Disclaimer:

I do not own Naruto or Star Wars.


Chapter 11: The Battle of Team 7

A nightmare.

It was the only word that would describe Sakura and her team's current situation. She hoped beyond hope that's what it was. Just another bad dream in the long line of night terrors she's had during these past few years. But it was no dream this time. It was real.

He was real.

The Man in Black's dark figure leapt from his hovering vessel. Landing upon the ground with his red glowing blade angled upwards to the side while causing cracks in the hard rock beneath his boots. He stood upwards before approaching them.

Each slow step he took felt like it was death itself coming for them. Sakura could barely breathe let alone even move from sensing the cold hatred within his dark being. Her teammates and Sasuke were also frozen in place due to the sheer amount of killer intent that was weighing heavily in the air.

The Man in Black stopped in front of them before speaking.

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"You're in my way."

Yamato then spoke to his comrades.

"Sakura, Sai we're withdrawing."

Sai looked at Yamato shocked while Sakura didn't even register his words because she was still catatonic.

"But Captain Yamato, what about the mission?"

Yamato looked at Sai with a grim expression.

"We're withdrawing immediately!"

Sai was going to protest but the look on Yamato's face suggested that this was not an order to argue against so he sighed and nodded before Yamato grabbed Sakura's shoulder and shook her gently.

"Sakura, snap out of it!"

Sakura blinked and gasped before she looked at her squad leader.

"Sakura, pull yourself together! We're retreating!"

The Cherry Blossom medic blinked more in shock before she began to protest.

"B-But the mission! Sasuke! I need to-"

"No! We're not to engage him!"

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"A wise strategy."

All three members looked at the Man in Black as he spoke further.

"The Uchiha is the one I seek not you three. If any of you dare to stand against me then you will leave me with no choice but to end your meaningless lives."

Sakura felt the hatred in the Man in Black spiking as he made his threat.

"Now go while I still allow it."

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Sakura swallowed some dried spit as she debated with her current options. If she obeyed Yamato's orders and retreated she would be forfeiting what may be her only chance of finding out what happened to Naruto. If she stayed then she would have to fight the Man in Black.

She knows she's come too far to give up in her search for answers. However, at the same time she had no desire or even the courage to do battle with the Man in Black. She's seen what he could do in her dreams and if his abilities were anything like how they were in her nightmares.

Then none of them stood a chance.

Yamato then whispered something into her ear.

"These orders are from the Hokage, Sakura! We're to observe but not fight him! He's too powerful!"

Sakura looked at Yamato shocked.

'Lady Tsunade knew about him?'

Sakura looked back at the Man in Black. Sensing his patience beginning to wear thin. Feeling like there was no other option at this point she nodded to Captain Yamato and all three leapt out of the rubble hole to the ground surface. Sakura looked back down towards the Man in Black and saw that he wasn't even paying attention to them anymore as he was now focused on Sasuke.

When they landed above they knelt down and kept a good distance as they watched what was about to transpire below.

Sasuke's lone eye narrowed at the stranger. He wasn't sure if it was a man or some kind of machine. He didn't really sense that much chakra coming from him but he could tell this guy was strong. There was something about his posture and demeanor. They gave a sense of confidence, experience, and focus. He also recognized the weapon he held as very similar to the one he had on his hip that he acquired from Naruto. Only that this blade was red in color.

Sasuke slowly gripped the handle of his sword before he spoke to the dark stranger.

"What do you want from me?"

The machine like man tilted his black mask down a little before giving a simple reply.

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"Your life."

Sasuke's eye widened and he snapped his head to the side to see the dark stranger towering behind him with his red blade raised for a killing stroke! Sasuke unsheathed his sword and blocked the blow! Creating sparks and causing a light and a cackling sound to emanate from where the two blades were touching.

The dark stranger's blade slowly began pushing Sasuke's back. Forcing the adolescent Uchiha to grip his sword with both hands to try to hold his ground. That did little though to offer further resistance as the dark being was still pushing him back while only using just one hand on his own energy blade.

Sasuke grit his teeth before leaping back to put more distance! When he landed his eye widened again as he ducked from a horizontal strike from behind that nearly took off his head! Sasuke twisted his body around and blocked another strike followed by another and another! Sasuke grit his teeth as he struggled to block and dodge the machine man's attacks and strikes. While they may be slow each of his strikes and slashes that he blocked almost broke through his defense due to the sheer strength and power behind them against his own blade.

Seeing that he wasn't going to get anywhere like this the young Uchiha backflipped and landed with his hand slamming on the ground before twisting his body to flip away just as the man in dark armor tried to cut him down again! Sasuke landed on the tip of a broken piece of wall. His eye narrowing at the stranger.

Yamato's eyes narrowed at the fight.

"That was a close one."

Sai nodded.

"Sasuke's reflexes and speed in battle are excellent but it looks like that other one might have the advantage in terms of raw strength and the element of surprise."

Yamato nodded.

'Yeah, but will Sasuke's skills even help against this guy's true power?'

Meanwhile, back in the pit, Sasuke's eye narrowed.

"Before we continue answer me this; who are you?"

The man stood there staring up at him as his cape whipped in the wind while his armor continued reflecting the flashes from the lightning in the dark sky above.

"Foolish little brother…."

Sasuke's eye grew wide with shock and he whipped his body around!

"ITACHI?!"

Sasuke completely turned around and looked upwards only to see the dark armored man standing above him at the top of the hole. Sasuke was confused as he could've sworn that he heard his brother's voice from there. He didn't know what was going on.

Until he heard more voices coming from the man and echoing around them as more lightning flashed behind the dark stranger.

"I have been every voice; you have ever heard, Teme! Inside your head."

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Sasuke's pupil shrunk and his breathe hitched a bit while Sakura gasped as she too recognized the voices. The first was definitely Sasuke's brother Itachi Uchiha's voice. The other one was obviously Naruto's. Sakura couldn't help but slink backwards in fear. The idea of Naruto's voice coming from the Man in Black was greatly unsettling for her. That and there was something that didn't make sense. Being able to mimic someone else's voice is not that uncommon among shinobi.

Yet, how in the world does the Man in Black know of Naruto's nickname for Sasuke?

Meanwhile Sasuke's head was tilted down with his bangs covering his eyes as he began to frown.

"I see, so you're the one that's been messing around with my head all this time. I'm glad I know now that it was you."

Sasuke got into fighting stance on the tip of the rubble he stood upon.

"Before I pay you back for your annoying mind games, tell me your name."

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Once again that odd breathing sound came from the stranger before he answered Sasuke.

"My name…is Darth Vader."

Vader then looked towards the three Leaf shinobi that were positioned at the opposite ledge of the hole.

"As I'm sure the Lady Hokage has already informed your temporary squad leader of that by now."

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Sakura gasped as she then remembered something that was said in her first nightmare.

Flashback

"Lord Vader."

Flashback End

Sakura then looked back at the one she used to know only as the Man in Black.

'Vader. His name is Vader.'

Sai looked Yamato confused.

"Captain Yamato, what is he talking about?"

Yamato sighed as he answered him.

"Lady Tsunade briefed me before our mission about this…Darth Vader. She gave strict instructions that if we were to encounter him during our mission we were to not engage him. His powers apparently go far beyond our understanding and are what make him extraordinarily dangerous. That's why I had us pull out of there."

Sai spoke.

"But Captain Yamato what about Sasuke? If he kills him than our mission will be a failure and Sakura will never get the answers she needs."

Yamato sighed.

"I know that."

He then looked at Sakura.

"Sakura, I'm sorry but we can't fight him. I only know a fraction of his abilities based on Kakashi's report and what Lady Tsunade told me. Maybe we can try to negotiate but there's not really much else we're allowed to do or can do."

Sakura nodded.

"I understand."

Though in truth Sakura could tell by her own intuition and experiences in her dreams and what she's felt inside him that Darth Vader was not the negotiating type at all.

Meanwhile Sasuke, who was still standing on a tip of rubble was trying to put together a strategy.

'He's very strong and faster than he looks. Fighting him at close range is very risky. His strikes are heavy yet precise and they nearly broke through my blocks and counters but they were slow.'

His eye narrowed further at the armor Vader was wearing.

'That armor is probably what's hampering the speed of his physical attacks. Which means my speed and agility give me an advantage. It would also suggest….'

Sasuke's eye transformed into his sharingan before he body flickered to behind Vader with his body cackling with electricity and shoved his electrified sword towards Vader's back!

'That his defenses are slow too!'

Sasuke's blade was then suddenly batted upwards by Vader's and nearly knocked Sasuke's own sword out of his hands!

'He managed to block it after all, huh? At least he didn't notice my other attack!'

Quickly regaining his footing, Sasuke tried to slash his electrified sword through the dark lord. Vader responded by simply side stepping out of the way of his blade and pushed Sasuke in the back with his free hand which caused Sasuke to fall back into the makeshift arena. The young Uchiha landed gracefully before he looked upwards and then leaped away again as Vader landed in Sasuke's previous position with his red glowing blade embedding into the earth!

When Sasuke landed he concentrated his chakra nature throughout his body.

"CHIDORI STREAM!"

The young Uchiha's body then became bathed in lightning chakra before it shot outwards in a large radius around him! Seeing the electrical jutsu coming towards him, Vader simply lifted his left gloved hand upwards with his palm facing towards Sasuke. The moment the lightning came into contact with his glove it instantly reflected off of it and into one of the shattered wall pieces. Reducing it to even more rubble.

Sasuke's sharingan eye narrowed in confusion.

'What? I thought I sealed off some of his chakra points with my attack from earlier. Then again I didn't see or sense him infuse any chakra into that defense of his. What's going on?'

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"Using your first attack as a means to not only test my defenses but also to try to seal off some of my chakra points with your Chidori Senbons."

Sasuke's eye grew wide for a split second before his expression became calm again.

"You knew?"

Vader tilted his helmet down a little.

"I did, though I was surprised that you were able to so accurately pinpoint where my chakra nodes were without having a byakugan. Not that it would've aided you. You must have trained yourself rigorously to memorize their locations within the human body. Impressive."

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"Unfortunately, they did not avail you."

Sasuke's eye narrowed.

"How so? I saw them hit you."

Vader tilted his helmet downward a bit.

"Did they now?"

Sasuke focused his sharingan to detect his senbons but couldn't find them anywhere. Not only that but he couldn't even see Vader's chakra at all. There was no chakra color, ripple, flare, or any single sign of his chakra at all.

It was as if he didn't have any.

'Just who is this guy?'

Vader suddenly appeared right in front of Sasuke and slammed his blade down! Sasuke however brought his sword up just in time and blocked the attack but just barely. The two then engaged in a blade lock with sparks flying everywhere. Although, it was pretty much one sided as Vader's blade pressed Sasuke's sword downward.

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"If you have any other new techniques or moves now is the time."

Sasuke responded by opening his sharingan eye wide in the direction of Vader's mask. He then disengaged the blade lock and leapt away just as Vader attempted to slash at him again. When he landed a short distance away Vader attempted to advance towards him only to find that he couldn't move.

Vader looked at his legs and saw snakes wrapped around them. When he looked back upwards towards Sasuke, he noticed that his surroundings were gone. Instead, there was nothing but giant sharingan eyes staring at him in a vast void of darkness.

It was beyond obvious what this was.

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"Genjutsu."

Vader then began to focus his mind and chakra.

"He had better hope that his next jutsu kills me."

Because if there were any jutsu that Vader detested the most it was genjutsu.

Seeing Vader standing still with his defenses lowered made it clear that his genjutsu worked, so Sasuke sped through the necessary hand signs before taking a deep breath.

"FIRE STYLE: DRAGON FLAME JUTSU!"

Sasuke then shot out a large fire jutsu in the shape of a serpent like dragon that flew into and engulfed Vader and the area around him in an explosion of flames!

Sai's eyes widened while Yamato's narrowed.

"Do you think he won?"

Yamato answered.

"I don't kno-"

"No."

They both looked at Sakura who was slightly trembling again with eyes still full of fear.

"He just made him angrier.

Sasuke's eye narrowed at the flames as it looked like something was moving in them.

Suddenly, Darth Vader leapt out of the broiling fire and raised his blade upwards before bringing it down upon Sasuke's! He then began to hack and slash at Sasuke's sword in a mad frenzy all while dying flames continued to lick at his armor and suit. Then in one mighty strike, the dark lord batted Sasuke's sword out of his hands and grabbed him by the throat before lifting up and proceeded to crush his windpipe.

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"You fool! Did you honestly think that technique would serve you just as well as that fireball jutsu you used on Uzumaki?!"

Sasuke's eye widened as did both of Sakura's.

'Fireball jutsu? What's he talking about?!'

Sakura then remembered that burnt patch of ground where they found Naruto's limbs.

'He can't mean-!'

"H-How-ack-do you know about-hick-that-urk?!"

Vader squeezed his throat further.

"That doesn't matter."

Vader then held up his red energy sword with its tip pointed towards Sasuke's chest.

"Die. Now."

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Sasuke grit his teeth before he quickly raised his left arm and suddenly a blue glowing beam of lightning chakra shot out towards Vader's head! However, before it even touched the black metal surface of his helmet the jutsu shattered. Leaving a dumbfounded Sasuke.

'What was that?!'

It was very brief but his sharingan saw it. A brief flicker of what looked like chakra that was protecting Vader in that moment just before Sasuke's jutsu could reach him. The Uchiha didn't have time to ponder further though as Vader was getting ready to try to skewer him again. Seeing no other option, Sasuke quickly reached onto his hip and grabbed the hilt of Naruto's old weapon and flicked the switch to activate it before he quickly raised the blue glowing blade to cut through Vader's arm!

Vader already sensing the attack coming beforehand released Sasuke and pulled his arm out of the way of the Uchiha's slash! Sasuke then fell back to the ground and leapt backwards as he touched it. When he landed he began to rub his throat and coughed to try to get air in. When he removed his hand, a bruise was seen forming on his throat. If Vader had squeezed any harder Sasuke would've suffered permanent throat damage or worse.

Vader gripped the hilt of his weapon hard as he pointed at the adolescent Uchiha with his free hand.

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"You dare to use that lightsaber against me?!"

Sasuke looked at his weapon.

"So, that's what this thing is called?"

He then got into a battle stance as he carefully held his trophy blade.

"What's it to you if I do?"

Vader then slowly marched towards Sasuke with his armored boots leaving cracked footprints in the ground.

"You…are not worthy to wield such a weapon!"

Vader then swung his saber onto Sasuke who, at the same time, swung his into Vader and the two engaged in a saber lock! A bright light could be seen shinning where the two sabers met and a cackling sound ringed through the air that was even louder than the one from their previous blade lock. Vader pulled his blade back before slashing with it again! Causing Sasuke to raise his up to block it from cutting his head. Then he had to lower his saber towards his legs as Vader tried to go for them next. Then raised it up to his waist to block as Vader tried to horizontally cut him in half!

While each and every time he struggled not to lose his grip on the lightsaber, as he did with his sword, against the dark lord's mighty strikes and slashes.

Deciding he's had enough of being on the defensive, Sasuke dodged Vader's next strike and leapt towards him with his own saber raised high! Vader responded by raising his blade up with one hand and just as Sasuke's lightsaber connected he pushed his weapon into the raven haired Uchiha's which forced him backwards into a piece of broken wall. Vader then suddenly appeared in front of him before he could recuperate and made a vertical slash! Sasuke however, managed to dodge the attack while the wall behind split in two! Vader spun his blade in his hand as Sasuke charged at him again.

Vader tilted his helmet to the side a little before he spun around and blocked Sasuke's body flickered strike from behind! Sasuke then made a diagonal slash which Vader dodged before the Uchiha tried plunging his lightsaber forward in hopes of piercing his opponent's abdomen! The dark lord however twisted Sasuke's saber which forced him to miss and then he back handed the rogue Uchiha with his free hand across the face! The former Team 7 member was then sent rolling into the ground a few times before coming to a stop.

Vader then proceeded towards him with his red saber angled low until he came upon the motionless Uchiha and tilted his helmet in curiosity.

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"Hmph."

He then spun his saber so that the blade was facing downwards before he plunged it into Sasuke!

Sakura gasped in shock until she felt a hand rest on her shoulder. She looked over and saw it was Yamato. She noticed that he didn't look that concerned and neither did Sai.

"I wouldn't count Sasuke out just yet, Sakura."

Sakura was confused by what Yamato meant until she looked over at Sasuke's body and felt something about it beginning to shift unnaturally. Suddenly, it poofed into smoke and was nothing but an old piece of wood!

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"As I expected."

One of the broken walls nearby exploded into smoke and dust and Sasuke leapt out with his black gauntlets released and revealed summoning formulas on his wrists. After performing the necessary hand sign a couple of them poofed into smoke before revealing unsealed shuriken! Sasuke then snatched them between his fingers before he threw them outwards in various directions but all were headed towards one single target!

Just as it looked like they were about to hit there mark, Vader suddenly swung his lightsaber in one swift stroke and sliced through all of the shuriken! Reducing them to sizzling cut up pieces of metal. While up ahead Sasuke proceeded to run through the same hand sign again.

When the summoning smoke poofed and cleared, Sasuke was seen holding two fuma shuriken. He threw the first one towards Vader, who stood still as the giant shuriken approached. Vader then suddenly stepped to the side and avoided it but quickly stepped back to his previous position just before the second one hit him.

He turned his attention back to the young protégé of Orochimaru.

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"Shadow Shuriken Jutsu. The same technique you and Uzumaki used against Zabuza Momochi when you both fought him to save Kakashi Hatake."

Sasuke's eye narrowed and Sakura gasped in shock.

'How does he know about that?!'

Yamato's eyes widened briefly.

'To know that much about the details of that jutsu being used by Sasuke during Team 7's first mission outside the village could very well mean that Lady Tsunade's theory might've been correct.'

Sasuke's expression turned calm again.

"Not quite the same technique."

Sasuke then pulled his fists back which revealed ninja wire between his fingers. Vader turned his helmet and saw the two fuma shuriken split into pieces with the blade parts soaring towards him! Vader though just lifted his left hand and twitched his fingers and suddenly the various flying blades changed direction and flew over him and right towards Sasuke!

Sasuke tried to manipulate the wires to get the blades to stop but they wouldn't respond. He saw Vader's hand gesture and realized he was controlling them somehow. Sasuke leapt away just as the fuma shuriken blades embedded themselves into the spot that he previously stood. When he landed, Sasuke's mind began to think quickly of a new strategy.

He was getting nowhere fast against Vader. Sasuke still may have a few trumps cards but he would rather save them until they were absolutely necessary. Vader's physical offensive and defensive techniques were too strong. He even managed to break out of Sasuke's genjutsu in just a matter of seconds and even was able to withstand his Dragon Flame jutsu. Not to mention that this guy managed to disable his Chidori Senbons, reflected his Chidori Stream, shattered his Chidori Sharp Spear, and manipulated his fuma shurikens with just a twitch of his fingers.

Sasuke then tried to think of what kind of jutsu Vader could've used in all of those instances. Three of them involved using a different form of his Chidori which was made of lightning chakra and he was able to change the trajectory and flight path of his fuma shurikens while they were in the air. Sasuke's eyes suddenly widened in realization from his brainstorming and he did another hand sign and unsealed another fuma shuriken that he held at the ready.

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"You are only prolonging your demise."

Sasuke's eye narrowed.

"We'll see about that."

Sasuke spun the enormous shuriken before throwing it towards Vader and then proceeded to speed through some hand signs. When he finished he opened his palm and chidori lightning spewed out of his hand into the shuriken! Turning it into a lightning buzzsaw!

"LIGHTNING FLASH!"

Vader immediately brought up his lightsaber to block the lightning enhanced shuriken. Loud cackling could be heard as the saw like jutsu tried to penetrate through Vader's blade. The contact between the two weapons reflecting flashing lights off of Vader's helmet and mask. If Vader's saber were a normal weapon the fuma shuriken probably would've cut through it by now but fortunately it wasn't. However, at the same time Vader's blade also couldn't cut through the shuriken because of the lightning chakra imbuing it. The dark lord could only keep it at bay.

Seeing an opportunity, Sasuke raised his other arm and suddenly lighting came out into the form of a long blue spear again that stretched fast towards Vader's head! Seeing the incoming attack Vader immediately began to focus. It only took an instant when without warning the air around his lightsaber beam began to change. Making the saber's edges look like they were flickering and simmering. Then his saber suddenly cut through the lightning enhanced shuriken! Cleaving it clean in two before he slashed it through the beam of lightning chakra and shattered it completely!

