Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto
Chapter 26
Wow, I am so sorry for this late update…kinda hit a writers block…also been so wrapped up in writing ereri smut XD
Letting out a hiss of pain, Sasuke clutched his neck. Thankfully for his speed he managed to dodge her attack before her hand tore his head off. Instead he managed to escape with nothing but a small nick.
"SASUKE!" Naruto shouted, worry clearly present in his voice as he was preparing to run towards his friend to make sure he was fine.
"I fine." Sasuke yelled back as he wiped the blood on his neck leaving a trail of red against his pale skin. "You and Sai take of Kabuto!"
Shooting his best friend one last worried look, Naruto ran towards Sai who was already engaged in a taijutsu match with Kabuto.
"You think you can take on my creation by yourself, Sasuke-kun?" Orochimaru's voice was taunting with a hint of malice, as Sakura lunged herself at the Uchiha once more.
Leaning to the side he avoided another one of her blows, the long protruding nails grazed his cheek causing a thin trail of blood to flow down. "You have no idea who you're dealing with." Sasuke's seethed as he send his chidori throughout his body. The blue electricity cackled around him and his kusanagi casting this almost angelic glow around him.
Sakura crouched down onto all fours like an animal preparing to attack as her feral red eyes glowed with more malice. Folding her lips back she revealed her razor sharp teeth and let a low animalistic growl rip from her throat. "Are you going to kill me Sasuke-kun?" This voice was deep and course unlike the soft and gently voice Sakura normally had.
The mocking way she said him name snapped something within him. This wasn't the Sakura he knew, she would never twist his name in some vehemence and mockery. Charging towards the girl, he brandished his blade in front and slashed in hopes of at least hindering her movements. However, with cat like swiftness and agility she dodged all his attacks.
"Katon: Goukakyuu no jutsu." Sasuke leaped back as he blew the large fireball towards Sakura who countered it with a large earthen wall. Not taking a break Sasuke gathered the blue ball of lightening in his hand and smashed it though the large wall, hoping on some off chance that Sakura would be right behind it and his attack could paralyze her.
The rubble form the large wall shattered around him as a loud scream was mixed with the sound of the falling earth.
Sasuke's eyes widen, while Orochimaru grin grew. Hesitantly he lowered eyes down to his hand. Half his arm was lodged into her stomach as the vile red liquid poured out staining his limb. He heart skipped a beat. It wasn't supposed to be like this. His attack was only supposed to stun her, maybe nick her in the arm. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Quickly as if her blood had suddenly turned to acid, he pulled his arm out and stared helplessly at his teammate.
Sakura fell down. Her knees sank into the grassy plain as one of her hands clutched the large gapping wound in her stomach. Her pink hair fell in front of her face, as large droplets of tears clouded her eyes. "How can you do this to me Sasuke-kun?"
"Sakura…" Sasuke croaked out as he reached out a hand to touch her.
"How can you be so heartless?" The voice that came out of Sakura this time was the same low, course he heard before. Tilting her head up, her eyes shone with mirth and malice as a crooked smirked presented itself on her face. With a well aimed swing, she slugged him on the side. The punch send Sasuke flying two meters left. Sliding across the grass field, he clutched his ribs. The power behind her attack had managed to crack three of his ribs. Thankfully he still had his chidori surrounding him, or else her punch would have completely shattered the right side of his ribcage.
Sakura picked herself up from the ground as she slowly lifted her hand off her stomach, the large wound stitching itself back together. Once the wound was completely healed, Sakura clenched her fists and smashed it into the ground. The earth before her shattered completely. Having been used to her attacks, Sasuke neatly jumped into the air to dodge being engulfed.
"Enton: Kagutsuchi." He swung his blade as the black flames of amaterasu flew out. Orochimaru by now was ecstatic. To think Sasuke had already masted the mangekyo sharingan was beyond his wildest expectations.
"Sakura-chan get the eyes." He drawled out. "The eyes."
It was as if an electric shock went through the girl, but upon hearing Orochimaru's commands she straightened herself and wasted no time in dodging the black flames and charged straight at the Uchiha with chakra scalpels ready. If it was her master's wishes she will obey and carve out his eyes.
Ten large ink lions spurred out from the scroll and launched themselves at Kabuto who simply stood there with one hand on his hips and the other pushing up his glasses. He was mocking them. In his mind there was no point in taking this fight seriously. After his blows with Sai, he realized the raven haired male wasn't to great at hand to hand combat, and he highly doubted Naruto could do anything worthwhile.
Flicking ten shurinkens at the lions he watched as they splattered back into ink.
"Rasengan!"
