Time passed by very quickly and before anybody noticed the day everybody feared had come at last. The last couple of days Sakura didn't miss a chance to go out with Kakashi as often as their free-time allowed it. But that fact made Kakashi even more anxious because he had the feeling she was trying to say goodbye. However, he didn't dare to ask her. He was afraid of her answer.

Now that the day has arrived, when the Kyuubi would attack the village, Minato was relieved that the villagers already were safe and sound in another village far away from Konoha - including Kushina. The only ones left in the village were high-ranking ninjas who would give Sakura the time she needed to prepare the ultimate jutsu. Of course the only one who didn't know anything was no other than the Copy Ninja.

Hour by hour the ninjas got edgier until the sun was going down.

"Hokage-sama, we have been waiting all day now, but there still is no sign of the nine tailed fox!" Some ninjas told Minato.

The Hokage, who already had summoned Gamabunta and who waited along with Sakura and Kakashi, who flanked him, on top of his head, glanced at Sakura.

"Don't worry…" She said with a dark voice.

And then everybody could feel it.

!!!

"What the hell is that?!" The ninja who had just complained shouted.

"It really came!" Kakashi whispered in shock.

The second everybody sensed that monstrous chakra of the nine tailed beast, they were immediately on guard again.

"Everybody! No matter what happens, you mustn't let it through the gates of Konoha!" Minato ordered.

With that said each ninja headed out to the forest in front of the village to encounter the fox there. Everything went exactly like Sakura and the Hokage had planned it - so far. Now there was only one thing to do.

"Kakashi, I order you to back up the others, but only back them up! Don't you dare to think you could face the nine tailed directly! Keep a safe distance between you, got it?" Minato told him.

"Understood", Kakashi nodded and was about to make his way into the forest as well, when he noticed that Sakura stood behind.

"What about you, Sakura? We'll need your medical skills out there", he said only half facing her.

"Sakura has other things to take care of, Kakashi", Minato snapped as Sakura wanted to say something.

"I'll join you soon. Be careful, Kakashi", the Copy Ninja nodded and hurried away slightly puzzled.

As soon as Minato was sure that the Copy Ninja couldn't hear them anymore, he asked:

"Gama, do you remember the plan?"

"Who do you think I am? Some forgetful idiot?" Gamabunta growled.

"Great! Sakura, as soon as you are ready I'll be ready too."

Sakura nodded. Observing her carefully Minato finally said:

"You don't have to do this, Sakura. I could -"

"No! I'll do it! But I have something I want you to do, when everything is over." She whispered the last part of her phrase as if she didn't have the right to ask for something.

"What is it?" Minato asked worried.

"I want you to take me to Kakashi…I am not sure what will happen to me, when I die, but I don't want to be alone, when it happens", she let her head drop and closed her eyes for a moment.

Taking in a deep breath she opened them again and looked in the Hokage's eyes with all her confidence.

"Promise me that you'll do that." She demanded.

"You have the promise of the fourth Hokage, Sakura." He tried to fake a smile, but failed.

Seeing how he forced to ease her anxiety with a fake and miserable smile, Sakura couldn't help, but smile brightly at him. She didn't know why, but somehow Minato had the ability to make people smile in their worst moments. Just like her clumsy teammate in the future.

"You know what? I am glad that I came to the past!" Her smile was so honest.

Just hearing her say that and seeing her smile that brightly, Minato felt so horrible that he sank down to his knees in front of Sakura and bowed his head. The young Kunoichi was taken back at his sudden actions.

"Sakura, I owe you a great debt and I swear that somehow I will pay you back. I won't let anyone ever forget your bravery, not as long as I am the fourth Hokage." This was like he made an oath to Sakura.

"You don't owe me anything, Hokage-sama…" Sakura sank down on her knees as well and hugged him. The past half of a year he was like a father to her and now she had to say goodbye.

"I hope we'll see us again in the future…Minato", she whispered.

"Kakashi! Hurry up and get away from there!" A jonin shouted as he saw that the Kyuubi was about to attack.

"It's way too strong! We'll be dead if this continues like that!" Another shouted.

When the Kyuubi attacked nobody could keep the positions since they were all thrown back. Although the Nine tailed beast didn't do much but opened its mouth, which caused a chakra wave to explode, there wasn't a single ninja who could be a match for it.

"Let's retreat! We are no match for him!" The ninja who Kakashi helped groaned in pain since he was bleeding all over.

"No! We have our orders of the Hokage! We would betray him and therefore our village if we retreated!" Kakashi screamed in order to drown the Kyuubi's growl.

Kakashi looked around and saw many bodies lying around and even more ninjas were badly injured. He knew that they won't make it. If Sakura wasn't soon to come to treat their wounds they wouldn't be able to prevent the beast from attacking the village itself.

"Looks like the battle has already started!"

Everybody looked to the sky where the voice seemed to come from, but was surprised by a huge creature jumping between the Konoha ninjas and the Kyuubi.

"It's Gamabunta! The Hokage has finally come!" The injured ninjas shouted.

Suddenly they were relieved to see their leader, though they were inwardly accusing him of sending them to their sure death.

"Minato-sensei! Be careful! This beast is too strong for you! You won't make it!" Kakashi shouted and was about to run to his sensei, but was stopped by Iruka.

"Iruka, let me go! I have to help him!"

"Shut up, Kakashi! You would only be in his way!" Iruka snapped.

Since the figure on top of Gamabunta's head was embosomed by the moonlight, everybody could only make out its profile. The person with Gamabunta raised his right hand which showed a fist at its end - a sign of the end of a fight.

Now everybody knew what the Hokage planned to do.

"He's not going to use that technique, is he?" Iruka asked shocked.

"Please…that can't be!" Kakashi was out of breath. Not his sensei, too!

"Gamabunta? Are you ready?" Sakura asked dropping her raised fist.

"Ready when you are!" The toad said pulling out his sword.

"Tell Minato that I am grateful for everything, if I won't make it until he returns", she said making the seals.

"How about you tell him that yourself?" Gama said prepared to attack.

"Let's get over with this!" Sakura said finishing the seals.

"Fuin no jutsu!" She shouted, while Gama jumped towards the fox.

The final attack has begun.