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Now let's continue:
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"What happened? Are you guys okay?!" Sakura burst into the room where Sasuke and the others were recovering from their previous fight against the Eight-Tailed beast. Thankfully, Denka tracked and guided Sakura and Itachi to where Sasuke was.
With great difficulty, Sasuke managed to defeat the Eight-Tails. They decided to head towards one of Orochimaru's nearby abandoned hideouts to recover. The damage they had sustained from their battle was quite severe, and they had indeed underestimated their opponents.
"W-what happened to you?" Sakura quickly approached Sasuke, who was sitting on a chair in the corner of the room, and kneeled in front of him, taking in the bruises."You're hurt!"
"Sakura..." he called out to her when he saw the worry on her face. Her hands were trembling slightly, and she was out of breath. She must have rushed to him after hearing the news from Denki. He did indeed inform Denki to force the reverse-summon Jutsu to catch Sakura's attention, but he didn't mean for her to panic.
"A-and you, Suigetsu?" Sakura quickly looked over her shoulder and noticed her friend inside a giant water tank.
"J-Jugo? What happened to you?!" she continued her questioning when she saw her friend not only shrunken down but also looking a bit younger.
"It's okay, Sakura. We are fine," Jugo calmly answered. "Sasuke's chest got blown open, but I restored it using my own flesh. The progress, however, caused me to regress in physical age, giving me the appearance of a young child."
"W-what?!" Sakura yelled and quickly looked at Sasuke in disbelief. Without asking for permission, she zipped his shirt down and placed her hand on his chest.
Sakura's heart raced as she felt the remnants of Jugo's chakra pulsing faintly within Sasuke. The area around the jagged wound was healing, but slowly—far too slowly for her liking. A bruise radiated outwards, darkening his skin, and she bit her lip with concern.
"The wound isn't life-threatening anymore, thanks to you, Jugo. Thank you, "Sakura said with her eyes closed, still focusing on Sasuke's wounds. Her hand moved instinctively, pushing chakra into his wound and healing the remnants.
"I healed him too, you know," Karin mumbled bitterly.
"Where is Itachi?" Sasuke wondered as he leaned against the wooden table beside him, surrendering to the healing energy Sakura channeled through her palms."Karin said she sensed two people approaching this hideout."
"Outside, dealing with the person who tailed you," she answered. With a deep breath, she let go of Sasuke's chest as soon as she finished healing him.
"Sakura...I'm not okay..."Suigetsu announced. "Karin left behind my executioner's blade!"
"Shut up, Suigetsu!" Karin yelled," Just be thankful we didn't leave you behind too!"
"How dare you! You were passed out as well, Karin!" Suigetsu snapped back.
"I ended up that way from protecting you all!"Karin quickly replied, her voice laced with annoyance.
Sakura couldn't help but chuckle at the playful bickering between her friends, feeling the tension in the air dissipate slightly. "Looks like you guys are as lively as ever, huh?"
"Just typical idiot banter," Sasuke replied, his voice strained but relieved to see Sakura,
"You really shouldn't have rushed in like that. I just wanted to inform you of what happened."
"Yes, it was reckless," Itachi's voice suddenly broke through the doorway, reclaiming everyone's attention as he stepped inside, his expression unreadable."But it was right to be concerned."
Sakura felt a wave of relief wash over her at seeing him safe. "What happened outside, Itachi?"
"Don't worry. It was taken care of, "Itachi explained, leaning against the wall.
"I'm sorry..."Sakura stared at the ground, her expression filled with guilt, tears threatening to spill over. If she hadn't sent him to go help a comrade, this wouldn't have happened. She only asked him to do this as a distraction so she and Itachi could sneak into the Leaf Village.
"It wasn't your fault, Sakura," Suigetsu reassured softly, observing her conflict.
"Thank you for your help," Sakura looked down at Denki, who was sitting on the ground next to her. She gave him one final pet before undoing her summoning.
"What exactly happened?" Itachi asked as he looked at Sasuke.
"Your friend that you wanted me to get was killed," Sasuke announced. "He tried to persuade me once more, and this time I answered that I would think about it. Maybe he would leave me alone for the time being until I could figure out what his true goal is."
Relief washed over her upon hearing this. Sakura felt a strange sense of comfort wrap around her heart, even amidst the chaos. Sasuke didn't fall for Tobi's manipulations, but how did he still end up in such a dangerous situation?
