Ino directed civilians alike as they ran out of the hospital. She watched the patients were escorted through the hallways to the evacuation routes at the back of the building. Some were in the beds, others limped to safety. The Konoha Hospital was on the opposite side of the village from the invading force. She hoped that gave them plenty of time to get them out.
"Hey blondie!" A Suna shinobi ran up to Ino. "Tell me what to do. I'm here to help."
"Who are you?" Ino questioned. "I wasn't aware we had any Suna shinobi admitted."
"I'm not a patient. Just visiting. My name is Kaito. I was Lady Temari's escort." He followed Ino's motions and helped direct people out of the hospital. "Now, what the hell is going on?"
"Konoha is under attack. I'm not quite sure by who." Ino stated. "Most of the patients have been escorted out. These are the stragglers. If you're at full strength. Go fight the enemy. That's what I'm going to do once the hospital is clear."
Shockwaves from a massive explosion shook the building. Ino had to hold on to the railing to stay upright. Malicious chakra soaked the air briefly as the shockwaves died down. Kaito looked towards the explosion.
"That was…unreal!"
"What kind of jutsu can do something like that?!" Ino took a moment to regain herself from the jerking.
"Something I hope is on our side." Kaito took off running. "I need to find Lady Temari!"
Ino had a feeling she knew where she was. "Look for Shikamaru Nara! He'll probably know!"
-Explosion Center-
The explosion reacted violently. Shockwaves punished the surrounding area and shook the earth. The blinding white light covered Konoha like a blanket of snow, only for it to disappear within a few moments. But the devastation left behind was comparable to a wasteland.
A large, boiling crater remained as smoke slowly plumed from the burnt ground. Two figured remained. Somehow. In his transformed state, Han practically shook off the explosive chakra with ease. The malicious chakra that cloaked him showed no signs of damage. Unscathed from a Bijūdama.
Terrifying power.
The other jinchūriki laid unconscious on the ground. Naruto had used Tojin to absorb most of the blast. But the powerful blade could only do so much against a nuclear level attack at point blank range. It was only his status as a jinchūriki that Naruto survived the attack.
But his body paid the price. Covered in burns and blood, he was almost unrecognizable.
Five tails slowly whipped behind Han. The jinchūriki waited for his opponent to awaken. A silent moment passed and the jinchūriki disappeared, creating more havoc and devastation as he went.
In the epicenter of the smoldering pit, Naruto's will faded as did his consciousness. He was tired. He was hurt. He needed rest.
But the feral wanted to awaken.
The feral wanted blood.
-With Sakura-
The strength behind the concussive blast decimated the air with waves of destruction and chaos. Everyone fell due to the power of the Bijū.
Tenten crashed into a pile of debris and Sakura tumbled around until she smacked against a fallen wall. The young Chūnin regained her bearings quickly and grabbed Sakura again.
"C'mon! We're almost to the hospital!"
"S-Stop!"
Her adrenaline had drained completely out and her realistic mind took back over. Her trained mind. Sakura gently felt her eyes and realized her injuries weren't as bad as she first thought. She could easily heal this herself and get back into the fight. Get back to Naruto.
And if that blast was any indication, Naruto was the target.
Sakura focused her chakra to her hands and slowly healed her burns and swollen eyes. Eventually, she able to see again. Blurry and disorientated. But her vision was restored, nonetheless.
Tenten was in pure awe. Despite the Hokage's being her role model, medical ninjutsu was a foreign art to her. It was Tsunade's determination and reputation that attracted Tenten to admire the Fifth Hokage. "That's amazing, Sakura! Lady Tsunade must be a great teacher!"
Sakura continued to heal herself. "She is." She stated simply. With her pain subsided and her vision restored, Sakura figured out the location of the blast and took off.
"Sakura wait!"
"Gotta get to Naruto now!"
Tenten cursed under her breath. She honestly was a bit confused on Sakura loyalty to Naruto. She heard that they were lovers and obviously teammates. But it was hard for her to get past the fact he was a jinchūriki. She didn't hate Naruto for the beast. In fact, she felt sorry for him.
