"Alright Sakura what did Hidan tell you, did he give you names, a number, tell us" Minato requested the next morning after breakfast in which they'd all crowded in the meeting room again, Sakura at his side this time.

He had to admit it was nice he could count on her for such things "Eight members excluding Hidan, they've already replaced Itachi-san with someone named Tobi, then there's Zetsu, Kisame, Sasori, Deidara, Pein the leader, Kakuzu, and the leaders partner Konan" Sakura listed.

Wincing slightly at the furious snarl that came from not only Ohnoki but Rasa as well at the mention of their rogue shinobi being part of the organization while Mei was barely even fazed at hearing Kisame's name.

If that wasn't enough both Itachi and Minato grew rigid "Tobi, he's an active member now, damn that bastard what the hell is he playing at" Itachi cursed, not having thought that it would accelerate things in the organization if he left.

"That man, he was the one who caused the incident thirteen years ago, released the fox from my wife Kushina and controlled it to destroy the village" Minato grimaced, Tobi had been the cause of their deaths and the reason their children had grown up without parents.

Sakura clenched her hands 'Jashin-sama…..no I can't ask that of you' the pinkette began only to shake her head inwardly as she'd been about to request something of her god but stopped herself because she refused to be selfish.

Considering she had her adoptive father that's all she should be happy with, Jashin didn't answer her of course since she couldn't hear his voice at the moment as she tuned back into the conversation at hand

Rasa was saying something "To think that Sasori Akasuna was part of Akatsuki" Rasa sighed, feeling a migraine begin to pound through his skull at the revelation that had been made "Don't Tsuchikage, one of yours is in the organization to" the Kazekage snapped.

As Ohnoki opened his mouth to insert some unwanted snide remark "And what do you have to say for yourself Mizukage, since it's not just us two who have rogues in that bastard organization" Ohnoki sneered at Mei.

Who met his gaze calmly "It's Kisame what else am I supposed to say, his moniker speaks for itself the tailless tailed beast in possession of the great blade Shark Skin or Samehada" Mei explained not bothered in the least.

She'd had a lot of people go rogue from her village at this point she was use to it "Can we focus on figuring out a way to take the rest of the organization down or would you all like to continue squabbling like brats" Ay barked.

Effectively reigning in the Tsuchikage, Sakura bit her lip so she didn't accidentally laugh at the Tsuchikage who looked as if he'd sucked on a lemon at the Raikage accusing him of squabbling like a child.

And she caught her Father doing the same out of the corner of her eye, before he cleared his throat of the laughter "Good god how much longer is this meeting going to go on for" Kankuro groaned when the Kage's dismissed them for lunch.

Temari rolled her eyes "For as long as they want it to probably Kankuro" Temari whacked her brother over the back of his head, carefully and he sulked at her, though he was glad she was reigning in her more abusive tendencies.

"Still I would like to know how your the one who knows how to get in contact with our Akatsuki Spy" Raido turned his gaze on Sakura who was reading from a book, Naruto practically squished against her as he sat in between her and Sasuke.

Obviously already done eating "Because Hidan is a jerk and refuses to communicate with anyone else since he approached me first" Sakura explained, lying through her teeth pretty much, it was because she was the only one who could get in contact with him discretely basically.

Genma snorted out a chuckle in response "Tell me something why do you protect him, your adopted so you have no obligation" Ohnoki growled at her from where he was sat with the other Kage, Minato already growing rigid.

Sakura slowly turned her head to meet his glare head on "No obligation huh…that's where your wrong, even if Naruto wasn't my brother, I would still protect him because he's also my best friend Tsuchikage-sama and I'd die trying to keep him safe" Sakura informed.

Politely of course even though she wanted to snap at him and punch him in his face "Same goes for me, I would throw myself into the line of fire if that's what it took" Sasuke nodded, he wouldn't go back on his word after all.

"You guys are so embarrassing ugh, it's one thing for my sister but you to Sasuke that's just weird having a guy trying to sacrifice himself for me" Naruto groaned, face bright red, eyes brimming with unadulterated happiness.

Despite his groaning, Sasuke scoffed and rubbed his knuckles on the blondes head more affectionately than Ohnoki thought it possible for an Uchiha "Eh Sakura would save my ass I'm sure and do it in style to" the Uchiha shrugged.

Not overly worried apparently "True Sasuke-kun, true" Kakashi chuckled amused by his students/teammates antics as Sakura rapped Sasuke on the head and rolled her eyes at Naruto's sniggering.

