It was early in the morning; Kakashi gracefully jumped from roof to roof to reach the Hokage's tower. Tsunade had summoned him with sudden urgency. Kakashi gave an exhausted sigh; he hadn't fully recovered from his previous fight with Itachi, and now she needed him at the crack of dawn. As he approached the towering Hokage's office, he wondered what could be so urgent that he was summoned this early.
Kakashi landed softly before the entrance, brushing off the dust from his gray vest. He pushed the door open and noticed that Shikamaru was already there, wearing a confused expression, while Tsunade had a frustrated and angry look on her face.
"Hurry up, Shikamaru," she ordered. He nodded, excused himself, and hurriedly ran out of the office. Kakashi gave a confused look, waiting for an explanation. Tsunade's eyes narrowed as she leaned back in her chair, her arms folded tightly over her chest.
"Sasuke Uchiha and Sakura Haruno left the village and are on their way to Orochimaru," she announced. Kakashi gasped loudly. Never in a million years did he expect Sakura to leave her friends and family behind for Sasuke, especially after everything they had been through. He could still remember the countless training sessions where she had pushed herself, striving to become stronger—not just for herself but for her friends. The thought that she would forsake all that to chase after Sasuke sent a shudder down his spine.
"I have assigned Shikamaru to find four more Genins and go after them. We lack manpower at the moment, and I can only send them. You can rest for now, as you have just recovered from your fight with Itachi," she explained before standing up from her chair to look out of the window.
Kakashi sighed, running a hand through his silver hair. He wanted to argue back and go after Sasuke and Sakura right this second, but how could he defy the Hokage's order? Besides, he knew she was telling the truth. They did indeed lack manpower at the moment, and he understood that recovery was crucial.
"I hope you did the right thing, Tsunade-sama," he began, turning around to walk out of the room. "May I ask how you knew they had left?"
"Sakura was acting strange these past few days. She seemed distant from her studies, and I confronted her about it. She didn't tell me, but I assumed that after the Uchiha was let out of the hospital and when she came back from her individual mission, she began to act differently," she explained, turning to look back at him with frustration while leaning forward on her desk,
"I asked one of the members of the Aburame clan to put a tracking bug on both of them just in case. I thought nothing would happen... I was wrong, and now this happened."
"I see..." said Kakashi. He could see a flicker of frustration in Tsunade's eyes, the same mix of concern and helplessness that haunted many leaders in times of crisis. As Kakashi stepped out of the office, Tsunade knocked over one of the piles of files on her desk in exasperation. Kakashi paused at the door, glancing over his shoulder once more before continuing down the hallway. His heart felt heavy; he trusted Tsunade's judgment, yet he was unable to shake the feeling that he, too, should be involved.
"Damn you two!" Tsunade cursed as she looked down at the slightly crumpled papers that now scattered across her office floor.
XXXXXXXXXX
It was silent the whole time. The Sound Ninja and the two former Leaf ninjas had been traveling away from the Leaf Village for several hours. Sakura was exhausted; her experiences haunted her thoughts as they trudged through the dense forest. Every step she took felt heavier than the last, as doubt and worry clashed in her mind.
Did she make the right decision? Was Sasuke truly worth leaving everything behind? She glanced nervously at him; he walked a few paces ahead, his face set in determination. He was determined to gain power, to gain vengeance; she was determined to support him, no matter the cost. After noticing something on Sasuke, with eyes wide open, she yelled for everyone to stop, her voice breaking the silence.
"What do you want, pinky?" asked Tayuya, still not taking a liking to Sakura or accepting her presence. Sakura walked up to Sasuke and asked him to turn around, but he neither responded nor moved, still looking confused and resolute. She felt the tension mounting as Tayuya glared at her, arms crossed, while the other Sound Ninja shifted uncomfortably. Sasuke's silence stung, but Sakura pressed on and turned him around by force to observe his back.
"Sakura! What are you doi—"
"I knew it!" she yelled victoriously as she took something off his neck, right behind his hair. Looking at her hand, everyone noticed she was holding a tiny black bug.
"It's just a bug, isn't it?" Tayuya snickered. "What's next, a love confession? The pink-haired kunoichi saving the day?"
Ignoring the mockery, Sakura's heart raced. "It's a tracking bug," she exclaimed, holding it up triumphantly for everyone to see,
"from the Aburame clan...meaning they already know that we left the village." Sakura finished explaining and looked in the direction they had come from, panic washing over her. Her heart was pounding—she couldn't believe they had been tracked this whole time. The revelations were dizzying. What would happen next?
"Well, well, Sasuke, you have yourself a good girl here," said Sakon, smirking as he stepped forward.
Ignoring Sakon's comment, Sasuke sighed in frustration. He knew this would definitely turn into a pain in the ass. Not taking any more chances, he activated his Sharingan and observed Sakura's body. Noticing his stare, Sakura felt her cheeks flush as his eyes meticulously scanned her.
"W-what are you looking at?" she stammered, a mixture of embarrassment and confusion threading through her mind. She couldn't shake the feeling that Sasuke's gaze held an intensity. It was both frightening and exhilarating.
"Sakura..." He called out to her and walked closer, reaching out with his arm toward her short hair, as if wanting to play with it.
Too embarrassed to look, Sakura closed her eyes and backed away slightly, her heart racing. When she felt nothing on her head, she opened her eyes to reveal her puzzled emerald orbs. She gasped in shock when she saw him holding a bug—a second black tracking bug between his fingers.
