Naruto: The Vessel Of Darth Vader

by DarthVader2005

After discovering a mysterious power and meeting a strange old man, Naruto's fate is forever sealed! Manipulated into believing all his friends have lied and used him and nearly murdered by Sasuke has forced Naruto to share his body with the soul of Vader! Finally freed from it and returning to his world can his friends save him despite what he's done and become? AU, NaruSaku.

10. Chapter 10: Heaven and Shattered Earth

Disclaimer:

I do not own Naruto or Star Wars.

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Chapter 10: Heaven and Shattered Earth

The Lady Hokage bit the nail on her thumb as she contemplated everything she just heard from Kakashi's report. It was all incredibly unnerving and hard to believe but it was all the truth. Which meant now the village may have a new and even greater threat to deal with other than Orochimaru and the Akatsuki.

She turned around and looked at the Copy Ninja recuperating in his hospital bed.

"Tell me his name again."

Kakashi tried to sit up on his pillow as he answered her.

"Darth Vader."

Shizune looked over at Kakashi.

"That's a bit of an unusual name."

Kakashi looked over at the Hokage's assistant.

"It's not just his name. His clothing and armor were strange too. And the way he breathed through his mask. It didn't sound natural."

Tsunade bit into her thumb nail again.

"And he had the same weapon and Force power that Naruto did?"

Kakashi answered.

"Yes, when he grabbed me with his power, I couldn't move just like when Naruto restrained us three years ago. The blade he had was also very similar to the one you and Master Jiraiya told me about except the only difference was this one was red in color not blue, but it cuts the same."

Tsunade closed her eyes.

"No doubt about that. The Akatsuki member you were pursuing was found in pieces. It's also clear from your report along with Team Gai's that this 'Darth Vader' not only has metal crafts that can fly and cover great distances in speed but that he's also not working alone."

Shizune looked at Tsunade.

"Yes, but where are these metal craft coming from? And why haven't we or the other villages noticed them until now?"

Tsunade answered.

"This Darth Vader is probably only just now making his move. To what end beyond just going after Orochimaru and the Akatsuki, I don't know. It's obvious though where his flying metal vessels are coming from."

Tsunade pointed upwards at the window and Shizune's eyes widened.

"You mean from that?!"

Tsunade lowered her hand from pointing at the massive triangular object in the sky.

"It's the only place that makes sense. I've had our Intelligence Core take a closer look at that thing with our telescopes and they found that its surface is entirely made up of some kind of metal alloy. Given this information along with what Kakashi and Sakura encountered it's not really that far of a leap."

Kakashi's eye narrowed.

"So, all along that massive object up there was really Darth Vader's base of operations."

Tsunade nodded.

"It's likely, yes."

Kakashi looked down at his bed sheets.

"It also makes sense from a strategic point of view. Having a fortress that high up in the atmosphere makes it pretty much impossible to launch an invasion."

"Let alone infiltrate."

Kakashi nodded in agreement with Shizune before looking back at Tsunade.

"However, since they literally have the high ground they could infiltrate or maybe even invade the village with far less hassle on their end. They've already attempted the former."

Shizune's eyes widened in realization of Kakashi's statement.

"The metallic creatures our shinobi encountered!"

Tsunade turned around and walked to the foot of Kakashi's bed.

"No doubt spies sent to observe and report not just our village and shinobi but the other villages and their ninja as well."

Tsunade closed her eyes.

"His spies could've also have been the ones that infiltrated our village and stole the various scrolls containing forbidden jutsu as well the various blood samples from the blood bank."

Kakashi's eyes narrowed.

"When you take all of that and the fact that Vader threatened the village…"

The Lady Hokage opened her eyes and finished Kakashi's statement.

"It means that his spies may have gathered all the information he would need to launch an invasion."

Tsunade smacked her fist into her palm while Shizune gasped.

"I'm going to increase security around the village and include sensory types! As well as employ more protective barriers and seals! I don't know if it will help but it's better than doing nothing! Though judging from his message and that it stands to reason that he's had vital intel on our village for a while now and could've attacked us at any time but didn't, it doesn't seem like he intends to yet."

"That's assuming if he keeps his word about not attacking us so long as we don't stand in his way of going after Orochimaru and the Akatsuki."

Tsunade nodded in agreement with Shizune's statement.

"Lady Tsunade, knowing all of this, do you still think it's wise to send shinobi to the Tenchi Bridge where the supposed meeting was to take place between that Akatsuki member and one of his spies? What if we do that and this 'Darth Vader' finds out? Considering we only know of what he's capable of so far, is it really worth the risk?"

Tsunade grit her teeth upon Shizune's concern.

"This spy contains valuable information about both the Akatsuki and Orochimaru! There's no way we're going to let this rare opportunity slip past us! If this Darth Vader is unaware about the spy and we manage to capture him quickly and quietly we can take him back to the village and restrain him in a heavily secured facility where we can extract all the information and intel he has without Darth Vader knowing!"

Shizune still wasn't sure.

"What if he already knows about the meeting?"

Tsunade breathed.

"I already instructed the team leader that if they were to encounter Vader or anyone allied with him that they were to be restricted to only observe and report back and to not engage. I know damn well what someone with the Force is capable of in combat."

Kakashi spoke

"You're sending in Tenzo as team leader, right?"

Tsunade nodded.

"He'll be known as Yamato while acting as Team 7's temporary captain."

Kakashi nodded. Tenzo was a good choice. There was no one else in the Anbu he trusted more. However, he suspected there were other reasons as to why Tsunade chose him to lead the mission.

"Unfortunately, due to everyone else being on missions I could only fill in one more slot in Team 7."

Kakashi was curious.

"Who did you pick?"

Tsunade's expression hardened.

"I didn't. The village elders had me fill it in with a choice of their own. It's one of Danzo's subordinates. A young man by the name of Sai."

Kakashi's eye narrowed.

"What's Danzo's interest in this mission?"

Tsunade looked at him.

"I have no idea, but I already instructed Yamato to keep a very close eye on Sai. There's no way Danzo would be sending one of his Root Anbu on a mission like this unless there was something he would personally gain from it."

Kakashi agreed. Someone like Danzo being involved was never good. He was the type of person you should never let your guard down when he's around you.

Shizune spoke.

"Lady Tsunade, what about Sakura?"

Tsunade looked at her assistant.

"I don't think it's a good idea to send her on a mission like this at this time. She's still suffering from sleep deprivation and just got back from her last mission where she was unconscious for two whole days! Shouldn't we try to send someone else?"

Tsunade groaned and closed her eyes.

"There is no one else to send and besides Sakura was the one that the Akatsuki member relayed this information to after she fought him! If this mission is to succeed, she has to be there to provide Intel as well as medical support! Also,…."

She looked back at Shizune.

"This may be Sakura's only chance to find out what happened to Naruto. There's no way anyone in this village, not even myself, is going to be able to keep her away. She's come too far just to stay at home sleeping. No matter what we say or do she will never stop looking for him!"

Kakashi looked back down at his bed sheets with worry.

"Finding out what happened to him may not turn out so well if she runs into Vader."

Tsunade and Shizune looked at him as he explained.

"When I asked about his weapon and powers what he revealed concerned me."

Shizune did not like the way that sounded.

"He said that he acquired his weapon from an opponent that he bested in combat and made it his own. Also, when he said that his power was the Force, he explained that it was a power that only one from our world has ever achieved until it drove him to his forsaken fate."

Shizune was confused.

"What does any of that mean?"

Tsunade slowly turned around.

"It means that maybe the opponent he defeated and whose weapon he took might be the same person he mentioned that suffered a horrible fate."

Shizune's eyes widened and she gasped.

"You can't mean…Naruto?!"

Tsunade nodded.

"That still doesn't make sense! I thought there was another besides Naruto and what does he mean by 'from our world'?"

Tsunade rubbed her temples.

"Dammit, I don't know!"

Shizune looked down at the floor.

"So, does this mean that Darth Vader…..killed Naruto and took his weapon?"

Tsunade grit her teeth and tightened her fists so hard her knuckles cracked.

"It could very well be the case or…something even worse!"

Shizune didn't understand as to what could be worse than Naruto murdered by someone who brutally slaughtered a member of the Akatsuki.

"To be honest I don't know what we should believe at this point but when Darth Vader spoke with Kakashi he claimed he held remorse for what happened to Gaara. Enough that he expressed anger for how he and all jinchuriki were treated and used by their villages including ours. He even went as far as to take Gaara's body and bring him back to life before returning him to the Sand. Given all of that, I think it would be safe to say that he understands the pain of being a jinchuriki as well as bears hatred for those who wouldn't care less about it."

Shizune's eyes widened again while Kakashi explained further.

"Which would explain why he's after the Akatsuki and why the one I was chasing was so gruesomely killed. Not to mention why he threatened us to stay out of his way."

Shizune spoke.

"But what about Orochimaru? Why is he after him too?"

Kakashi shook his head.

"It's not just Orochimaru. He's also after Kabuto and Sasuke as well."

Tsunade's eyes narrowed.

"Did he tell you what he wants with them?"

Kakashi looked wearyingly at the Hokage before answering.

"No, but I think...he wants revenge."

Silence followed and lasted just a few moments before Shizune spoke again.

"For what?"

Kakashi answered her question.

"He referred to Sasuke as Orochimaru's Uchiha dog and as far as we know Sasuke was the one who fought with Naruto before he disappeared. And if Naruto is the one Darth Vader spoke of whose fate was forsaken then one thing might be for sure."

Kakashi closed his eye as he answered.

"I think he knows what happened between Naruto and Sasuke at the Valley of the End and as a result he wants Sasuke, Kabuto, and Orochimaru to pay for it with their lives."

Shizune gasped once again.

"You think Darth Vader was actually there when Naruto...disappeared?!"

Kakashi looked over at Tsunade.

"You're not just sending Tenzo because he's a good team leader are you?"

Tsunade closed her eyes and shook her head.

"No, I'm not."

Shizune was confused with what they were getting at until her eyes widened with shock and horror.

"You two think that Darth Vader could be..."

Tsunade opened her eyes.

"His weapon, his abilities, his empathy for jinchuriki, and his hatred for Orochimaru and Sasuke all could be coincidences. But if they're not then Yamato might be the only one who can stop him if he threatens the team or the village especially if Sakura is there with my grandfather's necklace."

Kakashi's eye narrowed.

"And if he can't?"

Tsunade sighed.

"Then I don't know."

Tsunade walked back to the window.

"Did you contact Master Jiraiya?"

Tsunade answered Kakashi.

"He said he was on his way back to the village."

Kakashi sighed.

'If he's coming back already then he must be thinking the same thing we are.'

Tsunade looked up again at the massive base. Wondering if it truly was him. The boy that brought her back to her home and inspired her to take the job as Hokage. The one who she once entrusted with the dreams of her loved ones until she and the others unintentionally drove him away.

'If that was really you, gaki,...just...just what could've happened to you?'

Elsewhere in the Village

She fastened her tool pouch to her hip while making sure she had all her proper medical supplies and weapons. Looking in the mirror, as she tightened her black headband, she saw that there were bags under her eyes which were clear signs of her exhaustion. The nightmares have been getting worse. All of them now involved the two strange Leaf Shinobi, and Sasuke and her fighting the Man in Black.

And each nightmare felt more real than the last one.

However, she had to put it all in the back of her mind for now. Thanks to Sasori's intel she now has a chance. A chance to finally find him or at the very least find out what happened to him.

She looked at the photo of Team 7 on her dresser. It felt like it was only yesterday when that picture was taken. She remembered how she had to threaten Naruto in order for him to take the picture with them, but he didn't want to do it while with Sasuke. One bonk on the head was all it took to change his mind. How she wished she weren't so rough and careless with him then.

Maybe he would still be here.

She closed her eyes and clutched the necklace that Naruto discarded when he left the village. Rubbing the smooth stone between her thumb and palm. Thinking it would bring comfort and luck.

"Sakura."

Sakura's eyes snapped open when she thought she had just heard his voice. She whipped her body around and was stunned to see that her room disappeared and there was nothing but darkness surrounding her. All except for the floor at her feet which was pure white and circular. She turned around to the mirror and gasped to find not her reflection in it.

But Naruto.

He looked exactly the same age as when she last saw him. He reached up to a few inches below her shoulders. His eyes, while still blue, were devoid of any life in them though and his face looked disappointed and heartbroken.

He looked up at her and spoke.

"Sakura,…why did you try to leave?"

She stuttered.

"I-I-I made a mistake! I thought I couldn't stay here without Sasuke! I was wrong!"

The boy's eyes narrowed, and he became angry.

"You were selfish and only cared about being with Sasuke!"

Sakura shuddered and felt tears beginning to pool in her eyes and she shut them to try to keep them from pouring out.

"No! It's true, I was being selfish but that wasn't the only thing I cared about I-"

"NO! YOU TRIED TO ABANDON ME! YOU FAILED ME! DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT YOU HAVE DONE TO ME?!"

She didn't open her eyes even when it began to sound like Naruto was whispering right into her ear.

"Do you know what I have died and given my life for?"

Sakura's eyes snapped open and was about to verbally deny what she just heard until she saw that it was no longer Naruto who was the one standing in her mirror.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Sakura's eyes widened and she began to tremble.

"No…No…..NO!"

Sakura suddenly smashed her fist through the glass! Shattering it completely and with it the horror from her nightmares. She looked and saw that she was back in her bedroom. She felt a stinging pain in her hand and saw that it was bleeding from the broken glass.

She didn't bother to clean it up and dress it. She simple just walked over and sat down in front of her bed. Wrapping her arms around her legs in a feeble attempt to comfort herself.

"You're not dead. You're not…..dead, Naruto!"

She sat and stayed like that for a while. The stinging pain of her cut hand just barely distracting her from her thoughts of what just recently happened. Finally, she looked at the clock and saw that it was getting very close to the scheduled time where she would have to meet her new teammates at the village gate. So, she first applied medical jutsu to her hand and then cleaned it up.

Taking one last look at her now broken mirror before she headed out her home for the gate.

She wasn't sure who her teammates were going to be. Everyone else were busy on missions and Kakashi was still recuperating at the hospital so it would likely be shinobi she's never really done missions with before. She just hoped that they would be all able to work well together.

Seeing the gate up ahead she jumped and landed down from the rooftops. She looked and saw two shinobi up ahead waiting. Guess she was the last to arrive.

She walked over to them while holding her hand behind her head sheepishly.

"Sorry, for making you guys wait. I had a bit of an accident and-"

Sakura froze as her new teammates turned around and allowed her to fully see their faces.

"Wait, a second….you're both…..!"

Elsewhere in a Hidden Lair near the Land of Grass

Sasuke panted hard while grabbing hold of his head. He had an enormous headache from the voices. They were becoming more frequent. At first he thought it might've been genjutsu but that was already proven wrong ages ago. It was getting out of hand and not even stabbing himself in the arm or leg was stopping them now. He was beginning to think of asking Orochimaru if he had some medicine or jutsu that could suppress them.

He would've done it already if he weren't so prideful. The idea of having to go to that snake or even worse Kabuto for something so menial just makes him sick. Yet, the voices continue to barrage and chastise him so much that now he's seriously considering just swallowing his pride and ask the snake Sannin for help.

'Foolish little brother, if you require help that badly then just go to your new master already like the cowardly weakling you are. Cling to him like you cling to your wretched life!'

Sasuke ground his teeth.

"Just shut up! You're not really here! You're just a figment of mind! You're not Itachi!"

Then he heard the other more aggravating voice again.

'Like you're the leading expert on what's considered reality, Teme! You follow that pitiful excuse for a Sannin that dares to call himself 'Lord'! He doesn't deserve such a title! All he does is hide in the shadows and steals the power and abilities of others rather train and earn it for himself! True power is something you're born with and develop but that's not something you would ever be able to understand, Teme! You were never born with it to begin with!'

Sasuke tried covering his ears with his hands. He kept telling himself over and over that these voices weren't real and that they couldn't be. However, it was hard to convince himself of that when they still kept echoing in his mind.

