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.Heaven's Gate: Princess.

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Chapter Twenty-Nine: The Easy Death of Hideyoshi Kuno.

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Sasuke stood up and glared at the man standing in the middle of the field, now naked without anyone protecting his exposed easy targeted body. Naruto was in rage as he crouched behind the man. His orange chakra blazed furiously, outlining the shape of his body, making a shape of a Phoenix.

Hideyoshi Kuno clicked his tongue, knowing that he was, indeed, in a very messy situation right now. His eyes looked at the two furious men that were here to protect the Princess and to kill him, and then they stopped at the pink-haired girl leaning on a big boulder of stone. He grinned, now he wasn't afraid of Death; as long as he knew she would die, he would not worry.

He drew his sword and snatched a scroll from behind his kimono. Then, he hurriedly cut a bit of his skin and let the blood drop on the scroll.

"Naruto!" Sasuke screamed as he dashed toward Kuno. Naruto screamed and jumped toward the man.

Suddenly, big gust of wind came and pushed both of them away, blocking the view. Naruto cursed as he fell on his head on the ground. Sasuke drew his sword and stabbed it to the ground, stopping him from getting blown away farther.

"The Summoning Jutsu!" Sasuke yelled, furious. When the wind was finished, he sprinted toward the man now standing in the middle of the field. "Naruto!"

Naruto nodded and dashed toward the man hurriedly before anything weird happened.

Sasuke yelled as he stabbed his sword into Hideyoshi Kuno. Naruto screamed as his claws cut through the man.

They heaved heavily from the rage and turned back to the man now lying unmoving on the ground. The red that came out off his body made a pool of crimson lake around him.

"That was…" Sasuke frowned, shocked. "Easy."

Naruto frowned and walked toward the dead body. He knelt down and looked at the face intently.

"It is him, though," he said.

"I thought Hideyoshi Kuno would be someone stronger," Sasuke said.

"Maybe he was just bluffing about everything, maybe the ones good are his ninjas," Naruto guessed.

Sasuke turned to Sakura who stayed limp in front of the boulder. He panicked and ran toward her as fast as he could. Could Kuno do something to her while the wind was distracting both him and Naruto?

"Sakura!" he screamed, Naruto jumped, shocked by the sudden scream and looked at Sakura; now worrying the same thing.

Sakura's eyelids fluttered open and she smiled a tired smile at Sasuke. She raised his hand and he took it once he arrived in front of her.

"You okay?" he asked, checking whether something was off or wrong, but nothing showed and he sighed with relief.

Sakura smiled and looked at Naruto who hurriedly hugged her once he got to her.

"I'm so glad…" he cried. "What would I do if you died?"

Sakura smiled and hugged him tightly.

"You'll do fine," she muttered.

"Sakura, you're okay now, though," Naruto wiped off his tears. "You won't leave us."

Sakura smiled and shrugged.

"Let's go home," she reached out for Sasuke who carried her bridal style. He exchanged a worried glance with Naruto but they both ignored the uneasy feeling. She was okay now, and that was what matter.

As they walked back toward Konoha, they didn't know what Sakura knew and what made Hideyoshi Kuno let them kill him easily. Sakura closed her eyes and rested. Thirteen sakura petals from the Seal were on the back of her neck, covered by her long hair. The very petals that shortened her life span to thirteen minutes.

During the distraction, Kuno's clone moved to Sakura and stuck the Seal to the back of her head. Sakura was too weak to even scream or fight back, but somehow she wasn't really afraid knowing that her life would end soon.

"Sasuke-kun," she whispered.

Sasuke looked down at her, smiling warmly; something that had never happen in years.

"Yes?"

"I love you,"

"I do, too," he smiled.

He looked up at Naruto who had been grinning the whole time.

"What?" he made a face.

"Nothing," Naruto looked away, grinning.

Sakura giggled at the small talk and closed her eyes again.

Hey, Haruno.

What? You call me in a really bad time.

I know.

You're dying.

I know.

And nothing can save you, not even the Gods because… boy, they're one heck of a selfish bunch. You done so much for them but they just can't be bothered to move to help you.

I know, and it's okay.

Haruno sighed.

These people would do fine without me.

I guess so.

Besides,

*smile*

What?

Do you believe in afterlife, Haruno?

Afterlife?

Yeah, I really think we would all meet again one day, someday in the future when we are all reborn.

If you say so.

What? You don't agree.

No, I want to agree. But it sounds ridiculous.

So you're saying the existence of Gods is normal? They caused reincarnation. You should believe.

Point taken, I do believe then.

*laugh*

I'll see you in afterlife then, Sakura.

Yeah, you will.

Goodbye, Sakura.

Goodbye, Haruno.

"Sasuke-kun," Sakura opened her tired eyes. "Are we almost at Konoha?"

"No, I promised my brother I'd bring you through the forest,"

"Itachi-nii?" Sakura frowned.

Sasuke smiled and nodded.

"Hey, I'm back!" Sasuke yelled.

It took a few seconds for Itachi and Kisame to appear. Sakura's eyes widened in shock, she stared at the warm dark eyes for a long time. Then, she reached out for his hands and grabbed them tight once she held them.

"You've been such a good girl, haven't you Sakura?" Itachi smiled.

Sakura smiled and nodded. The tears didn't come because she know she'd soon be with him, they came out because she knew her time with Sasuke and the others she loved in the world would soon be over.

Both Itachi and Kisame knew her end was near. So they let them through faster. In less than a minute, they were out of the forest. Sasuke looked back at his brother and frowned.

"You should just hurry back to Konoha," Itachi smiled. He looked at Sakura and bowed. "I'll see you soon, Princess."

Sakura smiled and nodded.

Sasuke turned and started jumping back toward Konoha, followed closely by Naruto.

"Sasuke-kun,"

"Yes?"

"Are we almost there?"

"Yes, in less than five minutes."

From afar, from the horizon, the top of the Palace was seen; the sky had lost its dark color and the blue had returned.

The war was over.

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Yes, it would end sad. You guys must be wondering why it takes Sasuke so long to get to Sakura and it take them so fast to go back home, the answer is the ninjas he had to fight, the slow walk with Kisame, and the time that he spent in the forest.

I am starting to wonder why the reviews are so slow, either my story is getting crappy or people are just busy. Anyways, I promise you guys a great ending and Epilogue (:

Well, reviews are appreciated,

Summer.