Chapter 96. With you here.

Tsunade stared in horror at the new arrivals.

The ones before were either tired, injured slightly, or were in the way of immediate death. Although Tsunade overcame her fears to help them, it wasn't as bad as the war. Then again, there weren't a lot of shinobi present to begin with. The jonin sensei of the participating Genins, the exam proctors, and the Kage's guards were the only shinobis in the land of iron. They were the reason most that arrived were samurais and not shinobis.

The two things Tsunade didn't expect to arrive injured were civilians, since they were already here, and the Kages. She grits her teeth as she glances at her teacher's mangled body. He was already so old; why was he fighting to this extent? Sakura's summons surrounded the bodies, offering first aid as the medics made room for the Kages. Tsunade could already tell their injury wasnt simple.

Tsunade looked over her shoulder and saw Ibiki's baffled face. The other exam proctors looked horrified. Seeing your Kage in such a sorry state will do that to anyone. Tsunade sighed and stepped forward; she needed to take control of the situation to stop a panic.

"Let's get them a room!" she ordered. "Shizune, gather the many medics.

"Right!" her student complied, running off.

"Anko, there's signs of poisoning. I'm going to need antidotes!" she ordered.

"Consider it done."

"Ibiki!" she turned to the man, who was now stone cold. "I want a report of what happened as I leave the operation room!"

"Yes, Ma'am," he said, turning with a flourish and barking orders. The Investigation division gathered at their leader's call before scattering to fulfill his orders.

"I don't see the Mizukage," Ibiki commented. She had noticed that as well and frowned at the mention.

"He's a Jinchuriki," she stated. "Perhaps he was able to avoid the fight, or he was taken," she speculated. Ibiki frowned and waved one of his subordinates over, instructing him to find information on the whereabouts of the Mizukage. The shinobi bowed in understanding, and body flickered away.

"With any luck, he's with the other Jinchurikis," Ibiki said.

"Lady, Tsunade!" Shizune called, running towards her master with a crowd of nurses behind her. Most of the medics present were from the land of Iron that didn't study Medical ninjutsu, or any ninjutsu for that matter. They were healers like her and Shizune, so they would have to be support.

"Leave everything here to me," Ibiki said as the medics gathered. "Go on, do what you're best at."

Tsunade smirked.

"Are you talking about gambling?" she asked as he moved to the operating room.

"Everyone knows you suck at gambling," Ibiki told her, earning a glare. The door closed behind them, and Ibiki glanced at the butterflies hanging from the ceiling like bats. He had a gut feeling things wouldn't be the same after this.

"Haruno, you brat," he muttered knowingly.

Madara took charge of the situation. As the one who knew the Host best, he was the leader. No one complained when he took full control over the body; well, no one but Tobirama, who was upset at being called a "Mother," but his opinion didn't matter.

This was a great opportunity. If they could gain the trust of the tail beast, "the plan" would go smoothly.

Sakura smiled at the gathering and ran a hand through Naruto's hair.

"I'm glad you're all well," she said. "I worried you were captured by the enemy when they attacked."

"Thanks to your efforts, we were able to avoid capture and most of the conflict," Saiken said. It was odd seeing a man speak with a lady's voice. Sakura looked at the three tails and smiled.

"It seems I also saved you from a battle of the Kages," she looked off into the distance, frowning. "I didn't even know it was happening," she admitted.

"It caught us off guard," Gyuki reported. "Suddenly, the space around the Raikage warped, and he disappeared. We would have been captured if not for your clones rescuing us."

"So it was like that," Sakura muttered in understanding. Obito's Kamui was overpowered and likely to be a problem for them now. A fond smile came over her face. How Ironic that the power Madara forged was being used against him now.

"Since they're after the tail beast, aren't you also going to be in trouble?" Son Goku asked. Sakura's smile became wicked.

"Perhaps," she turned back to Sasuke and stroked his cheek. "But what do I have to fear with you here."

Sasuke couldn't tell if she was talking to him or the Jinchurikis. He stared into her cold, pale eyes and had a frighting thought.

Was this even Sakura?

"We'll do our best to protect, Mother!" the beasts declared.

"That's all I ask,"

"Sakura," Shikamaru stepped forward

"Worry not," she said, releasing her tender hold of Sasuke. "All will be revealed in due time. For now, I need to rest."