'I used to think you had potential. That was why I spared you. But seeing you now has made me realize just what a disappointment you really are little brother. You're still as pitiful as you were during the night that I slaughtered our mother and father. Even now you're still hardly worth killing for me. If you had died when you fought your best friend perhaps your life would've ended with some dignity. Instead, here you are now. Trying to hold onto your nonexistent pride and self-respect as an Uchiha.'

Sasuke fell to his knees and was barely containing his sanity at this point.

'You're nothing but a disgrace, Teme! Even with your clan gone you still bring nothing but shame to it and your parents! You should be lucky that at least when they were alive they loved and cherished you! MY PARENTS ONLY DAMNED ME IN LIFE WHILE YOU, MY BEST FRIEND, DAMNED ME TO MY DEATH AND FOR WHAT?! SO THAT YOU COULD SURRENDER YOUR BODY TO OROCHIMARU BEFORE YOU WOULD EVEN HAVE THE CHANCE OF KILLING YOUR BROTHER?! You are no prodigy, Teme. The only thing you are is what you always claimed me to be and that's a failure.'

Sasuke's Mangekyo flared to life and he let out a howling scream as electrical chakra spewed out of his body and hands! Smashing everything in his room! Setting his bed into flames and obliterating the candle on his night table! When it was over he was alone in his now dark room with the only thing visible being his Sharingan.

'If you really wish to be left alone in darkness, Sasuke, then so be it. We will leave you be for now. It doesn't matter what we say since your fate is sealed regardless of what you do.'

Sasuke was stunned and confused by what he meant.

'There is one more thing you should know Sasuke-Teme, you only just adopted the dark but I was molded by it ever since I was born. It gave me strength when nothing or anybody else would. If you believe that darkness will protect you from your destiny…...'

The young Uchiha's eye widened as they gave their answer at the same time..

'You are wrong.'

'You are wrong.'

Elsewhere Later that Day

They've been walking for hours and Sakura still couldn't stop feeling uneasy.

It wasn't because of her fear of the Man in Black at least not entirely. It was mostly because of her new teammates. The first of them was a man named Yamato who was Team 7's temporary new leader filling in for Kakashi. The second was a boy her age that called himself Sai.

Both of whom were the same Leaf shinobi that she saw in her recent dreams.

'How can this be possible? I've never even seen them before now.'

No matter how far back she tried to remember she truly could not recall ever meeting Yamato or Sai in her entire life. Yet, they were there in her dreams. Standing there on that battlefield along with her and Sasuke.

As they both did battle with the Man in Black.

Sakura kept trying to approach this from a logical standpoint but there was nothing logical about any of this. You shouldn't be able to see people you haven't met yet in your dreams. Not unless you could see visions of the future.

And that was something Sakura didn't really believe in.

Then again she didn't believe that the Man in Black was real either and yet she saw him in her last mission. It was too surreal to be a dream and she was wide awake too. At first she thought it might've been just genjutsu. The problem though was that if it were then she would've noticed right away if her chakra system was erratic from under the effects of it. Thanks in part to her superb chakra control combined with Tsunade-sama's training. Which only left one possibility.

That he was real.

Sakura hoped that was not the case. She would rather face Orochimaru and all of the Akatsuki both at the same time than having to fight the Man in Black. She hasn't felt his shadow as strongly as before for quite some time but she still couldn't shake the feeling that he was watching her.

Sakura shook her head to clear such thoughts.

'Come on, Sakura snap out of it! You need to keep it together! This is one mission you can't afford to fail!'

She kept trying to focus on only just the mission and nothing else. There was too much riding on its success. Unfortunately, every now and then her eyes would wander to either Yamato or Sai. Wondering if perhaps her nightmares were indeed visions of the future and with Yamato and Sai here right in front of her.

Could that mean that Sasuke and the Man in Black weren't that far behind?

"Is there a problem?"

Sakura was snapped out of her thoughts as Sai was looking at her with that unsettling smile of his.

"N-No, why do you ask?"

Sai answered.

"You've been staring at me a lot since we left the village and at Captain Yamato too."

Sakura chuckled nervously.

"Oh that! Sorry, it's just that I've been wondering if I've met either of you two before. You guys seem very familiar."

Yamato answered.

"I've been in the Hokage's Anbu Black Ops up until this point so no. We've never met before."

Sai smiled creepily at her again.

"I have also never met you before either. I would've remembered meeting someone with an ugly face like yours."

Sakura halted in her steps and turned with a tick mark on her forehead while her eyes grew into white saucers.

"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU JUST SAY?! CARE TO REPEAT THAT?!"

Sakura smacked her fist into her hand while cracking her knuckle. Sai stopped walking out of confusion while Yamato sighed and turned around. Knowing he was going to have to diffuse this fast.

"That's enough you two. Come on, were comrades and the only way this mission is going to succeed is if we work together and get along. Alright?"

Sakura looked at Yamato and then at Sai before taking a deep breath to calm herself down and was about to continue onward until Sai spoke again.

"I'm curious about something, Sakura."

Sakura looked back at him.

"Are you participating in this assignment because your eager to get Sasuke Uchiha back?"

Sakura stiffened and her eyes widened for a split second.

Moments passed in awkward silence or at least it was awkward for Yamato and Sakura. Sai just stood there waiting for her response. Finally, Sakura answered the teen artist.

"Sasuke is my former teammate and friend, so I do want to give him the benefit of the doubt and a chance to come back to the village if I can, yes. But also,…."

Sakura looked down.

"There's something very important I need to know from him."

She looked back up.

"Why do you ask?"

Sai answered.

"I noticed earlier in the village that there were some girls staring at me giggling. Saying that I looked like him. One of them mentioned that it was a very sad day for all the girls in the Leaf when Sasuke chose to leave the village because all of them loved him. After learning that I assumed that it was the same for you too. Are you in love with him?"

Sakura's eyes widened and she stammered a bit before her expression hardened as she answered.

"Not that it's your business but...yes. I was in love with him."

Her eyes then softened as they looked down at the ground with regret.

"Or rather I thought I was at the time."

Sai looked at her puzzled before speaking again.

"I don't really understand emotions like love very well. To be honest I think it's ridiculous for those women to have such feelings for a traitorous cockroach who left the village to join Orochimaru."

Sakura's eyes widened again as her head snapped back up and her hands clenched into fists again.

"He joined with the man that attacked the village and killed the previous Hokage. Such an action cannot be overlooked just because of love."

Sakura's pupils shrunk as HIS words echoed through her mind.

Flashback

"You tried to leave your friends and your family behind so you could be with a guy who will never love you! Not to mention the fact that he was going to join the very person who murdered the Third Hokage and tried to kill your friends and parents too! Tell me, what was your plan?! To be with Sasuke even after Orochimaru took over his body?! To follow him even if Orochimaru used him for launching another invasion?! To help him murder the others and even your own parents?! WAS THAT YOUR PLAN?!"

End Flashback

Sakura relaxed her hands and stared back at the ground again.

"You're right. Love is no excuse to blindly forgive someone for leaving to join a hated enemy who attacked the village. However,…"

Sakura looked back up again.

"That doesn't mean that you can't try to bring that person back peacefully where they can be judged and receive fair trial and sentencing for their crimes like everyone else."

Sakura looked downwards at the corner of her eyes. Despite all her talk about giving Sasuke a chance at fair treatment, Sakura already promised herself that if he had anything to do with what they found at the Valley of the End then she was going to make sure he would dearly pay for it. Even if it meant bringing him back to be executed

'Sasuke, I don't care how strong you may have gotten. If you were the one who hurt him, I'm going to break every bone in your body with my bare hands!'

Sakura then proceeded onward on their trail.

"I'm curious about another thing, Sakura."

Sakura sighed before she stopped and turned around again.

"Does this information you seek from Sasuke have anything to do with Naruto Uzumaki?"

Sakura's eyes grew wider than before and for some reason she felt unease from the way Sai mentioned Naruto's name even if it lacked emotion.

"I've heard that you've been searching for him ever since he disappeared three years ago on a mission that was to retrieve Sasuke."

Sakura's eyes narrowed.

"You got a problem with me trying to bring him back?"

Sai smiled again.

"No, not all. I have absolutely no ill feelings towards your goal or towards Naruto."

Sakura was surprised and for some reason she actually believed him which brought her a bit of relief.

"Even if Naruto was a foolish idiot and a failed weapon of the Leaf Village."

Sakura's whole body stiffened with that remark. Slowly she lowered her head till her bangs covered her eyes. Staring back at the ground while her fists shook.

Yamato's eyes widened and he slowly began to take a stance.

'Oh no. Lady Tsunade told me that Sakura still doesn't know about Naruto's status as a jinchuriki. Considering that Sai is from the Root Anbu, Danzo must've told him.'

Yamato's eyes narrowed.

'Could that be reason why Danzo had Sai assigned to this mission? Is he really here to find and capture Naruto for Danzo? Well, regardless I can't let him tell her the truth about Naruto.'

Before Yamato could intervene Sakura looked back up at Sai and smiled.

"You're right, Sai. He was a fool and an idiot."

Yamato was stunned by her reaction while Sai smiled back at her.

SMASH!

Sakura's fist suddenly smashed into Sai's face! Sending him skidding across the ground several meters before falling over! He looked up in surprise with a bruise on his cheek and a bloody lip while Sakura stood there in a battle stance with her arm extended outwards with her fist angled low. Her bangs were waving despite there being no wind and the ground cracked a little beneath her feet.

She growled.

"You can insult my face, call Sasuke a traitorous cockroach even though you don't know really know him or what he's done, but don't you EVER, call Naruto a failure or a weapon in front of me!"

The ground around her feet cracked further which didn't go unnoticed by Yamato.

"His name is Naruto Uzumaki and his dream was to become Hokage! He is my friend and comrade and an important member of Team Kakashi! You better remember that!"

Sai wiped the blood off his lip.

"You fooled me quite well. That smile of yours looked so sincere.

Sakura stood to her full height and exhaled before she growled again.

"Sai, you don't know everything about Naruto! I won't stand for you talking as if you do!"

She tightened her hand, that she just struck him with, into a fist again.

"Just keep badmouthing him and next time…I won't hold back!"

Sai just continued staring at her before responding.

"Hmpf, find then. In the future, I'll keep my mouth shut in front of you."

Sakura was surprised that he was being so easygoing with getting sucker punched and once more that he was smiling again.

"Well, it would appear that I just learned another use for a fake smile. I'll remember that."

Sai then rose to his feet and dusted himself off.

"But one last question, Sakura."

Sakura's eyes narrowed further as to what the pale teen was going to ask her now.

"Even if he did something horrible to Naruto, would you offer more mercy to Sasuke then you did for me just now because of your former love for him?"

Sakura's eyes widened.

Flashback

"I should've known, none of it was true! I should've known that you didn't care about me! That you were always in love with Sasuke! That you were willing to even abandon me, when I needed you most, for him! A guy that tried to kill me! I'm even willing to bet that yesterday when you screamed at me, for almost killing him, you were going to call me a monster!"

"LIAR!"

"YOU'RE WITH HIM! YOU CHOSE HIM AND WILL ONLY EVER CARE ABOUT HIM! AND YOU WANT ME TO BRING HIM BACK FOR YOU DESPITE ALL THE YEARS YOU'VE TORTURED ME! YOU CAN'T HIDE YOUR FEAR FROM ME! YOU CAN'T EVEN HIDE THAT YOU WANT SASUKE TO KILL ME!"

End Flashback

Sakura grit her teeth and snarled before charging at him!

"THAT DOES IT!"

Suddenly wood pillars erupted from the ground ahead of them! Binding together and forming into what looked like a giant cage! Standing in front of it was Yamato who was holding up a hand sign.

"ALRIGHT, ENOUGH! We don't have enough time to argue if we're going to make it to the Tenchi Bridge! But that being said we may have just enough time where you two can sort this out once and for all!"

Sakura was shocked at the giant wooden cage that towered over them.

'But that's…..Wood Style! A secret Ninjutsu known only to the First Hokage! How would Captain Yamato know how to use it?! Who is he?!'

Yamato folded his arms and gave a stern look to them.

"As the peacemaker here, I'm offering you two choices. Spending the rest of the day in here reacquainting yourselves with the meaning of teamwork and cooperation or enjoy a night at a comfortable inn with a relaxing hot spring which do you choose?"

The answer was obvious especially when considering the creepy shadowy look of their Taichou's face.

Elsewhere

Seven figures appeared in the dark abysmal cave. Each with forms that flickered with static and had different variations of color. Their leader called for this meeting. They all looked at him as he appeared last with his purple ripple pattern eyes and as he spoke with his monotone voice.

"Sasori and Deidara are both dead."

There was silence until a tall man with a shark face spoke.

"Well, I guess what Sasori said was true and that Deidara really was the type to die young and fast. How ironic though that Sasori would fall right beside him."

Someone else then spoke.

"Who cares! Sasori's puppets always creeped me out! And that guy, Deidara, always got on my nerves with art this and art that! Acting like every explosion of his was a masterpiece when they were just nothing but explosions! And a few of them even messed with my ritual ceremonies!"

His partner looked at him.

"Calm down, Hidan."

Hidan pointed at him.

"You're one to talk, Kakazu! You used to constantly complain about how much Deidara used to irritate you! And even of how he made it difficult to bring back bounties and our targets in the bingo books because there were barely anything left of them by the time he was finished using his 'art' on them!"

Kakazu looked at him with narrowed green eyes.

"Well, right now you're the one whose irritating me!"

His partner growled.

"Don't make me mad, Kakazu! Because you know what happens when I get mad, I-"

"Enough!"

They were both silenced as their leader cut in.

"Let us focus on the main purpose of this meeting."

One of the members with spiky hair and a spiral mask giddily spoke up.

"Yes! Let's all focus on the main topic which is my acceptance into the Akatsuki! I just want you guys to know that I won't let any of you down, so let's bring it in!"

The man then held his hand up for a high five while no one made any effort to approach or say anything in response.

"Or not..."

One of the members with blood red sharingan eyes spoke.

"So, how were Sasori and Deidara killed?"

Their leader answered.

"Apparently, Sasori was defeated in combat by Lady Chiyo of the Sand and a kunoichi with pink hair from the Leaf."

Hidan looked at the members with the sharingan and shark like face.

"You guys went too easy on them! You should've just killed them all before they got to those two!"

His partner with the shark like face answered.

"It would've been nice if we did kill at least a few of them but Itachi and I still did our part to buy enough time for the sealing of the Shukaku, so it wasn't our fault."

Hidan still wasn't convinced.

"Well, you could've at least given some warning that this Leaf girl was a fighter!"

Itachi responded.

"She didn't take part in the battle with my counterpart. Only Kakashi Hatake did with some help from Lady Chiyo. I couldn't tell then what abilities she may or may not have had and I thought with the way she kept herself out of the fight that she was a medic. Either that or just a weakling."

Hidan pointed at him.

"That's still no excuse, Itachi!"

Itachi's partner smiled with shark like teeth.

"Weren't you the one that just moments ago was rambling on about how glad you were that Sasori was dead?"

Hidan was about to respond until Kakazu held his arm out in front of him.

"Just shut up and stop embarrassing yourself, Hidan!"

Hidan stammered before he finally settled with a growl as his response before his partner turned towards their leader.

"So did this girl manage to take down Deidara as well?"

"No."

They all looked to another member whose head looked like it was in a Venus Flytrap and also whose body was separated into two different halves with one white and the other black.

"It was someone else that wasn't from Konoha or Suna."

Their leader's eyes narrowed.

"Who was this person then?"

The white half answered.

"Were not entirely sure but he didn't really seem like a ninja to me with the way he dressed."

His other half then explained further.

"But he had powerful abilities that were far beyond that of even a high-ranking shinobi. In addition, he had a weapon that was similar to a chakra blade only it wasn't made of chakra and yet it cuts very thoroughly and effectively."

The shark faced man grabbed hold of the hilt of the enormous bandaged object on his back.

"Well, sounds like Samehada and I might actually have a decent swordsman to play with!"

