The Shinobi Way

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

Author: It might seem a little confusing, but it's just that I'm switching scenes a lot. The reason to that is, I didn't ordinally wanted to end the first chapter there, but it would of been pointless to try and explain the scenario all in one chapter. Expanding seem to make more scents.

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Sakura leap from tree to tree, though the forest hoping that she wasn't too late. With scrolls tie to her waist, kunias and shurikens ready for battle if needed and hyourougans for those who needed that extra boost of energy. Bandages, ointment, and needles for the injured.

Sakura stop on a branch to try and detect any familiar chakra that would lead her in the right direction. She felt a weak chakra signal coming from somewhere below. And there she found Chouji lying against a tree. Sakura laded a foot away from him. She bent down and check his pulse.

"A weak one. He just spent all his chakra, that's it." she sighed in relief.

"Thank goodness."

"No wait...." Sakura lean down and listen to his heart. The beats were irregular. Then she looked beside him and saw an empty container.

"Were those a type of soldier pills?! What kind of enemies are they fighting for him to resort to this?"

Sakura took the pills out of her pouch and pop the top of the container of water.

"Hope this works."

She opened his mouth and laid the pills on his tongue. She then leaned his head back and allowed a small amount of water into his mouth.

His eye lids open slightly.

"Yes. They worked." she thought happily.

"Chouji." He looked with eyes fully opened now. Sakura knelt back.

"Sakura? What are you doing out here?" he asked confused.

"No time for that. Can you stand?" Sakura questioned while putting her medicine back into her pouch.

Chouji tried standing, but just slump down again.

"Guess I overdid it." said wearied as he tried to catch his breath.

"Don't worry. You did enough as it is." she laid a hand on his shoulder and gave a reinsuring squeeze.

She dressed his wounds and stood up while trying to support Chouji. With his arm securely over her shoulder she spoke.

"Just lead the way."

Chouji pointed the way and slowly drop his arm down to his side.

Again she jump onto the tree and went along the path Chouji pointed at.

"It's funny." he spoke in a quiet tone.

"What is it?" she asked while raising an eyebrow in curiosity.

"When accepting this mission, I knew I was the less qualified, but seeing that I was the weakest, it seem like I had more to prove." he smiled.

"No Chouji, you're not useless. You showed your worth as a ninja, now it's my turn." Sakura said in a serious tone.

Chouji just stared at the serious face on Sakura.

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What seem like forever was just five minute from where she found Chouji. And then she felt it, another weak chakra.

She leap down to the ground and walked her way to a clearing. Neji was on the ground with another body laying just foots away from him and by the looks of it, the enemy was dead.

She put Chouji against the tree and went toward Neji. He was laying on his back, but his head was turn to the side. She looked down and saw the blood pouring out of his mouth. It seem like he lost a lot of blood, too much blood.

"Damn, look what they did to him. We need to get him back to the village quick, Sakura." he started panicking.

She turn him over and looked at him throughly. His hair, once nicely tied back was now covering most of his face. Rips and tears were everywhere on his clothing and then she saw more visible wounds.

"He must of fought his all...." she brushed his hair back into place.

"Most of them didn't hit any critical points, but I'm worried about the one at his chest. If I don't stop the bleeding, he might not make it." she came to that conclusion.

Sakura looked at her hand. Then closed her eyes in frustration.

"I don't know if I can perform the technique, I just barely learn it, let alone mastered it."

Then Neji started coughing up more blood.

"Neji!" she shouted.

Sakura looked at her hand one more time and again closing her eyes, but not it frustration, she was focusing. Suddenly Sakura open her eyes and performed a few quick hand seals. A light green aura appeared covering her entire hand. She then placed her hand at Neji's chest.

"I can feel it working."

She took her hand away from his chest and found that the wound had healed. Drops of sweat covered her face.

"That took a lot of chakra away from me." she thought as her breathing became faster.

Neji then woke up and looked up to find Sakura dressing his wounds.

Chouji looked very surprised.

"Haruno?" Neji questioned.

Then remembering the whole event, he automating sprung up to a sitting position and clutch his chest, at where his fatal wound was suppose to be. Looking down, he found nothing, but a torn hole. Neji looked toward Sakura with a questioning looked, hoping for an explanation.

