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Back in the streets of the sand village, many people had passed out since they've been there for 24 hours. The councillors and the rest of the shinobi were attempting to break down the huge barrier with the machines that they've made by smashing it with a gigantic stone of a hammer. Though, it was futile.
"Ahh…! sir, this is hopeless," one of the jounin said, panting out of breath tiredly.
"Tsch. Just keep trying and quit whining, alright? People have been stuck there for too long, so I suggest that all of you need to keep pushing the hammer with every bit of chakra you have. But for some of you, you should use one of your specific techniques that I've asked you to do. No matter how much capacity there is, at least it will do good for the sake of others," Baki explained clearly and strictly as he placed his hands on hips.
"Hmmm," they all agreed in unison.
"Good. Now, get back to work and get rid of this damn thing. It's been such a nuisance lately," Baki commanded as they followed his orders quickly before the rush hour begin.
Concurrently, Kankuro and Temari decided to go through the holes of the empty pit using their own weapons to land safely on the ground. As they had reached the bottom, they squint their eyes slightly from the brightest light of the sphere that was stimulating the pink-haired kunoichi profoundly.
"Oh my… The power… It's so strong," Temari muttered nervously.
"Yeah… It is," Kankuro agreed as they both continued to watch Naruto, Shikamaru and the others utilizing the energies together.
All of a sudden, the rainbow sphere had burst out a light in just a few seconds until it had emanated through Sakura's entire body, much to everyone's astonishment.
They covered their eyes with the back of their hands and slowly removed them to see what was happening.
"Sa...Sakura…?" Naruto asked suspiciously with his eyes narrowed at the sight of his best friend.
She has her head down and arms laid out on the ground while she was motioning them down towards her slowly. Then, she opened her bright green eyes in conviction, which had the others know that she has been rejuvenated.
Meanwhile, Gaara was still dodging her attacks while he was standing on the same spot as usual without having a single flinch. His sand was shooting tiny sharp bullets out of the gourd and from the ground. He remains calm when it comes to her attacking him with her other techniques.
However, she stops for a moment and sighed tiredly. "You just don't know when to give up, do you?"
"I could ask you the same question. Until then, you will wish you were not even half alive," the red-haired Kazekage remarked monotonously.
"Hmm. That's too bad, isn't it? Maybe I should probably bring forth the weapon. Don't worry, it's only the beginning for me to start terminating you," dark Sakura chuckled lightly.
"Go ahead," Gaara said sarcastically in a soft tone of his voice with his arms crossed.
With her two fingers held up in front of her mouth, she began to use one of her ninjutsu skills. It is known as, Dragon's Spew of Fire.
"Now, deliver…" the pink-haired Akatsuki whispered quietly.
The purple dragon with yellow eyes appeared in front of the center and breathes out the fire in their surroundings. This made a circular blockade around them that only arranges it to the limits.
"Remember, if you pass through it, you're out. I'm warning you, Gaara. Give up or get wiped out. Your choice," dark Sakura suggested.
"Neither," the red-haired Kazekage answered as he moves his sand and shapes a sharp weapon, then grabs it on his hand. "Ultimately Hard Absolute Attack: Shukaku's Spear!"
The pink-haired Akatsuki member, glared her eyes menacingly at him at that moment.
Then, Gaara suddenly plunges it forward across to her direction and started to charge instead of staying on the same spot. He was striking her, using his Successive Shots Sand drizzle and Concealed Sand Picture Cat jutsu at the same time.
Dark Sakura, on the other hand, got a few scratches and bruises on her arms with blood dripping on the ground. She builds up a light purple wall of defense, then she closed her eyes for a moment and reopens them when she meditated a genjutsu spell that forces him to feel drowsy.
In a few seconds, the red-haired Kazekage was blinking his eyes slowly and tries to concentrate. As soon as he tries to slash her with his Sand Claw, he immediately drops down onto his knees until he was lifted up on his feet by the pink-haired Akatsuki's dark power.
"That's it…? How disappointing… I was expecting more from you. Sadly, you just don't have the guts to overthrow me," dark Sakura mocked and continued on when she summons a Black Dragon Katana by sliding out from the back of her cape, saying. "I suppose this is where you are going to… die!"
Before she made a slicing motion towards his immobilized body, someone else suddenly collided her own sword with hers that vibrates the clinging noise of both weapons, much to dark Sakura's bewilderment.
The person, who stopped her, turns out to be the real one that she was facing.
"Sakura?!" The pink-haired Akatsuki gasped as she watches her carry the body of her dear friend away and placed him on the corner. She narrowed her eyes darkly at her, saying. "Hm… You never failed to surprise me… Even after you lost all the powers that you have in you. You still managed to retaliate."