The black half of the other member spoke again.

"I wouldn't Kisame, this one's blade was able to cut through Deidara and leave wounds with no blood at all. They were cauterized which suggests that his sword uses some kind of heat that's strong enough to melt and cut through flesh and bone in less than a second. Your sword absorbs chakra but this blade isn't made of chakra like I said. Also, Samehada is like a living creature. If it makes physical contact with his blade it likely won't end well for it or for you."

Kisame's grin turned into a frown before he took his hand off the handle.

"Don't underestimate me or Samehada. However, if what you say is true then I guess it can't be helped. What a shame and I was looking forward to having a good sword fight!"

Itachi looked at him.

"You can afford to wait a while longer Kisame. At least until we have enough information on his weapon."

Itachi looked back at the two different halves.

"What kind jutsu did he use against Deidara?"

The two halves shrugged.

"We don't really know what kind of jutsu it was."

"It didn't seem like any kind of ninjutsu we've ever seen before. Well except for…."

The two halves looked at their leader.

"Your Almighty Push and Almighty Pull jutsus, Lord Pein."

Pein's eyes narrowed.

"Are you saying he possessed the same abilities and eyes as me?"

The white half answered.

"We couldn't tell. He was wearing a mask the whole time and it even covered up his eyes. But his abilities were indeed very similar to your own."

The other member with the spiral mask spoke frantically.

"H-HEY! Was his mask even better looking and cooler than mine?!"

Both halves answered simultaneously.

"Definitely."

"Definitely."

The other Akatsuki member sweat dropped and grumbled.

"Man, and I spent a lot of time picking this mask out too!"

Pein looked at him.

"Be quiet, Tobi!"

Tobi was startled and grew frantic before settling down and remained silent with depression.

"Zetsu, this jutsu of his is similar to my own, you say?"

The two halves nodded.

"Yes, well except for one thing."

Pein's eyes narrowed again.

"His technique didn't seem to rely on chakra the way yours does, Lord Pein."

Pein's eyes grew wide with shock for just a fraction of a second before they settled down.

"You said that he didn't appear to be a shinobi but did you happen to catch his name?"

All eyes drew to Itachi before back to Zetsu.

"Yes. I thought it was a weird name but he called himself…."

Black Zetsu finished for his other half.

"Darth Vader."

There was a brief silence as they all contemplated the unorthodox name they just heard.

"You're right, that is a weird name."

Hidan closed his eyes before looking at Zetsu.

"I never thought I'd say this but I agree with Tobi. Seriously, who comes up with a stupid name like that?!"

Zetsu turned to Hidan and his black half responded.

"Regardless of whether you think it's ridiculous or not, we should all be wary of him. Before he killed Deidara, he said he was going to hunt down and destroy our whole organization."

Another brief silence followed until Tobi suddenly began freaking out.

"WHAAAAAAT?! BUT I JUST GOT IN!"

Pein looked at the masked member.

"Tobi! Relax!"

Pein looked back at the plant human hybrid.

"So, this one man thinks he can declare war on the Akatsuki?"

Kisame chuckled.

"I'm beginning to like this guy! He's either extremely confident or completely insane but either way he's got guts and sounds like he'll be a lot of fun to play with!"

Hidan cut in.

"Hah! You won't get the chance if I run into him first and offer him up as a sacrifice to Jashin!"

Kakazu looked at him.

"Hold on, Hidan. He might be worth bounty money."

"No, he isn't."

He then looked back at Zetsu.

"We already checked the Bingo Book and couldn't find him anywhere in it."

Kakazu growled.

"Great, we're being hunted by a nobody."

Black Zetsu spoke again.

"This 'nobody' was able to take down one of our members who defeated the jinchuriki of the Sand who was also the Fifth Kazekage."

"Was this Vader allied with the Leaf or Sand?"

Zetsu looked at the rogue Uchiha.

"It didn't look like it to me. Not with the way he threw Kakashi Hatake around like a used-up rag doll."

"However, he took the corpse of the jinchuriki and now miraculously the Sand village's Kazekage was brought back to them alive."

Several of the members' eyes, including their leader's, widened but only just briefly.

"I thought a jinchuriki was supposed to die when their Bijuu is extracted from them. Did he perform some kind of reanimation jutsu?"

Zetsu answered Kisame.

"We don't know but it seems like it's the only logical explanation."

"Of course, he might've had help with it. He wasn't alone. There were others there who wore black armor like him but they wielded different and very strange looking weapons."

Kisame chuckled again.

"Well, well, this guy is just full of surprises!"

Pein narrowed his eyes a little more.

"Indeed, so he's declared war on the Akatsuki and he has allies. This could serve to be a problem."

Zetsu spoke again.

"It isn't just us he's after."

The other members looked back at him.

"He's also hunting Orochimaru and Sasuke Uchiha."

Itachi's eyes twitched so briefly that no one even noticed.

"Hehe, it seems your brother has gotten himself into quite a bit of trouble again, Itachi!"

Itachi responded to his partner with almost no emotion in his voice.

"The affairs of my little brother are of no concern to me, Kisame."

Hidan spoke.

"So, what are we going to do about this 'Vader' guy?"

Both of Zetsu's halves gave their opinion.

"Well, I think it would be wise to just avoid him for now."

"Not to mention that we don't know what else he or his allies might be capable of. We shouldn't let our guard down."

Pein spoke.

"I agree, so for now you should all just focus on your missions. We still have no intel on where the Nine Tails jinchuriki is so we'll just search for the other ones in the meantime. You will all avoid this 'Darth Vader' unless given with no other choice. At least until we know more about him and his abilities. Zetsu…."

Zetsu looked at his leader as his rippled eyes narrowed further.

"I want you to tell me more of what you saw that day."

Two Days Later at the Tenchi Bridge

Green met yellow as Sakura's eyes stared into the yellow snake like ones of Orochimaru.

Yamato's cover was blown so they had to go with Plan B and provide him with back up. Unfortunately, no one expected that Orochimaru would be here or that Kabuto would be the very spy they were sent to apprehend. However, from the looks of things it seems that Kabuto might've been a double agent since he attacked Yamato while under the belief that he was the deceased Akatsuki member; Sasori.

Now here all five of them were. Standing in the middle of the bridge with the wind blowing around them. Waiting for either side to make the first move.

"Kukukukuku, this certainly is a surprise. Two baby rats and a full grown one have fallen into our trap instead."

Kabuto smiled and adjusted his glasses.

"Well, I guess it can't be helped, Orochimaru-Sama. Still, it is rather intriguing to see one of your former test subjects from the Leaf here. You must be filled with excitement and joy to see what he can do."

Orochimaru's smile widened.

"I guess that is true."

Orochimaru chuckled as his eyes narrowed at Sakura.

"Hmmm, I know that face all too well. My, look at how you've grown, Sakura, my dear. Almost as much as Sasuke-kun."

Orochimaru licked his lips.

"Well, we might as well have a little fun together!"

Sakura felt a cold chill with that statement as she remembered when they fought Orochimaru in the Forest of Death. She honestly didn't expect to be fighting him again so soon. However, as fearsome as he was, Sakura was thankful that it was him they were facing rather than the Man in Black.

So, she hardened her resolve when she finally spoke.

"Where is Sasuke?"

Orochimaru and Kabuto smiled.

"Just Sasuke? Not Sasuke-kun? My, my Sakura it seems that you may have finally grown out of that little childish crush you had for him."

Orochimaru chuckled at Kabuto's statement.

"Indeed, they grow up so fast don't they?"

Sakura grit her teeth while her right knuckle pressed into the wood floorboard of the bridge.

"Tell me where Sasuke is!"

Sakura pressed harder into the wooden board making it crack from the pressure. This didn't go unnoticed by anyone there. Yet, Orochimaru and Kabuto still remained calm.

"Oh, he's someplace safe. Why so eager to find him, Sakura? And here I was beginning to think you were over him. But in any case it wouldn't matter if we did tell you. Sasuke came to us of his own accord. Even if you found him, there's no way he would just turn around and come back to the village with you. You can't dwell on the past like this. It's unbecoming of a young woman."

Sakura snarled at Kabuto.

"You shut your mouth! There's something I want to ask him! After I get my answer, I'm taking him back to the village! Either willfully or in chains!"

She pressed harder on the floorboard which made it creak and crack further.

"Kukukuku and what is it you want to know from him that's so important that you're willing to risk your life for it?"

Sakura didn't answer but only just continued to stare daggers at both of them. Though that didn't really do anything to intimidate them at all. It only seemed to amuse them.

Then Orochimaru's eyes widened with clarity.

"Don't tell me,…..you want to ask him about what happened to Naruto, don't you?"

Sakura flinched from Orochimaru's deduction which was all the rogue Sannin needed to confirm his hypothesis and he began laughing again.

"There's no need for you to trouble Sasuke-kun with a question that has a simple answer to it, Sakura, my dear. We would be more than happy to answer your question!"

Sakura's eyes widened.

"You two…..know what happened?"

Yamato began to feel more uneasy.

'I don't like this.'

Kabuto smiled while the sun reflected off his lenses.

"Yes, we we're both there. Though to be frank, I don't think it's an answer you'll want to hear. Naruto suffered pretty horrifically that day at Sasuke-kun's hand. I'm surprised to see you going so far for that pitiful child. Especially considering you never showed much interest in him to begin with. Though who could blame you considering he was a loud-mouthed loser with ridiculous dreams of becoming Hokage."

Sakura gave a death glare to Kabuto and she yelled in rage.

"SHUT UP FOUREYES! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW PEOPLE REALLY FEEL! YOU ONLY UNDERSTAND COLD LOGIC!"

Sakura lowered her head as her bangs began to wave ominously and the floorboards under her feet began to crack along with the one under her fist.

"I don't want to hear anything you two have to say about Naruto! It's nothing but lies and bullshit anyway! I just want to know where Sasuke is! So, tell me, NOW!"

The bridge began to shake and rattle slightly which caught Yamato's attention.

'Something strange is going on. The wind isn't blowing that hard yet something is causing the bridge to shift.'

Deciding to pay it no mind, he returned his focus to the rogue ninja in front of them as Orochimaru continued to smile smugly.

"If you really want to know about Sasuke-kun, then I'm afraid you're just going to have to force it out of me."

His smile then turned sinister and vicious.

"If you think you're up to it."

SLAM!

A gloved fist suddenly collided with Orochimaru's face and sent him flying and smashing through the trees ahead! Sending up dust and smoke in its wake! Kabuto's eyes widened as he saw Sakura standing where his master previously was with her arm and fist outstretched from her strike! The Cherry Blossom of the Leaf then turned her head slightly and narrowed her eyes at the rogue medical ninja.

'Such intense power! That was no ordinary strike. It was chakra enhanced. Just like-'

He smiled.

"Sakura, you've come a long way from the weak timid girl you used to be during the Chuunin Exams."

Sakura cracked her knuckles.

"Oh, I'll show you how far I've come!"

"Sakura! Don't let your guard down!"

Sakura followed Yamato's line of sight and found that Orochimaru was already reemerging from the forest. Walking slowly with his head low and long black bangs concealing his face. Until he stopped just at the foot of the bridge.

"Well, well, well, it would seem that Tsunade has finally found herself a capable apprentice. I didn't think anyone would ever be able match her combat style and brute strength."

Orochimaru lifted his head with his face looking like a torn mask with another face underneath it.

"I wonder what else she's taught you."

He stepped back onto the bridge and began walking toward Sakura.

"Kabuto, you can go deal with the others. I want to see just how much Sakura has learned from my old teammate."

Kabuto smiled before he made a dash towards Yamato! The former anbu responded by shooting giant wood beams from his arm! Kabuto simply dodged them though and activated a chakra scalpel and made a slash at Yamato's abdomen! The Wood Style user managed to dodge it just barely before he slammed his hands down and made a wood barrier protrude between them!

Kabuto made another horizonal slash and cut through the barrier and right through Yamato's neck!

POOF!

Yamato's body cluttered as it fell the ground! Revealing to be another wood substitution! Kabuto looked up and saw the real Yamato several yards away.

"Sai, I want you distract him so I can give Sakura back up!"

Yamato looked over but found Sai nowhere to be seen.

'Damn it! Where is he?!'

"Didn't you just lecture about not getting distracted?"

Yamato brought his right arm up and infused it with wood to block another cut from Kabuto's chakra scalpel!

Sakura was watching the whole thing while confused as to where Sai ran off to and was about to rush over to help her captain.

"Now, now, my dear."

She froze before she could even take her first step and whipped her head back to the direction of Orochimaru. The Snake Sannin lowered his hand from his face revealing the torn area to be completely healed. He then gave her a crooked smile.

"It's not polite to ignore your own opponent like that.~"

Sakura narrowed her eyes and took a fighting stance while Orochimaru just stood there relaxed.

'I need to be careful with him. Just one false move and I'm finished!'

Then an idea sprung up in her head.

"CAPTAIN YAMATO, HEADS UP!"

Yamato looked over at her while dodging Kabuto's chakra scalpel and saw she was raising her fist up.

'She's not thinking-'

Yamato then leapt off the bridge onto the other side with Kabuto in tow! Just as they landed, Sakura smashed her fist into the bridge! Causing its support beams and structure to shatter and fall apart! Orochimaru leapt away just as the floorboards crumbled beneath him! However, just as he reached the height of his leap he looked and saw Sakura leaping toward him with her right leg pulled back!

"CHA!"

She then kicked her leg outward aiming at the rogue Sanin's head! But Orochimaru dodged the blow as her leg passed over him! He then barrel rolled and landed on his feet before he held out his right arm.

"STRIKING SHADOW SNAKE!"

Enormous snakes then shot out of his sleeve and headed straight for Sakura who was still off balance and stuck in midair from her previous attack! She had to act fast as she took out a kunai and channeled chakra into it! After that she threw it towards the flying serpents!

The chakra enhanced weapon slew through them and even managed to damage ones that tried to evade its precise trajectory! Orochimaru then leapt out of the way as it slammed into the ground where he previously stood! Sending up dust and some debris from its impact!

He landed on his feet several yards away. Looking up and watching blood and pieces of his serpents' flesh rain down upon the soil. Sakura landed on a tree branch ahead and resumed her fighting stance with her fists tightened.

Orochimaru grinned at her again with malicious intent.

"Interesting."

Sakura suddenly stiffened and her pupils shrunk.

'W-What is this? This feeling in my body and mind?!'

For some reason she felt as if something was screaming at her to get away from an imminent danger that was all around her! The apprentice of Tsunade leapt down towards the ground and when she landed she looked up and was shocked to see a swarm of Orochimaru's snake summons coiled around the branch she was just standing on!

She looked at the former Sannin with narrowed and cautious eyes as he began clapping his hands.

"Very nicely done! I see that Tsunade has helped you hone your battle senses as well as your combat skills! In truth I didn't think you would've been able to discover my trap until it was too late. Tell me, what gave it away?"

Sakura retook her battle stance again.

"That's not important!"

Sakura wouldn't allow herself to get distracted but she still couldn't help but ponder to Orochimaru's question since she didn't know why she knew that place was a trap.

'How did I know to get away from there? It felt like something was-'

Sakura felt another sensation within her that felt like a warning and so she looked up and saw Orochimaru dashing fast towards her with his fist pulled back! She dodged out of the way just as his fist smashed into the ground! However, the rogue ninja then opened his mouth wide and vomited out a horde of snakes! As Sakura landed on the ground she punched into it which forced a giant boulder to protrude upwards and smash into the snakes! Orochimaru though didn't waste time as he body flickered to the boulder and smashed it to pieces with one kick! When the dust settled he saw that there was nothing behind it and looked upwards too see her leaping in the treetops!

The leader of the Sound chuckled.

"Well, this certainly brings back warm memories. I wonder if she's trying to lead me into a trap or if she's still afraid of me since our encounter in the Forest of Death? Kukukukukuku only one way to find out.~"

The Snake Sannin then leapt after her.

Sakura leapt as fast she could to put enough distance between the two of them so that she could come up with a strategy.