It just wasn't her style to deal with that.
But Neji and Lee were in that direction. She felt obligated to follow her.
Sakura could almost smell the burnt ground, and she was halfway across the village. She leapt across gaps of collapsed buildings, slid underneath broken walkways, and ran past dozens of confused villagers that were trying to make sense of it all.
The evacuation efforts were near flawless in their design to safely escort the villagers to the catacombs in the Hokage Mountain. But no plan could ever prepare for a damn Bijūdama. Witnessing the destruction of what a fully transformed Bijū can do with that power, she's grateful it was contained to a corner of the village.
"Sakura!"
The familiar voice of her mother caught her attention. Sakura stopped immediately and found both her parents crawling out of a pile of debris.
"Mom! Dad! Are you guys all right?!" She noticed only a few scraps and bruises, nothing life threatening.
"Yes, dear. But what the hell is going on?! We were being evacuated when that huge explosion hit."
"The village is under attack, dad. You guys need to keep going to the catacombs. It's not safe here."
"Then take us there! Or go fight the enemy. Do something!" Mebuki's old shinobi training was beginning to kick in.
"I can't, mom." Sakura shouted. Her adrenaline was running high again. She needed to keep moving. "I gotta find Naruto before I do anything!"
Mebuki's hatred for him immediately reared its ugly face. "This is not the time to look for that boy! He's the whole reason for this, isn't he?! For once, Sakura, listen to me and let that boy go!"
"No!" Sakura returned with her anger. "I will never leave him! I made him a promise! Either help me or get out of my way!" She leapt over the elder couple and continued on.
Mebuki, frustrated and understandably anger, turned and followed her daughter. "I'm going to follow her. Head to the catacombs."
"Wait, Mebuki!" Kizashi called out. "This situation is beyond us! We should go to the catacombs and wait for Sakura there."
"How can you say that, Kizashi?! This is our daughter! We need to get her away!"
"We don't have that ability anymore! She's a woman now and we can't control her!" Kizashi's bottled up frustration came uncorked. "That boy has been her teammate for years now and nothing has happened! Let go of your anger towards him! Like I have!"
Mebuki glared at her husband as war waged around them. It had been a long time since Kizashi had raised his voice against her like this. He knew why she couldn't stand the sight of jinchūriki. For him to say 'let it go' was more than insulting.
It was repulsive. Mebuki could no longer stand the sight of her husband.
She turned in the direction her daughter went.
"If you think I'll ever forgive that monster for killing my siste…then you're a bigger fool then our daughter. Goodbye, Kizashi."
"Mebuki wait!"
It was too late, Mebuki jumped away.
-With Tsunade-
"Lady Katsuyu?"
The small clone of the large slug glanced up at her summoner. After all the training and battles together, Tsunade could tell when her summon had discovered something unsettling. The slightest shift was telling to the Hokage.
The white and blue slug trembled. "…There's a transformed jinchūriki loose in the village…"
Both Jiraiya and Danzō snapped towards the slug on Tsunade's shoulder. Jiraiya was visibly more shaken than Danzō was. A statement to both their experiences. Jiraiya had dealt with a transformed jinchūriki before and was not fond of their power. While Danzō had been prepared for this exact scenario for years. It was time for his experiment to pay off.
"It can't be…"
"Is it Naruto?"
Katsuyu shook her head. "No. He is currently unconscious. He was the target of that explosion and took it head on. I'm surprised he survived."
Tsunade looked on towards the epicenter of the 9- explosion. The smoke cleared enough to see the damage. That entire section of Konoha was smoldering ash. The surrounding area near the crater was devastated and overran with Iwa and Kumo shinobi. The Hokage realized this starting to become a much larger up hill battle.
"Konoha…is overrun."