Sasuke lowered his arm but he didn't seem annoyed or disappointed in his failed attack.

"Changing the form of your chakra nature into sharp blade like weapons. You did this before with your senbon and when you tried to escape from my grip."

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Vader lowered his saber at a downward angle as he slowly walked towards Sasuke as more lightning cackled from the storm.

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"Orochimaru has taught you well."

Sasuke responded.

"I'm not the only one here who knows how to manipulate his chakra nature."

The dark lord stopped.

"You've been using Wind Style to counter my lightning attacks this whole time, haven't you?"

Vader tilted his helmet down as he allowed the raven haired Uchiha to further explain.

"I noticed it just now when you focused your chakra to cut through my shuriken and chidori attacks. It was a bit tricky to figure it out since your able to concentrate and form it so quickly that it doesn't even look or feel like you're using chakra at all. That is until I infused my shuriken with lightning style to keep you occupied while attempting to strike you with my chidori. Dealing with both of those lightning style jutsus at once left you forced to concentrate and mold your chakra longer which allowed me to see it. The color of your chakra was the same one for wind and it explains how you were able to disable and defend against my previous lightning style jutsus. It also explains how you're able to move around so fast despite having slow attacks. You use both your chakra nature and your normal chakra to increase your speed. It also explains how you were able to change and manipulate the pieces of my fuma shuriken while they were in the air. Tell me, am I right?"

As more lightning flashed above them, Darth Vader answered the Uchiha boy.

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"Not quite."

Sasuke's eye narrowed.

"You're deductive skills are adequate but unfortunately both your mind and your sharingan are still not as sharp as you would like to think they are."

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Sasuke's eye narrowed further.

"What do you mean by that?"

Vader spun his lightsaber as he continued towards the Uchiha.

"You're an Uchiha prodigy. You'll understand soon enough."

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As the dark lord continued to advance towards him, Sasuke began to grin.

"You are strong, I'll give you that. I haven't had a fight that's pushed me this far since my battle with Naruto at the Valley of the End. But the difference between you and him is that Naruto was special."

Vader halted once again in his tracks and tightly gripped his blood colored lightsaber while Sakura could feel his anger rising.

"He had abilities the likes of which you wouldn't believe. He was the only one of my generation who could challenge me. He even almost beat me and yet here you come claiming that you're going to do what he couldn't?...IT'S PATHETIC!"

Black markings began to cover and spread from Sasuke's neck to his face before they glowed and his body started to transform. His skin turned dark grey as his fingernails grew into claws. The Uchiha's black hair grew and changed in color to dark blue. Then two gnarly appendages grew out of his back that looked like giant webbed purposed for wings. When the transformation was complete he took out Naruto's blue lightsaber and activated it again. Holding it at a downward angle.

Sakura gasped in horror at Sasuke's transformed state while Yamato's and Sai's eyes narrowed.

"So that's the power of Orochimaru's curse mark."

Yamato nodded.

"His chakra has risen tremendously."

Sai then looked over at Sakura.

"Sakura, are you alright?"

Yamato looked at her too as she turned to both of them with her face still full of worry and fear.

"It won't make any difference against him."

Yamato was about to inquire why but was prevented due to a small crack forming on the ground near them. Just as it finished stretching across the barren soil, Sasuke body flickered to Vader's left side at an insane speed before he slashed his saber out to try to behead him! But the dark lord blocked the surprise attack with both hands on his own saber. Managing to keep the deformed Uchiha at bay.

Vader twisted Sasuke's saber and retaliated with a downward diagonal cut but Sasuke took to the air to avoid attack. Only to fly at inhumane speeds back to Vader and proceeded to unleash a barrage of slashes and strikes while still remaining airborne. Darth Vader still held his own though as he blocked and parried each of the teenage Uchiha's attacks and even countered with his own. Lights flashing between them constantly as saber met upon saber.

Sasuke smashed his saber against his opponent's and the two were engaged in a deadlock once again. Sasuke grit his teeth as he struggled to push down Vader's lightsaber. Yet, despite his strength augmented by his curse mark's second state transformation he still wasn't able to break through Vader's defense.
Not that it mattered since the Uchiha was about to employ his real strategy.

The mutated Uchiha suddenly pulled away from the lock and a good distance from Vader. After he landed and he clipped his saber to his hip, he sped through hands signs at lightning speed. Then he reared his head back and puffed his cheeks before blowing.

"FIRESTYLE: FIREBALL JUTSU!"

Sasuke then blew an enormous, massive fireball, that was even bigger than his flaming dragon jutsu from earlier, at Darth Vader! The dark lord and his entire area became swallowed up in a sea of flames that scorch the earth! However, Sasuke wasn't finished yet as he lifted his left arm and pointed it towards the flames.

"You see, Wind Style may overpower Lightning Style but not against Fire Style. It only makes it stronger. While your armor may protect you against my fire jutsus it makes it impossible for you to use your wind jutsus!"

Sasuke shot out another Chidori Sharp Spear into the flames towards the exact spot where Vader was standing!

Sai and Yamato leaned forward with anticipation while Sakura's fearful expression still remained the same.

Back in the fight pit, Sasuke's cool and clam expression soon turned into irritation and confusion. Something was wrong with his chidori jutsu. He tried putting more chakra into it but didn't help correct the problem.

As the flames died down, his eyes slowly grew wide with shock and disbelief. Darth Vader stood with small dying flames continuing to fruitlessly burn through his suit. His left arm was raised to just below his chest plate with his gloved hand stretched out. Where in front of it was the tip of Sasuke's chidori quivering like it was in the grip of some invisible vice.

Sai was confused.

"How was he able to use Wind Style while dealing with Sasuke's fireball jutsu?"

Yamato answered.

"That isn't Wind Style."

Sai looked at Yamato who's eyes were narrowed.

"That's the Force."

Sai and Sakura both grew confused.

"The Force? I've never heard of this ability. What is it?"

Yamato shook his head.

"I'm not really familiar with it myself. Only from what Lady Tsunade told me and what Kakashi put in his report. It's some kind of strange power that allows someone to manipulate everything around them in their environment as well as other abilities."

Sai looked back at the battle below.

"Like what?"

Yamato shook his head.

"I don't really know how to answer that without making it sound confusing. Just keep observing for now."

Sakura looked at her hands while contemplating what Yamato just said and what Orochimaru told her earlier.

Flashback

"I knew it! That power! It's exactly the same as his! The same as that accursed dead Uzumaki brat!"

Flashback end

She then looked down at Darth Vader as he still held Sasuke's chidori back. Realizing that somehow she, Naruto, and Vader all had this same ability. This same power.

'The Force…'

Sai looked back at Yamato.

"I still feel like we should do something, Captain Yamato. Bringing Sasuke back is our mission. And doing so would help Sakura get the closure she needs about Naruto."

Yamato sighed.

"I know but it's like I said. Lady Tsunade gave strict orders to not engage. And after what I've seen so far I'm starting to think she was right. Not to mention, this guy put Kakashi in the hospital and took down a member of the Akatsuki all by himself with little effort. We stay put no matter what happens. We can try to make a deal with him to trade something for Sasuke's life but that's all."

Sakura had very little to no confidence that would work. However, at this point she would try and hope for anything that would help her find out what happened to Naruto. Even if it meant making a deal with Darth Vader. Not to mention that Sasuke is a former member of Team 7 and she couldn't let him be slaughtered.

Meanwhile said Uchiha was still struggling to free his chidori jutsu.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"I told you already…"

Vader closed his glove into a fist and Sasuke's jutsu shattered much to the Uchiha's confusion and stunned bewilderment.

"You're mind and sharingan are not as refined as you think they are."

Vader lowered his arm.

"It's true that I possess Wind Style and have used it against a few of your lightning jutsus and a little for increasing my speed. However,…"

Vader suddenly appeared behind Sasuke who whipped his body around and jumped back a few feet in surprise.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"The Force is my true power and weapon!"

Darth Vader stretched his free arm out and suddenly Sasuke began to choke as he clutched his throat. His body then started to levitate into the air despite no movements coming from his giant claw like wings. As he struggled to breathe and break free of this invisible grip on his body, Sasuke suddenly realized this familiar sensation. Sasuke's sharingan looked down in realization at Vader.

'This power!'

Sasuke has faced it before when he fought Naruto.

Before he could figure out how in the hell Darth Vader would have this same power, he was suddenly thrown through the air and several chunks of the lair's broken walls! Smashing through each of them and into one of the boundary walls of their makeshift arena! Vader then brought his arm down and Sasuke was sent flying and smashing into the ground at Vader's feet.

Sasuke slowly got up while unhooking his lightsaber. Just as he activated it, he attempted to strike with his enhanced speed at the dark lord, but Vader turned his body to the side and avoided with ease much to Sasuke's surprise. The dark armored foe then shoved his free gloved hand out and Sasuke felt his body pushed away by such a massive force that his back smashed right into one of arena walls again! Only this time, his body was being pinned to it. Sasuke struggled while watching as Vader twisted his glove around and then he felt his sword hand rising upwards against his will.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Your master Orochimaru has deceived you into believing you can defeat Itachi!"

Vader then slowly began to push his glove and under his command, Sasuke's saber hand began to push down with the blade slowly inching towards his throat! Sasuke attempted to resist but despite his cursed mark's transformation, his enhanced strength was no match against Vader's power. He couldn't even move his other arm.

Seeing no other option Sasuke activated one of his last trump cards.

Sasuke's sharingan tomoe pattern suddenly started to change shape into a choku tomoe pattern. When it was finished his Mangekyo Sharingan flared to life into the direction of Vader. The dark lord, catching sight of the advanced dojutsu, suddenly lowered his arm which allowed Sasuke to break free!

When he landed the apprentice of Orochimaru reverted back to his normal form as he still hasn't mastered regulating his chakra while using both the Curse Mark's Second Transformation State and his Mangekyo Sharingan. After taking a quick second breather he looked and saw that Vader was still under the influence of his Mangekyo's genjutsu. The Uchiha then turned his attention into the direction of where his casted sword was before he body flickered to it and picked up with his free hand.

Duel wielding both his Kusanagi sword and Naruto's lightsaber.

"You're the one who's deceived…"

Sasuke then leapt while raising both of his blades up to strike down the dark lord.

"INTO BELIEVING YOU CAN BEAT ME!"

The young avenger then brought his blades down only for them to be met with Vader's saber!

'Damn! He broke out of this genjutsu too?! Who is this guy?!'

The dark lord then pushed Sasuke back who used the momentum to backflip in the air before landing on the ground. He then channeled his lightning chakra through his Kusanagi blade before charging back in towards his opponent. Vader raised his saber and brought it down upon Sasuke's saber and Kusanagi blade which crossed each other into an X that effectively blocked the blow. The two fighters again becoming engaged in another fierce blade lock.

Meanwhile, all eyes of Team 7 were narrowed at Sasuke.

"Captain Yamato is that…."

Yamato answered.

"That's the Mangekyo Sharingan."

Sakura looked at the Wood Style user.

"Just like Itachi's."

Yamato nodded.

"Does that mean he possesses the same sharingan abilities as him?"

Yamato closed his eyes to contemplate Sai's question.

"I don't know. But from what I gather, whether it's a genjutsu or something like Itachi's Tsukuyomi it's extremely difficult to break free. Yet, Darth Vader managed to do it in just a few seconds. He really is unbelievable."

Sakura wasn't that surprised. She was practically immune to genjutsu thanks to her perfect chakra control. For someone or rather for a monster like Vader, she was willing to bet such a thing was child's play.

Back in the battle arena, Vader pressed down against Sasuke's blades. The rogue Uchiha of Team 7 though pushed his blades enough where the tip of his lightsaber was getting closer to cutting through Vader's mask. Forcing the dark lord to disengage the lock. The two fighters then began to once again slash and strike their blades against each other.

Darth Vader noticed however that something was different about the Uchiha from before. Not just his sharingan but his movements were different now too. They were more fluid and precise. Making it harder for the dark lord to catch him off guard with his attacks and also harder for him to keep his own guard up against Sasuke's attacks as they almost got through a couple of times. Vader didn't find this concerning in the slightest though.

He only found it to be more challenging.

Seeing an opening, Sasuke smashed his chidori enhanced sword against Vader's saber but then jumped and twisted his body in the air. He then slashed diagonally upwards with his saber hand! Hoping to cut through Vader's helmet and head! The dark lord however, bent his upper body to the side to avoid the lethal blow.

"AAAAARRRGGHHH!"

Unfortunately, the Uchiha's attack still managed to inflict damage when it cut Vader's shoulder armor! Creating a small fleeting shower of sparks. Vader clutched his shoulder briefly before he sensed an attack coming from behind. The cybernetic dark lord twisted his upper body with his saber pointing downward which allowed his saber to block Sasuke's as he tried to horizontally cut through Vader with both of them!

Sasuke pulled his blades away to try another attack but stopped when he noticed Darth Vader was pulling in his arms before shoving them outwards! Suddenly, Sasuke along with everything around Vader was pushed or blown away to pieces by a tremendous shockwave! The rogue Uchiha flew through the air and even smacked his right arm against a rock which knocked his lightsaber out of his grasp. He gritted his teeth before using the momentum to twist his body and land with his feet back on the ground.

Sasuke then spotted the hilt of Naruto's lightsaber sticking up from a pile of rocks and was about retrieve it when he noticed it beginning to shake and quiver. Suddenly, it flew out of the rubble and into Vader's grasp. Sasuke growled from losing his memento as the dark lord looked at the saber.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"It would appear that this lightsaber is not the only thing you achieved from your battle with Uzumaki."

He looked up at the rogue Uchiha before he threw the saber into a large pile of rocks where it fell beneath the cracks.

"The Mangekyo Sharingan. I must admit, I honestly didn't expect that you would be able to attain it. That would make you the third Uchiha after your older brother Itachi who has unlocked its power. However, unlike his version, yours is very akin to that of Madara Uchiha's."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Sasuke's eye narrowed.

"Never heard of him."

Vader stared at him.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Hard to believe you were actually considered a genius prodigy among your peers when you were a child considering you don't even know of the legendary Uchiha who helped found the Leaf Village and also who fought the first Hokage."

Sasuke glared at the armored dark lord.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Still, attaining the same type of Mangekyo as him is quite an acknowledgeable feat. It explains why your movements in battle are more advanced and agile as his were but as I told you within your mind during your training before. It will take far more than that to truly master the Mangekyo!"

Vader suddenly appeared in front of Sasuke! The Uchiha saw him coming thanks to the Mangekyo but found he couldn't dodge or let alone even move! It was like his whole body was trapped by some invisible grip! The towering cyborg in black armor than grabbed his left wrist with his right glove and twisted it! Breaking it with a loud snap and forcing him to let go of his sword.

"ARRRGGGHHH!"

Sasuke roared in pain as he tried to free himself from his assailant's iron crushing grip. Especially when he noticed Vader was raising his lightsaber to prepare to strike the adolescent Uchiha down. Not seeing any other choice, Sasuke glared his Mangekyo at Vader's mask.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You're genjutsu won't save you this time."

Vader then brough his saber down but instead of cutting through flesh it was met with Sasuke's Chidori Sharp Spear which this time was changed into the form of a lightning sword! Sasuke struggled with holding Vader's saber hand back with only just one hand while his other was still being crushed. The dark haired teen then jumped up and kicked both of his feet forward against Vader's chest plate. Forcing the dark lord to release his grip on Sasuke's wrist. The apprentice of Orochimaru then body flickered several meters away.

Sasuke knelt as he started to pant hard from both the pain in his wrist and from his body reacting to his overuse of chakra from this fight. He looked and examined his left wrist to assess the damage. It was pretty serious and probably shouldn't be used for any hand signs for some time but chances are that it was not going to have that luxury. He began wrapping it in bandages that he kept.

After flexing his fingers, a little try to push past the pain, Sasuke looked up and his eye widened to see that Darth Vader was towering in front of him with red lightning cackling and screeching behind him.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"I would not advise for you to be using anymore chakra. Your reserves are almost empty."

Sasuke grit his teeth as he tried to think of a plan. It's true that he was pretty close to his limit right now. If he used anymore jutsu he would be in serious trouble and Vader looks as if he hasn't even come close to reaching his own limit.

The former prodigy of the Leaf looked up at the storm clouds that were still raging above them and realized that now seemed to be the best time to use his last trump card. While he was planning on saving it for his battle with Itachi, it looks as if he was out of other options right now.

He had no need to use a large fire style jutsu to prepare it since there were already storm clouds and the jutsu itself didn't require that much chakra. The one serious problem though was that this whole area was too cramped for that technique where he wouldn't get caught in the blast too. He had to figure out a way to keep Vader here while getting to safe distance where he could prepare and launch his ultimate attack.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You lasted longer than I expected but your power is less than half of what I thought it would be."

Sasuke grit his teeth and figured it was now or never to try the jutsu but before he could act his sharingan noticed a strange chakra beginning to gather and form within Vader. It wasn't a natural chakra color from the looks of it either. Strangely enough it seemed to look very familiar.

Sasuke's thoughts were cut off as Vader reached his hand out and Sasuke was suddenly pulled into his grasp with his gloved hand once again wrapped around his throat.

"You betrayed Uzumaki because you were jealous of his power. You joined Orochimaru because he promised you greater power that could not be attained in Konoha."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Before you die, I'm going to give to you a brief but painful demonstration of what true power looks like. A power that neither that brat Uzumaki, or that cowardly snake Orochimaru or even you could possibly imagine!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Suddenly, dark red chakra flames began to coat Darth Vader's being. It flickered and cackled as if it was actual fire as it spread to every inch of his suit and armor. Sharp winds began to blow through the entire area while the lightning above cackled and raged even more violently across the dark sky.

Team 7 had to shield their eyes from the raging wind and the blinding flashes of the lightning from above.

Sai could still make out Vader's body still being enveloped in that strange chakra but just barely.

'The air is stinging! Is he causing this?'

Finally, when the dark flame like chakra finished coating his body, the winds died down and the lightning settled down more but only just barely. Everyone's eyes widened at the spectacle of Darth Vader completely enveloped in dark red chakra flames that emanated off of his body like a menacing aura. Not only that but they all felt Vader's chakra and his power and killer intent increase a hundred fold.

Sasuke and Sakura's eyes widened and their jaws hung slightly open in shock at the same time.

'That chakra!'

They both realized it was very similar to the chakra that they have both seen Naruto coated in whenever he snapped and went ballistic from when they were younger. For Sakura though this chakra felt different from Naruto's. In addition to its sinister and maliceful presence she also felt something else within it. Another kind of power that only she recognized that wasn't chakra but was shrouded in darkness and raging hatred.

A very cold hatred.

Yamato out of everyone there though fully recognized the chakra that was drenched with such evil and bloodlust.

'There's no mistaking it! Lady Tsunade suspicions were right! Darth Vader really is-'

"ARRRRGGGGHHHHHH!"

Yamato's thoughts were cut off as Sasuke began scream agony.

Darth Vader's chakra aura gave an incredibly familiar sharp burning pain as it touched the Sasuke's flesh. The same burning pain he felt when he fought Naruto when he was covered in this same chakra. Seeing no other option, Sasuke activated his curse mark again and transformed back into its hideous second state transformation. Barely managing to break out of Vader's grip.

He tried to take to the air and out of the battle arena. However, he halted midflight as he felt a hot and sharp pain in his leg. He looked down and saw that Vader's chakra was extending outward in the form of a giant claw that had grabbed hold of his ankle. Next thing Sasuke knew he was pulled out of the air and slammed right into the ground! Shattering it's surface and creating spider web like cracks! The Uchiha gasped in pain while coughing up blood much to Sakura's discomfort as she closed her eyes and looked away. Then the Uchiha was lifted upwards and thrown into the air.

Taking this chance, Sasuke used his claw like wings to try to fly out of the arena! Just as he was almost out, giant rocks and boulders suddenly began levitating and blocked his path! What was even more strange was that they were coated in the same dark red chakra flames as Vader. Sasuke turned his body around and saw Vader with arm stretched outwards. The dark lord then deactivated his lightsaber before he brought his arms to his sides much to the puzzlement of the young Uchiha.

Suddenly all the rock and debris in the arena shook before levitating upwards. Then Vader's aura started gathering and shooting from his fingertips into the floating objects much to the shock and amazement of both Sasuke and the Leaf shinobi there. Vader then rotated his gloves so the palms were facing outwards and acting on his command all the rock and debris coated in his chakra flew towards Sasuke including the ones in front of him!

