Pain.
All he felt was an agonizing pain shooting through his body, setting his blood on fire as every fiber of his being screamed at him to stop.
His fingers tightened around the iron hilt of his sword, jaw clenched as he jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding the flames that grazed his skin.
The blood in his veins ran hot, crimson eyes that pierced through the darkness set on their target and within the blink of an eye he was out of sight once more.
The blade of his sword nicked his skin, drawing the sanin's blood who barely managed to step aside in time to keep his head attached on his shoulders.
"Close, Hokage-sama, but not close enough."
Orochimaru's golden eyes brightened in delight the moment they saw crimson flash menacingly, and a second later there was only black.
X
Sakura's hands formed the familiar seals the second his crimson eye sparked, emerald orbs not leaving his even as the air around her shifted.
She knew exactly what he was trying to do, but there was no way that he would get rid of her that easily.
He would fight her, whether he wanted it or not.
"Kai!"
The air around her fell once more, the attempted illusion shattering before it was complete and Sakura inwardly thanked Mikoto for her lessons at the manor as she jumped a few meters back into a crouching position.
Obito didn't move, his masked face hiding his expression but if the tension in the air was anything to go by, Sakura was sure that he didn't appreciate her breaking his genjutsu before he was even able to cast it properly.
Her heartbeat was echoing loud in her ears, the adrenaline that was running through her veins leaving her immune to the cold and when she straightened once more, her expression was set.
"If you think that I'll let you go just like that, you're mistaken." She said, her voice soft and yet deadly as her eyes sparked.
Obito merely remained silent, and Sakura could practically feel the displeasure he radiated off in waves. She knew that he was trying to avoid fighting her, but she would not have it. He had made his choice and she hers accordingly, so he would have to face the consequences of his actions and decisions.
Whether he liked it or not.
A loud explosion broke through the silence then, shaking the ground beneath her feet and making her take a step aside to steady herself as her head shot up in alarm.
Her emerald eyes instantly found the orange flash in the dark night sky, followed by alarmed shouts in the distance, causing her heart to still in her chest.
It was coming from the district where Naruto was staying at.
Her heartbeat sped up then, hammering against her ribs as her eyes fell back to the male in front of her who was still calmly watching her, the tomoe in his exposed eye spinning steadily.
The realization that he wasn't alone and that the others have already begun their search for Naruto made her stomach twist painfully in apprehension.
"My fight is not with you." Obito announced, and when Sakura felt the air behind her shift she clenched her fists, jaw clenched as she realized what he had planned.
She should have known.
Obito regarded her for a moment longer then, the way her narrowed eyes were filled with anger as she looked at him. He knew that she wouldn't back down without a fight, and even though he hadn't expected her to avoid his genjutsu, he couldn't say that he was surprised by it either.
She was a remarkable kunoichi, and when he spoke, his words held nothing but sincerity.
"I wish you the best of luck, Sakura."
And with that, his form faded into the shadows of the night, leaving the kunoichi to stand in the graveyard and watch the place he formerly occupied with burning eyes.
As much as she wanted to follow him, to run to her friends' side, she knew that Sasuke and Kakashi would be able to handle things until she would be done here and get to them.
Sakura balled her fists that were hanging by her side, jaw clenched before she turned around and her eyes fell on the red-haired figure standing behind her, heart heavy and mind set.
She would deal with the little gift Obito had left for her, ensure that it wouldn't wreak havoc over the village and then take care of the masked Uchiha herself.
He watched her with empty eyes, the high collar of his cloak hiding most of his face and yet, she could make out his identity thanks to the files about the information they held of Akatsuli Kakashi provided them with weeks ago.
"Let's get this over with." Sakura announced as she allowed the chakra to channel into her hands, eyes burning when she saw his golden flash in return.
She would bring an end to him herself, for the sake of the people she held dear.
And with that, she moved.
X
Sasuke was resting his head against the cool apartment wall, eyes closed as sleep evaded him.
Naruto's snores could be heard from where he was sprawled on his bed across the room and the young Uchiha envied his blonde teammate for his ability to sleep whenever and wherever.
Ever since Itachi left, Sasuke and Kakashi had made it their task to stay with the blonde to ensure his safety and since Sasuke and Naruto were together most of the time anyways, it hadn't been much of a change either.
They knew that the blonde was more than capable of taking care of himself, but the mere fact that Obito could be able to use his sharingan against Kurama were the blonde to tap into his chakra gave them reason for concern.
Sasuke rested his forearm over his eyes, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he shifted on his weight on Naruto's worn sofa.
He just hoped that Itachi would hurry up and come back in one piece. Even though he would never admit it out loud, Sasuke looked up to Itachi to this day and greatly cared for his big brother.
He knew that Itachi would never go into a losing battle, always finding a way out of the most dire situations, but he knew just as well that Itachi was willing to make great sacrifices in order to keep his loved ones safe.
And that was the source of his concern.
Before he was able to dwell more on it though, his entire body stiffened, his senses sharpening the instant he felt the smallest change in the air.
Sasuke remained eerily still, his Sharingan bleeding to life beneath his covered eyes as he focused on the silence that filled the apartment.
Something was wrong.
Another tense moment passed and when the air in the room shifted once more, Sasuke moved.
Faster than the eye could see, the raven haired male had the intruder pinned by their throat and harshly pushed against the wall, crimson eyes glowing dangerously through the dark as his lips turned upwards into a warning snarl.
The masked intruder shifted their weight and Sasuke barely managed to dodge the kunai that came for his ribs, his hand shooting out to grab their wrist before he twisted it sharply, earning him a light gasp from the person in return.
Sasuke harshly yanked them forwards before pushing them face-first into the wall, arm twisted behind their back and his body pushed against theirs to keep them immobilized.
Before the young Uchiha was able to ask any questions however, a loud explosion pierced through the night and shook the ground beneath their feet, forcing the raven haired male to let go of the masked person who used that moment to twist out of his grasp and form a series of seals before he disappeared.
He heard Naruto wake with a startled yelp, the blonde scrambling onto his feet as his wide blue eyes scanned his surroundings.
"What the hell?" The blonde exclaimed, his eyes finally settling on his teammate just in time to see the shadow disappear. "And who was that?"
Sasuke let out an annoyed growl as he straightened, his eyes snapping to his blonde haired teammate as he balled his fists.
"Get ready, dobe." He told him, tossing his friend his orange jacket as a frown marred his face, the sound of commotion from the outside already commencing. "It's started."
Naruto's expression fell in understanding, lips thinned as he wordlessly put on his jacket and followed the Uchiha out of his apartment.
"You think they're already there?" Naruto asked as they hurried down the stairs, the sounds of the police force rushing through the streets and calming the villagers breaking the silence of the night.
