The Curse

Chapter Twenty-Eight: Hell (Part III)

Naruto's jaw locked tightly as he glared narrowed, royal blue eyes at the floor, his hands clenching into two, tightly curled, fists. His brows drew together steeply as he distantly listened to his comrades share information from their respective exploits and he couldn't help but notice how divided their group had become. A sense of discord had erupted once all their knowledge and experiences of the situation were shared and, within minutes, there were shouts being thrown around about different theories, accusations being made between each other, and the growing unease that there were still two ninja missing from their unit.

"For clarification's sake, let's list out what we know," Isamu stated loudly above everyone else, hands held up in a gesture for silence. He was standing with Naruto, Sasuke, Akio, and Raiden – the group who most wanted to get the meeting done with as fast as possible so they could resume their search for Sakura and Akemi, "My team pretty much found collected bodies in webs and giant spiders that could very well be Summons," He pointed a hand towards Kasumi, "Kasumi-san and her team found a lake full of Corpses and a single rowing boat – which is pretty damn suspicious, if you ask me." He swept a hand towards Shin, "Your team…didn't really find anything but empty rooms, right?" Shin nodded in affirmation and Isamu moved his sights to Raiden, who was standing impatiently by one of the doors, "And Raiden-san's team found an elevator shaft that led to lower levels – which actually housed a crazy amount of ofudas that sucks the chakra out of anyone within the vicinity." Raiden nodded his head once in acknowledgment, fists tightening even more at his sides, "Which brings us to the fact that Akemi-chan is injured and accompanied by Sakura-san – both of whom are trying to find a way out of the underground level."

"…We need to find her," Naruto muttered, his voice gruff with worry, "We need to find them both."

Sasuke stood a few feet away, his crimson irises tracking his teammate's restless movements – clenching and unclenching his fingers and shifting uneasily from one foot to the other. He also noticed the blood splotches decorating Naruto's right arm and left leg but didn't comment.

"We must consider the facts," Shin stated as he stared intently at the tatami floors, brows furrowed with contemplation, "Kasumi-san and her team found a boat. Daisuke and his team found several spider Summons. And Raiden witnessed the use of ofudas that weren't our own. I believe everyone will agree that we are not alone in this Valley. This may be a curse on our hands but, maybe, it's also being manipulated by a single person or a group of people. Incidentally, this possibility is a lot more plausible than our initial belief of this being a supernatural occurrence."

"And what if it's not some random person?" Takeru questioned with challenge, "What if it's one of us?"

Shin's grey eyes immediately sharpened with warning, "Takeru-san…"

"What?" The oldest ninja defied stubbornly as he pushed off the wall he had been leaning against to sweep an arm across the room, "What, Shin? We need to look at all the angles, right? What if one of us is the culprit? What if it's one of those outsiders?" He pointed a condemning finger towards Sasuke, Naruto, and Isamu – all three glaring with offense.

"You can't just go accusing anyone without viable evidence, Takeru," Daisuke reprimanded, "If you haven't noticed, everyone here has lost someone to The Curse. And Naruto-san and the others are here to help us. What reason would they have to kill hundreds of people? Besides, this has been going on for ten years!"

"What about the ofudas then?" Takeru retorted, eyes blazing, "Why the hell are they here? How the fuck is it possible that they're plastered on the walls of the underground? We've needed hundreds of ninjas' chakra to make those wards! Is it coincidence that we find ofudas that drain chakra – which use the same mechanics as ours? And didn't we just hear from you, Dai, no less, that we've been missing seals from our own batches? What if it's that brat, Keitaro, who's supposed to be handling all the business in the Capitol?"

"That's uncalled for, Takeru," Dai growled, "You know he was a kid when it all started; he was there the night Aneko-nee-chan died!"

"That's my brother you're talking about," Raiden stated menacingly, dark eyes narrowed.

"Maybe it's you, then, Raiden," Takeru sneered, "He's your connection. What do we know? Maybe you pushed Akemi and Haruno down that shaft and you've spun lies so you wouldn't be–"

"That's enough!" Shin declared firmly, narrowing dark grey irises on Takeru who glared just as heatedly back before turning away with a furious scoff.

"We're wasting our time bickering," Sasuke stated darkly, "Sakura and Akemi are still missing. We need to find them, especially with the threat of our enemies now that night has fallen."

"So what the hell are we waiting for?" Akio muttered, knuckles white as he gripped his twin scythes.

"It's only been a few minutes since we've met up and it won't be long before the Corpses take this floor too," Isamu pointed out.

Sasuke nodded, already unsheathing his Kusanagi as he began to walk towards the exit, "Then we should go."

Naruto's features immediately hardened upon the suggestion, jerking his head in agreement before purposefully striding across the room to join the Uchiha in leaving. Akio and Isamu readily followed.

Unfortunately, two forms swiftly blocked their path.

Naruto's royal blue eyes narrowed intensely – darkened warningly even; "I like you both; really, I do," Naruto confessed – his tone was low and measured, "But you need to get out of our way. Now."

"We need to think about this rationally, Uzumaki-san," Kasumi placated evenly, her ice-blue eyes softened with empathy.

"Screw rationality," Naruto sneered angrily, taking a step forward with teeth bared, "Sakura-chan is missing. If you don't let us through then I'll force our way through," His eyes flashed red, "Believe it."

Sasuke took a step to stand beside Naruto, his Sharingan spinning, "Move."

"We will," Shin remarked calmly, standing just as firmly beside Kasumi, unfaltering under the two Leaf ninjas' penetrating gazes, "Once we've established a sound strategy. Going out there without a plan is unwise."

"There's no time to plan!" Akio scowled, "Sakura-san and Akemi – they can be…" He couldn't finish his sentence; he didn't want to voice aloud his deepest fears; saying it would make the situation, that his sister was injured and missing, all the more real – it would make him feel all the more helpless.

"Time isn't on our side," Isamu concurred readily yet a defeated sigh left his lips, "But Shin-san is right. Let's just hear him out so we're not all running around without any structure."

Naruto glowered indignantly at the floor but remained silent. Sasuke stared unflinchingly at Shin – a silent command that he make his strategy quick.

"Raiden informed us that the northwest stairway was locked upon trying to enter," The Bird Jounin explained, "And when I approached the stairwell myself I noticed my chakra behaving abnormally – an outcome I believe to be the cause of the presence of the chakra-draining ofudas Raiden and his team encountered in their search of the underground levels."

"Chakra or not, we can easily open it with the amount of people we have," Naruto pointed out with impatient determination; "We'll just use brute force."

"Which is why you, Naruto-san, will be teaming with Sasuke-san, Isamu-san, and myself," Raiden spoke up – his he had returned to his cool and collected composure – his coal eyes were hard and unyielding, "The four of us are the most physically capable to open the entryway without chakra."

"Akio, Daisuke, and I will be covering you as you force the door open," Shin continued; he regarded the rest of the group with a sweeping glance, "Kasumi, Takeru, and Souta will remain here, within the protective barrier, as back-up and to safeguard this space. Souta – I need you to do all that you can to try and gain a radio connection with Sakura-san and Akemi."

