Years Arc: Chunin Exam Finals and Aftermath

Early in the morning, well before the tournament was scheduled to continue, Sakura sat on the rooftop of the Konoha temporary housing the genin were sleeping in. She wasn't too surprised when her sensei sat down next to her. "You should be resting, Sakura-chan."

"Can't sleep, Kakashi-sensei. I've been up for a few hours now."

"I know. What's keeping you up?"

Sakura sighed and pulled her knees up to her chin. "Shinobi aren't supposed to display their emotions, sensei."

"I suppose we aren't, but there are times when you need to because if you don't, it can compromise you while you're on a mission."

"Do you have experience with that sort of thing, sensei?"

Kakashi shifted a bit. "I suppose you could say, I do. Now, what's got my genin up so early."

Sakura squeezed her legs before sighing, "I-I have nightmares sometimes about the mission to rescue Sasuke. I worry about him, you know. I know the proper shinobi things to do is consider him a traitor and not care what happens to him, but he is a good friend, someone I trust with my life. I don't want him to die. I want him to come back and live his life as a member of the village."

Kakashi patted her head and said, "It is hard to have a friend stray from the path. You're lucky or maybe unlucky to have a friend who has the potential to come back. The Hokage hasn't sent a kill order out, and Sasuke himself hasn't been accused of anything since he left, so there is hope he can come back."

Sakura smiled "hopefully." she stood up and brushed herself off "thanks, sensei." Kakashi waved her off and told her to make sure she was ready for the tournament before leaving.

The other genin wished Sakura luck and promised to cheer her on during her fight. Sakura tried not to laugh as Gaara was put up against Kankuro in the first match. She looked at Kankuro, who was looking annoyed by this "you're gonna get your ass kicked by your younger brother."

Kankuro scowled but didn't dispute her before dropping down into the arena with Gaara. As the match started, Kirisu spoke, "I like what you did to Azuraki. He's clever sometimes and a good sensor, but he's got a mouth that gets him in trouble. Getting smacked like he did is good for him, so thank you."

"Oh, uh, no problem. Azuraki-san reminds me a bit of my teammates. Both are pretty overconfident sometimes, and they pick fights with each other as much as they do strangers."

Kirisu nodded, "you must be like my other teammate then and be the peacekeeper of the group. I like fighting too much to not pass up a chance to beat someone down."

Sakura laughed, "yes, I do try to keep the peace with the idiots on my team. Our sensei is very hands-off; sometimes, he likes to let us work it out ourselves."

"Our Sensei is similar. She doesn't get involved with drama; she even lets us slug it out for a bit before stopping us."

Sakura wasn't sure why she was chatting idly to this Kumo kunoichi as they watched Kankuro struggle to take on his brother. "He's lasting longer than I thought he would."

Kirisu nodded, "you seem to know these two even though they're from the Suna."

"I'm sure you heard about Oto and Suna attacking Konoha at the last chunin exams. I led a team to track down those two and their sister before they could complete their mission. We beat them and had them tied up, but we couldn't manage three prisoners, so I scared the crap out of them and let them run home."

"Seems risky they could have become a bigger problem after you let them go."

"Yeah, but they turned out to be of benefit. Another mission I was on months later went south, and they showed up at the request of the Hokage and helped us out."

Kankuro yielded a few moments later as his puppets were rendered immobile by Gaara's sand, and Kankuro himself was surrounded on all sides.

Once the two boys cleared off, Sakura and Kirisu dropped into the arena, and Sakura was surprised when Kirisu bowed to her, "good luck Haruno-san."

Sakura returned the gesture, "you to Kirisu-san."

As the match started, Kirisu rushed Sakura without her chakra blades on. Sakura deflected the strikes and put distance between them "you're not using your blades. Why not?"

Kirisu smiled "because I want this fight to last a while. You've got crazy strength, and besides, we need to put on a good show, so those bastards know kunoichi like us exist."

Sakura cracked her knuckles and smiled, "alright, let's put on a good show, but be warned I won't go easy on you."

"Neither will I."

The two fighters clashed, trading blows and dodging or deflecting shots. The crowd was eating up the action. It may not have been flashy with ninjutsu, but the people could see the power behind the hits. Kirisu gasped as Sakura punched her in the stomach and sent her flying back. She slipped her chakra blades on as Sakura closed the distance.

Kirisu saw Sakura start to slip into the ground and adjusted her swings downward and she began to bring her knee up to hit Sakura in the chin, but her leg stopped as Sakura planted her hand on the rising knee, and Kirsiu's hands came to a stop as Sakura's hair wrapped around her wrist. Kirisu braced herself as Sakura pulled back and delivered a devastating punch cracking several ribs.

Sakura quickly released Kirsiu and dipped into the earth before popping out a few feet away. Kirisu staggered and gripped her side as she fought down the pain. Sakura didn't give her much time to recover as she was back on the attack. Kirisu's enhanced blades sliced Sakura's arms and legs as the Kumo kunoichi seemed to get a second wind and pushed Sakura's defenses.

