PRESENT DAY KONOHA
A WEEK AGO
Hokage Tower
It's been three years since the Fourth War ended and the village,Everyone is still trying to build what they lost and start ninjas to civilians, everyone is doing their best to bring things back to normal. And now they are facing another threat.
The tension in the room is impalpable.
"We need to act as soon as possible. Our village is still recovering from the war, we can not risk it." Kakashi said to Shikamaru
"The Sand's intel already verify their current whereabouts. Gaara is already preparing his troops, they will serve as our back up." Shikamaru said.
Earlier that day they received alarming news from the Kazekage about a new group of rogue ninjas called Mamoo. Some people are just pure evil. According to the intel, they are trying to unseal Kaguya by collecting the remaining fragments of her chakra and the ancient scroll. Kakashi knows that they need to act fast as they could, they can not let these Mamoo succeed and destroy the peace they fought hard to attain.
"What else do we know about them?" Kakashi asked Shikamaru.
"As per Sasuke informant, they are going to attend the annual party at Lord Shibaku compound to steal the scroll."
Another complication. They need to move fast without causing panic. Lord Shibaku, The fire Daimyo's son decided to have an annual party to commemorate the nation's victory against Kaguya. The compound is heavily guarded but they are fighting the unknown, there is little information about this Mamoo group. Great! Kakashi thought.
"I already dispatched an ANBU team to fetch Naruto. Sasuke is on her way to notify Sakura as well." Shikamaru informed Kakashi.
Kakashi nodded.
Failure is not an option for this one.
-o.0.o-
Konoha Library
Sakura almost spent her whole week researching about a herbal plant called Moontears. According to legend, many indivading soldiers are often poisoned with wine made from the sweet fruit of deadly Moontears. This plant will surely be beneficial for the poison that they have been developing for almost a month, but with the limited literature about it makes it hard to do so.
"We are already behind schedule time. Hopefully we find something this time forehead." Ino whispered irritably to her friend.
"Yah, I know Ino-pig." Sakura whispered back, eye skimming to the tons of book titles in front of her.
"Argh… You know what I'm, I'm done here. I'll be heading to Nara Archives, maybe we'll find something there ." Ino stood up and walked towards the library exit.
"See you tomorrow " Sakura mumbled.
"Not this one… definitely not this. I read that already this one.. Ancient medicine, Rare herbs and plants, I'm also done reading this."
"LOST STORIES OF ANCIENT KONOHA: ART of MEDICINE, HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY By: Yuki Shō, maybe there's something here." Sakura read the title out loud.
"Art of Ancient Medicine, let's see… table of contents: poisonous plants and flower… Cicuta makulata, white snake root, rosary pea….Moontears!"
EUREKA!
"Moontears is one of the most poisonous plants that is purely endemic at Konoha. These plants only bloom once a year, during the end of spring It's fruits are almost similar to berries from its taste and it's appearance. It is the sweetness of toften lures children and unwitting adults to consume this lethal plant. The deadly moontears fruit contains atropine and scopolamine in its stems, leaves, berries, and causes paralysis in the involuntary muscles of the body, including the heart. Even physical contact with the leaves may cause skin . The most deadliest part is its flower, with the appearance of tear-like petals that shine under the moonlight . The extract from petals often causes painful convulsions, abdominal cramps, nausea, and death are common, and those who survive are often afflicted with amnesia or lasting tremors. It's petals- "
Like a giddy child she eagerly flips to the next page, only to find out that the next couple of pages are missing.
"Argh" Sakura pulled her own hair out of frustration. Unintentionally her eyes swept to a portrait of man on the adjacent page. It is Madara Uchiha, wearing ancient armor, even in illustration that man looks stoic and formidable.
That sparked her curiosity, so she continued reading.
-It was said that the Great Uchiha Tajima proposed an alliance thru marriage between the two which still unknown why it didn't push through. Some historian argue that it's simply because the Kimura Clan refused to associated themselves to any shinobi clans , while others said that the princess vanished months before her wedding to the Uchiha heir-"
Wait, that was never mentioned during history class! That guy was supposed to be married?
