I originally uploaded this chapter several weeks ago. However, I took it down to edit it.
I want to give a special shout out to my best friend for helping with the strategical changes. I greatly appreciate your feedback and constructive criticism.
I do not feel there are any triggers or warnings in this chapter.
As always, thank you for reading and going on this journey with me! And thank you for being patient while I made changes to this chapter! (The overall concept is the same, just minor changes)
I have already started typing out chapter nine, so by no means have I forgotten or given up on this story.
Please enjoy and review!
Sasuke staggered forward to close the distance between him and Sakura, refusing to let the fatigue stop him from reaching her. The wind whipped pink silk hair across his face as he placed his hand on the kunoichi's shoulder. He had to know, was this her, could she be alive?
Right before him, the body began to morph and grow horrible disfigured as their skin rippled and bubbled, exposing tissue and muscle. An explosion of plasma and membranes blasted around him, covering him in remains; a pool of blood began to soak into the ground at his feet, covering his shoes. "NO!" Sasuke's scream echoed around him as the destroyed morgue dissipated in front of him.
Dai konran's cackle surrounded the area, though he could not pinpoint which direction the sound originated. The Uchiha stumbled backward on the uneven pavement, turning just in time to see Naruto and Kakashi dematerialize.
Sasuke reached for a sword that wasn't there and looked in the scattered pile of Sakura's remains for a blood-covered weapon. He came away empty-handed, with nothing but Sakura's blood on his hand and shirt. "DAI KONRAN!" He spun in place, readying three Kuni blades in his single hand. No matter how exhausted he was, even with his chakra depleted, he would stand and fight. "SHOW YOURSELF!"
"My, my, my. Still haven't figured it out, have you?" A figure hazily appeared in front of him; the curve of their body and flowing hair did not match the monstrous voice as they spoke. "Care to join me in the afterlife?"
Sasuke threw a Kuni blade at Sakura's slowly advancing figure; it jammed into her heart as she continued her nonchalant movement towards him. Her head whipped back and cracked as a Kuni pierced her forehead; blood seeped down her face as she smiled. The kunoichi paused only momentarily, swishing her hair to the side before continuing. "And here I thought you might have feelings for me." Again, it wasn't Sakura's voice, but one belonging to that hideous creature. However, the eyes belonged to Sasuke. Dai konran had stolen his charka, and with it had gained the abilities of the Sharingan. Sakura's once emerald eyes were glaring at him with crimson lust and black swirls. "Tell me, do you not want me in this form? Am I not good enough for you?" Her smile became grotesque and mangled as she slightly unzipped the top of her shirt.
Sasuke threw his last Kuni forcefully into her diaphragm, wincing at the ragged laugh escaping her. He reached for the shurikens in his pocket. Damn, he thought, I can't break this Genjutsu. The shinobi was out of chakra, weakened, and exhausted, but he refused to give up. One way or another, he'd break this spell. Sasuke had looked directly into the eyes of Dai konran without realizing it, underestimating his ability to steal jutsus.
"Sakura's body isn't working for you? Big surprise, it's not like you ever really loved her." The ninja reached out to touch Sasuke's cheek, but he threw the Shurikan into her palm, deterring the movement. "She was just an easy fuck to you, nothing more. How about seeing someone else, uh?"
The Akatsuki's signature robes began to form around Sakura's bloodied body. Long soft pink hair turned black, and her face morphed into sharp features with piercing eyes. This time, the voice was unmistakably Itachi's. "Sasuke, how good to see you again, brother." The Kuni blades remained stuck in the flesh.
"You're not my brother. HOW DARE YOU!" Shurikens flew in opposite directions, slicing away at Itachi's neck, severing his head as it flopped to the ground. A flock of ravens circled the sky around them; several landed on Itachi's still standing body. One scooped up his head with its sharp talons penetrating the scalp.
The decapitated head spun around to face the shinobi. "That was rude. No matter." The face smiled as blood poured from decaying lips, and it's skin cracked and peeled.
