Chapter 10

The Fourth Ninja War

It was all happening so fast. The war, the bloodshed, the fallen comrades. Konoha's forces managed to push their forces further from Konoha's walls, just barely. All of their enemies and allies in one place, fighting to the death.

While huge shards of rock were shattered in every direction, one was aiming right at Naruto. Sakura held her breath. She was too far to step in and felt her heart plummet. In an instant, Hinata used herself to shield against it, fully prepared to die. Then Neji jumped in. Time seemed to have stood still.

Everyone was bracing for that impact. What happened instead was a loud clang followed by rubble falling to the ground.

"Neji…" Tenten said to the side, holding a chain with a mace attached to its end, "Don't you dare do something so stupid like that again!" Her face lifted, tears spilling down her face. She clenched her eyes shut and screamed, "Why do people keep throwing themselves in front of danger?"

Naruto, feeling enraged, turned to Madara and continued to give him a piece of his mind. Everyone else was distracted with Naruto talking with Madara perched on top of a summon with Obito at his side.

Sakura ran up to Neji but stopped in her tracks once she saw Neji lightly grasped at Tenten's arm to pull her forward. This wasn't a moment she shouldn't intrude on but couldn't bring herself to look away.

Tenten opened her eyes and Neji looked at her with a look full of warmth. "I'm sorry Tenten," Neji eased closer, "I promise I won't do something stupid like that again."

Tenten threw punches at his chest, not hard enough to hurt. "Dammit don't throw your bodies in front of things like that. You've been hanging around Naruto way too much. "

Neji scoffed. "It seems that way." Hinata giggled behind him.

Sensing it was the right time to get closer, Sakura crouched down next to him, "Neji, one of the boulder pieces hit your shoulder. Let me heal it."

Neji held out his arm, "Thank you Sakura-san, I won't forget this," Tenten's palm started to rub circles on his back.

Sakura couldn't help but feel a warm feeling spreading in her chest. Sakura always suspected they shared something unique. They always trained together, supported each other, leaned on one another. It's the kind of harmony she always wanted with a romantic partner.

Neji turned to Tenten next to him and lowered his voice, "Why are you on the battlefield, you shouldn't be-"

"It's my duty as a shinobi to protect this village, Neji," Tenten interrupted, trying to signal something with her eyes, "And where you go, I'll go."

Sakura caught the way Neji's eyes glanced to Tenten's lower abdomen before meeting her eyes again. Sakura fought herself to hold back a gasp, a giddy kind of excitement threatening to burst out of her throat. Sakura also wanted to scream at Tenten for going into battle in her condition. But it was also Tenten's choice to go into combat. She'll scold her after the battle is over, she thought, if it ever ends.

She brought her head down to hide her nervous laughter. It wasn't working very well and a small sound came out.

Tenten noticed, "Sakura, are you feeling okay?"

"No-I mean yes. It's nothing," she stood, avoiding their shared curious stare, "Just...cherish each other, yeah?" She said while trying to hide her smile before turning away and worked on mending Neji's shoulder.

Time passed by, Konoha wasn't moving forward nor backward. They were in a tight gridlock with the opposing side and everyone was getting exhausted. Sakura led medic groups from all sides to evacuate injured shinobi back within the walls. She felt her chakra depleting but reserved healing for herself only.

Sakura froze mid-battle. From her vantage point she spotted Sasuke next to Naruto and all of her classmates around them gawking at the two of them.

What's going on? What's he doing here...

Time stood still and her heart started to pound. They weren't...fighting? And they seemed to be….talking? And getting along?

She sprinted towards them. They were in the middle of a conversation, something about competing to be the next Hokage. They both looked at Sakura once she landed just a few feet away, standing closer to Naruto. Sasuke had a hard look towards Naruto but slightly softened when he saw her.

Naruto beamed, pointing to his rival, "Hey, look who's back."

Sasuke and Sakura looked at each other, both of their faces unreadable. Time stretched as they stared at each other. Sakura felt all the eyes from her classmates around them, curious on what was going to happen. She took a deep breath through her nose.

Sakura broke eye contact first. Naruto glanced between the two of them in confusion.

Sakura held her composure and looked towards Madara, ignoring Sasuke, "Let's end this war."