Then continued reading "Seriously what's so interesting in that book of yours" Genma asked twenty minutes later as they forwent continuing their meeting since there was little they could do at this point in time.

And Sakura was still sat there on the bench in the cafeteria reading her book "Advanced medical ninjutsu techniques Genma-sensei, there are still so many I have left to learn, like drawing poison out of a wound with the soft extraction jutsu and a few others" Sakura admitted.

"Oh that's the book Kotetsu gave you, damn guess he was right and got you the most useful gift out of all of us huh Kid" Genma huffed in realization since he hadn't seen Sakura use her scythe to much.

She smiled at him sweetly "Not true, the scythe you gave me has been great and I've even gotten to use Syrup Trap on a couple of people to so all the gifts you all gave me have been useful in their own way" Sakura smiled.

"Hold on you gave her a bleeding scythe are you insane, scythes aren't for little girls to play around with their dangerous" Kurotsuchi, one of the Iwa escorts they hadn't talked with much spluttered in horror.

In response the girl shot her a flat smile "One thing I'm not a little girl, I'm a kunoichi and am more than capable of wielding my weapon of choice" Sakura deadpanned as if she'd said the same line a million other times to someone else.

Itachi nodding his agreement "Quite, if she were less capable I doubt she would have been able to knock Kisame on his back with it or catch me off guard with it either" Itachi admitted, drawing Mei's attention onto Sakura again.

"Knock Kisame on his back…..you, how, can you show us, if you don't mind us using your training room Mifune-san" Mei asked, looking entirely to excited, glancing to Mifune who seemed intrigued himself.

So he ended up agreeing to her request, left with no other choice Sakura closed her book and drew out her weapons scroll as she followed after Mifune who led them to a large training room "Will this be sufficient enough room" Mifune inquired.

Peering down at Sakura who's eyes lit up in excitement "How do you want me to do this Mizukage-sama" the rosette looked over at Mei while in the process of unsealing her scythe from it's scroll.

Mei tapped her lip in thought "Well how do you usually train with your scythe Sakura-san" Mei questioned, not about to suggest the girl spar with her brother, she doubted Sakura would be able to properly show off if she was against Naruto.

"Clones, Naruto's, Sasuke's and my own or Kakashi-sensei's if he feels like it" Sakura explained, shooting Kakashi an amused glare and he whistled innocently knowing that she was probably cussing him out in her thoughts.

Ay smirked "Get on with it brat, I know your itching for a good work out" Ay barked at her, so Sakura made a hand sign until there was at least fifteen shadow clones stood before her, wielding scythes of their own.

Everyone cleared out of the way as soon as Sakura dropped into a crouch, one of her clones flying over her head, her scythe was swung upwards, impaling the shadow clone and then Sakura set to massacring all fourteen remaining clones.

Using her scythe quite effectively, proving that she could indeed wield it properly after nearly a year of practicing with it and making many feel extremely uncomfortable with the way in which she fought her clones.

Until there was none left "That's why I call her terrifying" Sasuke chimed in, wholly frightened of his female teammate who sat and began healing the injuries she got from her clones, then sealed her scythe back in it's scroll once she was finished.

With her curiosity sated Mei left the training room escorts on her heels, prompting the others to do the same, Sakura exhaled and pulled out her book again "Obsessed much Kid" Darui teased this time seeing her with her nose in her book again.

"I love reading Darui-san, it was the one thing I was good at back in the academy because of my eidetic memory" Sakura grumbled at him good-naturedly, Darui quirked a brow before ruffling her short pink hair.

He didn't stop until her hair was messed up beyond repair "At least I don't have long hair otherwise this would be a pain to fix" the pinkette commented as she yanked out her hair brush in order to tame her hair back down.

Darui smirked "Look who else likes to fraternize with brats Raido" Iwashi scoffed as he and Raido rounded the corner and found the two standing there just eyeing each other up, it was pretty strange actually.

Thankfully at their interruption Darui waved his hand at Sakura "See ya Kid" Darui saluted disappearing down the hallway in the opposite direction leaving Sakura to shake her head after him but return to her own room.

Later on that night after another pointless meeting and when everyone was sure to be asleep, Ohnoki slipped out of Samurai HQ "Kakuzu failed me, you will not understand, kill the girl Sakura, she has pink hair and no one else got it" Ohnoki demanded.

Once he met with another member of the Akatsuki Organization, Zetsu this time "Can I eat her/We haven't had a decent meal for awhile" both the black and white side said at the same time, salivating at the thought of having a proper meal.