Sasuke jumped onto the closest roof then, Naruto following close behind and when the Uchiha turned to look into the direction of the Hokage tower, his expression darkening upon seeing a white bird in the air.
"Seems like it." He told him, eyes falling on his blonde teammate as his brows pinched together in thought. "You know what to do."
Naruto nodded before he heaved a big sigh and waved his hand. "Yeah, yeah, I know."
Sasuke pointedly regarded his teammate for a moment longer, wordlessly advising him to not get any stupid ideas before his crimson eyes turned to look back at the Hokage Tower.
"Let's go."
X
Sakura let out a snarl as her fist collided with the twentieth puppet within the past minute, her chest heaving as her lungs burned.
She didn't know for how long she had been fighting the puppet master but she was starting to get really annoyed, her bleeding fists shaking as she held her sore side.
"You know, you're starting to really get on my nerves." Sakura muttered, wincing as she straightened and felt a jolt of pain shoot through her body.
She had managed to take out most of his puppets, but whenever she was getting close to him he created more, prolonging their fight and making her lose more of her chakra than she liked.
Sakura needed to get this over with, and fast.
Growling lowly in her throat, Sakura fixed her eyes on the puppet master before she channeled chakra into her feet and leapt forwards, heading straight for him.
The instant her feet left the ground they moved, coming from her all at once and even when Sakura felt her skin breaking under their attacks she continued onward, gritting her teeth when her fingers finally brushed the collar of his cloak.
He then moved aside, avoiding her touch and forming a new set of seals but Sakura was faster and with a cry, channeled her chakra into her outstretched hand before she rammed it straight into his wooden chest.
The puppet master stilled, eyes gleaming dangerously as they found her burning ones, his puppets still tugging at her bruised arms, trying with all their might to get her off but Sakura refused to move despite the pain.
His heart was warm in her hand as it beat, and if it weren't for the empty look in his eyes as he looked down at her, she might have actually felt bad when she sharply removed her hand from his chest, ripping his heart out with it.
The pinkette watched his face go slack, the tugging from his puppets ceasing as their bodies lifelessly fell onto the ground with a dull thud, followed by their master.
Sakura allowed herself a moment to catch her breath, all of the pain she had suppressed so far crashing over her at once as the hand holding the heart trembled.
The pinkette channeled chakra into the hand that held the fallen puppets heart, and without looking at it balled her fist, effortlessly crushing it under the force. She didn't flinch as she felt the warm blood coat her hand, running thickly over her skin and bathing it in a deep crimson.
She had blood on her hands far too many times before to mind.
Sakura flicked her wrist to rid her hand of the excess blood before she channeled her chakra into the soles of her aching feet and jumped onto the closest roof, a pained hiss passing her lips when her weight shifted onto her left foot.
Despite the chakra warming the soles of her feet, the pain dulled only little and when her eyes fell onto the now busy streets of the village she clenched her fists.
Shouts and yells broke through the night, orders from high ranked officers echoing through the villages as they tried to ensure everyone's safety.
Another explosion shook the ground then, this time closer, and as Sakura fought to keep herself on her feet, her head snapped to the right just in time to see the giant bird that circled the Hokage Tower.
Emerald eyes narrowed as she turned her body to make her way towards it, but just when her feet were about to leave the roof did she feel the breeze behind her pick up.
Within the split of a second she felt herself getting hit by an invisible force that harshly kicked her off her feet and tossed her a few meters back, her breath catching in her throat as her back harshly collided with the tiles of the nearby roof.
Her vision tilted as a wave of nausea overcame her, the sharp pain in her head worsening at the shrill noise in her ears and when she attempted to move, the pinkette found herself unable to do so.
The pinkette flexed her fingers and found herself relieved to feel them comply, the weight that was crushing her chest making it harder for her to breathe and when her vision cleared for the slightest of bits, she was able to make out the faintest blur of orange slowly closing in on her.
Her attempt to shift beneath the invisible force was in vain, and as she gritted her teeth when the crushing weight took nearly all the air out of her lungs, a soft voice broke through the shrill noise in her ears.
"Your effort is in vain."
Sakura gritted her teeth and rolled her head to the side, emerald eyes catching sight of black boots that were now only inches away from her face.
Whoever it was that came for her was strong, stronger than Sasori and if she wouldn't think of something fast, things would look bad for her.
She needed to get to Naruto.
Frustration forced the blood in her veins to rush faster, and when Sakura clenched her eyes shut as her last breath of air dared escape her lungs, she lifted her heel for the smallest of bits before ramming it down once more.
The roof beneath her back shattered in an instant, dragging her down into the home beneath and forcing the weight to remove itself off her chest.
Sakura winced as she landed on her side, the sharp pain of one of her ribs cracking slightly shooting through her body as she rolled herself onto her side and moved onto her knees.
Her chest heaved as she forced the air back into her lungs, hands shaking ever so slightly as she moved back onto her feet. Her eyes instantly snapped up to find the silhouette of her attacker on a nearby roof, and when he slowly lifted his hand, Sakura moved.
Her fingers formed a familiar set of seals, eyes firmly fixed on him as a dozen of clones formed by her sides. Within the split of a second they turned into a blur of pink, her chakra masked to blend in with the others who were getting thrown back one by one.
Sakura then vanished into the darkness, allowing her clones to serve as a distraction and when her feet soundlessly hit the tiled of the roof he was standing on, she pulled her hand back before she hurled it at the orange-haired Akatsuki member.
Before it was able to hit the back of his head he turned ever so slightly, having sensed the spark of chakra before smoothly stepping aside to avoid her punch.
Sakura twisted her body to lift her leg and hit him but he moved away again, earning him a frustrated growl from the pinkette as her remaining three clones charged at him from behind.
Sakura watched him lift his hand once more as he dodged, his eyes slightly narrowed in annoyance but before Sakura was able to move herself, silver flashed through the darkness of the night.
A hand encircled itself around her attackers arm and when Sakura's eyes snapped up in surprise, her chest eased in relief upon seeing her former teacher standing in between them, his Sharingan already spinning and eyes fixed on the Akatsuki member.
"Kakashi." She breathed, pleased by the unexpected change in event as she watched him lift his free hand to give her a small salute.
The Akatsuki member then flickered out of existence, making Sakura tense in alarm but before she could even realize that Kakashi had moved she found herself colliding against a familiar hard chest, arms locked on her waist as they jumped a few meters back to avoid another attack.
Sakura hissed as her bruised ribs brushed against Kakashi's chest, the silver-haired male slowly easing her feet back to the ground as he tilted his chin down to shoot her a concerned frown.
"You're alright?"
Sakura pursed her lips and nodded, her now glowing hand settling over her side as she glanced up at Kakashi.
"I'm fine." She assured him, swiftly scanning his bodies for any injuries but upon finding none, she felt herself ease some. "The boys?"