"Calm down. Let me finish dressing your wound." She places a hand on top his.

As he collected himself, his eyes wondered around his surrounding. Neji looked over toward Chouji who still had a shock look on his face.

"So I see you survived." said Neji.

Chouji finally snapped out of it, catching what Neji had just said. "Just barely. I don't know how long I would of lasted if Sakura didn't find me."

"Why are you here, Haruno?" he asked looking toward her.

"We're kinda wondering the same thing." Kiba interrupted.

Sakura turned around and found a surprising sight. Once enemies of the Leaf village, the Sand Ninjas were supporting the very people she came to aid.

Kankurou had a battered Kiba.

Tenmari had a weary Shikamaru.

And Gaara had a flushed Rock Lee.

"Lee-san, what are you doing here? You should be resting in the hospital, your surgery was just completed." Sakura said in a worried tone.

Seem like everybody was invited, but me. Kinda felt left out." Rock Lee scratch the back of his head and grin.

Sakura sighed. "Just like him to make a comment like that."

She then looked at the group.

"So you were the allies that the Hokage appointed." Sakura asked while looking in Tenmari's direction.

"And? What did she not trust us enough to get the job done? Either way, why would she tell you to help." she said annoyed.

"Shut up, Pig-tail! She saved our butts, okay?" Chouji shouted from across the clearing.

Shikamaru turn to the voice.

"Chouji, you're okay. Man, you had me worried for awhile there." relief clearing shown on his face.

Chouji smirked.

"Like I can be taken down that easily. I told you I would kick ass!" he yelled as his pumped a fist in the air and seconds later regretting he did so because the pain in his muscles came back.

Sakura smiled.

"Showing confidence in front of those who you want to impress. Kinda reminds me of someone." she remised.

"Why are you here again?" Kiba asking the same question again as earlier.

Sakura looked toward Kiba and saw that he was holding his side.

"Same reason you are, I have a mission to complete." Sakura said in a serious tone.

Kiba looked even more confused.

Sakura walked up to him and bent down to the injury. She removed his hand and examined the wound.

"Hey! What are you doing?" yelled Kiba.

"Don't move."

"Nani?" questioned Kiba, now even more confused than ever.

She then performed the same seals as before and put her hand directly on the wound. Everybody watched carefully as the light engulfed her hand and quickly disappeared, same as the wound that was there moments ago. Chouji knew. Neji now understood. While everyone else was stunned.

"Sugoi! It's gone!" he cheered.

Sakura began feeling weak and put her hands to the ground to support her.

"Is this your mission?" Gaara questioned.

As Sakura got a hold of herself, she stood back up and wipe the sweat from her forehead. Then she responded to the question at hand.

"Yes. I'm here so that everybody will return to the village alive. Everybody went to all that trouble to get Sasuke-kun back even though he left on his own free will and with more than half of you not knowing him well or even at all, you still risk your life. If something were to happen to anybody, even with Sasuke-kun safety home...." She started tearing up, but composed herself.

She then continued. "It would be meaningless.... It would of been pointless."

There was silence. Then Sakura finally spoke up.

"Did Naruto go after him?"

"Yes." Gaara answered.

She then looked directly in Gaara's eyes.

"Show me the way." seriousness shown across her face.

"Those eyes. Their the same as the time she protected the Uchiha guy." Gaara thoughts were interrupted by Sakura voice.

"They need more medical attention. I'll only healed the serious wounds, but smaller ones can inflect them. Return to the village. I need to find Naruto and Sasuke-kun."

"No Sakura-san, it's too dangerous. I'll go too. I'll protect you." replied Lee.

"No. Go back to the village." Sakura demanded.

"I can't do that."

"You have to. There are too many injured for them to carry alone. If you don't go then my reason for being here was for nothing." she said softly.

Lee put his head down in defeat.

Lee then looked up and glared at Gaara. "Fine, but don't you dare touch Sakura-san."

Gaara raised an eyebrow. "Don't worry. I won't."

Both of them turn around and swiftly jump onto a branch. And they were off.

Sakura increasing her speed.

"I'm coming you guys."

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- To be continued