Ohnoki shook his head "No, I want her body to be found just don't fail me" the Tsuchikage sneered, sneaking back inside the building and heading to his guest room, leaving Zetsu to seek out his target.

She was asleep when he found her, the most peaceful smile on her face, it would soon be gone as he wrapped his hands around her throat, jolting her awake as he began squeezing and crushing her windpipe preventing her from crying out for help.

'What a hell of a night to have that stupid seal on the door' Sakura scowled inwardly at her stupidity as the man above her strangulated her and despite her struggling because of her panic she couldn't concentrate properly to throw him off of her.

It didn't take very long for her to grow light-headed, her lungs heaving to take in air that she wasn't able to get and then her eyes dimmed, becoming unfocused as her struggles ceased "There task complete" white Zetsu commented.

When the girl didn't move for several minutes, completely still indicating he'd accomplished his job unlike Kakuzu, so he left to report to the Tsuchikage who gave him the 5,000 ryo he'd promised Kakuzu and returned to base.

Five minutes after he'd left Sakura came back to life with a gasp, coughing and spluttering as she tried to come to terms with the fact that she had just been strangled to death, once she'd calmed down however Sakura found it difficult to go back to sleep.

And so for the rest of the night stayed awake "You look like death warmed over Sakura-chan, did something happen, a nightmare perhaps" Kakashi frowned at the black bags beneath her eyes when she showed up in the cafeteria.

Missing the widening of Ohnoki's eyes as he looked at her in confusion "Something along those lines Kakashi-sensei" Sakura rasped, throat sore from where she'd been strangled, realizing that she hadn't healed herself yet.

Just then she caught the Tsuchikage paling out of the corner of her eye as he realized she was really standing there and understood in that moment that the one responsible for her fourth death last night was the Tsuchikage himself.

Though she refrained from glaring at him she felt no more sympathy for the bastard who would have her killed for a petty reason such as not wanting Itachi to be free "Eat up Sakura-chan then we need to go have a chat alright" Kakashi ordered.

Getting the sense that something terrible had happened, Sakura didn't smile, merely sat at his command and ate very little over the next ten minutes nothing like her usual appetite "I'm finished" Sakura informed.

Voice flat and empty of any emotion, Kakashi hurriedly led her back to the guest rooms but she refused to go into hers so he led her into his where he slapped a no noise tag on the door and sealed it even to prevent any interruptions "Talk this is unlike you" the Copy Ninja asked.

Not liking this at all "I was strangled to death last night, by Zetsu if I'm not wrong though I didn't get a good look at him since he was strangling me you know, and he did it on orders of the Tsuchikage" the pinkette announced.

Kakashi grew enraged at the news but there were more important things such as comforting his kunoichi "Come here Sakura, it's okay, I won't let that bastard get you ever again" Kakashi soothed, hugging Sakura.

When she crawled into his open arms simply gripping onto him and shaking like a leaf in his lap "I..It's probably best not to tell Dad until after we leave, he'll try to kill the Tsuchikage for real this time" Sakura sniffled after awhile.

Drying her eyes and feeling much better, though she doubted she'd be able to sleep in that guest room alone again "Your most likely right Sakura-chan, luckily for you today's our last day here and we'll be going home tomorrow" Kakashi grimaced.

"Right…..do you think you can handle things by yourself tonight cause I think I might go uh sleep with Temari-chan" Sakura inquired/admitted, fearful of being by herself, how could she not be when the bastard had slipped easily through her barrier.

Thankfully Kakashi could understand as he helped make sure no evidence of her tears remained to avoid suspicion and then took down the seals, Sakura stayed clear away from the Tsuchikage and his escorts for the rest of the day.

By remaining glued to Temari's hip who was quite happy to let Sakura spend the night in her guest room "Sakura's been acting weird since this morning, do you two know anything" Minato frowned worried about his daughter.

So he asked Naruto and Sasuke who didn't know a single thing actually, though they had noticed she'd been strange since coming down to breakfast that day "Kakashi might though, he took her off upstairs a couple hours ago for a chat about something or another" Sasuke said.

His former student however was tight-lipped about things "After Minato-sensei, when we're back home in your secure office, this has to do with you know what" Kakashi shook his head, keeping to his promise that he'd made Sakura.

Minato scowled at the mention of his daughters immortality "Fine but don't think you'll avoid telling me when we're back in Leaf two days from now" Minato relented in his questioning, afraid that something had happened and that he hadn't been there to prevent it.