Souta looked ready to protest, clearly wanting to be in a more active role, before sighing in reluctant agreement, "Alright."

"The halls are still clear," Raiden affirmed, carefully peering through the crack of the shoji door he slid open, "Let's get started."

"And be sure to carry extra ofudas," Kasumi reminded, "In case individual chakra armor is necessary."

"Alright then," Naruto's fists cracked as he tightened his fingers together, anxious to get moving, "Let's do this!"

drip

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drip

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drip

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'…I see you…'

The air was very cold.

Akemi was breathing heavily through her nose, flinching with every limping step she took, progressing further into the unsettling darkness of the underground levels. Unfortunately, the Bird kunoichi couldn't step shivering – a disconcerting chill crept up her spine and into her very bones. And she couldn't stop sweating either – the pain of her leg injury caused her entire body to ache as blood uncomfortably soaked into her bandages and trickled in rivulets down her right leg.

However, Akemi took comfort in the strong and secure arm that was wrapped helpfully, and protectively, around her waist, supporting the brunt of her weight, and mindful of maintaining a slow pace so the Bird kunoichi could easily keep stride. Her left arm was slung around Sakura's shoulders, fingers curling into the Leaf kunoichi's shirt while her right hand tightly gripped the two green glow sticks from earlier.

A sudden protrusion from the ground caused Akemi to stumble and a pained hiss broke through her clenched teeth as she scraped her right hand – holding the glow sticks – against the rocky wall in order to gain balance. Immediately, Sakura stopped moving, her grip around the younger girl tightening to help steady her, and emerald eyes narrowed on her with serious concern, trying to ascertain her condition through the surrounding darkness.

"…Akemi…?" Sakura whispered, though her soft tones still echoed around them eerily. The pink-haired medic took the small doctor's penlight – that she had found in her medical pouch – and shined it over her shuddering form, taking in Akemi's strained features before shifting it towards her broken leg, the bandages still blooming deep scarlet.

"…I'm okay," The Bird kunoichi answered softly, slowly straightening herself and testing her weight on her wounded leg once more – deftly holding back a pained whimper.

Sakura nodded with acknowledgment though it was difficult to see from the shadows. It was very dark and the Leaf medic's small light and the glow sticks held in Akemi's hand hardly helped. If anything, the two women could only see two or three feet ahead of them.

In the little time since starting their search for a staircase, Sakura had deduced that the underground level's layout was much more different than the layout they had explored on the ground floor. It was a maze – a labyrinth – of tunnels in both wooden walkways and narrow caverns, and the darkness left them blind. Their memory was crucial in staying on the right path – keeping in the right direction – in their search for a stairwell that would get them back to the higher levels.

"I'm sorry," Akemi apologized quietly as she was helped by Sakura back into a more secured hold, continuing their journey through the blackness, "…I'm slowing you down."

"Don't think like that," Sakura reprimanded firmly with a shake of her head. By the dim radiance of her glow sticks, Akemi looked up at the Leaf kunoichi, noticing the hardened glint in her emerald irises and the tightness of her jaw – sweat was beading at her temples but the Leaf medic was clearly determined.

"We've been heading south for the past five minutes," Sakura stated in low observation, "We should be under the throne room," Her penlight's small, white beam moved upward towards the ceiling, finding nothing but ofuda-covered stone above them. Frowning, Sakura returned the light's shine forward, though it did nothing to help – the thin luminosity was swallowed easily by the darkness.

"We haven't come across any rooms," Akemi whispered; her voice was shaky, "What do you think the underground levels are for?"

"The lower levels of a palace can be used for a lot of things," Sakura responded, mindful of the volume of her voice but using the conversation to help calm her companion, "Armories; training rooms; sometimes used for the kitchens; even for healing and meditations."

"…And this one?" Akemi asked.

"I'm not sure," Sakura answered honestly, pausing in her steps when her footsteps echoed against wood instead of rock.

The floorboards beneath the two kunoichi creaked as they ascended a short set of steps and they soon they found themselves walking down a wooden corridor, similar to the hallways they had traversed on the ground floor. It was here that Sakura's steps slowed with caution, green eyes and penlight darting everywhere as a sudden surplus of doors began to line their sides.

"So many doors…" Akemi commented, holding her glow sticks up higher before wincing as another sharp pain shot up her leg.

Sakura paused in her steps once they reached the first door on her left, her green eyes hesitantly flicking between the closed entryway and Akemi. With a soft, reluctant sigh, the Leaf medic removed Akemi's left arm from her shoulder and guided her to the opposite wall of the hall.

"S-Sakura-san?"

"I need you to wait here," The medic explained, "If I open that door and something comes out I don't want you getting more hurt in the process. I'm just going to scout ahead for a couple of yards and then I'll come right back."

Akemi trembled, her olive eyes wide, "B-But–"

"I promise, Akemi," Sakura assured seriously, her penlight cast on her sincere features as she steadily met her gaze, "I won't go far. I just want you to wait here."

Akemi bit her bottom lip, clearly not liking the plan but also understanding the logic of it. With an injured leg she would be more of a liability than any type of help. It didn't mean, however, that she was ecstatic about the strategy. Her heart thundered with fear and unease.

"Stay here," Sakura repeated quietly and, once Akemi nodded her acquiesce, the Leaf kunoichi slowly moved away, the light of her small pen darting around the darkness and towards the closed door they had discovered.

Akemi controlled her breathing as she lifted her glow sticks higher, trying to follow Sakura's movements; but the neon green light only illuminated a few inches ahead of her and the Leaf ninja was soon lost in the black obscurity – her only relief was in the form of soft sounds that suggested Sakura's movements.

Clink. Clank. The sound of metal being stirred echoed loudly before a loud groan of wood followed.

Screech. The doors hinges whined as it was pushed open. Akemi held her breath.

Creak. Step. Creak. Step.

Sakura's footsteps were trying to remain quiet, slow, and measured. Akemi wanted to call out to the medic but refrained, fearing that any sound she made would trigger a bad outcome. The Bird kunoichi wasn't sure but she could swear that the air around her had turned colder – and, maybe it was paranoia, but something shifted further down the hall and – was that the sound of distant footsteps?

"…It's clear," Sakura's disembodied voice stated before the sound of the door closing snapped Akemi out of her fear-induced thinking.

"W-What was inside?" The younger woman questioned unsteadily.

"Just some boxes," Sakura responded, "Storage." Her voice was getting further away and Akemi could see her penlight's beam flash briefly in the blackness, "Stay there. I'm going up ahead – but just a few yards."

"I-I heard noises," The Bird kunoichi spoke up, "At least, I think I did…"

Sakura's steps faltered with Akemi's observation before starting up again at a slower pace, "Okay, I'll keep that in mind. I see your position when you're holding those glow sticks, so keep them with you, alright?"