"With Tsunade-sama." He informed her, his mismatched eyes regarding her for one more moment before they flickered up to fix on something behind her. "I was going to get you too, and it seems like I came just in time."
Some of the tension seeped out of Sakura's shoulder upon hearing that her teammate's were alright, her hand on his vest loosening slightly as a flicker of concern brightened her eyes.
"You'll be okay on your own?"
His eye crinkled ever so slightly as he rested his hand on top of her head in return, his crimson eye already spinning steadily when he replied, "Just fine, now off you go."
Sakura held his eyes for a moment longer before she gave him a faint nod, knowing that Kakashi was able to take care of himself before she stepped back, moving to the edge of the roof before she glanced at him over her shoulder.
"Be careful, sensei." The young woman told him, the warning that laced her words not going unnoticed by the silver-haired copy-nin who offered her a soft smile beneath his mask in reassurance.
Sakura heaved a soft sigh before she turned around once more, eyes finding the Hokage Tower in the distance and without looking back, jumped.
As she leaped from roof to roof, her mind drifted to the still missing Uchiha, chest tightening as her emerald eyes found the Monument that held his face.
He knew that this would happen.
The swiftness of the Police force, Kakashi looking for her as well as her teammate's presence at the Tower was no coincidence and Sakura swiftly realized that Itachi had most likely given Fugaku as well as her boys orders if something like this happened.
When it happened.
The mere thought that even when he was gone his orders helped protect the village in his stance warmed her chest, and in that moment a wave of longing crashed over her, momentarily drowning the sounds of yells surrounding her.
Sakura prayed that wherever he was, he was alright, and that once this fight was over he'd see for himself that the village had made it through thanks to him.
She would see to it herself-it was the least he deserved.
The pinkette reached the Hokage Tower a few moments later, landing soundly at the entrance in front of a group of Anbu guards.
Two of them were barking orders at the others, their remaining men darting off into different directions and when their leader recognized the flash of pink, he instantly straightened.
"Haruno-san!"
Sakura offered the masked female a nod in return, expression grim as her eyes took in the commotion surrounding them.
"Status?"
"The amount of injured so far is low." The Anbu officer told her, and Sakura felt a wave of relief overcome her. "No casualties- the police force was able to ensure the civilians safety while our men are taking care of the intruders. Uchiha and Uzumaki-san are taking care of the leader, it seems."
Sakura gave her a curt nod but before another word could leave her lips she felt the earth beneath her feet shatter with a loud groan, forcing her to jump out of the way to avoid the huge crack that dared to swallow her whole.
Emerald eyes widened in surprise as her head snapped towards the center of the blast, the dust that now filled the air blinding her vision and making it hard to see, but when a flash of blonde caught her sight, she felt her body tense in alarm.
Her ears were ringing as she narrowed her eyes in hopes of clearing her vision but when the dust slowly settled and the yellow blur became clearer, she felt her heart still in her chest.
Kneeling on the ground was Naruto, his chest heaving with every ragged breath he took and one arm hanging limply by his side, the other cradling it to his chest as his blue eyes were glaring up at the sky.
"Naruto!" Sakura cried in alarm the second her body moved, feet carrying her towards him at full speed. He seemed to have heard her voice over the cries and shouts of shock around them, his surprised blue eyes finding his teammate in an instant and when they did, his shoulders sagged.
"Sakura-chan!" He called in relief as the pinkette drew closer and he forced himself back onto his feet. The relief he felt however only lasted for a second, for when his blue eyes caught sight of a blur behind the pink-haired kunoichi, his expression fell as his eyes widened in alarm. "Watch out!"
Sakura's eyes narrowed the second his warning cry left his lips and when she turned her head to look over her shoulder, her eyes widened in alarm upon seeing the metal bars that were coming for her at full speed and only one thought filling her mind.
Too close.
Before she could even brace herself for the pain that would undoubtedly follow, she felt her surroundings blur and a weight crash into her, knocking all the air out of her lungs as her body was forced to the side.
A small gasp passed her lips as her world tilted and it was only a moment later that she felt the steady ground beneath her feet once more, strong arms wrapped around her to keep her upright and when her eyes snapped up, her shoulder sagged upon seeing who her savior was.
"Sasuke." She breathed in relief, her small hands slowly releasing the front of his shirt as his crimson eyes found hers. His face held a frown as he scanned her for any injuries and when he found none, he slowly loosened his hold on her, allowing the pinkette to stand on her own once more.
She threw him a quick smile, relieved to see that he was alright but before she could ask him what was going on, a voice beat it to her.
"Sakura-chan!"
Within the split of a second Naruto was by her side, his blue eyes shining with concern as he grabbed onto her shoulders and searched her face for any injuries.
"Thank the First you're okay." The blonde breathed in relief, his hold on her tight as he swiftly looked her over. "You're not hurt or anything, are you?"
Sakura ignored the aching pain in her side and offered him a small smile, heart twisting in her chest as she looked at his visibly exhausted face that was covered in small bruises.
Her chakra warmed her hand as she lifted it to his face, palm gently hovering over the side of his face that seemed to have received the worst blow.
"I'm fine." She assured him, eyes softening when she didn't feel his hold on her loosening. "I'm glad to see that you two are okay as well."
Naruto lips curled upwards into his heart-stopping grin in return. "Of course we are, Sakura-chan. We made a promise to protect Konoha, and I will not go back on my word!"
Sakura's heart clenched beneath her chest as Itachi's face flashed in her mind, his absence worsening the weight that settled on her heart but instead of allowing it to lower her spirits, she turned to look at Sasuke.
"Tsunade-shishou?"
"Taking care of the Iwa-nin." He told her, and judging from his calm expression her teacher seemed to be fine on her own, much to her relief. His eyes then slid over to where the attack had come from, Sharingan spinning lazily when he spoke. "Anbu is taking care of the one going by the name of Kakuzo."
Sakura's brows then pinched together in mild concern as her eyes found Naruto's once more, the uneasiness in her stomach increasing. If she wasn't mistaken, that meant that only two more of them were missing.
The one going by the name of Hidan, and-
The air behind her shifted and the trio jumped back just in time to avoid the bomb that came flying down at them, the soles of her sandals scraping across the feet as she skittered to a halt.
Naruto and Sasuke were by her side in an instant, the first's chakra flaring as the latter drew his sword, and when Sakura saw the smallest of shifts in the heavy air surrounding them, she knew.
"Obito."
The moment his name left her lips the familiar chakra flared in response, the settling dust revealing the familiar form of the masked Uchiha survivor standing a few feet away from them.
To his right stood a purple-haired female, her dark eyes watching them blankly while the silver-haired male's lips were curled upwards into a sinister grin at the sight of them.
