as Sakura gracefully placed her feet on the table. She picked a file and began reading through the pages at a leisurely pace, making a show of getting comfortable in her seat. Several minutes went by and the shinobi's anger gradually increased.
How could this little wench mock him in such a way? A muscle in his jaw twitched in irritation.
"Well, what're going to do? Cut off my fingers, my hands? Or go for the kill and chop off a whole limb? I'm not giving you shit, even if you start mutilating—"
"You see, most shinobi are trained to endure such methods." She interrupted his rant, ignoring the words as if he had never spoken. "Pain is numbed when the body goes into shock after long periods of torture. If you're skilled enough, you can disconnect your mind from the pain and retreat into your own world. The next, most typical method is psychological torture. But, if you have a strong will and mind, those techniques can be negated easily."
The pinkette's nails tapped against the surface of the table—a sharp and incessant sound that rang out threateningly. "The last method would be to search through your memories and extract what I see as useful. Regrettably, I'm not a specialist in that field."
Basic intimidation was an optimal route to begin with. Sakura needed to project a ruthless image or the shinobi would have no reason, no drive, to give anything up. She had to play her role perfectly.
She snapped the folder closed and lowered her feet, placing them firmly on the ground. "What is there left, then? Well, we medical ninja are adept due to our creativity and knowledge of the human body. Not many have researched medics as interrogators, so our techniques are a mystery. Today, you'll get to see first-hand what we can do."
Her demeanor rapidly transformed. No longer was it the quiet confidence that he had originally associate her with. It morphed into something intensely sinister and vicious—he could see the predator hidden inside. It was perceptible in her eyes, how she would delight in his blood being spilled.
He unknowingly held his breath and his heart began to pound loudly in his chest at her shift in temperament. Sweat trickled down the sides of his face and gathered in the collar of the torn shirt he wore. The sheer force of the woman's chakra made his skin crawl, her killing intent bearing down on him relentlessly.
"You see, I don't take threats to my home lightly. Therefore, I'll do what must be done to get what I need. You can choose to either cooperate or continue resisting. Willing or not, you're going to submit to me."
With a feral smile that was more demonic than human, Sakura activated her genjutsu. "Let's begin."
On the other side of the mirror, Sakura's team, the Mizukage and a few other men observed the exchange with rapt attention.
Turning to Sakura's second-in-command, Mei asked, "What is she using on him? An illusionary jutsu, I presume?"
Neji nodded in affirmation. "It's a particular genjutsu that Sakura created herself, Mizukage-sama. I'm not well versed in what she casts in the jutsu. But, from seeing her use it before, she has to incapacitate or immobilize an opponent for it to work effectively. I believe it's meant to paralyze the target with excruciating pain while Sakura attacks, depending on the situation."
He paused and activated his Byakugan. "Currently, she's sending her chakra throughout his body, I'm not positive for what though."
"That's some jutsu," Kiri's head ANBU interrogator curiously interjected. Did that bastard Morino Ibiki teach her a few tricks? She's one of the best I've ever seen."
Neji was unsure of how to address the man since he had not been properly introduced. Defaulting to formalities, Neji stated in a plain tone, "Sakura brushed up on the subject while training for the ANBU exams, most of what she knows comes straight from text. She was chosen as the squad interrogator due to being a medical ninja and her expertise in genjutsu. "
That's not entirely false, Sai thought to himself. He knew the true reason behind Sakura's affinity in torture and interrogation—it definitely did not come from reading a few books on the subject. But, those details were to stay confidential—Sai saw no purpose in correcting the assumption Neji had made.
Sakura did not revel in torture or bloodshed. The brutality she displayed in front of her victims was only a façade, a strategy to get them talking. A weak-willed interrogator would be eaten alive in a matter of moments. Sai had been a witness to the time when Sakura had mercilessly been taught that—a lesson she surely would never forget.
More guttural screams pierced the air—a shiver went down Tenten's spine at the noises that ceaselessly flowed around her. The viciousness of the technique always astounded her. Thankfully, she had not been put through that genjutsu and prayed it would stay that way.
Tenten had once been subjected to a minor, yet powerful genjutsu of Sakura's in the past. When Sakura was first appointed as Captain, both Neji and Tenten had doubted the type of leader she would be. They had last seen her abilities during the final rounds of the Chūnin Exams and had not been overly impressed.
She was gifted—they had seen that all those years ago when she won her match. However, the thirteen-year-old Sakura lacked confidence and was not decisive, hindering her ninja talent significantly. Also, her ninjutsu and taijutsu had been amateur at best. While she proved to be practiced in genjutsu, she hesitated and her attacks suffered because of it.