Akemi nodded despite the darkness, "Okay." What she would give to have her electric-based jutsu to utilize and have for her own peace of mind. Instead, her free hand reached into her pouch to equip one of her sai into her sweat-slicked grasp.

Creak. Step. Creak. Step.

Clatter. Another worn door handle shook before another door was forced open with a grunt. Crack. Some of the wood splintered on that door, Akemi couldn't help but notice.

Sakura's movements were meticulously followed by Akemi's keen hearing. She listened as Sakura explored two more rooms, each resulting in the Leaf kunoichi's swift and harmless exit. Several more seconds past before Sakura's penlight began to dart back into her view and the older ninja was carefully slinging her arm back around her shoulders.

"Empty rooms," Sakura reported, tone laced with mild frustration, "And there's an intersection of hallways ahead."

Being back in physical contact with Sakura instantly eased Akemi, her fingers curled even tighter into Sakura's shirt, but the Leaf ninja didn't seem to mind.

"Which way should we go?" Akemi asked.

"Let's avoid going left – or rather, east," Sakura explained reasonably, "The southeast stairwell was blocked off when we first found it, remember? Which leaves us with three choices – southwest, northeast, and northwest. I'd rather head west. Both the north side and south side are options – I'd rather go that way with two close-by routes than have to backtrack if the northeast side is blocked off too."

"So…" Akemi trailed off just as they reached the intersection of four hallways – including the one they had just emerged from, "West would be…down the right hallway."

Sakura nodded and, with furrowed brows, directed her penlight ahead of them as they turned the corner – with what little help its low shine did – and kept her arm securely around Akemi's waist.

"…I wonder how the others are doing," The Bird ninja murmured, "And Raiden is all by himself…"

Sakura couldn't help but think the same things. In the darkness of the underground she couldn't discern whether the sun had set and if the others had regrouped or found anything of interest. And Raiden was alone – searching for a stairwell that led to them and could possibly be running the underground levels to find them. However, chakra-deprived, and with an injured comrade, Sakura knew that the ones to be most concerned for were themselves.

Sakura did not like the situation they were in.

"…I don't like the dark…" Akemi confessed quietly; and when Sakura glanced down at her the light of the glow sticks illuminated her younger companion's solemn expression, "It terrifies me." And the admittance made Sakura realize just how tightly Akemi was gripping her shirt and that tremors shook her lithe frame.

"They told me and my brother that my dad died in the dark…" She whispered, "He was dragged away into the shadows and all they could hear were his cries of pain." Her olive eyes shut tight and Sakura could see a lone tear streak down her cheek, "…And my best friend, Ayumi, was killed in the dark too. She pushed me out of the way and the shadows took her instead…I can still hear her screams sometimes." She swallowed thickly, "I sleep with a nightlight…or a lantern – or sometimes with all the lights on in my room." The grip on her glow sticks tightened, "Raiden wasn't being cruel when he sent me down to scout out the elevator shaft first. No one knows my fear – not even Akio. It's not overwhelming; I can handle the dark…but this…" She shook her head, "…I don't like this."

"…I guess it doesn't help that we're out of chakra…" Sakura agreed softly, "…I'm not feeling particularly brave myself – but at least we're not completely alone."

"I'm glad it's you, Sakura-san," Akemi admitted, "You didn't have to come down after me."

"Yes," Sakura corrected seriously, "I did."

Akemi's lips lifted fractionally, "Thank you."

Sakura's right hand squeezed Akemi's waist in response, sharing a meaningful glance with the younger girl before continuing their silent trek through the dark corridor. With echoing steps, the Leaf ninja darted her meager penlight around their surroundings, steps faltering when the beam of her light was blocked by an approaching obstruction.

They had reached another intersection of hallways – three converging together which left the two kunoichi the choices of going right or left.

"Okay…" Akemi breathed, "Northwest or southwest?"

"I'm not sure…" Sakura replied honestly, "Northwest would be closer to the elevator shaft – so Raiden-san might have headed there…But southwest is closer to the rendezvous point with the others – so he might have headed there too…"

"Maybe we should go left?" Akemi suggested, "Raiden might have tried to get help from the others."

"Maybe…" The Leaf medic murmured uncertainly, "Either way…we need to hurry." She stepped forward, leading Akemi down the left hall, "We'll try the southwest side first then."

Akemi kept pace as much as she could, withholding the amount of flinches and whimpers that wanted to escape with every painful step she took on her injured, right leg. The wound was still throbbing terribly but the painkillers Sakura had given her were probably suppressing the worst agony she could be suffering. The makeshift splint against her skin shifted uncomfortably and Akemi could feel the broken bone – inwardly glad that her profession as a ninja left her strongly resistant, than normal, to immense pain.

Click. Click. Sakura sighed, hearing the blown-out static in her left ear, "Radio still isn't working…"

Akemi frowned at the news, before blinking her olive eyes, relieved to see that they were somewhat adjusting to the darkness, "…Sakura-san?"

"Hm?"

"…About those bloody trails we found…" Akemi started, anxiously sweeping her glow stick-equipped hand along the walls to find only plastered ofudas, "…And the hand prints on the throne room doors…Where do you think those came from?"

Sakura could feel her heart constrict with apprehension, jaw locking out of reflex, "…I don't know."

"…Do you think whatever it is, that made them, are down here?"

"…Maybe," Sakura answered hesitantly, "I really hope not."

Sakura's steps slowed when the two kunoichi reached another obstruction in their path. It was a set of double door; one of them slightly ajar though not enough to see beyond. To the left of the double-doors – lining the left wall of the hall – was a single door that stood a little ominously despite its ordinary appearance.

"Okay; just like last time," Sakura whispered as she gingerly removed Akemi's arm from around her shoulders, "Stay here."

Akemi bit her lip, but nodded, "Okay."

A new chill crept up Akemi's spine as she watched Sakura disappear from her glow sticks' reach. Slowly, she limped to the opposite wall and leaned against it, brushing her fingertips against her bandages to feel wetness that probably transferred crimson onto her skin. Her back buzzed uncomfortably from the ofudas' effect on her body and Akemi moved away with a frown, glaring at the wards with disdain.

Distantly she could hear Sakura muttering to herself, which was mixed in with a clatter and clink of movement. Fidgeting from her spot, Akemi waited as patiently as she could.

Sakura was crouched down on the floor, her penlight held between her teeth, the beam of light directed at the lock of the door. She had removed the senbon needle from her hair and began picking at the tumblers, wondering why and how a door would be locked, given its age.

When the final click signaled the unlocking of the door, Sakura stood back to full height, swiftly stabbing the senbon back into the bun of her hair and equipping a kunai into her free hand. Slowly, carefully, the medical kunoichi turned the rusted handle of the door and pushed it open with a soft creak.

Cautiously, Sakura darted her penlight's beam through the blackened space, stepping past the threshold and flicking emerald irises in as thorough a search as she could manage. Fortunately, as her sight had adjusted to the darkness given her continued time submerged in it, Sakura could make out distinct shapes.

