"You absorbed the power from the person who killed you?" The Third Hokage asks, looking at her skeptically.
"Yes, Hokage-sama." She nods her head.
"And who was the person that killed you?" he inquires.
Sakura bites her lower lip and hesitates. She doesn't know if it was such a good idea to admit the name of the Goddess who was responsible for her death.
So she says instead, "The name is not important. All you need to know is that she was powerful enough to possess the Byakugan and the Shari Rinnegan. Among other things."
From behind her, she can almost feel Kakashi-sensei's and the Anbus' stare on her back after listening to her.
Thereafter, Third Hokage regards her in silence. He still looks disbelieving about her admission.
"Well, then. Why don't you show me this new doujutsu?" The old man requests.
Sakura fidgets nervously for a moment right before she begins to accumulate chakra into her eyes and forehead. When she starts to feel the burn behind her eyeballs and on her forehead, she swiftly jolts more concentrated chakra into those areas until her Byakugan and Shari Rinnegan are activated.
The moment she does so, she watches when the Third Hokage's eyes widen in surprise.
"So it seems that you have a new doujutsu," The God of Shinobi remarks after a pause as he examines her eyes and forehead. "And judging from the natural way the Byakugan in your forehead activates, I can deduce that it is obviously not a stolen eye and implanted there on your forehead by a skilled medic-nin. As for both of your eyes, it looks to be a combination between Sharingan and Rinnegan, which I haven't seen in anyone before. It is surely unique," is the Third Hokage's remark.
Meanwhile, Sakura feels herself relax a little bit as she listens to the Third Hokage's comment. He doesn't exactly look like he is ready to persecute her for possessing such eyes. So Sakura can only hope that she isn't going to land in T & I despite her suspicious and unusual actions when confronting Orochimaru.
"This is the first time I have heard of such Kekkei Genkai. A Time Looping and Jutsu-stealing kunoichi, huh? And since the only member who had proven to possess such Kekkei Genkai is a madman as your Clan assumed, then I am not surprised that your Clan has not come forward to reveal the truth to the Archivist and allow your Clan's Kekkei Genkai to be recorded. I for one will doubt such accounts from an assumed madman. So rest assured that I will not persecute your Clan for failing to reveal this for public record, but only once your statement are proven true," The Hokage tells her.
There is a momentary pause while Sakura tries not to fidget on the spot. She notes the way how the Hokage's face turns serious as he gazes at her.
"It's truly hard for me to believe all of these, but I am willing to listen to you. And since you stated that you are from the future and Time Traveled back to this time, are you able to share with me your knowledge of the future?" comes the dreaded question.
Even though she is prepared for it already, Sakura still can't stop herself from feeling the rising fear and panic of what this could entail for the future. The future of the Shinobi World is at stake here. If her knowledge of the future becomes known to the public, then there will be a lot of people out to get her. Obito and Zetsu are the top on her list of people who will certainly do something to her if she reveals too much of their plans. Not only that but Orochimaru and Danzo as well. The two will definitely use her for their own gains, but she has to deal with them later if she decides to tell the whole truth.
However, if she does admit the whole truth to the Third Hokage, it can mean preventing the Fourth Shinobi World War and stopping Obito and Zetsu while they are still hiding behind the shadows. It means saving millions of lives and ending the possibility of a war. She also knows that she can't do this all on her own so she needs help from someone powerful and the Hokage is exactly that.
With that purpose in mind, Sakura decides that she will tell the truth, but not the whole truth. She will probably drip feed the Third Hokage of her knowledge of the future. First, she will tell him about the Invasion and then the Hokage's death. The rest will come after if the Third Hokage survives the Invasion.
Nodding to herself, Sakura finally states, "Yes, I can Hokage-sama. The first thing you need to know is the Invasion of both the Sound and Sand Village. It will occur during the Final Exam Hokage-sama."
Then, Sakura begins to reveal in great detail about what happened during the Final Exam. From Orochimaru disguising himself as the Kazekage and attacking the Hokage to the appearance of Shukaku and Naruto's involvement in it. She doesn't stop until she has thoroughly divulged all her knowledge of the invasion even including the Hokage's death.
The Third Hokage listens to her carefully and Sakura is glad that the Hokage doesn't interrupt her as she talks. Once she is done speaking, she can feel four sets of eyes staring at her as if she has grown a second head on her shoulder. She can almost sense their disbelief as she stands there.
She watches as the Hokage blows smoke from his pipe while he scrutinizes her with a frown on his face.
"As much as I want to believe you, I still have my doubts. However, if you are willing to subject yourself to a mental probe by a Yamanka to clear away the suspicions, then I will decide your fate," The Hokage says. "Not now though since you have yet to finish the second portion of your exam. Once the preliminary exam is over, I will have your sensei send you T & I where Inoichi Yamanaka can examine your mind. If you are proven to tell the truth, then you don't have to worry about the repercussions. However, if Inoichi discovered that all you told me are lies, then I will deal with you as I see fit."
The Hokage blows another smoke from his pipe as he continues, "Now, since it's almost time for the preliminary exams, I will have to dismiss you. And if you don't have questions for me, then I won't hold you here any longer."
"Thank you, Hokage-sama," Sakura bows her head.
"You may go and attend the preliminary exam alongside your teammates, Haruno." the Hokage waves his hand.
After bowing down once again at the Hokage, Sakura then pivots around with the intent to leave the room before the Hokage can change his mind about her.
"And Haruno?" the Hokage calls out.
Sakura turns around and looks back at the Hokage.
"The Anbus will be watching you. If you try to leave the Village, be prepared for the consequences." The Hokage warns her.
Sakura simply nods her head meekly and says, "I understand perfectly, Hokage-sama."
Thereafter, she turns for the door hurriedly with Kakashi-sensei not too far behind.
.
.
.
After meeting the Hokage, Kakashi ushers her swiftly to the arena where the Preliminary Exam is about to take place. Surprisingly, Kakashi has not said a word to her after listening to her conversation with the Hokage. Although she can sense his regard when she is not looking at him and wonders what is currently running in the man's mind. But knowing him, Kakashi must still be suspicious about her mainly due to the fact that she is acting differently than before.
Later as Sakura stands next to Naruto and Sasuke. She can only feel a bit apprehensive as she listens to the Hokage speaks to the assembled crowd.
"Where did you two go?" Naruto whispers next to her.
Sakura glances at him and replies, "Kakashi has to seal my Curse Mark and after that we went to the Hokage."
"Oh? What did Ojisan say?" Naruto inquires as he directs his gaze at her.
"Sorry Naruto. I can't tell you," She says just as Proctor steps forward to start the Tournament.
"We will be selecting the participants from the pool we have prepared for this Tournament," the Proctor is saying and Sakura is half-listening to him as Naruto continues to question her.
"Come on, Sakura. Why can't you tell me?" Naruto persists.
"It's classified, Naruto. I just can't tell you," is Sakura's response as she looks apologetically at her teammate.
Naruto pouts at her but he soon falls silent as the screen above them starts scrambling the names that are about to be chosen.
The entire crowd waits for the first selection and when the screen finally stops flashing, Sakura suddenly stops breathing when she sees the names written on the screen.
Sakura Haruno Vs. Sabaku no Gaara
AN: Thanks Prettygalkamille, Nemie-Chan and osterreicher97 for reviewing!