'A trap isn't going to work. He's too smart and cunning for that. I can't fight him at a distance either so long as he has his summons. I also can't forget Lady Tsunade's warning about his Kusanagi Sword.'

Sakura leapt down into a clearing and turned around.

'My best and only option is to fight him with taijutsu. I should be able to hold my own for a while. Until I can come up with a way to catch him off guard or to hold out long enough for Captain Yamato to get here.'

With that in mind Sakura then decided to make it easier for her to see the Rogue Sannin coming and make it harder for him to pull a sneak attack, so she walked over to behind the largest tree in the edge of the clearing and cocked her fist back.

"SHANNARO!"

WHAM!

She then sent the massive foliage flying and smashing through the trees in the direction that she came from! Breaking and knocking all of them down as if they were matches! Birds immediately took the air as the enormous tree crashed through their perches!

Finally, it stopped several hundred feet away! Leaving a wide path of destroyed and broken trees being showered with falling leaves and dust. Sakura then kept her guard up. She doubted that Orochimaru took any damage from that but at least it would be harder for him to sneak up on her.

Her body stiffened as she felt another warning to escape again!

She leapt out of the way just as Orochimaru appeared out of the ground and spat out his Kusanagi Sword! The sharp blade stretched far and fast towards her torso area! Forcing her to twist her body while in midair of her jump! Barely just in time as the blade stretched past her and while only managing to just cut her vest from below her neck!

Sakura then landed while her feet skidded across the soil until she dug her left fist into it to stop her momentum! She looked towards Orochimaru who just swallowed his snake blade back down his throat. Licking his lips.

"Kukukuku, you've certainly been doing very well so far, my dear. I commend you!"

Sakura spat out some dried spit in regard to his compliment before she resumed her battle stance.

"Although, I'm surprised that Naruto is the main reason why you've come here. When I saw you all in the Forest of Death you barely paid any attention to him and only worried about Sasuke-kun. After I granted him his curse mark, you cradled the boy in your arms while you only helped poor Naruto by pinning him to a tree with your kunai to keep him from falling to his death. After that I bet you were so worried about Sasuke-kun's injuries that you barely gave any thought as to whether Naruto had any serious wounds or if even his life was in danger. After all he could've easily perished in that forest since I sealed his hidden power."

Sakura didn't know what he was talking about regarding Naruto's hidden power but she didn't care as she grit her teeth and growled.

"You shut your damn mouth!"

Orochimaru chuckled.

"It's a shame you couldn't have done something for him that day he left the village. A kunai from you would've helped put him out of his misery and suffering done by the hands of the Leaf Village."

Orochimaru's sadistic smile widened.

"And of Sasuke-kun!"

Sakura felt something within her snap before she charged towards Orochimaru!

"YOU BASTARD!"

Sakura launched her fist towards Orochimaru who merely shifted his head slightly to avoid the blow! Then she struck out her other fist only to once again hit nothing! And again, with her third strike!

She then started launching her fists at him in a wild frenzy! Trying to aim for his vital areas that she kept missing due to his snake like evasive movements! Growing irritated Sakura then leapt into the air while raising her leg up before dropping her heal down towards him! Orochimaru just continued to grin as he leapt from his spot which moments later become reduced to rubble with rocks and boulders protruding everywhere!

'It would seem that she's also inherited Tsunade's ill temper. As well as…'

Orochimaru landed just as Sakura pulled her foot out of the newly formed crater.

"Your rage is a lot like how Naruto's used to be. So full of fire and determination. But at least he could focus it properly and use it to its utmost power. Kukukuku with the way you're handling yours, there's absolutely no hope you could have of defeating me."

His smile broadened.

"Then again Naruto never could defeat me either!"

Sakura's grit her teeth so hard they could be heard grinding against each other. Her bangs were wavering ominously. She looked down at the ground while cracks formed beneath her feet and as she growled.

"I thought I told you…"

She suddenly then dashed towards Orochimaru at neck breaking speed pulling her right fist back!

"TO SHUT THE HELL UP!"

Orochimaru's eyes briefly widened with surprise as he barely had enough time to dodge her fist again even if it was just by a fraction as his throat started to bulge a little.

'Her speed is impressive! But it would seem that this is the best she can do even with her anger pushed to its limits. Oh well, it's time to end-'

Orochimaru's eyes widened as his body was suddenly pushed away! Orochimaru's feet skidded hard on the ground kicking up dust! When he finally came to a stop his face contorted with pain as Sakura drove her fist into his stomach! Sakura then began to channel so much of her chakra into the blow that Orochimaru's body began to tear up until it was torn in half!

Orochimaru's two halves fell to the ground while Sakura panted hard before dropping to a knee.

"I think….I might've used…..too much chakra!"

In truth she didn't think she used that much where it would've left her this exhausted. That and she was surprised she was able to catch Orochimaru off guard like that when even she was sure he successfully dodged her attack again. In the end though it probably didn't matter for at least she caused major damage to the foul rogue ninja.

At least that's what she thought until the two halves of his body began to melt away into dirt and she heard laughter

"Kukukukuku, that wasn't half bad."

Sakura turned around to see Orochimaru standing behind her with his arms crossed. Her pupils shrunk in fear as she realized that the other was a clone. Now, here she was. Ripe for the killing due to her stamina depleted even when Orochimaru hadn't landed a single attack on her yet.

Orochimaru stared down at her with his evil grin.

"Before I end this little game of ours, tell me this. How did you know about the meeting here today between Sasori and Kabuto? The only other person who knew was Sasori and there's absolutely no possible way he would've told anyone else about it. He's too careful and paranoid for that."

Sakura looked up at him with narrowed eyes.

"Sasori told me about this meeting between him and his spy in your organization before he died."

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed.

"Sasori is already dead?"

Sakura answered.

"Yes."

Sakura slowly began to rise to her feet as Orochimaru questioned her further.

"Even if that's true just why would he tell you of all people something like that in his last final moments?"

Sakura couldn't really tell if he didn't believe her or if he was just being curious.

"I don't really understand why either. He said to think of it as a reward for defeating him."

Orochimaru's serpent like eyes widened.

"You mean to tell me that you're the one who killed Sasori?"

Sakura responded.

"No, I wasn't the one who killed him. Lady Chiyo did that. She and I fought hard against Sasori until we were able to bring him down. Lady Chiyo however…."

Sakura looked solemnly.

"She didn't make it."

Sakura shook her head to keep herself focused and looked quickly back up only to find Orochimaru's expression had hardened. His yellow eyes narrowing into her. Like they were digging for any lies or mistruth in any of what she just said.

"For some reason, I actually believe you."

Sakura's own eyes widened as he lowered his arms and relaxed his posture while smiling again.

"And I think it might actually be beneficial for me to allow you and the Leaf village to exist for just a bit longer. At least while the Akatsuki is still around."

Sakura was confused.

'What's he up to?'

Orochimaru's held his arms outwards at his sides.

"Why so surprised, my dear? The Akatsuki is my enemy as well as yours, so I'm not above using the Leaf Village as a temporary ally. But once they're taken care of…."

He grinned viciously again.

"You and your village will meet the same end as Naruto did!"

Sakura was stunned as her pupils shrunk. She felt as if her whole body was shattered by that statement. The feeling may have been only for a second but it seemed like an eternity. That is until she her rage began to boil and turn over.

"You liar…YOU DIRTY LYING SNAKE!"

THUNK!

Sakura's eyes widened and her body now felt like it just froze over as Orochimaru sunk his teeth into her neck. She looked and saw his neck was elongated out and cursed herself for forgetting that he could do that. She then felt all feeling in her body beginning to slip and her vision darkening as Orochimaru released her from his biting grip and retracted his head back.

"Do not worry. It's just something to help you sleep. Can't have you following us back to Sasuke-kun."

Sakura struggled as she tried to remain on her feet. It was extremely difficult though due to the drug running through her system. Even if it were nonlethal, Sakura could tell that it was very potent.

'No, I can't stop now! Not when I'm so close! I….I can't…..give….'

Sakura then finally collapsed to the ground and lost consciousness.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes again.

'Strange, she was able to withstand the effects longer than anyone else before her has. Probably another training attribute of Tsunade's.'

Orochimaru then looked over as Kabuto landed next to him.

"I trust you had fun and learned quite a bit from our other friend."

Kabuto smiled as he adjusted his glasses.

"Yes, fighting him was very informative. I had to withdraw though due to his Wood Style being too much for me to handle. I had to employ the same technique Lady Tsunade used on me that shocks and rewrites the nervous system. It will only last for a while but by the time it wears off we'll already be gone."

Orochimaru smiled.

"It's good that you chose not to finish him off. He could indeed prove useful, along with Sakura here."

Kabuto was confused as he looked down at the unconscious kunoichi at their feet.

"It would appear that Sakura has not only managed to defeat Sasori, but she was able to extract information about his meeting with you today from him as well."

Kabuto was shocked.

"She was able to beat Sasori?"

Orochimaru closed his eyes as he explained.

"Apparently, so. She did have help from Lady Chiyo, who was Sasori's grandmother as you remember, but she was able to defeat him and survive nonetheless."

Orochimaru opened his eyes and looked at Kabuto.

"And if just Sakura was able to defeat one of the Akatsuki then she and the others of Konoha may be able to bring down more of them."

Kabuto's lips formed into a grin while the glare of the sun reflected off his lenses.

"Ohhhhh, I see. You're planning to use the Leaf Village to take out the Akatsuki."

Orochimaru chuckled.

"Precisely, though it would also be acceptable if they destroyed each other too."

Orochimaru then turned his head towards the other direction.

"You can come out now unless you really think that you can catch us by surprise."

Kabuto followed his master's line of sight to see the other member of the Leaf team stepping out from behind a tree with an unsettling smile on his face.

Later on

She could hear a voice. It sounded muffled at first, but as she focused it became clearer. She opened her eyes to see a blurry mashed image of brown, green, and blue. Her body tingled from what she could guess to be the aftereffects of some of kind of sedative. Her vision becoming clearer and clearer until she recognized the person looking down at her.

"Sakura!"

Sakura tried to lift herself up off the ground but found it difficult due her body still under the effects of the drug. Yamato had to support her with his hand behind her back to help sit her up. Sakura rubbed the back of her head to ease the soreness.

"Captain Yamato. W-What happened?"

Her new squad leader answered.

"I was fighting with Kabuto until he used some kind medical jutsu that prevented me from controlling my body and he escaped. When I finally recovered, I rushed across the ravine and found you here."

Everything that happened then flooded back into Sakura's mind and she tried to stand up on her feet only to lose balance and fall against Yamato's arm for support.

"Whoa, whoa, easy there Sakura! You don't want to overdo it!"

Sakura looked at him.

"NO! We can't let them get away! They're our only lead to where Sasuke is, so we can't waste this opportunity!"

Yamato sighed.

"I understand that Sakura but you have to strongly consider our situation. You're in no condition to travel let alone engage in combat. Also, you're the team medic if anything were to happen to you then mission would be in serious jeopardy regardless. That and Sai has run off and joined with Orochimaru so-"

"SAI DID WHAT?!"

Yamato sighed again.

"Sai left us and went with Orochimaru and Kabuto. I sent a wood clone, right before Kabuto used his jutsu, to try to provide you with back up but by the time it got there you were already drugged. So, I had it remain hidden to observe since your life wasn't in immediate danger from Orochimaru at that point. After Kabuto rejoined Orochimaru, Sai appeared and they had some brief conversation. About what I don't know. My clone couldn't get any closer to listen without compromising his location. It seemed that Sai gave them something before all three of them left together. That's all I know."

Sakura then began to struggle again to stand on her own.

"We have to go after them and when I get my hands on Sai, I'm going to rip his head off!"

Yamato tried to settle her down.

"Didn't you hear what I just said?! You need to take it easy! You're in no condition to be chasing after a rogue ninja like Kabuto or Orochimaru! Sakura, I hate to say this but we may need to consider withdrawing back to the Leaf for reinforcements!"

Sakura then reached down into her medical pouch and pulled out a syringe. Flicking it a few times before she jabbed her leg with it and injected the serum. Slowly she began to feel the effects of the drug wearing off and she began to regain her balance without the need of Yamato's arm for support much to his surprise.

"Lady Tsunade constantly drilled me about the various poisons that Orochimaru uses or would likely use."

Sakura looked at him.

"Captain Yamato, I know we're in a dire situation but with all due respect I can't turn back now. I just can't! Even though I was completely useless against Orochimaru!"

Sakura began to tear up.

"Before he left the village, Naruto told me that I was a selfish spoiled brat who relied too much on others to protect herself during missions and he was right. He was absolutely right about me! I felt so disgusted and ashamed with what I was that I practically demanded for Lady Tsunade to train me! I've come a long way under her guidance. I learned and mastered almost everything she taught me. I even fought and defeated a member of the Akatsuki thanks to her training. But when I fought Orochimaru….."

Sakura curled her hands into fists as they shook.

"He did nothing but toy with me! I lost control so many times when he talked about Naruto that I played right into his hands! And you know what happened?! He beat me without even landing a single blow! I was just as useless as when I was before Naruto left!"

The tears began flowing her cheeks and dripped around her feet.

"I can't fail him again! Not again! Not when I'm so close! I have to find out what happened! I have to find him! It's the only way that I can prove to myself and to him that I…THAT I CARE ABOUT HIM!"

Sakura then rubbed her eyes to try to get a hold of herself until she felt Yamato's hand on her shoulder and she turned to look at him.

"Sakura, I understand. However, you shouldn't feel guilty or feel that your useless for not being able to beat Orochimaru. He's one of the legendary Sannin. One that even managed to kill the Third Hokage and even gave Master Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade trouble when they fought him. In truth you're lucky to be alive. Most who fight him wouldn't dare to hope to be as fortunate. Also…"

He placed his other hand on her shoulder.

"It doesn't matter what you can or can't do for Naruto. What matters is how you feel about him. I've been watching you; Sakura and I can tell that you really-"

Yamato suddenly stopped and placed his right hand on the side of helmet.

"Alright, copy that."

Yamato then lowered his hand and looked at Sakura.

"My clone picked up their trail and is tracking them. Now, are you absolutely sure you don't want to turn back?"

Sakura's face grew more determined and as she reached up and tightened the headband of her lost comrade.

"Yes!"

Yamato nodded.

"Alright then, but if we're going to do this we need to be extra careful. We can't afford any more mistakes. And don't go chasing after Orochimaru on your own again or…punching bridges."

Sakura chuckled nervously.

"R-Right! Sorry about that!"

Yamato then leapt into the trees following the signal of his clone. Sakura was about to leap after him until she saw something strewn about on the ground nearby that caught her attention. It was a variety of scrolls and brushes. No doubt Sai's. Upon further inspection she saw that there was also a book among the scattered art tools.

She picked it up and noticed that the binding was worn and the cover and the back of the book showed two boys. One with white hair on the back side and one with black hair on the cover. She then remembered seeing this book when she found Sai drawing art back at the hot spring. She asked him if she could see it but Sai said that it wasn't finished and that he didn't show it to other people. He also stated that it belonged to his older brother.

Curious about its contents she placed it in one of her pouches before leaping into the treetops after her Taichou.

Elsewhere Close By

Orochimaru sat on large boulder as Kabuto and Sai were conducting their business down by the river. Kabuto was cleaning up his medical tools while Sai splashed his face to clean himself up. Orochimaru in the meantime couldn't help but let his mind drift to his fight with Sakura.

More specifically one particular instance during it.

"Lord Orochimaru?"

The ex-Sannin looked over at his subordinate.

"What is it Kabuto?"

Kabuto rose up from his spot at the riverbed.

"Once we do get back do you think you can supply me with a fresh male cadaver?"

Orochimaru looked at him quizzically.

"You should still have some in stock shouldn't you?"

Kabuto reached behind his hip.

"I do."

Kabuto then pulled out a scroll and unraveled it to reveal summoning symbols with one empty.