The raven dropped the head as the flock disappeared, evaporating around them. The body lost all color, resembling a lump of clay, before morphing into a small child-like figure. The frame began to mold itself into a hauntingly familiar shape. "Do you like me better now?" The stoic child mirrored an adolescent Sasuke, with spiked hair and an apathetic expression. But jade green eyes glowed before him, twisting at his soul. "Are you going to kill me too? Are you going to kill me like mother did? My death will be on your hands, as well!"
Sasuke stumbled backward, not emotionally ready to handle the figure before him. "Dai konran, I will kill you! But first, I'll make sure you suffer until you beg for death! DO YOU HEAR ME?!" He shouted into the abyss.
His vision became clouded as the scenery dissipated, changing once more.
As Sakura pulled the blade from her chest, the added chakra bonus helped heal the severe and deadly laceration. The wound was closed before losing a significant amount of blood, though her Anbu uniform was ruined and stained a deep red. "It looks like you've seen a ghost, Dai konran. But, you're the one who underestimated me!" She readied the longsword in one hand and filled her other fist full of chakra.
Sakura heard her name yelled behind her, but ignored Naruto's voice; she couldn't face him or Sasuke. Not yet. Her mind swirled with imagines, and the shinobi had to remind herself to focus on what she knew to be real.
The pink-hair kunoichi slammed her fist into the ground, causing the morgue to collapse and sent Dai konran's body flying through the air. She lept, using the flat end of the blade to fling the rogue ninja's body toward's the trees behind where the morgue once stood. "Shikamaru, release Sasuke from the Genjustu and give me the headband on his side!" The leaf ninja clipped the band to his belt, but he never actually wore it; Sakura's was stashed at the Hokage's office for temporary safekeeping. Without looking back at her team, she rushed after Dai konran, her outstretched hand awaiting Shikamaru's throw.
Nara flung the headband at her; he had a theory of how she'd use the material running throw his head as he calculated different strategies for them to gain the upper hand. He clasped Sasuke's shoulder, "Release."
Sasuke shook his head violently, trying to clear the visions whirling around him.
"KAKASHI!" Naruto screamed. "Sakura's alive! We have to go after her!" Before waiting for a response, the shinobi bounded after his teammate, his charka oozing around him in an orange ambiance.
"Sai, stay with Sasuke; I'll go after Naruto before he gets himself killed. Lord Sixth, it'd be wise to stay within Konoha." Shikamaru mumbled something incoherent before rapidly catching up with the flaming ninja in front of him.
Sai tried to lift Sasuke, but the shinobi roughly shrugged his off. Still, Sai remain standing close. Kakashi knelt before him, "Take my hand."
"No! Back off." Sasuke whipped his hand out, shoving his comrades away as he stood wobbling on his feet. "Sakura's... alive." His breathing staggered, but his will was strong, and he would not rest until Dai konran was disposed of while keeping Sakura alive by any means necessary. There better be a damn good explanation.
"Sai, follow him. I have to stay in the village. Konoha needs my protection." The Sixth Hokage ordered.
Without responding, Sai disappeared after the raven-haired ninja.
"ARGH!" Sakura screamed as her fist deeply penetrated the ground creating a massive crater underneath them. She leaped from the protruding landmasses in an attempt to drive Dai konran further away from the village.
"You can't fight me! I know all your abilities! I have the strength of an Uchiha!" Dai konran jumped backward, narrowly avoiding flying boulders and clumps of land.
They landed hard in the clearing after the earth settled; once again, Dai konran surrounder her with an extensive amount of shadow clones. "You haven't learned any new tricks after all," Sakura smirked, egging him on, enticing his ego. She knew Dai konran defeated her once, but this time it was different. This time, she would do everything in her power to destroy him. Sakura was a shinobi of the leaf, an epic medical ninja, trained by nonother than the legendary Sanin and 5th Hokage herself. Sakura had the confidence to win this fight if she could overcome the mental blocks in her head.