"It has not fallen yet!" Danzō's stern voice rang through the two Sannin's ears. "Konohagakure has stood for decades! This is not the day the Tree is cut down!" Two ROOT operatives appeared next to the man. "Alert Yamato that his 'gift' finally has some use! Divert Sections Omega and Echo towards the jinchūriki! Delay that beast until Yamato arrives!"
"Yes, Lord Danzō!"
The two operatives disappeared to deliver the messages to those directed. Danzō impatiently watched his operatives quickly execute his orders. It was a matter of minutes before Yamato's Mokuton was seen growing from the ground and the roars of a caged beast echoed into the air.
Jiraiya was impressed. The ROOT Division were involved in a lot of things and did terrible in the name of Konoha. But holy hell they were fast!
"With a jinchūriki on the loose, I think it would be best if the two Sannin finally entered the battle. It'll sway things back into our favor."
Jiraiya was starting to get annoyed by how much him and Danzō were agreeing on things. He was considering the same thing. Fighting a transformed jinchūriki is something that needed experience and the strength to match. Himself, Tsunade, and Kakashi were the only few that could do that. Yamato and Gai were fail safes.
"He's right, Tsunade. We should head out and join. They won't last against a transformed beast like that."
"I'll manage the forces from here and direct as needed." Danzō would gladly make the decisions Tsunade would not. "Slug, split once more and go with them. That way, we'll all be in the loop."
The female Sannin nodded as Katsuyu split into another and crawled off her. "Fine. Let's go, Jiraiya."
-With Sakura-
She ran as fast as she could. Something that powerful could have seriously harmed Naruto. Definitely worse than any injury he'd ever had before. She needed to get to him before something bad happened. Or something else took over.
Whether be the enemy or not.
"Sakura wait!"
Hearing her mother's voice only pushed her to go faster. Dealing with her was the last thing Sakura wanted to have right now. Their family issues could wait until after this whole ordeal was over with.
The destruction became more evident as Sakura approached the site. Surprisingly, there was no enemy in the area. A huge blessing. But her slight hopes were crushed as soon as her emerald eyes saw the crater.
Black ash and charred debris surrounded a large crater, roughly one hundred meters in diameter. And at the center was the object of her affection and purpose.
As she sprinted down to him, she could see the burns and blood. She was terrified to touch him, out of fear that she would cause him severe pain. But he was completely unconscious. He wouldn't feel a thing. She gripped his clothes and could feel the heat radiating off his skin.
"C'mon…be okay!"
Her chakra had just ignited around her hands. The heat from his burns instantly calmed. And her own anxiety slowly washed into her hands. He was going to make it. She had made it.
Sakura was yanked back and thrown to the ground. Mebuki had stopped her daughter from healing Naruto.
Oh, fuck no.
"Sakura, have you not heard me?!"
Sakura's fury roared as she got in her mother's face. They stood at the same height, each boiling with anger with every inch.
"What in the absolute hell are you doing?! I have to heal him!"
"No, you don't! I've put up with this shit long enough! Sakura, I'm your damn mother and you will listen to my orders!"
"Fuck what you have to say! Naruto's my teammate and he's hurt!" Sakura's hands balled into fists. "Why'd you stop me?!"
"Because he's a monster! A literal abomination that doesn't deserve half the things he has! He's killed so many and will continue to do that until he's killed himself!"
"Then what does he deserve?!" Sakura had never felt such anger towards another person. Tears formed in her eyes, blurring her vision.
"To be hated! To be alone!"
Sakura cracked her fist across her mother's face and pushed her to the ground. Hard. Breathing heavily through her disbelief at what she had just done, Sakura moved past her mother to finally heal Naruto.
"I won't allow anyone to talk about Naruto like that. No matter who it is."
Mebuki rubbed her tender jaw. She has never felt a punch like that. "This just proves how twisted your mind has become. He has manipulated you into doing this. Your blinded, Sakura. And as your mother…" The woman stood and took a fighting stance. "…I'll do whatever it takes."
Sakura turned to face her mother, disbelief filling her even more. Her mother was willing to physically fight her? All because of Naruto?
Unbelievable.