There was a table in the middle of the room, and, flashing her light onto it, scarlet splotches and smears were visible on the wooden surface. A frown tugged her lips when she noticed leather restraints also attached to the table – restraints that looked too new to have been occupants of the palace for the past hundred years.

She made her way to the side of the room, where a long counter was situated, and couldn't help but let her suspicions spike when she found several glass vials and flasks – and when she shined her light on them, she could see they were filled with blood. Another sweep of the counter and she found spent ofudas – and on closer inspection, its symbols indicated something similar to the chakra armor she and Sasuke helped create.

However, instead of acting as a provisional shield, this ofuda seemed to allow the use of chakra despite the surrounding draining-wards that were present in the room. Experimentally, Sakura tried to activate the ofuda, hoping to attain just an ounce of chakra she could use, but nothing happened. Sighing, she pocketed the ward for further study.

"Something isn't right…" Sakura muttered as she gave one last sweeping glance of the area, "We're definitely not alone."

Quietly, Sakura returned to the hallway, emerald eyes searching for Akemi's glow sticks only to find that they had wandered closer to the double-set doors. She flashed her penlight towards the Bird kunoichi and could see that her brows were furrowed – olive eyes narrowed with concentration.

"Akemi?"

The red-headed ninja immediately put a finger to her lips before waving Sakura closer. Curiously, Sakura followed her silent instructions, crouching low beside her younger companion, whose olive sights were directed at the crack of the slightly-opened door.

"Listen," She whispered softly, voice trembling, "Do you hear that?"

Sakura clenched her jaw, holding her breath to better hear what Akemi was hearing. It was very faint, and Sakura had to edge closer to the door in order to accept the sounds better, brows furrowing steeply with worry.

Crying. She could hear crying. Or was it sobbing? It was the kind that included low moans and the simple act of rocking back and forth. It was filled with pain and Sakura couldn't tell if it was a trap…or if someone really needed help.

"…What do we do?" Akemi whispered, "Should we go back?"

"It might be someone that needs help," Sakura reasoned reluctantly.

"And what if it's not?"

"…What if it is?" Sakura countered with a soft frown, "Kami, this is definitely a difficult situation," She gripped the side of the door and began to push it open, "We'll check it out. Stay close to me; and leave the glow sticks – we don't want to attract attention."

Akemi gulped but nodded her head, setting the glow sticks down in the corner of the hallway before trailing closely behind Sakura as she entered the new section of the level, her small penlight their only guiding luminescence.

They had entered a new hallway and it was very straightforward, which left the two kunoichi only one direction to follow. The crying they heard before was much more distinct without the obstruction of the doors, and it echoed hauntingly along the corridor. Akemi kept so close to Sakura that her toes almost collided with the Leaf ninja's heels.

Ahead, Sakura could see a distinct intersection in the hallway that went left and right. Just before the fork was a room on the left side of the hall, its door open with a gruesome blood trail that emerged from within. It trailed down the hall in a dragging pattern, heading towards the intersection of hallways before disappearing down the left corner.

Sakura stopped in front of the door, eyes following the blood tracks into the room and noticing, with her limited light, the same room she had come across just a few minutes prior. It was a single table in the center, with blood decorating the wood, and snapped leather restraints that probably once-held the sobbing woman they were now hearing.

'Experiments…?' Sakura couldn't help but think.

She turned to regard Akemi who, even in the low light, paled upon seeing the crimson tracks. With a flick of her wrist, Sakura ordered that Akemi stay beside the room – which, she determined with another sweeping glance – was completely empty. Akemi's olive eyes widened with fear but Sakura's hard emerald were firm. Thankfully, even without the glow sticks, their sights had adjusted enough that they could make out each other's shapes within a few meters.

With a final nod, Sakura swiftly turned away, crouching low and stepping lightly along the scarlet-smeared tracks, making sure her boots didn't squelch against the still-wet liquid.

'Mmmmmgn…ku…ku…Aaaaaaaaagh…'

Frowning, Sakura stopped right at the corner of the intersection, pressing her back against the wall, and switching off her penlight with a quiet click. Breathing out slowly, she edged closer to the corner, carefully peering around and instantly seeing a hunched form several yards ahead.

She was rocking back and forth, moaning and sobbing, her back to Sakura, with long, dark hair that cascaded around her. A pool of blood surrounded her and Sakura was left with the difficult choice of whether or not to ask if this woman needed help…or to stay as quiet as possible.

'Uuuuuugh…ha…hu…Nnnnnghghh.'

A slight movement behind her indicated Akemi's restlessness and Sakura darted her gaze down the right-side hallway to see that it was empty. Ideally, right – west – was the direction they should go to find a staircase, but this new discovery put a halt to their initial plan.

Sakura was about to step out and approach the woman, kunai still gripped readily in her hand, when a sudden sound tore through her ear –

"–ello? …nyone copy?"

– prompting Sakura to reach into her collar quickly and turn off her radio, no matter how much she wanted to get in contact with the others, her breath hitching with surprise from the sudden noise. Behind her, Akemi had also gasped, before the distant click indicated her switching off the device also.

The sudden silence left Sakura's heart pounding in her ears, her body growing hot with a spike of adrenaline.

"Silence…" Sakura realized with trepidation – no crying – and she darted her gaze back to the hunched form in the hallway.

She wasn't there.

"Shit," Sakura whispered as she looked around, quickly trailing her gaze to the blood tracks which seemed to veer left, towards the wall…before smearing upwards towards the ceiling.

Sakura's heart stopped when she saw the dark form attached to the ceiling – there were no distinct features she could distinguish but two red eyes that glowed. Those red orbs darted around searchingly, before the figure began to crawl along the ceiling towards her position, moving in a predatory yet graceful manner.

Sakura shuffled backwards, moving swiftly as thoughts processed rapidly in her mind, grabbing Akemi's arm as she reached her and pushing her unceremoniously into the room she had peered into earlier. She didn't bother closing the door, shushing Akemi when the younger girl began to ask what was going on, and pushing her down to hide behind the table, instructing her to stay as silent as possible.

"Sakura-sa–?"

"Shh!"

Akemi snapped her lips closed, hands shaking as she crouched low, looking up at Sakura who was peering over the table before a sudden, distant hissing sound caused the Leaf kunoichi to duck back down, removing her tantō from the back of her belt. Akemi's olive eyes peered through the wooden cracks of the table towards the doorway, her heart rate increasing as a shadowed form emerged, head peering in from the top of the doorway before crawling down, red eyes darting around, narrowed into diamond slits.

'Where are you?' It whispered loudly, crawling closer – and, to Akemi's horror, it was veering to the side of the table that she was hiding, 'I'll find you…'

'It's not the Shadow,' Akemi couldn't help but think, 'But why can it talk?'

Beside her, Sakura's emerald irises were critically tracking the woman's eerily silent movements, right arm readying her tantō, and left hand gripping Akemi's shoulder, already pulling her towards her in an act to properly protect her.

'I smell…blood…'

Akemi looked down at her leg, cursing the fact that her wound was a liability.