The pink-haired kunoichi, on the other hand, checked Gaara's pulses on the side of his neck with the tip of her fingers gently and stood up on her feet. Then, she slowly turns around to face her with sobriety. "You are absolutely pathetic. I never knew you would stoop so low. Why…?"
Dark Sakura was staring at her vacantly without saying anything, then flashes out and appears in front of her face to slice her in half with the Black Dragon Katana.
However, Sakura was quick enough to move out of the way as she hovers in the air and backflips. She started to charge towards her and attempts to strike her with the White Dragon Katana.
Both of their weapons had collided again while one of them is smirking evilly and the other is serenely gazing.
For the time being, Naruto and the others knew that the hole above them was already sealed with big rocks. They head out of the tunnels to go and find their two missing companions.
"Guys! We have to hurry!" Temari called out nervously.
"We'll get there! I know they will be safe!" Shikamaru answered reassuringly.
"Tsch. That girl is going to pay. Whoever she is, she must be stopped because Sakura is always getting hurt," Naruto clenched his teeth in anger.
"Yeah. let's turn this way," Kankuro said, pointing out to the right direction as they all followed along.
At the same time, the pink-haired kunoichi began to make a few hand signs to perform a clone technique, in which another figure of hers popped up beside her. Then, they were both running in a fast pace and made a Double-Crane's Earth Edge jutsu that increases the level of their combat against dark Sakura.
They grabbed onto each other's shoulders to kick their legs up high, jabbing their fists through her stomach in the process. Then, they held her tightly in the center of her body and swing her off in a far distance below.
Dark Sakura stumbled a little, yet she landed safely on the ground while glaring at them. She stayed on the same spot and uses one of her ninjutsu. She whispered in menace, saying. "Unbound: Dragon's Den…"
On a spur of moment, the area was beginning to tremble among the rocks that was scattered around as it grew noisily until one of the darkest creatures appeared in front of Sakura, who has her eyes widened in dismay. Her shadow clone immediately disappeared in a puff of smoke after being caught off guard by what she saw. She was throwing multiple shurikens towards her opponent while hovering down.
Though, dark Sakura eventually dismissed them with a fling of her right arm, which strikes back to the pink-haired kunoichi, who quickly dodged them and got a small cut on her left leg.
"Argh…!" She cried out hurtful.
"Now… Disperse!" Dark Sakura ordered cynically the Black Dragon with its yellow-green eyes.
The creature roared thunderously at the top of its lungs and flaps the sharp wings for a few seconds to fly towards the pink-haired kunoichi. Then, the dragon began to flare its nostrils as it breathes out a huge fire.
Sakura, on the other hand, moves out of the attack by using the Crane's wing-shield technique. At that instant, she promptly made a several hand signs to perform one of the special ninjutsu. Her pendant activated to deliver out the powers. Another weapon was distributed upon her hands, indicating a big shuriken, which she exclaims out loud. "Wind Blossom Star!"
Dark Sakura widened her eyes in astonishment and watches it spin in a rapid motion towards her. She ducked her head down and noticed that a bit of her stranded hair was cut off. She decided not to look at them as her main focus target was the pink-haired kunoichi. She jumped up in the air to front flip and strike her with a long crystalline spikes that formed on the very tip of her fingers.
On the contrary, the pink-haired kunoichi tries to block her attack with one of the arm defense, but was gashed throughout. She grunted in pain and saw one foot kicked her in the center of her stomach rigidly that threw her off to the bottom span of the sand surface. Her body was rolling over and tries to move as much as possible. However, she was a bit injured and coughs out the blood from her mouth.
Dark Sakura landed on the ground and started to approach her while holding the Katana down. When she stopped in front of her body, she hold the weapon with both hands, saying sadistically. "Your time is up! Say Goodbye, Sakura!"
As soon as she was about to stab her directly on the back, the pink-haired kunoichi abruptly pulls out her Katana to pierce her on the right side.
All at once, both of them were frozen on their spots in silence. Their eyes widened in shock and trauma when several drops of blood spilled out in a slow motion. Thoughts were beginning to race around their minds.
But then, dark Sakura narrowed her eyes in resentment at the pink-haired kunoichi as she jumped backward a bit and held her lower wounded abdomen on the right. She quickly healed herself using one of the medical techniques. "Hah. That was swell. Not outstanding to vanquish me."
Sakura, on the other hand, started to stand up on her feet, still holding her Katana closely. She asks her melancholy. "Is that what you care about…? Winning, controlling over people's lives… Those things are not the answers-"
"No… It is. Power is everything that I crave for," dark Sakura interrupted her firmly.
"Why…? Why are you like this…? There are many people that you've harmed, yet they still love you… Why are you doing this? Are you not concerned about their welfare? Things are going to get worse if you keep hurting them," Sakura interrogated demandingly after panting her breath out.