"But none between fifteen and sixteen. We used the last one to stall that one who was pursuing us remember? I'm going to need another for this scroll to be completed. I mean, you must know how much of perfectionist I tend to be."

Orochimaru looked down in contemplation again but not with regards to Kabuto's request.

"Is something on your mind, Lord Orochimaru?"

Orochimaru looked at his faithful servant.

"When I fought with Sakura earlier. There was a moment where when one of her attacks felt different from the rest."

Kabuto looked at him confused.

"Different how?"

Orochimaru looked away towards the grass at the base of his boulder.

"I'm not sure. I was certain that I evaded her fist but I was still struck. It was like something pushed me away."

He closed his yellow serpent eyes.

"What was even stranger than that was…."

He opened them again and looked at the silver haired medical ninja.

"It felt extraordinarily familiar."

Kabuto tilted his head.

"Familiar how?"

Orochimaru looked down.

"I don't know. Maybe she was just lucky. Afterall, this body is not as fast as it was three years ago what with it nearing its expiration so to speak."

Kabuto placed his scroll back.

"That's probably the case, anyway we should probably get moving. We're not home yet."

Kabuto then started heading in the direction of their base while Orochimaru rose and stood on his boulder. He looked over at Sai and noticed that he was rummaging through his backpack until he froze. His expression was still been blank but Orochimaru could tell he was upset.

"Is something the matter, Sai?"

The pale Root Anbu agent looked up at him.

"No, not at all."

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed.

"Good."

With that all three then headed in the direction towards the snake's hideout.

Elsewhere in the Forest

Sakura sat against a tree while Yamato stood on guard nearby. They've been following his wood clone for a while but unfortunately they needed to take a break due to Sakura still under the effects of the drug despite taking an antidote. She decided to use this chance to have a look at the book Sai dropped.

She took it out of her pouch and began flipping through some pages her eyes narrowing both from curiosity and bewilderment.

"Captain Yamato, you got to take a look at this!"

Yamato rushed over.

"What is it?"

Sakura showed him the book.

"This belonged to Sai. It's a picture book he drew."

Yamato knelt down.

"Sai drew it?"

Sakura nodded and Yamato knelt closer.

"What's it about Sakura, can you tell? If we figure that out we might be able to learn something about Sai."

Sakura looked back at it.

"I know, that's what I was thinking so I tried to read it but I'm not quite sure what it is about."

Sakura opened to the first page which showed a boy with black hair battling a man wearing a skull mask.

"There aren't any words or dialogue at all."

She then flipped the book so that the cover and back showed the two boys.

"It's strange but it seems like it's about these two boys. Each of them has their own story starting at either end of the book and then when you read them all the way through they eventually meet in the center."

Sakura then flipped the book back over again and then turned to the beginning of the right half.

"If you start on the side with the black haired boy on it, all the pages are alike."

She then began turn through the pages one at a time.

"He's always on the right side, but the character on the left changes with every turn of the page."

It was then Sakura noticed something she didn't before on the page where the boy fights a man wielding a glaive.

"Wait a second, the black haired boy's weapons and outfit change every page. And they match those of the previous character he faces on the previous page!"

Yamato exhaled.

"It seems like it's the story of a young boy vanquishing his enemies."

Sakura nodded while flipping through pages again.

"It looks like it and after each fight I think he claims their weapons and armor for his own. It keeps going like this every page."

Sakura then realized something. She switched to the other end of the book and flipped through its pages as well. All of them showing the other boy also facing the same enemies and taking their clothing and weapons.

"Yep, the layout is in reverse but the boy with the white hair has been drawn in the exact same way."

Yamato then understood.

"So, it's actually a story about how the boys mature after each battle then."

Sakura nodded.

"The question is…."

She flipped to the middle of the book.

"What happens when they meet each other in the middle?"

On the right page was the boy with black hair whose face was blank along with the whole left page where the boy with white hair was supposed to be.

"I went through the whole book and these two pages in the center are the only ones that are incomplete."

Sakura looked at it closer.

"He said that he hadn't finished it but it's strange as to why wouldn't the face have been drawn in yet."

Sakura stared harder at the two incomplete pages expecting some kind of answer to pop up.

She reached with her hand and touched the unfinished face. Suddenly, she felt a cold sensation throughout her body and began to see images and voices echoing in her head! The images were hazy but she was able to make out that they were of the two boys from the book!

She watched as the images showed them growing up and training together in some kind of montage. Fighting various foes that looked remarkably like the ones in the book. As they grew to about her age, she watched them facing each other with an older man standing above them in the background that looked familiar. She then recognized that it was Danzo. She heard him say something to them that shocked Sakura while at the same time distressing the black haired boy while the other one only grew determined.

The white haired one suddenly attacked the black haired one but he dodged and ran away! The white haired boy gave chase but suddenly stopped and collapsed to the ground while coughing up blood! The black haired one rushed over with his face engulfed in tears and terror!

'Brother!'

Sakura gasped and jumped to her feet while dropping the book! Panting with sweat covering her face! Yamato also leaped up and gripped her by the shoulders to steady her.

"Sakura! Are you alright?! What's wrong?!"

Sakura shuddered.

"That's…..that's so cruel! How could he do that them?!"

Yamato was confused.

"Sakura, what are you talking about?"

The kunoichi reached down and gently picked the book up.

"The black haired boy on the right half of the book is Sai and the boy on the other is his brother! Their final mission was to….."

Yamato's eyes narrowed.

"Was to what, Sakura?"

Sakura looked at him with horror.

"Was to kill each other!"

Yamato's eyes narrowed further.

"Are you sure, Sakura? Are you saying that Sai actually killed his brother?"

Sakura shook her head.

"No, his brother died of some kind of terminal illness. Sai was heartbroken but he hid his emotions so that Danzo wouldn't know."

Yamato looked confused.

"Sakura, how do you know all of this?"

Sakura gripped her head trying to suppress a headache that was pounding inside of her skull.

"I don't know! It's like I just saw it happen! I can't explain….it….it's just-"

Yamato held his hand up while the other pressed into his helmet.

"Alright, wait for us there and stay out of sight."

Yamato looked at her.

"We'll have to discuss this later. My clone found Orochimaru's lair which isn't very far from our location. Sakura, are you sure you're alright?"

Sakura wiped the sweat from her forehead and nodded.

"Yes."

Sakura then reached to rub the stone of her necklace for comfort only to feel nothing. When she looked down she saw that the necklace was gone. She started to panic.

"MY NECKLACE! THE ONE THAT LADY TSUNADE GAVE TO NARUTO! IT'S GONE!"

Yamato's eyes widened.

"WHAT?!"

He began frantically looking over the ground around their feet.

"Did you drop it around here?!"

Sakura also started looking.

"I DON'T KNOW! I DIDN'T SEE IT DROP HERE, I-"

She then remembered when she was almost stabbed by Orochimaru's sword.

"I think….I think it fell off when I fought against Orochimaru!"

Yamato looked back in the direction that they came from.

'Damn! As if things couldn't get more complicated!'

Yamato looked back at her and took a deep breath to regain his composure.

"I'm sorry, Sakura but we have to keep going! We can search for it on our way back I promise! But right now, it's more important that we get to Orochimaru's lair and retrieve both Sai and Sasuke. Don't you agree?"

Sakura nodded solemnly.

"Yes."

Yamato though looked just as unhappy about the loss of the necklace as she did. For what reason she didn't know. In fact, it seemed rather odd to her like he was hiding something regarding it.

"Okay then, let's get going!"

Yamato then leapt into the trees in the direction of where his clone was. Sakura was about to follow after him until she froze. She felt a warning again. But this one was different from the others. It wasn't one of danger but rather like they were being watched.

She looked at her surroundings but didn't see anything on the ground or in the canopy nor did she sense any chakra signatures but it still felt like something was there. Something that was shifting in the area around her and disturbing its tranquility and stillness. Sakura then shook her head and chalked the feeling off as just her mind playing tricks on her due to lack of sleep.

She then took off after Yamato towards Orochimaru's lair.

While nearby the surface of a tree trunk shimmered before it then materialized into the form of a metallic creature. It had multiple legs protruding downward while its large flat head was covered with dark red glass like eyes. Two antennae extended from the top of its head as it began transmitting its message.

Battle Site Near the Remains of the Tenchi Bridge

Fallen leaves sailed overhead and past the troopers that were everywhere on the battlefield. Many were securing the area around the destroyed bridge while others were inspecting the various battle sites. Using handheld devices that were measuring the amount of residue chakra left from the combatants and even from the remains of dead summoning serpents.

However, all work nearly ceased as an advanced class tie fighter landed nearby.

As its hatch opened, the troopers resumed their work. Knowing that it would be unwise to be caught slacking off. One of the clones reported to his CO to give his findings but both of them could not help but take a quick look at their leader as he walked past them several yards away.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

He passed a large fallen tree that seemed to have been uprooted from its previous position. One look and he already found an impact point on its surface. Clearly made by a single blow that was enhanced with chakra.

He continued forward and came upon a wide path of smashed trees with troopers examining them. All of this destruction must have been caused by that large one back there that was struck. Likely used for a diversionary tactic. Yet, it was all of very little interest to him.

The only thing that truly had his attention was the sound of a familiar call that was guiding him through the devastation.

When he finally stepped out from the sea of broken trees, he found himself in a clearing that his troopers hadn't reached yet. He continued onward and noticed a large crater nearby with slabs of rock and boulders sticking out of it. He then soon came to a stop at the edge of this battle site.

The wind blew through his black cape making it slightly ripple. The song was very close. Coming from right in front of him.

He knelt down on his black armored boot and reached his gloved hand downward to the ground. Brushing away the loose soil and dirt until he caught sight of something glinting from the sunlight, underneath. He wrapped his hand around the object and slowly rose back up. He then opened his palm. Letting all the soil get swept away by the wind. Leaving behind something that was long since discarded from his past.

But not forgotten.

He used his other gloved hand to brush away some dust off of the stone's emerald like surface. As he held the necklace, his mind wondered as to how it managed to get here. He would've thought that the Lady Hokage would've taken it back after he left planet. He doubted that there was anyone else in the village that she would've considered worthy enough to give the necklace to.

Unless it was her.

There was no doubt. He knew that she would've been sent to this rendezvous and he could sense that she had been here very recently. Fighting with the vile snake of the Sannin.

It was as he predicted.

Orochimaru allowed her to live because she was of little sport to him despite the display of power she showed. Cleary a result of the Lady Hokage's training. Being her disciple, it was no wonder she gave the girl the necklace.

A foolish mistake on the Slug Princess' part.

The song continued to sing that familiar tone that he knew so well. It was then he recognized what this stone truly was. He then inwardly cursed himself for not realizing it sooner. He sensed its song long ago then but paid no mind to it and thought that it was just from his former weapon.

He then began to question as to how it came here of all places? Did someone from the Sith or Jedi Order bring it here? Were there others? All of it was a mystery.

A disturbing mystery indeed.

As he continued to stare at it, his mind began to recall the past that he kept trying to burn from his mind. A past full of loss, hatred, and lies. So many lies. Not all of it was pain and suffering though. There were some good memories to be found. Calming ones full of peace and happiness albeit they were only brief.

Yet still they were happy.

His recollection was then interrupted as he sensed something. He tilted his helmet upwards and saw a hawk staring at him from its perch on a tree branch. It was a young hawk that looked as if it just left the nest recently. Their eye contact lasted for only a second before the hawk took off to the sky. Gliding up high above him while calling out.

Within that moment all recollection of those peaceful happy moments of his past were instantly shattered by the rage and darkness broiling in his soul. He turned around and headed back to his ship. Eager to see if his targets were found or not by his spies.

'Why are you bringing that accursed necklace, Vader?'

Darth Vader tilted his head down as he concentrated his mind and found himself within the dark damp sewer of his mindscape. Through the bars of a rusted cell, he saw two bloody red slit eyes peering through the darkness. Both of which were narrowing at him suspiciously.

"You better not be planning on using it against me! Are you?"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"If I wanted to restrain you and your power Kyuubi, I wouldn't need the necklace to do it."

The Bijuu growled at his statement. Not because he thought it was one of arrogance, no, far from it. It was because he knew that Vader could do it. Much like how Madara or Hashirama were able to subdue him with their own powers without the need for items like the necklace or even the legendary battle tools of the Sage of the Six Paths.

"Then why are you keeping it?"

Vader opened his palm as he stared at the neckwear.

"A lesson needs to be learned."

The demon fox's eyes narrowed with both caution and curiosity.

"And what lesson would that be?"

Vader answered.

"One that the Lady Hokage will do well to learn."

The Kyuubi then understood and couldn't help but grin with his enormous fangs.

"You truly do have a talent for spreading fear, I like it!"

The Kyuubi's expression then grew serious.

"Still, I'm just as surprised as you are. After all the time we spent in that other universe and with all of Skywalker's memories, I can't believe that I myself didn't realize sooner on what that necklace truly was either."

Vader dangled the neckwear from his hand.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"It is fortunate for the Leaf Village or for any village for that matter that its true power had not been discovered after the passing of the First Hokage."

The Kyuubi huffed in agreement.

"Indeed, the villages and nations would've battled and warred with each other constantly using the power of that necklace and others like it. Making all the other wars seem primitive by comparison."

Vader swung the necklace so that the jewel was back in his gloved grip.

"However, if the balance of this world had been destroyed long ago, it could've spared so many other more peaceful worlds of their untimely destruction at the hands of the Empire."

The demon fox's eyes narrowed as Vader turned around to leave but he stopped when the kitsune spoke.

"I didn't fully believe you at the time but now I'm starting to think you really meant what you promised, didn't you?"

Flashback

He stepped through the vast metal hallways. The sound of his breathing apparatus echoing around him. Rusted pipes ran all over the ceiling. Dirty droplets of sewer water fell into the shin deep water on the floor. The place had not changed even after decades of being away.

Finally, the corridor led into a vast wide room. Where at the end of it were the large metal bars. Still looking ill managed and kept. At the center of them was the paper that read "Seal". While inside the cage was nothing but darkness.

He approached the prison with no hesitation. He doubted he would receive a warm welcome but he did not care. The demon had something he needed even if he personally did not want it. He stopped just in front of the large bars and waited.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Suddenly, something stirred in the darkness and the water around him began to shift. A red glow illuminated from the cage revealing the creature inside. Orange fur that was riled up on edge. Enormous sharp fangs filling his mouth with equally sharp claws adorning his paws. His large ears perked up in alert while behind them nine gargantuan tails waved back and forth as if they had minds of their own. Bloodshot red slit eyes glaring down at the dark visitor that stood in front of its prison.

The Kyuubi had awoken and was not pleased to see him here.

"So,…after decades of being trapped in that other universe, you finally managed to break Orochimaru's seal. Guess reading all those forbidden scrolls, that you stole from the Leaf, really paid off. Didn't they, Naruto?…Or should I call you…"

He lowered his head down closer to his visitor.

"Darth Vader?"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Vader will do, Kyuubi. My former name holds no value to me anymore as you should know."

The Kyuubi snarled.

"Why have you come here?! If you plan to take my power then you're going to be sorely disappointed! I told you all those years ago that I was done helping you!"

Vader answered.

"I did not come to take your power; I've come to bargain."

The demon fox's eyes widened in shock before it began to chuckle which then turned into full blown laughter.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! YOU BARGAIN WITH ME?! HAHAHAHA! THE MIGHTY AND POWERFUL DARTH VADER, FEARED THROUGHOUT AN ENTIRE GALAXY, WHO'S SLAUGHTERED BILLIONS OF PEOPLE, WISHES TO BARGAIN WITH ME?! THAT'S RICH! HAHAHA!"

Suddenly, the Kyuubi's body slammed down onto the flooded floor! He was pinned so hard that his snout and mouth inadvertently took in some of the dirty sewer water which he began to cough up! The Kyuubi glared viciously at Vader who had his hand stretched out with his palm and fingers spread wide.

The demon snarled as he struggled to get back up! However, this wasn't like when the kit used the Force against him when he left the village all those years ago. His power was stronger. Far stronger than it was then. He couldn't even budge his head against its might.