'Hungry…So hungry for blood…What did that man do to me…?' She sounded in pain and another choked sob left her.

A sudden movement at her left and Akemi turned her head to look into glowing, red irises, her heart stopping with dread as its mouth opened with sharpened teeth, lunging for her neck.

"NO!" Sakura charged forward, stabbing her tantō into the creature's chest, extending her wrist blade with a shing and driving it into her ribs for extra emphasis. Akemi was pushed back, listening to the Corpse's outraged scream which resonated loudly in the small space. The darkness left Akemi blind as she heard movement – the sound of Sakura's and her opponent's scuffle causing glass to break and beginning to move farther away.

An abrupt, agonized scream bounced off the walls and Akemi's heart dropped when she recognized it as Sakura's. Tears began to slide down her cheeks, fear choking her heart as her olive eyes darted around, trying to relocate the Leaf medic but finding nothing in the blackness.

An impact collided into a Bird kunoichi and Akemi's tears flowed freely with terror as she struggled against the arms that held her. Something heavy and wet fell on her left shoulder and she was about to wildly attack with her sai when a gurgling voice rasped in urgency.

"Akemi," Sakura gasped heavily, her tone laced with excruciating pain, "Run!"

Sakura was suddenly ripped away from her and another strangled call of "RUN!" tore through the Leaf medic's lips before Akemi blindly limped for the door with a sob. She halted just before crossing the threshold, listening to the struggle behind her, gripping her sai tightly because she couldn't leave her comrade behind!

"Ahhhhhhhh!"

Akemi jolted at the sound, her body trembling before something grabbed her and began to harshly push her forward.

"I told you to run," Sakura reprimanded angrily but her voice was unusually gruff and her grip was slippery on her arms. Akemi couldn't get any words out as she was led swiftly back into the hallways, being herded down the corridor and turning right at the intersection – the direction they needed to go.

"W-Where is she?" Akemi whispered, forcing down the whimper that wanted to break free from her leg's throbbing.

"I don't know," Sakura answered, breathing labored, "I put a senbon to her eye – which gave me time to get away – but I don't know by how much."

'I'm coming for you!'

Sakura felt sharp hands curl around her shoulders and pull, yanking her away from Akemi and causing a startled cry to escape the youngest woman's lips. Her back landed hard on the wooden floor and Sakura couldn't suppress the shout of pain that shot across her bleeding collarbone. Looking up she stared into one, glowing-red eye, the other dripping with an unknown substance onto her cheek. The Corpse leaned forward and bit into Sakura's already-bleeding neck, eliciting another shriek before she hastily reached into her boot, removed her folded, windmill shuriken, extended it with a snap, and stabbed two of its four blades into her enemy's hip.

"Sakura-san!"

Akemi's cry was panicked but Sakura couldn't respond, her body feeling sluggish with blood loss. The Corpse above her cried out loudly when the windmill shuriken bit into her decayed flesh, though the injury didn't stop her from attacking the Leaf shinobi beneath her.

"Stop!" Akemi cried out and a flurry of movement caused the Corpse to roll off her as the Bird ninja stabbed one of her sai into her neck.

'AAAAHHHHHHHHH!'

Much gentler hands touched Sakura's shoulder and Akemi gasped at the amount of blood that drenched Sakura's front. With tears streaming down her face, Akemi hauled Sakura to her feet as best as she could and began leading her down the rest of the hall where another set of double doors stood. Caution wasn't her priority as she shouldered the doors open as hard as she could, Sakura groaning beside her as her injuries were harshly jarred.

Luck was on her side as Akemi found Sakura's penlight, clicking on the tiny beam and finding a long table near the door – she tried not to think about what caused the blood stains decorating the top. She set Sakura down off to the side, against the wall, before limping towards the table and pushing it with the strength of her pumping adrenaline, in an effort to keep the Corpse from following.

"Kami, Kami, Kami," Akemi whispered to herself as the tears flowed relentlessly down her cheeks.

BANG!

The Bird kunoichi jumped as the doors rattled with the force of the Corpse's attack. She pushed her body against the table that prevented those same doors from opening; mind a whirlwind of unstoppable fears and her fingers shaking as they tightly gripped the edge of the table.

BANG!

"Oh my Kami," Akemi repeated, trembling as she darted the penlight around. They were in a large room, lined with tables and chains that hung disturbingly from the ceilings. Several cupboards and cabinets were situated along the walls and another set of double doors was directly opposite from where she stood.

Crack.

Red hair went flying as Akemi turned her head. Sakura was still leaning against the wall, but she had broken another glow stick, its green luminosity revealing the dark crimson heavily decorating the Leaf medic. Her emerald irises were half-lidded, but she was moving efficiently, taking a roll of bandages from her back pouch and pressing it against her bloody neck.

"Sakura-san?" Akemi called worriedly, not daring to move as she pushed her weight against the table – and thus, the door as well.

"I'm fine," Sakura responded, albeit weakly, "I'm o–" She flinched heavily before sighing, "I'm okay."

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Akemi flinched, heart dropping with every sound, the tremor of the force knocking roughly against her lower back, where she leaned against the table, "W-We should keep moving…"

Sakura nodded, slowly getting up, "…We need chakra." She walked off and began to push another table towards the door, clearly strained, pushing it in place of Akemi to add extra weight.

CRAAAACK!

A pale hand and its connecting arm was forcing its way through the wooden barricade, causing the skin to break and bleed as it blindly clawed its way through.

Sakura took Akemi's hand firmly, the other already equipped with her bloody tantō and extended wrist blade, and began to lead her to the other side of the room where the double doors were located.

"…You've lost a lot of blood," Akemi whispered in observation, Sakura's hand slicked with warm liquid.

Sakura didn't respond, carefully opening one of the doors and peering inside.

Akemi didn't like the way Sakura's hand tightened around her own.

"…What's wrong?"

Again, Sakura didn't respond and Akemi was beginning to think that the act of talking might actually hinder Sakura's strength. The Leaf medic began to rummage through her pouch and produced an ampoule of herbs that Akemi recognized when she shined the penlight on them.

"No matter what," Sakura whispered weakly as she emptied the green leaves onto her bleeding collarbone – effectively helping to mask the scent of blood, "Don't make a sound. Stay very quiet."

BANG! BANG!

"W-What about when she gets through?" Akemi questioned, not liking Sakura's grim warning.

A look of annoyance actually crossed Sakura's features and she frowned deeply when another BANG echoed in the room. With a soft breath, Sakura removed another glow stick from her pack, cracked it down its middle to gain its neon coloring, and – to Akemi's surprise – threw it across the room to land on the table, effectively lighting up the pale arm that was still trying to claw through. The Corpse's single red eye could be seen through the cracks as well, staring at them fiercely.

"I hope this works…" Sakura exhaled as she removed a vial from her bag, dipping three senbon needles into the purple liquid housed inside the glass.

Akemi watched with fascination as Sakura shakily pulled back the sleeve of her left arm, revealing a bloodied, but functioning, senbon launcher. Needles were loaded in and Sakura lifted her arm and aimed, the Leaf kunoichi blinking rapidly to focus and Akemi not doubting that the blood loss was affecting her vision.

