Sakura didn't quite have the words to describe how thankful she was to see Ino join in the fighting as things ramped up. She could see from a distance that Ino was bandaged, but her movements did not seem to be hindered.
She saw her with her teammates executing their new team jutsu. She was a little surprised to see Sai working closely with them. She was mostly just glad that he was okay too.
They were all making so much progress. The Madara clones were being pushed back, the mini-ten-tailed beasts were rapidly shrinking in number, and Naruto had connected everyone with his chakra cloaks.
She could feel Naruto's love and devotion for each person strongly, and underneath it she could feel everyone else's feelings toward him.
Everyone, from the youngest and most idealistic genin to the most jaded and hardened members of the old guard had a unified desire to back up Naruto, to thank him for protecting them, caring about them, and fighting for them.
Sakura was…happy.
Which was bizarre to say in the middle of a battle, but it was true. All the battles that she had taken part in the last three months had nothing like the hope she felt from everyone now.
Her Yin seal was far from drained, and she relished in the ability to wield it beside her boys. She was their equal, finally. She did not feel useless watching from the sidelines anymore; she contributed as much as they did.
Things changed quickly.
Somehow Obito walked into the fray, half his body covered in…Black Zetsu? It was like watching two ghosts walking in one body. Sakura felt a shiver go through her body at the sight.
The next moment, the dead and living bodies of the mini ten-tails reassembled themselves into a tree…a tree with roots that acted like tentacles.
Madara was then suddenly a jinchuriki, now more powerful than he was before. Not that they had the free time to observe and fear his transformation. Everyone was far too busy trying to survive the attack of the roots.
Casualties quickly began to rise.
Sakura did all she could just to evade the roots coming after her. She could do nothing to save the allied army around her that had all their life force sucked out, even with Naruto's chakra clocks.
She was not a specific target of the roots, but Naruto and Sasuke were. When she had a breather, she used water attacks to slow down some of the roots reaching for them. They utilized all the attacks in their arsenal to destroy the roots attacking them without touching them.
The next moment, some roots froze in place high above the battlefield and began to spray wooden spikes.
The moment after that, Sakura had impossible choice to make: save Sasuke or save Naruto? She was both pleased and terrified to see two Hyuuga running to protect Naruto. The choice made for her, she ran to protect Sasuke.
She was able to use a water attack to take the worst of the blows, and the few spikes that made it through caused physical damage that was easily healed. Her chakra had acted as a barrier at the points of impact, not allowing the chakra of the tree to interfere with her system. The spikes themselves were pushed out one by one as her body produced new skin and muscle underneath until the pressure forced them out.
Neji did not have the same outcome. Hinata and Naruto surrounded him in his final moments, and Sakura felt tears burning her eyes. She felt like a failure. The foreign chakra of the tree made healing difficult for even minor wounds. She would not be able to save him from these major wounds.
Raw grief and guilt flooded out from Naruto, pouring out to everyone through the cloaks that still surrounded them. She could also just make out relief coming from Sasuke behind her. He walked up to her quietly, mindful of those mourning nearby. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him, resting his chin on the top of her head and whispered, "I'm glad you're okay."
She held onto the arms around her and fought against the tears. Her own heart reflected Naruto's, full of grief and guilt at not being able to protect and save everyone.
They did not have much time to grieve though. Everyone could feel Madara gathering a massive amount of chakra for what must be a devastating attack if he were allowed to finish preparing it. Something had to be done, and quickly. Sakura felt Sasuke shift away from her, scanning with his sharingan and mind already on how to attack next.
Hinata took Naruto's hand and reminded him of the reason Neji made such a sacrifice, encouraging the blond not to let it be in vain. New resolve flooded over everyone, and they could feel Naruto's promise to protect everyone he could and not allow those he could not protect to die in vain. The allied army shouted their support, readying now for a counterattack.
Madara did not give them much of a chance.
Sakura, Sasuke, and Naruto did their best. The current Kage and former Hokage were powerful, but not powerful enough. Shinobi left and right continued to die.
Might Guy was a surprise trump card, the one to finally put Madara on the defensive, but at a great personal cost.
Still at a disadvantage, even with Guy at full strength, the battle changed once more. Madara unleased the Infinite Tsukiyomi. Sasuke was able to protect just those nearby him under his Susano: Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura, and Obito.
Madara's victory was stolen from him however.
Kaguya was revived, emerging from Madara's swelling body and revealing herself and her son Black Zetsu to be the true enemy behind so many of the tragedies over hundreds of years to reach this point.