Filled with fury, the Kyuubi released a thunderous roar! Shaking the entire room and causing the water to quake in the wake of its rage! Vader just stood there while his cape whipped violently from the Kyuubi's wrath until the beast finally settled down. In which case Vader then proceeded to step through the bars and into the cage.

All the way up to the Kyuubi's glaring eye.

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"Do not test me!"

The Kyuubi snarled before it was pressed down even harder into the floor!

"I've come…to bargain."

The Kyuubi scoffed.

"HA! Like I would ever bargain with the likes of you! You're not exactly known for always honoring deals! You either alter them so that they're more beneficial on your part than with the other parties involved or you don't fulfill them at all unless doing so would serve your purpose as well!"

Vader tilted his head down.

"You're right."

Vader relaxed his hand and released the Kyuubi. The great Bijuu then rose up and prepared to raise his paw to crush the Dark Lord! Vader just stood there without making any effort to evade or defend himself.

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"Do as you will."

The Kyuubi froze just before its paw even touched him. He's never known him to willingly lower his defenses. It was almost like he didn't care what would happen. They both stood like that for minutes. One waiting for the other to make a move. Finally, the Kyuubi rested his paw down and lowered his head towards Vader.

"You really don't fear death at all, do you?"

The Kyuubi then scoffed.

"Just like your parents."

The water rippled around Vader's boots as his gloved hands clenched into fists so hard that the latex could be heard flexing and stretching in his grip.

"Don't…ever…compare me to those weak minded naive fools!"

The Kyuubi narrowed his eyes.

"What have you come to bargain for anyway?"

The rippling in the water settled down as the dark lord answered.

"You've already guessed what I want or rather need."

The fox's eyes narrowed further.

"Shouldn't you already be more than strong enough without my power?"

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"I am, but it is not just about increasing my strength and power. I've learned long ago that patience and knowledge are also vital weapons. That is why I must train with these scrolls and with your power. So that I can achieve my goal with no mistakes or hinderances this time!"

The Kyuubi remained silent for a few seconds before it chuckled and spoke again.

"All these years and you still want revenge against them, don't you?"

The Kyuubi knelt closer.

"It appears that despite his best attempts, Luke couldn't save you like he saved his father. He thought that since he did it for him that he could do it for you as well but he didn't understand you. He didn't understand your drive."

The water began to ripple again and the bars of the Kyuubi's cell began to moan and creak.

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"Leave Skywalker's son out of this, Kyuubi!"

The Kyuubi glared at him but continued despite the hanging threat.

"The point is that I've been inside you, watching you, for a very long time now. Vader, after all that you've been through and after all the people you've killed and destroyed including that old wretched fossil Palpatine and even strangely managing to regress back to seventeen years of age, you're still consumed with vengeance."

Vader wasn't surprised at all that the fox would know all of this. As he just stated, he's been inside and observing him while the dark lord served under the Emperor even if the two couldn't really talk to each other during that time. That and his motives were evidenced enough when he chose to finally return to their home universe and world. Though of course he did not want to be reminded of his age regression at all.

Vader crossed his arms beneath his chest plate armor.

"Aren't you one to talk? Considering that you, yourself, still bear hatred and a need for revenge?"

The Kyuubi laughed which echoed throughout the sewer.

"True enough, but we're not talking about me!"

The Kyuubi's face then grew serious.

"Who do you want to kill so badly that you feel the need to call upon my power again? The citizens of the Leaf Village? Orochimaru? Or is it…Sasuke?"

The Kyuubi could see Vader's hands tightening their grip on his arms and the water began to ripple again.

"Or could it be all three, I wonder?"

Vader looked at the flooded rippled floor as he answered.

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"I want Orochimaru and Uchiha dead! I do not care about Konoha! If it stays out of my affairs, then whether it lasts another century or burns the very next rotation makes no difference to me!"

Vader then looked up again at the Kyuubi.

"That is why I am offering you this."

Vader then made his offer to the Kyuubi in exchange for his help. The beast's eyes grew wide upon hearing his proposition. When Vader finished the Kyuubi raised its head upwards while still glaring at him with its blood ruby slit eyes.

"Like I would believe for a second that you would offer me that! You're up to something, I know you are! You know full well what would happen if you would even attempt such a thing! Whether you have the power of the Darkside or not, chances are that you will have to pay the ultimate price for it!"

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"And what is your point?"

The beast slammed its claws down in frustration.

"I JUST EXPLAINED MY POINT, YOU IDIOT! DO I HAVE TO DRA-"

Suddenly, the kitsune Bijuu's expression changed to that shock as it then fully understood what Vader meant in that statement. It then lowered its head down. His eye level with Vader.

"You're not serious…"

Vader then unfolded his arms and tucked them back under his cape.

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"It is the only way to fully achieve my vengeance and to finally be free."

Silence followed. Neither of them said a word. The Kyuubi looked like he was thinking over Vader's offer in his head despite his better judgment. He knows that he shouldn't trust him but it wasn't like he had anything to lose at this point.

Finally, he gave his answer to the dark lord.

"Fine, I will help you."

Vader held his right hand out which made the fox's fur rile up until he saw its gesture.

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"Partners."

The Kyuubi then slowly reached out with his paw till Vader grabbed hold of the tip of one of its claws and they both shook on it.

"If you are going to go after the ones responsible for your suffering, then you should know that there's one more person you should add to your list."

The Kyuubi explained as he lowered his paw.

"He's the one responsible for unleashing me on the Leaf village all those years ago and also for causing your parents to sacrifice themselves to seal me up inside you for the village."

Vader snapped his head up and his body stiffened.

"He's an extremely skilled and powerful shinobi that should not be underestimated. I have no idea where he is now but he's likely on the hunt for you so that he can try to take my power again. I detest him almost as much as Palpatine and even more than I hate you but not by much. If you manage to kill him then we'll both have our revenge."

The water around Vader rippled and shook violently while the pipes around them began to bend, snap, and creak from his power. The whole place began tear itself apart with the exception of the Kyuubi's cage. After a while Vader reeled his power back in and everything settled down.

Then the former Sith Apprentice asked one question.

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"Who. Is. He?"

Flashback End

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"Of course, I meant it. Once, I've destroyed all my enemies, including 'him', you will have what you desire."

The Kyuubi knelt closer to the bars.

"I have to admit I was rather impressed that you were able to use the Force to loosen the Fourth Hokage's seal without the need for a key. But considering the things I've seen that power capable of, it's not really surprising but it was no less an amazing feat. Still, it's a shame my power couldn't heal the wounds dealt to you by Sasuke. Doing so would've made it easier for your body to handle larger portions of my chakra. If Orochimaru hadn't placed that accursed seal on you back then, my power would've prevented your body from becoming so crippled and damaged. Even though you broke his seal, too much time has already passed and the wounds have scarred you now, so there's nothing I can do for them. I can't even repair your lungs."

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"What is your point?"

They Kyuubi tilted its snout up to the side while looking down at the corner of its eye at him.

"I'm saying to not overdo it! You're powerful there's no denying that but you're putting us both at risk by going after Orochimaru and Sasuke so soon after you nearly died bringing Gaara back to life! That and you have us going after the Akatsuki now as well! That's a lot of enemies for you to handle even with an army, the power of the Force and my power too! And while you've progressed far with learning to control my chakra, your body can't handle going beyond three tails and even in that state your body suffers with its toll and that new technique of yours is also risky!"

The Kyuubi then looked back down at him.

"Not to mention that I don't really feel like chasing after a group of rogue shinobi just because they pissed you off by hunting and killing other jinchuriki! It has nothing to do with you!"

Vader gripped the band of the necklace hard as he responded.

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"It has everything to do with me! You and I both have known for years what it has been like to be treated and used as weapons by the Emperor! Only to be discarded once we've outlived our usefulness to him! I have done the very same as you have witnessed! Countless souls in the Empire, even children, have all been used as nothing more than expendable assets by me! Now, these Akatsuki are going after jinchuriki because they see them as weapons of power to be used and casted aside!"

Vader clenched his right hand into a fist.

"I will not allow for them to get away with this course of action as I have done for so many years with the Emperor and with myself!"

He relaxed his hand.

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"There is also to consider that if the Akatsuki are not all wiped out now then they will eventually come after you, Kyuubi and I have doubts that you would want to deal with them constantly hounding and hunting you!"

The Kyuubi glared while also puffing out steam from its snout and huffed.

"Fine then, we'll hunt and kill them all! They will all know fear and death just like that pathetic excuse for an artist! Every last one!"

The cybernetic dark lord then turned around taking his leave.

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"Then I will finally know peace."

'Lord Vader?'

Vader looked and saw an imperial officer standing in front of him with a confused expression.

"Is everything al-"

"Report."

The startled officer straightened himself as he complied with the order.

"We've finished our scans and examination of most of the battlefield. It seems that whoever destroyed the bridge did it in a single blow. The power within their attack is strikingly, n-no pun intended my lord, similar to that of the current Hokage and one of the legendary Sannin, Tsunade Senju. Which is strange considering that our spies say she's still within Konoha."

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"Keep scanning the area. I want every inch of this battlefield investigated and checked in one hour."

The officer nodded and bowed a little.

"It will be done, my lord."

Vader then headed back to his ship while the officer called out to him about one last query.

"What about the shinobi who destroyed the bridge, my lord? Do you want us to determine who was responsible?"

The dark lord responded.

"That will be unnecessary, lieutenant. I already know who it was."

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"And she is no threat to me."

Vader then left the officer confused.

'She?'

As he neared his ship, Darth Vader halted due to being contacted by his star destroyer in his mask's right eye. He saw that it was Admiral Orchens on the blue holographic transmission. And judging by his demeanor, whatever he had to say seemed urgent.

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"What is it, Admiral?"

The young admiral seemed pleased as he answered.

"My lord, we found them!"

Orochimaru's Hideout

There was barely a sound save for their footsteps as they ran through the dimly lit stone hallways.

Yamato's clone was able to track Sai and Orochimaru to this underground lair. From there Yamato and Sakura were both able to covertly infiltrate it with Yamato using his wood style on a small crack in the wall of one of the many corridors of the base. Now, it was just a matter of finding Sai by using the seed Yamato had him unknowingly ingest back at the hot spring.

It didn't take them long before they arrived at a door. Yamato formed a wooden key from the tip of his index finger and unlocked it before opening it slowly and cautiously. Where sure enough, there Sai was with stunned eyes staring at them.

"I had a hunch we'd find you here."

Sai then gave that ominous smile of his.

"I'd expect no less from the Hokage's Anbu Black Ops. I take it that fake corpse didn't fool you then."

Yamato retracted the wooden tool back into his finger.

"Start talking. What's going on here?"

Sai just kept smiling even as Sakura took something out of her back pouch and handed it to him. Sai saw that it was his book. The one he drew of both himself and his brother that he hadn't finished. He reached out and gently took it from her.

"Thank you."

Sakura nodded and Yamato spoke again.

"Everything you've done since joining with Orochimaru were from under Danzo's orders, right?"

Sai didn't answer as Yamato continued.

"We suspect that Danzo and Orochimaru have formed an alliance. They're obviously planning something big with regards to the village and you were chosen to be the intermediary between them. What are they planning together?"

Yamato thought at first that Danzo sent Sai to try find information on and if possible capture Naruto for him. Now, it seems that it's worse than he originally thought. If Danzo and Orochimaru are in league then it can only mean one thing.

"Orochimaru is easy to read. He wants to try to destroy the Leaf Village again, isn't that right?"

Sai was still silent for a few moments while still bearing that odd smile of his before he spoke.

"The truth of the matter is that you two have discovered my location. My mission is a complete failure. Even if we fought, I couldn't possibly beat the two of you all by myself. I know that and I think you know that as well, so there's no point in hiding anything."

Sai's smile disappeared and once again his face lacked emotion as he continued speaking.

"You are exactly correct. The plan was to crush the Hidden Leaf Village."

Sakura's eyes narrowed as something didn't feel right.

"My true assignment was to form an alliance with Orochimaru and to orchestrate a plan with him so that together we could destroy the village. That was the first half of my mission."

Sai then smiled again.

"The second half was to report all of Orochimaru's activities back to Lord Danzo."

Yamato then pointed a kunai at Sai.

"That's right Sai keep talking. Own up to everything you've been hiding!"

Sakura looked down at the ground in thought. Sai's mission was insane. Trying to earn Orochimaru's confidence and then kill him was practically the same thing as suicide. However, Sakura for some reason couldn't find herself to believe him.

When she looked at him as he spoke, it was like there was some kind of barrier of fog around him. Not one that was a cold shadow filled with rage like with Naruto, Sasuke, and the Man in Black but rather like one that was trying to hide something. As she concentrated and focused she began to see things through the mist.

And some of those things were contradicting with Sai's words.

"The intelligence I write down in ink can transform themselves into little creatures. They can defend themselves while traveling back to the Leaf V-"

"You're lying."

Sai stopped and both he and Yamato looked at Sakura confused as she stepped forward.

"Both to us and to yourself, Sai."

She stopped in front of him.

"Your mission wasn't to gain Orochimaru's trust so that you can defeat him later. It was to gain his trust so that you could find Sasuke and eliminate him, right?"

Sai's eyes widened in shock.

"Danzo doesn't want someone like Sasuke to fall into Orochimaru's hands, so he sent you here to assassinate him. Not only because he's a rogue ninja with extraordinary talent but also because without Sasuke, Orochimaru wouldn't be able to have a new vessel that possesses the Sharingan, isn't that right?"

Sai's eyes widened further and his reaction was evident to Yamato that Sakura somehow was able to deduce the boy's real mission.

"Sai, you keep allowing yourself to believe that you're a weapon. A nameless tool to be used by Danzo but you're not! You have feelings and hold a reminder that you exist as a person!"

Sakura gently took hold of Sai's hand that was holding his book and held it up so that he was staring right at it.

"This book is very important to you, Sai! It tells the story about you and your older brother. The reason why this book means so much to you is that it's proof of your existence and of the bond you had with your older brother. You're not as emotionless as you would have everyone, including yourself, believe! Even a veteran shinobi can't push all their feelings away!"

Sakura gently removed her hand from Sai's as he continued staring at the book.

"I could see it. I could see it all. The moment I looked at that unfinished page in your book, I could see how happy the two of you were growing up together. You were inseparable. Even though you weren't of blood, you both considered each other as brothers and he always praised you for your drawings. That unfinished picture in the middle was what you wanted to show him most of all, but then he died. He died of some terminal illness during when Danzo was trying have the two of you kill each other. You were then forced to hide your emotions and act while at the same time believing that you don't have any at all. As a result, you couldn't remember what you wanted to draw for him in that last page but deep down you know. Don't you, Sai?"

Sai looked at her.

"That final drawing, and the way you reacted when I handed you back your picture book is proof of who you are and the feelings of love you had for you brother who you considered your family and of how your bond with him is incredibly important to you!"

Sai didn't say anything as he continued to stare at Sakura with intense shock. His mouth moved a little to try to speak words but nothing came out. He looked like a fish that was out of water.

A few moments passed before he managed to finally speak.

"How….how could you possibly know all of this?"

Sakura took a deep breath and exhaled.

"I don't know how I know. I wasn't even entirely sure what I saw was real. But I know how important your brother was to you Sai because….."

Sakura looked down.

"Because Naruto is important to me."

She looked back up again.

"Just like how you wanted to let your brother know how dear he was to you with this book, I want to find Naruto so that I can let him know how important he is to me."

"Well, isn't that just touching. I think I might actually shed a tear."

All heads whipped to the doorway to see Kabuto standing there! Holding a folder in one hand while bearing that smug grin of his. Yamato cursed himself for being so easily distracted while not keeping an eye out. The Wood Style user instantly responded by shooting out wood vines that tried to constrict around the rogue medical ninja! Kabuto dodged and leapt from them back into the hallway!

Kabuto though was forced to leap again in order to avoid Sakura's fist and landed a few yards away! Yamato rushed to her side and they both took battle stances! Kabuto however just stood loosely while activating a chakra scalpel.