Sasuke's eye widened before it narrowed while he grit his teeth as he flew fast through the air to dodge and avoid the chakra inflamed debris that were flying and zipping everywhere around him! He cursed himself for having only one eye as he tried to look for an exit out of this chaos while at the same time watching out for any of Vader's projectiles that were targeting him.

Finally seeing an opening ahead, the mutated Uchiha made flew for it at top speed!

CHURRRRRR! WUR! WUR! WUR! WUR!

Sasuke heard a deadly familiar sound as he looked behind him to see Vader's lightsaber coated in his chakra and spinning fast through the air towards him! The Uchiha dove to try to evade being cut to pieces but unfortunately he performed the action a bit too late and as a result his claw like wings were severed from his back!

"ARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!"

Sasuke screamed high pitched as started to revert to his normal form. Unfortunately, in that moment when he turned back to normal one of the chakra enveloped rocks, the size of a kickball, slammed into Sasuke's bandaged arm! The Uchiha screamed once again as it tore through the wrappings and smashed against his already damaged arm! If that wasn't the worst of it, Vader's chakra seeped into him once again and the sharp burning pain began to consume his arm!

Sakura's hand covered her mouth from this horrific sight of watching Sasuke being brutalized like this.

While Sasuke plummeted to the ground a sudden red flash appeared in the air next to him and Darth Vader was next seen bringing his knee upwards into the adolescent Uchiha's stomach! Making the boy cough up more blood and for air! The dark lord wasn't finished yet though as he brought his fists together and raised them both over his helmet before he slammed them down on Sasuke's back! Sending the Uchiha plummeting even faster and smashing into the ground! Creating large cracks and sending up a large cloud of dust and smoke.

After Vader landed, he opened his right glove and his saber flew back into his grasp. As he made his way to the fading cloud of dust, the dark red chakra flames around his body dissipated as it did with all the rock and debris that were now falling from the sky. When he came to the crater where Sasuke landed, the Uchiha could be seen bruised, bloody, and battered.

Sakura and Yamato couldn't help but gasp at the sight.

They could only watch as Darth Vader raised his glove up and levitated Sasuke's beaten body out of the crater. He curled his fingers and the Uchiha began choking and gurgling for air. He brought his arm closer to his body which in turn brought the Uchiha closer to him.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You thought you had a purpose. A destiny of being an avenger, but you were wrong."

He closed his glove covered fist more and made the Uchiha choke harder.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Your destiny lies with me, Sasuke Uchiha!"

He brought the choking teenager closer as he tried to speak.

"W-Ack!-Why?! Why-Urgh!-do you-Hurk-want to kill me so-Uck-badly?! I-Irk-don't even know you!"

The dark lord answered the boy.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"I want you dead because of what you did to Uzumaki and what you failed to do for him!"

Sakura's head perked up and her eyes widened.

'What he did to Naruto?'

"He may have been a pathetic excuse for a Leaf shinobi who had a worthless dream about becoming Hokage…"

Sakura started to grit her teeth and her hands started to tighten into fists so hard her knuckles cracked from hearing Vader's insults.

"But even he did not deserve to be dealt a horrific fate by the likes of a spoiled entitled coward like you!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Darth Vader then brought his glove down and slammed Sasuke into the ground! Causing the Uchiha to grunt in pain. The dark lord then took his saber with both hands. Raising it above his head to deal the final blow.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Now, you will die just as Uzumaki did!"

Feeling something snap within her upon hearing those words, Sakura jumped to her feet and leapt down into the arena much to Yamato's protest.

"NO, SAKURA! YOU HAVE TO STAY AWAY FROM HIM!"

When Sakura landed she screamed out to the nightmarish man just as he was about to strike!

"STOP!"

Darth Vader froze. Halting his execution. Slowly he turned his helmet and lowered his lightsaber. Sakura swallowed some dried spit as the dark lord then slowly turned around to face her glaring emerald eyes that were filled with both fear and anger.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"I was wondering when the Cherry Blossom of Konoha would have the courage to come and rescue this scum and traitor."

Sakura's eyes narrowed and her voice quivered a bit.

"Y-You know me?"

Vader tilted his helmet down a little.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Intimately."

Sakura shivered at that remark before responding in a nervous tone to his previous statement.

"Listen, Sasuke may be scum and a traitor but he's from my team and village. If he's committed any crimes, he'll face punishment for them back in the Leaf!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Only a fool would believe that."

Darth Vader then tilted his helmet upwards a little as he noticed something.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"I recognize that headband you are wearing. Yes, it belonged to Uzumaki."

Sakura's pupils shrunk in shock and she stammered.

"H-How do you know that?"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"It's of no importance."

Although in truth, there was a small part of him that was a little curious as to why she was wearing Naruto's headband rather than her own. Perhaps it was a form of punishment or insult on her part or perhaps the Hokage simply gave it to her. However, as Vader just verbally stated it didn't matter to him.

Nothing mattered more right now than finally finishing off the Uchiha.

Sakura tried to put on a brave face but found it difficult considering she was standing face to face with the man of her nightmares. The raging storm above them certainly wasn't helping this machine like man called Darth Vader look less intimidating. The pink haired kunoichi couldn't turn back now though. After everything she's heard about Naruto from Orochimaru, Kabuto, and now Darth Vader she has to know what really happened from Sasuke.

She needs to know.

"Maybe we can make a deal!"

Sakura looked in the corner of her eye and saw Yamato and Sai had landed behind her.

"There's no need for us fight! Retrieving Sasuke Uchiha is of extreme importance to the village! Perhaps, the Leaf can offer you something in exchange for his life?"

Vader deactivated his lightsaber and raised his free hand to point at Yamato.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"There is nothing from your primitive backward village that I could want!"

Yamato grit his teeth while sweat dripped down his face. They were running out of options. If they couldn't think of something to offer to Darth Vader in exchange for Sasuke then they will have failed their mission.

Yamato tried to think of something else until he saw Sai step forward and unsheathe his tonto blade.

"Sai, what are you-"

"I'm sorry, Captain Yamato. But as I said before I'm through blindly following orders. I promised Sakura that I would help her and that's what I'm going to do!"

Vader tilted his head and spoke to the pale teen just as Yamato was about to protest.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Help her?"

Vader turned his helmet to Sakura.

"Ah, she's made you promised hasn't she?"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Sai looked confused.

"Just as she tried to do with Uzumaki before he left the village."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Sakura's eyes widened and trembled.

'How does he know about that? How does he know so much about us?!'

Darth Vader looked toward the frightened and confused girl.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You're love for the Uchiha while insignificant is pathetically predictable."

The pink haired girl gasped. Did he really read her mind just now? She didn't know he was capable of that. The shock of that notion didn't last however as Sakura then narrowed her eyes and grit her teeth while clenching her fists despite still feeling intimidated.

"That's not true! I don't have those kinds of feelings for Sasuke anymore!"

The dark lord tilted his helmet down while still facing her.

"You may have learned some new skills but you haven't really changed at all have you? You're still as much a liar as your master Tsunade Senju along with her comrade Jiraiya and your sensei Kakashi Hatake."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Sakura grit her teeth.

"I-I'm not lying!"

Darth Vader then begin to sense conflict within the girl. He felt some stirrings inside her earlier before but now it was clearer. Her fear, confusion, and anger were at war with each other. The dark lord could feel the Force shifting around her as her emotions started to become chaotic.

Then the pale teen called Sai spoke again.

"She's not lying. It's true that she came all this way to find Sasuke to bring him back but it was also because he had information she needed!"

Darth Vader tilted his helmet slightly in confusion.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"What information?"

Sai was about to respond until Sakura held her arm in front of him with her eyes closed. Vader then sensed something was changing in the Cherry Blossom kunoichi. He felt the rampant emotions and feelings inside her slipping away and in their place grew determination along with something else. A yearning desire to find something.

No, someone.

Sakura opened her eyes as she answered.

"I want to know….what happened to my other teammate that you insulted."

She took a few steps forward.

"Orochimaru and Kabuto said that he suffered at the hands of Sasuke. You said that Sasuke used a Fireball jutsu on him and that he had a horrific fate that Sasuke was going to share!"

Her voice grew louder and tears started to pool in the corners of her eyes.

"I want to know from Sasuke….."

Sakura curled her gloved hands into fists while gritting her teeth from not being able to restrain herself anymore.

"I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO MY TEAMMATE AND FRIEND, NARUTO UZUMAKI!"

For the first time since he returned to this planet, Darth Vader was speechless. The girl was not lying. He could sense that she was completely telling the truth. It now explains why she was wearing Naruto's headband and why Tsunade gave her his necklace. Still, this was nothing he ever expected from her. Between this and her latent abilities, she was indeed more of an enigma than he previously thought before. Yet, her proclamation only filled him with confusion.

And anger.

"He's dead, Sakura."

Sakura froze and felt like the wind was knocked out of her from hearing those words. Her wide stunned eyes watched as Sasuke slowly rose up to his knees behind Vader as the dark lord turned his helmet to the Uchiha. The student of Orochimaru grabbing hold of his injured arm and stared at his entranced former teammate with his normal eye.

"Sasuke,….what did you do?..."

Sasuke coughed up blood as he answered.

"When we fought, Naruto nearly managed to kill me but Orochimaru stepped in and saved me. He cut Naruto to pieces but he still wouldn't die. I tried to finish him off quickly with my fire style jutsu but even that wasn't enough to kill him. At least not right away."

Sasuke then traced the scar that ran down his face.

"There was no way he could've survived those injuries, Sakura."

Vader's gloves tightened into fists as his rage began to simmer and boil.

"You should actually count yourself lucky you weren't there."

Sakura was afraid to ask but she did.

"Why?"

Sasuke looked her right in the eye.

"Because his screams would've haunted you forever."

Sakura's face grew horrified and she trembled. She wasn't alone as both Sai and Yamato were also shocked from the Uchiha's revelation. Sakura tried to speak but words just couldn't escape her. She was afraid to her ask next question. No, terrified to ask it.

But somehow she was able to get the last and most important question out.

"Sasuke…..did…did you…..did you kill….Naruto?"

Darth Vader's arms shook while the ground cracked beneath his boots. Sakura could feel the anger and hate within him rising upwards like a volcano about to erupt. She however was more focused on awaiting Sasuke as he took his time to answer her.

Then finally he did.

"Yes,…..I killed him."

HOPUR!

"THAT'S A LIE!"

Darth Vader suddenly backhanded Sasuke right in the chin upwards! Much to everyone's shock as the young Uchiha was sent flying and smashing into a pile of large rubble. Creating a large cloud of dust and debris of rocks and sending up something shiny into the air. When everything settled Sasuke could be seen half buried and looked to be barely conscious. Something metallic then fell downward and tumbled down the rubble before rolling onto the ground.

Revealing to be Naruto's weapon.

Everyone's attention then focused on Darth Vader as he turned to face them.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"He did not end the Uzumaki boy's life!"

The dark lord then raised his free glove and closed it into a fist.

"I. Did."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Sakura's pupils shrunk and her voice spoke to barely above a whisper.

"W-What?"

Vader lowered his glove.

"When he was found that day….he was nothing but a broken shadow. Left that way by someone who he once almost considered a best friend and a brother. He allowed his feelings for the Uchiha to cloud his judgement in their battle as he did with others from your village."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Vader then pointed at the girl.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"And with you as well!"

Sakura's eyes widened and she softly gasped.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"It was because of his childish naïve nature that he was far too trusting and forgiving of all of you! Even when you all lied to him, abused him, and took advantage of him, he would not allow himself to see that the Leaf village was anything but a place of camaraderie, trust, and heroes until it was far too late! It was because of that stupidity, that weakness, that his fight at the Valley of the End resulted in his defeat at the hands of that coward Orochimaru and his traitorous comrade Sasuke. But the Uchiha was too weak to properly finish him so I did what needed to be done!"

Sakura just stood there shaking as her mind and world began to shatter and spiral.

It couldn't be true. It had to be a lie. It had to be. All these years she could feel it. She knew in her heart that Naruto had to still be alive. Yet, as she sensed Vader's mind she couldn't find or sense any lies in his words.

Seeing that within her own mind made her snap.

"NO!"

She swiped her hand in front of her as if she were trying to clear away the confusion inside her head.

"I REFUSE TO BELIEVE IT! NEVER! NARUTO COULD NEVER ALLOW HIMSELF TO DIE LIKE THAT! ESPECIALLY NOT AT THE HANDS OF SOMEONE LIKE YOU!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Naruto Uzumaki was weak. I destroyed him!"

Sakura froze and her mouth gapped open like all her breathe was stolen away. Tears begin to pool heavily in her eyes and pour down her cheeks like heavy rivers after a storm. She looked downwards with her bangs covering her eyes as she sobbed. Her tear drops falling to the ground around her feet.

Sai placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder while Yamato looked solemnly at her. Wishing that there could be something he could do or say to comfort her but he knew that was not possible. He turned to Vader with his mind racing with questions.

'If Naruto is dead then…who is Darth Vader really? Also…'

The Wood Style user's eyes narrowed.

'How does he possess the chakra of the Nine Tails?'

Sasuke, who heard Vader's claim, stared at the dark lord in shock and awe. However, he couldn't help but feel confused. He thought that Naruto had died by his hand since he was able to obtain the Mangekyo Sharingan. It was how Itachi said he would be able to unlock it.

But if Naruto was really killed by Vader then how did Sasuke really achieve it?

Meanwhile Sai was confused inside. He didn't know what these feelings he was having were but for some reason they made him feel hurt to see Sakura like this and when he looked at Vader he felt a burning feeling inside that he couldn't describe. Deciding that the latter wasn't important right now, he tried to comfort Sakura even though he had no idea how.

"Sakura, I-"

Sai stopped due to his and Yamato's eyes widening as the ground around Sakura's feet began to crack. They both looked up and saw that her bangs were waving ominously. She gritted her teeth and began to growl.

Darth Vader then sensed that something was changing inside her again. This time though it was different. It was a power that was growing and consuming her emotions. He knew this power all too well.

Small rocks and pebbles slowly started to float from the ground around her feet much to the shock of her comrades and the Uchiha who was also witnessing this phenomenon.

Yamato's eyes widened as he suddenly realized what the dark lord already fully knew what was happening.

'This power! It's-!'

"Sasuke!"

His train of thought was interrupted as Sakura suddenly spoke with a vicious growl.

Sasuke's eye widened and for some reason he felt a cold chill down his spine from the way she said his name with such disdain and venom.

"You backstabbing, selfish, entitled,…..bastard! I swear to you…I swear to you that I won't rest until your taken back to the Leaf…..and executed for everything that you and Orochimaru did to Naruto! Our own comrade, our friend!...But you!"

Sakura looked up towards Darth Vader with hateful eyes still dripping with tears.

"You killed him! YOU KILLED HIM!"

Sasuke heard something moving on the ground and looked to see Naruto's lightsaber quivering.

"AND I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU FOR THAT!"

The rocks and pebbles around Sakura shattered and Sai was suddenly pushed back several feet! Then acting on some silent unseen command, Naruto's lightsaber threw itself through the air and into Sakura's grasp! Yamato, Sai, and Sasuke's eyes widened as Sakura slowly took a stance and held up Naruto's saber before pressing the button.

WACHUR!

The saber then activated with its brilliantly glowing blue blade lighting up Sakura's face.

Darth Vader took this defiant act as a challenge. One he would've easily ignored but considering that she was now awakening more of her powers, he knew she was going to be a hinderance to his plans for vengeance even if just a small one. It would seem a lesson was in order for this new beginner.

KURRRRR!

As he held up his own saber with its red glow reflecting off his armor and mask while the lightning storm above them grew fiercer and more uncontrollable, he spoke to his new opponent and enemy.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"As you wish, kunoichi of the Leaf!"

Sakura narrowed her eyes and grit her teeth before charging towards the cybernetic dark lord. Raising Naruto's lightsaber up to make her strike. When she got close enough she brought the saber down in diagonal slash! Vader though took his saber in both hands and swatted the attack away nearly knocking Sakura's weapon out of her hands. Then he retaliated by bringing his own saber down. Sakura however channeled chakra to her arms to enhance her strength and with all her might quickly brought her saber up and smacked Vader's attack upwards away from her.

Sakura then saw an opening and then tried to stab Vader through abdomen. But her attack was diverted as Vader quickly brought his saber down and crashed it into her saber's side. Forcing her blade to miss him and her to lose her footing. Vader then raised his saber up and horizontally slashed it towards the kunoichi!

Sakura however managed to regain her footing at the last second and ducked underneath the strike. Suddenly, she then felt something. Whatever it was it was telling her to take this chance before he could strike again. Instead of using her lightsaber this time though she instinctively shoved both her palms outward and roared as she felt this powerful presence well up inside her before exploding out of her hands and into Darth Vader! Pushing him back several meters.

All eyes grew wide with shock as Vader's body bent over from the Force Push that the girl used on him. Especially Sasuke as the young Uchiha thought he must've somehow been caught up in a genjutsu. It was the only thing that made sense more than the truth.

'Sakura, how…..how did you come to have this power?!'

He started to grind his teeth.

'The same power as both of them?!'

Back in the fight Vader looked up from his bent position and saw that the girl was gone but he sensed something from above. His helmet tilted higher to see her falling through the air toward him with her weapon raised upwards. She roared as she tried to bring it down on his head.

Yet, Vader quickly raised his saber up and blocked the blow with one hand. Pushing back against her saber with such strength that she was pushed away and landed back onto the ground with roll. She came to a stop in a crouching position and felt a warning of danger. She looked up and her eyes widened as Vader was instantly upon with his saber raised high for a vertical strike! Sakura quickly rose to her feet and brought her saber to block Vader's as it came down!

CHURRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

A bright light shone where the two sabers connected. Sakura narrowed her eyes and growled as she stared face to mask with Vader in the saber lock. Her knees began to bent as she severely struggled to hold off the dark lord and his saber. Even with her chakra enhanced strength her opponent's own strength and weight were far greater than she anticipated as his lightsaber slowly pushed hers down.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You may have fully awakened your power but you have no idea how to properly use it!"

Sakura didn't know what he was talking about but she knew if she didn't think of something fast she was going to be in trouble.

"Ninja Art Super Beast Scroll!"

Vader turned his helmet and saw several white lions emerge from scrolls that were laid around the girl's comrade. The lion drawings growled before they charged towards Vader with their jaws opening wide. Vader disengaged the saber lock and stretched his right arm outward towards the lions and closed his glove into a fist. The lions then suddenly exploded into ink that completely rained down upon the ground.

The dark lord then turned his attention to the pale boy as he began to draw more into his scrolls.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Interesting."

He then sidestepped out of the way of Sakura's saber strike before he turned his attention back to her. Sakura then made several slashes and strikes which were all blocked or parried by Vader. When her frenzy finished, he took a step toward her to go on the offensive until he sensed something approaching. He leapt away just as thick wooden vines and logs closed around his previous position. When he landed, he turned and saw the Leaf jonin that was accompanying them. His jutsu slinking back into his arm.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Wood Style. The same jutsu used by the First Hokage. Impressive. It's no wonder the Fifth Hokage chose you to be among her personal guard."

Yamato's eyes narrowed.

'He must've learned that from his spies.'

"Don't you dare ignore me!"

Vader raised his saber and blocked another strike from Sakura. The strength and force of his defense caused Sakura to stumble backwards a bit before trying to attack again. However, she suddenly found she couldn't move as her body was being lifted in the air! As she attempted to struggle, the Cherry Blossom girl looked and noticed Vader had his right glove curled up.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Do not worry. This will not take long."

Sakura didn't know what he meant by that and watched helplessly as Vader suddenly stretched forth his glove and she was sent flying out of the makeshift arena much to Yamato's distress! Flying hundreds of yards before tumbling and rolling on the ground! When she came to a stop she was covered in bruises. She sat herself up and began to apply her medical ninjutsu. Trying to heal up as fast as she could so she could get back there to help the others.

'Hang on guys! Try to stay alive!'

Vader then looked toward the girl's comrades. The jonin was speeding through hand signs while the boy was putting on the final touches of his drawings. When they were done, he performed his own hand sign.

"Ninja Art Super Beast Scroll!"

More lions emerged from the scrolls and charged towards the dark lord. Vader knew that something was amiss as the boy couldn't be foolish enough to try the same attack twice. He then stretched out his hand but suddenly wood vines and branches sprouted from the earth to try to entrap him!

WACH!

With one swift motion, he cut through all of them with his saber.

WUR! WUR! WUR! WUR!