She could feel Sasuke next to her tense as he finally set his eyes on the older Uchiha, his frown deepening when he noticed that the lone Sharingan rested on Sakura for a long second.
"The infamous Team 7." Obito observed, his voice cool as he eyed the trio from beneath his mask. "A pleasure to finally meet the students of my former teammate."
Sakura kept her eyes firmly fixed on the masked male, brows furrowed as she remained still. She knew that this would be their most important fight yet, and one wrong move could not only change the fate of Konoha, but also the entire Shinobi system.
"So you're Kakashi-sensei's teammate?" Naruto called, arms crossed above his chest as he tilted his head aside to watch Obito through narrowed eyes. "I thought my old man taught you how to protect the village, not how to attack it!"
Sakura stiffened the second the words left Naruto and the pinkette was momentarily tempted to ball her fist and whack him upside the head for his insensitive comment.
So much for not provoking him.
Obito didn't seem to mind though, the Uchiha remaining calm as his Sharingan eye settled on Naruto, crimson flashing as he regarded the young jinchuuriki.
"The resemblance between the two of you is uncanny, though it seems that you share Kushina's habit of speaking your mind." Obito drily commented before he cocked his head aside as if to mirror Naruto's posture, clearly unbothered by the blonde's warning growl as he continued. "I wonder if you have inherited her strong will to survive even after the kyuubi's extraction as well."
Naruto's chakra flared dangerously high and Sakura swiftly rested a hand on her teammate's shoulder before giving it a soft squeeze in both comfort and warning. She knew that Obito was referring to the night of their death, and when her eyes found his crimson one once more, anger brightened them.
"It seems like I'll have to disappoint you, then." Sakura declared, voice low and words sharp as her hand on Naruto's shoulder tightened. "Because the kyuubi will stay with Naruto."
"Damn right he will!" Naruto yelled as he pointed his finger at Obito. "Kurama is going to stay with me, dattebayo!"
You better keep your promise, dattebane!
Her voice, so painfully familiar echoed in his ears as if she was standing right there next to him, and Obito balled his fist at the remainder of his past failure.
I will bring everyone back without a scratch, you'll see!
The Uchiha clenched his jaw behind his mask, the memory which had haunted him for the past years hitting him with full force and for a second, he could have sworn to have seen his old teacher staring back at him, his eyes so familiar to Naruto's own that it nearly hurt.
His eyes then found the crimson ones that mirrored his own, and in that moment Obito was certain that the fates indeed despised him.
Standing right in front of him were the shadows of his past, the trio the embodiment of the future that was robbed from him and his teammates.
It could have been them standing there, protecting the village and fighting for its safety, had the heavens but had mercy on him and his loved ones.
"Let's end this once and for all."
He then lifted his hand, his companions moving into their fighting stances at the signal and with one last look at the future that he had been denied, Obito allowed it to fall.
And with that, the final battle began.
X
The sannin's laugh echoed loudly in his eyes as Itachi found himself unable to move.
His body was protesting against his attempts to free himself, the piercing pain in his eyes accompanied by the pounding in his head and when his blurry sight found the familiar silhouette a few meters away from him, Itachi thinned his lips in displeasure.
"This is a different space I created just for you, Hokage-sama." Orochimaru's taunting voice broke through the ringing of his ears, the smile on his lips audible. "Your attempts to free yourself will be in vain."
Itachi's face remained impassive, crimson eyes following the blurry image of the sannin as he stepped closer. Their fight had been nearing its end when Orochimaru had managed to force him into the world he created, successfully immobilizing the Uchiha heir in the process.
The warm liquid that run down the length of his jaw signalled his sinking chances of leaving the battle unharmed, and when Orochimaru grew close enough for him to make out the delighted gleam his orbs held, Itachi felt the temperature surrounding them drop palpably.
"Your eyes shall be mine."
Itachi's brows pinched together into the faintest of frowns, and when his eyes fell onto the sanin's hand that were beginning to form the first set of seals that he had last seen all these years ago, the Uchiha heir acted.
The last sparks of chakra that rushed through his veins found its way to his eyes, momentarily sharpening his vision as crimson flashed.
One second.
For one second, his eyes granted him the power to bring an end to it all, and one second was all the Uchiha heir needed.
X
Her body was trembling, barely supporting her weight as her eyes scanned her surroundings in search of her target.
They managed to take Konan down already, leaving only Hidan who busied himself with the Uchiha heir while Obito went after Naruto.
Both her and Sasuke have been trying to aid the blonde, knowing that once Obito managed to use his Sharingan on him, hell would erupt, but the remaining Akatsuki member made it hard for them to lend Naruto a hand.
Hidan was strong, and the fact that he was practically immortal did little to help them. Sakura knew that by now Sasuke was growing annoyed as well, Hidan having successfully avoided any of his genjutsu that she suspected Obito had prepared him for and when Sakura felt Naruto's kyuubi chakra spark, she knew that she had to hurry.
The blonde had led Obito towards the village's outskirts to minimize the damage their fight would cause, and judging by his signature's location Naruto had managed to draw him towards the more isolated part of the village close to the Monument.
The pinkette saw a blur of red and swiftly threw her body to the side, narrowly avoiding the sharp scythe that had almost managed to cut her arm off clean.
She swiftly channeled her chakra into her fists and dove for the light-haired male, her fist hitting him square in the stomach and forcing him a few steps back.
Sasuke was behind him in a flash, the tip of his sword coming for his back but just as it dug into his flesh did he jump up into the air, his Scythe coming for Sasuke's head who dodged the attack and formed the familiar seals of chidori.
His hand brightened with lightning, the eerie sound breaking through the sounds of the battle and when his hand shot out towards the missing-nin, Hidan swiftly twisted his body out of reach, the chidori only grazing his skin and leaving a thin gash on his arm.
"Pathetic!" Hidan bellowed, his lips curled upwards into a grin as Sasuke let out a low growl, clearly annoyed by the Yugakure-nin.
Sakura landed a few feet away from the Jashin follower, her lungs burning and body aching while Hidan seemed barely out of breath. His stamina was commendable, and just as her eyes found Sasuke's did she feel Naruto's chakra flare once again.
Sakura's head snapped into the direction that her blonde teammate had run into, eyes widening with concern and when she turned to look back at the young Uchiha, she found that he was already looking at her.
"Go."
Sakura pursed her lips into a thin line, hesitant to leave her teammate's side but when Sasuke's frown only deepened in warning she nodded, knowing that Naruto needed her more than he did.
Sakura turned around and with one last look at Sasuke took off into the direction that Naruto's chakra came from, forcing her feet to run as fast as they could.
It hadn't been too long since they parted, but with every brush of the kyuubi's rising chakra against her own her pace fastened, the concern for Naruto's well-being gradually increasing.