Ino and the others cheered loudly as Sakura deflected a strike and landed a solid kick to the side of Kirisu's head, sending the girl into the ground. Sakura stood there, panting and bleeding from several dozen cuts all over her body. "That all you got, Kirisu-san?"

Kirisu stumbled to her feet. "I can keep going."

She rushed Sakura, who smiled before stepping to the side as Kirisu collapsed to the ground. The Procter checked her and declared Kirisu KOd and that Sakura was the winner. The crowd roared as Sakura waved to Ino and the others before bowing to her master then following the medics to receive treatment.

Once the medics deemed her ready to participate again, Sakura was allowed to go back to the arena where Gaara was waiting. Gaara spoke, "You've changed. The last exams, I thought nothing of you, but now you may actually pose a challenge."

Sakura tried to hold back her smile, "thank you. I hope I don't disappoint."

The match started, and Gaara's sand immediately went on the offensive, firing in tendrils towards Sakura, who threw up an earth wall that they smashed into. Sakura sent out clones to run around him and draw his sand as she slipped into the ground and appeared behind him kunai with explosive tags drawn. Sakura fired off the kunai and ran around Gaara as his sand caught the kunai that quickly exploded. The sand was too quick at getting rid of the clones, and it descended on her quickly. Sakura pulled back, dodging the sand and throwing another handful of explosive kunai to keep it from getting closer.

Sakura panted as she landed, and Gaara's sand stopped following. "That sand of yours is pretty annoying, you know."

Gaara turned to face her but stayed silent as she crouched and threw a volley of shuriken and then made several clones as Gaara's sand blocked his view to protect him. His sand lashed out and destroyed the clones. As Gaara looked around for the real Sakura, the ground beneath him cracked, and Sakura shot from the ground with her fist back ready to strike. The sand wrapped around Sakura's waist, but it couldn't stop Sakura's fist from impacting Gaara's face sending him flying as the sand threw Sakura in the opposite direction.

The two stood up, and Sakura smiled when she saw Gaara's sand armor start to crack and fall away. Gaara clutched his face as his sand swirled faster before lashing out at her. Sakura avoided the sand and tore up bits of rubble to hurl at Gaara as she moved and circled. Gaara's sand blocked the boulders, but he had to pull more back as more rocks came his way, and Sakura was able to close the distance. Gaara tried to sidestep, but Sakura's foot kicked his knee, making him buckle as she cocked her fist back, and as she moved in to punch, sand shot up between them and buffered the shot, but Sakura's fist broke through and clipped his shoulder.

Gaara tumbled a few feet but quickly staggered back to his feet as he clutched his arm. He growled and pulled his sand back to him. "You are quite powerful."

Sakura smiled and rolled her shoulders "thanks, I've been training as hard as I can since the last exams. I don't know if I can beat you, but I'm not gonna make it easy either." she tore up a large boulder and hurled it at Gaara. As it sailed through the air, she threw two explosive kunai that exploded the bolder mid-flight showering Gaara's sand with fast-moving debris. Sakura jumped through a gap and tried to punch Gaara again, but the sand was on her and threw her away from him before she could make contact.

This dance continued for a few minutes, where Sakura was able to score another hit on Gaara before his sand overwhelmed her, and she was forced to yield. Once Gaara was declared the winner of the tournament, the Kage and representatives discussed those who should be promoted. Gaara was promoted for winning the tournament, Sakura and Neji were also promoted for their resilience and ability to combat an overwhelming force. Kirisu was also promoted.

Once everything was over and the closing ceremony was finished, everyone rested up for the night and decided to celebrate once they got home. Tsunade smiled as Sakura entered her temporary quarters, "good work on getting promoted."

Sakura bowed, "Thank you, master. I wish I could have put up a better fight against Gaara-san, but I'm glad about how much progress I've made."

"You should be proud, but don't think you'll be able to slack off. Now that you're a chunin and your training is going so well, I plan on having you take on more challenges."

Sakura smiled, "I'll accept anything you have for me, master."

"Good now, if that's all, go rest up for the trip home tomorrow."

"Ah, well actually, I was curious about why only Neji-san and I passed. I know Ino didn't win her fight, but she did put up a good effort, and she showed considerable improvement from last exams."

Tsunade sighed, "While it's avoided, sometimes politics get involved in this, and I made a choice to have only you and Neji-san promoted to appease Iwa and Kumo."

Sakura raised an eyebrow, "Why would promoting us be good for them?"

"If I had to guess, they plan on putting their best in the exams next year, and they want heavy hitters like you and Neji-san out to give themselves a better chance to make a big impression. These exams aren't just the alternative to war; they're advertising for the village. They're most likely planning to send the best genin they have next year."

Sakura smiled. "It'll be embarrassing if they still lose to us, ma'am."

