Chapter 5 : Returning to Konoha

Sakura leaped from tree to tree as fast as she could, worry tacking place in her stomach. Something was off, she could sense it, and not only because thanks to her new sensing jutsu she could actually sense it, but because she had this feeling in her gut that told her something was off.

She rushed to Konoha entrance and the moment she stepped inside the village it hit her. A strong chakra coming from her left side, growing more and more as time passed. But as much as that was worrying in itself, it wasn't the part Sakura caught first.

No, what she caught first was a faint, way too faint, chakra signature that she knew way too well. It was Sasuke chakra signature, and it was dangerously low and unstable.

Without thinking twice, she started running in that direction and what she saw once she arrived there made her nearly froze on the spot. Sasuke was here, crouched on itself on a tree branch, and his cursed mark was running free on his neck and right arm.

In front of him was a half boy half monster that she identified as Gaara. He was about to attack Sasuke whit his enormous claw, a crazy look in his eyes. Sakura leaped from the tree sha had landed on and charged her right hand with a big amount of chakra.

She charged on Gaara whit rage and hit him square in the face slightly breaking his sand amor and sending him a good 20 feet away from her and Sasuke.

He crashed into multiple tree before finally stopping on a branch. She quickly landed on the branch Sasuke was and tried to take his attention.

Sasuke! Sasuke-kun can you hear me?!

He looked at me from the corner of his eyes and slightly nodded. Taking this as a sign he was still conscious enough to recognize me, I quickly helped him on his feet and put his arm around my neck.

Are you hurt anywhere or is it just the curse?

Sasuke took a sharp breath and tried to stand on his own but failed miserably and ended up putting more weight on her shoulder.

I think I have a few broken rib and his claw managed to slash deep enough in my back.

Okay, let's go far away from here and then I'll heal the wound. I can't do much about your broken rib thought, I'm not good enough at medical ninjutsu to repair broken rib. So we will have to go to the hospital afterward.

Sasuke looked at her slightly shocked that she said she could heal him but a sudden pain on his back made him nod without asking question. Thought she knew that the moment he would be better she would have to answer to his questions.

She looked quickly behind her to see if Gaara was still unconscious and was a bit relieved when she saw the boy still on the same branch he had landed earlier. But her relief didn't last long, because just when she was about to turn around, she saw his eyes slowly opening.

Shit, we have to go away right now or we're going to have problems.

She quickly started to jump from tree to tree while supporting Sasuke weight. They had been able to make barely ten step that she had to suddenly throw them on the ground.

Thanks to her inner skill, she had trained so hard during the past month, she had been able to sense Gaara attack before it came and therefore dodge it.

They both rolled on the ground for about two meter before she stopped their movement by sticking one hand into the ground.

She saw Sasuke eyes opening widely due to the shock of her breaking the ground with her bare hand. But she couldn't be distracted by it so she quickly turned her gaze to were Gaara was now standing.

You're fast, but this won't save your life twice.

She slightly shuddered at the tone of his voice before helping Sasuke sit down on the ground with his back on a tree base. She then got up and positioned herself in a fighting stance.

Seeing that she was totally ready to fight, Sasuke tried to stand up on his own, not wanting to get protected by her. But he quickly fell again on the ground and had to bite his lip not to scream in pain.

Stay there or you're going to make your situation a lot worse.

He's going to kill you, Sakura!

She looked a little taken aback by the hint of worry she heard in his voice but she decided it wasn't the moment to think about it.

It's fine Sasuke-kun, I'm not that weak anymore. I'll try to keep him occupied enough for back up to arrive.

Back up?

Yeah, Naruto chakra signature is approaching very fast to where we are. He should be here in about five minutes.

Since when can you feel chakra signature?

She didn't have the possibility to answers that questions since Gaara suddenly launched at her with pure intent to kill her.

She easily dodged thanks to her skill and launched a fast chakra enhanced kick at his face.

This won't work twice.

This time around, Gaara was ready to stop her fist but she still let it continue it's route only smirking at him.

Maybe, but it's not important.

She finally reached his sand that was there to protect him and she went totally past it kicking him successfully and sending him into another tree.

You can't stop it anyway.

Gaara got up and launched at her with rage, he tried to launch his claw in her direction but she dodged it before retreating a little.

She could feel Naruto chakra approaching, only two more minute to go. She did some hand seal and screamed the jutsu name.

Earth Release: Hidden Mole Jutsu.

She disappeared in the ground and reappeared behind Gaara at a fast pace ready to kick him again. Thought this time he was faster and dodge her attack instead of trying to block it.

He directly attacked her and she tried to protect herself with her arm but was sent flying on a tree not far away from where Sasuke was.

She had a slightly deep wound on her arm and she was pretty sure at least one of her rib was broken but she got up anyway.

Only thirty more second to hold and Naruto would be here. She was sure Naruto would be able to stand against Gaara thanks to the Kyuubi.

She dodge another attack coming from Gaara by rolling on her side and grimaced when pain passed through her whole body. Only Twenty second to hold.

She leaped away from Gaara and passed through a series of hand seal before shouting the jutsu name.

Water Release: Water clone jutsu

Her newly created clone went directly to attack Gaara while she passed through another series off seal.

Earth release: Hidden Mole Jutsu

She went again under the ground and moved behind Gaara before shooting out of the ground and kicking him in the back. This time, she successfully kicked him into a tree since she had the effect of surprise from her Water clone.

