DARK SECRETS
CHAPTER TEN
Sakura was at the hospital, in the operation room, operating on a shinobi who received a critical wound. She was completely unfocused. She couldn't stop thinking of sasuke, she knows that he asked for forgiveness countless time from her but was that all a lie, a disguise to set her in a trap, where she couldn't escape from. If it was then she almost fell in to it. Tsunade looked at Sakura, worried this was uncharacteristic of her student. She sighed as she saw Sakura unfocused almost leading to her cutting a vital artery.
"Saitama, your in charge till I come back, Sakura come with me" tsunade said briskly, Sakura looked at her teacher confused as they walked to another room. Tsunade looked annoyed which scared Sakura, when her teacher is mad it's wise not to annoy her more.
"is any thing wrong milady?", Sakura asked, "yes Sakura, yes there is a problem, you're not focused today why?", Sakura's eyes widened, she immediately looked down knowing that lying to tsunade would be a waste of time.
"sorry milady, I'm just... Going... Going though some things but I promise th...", "sorry Sakura but take some rest you could just compromise the surgery and this isn't the first time, it's been going on for some time now, get yourself together Sakura I don't want to repeat my self at we clear", tsunade said frustratingly, Sakura nodded.
"take a few hours rest but as soon as I call for you, you must be ready", "hai milady". Tsunade left Sakura who was sighing, she walked to the exit of the hospital after, removing her clinic wear, heading for a near quiet restaurant. She was walking slowly letting the air blue on her face, it felt nice, felt like she didn't have problems of any kind.
She was about to approach the restaurant when she felt that familiar energy, she thought she wouldn't meet anytime soon, but there he was about a few feet from her. Her feet automatically stopped walking, like she was positively pulled to him. Her heart rate increased, her temperature increased slightly, her senses heightened. His chakra wasn't moving, he too was just standing, it's like they were stuck in a trance but with them, not looking at each other. She knew that he would approach her again, just didn't think it was this soon.
She stood there motionless, waiting for him to approach her but nothing, he wasn't making advances, he was just looking at her. She could feel the tension caused by this in her bones. She sighed and turned slowly to look at him. His body coming into view the more she turned, til she was fully looking at him, the last of his clan, sasuke uchiha. His features seemed stiff looked stiff, like a rock. His face twisted into a frown, frustrated obviously at from her. She made a frown of her own, ready to counter act any thing that sasuke would say.
She was surprised to see him look down to her feet, her eye brow was raised now. But before she could even, think more on what he was about to do, he was right next to her, with his left hand on her right shoulder.
Her eyes widened, she didn't expect this but she wasn't thing to give up. "Sakura". He said softly into her ears, he said he name with so much softness and care, she has never seen him speak with so much care. It made her heart pound, beat faster in her chest.
"we need to talk", he said after a few minutes of silence. She directed her head to look at him, she was currently looking at the side of his head. She wanted to refuse his offer but she found her self unable to. All she could do was nod.
"okay training ground at 8 after work" she managed to speak, he nodded lightly and swiftly turned, his back turned to her. He started to walk slowly away from her bit stopped and spoke, "don't stress your self out" with that he continued waking away from her lazy, with his hands in his pocket, till she could no longer see him didn't she let out a breath she didn't know she had Kept.
Else where in a small forest just outside kumogakure, Hideki stood on a tree branch looking at a picture of his wife, caressing it lightly. Behind him stood an army of men and women all listening to Hideki's father as he talked to them. After a few minutes, he heard a loud roar of cheering coming from them. He knew it was time. His father approached him holding his right shoulder. "is time son, time for is to move to phase two", Hideki nodded as he over looked the people below him. "you know what to do?", "yes attack the while your men act as diversion to divert attention from the place, remind me again while you want this scroll and why am needed" Hideki hissed to his father who just chuckled, "well you are needed because, incase of any danger you not only have the power and strength to handle it, and because with you here we have a 80% chance of failure even if the diversion fails and oh the scroll we want, well that's need to know information." His father said non-caring as he stored down ordering them to prepare.