Truly remarkable.
Mebuki's hatred for Naruto, because of the Kyūbi, ran so deep that she was willing to come to blows with her own daughter. Sakura's mind wasn't the one who was twisted into blind fury. It was Mebuki who had become blind. Blind to her own hatred and her own words that she once spoke to her daughter as a child.
And the cycle continues.
"M-Mom?"
"I'm...sorry. But you leave me no choice." There was sadness, but she hid it behind her anger.
A silent moment passed. The two women stared at each other. One filled with disbelief and sadness. The other blinded by hatred and protective instinct.
Blood.
Suddenly, a dangerous chakra spiked. The air shifted as red, murderous chakra covered Naruto's body, pulling him to his feet. It bubbled like boiling water, hot and ready to explode like a volcano of destruction.
The feral was taking over.
Realization set in; Sakura was unsure of what to do. Naruto wasn't doing this. She knew it was the Kyūbi releasing its chakra through him. Memories of a few years ago surfaced. The wild beast he had become before Gaara had stopped him.
She prayed for a miracle. But she knew it wasn't coming. It was up to her. She put her hands up in a friendly, non-threatening manner to show that she was not his enemy.
"Naruto…hey it's me. Sakura."
"Back away Sakura! He'll kill you!"
"Don't speak mother! Once he realizes it's me, he'll calm down!"
She hoped.
Sakura took a step closer, while taking in a nervous breath. 'You can do this. Just be calm.'
She pushed through the murderous chakra and placed a hand on his shoulder. The cloak burned her, but she could heal it later. Chakra burns weren't all that different from regular burns, just a matter of experience. Getting Naruto back in control was the priority. Nothing else matter to her in this moment. Not the village. Not her bigot of a mother.
Just her and him. Like how it was supposed to be. Just how she wanted it.
"Naruto, listen to my voice. It's me. I'm here for you. Please." She felt muscles relax. She placed her hand on his forehead. A quick shot of chakra would knock him out. It wouldn't take much. "It's okay. Lean into me. I have you."
Naruto's body felt relaxed for a moment. Sakura believed she had done it.
Oh, how wrong she was.
A chakra tail whipped and cracked her upside the head. Her body flopped and rolled to a chilling halt a few meters away. She was out like a damn light.
"SAKURA!"
Mebuki charged in. Outclassed and outmatched, she knew she wasn't going win. But she was going to die trying to take this monster with her. Every attack the former shinobi attempted either had no effect on the beast or simply was smacked away by one of three fox-like chakra tails. On all fours, the beast was impossible to touch.
The beast didn't move. He remained in a single position, watching his prey desperately fight for her pathetic life. His tails blocked every attack, physical or ninjutsu.
It was satisfying to watch for the beast.
But he needed more.
The beast extended his hand and the chakra cloak reached out to capture Mebuki in its claw-like grasp. The chakra burned Mebuki fiercely, creating second degree burns near instantly. The claw brought Mebuki into the beast's real hands. His sharpened nails dug into the woman's neck.
Mebuki held onto what air she could. She couldn't even feel the pain of the burns anymore. Her last moments were upon her.
Defiant to the end.
"I always knew you'd be the one to kill me. You damn monster…!" Mebuki mustered up what spit she could and shot it into the Beast's scarlet eyes. It never made it. The cloak evaporated the wad. "Do it! You fucking monster! Send me home! Let me see my sister!"
Crack.
The sickening snap of the spine echoed. Her body went limp, dangling as life left her body. A depressing thud as her body hit the ground.
Mebuki Haruno was killed by the Beast.
And she would not be his only victim on this day.
The Beast remained for a moment, admiring his first kill in a very long time. The sensation was almost euphoric. The sound of the last breath was like symphony. He glanced over at the form of the unconscious daughter.
Another easy prey.
But his body would not move. Something was preventing the Beast to advance towards Sakura. Hands and feet were cemented in place. The body struggled to move while the pillars remained strong. In the deep corridors of the body they shared, Naruto was still there. Still fighting for control.