Thought, creating a water clone from nothing was harder than creating it from a water source and she was starting to feel the hold this had on her chakra reserve.

Ten more second and she would be able to take Sasuke to the hospital. She saw Gaara get up again and launch himself at her.

She dodged the first two attack and was about to dodge the third when she suddenly felt light headed due to too much chakra lose.

She stumbled and was about to fall to the ground resulting in Gaara hitting her in her stomach. So she closed her eyes to prepare herself for the impact and the pain but after some second nothing came. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Naruto kicking Gaara with his leg effectively sending him again into a tree.

Naruto!

He turned to her and was about to say something but she quickly took his arm and made them dodge Gaara claw by rolling on the ground.

Once they land far enough from Gaara, Sakura quickly get up and made Naruto look at her.

Naruto, I need to take Sasuke-kun to see a medic and Kakashi sensei for the curse right now. Do you think you can handle Gaara by yourself?

Sure Sakura-Chan, don't worry, take the Teme to Kakashi sensei.

Thank you Naruto, I'll try to send Back up if I can.

She quickly went to Sasuke side and helped him get up. It seemed he was way too shocked about Sakura fight too even think about going against her so she easily started jumping from tree to tree.

Before going too far, she noticed Pakkun, Kakashi summoning on a tree branch.

Pakkun, where is Kakashi-sensei?

Where the chunin exam where held, he's fighting sound ninja. Be careful Sakura there's an invasion going on.

I'll be careful.

She kept jumping from tree to tree while she cheeked on her chakra reserve. Finding it quite low, she growled but still decided to cast the sensing jutsu to be sure they wouldn't encounter enemy along the way.

After going for about ten minutes and having checked that there was no one around them, she came to a stop and put Sasuke on the ground again.

He still hadn't say a word and she didn't knew if it was because of the pain, or simply because, he didn't know what to say after his teammate, who was supposed to be the weakest out of the three of them, had actually saved his ass and showed ability no normal ninja would have been able to learn in only one month and without assistance.

Either way, Sakura decided it wasn't the moment to think about that and she crouched down to Sasuke level.

I'm going to heal the wound on your back. Please, turn around, Sasuke-kun.

The boy did what she asked and she lift his top revealing a already slightly infected and quite deep wound.

She immediately started working and , thought it drained her quite a bit, she ended up completely closing his wound.

She knew she was starting to get dangerously low on chakra but she still needed to heal her own wound on her arm and take Sasuke to Kakashi sensei.

She sat down near Sasuke and started healing her own wound. She was already half way through the healing process when Sasuke finally spoke.

Thank you.

It wasn't much but she knew that it wasn't easy for the Uchiwa boy to show emotion or simply to acknowledge the fact that he had needed her help.

No problem, Sasuke-kun.

An awkward silence set between the two before he spoke again, this time whit questions.

Naruto said you weren't in the village for the past month and that the hokage had sent you on a solo mission.

Indeed, it was my request to go out of the village for a month and since the hokage couldn't simply let me go whit no reason he gave me D-rank mission to complete.

Why did you request to go out of the village for one month?

Sakura was nearly finished with the healing process and as much as she didn't want to answers that question, the way Sasuke was watching her leave no room for argument.

I wanted to train.

What? Why?

After what happened during the chunin exam, I felt the need to become stronger. Because even when I gave it my all to protect you guys when we were in the forest of death, it still wasn't enough and other had to protect me yet again.

Sasuke stayed silent and she took this has her clue to get up and help him do the same. After all, they still were in a pretty messed up situation and they needed to find Kakashi sensei as fast as possible.

Let's go, we need to find Kakashi sensei to help you whit the curse.

Hn.

Do you think you can run on your own? I'm a little low on chakra right now.

Sure.

They both started jumping from tree to tree and after only ten more minute they arrived were Kakashi was supposed to be.

The battle seemed to be finished as all the sound ninja were on the floor. She quickly spot Kakashi sensei and they both landed near him.

He turned around and when he saw his two genin here, he quickly came their way. Sakura helped Sasuke walk while they approached their Sensei.

Kakashi sensei, Sasuke curse is getting out. Please do something about it.

Seeing the gravity of the situation, he quickly made some hand seal and placed what seemed to be a seal on Sasuke curse. The curse slowly retreated and finally disappeared completely. He then looked at Sakura.

Where were you Sakura? You weren't there during the exam.

I was still completing the mission the hokage had given me. I came back just in time to see Sasuke getting attacked by Gaara. He was badly hurt so when Naruto arrived I directly took him away and healed him. Naruto is still fighting Gaara, we should send back up.

No need, the fight is already finished.

They all turned around to see Pakkun behind them.

Both him and the other boy are unconscious but they're alive.

Kakashi nodded and ordered a group of ninja to go recuperate the two boy right away. Then he turned in her direction and started speaking.

What do you mean you healed Sasuke? You never learnt medical ninjutsu.

She was about to answer his question but Asuma came behind Kakashi sensei and whispered something in his ear. He seemed slightly shocked for a moment and his facial expression got sadder but he simply nodded.

We'll talk about it later. Both of you go to the medic ninja that are healing the injured and get yourself checked.

He then left and her and Sasuke both went to the tent that had already been set up for healing.