Book II chapter 1: Promise of a lifetime
Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Naruto gladly the Naruto fandom is in shambles.
Keep every promise you make and only make promises you can keep.
Anthony Hitt
The scream of pain echoed throughout the vast forest. The birds flew away along with smaller animals fleeing the premises.
The sound was the type that made your toes curl it haunted your dreams. It made the hair on the back of your neck stand up.
It signaled how much pain one was in and you wouldn't even wish it on your worst enemy.
Before going that far, let's rewind back to when Naruto, Sakura, and, Hanabi left the group for their mission.
The trio crossed The Great Naruto Bridge leaving the smell of salty water and fish behind. The run was quiet at first, of course, since no one actually knew what to say.
That was until Hanabi's question was burning her badly. "Sakura-san why did you really want me to come along?"
She slowed her trek through the trees. "Simple you want to be trained by me the best time is when I'm on a mission."
Hanabi eyes widen in surprise and Naruto grunts. "Really, I didn't think you would actually do it." She nods and comes to a sudden halt catching Naruto and Hanabi off guard.
"Right here come at me with the intent to kill." Sakura takes off her kunai pouch and toss it to the ground. She takes off her scarf and toss it near the pouch. She gets into a different stance that she only uses when sparing so she can hold back.
The Byakugan user was confused, she didn't know that they were going to spar right then and there while on their way to Sunagakure.
"But-" Hanabi was about to protest, unfortunately was cut off.
"Don't worry Hanabi she won't hurt you too bad do your best." She looked up at the Uzumaki grinning from ear to ear. Hanabi absentmindly nodded her head.
Hanabi also gets in her stance and gets ready to go hand to hand with Sakura. Both of them stare each other down for a minute, but it felt like an hour. A light breeze blows and they both kick off of their feet and dash at each other. Hanabi goes to strike first and Sakura dodges it and retaliate with a sweep kick. Hanabi goes to strike first and Sakura dodges it and retaliate with a sweep kick. Hanabi saw it and quickly jumps away from her.
She only had a split second to think about her next move since Sakura was quickly on her. Sakura swung her fist at the Hyuga's face and at the last minute she dodge it, but the amount of force she used still knocked her back.
Hanabi didn't get a chance to recover as she felt a few bones be broken at the super powered kick to her stomach. She crashes through a few trees.
Naruto was on the sidelines with enthusiasm and worry mixed on his face. He wanted to interfere hell even join them, but he was also worried about how far Sakura would go with this. He watched as Sakura walked up to the struggling girl as if she was stalking her prey.
"Get up I know your father do worse than this." Hanabi glares up at the impassive pinkette.
"He never broke my damn ribs."
The pink haired kunoichi allows her to get up shakily. The familiar needle like shape of blue chakra molds around her open palm. Hanabi activates her Byakugan the noticeable veins near her temples bulging.
Hanabi shouted as she shot forward with the intent on stopping her heart. Sakura bends back for her hands to touch the ground. She then wraps her pale slender legs around her arms and flip them.
The pressure on the ground leaves her embedded into the ground. Sakura raise and noted Hanabi cough up a few drops of blood and struggled to get herself up. 'Damn, I'm getting my ass handed to me.'
Sakura picks the Hyuga up by her dirtied and worn shirt. Hanabi's eyes flash sensing an attack coming. She was right when a fist connects with her face. She would of stumbled if it was not for the tight grip Sakura had on her.
"Pathetic. You were once considered to be Hyuga Heiress and this is the best you can do." Another fist connects with her face this time knocking her back some since she let go of Hanabi.
Hanabi gets up to her feet stumbling a little bit. Hanabi notices the pinkette running to her and jump in the air coming down on her with an ax kick. Her eyes widen and she just barely dodged it, but was hit by the amount of force used in it. The earth shakes and crumbles from her sheer strength. A cloud of dust covers the field forcing Hanabi to activate her Byuakugan to find the former Anbu captain.
"Where is she? I don't think I can take another hit." An idea soon hits Hanabi.
"Hakkesho Kaiten!" (A/N: Eight Trigrams Palms Revolving Heaven.)