The cyborg then threw his lightsaber like before. Directing it with the Force to cut through all the lions. While his saber took care of the boy's jutsu, the dark lord suddenly appeared behind Yamato who spun around in shock before trying to put up a wood barrier.

Vader's right fist however punched right through and shattered it before slamming Yamato hard in the gut! The Wood Style User coughed up blood mixed with saliva and felt the air knocked of his lungs. He's never taken a blow like this before in all his life. It was almost as if their opponent's fist was made of metal.

Vader then took notice of the boy who suddenly charged toward him with his tonto blade. However, Vader's saber already cut through the last of his ink lions and was already returning to him. Just as Sai attempted to stab at Vader's abdomen, the saber flew into his grasp and with one slash he cut through the pale boy's weapon. Pieces of the metal blade glowing and sizzling from the heat of the cut.

The dark lord then held his lightsaber at the boy's throat.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"As I suspected. You're one of Danzo Shimura's brainwashed enslaved agents from Root. No doubt sent here to end the Uchiha."

Sai's eyes widened.

"How do you know that?"

The dark lord answered the boy.

"A man such as your master naively believes that the shadows are his rightful tools and allies when in reality they only serve those who truly understand their power."

Vader's lightsaber then deactivated before he smacked Sai in the back of the head with his saber's hilt and knocked him out.

Yamato grit his teeth in pain and frustration as he was still leaning into Vader's fist from his previous blow. He desperately grabbed a kunai from his holster and tried to stab at Vader. Only for his knife to be caught in Vader's right glove and crushed in an instant. Yamato's eyes widened as his kunai fell to the ground looking like crumpled paper. Vader then grabbed him by the collar of his vest and threw him so hard, he smashed into the rock wall surrounding them!

When the dust cleared and the rocks finished tumbling down, Yamato could be seen half buried and unconscious.

Sasuke meanwhile, who witnessed everything up till now, tried to struggle out of the pile of rubble he was still buried in until he noticed Darth Vader was looking right over at him.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Patience, your time will come soon enough."

The cybernetic lord than turned and tilted his helmet upwards.

"First, the girl and I have unfinished business to settle."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

As if on cue Sakura appeared atop the edge of the arena. Looking down at her two comrades who were both unconscious but alive before turning her gaze to her monstrous enemy. Her lightsaber activating and held at a downward angle.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"It's you and me now."

Sakura responded.

"I'm getting kind of used to that."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Your jokes will not save you nor will the weapon of that worthless failure; Uzumaki."

Sakura growled.

"He was no failure!"

Vader growled back.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"He was! He failed to see through the lies that the village and his friends created around him! That was the reason for how he met his demise at my hands!"

Sakura grit her teeth as Vader then pointed at her.

"And to face me alone makes you and the Uchiha as much fools as he was!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Sakura growled again as she held the lightsaber in both hands by her side.

"I don't fear you anymore!"

Huge boulders suddenly levitated on both of Vader's sides.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You will."

The large stones then flew towards Sakura with such momentum that Vader's cape was pulled forward. Sakura's eyes widened as the stones fast approached but she remembered her training sessions with Tsunade. She ducked out of the way of the first boulder and rolled to a low crouching position before leapt away from the other one and landed back into the pit. Snapping her head up with glaring eyes at Vader before sprinting towards him and leaping high into the air!

Vader responded by lifting his right arm up and ripped a part of the ground out and upwards before throwing it toward the incoming kunoichi. Sakura however used her saber and sliced through the barreling projectile before raising her weapon over her head for a strike!

"ARRRRRGGGGGHHHH!"

As she brought her weapon down, Vader reactivated his own lightsaber and blocked the blow and once again pushed against Sakura's blade with one hand and forced her back. When Sakura landed on the ground she dashed back towards her opponent and swung her saber! Vader though simply dodged the attack and the two then became engaged in a series of sequential slashes, strikes, stabs and parries.

Though it didn't take long for it to become one sided.

Sakura's attacks already ceased as she was forced to be on the defensive as Vader's attacks began to push her back and even then she struggled heavily. She wasn't experienced with knowing how to use a weapon like this lightsaber. She's received a few lessons with how to handle swords and tontos but this weapon was nothing like them. One false move and she could end up cutting herself up before Vader would even get the chance. That and she's always relied more on her fists or a kunai in combat.

She needed to analyze her situation and think of a solution fast.

'I can just barely understand his movements but the truth is I've never seen a combat style like his. His attacks seem so deceptively simple and slow yet they're deadly and powerful and he's just using one hand right now.'

Sakura blocked a strike from the cybernetic dark being until he started to twist her saber around which left her left side exposed but fortunately she just managed to barely dodge his next attack which was aimed at that opening.

'He's not just battering away at my defenses. He's trying to expose or create new openings in them. He's handling his own saber as if it's the most natural thing in the world to him while I'm busy trying not to get sliced by it and my own!'

She proceeded to continue to only just barely block more of his attacks while still continuing her thought process.

'I usually have the advantage when fighting up close in combat but with him and these weapons it's different! What's worse is that I think he's just toying with me. I'm not going to last much longer if I don't change tactics!'

She leapt away as Vader tried to slice her diagonally in two.

When she landed a safe enough distance, she raised her fist into the air.

"SHANNARO!"

She then smashed it into the ground! Causing the earth to shatter and rip itself open! Vader leapt away before he could get caught up in it and Sasuke just managed to barely escape it himself despite his weakened state. His eye widened from the display of Sakura's power.

Meanwhile Sakura saw her chance and body flickered to above Vader before she raised her leg up for an axe kick!

Vader however stretched out his left glove and grabbed her with the Force before tossing her away. Sakura tumbled and rolled before she dug her gloves fingers into the ground to halt her momentum. Her fingers leaving a dug in trail across the surface of the earth before snapping her head back up.

'Gotta keep it together! Keep my dis-!'

"WHOA!"

She suddenly felt her body being pulled and sent flying back into the direction she just flew from. Instead of smacking back into the ground though she came to a stop. Levitating in the air. When she looked she saw Vader standing in front of her. His left glove curled upwards.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Perhaps, I was wrong. You may not be as strong as I initially thought."

Sakura quickly slashed her saber out towards Vader's helmet but with one heavy stroke with his own red saber, he knocked Sakura's weapon out of her hand. Causing it to spin through the air before landing a distance away.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Disgraceful! You handle that weapon even worse than the Uchiha!"

His glove's fingers began to close more into a fist which tightened the Force grip he had on the girl. Sakura gritted her teeth and grunted in pain from feeling her body slowly being crushed. She cracked one eye opened and growled at her opponent.

"A-At least, I'm not a coward!"

Vader tilted his helmet up as Sakura opened her other eye.

"You hide behind your powers and that lightsaber as you call it because your scared!"

His invisible grip on her tightened yet she still berated him.

"You say that Naruto was a weakling but at least he wasn't afraid to beat someone in a fair fight with his bare hands! Not like you! You claim to be powerful and there's no denying but when was the last time you even won a battle without your abilities?!"

Darth Vader brought his glove towards him and in turn brought her down closer till she was staring right at his mask.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Blatantly attempting to taunt me into fighting you without my lightsaber and the Force thinking that it will give you the advantage."

He relaxed and lowered his arm which caused Sakura to drop to the ground. She coughed from the dust and rubbed her eyes before looking up to see Darth Vader towering intimidatingly before her. Looking down at her while he deactivated his saber and hooked it to his belt.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"But you will learn once more that against me there is no advantage that will gain you victory."

Sakura then rose to her feet before smacking her right glove into her other palm and cracked her knuckle.

"We'll see about that when I break that mask of yours wide open!"

Vader just stood there while red lightning continued to snake through the dark clouds behind him on the horizon.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Even now, you still think your threats are intimidating when in actuality they're nothing more than empty promises."

The dark lord then folded his arms under his chest plate.

"Which is something I believe you are more than familiar with."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

She narrowed her eyes and growled as she took a wide stance before she roared as her fist launched towards Vader's mask!

"CHA!"

Just before her blow could land her opponent merely moved his helmet slightly to the left and avoided the blow. Sakura responded by striking out her other fist only for Vader to dodge this one as well. The apprentice of Tsunade then unleashed a barrage of punches and strikes all aiming for Vader's mask but the dark lord easily dodged every one of them.

Then without warning Sakura punched into the ground that raised up massive stone slabs and sent up a large plume of dust. Vader couldn't see the kunoichi but he had no need as when she suddenly body flickered behind him and struck out her fist, he just stepped out of the way while she flew past him.

Sakura wasn't done yet though as she stomped her left foot on the ground and twisted her body around before kicking out with her right leg. Shattering the stone slabs that previously sprouted from her last attack and aimed right for Vader's control panel! Darth Vader raised his arms and blocked the blow but was sent with his armored boots raking through the ground as he slid several meters away.

When he looked up, Sakura already caught up to him and was cocking her fist back for another blow. He dodged it though and her fist smashed into a nearby boulder. Reducing it to rubble. The kunoichi whipped her head in his direction and dashed before leaping up with her leg raised over her head before bringing it down for an axe kick! Vader leapt away as her heel smashed into the earth and completely shattered it.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You still lack focus. You're temper is getting the better of you and your attacks are becoming sloppy for it."

Sakura shouted.

"SHUT UP!"

Sakura then punched into the ground yet again which brought up a large boulder. She then kicked it and sent it flying towards her opponent. Darth Vader though just stepped out of the way of the incoming stone projectile. No sooner than he did that his right boot got caught within a crack that appeared in the ground he stood upon. He looked over and saw that the girl once again buried her fist into the earth.

Seeing that her diversion worked, Sakura sprinted toward Vader once more and channeled as much of her chakra to her fist as she could before it went flying towards Vader.

"CHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

SMACK!

A loud impactful sound could be heard echoing across the area. Sasuke's eye was wide with shock as was both of Sakura's. She was so stunned that word's couldn't come out of her mouth.

'But that's…THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE!'

Sakura could only stare in disbelief as her gloved fist was caught and held within the grasp of Darth Vader's right glove. The latex of the two gloves rubbing and flexing against each other could be heard as she struggled against the dark lord's iron grip before Vader started to slowly squeeze.

Sakura grunted before screaming in pain as the bones in her hand could be heard cracking and breaking. Feeling like her hand was trapped in a vice. Darth Vader then lifted her up by her arm, nearly pulling it out of her socket, till she was at mask level with him.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"I have no further interest in this fight. I have other enemies to find and destroy, so it's time to put an end to this."

Vader then suddenly slammed Sakura into the ground! Sakura grunted in pain from the impact but it wasn't unlike what she's experienced while sparring with Tsunade. That is until Vader slammed her again and again. Repeating the brutal process several times and not even in the same spot on the ground. Treating her like a ragdoll.

(Think Hulk smashing Loki)

After slamming her down one final time, Sakura began to cough up blood and she felt more of her bones bruising up if not already broken. Vader held her up before releasing her. The Cherry Blossom of the Leaf was just barely able to land on her feet as she stumbled to maintain her balance. Only to watch as Vader pulled his right arm back with his glove closed into a fist. Seconds later his fist launched toward her and Sakura closed her eyes as she braced herself for the incoming blow.

Yet, nothing happened.

Sakura slowly opened her eyes and saw the dark lord still standing there with his fist just an inch from her face. She watched as his glove opened up with his fingers outstretched.

Her eyes widened to what was coming.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Be gone."

Vader then released a massive Force Push that sent the kunoichi flying through the air! Smashing her through several boulders into the wall nearby where her friends were unconscious. When the dust and debris cleared, Sakura could be seen momentarily entrapped within the wall before sliding down its surface to the ground. She groaned with pain as she definitely had some broken bones now. She lifted her right arm and concentrated her chakra as she began to apply her medical jutsu. Slowly healing and patching herself up.

Meanwhile, Darth Vader, having now delt with the kunoichi, slowly turned to the Uchiha, who was kneeling on the ground while holding his arm in pain. The dark lord approached his wounded prey. His lightsaber pulled out and activated with its menacing glow.

Sakura tried to ignore what was happening as she concentrated on her chakra. She couldn't afford to make any mistakes as one of the first things Tsunade taught her when it came to medical ninjutsu. Never to let your mind waiver and focus only on your chakra control.

However, she was having a difficult time as she felt something. Or rather heard something. It was strange but it almost sounded like singing. She looked and felt that it was coming from Vader. That was when she noticed something that glinted off of his belt. She narrowed her eyes more to get a better look. Moments afterwards her eyes grew as she realized that attached to Vader's belt was Naruto's necklace!

Ignoring the pain screaming in her body, she rose to her feet and shouted.

"WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?!"

Vader stopped and turned his helmet to her direction.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"What?"

Sakura pointed at him.

"THAT NECKLACE IS MINE! WHERE DID YOU GET IT?!"

The dark lord then fully turned to her.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You were careless and easily distracted during your fight at the battle of the Tenchi Bridge. I doubt the Lady Hokage knew of these flaws of yours. Otherwise, she never would've entrusted you with her precious heirloom. Not to mention that it's because of your flaws that you allowed Orochimaru and Kabuto to escape."

Sakura grit her teeth both in pain and in anger.

"If you were properly trained in the ways of the Force, it's possible you could've defeated both of them."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Sakura's eyes narrowed in confusion from hearing the name of that power again.

"The Force?"

She looked at her glove before back at Vader.

"You mean the power that you, Naruto, and I have?"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Yes."

Sakura limped towards Vader.

"Tell me, what is this power?! Why did Naruto have it!? And why do I have it?!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"The Force is energy that is created by all living things much like chakra but it is infinitely more powerful."

Sakura was shocked.

"More powerful,….than chakra?"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Indeed, and that is precisely why you could not defeat Orochimaru or me. You have grown far too used to utilizing the power of chakra in combat. You have never been taught how to handle or control something as mysterious and unpredictably powerful as the Force."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"When you attempted to connect with me with the Force I sensed your power then. It was considerable but unfocused and untrained. And I'm sure you have sensed my own power."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"The power of the Darkside."

Sakura's pupils shrunk.

'The…..Darkside?'

She swallowed some spit and blood in her mouth nervously.

"Yes, you sensed that power and its cold nature. It is far beyond your understanding and your abilities. You know you cannot defeat me yet you allowed your anger to blind and leave you unbalanced when we fought and because of that you and your comrades have suffered needlessly."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Sakura flinched at that remark.

"I do not know why you and Uzumaki were Force sensitive and I don't care. My goal is to end the Uchiha along with his wretched master and the Akatsuki."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"It is rare that I offer mercy to my enemies and even unheard of that I give it twice to them but perhaps just this once I will make an exception here."

Darth Vader once again turned his back on her and approached Sasuke.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Go back to your village, Cherry Blossom. And pray that I never come across your annoyance again!"

Sakura gasped and froze.

Flashback

"There was another thing Sasuke was right about. You are annoying."

Flashback End

Just hearing being called that word again out loud made Sakura feel helpless as Vader approached Sasuke. She then began to feel it again. She could feel the killer intent within Vader growing. Consuming this entire area just like before.

The kunoichi then began to realize that perhaps Vader was right in how foolish she was to challenge him. She wanted to avenge Naruto so badly that she forgot who her opponent was. She thought that she could take him. Thought that he wasn't as powerful and terrifying as he was in her nightmares. She was wrong.

He was worse than in her dreams.

If that wasn't bad enough, she also put Yamato and Sai needlessly in danger like he said because she allowed her emotions to get in the way which was prohibited in the shinobi code. Vader was right. She did lack focus and knew nothing about the power of the Force.

She once again began to cry as she felt just as useless as ever. She couldn't save Naruto. She couldn't protect her friends. She can't even bring Sasuke back to the Leaf to face punishment. She failed them. Failed all of them and especially failed Naruto.

Flashback

"YOU FAILED ME!"

Flashback End

She gripped her gloves into fists and shuddered. This was something she just couldn't stand. She was beyond tired of it and wasn't going to lie back and accept it anymore.

Because Naruto wouldn't.

Sakura looked up towards Vader with newfound determination in her eyes while remembering something he told her earlier.

'The Force is energy like chakra…'

If that were true then perhaps she could harness and infuse this energy like chakra. But she didn't have a clue as how to do it. Vader said it had to do with focus but focus on what? She tried to recall all the times where she may have incidentally used this power but there were so few and they were so brief that there wasn't much to go on. Not even when she used it against Orochimaru. It just felt instinctual.

She felt like it was hopeless.

'Breathe…'

Sakura snapped her head up and looked around her.

"Who said that?"

There was no one else around her and she began to think she was imagining things.

'Just breathe.'

Sakura heard the voice again. It almost sounded like it was coming from inside her head. She was beginning to freak out as she didn't know what or who it was.

'You must keep yourself calm, Sakura-Chan. Close your eyes and clear your mind of distractions and questions.'

Sakura should've been concerned that a disembodied voice was talking to her and somehow knew her name but for some reason, she couldn't explain, she felt that it wasn't trying to trick her. She didn't know why but something about the way the voice spoke to her felt comforting and trusting. It was like she personally knew the owner of the voice somehow.

So, she did as it instructed and breathed while closing her eyes before clearing her mind.

'Good, good. Now, reach out with your feelings and senses. Feel the Force.'

Sakura would've been confused and asked how to do that but she remembered what the voice told her and kept her mind clear. She then used her senses and tried to reach out with them. All she could hear though was the storm raging above and Vader's mechanical breathing. But then something was happening. Something incredible and wonderous.

She was beginning to see things. Things within her mind that were all around them. She saw the desert they were in. The rocky terrain and underground tunnels surrounding them. Life of the animals and plant life surviving here. The death and decay of those creatures whose time had already come to feed new life. The warmth of the desert and the cold of the storm above them. The peace of a mother bird nurturing her young and the violence of a serpent striking at a defenseless mouse.

And between all of it was balance and energy, a Force.

Meanwhile, just as Vader reached Sasuke and prepared to raise his saber for a killing blow, he stopped.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"I sense something….powerful. A presence. One that I have not felt since….."

Vader turned around but only to see the girl with her eyes closed and her bangs wavering but not from the wind. The dark lord then felt it. Her power was growing. She somehow learned the secret.

Somehow she has learned to sense and become one with the Force.

Sakura opened her eyes as she suddenly felt a new surge of energy within her. She could feel her wounds healing and her strength returning. She looked at her gloved hands as she flexed them to get a feel of this newfound energy and power. Then she held out her hand as she concentrated and within an instant, Naruto's saber flew into her grasp. She activated the energy weapon and pointed it's tip to Vader.

"I'm not finished with you yet!"

The dark lord was growing impatient and irritated. He has offered mercy to her not once but twice now and still she refuses to back down. It would seem that perhaps the time for mercy has now passed.

And one final lesson was in order.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"If you wish to join the boy that much then so be it!"

Vader suddenly appeared in front of her and slashed his saber outward horizontally! Only for his red blade to slice through the rock wall. The dark lord tilted his helmet in confusion before dodging a vertical cut from behind. He whipped his body around and struck his saber down on the girl's. Engaging in a brief saber lock before he pushed her forward and proceeded to go on the offensive.

Sakura would've panicked with having to deal with another onslaught by Vader but she didn't feel afraid or as overwhelmed like before. It felt easier to evade, block, and counter his attacks now for some reason. Not only that but his movements, attacks and his fighting style were all becoming clearer to her.

She was learning them in a way but not from observing him in their fight or from Sasuke's fight. No, his style and moves were flowing into her mind and felt like they were part of her memory. Like she's learned them herself in the past.

Taking in this knowledge, she proceeded to go on the offensive.

After leaping over a low strike from him, she focused her chakra into her arms and swung her saber to the side which smashed against Vader's saber with such force it left him open for strike. She didn't hesitate to take the opening but the cyborg brought his saber back in time to block the blow. Sakura proceeded to use her chakra to enhance her strength even more as she unleashed heavy vertical slashes on Vader's saber. Trying to chop through it and forcing him to step backwards as she continued to put pressure.

When she performed another vertical slash, Vader's saber met hers halfway only for her to twist his blade around and tried to stab him in the arm. However, Vader twisted his upper body to avoid it only for Sakura to change her attack up by swinging her saber in an upward angle towards Vader's helmet! Her attack though was blocked yet again by Vader as his saber collided into hers with enough force it diverted its trajectory to the side. Making Sakura almost loose balance until she went with the momentum and spun around on her foot until she came to a stop facing the same direction towards Vader. Which is when she shoved her palm out and Force Pushed the former Sith apprentice away several yards.

