Chapter-49

Sai reached Konoha the next day as he ran and tried to find Kakashi. He finally spotted him sitting on a branch, reading a book. He shouted

"Kakashi-san! Please come down and listen to me! It's urgent!"

"What is so urgent?"

"It's Sakura!"

He immediately came down and was seriously paying attention while Sai told him about what happened. Kakashi's face became more and more grave with every word.

"Itachi-san said he needs you're and your team's help. He also said not to tell both of them that Itachi-san will be there waiting for you. Please hurry. Their main location is in the Grass Village."

Kakashi clenched his hands in anger as he glared hard at the ground. He turned to Sai

"Thank you, Sai. You did a good job. I'll leave very soon. You are relieved from your duty."

"Okay." Kakashi started walking to the Hokage's office when Sai shouted

"Please bring her back."

Kakashi nodded and ran to the Hokage tower. Damn it! Sakura. You better fight till I reach there. He ran inside and entered Hokage's office without even knocking. Tsunade raised a brow at him in question.

"Tsunade-sama, Sakura was captured."

Shock was visible in her face after hearing that.

"what? What the hell happened?!"

Kakashi explained the whole scenario and when he finished, Tsunade slammed her fist on her desk.

"Gather Naruto and Sasuke. As Itachi said, don't tell them that he will be waiting for them. You must leave within one four. HURRY!" she shouted as Kakashi ran out to find Naruto and Sasuke. There's only one place they must be if they're not on a mission. Kakashi had guessed correctly as he found the two of them sparring in Training Ground 3.

"Naruto! Sasuke! Hurry! We have a mission and we have to leave now!"

They stopped and went over to him

"What's the mission?" asked Sasuke

Kakashi gulped and looked at them in seriousness

"We have to rescue Sakura from the Akatsuki."

Sasuke's eyes went wide when he heard that. Naruto also gaped at Kakashi

"Is she in danger?" asked Sasuke in a low voice

"Very much so." Replied Kakashi

Sasuke balled his fists and said "Let's go." In a low voice, again.

"Alright. Meet me at the gate in 15 minutes. We have to go to the Grass Village."

They both nodded and ran to pack.

Sakura… I'm bringing you back at any cost. I won't fail this time. Just wait for me. Sasuke's head was buzzing with questions but he put them away and packed in a hurry.

They reached the gate as quickly as they could and then ran to the Grass village. The air was serious and grim around them. They were going at top speed. It took them 6 hours of continuous running to reach the Grass village. Sasuke and Kakashi activated their sharingan and looked for Sakura's chakra signature. They felt it at the outskirts of the town. They ran. So they're here. Said Itachi from up a branch. Kakashi had already spotted him. And with that, Itachi went to the location. He opened the gate and in front of him stood Obito and Pain.

"Hello, Itachi."

Itachi glared at him. "Where is she?"

"Now if I told you that, then wouldn't be fun now, would it?"

"If you want her, then you will have to get through us." Said Pain

"As you wish." He stood alert and activated Mangekyou Sharingan. He was about to attack when the door behind him flew open and team 7 ran in.

"You're slow, Kakashi-san." Itachi said with a smirk

"So whose first?" Asked Kakashi as he took a battle stance. Naruto did the same but Sasuke was glaring at Itachi with pure hatred.

"This happened because you, didn't it Itachi? Sasuke asked angrily

Itachi ignored him and ran towards Pain.

Obito was about to gang up on him when Kakashi and Naruto lunged at him.

"Sasuke, help Itachi! Hurry, we don't have time!" shouted Kakashi

Sasuke hated the idea but he wanted to save Sakura so he moved forward with Mangekyou sharingan activated. Itachi and Sasuke's was exceptional. Itachi made a fireball and launched it towards Pain. Pain deflected it with his Chibaku Tensei. As he was deflecting, Sasuke moved behind him and jabbed a kunai in his back and jumped back. Pain just kept fighting like nothing happened. Both Sasuke and Itachi tackled him and engage in taijutsu. His Rinnegan was too powefull. Itachi stood up and focused chakra in his eyes and he opened them wide making blood flow down from his eyes as they were tears. He used Amaterasu at Pain but he went out of its path. Itachi closed his eyes because of the strain.

"This is not going to work. Sasuke, can you use Susano'o?"

"Aa."

"Okay. Activate it and launch an arrow from your Susano'o bow and arrow. I'll take care of the rest."

"Hn."

Sasuke awakened his Susano'o's above part and made Susano'o's hand launch to capture Pain. Pain again used Chibaku tensei which Sasuke stumble and step backwards. He reacted quickly and made the bow and arrow and launched it at Pain. It was too fast and Pain couldn't use Chibaku Tensei continuously. The arrow hit him and he fell on the ground. Sasuke suddenly Itachi revealing his Susano'o with a red blade. He pushed the blade inside Pain's body and sealed him inside a guard of his Susano'o.

Both of them panted. They did it. They looked over to Naruto's side of fight and what the saw widened their eyes.

Naruto and Kakashi attacked together.

"It has been a while, Kakashi." Said Obito while fighting.

"Aa. Obito."

