Things had gone bad to worse. First they had someone pretend to be Naruto but then they got attacked by the snake creep Orochimaru. Now Sasuke and Naruto were both lying unconscious. She had been awake for over 24 hours. She didn't have chakra reserves that could match Sasuke let alone Naruto, so she struggled to keep herself awake.
Everytime she closed her eyes even for a second she would be shocked awake by a nightmare of Orochimaru attacking them again. She gripped her kunai harder, she was jumping at shadows.
Then some stupid squirrel almost tripped her trap. If she hadn't thrown a kunai at it, all of her hard work would have been for naught.
Her eyelids felt heavy again and despite herself she felt them close.
A voice cut through, shocking her awake and to full alertness.
"What use is being a lookout if you're half asleep"?
It was the sound ninja, the ones that had attacked Kabuto before the 1st stage of the exam.
The one with a bandaged eye said, "At least you don't have to keep watch anymore. Wake Sasuke, we want to fight".
She drew a kunai as she said, "What do you really want? I know Orochimaru sent you guys. So what is it you really want? What is that bruise on the back of his neck"?
Orochimaru's name shocked them, but rather than making them second guess their attack it emboldened them.
The one in the brown shirt said, "That's it, no one talks to us like that. I think I'm going to kill her before I kill Sasuke".
The one eyed one said, "Wait Zaku", he uncovered the first trap before lecturing her about traps.
The one named Zaku said, "Pathetic, you threw your kunai so the squirrel wouldn't trip the trap you set".
The one eyed one said, "Now we'll kill her".
They leapt towards her, Sakura smirked before cutting the wire holding the second trap.
The log came flying towards them. She saw the one eyed one perform a hand sign.
She didn't know what jutsu he had planned but she had to beat him to the punch.
The long was nearly on them, Sakura performed the tiger seal, activating the paper bomb she attached to the log.
BOOM!
The explosion sent them flying back into the woods beyond the clearing.
They returned though.
That shocked Sakura as the amount of tags she used should have seriously injured them if not killed them. They must have had some technique which could minimize the blast.
The one eyed one said, "Not bad, but all you did was buy you a few more seconds of life".
The charged her again.
Sakura didn't know what she was going to do. She would have been hard pressed if only one of them made it through the blast, not all three.
"LEAF HURRICANE"!
In a blur, the three sound ninja had been kicked away and sliding hard on the dirt.
Of all the people to save her, the last person she expected was Lee.
She asked, "Lee?! What are you doing here? I'm your enemy".
Lee replied, "I promised that I would protect you with my life, Sakura".
Sakura suddenly recalled what Lee had promised when he asked her out when they first met. Lee had meant those words, and now she felt so guilty over how she acted. She may not be interested, but she should have been a lot nicer to him.
Sakura said, "Thank you, Lee".
Lee's stance changed, but he said nothing.
The one eyed sound ninja pulled out an earth scroll and said, "Looks like a change of plans", he tossed the scroll to the one called Zaku, "I'll take care of these two. That guy in the green outfit is pretty good at taijutsu".
He charged, but Lee countered by pulling up a massive root from the tree.
Lee said, "I'm positive there is some kind of trick to your attack, so I won't try to dodge your attack".
Sakura was amazed by Lee's strength.
The sound ninja backed off and seemed to be planning a new tactic. Then he charged.
Lee took that moment to start unwrapping the bandages on his arms.
Sakura couldn't see what Lee did next, as the next she knew, the one eyed sound ninja was in the air. Then he came crashing down and Lee was sliding away towards her, away from the impact.
Lee was panting heavily, and looked visibly exhausted.
As the dust clear she saw the sound ninja was stuck in the ground, but the ground had been puffed up. She then noticed the one called Zaku was kneeling with his hands in the earth. He must have used some jutsu to soften the ground.
The sound ninja complimented Lee before launching another attack. Lee attempted to dodge but suddenly fell despite the sound ninja not even touching him
The sound ninja began to gloat and explain how his jutsu uses sound. That's when Sakura realized what had happened to Lee. He must have used sound waves to strike at Lee's eardrum and inner ear.
That metal contraption must have amplified the sound created by his punch and then by using chakra he directed the sound.
Zaku began explaining his technique and body modifications.
Damn, how are we going to beat them? They were using jutsu that Sakura had never even dreamed could exist and even Lee looked like he was down for the count.