No matter what became of him, Naruto would never harm Sakura by his own hand.
The Beast turned and leapt away.
The Feral would be fed.
-Bijū vs Konoha-
Dozens of wooden pillars held down the malicious jinchūriki, stopping him from rampaging any more. Yamato broke away from his fight against Darui and Kitsuchi with Kakashi and Gai to restrain the enemy jinchūriki, all by the order of Danzō and his ROOT Operatives. He hasn't been a part of that organization in a long time, but he still took orders from that man.
'I'm not sure how the First Hokage's Jutsu will work on him. Without the necklace, the technique has nothing to channel through. But it's only option I have!'
Yamato signaled for the other shinobi to back off. It could, and would, get ugly fast.
Yamato flashed a series of hand seals as a kanji for 'sit' formed on his palm. He ran up and slammed his hand on the jinchūriki's chest. Four pillars with rock spikes grew from the soil, each spike began to forcefully suppression the malicious chakra.
"Hokage-Shiki Jijun Jutsu: Kakuan Nitten Suishu!" (Hokage Style Elder Jutsu: Tenth Edict on Enlightenment)
Yamato's chakra began to wrap around the jinchūriki, shrinking the malicious chakra. But the suppression didn't last long.
The jinchūriki pulsated it's chakra and blew away Yamato and his wooden pillars away. The Wood User landed on his feet, covering his eyes from the flying splinters.
"Knew that was coming. But it was worth a shot."
Now, he needed to come up with a new plan of action to defeat this beast.
"Kuchiyose: Yatai Kuzushi no Jutsu!" (Summoning: Bring Down the House Jutsu)
Falling from the sky, a larger toad landed directly onto of the jinchūriki, violently shaking the ground. The toad crushed Han underneath it's massive size and weight. Atop of the toad was the Toad Sannin himself, grinning like a giddy madman. While his counterpart, Tsunade, held such a bored expression. She had seen this entrance a thousand times. That what it felt like to her anyway.
"Do not fear, Jiraiya the Gallant is here!"
Cheers from the surrounding shinobi echoed the area. Two of the strongest in the village arrived to help them with the rampaging beast with five tails. For Yamato, it was of great relief. He was completely at a loss for how to best the jinchūriki.
"Lady Tsunade, Lord Jiraiya…Thank you." The man greeted with a smile. "I wasn't sure how I was going to restrain him."
"We still have to come up with something." Jiraiya announced. "My toad won't hold him for long."
Yamato nodded and readied himself. He figured he could create enough restricting binders that could render the beast incapacitated until a solid plan of action could be executed. But his ninjutsu was tailored towards restraining the Kyūbi, not other Bijū.
Tsunade stood before him. "Did you attempt my grandfather's Jutsu?"
"Yes ma'am. As I suspected, it didn't work. The necklace is the binding key I need for the Jutsu to properly suppress the Bijū's chakra."
"I figured as much. But, at least, we know for future situations, if the need arises."
"We're at war, Lady Tsunade. It'll happen again."
The Hokage feared that Yamato was right. But now was not the time to dwell on that. The battle was at hand. And things were heating up.
"Lady Tsunade!" Katsuyu crawled out from Tsunade's clothes near her breasts. How Jiraiya would love to live in there. "The enemy forces! They're retreating!"
"They're what?!"
"A ROOT Operative just confirmed it with Lord Danzō. It seems in the aftermath of the blast; the enemy began a retreat. I'm not sure how many remain but their numbers inside the village are dwindling."
A sense of relief waves through Tsunade's mind. Her village had survived the attack and would live on another day. All that was left to do was figure out a way to complete immobilize the enemy jinchūriki.
Nothing was ever easy.
Malicious chakra pulsed through the air once more, alerting everyone of the coming threat. Ensuring the safety of his summon, Jiraiya released the Jutsu and sent the toad back to the mountain. This fight was going to become so much more than a low-level toad could handle.