Kabuto looked up to see an orange blur charge down at him with a familiar blue ball of chakra. 'Shit' He threw himself out of the way just in time to see the attack smashing into the ground he was standing not to long ago shatter.
"Kage bunshin." Naruto shouted as he dislodged his hand from the earth. Not wanting to waste time on this glasses freak, he created nearly 50 clones to surround the man. While Sai had been engaged in a taijutsu match with Kabuto, Naruto focused half his attention on the on going battle between his other two teammates. He saw how Sasuke was holding back, and how it was not going so well for him.
"Really? Clones?" Kabuto sneered, as he kicked away on of the approaching Naruto clones. It poof-ed on impact. In a blur of movements he created chakra scalpels and slashed through the hoard of clones, white cloud of smoke surrounded him.
"Sumi Nagashi." Sai called out from outside puff of smoke. Black inky vines shot out from with the ground and ensnarled themselves around Kabuto's limbs. "Naruto, now."
"Rasengan!"
Naruto pumped chakra to his feet and charged into the smoke, causing the white cloud to dissipate around him. Kabuto's eyes slightly widened as he saw the blue ball of energy charge straight at him, while he quickened his attempts to untangle himself from the inky vines.
"ARGHHHH!" Naruto gave another battle cry as he slammed his attack into the glasses man's stomach. The force behind the attack yanked Kabuto free from vines and embedded him into a large crater in the ground. Blood sputtered out from his mouth. "It's over." Naruto growled as he pulled his hand out from Kabuto's stomach.
Wiping his hands on his pants he smirked down at the dying man.
"You really think it's over?" Kabuto coughed up more blood, as he struggled to get up.
Naruto's glare hardened. "You're dying."
"Am I?"
Kabuto lifted his hand off his stomach. The blood gushing out of the wound slowly retracted back as the skin around it stitched back together. "You can't kill me." He said, this time with a stronger voice as he stood up. Naruto looked flabbergasted as he was still trying to figure out what trick Kabuto was pulling on them.
"But I suppose you're right." A blue glow surrounded his hand. "It is over...for you." With that Kabuto slammed his chakra scalpel right into Naruto's chest. He felt the rib cage shatter under his blow.
"Goodbye Uzumaki Naruto-kun."
From the corner of his eyes he witnessed Naruto crumple to the ground like a ragdoll. His body not moving, and his eyes were frozen in a look of pain mixed with fear. "NARUTO!" He shouted in hopes of somehow rousing up the blond, as he continued to dodge Sakura's attempts at cutting out his eyes. "GET UP!"
Still no movement from the blond. "Shit"
"Pay attention to me!" Sakura growled as she threw another chakra enhanced punch at Sasuke who grabbed her wrist behind her fist collided with his chest, and twisted it behind her before he spun her body around and slammed her into a tree. He manage to trap both her arms behind her and completely stop her movements.
"Sakura stop this isn't you." He stared into her red eyes with his sharingan in hope of putting her to sleep, but it seemed like he had no effect on her in this form.
"WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME?!" Sakura screamed back as she continued to struggle against his vice like grip. "Because deep down I also wanted to do this to you. I always had a burning desire to harm you...ever since you left me." Sakura raised a leg and kicked him across the side. Sucking in a sharp intake of air, Sasuke released the girl. "So die." She charged toward's him again.
Clutching his side, Sasuke ducked down as Sakura swung her claws at his head.
"Die"
She swung her fist at him again.
"Die"
He blocked her kick, and retaliated by grabbing her ankle and tossing her to the side.
"DIE!"
She picked herself up from the ground and ran towards him again. Grabbing two kunais from her pouch she flicked them towards Sasuke who easily deflected them with his blade.
"Magen: Jubaku Satsu."
The scenery around Sasuke whirled as a large cherry blossom tree grew from behind him, it's branches wrapped themselves tightly around him. His watched with feigned interest as Sakura charged towards him with a chakra scalpel.
He closed his eyes for a split second before re-opening them. The three tomoes changed into a star like shape as his eyes bleed into mangekyo. He didn't want to resort to this, but it seemed like Sakura was leaving him with no choice. He had to stop her movements so he could focus on Orochimaru. Blood dripped down from his left eye as a circle of black flames surrounded Sakura stopping her movements. The cherry blossom tree that trapped him disappeared as Sakura's genjutsu fell.
"You think this can stop me?" Sakura started to walk towards the flames. "I will destroy this girl's body if it means getting your eyes for my master." She inched closer and closer to the howling flames. Sasuke gritted his teeth.
"Orochimaru you really want your perfect little soldier to destroy that vessel?" Sasuke growled at the snake man.