"Orochimar-sama would prefer if you were kept alive so that you could handle the Akatsuki for us. While I do agree with him, that doesn't mean that I won't fight back. Also, it wouldn't be very wise for you guys to make too much of a ruckus. Although, I wouldn't be surprised if Lord Orochimaru were already heading here right now."

Yamato whispered into Sakura's ear.

"He's right, Sakura. We have to do this quickly and quietly if we want to remain undetected! So, try not to use your strength too much!"

Sakura nodded.

"Right!"

Kabuto smiled before he dashed towards them arching his chakra scalpel back when suddenly black serpents leapt from out of the shadows and constricted themselves around his body! He grunted and struggled to break free but it was no use as the snakes wouldn't release their prey!

Sakura was confused as to where they came from and why they were only attacking Kabuto until upon closer examination she realized that the snakes were made of ink. She looked over and saw Sai kneeling at the doorway with a blank scroll in front of his feet while holding up a hand sign.

"Sai! What do you think you're doi-"

Kabuto was cut off as a wooden vine constricted around his mouth. Completely silencing him. After that wooden beams began to coil around his body forcing the snakes to release their grips and slither back to Sai's blank paper scrolls where they returned to being illustrations. After that Sai rolled up the scroll and rose to his feet before walking over Yamato and Sakura.

"Sai, why did you help us?"

Sai looked at Sakura and answered Yamato's question.

"Because I want to help Sakura find Naruto."

Sakura's eyes widened.

"You said that he's important to you. So important that you want to find him and let him know just how much you care for him. I never had the chance to let my brother know so I never knew how he would've reacted or how I would've reacted. How he would've felt and how I would've felt. That's why…."

Sai closed his eyes and opened them again.

"I want to see your bond with Naruto for myself, Sakura."

Yamato walked over to Kabuto and summoned a wood clone while Sai continued.

"I'm curious about this bond you and Naruto share that keeps you searching for him. I can't say I understand it but…"

Sai then smiled.

"But I want to understand it. If the bond I had with my brother really is such an important thing to me perhaps I can figure out why if we find Naruto and you tell him how much your bond with him means to you."

Sakura smiled at him.

"But Sakura, there's something you should know. I saw Sasuke."

Sakura was stunned and was about to immediately respond with a million questions until Sai held his hand up.

"I already asked him about what happened to Naruto."

Sakura held her breathe as she prepared herself for what Sai would say next.

"He wouldn't answer me. Instead he gave me a look that suggested if I ever asked him that question again then he would kill me, so I didn't. I'm sorry that I can't give you more information than that."

Sakura looked at the ground in contemplation.

Does Sasuke's response suggest that Naruto is alive and Sasuke views it as a mark of embarrassment for him? Or could it be that he's riddled with so much guilt over what happened to Naruto that the mere reminder of it would make him respond like that? Of course, there was also another possibility. A dark possibility that Sakura has long refuted to believe.

She shook her head to clear her mind of such a consideration and looked back up at Sai.

"Sai, do you know which room Sasuke is in?"

Sai looked at her.

"No, I don't Sakura. But are you sure that you still want to ask Sasuke rather than find another lead to Naruto?"

Sakura's face grew determined.

"Yes."

Sai, nodded.

"Alright, Kabuto told me earlier that this base is practically a maze with hundreds of rooms. It would take a long time to find him and it would be difficult to do so while trying to remain undiscovered by Orochimaru."

Yamato walked over to them.

"Well, we won't have to worry about Kabuto at least. I locked him in that room with my clone keeping guard. But Sai is right in that finding Sasuke will be difficult in large base such as this while at the same time maintaining our stealth. So, here's what we'll do."

Sakura and Sai listened.

"We'll split up. I'll go by myself in that direction while you two go together in that one. Be careful though. We're deep in Orochimaru's lair. There could be traps around every corner so don't let your guard down."
They both nodded.

"Hai."

Yamato nodded in return.

"Before we go…."

Yamato looked at Sai.

"Our priority is to bring Sasuke back to the Leaf. Not to kill him unless we're left with no other choice, got it?"

Sai nodded.

"Understood."

Yamato looked down and exhaled.

"Alright then, let's get moving!"

Sai and Sakura instantly dashed in their direction! Yamato was about to head out too until he saw the folder Kabuto was carrying earlier on the ground. Thinking it might hold valuable intel he picked it up and unwrapped it's binding and took out its contents. When he began scanning through them, he froze with wide eyes.

"This is…..!"

Elsewhere in the Base

Room after room they searched only to find them empty with no sign of Sasuke anywhere.

Sakura and Sai checked two rooms at a time and tried their best to sense for Sasuke's chakra but it proved difficult for some reason. Likely being that Sasuke's chakra wasn't really active right now. Still, they kept at it. Searching through the endless rooms.

Sakura began to get desperate. She started opening and shutting doors rapidly after only taking quick looks inside while Sai only kept at a nice quiet even pace. Yet, the rooms were still empty.

Soon enough, Sakura was getting frantic. She's come so far after three years. The answers she sought were somewhere in this labyrinth. She just had to find them!

She spotted another door and nearly ripped it off its hinges with her strength! Only to find another empty room. She whipped her body around to search another door only for Sai to block her way.

"Get out of the way, Sai!"

Sai placed a hand on her shoulder.

"You need to calm down, Sakura. You're starting to cause too much noise."

Sakura started to get angry and felt like punching Sai through a wall.

"You can't start getting impatient now. It's like Yamato-Taichou said, 'we're deep in Orochimaru's lair', if we start getting careless we'll either be discovered or run into a trap and either one will slow our search for Sasuke even further. You need to relax."

Sakura realized that Sai was right and by that logic her method of searching was only going to end up with them getting nowhere. So, she took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She knew that they needed to come with another strategy and fast. With that in mind she walked over to a nearby wall and sat down to think. Sai in the meantime sat down next to her.

Silence followed as Sakura sat there thinking. Sai in the meantime was either staring at her or at the opposite wall. Until he broke the silence with one question.

"Sakura, what was Naruto like?"

Sakura looked at Sai, before down at her feet. Her mind thinking of all the many ways to answer that question. It didn't take long before she knew what to say as her lips formed into a small smile while her eyes softened.

"He was a loudmouth and was very dimwitted when it came to academics but he was smarter and craftier than most people gave him credit for. He was very strong. Powerful even and always fought hard for his friends and….and for me. He put all he had into everything that he did to get stronger and to prove to everyone that he wasn't a weak loser. He was also kind. He was without a doubt the kindest boy I ever knew."

Her eyes closed as her mind drifted deeper into her recollection.

"And he's a pretty good kisser too."

Sakura suddenly blushed with embarrassment as she realized what she just said and waved her hands frantically in front of a confused Sai.

"N-Never mind! Forget I said that last part!"

Sakura then coughed to regain her composure as she continued.

"He was always claiming that he'll be Hokage someday. That everyone would acknowledge him. That's what his dream was because he didn't have any parents. He was an orphan who was all alone throughout most of his childhood that no one really paid any attention to."

Her eyes softened with sadness.

"Despite how badly I treated him, he always helped me when I needed it. Even when I never thanked him. And he never gave up no matter what. Until…."

Sakura began to tear up and quickly rubbed her eyes.

"Anyway, that's about it."

Sai kept staring at her intently before he reached into his backpack.

"It's strange but….."

He then pulled out his picture book.

"Naruto really sounds like him. My brother."

Sakura smiled

"Hearing you describing Naruto like that really reminds me of how my older brother used to be and how I felt being around him."

Sakura then nudged Sai with her elbow.

"The kind of feeling that you forgot you wanted to draw in that final page?"

Sai's eyes widened and he immediately flipped to the blank page before taking out a marker. He then started drawing into it. Sakura watched as the once blank page was now being filled with Sai's scribbling.

"Yes, you're right! I remember! I remember it, now!"

Sakura smiled as Sai finished his drawing. It was a picture of his brother holding hands with Sai on the other page. Sai's face now had a smile which matched the one his older brother had on the other page.

Sakura looked and saw Sai with an actual genuine smile. Not the fake one he's been wearing this whole time but a real one full of happiness. She was glad.

"This was what I wanted to show him. It's a picture of our dreams."

Sakura's body suddenly tensed as that strange foreboding feeling of danger filled her senses and she jumped to her feet. She then heard footsteps coming towards them. They were loud enough that she didn't need to warn Sai as he was already on the alert.

"Kukukukukuku."

There was no need to guess who it was since she knew that laughter all too well. When the figure stepped out from the shadows it was none other than Orochimaru. The former Sannin stood there with eyes piercing through the dim lit hall at the two Leaf shinobi.

"Well now, Sai, the time has come for you to choose which side you're going to be on!"

Sai and Sakura took battle stances while Orochimaru raised his right arm.

"Striking Shadow Snake!"

Two huge serpents leapt out of his sleeve and flew towards Sakura and Sai! The two of them leapt back and avoided the snakes as they snapped their jaws! Their feet skidding across the sone floor as they landed! After missing their targets, the summoned reptiles slithered back up their master's arm.

"So, you've chosen their side, I see. Sai, or whatever your name is."

Sakura stepped in front of Sai.

"Sai, go! Find Sasuke!"

Sakura looked at him.

"Just leave him to me! I can keep him busy long enough for you to find Sasuke! I trust you!"

Sai's eyes widened before they grew determined.

"Very well, I promise you that I'll find him and that you will get the answers you need!"

Sai then sprinted down the hall away from them while Sakura returned her attention back to Orochimaru.

"So, you came all this way to ask your former friend, Sasuke, about Naruto, eh? And after that you'll take him back to the village? You're persistence is impressive, but do you think the outcome will be in your favor? Do you really believe the answer he'll give you will be any different from mine?"

Sakura grit her teeth and tightened her fist. She knew he was baiting her and she knew that was one of the reasons why she lost to him last time. She took a deep breath to calm her anger as she got ready to fight.

"I don't care if you are one of the Legendary Sannin like Tsunade-sama or Master Jiraiya. I will defeat you somehow and find Sasuke!"

Orochimaru's grin widened.

"Such confidence! It's a shame that I'm refraining from fighting you to the death. I need you alive so that you and the village can bring down the Akatsuki or the very least weaken their ranks. But that doesn't mean we can't have more fun together!"

Orochimaru raised his arm again and shot out more snakes than before! These ones were different though! Sakura could see that each of them had blades extending out of their mouths! She leapt and dodged constantly as the snakes continuously struck out at her! Avoiding their blades and jaws as they coiled and snapped at her!

This reminded her of when she and Lady Chiyo fought Sasori and she had to rely on her agility and Lady Chiyo's puppet strings to avoid his puppet attacks. Only now things were different. Lady Chiyo wasn't here to provide her with support. She was on her own and had less room to move around so she needed to be perfect in movements in this tight space. For that she needed to keep calm and clear her mind to focus. Nothing mattered right now except evading the serpents and waiting for the perfect moment to counterattack.

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed as he watched Sakura avoid his summoned serpents.

'Something strange is going on here. Her movements. They look so familiar. I know I've seen something similar to them before but where?...'

Orochimaru's eyes then widened with realization.

'Wait!'

He then suddenly remembered when he fought Naruto! How the boy was able dodge and evade his serpents then so perfectly! It was almost like he was reliving that moment again as he watched Sakura evade each of his snakes and their blades! Orochimaru wasn't really trying to kill her but the way she was evading made it that she wasn't even getting a scratch! Her movements were just as precise and perfectly executed as Naruto's were!

Orochimaru then remembered that punch of hers from earlier and his eyes narrowed further.

'Perhaps, it's time I put her to a little test!'

Suddenly a large wooden beam smashed out of the wall and through the serpents! Dispelling all of them in an instant! When they were all gone the beam retracted and Yamato body flickered to Sakura's side!

"Orochimaru again, huh?"

Orochimaru smiled.

"You'll do, nicely."

Sakura's body then tensed.

"CAPTAIN YAMATO, WATC-"

WAM!

"UGH!"

Sakura's warning came too late as Orochimaru body flickered to Yamato and kicked him hard in the gut before he could react! Yamato coughed up a little blood before Orochimaru leapt up and did a spin kick which struck Yamato in the chest and sent him flying down the hall! Making his body slide across the floor and kicking up dust!

Orochimaru spat out his Kusanagi blade and held it in his hand before sprinting after Yamato with Sakura in hot pursuit!

'I'm not going to make it!"

Sakura tried to push herself to catch up to the rogue Sannin before he could get to Yamato but he was too fast! Orochimaru was getting further and further away from her and closer to him! When he was within range, Orochimaru raised his blade to deliver the killing blow!

"NO!"

Sakura shut her eyes and raised her hand out in a vain attempt to try to grab Orochimaru even when she knew full well he was beyond her reach! She expected to hear the vile snake's blade pierce Yamato's body! Believing that once again she's failed to be of any use against the rogue ninja!

However, there was nothing. No sound of metal piercing flesh or guttural screams of death. There was only dead silence. And for some reason her hand felt like it was grabbing hold of something

She cracked her eyes open. Expecting to see the floor covered with blood but only to find it clean. When she opened them further, she saw Orochimaru standing there above Yamato, frozen. His body shaking as if it was bound by invisible restraints.

Sakura was confused. She looked at her hand and noticed it wasn't holding onto anything and yet she could feel as if it were. She flexed her gloved fingers and immediately Orochimaru grunted in pain and looked as if his body was being squeezed hard. She did it again and the snake summoner responded with another groan of pain.

"How am I...?"

Sakura had no idea what was going on. It seemed like she had Orochimaru immobilized but she wasn't entirely sure. Orochimaru turned his head slightly towards her and his expression was definitely one of pain but also what looked like anger and shock.

"I knew it! That power! It's exactly the same as his! The same as that accursed dead Uzumaki brat!"

Sakura suddenly felt something shift within her. Some well of power surging its way up to the surface. It was cold, dark, and full of fear and anger.

Anger that was directed at the vile snake.

Sakura's bangs began to wave and the ground cracked all around her! She instinctively pulled her arm back and Orochimaru was suddenly pulled into the air towards her! She then reached deep into this outpour of power that was coming from inside her and before she even knew what to do, she roared as she shoved her open palm out and Orochimaru was sent smashing through the stone ceiling! His body could be heard breaking through layer after layer of stone!

Seconds later, the sound of stone shattering ended and when the dust cleared a bit of light could be seen illuminating from the newly made hole.

Sakura panted hard as her arm trembled from that attack. It wasn't the only part of her though as her whole body then started to shake. She fell to her knees and gripped herself to try to calm her nerves. She then realized that her body wasn't reacting from exhaustion or from some kind of adrenalin rush.

It was reacting to being bitterly cold.

Sakura's body continued to shake as she tried to rub her arms to warm herself up. Her mind feeling like it was ripped out of her body while something else was taking control. Sakura didn't like it. Not one bit at all. This feeling of fear, anger, and hate that this power she somehow summoned had. It felt unnatural and cold.

A coldness that was similar to the monster's from her nightmares.

Sakura than instinctively began to crawl over to the beam of sunlight that was shining from the ceiling. Hoping that it would provide some warmth to her freezing body. When she reached its rays, she began to feel a little better and more like herself again. But as she looked up briefly at the hole, one question came to mind.

'How did I do that?'

It was one of a million questions that were racing through her mind right now. This power didn't feel like chakra. In fact, it was nothing like it. It was beyond her comprehension. It was almost like it was alive and connected. Not just to her but also to what felt like everything else as well.

Sakura grasped her head which began to hurt from trying to understand something that was so complicated and only lasted for like a few seconds.

Suddenly, the ray of sunlight began to dissolve. Before long it completely disappeared. Sakura looked up and through the various holes that led up to the surface, she could see what looked like storm clouds forming in the sky high up above.

Sakura then heard a moan and looked over and saw that Yamato was still lying on the ground from Orochimaru's attack! Worry replaced her dazed fearful thoughts as she rose up and rushed to him! She stretched her hands out and concentrated as green chakra emanated from them as she began to perform her medical ninjutsu.