"But how...and why did you fight the Eight-Tails?" Sakura asked.
"It was a setup by Tobi. We didn't know he was the Eight-Tails, but he saw us together with Tobi and assumed we were also part of the Akatsuki," Suigetsu answered, "And that bastard disappeared on us."
"He didn't persuade you once more to get another rejection. Even if you refused him again, he would still force you to do the dirty work—backing you into a corner and hoping you would finally accept his offer," Itachi interjected.
Sakura looked away, clenching her fists. What did he want with Sasuke?
XXXXXXXXXX
"Shizunne..." Sakura called out to a certain someone who was sitting on the ground, looking helplessly at her unconscious friend. Startled by a sudden voice from behind and certainly not the voice she had least expected, Shizune jumped up and took a defensive pose.
"You know, for an unconscious Hokage, this place lacks security..." Sakura continued, her brow furrowing as she assessed the situation.
Shizune, still on edge, lowered her hands slowly, recognizing Sakura's familiar face adorned with concern rather than conflict.
"Sakura!" she exclaimed, her voice low but urgent. "What are you doing here?! What do you want?!"
"Relax, I'm here to help you. Besides, I'm just a clone..." Sakura said, stepping closer while keeping her tone calm. "I couldn't just stand by when I heard the news about Lady—about Tsunade."
Shizune glanced down at Tsunade, lying on a futon, her youthful transformation faded away. The sight made Shizune's heart sink deeper." She used Lady Katsuya's Jutsu to protect everyone in the village, and she's been unconscious ever since. We don't know when she'll regain consciousness. If at all..."
"And Danzo used this opportunity to become the next Hokage..." Sakura finished, a fire igniting in her emerald eyes.
"So you've already heard about that... then no surprise that you already know what his first order as the Hokage is, "Shizune replied. "You shouldn't even be here. Even if you are just a clone."
"I came here to help. That's all," Sakura shrugged her shoulders. "But I do need some answers."
"Answers?" Shizune repeated, crossing her arms. "What kind of answers?"
Sakura took a deep breath, lowering her voice, "Just some information I need about Danzo."
"Don't you think this goes both ways? I also—no, Lady Tsunade deserved some answers about why you betrayed the village, why you betrayed her."
"Ask all you want, but you won't get the answers from me. Stop wasting my time. Do you want my help or not?"
Shizune nodded slightly. Sakura smiled softly, an expression filled with warmth and gratitude, and started with her first question.
"I know this has been one chaotic situation, but I need you to think long and hard about whether Danzo aided the village with his men when Pain attacked."
Shizune hesitated, glancing back at Tsunade. The memories of their past battles and sacrifices surged within her.
"I believe... I haven't seen a single one in my area..." She hesitated, the worry evident in her eyes.
Sakura's heart raced. Itachi was right. Seeing the situation and how fast Danzo acted to become the next Hokage, he guessed that Danzo must have predicted the outcome and must have refused to aid the village just for Tsunade to go beyond her limit to protect the village. Knowing his true nature, Itachi guessed that Danzo had hoped that Tsunade would die in battle instead of slipping into a coma. And now that he had succeeded in becoming Hokage, it wouldn't surprise Sakura that he would do anything to prevent losing his Hokage title. Even if it meant assassinating Tsunade.
Satisfied with her honest answer, Sakura slowly approached Tsunade, placing one hand on her forehead and the other on her chest. Concentrating her chakra, Sakura closed her eyes. She felt the faint warmth of Tsunade's life force, but it was weak, flickering like a candle in a storm. With the little chakra she had inside this clone, she channeled almost everything into Tsunade's.
Shizune watched anxiously as Sakura channeled her chakra into Tsunade, feeling the air around them thrum with power.
"She is not in danger. I've transferred almost all of my chakra to her to hasten the progress, but it is entirely up to Tsunade herself to wake up from this coma," Sakura opened her eyes, a sense of resignation mixed with hope swirling within her.
"Her spirit is a force of nature, and if anyone can pull through this, it's her."
Shizune's eyes glistened with unshed tears, a mixture of gratitude and despair flowing within her. "Thank you, Sakura... but—"
"Pretend I was never here. You never saw me and you never gave me any information about Danzo. I mean, you technically didn't, so you won't be in danger," Sakura interjected, her voice steady.