It probably took longer than what Sakura could normally do, but once she released the taut string, the needles zipped quickly across the room before embedding into the pale flesh of the Corpse's arm.

'Aaaaargh!'

The arm immediately pulled back and disappeared and Sakura shoved her sleeve back down before returning her attention back to the doors.

"I don't know how much of an affect poison has on them," Sakura admitted, "Either way, we need to get moving," She equipped her tantō tightly; "Do you remember what I said?"

"Don't make a sound," Akemi repeated unsurely, "Stay very quiet."

"And stay close to me," Sakura finished as she took the penlight from Akemi and clicked it off, "No matter what."

Her tone of voice left no room for argument and Sakura carefully pushed open the door. Akemi followed as quietly as possible, holding her breath, sticking very close to Sakura's trail.

A collective moan greeted her ears and tension stiffened Akemi's shoulders. However, the mass groaning was different from ones she heard before. They were high pitched; they were softer…

…They belonged to the corpses of children.

Sakura had hidden her earlier glow stick – from when she was tending to her neck injury – into her right sleeve so the light wouldn't attract any attention. She stuck close to the wall as the smaller bodies wandered aimlessly around in the narrow hallway. The numbers were terrifying and, while Akemi had faced child-corpses before, never had she encountered so many at one time – they were one of the worst opponents to run into.

In the darkness of the hall, Akemi followed Sakura, squeezing past tiny forms and shivering as they fractionally brushed past her, their groans tugging at her heart as she trailed Sakura's resolute steps. Unbidden, tears began to creep down her cheeks, saddened by the sheer numbers The Curse had taken in children's innocent lives.

'…Ha…Ha…Ha…Ha…'

The chanted laugh caused a tremor to run through both kunoichi's bodies. Fortunately, they didn't seem to notice their presences – the herbs covered the smell of their blood and their eyes were neither present nor capable of seeing through the darkness – why was that? Did the draining-ofudas affect the enemy also? Was their natural chakra, which Naruto felt around them, also sapped due to the wards?

Suddenly, Sakura stumbled and she grabbed the wall for support – the sound causing the tiny Corpses around them to pause and slowly turn in the direction of Sakura's form. Akemi watched Sakura freeze, her right arm shooting out in a signal for Akemi to keep going.

'…Ha…Ha…Ha…Ha…'

Akemi frowned, swerving past bodies but keeping Sakura in her peripheral vision, the older woman avoiding the touch of the approaching children before wriggling the glow stick from her sleeve and throwing it down the hall – towards where they had first come from.

Clatter.

Again, the children paused, heads slowly turning towards the noise before deliberately following the sound of Sakura's distraction. Even in the darkness, Akemi couldn't help but shiver as she watched them approach the green-glowing object, their skin broken and bleeding, pale and decayed. Their clothes were torn and tattered, hair in disarray, and movements so unnatural. One child limped, another crawled with a single leg missing, and one little girl eerily stood alone in the center of the room, long hair covering the direction of her gaze – though it was clearly not attracted to the glow stick behind her.

Akemi didn't care, limping forward and reaching Sakura, who looked pale as she clutched at her still-bleeding neck wound. Without another word, Akemi took the Leaf medic's arm and helpfully led her to the end of the hall, releasing her briefly to open the door.

She pushed Sakura through the entryway and looked over her shoulder, heart dropping when the child with long, dark hair stood just a foot away from her. Akemi had no doubt that she was staring straight at her, even when the other children corpses stayed in the vicinity of the glow stick.

Akemi didn't dare move. She stared at the child with wide, olive eyes before decidedly taking a single step backwards, through the door.

The results were immediate.

The child lunged forward, tackling Akemi across the entryway and to the floor, tiny hands curled around her neck and black-black eyes glaring down at her as blood dripped down her mouth. There was a bustle of movement as Sakura quickly closed the door before more corpse children could come through, before the weight of the cadaver was thrown off her.

In the pitch-darkness of the new room, Akemi listened as the corpse snarled and Sakura grunted; their shadows and shapes moving against the far wall. Again, Akemi felt tears begin to trek down her cheeks because Sakura had it under control – but in a way where Sakura's emerald irises had taken on a deadened glint as she held the child in her arms by the neck.

CRACK!

Akemi closed her eyes tightly, letting the tears flow, knowing that merely breaking the neck of the cadaver wouldn't stop a Corpse and listening as Sakura snapped the bones of the body in her grip, breaking the nerves and functions of the corpse's body so it would have no way to continue coming after them.

'Who would do this…?' Akemi anguished in her head.

Thud.

Sakura had placed the body in the corner of the room as it continued to twitch and moan from its broken position. The Leaf kunoichi then knelt down in front of Akemi, penlight flashing on her body so she could inspect her condition, emerald irises scarily cold and clouded.

Something had changed in Sakura. Her features were sharp. What they were experiencing in the underground levels…it was breaking her.

Akemi herself was scared – terrified. And she couldn't help but let the sob bubble out of her throat as she bowed her head and cried, inwardly wondering if they were ever going to escape.

"Hey," Sakura whispered, her voice raspy but gentle – and Akemi looked up and was so relieved to see the old, compassionate shine in her comrade's expression, "Please don't cry, Akemi."

"I'm so…scared…" The Bird kunoichi hiccupped, clumsily trying to wipe her tears away.

"We…" Sakura flinched, right hand gripping her neck wound, and left hand holding the penlight up, "…We need to stay strong. I'm sure we're almost at a staircase. We have to be."

"And if it's blocked?" Akemi whimpered, "I-If we don't find one? We're going to die down here, aren't we?"

"Don't, Akemi," Sakura stated firmly, "Don't think like that. We'll figure something out."

'I've found you…'

Akemi's chest tightened as the soft hiss echoed around them. Sakura was already darting her head around with wariness, shifting closer to Akemi.

An arm curled securely around Akemi's waist and her tears sprung up anew as a whimper escaped her. Sakura's eyes snapped towards her with worry and Akemi felt her features crumple with defeated acceptance…

…Because Sakura's right hand was still pressed against her neck wound and her left hand was clearly equipped with her tantō and penlight.

The arm around her waist tightened.

"Akemi?"

Tears slid endlessly down her cheeks as she breathed in shaky gasps, her olive eyes sadly meeting Sakura's worried emerald, "S-Sakur–aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"

Sakura only saw a single red eye over Akemi's shoulder before the Bird kunoichi was quickly dragged into the darkness, her terrified, sobbing screams echoing in the corridor as her legs flailed about. Sakura only blinked once in stupor before shooting to her feet, running after Akemi with a swear tearing past her lips and her penlight's beam catching snatches of Akemi's dragging form.

"No, no, no, no, no, NO!" Sakura shouted as she ran as fast as her normal legs could take her, listening to Akemi crying out for help, followed by a shriek of fear and pain.