The beast began to grow and transform. Screams of fear and pain drowned the malicious air as the beast towered over them all.
Five white tails whipped slowly but with immense power. The horse beast moved it's dolphin-like head to show the sharpness of the horns attached. For those who were there, the beast before them paled in comparison to the Kyūbi.
But the terror was equal.
Tsunade felt like an ant about to be crushed when standing in the shadow of the Gobi.
Jiraiya didn't feel like getting crushed today.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
Calling forth the mighty Gamabunta, Jiraiya and Tsunade now stood at the same height as the Bijū before them.
Gamabunta grunted with a puff of smoke. "Not this shit again…"
Jiraiya's nervous chuckle only annoyed the large toad more. "Sorry Bunta…we'll toast to a drink later. Deal?"
Gamabunta huffed. "You've said that the last three times you've summoned me. What's the difference this time?"
"I'll hold him to it." Tsunade chimed in. "But we can worry about that later. For now, we need to get this beast under control."
The toad looked towards the top of his head. "Is that Tsunade up there? The slug herself?"
"Yeah yeah. Now, let's go bug breath. Heads up!"
Unsheathing his tanto, Gamabunta blocked the charging Bijū. The sharpness of the horns sparked against his blade. Like an angry donkey, the Gobi swiftly turned and kicked Gamabunta with its back legs.
The Gobi charged again. The spears for horns aimed for the belly of the toad. Tsunade jumped off the head and used her monstrous strength to redirect the beast with a single kick.
The beast fell to the ground, rumbling the earth.
Shinobi around were in awe.
"A-Amazing!"
"Such strength!"
Yamato could only imagine what that woman was truly capable. A simple kick floored a Biju. Terrifying.
How Jiraiya was attracted to that woman escaped the man entirely.
"Now Yamato!"
Wood erupted from the ground and encased in the Bijū. The attempt to restrain lasted a few moments but proved to be merely helpless. The Gobi fiercely broke through the restraints and charged once more.
"Bunta! Jump!"
"Don't order me around!"
The large toad leapt high into the air. Gamabunta came down with a vengeance and landed directly onto other rampaging beast. The summon grabbed the Gobi by the horns and slammed its head into the ground.
"Settle you overgrown horse!"
"Spit some oil, Bunta! Burn it out!"
Tsunade waved off the remaining shinobi to safety. Yamato remained by her side to shield her from the impending flames. Oil coated the Bijū and Jiraiya ignited the flames from his mouth.
"Katon: Gamayu Endan!" (Fire Style: Toad Flame Bomb)
The Bijū screamed as the flames burned its fur and flesh. Gamabunta jumped off and the fire do the job. The flames burned the Bijū alive, it did not faulter.
In fact, the Gobi stood up. More pissed than before. The horrific chakra began to gather at the mouth of the Gobi.
Dejected, Jiraiya's tool belt of Jutsu really didn't compare up to Bijū. There wasn't much in his arsenal that could somehow suppress the being into submission. His chakra suppression seals were specifically created for Naruto. He knew the inter-workings of his seal because Minato left him the seal key on the scroll toad, Gamatora.
Then he would have to beat the Bijū. With force. Just like his student.
Clasping his hands together, Jiraiya began to draw in natural energy. It was time for his namesake to come of use.
Tsunade saw what her teammate was going to do. She knew he needed time. Time that he did not have. But would it be enough? She hoped it would be.
"Konoha! Get ready to hit this fucking thing with everything you have!"
Yamato's Mokuton wrapped around the Bijū's belly, holding it in place for moment. Long enough for the others prepare the rest of the assault.
Reminiscent of years past, Konoha launched massive counter attacks against the Bijū with the Hokage at the helm. Shouting out orders and issuing the specific Jutsu as needed. Fireballs, tools, and everything in between ravaged the Gobi.
The Gobi wailed in pain. Yamato's restraints tighten and forced the Bijū to the ground. More wooden constructs encased the Bijū, making it extremely difficult for the Gobi to move.