It wasn't as powerful as her previous push but it put enough distance between the two combatants that Sakura deactivated her saber and concentrated as she spread her arms out and slowly lifted both them and two large boulders upwards before she launched the large pieces of stone at Vader. The dark lord though reached his right arm out and grabbed the boulders. Halting them in their tracks before chucking them out of the arena as if they were nothing. When he turned his attention back to the girl, he saw the tip of her saber a few feet from his chest.

She knew he would've blocked her attack which was why she just stood there keeping her defenses up and him at bay. As he took one step at a time towards her while she kept the same short distance between them, Darth Vader knew something strange was at work here. The girl was different than she was shortly before. She was not only adapting to his attacks but her own attacks and fighting style felt very similar to his own and that of Skywalker's which was impossible.

The lightsaber style they had created was a mix of all the different forms of lightsaber combat that utilized their body's enhanced strength and weight. Even a fully trained Jedi Knight would have trouble learning and defending against his style. Yet, it appeared as though she was somehow copying his style. No, not copying it. More like she was learning it as she fights. That and her connection to the Force was becoming stronger with each passing second. Perhaps, he's been underestimating her and it seemed maybe now was the time to show more of his true power.

And see what her true limits were.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"The Force may be with you, young Cherry Blossom but you are not nearly as powerful as you think you are."

Sakura smirked.

"If that's true then why are you having so much trouble against a little blossom like me?"

The dark lord was unfazed by her taunt as he slowly took his saber into both hands and began concentrating.

Nearby, behind on Sakura's right, a rock the size of a skull lifted upwards before shooting itself towards the kunoichi. Sakura suddenly felt a warning within her of the incoming projectile and whipped her body around to cut it in half with her saber. Sending the two sizzling halves of the stone plummeting to the ground. She then ducked underneath a sweep from Vader's red saber and blocked several more strikes and slashes.

She gritted her teeth and prepared to retaliate until she sensed another warning of danger. However, she couldn't respond in time as a rock hit her in the back causing her to stumble a bit. She shook it off and turned her attention back to Vader only to be hit again by another rock in the shoulder! She gripped her shoulder in pain and growled at her opponent as he slowly tilted the blade of his saber upwards. Her eyes slowly grew wide as dozens upon dozens of rocks and small boulders levitated into the air around them. She looked at Vader and didn't understand how he was able to do that without using his arms and hands to control the Force like before.

Then as he tilted the blade downward, she began to be pelted and struck by all the flying debris and stone!

She was having trouble sensing where each and every one of them were as she tried to defend and evade against them. Her training with Tsunade focused on her being able to dodge and evade attacks due to her importance as the team's medic but the rocks were flying towards her at such breakneck speeds that she couldn't keep up with them. Not even with her ability to sense them coming towards her blind spots.

She then had an idea that.

If she could get close enough to Vader, he wouldn't be able to use rocks to try to hit her without causing damage to himself. After barely managing to dodge and cut through a few more of them, she sprinted towards him! She was almost within reach until another rock struck her in the side. She stumbled again and grunted from both the pain and the annoyance of getting hit again. She whipped her body around to try again before another rock could pelt her only to freeze with her eyes wide with shock and her mouth gapped open.

Watching as Darth Vader levitated off the ground with his cape whipping and his left arm and glove held upwards which brought all the levitating and flying rocks to form up behind him. Then in one swift motion he shoved his arm outwards. Unleashing a mighty Force Push into Sakura as well as sending all the stone objects flying towards her direction!

Sakura flew through the air and smashed through some protruding rocks and stones before smacking into one with her back sliding down its surface. She groaned in pain and cracked her eye open only for both to widen instantly at the dozens of incoming rocks! She leapt over the rock protrusion and used it as cover while the projectiles flew past or crashed into its surface. A few even managed to smash through with one nearly taking her nose off!

This lasted for almost a minute until everything grew quite.

She began to think it was over and peaked through one of the holes in her cover to see what was going on. She didn't see any more rocks coming but she also couldn't see her opponent. She gasped as her eyes grew wide and leapt away as Darth Vader's saber swiped through her previous position and cut her stone cover in half! As the top portion fell and crumbled when it hit the ground, Vader struck down his saber upon Sakura's with the two blades in lock again while making the loud cackling sound.

Meanwhile, Sasuke only continued to stare at awe at the two combatants. Especially at Sakura. His mind racing with questions as to how she grew to be so strong and how she came to have the same powers that Naruto had.

None of it made sense and it angered him.

'Sakura,….how…..how far have you come?!'

Was all this training by Orochimaru for nothing? If even someone who was as useless and weak as Sakura was could come this far and learn these powers in just three years then does that mean that Sasuke has been wasting his time? Was Vader right and that Sasuke did not achieve the strength and power to kill Itachi? Was he still weak and was now even weaker than perhaps Sakura right now?

It confused and infuriated him.

He had to get stronger. Much stronger. If he can defeat them both right here and now then maybe he'll be good enough to face his brother again. He did still have one trump card but he didn't have enough strength right now to get away from the jutsu's blast radius. He would have to be patient just a bit longer.

Then there will be nothing left of them.

Close by, Sai's finger twitched before his eyes started to flicker open. His vision was blurry and he could see nothing but dark blotches everywhere save for a bright red and blue blotch crossing against each other with a bright light. He slowly sat up and rubbed the back of his head from the knockout blow he took earlier. He squinted his eyes to clear his vision up more as everything slowly started to come in better detail.

When it finally cleared, he was stunned to see Sakura just barely holding her own against Vader.

Sai instantly knew he had to help her in some way and looked around to find Yamato half buried in the rock wall surrounding them. He slowly got up trying to regain his balance before he ran over and started to remove the debris off him. When he finished he dragged Yamato out of the pile and lightly smacked him on the cheek.

"Captain Yamato! Captain Yamato, wake up!"

Yamato groaned as Sai slowly supported his back to help him sit up. The Wood Style user held his stomach with his hand. Cracking his eyes open in Sai's direction.

"Sai…wha-….what happened?"

He gasped and his eyes fully opened as he started looking around frantically.

"Where's Sakura and-!"

His eyes snapped right towards their direction. Watching as Sakura and Vader continued to strike and block each other's sabers. Though it looked like Vader was gaining the advantage since Sakura looked beat up and was losing ground.

Yamato looked at Sai.

"Sai, has Sakura been fighting him this whole time?!"

Sai nodded before they both looked at the two combatants.

"I think so. Considering that we're both not dead which means that Vader hasn't had the chance to kill us or Sasuke yet."

Yamato looked over at the Uchiha to see that he was indeed still alive before returning his attention back to the fight.

"I see."

Yamato slowly rose to his feet.

"Now, we need to think of a plan."

Sai nodded.

"Yes, but Vader will likely expect us to use our jutsu again and he doesn't seem like the type to let his guard down so easily."

Yamato nodded in agreement.

"I know."

Sai stepped forward.

"Still, that doesn't mean we can't try something."

Yamato grabbed hold of Sai's shoulder.

"Hold on a minute, Sai."

Sai looked over at him.

"It's like you said. Vader is not the type to let his guard down very often. It's how he managed to evade our surprise attacks from earlier."

Sai turned back the fight.

"She's not going to last much longer without our help Captain Yamato. We can't abandon her."

Yamato stepped forward.

"We won't. We're going to wait for the right opportunity. Even Vader has to slip up sometime. That is when we'll strike."

Sai looked at him.

"What if we wait too long and he gets to being on the verge of killing her?"

Yamato chuckled nervously.

"Then I guess we jump in regardless."

Sai looked at him curiously.

"I'm going to guess that laughter wasn't really genuine or hopeful was it?"

Yamato shook his head.

"No,….it wasn't."

Meanwhile, Sakura leapt away from another swipe from Darth Vader's blood colored saber. Flipping over the air and landing on her hands and using her strength to leap away again just before Vader could strike her. Performing a series of back flips while narrowly avoiding his saber's cuts. When she landed, she crouched low and panted for a bit before quickly leaping to her feet. The kunoichi looked but didn't see him there but she fully well knew he was.

Or rather sensed where he was.

She dropped low right underneath his fist as it struck out from her side and smashed through a large boulder! Shattering it to pieces! She rolled across the ground before jumping to her feet again and slashed her saber towards his back! Vader however whipped his body around and countered it with his saber.

Sakura pressed her saber hard against his but she wasn't really getting anywhere. In fact, his saber began to slowly slide down the length of her blade before he suddenly twisted it around enough that he exposed her left side and struck his blade out! Sakura however smashed her blade underneath his and forced it upwards but he instantly brought back down towards her! The kunoichi though held her blade up with its tip angled low on her left and blocked it! Struggling as she kept both of their interlocked blades away from cutting her.

However, what she didn't expect next was Vader taking left hand off his weapon and performed a small Force Push against her left side. The action causing her to stumble and lose balance. Vader then instantly retracted his blade away from hers before he swung it right underneath her saber and sliced right through the top part of her saber's metal hilt!

Sakura gasped and her eyes widened as Naruto's lightsaber instantly deactivated while the lower portion of it that was left in her hands sizzled and sparked from where it was cut.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

She slowly looked up as the dark lord loomed over her. Watching as he slowly lifted his left arm up and curled his fingers before what was left of her weapon flew out of her hand and floated in front of him. He opened his palm wider and the damaged saber disassembled itself. Each part of what was left of the hilt slid or unscrewed itself away from the others. Till there was nothing left but a beautiful blue crystal that rested itself in Vader's gloved palm.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You did far better than I had expected, Cherry Blossom, but you have only begun to discover and test your power."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You couldn't possibly begin to imagine just how powerful the Force really is or what it's truly capable of. I have studied and learned its secrets and power for decades and have destroyed far more powerful foes than you."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

He then crushed the crystal in his grip before allowing the wind to blow away the pieces into oblivion.

"And with that your lesson….is over."

Vader then tightened his grip on his saber before approaching her. Seeing this Yamato and Sai prepared to act until they saw Sakura shove both of her hands outward and Force Pushed Vader away! However, much to her dismay Vader only slid a few feet away from her as he hunched over while gripping his saber. His cape settling down after his momentum stopped.

The dark lord then slowly raised his helmet to her before he rose to his full height. Holding his saber up in his right hand while lightning cackled behind his dark menacing figure. Then slowly walked towards her again.

Sakura tried doing another push but it barely even nudged him. She then tried another and another but each of them felt weaker than the last. Her face grew nervous before it began to contort in terror. She couldn't beat him. He was just too strong and powerful.

It would seem that perhaps her nightmares were fully becoming reality right now.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"So, you do fear me after all."

Sakura held her ground and tried to hide her fear but it proved difficult due to her trembling.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"As I told you before, you don't have enough training and experience with the Force. If you had, you would've known not to have spent too much of your power. The Force is limitless but you are not."

He spun his saber around in his hand as he drew closer to her.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You have failed just like Naruto Uzumaki did!"

Sakura's pupils dilated as she heard him once again insult the very boy she failed to save. She gritted her teeth and growled low as her bangs waved again. Feeling more power well up and grow inside her.

Suddenly, Sakura outstretched both of her arms upwards before she brought them down in front of her and within that moment Vader dropped down to one knee. Everyone witnessing this couldn't believe their eyes as Sakura held Vader down with the Force. Bringing her hands tighter together to try to flatten and grind him completely into the ground.

Yamato then noticed something shiny on Vader's belt. He narrowed his eyes before they widened in realization. Hanging off of his belt was the First Hokage's necklace! Yamato suddenly had an idea and whispered to Sai.

"Sai, I need you to quickly get out your scrolls! Hurry, we don't have much time!"

Sai looked at Yamato curiously before doing as he was told.

Meanwhile, Sakura growled as she applied more pressure on Vader. Unfortunately, she couldn't really get him to budge anymore. The cybernetic former Sith apprentice slowly lifted his helmet to her.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Yes,…it always begins with fear. Then that fear leads to anger. As that anger leads to hate."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Hate that makes one strong with the Darkside."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"That same power that destroyed Naruto!"

Sakura gasped.

"What?!"

She lapsed a little in her grip which resulted in Vader being able to move a bit more freely. That is until serpents suddenly appeared and wrapped around his boots, arms, and upper torso. The dark lord struggled to try to break or cut through them but they were stronger than normal snake summons. Sakura was also surprised and curious as to where these snakes came from until upon closer inspection, she realized they were all made of ink.

She looked over and saw Sai kneeling down over a scroll while holding up a hand sign with Captain Yamato standing next to him.

"Sai! Captain Yamato!"

Yamato nodded before he stretched out his arms and grew out very long and thick vine like wooden beams that wrapped around Vader.

"Sakura, don't break your concentration!"

Sakura didn't know what he meant at first until she realized that she was still restraining Vader. She nodded back to her captain before continuing to apply pressure to help restrain him. She knew though she wouldn't be able to keep it up for long.

Darth Vader growled as he struggled against everything that was binding and holding him down. Despite his immense cybernetic strength, he could not break free. He couldn't even concentrate enough to use the Force against them due to him already using it to push against the girl's grip on him.

He tried to use his lightsaber but it was suddenly snatched from his grip by a wooden vine that somehow snaked through his fingers like a weed through a crack in the ground. It chucked his saber far away before Vader crushed the vine in anger and struggled even more. Managing to break a few vines and ink snakes only for more to replace and reinforce his restraints.

Yamato's eyes narrowed at the captive dark lord.

'Come on! Use it! Take the bait! It's your only option at this point!

Vader ceased in his struggling as he turned his helmet to look at Yamato before he slowly looked towards the ground and concentrated.

Sakura's head snapped up in alert as she felt something building inside Vader. It wasn't the darkness or "Darkside" as he called it. No, it was that other power from before. The power that was drenched and consumed with evil and bloodlust. So much bloodlust.

Then just as she feared that horrible chakra began to rise out of and coat Vader's body. She could already feel his rage and lust for death increasing enormously. As a result, it was getting even more difficult for her to restrain him. He was already starting to break through the various vines and ink serpents that were also trying to bind him.

Sakura knew that things weren't looking good.

'At this rate, he'll be free in a matter of seconds! What's Sai or Captain Yamato waiting for? I can't do anything right now but one of them could try something!'

Suddenly, she caught someone moving fast towards Vader in the corner of her eye. When she looked she saw that it was Yamato who was sprinting and speeding through hand signs! She looked over at the Yamato holding down Vader and realized he was a Wood Clone.

When Yamato finished his signs, he leapt upward and stretched his right arm out with a symbol appearing on his right palm.

"HOKAGE STYLE ELDER JUTSU!"

Yamato then pressed his palm against Vader's belt right where Sakura's necklace was attached before the gem glowed bright green from where his hand made contact! The temporary leader of Team 7 then leapt away while still remaining connected to the necklace's crystal through chakra tethers attached to his right hand. When he landed he pressed his left hand onto the ground and summoned eleven wooden pillars that surrounded Vader in a circular formation! Each of them had large spikes that ran down their inner sides and were each pointed towards the captive cyborg.

Yamato grit his teeth as he struggled to maintain his chakra hold. This was extremely difficult but he couldn't afford to mess this up. This was their one and possibly only chance to stop Vader. This was the reason why the Lady Tsunade sent him on this mission. He couldn't fail now.

Sakura was both confused and stunned as to what was happening. The dark red flaming chakra enveloping Darth Vader was withering away. Like Captain Yamato was somehow sealing it up. Also, what was that he said about it being a Hokage jutsu?

Still, whatever this jutsu was, Sakura was just glad it was working.

Vader tilted his helmet down as the power that he borrowed from his tenant was being drained away. Just as he expected that it would. This sensation felt oddly similar to when the power hungry late Dr. Cylo had him restrained by shutting down his cybernetics. It was like being wrapped up in chains. Chains that he shattered.

And this was no different.

Without warning he smashed both of his fists into the earth before he began to focus and sharpen more of his anger and hate while borrowing more of his tenant's chakra.

Sakura then sensed something changing within Darth Vader again. The power inside him wasn't weakening at all but rather increasing. It was growing stronger. His anger was turning into such dark maliceful hatred that it was overwhelming to the point where it was difficult to be this close to him.

Then she heard something. A roar echoing in her mind that was coming from within the dark lord. It sounded far to beastly to be human and it was so loud and bloodcurdling that she was very tempted to break her hold on him and cover her ears.

Then all three members of Team 7's eyes widened as the dark red chakra around Vader's body ceased its diminishment and instead expanded outward more! To the point where it even attached to and consumed the chakra tether attached to Yamato. The dark reddish chakra flames continued to grow and rise until it looked like a large bonfire that threatened to swallow the entire area!

Then suddenly it stopped growing and withdrew back into Vader's body within the blink of an eye!

Everyone then grew confused as to what just happened. Yamato didn't like what was going on and neither did Sai. Sakura only continued to stare wide eyed at Vader as he pulled his fists out of the ground and brought them to his chest. What really had her attention though was sensing all of that evil red chakra mixing with the Darkside inside him. Being focused and condensed into a single point. By the time she figured out what was happening.

It was already too late.

Vader suddenly rose to his feet, despite his bindings, and pulled his closed fisted arms away from his chest and released a massive Force Repulse coated in dark red chakra! Completely destroying his bindings and threatening to overtake the members of Team 7!

Sai was repelled away by the shockwave while suffering severe burns by the chakra infused in it! Yamato's wood clone was completely blown away into ash while the real Yamato tried putting up a wood dome but it too was destroyed and he was also sent flying while being inflicted by burns. Sakura instinctively held her hands out in front of her body to tried to shield herself but Vader's power was too much for even her own Force abilities to hold back and as a result she too was repulsed away.

The shockwave swept through and blew away all the surrounding rocks and debris! It was so great and fast that Sasuke was only able to just barely get to cover from behind the rocks that he was previously buried in! Many of those rocks didn't last long and many flew over Sasuke's head from the force of the repulsion.

When it was finally over, Vader stood alone in a crater that was sizzling and burnt from the touch of his power.

He surveyed the torn and scorched battlefield and saw that the boy from Root and the Wood Style temp leader were still alive. Injured but alive. He spotted the Uchiha slowly rising to his feet while holding his torso in pain. Cleary he has not recuperated enough from their earlier fight.

Which made him prime for the kill.

Before the dark lord could act though a pile of rocks started to shift and move which caught his attention. He sensed who it was shortly before a fist smashed through the top of the stone pile! Seconds later, the rest of the pile shattered and after the dust cleared, Sakura emerged from the debris covered in more bruises.

Sakura held onto her arm in pain. When she removed her hand, she saw what appeared to be a gaping cut just below her shoulder. Something about this wound of hers wasn't natural though. There was a horrible burning and stinging sensation inside that felt as if it was spreading through her whole arm.

It was almost acting like a poison.

She concentrated her chakra and applied her medical jutsu. It started to heal up but the pain was barely receding. This was definitely no normal wound. She snapped her head up with widened eyes as she just remembered her teammates. She looked around frantically and saw Yamato lying face down in one direction and Sai lying on his back in another.

"Sai! Captain Yamato!"

Neither of them responded at first which caused her to panic until she saw movement from both of them. They both groaned and clutched themselves in pain as they attempted to sit up in their individual spots. They both looked badly wounded from the attack and she would wager that they may also be suffering from the same afflicting wounds that she had.

She thanked her lucky stars that they were alive but she was confused as to why she only got a scratch as compared to the serious injuries her comrade's had. It was probably due to when she used the Force to protect herself. Realizing that now, she couldn't help but feel guilty for not thinking of and trying to protect them too. But everything happened so fast that she just didn't have time. That and the fact that she didn't know how would've even used it to shield them too. Vader was right about her.

She truly knew nothing about the Force compared to him.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"That was a good plan your Taichou formulated."

Sakura turned her attention back to Vader.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"It was unfortunate however that I had already deduced what it was since its inception and merely allowed him to perform his jutsu on me."

All of Team 7's eyes widened as Yamato spoke out hoarsely to Vader.

"What? Why would you-"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"To send a clear message to your Hokage that there is no jutsu that the Leaf possesses that can hold me."

Vader then turned his attention back to Sasuke and marched towards him. Preparing to end this once and for all. That is until Sakura stood in his path.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Stand aside, kunoichi."

Sakura growled.

"Not until you pay for what you did!"

Vader turned his mask towards the Uchiha ahead before looking back down at her.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Rather strange for one who claims to have no feelings of love for this boy would risk her life to protect him instead of focusing on keeping herself safe so that she could heal her comrades."

Sakura's eyes narrowed before they quickly darted to both of her comrades and then back up to Vader.

"I told you already, that I'm going to make sure he pays when I bring him back to the Leaf! Also,…"

She pointed at the cyborg.

