CHAPTER TWENTY SEVEN

Decisions, Part-1

Sasuke drew his sword, charging it with electricity as he faced Isshiki with a frown. He fit the description of the man that attacked the Hyuuga compound the night Hinata got abducted. If the reports were anything to go by, he was going to be a formidable opponent.

Glancing over his shoulder, he spotted Konohamaru dragging Tenten's motionless body into a more secluded area. Moments earlier, he saw Sakura carrying a limp Naruto to the same place. He wasn't even sure they had secured Hinata and they had already suffered two casualties, one of them being arguably their most valuable asset. This battle wasn't going as smoothly as he'd have hoped, and judging from the well built Otsusuki in front of him, they had yet to see the worst of it.

"So you're the one that possesses the Rinnegan, Uchiha Sasuke if I'm not mistaken?"

Sasuke raised his sword. "How do you know my name?"

Isshiki extended his arm, a metallic rod suddenly appearing in his hand. "I have my ways"

Sasuke stood firm, his blade gleaming in the dying light. His eyes were sharp, his stance poised, every muscle in his body coiled like a spring ready to unleash deadly force. Opposite him, twirled his weapon in his hands with effortless grace. His movements were fluid, his demeanor calm but alert, like a predator ready to strike.

The swordsman moved first, closing the distance between them in a flash, his sword slashing through the air with lethal precision. Isshiki met the attack head-on, his weapon a blur as it parried the strike and deflected the blade to the side. The sound of iron meeting steel echoed through the area.

Sasuke pressed his advantage, launching a flurry of strikes aimed at overwhelming his opponent. Each slash and thrust was precise, aimed to exploit any opening. But Isshiki was no less skilled. He weaved and danced, his staff a constant whirl of motion, blocking and countering each attack with practiced ease.

For a moment, it seemed they were evenly matched, but Isshiki gain to steadily the upper hand. With a powerful sweep, he knocked Sasuke off balance, forcing him to retreat a few steps. Sensing an opportunity, the Otsusuki extended his arm causing several dark rods to impale the place Sasuke stood. The Uchiha managed to leap to safety in time, narrowly avoiding getting impaled by Isshiki's weapons.

"Where did they come from?" He murmured to himself as he landed to the ground. In a flash, he caught the faintest sign of chakra speeding towards him at incredibly speed using his Sharingan.

[Almighty push]

His jutsu repelled Isshiki's rods in mind air, sending them clanging to the ground.

I can barely see those things, I need to be careful

Sasuke fought back valiantly, his movements fueled by sheer will and determination. He managed to parry a particularly vicious strike and countered with a swift riposte that nearly found its mark. But the Isshiki anticipated the move, spinning his weapon to deflect the blade and following up with a swift kick that sent the Uchiha sprawling.

Breathing heavily, Sasuke struggled to his feet, his grip tightening on his sword. He knew he was being pushed to his limits, but he was far from defeated. With a frown, he launched himself at his opponent, a final, desperate attempt to turn the tide of the battle.

Isshiki sent several of his projectiles flying at Sasuke right as he charged at him.

"Argh!" The Otsusuki suddenly found himself impaled with five metallic rods in his back. Wincing in pain, he saw Sasuke behind him with his arm raised for an attack.

[Chidori]

As his lightning infused hand extended towards Isshiki, Sasuke watched his opponent suddenly vanish.

"What?"

He looked around frantically, trying to find Isshiki.

All of a sudden, Sasuke found his foot pinned to the ground by a rod. Gritting his teeth, he swung his sword to break his restraint but found his arm impaled in an instant, causing his sword to drop to the ground.

He swung his head around to see Isshiki materialize into view again, staff raised…..

Isshiki suddenly found himself in Sasuke's position in the blink of an eye.

"He's swapping our places with his Rinnegan!" He noted. Just as Sasuke prepared to attack him, Isshiki once again vanished from sight.

Gripping his sword firmly, Sasuke called out to him. "I know you're just shrinking yourself Otsusuki!" He scanned his environment carefully to not allow himself get caught off guard again.

I'm starting to run a bit low on chakra, he thought, still carefully searching for Isshiki. His eyes suddenly widened in shock as he detected danger behind him.

Sasuke's subsequent almighty push repelled his rods, but Isshiki himself seized the chance to grab him by the neck and slam him into the ground, dragging him along the earth and throwing him into a statue.