Tsunade smiled. "It would be. I think the genin will find they'll have a lot more work ahead of them over the coming year."

Sakura bowed, "I'll help; however, I can master."

The next day Konoha moved out and started their journey back to the village. Once they arrived at the front gate, the gate watchers checked everyone in, and one of them smiled "there seems to be an issue we've got six genin leaving, but only four are coming back, and it seems you've picked up a couple chunin Hokage-sama."

Tsunade smiled, "yes, we did. You two head to the Hokage tower and get your ID's updated by tomorrow."

Neji and Sakura snapped an affirmative, and the group dispersed. Ino bumped shoulders with Sakura as they walked, "You going to do your update now?"

Sakura nodded, "yeah, then I'm going home and taking a bath. What are you going to do?"

"Go home and talk to my dad about my training. See what he thinks I need to improve. I'll um see you tomorrow. I can pay you the sweets I owe you."

Sakura smiled, "Yeah, sounds good. We have a couple days off, so we can do whatever."

Ino grinned and waved as she left, and Sakura headed into the Hokage's tower, where she updated her shinobi ID then headed home.

Tsunade entered her office and sighed as he sat down, and Shizune started making tea. A knock on the door made the Hokage's eye twitch "already people are coming to bother me. Enter!"

The door opened, and a member of the cipher core entered. "Hokage-sama..."

Tsunade tensed, seeing the solid black scroll "who?"

"Team Haruno has lost two of its members. The third made it back. He's seriously injured; they're not sure how much longer he has. He's been in the hospital since yesterday, but..."

"He's holding on until T&I is done speaking with him, isn't he?"

The shinobi nodded, "Yes, ma'am."

Tsunade cursed and held her hand out for the scroll. She opened it and fought back her anger seeing Mebuki and Kizashi Haruno's names listed as the bodies sealed in the scroll. "Do we know who did it?"

The shinobi straightened, feeling the anger seeping from their Hokage, and she stammered, "u-um we... Yes, we have a good idea about the culprits, but we have to wait for T&I to confirm it from their teammate, but it's a good chance that it was a Kumo team, most likely consisting of Jounin level shinobi."

Tsunade's desk cracked as she planted her hands and stood up. "Bring Kakashi Hatake to me, and get Shikaku Nara to set up a Jonin meeting for this afternoon."

The shinobi snapped a salute and left. Shizune looked to Tsunade with concern, "who is going to tell Sakura-san?"

Tsunade sighed as she sat down. "Kakashi is her team leader and sensei. He'll tell her."

Kakashi arrived quickly and noticed the black scroll. Tsunade informed him of the situation, and he nodded while taking the scroll. "She's going to be devastated."

"She's my student; she's strong enough to handle it. Now go and do your duty as her team leader."

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Kakashi said before he vanished.

Sakura stopped her prep work for dinner as she heard a knock on the door. "Coming!" she was surprised to see Kakashi at the door, "oh sensei, what are you doing here?"

Kakashi smiled as best he could, given the circumstances, and said, "I have a few things to speak with you about. May I come in?"

Sakura hesitated, seeing her sensei's face, which seemed off from his usual demeanor. "Sure sensei, come on in." Sakura stepped aside and let Kakashi in, "would you like some tea sensei?"

"No, I'm good. Please just have a seat," Kakashi said.

Sakura frowned and sat on the couch in the living room "you seem pretty serious, sensei. Is everything ok?"

Kakashi sat across from her and sighed, "first, I'd like to say I'm proud of you. You've shown considerable growth since you became a genin, and now you're a chunin. You've got so much potential. I know you'll do great things."

"Is everything ok, sensei? Not that I don't appreciate the compliments, but you're not usually this serious while in the village."

Sakura looked confused as he pulled a scroll out. She had seen it before when her grandfather on her dad's side had died. 'Maybe grangran passed? It's been quite a while since we saw her. Dad's gonna be upset, but why is Kakashi-' "sensei?"

"I'm sorry." he placed the scroll down on the coffee table.

Sakura's hand shook as she picked up the scroll and unfurled it. Her breath caught in her throat as she read the names of the deceased sealed inside. "I-is this... wh-what are the details?"

Kakashi frowned, seeing his student struggling to hold it together. "The situation hasn't been totally filled out, but we know it happened outside the Land of Fire. As far as we can tell, they fought an overwhelming force, and only their teammate survived. Though he was seriously injured, he brought them back to the village."

Sakura fought back against her tears like a good shinobi as she clutched the scroll. "They died doing their jobs."

Kakashi stood and put a hand on her shoulder. "I'll leave you to it. Be sure to bring the scroll to the Hokage tower, and they'll help you set up the funeral. I'll let myself out."

"Th-thank you, sensei." Sakura choked out as Kakashi left. Once he was gone, she dropped the scroll, and the tears started. Her breathing escalated rapidly, and a scream crawled out of her throat as she gripped her head.