"How could they love me when they never asked me what's wrong? Why should I be the one to be worried about them? I'm not the same person as I was, Sakura… This is my path. I've made my choice. It's time for me to destroy every single thing that you have and replace them with my own…" dark Sakura stated harshly.
FLASHBACKS:
During the second round of the Chunin exams, Naruto and Sasuke were in their unconscious state while Sakura was looking after them at the Forest of Death.
After the Third Preliminaries had ended, her battle with Ino became a deadlock since both of them were strong. However, it wasn't enough for her, but she managed to accept defeat due to the time limit.
One of the missions to the Land of Waves was definitely the first time that Sakura couldn't do anything to help her teammates when they were fighting against Zabuza and Haku. She was mourning over Sasuke's fake "death" for only a few minutes, instead of taking him someplace for him to wake up.
After he left the village, Sakura was still struggling to master new medical techniques with Lady Tsunade.
Even if she had excelled on every tests, quizzes, and assignments in the Ninja School Academy, she tried so hard to make her parents be proud of her.
END OF THE FLASHBACKS
The pink-haired kunoichi stared at her for a moment until she spoke out slowly. "Now, I know… You're lonely… You feel that not many people acknowledge you, not many of them appreciate you… You don't need to be the enemy and let everyone know… You are not a bad person. It's not too late for you to do what's right… You've always been a part of me and I cannot blame you for what you are feeling..."
Dark Sakura didn't say anything at all and began to charge against her as she raises her Black Dragon Katana up to strike cruelly against her. She was ignoring what she was saying until she felt a warm hug by Sakura, who wrapped her arms around.
"I'll never let you go. Please, forgive me… I'm sorry for everything and for the way you are this way. I love you, Sakura…" the pink-haired kunoichi murmured quietly while she was shedding tears out from her eyes.
Suddenly, they both stood in where they are, whereas Naruto and the others arrived just in time to watch the scene in front of them.
"Ah…" they all gasped in awe with their eyes wide open.
Dark Sakura looked at her and returned her embrace as she closed her eyes for a moment. A tear slid down from the right cheek and began to smile, saying. "I love you, too…"
Sakura hugged her tightly and said. "I finally realize that I keep hurting myself so much. I keep forgetting to know what's important in my life… I'm the one who made you develop those terrible feelings… You don't deserve that… You deserve the kind of life that you need… Family, friends, and relatives… What you need is love and affection… Mostly, you are my inner Sakura and I will learn how to treat you respectfully and love you unconditionally…"
Dark Sakura nodded in understanding and cries out for joy with a warm smile that displayed across her face, saying. "Thank you, Sakura…" Then, she eventually began to disappear into a white light of golden specks of dust and enters inside Sakura's body. She returned back to where she was as her inner spirit and gave her own powers back.
The pink-haired kunoichi inhales and exhales out at that point and naturally unleashes one of her newest techniques. A Huge Cherry Blossom flower appeared behind her as the petals began to swirl around her figure when she was floating in the air with her bright green eyes opened in boldness.
"Sakura…" Naruto muttered at the sight of her.
The red-haired Kazekage slowly gets up on his feet while he was watching her floating down towards the ground gently. He was surprised to see her fulfill her strength.
The others was also speechless and started to run towards her with big, happy smiles.
"You did it!" Kankuro exclaimed happily.
"Girl, you really have that charm. You are incredible," Temari said grinning widely.
"You are definitely a true kunoichi," Shikamaru said smirking.
"Thank you guys for the help that I need. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be fully alive," the pink-haired kunoichi said as she gave them a curt nod kindly and was hugged quickly by Naruto.
"You are one heck of a heroine, Sakura," Naruto beamed brightly and laughed.
"Hehe. I appreciate that," she answered with tears of joy until her eyes landed upon Gaara, who approached and stopped in front of her.
I'm glad that you are back," he said softly.
Sakura's eyes were glistening intensely and nodded with a smile at him. "Me too…"
The rest of the group cheered with a few claps on their hands. "Welcome back, Miss Sakura Haruno!"
The pink-haired kunoichi began to giggle shyly as her cheeks tinged in pink and said. "Thank you, all…"
"Now, let's go head back to get everyone out of the barrier," Shikamaru instructed with a smirk.
"Yeah, they must be there for more than one day," Temari noted.
"Well, what are we waiting for?! Ahhh! Let's go!" Naruto yelled out determinedly.
"Yaahhh!" The crew cried out in unison as they started to head out of the cave, whereas Gaara and Sakura were staying behind them.
"After that, we need to make sure that every individual need to be taken to the hospital for a check-up," the red-haired Kazekage said hurriedly.
"I'll do the best I can," the pink-haired kunoichi agreed as they both were running to catch up with them in a quick pace.
TO BE CONTINUED...