The Bijū's concentration faulted and the Bijūdama simply dissolved. It had not yet reached its point of no return.
Dozens more restraints of all varieties came from the shinobi and ANBU of Konoha. The Gobi fought as hard as it could, but even with the immense power it could not overcome the Will of Fire.
With one final hit of good measure, Jiraiya and Tsunade came flying with enhanced strength. Straight to the Bijū's dolphin head.
"Tsūtenkyaku!" (Heavenly Kick of Pain) They shouted together.
The resounding smack of the two Sannin echoed throughout the land. Telling those to not attack Konoha ever again.
Konoha had beaten the Gobi.
-Explosion Center-
"Lee! Tenten! Over here!"
"Oh my god! What the hell happened here?!"
The voices were faint but caught Sakura's attention. The familiar voice of Neji pulled her out of her own consciousness. Sakura crawled slowly. Using what strength she could muster to pull herself forward. There was only one thing in her sight.
Her mother's body.
She wasn't sure when, or why, but her father had arrived to cradle his dead wife in his arms. He cried and screamed for her to wake up. But the only movement was him shaking her.
But Sakura knew her mother was gone. She watched it happen.
She felt it.
Both Neji and Tenten attempted to give some sort of medical aid. But they both knew there was nothing could be done. Neji used his dōjutsu to see the skeleton. The spine was completely severed from the base of the neck. Chakra burns were so serious that her muscles were charred to the deepest level.
Honestly, Sakura was surprised that she was able to stay conscious enough to even realize what she saw. That was the hardest hit she had ever taken. Not even Tsunade mustered up that much strength during training. But no matter how much she demanded her body to move to help her mother fight off The Beast. It simply wouldn't move.
Sakura was trapped in her body and forced to watch…something kill her mother.
That something was Naruto.
The Beast had consumed Naruto and killed her mom.
Was there a difference between what that thing was and who Naruto was a person? Absolutely. There was never a doubt in Sakura's mind about that. Did she care to differentiate the two?
No. Not anymore.
And she was willing to risk it all to find that bastard and hurt him. Badly.
Kizashi watched his daughter forcefully push herself to stand. He could see her will and determination. The spitting image of her mother. That fire to keep getting up and fighting. Kizashi could clearly see his wife would live on in their daughter.
"Make that monster hurt, Sakura…"
The chūnin remained for a moment, looking at her mother once more. "…I'm going to…"
Neji grabbed Sakura's shoulder, holding her in place before she jumped. "Think about what you're doing. It's still Naruto…" He almost wasn't convinced himself.
"…I don't care…he killed my mom."
Sakura jumped and followed the monstrous roar.
Author Notes;
And thus begins the Turn. This is where things really start to divert. And quite honestly, this hunk of the story that we're getting into is what truly inspired me to begin writing so long ago. I've had other scenes and storylines that helped me start writing (Naruto fighting Orochimaru in the Chūnin Exams was another) but the 'Turn' is what I latched on to have been planning out for a long time.
The 'Turn' is referring to Sakura's turn against Naruto.
Sakura's mother dying wasn't initially going to be apart of the story. My first thought was to have Naruto have changed her heart over a series of close calls and expressing his feelings about Sakura to her. But having her be the catalyst for Sakura was a much better idea than what I originally had. It was already incorporated with Naruto's 'lie' about Sasuke. But now, it'll hold much more meaning and substance.
And to clear confusion, the Beast and the feral are the same. The manifestation of the feral is the Beast. Different from the Kyūbi. It'll be explained.
And that little preview scene from last chapter makes a bit more sense now doesn't it? No? Well, it will soon enough. Can't wait to continue that.
Honestly, I like doing little previews like that and have these little authors notes. Gives the story more character, I think at least. A Voice in the Wind by tricksie is a prime example. I love that story. Mildly inspired by it. Also, ever read The Yellow Fang by Policy? Good read, unfinished and dark as hell. But still good. I've taken a stab at writing style and blended it with my own. Leave a comment if you think it works.
Later.