Hinata rushed forward.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" she asked, her byakugan activating. A pale hand covered her eyes, and Hinata couldn't see through it.

"Don't peek," Sakura said with a pout. "I'm physically fine."

They made note of the "physical."

"What did you do!" Neji demanded.

"Later," she said sweetly. "First, let's descend."

Mifune, a Samurai general, considered himself a good person. Even with the battles he fought, he was forever loyal to his nation and did the "right thing" when it came to the prosperity of his land. Mifune was selfless and calm in dangerous situations, supporting his comrades and standing as an example for the younger generations. If you asked anyone in the land, they would say he was a good person. A shining example of what a samurai should be. Once, a monk told him that good people are rewarded with good fortunes. Something about "Karma" and "reincarnation." Mifune was silently cursing that Monk now as he looked at the remnants of his village.

The snowy plains were littered with war debris and sported a new forest around a tree that stood taller than the mountain. With the cherry blossom tree towering over the village, they might have to rename the province from Three Wolves.

Mifune scoffed. Renaming the land was the least of their worries. He looked up at the Sakura tree as children jumped from its branches. Leaf shinobi, he could tell from a glance; the troublesome lot were active in the battle from what he heard, and he had witnessed one of them slay a dragon. A tired sigh escaped his lips; a new legend was born in his lifetime, but the thought made him feel incredibly old.

There are many things Mifuine learned over his time as a leader, and one of them was to make friends with the strong or gather the weak to overthrow them. The Land of Iron was a neutral nation that didn't partake in Shinobi politics, but he would make an exception this once. She could distroy his village instantly, so forgive him for trying to appease such a being while they're in his fragile village.

He leaped over to the group even as the shinobis made themselves scarce. Some leaf jonins stood at the tree roots waiting while others fled. Mifune mused. "It seems the Leaf has Loyalty to their own even with their monstrous display of power."

He wordlessly stopped beside the Hokage's smoking son. He recognized the boy from his time as a Twelve Guardian Ninja; the man still wore a sash on his waist. Mifune could tell the moment the Sarutobi recognized him. He glanced at the newcomer only to do a double take and back away sharply.

"General Mufine!" he exclaimed. Mifune chuckled lightly, showing no hostility.

"No need for formalities, Asuma," He said. "Mifune is fine."

"I- I could never, Sir!" Asuma stuttered. Mifune was amused. They don't fear that thing, but they quiver before him?

Itachi looked over at the commotion, as did the other Jonins.

"The General?" he muttered. "What's he doing here?"

"Probably here to scold us for destroying his village," Kurenai sighed.

"It's unfortunate that the village was turned into a battleground," Guy said. "I shall speak with him to appease his anger. He made to move but didn't make it one step before Itachi put him under a genjutsu, stopping his movements.

Kurenai sighed in relief.

"He would probably make matters worse," she said. She looked at Asuma sheepishly, talking to the general, and then back at the descending group. The tree was taller than a mountain, making the journey down take a while, free falling.

"Are you worried," Kurenai asked. Itachi felt the genjutsu and fought his urge to dispel it.

"About what?" he asked, the two ensnared in a genjutsu of Kurenai's making.

"About her," she responded, showing Itachi the image of Sakura in her Ogre form. Itachi showed no emotion on his face, but inside the genjutsu, he allowed himself to ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

"I don't know what to do with that girl," he confessed. "I knew she was troubled the moment I saw her, but still, my family welcomed her with open arms. Now, she has embodied the title of "God of Shinobi." He dragged his hand down his face and allowed another confession. "I'm worried about Sasuke."

"Your little brother?" Kurenai was surprised. Sakura was known to be fond of the Uchiha. It was unlikely she would harm him.

"I always tried to be a role model for Sasuke, a wall he needed to climb over. I was the strongest person he knew."

Kurenai's eyes widened with understanding.

"Now his girlfriend is god!" she exclaimed.

Itachi's brow twitched at the word "girlfriend," but he nodded. His level was somewhere Sasuke could reach in his lifetime, but with Sakura as company, he might feel hatred for her unreasonable growth.

Kurenai looked up at the group, spotting Sakura's pale hair instantly. Hinata was fond of the girl, and Kurenai enjoyed listening to Kakashi complain about her. Even as she defeated a dragon, Kurunai could not help but see the pleased smile on Sakura's face as she witnessed Naruto and Hinata flirting.