Hanabi releases chakra from every tenketsu in her body, she then spins rapidly creating a rotating shield of chakra around her. The shield wasn't too big or too small it was enough to clear the area of dust and protect her.
Once the area was cleared of any trace of dust Hanabi halts her technique. The technique did hurt her with all the spinning with her injuries.
Hanabi growls, she looked everywhere left, right, back, up then it hit her where she was at.
Hanabi felt gloved hands wrap around her ankle and pull her downward into the ground. Hanabi struggled to get out, but she knew it was futile.
"Damn. What the hell is this?"
"Doton: Shinju Zanshu no Jutsu." (A/N: Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu.)
Hanabi stops her struggling to glare angrily at the ninja that trapped her in the ground. "This match is over." Sakura stomps her foot, causing a crater to form and making it easier for Hanabi to get out.
"You have a lot to learn you shouldn't just depend on your Hyuga techniques." Hanabi groans and climbs out of the crater. She collapse when she felt she wasn't trapped anymore.
Sakura sighs and begins healing her ribs and a few cuts. "Someone like me is going to come along and embarrass you like this. They are going to know all of your moves because EVERYONE knows about the Hyuga clan."
Naruto walks up to them after listening to the words Sakura spoke. "I don't want to see you end up like me filled with anger and hatred. Look at this spar as an open door to a new opportunity."
After Hanabi nods, she passes out from exhaustion. "Do you think I was too rough Naruto?"
Naruto had a strange look that didn't fit his usual cheerful expression.
He was upset.
"Yeah, I do." Sakura scoffs and begins walking away with no remorse.
"There was a purpose for this spar just look underneath the underneath."
Naruto carried Hanabi bridal style through the trees watching Sakura closely. He wasn't one to get upset especially at her, but she practically tortured Hanabi. He thought about what she said to him quoting Kakashi and no matter how much he tried he couldn't see anything underneath the underneath. No matter what she did and no matter how bad it is he could never resent her for it. He just wanted to heal her and save her from herself.
The sun was setting and the younger kunoichi was still unconscious. "Sakura-chan we should stop for the night." He caught Sakura glancing back at him and suddenly stops. She nods silently agreeing with him. The deep breaths from Hanabi caught her attention which made her agree.
"I'll get a fire started so make sure she's comfortable."
Naruto takes off his jacket to use as a pillow for the unconscious Hyuga. Not sure why he was even shocked anymore at her behavior. Maybe it's because she switches it so much. One minute she's stoic the next she's all smiles and sun shines.
Ok, maybe not smiles and sun shines, but not as angry at the world. He didn't notice the pinkette sneak up behind him until she spoke up.
"You're over thinking it." Naruto shoots up from the ground and turns around.
"Well, I wouldn't be over thinking it if you just told me." Sakura nods.
She puts the wood on the ground and does a quick fire jutsu. She was going to have to explain to him why she did what she did and also to Hanabi.
"Naruto... Sometimes in this world you're destined to be corrupt and sometimes your corruption changes destiny." She sits down beside him with a familiar look of reminisce.
"Simply put, I don't want Hanabi to be corrupt it was only a matter of time before she was going to get that seal put on her. The Hyuga clan is full of corrupt people, whether it be from the main branch or not. Corruption is always there." Naruto turns away from her deep in his thoughts.
"I guess that's something else I'll have to change in order for this world to be at peace." Sakura gazes at Naruto with a look of contempt. She could feel a sunrise inside of her dark mind lighting a way to her emotions.
"Sakura-chan I spoke to Kyuubi lately and he senses a dark presence around you. I don't want to end up trying to also free you from the darkness or worst fighting you. It'll kill me as much as chasing after Sasuke does. So I'll be there for you whenever you need me and whenever you don't. I'll free you from your cage and fight off your inner demons just as you had for me with the Kyuubi. Consider it a new promise of a lifetime." Naruto does a familiar thumbs up and bright grin.
Sakura was speechless it was a lot to take in all at once. 'How could someone care so much for me?'
"He's just trying to fool you so he could stab you in the back."
Naruto looks in her glazed emerald eyes, he didn't know what happened to her for a while.