"I know you, Darth Vader!"

She lowered her arm.

"Even if I allow you to kill Sasuke, there's no way you're going to let any of us walk away from here alive at this point! Someone who has haunted my dreams for the past three years and who would kill Naruto like that is incapable of showing any mercy!"

Vader tilted his helmet in confusion.

"You're a cruel murderer! And the only way I can protect my friends and my village from your terror is by stopping you here and now!"

Sakura then struck her fist out only for it to be caught in Vader's glove. She grunted while lashing out with her other fist but that too became buried within Vader's other gloved grip. Sakura tried pushing against his arms by using her chakra but it was no use. He was just too strong and she was still weak from her wound and their battle. Not only that but she had to conserve enough chakra in order to heal Yamato and Sai. The deck seemed stacked against her yet again.

She glared at his helmeted mask as it lowered closer to her face.

HOOOPUUUURRRRR.

"Why? Why go so far for the Uzumaki boy? You never cared for him. You abused him. And you even deceived and tried to use him. So, why? Why would you be willing to trade your life to avenge him? That boy was nothing more than a stupid weakling who foolishly held onto the hope of becoming Hokage! Why do you fight for him?! Why?!"

Sakura looked at Vader without really having an answer at first. Then she lowered her head till her bangs covered the top half of her face. Tear drops could be seen falling to the ground.

"Because…..he gave me things that were very special that I took for granted."

Sakura shuddered as she breathed in slowly before exhaling.

"The first thing he ever gave me was a bond. One that I didn't notice at all when we first became a part of Team 7. I only cared about the bond I thought I had with Sasuke at the time. When I finally did notice Naruto's bond with me, I realized that it had turned from one of friendship and joy to one of pain and….and suffering. It was a bond that I couldn't ignore anymore and that he could never hide from me no matter how hard he tried. But instead of trying to fix it, I only allowed him to continue to suffer with his misery and solitude."

Vader's helmet twitched upwards a little.

"Despite that he still gave me his heart. He gave something so precious and invaluable to someone who treated him so wrongly and who was so blind to how much pain he was enduring from loneliness and rejection because it was just the kind of foolish thing he would do. And even when I had it in the palms of my hands, I let it slip away into ash and dust because I still couldn't see what it was that he had for me."

More tear drops continued to fall.

"I couldn't save his happiness. I couldn't save his heart. I couldn't save his dream. And I couldn't save him. But…"

She looked up at Vader with raging determined eyes.

"I'M GOING TO PROTECT AND FOLLOW IN HIS NINJA WAY AND NEVER GIVE UP NO MATTER WHAT!"

In that moment Sakura felt something strange inside Vader. Amongst all of his rage and dark thoughts, she sensed confusion and something else. A conflict that was between his darkness and something that didn't feel dark. Rather it felt small, warm and bright. And it felt very very….familiar.

But before she could ponder further her body tensed up as she felt the Force was warning her of a fast approaching danger right before Yamato screamed out to her.

"SAKURA, LOOK OUT!"

Sakura slowly turned around with her eyes widening and her mouth gaping open in terror to see a Chidori Spear rapidly extending towards her! Threatening to pierce right through her! She would try to leap away but it was coming too fast and she was unfortunately still anchored to Vader's iron grip.

Sakura then realized that unless a miracle happened, she was going to die.

Time seemed to slow as the jutsu drew closer and closer. It's shining blue light streaked across the air and covered the area in its hue. Including Sakura's own face as it began to reach its final distance to her. However, at that moment right when it was just a few feet from her, she felt a hand grab the back of her collar and lifted her off of the ground.

Sakura was confused as to what was happening or who just came to her rescue. She tried to look down to see who it was that was lifting her but her body was suddenly thrown away to the side with such force that she had to shut her eyes from the momentum. Unable to see who her rescuer was.

ZZCHHHTTTT!

"ARRGGHH!"

Darth Vader suddenly yelled in pain from what sounded like the chidori jutsu hitting him instead of her. At least that's what Sakura was able to surmise before she crashed and rolled across the ground. The Cherry Blossom medic coughed from the dust that kicked up from her rough landing. Rubbing it out of her eyes as she desperately tried to see what just happened.

When her vision quickly cleared up, she saw the chidori extending all the way from Sasuke's arm that was being held up by his other one. When she turned to see where the tip was, she witnessed it hovering a little bit over and past Vader as he knelt on the ground with what looked like sparks coming from out of his mask where the chidori must've hit. His mechanical breathing also sounded different. It sounded more like wheezing then it did respiration.

It would seem that Sasuke's jutsu appears to have actually injured him.

Sakura knew that this was her chance. Her chance to avenge her comrade and to put an end to this vile villain. She rose up to her feet and slowly walked towards the kneeling dark lord. Grabbing her combat blade from behind her waist and channeling chakra into it. When only a few more feet was left between her and this monster that has taken everything away from her, she raised the blade high in preparation.

'THIS IS FOR NARUTO!'

When she finally reached him, she roared while plunging the blade down.

"Sakura."

Sakura froze with her blade held just a few inches from Vader and held her breathe involuntarily.

'That voice…'

Vader's voice sounded different from before. It sounded broken up. Like another voice was speaking out through the cracks of his normal mechanical one.

And it was a voice that was all too familiar to her.

At first she thought it was a trick. Like how he changed his voice before when he fought Sasuke. However, as Vader slowly turned his mask towards her direction her eyes slowly began to widen in disbelief.

A wide vertical sizzled cut could be seen on the right side of it. Revealing part of his real face that was hidden beneath its visage. The skin looked awfully pale like it hasn't been exposed to sunlight for a very long time and she could see what looked to be some scarring as well. However, the marks that covered his cheek were not scars but rather looked more like faded marks that resembled whiskers. Then as Vader opened his glaring eye to her, Sakura gasped and stumbled back several feet. The iris of his eye was completely engulfed in red, yellow and orange colors that looked like flaming embers while the pupil resembled the slitted eye of a vicious beast.

She knew that eye and the look in it all too well. She remembered how it glared at her on the day that was without a doubt the worst day of her life. The day that he left with so much hatred and pain.

Then he spoke to her again.

"Sakura."

It was no longer the mechanical voice of Darth Vader that spoke to her. It was his voice. She was sure of it down to her bones and to her very soul. Between that, the whiskers, and the beastly eye there was no doubt at this point.

It was him.

"Naruto…"

Yamato and Sai both sat up in shock from hearing what Sakura called Vader. Sasuke especially watched in complete shock and disbelief as the dark lord rose to his feet before her. Catching sight of the same eye that Sakura was staring at. An eye he too recognized. He couldn't say anything and didn't even know what to say.

He just couldn't believe that somehow the man they've all been fighting this whole time was him.

Meanwhile, Vader looked on as Sakura stood frozen in place. He could sense that her mind right now was a complete blank. So much so that she dropped her blade to the ground. Causing the chakra infused in it to dissipate. She then began to tremble from what he assumed to be out fear.

Until she suddenly ran towards him.

"NARUTO! NARUTO! NARUTO! AHAHAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Sakura ran straight into him with her arms wide open before she wrapped them tightly around his towering being while proceeding to wail and sob into his chest armor.

Darth Vader's body stiffened and his lone inflamed eye widened in shock from the tender and affectionate act the girl was displaying. He could sense that all the fear and anger she had towards him moments ago melting away. And instead, was being replaced with another emotion. One that he didn't understand at all but at the same time felt like he knew it from somewhere.

He just stood there in her embrace while the wind caused his cape to gently ripple.

Then for reasons beyond his understanding, his right arm slowly lifted upwards and stayed in place for a bit while trembling before it attempted to slowly and nervously wrap around the Cherry Blossom girl's waist.

Until a voice spoke out.

"So, you're still alive after all, Dobe."

Vader's arm froze before it even touched Sakura. Raising his helmet up to glare at the Uchiha. Sakura also turned her head to Sasuke's direction while still pressing herself against Vader's chest armor.

"I must say that I honestly can't believe it. I thought for sure that you wouldn't have survived from what we did to you that day. Though if I'm being more honest, I'm actually glad you're here."

Vader's fists tightened and Sakura could feel the anger in him boiling and rising again.

"I wasn't satisfied at all with how our last fight ended then. I would rather I had died at your hands that day then accepted help in defeating you. And you're supposed death wasn't meant to have been so slow and painful. But now that you're here, we can finally end things the way they should've ended. Only this time I'll be the one to win without any help."

Sasuke took a battle stance.

"Don't take it personally, Naruto but I can't allow you to live nor will I accept defeat to you."

Vader's raging eye narrowed viciously at the Uchiha and the bones in his left fist could be heard cracking from how hard he was tightening it. Then within a split second, as Vader opened his right glove, his lightsaber flew from out of nowhere into its grip. Sakura began to shudder in fear as she sensed the Darkside within him growing and beginning to engulf his inner being once again.

Then the other former member of their team spoke with a dark and menacing statement.

"Then you will die!"

KURRRR!

And with those words his blood colored saber activated with its glow spreading its hue all over Vader's mask. The cybernetic former shinobi then pushed Sakura to the side out of his way. Sakura panicked from sensing Naruto slip further away back into the Darkside and tried to reach out to him.

"NARUTO, NO!"

Vader whipped his body around and Force Pushed her away! Sending her careening into the air and even bouncing a few times across the ground. Coming to a stop next to Yamato who was still struggling to get back on his feet.

Sakura immediately scrambled to get back up until Yamato grabbed her arm to restrain her.

"LET ME GO! I HAVE TO GET TO HIM!"

"SAKURA, STOP AND LISTEN TO ME!"

As the two of them began to argue, Vader turned his attention back to the Uchiha. Only to find that he wasn't there anymore. He sensed though that he didn't get far and was correct as he looked upwards to find him standing on the edge overlooking the arena with a confident smirk on his face.

"I can see that your hatred has given you immense strength, Naruto. Despite attaining crippling injuries that would've killed any normal person, you have grown even more powerful than you were when we fought three years ago. But…."

The lightning above them suddenly changed color from red to blue which caught Vader's attention. It cackled and streaked downwards from the dark clouds with more ferocity while booming with loud thunder. Then a few raindrops fell before a downpour engulfed the entire area in its shower which caused Yamato and Sakura to cease they're arguing.

"I also have fed my hatred and gained power. I admit that of the two of us you are stronger, but my next jutsu will finish you for good!"

Darth Vader's eye narrowed at the boy.

"You hardly have any chakra left to defend yourself with. Much less for an attack."

Sasuke's smirk still remained which was a clear sign to his former comrade and now enemy that he was plotting something.

"Yeah, you're right. I don't have enough for a normal attack jutsu. I used up almost every bit of it in our fight and with that attack I tried to use earlier to kill both you and Sakura."

Sakura's fist tightened and she grinded her teeth.

'That sneaky little bastard!'

"However, do you really believe that I would train all these years and not prepare myself for a situation like this?"

The thunder and lightning above them continued to rage further which didn't go unnoticed by everyone there.

"I was originally saving this jutsu for Itachi, but every fiber in my body is telling me to use it now. It lasts only an instant and this jutsu cannot be blocked, dodged, or evaded. Just like your Force powers."

Vader's eye narrowed and he growled.

"Don't be too proud of this jutsu of yours that you would allow yourself to think for even a second that it rivals that of the power of the Force!"

Sasuke's smirk vanished and his expression became more serious. Shortly before all the lightning around them suddenly began to gather and converge into a single point straight above them. Sasuke focused and created a chidori in his left hand.

At that moment Darth Vader understood what the raven haired boy was up to. He was utilizing the energy conducted in the lightning storm above them without having to use his own chakra to create a lightning style jutsu. Whichever lightning jutsu it was, Vader knew it would be on a totally different level than what any shinobi can create using just change in chakra nature alone. And if he were correct then the reason why it couldn't be evaded was because lightning strikes at a speed that's faster than sound. It was without a doubt an ingenious tactic.

But Vader did not have any fear for it at all.

"This jutsu guides the lightning down from the heavens. All I have to do is merely direct its power right at you!"

Sasuke raise his chidori hand upwards.

"This jutsu is called Kirin!"

A loud screech came from where the lightning gathered that sounded almost like an animalistic roar.

Sasuke opened his chidori palm wider.

"COME!"

The gathered lightning above them suddenly began to take shape when before long it turned into a massive demonic dragon like creature! Bearing eyes that were black and red with bloodlust. Lighting streaking and cackling from every part of its glowing bright body. The creature lowered itself to several hundred meters behind and above Sasuke on his command. Narrowing its eyes at Vader who narrowed his eye back at the chakra construct.

Yamato didn't like where this was going and knew they all had to get out of here. As if on cue, one of Sai's ink birds landed right next to him and Sakura with Sai riding on its neck. Yamato grabbed Sakura much to her protest as he struggled to get her and his injured self onto the bird.

"NO! I CAN'T ABANDON NARUTO AGAIN!"

Sai grabbed a hold of Sakura as Yamato tried to push her up onto the bird's back.

"SAKURA, I'M SORRY BUT WE HAVE NO CHOICE RIGHT NOW! WE'RE IN NO CONDITION TO HANDLE A JUTSU OF THAT MAGNITUDE!"

After finally getting her on its back, Yamato leapt onto the bird and they instantly took off! Sakura tried to jump off to go and help Vader but Sai and Yamato both restrained her if only just barely due to their injuries. As she watched the dark image of Darth Vader's figure shrink further and further as they flew away, Sakura panicked more with the fear that after all her searching and endeavors that she was going to lose him again.

And there was nothing she would be able to do about it.

"Now be gone with the thunderclap!"

Sasuke then raised his palm so that it was facing forward and the Kirin jutsu obeyed its master by rising back up into the clouds. Then right when Sasuke slammed his chidori into the ground, the lightning demon dove fast from the storm clouds! Releasing a high pitch roar with its claws outstretched as it streaked downwards towards Darth Vader!

In 1/1000 of a second the entire arena was struck by the jutsu and was instantly obliterated in a blinding explosion! Sending massive shockwaves and debris flying everywhere! Sai's ink bird struggled avoid getting hit while its creator and his comrades struggled not to fall off. Sakura reached her hand out towards the explosion and screamed at the top of her lungs.

"NARUTOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Just as she finished her scream, the shockwaves began to cease. The rain also finished as quickly as it came but the dark clouds above remained. All three looked and saw a large cloud of dust covering where the arena once was.

Deeming it to be safe now, Sai had his bird land back on the ground where Sakura instantly leapt off and dashed towards the epicenter. Yamato went after her as did Sai after he undid his ink jutsu. They had a difficult time though due to the injuries they suffered and were just barely keeping up with Sakura at half her current speed.

When Sakura reached the large plume of dust, her eyes began to madly scan for any sign of movement in it. Allowing Yamato and Sai to catch up while doing so. It didn't take long before all three though caught sight of movement in the corner of their eyes ahead on their left.

When the figure fully came into view it was revealed to be Sasuke.

Sakura ground her teeth and growled at her former crush.

"You're going to pay for that, you bastard!"

Sasuke didn't show the slightest sign of acknowledgement to her threat on his face as he responded.

"I did what I had to do, Sakura. At least I gave him a death that was quick and painless this time. He deserved that much at least."

Sakura was about to viciously respond until she froze. She turned her head towards the cloud of dust as it was clearing up. She felt the cold presence. His presence within it.

Which could only mean….

"Only an idiotic fool would believe that being struck by lightning was anything but painless."

Sasuke, Yamato, and Sai's eyes grew wide and were drawn towards the haze of dust where they heard Vader's mechanical voice. When enough of it cleared up, where they could make out some detail, they all saw the hole that held the arena had expanded massively in size by the explosion. Rocks and rubble were seen everywhere in the pit. But through the thinning haze of dust mist, they could see a dark form that was kneeling within.

They saw what appeared to be an arm rising upwards and before they knew it the haze of smoke was instantly blown away. Revealing Vader kneeling on the ground with his cape in taters and suit ripped open or damaged in a few places. They saw him press some of the switches on chest panel before he once again began to exhale his mechanical breathe.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You are not the first to use something as powerful as lightning against me. In another time, this jutsu might've been an effective lethal weapon to use on me. But I have learned and been through too much for it to stop me now."

Darth Vader then rose to his feet and walked with a slight limp towards the edge where Sasuke was while the thunder clouds above them started to cackle and screech with red colored bolts of lightning once more.

Sakura then noticed something odd about Vader's slightly torn right glove. Beneath the leathery fabric she saw something reflecting the flashes of the lightning above them. It's surface was far too reflective to be considered normal human flesh.

She stepped closer to the edge, much to Yamato's apprehensiveness, as she squinted her eyes to get a better look.

'Is that…metal?'

Suddenly, Vader stopped in his tracks and tilted his helmet upward in alert. Sakura also snapped her head upwards as she sensed two familiar presences approaching them. Acting right on cue two figures body flickered to both sides of Sasuke.

It was Orochimaru and Kabuto.

"It would seem that we've arrived just in time."

Kabuto adjusted his glasses as they reflected the red light from the storm above.

"Indeed, though I must say that I'm surprised Sasuke that you would have so much trouble against these three."

Sasuke didn't answer as he only continued to stare with shock written all over his face down into the pit. Orochimaru found it odd for Sasuke to be at a loss for words as it wasn't like him. The snake sannin followed his line of sight right towards the dark armored stranger that stood alone down in the pit who was breathing a strange sound.

"Kabuto,…..I don't think Sakura and the others were the ones that's been giving Sasuke-kun all this trouble."

Kabuto looked down at the pit and his eyes narrowed with curiosity at the stranger.

"Who is that?"

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed.

"I'm not sure. He's not a Leaf shinobi that much is certain. He doesn't appear to be from any of the other hidden villages or from the Akatsuki. Very curious…."

Orochimaru eyes suddenly widened and he quietly gasped as he noticed the stranger's glaring eye showing through the cut on his mask. The colors were inflamed with that of red and yellow and the pupil was slitted. He recognized it as the same enraged eye that he stared into on that day at the Valley of the End.

But it couldn't be. There was no way he could've lived after that. It was impossible.

"What's wrong Orochimaru-sama?"

The rogue sannin hissed in response.

"That stranger down there, Sasuke….is he…..Naruto?"

Kabuto's own eyes widened and snapped his head back into the direction of the stranger.

"What?!"

It took only a second for Kabuto to also recognize that eye. Not only that but he could even see what appeared to be faint marks that looked like whiskers just beneath the edge of the cut on his mask. He turned to Sasuke for confirmation to their master's query.

The Uchiha teen said nothing at first as he was still frozen with shock and disbelief.

Until finally he answered.

"Yes, it's him…"

Both of them turned their attention back to the Uzumaki that they believed to be dead.

"But how?! Even with medical attention, there was no way he could've survived after that! Lord Orochimaru how is this possible?!"

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes.

"I don't know. Perhaps that old man I encountered may be the reason but either way it appears that we weren't as efficient in killing him then as we should've been!"

Orochimaru's lips then curled into a crooked smile as he began to chuckle.

"Kukukukuku, you truly are unrivaled when it comes to being unpredictable, Naruto-kun!"

HOPUR!

"Wrong!"

All three whipped their bodies around with Orochimaru and Kabuto's eyes widened to find Vader standing a few yards behind them.

'How did he-?!'

'He's fast!'

Orochimaru couldn't believe his speed. He was one of the legendary sannin and yet somehow this boy, who he severely crippled, has managed to get behind his guard without him noticing! It was unreal.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"My name is no longer Naruto Uzumaki. He died that day because he was a feeble child. I am known only as Darth Vader now."

Kabuto tilted his head to the side in confusion.

"Darth Vader? I must say that's a rather odd new name for you to have chosen for yourself."

Vader narrowed his lone eye at them and tilted his helmeted mask down.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"It was given to me."

Orochimaru smiled amusedly but he kept on his guard as did Kabuto.

"You must've changed and been through quite a lot to have given Sasuke this much trouble and to have survived against even his most powerful jutsu."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You have no idea."

The snake user's serpent eyes narrowed.

"Really? Do tell."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"No."

Orochimaru pouted.

"Oh pity, perhaps I'll just force it out of you."

Vader's eye narrowed further.

"Still arrogant and overconfident in your abilities as ever just like your student and would be vessel. Especially when considering what happened the last time you fought me."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes and grit his teeth but despite his fearsome expression even Sakura could sense what seemed to be fear building up inside him.

"But it matters not. I have finally drawn both you and your pathetic servant out and I intend to destroy you three without any mercy…Here and now."