"the time has come soldiers, today we claim one of the great five nations, tomorrow the whole world" they roared, cheering and chanting.
Hideki shook his head, these people were been used right in front of the item eyes, there dream was to take over the five great shinobi village so as to start a new civilization, were peace is among the people and only one high authority is in charge. But what they don't know is that today might be there last day on earth or alive.
"it's time" Hideki said, his father nodded at him and turned to his army. "it's time, we have waited for too long but today we strike, we strike hard and fast. So might die but there death won't be in vain for they would have died with honour and they will be remembered when our goal is complete. So lets make this village bleed to death" Hideki's father said they nodded and within seconds they were gone.
Hideki's father chuckled, "get ready too we are moving out"
Back in konoha, it was night, 8 to be precise. The streets were packed with people moving around and the sound of alive people. Sakura was from the hospital tired, tsunade made her work double for the work she missed during her ' break'. She yawned as her fatigue was getting to her, her main focus was to get home but she remembered. "we need to talk" sasuke wanted to talk, she wasn't in a taking mood right now, so she decided to go home and get sleep as soon as possible, the issue with sasuke will resolve it's self. As soon as she reached home did she fan into her bed and sleep.
Everything felt hazy, fuzzy like a dream, she heard loud banning on the door and some one calling out to her "Sakura, Sakura" they continued till they just stopped. Sakura let out a breath and was about to closer her half closed eyes when she felt arms on her shoulders shaking her. When she opened her eyes, she was looking at her blond friend.
"na..naruto" she said slowly as if trying to make sure that it was him. "ah Sakura finally I've been knocking for hours" he said sighing a little. "what are you doing in my apartment" she said as she stood up pushing her pink locks to the side, we have a mission kakashi requested for us.
Sakura nodded" okay wait for me outside I'll be right there" Naruto nodded and went outside. Minutes later Sakura came out wearing her usual out fit, Naruto was taking to aimi about how much he loved ramen, aimi was pretending to listen, when she was just trying to relax, and the other side of Naruto and aimi was sasuke who was just standing looking at the ground with his hand in the pocket. She cursed under her breath. "she approached Naruto and aimi, "we should get going" she said lightly with them nodding.
Naruto and aimi where the first, then came Sakura then sasuke last. They ran towards the hokages office, as soon as they got there they found many shinobis standing outside the hokage office. They were told to go in. When they entered they found shikamaru,sai, Hinata standing, talking to the hokage. They waked to the centre, where the rest stood.
"good you're here, now as you I was saying, kumogakure sent a request a few hours ago saying, that they were been ambushed, which is weird, now that the five villages are United, the attackers should have known by now that attacking any would be suicidal" said kakashi acknowledging the newer comers.
"that's what's surprising, we're from war, a few months ago, so a attack would be indeed suicidal, unless..?" Shikamaru said, "unless what, Shikamaru?" Naruto questioned "unless, a suicide attack is what they planned but it doesn't make sense" Sakura said.
"well what ever the matter, you seven are to go and give support in what ever way possible, I already dispatched a team to give assistance. Clear." He order, they nodded at him , "you have about ten minutes to prepare, after that you are too leave immediately" they nodded again, "that's all" they nodded and left. Outside the hokage's office they nodded at each other and returned to there places to prepare.
Ten minutes later, all were at the gate, prepared and ready. "the journey shouldn't take long, so we should get going". Soon they were, began running with Shikamaru, aimi and Sai in front, on the middle a very chatty Naruto, hinata and and a silent Sakura and behind the last uchiha.
The journey was fast paced, Naruto who was talking to both hinata and Sakura, noticed that hinata was the only one paying attention, Sakura seemed distant, which surprised him, he at least thought that Sakura would been with sasuke but by the looks of it, it seemed like Sakura was avoiding sasuke, for reasons Naruto didn't know, yet.
