Chapter 7: Payoff
Sakura changed another wet rag on Miu's forehead that still had a fever. After that, she did the same with Sasuke that was worse.
They barely managed to survive Orochimaru's attack, but Miu chakra got sealed, rendering her unconscious, while Sasuke was bitten by the snake sannin on the neck, planting on him a seal that her sensei haven't taught her about yet.
She is scared. Like never before. Ye they faced Zabuza and Haku but there was the complete team, ready to fight. This time, it is only her.
The deadweight of the team...
Just thinking like that makes her want to cry. No matter how much Sensei tries to teach her, she still haven't improved that much.
An alarm was sound, followed by an explosion. Two seals she placed around the area to avoid anyone coming her way. She gulped, took out a kunai and came out of her hideout, to get face to face with the sound-nin.
"Hey look! One of the konoha kunoichi we met at the beginning!" The one with black hair said as he laughed.
The girl of the group looked at her with disgust "This Konoha kunoichi really make me sick."
The one covered in bandages took a step forward "It doesn't matter. We need something from you."
Sakura gulped "W-We don't have our scroll! So just leave us! Please!"
The bandaged covered one snorted "We already have that. We came to kill Sasuke."
*At the Tower*
"You need to let me go after him." Naruto said to the hokage that took a puff of his pipe.
"I am sorry Naruto, but I can't allow that. Anko barely survived and I can't risk any more dead."
Naruto gritted his teeth "But-"
"But nothing Naruto. Besides, your team needs you to be here when they arrive." The hokage interrupted him.
"Fine!" Naruto snapped "But you know him better than me! And you damn know that he is planning something!"
The hokage still looked calm "Yes. Believe me, I am aware of that."
*Back with Sakura*
"You have a beautiful hair. I bet that you take more care of it that your training." Kin mocked as she kicked Sakura that was on the floor.
"I'm going to kill Sasuke now." Dosu said as he went to the cave. But right before he could enter, some seals activated creating an explosion surprising the sound-nin.
"What the hell!?" Zaku asked as Dosu jumped back barely avoiding the trap. With Kin distracted, Sakura gave her a punch on her face, a weak one but enough to make Kin back away a bit.
"You bitch!" Kin screamed as she grabbed Sakura long hair. Sakura took out a kunai and cut her hair to get free and quickly turned around she remembered the strongest attack she was taught.
Even if she was told to not use it yet.
Charging her kunai with chakra and swing it to the sound-nins "Getsuga Tensho! (Piercer of Heaven.)"
A slash made out of pure chakra came out of the kunai making the sound nins dodge, except kin that received the slash on her knee, breaking it. It was a strong jutsu, but it was nothing compared to the one of her sensei.
Once the shockwave dispersed, Sakura fell to her knees, losing the strength on her whole body. The kunai fell at her side as she panted to breathe.
"That... was unexpected..." Zaku said as Kin held her destroyed knee.
"My knee! I'm going to kill you!" Kin screamed in pain, but Sakura didn't hear her, about to pass out because of chakra exestuation.
Dosu walked towards her, ready to kill her when two killing intents were felt. One from the cave and other from behind them.
Gaara came out of a swirl of sand while Sasuke emerged out of the cave with purple marks covering half of his face.
"S-Sasuke?..." Sakura said as the rest of the team of Gaara came out, also the Ino-Shika-Cho trio came to help Sakura.
"Sakura... who did this to you?" Sasuke asked with a cruel smirk.
*Some Minutes Later*
Miu slowly opened her eyes to see Gaara, Shikamaru and Choji looking at her "You're awake. Good." Gaara said and Miu slowly sat up.
"What happened... where is... Oro-Teme! Where is he!?" Miu screamed and Shikamaru raised a brow.
"Who?"
"Oro-something! He attacked us! And-and-"
"Dobe, relax. We are fine." Sasuke said and Miu grinned.
"Teme! You are okay!" She jumped to hug him and Sasuke didn't react. He clenched his seal and broke the hug.
"Yeah. We should go. We already have the scrolls."
Miu nodded and noticed that Sakura was unconcious next to Ino. "Sakura! What happened to her!?"
"Chakra exestuation. She'll be fine." Temari said and Miu sighed out of relief.
After discussing what they will do from now, they decided that team 10, team 7 and the suna team will go together to the tower.
From the shadows on the trees, Kabuto was watching with a crooked smile. "Everything is going according to plan."
*1 Day Later, at the Tower*
"You guys... had seen better days..." Naruto said as he saw his team all bruised, Sakura barely awake "What happened?"
"Orochimaru..." Sasuke said making his eyes widen.
"I knew it! I should had go after him!" He cursed himself before getting in front of Miu "Are you okay? Did he do anything?" He went next to Sakura "And what happened to her? I felt a large chakra unload and-"
"Bro..." Miu said smiling at him "We are okay. But I want to talk with you."
"Me too." Sasuke said clenching the back of his neck.
Naruto nodded. "Okay. In order. Miu, you first. Let's go."
They went to a private room, where Miu sat down in front of her brother, that leaned against the wall. They didn't say anything at first until.
"I'm sorry." Both said at the same time and looked at each other with surprised looks.
"You're sorry? I am the liar here." Naruto said and Miu shook her head.
"Yeah, but I acted like a brat!" Naruto smirked and passed a hand across his hair.
"No more lies?" Naruto asked and Miu nodded.
"Not more lies." Miu confirmed and Naruto nodded.
'It's my time to shine!' Zangetsu screamed and Naruto smiled.
'I guess so...'
'Eh?'
Naruto sighed "Miu, let me introduce you to Zangetsu."
Miu tilted her head "Zangetsu? Who's he?"
"He is my demon. Just like the nine-tails, he is locked inside me." Naruto explained and Miu eyes widened in confusion.
"I... don't understand."
Naruto sighed "When Orochimaru... experimented on me, he injected something inside me called 'white'. The idea was to create tailed beast chakra without using a tailed beast. What he didn't took in count, was that the white became sentient. Giving birth to Zangetsu."
"An artificial demon..." Miu said "Bro..." Miu said with tears in her eyes hugged him. "That mask, back in Wave..."
"Yeah... that's Zangetsu's face. I think." Naruto said "If I die, he does too."
Miu broke the hug and looked at him "And what does he wants?"
"The same thing that the Kyubi... become free." Naruto said and Miu gulped "But because he never had a real body, he wants to take mine. Sometimes I slip, and he takes control." Naruto gulped as Miu looked horrified.
"But... I think that's enough for today. Other day I will tell you more. Now I have to talk with Sasuke."
After Miu left and Sasuke entered, he closed the door and simply said "Orochimaru bit me."
Naruto started to panic "Shit."
Next Chapter: Training for the Finals