Suddenly she wonders what might be their fate if that very same man didn't fall into a curse of hatred. Will they suffer the same ordeal or would the world be different? Will there be a chance of Naruto growing up with a complete family? A chance of preventing the Uchiha Massacre ? Would they be the person as they right now? A possibility of preventing the war from happening. Maybe or may be not, the possibilities are endless. Maybe in another lifetime things will be different for all of them.
That man who once unified with Senju, and founded Konoha and the very same man who tried to destroy the very same village that he loves and worked hard to build . His hatred becomes an instrument for Kaguya's revival.
Deep within her thoughts she didn't notice the arrival of her friend.
"Sakura." She jumps with the sudden interruption.
"Sasuke, you startled me." she hissed at him.
"Sorry to interrupt you .Kakashii, I mean Hokage-sama summons us now, he has an important mission for us." noticing the tension in Sasuke's voice.
"It's about Kaguya." the raven head continues.
Now that statement caught her full attention.
"Hokage-sama just ended the emergency meeting with the Kages, and Shikamaru already dispatched an ANBU squad to fetch Naruto. Rendezvous at Hokage tower at 20:00 hours." That's just one hour left for them to prepare.
Sasuke turned his head to Sakura and nodded his head, You can ask about it later, with that Sakura was gone with a blur of pink petals.
Flashback
"How about Sakura-chan?" Naruto asked Kakashi.
"Sakura will be there, as well. She is our official representative, It will draw a sudden suspicion if we withdraw and replace her all of a sudden. While Shino and Kiba will be under-cover" Shikamaru answered Naruto's question.
"Don't worry about Hag, she can handle herself especially with that temper of hers ." Sai smiled at Sakura. She smiled back at him, her veins ready to pop from her forehead.
"Sakura-chan, gather as much information as you can." Kakashi said, breaking the staring contest between the two.
" Here is the info of some of their members."Shikamaru handed out folders to each of them.
" Soji Ona… I sn't he-"
This time it was Sasuke who answered Naruto.
"Yes, he's Daimyo's current adviser. We have been monitoring his move for almost a year. Evidences pointing out that he is one of their possible leaders."
"You mean there is more than one." Naruto asked again.
"According to sources he is not acting alone. There are five other members as well, but there is little information about them."
Tension radiating inside the room. Kakashi placed his hat on the table, his expression almost unreadable, body devoid of his usual relaxed stance.
"We are facing the unknown, we need to subdue them as early as possible and we don't know the extent of damage they can create. That's why failure is not an option"
-o.0.o-
A kick landed on Sakura's gut causing her to tumble a few meters away from her opponent.
"Getting tired, princess?" Soji mockingly asked her.
"Cha! Don't get so cocky boy, I just don't want to ruin this beautiful jūnihitoe." She retorted back, taking off the top layers of her garb.
Few months ago when Lord Shibaku heard that she will be Kakashi's official representative for the ball, he especially requested her to wear jūnihitoe, saying that she reminded him of his lost daughter who perished during the war, she didn't have the heart to say no to the kind man, now she is regretting her decision. Yes it's gorgeous but it is hindering her moves, making her slower. Sakura gets momentarily distracted from the blast from far right. Sasuke is currently fighting a man named Chino, one of the Mamoo members who utilized the same technique as Deidara. Explosive.
Soji drew out his sword and attacked her once again. She spun and used her kunai to block the attack, and used her other hand to give a chakra infused punch sending him flying backward causing several trees to be uprooted.
"Sakura-chan! On your left!" Naruto shouted who was still fighting several rogue ninja at the sametime.
Sakura spins and gives her other opponent an axe kick, bones cracking, killing him instantly. Then she leapt towards Soji's location, Sai already trailing behind her.
"Soji, you must give up already. There is a chance for you to be saved."
Sakura landed on the clearing side. While Sai crouches on the tree branch above them. The man is laying on the ground blood, sipping out of his mouth.
"I think it's too late for that princess." With that Soji takes a scroll and opens his front vest pocket and opens it. Sakura eyes widen, she jumps toward him, in an attempt to pry the scroll away from his hand.
A split second late. A blast of light and a surge of powerful force came from the scroll momentarily blinding everyone.