Sakura jumped from roof to roof, avoiding the streets which were filled with Shinobi and officers of the police force alike and just when she was about to reach the outskirts of theAcademy grounds, a bright light flashed in the gray sky.
Her eyes widened as she recognized the yellow gleam, heart slamming against her ribs as she landed on the final roof and when her eyes finally found her blonde-haired friend, she felt her chest constrict in concern.
Naruto was kneeling on the ground in the middle of the Academy grounds, the kyuubi's glow bathing him in a yellow light as his shoulders shook. His hand fisted the front of his torn jacket as he clutched his chest in pain, breathing ragged as Obito lifted himself off the ground a few meters away from him. The Uchiha rolled his shoulders as he made his way towards the young jinchuuriki, the crack in his mask revealing his lone, dark eye as he stared at the blonde with a resolute expression.
Sakura's eyes scanned the blonde for any injuries from where she was standing on the roof, her chakra masked so that she wouldn't alarm Obito and when something black on Naruto's skin caught her eyes.
A seal.
Sakura's eyes widened at the realization of what Obito was trying to do, and the moment Obito stopped in front of Naruto, his crimson eye gleaming when a pained yell escaped Naruto, Sakura moved.
The pinkette leapt off the roof at a speed that rivaled the Fourth himself, her glowing hand balled tightly into a fist and when Obito finally sensed the slight trace of chakra, it was already too late.
Her fist slammed into the side of his head, catching him off guard and sending him flying through the air before his body slammed through the wall of the Academy building, the loud crash that followed echoing through the clearing.
Sakura's bloody hands shook as she swiftly fell on her knees next to her blonde teammate, green eyes wide with concern as she reached out to gently tilt his head upwards so that he would look at her.
"Sakura-chan?" Naruto rasped out as his hazy blue eyes found her familiar face, his gaze clearly unfocused and Sakura swiftly placed her other hand against the pulsing seal on his abdomen, nearly flinching when it burned under her skin.
"Just a moment." Sakura whispered as she removed her hands from his body before forming the set of familiar seals that she fortunately only had to use a handful of times before.
The pinkette then placed her hand back onto his abdomen, her jaw clenching when she heard Naruto's sharp inhale but to her relief, the seal eventually ceased its pulsing.
She felt Naruto gradually relax under her touch and reached out to wrap an arm around his body when he leaned forwards to rest his forehead against her shoulder and tried to calm his breaths.
The kyuubi's chakra remained unstable nonetheless and when Sakura lifted her free hand to place it on the back of Naruto's head, she realized that he was at the brink of unconsciousness.
Preventing Obito from weakening the seal must have put a great strain on the blonde, and when the pinkette felt Obito's signature flicker from where she had thrown him into the academy, she knew that they would have to hurry.
Sakura wrapped her arm under his shoulders and carefully moved back to her feet, pulling the blonde up in the process who shot her a crooked smile in return.
"Thanks for the help, Sakura-chan."
Sakura's lips turned upwards into a light smile that betrayed the concern her orbs held as she noticed that his eyes yet had to focus. The pinkette tried to ignore the way her legs trembled under Naruto's additional weight and merely tightened her hold on his arm in return, knuckles turning white when she felt Obito closing in.
"Don't worry." Sakura mumbled, her free hand placed securely on the blonde's back as she continued to let her chakra flow into him, emerald eyes falling on the dark silhouette that was making their way towards them. "I got you."
Naruto shot her his usual grin, the kyuubi's chakra gradually stabilizing itself and when emerald eyes caught the flash of angered crimson, her eyes narrowed.
Obito was standing in front of the academy building, his mask gone and baring his face to the pinkette who tightened her hold on Naruto in return.
His mismatched eyes burned brightly with anger as he looked at them, his face holding a frown that only darkened his expression.
"I told you to stay out of my way."
His voice was low as he spoke and Sakura allowed her eyes to narrow at the sharpness of his words, well aware that his words were directed at her.
The temperature palpably dropped as the pinkette bravely held his eyes, her lips pursed into a thin line as she kept a tight hold on Naruto.
"And I told you that I won't let you get him."
Obito's eyes sparked in annoyance as a growl passed his lips and within the split of a second, he moved.
Sakura's fingers dug into the material of Naruto's broken jacket as she felt the wisp of heat behind her and within the blink of an eye the pinkette jumped to the right, turning her body mid-air so that the flames wouldn't touch the barely conscious Naruto.
The pinkette hissed as she felt the heat of the flames on her back and when she landed on a tree next to the academy building, Naruto stumbling ever so slightly as he fought to keep his balance, she swiftly grabbed the her coat and ripped it off her body before discarding it on the ground.
Sakura gritted her teeth as she felt Naruto gently turn her so that he could look at her back and when she felt his fingers dig deeper into her arms, she knew that it must have looked as bad as it felt.
"It's fine." Sakura assured him, a wry smile on her lips as she tugged at the hem of her shirt. "At least my shirt is still in one piece."
Naruto turned to look down at her with his jaw clenched, his blue eyes shining darkly and when Sakura was back on her feet once more, the blonde balled his fists in a way that the pinkette knew meant trouble.
Obito was on them barely a second later, the Uchiha flickering to life behind Naruto and tossing a Kunai at his head that he narrowly dodged.
Sakura jumped off the branch and grabbed Naruto mid-air, her fingers digging into his arm as she helped him land safely on the ground once more.
The second their feet touched the ground however it begun to shake, and Sakura barely managed to have enough time left to form a set of seals before she felt herself getting flung towards the building by the Uchiha who had jumped out of the ground.
Naruto's enraged cry reached her ears the split of a second before her body roughly collided against the wall, all air leaving her lungs as she slid down the stone and fell into a crouching position, vision swimming.
The pinkette caught sight of her clones aiding her blonde friend as he charged at the Uchiha, the rasengan ready in the palm of his hand but just as it was about to graze his temple did the Uchiha flicker out of existence.
Sakura forced herself back to her feet, Naruto's confused blue eyes finding hers and when she saw a shadow above the blonde's head, her heart stilled.
"Up!" She cried in alarm as she dashed towards them, Naruto's eyes flashing in recognition before he twisted his body around just in time to avoid the Uchiha's Kunai.
Naruto's Rasengan was just about to hit Obito when he grabbed his wrist and forcefully twisted it to the side, earning a pained yelp from Naruto whose free hand shot out to grab his black coat but Obito was faster and kicked him square in the abdomen, sending Naruto flying back with a pained grunt.
Sakura's chest tightened in concern as she saw her teammate hit the tree, her balled fist tingling as she leapt for Obito.
The Uchiha moved aside and roughly grabbed her arm to immobilize her but Sakura was faster and lifted her leg before she slammed her heel into the ground, making it crack under the force of her attack.