"I fear after this we might do something that will label us as true traitors of the Leaf Village, and if I'm completely honest, I don't mind... I don't care."
Sakura's declaration hung in the air like a heavy fog, the weight of her words pressing down on both shivering souls in that dimly lit room. Shizune's heart raced. She wanted to ask Sakura what she was talking about, but Sakura released her Clone before doing so.
As the clone dissipated into a puff of smoke, Shizune felt an overwhelming sense of isolation wash over her. The room was silent save for the soft, rhythmic breathing of Tsunade, who lay as still as a whispering breeze. Shizune exhaled sharply, her mind racing with thoughts of betrayal and the imminent danger that loomed over them.
XXXXXXXXXXX
Back to where Sakura and the others were. Sakura was leaning against a wall, eyes closed, as the memories of her clone entered her mind.
Sakura let out a sigh as she glanced back toward Sasuke and the others. The difficult part was about to begin. She needed to inform Sasuke of everything that had happened and how she had snuck back to the Village.
Sasuke's eyes met hers—unspoken communication flowing between them. He was waiting for her to say what was bothering her.
"You were right, Itachi," Sakura began, her voice barely above a whisper, feeling the weight of the truth pressing down on her shoulders.
"There is something you should know, Sasuke..."Sakura took a deep breath, "Itachi and I went back to the Leaf Village..."
Sakura felt the tension in the room crackle like electricity. Sasuke's expression shifted from concern to anger as he processed her words.
"What?!" he exclaimed, slamming his palm on the table, the wood splintering under the force of his frustration. "Why would you do something that reckless?!"
"It wasn't reckless, Sasuke! I had sent someone to keep an eye on the Leaf Village, and he informed me that Pain from the Akatsuki had attacked the village. I had to see it for myself. My parents—I needed to see the damage myself..." she argued back.
"And you!" Sasuke looked at his older brother." You are pretending you are dead! Remember!? What if someone saw you? Is the Leaf Village really that important to you?! Oh right, I forgot, don't answer that question. I already have my answer; our clan is dead."
"Sasuke...don't put this on Itachi. He insisted on coming along because he knew I was being reckless and refused to let me go alone," Sakura interjected, her tone firm as she held Sasuke's gaze. "If it's anyone's fault, it's mine. But I had to know. I just had to see if everyone was okay."
Sasuke's expression remained turbulent, emotions swirling behind his dark eyes like a stormy ocean. "You put yourselves at risk for what? To satisfy your curiosity? You need to think before you act, Sakura!" His voice was low but seethed with barely contained rage.
"It wasn't just curiosity! We managed to get some information you might want to hear but will definitely get mad..." Sakura countered, her hands balled into fists at her sides,
"Tsunade...she's in a coma after going beyond her limitations to protect the village from Pain's attack. Danzo took this opportunity to declare himself the new Hokage."
A heavy silence fell over the room. Suigetsu's eyes widened, and Jugo's expression hardened as he glanced at Sasuke, who remained silent but tense. Itachi's calm demeanor shifted slightly, a flicker of concern crossing his face. How would his little brother take this sudden news?
"Why do I feel like that is not the worst part?" Karin wondered aloud.
"His first order as Hokage is...he announced that you and I are officially missing-nin..." Sakura stared down at the ground. "And now with you attacking the Eight-Tails...the other villages, especially the Land of Lightning, will be eager to take action."
The room fell into a tense silence, the air thick with uncertainty and dread. Each member of Sasuke's team absorbed the weight of Sakura's words. Sasuke's fists clenched tightly, his knuckles turning white as he processed the information.
"Danzo...is Hokage?!" Sasuke's anger that simmered beneath the surface was impossible to ignore."What in the world happened in the Leaf Village?!"
"Who defeated Pain?" Jugo asked.
"Naruto defeated Pain," Itachi answered.
"This Naruto fellow defeated Pain all by himself?" Suigetsu interjected, incredulity etched across his features.
Having had enough of this, Sasuke got up and stormed out of the room, his footsteps echoing down the dimly lit corridor of Orochimaru's hideout. The others exchanged concerned glances, feeling the tension radiating from him like heat from a fire.
"Should we follow him?" Karin asked, her voice a mix of curiosity and worry.