Obito was shocked. How did he know that I'm Obito? But his thoughts were cut sharp because jabbed a kunai in Obito's leg. He grimaced and struggled to stand up. Kakashi used this opportunity and made a Chidori in his hand and ran towards Obito and pierced his chest all the way through. Obito fell on his knees and panted heavily.

"You've fallen Obito. You are just being used by Madara. He will kill you when you revive him."

Visibly shocked he asked Kakashi

"How the hell do you know my plan to revive Madara?"

"The girl you captured is special. She knows the future because she lived in it."

Obito couldn't believe what he was hearing. But knowing Kakashi he wont lie.

"So im just a puppet for them?"

"Aa"

Obito slowly smiled

"Thanks, Kakashi. I'm sorry for everything I've done. And I don't blame you for Rin's death. I know she jumped in between. I guess this is it. You can leave now. I wont be moving anyway." He said with chuckle.

Kakashi sadly looked his friends drew his hand out from his chest and he fell on the ground. Naruto couldn't understand anything. "How did you know him, Kakashi-sensei? And how come you instantly knew it was him behind that mask?"

"I'll explain everything later. Right now, lets go in."

They all stood up and ran to a door leading them in a corridor. They sprinted and came in a room where Konan stood along side a very skinny and bony structured man who also had the Rinnegan. He had red hair. He was glaring at them. Naruto took a step forward and instantly Konan came and stood in front of him. The red haired guy said

"My name is Nagato. I am the real Pain. The one you defeated here was one of my 6 bodies that I control. I am impressed you made it this far."

"Shut up you bastard!"

"Where is Sakura?" asked Itachi in a low and dangerous tone

"Hmm she's not in a good shape so I suggest you don't see her." He said with an evil laugh

"What did you do to her?" asked Sasuke angrily

"Defeat Konan and I'll let you see her."

Konan stood in a defensive stand and with papers floating around her, she made them in shuriken that were just as sharp. She made them fo in the direction of Sasuke but he just side stepped but then he saw those shuriken returning towards him. He took out his chokuto and made lightning chakra flow through it and slashed all the shuriken in one go. Konan then launched like millions of papers towards them to bind them but Itachi used Amaterasu to burn the papers. Using her shocked state as an advantage Kakashi and Naruto launched forward and had a taijutsu battle with her. She's good. She can defend very well. But suddenly, a blade pierced through her. They looked and saw that Naruto drove that blade into her. He was laughing like a mad man

"She's so weak and useless! She was of no help."

Naruto got angry and shouted, "You killed your own teammate because they were protecting you? Are you crazy?!"

Kakashi put a hand on Naruto's shoulder and gave him a serious look. He sighed and nodded.

"I will ask again. Where is Sakura?" said Itachi

"she's in the room behind me. Let's see if you can get through."

Before he could do anything, Sasuke jabbed his chokuto in him and then threw him away from his machine. He died.

All four of them ran to the room behind and opened the door. Their eyes widened at the state of Sakura. she was hanging on a wall with two kunai stabbed into her palms so they worked like nails for holding her up. She had too many deep cuts all over her body. She was barefoot and even her feet had been dragged. Blood was dripping everywhere around her. There was a sword stuck in her stomach and blood dripped from her mouth as well. Her torso had a belt wrapped around her which disabled her to use chakra. Ut the worst part was her face. There was a deep wound on her forehead from which blood flowed down her face on one side. Her eyes were dazed and it was difficult for her to breath.

She slowly looked up to see who entered to torture her today but she was surprised to see Itachi and Team 7 standing there, looking at her sorry state. She lifted her head a little and gave a small smile.

Sasuke suddenly ran over to her and started releasing her from that position. Her feet hit the ground and she swayed because of dizziness and fell forward but instead of hitting the floor, she landed on Sasuke's chest. Sasuke immediately hugged her close to him. She alive, she's alive. Sakura… then everybody walked up her and she looked and smiled at them. But then her legs buckled and she dropped on the ground.

"Sakura!" "Sakura-chan!"

Both Naruto and Sasuke screamed as Sasuke cradled her in his chest looked at her panicky. She looked at Naruto and said

"You have changed so much, Naruto. I'm sure you'll make a great Hokage."

"Don't say stuff like that Sakura-chan. Don't give up!"

She looked at Sasuke and smiled genuinely

"I'm sorry Sasuke. I left willingly. I wasn't under any jutsu as Itachi-san had said before. I made all my decisions by myself and worked with him. You don't have to forgive me. Okay?"

Kakashi had watery eyes as he figured out what Sakura was doing. She was trying to clear the fake image of Itachi. Even in this state she's helping others… why doesn't this girl get happiness?

Sakura then went limp. But Sasuke didn't say anything he just laid her on the ground and left. Kakashi ran after him

"Sasuke! Where are you going?"

"I'm going home."

"What about Sakura?!"

"I don't care what happens to her anymore! She left willingly for selfish reasons that she wont even reveal. She's just secretive and selfish. She only thinks about herself. So now-"

Sasuke was cut short on his words because Kakashi punched him in the face.

"What the hell was that for! I said the truth!"

"Shut up, you brat. You don't even know how much she suffered and you're calling her selfish? She's the most selfless person you will every see. Now get lost. Don't even come near her." He said that and went back inside leaving Sasuke wondering what he meant by 'she suffered'.