Surprisingly, Nara Shikamaru and Haruno Sakura had been the only two genin to achieve the rank of chūnin, baffling Neji only further. Yes, she had strategically planned her attacks and defeated her opponent, but her application of jutsu was a far cry from chūnin level. They had not heard much about the pink-haired girl after that, even after she had joined ANBU.
Due to the subpar performance witnessed at the Chūnin Exams, Tenten and Neji protested against her leadership when the squad was formed. They had little confidence in her and, on one particular occasion, questioned her orders outright on a routine patrol. Nevertheless, Sakura asserted herself and put her comrades in their place.
Both ninja dropped from the branches and landed across from their team leader, if she could even be called so. Sakura stopped too, gesturing for Sai to remain still.
"What is it?" she asked in an oddly calm voice.
Neji stepped forward, his stance radiated superiority. "Regardless of the Hokage giving you the rank of Captain, we cannot acknowledge you as our leader. Your strength and jutsu are mediocre. You aren't worthy of the title you carry."
He and Tenten had been ANBU for over a year; they were the optimal choices for being assigned as Captain. It insulted Neji that he was made to follow under a kunoichi who not only had less experience, but was younger than him.
Adding more salt to the wound, Sakura's ANBU test results had been strictly classified—only the Hokage and a select few could review them. He could not locate those who had overseen her exams, either. Normally, such information was easily acquired or at least freely discussed between other ANBU.
The Hyūga prodigy speculated the Godaime, with her biased opinion, had somehow wrongly passed Haruno Sakura. That was the only explanation he could fathom—why else would they go to such lengths to hide her test results? Or keep her proctors identities a secret as well?
The forest seemed to have gone wholly silent at his cold and disrespectful outburst. Tenten saw the tightening of Sakura's shoulders. A second later, her posture relaxed.
"Is this how you both feel? That I should step down as Captain?"
"I'm sorry, Sakura-san but we haven't seen anything to know that you're capable. We're ANBU and our lives depend on our Captains." Tenten responded this time, much more nervous with expressing her opinion, although her thoughts paralleled Neji's.
The reaction from Sakura was abnormal—Tenten had expected the girl to immaturely jump to anger. If anything, her manner was unruffled, frighteningly calm.
"I understand your concerns. If you question me, however, then you question your Hokage in her decision. I suggest that we speak privately in another setting, let's finish patrols." Sakura made to continue on their route when Neji blocked her path. He refused to be simply brushed off.
"No, Haruno-san. I believe now is perfect. When we are done, we'll speak to the Hokage and rearrange the ranking of this team."
"We'll see about that," she murmured, almost pleasantly.
Feeling triumphant, thinking she had bowed to his will, Neji went to take a step when a realization hit him—he was being restrained. He panicked; his Byakugan activated immediately and saw the chakra binds that were wrapped around both him and Tenten. Sakura and Sai had disappeared altogether. He had not sensed enemy ninja so what…?
Darkness engulfed him and the air rushed out of his lungs at an unseen, crushing weight. He tried searching for Tenten, but she was no longer in his line of vision. He was utterly alone.
Where is everyone? What the hell is happening? He shouted mentally, unable to find his voice. Then, just as quickly as the darkness came, he was able to see again—recognition flowed through him.
A genjutsu.
Who was powerful enough to overcome the Byakugan and fool his own eyes? He should have, unquestionably, felt the strong chakra signature prior to their attack.
Neji then took notice of where he was positioned—his back was forcefully pressed against a tree. There was no feeling in his arms or legs, he could not defend himself.
"If you still question me as your Captain, resign. Ask the Hokage for a different team and move on. I have no time for a rebellious and juvenile prick. You are my teammate and I'll treat you as such, if you give me the respect I deserve. Do you understand?"
Sakura held a kunai dangerously close to his neck. The severity of the situation was appallingly clear.
Finally locating his voice, he swallowed. "Hai, Taichou. I understand."
She flashed him a wicked smile, releasing him from her grip. Curiosity struck him as he gazed up and saw Tenten had been under the same genjutsu—a Sakura clone was helping her up from the forest floor.
"Now, if you're both done with your tantrums, Sai and I would like to go home."
Afterward, Tenten asked Neji how Sakura had performed such a feat, throwing them both into a controlling genjutsu that they were unable to dispel.
He had no answer.
Laughing softly at the memory, Tenten took in the perplexed look Neji shot her. She waved it off and turned back to the scene unfolding in the interrogation room.
Sakura evaluated her prisoner, hovering behind him. Deciding to transition to a more physical approach, she broke the genjutsu.