The one eyed ninja said, "Now little girl, it is your turn".
Charging her, Lee attempted to intercept him with a kick, but the sound ninja evaded. Turning his attention back to Lee, the sound ninja attacked.
Sakura knew she had to help Lee. She took a deep breath, trying to replicate every detail of how Honoka sensei and Naruto breathed. She felt her body flood with energy.
She leapt at the sound ninja. Lee blocked the Sound ninja's punch, which wouldn't help him, but it gave Sakura an opening as she attacked him from that side as he couldn't use his other hand to defend himself.
As Lee was crying out in pain, she stabbed the sound ninja in the torso, aiming for his lungs. Blood squirted from where her kunai struck. The sound ninja was thrown off balance by her attack and was knocked over. Lee had collapsed as well, but she had the sound ninja pinned.
The sound ninja's teammates yelled out, "Dosu!"
Dosu grunted, "DAMN YOU"!
Sakura realized that she must have missed his lung if he could still be that loud. She tried to grab another kunai to go for the kill when she got blasted off him with a blast of pressurized air.
She tumbled across the dirt. She tried to get up, but felt a sudden jolt of excruciating pain that made her body feel like it was on fire. The pain caused her to cry out. Damn it she thought, she couldn't afford to seem so weak but her body was in so much pain. It couldn't have been from the last attack. She had been thrown harder than that when they did that special training. It must be the side effect of using that breathing technique. Did Naruto and Honoka sensei have to deal with this pain constantly or was it that she did the technique wrong and her body couldn't handle the strain.
The next thing she knew someone had grabbed her hair pulled back, using the grip on her hair to control her.
The female sound ninja said, "My, my, what soft shiny hair. If you spent a little less time shampooing, and more practicing your jutsu you may not be in this situation.", she called out to Zaku, "Hey Zaku, I know what would be fun. Let's make Miss Beauty queen watch as you kill Sasuke".
Zaku replied, "That's a great idea, Kin. Let's do it".
Sakura tried to wrench away from the sound ninja, but Kin just tightened her grip and said, "Don't even think about it".
Sakura was able to grab a kunai and held it tightly.
Kin said, "That kunai can't hurt me".
Sakura replied as she made her move, "It isn't for you".
In a quick fluid motion she cut her hair just below Kin's hand. Freeing her of the death grip, Kin had on her.
Sakura saw her life and regrets flash before eyes. How she hated to always need rescuing from Naruto and Sasuke. How she was deluding herself that she was a true shinobi even compared to them. Even Lee had to come to her rescue. Unlike her, Lee proved how true his words and feelings were. Despite them not even being on the same team, Lee risked his life for hers.
But no more, from now on, she would no longer sit back and rely on someone coming to save her. She will live and fight as a true Leaf Shinobi! Like Naruto, Lee, and Sasuke!
Her headband fell to the ground as the wind picked up and a strong breeze blew through the clearing.
Zaku yelled, "Kin! Finish her"!
Sakura began performing the substitution jutsu's hand seals.
After she had finished the seals, Kin tackled her by stabbing her with a kunai.
A blast of smoke came from where she had been and her body had been replaced with a log.
This shocked Kin, but Sakura attacked Zaku. Throwing half a dozen kunai at him. Quickly doing another set of hand seals as soon as the kunai left her hands.
Zaku yelled, "Slicing Sound Wave!"
The air cannon blasted the kunai back at her, but all they hit was a log.
Sakura appeared above him, performing another set of seals.
Zaku saw her and threw three kunai at her. She didn't activate the substitution jutsu, instead using her arms and legs to protect her vital organs. She took one of her kunai and prepared to strike. Zaku assumed she would disappear again. He didn't notice that it was actually her until her blood dripped down on him, but by then it was too late. As her kunai slammed into him. Slicing through his trapezoid muscles and pinning him to the ground.
She used her free hand and a leg to keep him from using his air cannons. This left her with little options left. So she bit Zaku's right ear, tearing a chunk off.
Zaku screamed out in pain before yelling, "GET OFF ME, YOU BITCH"!
Then before she knew she got kicked in the face and sent flying.
She tumbled on the dirt for a good couple of feet. She forced herself up, despite her body still screaming in pain. Blood was dripping perfusing from her face. She figured it might have been broken, but she didn't care. She had to protect Naruto, Lee, and Sasuke.