"You've impressed me, Uchiha" Isshiki commended Sasuke as he walked towards his battered self in the rubble of the statue and stretched his arm towards him.

"But it's a shame your pitiful life will have to end like this."

Just as he was about to kill Sasuke, an elegantly carved staff suddenly struck Isshiki with it's tip, extending it's length and sending him flying into another statue in the courtyard. Cursing, Isshiki flew up from the rubble, settling his eyes on the new face that had made his presence known in front of Sasuke.

"And who are you supposed to be, child?" He asked.

The staff retracted to it's original length, settling in the hand of its wielder who proceeded to spin it in a wide arc before settling it along his back with one hand, the other gesturing in an invitation towards Isshiki.

"First name Konohamaru, last name Sarutobi!" he replied with a cheek smile. "I'll make sure you remember it by the time I'm done with you, egg-faced freak!"

"I never expected this from you"

Sakura directed her statement at her friend down the corridor. The two of them stood a distance apart, neither of them attempting to close the gap between them.

"I have my reasons Sakura, but just know that I would never try to hurt any of you" Hinata replied.

"I don't know of anyone that would happily consent to having their chakra drained" Sakura retorted, placing her hands on her waist. "Why are you helping the enemy Hinata?"

The Hyuuga stepped forward. "It's to protect you from her, I can't go against her"

"That's why you have help! You have FRIENDS Hinata!"

"And what if we fail?"

Sakura scrambled for an answer to Hinata's question. "We won't"

"And why's that? How are you so sure that we won't just try to fight back and die anyways?"

"Because it's…."

"Your blind optimism is admirable, but it will be your downfall, Sakura" Hinata cut her off. She smiled at Sakura as she continued "The same optimism I've always admired in you for as long as I can remember. I always wished I was as brave as you back then…."

"But you are brave, Hinata." Sakura declared, closing the distance between them. "You've proven it, several times…which is why I'm surprised at you now."

Hinata narrowed her eyes in thought. "Why?"

"Well it's not everyday one sees a Hyuuga princess groveling at the feet of a being that openly threatens her own family."

Hinata felt stung by Sakura's retort. With a frown, she raised her hand to point at Sakura.

"One might argue that going against those you love in order to save their lives takes the highest amount of courage"

Sakura shook her head with a small laugh. "I didn't mean to tick you off Hinata, I'm really not a good negotiator"

She removed her backpack and allowed it to drop to the ground. "I want to do this about as much as you do, but I have a mission…." Sakura raised her clenched fists to her shoulder level and continued. "Bringing you back, and if I have to drag your limp body all the way home then so be it"

Hinata prepared her stance with a deep breath. "You've always valued your perfect record Sakura" she noted with a smile. "I understand where you're coming from, but I only wish you'd try to do the same for me."

In the narrow corridor, Sakura and Hinata faced each other down, each shinobi waiting for the other to make a move. The strength of their bond put to the test, both of them prepared for the task at hand.

Hinata, her stance fluid and precise, embodied the grace of her training with the Hyuuga clan.

Sakura, muscles coiled like springs, favored raw power over form.

With a sudden burst of speed, Hinata lunged forward, her arms a blur of controlled strikes. Sakura weaved and bobbed, deflecting the blows with a boxer's finesse, her footwork agile and sure. Each strike Hinata threw was met with a counter, each kick blocked or redirected.

Their movements became a dance of conflict, a symphony of martial prowess echoing off the brick walls. Hinata's gentle fist was methodical, seeking openings in Sakura's defense, while Sakura's powerful blows were relentless, aiming to overwhelm with sheer force.

A sharp jab from Sakura snapped Hinata's head back, her fist merely grazing her forehead. Hinata immediately retaliated with a lightning-fast chain of strikes to Sakura's torso. The medic grunted but stayed on her feet, her resolve unyielding.

As the fight wore on, sweat dripped from their brows, mingling with the intensity in their eyes. Sakura's breathing grew heavier, her punches losing some of their snap. Hinata's jabs rarely connected but when they did, they left their mark on her, siphoning off chakra from wherever they hit. Sakura let a right hook fly but Hinata read her well, evading her punch and delivering three precise blows along the length of her arm, causing it to fall limp. Sensing an opportunity, Hinata pressed forward, unleashing a flurry of palm strikes and kicks aimed at wearing down her opponent. She sidestepped a kick from Sakura aimed at her thigh to appear on her weak side, where her disabled arm couldn't reach her and prepared to strike at her friend.