Placing a hand on the nape of his neck in warning, she whispered, "What's your name?"
He stiffened at her touch, longing to pull away but, lacking the freedom to do so as he was reminded by the strain of ropes against his limbs. "Ka-Kazuhiro," he managed to stutter out. The effects of her jutsu had yet to completely fade; his body felt like it was being seared from the inside out.
"Thank you, Kazuhiro. Now, what are you doing in Kiri?" Sakura trailed her fingers down his arm gently in a mock-gesture of tenderness.
"N-nothing," his breathing grew ragged. The fire underneath his skin became scorching and he let out a whimper of pain.
"No, that won't do. Kazuhiro, if you refuse to answer my questions…" the pinkette savagely dug her fingers into his arm, calling her chakra from within his body to the surface. Then, she extracted it, ripping open his forearm and splattering blood onto the floor.
His howl of agony bounced off the walls and echoed around him teasingly. A high-pitched tone rang in his ears and the world went dark for a brief second.
"Wha-what are you doing?" he panted. Kazuhiro's heart raced unbearably and he was sweating profusely.
Jerking the chair backwards, Sakura positioned herself in between his legs, mere centimeters away from his body. She stroked his cheek, smearing crimson on his face. Her lips were tilted in an eerie, yet serene smile. Her jade orbs were illuminated with something he could not read—madness, perhaps? Nevertheless, it set Kazuhiro on edge.
"I implanted my chakra through every inch of your body, similar to a surgical procedure. I'm just pulling chakra out. Unlike a surgery, I don't start with an incision—" her fingers drifted to his chest in a deceptively casual manner. Then, for the second time, Kazuhiro felt the brutal sensation. "My chakra tears out of you as I draw it back and everything my chakra passes on the way, rips too."
Blood poured from his torso as Sakura unhurriedly extracted the chakra, prolonging his suffering to a horrendous degree.
"What are you doing in Kiri?" she repeated her earlier question.
Fighting to keep from vomiting, he took deep breaths through his nose. The bitch knew what she was doing. Being a medic, she would be able to heal him and maim him for hours, days even. Prior to the interrogation, they had kept him isolated for Kami knew how long.
With minimal food and a brownish liquid that barely passed as drinkable, he was exhausted and on the verge of unconsciousness. However, the medic would not permit him the comfort of passing out. After all, what kind of answers would she get with him being unresponsive?
Cruelty was what she apparently thrived on. Orochimaru might scare him to his very core but, Kazuhiro knew he did not have long to live.
"I was sent alone to steal a forbidden scroll. I have no clue what's in the thing. I was given a basic location and I had to figure out the rest."
Not showing a hint of the emotion on her features, Sakura felt relief swell within her. Kazuhiro was finally revealing his hand; he just needed more prodding. Everything had to stay tightly locked or she would lose what she had worked too hard for.
"Do you have this scroll? We found nothing on your person," she remarked.
He shook his head. "No, the scroll was either destroyed or moved. I didn't see or find shit."
Thoughtfully, she wiped her bloody hand on his sleeve. Sakura had to goad him for the last bit of information she required.
"What does that snake need the scroll for? Over the last few years, Otogakure has stayed off the radar. No political, economic or war moves have been initiated. Usually, when Orochimaru is sneaking around, he's creating a problem for the rest of the shinobi world. What does he want?"
"I guess that's the big question here. Loyalty and all—Orochimaru-sama is scarier than you." Kazuhiro would still fight until his last breath.
"Why don't we spice this up? We can't have you going into shock, so I'll have to keep you on your toes." Sakura resumed her special brand of torture. Too much was at stake for her to come out of this empty-handed.
Night had settled and the bar was alive with gossip, drinking and dancing. It was a popular establishment among the younger crowd—perfect for an evening of relaxation, or in Sakura's case, an evening for some alcohol. She would not label herself an alcoholic; she was nowhere near Tsunade in that respect. Still, she appreciated a little sake every now and then.
All four shinobi sat beside each other in the dimly lit building. Kaede and Ren had invited her and her team out for drinks—Sai opted to accompany Sakura. Neji was adamant on staying behind to investigate their new intel that had been provided by Kazuhiro. With Neji at the Kage Tower, Sakura knew Tenten would not be far from him. The two ANBU had always worked exceptionally well together since their genin days. Occasionally, Sakura wondered if more was happening between them.
They'd deny it, though, she mused.
"What are you smirking about?" Kaede nudged her playfully with an elbow. Sakura's gaze flickered to him.