"On the contrary." The rogue ninja's eyes flashed red, but the confident smirk remained on Sakura's face as she tied Sasuke's headband over her eyes. The Sharingan's Genjutsu would be useless as long as she didn't look at it; taking Sasuke chakra did not mean he'd ever be the shinobi Uchiha was.
"Predictable." Even blindfolded, she could sense his chakra all around her, coursing through the air. The ninja could use her senses to 'see' Dai konran without actually seeing him. Sakura twirled the blade in her hand, infusing it with her own chakra. As long as she didn't hit him directly, he couldn't deplete her energy.
"Sakura!" Naruto screamed behind her at the tree line. She couldn't physically see him, but Sakura could sense his strong flowing essence. "Sakura I -"
"Naruto." Shikamaru was at his side, gripping strenuously on his arm. "If Dai konran gets Kurama's chakra, we're screwed. We can kiss the village goodbye. Until we come up with a solid game plan, let Sakura handle it. Trust her."
"You knew she was alive, didn't you! You knew!" Naruto screamed at his friend; his fangs snarled back.
Shikamaru held up his hands in defense. "Look, it's way more complicated than what you think." Naruto punched the Jonin full force in the jaw, causing Shikamaru to spit blood, but he stood his ground.
"Okay, two can play this game." Hand signs flashed quickly in front of their eyes as Nara's shadow Jutsu froze Naruto in his tracks. "You've chosen to do this the hard way, Naruto; you're not thinking clearly. We will advance when we have a strategy that won't get us killed. You have no idea what Sakura's been through; this was for her protection. Once this is over and done with, give her a chance to explain."
"You asshole! You let me think she was dead! Now she's out there alone. We can't let Dai konran win," Naruto snarled at Shikamaru, unable to move more than his mouth.
"You're right, Naruto. I should have told you and Sasuke." Sakura appeared behind Shikamura as he held his position over Naruto.
"S-Sakura? You're okay?" Naruto stammered, unable to look away from the pink-haired shinobi. Shikamura's eyes flickered from the battlefield back to Naruto; something wasn't right.
"I lied to you, I was wrong, you have no reason to trust me." Sakura's tone was sincere, full of empathy, easily convincing Naruto of her intentions. "But, you should know, he made me lie to you, he held me captive." Sakura's green eyes pierced Naruto's blue ones before flickering towards Shikamaru.
"Naruto, don't believe her! I know you want to, but it isn't Sakura!" The Jonin dropped the shadow control over Naruto and cast it against the fake Sakura.
"Shikamaru!" Naruto yelled as he realized the deception unfolding before their eyes.
Behind them was another imposture disguised as Haruno Sakura. She gripped onto the exposed part of Shikamaru's arm; his eyes widen in utter shock as a Kuni blade entered his spine.
Naruto punched the Sakura clone behind the Jonin as he collapsed to the ground. Sakura's snide laughter filled the air as two shurikens sliced through her from a distance causing her body to disappear in a puff of smoke. The blond ninja looked up to see Sasuke and Sai advancing their way.
"Nar-Naruto..." Shikamaru blinked rapidly, desperately trying to access the internal damage. "I-I can't feel my legs. I can't feel my legs!"
"Here, let me pull out the blade..."
"Naruto, don't." Sasuke was at their side, shaking, expending what little energy he had left. "If you pull out the Kuni, you risk doing even more nerve damage. The best thing we can do is leave it in."
Nara viciously shook his head. "No - No, the poison, this blade is laced with Dai konran's blood. I'll die if you don't pull out the blade!" He screamed.
"You could still die if we pull out the blade now; at the least, there's a high probability it'll paralyze you." Sasuke knelt to study the position of the weapon, but his vision was too blurry. He had no chakra to sustain his Sharingan, causing his eyes to bleed from the forced strain.
Sakura's body slammed into an adjacent tree, startling the group of shinobi's. Sasuke's headband was still tightly wrapped around her head. The tree splintered at the force of her weight. Even with the longsword tight in her grip, she flashed the substitute Jutsu forcing a boulder to appear in her place. Dai konran smashed his fist into the rock, disintegrating it.