Hours later after dinner in which Sakura ate more than she had at breakfast, she settled down on the extra bed in Temari's guest room, things all packed up for the trip home "So want to tell me the real reason you don't want to sleep alone" Temari asked.

Plopping down on the bed next to her so they were cuddled together "Uh well….someone got through my barrier seal last night" Sakura grimaced, admitting that much to Temari's horror because she knew how anal she was about her protection.

"No kidding…damn well don't worry, Gaara's right across the hall, and Father is two rooms down the hall so if either of us scream I'm sure they'll be right here to help us should the bastard come back" Temari assured.

Making Sakura feel much, much better, it's why she'd chosen the blonde as her roommate for the night "Thanks Temari-chan…oh uh and if you could give this to Kazekage-sama it's a seal that I adapted for him at his request" Sakura dug through her pouch suddenly.

Emerging with her carefully created seal "Okay care to tell me what it does because I don't want to give this to him and have him try it out only to have it not work if you catch my meaning" Temari asked.

Holding the seal out warily "Basically all he has to do is focus chakra into it and the other one that I'm giving Hokage-sama will light up alerting our village that your village is in danger, allowing us to come to your aide that much faster and vice versa" Sakura explained.

Temari whistled "Ingenious, don't worry I'll get it to him" the blonde reassured, knowing how important the seal she had in her hand was now as she gently stowed it away in her pouch before laying down on the other bed.

"Right….anyway goodnight Temari-chan" the rosette yawned, exhausted from staying awake half the night and all day, a moment later she was asleep, Temari watched for awhile just to be sure before going to sleep herself.

And the next morning right after breakfast everyone headed out, Itachi no longer an S class rogue, which meant his three month probation was soon to begin the moment they got back home to Konohagakure.

It took them two days and everyone was glad to be back in their village and out of the frigid Land of Iron "Okay Kakashi you told me you'd tell me once we got back, office is secure, those three are back home so talk" Minato rounded on his student the moment his office emptied.

As he doled out mission pay "The Tsuchikage had Zetsu from the Akatsuki kill Sakura, that's why she was acting strange and why the Tsuchikage stared at her as if she was some kind of ghost" Kakashi declared.

Wincing as Minato's desk broke from the oppressive chakra the blonde let out upon learning the truth he'd hidden for the past three days, it took awhile and tremendous effort on Minato's part before he reigned in his murderous rage at the elder Kage.

"Damn it, damn that Ohnoki for laying a hand on my daughter, I don't think I could ever forgive him for something like that if Kushina were here she would have done punched him damn the consequences" Minato muttered angrily.

Kakashi sweat-dropped and let out a nervous chuckle, Minato's ranting came to an end a moment later as someone knocked on the office door and Tsunade was admitted into the room a moment later "Jiraiya and I have decided to postpone our trips for a couple more months" Tsunade said.

Causing Minato to frown "While you were gone, we received many mission requests, a few of which those three would come in handy on, so I assigned them to those missions, one starts two days from now giving them a chance to take a break for a couple days" Tsunade stated.

Raising her hand so that she could finish speaking when the blonde opened his mouth to argue possibly "I'm not sure that's a good idea Tsunade, especially with recent events" Minato grimaced not sure he wanted to send his daughter out on another mission.

Where anyone could be waiting to harm her or kill her as the case may be "Recent events, nothing was supposed to happen while at the summit meeting, that's why it was held on neutral grounds" Tsunade frowned.

Minato looked to Kakashi "I think it's time Tsunade-sama knew….considering Sakura-chan is going to be her apprentice in a couple months" Kakashi nodded, knowing it was best to inform the woman of what Sakura was.

Tsunade sat when gestured to, listening as Minato spoke "And the night before we were to leave, Ohnoki that bastard sent someone from the Akatsuki to kill her and he strangled her to death right beneath our noses, no one the wiser until morning" Minato finished.

"How am I supposed to believe any of that, gods don't exist, and I hate to break it to you but immortality doesn't exist either, it's just a freak ability probably" Tsunade shook her head, denying the truth displayed so plainly before her.

Kakashi sighed "No Tsunade, Jashin is real, Sakura was dead and came back to life on that mission, I haven't heard his voice personally but Naruto, Sasuke and Minato-sensei have, they've felt his power for themselves" Kakashi intoned determinedly.

Wanting Tsunade to believe what they were saying so Sakura didn't get hurt "Correct he is after all the reason I am alive and not dead as before" Minato nodded, grateful to Jashin though he wasn't sure it was right to thrust such a responsibility on a child, he was grateful.