Sakura's silence was killing Naruto, Sakura was acting different, not talking, and not focused, "Sakura?" He asked, she didn't respond, her focused else where,"Sakura he said a bit louder, this time she responded with a "Mmm".
"are you okay?", "oh, yeah, just remembered something" she said, lowly. Which worried bro Naruto. He looked behind him, to look at sasuke, who was looking at the ground, his bangs covering his face. He looked back at Sakura then to Hinata, "Hinata have you noticed that Sakura is acting weird", "I thought I was the only one, who noticed" she says whispering. "try to talk to Sakura, I'll talk to sasuke" Naruto said, with Hinata nodding.
Naruto reduced his speed, to be same with sasuke's, who didn't notice his blond friend. They continued to jump through trees.
"sasuke everything okay?", Naruto asked hastily, his rival just grunted his usual "hn", not bating ah eye to Naruto, his eyes were focused ahead.
Naruto sweated inwardly, ' how can I know if you are okay, with that hn, it's not even a word' Naruto screamed inwardly. He tried again but this time taking a different approach, but even that different get answers from the uchiha. Now Naruto knew they something was wrong, but it was trying to figure out what it was because sasuke like a book in the dark, was hard to read.
Soon they were close to Kumogakura, they stopped, because Hinata sensed shinobi around them. They were currently on the, ground, a circle formation. The leaf ninja might have the element of strength but the shinobis Hinata sensed were too much, they were huge in number. "ambush?" Sai asked as he removed his scroll, "yeah it seems, they must have known that we were coming" shikamaru said scanning the area, while in a crunched position. Everything seemed normal.
In the woods, the enemy Hideki's men looked at the leaf ninja, surveying them. They nodded at, each other, and seconds later a portal appeared and Hideki came out. He looked at the leaf of by one starting Hinata, shikamaru, sai, Sakura, aimi them he chuckled when guys eyes landed on Naruto. ' this boy, his here. Well good things happen to those who are patient' he thought, his eyes widened when he saw the last of his kind, uchiha. He exclaimed inwardly. He smiled before turning to his men, they nodded at him then disappeared instantly, after that he too disappeared.
The leaf ninjas where surprised, they were getting ready for and ambush only for the enemy to vanish, it didn't make any sense. "ah shikamaru?" Hinata asked, "yeah they're gone", "yeah, why?" Naruto asked scratching the back of his head, confused.
"not sure, they had an advantage of number, they wouldn't just gone in such numbers only to go doesn't make sense" shikamaru said, he sighed and got up dusting his knees from the dirt. " well guess we should keep on moving, it would be troublesome it they came back this time more in numbers, now wouldn't it?" He asked nobody in particular. They nodded and continued moving.
Back in konoha, kakashi was currently deep in paper work, with all what's happening with Kumogakura. He had piles and piles of it, he sighed as he, finished one and went to the other. He continued at a rhythmic pace, till he stopped in his tracks, he sensed that someone had enter his office, he put his pen down and looked at the latter. "kakashi, how are you", "fine thank you, although I would be better if I didn't have so much paper work" he says lazily. The person chucked. kakashi, have to look at the person to know, the real reason for the visit.
"I see you heard, about kumo that is", "yes, and you knew this war coming". Kakashi looked at the person, the wrinkles around his eyes, tightening as he narrowed his eyes. "I warned you, take action before something takes place, and now look they are attacking kumo and after that who will next kakashi, konoha. We can't afford for that to happen, we have limited shinobi, both here are other villages, if attacks like that were to continue then..", "I know", "... Then humanity as we know it would be in danger, peace that we fought for gone" the person said brutality.
"I know" kakashi said again, but this time a bit lower than before. "if you do, then you should have listen when I and the others told you to take care of the village Hideki grew up from, you should have..", " killed them, a village that we aren't even sure is involved in all of this, I was going to do that" kakashi said tightly.