The other two nod and they leap to a higher plain to be face to face with the Ten Tails. Naruto activated his Nine Tails Chakra Mode. Sakura's own forbidden seal activates as well, a purple diamond resting on her forehead, just like Tsunade's.

With one look at her teammates beside her she couldn't help but beam with pride at the sight of them all reunited once again. She looked at Naruto, he flashed a wide grin and a thumbs up. She looked to his side and glanced at Sasuke.

Her first reaction was to glare but quickly let it go, too tired to know what to feel. He simply stared back, observing her. Her face must've looked odd switching from one emotion to another. Sakura felt so embarrassed her blush almost matched her hair. Something old stirred in her heart and made her look away.

The trio faced Madara, atop of their summons. Sakura had to fight herself from crying.

We…

She fisted her hand at her side and bit the inside of her mouth to hold back her feelings. A tear escaped anyway and she quickly wiped it away.

We are…

...finally reunited as Team 7.

She stood on top of Katsuyu, pillaging through a sea of endless enemies.

Sakura swung her mallet to the ground, explosions spiked upwards as a long crack made its way across the flat terrain, forcing aside hundreds of bodies.

Sakura held her new weapon in her bare palm. A thrill ran through her as she swung down at the earth under the feet of her enemies' armies, pacing way for Konoha shinobi to advance forward. She switched to the weapon after throwing so many punches that her gloves were starting to wear off and the skin off her knuckles were peeling off. She already conserved a lot of her chakra over the years for this moment but something told her this was going to be a long battle.

Thanks Tenten, I owe you.

The battle felt it was nearing its ending. Sasuke and Naruto were occupied fighting Madara within their giant, powerful summons. They were at an intense stalemate for a while but from the looks of it, the duo finally got the upper hand.

With the Ten-Tails in sight, Sakura aims her mallet and throws it across the field. It lands a direct hit to the Ten-Tailed Foxes' face, her monstrous strength carried to the other side of the battle field. The Ten Tails gave a deep, earth-shuddering roar as it was knocked off-balance. Being temporarily stunned, it left an opening long enough for Sasuke and Naruto to land their own blows.

Sakura fist-pumped, "Hell yeah!"

Something flashed at the peripheral of her eye. She saw Kakashi being flung to the side of the nearest mountain. Panic flared through Sakura, she had to save her mentor.

Charging chakra to the soles of her feet, she fiercely sped in the direction of Obito, a small white scroll set in her mouth, hand signs hastily formed at the blink of an eye.

Obito looked at Sakura as she was nearing and readied his stance, "You're just wasting your time. Get out of my way," Obito ran forward.

"Sakura! No!" she heard Kakashi cry out in the distance.

Everything seemed to have slowed in that moment. Obito was only a foot away when Sakura finished and a poof of clouds separated the two of them. Obito raises his arm to strike but was body-slammed backwards by another body, immobile because the figure wrapped their arms around his torso. Sakura leapt backwards on cue at watches from a safe distance at the scene unfurling.

Obito, crumpled at the floor was startled at the sight of the woman standing over him. Sakura can hear the break in his voice. "R-rin…"

"Obito...stop this instant," Rin's voice was firm and resolute amid the surrounding chaos. Sakura couldn't help but admire the calmness of her demeanor. From where she stood, the sounds from the war around them blurred to a white noise.

Obito was shaking. As Rin approached, he made attempts to scoot backwards, failing as she easily caught up and kneeled in front of him at a close distance that made Obito involuntarily wince. She was real and not a genjutsu, Sakura read on his face. Rin reached down and clasped both of his hands in hers.

"Obito, please let me go," Rin said calmly, her voice carrying above the destruction around them.

"But-but, I can't," he gritted out between teeth. He looked at the ground.

She gently grabbed his chin to face hers, leaning forward. "Why not?"

His composure started to falter, "You died...too soon and with so much sadness. You deserved better," the corners are his mouth started to quiver. "I wanted to give you everything. I didn't want to lose my memories of you. I didn't want your sacrifice to be in vain. I did this all for you-"

"I never asked for any of this," Rin interrupted, "For you to destroy our home. What will be left once you achieve your goal? Our memories together are all we have left and they'll be forever lost if the village is gone."