Just moments after she started, Yamato opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Sakura? Wh-What happened?"

Sakura didn't know how to answer when she herself didn't really understand, so she decided to just give him the short basic version of what happened for now at least.

"I was able to catch Orochimaru off guard before he could get to you and managed to land a blow that sent him out of here."

Yamato looked up and saw the big hole in the ceiling that looked like it reached up all the way to the surface.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Orochimaru was going to feel that one in the morning."

Sakura would've smiled at that joke and praise of her outwitting the snake if she wasn't so concerned about this mysterious power that came from out of nowhere. Even now she could feel it inside her but for some reason it wasn't dark like it was before. No, it was warm and welcoming. Far better than how it felt before.

Yet, she couldn't help but be afraid of it.

Yamato began to breathe easier as the pain started to subside thanks to Sakura. He slowly sat up before rising to his feet with Sakura's support. Being careful not to overdo it.

"Where's Sai?"

"I told him to go on ahead to find Sasuke while I kept Orochimaru busy."

Sakura looked over and saw that Sai accidentally left behind his picture book again. After making sure Yamato was alright to stand on his own, she walked over and picked it up and put it in her pouch. As she did that she watched Captain Yamato rustling through Sai's backpack.

"Captain Yamato, what are you doing?"

He then pulled out a small black book which he then began to flip through.

"I thought so."

Yamato then walked over to Sakura and handed her the book.

"Look, this was in Sai's pack. This is an Anbu Black Ops list of targets that obviously Sai's been assigned to assassinate or capture. In other words, it's a Bingo Book."

Sakura took it and began flipping through it herself.

"An assassination list?"

Sakura flipped through pages which showed various shinobi who were crossed out. An obvious indication that they were targets that were already taken care of. Sakura came across a page with a face that has yet to be crossed out.

It was Sasuke.

Sakura looked at Yamato confused.

"I don't get it, Captain Yamato. We already knew that Sai was sent to take out Sasuke but he's not focused on that anymore. He said he was now only interested in helping us find Naruto."

Yamato's face looked grim.

"And you may be only half right on that. Turn over to the next page."

Sakura didn't understand nor like the way that sounded but did as he said. She turned over the page but did it slowly due to a sunken feeling she had on what would be there. When she saw the target on the next page, she gasped in shock.

"That's…..that's Naruto!"

She didn't understand why Naruto would be on Sai's list of targets! She looked and saw some notes scribbled underneath Naruto's picture. They were of his abilities and combat techniques but what caught her attention was what was written at the very bottom.

Bring back alive if possible. Eliminate otherwise.

Sakura dropped the book as her body began to shudder and her pupils shrunk.

She couldn't believe it! Why would Naruto be in an Anbu Black Ops Bingo Book?! Naruto wasn't a high value target! He wasn't some ninja who stole various forbidden jutsu from the village or joined up with any of the village's enemies when he left! There was no reason for Naruto to even be in here to be captured or assassinated by Anbu of her village!

Unless it had to do with Naruto's power.

That same power that she's witnessed from him many times and that even Orochimaru feared what with the way he reacted and claimed that she possessed powers similar to Naruto's. Did that make Naruto a threat to the village in Danzo's and Sai's eyes? That would seem to be the case.

As it also appears that Sai lied to her again but that didn't make any sense either. When he told her earlier that he wanted to help her find Naruto and understand their bond she could tell that he wasn't lying and that his words were sincere! She didn't know how she knew. She just did! And that smile of his when he remembered his bond with his older brother was from the bottom of his heart!

Was it all another lie? Another act of Sai to cover up the whole purpose and scope of his mission? But if it were wouldn't she have been able to tell like when he lied the first time? She didn't know any of the answers but when she finds Sai, she was going to make him tell her everything!

BOOM!

Suddenly the ground and corridors began to shake all around them! The candles violently flickering from the quake! It sounded and felt like there was a massive explosion coming from the direction behind them!

Yamato's eyes narrowed.

"That's Sai's chakra!"

Sakura and Yamato dashed in that direction! Both of them sped through each and every corridor following his chakra! Until finally they came to a stop when they saw an opening up ahead! They both looked closer and saw that Sai was standing outside looking up at something.

Sakura's eyes narrowed and she grit her teeth.

'There he is!'

Sakura instantly dashed much to Yamato's protest! She ran down the hall straight out into the open! Sai calmly looked over in her direction as she grabbed him by the collar and started chastising him!

"ALRIGHT, ENOUGH! NO MORE SECRETS AND LIES! TELL US WHAT YOU'RE REALLY UP TO! WERE YOU JUST LYING TO ME BEFORE WHEN YOU SAID YOU'D HELP OR-"

"Sakura."

Sakura froze, and her eyes quivered from the voice that just spoke to her. She slowly and hesitantly looked upwards to the source. Her hand gently letting go of Sai's collar.

She could see him. Despite the dark clouds that covered the sky and the sun, she could definitely tell that it was him. That pale skin, that raven hair, and that disinterested look in his eye were clear signals. She gasped though when she fully took in his face. It had a scar that was running down where his left eye was supposed to be just like in her dreams. It looked like it was a claw mark. He also had a sword attached on one side of his hip and a metal hilt on the other that Sakura instantly recognized as Naruto's old weapon.

His presence was also different from before. It was even darker and colder than it was when he was in the village. Also, instead of one snake like shadow it appeared as though there were hundreds now that were constricting around his body. Despite these outer and inner changes though it was without a shred of doubt her former teammate and friend.

"It's you, Sasuke….."

Sasuke just stared at her with that same disinterested look as he responded.

"So, you've come and I assume that Kakashi is here?"

Yamato slowly walked into the area.

"Unfortunately, Kakashi couldn't make it, so I'm here in his place."

Yamato stopped and stood right next to Sakura.

"Team Kakashi has come to escort you back to the Leaf."

Sasuke just continued to stare at them with that same blank look on his face.

"Team Kakashi…."

Sasuke's eye lingered on Sai as the young Root Anbu drew out his tonto blade.

"So, is that guy my replacement or Naruto's?"

Sakura's body stiffened.

"He's too weak to be his or mine, so it's hard to tell. He was saying something about wanting to know what happened to Naruto for you, Sakura."

Sakura gasped and was stunned as she looked at Sai.

"Sai..."

The pale Anbu boy spoke.

"Sakura, I could tell by the way you reacted when you came out here that you found out what the second half of my classified mission was. I was not only sent here to find and eliminate Sasuke but was also tasked to find information of and possibly retrieve Naruto or kill him too. But I'm through following orders! From now on I think for myself! Sakura, I think you can help me remember and bring back more of those old feelings I thought were lost. Things that were once important to me!"

Sai tightened his grip on his tonto and his eyes grew determined.

"I don't really know that much about you, Sasuke! But I do know that Sakura considers you to be a friend and wants to bring you back to the village without any violence if possible! However, as I said before she also wants to know what happened to Naruto!"

Sasuke's eye narrowed.

"For years she's been searching for answers since he disappeared because she wants to find him and let him know how important her bond with him is to her! She will do anything to find him and to protect that bond with him! I still might not understand it that clearly and I know that when I asked of you about Naruto you refused to answer me but Sasuke…you must understand their bond and her desperation! That means you must answer her question because as her friend you understand her!"

Sasuke didn't say anything but Sakura could feel the cold snake like shadows tightening around him. His eye glared down at Sai before his gaze turned to her and softened a little. Not out of compassion though but more out of what looked like pity.

"You're right. I do understand Sakura's bond with Naruto because I too had a bond with him. A bond that he and I severed when we fought each other! Just as he severed his bond with you and the entire Leaf Village, Sakura!"

Sakura gasped and her pupils shrunk.

Flashback

"Well, now I know the truth about how you really feel! A truth that I should've known from the beginning! You never cared about me and you never will! You tried to abandon me after fooling me into thinking that you…..that you.…. that you loved me…..and then you had the nerve to ask me to save Sasuke for you?! I will never forgive you for that!"

"Upon doing this, I am no longer a shinobi of the Leaf! Once I walk out those gates I'm leaving this hell, for good!"

End Flashback

Tears began to stream down her cheeks.

"He and I no longer held any connection to that place or any of the people there. My reason was because I wanted to grow stronger so that I could sever the bond between my older brother and me. Naruto though severed his bonds because of the pain and rejection the Leaf gave to him. He chose to walk the path of hatred as I took the path of vengeance."

Sakura clutched where her heart was as she felt it beginning to break from Sasuke's words. Being reminded of Naruto's suffering was too much to bear. However, she had to steel herself. It was right here. The moment was right before her. She took a step forward and a deep breath before she hardened her teary gaze at Sasuke.

Then she finally asked the question she's waited years to ask him.

"Sasuke,…..what happened to Naruto when you two fought?"

Sasuke's eye twitched a little while Sakura's fists tightened.

"We've found no trace of him at the Valley of the End other than his right arm and his legs! What happened that day?!"

All the questions that have piled up in her mind over the years to this point were let loose.

"Was it you? Did you hurt him? DID YOU HURT NARUTO?! WHY DO YOU HAVE HIS WEAPON?! DAMN IT, SASUKE, ANSWER ME! WHAT HAPPENED TO NARUTO?!"

Sasuke still remained silent though he was surprised by how aggressive she was being with her questioning. The look of anger on her face made it clear that these questions were very personal to her. That and whatever answer she heard she would not take it lightly.

Sasuke closed his eye.

"While I don't owe you any explanation,…..I'll tell you what happened."

He opened his eye again.

"That day…."

Sasuke suddenly body flickered in front of Sakura and the others which caught her a little off guard but she remained firm while her glare never left its sight of him.

"Naruto di-"

Sakura suddenly gasped which interrupted Sasuke. She began to shiver and bend over from an extremely sharp ice cold chill that was spreading throughout her being and all around them! This caught Yamato and Sai's attention and even Sasuke was confused as to what was happening to her!

"Sakura! What is it?! What's wrong?!"

Sakura couldn't answer Yamato's question as her mind and body were both screaming at her! It was another warning. Something was coming. A vast shadow, that felt even blacker than the storm clouds that were rumbling above them, was overtaking the entire area. It was cold. So much colder and dark than the darkness that Sasuke was bound in or that she felt within herself earlier.

It was then that Sakura's head snapped up in shocking revelation! She recognized the shadow that was approaching. The fear; the anger; the hate, she knew it all too well. There was no doubt in her mind.

"It's him...He's here!"

No one there understood what or who she meant and began to think she was having a nervous breakdown until suddenly, the clouds up above them began to change color. The sky transformed from pure darkness into what looked like stained blood. Red lightning began to cackle and snake through the dark red clouds. It was then that they all felt it. A monstrous amount of killer intent permeating the air. Yamato found it unbelievable to comprehend to the point where he almost felt frozen in place while Sasuke and Sai were both shocked that they were even being fazed by it. Especially Sasuke, who for some reason felt like this elemental force of rage and desire for death was singularly directed at him.

UUUUUURRRRRRRR!

A strange sound then came from the clouds above. Something was moving up there. Something big. It was not long before a large object began descending from the hellish storm.

Sakura's eyes widened as she recognized it as the same object she and Lady Chiyo witnessed flying through the air at the Land of Rivers ten days ago, but what was even more shocking was who was standing on top of it.

Her blood froze at the sight of him.

His very being was as black as the oncoming wall of a starless night. His armor and helmet reflecting the flashes of red lightning bolts from the raging storm. His long black cape flowing and whipping in the wind. His belt and abdomen flashing lights of red and green. In his black gloved right hand, he held a glowing red blade that was as blood colored as the sky itself. Then there was his mask. That black mask that looked as if it was the face of death itself with those soulless looking eyes.

The large metallic craft he stood upon lowered further till it stopped and hovered just above them.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

There it was. That horrible mechanical breathing of his. The sound that has haunted her mind for years up till this very moment. It was unmistakable.

He looked down upon all of them. His helmet turning to each and every one of them slowly. Lingering upon her and Sasuke the longest.

Then, as a long red lightning bolt streaked across the sky, the Man in Black finally spoke with his dreaded voice echoing across the landscape.

"Our long awaited meeting has finally come at last."

---

And cue the Empire Theme!

Well, that's another chapter wrapped up! A couple notes here before I get into rants. First off my sincerest apologies for the long wait for this chapter. I know I said in my last chapter that this one would be shorter but there were unforeseen complications.

First and foremost, my computer crashed basically a week after I posted my last chapter. After it became clear that it couldn't be fixed, I had to spend about a month researching and shopping for a new one. Then I had to redownload all my programs and retrieve my backed up files! It was a long stressful mess!

Second was that this chapter was actually going to have to be a lot longer than I thought it would be but considering that you guys like it when I make them long I figured it would be a good way of making it up to you all!

Also, when I found out Naruto Day was coming up I decided to wait till then before posting it. Since most Naruto fans would be up and about during that time reading fanfictions I figured you guys would probably be more excited to read it on that day. That and it may attract more readers but I wouldn't really be bummed if it didn't.

Now, I managed to finish watching Shippuden again and…I'm not going to lie it still leaves a bit of a bad taste in my mouth. Not saying it's terrible but it certainly could've been a lot better. Especially considering that the entire Naruto anime has been going for 10 years I think? Who knows?!

I just hate how overly obsessive Naruto and Sakura is over Sasuke right to the very end! It feels like it stretched to the point where nothing else mattered to them! Yes, I know that I ranted about this already in the previous chapter so my advice is to just skip the next couple of paragraphs because rantings a coming!

There was a scene during when right before a white zetsu tries to ambush Sakura that she receives a love letter from a shinobi she treated. He tells her that he wanted her to have it in case he died in battle and what does she do?! She gives it back and literally says that she already has someone and is referring of course to Sasuke! This guy wanted her to have something that he probably wrote from the bottom of his heart because chances were he was going to die in this war and she rejects it for Sasuke who for all they knew was fighting on the opposite side of that same war! News flash, a guy who has rejected your feelings hundreds of times and who has tried to kill you and the boy that is desperate to do anything for you does not count as a boyfriend!

There was also a moment where when they fight Madara after he just regained the other Rinnegan eye where she stupidly charges in just so she could show off in front of both Naruto and Sasuke and she gets impaled! After Naruto saves her she then mopes that Sasuke didn't even try to rescue her. YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A WAR THAT HOLDS THE FATE OF THE ENTIRE WORLD IN THE BALANCE AND YOU'RE ONLY CONCERN IS THAT SASUKE CHOSE TO FOCUS ON MADARA RATHER THAN SAVE YOU?! GOD SOMETIMES I WISH SOMEBODY WOULD JUST SLAP SOME SENSE INTO HER!

*EXHALES*

Sorry about that! Needed to get that off my chest! There's other moments I want to complain about but ehhhh probably save them for the next chapter or in another farther down the line.

Anyway, the moment of vengeance has come! Darth Vader vs Sasuke and Team 7, Who will win?! Seriously, that question is like a no brainer!

Now in all seriousness,….the next chapter is going to take a loooooooooooot of work. I'm not kidding. It's going to heavily involved fighting which as I stated is hard for me to write and describe. I don't think it will be as long as chapter 7 was but it could very well be the second largest chapter I have so far. Not saying it will be! Just may be!

I know you guys are going to bang your heads against the wall for having to wait again considering that I left one hell of a cliffhanger but you're going to have to bear with it for now. I don't know when I'll get started. I might wait till Thanksgiving or even later after that. Don't worry I'm not going to put it off to the next year. But with school and the election my mind is deflated at the moment.

On my last note, if possible could someone please write a Naruto and Seven Deadly Sins crossover?! I checked and haven't found any that are really decent or even finished! I think it would be awesome and cool if it was set where Genin Naruto somehow ends up in Britannia and after helping the Sins with the Holy War and everything else the story ends with him back in the Leaf with a little PTSD and really missing being with the Sins and the others of Leonis and his friends don't know how to cheer him up and are really shocked by what he went through. That's my two cents for that yet to made story.

So long for now and Happy Naruto Day!