"not your problem was that you believed that they didn't have why involvement with Hideki, your problem was that, that place holds memories that you cherish, and destroying that place would be like destroy those memories." The person said, kakashi sighed wiping the drops of sweat on his forehead.
"I admit it, the place does hold memories and it's because of my hesitation that Kumogakura is been attacked, for what reason am not entirely, but its for that reason that I'll do everything in my power both as the hokage of the hidden leaf village and as kakashi hatake shinobi of the the great five nations to stop and see Hideki dead." He exclaimed as he stood up, looking over the village they looked so alive.
"well kakashi, first we have to identify there hideout then we start planning" kakashi nodded and seconds later the person was gone.
"I swear Hideki, you have killed too many people now it ends" kakashi said under his breath. He sighed she continued with his paper work.
The team finally reached, Kumogakura the village wasn't badly destroyed but damage would be seen. The quickly hurried to the village looked around, the first part of the village seemed deserted, must have been village protocol. Beyond side buildings there seemed to be a fight, seen by the way the sky keep on flashing, the light coming from that direction. The nodded, "Sakura you look for any injured shinobi around the village, Naruto and sai you'll take the east part of the village, assist in any way possible, Hinata and sasuke you'll take the west, and aimi and I will take the centre route, if any of you are to approach the raikage, you see to report your coordinates." They nodded and spread out.
The village looked destroyed, the smell of ashes all over, it didn't settle well with Sakura. She kept a steady pace as she ran through the village. She decided that jumping across would attract the wrong attention. Thirty minutes and no body found, which was weird, she at least thought that she would find dead shinobi bodies laying around the ground but nothing.
She reached a part of the village, which seemed to be a market judging by the way the buildings looked. She stopped running and surveyed the area. Everything seemed okay, till she heard a faint cough, that came from some stacked up rocks, she ran to the rocks and removed them one by one till she saw the person, whose while Body was covered in burn marks.
"help" he said again, Sakura quickly removed her equipment, and started healing the person. He groaned as Sakura started healing his lower abdomen. "don't worry, everything will be okay, you haven't sustained wounds any were critical" she said as she continued. She finished healing him after ten minutes. She sat down, sighing while wiping off a sweat.
"thank you" he said after sometime, "my name is ushirá, I was separated from the crowd when all this happened, I went looking for my daughter, she went with her friends and never came back, so I left the crowd but next thing I knew, I was being attacked. I managed to live but not without injuries" he said, she nodded and stood up, looking at the man sitted down, " I'll advice next time that you stay close to personal of the village and observe protocol, your daughter is most likely safe" the man nodded. "we should get going, do you know where the safe places are?", "yeah its just a few blocks from here" he said as he stood and started walking,
' well this shouldn't be hard' Sakura thought as she started to walk her self.
Hinata and sasuke were currently in the West part of the village, the first part of the village seemed empty, so they decided to skip it and head forward.
The journey was quite, sasuke only talked when he needed too.
"this is weird, i haven't seen any body since entered the village, they should be at least a few laying around" hinata said as she surveyed the place with her byakugan.
Sasuke only responded with a "hn". They continued moving till. Hinata stopped. They were in top of a building not badly destroyed, she crunched lightly and looked around. "i see three chakra signatures, definitely shinobi" she said, sasuke nodded and touched his sword. "we better make an advancement before they.." Before sasuke finished his sentence, the building they stood on crumbled, but sasuke and hinata jumped before they could be caught in it.
They landed on the ground, hinata coughing lightily, the three shinobi hinata sensed emerged from the dust created from the building.
They all wore black clothing, with red flames. No facial features could be seen.
They looked the same only difference was that their body structure differed, one was tall, the other huge, the other short.
The huge one laughed and looked at them, "you're from the leaf. And i thought i was just going to kill kumo shinobi" he roared. "i haven't fought any one since we arrived I'll enjoy this" the tall one said, the voice sounded famine.