"Sakura stop." Sasuke gave an inward sigh of relief when Orochimaru halted Sakura's movements. The battle came to a stand still, with Sakura glaring daggers at Sasuke through the flames and Sasuke keeping his emotionless facade.
"Susanoo." Sasuke muttered as the large purple skeleton appeared behind him. He briefly caught the gleeful look on Orochimaru's face and sneered. That bastard still believed that he could get his eyes? How delusional.
Moving just his fingers he controlled the large beast. A large purple hand reached through the fires of amaterasu and grabbed Sakura. Her small body was completely hidden behind the large hand, as Sasuke put out the flames. He had successfully managed to trap Sakura and could now focus on killing the snake.
"Killing me won't stop the curse mark." Orochimaru seethed, while Sasuke remained unimpressed. Who was he kidding? He dealt with the mark before and if you kill the giver you destroy the mark.
"Sasuke-kun." His movements to attack Orochimaru stopped when he heard the soft pleading voice of his teammate. Snapping his head towards Sakura, he saw the pained grimace on her face as she struggled against the mark. One of the red, demon-y eyes reverted back to it's foamy green color.
'Sakura'
.
.
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When Orochimaru had activated the curse mark, and Sakura was slowly slipping into unconsciousness, she was once again back into that empty viewing room. The large glass window gave her the perfect view of the outside world. She watched in horror as she saw herself attack Sasuke. She didn't want this. Anything but this. It reminded her to much of the first time she tried to kill Sasuke. The flood of bad memory that were associated with it flushed into her head.
"STOP! STOP THIS! NO!" She screamed at the top of her lungs while she pounded against the window in hopes that it'll stop her body from moving.
"STOP MOVING, JUST STOP PLEASE." She tried again when she witnessed her hand crack two of Sasuke's ribs. Tears flowed down her face as she continued to pound against the window.
'deep down I also wanted to do this to you. I always had a burning desire to harm you...ever since you left me'
She heard the monster speak through her body. She saw the rigidness in Sasuke's shoulders and the guilty look in his eyes. The tears were pouring down her face. She didn't mean any of this. She never blamed her for leaving her, she could never blame him. "Stop...it isn't true...so please stop." Her voice weakened as she crumpled in front of the mirror. "Stop."
Die
Her leg lifted up to kick Sasuke. "Stop…"
The shaking in the room stopped and Sakura weakly looked out the window. Her body had stopped moving and black flames surrounded her. She needed to regain control. This was her chance. Picking herself up from the ground, she stared out the window. A large purple hand was coming closer to her.
"STOP!" She cocked her arm back and punched the window. It shook under the force, so she tried again and again.
And that's when she saw it. A small crack in the glass. She continued to throw punches against the crack in hopes of completely breaking through.
"Sasuke-kun."
"Oi what the fuck are you doing?"
Naruto flinched at the loud booming sound behind him.
"Get up…GET UP!"
His blue eyes snapped open as he sat up. The orange chakra of the kyuubi surrounded him like a second layer of skin. The pain he felt in his chest was gone and the earlier tiredness faded.
"W-what" Naruto touched the bubbling chakra. He craned his head around to stare at the smirking fox.
"Are you just going to die right here?" The low rumbling sound of the fox's voice filled the tunnel like space. "WAKE UP AND FIGHT! Don't make me regret teaming up with you."
Still shocked Naruto gingerly touched his chest.
"It's healed." The fox spoke again. "NOW GO AND FIGHT!"
.
.
.
Sai casted a worried glance as he continued to launch his ink attacks at kabuto, in hopes of providing just enough time to come up with a plan on how to kill someone who regenerates.
"You call yourself an ANBU?" Kabuto sneered as he destroyed another ink lion. "Konoha is really weak."
"D-don't call us weak."
Two head snapped to the new voice. A wave of relief overtook Sai, while Kabuto looked furious. His attack was suppose to have killed Naruto, yet the blond seemed unharmed. Instead this 'new' Naruto seem to have a glow around him as he wore the kyuubi's chakra like a cloak.
"You…" Kabuto seethed, as he turned his attention from the raven hair artist and charged towards Naruto. In his mind the blond was a bigger threat than the artist and following shinobi rule four: Also take out the bigger threat first.
Seeing how Kabuto turned his gaze from him, Sai did a series of hand signs and disappeared. Naruto can keep Kabuto distracted enough.
"Kage bunshin."
Again 50 or so clones surrounded Kabuto, though this time every one of his doppelgangers had a rasenshuriken in their hands. In sync all the clones threw the attack at Kabuto, who managed to jump into the air just in time to avoid the hail of chakra.
"FUTON: RASENSHURIKEN!"
Kabuto looked up and cussed when he saw the real Naruto speed down and impale his attack into his back. Kabuto's felt his body smash face first into the ground. His glasses flying off his face.