Obito grit his teeth, not at Rin, at himself. "The world needs to be fixed. It's all wrong. I'm going to fix it so there won't be anymore suffering-"

"But innocent people are suffering. It's the life of the shinobi. You can't erase all despair from humankind. It's a part of humankind. It's what makes us strong."

Obito bowed his head in shame. "Then...I'm weak then. For wanting revenge on your death and everything against me-"

"That's nonsense, you're one of the strongest people I know." Rin bent forward and wrapped her arms around the man, she rubbed her hand from his hair to his neck, trying to assure him that everything will be okay. Obito let himself fall into her arms, resting his mouth on her shoulder and returned the hug. His hug was so strong that when he pulled Rin forward, she almost fell into him almost losing balance.

The scene in front of Sakura suddenly started to blur. Not because of a genjutsu but because of the water building up in her eyes. She couldn't help but feel sad and pity for Obito. His pain and grieving was used as fuel to turn him into an instrument of war, just like many others in his clan.

Rin pulled away and caressed Obito's cheek with her thumb. He flinched at the contact. Obito stared back, hesitated to touch her face, scared to think she would really be real or an illusion. Either option seemed to terrify him just the same. Finally, he lifted his fingers and touched the apple of her cheeks with the tip of his fingertips. They slowly glided under the curve of her eye and pulled aside her hair behind an ear. His palm rested comfortably on her mannequin face.

His gaze hardened, his voice low. "What are you waiting for...just kill me then, so I can join you."

She placed her hand over his and smiled. "Obito, you're speaking nonsense again."

They were talking for a while, Sakura heaved a sigh of relief and rubbed her neck. Oh thank god.

From her distance, Sakura could see the faintest of blush on his cheeks. Rin's shoulders started to bounce up and down. Rin was, laughing? And Obito's blush reddened even more. They were engaged in a conversation too soft for Sakura to hear.

That's one down...a whole clan left to go...she thought cynically.

Gravel scraped lightly next to her, it was Kakashi. His eyes were glossy looking at the sight of his two teammates. Sakura rarely saw her instructor show any emotion. The sight of her instructor getting teary made the ache in her chest well up even more. Sorry Kakashi-sensei...I had to bring back Rin. I'll face my punishment later.

Rin's giggle interrupted her thoughts. Sakura looked up to see Rin playfully tap the tip of Obito's nose,"-Remember that?"

"Y-yeah, I do…" Obito's laugh melted into a sad smile, glancing at Kakashi, "Didn't you have a crush on Kakashi though?"

She looked away, feigning coyness. "At first, but I've had a change of heart." Rin entwined their fingers together and brought their faces closer. Sakura made a squeak and looked away, her line of towards Kakashi, who just happened to be in that direction. To her surprise, he was smiling with upturned eyes despite looking war-torn and dreadfully fatigued.

Kakashi walked towards Sakura and placed a hand on her shoulder and squeezed. A gesture saying Thank you without any words and he walked towards his old team.

She took one last look and sped away to join Katsuyu. In the distance, red eyes followed her every move.

Chouji yelled in the distance. "Sakura! Ino's hurt!"

Panic ran through Sakura as she rushed towards a small group of people in a small clearing, surrounded by enemy shinobi. Chouji and Shikamaru were fending off enemies from all sides, allowing for a small space for two figures in the center. Sai was clutching Ino, who laid on her back in her own pool of blood. Sakura cleared the way with just her fist connecting with the ground. It would hold enemies back for a moment.

As Sakura approached, she found a huge hole on the left side of her stomach.

Sakura fell on her knees and shook her friend, "Ino? Ino!"

Ino had a glazed look in her eyes and stirred when she was being shook. As soon as she saw Sakura, she cracked a wide grin, failing to hide the pain in her face. She winced at the effort.

"Hey-y...it's F-forehead-"

"Stop talking, let me take a look." It was worse than Sakura thought. Ino lost a lot of blood and may have to lose a kidney, if she survives this. With shaky hands, she emits green chakra to the wound, cauterizing it to stop the blood flow at least. Sakura felt a pang of vertigo but ignored it. Ino needed this chakra more than her.

"Don't die, Ino. Don't you dare," Sakura pleaded, tears forming in her eyes.

Ino lets out a slow, shaky sigh, "Y-You're my best friend, you know that right?"