Kaede had forgone his ANBU uniform for the more traditional shinobi attire—navy pants, a mesh top and a loose-fitted black shirt. Admittedly, he looked good. Sakura had not taken the time to fully admire his handsome features before and she regretted the decision slightly—he was quite nice to look at.
"Nothing you'd be too interested in," she teased.
Running a hand through his dark brown hair, Kaede snorted. "Che, you're not one for small talk, huh, Yuuki?"
Due to the mission, Sai and Sakura had on low-level disguises. With the amount of shinobi in the bar, no one would find them suspicious. That is, if they did not look too close. Instead of her normal pink and green coloring, Sakura had on a short, pale blonde wig and blue contacts.
She glanced over to her left where Sai was conversing with a baffled looking Ren. Sai was a little less extreme—only wearing a long, choppy black wig pulled back into a ponytail. They appeared to be typical Kiri shinobi, blending in flawlessly. To complete the new identities, they had chosen different names as well.
"What's the point of beating around the bush? It's unnecessary in our line of work. If we danced around topics, we'd get nothing done."
"I guess I agree with you. Does flirting fall under the same rule?"
She seemed to consider this, tapping a finger against her plump lips. "Not always, it depends on who's doing the flirting."
His hazel eyes met her azure ones. "Is that so? What if I was flirting with you now?"
Mischievously, she leaned more fully into his frame, giving him a tantalizing view of her well-endowed chest just beneath her top's lower neckline. His pulse raced—unnoticeable to onlookers, to Sakura, it was louder than the music that floated through the bar.
"You're one-hundred years too early to flirt with me," Sakura whispered seductively in his ear before pulling back, revealing the grin she wore.
Laughter escaped him—damn she was feisty. He would have to think of another way to ensnare the pink-haired beauty. "We'll see about that. I'll have you begging for a date by the end of the week."
Sakura downed what remained of her drink and flipped her hair over her shoulder, her lighthearted air gone.
"What does Orochimaru need from the scroll?"
Kazuhiro spit a mouthful of blood onto the ground, resisting the need to cry out. He had withstood her questioning for a solid eight hours, but his determination was waning. Sakura needed to strike a few more chords and he would crack under the mental and physical torture she had subjected him to.
"He never…told me what was in the scroll or…why he needed it. I follow orders, just like a good little ninja, ne? You follow your…Kage like a loyal dog too." Talking was gradually becoming difficult.
The snide comment was disregarded as a kunai slid in between his ribs. Sakura had steadily raised the violence during the interrogation—her hands and arms were stained a deep red. It would take hours for her to completely erase the color from her skin.
"If you don't know, then what is Orochimaru planning? Is he recruiting? Is he planning on attacking Konohagakure again?"
"It's too damn bad you caught me."
"And why is that? You're too strong to betray your wonderful village?"
"No, because I'm fodder. I hold nothing of interest and everything you've done was worthless. All the reports, all of the strategies…you won't figure it out until he makes the first move. By then, it'll be too late."
Sakura took in Kazuhiro's mangled appearance. His right arm was broken, the fingers on his left hand were bent at odd angles and he had numerous freshly healed scars, courtesy of her medical chakra. Blood covered him in a gruesome testament to the injuries he had endured. He was almost unrecognizable.
"I'll give you this. A clan has his interest as of late, I'm not sure which one, but from how he's been acting lately, they're important."
Taking a step back, Sakura placed the kunai on the table behind her. Her mind was on overdrive. Which clan could it be? He's always had a thing for Uchiha and their Sharingan. Orochimaru has Sasuke, so it must be another clan. What would have his interest?
"Your purpose has been served. Thank you, Kazuhiro. Is there anything else?"
He blinked. "Just take me quick."
She could grant this request. He may have been her enemy however, he was still human. Sakura approached him silently, extending a hand to his chest, intending to stop his heart. It was a simple and peaceful way to go.
"Be alert, Pinkie. Orochimaru has something big planned and the Uchiha is involved."
Nodding, she could not keep a small smile off her face at the jab; it did not reach her eyes, though. "You know, Kazuhiro, you're not the worst Sound ninja I've met."
A strangled laugh escaped his throat. "I think my only regret is…I won't get to kill you. You might have…a nice ass but…you're a huge bitch." He was attempting to distract himself from the inevitable. He was not leaving a family or a staggering amount of friends behind—there would not be many to grieve his death.
"Maybe in the next life." Their gazes remained locked as she sent the pulse of electrical chakra to his heart. Sakura watched as the light faded from his eyes and he slumped over, never to move again.
"We'll be gone within the week. After the interrogation, we need to report and decide what comes next."