But Sakura, drawing upon her strength of a hundred seal on her forehead, dug deep. Dark blue lines crisscrossed her body, sending a surge of chakra into her limp arm, revitalizing it. She spun towards Hinata with her arm coiled and delivered a devastating uppercut that sent her staggering backwards. The Hyuuga princess crashed against a door, momentarily stunned.

Breathing heavily, Sarah advanced, her fists moving like pistons. Hinata raised her arm in time to block a powerful punch from Sakura, the force of the hit sending her crashing through the door and into the next room. Hesitating for merely a moment, Sakura steeled herself and pressed on, attacking once more as soon as her friend was back on her feet. Blow after blow landed on Hinata's guard, each strike testing the limits of her endurance. Eventually, Hinata's defense began to falter under Sakura's assault.

The medic nin took notice of her friend's weakening posture and pressed on. She battered Hinata's midsection with a barrage of blows, taking advantage of her focus on protecting her head and chest. Hinata tasted blood in her mouth and felt herself double over. With a decisive left hook, Sakura connected cleanly with Hinata's jaw.

The Hyuuga slumped to the ground but she immediately retaliated with a powerful air palm that sent Sakura crashing through the wall and flying back into the corridor. Slamming into another wall, Sakura collapsed on the rugged floor in pain. Hinata gingerly picked herself up, her chest heaving with exertion. The room was silent except for the harsh rasp of her breath and Sakura's panting coming from the corridor.

"You're holding back" Hinata whispered, her voice trembling with emotion and pain.

Sakura looked up, a mixture of pain and remorse in her eyes. "I can't bring myself not to" she managed to say through clenched teeth.

Hinata stumbled towards the shattered door, back into the corridor. The Tenseigan granted her several abilities, but enhanced durability wasn't one of them. Granted, her friend wasn't giving the fight her all, but a blow from Sakura Haruno was never a pleasant feeling, no matter the situation. On another day, she would've been done for after the first of Sakura's hits that connected, maybe the second if it was a good day.

Hinata wiped blood from her mouth and readied herself again, watching Sakura pick herself up from the rubble of the damaged wall.

"Why did it have to come to this?"

Sakura raised her gaze to meet Hinata's, emerald green interlocking with cyan.

"Because you're being stubborn as usual, even to the point you'd rather trust in a stranger than in your own family"

Hinata bowed her head with her eyes closed. "You still refuse to see from my own point of view."

Sakura adjusted herself on her feet, feeding chakra into her left arm that had began to weaken from their fight before. "I tried, but all I can see is the mindset of a person that's way too afraid to challenge the status quo even if it means coexisting with oppression"

Upon hearing Sakura's words Hinata's mind flashed with memories of her cousin Neji. She remembered how she watched, silently, as he suffered as a child; essentially being a slave to the main branch of the Hyuuga clan. How she never spoke up to his abuse, even though it hurt her to watch him suffer…..

Maybe Sakura is….

Shaking her thoughts out of her head, she narrowed her eyes in focus, redirecting her gaze to Sakura.

"Sometimes the existence of a status quo can be for our own good"

Sakura's lips curled into a smile. "I don't know about you, but I'm not about to place my destiny in the hands of some alien bitch"

She stood up tall, her arms revitalized. "I've tried to reason with you Hinata, but you leave me no choice."

Crossing her arms in front of her, Sakura took a deep breath and addressed Hinata. "You may be my close friend, but you're too old for me to keep handling you with baby hands"

In her mind, Sakura reached for strength from an old face, a friend she hadn't seen for over two years, lost to the chaos of war….

Lee, all those push ups finally came in handy huh? If only you could personally congratulate me for reaching the heights I currently stand on…the heights I would've never attained without your help. Thank you for giving me the strength to accomplish what I'm about to do….

Hinata started to sense a sudden change in the air. It felt heavier, more intense in an instant and as she scanned her surroundings with her dojutsu, eventually focusing on Sakura, her eyes widened with shock.

Impossible….