"Prove it Minato, if you can give me proof that Jashin exists, then I'll believe you until then I'll keep my stance on the matter" Tsunade demanded, certain that the two men would be unable to prove to her that a god existed.

Instantly Sakura was summoned to the office, the blinds were drawn shut with the room sealed and sound proofed "Is everything alright" Sakura asked, seeing the strange actions until she realized what they were for.

Apparently it was time to reveal the truth to Tsunade "Perform that ritual, you know the one Sakura-chan, keep it moderate however" Minato instructed, hoping this wasn't to soon after dying again because he didn't want to scare her.

Sakura however seemed to be practically back to her old self as she set up for one of her blood-letting rituals by unsealing a large body scroll with a symbol on it in her blood, then she took up her ritual dagger.

Pressing the tip of it against her wrist at the ready "Oh mighty Jashin, god of this world, god of my flesh, god of my mind, god of my innermost will, every part of this world is within your power, you are within every part of this world" Sakura chanted.

Lightly scratching her wrists to make barely bleeding cuts, Tsunade was suitably horrified "Every part of me is within your power, you are within every part of me, of my own free will I acknowledge your power, of my own free will, I now present myself unto you" Sakura prayed.

Finishing up the ritual rather quickly by making a few more cuts here and there upon her person, Jashin's presence settled, satisfied for the time being as his power washed over her, flaring outwards like a dark cloud.

To seep into the others in the office, allowing Minato, Kakashi and Tsunade to hear Jashin's voice for themselves and then it was gone and Sakura's cuts healed as black chakra oozed into her injuries to heal her.

Tsunade felt faint now unable to deny the truth, "Sakura why did you keep this secret for so long" the honey eyed blonde asked as Sakura cleaned up and sealed her ritual things away as the blinds were opened letting light back into the office.

"Why…Orochimaru of course, he's the one who killed my entire village, birth parents included, Jashin wants me to be the one to sacrifice him when I'm ready which could be years from now" Sakura explained.

Her soon to be mentor frowned "That's not what I meant, why did you keep it from me for so long, I would have believed it right away if it had come from you, but instead these two told me" Tsunade informed.

Sakura exhaled and Tsunade understood "You were scared not only that but you couldn't be sure of how I'd react before this point….may I ask who else knows about well all that" Tsunade guessed, asking another question.

"Kakashi-sensei, Naruto, Sasuke, Anko-chan, Bee-san, Dad, Itachi and now you Tsunade-sama, probably Zetsu of Akatsuki to, if the Tsuchikage got in contact with him again" Sakura scowled at the last bit, it also meant that soon Orochimaru would know and the Five Great Nations after.

Minato broke his pen in response, ink spilling all over his desk and dark blue pants "Doubtful, Ohnoki wouldn't speak to Zetsu again if he thinks the man presumably failed in killing you Sakura" Kakashi came to the rescue.

Not wanting to see anything else get broken, the desk was already in ruins after all "How exactly did the Raikage's annoying brother find out about your immortality Sakura" Tsunade questioned, brow furrowed in confusion.

Until Sakura grimaced "When Kabuto that asshole drugged me with that poison/drug he concocted, Naruto and Sasuke helped me perform a ritual to cleanse/heal me of it and Bee-san unfortunately bore witness to it" Sakura huffed.

Glad the man had kept his promise so far "Though its less that he knows about the immortality and more like he knows I follow the religion of Jashinism" Sakura mused in the next moment, he still knew more than anyone else in his village though.

Including his brother the Raikage "In any case Tsunade and Jiraiya wish to postpone their training trips for a couple more months if your up for a few more missions, you and your teammates that is Sakura" Minato sighed.

Surprised that Sakura was so strong physically and mentally, he would have done cracked by this point and lost the will not his daughter though "More missions….very well when and what are we doing on it" Sakura very nearly complained.

Before straightening up "Three days from now, Land of Tea you'll be escorting someone during the annual race that happens there every few years, it's a joint mission with Sand I believe" Tsunade announced.

Considering she'd been the one to assign Team Seven to the mission "I'll let Naruto and Sasuke know but for now I'm going home and I'm going to be utterly lazy these next few days" Sakura nodded, accepting her new mission before dismissing herself.

Where as she said, she was utterly lazy for the rest of the day as she lounged on the couch with Chishi and Chimei curled about her shoulders, tails tangled while their mistress read from a book until it was bed time.