"To be fair, he didn't know enough. If this mysterious scroll does exist, we have no clue where to find it. And we're no closer to the answers we need," Kaede grumbled, lifting his glass and polishing off the rest of his drink.
"I'm not so sure. The clan theory will give us something to go on for a while."
When her squad returned to Konoha, she would research each clan for anything that could attract Orochimaru. If they found that clan, they would be one step closer to eliminating the Sannin for good.
And getting Sasuke back.
Of course, how could she forget? Years ago, she had been asked to protect the young Uchiha from harm. She failed as a child but, now, she would uphold that vow. With or without Naruto, Sakura would retrieve the last member of Team Seven.
Killing Orochimaru would be an additional bonus; the bastard would die, she would make sure of that. He was the cause of her strife and the one responsible for her genin team's grief. Sasuke never would have left Konoha, if the snake Sannin had not placed the curse seal on him.
When Sakura was nine years old, she had been found unconscious by Konoha's village gates. Days later, she came to with her memory wiped and no recollection of how she got there. The Sandaime offered no explanations; he was just as confused as her.
When Haruno Mebuki and her husband heard of Sakura's predicament, they insisted on adopting her. Having no children of their own due to Mebuki being barren, they were overjoyed to welcome Sakura into their home.
Haruno Kizashi reasoned that Sakura was a long lost relative—for he initially believed that no other Harunos existed. He had been a single child and his parents died years ago. Not once had his father mentioned an extended family.
Mebuki and Kizashi had been kind and loving—Sakura had adored them. Nonetheless, she could never completely bury the feeling of being an outsider with her adoptive parents.
With the assignment and bonding of Team Seven, Sakura finally felt like she had a true family—regardless of how unorthodox they all were. A lazy sensei, a brooding Uchiha, a loudmouthed idiot and a pink-haired girl, she would not have had it any other way. All three genin grew close as teammates. Even Sasuke ultimately warmed up to them after all of their ridiculous D-Rank missions.
Then, with the death of her parents in the attack orchestrated by Orochimaru, Sakura began to rely on her team more, to help ease the ache in her heart. Although, she had not known that their little pseudo-family would be torn apart too.
Orochimaru, the literal snake in the grass, stole what Team Seven had. Sasuke—consumed by hate and revenge—abandoned Konoha for his selfish goal. All of Team Seven had been hurt by his defection. Kakashi felt he had failed his student; Naruto lost his best friend and Sakura lost a brother.
She was finally drawing closer to where Sasuke was, to claiming Orochimaru's life. All of it would soon come to an end by her hands.
It was a quiet day in Konoha. The sun shone brilliantly in the sky and a light breeze rustled the leaves around the village. Calm and tranquil—these were days Tsunade lived for. When she had accepted the title of Hokage, she did not realize how much she would come to care for the village and its people. There was once a time when she had resented Konoha—that had all changed. Now, she would put her life on the line to preserve the Will of Fire that the Sandaime, her teacher, had advocated for.
Tsunade stood atop the Hokage Monument, it felt like months since she had just watched and admired the village. Shizune was finishing up paperwork at the hospital, so Tsunade was allowed the small reprieve. She dangled a sake bottle in one hand, using the railing to support her upper body as she gazed proudly at the place she called home.
Light footsteps could be heard behind her. "Tsunade, we're reporting in."
Grinning, she straightened and faced the new arrival. "You've kept quite a few people waiting. Four years? Did you actually need that much time?"
"I'm sorry for the hold up. We…ran into a few problems along the way." He gave her a sheepish look.
Tsunade knew that expression frustratingly well. By a 'few problems' he meant women, gambling, drinking or a combination of all three. His beloved books needed 'research' and he never failed to get into idiotic situations because of them.
"That's hard to believe. Where is the brat? Don't tell me you lost him."
"He was just—"
Jiraiya was cut off by a loud, obnoxious voice. There was no mistaking who it was calling out to her.
"BAA-CHAN!"
They were home at last.
A/N: Can you guess who's entering stage left? I'm sure it's pretty obvious hahaha
Woo! You guys got a taste of how scary Sakura can be!
Now that the story is developing and fleshing out more, I want you guys to pay attention to certain topics that are brought up or certain things a character will say. It'll foreshadow what will be revealed in the future. I, for the most part, write things that are necessary to plot/character development and if the characters start rambling about something, it's most likely important and a hint for the reader! And if something isn't making sense, I promise that it'll be touched on in later chapters. Most of your questions will be answered as the story moves forward.
Let me know what you guys think and leave a review!
Thank you to everyone who reviewed and followed/favorited! I hope you're enjoying the story!
-Shiromikki