Obito cursed as his hold on her loosened and Sakura used that moment to forcefully yank him towards her, the Uchiha's eyes flashing the second before her fist collided with his face.
The force of her punch forced him a few meters back as Sakura jumped back and landed in a crouching position, her vision swimming as she tried to even her breaths. She was gradually starting to grow weaker and if she didn't end this fight soon or at least got Naruto out of there, things would look bad.
The pinkette's eyes found her teammate in an instant, his now unconscious body huddled at the base of the tree. She felt a pressure in the air behind her, green eyes darting to the left just in time to see Obito look at Naruto and within a heartbeat, Sakura moved.
The pinkette darted towards her unconscious friend as fast as she could, her heart slamming against her ribs when she saw Obito's shadow out of the corner of her eyes.
A wave of panic surged through her when she noticed that Obito had almost reached the blonde, the tomoe in his crimson eye already spinning. She was ahead of him by only the split of a second, her heartbeat leaving her deaf to the world and when Obito extended his arm to reach for Naruto, the tips of his fingers reaching the blonde's jacket, Sakura felt her heart stop dead in her chest.
It all happened within the blink of an eye.
A chakra signature stronger than she remembered it flooded the clearing as Naruto's body flickered out of existence, leaving Obito to grasp nothing but air.
The pinkette's heart dropped as her eyes widened in panic but before she was able to catch the surprised expression on Obito's face she felt an iron grip around her waist, black entering her vision as her body was forced to a halt.
Sakura's vision tilted as she felt a familiar warmth brush against her, her body stilling as a familiar scent clouded her senses that made her heart freeze in her chest.
Her hands dug into the softness that her face was pressed against, knuckles turning white as her chest constricted and when she heard a steady, familiar thudding against her ear, she could have sworn everything around her stilled.
Impossible.
Sakura hesitated for a moment longer, the steady sound of his heartbeat soothing her nerves and when she finally mustered up the courage and allowed her emerald eyes to flicker up, she knew that he was real.
Staring right back at her was a pair of eyes that had haunted her for the past days, the warmth they held as they looked down at her unable to be feigned by any jutsu.
"Itachi?"
The second his name passed her lips his expression softened, hand gently settled against the side of her neck as his thumb traced the length of her jaw. He took a moment to simply watch her, the small bruises that graced her face causing his chest to tighten as her hazy emerald eyes stared up at him.
"You did well."
His voice was low when he praised her, words laced with nothing but pride and Sakura felt her heart swell beneath her chest upon hearing his voice again.
He came back.
Before she was able to do as much as say something his eyes suddenly left hers, head turning to look towards their right as the corner of his lips tilted downwards into a small frown.
Sakura followed his line of vision, the pace of her heartbeat fastening as she saw Kakashi and Sasuke standing a few meters away, the raven haired Uchiha supporting an unconscious Naruto as Kakashi fixed his previous teammate with a blank face.
A wave of relief crashed over her when she realized that her teammates were alright, her hold on Itachi's shirt slowly loosening despite him keeping her firmly nestled against her chest.
"Sasuke." Kakashi's calm voice broke the silence of the clearing, the copy-nin's eyes not leaving the visibly displeased Uchiha in front of him. "You know what to do."
Sakura eyes Obito for a moment longer before he inclined his head into a curt nod, his hold on his orange-clad teammate tightening before he turned his head towards where Itachi and her were standing.
His red eyes held hers for a long moment to ensure that she was alright before they found Itachi's, a silent mission seemingly passing between the two before Sasuke adjusted his hold on Naruto and flickered out of existence.
Sakura's hand tightened on Itachi's shirt once more when she saw the flash of fury that brightened Obito's eyes as he looked at Kakashi, the temperature palpably dropping as his lone, crimson eyes sparked.
"Figures." Obito scoffed, lips curled downwards as his eyes held Kakashi's. "That you would be the one intervening."
Kakashi's expression remained impassive as he looked at his former teammate, his hands buried in the pockets of his pants and even though he seemed calm to others, after years of spending time with the silver-haired nin Sakura didn't miss the way his shoulders were stiffer than usual.
"I had hoped that I was mistaken." Kakashi muttered, his mismatched eyes shining with disappointment as he looked at the shadow that was left of the boy whom he had once trusted with his life. "But it seems like I was right after all."
Obito's jaw ticked as his mismatched eyes, so similar to her teachers, flashed in cold fury. It was only then that Sakura noticed that Obito was eerily still, his body not moving an inch and if she didn't know better, it looked like he couldn't move.
It was then that Sakura realized what was going on, her hold on the front of Itachi's shirt slackening as she allowed her chakra to expand and as she suspected, the tension that filled the air was familiar.
Genjutsu.
Itachi must have cast it to prevent Obito from following Sasuke and Naruto, and Sakura once more marveled at his fast thinking.
"Don't act so surprised." Obito bit out through his clenched jaw, fingers twitching as he tried to free himself from the genjutsu he had walked into in vain. "You out of everyone should know why I'm doing this."
Despite the cold fury that burned in his eyes, Sakura could easily make out the frustration that laced his words. The pinkette allowed herself to lean more into Itachi, the need to feel him closer overwhelming her and when his hold on her waist tightened in return, she allowed herself to slightly relax.
"Rin wouldn't have wanted this."
The second her name passed his lips Obito's eyes flashed, all the pent of frustration and anger from the past years resurfacing as his lips curled upwards into a snarl.
"Rin deserved to live!" Obito bellowed, the pain that his voice held causing Sakura's chest to constrict as she watched him, her heart going out for him. "As did all the others. What I have done was not only for Rin's sake, but to prevent something like that from ever happening again."
Kakashi's eyes narrowed as his gaze sharpened. He barely recognized his teammate as he was standing there, the young boy whom he had once admired for his kind heart having lost it to the darkness that bloomed in it after Rin's death.
"Death is inevitable." Kakashi curtly reminded him, the weight of his words heavily settling over the ones present. "Changing the world as we know it would be disrespecting the sacrifices Rin as well as the others have done not only for the village, but the united shinobi nations."
Obito clenched his jaw as his eyes darkened at Kakashi's words. "Even after all these years you haven't changed, Kakashi."
Regret flashed in Kakashi's dark eyes when he removed his hands from his pockets, hands forming the first seal that would mark the end of the ghosts that haunted him.
"I wish I could say the same about you, Obito."
The sound of a thousand birds coming to life broke through the clearing then, the blinding light that accompanied it painfully familiar and when Sakura saw Kakashi dart towards his old friend, her heart dropped into her stomach.
The resolution in Kakashi's eyes was mirrored the hauntingly calm gleam Obito's eyes held, the bright light of the Chidori illuminating their faces and just when Kakashi's hand was about to brush against his chest did Sakura's eyes catch sight of something that stilled her breath.
"Don't!"