"It'll be fine," she said with assurance. Itachi looked at her oddly. "I don't think Sakura will allow Sasuke to feel anything but love for her."

"I don't see how that's a good thing?"

Kurenai hummed.

"It must be hard to deal with such a Jinchuriki, huh?" Mifune started casually. Getting everyone's attention. "That Sakura girl, If I'm not mistaken, she's the nine tails, right?"

Where did he hear that? The jonins thought at once.

"I'm always impressed by Ninjutsu whenever I see it," he said. "I've fought my fair share of Shinobi in the past." he looked up at the descending group, and doubt clouded his face. "Though I don't think I could handle her."

The nine Jinchuriki's reached the ground first, landing in a crouch. Sakura glided down gently to the ground. Her elegance was broken by the luggage she carried under her arm. Sasuke Uchiha was tucked under Sakura's arm like a sack of potatoes. The Jonins stared. Mifune, not privy to the backstory of the two, was confused as to why she was carrying her bodyguard like that. His military mind came up with many conspiracies, but he couldn't verify his suspicion without more information.

Sasuke saw his brother staring at him, and his face turned red; even as he struggled, Sakura's grip was unyielding. She'd grabbed him and jumped out of the tree before he could react. By the time his thoughts caught up, he was like this.

He looked up at Sakura, but she looked ahead without paying attention to him.

"General," she greeted with a bow. "It's good to see you in good health."

"And to you as well," he responded. "Thanks to you, our village is still in one place. I witnessed your battle and am thankful for your contribution." The two sounded like old men as they conversed about health and the wellness of the village. As they spoke casually, the Leaf Genins finally reached the ground with a thud. Upon seeing their sensei, they walked over to report while the Jinchurikis stood guard on either side of Sakura. Kakashi was the last to arrive, appearing next to Itachi without a word.

Itachi gave him a look, and Kakashi shook his head.

"Would it be possible for us to harvest the wood," Mifune asked. Sakura tilted her head in question. "The village is very isolated and cold, so we burn wood quite frequently. Normally, we trade wood for chakra Iron, but if you allow us to have the wood from the forest, we would greatly appreciate it." he bowed his head with the request.

"I'll allow it for a trade of chakra iron," Sakura offered. Mifune's brow twitched, but he hid it well.

"We thank you for your generosity," he thanked her.

"Although," she began, making the general nervous. "I do have a condition," she told him.

Before she could continue, lighting sparked, and two Cloud Shinobis appeared above Sakura.

With fear in their eyes, they stiked at her with lightning blades. Mifune reached for his sword hilt only to realize it was not there. He couldn't react, but he didn't need to.

A ribcage of chakra formed around Sakura, and their blades broke off. Eyes wide, they gasped in disbelief before they were tackled to the ground by their Jinchurkis Bee and Yugito. Their "Guardians" glared down at them with killing intent but didn't remove their heads as they wanted.

"Like I said," she smiled at Sasuke. "What do I have to fear with you here?"

I opened my eyes to a starry sky. Blinking, I tried to understand what I was seeing. It wasn't the pink of dawn but navy blue, with shooting stars falling occasionally. I groaned and sat up. I couldn't help the lopsided smile that formed on my face when I looked down. There was no floor but a water surface that reflected the sky above. I've seen this before; this is what anime mindscapes are supposed to look like.

Wasn't the mindscape in Naruto supposed to be yellow? I frowned at the difference. While I liked the scene, it didn't change upon my request, so this wasn't my mindscape. I looked up at the moonless sky and desired to star gaze. In the past, during moments of peace, I would look up at the night sky and wish for a good night's sleep. Sleep without worry or pain.

The water rippled, and I looked down before following the waves to the source. A child with long pale hair sat on her knees, enjoying the view. I looked around, but we were the only ones in this vase space. Sighing, I approached the child with their back to me.

They didn't notice me until I was right behind them. They gasped and turned to face me, and it was my turn to gasp.

With pale skin peeking out from white robes, her pale eyes looked up at me with fright. Her porcelain-like state wasn't what drew my attention but the horns. Two horns were growing from her head. I know those horns.

"Kaguya?"

Next Chapter

January 30

Until Next time

Night song~