[Third gate: The gate of life, Open]

The floor beneath her cracked as a massive wave of chakra erupted from Sakura's body, swirling around her in a vibrant aura. Her skin turned a reddish hue, and her eyes became even more intense, almost feral.

Hinata took a step back in disbelief, watching Sakura fight to control the sudden rush of chakra she felt flowing through her.

"How did you….." Hinata was still taken aback by Sakura's ability to access the eight inner gates. She noticed she had only opened the third gate, and a part of her guessed it was her limit…..

Sakura focused on the person in front of her. Unleashing the third gate on Hinata felt like overkill, but Sakura did not want to take any chances. She still didn't know what her friend was fully capable of herself.

Across her, Hinata bowed her head with a small smile. "Very well, I see it can't be helped."

As she Hinata raised her head, it was now Sakura's turn to be surprised.

The Hyuuga's eyes glowed with intensity as a powerful aura of purple chakra emanated from her body. The chakra soon solidified on her skin and clothing, extending from the back of her shirt in a knee length cloak. Six tomoe appeared around her collar as she rose up in the air before Sakura, her dark hair now resembling a deep purple flame that blazed behind her. Hinata extended an arm, manifesting eight dark orbs around them, recalling memories of her battle against Uchiha Madara in Sakura's head.

The medic smiled to herself. "My hunch was right, you did have some more tricks up your sleeve"

Hinata steadied her burning blue eyes on Sakura before her as she settled back on the floor.

"I won't kill you Sakura-san, but I can't keep on holding back too."

In an elegant bedroom located on the second floor of Kaguya's palace, a young woman stared outside of the window. The raging battles around her kept her on edge, partly from being caught in the crossfire, and partly from being discovered by the shinobi battling outside.

Mikasa was certain they were from Konoha. Being found taking refuge in the mansion was certainly going to end up with her being taken back to the hidden village to serve her punishment: execution.

Feeling uncomfortable, she stepped away from the window and exited the room. Finding herself in a corridor, she made her way towards the staircase. Mikasa scales the stairs quickly as the sounds of battle continued to roar from outside the building. She made a beeline towards a particular room, hoping to find a particular person their. Mikasa was had learned that it was Kaguya's favourite room in the palace.

"Kaguya-sama"

The Otsusuki turned away from the fireplace at hearing her name called. "Kurosaki, why are you outside your room?"

"I don't feel comfortable there, my lady"

"And why is that?"

Mikasa bowed her head as she made her way closer to Kaguya. "I have….history with Konoha"

Kaguya made her way to Mikasa. "They just do not understand you and your burden"

"I know, but I can't be seen by them" Mikasa replied. "Please, permit me to stay here…..under your protection"

Kaguya observed Mikasa speechlessly for a moment. Making her way back to the fireplace, she gave her reply.

"Very well"

Mikasa bowed a thank you and sought a chair to seat herself. She ended up choosing one next to Kaguya herself.

The two of them sat silently until Kaguya finally spoke.

"The Hyuuga has not deserted…." She turned towards Mikasa with pitch black eyes, "But the jinchuriki still retains his tailed beast"

Mikasa rubbed her hands together nervously. "Why don't you intervene?" She blurted out her question before she could stop herself. To her surprise, Kaguya didn't show any signs of anger at her inquiry.

"I must confirm if her loyalty remains with me or if she has betrayed her task" she replied without taking her eyes off the burning fire. Mikasa studied Kaguya discreetly, trying to read an expression on her face.

Then she noticed a drop of blood trickle from her nostril.

"Kaguya-sama!" Mikasa rushed to her side to give her medical attention. "You're bleeding"

Kaguya dismissed her with her hand after she wiped the blood with a napkin. "Mikasa, my time in this world is limited, you must already know that"

Mikasa nodded her head as she retook her seat. Kaguya then continued speaking.

"Our kind cannot live on this world without the use of vessels, which is why I do not intend to stay." She rose up from her seat as she spoke.

Mikasa felt her heart sink again with the reminder that she was of no use to the Otsusuki but she tried to hide her emotions. "So when do you plan on leaving?"

"Soon" Kaguya replied. "But until then, I must wait and see if the Hyuuga fails me or not."

Kaguya looked at the fire burning in the fireplace. Watching the flames consume the firewood reminded her of her own dwindling lifespan. She was beginning to grow impatient with Hinata, but for now she just had to wait a little more.