Kakashi stilled the moment the cry passed her lips, his fingers a mere breath away from Obito's chest as she felt Itachi tense in alarm.
The copy-nins eyes flashed in confusion at her sudden warning but when he saw Obito's lips curl upwards into the smallest smirk, he understood.
A reverse genjutsu.
Had his fingers made contact with him he would have walked into the same trap that he had put Obito into, and when Itachi realized what had happened he swiftly pushed the pinkette behind himself.
The Uchiha took advantage of the moment and allowed the Tomoe in his eye to spin faster, the glint his eye held the only warning they had before the air around him darkened and his body gradually faded.
Kakashi's eyes widened in realization as his hand shot out to hold onto the vanishing Uchiha but just as his fingers brushed the black material of his shirt he vanished, making Sakura's heart sink in dread.
"Naruto." She whispered in dread, blood running cold and within a second she was in Itachi's arms ones more, crimson eyes sparking when he looked down at her with a frown
"Hold tight."
His soft spoken words was the only warning she got before her surroundings blurred, making her bury her hands into the front of his shirt to steady herself.
A heartbeat passed before her vision once more cleared, the sound of shouts from the police force breaking through the ringing of her ears as her emerald eyes found herself standing in front of the Hokage Tower.
Anbu as well as officers were rushing around, the panicked cries from Konoha's citizens sending a shiver down Sakura's spine as her eyes scanned her surroundings.
She could see Shikaku and Inoichi taking care of Hidan who seemed to be alive still, though quite wounded, while Deidara was seen to be occupied with a bunch of Anbu.
"Uchiha!"
Her head snapped to the right in time to see Tsunade hastily approach them, her beautiful face scrunched into a concerned frown upon seeing them.
Her yell instantly caught the attention from the ones around them, cries of relief from shinobi and citizens alike following the blonde upon seeing the Rokudaime finally making his appearance.
Itachi only released Sakura when he was sure that she was steady on her feet, his hand carefully placed on the uninjured part of her back in silent support when Tsunade finally reached them.
The blonde's golden eyes were hard yet shining with worry as she took in Sakura's bruised form but the medic merely gave her a reassuring smile.
Tsunade thinned her lips before she looked at Itachi, her shoulder sagging slightly in relief despite the way her eyes darkened knowingly.
She didn't need to ask about her former teammate, his mere return the only answer she needed and even though she had expected it, she felt a pang of sadness in her heart for his fate nonetheless.
"About time you came back." The blonde told him, lips thinned as her expression grew serious. "Naruto is with Yamato and Shizune right now while the others are taking care of the remaining two members of Akatsuki."
Itachi's brows drew together as he nodded but before he was able to ask where exactly the blonde jinchuuriki was being held at, an explosion close by rocked the earth beneath their feet.
Sakura lifted her hands to shield her eyes from the wave of dust that came flying at them, the enormous sound making her eyes ring and leaving her deaf to the world.
She snapped her head up to look at Itachi in concern whose eyes bled crimson before they fixed themselves on something in the distance.
Tsunade followed his line of vision and cursed when she caught sight of the huge bird that was up in the air once more, teeth gritted together into a snarl and even though Sakura had a hard time making out what she was saying, the expression on the Hokage's faces was telling her all she needed to know.
Naruto.
"Go." Tsunade called over the commotion, jaw clenched as her eyes found Itachi's angered ones. "I'll take care of the injured."
Itachi didn't need to be told twice and before Sakura could do as much as protest he had already swooped her off her feet, his grip on her tight as he rushed towards the direction of the explosion at the speed of light.
Sakura held onto his neck as she expanded her chakra in hopes of getting a grip on the situation, and when she felt Sasuke's chakra flicker dangerously low, her hold on Itachi's neck tightened in alarm.
"Sasuke's not doing well." Sakura swiftly informed him as they grew closer, the dust that partially blinded her posing no issue to the Sharingan as Itachi fastened his pace.
The seconds until they reached their destination passed by at an agonizingly slow pace, her heart hammering in her chest and when Itachi finally landed on the remnants of what seemed to be a crushed hut and she was able to have a look at the ongoing battle, her eyes widened.
What once used to be the market-place of the village now only held rubbles, the huts and stands all turned to dust beneath their feet.
Standing in the middle of the clearing were Shisui and Yamato, the duo trying to shield Naruto from Obito as the blonde fought a series of Deidara's explosive clay creations in hopes of getting the Iwa-nin back to the ground with the help of his clones.
Shizune was crouched down next to Sasuke who was barely holding himself upright on his knees, his activated Sharingan bleeding as he held onto his bleeding shoulder, the medic trying to heal the damage as good as she could without getting hit by the explosions Deidara sent down at them.
Itachi's hold tightened on her before he leapt towards Sasuke, eyes shining with cold fury at the sight of his injured little brother as Shizune's head snapped up in surprise upon feeling the pair of familiar signatures.
"Hokage-sama!" Shizune called in relief when Itachi finally landed next to her, the pinkette in his arms wriggling herself out of his hold to tend to her teammate.
The second his hold on her loosened the pinkette instantly dropped onto her knees next to Sasuke, the small amount of chakra she managed to recharge during the past minutes warming her hands as she placed them on Sasuke's temples.
Sasuke remained silent as he allowed Sakura's chakra to enter his body, the familiar cool sensation numbing the pain in his eyes almost instantly as Sakura frowned in concern.
He had overused his Sharingan and was at the brink of chakra exhaustion but other than that, his injuries luckily didn't seem lethal.
"He'll be fine." Sakura informed the Uchiha heir who had yet to move from behind her, her expression softening when she felt Sasuke's body relax under her familiar touch. "You go take care of Obito."
Itachi eyed his little brother for a moment longer, the displeasure he felt upon seeing his little brother in such a state clearly palpable. The Uchiha heir allowed his eyes to slide over to Shizune who merely offered him a small smile in reassurance, her glowing hands never leaving Sasuke's battered body before they fell back on the medic in front of him.
She wasn't looking at him as she healed Sasuke, her attention solely focused on the younger Uchiha and even though she didn't seem to be in a much better shape than him, he knew that both of them would be fine.
He would ensure it.
With that the Rokudaime finally turned around to face the reason behind his loved ones pain, crimson eyes glowing dangerously as they fixed on his target.
Obito was currently fighting Shisui as Yamato held Naruto's back, his cousin using his Sharingan to deflect any of his attacks and just when he saw Obito lift his hand to form a set of seals, he moved.
His hands fell into the familiar motions when he felt his chakra expand and wrap around him like a warm armor, the tomoe in his orbs spinning faster with every seal he formed.
Sakura's head snapped to Itachi when she felt the enormous chakra surrounding him, emerald eyes widening in amazement at the sight that greeted her.