He disappeared with a shriek of rage from missing his target. Droplets of Sakura's blood stained the ground by the broken tree, the only signs she'd been next to them at all.
"Did he drain all your chakra?" Sai asked, his vision darting from the fight to Shikamaru.
"No, I don't think he's mastered chakra control with shadow clones. He managed to pull a lot out of me, but don't count me out." Shikamaru sighed and brought his hands together. "If Sakura can get him close enough, I might still be able to capture Dai Konran with my Jutsu. I can still move my upper body, so I'm not out of this fight yet. There's still a possibility I'll die, but I'll take the risk." He took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves.
"Sasuke, I know this will deplete whatever you have left, but if you can maintain the Sharingan long enough to put him in a Genjutsu after I gain control of his body, Naruto and Sakura can deliver a blow to his head. Afterward, Sai, pull him underneath the ground, then use your beasts to pin his arms and hands away from his body." He tried to hold impossibly still as he yanked off the protective gloves. "Naruto, Sakura's fighting blindfolded out there, literally. She's focusing on using her other senses to fight Dai konran, but you can visibly see him. It would do us no good for you to join her, however, shout commands to her. Tell her where the real Dai konran is so that she can lead him here."
"Do you think this will work?" Naruto held Shikamaru's shoulders to steady him.
"I can't move my legs, and I can feel the toxin spreading throughout my body already. If we have a chance in hell for this to work, we need to do it quickly." Shikamaru didn't sugarcoat their dire situation as sweat began to seep from his pores. "Put these on, Naruto. They'll protect your skin from making direct contact."
They watched Sakura dodge several heavy-handed attacks while blindfolded, using Susake's sword to keep Dai konran at a safe distance.
"Sakura!" Naruto screamed at his teammate, "The real Dai konran is to three meters to your right!" They watched as Sakura's body pivoted at Naruto's instructions.
Sasuke noted that she had his headband and sword, but he was more perplexed that she was alive. "How did she survive? Why were we lead to believe she had died?" His low voice filled with acid.
"You got him on the run! Straight ahead! Sakura, lead him towards us!" Naruto screamed at the top of his lungs, but he had no idea of Sakura could hear him over the sounds of their fight.
Sai shook his head. "It was for her protection, she knows you might end up hating her, but we had to keep her safe." He drew his scrolls and brushes. "I'm going to give her back up. We'll draw him here, be ready."
Sasuke internally seethed; that wasn't a fucking explanation; he shouldn't be placated like a child. But, in his current state, he was too weak to protest, Sasuke needed to use all reserved energy to capture Dai konran. "Shikamaru, you and Kakashi better have a damn good explanation later."
The Nara rolled his eyes, unconcerned with not so subtle threat in Sasuke's tone. They watched as the scroll beast took out several of the shadow clones, though Sai himself made sure to keep at a distance; his creatures were attacking ferociously. "Take note of his weakness. His shadow clones are great with brute strength but poor with chakra control. He can manipulate stolen charka into the original user's form, but he doesn't have the technique mastered. Those are our two tactical advantages. Don't touch him directly, and there's a slim chance we can pull this off."
Sakura managed to land a direct blow to Dai konran's arm; the blade sliced through muscles and tendons, making the appendage relatively useless. The blond shinobi continued to shout out directions to her. "How the hell is Sakura fighting him blindfolded? Even with help, I don't know if I could pull that off." Naruto mused, baffled by the sheer strength and skill Sakura was demonstrating.
The kunoichi sensed a change in Dai konran's chakra; he was changing tactics. Sakura grinned; she was familiar with the use of fire Jutsu. She concentrated on projecting herself off the ground as fire poured around her out of Dai konran's mouth. The shinobi grabbed onto the foot of the scroll beast and flung herself away from the attack, rolling in midair to dodge the flames.