She took a kunai out and held it ready.
But before she knew three more people appeared in front of her. She couldn't believe her eyes.
A familiar voice said, "Surprised? I swore I would never let you show me up".
Sakura said, "Ino, but why"?
Ino replied, "I am tired of you showing off to Sasuke and taking all the credit".
Choji started complaining, but Shikamaru cut him off.
Ino chuckled and said, "Sorry, for dragging you guys into this, but we are a three man squad right?"
Shikamaru agreed, but Choji wanted to leave.
Zaku said, "Better a live sheep than a dead fatso".
Choji said, "What did you say"?
Zaku said, "I said it's smart to get out when you can, fatty".
Choji yelled, "WHO ARE YOU CALLING FAT!? I AM JUST A LITTLE CHUBBY! THAT DOES IT YOU'RE GOING DOWN"!
Sakura was left completely confused by Choji's actions, but Shikamaru and Ino actually looked like they expected it and were glad it happened.
Ino called out to her, "Sakura, your teammates are down. Go look after them. We got this".
Sakura finally recomposed herself and said, "Got it".
Ino yelled out, "Okay team Ino, let's show them who's boss! Ino"!
Shikamaruo shouted, "Shika"!
Choji yelled, "Cho"!
Choji launched his attack, turning into a massive human boulder and charged straight for Zaku.
Zaku attempted to counter but his air cannon wasn't strong enough to stop Choji's kinetic energy.
Choji leapt out of the airstream and came down like a meteor at Zaku.
Dosu tried to run to Zaku's aid, but was stopped by Shikamaru.
Zaku evaded choji's initial attack, but was kept busy by Choji barreling towards him at full speed.
Shikamaru said, "Ino, I'll leave the girl up to you".
Ino replied, "Got it, you just take care of my body while I'm gone", she performed some hand seals before aiming at Kin, "Ninja Art: Mind Transfer Jutsu"!
Ino collapsed onto Shikamaru.
The Sound ninja tried to call out to their teammate but she didn't respond for a bit. Then Kin stood differently, holding a kunai to her neck, and said, "Party's over, fellas. Take it easy, one false move and your teammate gets it in the neck. You don't want that to happen now, do you? So here is what is going to happen, you're going to drop the scroll on the ground and walk away. When I can't sense you anymore, I will let her go".
There was a few seconds before the sound ninja began chucklin.
Ino in Kin's body yelled, "Hey Choji"!
Choji responded, "Coming"!
Sakura didn't know what was going on. Then all of sudden Zaku launched a massive blast of his air cannons. Choji managed to block some of the blast and keep Ino from taking the full blast. But Choji looked like he was down for the count and Ino had been knocked against the tree. Hard enough to draw blood, which apparently is translated to her own body.
Dosu began gloating how he figured out how Shikamaru and Ino's jutsu worked as he was freed from the Shadow Possession Jutsu. Revealing that they didn't care about Kin living or dying and if killing her took down one of them, then suited them just fine.
She tightened her fist. She was pretty much out of chakra and her body had no stamina left, but they needed help and fast.
A new voice appeared, "Huh that's pretty tough talk. I guess that makes your village third rate then".
Another voice cut in from the opposite direction, "I may not like stuck up prick, but he has your number on that".
Sakura looked up at the voices. The first had come from one of Lee's teammates, Neji, and the other…
Was Naruto's cousin, Karin.
Sakura yelled out to Ino and her team, "Those two behind you are Lee's teammates"!
Shikamaru replied, "Guess the cavalry has finally arrived".
Dosu yelled, "You damn leaf Genin just pop out of the woods like damn cockroaches"!
Neji replied, "Looks like you were using our teammate as a punching bag. NO ONE DOES THAT AND GETS AWAY WITH IT"!
Neji continued, "No more playing around, full power"!
Tenten replied, "Right"!
Karin responded as well, "Music to my ears".
Something happened both Lee's team and Karin didn't come down just yet.
Dosu asked, "What's the matter? Are you going to come down or what"?
Neji said, "It looks like it may have been taken out of my hands".
Sakura felt a dark and evil chill come from behind her as she heard movement. She looked behind her. She froze and couldn't speak.
Sasuke said, "Sakura, who did this to you"?