Kabuto looked at him confused again.

"Drawn us out?"

Sakura could feel the Darkside inside Vader building and growing stronger again.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Did you honestly think that your weak Uchiha apprentice survived this long because of his skill or luck? He only did because I allowed it. I held back when I fought him because I knew that you would come to his aide to protect your precious vessel just like before. And it worked perfectly."

Sasuke's eye widened.

'He was just toying with me?! Just how strong has he become?!'

As the four of them then faced off in a stare down waiting for whoever would make the first move, Sai whispered to Yamato.

"Captain Yamato, what should we do now?"

That was a good question that ran through Yamato's mind. Things were not looking good for them. Both he and Sai were still very badly wounded and Sakura couldn't be allowed to needlessly use up anymore chakra in combat since they were going to need her medical jutsu. That and if they fought they would have to deal with both Orochimaru and Kabuto again which they were in no condition to do.

And there was still Vader to contend with.

Yamato wasn't sure right now whose side Vader was really on at the moment. He tried to kill the three of them but that was because they interfered after he warned them not to. Not to mention that he did save Sakura and took a blow for her. Then again there was still the issue of Sai and him being injured, so even if Vader were willing to cooperate there was no way they would be of any help to him right now against Kabuto and Orochimaru.

Although from what Yamato has seen of him so far, he highly doubts he even needs any help.

There was also the fact that they have learned more about Vader's abilities and even his true identity. All of which would be invaluable information to Lady Tsunade. Taking all of this into account, Yamato felt that there was only one logical course of action.

"We're withdrawing and heading back to the Leaf."

Sakura immediately snapped her head towards her temporary leader and protested.

"NO! I refuse to leave Naruto! I'm not going back without him!"

Yamato tried to reason with her.

"Sakura,…..I understand your reluctance. Really I do. But our situation right now is dire. Between Orochimaru, Kabuto, and even Naruto there's not really anything any of us can do right now without reinforcements. Lady Tsunade is also going to want to know everything that we've learned today which is another reason why we need to withdraw.

Sakura argued.

"She would understand why I can't leave! Not until I bring him back and save him!"

Yamato looked at her confused.

"Save him? Sakura what are you talking about?"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Stop arguing and obey your squad leader, girl."

Sakura and Yamato turned to Vader who was looking at them instead of his opponents.

"Return to your village. You'll only get yourself killed if you stay. Go now….before I destroy you along with them!"

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

He then glared at her with a vicious intent but unlike before Sakura didn't feel afraid from his threat. Not this time. Instead, she only felt hurt that he would go so far as to threaten her life to get her to leave.

Which is something she will not do.

Within that moment, Orochimaru and Kabuto suddenly body flickered to Darth Vader with the Snake Sannin descending above him with his snake sword protruding out of his mouth and the renegade medical ninja striking at him from a low point with a chakra scalpel!

Vader quickly activated his saber and batted away Orochimaru's blade while at the same time grabbing hold of Kabuto's scalpel bearing arm with his right hand! Vader then threw his saber like a shuriken causing it to spin like a saw right into Orochimaru's waist! Cutting the snake sannin clean in half much to everyone's shock. Vader didn't stop there though as he held up Kabuto by the arm and twisted his wrist.

CRACK!

"AGH!"

Kabuto yelled and struggled in pain from the dark cyborg breaking his arm. As he did that, Orochimaru's body melted into mud revealing to be a substitution. Suddenly, the real Orochimaru phased out of the ground behind Vader and shoved his arms outward!

"STRIKING SHADOW SNAKE!"

A large mass of snakes flew of his sleeves with blades sticking out of their mouths just as Vader turned his helmet toward them with an annoyed narrowed eye. Sakura thought he would need help and was about to rush in until she noticed Vader's saber still spinning through the air to right behind Orochimaru. Shortly before slicing him half just like it did his substitution from earlier as well as cutting through all his snake summons.

Kabuto tried to use this distraction to form another chakra scalpel into his other hand and plunge it into Vader's neck. However, the dark lord completely turned his body around and held Kabuto to where his scalpel arm was in the path of Vader's incoming saber! When Kabuto turned his neck to see the spinning energy sword it was already too late.

SWACH!

"ARRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!"

Sakura and the others were shocked and horrified as they saw Kabuto's right arm plummet to the ground. Sizzling from the cut while the chakra scalpel slowly faded away. Kabuto roared with pain from losing his right arm. Vader didn't hesitate to then throw the vile medic right into Sasuke! Knocking sending both him and Kabuto to the ground.

Darth Vader then slowly turned around to see Orochimaru's mouth opening extremely wide. Two hands then popped out and then another Orochimaru could be seen slowly exiting the other's esophagus. It was repulsive to the point where Sakura wanted to vomit but she steeled herself.

When Orochimaru's upper body emerged from the other's mouth he quickly slid out of it like a snake shedding its skin and slithered fast around Vader! Coiling his body up around him in an attempt to constrict him! His movements halted though when Vader reached out and pulled him with the Force to where he was able to grab him by the throat. Crushing his windpipe in his grip.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You cannot imagine the decades I have waited for this one moment. The countless people I have slaughtered because I wanted to kill you three. To wipe each of you off the face of this planet!"

Vader then headbutted Orochimaru hard in the face with his helmet! Bashing the traitorous Sannin's nose in and bruising his face! Then he held him up in front of where Sasuke and Kabuto were and pulled back his other fist before smashing it into Orochimaru's already bloody and bruised face! Sending him flying and crashing into the ground to where the others laid.

The dark lord summoned his saber back and slowly approached his down prey.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"Now,…..the moment of your demise is here at last."

Orochimaru struggled his feet and glared at the dark armored former shinobi.

"You're the one who's going to meet your demise! Mark my words boy, you are going to pay for this! I'll use you for my experiments to learn more about this power of yours and the pain you'll suffer will be more excruciating than anything you have ever experienced before!"

Vader halted in his tracks just a few feet away from them.

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"You think you know pain?"

Vader slowly lifted his left arm causing Orochimaru and the others to tense.

"I will show you three true mastery of the Darkside."

HOOOOOOOPUUUUUUUURRRRRRRR.

"As well as true mastery of pain."

Then within a flash of an instant, red electrical energy shot forth out of Vader's gloved fingers into his three opponents! Sending them flying and plummeting into the crater left from the previous battle. Even when after they landed though they were still being shocked and bombarded by the electrical barrage.

Vader slowly approached the edge of the crater. Still shooting bolts of red lightning into them and even intensifying it by spreading his left palm wider. The three rogue shinobi below howled and writhed in agony from the pain. Their skeletons glowing through their skins from the touch of the lightning.

Sai and Yamato's eyes were full of shock from Vader's power while Sakura stood there horrified at how Vader was torturing them. She could feel the power of the Darkside growing stronger inside him like before. And as it did she could feel less and less of the light she felt before.

If she didn't do something soon then Naruto may end up being consumed by this power.

Before she could act though, Vader already ceased his lightning onslaught and lowered his left arm and bent forward a bit.

HOOOPUUURRR! HOOOPUUURRR! HOOOPUUURRR!

Sakura then noticed Vader's breathing had quickened as if he was out of breathe from that attack of his.

She watched as he attached his saber back to his belt before straitening himself up.

HOOOPUUURRR!

"TIME TO FINISH WHAT UZUMAKI STARTED ALL THOSE YEARS AGO!"

Vader then held up his right glove and called upon the power of his tenant while at the same time focusing his own dark power. Moments later his body's aura emanated dark red chakra flames again. Unlike before though the chakra flames began to take shape with parts of it forming into what looked like two tails that flickered and sparked behind Vader's backside. Same was with his gloved hands and boots which were covered in enflamed chakra claws. Finally, his helmet too became engulfed in the dark chakra aura. Forming two tendrils at the back that resembled ears and a small snout at the front.

Sakura recognized this transformation from when he rampaged in the village three years ago. It was different this time though. The chakra was darker in color and it didn't resemble bubbling liquid but instead looked like flames.

And yet despite these changes it still for some reason resembled a fox to her.

With his power raised high enough Vader then concentrated on using the Force to manipulate the chakra channels and nodes within his right arm. Drawing and guiding the chakra out of them into a single point on his glove. Slowly but surely a small red spiraled sphere of chakra began to form into his palm. It grew and grew to the point where it looked like a soft ball.

Yamato's eyes widened as he recognized the jutsu.

"That's…..a Rasengan!"

Sakura looked at him confused.

"A Rasengan? What's that?"

Sai answered.

"It's a high class jutsu that was developed by the Fourth Hokage. It's said to be one of the most powerful and difficult jutsus ever created."

Yamato nodded.

"That's right and there's only two people that I know of that have learned and mastered it since the Fourth. Master Jiraiya and Kakashi. Though I have to admit that this is the first time I've ever seen someone create a red one."

Sakura looked down in contemplation.

'Naruto must've learned it when he was studying under Master Jiraiya…'

"What's this?!"

Sakura looked up and saw Yamato and Sai's faces in shock. She turned her gaze over to Vader only for her to gasp as the Rasengan was far larger than it was moments before! It was now the size of a small house and it was still getting bigger!

"That's unbelievable!"

Orochimaru, Sasuke and Kabuto slowly sat up in pain from Vader's previous attacks. They brought their hands over their eyes though to shield them from a bright red light that was blaring down at them. When they looked to the source they gasped when they caught sight of Vader's jutsu.

"It can't be! Is that a Rasengan?!"

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed from Kabuto's question.

"I've never seen one so big before! To gather that much chakra into an A-rank jutsu like that in such a short amount of time! Not even the Fourth Hokage or that oaf Jiraiya would be capable of something like this!"

Orochimaru's eyes narrowed further.

'I wonder if this is due to the power of the Kyuubi or of his own mysterious abilities?'

Everyone there watched as Vader's enormous Rasengan continued to grow and expand. Until without reason it stopped. Everyone there assumed that perhaps Vader gathered enough power and was about to launch his jutsu when suddenly the enormous Rasengan began to shrink.

However, it wasn't a smooth transition like when it was growing moments earlier. No, it looked like it was being forcibly condensed. When it became the size of a kickball, Vader lowered it down to his side and brought his other hand to it before taking a wide stance while bending his knees.

His own dark aura increased in size while the Rasengan continued to spiral and spin faster and glow even brighter in hue. The ground cracked around his boots while rocks levitated around him and shattered into dust. His tattered cape whipping wildly in the wind.

Orochimaru then realized what was happening.

"He's gathering all of that enormous chakra for that Rasengan and condensing it down into that small point."

Kabuto and Sasuke looked at him before back at Vader.

"The amount of power being concentrated into that Rasengan could wipe out half the Leaf Village!"

It was an astute observation by the Uchiha and Orochimaru knew that none of them could afford to be hit by that jutsu especially at such a close range. So, the snake Sannin leapt away while Kabuto and Sasuke followed in tow. When there was enough distance he stopped and bit into both of his thumbs to draw some blood before performing some hand signs and slamming his hands onto the ground.

"TRIPLE RASHOMON!"

Suddenly, three enormous and intimidating gates sprouted from the ground ahead of the three rogue shinobi. Each one was of a different color while sporting spikes on their frames. Their doors were also covered with demonic looking faces.

It was Orochimaru's ultimate defensive move.

Seeing what Orochimaru was up to and realizing and danger of Vader's jutsu Yamato leapt away a far enough distance before he reached out with wood vines that grabbed Sai and Sakura. After they pulled both of them to him, he performed hand signs before dozens of wood beams stretched over and around them. Encasing them in a large wood dome.

Yamato didn't stop there as he continuously formed more wood domes over the first one and consecutively over each other. Each being larger and thicker than the previous.

'That should be enough to keep us safe. I hope…'

Sakura in the meantime was pressing her hands gently against the surface of the wood dome. Feeling the power of the darkness deepening inside Vader. At this point she didn't care about staying safe from his jutsu or about making Sasuke, Orochimaru, and Kabuto pay for they have done, she just wanted to stop this fight. The longer it goes on, the more she could feel Naruto slipping further away into the Darkside.

'Naruto, please stop! You've already beaten them! There's no need to keep fighting! Please!'

"Rasencanon!"

After charging up his jutsu, Darth Vader shoved his arms forward and the Rasengan shot forth into a beam of pure energetic chakra that stretched and scraped across the landscape before smashing into and through each of Orochimaru's Rashomon!

(Come on, you all know which attack this move is based on 😉)

Meanwhile inside Yamato's wood domes, Sakura and the others braced themselves as they felt the ground shake! They could hear a lot of the outer domes outside moaning and breaking from the shockwave and power of Vader's jutsu. Yamato looked nervous and was sweating. Worrying that perhaps he didn't put enough barriers up to shield them. He began to think it was best to try to put up more even though his injuries were taking a heavy toll on him. But the ground suddenly stopped shaking and everything became quiet.

Deathly quiet.

Yamato waited a bit before he deemed it safe and released his jutsu. When the dome barriers opened each of their eyes widened in disbelief at an enormous deep trench that stretched forth from Vader into the crater that was even larger and deeper than before. In the spot where Sasuke and the others were previously there was nothing but a large mushroom cloud that reached high into the sky.

Sakura's eyes traced back to Vader. Who for some reason didn't appear at all to be as tired or suffering much from chakra exhaustion as he should be. He just stood there to his full height with his breathing still sounding quickened but otherwise he appeared to be normal which astounded the medical kunoichi. Still, she thought she should at least examine him to make sure.

When she took her first step towards him though the dark lord spoke.

HOOOPUUURRR.

"Why are you still here?"

He slowly turned his helmet toward her with his enflamed beastly eye narrowed at her.

"I told you before to leave or that you would suffer the same fate as them."

HOOOPUUURRR.

Sakura steeled herself and responded.

"I'm not leaving you! Not this time or ever again!"

HOOOPUUURRR.

"I don't care."

"You should care."

Sakura turned and saw Sai stepping next to her while still holding his arm in pain.

"Naruto, I've learned much about you from Sakura during this mission. She told me once that you were alone without any parents or friends. That everyone considered you to be a fool and a loudmouth that wasn't worth acknowledging."

Sakura sweat dropped.

'Don't start with the negative stuff first!'

"And she also told me that in spite of all of that you never gave up. That you were stronger and smarter than you appeared. You were always there for your friends and for her. And that you had a dream to become Hokage. She said that you were the kindest person she ever knew as well as a good kis-!"

"Ack!"

"Mph?!"

Sai was cut off as Sakura covered his mouth with her hand while blushing fiercely. Even Yamato was confused and curious what she didn't want Sai to say. However, the look in Vader's eye suggested that he wasn't moved or still didn't really want to be reminded of his old life from long ago.

HOOOPUUURRR.

"Yet it was kindness that blinded me to the lies of the Leaf Village and of others."

Yamato stepped forth this time.

"I know."

Sakura and Sai looked up at their Taichou.

"Tsunade-sama told me everything of why you left the village. No one can really blame you for deserting after what you've been through…..but I must ask that you would please come back with us to Konoha. If you won't do it for the Hokage or for the village itself, that's fine. I understand but please at least do it for Sakura. She came all this way to find you and she never gave up on you. She believed you were still alive despite almost everyone else thinking you were dead. She never let go of her bond to you and she never will."

Yamato looked at Sakura as he finished.

"She cares deeply about you so I ask you to reconsider."

Yamato and the others looked at Vader as he still remained silent save for his breathing. He helmet was tilted down and his eye was closed shut like he was in deep contemplation. Then it opened and narrowed at the crater.

HOOOPUUURRR.

"I told you already, Naruto Uzumaki no longer exists."

HOOOPUUURRR.

"And the one thing I am considering right now is whether or not to kill you three after I'm done with the Uchiha and the others or to let you live so that you can watch as I burn your precious village to the ground to prove that I want nothing to do with it or with the girl!"

Yamato and Sai's eyes widened and they stiffened from feeling the air once again weighing heavy with Vader's killer intent. Sakura, however, could feel some slight conflict within him again. She could tell that their words didn't fall on deaf ears. They stirred something inside him.

There was anger from what they said but not just that. She could sense that it was something else. That same warm and bright presence from before. A light that felt like the old him.

She knew it only confirmed what she already knew before.

'He's still in there…'

Suddenly, a gigantic snake burst from the crater. It lowered its head down before it opened its mouth extremely wide. Moments later Sasuke, Orochimaru, and Kabuto were vomited out and looked the worse for wear.

Orochimaru slowly lifted his head up.

"I can't believe he completely obliterated all three of my Rashomon. Still, if I hadn't had used them we'd all be dead by now."

Kabuto grunted.

"That goes without saying."

Without warning a red saber flew through the air into the gigantic snake summon! Cutting its enormous head clean off its body and killing it within an instant. Just as its head and body fell upon the scorched earth they both vanished into smoke.

The three of them watched as the saber returned to its owner, shortly before Vader leapt down into the crater and slowly approached the down rogue shinobi.

Sasuke gritted his teeth as he held onto a kunai that he summoned earlier. Concealing it from Vader's sight. When the dark lord got close enough, Sasuke used the last of his strength to body flicker to Vader and tried to stab him in the abdomen with the knife.

Vader caught the blade in his free hand however and twisted Sasuke's hand so that kunai was pointing towards the young Uchiha before slowly shoving it in. Sasuke's eye widened. He looked down and saw the blade sticking into his side with blood seeping out while his hand still gripped the handle. When he looked back up, Vader was glaring right down at him.

HOOOPUUURRR.

"Before you die there is something you should know."

HOOOPUUURRR.

"Once I've finished destroying you three, I will then hunt down and destroy the Akatsuki and all of its members."

HOOOPUUURRR.

"Including your older brother, Itachi."

Sasuke's eyes widened.

"I will not only take away your life for what you did but I will also take away your vengeance. You're very reason for existing will be extinguished just like you are about to be."

Vader then pulled back his free hand before Force Pushing Sasuke hard back to the ground with the other two.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes and growled at Vader for damaging his vessel and apprentice. The fallen Leaf shinobi though just glared right back at Orochimaru's snake like eyes with his own beastly fiery eye. His killer intent so great that they felt like it was filling up the whole crater and that they were being crushed by it.

HOOOPUUURRR.

"Your journey ends here, now!"

Right then, Sakura saw it again. The light within him was starting flicker and grow dimmer. Threatening to be overtaken by the Darkside that was closing in around it. She couldn't let that happen. Not again.

So, without hesitation she leapt down into the crater much to Sai and Yamato's protests. Dashing towards Vader while calling out to him. Hoping he would listen.

"NARUTO STOP!"

Vader ignored her as he kept marching towards his prey with an eagerness for the kill.

Until suddenly he stopped.

Vader slowly looked toward Sakura as she held both of her hands out in an attempt to restrain him with the Force.

HOOOPUUURRR.

"You dare to defy me?"

Sakura gulped some dried spit as she answered.

"Naruto, I'm sorry but I can't let you kill them like this! Not if you're going to give in more to this Darkside you told me about and lose yourself in it!"

Vader's eye narrowed and his eye color almost made it look like it was bloodshot.

HOOOPUUURRR.

"You fool! I have already given into the Darkside long ago! There is nothing left of the boy you used to know!"

Sakura shook her head.

"NO! I can see it inside you! There's still the old you in there! I know it!"

Vader's eye changed to a confused expression.

"What?"

HOOOPUUURRR.

Sakura nodded.

"You're not gone yet but if I let you kill them this way then the light I see in you may disappear forever! I won't let that happen again!"

Vader wasn't really paying attention to what she was saying as his mind was too busy filling with questions as to whether or not she's able to sense and see inside him. He didn't believe her at all that there was still traces of his old self inside but for her to actually sense inside him at all was a mystery. Her powers could not have progressed so fast for her to already have learned how to do this. Having a teacher or not a technique such as this requires training and practice. No, he suspects that this is somehow linked to when she somehow was able to mimic and understand his lightsaber style from earlier.

This was definitely something else.

When Vader looker at her, Sakura tried reasoning with him again.

"Naruto listen to me! What they have done to you can't go unpunished, I fully agree with you on that! They will get what they deserve and more when we take them back to the Leaf!"

Vader looked at her like she was an annoying child.

HOOOPUUURRR.

"You are astonishingly naïve to believe that to be the best course of action."

Sakura looked at him confused but still kept trying.

"No, Tsunade-sama will definitely make them pay for everything! She won't rest until they've-"

"There is so much you fail to know or understand about your village."

HOOOPUUURRR.

Sakura would've thought that he was wrong but her instincts were telling her that there was something he knew and was not telling her.

"What do you mean by that?"