"It's best to let him cool off," Itachi replied and glanced at Sakura, "however..."
"Yeah...I know," Sakura said resolutely, then turned toward the door that Sasuke had stormed through. "I'll talk to him. Wish me luck."
Without waiting for anyone to reply, she strode out, her heart pounding. The long, dim corridor felt colder, shadows stretching ominously as she made her way to find him.
XXXXXXXXXX
Sasuke leaned against a cracked wall at the far end of the hideout, staring blankly into the depths of his thoughts. The knowledge that Danzo had seized power, the one who had backed his older brother into a corner, weighed heavily on him.
The soft patter of footsteps broke through his thoughts, and he turned to see Sakura approaching him. For a moment, she hesitated, sensing his tumultuous emotions swirling in the air like a gathering storm.
"Sasuke," she called out to him, her voice steady but gentle.
"Are you going to say the same thing? Going after Danzo and getting rid of anyone who gets in my way isn't the right way?! They don't deserve that?!" Sasuke snapped, muscles tense, fingers digging into the wall. The anger simmering within him was mixed with confusion and a little bit of sadness.
"We both know that destroying the Leaf Village will not bring back those you lost. It won't give you the peace you seek," Sakura's voice was soft yet resolute, echoing in the cold silence of the abandoned hideout.
Sasuke turned to her, his eyes reflecting the storm of emotions within. "What do you know about peace, Sakura? The village turned its back on my family, on me! And now, the same man who let that happen is in charge!"
"Then we go after Danzo."
"W-what? But you just said—"
"I said destroying the village won't do any good. Danzo, on the other hand, if you want to go after him, I won't stop you. Seeing that he also won't stop until the last Uchiha is dead and his secret is forever hidden," Sakura interrupted, a fierce determination now shining in her emerald eyes.
Sasuke blinked, taken aback. "You want to help me?"
"I won't let you do this alone," she declared firmly, stepping closer as if closing the distance between their hearts. "But just don't be like him. Don't make the same mistake and slaughter innocents."
Sasuke searched Sakura's eyes, desperately trying to find a flicker of doubt, a reason to dismiss her words. But there was none. Instead, he saw a steadfast resolve, a fire that lit up the shadows of doubt clouding his own heart.
"And the Leaf Village?"
"They are dead to us. If it drives you mad how the villagers are living their lives while you and Itachi are suffering, then we are not going back. We will build our own home."
Sasuke's heart raced as he processed Sakura's words. The boldness in her voice resonated deeply within him, igniting a spark of hope he thought had long been extinguished.
"Build our own home?" he echoed, a mixture of disbelief and curiosity lacing his tone, "Together?"
"Together," Sakura reaffirmed, the corner of her mouth lifting into a small, determined smile.
Sasuke couldn't help but doubt for a moment. Why was she willing to go so far for him? At first, it was betraying the village for him and joining Orochimaru. Now, after Orochimaru's death, she chose to stay by his side instead of going back to the Leaf. Now...they were about to become missing-nin. And she was still willing to stay by his side, completely forgetting about the Leaf and never to return. Never return to her parents?
Sakura, sensing his uncertainty, stepped even closer, her determination unwavering, "You've fought battles no one should have to face, Sasuke. But you're not alone now. Not anymore."
Sasuke stared into her eyes, trying to decipher whether she truly believed what she was saying. He had spent so long entrenched in his own vengeance, multiple paths of fury ahead of him, each one shrouded in darkness. But here she was—a light. Would it blind him, or would it guide him back to where he belonged?
"I was a naïve child back when we were still genin together and I'm sorry for not being able to understand you, "Sakura's voice softened, and her gaze sharpened with understanding.
"I might still not fully understand, but I've been by your side, and I'm planning on staying by your side."
With a heavy sigh, Sasuke leaned his head back against the wall, staring at the ceiling. "You are such a pain, you know that?"
Sakura chuckled lightly, the tension visibly lessening. "I've been told that before. Just think of it as my way of showing how much I care," she replied, the warmth of her smile easing the heaviness hanging over them.
Sasuke's lips twitched in a small, rueful smile. "Would it make my life any easier if I told you you're stubborn?"
"Probably not," Sakura admitted, a light laugh escaping her. She stuck her tongue out playfully, and for a moment, the shadows of vulnerability faded into the background, allowing warmth and light to fill the hollow space between them.