She sprang on the ground, leaping back in front of the group of leaf shinobi. Holding the sword by the hilt and the blade's edge, she infused extra charka within the weapon to use as a shield. Listen carefully; she heard Naruto shout what angle Dai konran was charging in. She spun the sword in a circle to create a vast protective barrier as the flames Dai konran aimed their directions reflected off of the blade reversing the fire back at him. Sakura stood silently, unmoving, making sure that her team stayed protected. They had saved her countless of times; it was her turn to defend them. The smell of burning flesh reached them as his scream of agony pierced their ears.
Her mind began to cloud, with residual visions that she did her best to shake off. It's not real. They're not my enemy. Focus. Focus!
Naruto and Sasuke stared in aw at Sakura's power; she had become much powerful than either of them had given her credit for. The kunoichi was a force to be reckoned with. Neither of them had any idea of the battle that raged in her mind or the vision that threatened her resolve.
Shikamaru mentally calculated the distance between him and the rogue ninja. He was still too far away to risk using his chakra. "Naruto, trade places with Sasuke; I need to you be ready when Dai konran is in range. Sasuke, hold me steady; do not let the knife move." Sasuke gripped tightly onto Shikamaru's shoulders; though he did not like taking orders, he understood that it was ideal to listen to directions in his current state.
"Sakura! You and Sai need to get him as close as you can!" Shikamaru silently prayed he wasn't permanently paralyzed, though he knew the risks being taken as he tried to focus on anything but the overwhelming pain.
Sakura held her commandeered weapon in front of her, the blade's edge flickering emerald green. She curtly nodded at Shikamaru's request, not making an indication to look back at her team before moving away from them once more. Focus on what you know to be true. Dai konran is your enemy.
Sai changed his position, making his way behind Dai konran. Parchment from his scrolls glided through the air as his hands raced across the page, releasing a herd of wild beasts through the field. Intense sparks of charka rolled throughout the pack, making them an extremely deadly entity.
Sakura leaped, plunging her fist into the ground; the earth beneath them began to quake and cave. The kunoichi flipped through the air, landing on her feet behind a fallen and burnt Dai konran. Sai had retreated several yards away to dodge all miscellaneous debris flying overhead, though he continued to release more raging beasts.
Pink hair whipped around her in the wind as Sakura used her other sensing to guide her, leading the pack towards Dai konran, blade held at the ready as she charged her opponent. The Sharingan flicker uselessly in Dai konran's eyes as he once again used the shadow clone Jutsu against the gaining enemies. But, they combusted at the force attacking them. Flames and smoke filled the air around the shinobi. Naruto and Sasuke could no longer see the battlefield. Shikamaru tightly closed his eyes, focusing all his effects on locating Dai konran's eminence charka, not wanting to lose the single moment he'd have to capture him.
Sakura slide on the rocks and serrated earth, slice open her leg, but it allowed a surprise attack on Dai konran. Her foot made contact against his diagram, sending him flying to the air, pivoting his figure across the plain. The heard of beasts plunged through the atmosphere, colliding with his body in an epic show of force as they plummeted to the eath. A massive divet appeared where the rogue ninja's body landed.
Instantly, Shikamaru grabbed his body with the shadow Jutsu, freezing him in place. Cold orbs shot open in utter shock and were captivated by the Sharingan's rightful owner. Blood poured from Sasuke eyes as he tried not to collapse, but at least the Genjutsu had taken successfully taken hold. "Sakura! Naruto! Hit him now!" Shikarmura screamed on the verge of passing out. In a fleeting effort, the enemy ninja threw toxin infected Kuni's at the leaf shinobi. Naruto was able to dodge easily; but, Sasuke was unable to move because of the hold on Shikamaru. A Kuni pierced the flesh of what remained of his left arm. He winced and fell backward as the veins around the wound began to grow dark.
Simultaneously, Naruto and Sakura pulled hard on their gloves to secure them in place before charging at their target. Sakura bounded into the air, her fist directed at Dai konran's skull, the look of sheer terror was emanating within the Sharingan. The kunoichi's blindfold kept her from being placed under Genjutsu. Naruto delivered a bone-crushing blow to his sternum as Sakura collided with his face. Any regular shinobi would have died from the impact, but they only momentarily knocked Dai konran unconscious.