"STOP!" Akemi screamed in the distance, her sobs like knives to Sakura's rapidly beating heart, "SAKURA!" Another high-pitched scream and Sakura could feel tears prickling her eyes as she turned a right-corner, "HELP! PLEASE! AHHHHHH!"

"AKEMI!" Her flailing legs finally came back into Sakura's view and blood was pooling around her body – but Akemi wasn't idle, stabbing her sai into the Corpse's flesh as it bit into Akemi's already-broken leg.

Without any reservations for herself, Sakura tackled the Corpse off of Akemi, extending her wrist blade and stabbing it straight into the cadaver's neck before slicing it across the column in a raging attempt to decapitate her. Blood spurted from her efforts, splashing onto her face, but Sakura didn't stop – using pure force, she stabbed her tantō into the cadaver's struggling shoulder to prevent it from escaping and wildly cut through the Corpse's flesh in hacking motions that were recklessly violent.

All Sakura could see now was red.

Adrenaline pumped hotly through her veins. She was carrying a murderous intent that made Akemi frightened as she watched feet away as the Leaf medic tore through her enemy with ferocity – emerald irises stonily detached.

It was a look that Akemi couldn't help but feel like was familiar…She just couldn't pinpoint what.

"Sakura-san," Akemi called out weakly, whimpering when her re-broken leg caused a sharp pain to travel throughout her body, "S-Stop it. Please."

The pleading of her voice halted Sakura's vicious movements as the Corpse lay motionless beneath her. She was breathing heavily and, when she leaned back and into the shine of her discarded penlight, Akemi couldn't help but think that Sakura looked menacing – skin covered in dark blood and her gaze coldly distant.

"Sakura-san?"

Sakura turned to look at her and – once more in relief – the soft, compassionate light returned to her green irises, roving over Akemi and landing with concern on her bleeding leg.

"Are you okay?" Sakura asked softly, moving off the cadaver and already removing more bandages from her pouch.

Akemi watched her searchingly, "…Are you?"

Sakura paused, didn't meet her eyes, and then proceeded to re-splint and rewrap her leg, "I'm fine."

Akemi flinched, the unpleasant feeling of shifting bone causing her to hiss and curl her fingers into fists in order to suppress any loud noises that could attract attention.

"Can you move?" Sakura inquired softly, holding a hand out to her.

Akemi nodded, taking the limb and pulling herself up with a grunt. Sakura looked around, brows furrowed with contemplation.

"The Corpse detoured us…We'll have to head to the northwest stairwell instead," Her tone was frustrated.

"Okay, let's go then," Akemi urged, frowning as a pain that up her left side where another bite mark was present.

With both kunoichi without chakra and dangerously low on blood, they needed to find the exit from this hell as soon as possible.

BOOM…BANG…THUD…THUD…

The sounds were distant, coming from the south, and Sakura and Akemi shared a glance before continuing north at as quick a speed as they could manage.

A collection of moans resonated across the halls. Akemi held her breath as she began to run faster, not caring that the increase in pace was detrimental to her leg but just wanting to get out.

Click.

Sakura had turned on her radio, about to press into her device to gain any type of connection when a sudden static filled her ear.

"–kura-chan–…–kemi-chan–…–if…can hear me?–" It sounded like Souta's voice, "–head for northwest–…–northwest, top floor–…–repeat: northwest, top floor–…–kura-chan–…–kemi-chan–…–if you can hear me?–" And Souta's message continued to repeat.

"Just our luck," Sakura breathed, "That's exactly where we're headed."

'Blood…'

Tension coiled in their shoulders as the Creature's voice echoed in the corridor behind them. Sakura could see a door ahead of them and she blinked her hazy vision before skidding to a stop and keeping caution at the forefront of her mind as she carefully pushed the door opened. What she discovered caused the first feeling of hope to fill her.

"The staircase," Akemi gasped with relief.

"Go," Sakura urged, guiding the younger girl in before following, closing the door tightly behind her even when she saw the Shadow standing eerily, yards away, at the opposite end of the hall. With a grunt, Sakura broke off the handle of the door and turned on her heel, climbing after Akemi with measured breaths.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The pounding that was occurring behind Sakura as she climbed the square-spiraled stairwell caused her heart to clench uncomfortably, a flinch wracking her body as she inwardly hoped that the door stay sturdy just a few more minutes longer.

Akemi had cracked-on another glow stick as she ran up the wooden steps, immediately noticing the immense amount of ofudas that decorated the ramparts. Every door she came across that signaled a new level was tested by shaky hands to open – but each resulted in a locked barricade that caused her fear to spike another fraction more. Her right leg was throbbing now and she could feel the blood trickling down her skin in thick rivulets.

It was on the third level – with just one more to go – that Sakura heard the loud CRACK of wood breaking which was followed by a unified groan of cadavers. She leaned over the railing briefly but saw nothing in the swallowed darkness.

"It's locked!" Akemi half-shouted, half-whimpered one more flight up – on the fourth floor – and Sakura immediately increased her pace to reach her, "There are ofudas everywhere!"

When Sakura reached the top floor her emerald irises were immediately drawn to the door – lit by Akemi's glow stick – which was completely covered by ofudas. Her eyes shifted to Akemi, whose leg was drenched in scarlet before watching the younger girl tear at the papers, trying to rip them off and fighting through the purple energy that erupted in painful retaliation.

"Let us out!" Akemi screamed with terror, grabbing at wards that burned her hands before slashing her sai across the papers, only to have the weapon ricochet without results, "Let us OUT!"

Sakura wished she had fire. She wished she could burn the seals off or at least use the element out of protection. Turning on her heel, she faced the darkened staircase with narrowed, green eyes – challenging – as she stepped backwards and gripped her tantō in readiness. The sounds of the approaching Corpses echoed in her head like a count-down.

This was it.

"I don't want to die," Akemi uttered weakly before clawing once more at the ofudas and then taking her radio into her hands, "Does anyone hear me? We're here! Northwest stairwell, top floor! We're here!"

Sakura couldn't hear the Bird kunoichi through her earpiece but disheartening static.

"Please!" Akemi pleaded.

The first Corpse emerged and Sakura pulled back her left sleeve, loaded a senbon, and launched the needle right into the forehead, blinking rapidly as her awareness began to darken with blood-loss.

'I can't last much longer…' Sakura thought morbidly as she shot another needle, barely hitting the mark of an elderly, female cadaver.

"Please…" Akemi repeated tiredly.

"Hey!"

Sakura jolted. Akemi straightened with confusion. The masculine voice had been muffled – familiar.

"Akemi-chan – is that you?"

"…Isamu-san?" The Bird kunoichi whispered, before pounding her fist against the door, "Isamu-san!"

Sakura had no time to help Akemi, her focus entirely on the approaching Corpses, which were growing with number. She raised her tantō, slicing it across the torso of a taller male before cutting off extended arms reaching for her on a shinobi-clothed female.

"Is Sakura-chan with you?" Naruto yelled – and hearing his voice caused a faint, relieved smile to touch the Leaf kunoichi's lips.