HOOOPUUURRR.

"That among many other things matters not. You will either release me and leave unharmed or you can die here with them."

"I'm afraid we won't be dying here today, Naruto."

Vader and Sakura looked towards Orochimaru and the others to see the Snake Sannin smiling.

"Kukukukuku, rest assured though we will meet again once I've figured out a way to learn more about the Force. And by then I'll have Sasuke-kun's body as my new vessel. I also look forward to you taking care of the Akatsuki for me. I believe that if anyone can do it, it's definitely you."

Orochimaru and the others slowly rose to their feet before Sasuke this time spoke.

"And Itachi will fall only by my hands, Naruto."

Sensing a deceptive plot, Vader exerted his power and broke free of Sakura's grip before he used Wind Style and the Force to enhance his speed!

HOPUR!

"NO!"

Suddenly Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Sasuke's bodies were engulfed in flames that started at their feet. Right when Vader reached them, he swung his saber in a wide horizontal arc through all three of them but hit nothing. When the flames died down their bodies were gone.

They escaped.

Vader just stood there in silence save for his breathing. He may have looked calm but Sakura could feel his anger broiling and turning over inside. Like a volcano ready to erupt. Sai and Yamato leapt down to her side and she was about to tell them to leave as it wasn't safe until she saw Vader press what looked like a button on his belt.

Unknown to the others there was that Vader was contacting his starship. And right on cue a small blue hologram of Admiral Orchens appeared within Vader's left eye panel. Standing at attention and ready to receive his orders.

HOOOPUUURRR.

"Admiral, send a shuttle down to my location and send our advanced probe scouts to every corner of this sector and other nearby ones to search for Orochimaru and his accomplices."

Sakura and the others then realized that Vader must be communicating with someone via some kind of radio.

"Right away, my lord."

And with the transmission ended, Vader slowly turned his helmet to Sakura and the others with a foreboding glare in his exposed eye.

HOOOPUUURRR.

"You….Do you have any idea…of what you have done?"

Vader slowly approached them and Yamato and Sai began to take stances in front of Sakura. But Vader merely reached out with both arms and grabbed them with the Force before throwing them in opposite directions and sending them crashing hard into the barren loose soiled ground. With them out of the way he continued to stalk towards the now fearful kunoichi.

"Naruto, please…..try to understand….I was just trying to-Hup-Ack-Urk!"

Sakura started choke. She knew what the cause was as she expectantly looked and saw Vader's right glove curled up and slowly closing into a fist. This was just like when he choked her three years ago.

Before he left the village.

Vader glared as he pulled her closer to him. He's allowed her many chances to escape and surrender peacefully. Far more than he has ever offered anyone else before. He didn't know why he did. It was a foolish naïve mistake on his part. The dark lord should've known that she would impede his plans for revenge. She has always had an annoying habit of getting in the way.

But in a moment it would no longer be so.

Sakura struggled to breathe but she didn't try to fight Vader's hold on her. She felt too chained up inside from having to relive the tragedy of that day once again. After all that training and searching, she would find him only to end up in the same position as when this all started.

It was like fate was mocking her.

Sakura then did the only thing she could do. She cried. Cried from the cruel irony and for once again feeling so helpless to do anything to help him. She looked at him full of tears as she choked. Feeling her heart breaking at seeing him like this.

Yet in spite of the increasing pressure on her throat and the heavy weight on her heart, she reached her hand out and spoke to him in one last attempt to reach him.

"Naruto-Urn-Come-Hmk-Come back!"

'Anakin…'

Vader's eye widened.

HOPUR!

"What?"

Vader assumed he imagined it but he thought he heard a different voice coming from Sakura.

'Anakin…'

There it was again and this time he recognized it. It was hauntingly familiar to him. A voice he never thought he would hear again; ever.

Suddenly, Sakura's body began to flicker and change into something. It looked like another person. It was a woman. A woman he recognized instantly.

HOPUR!

"What is this?!"

There was no mistaking it. Her brown silk like hair, her soft brown eyes, and that beautiful glowing face of hers. He didn't know how or why but she was standing right in front of him where Sakura was.

The late Senator of Naboo.

"Padme…"

She appeared just as she was when she was on Mustafar before she died. She was scared and frightened but also looked heartbroken. He didn't understand what was happening or why he was seeing her.

'Stop! Stop now, come back! I LOVE YOU!'

'LIAR!'

Vader's exposed eye widened as heard his other half's voice coming from himself. The dark lord then realized that this was one of Skywalker's memories that he experience during the ritual that fused their souls together. Why he was experiencing it again he did not know.

He only knew that as he continued to watch it unfold once again, he felt sorrow, remorse, pain, and anger.

'YOU'RE WITH HIM! YOU BROUGHT HIM HERE TO KILL ME!'

'NO-Uck!'

Vader tightened his grip as Padme began to choke.

'Let her go, Anakin!'

Vader watched as Skywalker's master appeared and tightened further.

'Let. Her. Go.'

This moment filled him with such maddening pain and rage. It may not be a memory that belonged to him but being fused with Skywalker for so long has made it felt like it was. He knew what his counterpart experienced from that moment. A moment that has haunted both him and by extension Vader himself for decades.

He didn't want to relive it. He didn't want to endure through its harrowing torture again. He did the only thing he could think of to escape this torment.

He closed his eyes and released her.

When Vader opened them again, the vision of Padme and Skywalker's master vanished. In their place was Sakura collapsed onto the ground. She was unconscious but still alive and breathing.

Suddenly, her two comrades leapt to both of her sides to defend her against the mechanical being despite their injuries. However, they were both suddenly struck by two blue energy bolt rings that sent them collapsing to the ground. Unable to move.

Darth Vader turned around and saw a lambda shuttle landing down with the members of Squad Obsidian standing and hanging onto the shuttle's ramp with Fives holding out his blaster. No doubt from stunning Yamato and Sai. When the shuttle landed, the troopers began to secure the area while their captain stood at attention.

"We received your call, my Lord. Admiral Orchens said to inform you that he's sent the advanced probes out as you ordered."

Vader nodded.

HOOOPUUURRR.

"Good."

Rex looked like he wanted to say something else but seemed to be restraining himself.

HOOOPUUURRR.

"Is there something else you wish to say, Captain Rex?"

Rex looked up a bit nervously despite wearing a helmet.

"Sorry, sir. It's just that….well I look at you and this whole area and think it must've been quite a fight. Almost sorry we missed it. Almost."

HOOOPUUURRR.

"Indeed, but while the enemy has been injured they unfortunately managed to have escaped but they could not have gone far."

Rex understood.

"You want us to aide you in tracking them down?"

Vader was about to immediately confirm until he heard a small moan. He looked over and saw that it was the Cherry Blossom who still laid there unconscious from his Force Choke. He walked over and looked down at her.

He could not believe how powerful she has become. Her skill in combat was also impressive despite the fact that she never before has held a lightsaber until today. If she had the right teacher and training in the ways of the Force, she could've easily become a Jedi Knight or even a Sith by now. Even so, he had no desire to guide her in either of their ways. As far as he was concerned both orders were responsible for the constant wars and chaos in that other universe. Especially the Sith. And the last thing this universe needs right now is someone from either order here.

However, he had to admit that there were questions about her that needed to be answered. How is it she's able to connect with him? When did her abilities start developing? Were these dreams of him she mentioned visions of the future? And also, if whether or not others from the Leaf knew of her abilities and planned on using her against him.

That was definitely something to consider.

There was also the possibility that she may have knowledge as to where Orochimaru and the Uchiha might be heading. He seriously doubted it but the girl has proven resourceful in gaining information as he has witnessed from the aftermath of her battle with that Akatsuki member. Perhaps the Uchiha or even Orochimaru told her something that she may not have understood at the time that could lead Vader to them.

Taking all of this and more into account, the dark lord determined that the girl could be of some use to him.

Darth Vader then knelt down and carefully picked her up bridal style before turning to his subordinate.

HOOOPUUURRR.

"No, we are to return to the ship immediately and the girl comes with us."

The clone captain nodded.

"As you wish, sir."

Rex then turned to his squad mates and did a command gesture with his hand letting them know they were returning to the shuttle.

On their way the clone brothers whispered to each other.

"I've never seen Lord Vader look so…damaged like this."

Fives replied to Echo's comment.

"Yeah, but I hate to see how bad the other guys look."

Hevy agreed.

"Tell me about it."

Vader then headed toward the shuttle first with Sakura in his arms followed by his troopers.

At that same moment, Yamato regained consciousness and his eyes widened upon seeing the large strangely shaped metal ship they were boarding. However, his breath got caught in his throat when he spotted Sakura being carried by Vader as he walked up a ramp that was extended from the ship. He tried to move his arms so that he could use his Wood Style but it was no use. He was still too injured and exhausted. Not to mention he was still dealing with the effects of that strange blast that hit him earlier.

He could only lay there and watch helplessly as the ship's ramp closed before the ship itself slowly lifted into the air and took off fast into the sky. Piercing and disappearing through the dark clouds above.

Yamato looked over at Sai and tried to wake him up.

"Sai!...SAI!"

Sai groaned before his eye lids slowly opened before lifting his head toward Yamato.

"Captain Yamato, what happened?"

Yamato answered.

"We were ambushed. Vader brought in reinforcements. They took Sakura!"
Sai's eyes widened.

"What?!"

Yamato nodded.

"Listen, we both know that we are in no shape to get back to the Leaf. We need to get a message to Lady Tsunade to send help fast. Can you do it?"

Sai struggled to lift his arm but only just barely made it move.

"I can't right now. My body is still heavily stunned by that attack. It could be a while."

Yamato cursed and rested his head on the ground.

"Yes, it could."

Meanwhile; a few kilometers away from the crater, that the two new members of Team 7 laid in, a creature wearing the robes of the Akatsuki emerged from the ground after witnessing the entirety of that epic battle.

"Lord Pein will be pleased that we have finally found the jinchuriki of the Kyuubi."

The white half replied.

"Yes, but who would have ever thought that Darth Vader was the jinchuriki of the Leaf all along. It's both fortunate and largely inconvenient at the same time."

The black half agreed.

"Indeed, Darth Vader will not be beaten so easily."

"Especially since we need to capture him alive if we're to extract the Nine Tails from him and there's also the fact that he's on the hunt for us and everyone else in the Akatsuki."

The black half replied.

"That and the fact that the Leaf medic possesses the same power that he does certainly complicates things."

The white half then asked something.

"Speaking of, I've never heard of this Force power before have you?"

The black half of Zetsu didn't answer at first and stayed silent before replying.

"No, I've never heard of it. Let's report back to Pein. We need to tell him everything."

The white half nodded before their upper body became incased in a Venus fly trap that dug its way back into the ground.

Elsewhere in a Hidden Lair

Orochimaru walked through the stone underground halls of their current lair. It was dimly lit by candlelight like the old one since using electricity to light up the whole base would draw too much attention but it suited just fine. Also, it felt a bit cozier too.

But that wasn't enough to take his mind off their current predicament.

After years of training and molding Sasuke to be the perfect and most powerful of vessels for him, the Uchiha was battered and defeated just like that. Of Course, even Orochimaru and Kabuto were beaten and humiliated by the same foe. A foe that was a boy who by all rights should've been long dead or at the very least too crippled to ever fight again.

But he wasn't either. He was alive and more powerful than anyone Orochimaru as ever faced in all his years save for the strange old man who saved the boy. If Sakura had not intervened Orochimaru would even dare to think that he, Sasuke, and Kabuto would already be dead by now.

Speaking of the medical ninja, Orochimaru opened a door to their makeshift medical lab to find Kabuto using chakra threads to sew his arm back on.

"I'm impressed that you were able to retrieve your arm, Kabuto."

Kabuto grinned despite feeling the pain of sewing his nerves back together.

"I added a jutsu formula to my body that allows me to summon any of my limbs to my location should any of them become dismembered. However, I didn't expect for the wounds to be cauterized."

Orochimaru's eyes examined the procedure.

"I see, you had to reopen the cauterized areas on both parts in order to expose the nerve endings so you could reattach them. Something I'm sure that's child's play for you."

Kabuto smiled while the medical lights reflected off his glasses until his expression grew serious.

"So,….what are we going to do about Naruto?"

Orochimaru's serpent eyes narrowed in contemplation.

"I'm not sure. He's grown far too powerful for me to handle in a fight even if I were to use Sasuke's body. If he engages with the Akatsuki and survives that's a serious problem for us. If we're going to have any chance, we must learn more about this Force power of his and why only he and Sakura can use it."

Kabuto understood.

"I see."

Kabuto looked up.

"It's going to be difficult trying to find any information on something as vague as the Force."

The snake Sannin nodded.

"Indeed, by the way how is Sasuke?"

Kabuto answered.

"His injuries were numerous and some of them were serious but not life threatening. However, he's mostly just moping around about losing to Naruto. Even after all this time he still has quite the inferiority complex. Makes me a little skeptical as to whether or not he can defeat Itachi."

Orochimaru smiled.

"Oh, I believe he can though he still has a few things left to learn first. Of course, by the time his training is complete, I'll already have his body."

Orochimaru turned around to leave Kabuto to finish his work.

"Do you think Naruto is planning anything beyond just getting his revenge on us and wiping out the Akatsuki?"

Orochimaru stopped and slightly turned his head to the side to answer Kabuto.

"I don't know. That boy has always been unpredictable. Whatever his plans are, I have a strange feeling that they will threaten not only the other villages and nations but possibly the entire world as well."

Orochimaru then continued on to the door before stopping again.

"Oh, and Kabuto…his name is Vader now."

Sasuke's Room

Sasuke sat in his bed wrapped in bandages while staring at the wall as his mind flashed through everything that happened. Examining every flaw and mistake he made that could've resulted in his defeat. Yet, no matter how many times he mentally went over the battle, he came to the same unbelievable truth.

Both of his former comrades have grown stronger than him.

It was bad enough that Naruto, now referred to as Vader, had this power in addition to other abilities that made him stronger but now Sakura has that same power too? The girl who's always stayed on the sidelines and was as useful as a pouch of dull kunai knives?

Sasuke ground his teeth and dug his fingernails so hard into his palms that they drew blood.

It wasn't fair.

We couldn't he have the same power? Why couldn't he have been blessed with it like they have? If he had the Force he wouldn't have needed to seek others to grow stronger. He was confident that he would've already been strong enough to have defeated Itachi by now if he had their gifts and that he would've been stronger than them too since he was a prodigy.

Sasuke knew that there was only one thing to do at this point and that was to somehow grow more powerful.

He would have to redouble everything that he's been doing. Master and create new more effective jutsus and perhaps see if there was any more abilities that the Mangekyo Sharingan had that he was unaware of. Vader did mention that there was another Uchiha who unlocked it besides Itachi. Madara was his name if he remembered correctly. Perhaps he had abilities with that level of the Sharingan that not even his brother was aware of. If he could learn and copy those abilities then maybe he might stand a chance against all of them.

However, he did not have much time.

It wouldn't be long before Orochimaru would try to take his body. His current one is already deteriorating and his body transfer jutsu would soon be ready to use again. Despite what he promised in their deal, Sasuke would not allow the snake to take his body before he goes after Itachi. He'd sooner kill him then allow for that to happen but not before learning everything he could from him first.

Once Orochimaru was taken care of, he would then focus on his brother and his old friends and prove once and for all that he was the strongest.

And that no one would look down on him ever again.

A few days later

Yamato and Sai laid there in the shade under the hot sun. Sai was able to finally get a message out on the first day but so far there's been no sign of reinforcements as of yet. Yamato knew though that they would be here soon.

Both he and Sai were still in bad shape. That attack of Vader's that used the Kyuubi's chakra really did a number on them. It was amazing they were still able to use the jutsus they did after they were hit by it. Still, if only they had the chance to have had Sakura heal them before she was taken but so much was happening in that battle days ago that there wasn't really any time.

Still, Yamato couldn't help but feel responsible for what happened.

He was charged with taking care of this team until Kakashi recovered. Hell, he has led Anbu and taken part in dozens of missions before this one and rarely has he failed but Sasuke got away, Sakura was captured, and he and Sai were stranded here struggling to hold on until help comes. The only silver lining seemed to be finding out Vader's true identity.

However, he doubted that Lady Tsunade would be happy to hear who he really is.

Yamato's body then stiffened as he felt chakra signatures approaching nearby. There was a dozen of them at least. He recognized them and sighed in relief that it wasn't an ambush.

"There they are!"

Yamato's eyes widened though as Tsunade herself leapt down along with Kakashi, several Anbu and members of the Medical Core. The Slug Queen was dressed in combat gear as she instantly began working on Yamato while the members of the Medical Core examined Sai.

Yamato in the meantime took this chance to try to tell her what happened.

"Lady Tsunade…I-"

"Easy there, Tenzo. Try not to talk."

"He's right, Yamato. Just let me concentrate on healing you first. These wounds a bit tricky."

Yamato appreciated what Kakashi and Lady Tsunade were trying to do but this couldn't wait. They had to know everything right away. However, before he could try again though a medical ninja rushed up to them.

"We can't find Sakura, my Lady!"

The Slug Sannin whipped her head to the medical ninja.

"We'll then look everywhere and don't stop until you've found her!"

"LADY TSUNADE JUST LISTEN FOR A SECOND!"

Tsunade stopped her healing procedure as Yamato tried to sit up more with Kakashi's help.

"He….He took her."

Tsunade looked at Yamato with a hardened and serious expression.

"Are you saying that Orochimaru took Sakura?"

Yamato shook his head.

"No,…..Naruto…..took her."

Kakashi looked at Tsunade shocked while she gasped with her own eyes widening and her pupils shrinking.

"Oh my god…."

Elsewhere

When she opened her eyes, her vision was blurry. She could tell there was light but not much of it. She sat upright and rubbed the back of her head. It felt like she was sleeping on a metal bed.

She didn't remember much of what happened. She remember experiencing what felt like being chocked to death and it also seemed like she was dreaming. No, it was more than a dream. It was like a vision. A horrible one at that.

She remembered seeing herself on some world that was riddled with volcanic fire and ash. She also witnessed people she didn't recognize but whose voices she did. They were two men and a woman who seemed to be pregnant. One of the men who looked early in his twenties was choking the woman while the other man who seemed in his thirties told him to stop. It was a horrible tragic sight. Why she saw it, she didn't know but it was the last thing recalled before she lost consciousness from being choked by Vader.

Sakura's eyes widened as she suddenly remembered everything.

"NARUTO!"

Sakura bolted to her feet and looked around trying to find him, but he was nowhere to be seen in this strange room.

It was tiny and every surface inside of it was made of metal including the bed she was sleeping on. There was orange light that was that covered the ceiling. Lastly, a little ahead of her appeared to be a doorway that was sealed off.

All of this just begged for one question.

"Where am I?"


OH MY GOD, IT'S FINALLY DONE!

*EXHALES*

Man, that took forever! My god I'm telling ya but now one of the hardest chapters is completed! Now, to give a few notices.

First, I've decided that I'm going to post this chapter immediately after I finished typing this. I wanted to give it a look over and do some editing but you guys have waited 6 months too long for this. Especially since the last chapter ended on a cliffhanger. Meaning some parts of this chapter are probably going to seem a bit less well thought out and full of grammar mistakes or just shitty grammar in general. I apologize for that as well for the fights if they are descripted badly or feel rushed in some areas but I've stated before that I suck at them. I'll look over and do some editing on here when I can but I just hope that it's not too bad because 153 pages to edit is no cakewalk!

The second thing is that I won't be starting on the next chapter till summer starts. I know, I know, but finals for my 2D animation and Storyboarding classes are coming up and let me tell you that animating for 2D and drawing storyboards are not fast processes for me. They take up a lot of my time and mental energy and I mean a lot. Makes me pity those animators and artists working for Disney especially since their pay sucks.

I hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter and I apologize once again for the long wait but hey at least I fulfilled my promise on making it the second largest chapter. However, I bet many of you are probably going to bang your heads into the wall for me leaving you on another cliffhanger but come on, you can't lie that it's not as bad as the last one I left you guys with! Just almost as bad!

Maybe I may have made Vader a bit too OP and I'm sure plenty of users are going to complain about plot armor for some of the characters but sometimes that armor is necessary and also I cannot stress enough that I'm following how the original story went to a certain degree. Meaning some characters will die that didn't. Others will die sooner than they originally do. And some will survive like they're supposed to in the original story.

That's everything for now and on my last note, go see Godzilla vs Kong if you can! It's an awesome fun monster movie! Take care everyone!