Sakura's seal was less than half full now. She would soon be unable to fight beside them. She kept her resolve though; she was willing to die fighting beside them. She would not be on the sidelines ever again.
Within the safety of Sasuke's Susano, another strange thing happened. It was perhaps the first strange thing that day that was actually helpful. From Obito's crippled body, in the arms of his once teammate who refused to give up on him, Hogoromo appeared.
Prepared for an attack, the ninja inside braced themselves. Instead of a fight, the shade of the Sage of the Six Paths offered Sasuke and Naruto a much needed power up to fight and defeat Kaguya.
Sakura tried her best just to be happy for them. She wanted them to be happy and safe more than anything else, but it still stung that no matter how hard she had worked to stand beside them and her iron will to die beside them rather than fall behind again, she was about to be left behind again. She was not special like them…not a reincarnated powerhouse with the ability to inherit the sun or moon seal powers.
What could she offer them now? They once more had vastly increased and topped off chakra reserves, new and powerful abilities, and the only two with the ability to defeat their enemy. She had a dwindling supply of chakra to offer.
As if to add insult to injury, Kaguya transported them all to a lava dimension. There was no water available for Sakura to even think about using to help.
Sasuke and Naruto worked together to protect the three who could not suddenly fly or had a chakra suit with wings. They were a burden to them, but neither one complained about having to protect them.
Kakashi insisted on keeping Obito, who had begun to regain consciousness. He had only one eye again, but it was perhaps the only reason why Sakura did not execute him on the spot, despite Kakashi's pleas. The kamui was particularly valuable in this new situation, and Kakashi had lost his previously in battle.
The three kept watch, while Kakashi quietly explained things to Obito. The Uchiha was oddly quiet and almost looked remorseful. Sakura didn't trust him for a moment but did nothing to stop Kakashi from trying to reach his old friend.
To her surprise, Obito apologized to her after a few minutes. She wasn't quite sure how to process that, but said simply, "Don't focus on that right now. Just help us if we need it."
He nodded, and the three continued to watch the battle in silence.
They hopped dimensions with the trio in battle, helping each other survive so that Naruto and Sasuke could focus on their opponent.
Sakura was still willing at a moment's notice to rejoin them if there was any way she could actually help.
When Sasuke was thrown into a different dimension than the one they were all in, Sakura had her chance.
She partnered with Obito while Kakashi kept an eye on Naruto. Part of her wanted to flinch away from the man who had kidnapped and tortured her twice, nearly to kill her once, and tormented Sasuke at every opportunity. She steeled her resolve and put her hands on his shoulders, pushing her Yin seal onto his body as she had with Sasuke earlier, this time fueling a jutsu rather than healing.
They checked one dimension after another without success, and Sakura began to worry that she would run out of chakra before they found him. The next moment the portal opened to a sea of acid, and Sakura had to act fast when a wave broke over the edge of the portal and splashed towards them.
She pivoted, protecting Obito from the acid, dodging what she could, and using one hand to rip off the flack jacket and sleeve of her shirt that was contaminated. There was still acid burning her skin, but it was a tiny amount that her Creation Rebirth jutsu could handle the neutralization of and repair the injury.
She placed her hand back on Obito's shoulder and commanded him to try again. "Are you sure," he asked, seemingly genuinely concerned for her.
She glared at him, "Even if I wasn't okay, what choice do you and I have? We can't beat her without him and Naruto together."
Obito nodded, preparing his kamui once more. Sweat poured down him, and Sakura could feel through the Yin seal the damage his body was powering through. She spared what little chakra she could to heal the worst of it, so that he could keep going.
Thankfully, they found Sasuke after another two attempts, walking towards them in a desert dimension. He seemed too far away though, as the portal began to close. Sakura shouted to him, pushing more chakra into Obito, forbidding the portal to close just yet.
Sasuke ran, but both of their efforts didn't seem to be enough, the portal closing before he could walk through it.
Sakura's heart sank into her stomach, and she began to fall backwards, physically and emotionally spent.
To her great surprise and immediate relief, Sasuke caught her, pulling her gently against him to steady her and gazing lovingly into her eyes.
"Thank you," he said after a moment, breaking eye contact for a moment to look over at Obito, a hint of distain flashing though his eyes, "both of you."
Turning back to look at her, Sasuke spoke as gently as his eyes looked, "Do you have enough chakra left to take us back to Naruto?"
She nodded, taking a deep breath, and regretfully leaving Sasuke's embrace, fighting against the shaking of her limbs. She looked down at Obito, nodding to him, "One more time."