"You may regenerate but not if I don't give you a chance." Naruto spoke in a calm voice and he repeatedly using the kyuubi's limitless chakra and slammed rasenshurikens into the man's back. He watched as the muscle and skin tear and heal in a repeated cycle.
"NARUTO, GET OFF!"
The blond looked up and stared at Sai who had his hands in the tiger seal. Jumping off the man, he landed beside the artist.
The same inky vines wrapped themselves around kabuto.
"This attack again?" Kabuto growled as blood spilled out from his mouth.
Sai ignored the little jab, and snapped his fingers."You may regenerate but how can you do so when I scatter your body parts?" The vines tightened around the man before completely cutting through his body, effectively dicing Kabuto into tiny bits. With bits of Kabuto's body parts still around within the vines scattered throughout the clearing before sinking back into the ground dragging tiny pieces of Kabuto with them.
"I'm sorry." Sakura half whispered as she continued to struggle to keep consciousness. Sasuke felt his heart sank. She was always apologizing to him. For every little thing she was always apologizing. "I don't mean any of the things I said. I don't blame you, I can never blame you." The words tumbled out of Sakura's mouth. She didn't want this misunderstanding with him. Not with Sasuke never with Sasuke. "I'm sorry, so sorry."
Sasuke continued to stare at the girl. Despite the pained look on her face and the shroud of black ink that covered it he could make out the tears. Why was he always the one making her cry?
"If you want to stop the curse mark then kill her!" Orochimaru cut in, as a hint of fear enter into his eyes. "Killing me won't change anything."
Sasuke turned his gaze back to Orochimaru.
'Sasuke-kun! Let's go for ramen!' The image of the twelve year old Sakura flashed in his mind.
'Don't leave, because if you leave I'll be the same as being alone.' Her smiling face was now twisted into one of pain. 'I love you so much, and if you stay with me I promise I'll make everyday happy for you.' She was always so willing to do anything for him.
'Sasuke-kun what are you doing here?' He could see her look of fear and confusion when he first arrived on the battle ground. Never would he think he would evoke the feeling of fear within her. Tears maybe but never fear.
"Sasuke-kun." The soft voice of Sakura slowly descended back into it's low course sound as the red eyes over took green ones. It that instant the Sakura he knew was gone once more. With a twitch of his other hand, the unoccupied hand of Susanoo stretched out at god speed towards Orochimaru who was attempting to run. Easily the long fingers of the skeleton wrapped around the screaming snake man.
"You talk to much." Sasuke growled as he tightened his fist and the hand of the skeleton did the same, crushing the withering man within it. Blood erupted out from between the cracks of the skeleton's fingers.
Once he was dealt with Sasuke immediately lowered Sakura to the ground and waited for the mark to recede. True to his wishes the black spots retreated but to the base of her neck before completely vanishing.
'Every time I use the mark it releases a toxin that slowly destroys my insides.'
The words she told him at the hospital flashed in his mind. Kneeling down he picked up Sakura's head and placed it on his lap. Gently he placed two fingers under her chin to feel for a pulse. When he felt the rhythmic thumping under his fingers he let out a breath of air he hadn't been aware that he was holding.
"Sasuke is she okay?" Naruto who had just arrived instantly knelt down on the opposite side of Sakura. "Why isn't she waking up? She's not dead is she?"
"No, she's not dead."
Naruto's shoulders relaxed.
.
.
.
After a couple of minutes Sasuke felt the girl on his lap stir. Weakly her eyes fluttered opened to reveal those familiar green orbs.
"Sakura is the toxin…" The words flew out from his mouth the second he saw her wake up.
The said girl weakly shook her head. She didn't feel that sharp pain as she did the first time, so maybe there was no toxin released since the mark was gone? However, not taking a chance she gingerly placed one arm across her stomach and send a wave of her chakra inside. A grim look dawned on her face, her organs were indeed damaged but surprisingly this time there was no pain. Luckily she didn't use all that much chakra during her battle so she had a vast amount on reserve to heal the damages done by the mark. Ignoring the worried looks from her teammates she focused on her wounds.
Once she was finished she felt much stronger and more mobile.
"Sasuke-kun your ribs!" She shot up from Sasuke lap as she remembered what she did to him.
"It's fine." Sasuke replied trying to get her to rest instead of worrying about him. But, being as stubborn as Sakura, she merely shot him a glare and placed her medically chakra to his side and began healing. Sasuke stared down at the girl and sighed. Why did she have to love him so much? What did he ever do to deserve this kind of devotion from her?
"Thank you."
Again, i'm sorry for this late update!
Please rate and review! :D