A/N: Sorry this took so long everyone, I got slammed by this plot bunny that wouldn't wait long enough for me to finish this. *glares at Why. This is your fault. sulks.* But that bunny is placated for now, so I can get back to this one. Another short chapter here, but the next one should be longer - and the end. Thank you again to my readers, and especially to my reviewers: iNsAnE nO bAkA, Rangerfan58, InARealPickle, WhyMustIWrite, Hermione-sama, Auphora66, Marz1 and ChibiAliChan. You guys are great for sticking with me this long, and even greater for your advice and encouragements.

Disclaimer: I don't own. Now, on with the story!

Ino ducked into the evacuation shelter, glancing back and gesturing quietly. After only a heartbeat, civilians began moving through the doorway, more than one giving the blonde girl a weak smile or a pat on the shoulder as they passed. She waited at the door until she saw a familiar head of pink hair, signaling that the last of the civilians had gone by.

She gave Sakura a faint smile, dropping her voice low so that the non-shinobi in the room beyond them would not hear the nervousness in her tone. "Sorry about making you take up the rear like that, Sakura. I wasn't trying to be pushy."

Her friend gave her a quick smile in return. "Don't worry about it, Ino. If you hadn't said it, I would have – since I've been training with Tsunade, I've gotten physically stronger than you. So it makes sense for me to play rear guard."

The two girls were quiet for a moment, each looking thoughtfully at the civilians and other Genin gathered in the huge underground chamber. Something unidentifiable flickered in Ino's eyes as she noticed a handful of Chunin clustered near one of the entrances They were hiding it well, but the girl's Academy training allowed them both to pick up on the small clues that said that the group was injured.

From the corner of her eye, Ino saw Sakura's expression smooth out into determination once again. "Hey, Ino-pig."

The blonde instantly stiffened. "What, forehead-girl?"

Sakura gave her an unusually serious glance. "Were you serious before, about becoming a medical shinobi?"

The question brought Ino up short for an instant, but she answered almost instinctively. "Yeah. …Why?"

Sakura just smiled. "Come with me then. I can't teach you medical jutsu, but there should be medical supplies here, so I can show you more treatment than we learned in the Academy. We can work on our medical skills and help out at the same time."

Ino's eyes widened, but then she grinned and followed the young medic-in-training. "Sounds good to me."

-

Iruka stumbled, leaning on his comrade's shoulder a little more before catching his balance. He mentally cursed the earthquake jutsu that had jammed up a section of earth hard and fast, but cursed himself more for failing to get the child his teammate was now carrying out of the way quickly enough.

The little boy had a rather nasty cut on his arm as a result. The fact that Iruka himself had gotten his leg broken wasn't as important to the teacher. After all, a shinobi being injured during a mission was acceptable. Civilian children being injured wasn't, at least, not to the kind-hearted Chunin.

But that thought slipped from his mind as the group stepped into the evacuation shelter. Iruka felt his jaw drop slightly for a moment, and then a proud smile lit up his face as he took in the sight of some of his former students.

Judging from the rather amused expression on one Chunin's face, Sakura had apparently commandeered the table she stood at. She and Ino were busily wrapping wounds and handing out medicines, while Hinata sat at the table quietly laying out supplies with slightly shaky hands.

Lee and Neji were currently being tended to, both wearing expressions of slight shame, though Neji's also held an extreme irritation.

Tenten was watching her teammates' treatment with an amused grin, while Shino tried to ignore a group of his age-mates over in one corner.

Shikamaru gave the teacher a brief nod and Kiba flashed him a grin from their respective seats.

And then the girls noticed him. Sakura quickly put the final bandage in place on Lee's arm, giving him a quick, low lecture – probably on taking it easy, judging from the slight mortification on the boy's face – and then strode towards the two Chunin and the children gathered around them. "Alright, Iruka-sensei, you and the boy. Over here. NOW."

Iruka fought a grin as he complied with the pink-haired girl, thinking privately that this commanding young medic was a far cry from the shallow, insecure brainiac he had taught not too long ago.

His kids were growing up, and he couldn't be prouder of them.

-

Throughout Konoha, the Rock's army was quickly beaten back, many killed and many more fleeing from the unnatural strength that seemed to have possessed the Leaf shinobi. In the field, Konoha shinobi were fast and strong and skilled. In their home, they seemed inhuman, unstoppable.

Their anger made them faster, stronger, meaner. More than one enemy never saw the blow that killed them, and even those who had fought mere Genin were forced to wonder what it was that made these children so powerful.

Even those among the Rock who had allied themselves with Konoha were stunned at the overwhelming force that the Leaf brought out in its' people.

They could never have understood, even if they had known of Konoha's will of fire. But since they didn't know, the Rock forces were left broken, confused and terrified as they fled.

In their wake, a vicious cheer went up from the Leaf shinobi – at least, from the ones who weren't chasing their enemy down as they ran.