"I'm going to step out for a bit. I need some fresh air. And don't worry, after this conversation, I'll stop talking about this. I know you are not comfortable discussing feelings and stuff."
Sasuke nodded, his expression still serious but grateful. He watched as Sakura stepped back, preparing to leave, but he caught her wrist gently before she could walk away.
"Sakura," he began, his voice softer now as he searched for the right words. "Thank you... for being here."
She paused, turning to face him, her eyes wide with surprise. "You don't need to thank me. I chose to be here."
With that, he released her wrist, and Sasuke could see the determination shimmering there. She was resolute, genuinely going to stick by him no matter the storm they faced. As she walked away, he couldn't shake the warmth that filled his heart. For the first time in a long while, a flicker of hope ignited within him.
Outside the ruined hideout, a gentle breeze swept through the trees, whispering secrets of old. Sakura was leaning against a tree, her gaze fixed on the horizon where the sun dipped low, casting hues of orange and purple across the sky like an artist's brush.
"Isn't it beautiful?" she mused, her voice low and contemplative. "You sure you don't need to say anything to your little brother, Itachi?"
Itachi emerged from the shadows, his presence calm and collected, yet shadowed by an air of concern.
"Sasuke is going after Danzo," Sakura informed him without turning, her focus still on the fading light. Itachi's expression remained stoic, yet the words resonated with the gravity of their implications.
"He's angry," Sakura continued, her voice almost a whisper. "Itachi...what if he goes down a darker path? What if he really does destroy the Leaf? What would you do?"
"I'm done manipulating him. I'm done lying to him. Sasuke needs to decide his own path," Itachi answered." After all these years of being lied to, I know and get that he is confused. He has built a lot of hatred towards me all these years, and he doesn't know what to do with it after he learned the truth."
"You are not answering my question, Itachi," Sakura interjected, turning to face him.
"He needs to find his own way, Sakura," Itachi replied softly, his eyes steady but filled with an understanding earned through countless hardships. "I have done all I can. The past cannot be changed, nor can the scars it leaves."
Sakura nodded, sensing the weight of Itachi's words. It felt heavy in her chest, how much pain had been inflicted on them all—each in their own way. Itachi fell silent for a moment, seemingly lost in thought.
"Besides, I believe you would be able to pull him back from the edge if needed," he concluded, his gaze fixed on the horizon, the early twilight casting shadows across the land.
Sakura felt a warmth bloom in her chest at Itachi's words. She took a deep breath, looking out into the distance where the sun was disappearing, just as day turned into night, and the world slipped into a darker hue.
"You once told me that you loved him. Not going to lie, I had some doubts, but now seeing it with my own eyes, I can see how genuine your feelings are for him. You're willing to sacrifice your own happiness, your own life, to be there for him. That kind of bond is rare," Itachi said, a small, wistful smile gracing his lips, "Too bad my little brother is too stubborn to see that."
"You would be surprised at how he had treated me when we were still living in the village, "Sakura chuckled, the sound a mix of sweetness and sorrow."He is more open now. Not completely, but for now, that's better than nothing."
"How was he back when you guys used to live in the village?"
Sakura leaned against the tree, taking a moment to gather her thoughts. "He was intense. Always so serious, like he carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. He would never tell me or Team Seven anything. It was always silence with him. There was this wall he built around himself—because of everything he suffered after the massacre of the Uchiha clan—and it was hard for anyone to get through."
Itachi nodded thoughtfully, his expression a mix of understanding and concern. What else did he expect? Happy moments?
"I don't know about now...but I know he hated me back then. To be perfectly honest, I had given him the worst first impression. I made a stupid and naïve comment about Naruto being parentless, which, thinking back even now, I still deeply regret," Sakura sighed, glancing down at her hands.
"Naruto and Kakashi. The four of us started going on missions. It was rough back then. Every day was such a challenge, but more than anything, it was so much fun."
As Sakura stood there reminiscing, a gentle breeze rustled the leaves overhead, carrying with it the essence of nostalgia.
"Itachi...I need a favor from you..." Sakura's tone suddenly grew serious as she turned back to face him.
"What is it?" Itachi asked, sensing the gravity in her voice.
~To Be Continued~
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