Akemi looked over her shoulder, olive eyes wide upon seeing the encroaching enemy, "She is! But sh-she's fighting! Hurry, please! There are Corpses and the Shadow! And we have no chakra!"

"Okay, we'll get you out! We're working as fast as we can!" Naruto assured.

"Hurry up!" An even more muffled voice stated – and Akemi recognized it as her twin's, "We've got Corpses on this side too – and they're adapting to our fire!"

"Akemi, stand back!" Sakura shouted before a Corpse could move past her to get to her younger comrade.

Sakura would be damned if she got this far and neither herself nor Akemi made it out alive. They just had to hold out long enough for their teammates to somehow get the door opened.

Extending her wrist blade, Sakura stabbed it into the collarbone of a male cadaver before severing another male corpse's two hands with her tantō before kicking him in the abdomen, causing him to stumble back with a groan and topple over several other adversaries behind him. Then she removed another windmill shuriken from her boot, fanned it open, and slashed across a group of three bodies, effectively spraying blood everywhere. A shout from Akemi alerted Sakura to another cadaver that had slipped past her and she threw her windmill shuriken with deadly accuracy, cutting the head clean off the body before it could reach within a foot of her red-headed comrade.

'BLOOD.'

Sakura narrowed her eyes as she watched a pale, white hand grip the wooden railing of the stairway before it pulled a dark form over. The Creature slowly looked up to connect her shadowy, black eyes with Sakura's steely emerald – a blood-stained grin breaking over her features.

"HURRY!" Akemi shouted desperately, especially as she watched Sakura's shoulder blades tense with readiness and her feet positioning into a charging stance.

"Almost!" Raiden responded with strain which was followed by a slight crack of wood.

'You will be mine, Haruno Sakura…' The Shadow stated confidently.

Sakura didn't respond. Instead, she firmed her stance, heart pounding but unafraid. Instead, she felt immensely frustrated – tired – she just wanted it all to stop.

CRACK!

"ALMOST!" Raiden repeated with vigor.

The Shadow wasted no time; lunging forward, hair flying, 'Raaaaaaaargh!'

Sakura stood her ground, removing a kunai from her pouch with her left hand, and raising her tantō, in readiness, with her right.

"SAKURA-SAN!" Akemi screamed.

Edit 2/10/2013: I've rewritten the scenes that occur after Akemi screams for Sakura. They will debut in the next update! I initially put this in a Chapter 29: Author's Note but it never showed up, so I'm putting the warning here. Sorry for the confusion!

A/N: Okay, wow, that chapter took me all day to type out…I might edit it a bit sometime. Though, I really hope it was to your liking! Did you guys get scared? I really hope so! And if you haven't already, check out the Character Profiles on my Blog to help you picture the Original Characters. And thank you all for your support and feedback!

Note: I did get a lot of reviews saying that readers skip the Original Character experience, I'm a little saddened by that largely because they've kinda turned into my babies but mostly because they gain some insights too that Team Kakashi might not. So just a warning to those who skip those parts – you might miss vital information. But, it's your decision on how you want to read this, but I just got to put that caution.

And for those who read the last chapter, I'm glad I made you scared for Naruto – I was super scared myself, heehee. So, were you scared for Sakura and Akemi in this chapter? What do you think will happen next?

AND I'm sorry for my cliffhangers, it helps with the suspense, haha!

Note: This chapter was actually pretty dark – in terms of how Sakura handled things. What she experienced in the underground levels really tested her. There was a darkness that began to consume her because of her basic instinct of survival – just like Naruto in the lake. When you're fighting for your life, sometimes your morals get thrown out the window. For example, when Sakura had to take care of the child corpse and when the woman corpse dragged Akemi away, Sakura reacted in a very dark and harsh way. Normally she loves children, is compassionate and considerate, but this time around she had to be calculating and deadly – a trait she undoubtedly learned in ANBU but honestly doesn't utilize much since she's mostly a medic. However, humanity isn't completely lost on her with the presence of Akemi – someone who kept her grounded throughout the ordeal – if you happened to notice the way she softened when Akemi grabbed back Sakura's attention. This experience will definitely play a part in the future of this story.

AND ALSO I did initially want to do something a little darker in the hall when Akemi and Sakura were with the children-corpses, but I felt uncomfortable having them actively kill kids. It messed with my morals so I had to tone it down for my own peace of mind. Even when Sakura took out that child-corpse I tried to keep it as - clean, I guess? - as possible. Sorry guys, looks like I got limits when it comes to horror. The Little Girl on the other hand has already take up a mind of her own that's dreadful. Innocent child corpses, however, is a different story. I'm not that dark guys...

AND if you're wondering, the radio contact that alerted the crying Corpse that Sakura was there was because of Daisuke, from the previous chapter.

ALSO It was also brought to my attention that there is a potential for stories being copied or stolen. I've recently exchanged messages with author Sakurablossom606 about her story Wherever You Go which is also a Horror story, who was concerned that she might be accused for copying me and kindly PM'd me of this possibility. In terms of similarities, both our stories have creepy, haunting, little girls that scare the main character. I do not own any copyright of that character type – many movies and video games have scary, little girls as a haunting enemy – it's a very effective character. So I just wanted to make that clear if readers come across this particular story and make accusations. Besides, Sakurablossom606's story is ItaSaku while mine is SasuSaku and our plotlines are different – but for clarification's sake we're both putting this in our Author's Notes just to make it clear. And, please, go check out her story! Horror stories are hard to come by, and new and different plotlines are always fun to explore. We also appreciate feedback to help us grow as writers! Plus, Itachi is quite yummy.

In other news: I think my mini-crush on Isamu is growing, haha.

OMG WE ARE SO CLOSE TO 1000 REVIEWS! I never thought a story I published could reach that much! Thank you so much! Without you guys – both reviewers and readers – I would have never made it this far! Every single word and chapter I type is dedicated to you guys, for seriously taking the time to read and review my works, ultimately helping me with your feedback to grow more as a writer AND as a person! So thank you! YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!

PLEASE LET ME KNOW what you think about the chapter – we've reached the final 8-10 chapters in this story, and I'm really curious where you guys think this story will be going. How did you like the arguments in the beginning? How about Sakura's and Akemi's adventure? The Team7 tidbit? The final sentence? I really look forward to hearing your thoughts! Thank you!

Next Update: Next 7-10 days

Next Chapter: Chapter Twenty-Nine: Discord

GOT QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS? PM or Review (but make sure you're logged in under a Username so I can promptly respond back!)

Side Note: Working on another one-shot. Aaaaand, I've gotten a strange increase of reviews for The Road of Touch, The Road to Feel and found it was due to a shout-out in ohwhatsherface's new story. I'm touched, and reading these new reviews seems to have revitalized my motivation for the story – so thank you to all of you – especially ohwhatsherface, haha. I'll get right on that as soon as I can! For you guys! (And I totally feel like an ass for not finishing it already and leaving all of you readers in suspense…and that includes my other stories too…Ah, apologies!)

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~Len