Sai pulled the ninja's torse deeper within the earth from underneath the ground but left his arms and hands exposed. Sai's beast penned limbs to the dirt, making him incapable of using hand signs.
Sakura knelt to the ground to catch her breath, shaking with adrenaline's intensity flowing inside her. She was exhausted, but her job was far from over.
"Sakura?" Naruto moved to over to her with an outstretched palm.
"Don't touch me!" Naruto yanked his hand away, with a concerned expression. Sakura's words were harsher than they needed to be, more forceful than she intended. But, she was terrified of possible triggers that might occur. Sakura was scared that she could hurt Naruto or Sasuke in an unbalanced and unpredictable state of mind because she hadn't mentally healed from her wounds.
"Sakura..." Shikamaru's voice was beginning to weaken. "They won't hurt you; remember what's real and what's not. I-I need you to heal me if you can." Was Sakura the best medical ninja in Konoha? Undoubtedly so, but Shikamaru didn't know if his wounds were even beyond her abilities.
Sakura slowly stood and forced herself to concentrate on what she knew to be true. Right now, her most significant focus was her medical training. Without looking at anyone else, Sakura lowered the headband from her eyes.
Sasuke intensely stared at Sakura but remained silent to allow her to work. He had a mixture of emotions swaying withing him, wrath, fury, vengefulness, depression, hate. But, he swallowed his feelings to give Shikamaru his best chance at survival.
Sakura laid the Jonin on his side carefully as to not move the blade any deeper. A team of elite ninja's of Konoha moved in to retrieve Dai konran's body as Sakura began to assess the damage. "Can you feel your legs? Do you have any movement at all below the waist?"
"No... There's no feeling. No movement. This is such drag.." He mumbled, not knowing if he was ready to face reality.
Sakura nodded and slowly moved her hand over the wound. "I think I can heal you, with minimal nerve damage. This'll hurt, but you should regain the ability to walk, though you'll need physical therapy for a while." Her hand steadily gripped the blade. "On the count of three." Shikamaru began to count internally, but Sakura pulled out the Kuni immediately.
Shikamaru cried in pain, "That was a damn dirty trick."
"At least you felt something, and it stopped your body from tensing up. Now shut up and let me work." Sakura used her chakra to feel the nerve ending, tendons, and bones to make sure they were reattaching properly through her Jutsu. Slowly each part snapped back in place, but it caused Shikamaru extreme agony as he began to jolt his body away from her. "Sai! Hold him steady!"
Sai forcefully held his body in place as Sakura continued to work. As the wound began to close around the skin, the medical ninja pulled the black toxin from his veins. It was a painfully slow process that left Shikamaru drenched in sweat. His jaw clenched from tightly clutching it to prevent himself from crying out. Finally, Sakura was able to close the wound, but spasms coursed through Shikamaru's legs, causing him to convulse. "Sai! We've got to get him to the hospital now; I've done all I can for him here."
"I'll take him. You should heal Sasuke; he was hit with Dai konran's Kuni." Sai grabbed Shikamaru and dashed toward Konoha.
Her green eyes widen with apprehension as she slowly turned towards Sasuke. How was she going to heal him? What if she had an episode while she was trying to heal him? What if she couldn't tell what was real anymore? Her body began to tremble with doubt. She knew Sasuke would be vengeful. She knew he might hate her, and he'd have every right to; both Naruto and Sasuke had every right to hate her.
Sakura shook as she moved towards her teammates; she heard Naruto gently call out her name. She ignored him, refusing to look up from the ground. Her vision swayed around her; Sakura couldn't get her eyes to focus. She'd lost so much energy from the fight and healing Shikamaru. They called to her, but she refused to look at them. How could she face them after everything?
"Sakura!" Sasuke's voice made her stiffen with his harshness. "Sakura, look at me! LOOK AT ME!" He yelled at her.
A gloved hand reached out in front of Sakura to catch her fall as she fell unconscious; Sasuke held out his arm to prevent her body from hitting the ground.
"Sakura!" His voice seethed, blood dripped from his eyes.