Sasuke looked at hinata and nodded, she went into her hyuuga stance while sasuke touched his sword slightly. The enemy just chuckled.
The air stiffened, a cold breeze passed, blowing hinata's and Sasuke's hair. The short one screamed, "now you die" after that he charged at hinata, he was fast almost unseeable. But hinata saw that attack coming and moved to the side, as the enemy missed, skidding to the other side.
But the attack didn't stop there as, as soon as he stopped skidding he turned slightly smiling his eyes fired with malice, he disappeared and reappeared behind sasuke with a kunai trying to kill sasuke but he instantly guarded it with his sword.
The enemy widened his eyes slightly but smile pushing himself back passing through a series of hand seals quickly, before exclaiming, "WIND STYLE: PISTOL BULLETS JUTSU". The attack was directed to sasuke who just swiftly dodged them without easy, getting close to the enemy.
The others looked at their comrade fight sasuke. "I'll take the girl, watch and learn" the tall one said as she approached Hinata. Hinata noticed this and directed her stance to the tall enemy.
The tall enemy quickly went through hand seals, "WATER BEAST JUTSU" the tall enemy exclaimed. A small dog like creature turned out of nowhere and followed Hinata, who jumped to avoid been attacked by it. She removed a kunai ave slashed at the beast which turned into water. The tall enemy went through another series of signs "WATER BEAST JUTSU" four small beasts where formed following Hinata immediately, she quickly went into hitting the beasts with her palms but what she didn't notice was the water vortex forming around her ave before she could even realize it she was sucked.
The tall enemy chucked and looked at the huge enemy, "she was easier than expected".
Sasuke managed to slash his sword in the short enemies chest causing the enemy to fight on long distance, which is why sasuke was dodging the enemies attacks as the enemy went through hand seals.
The enemy panted and knelt down as a sweat fell, sasuke took that opportunity to attack the enemy with his sword. The enemy saw the attack going and guarded the attack.
"you really think you can kill me with attack as clear as they" the enemy said breathlessly. Sasuke didn't say anything just looked at the side the the enemies head, the enemy saw this and directed his sight gaze the same way.
His eyes widened as he saw another sasuke behind him with his sword pressed against his back.
"well isn't this embarrassing, caught off guard" the enemy said laughing after he did. Sasuke didn't let the enemy finish his laugh as he stabbed him instantly his laugh turning into a choke, his face filled with horror but suddenly the man smiling, the blood coming off his mouth made it weird to look at.
Sasuke pushed the enemy on the floor and looked at the others,
"now you" he said as the took one step but stopped when he felt ice cold metallic material pass through his chest. He looked in great horror the blood stubbed on his chest from they bleeding, he turned his head to see his attack but found it to he the short enemy looking as if he wasn't in a fight a few mins ago.
"my clone managed to distract you so that i can take the finishing blow", sasuke looked at the body on the floor as it turned into smoke. He groaned at the pain inflicted on him.
"I thought leaf would put a fight but you even more pathetic than kumo ninjas" the enemy says as he removed the short Knife from sasuke's chest with the latter groaning from pain.
"well at least you died at the hands of a powerful enemy" he said as he pushed sasuke's now numb body onto the ground implanting a kunai next to sasuke's head with the enemy jumping to his comrades.
Sasuke looked at the kunai, his eyes widened realizing what it meant, "explosive tag.." He whispered before it exploded.
Sakura heard the explosion ave looked in the direction it came from, "was that.." She didn't finish "it was probably nothing come on we are almost there". She nodded at the man and continued walking.
A/N: AM BACK AFTER A LONG LONG WELL DESERVED REST BUT AN BACK AND STILL UPDATING AM NOT GIVING UP ON THIS STORY AND SORRY IF IT TOOK TOO LONG.
THANK YOU FOR READING REVIEW IF YOU'D LIKED IT FAVORITE AND FOLLOW ALSO. THANK YOU AND GOOD BYE.