She had heard of Itachi's susanoo from both Shisui and Sasuke before, but none of their descriptions came close to the actual sight of it as it surrounded the Uchiha heir.
The medic now understood why Itachi was so widely feared by the nations, the sight of his susanoo in combination with his sharingan spinning dangerously in his eyes, one that caused a shiver to dance over her skin.
"Yasaka no Magatama!"
The call was the only warning Obito had before the warrior hurled the Shiruken consisting of its chakra towards him, his eyes flashing in anger at his interference as he jumped away from Shisui.
His cousins eyes widened in surprise as he caught sight of Itachi who darted towards in a flash, Susanoo letting out a loud cry as its fist slammed into the ground where Obito had been standing a mere second ago.
"Woah!" Naruto exclaimed in surprise from her right, his blue eyes wide as he looked at Itachi in amazement before he let out a startled yelp, only narrowly avoiding one of Deidara's attacks.
Shisui landed to Itachi's right a moment later, eyes never leaving Obito as his frown deepened.
"He's not to be underestimated." Shisui commented as he watched Obito form a set of seals once more, jaw ticking as he glanced at Itachi out of the corner of his eyes.
The Uchiha heir's expression gave nothing away as he watched Obito flicker out of existence, Shisui following suit as he moved to block Naruto's right the moment Obito dove for him.
Itachi used this moment to act, Susanoo's hand darting out once more but this time it didn't miss.
The chakra filled fist came crashing down on Obito with full force, the Uchiha releasing a pained grunt as the air was forced out of his lungs under Susanoo's attack.
Despite the pain Obito forced himself back on his feet, narrowly avoiding Shisui's kick as he jumped a few meters back, his hands blurring as he called the next jutsu.
"Katon!"
Itachi prepared himself for the attack, Susanoo's shield lifted and ready to deflect the flames but when Obito suddenly turned into the opposite direction, his heart stopped as he realized what he planned on doing.
Sakura's eyes widened as she felt the warning heat approach her, Naruto's warning cry only barely registering in her mind as she moved to hold onto both Sasuke and Shizune before she jumped.
The flames of his attack only barely missed her as Sakura moved them further back, Shiszune aiding her in placing Sasuke safely on the ground. The pinkette's head snapped to look back at Itachi, her heart stilling when she saw his eyes flash in fury as he dove for Obito.
Obito swiftly avoided the chakra sword that came for his head and rammed his heel into the ground, the wooden spears that shot out of the ground impaling Susanoo and narrowly missing Itachi who felt a tug at his chakra from the hit.
Susanoo was taking a lot of his strength and he knew that he couldn't maintain this form for much longer, so when his eyes found Shisui's and the older Uchiha gave him a small nod, he acted.
Shisui flickered out of existence before reappearing behind Obito, fingers drawn to his lips as a ball of flames shot towards him.
Obito moved to jump away but Itachi was faster, Susanoo's arm slamming into him and hurling his body high into the air before his other hand slammed down.
The Akatsuki leader's body was slammed into the ground with a force that made the ground beneath him break, the grunt that followed the impact the only indication that he had survived the blow.
Itachi felt his vision swimming as he tried to keep a steady hold on Susanoo, the exhaustion that tugged at him increasing and when he saw Obito moving back to his feet once more, the Uchiha narrowed his eyes.
Obito was breathing heavily as he held onto his undoubtedly broken ribs, his lone crimson eye bleeding and when Itachi felt a shift in the air behind him that signalized the arrival of their final ally, Obito let out a scoff.
"I thought being late was my specialty." Obito taunted as he watched Kakashi land next to Itachi, the copy-nin now completing the circle that served to corner him.
Kakashi's eyes were filled with disappointment as he looked at Obito's bruised form, the Uchiha barely keeping himself on his feet.
"It's over, Obito." Kakashi declared, his voice low and eyes firm as he looked at him. "Give up."
Obito's smirk merely deepend as he tilted his head aside when he looked at Kakashi and for the split of a moment something flashed in his eyes, something so familiar that made Kakashi tense.
"You should have killed me when you had the chance, Kakashi." Obito told him, his voice uncannily serious and when Kakashi finally realized the meaning of his words, Obito's eyes flashed. "Because even If I don't succeed, I'll have at least died trying to make a change."
The moment Itachi saw Obito fade his eyes snapped to the blonde jinchuuriki in the distance who was still fighting Deidara, his chest tightening as he channeled the last bit of strength he had left into darting forwards, Kakashi and Shisui following suit.
Sakura's eyes widened in panic as she saw Obito disappear from where she was tending to Sasuke still, her eyes instantly snapping to Naruto who was oblivious to what was going on. Yamato had taken to fighting Deidara who was now on the ground, unaware of the danger the two were in.
Too far was the only thought that ran through her mind and before she knew it she was already rushing towards the blonde, her heart slamming against her ribs as she felt the adrenaline that ran through her veins increase.
That she was closer to Naruto than the others was the only reason that gave her hope in reaching him first, and when she saw a black shadow materialize itself in front of the blonde's back, Sakura didn't think twice.
Sakura reached him just as the sound of a thousand birds reached her ears and as she covered her teammate's body with her own, she felt no regret.
And then, there was only pain.
A pain more agonizing than any she had felt before hit her with full force the second she felt Obito's chidori pierce her abdomen, all air leaving her lungs as her eyes widened in pain.
Emerald eyes brightened by the silver light found Obito's own that were wide in shock as he looked at her and when the pinkette saw his eyes flash with a mixture of both regret and horror, her lips curled upwards into the faintest of smiles.
So she was right after all.
The sound of people shouting her name faintly reached her ears and a second later she felt the chidori getting violently ripped out of her body, the force of the action sending another wave of blinding pain through her as her legs gave in without the support.
A breathless gasp passed her lips as she felt her blood fill her lungs, her mind barely registering the arms that caught her just as her body was about to hit the ground.
Her sight gradually began to blur, black creeping into the edge of her vision as crimson entered her vision and even though she couldn't recognize their owners face, she would recognize these eyes anywhere.
Her lips parted but his name wouldn't pass her lips, the muted shouts of Naruto making her heart clench in her chest as she felt her consciousness slipping away.
She just hoped that he would forgive her, for breaking the promise that he kept.
And then, there was only darkness.
X
A/N: I'm back! I apologize for the long wait, but this chapter simply refused to get written. I had to re-write scenes a couple of times before I was content with them, but in the end I'm more than happy with the final result!
As to this chapter- I know that a lot of you will probably want to kill me. Can't blame you, but don't forget that there is one more chapter left so just wait and see what happens!;)
As always, I am beyond thankful for every single review, follow and favorite I received! The final chapter should be out a bit sooner, so if you want to get snippets before the actual release, make sure to follow me on Tumblr.
You can find me there as FF-Saranero!
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I'll see you soon.
Love,
Sara