"Kit she's talking to her inner 'demon'." Naruto reaches for her hand and grips it tightly. The noticeable grip on her hand snaps her out of her talk with inner.
"Sakura." Sakura once again found herself shocked. She wasn't use to him calling her just Sakura and physical contact unless it was her fist connecting with a face.
"You shouldn't be talking to your inner remember what you said about destiny and corruption well she's corrupting the real Sakura-chan and maybe it was your destiny but destiny was meant to be changed. We'll change it together." Sakura eyes water a little as the barrier around her heart cracked even more.
She wasn't sure how to react, she hasn't felt such strong emotions in a very long time. She got so used to being a ninja that not being one is terribly unfamiliar. It was Shinobi code to not show emotions be a tool for your village. At one point her inner was telling her to kill everyone at another inner thinks everyone is lying to her. She could tell that all of her friends missed the real Sakura temper and all.
Naruto could see the inner turmoil in her lime green eyes. They weren't the usual emerald greens that he adored so much. Her eyes use to be the door to her emotions and he often got lost in them. The amount of emotion one person could show you. It always surprised him when he took a glance at her eyes. They always gave him hope that he wouldn't lose himself and cause such turmoil in those beautiful eyes of hers.
He now felt that it was his job to show her his emotions through his eyes.
And he did.
The emotions of hope, worry, just a twinge of pain, happiness, and last but most importantly love.
Her loose hand slowly grips his also that was until they heard rustling in the bush. Both of the ninjas moves apart when a kunai is lodged into the ground with an explosion tag on it. Naruto quickly picks up Hanabi and his jacket barely getting out of the way of the blast. Sakura was able to get away from the blast in time also. She searches for Naruto and Hanabi's chakra signature. Once she finds them, she cuts through the forest to meet up with them.
Naruto notices a shade of pink hair coming towards him at blinding speed, but didn't let it affect him. "Who threw the kunai?" Sakura shrugs, she kept looking over her shoulder and see a flash of black and grey.
"What the hell?" Blocking the way to where they were heading was chakra strings. From the looks of it with just one touch it would cut you.
"I've never seen this before." Naruto glances behind him at the trees he could also see someone behind them following them.
"Should we go around?" Sakura nods her head. They were about to move around the wires, but something quickly caught her eye. Sakura stops Naruto before he could take a step anymore further.
Naruto didn't understand why she stopped him until she pointed down a flash of light from the line of wires caught his attention.
"Sakura where are these wires coming from?" She shrugs, she wasn't trying to stick around to find out neither she was strong not invincible. Naruto shifts Hanabi in his arms better so he wouldn't drop her.
"Sakura-chan do you think your sword is strong enough to cut through this."
"Even if it was I'm unable to use it right now. It's tasted my blood I have to wait for it to starve for just about anyone's blood." Naruto sighs he hoped that Hanabi would wake up soon. He felt helpless at the moment since he couldn't use his hands at the moment.
"What do we do then?" Instead of telling him Sakura shows him. She pulls out a kunai from her pouch she holds it out in front of her. After a minute of waiting blue chakra engulfs the kunai.
That's when he remembered the training they did with Kakashi about channeling your chakra into any weapon.
Sakura swings her chakra infused kunai down on a bunch of wires. She was so focused on cutting a way for them to take safety she saw a blade in the form of a narrow longsword (chōtō) that greatly resembles a large needle, with a long length of thin wire-mirroring thread, tied through the eye located at the base of its hilt. The blade licks her cheeks causing blood to flow from the visible cut.
The blade stuck in the tree beside them just barely missing. Sakura had a second to glance at the sword, but when she did her eyes instantly widen.
"No."
A fog begins to set in it was unusually thick, meaning it was a jutsu.
"Sakura-chan are you ok?" Naruto made sure he stayed close to the ex anbu captain.
"This is bad." Sakura looks around the fog, she caught a glance of straw colored hair.
It all connected in her mind who they were going to have to face off against. "Naruto I want you to listen to me carefully try your hardest to wake up Hanabi and flee. Don't look back at all."
"I'm not leaving you behind to face whoever it is. We're Teammates I would never leave a teammate behind." She sighed, aware that once he made his mind up about something there's no persuading him.