"Shut up Ino! Stop talking! Sai, can you carry her back from behind the walls? There's more medics and supplies back there. She's able to make it if we hurry." Grimly, Sai nodded and carefully lifted Ino as he stood. Undead enemies closed in in another wave. Chouji and Shikamaru did a final push that allowed for them to escape, just barely.

Tears slid off the corner of Sakura's eyes as she ran as fast as she could, "Hold on, I'll save you. I'll save you…"

The gates of Konoha were just a mile away. "Let's get you ba-" Sakura turned around to check on Ino. There was no one following her.

Sakura stopped, furiously looking around, her heart beating faster, "Ino? Sai?"

It wasn't just their disappearance that was strange. There were no bodies, no fires, no smoke...

Where was everyone? Where's the war?

"Where-what?"

"Sakura-chan?" Sakura spun around. It was Naruto, plain as day. No glowing, no bruises, just him, standing there.

Sakura raised her voice, panic building, "Ino's hurt! She needs medical attention-"

"Huh? No she's not. Ino's back inside the village with Shikamaru and Chouji," he crossed his arms in confusion.

"Wait, that can't be right. You're supposed to be fighting. And Sasuke's-"

"I'm what?", a baritone voice interrupted her.

Sakura blinked. She didn't notice Sasuke standing next to Naruto the whole time. Naruto and Sasuke stared at her in skepticism.

Naruto approached her carefully. "Are you feeling alright? You have been working a lot lately. Let's get back inside so you can rest." Both of them walked closer. Something still didn't feel right.

Oh no. "This isn't real. It's a genjutsu." Sakura crossed her fingers together and clenched her eyes shut. Once she opened them, the world was the same. Both of her teammates were staring at her but this time their pupils darkened and shrunk, showing more of the whites of their eyes. Shadows cascaded over their eyes. The sudden eeriness gave Sakura goosebumps. Sakura took steps backwards, terrified and suddenly alone.

Floating embers drift past her past and she felt sudden warmth behind her. She spun around to the sight of Konoha burnt to the ground. Rubbles of buildings that once stood tall, had fallen over into debris. The walls have been blown apart, showing houses that have been blasted into pieces. The sky was filled with black clouds from the burning remains of the village. Orange and red fires licked at the black sky above.

"No, this is just a trick. It's not real. Konoha's not gone. I have to-"

She turned around again and gasped.

Naruto was dead, hole blown in where the heart used to be. Sasuke towering over him, looking down. He was facing away, his Uchiha crest resting on his back. They were teenagers again then morphing to the age they were now.

Sasuke glares at Sakura over his shoulder, Sharingan activated. He walks forward and grabs both of Sakura's arms with a vice grip. Sakura pushed at his chest and he slid backwards, still glaring.

"No, get away from me!" she screamed.

Sasuke's left hand ignites with white electricity. It takes Sakura a while to register that he was running towards her within seconds and braces herself.

Sakura screams as the burning electricity burns at her chest, the heat eating away at the cloth of her dress shirt, aiming right at her heart. She clutches to his hands for dear life, trying to stop him from pushing forward. Sakura twists her palms on his wrist, bones crushing under her grasp. The Sasuke form darkens and rushes at her again with another attack, his sword in the other. She uses her chakra to harden the skin on her left forearm. The sword embeds itself in her flesh, stopping at the bone.

The pain didn't matter because all Sakura saw was red. All of her composure unraveled at the seams. All the grudges, all of the anger, all of the agony this man has brought to her life.

"...Get…," she growled, "away from ME!"

Sakura threw aside the blade, launching a punch at his face. Next thing she knew she was on top of him, straddling both arms, kunai in hand. She stared down at two Sharingans.

These damn eyes.

She raises the weapon and plunges it down with all her strength, aiming right as his right eye. A squish, metal grinding on bone and slicing muscle. She brings the kunai above her head again, drenched in blood and down at his other eye. Another squish.

Sakura gasped for air, staring at the corpse of the boy she once loved, blood pooling from both eye sockets. Why...why did you have to push us away? You terrible, terrible-

"Feeling better now?"

Sakura raised her head to look up. This time she knew it wasn't an illusion.

Standing in front of her was undoubtedly the real Sasuke. Tired, weary-looking, and seemed as if he focused on something Sakura couldn't see. "Madara put you under a genjutsu. You have to wake up, now."