"Fine, but I warned you. Kabuto must of sent this guy. Kushimaru Kuriarare one of the previous generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist wielding the deadly blade Nuibari."
"long, shaggy, straw-colored blond hair and his face concealed by a white, porcelain Anbu mask, with a green-colored triangle on its lower half, slits for eye-holes and Kirigakure's symbol etched into the top."
Naruto held his breath and told Sakura to hold Hanabi for a minute. She took the girl and watched as he made a clone and did the rasengan to clear the fog up a little better.
Right then and there out of the fog was another guy with a strange sword in his hands. Sakura recognized the sword and the wielder. "Jinpachi Munashi another Seven Ninja Swordsmen. Wield the sword Shibuki. Him and Kushimaru are known as Hijō Konbi the heartless pair."
She didn't waste any time to grab Naruto's arm and use a chakra infused stomp on the branch so they can fall to the ground. As soon as they hit the ground an explosion goes off above them where they were just standing. Sakura made sure her body shielded them from any sticks and branches. At that moment Hanabi wakes up and the first thing she sees is Sakura's emerald green eyes. Naruto eyes widen as he looks behind her to see a thin needle like sword coming down fast on her. Before he could even scream her name or move her the sword goes through her stomach into the ground.
He saw her eyes widen and she looks down at her stomach to see the sword there. Hanabi screams when she sees her sensei have a sword go through her.
"Pull... It... Out." Naruto nods and quickly goes to pull out the sword. He swiftly pulls it out earning a cry of pain from the pink haired kunoichi.
She covers the wound with her hand while healing it. "Naruto...argh...watch their every move." Naruto looks at his teammate with a pained expression.
"Hanabi I'm going to need your Hakkesho Kaiten to clear up some of this fog. We'll buy time for Sakura to heal, then we'll take them down together."
"No we'll flee." Before Naruto could reject the idea Sakura shoots him a stern look.
Hanabi looks at her sensei with a look of pure sadness. Sakura looks back at the girl with belief in her and Naruto. With renewed strength Hanabi nods and stands in front of Sakura.
"Be careful..." Sakura reaches into her medical pouch and takes out a blood pill and swallows it. The sword didn't go through her lungs, she would of been coughing or puking up blood if that was the case.
She wouldn't admit it aloud, but she was proud of Hanabi just knowing the girl in a day and beating the hell out of her she really matured. Although she didn't get stronger physically, but her mentality did. That was what she wanted to work on first before getting to physical training.
Then there was Naruto he helped her a bit earlier. She still has her issues that may or may not heal and she didn't feel up to telling her problem. The last thing she needed was an intervention.
Looking back down her skin began to knit together closing the hole. She felt the wind pick up nearby from Hanabi's jutsu and the mist soon became bearable. She saw that Naruto had summoned a few clones some were sitting in lotus form and some were surrounding them.
"He must be trying to enter sage mode."
"Even with that, he still wouldn't be able to defeat those two. Maybe if we join Danzo we could destro-"
"Have you forgotten what Danzo did to us and... My parents."
"You can't prov-"
"Sakura-chan I want you to focus on healing that wound don't listen to what your inner has to say no matter how tempting it sounds. Trust me Kyuubi tries to do the same thing to me." She looks back up at the real Naruto back. He looked just like how she remembered him years ago confident and ready.
"Try not to die." She looks away from him, her eyebrows furrowed as she contemplated with herself why she decided to even say that. She didn't catch Naruto looking at her with a small smile and bright blue eyes full of emotion.
"You got it Sakura-chan. Alright Hanabi the mist cleared up a lot let's beat some swordsmen butt dattebayo!" He pounds his fist into his other hand with a look of pure determination that he hasn't felt in a long time.
He felt renewed.
A/N: Not much to say remember to check out Naruto: A Killer Born I finally got around to posting chapter 3. I decided to stick to the orignal name and not change anything. except the title.
Anyway book 2 kicks off with the mission and Kabuto has sent two of the legendary also dead mist swordsmen on the trio. I wanted to make this longer, but I just wanted to develop Sakura's relationships with Naruto and Hanabi. Just to let you know the beginning of this chapter hasn't happened yet.