"What?!" Sakura exclaimed, bewilderment flooding her voice. She noticed the bug on him, yet she hadn't noticed one on herself. How? When did this even happen? Her frustration mounted as she bit her lip too hard, causing it to bleed slightly.
"Now that we have stopped anyway, you need to take one of these, Sasuke," Sakon drawled, taking out black pills from a small see-through jar.
Because she had been training under Tsunade before she left, Sakura had read about all kinds of medications and the effects they could have on the body. She knew that those pills had a deadly effect on the body. She wanted to warn Sasuke, but before she could say anything, Sasuke spoke. "What are those for?"
Sakon smirked when Sakura gave Sasuke the answer: "Those pills are deadly. They will kill you."
"What?" Sasuke took a step back, eyeing the jar with a mix of suspicion and concern.
"It's true. In order for the curse seal to activate and reach its full potential, he must die once," explained Kidomaru with an evil smile on his face.
"How will I know this won't actually kill me? How can I trust you?" Sasuke's voice was steady as he confronted Sakon and Kidomaru, anger beginning to bubble beneath the surface. Sakura, on the other hand, couldn't even believe Sasuke would consider taking anything from them. How could someone be so composed when they learned they had to die?!
'I don't trust them,' she thought defiantly, her heart racing with worry.
Tayuya explained further that they were skilled in barrier jutsu, which would prevent anything from interfering with the transformation and ensure he wouldn't actually die. She also reassured him that they wouldn't let him die, because if they did, Orochimaru would have their heads for it.
"We know what we're doing, Uchiha. If you want the strength you crave, this is the only way," she said, her tone chillingly confident.
Sakura was sweating. She couldn't believe that this was happening. She had to watch the one she loved die right in front of her eyes—what a cruel twist fate had in store for her. He was trusting them! Why?! He was actually putting his life in the hands of these Sound Shinobi!
Jirobo pulled out what looked like a big barrel, explaining that he would put Sasuke's body in there. He placed one of his large hands on Sakura's small shoulder to calm her down, but it clearly wasn't working. She felt fear coursing through her, leaving her breathless as she watched Sasuke's impassive demeanor.
"If we let him die... we'll give you the chance to kill us... or just me," Jirobo said, trying to gain Sakura's trust.
Sakura couldn't believe what she was hearing. The stakes had never been higher. It felt as though time had slowed, and the world around her faded into a blur. Her mind raced with thoughts of what could happen if she didn't act. As Sasuke stood before her, contemplating their sinister proposal, the weight of their predicament hung heavily in the air.
Even Tayuya and Kidomaru were against this idea, but Sakon shook his head to stop them from arguing. They couldn't waste any more time than they already had.
"Fine, let's get this over with," Sasuke finally decided, and Sakura's face turned deathly pale as she realized what he was willing to do. She was so scared she felt like she could faint at any moment. Not thinking it could get worse, it did indeed get worse;
"That girl will join you, but she has to be unconscious too." Too startled to say anything, Sakura looked speechless at Sasuke, hoping he would go against their orders.
"Whatever," he responded coldly, his mind seemingly set on the path ahead, oblivious to the whirlwind of emotions swirling within Sakura.
"H-how will I know they won't kill me when I'm unconscious?!" Sakura's heart pounded in her chest as desperation engulfed her.
She was now even more scared than before; not only could Sasuke die, but she could also get killed by them. Her hands started to shake violently, but she tried hard to hide them. She needed to act strong in front of them, or they'd surely kill her for being too weak. Right before her mind could snap and as she neared insanity, Jirobo put his hand on Sakura's shoulder once again, claiming he would put her body in the barrel himself and make sure the others wouldn't harm or kill her.
Sakura calmed down a little but still felt a wave of dread settle within her. Time was slipping through her fingers like sand, and she knew she had to act, and fast.
"Sakura..." Sasuke called out to her, getting closer, his dark eyes filled with a mix of uncertainty and determination.
"You don't have to trust them, just me. I won't die, and neither will you. This might be easier for us. You said it yourself that they probably already know that we left. They might be on their way to get us back. If we are both inside the barrel, it will be easier for us to escape. Do you trust me?" His voice was low, almost a whisper, as if he was trying to soothe the storm brewing within her. Sakura's heartache mingled with frustration; she wanted to scream at him, tell him it wasn't worth it, but deep down, she knew that part of her would always trust him, even in the darkest of moments.
She looked him straight in the eyes. This wasn't the Sasuke she knew; he was actually being kind to her, but from the looks of it, his face showed he didn't like having to deal with this and was getting impatient. He wanted to hurry up and go already, whether it meant risking everything or not.
"I... I trust you, Sasuke-kun." The words escaped her lips in a whisper, heavy with reluctant conviction. Seeing that she had finally come to an agreement, Sasuke carefully knocked her out.
'Sasuke-kun... don't die,' she thought as she crumpled to the forest floor.
Sasuke took the pill and swallowed it with one gulp. Not long after, he felt immense pain coursing through his entire body, and he doubled over, gripping his stomach as if it would somehow contain the chaos erupting within him. His legs gave way, and he fell to his knees, gasping for breath, teeth gritted against the agony. As he succumbed to the extreme pain, he felt his consciousness slipping away, merging with a darkness that was both terrifying and strangely liberating. Just before his vision faded entirely, he glanced one last time at Sakura, her fragile form lying on the forest floor.
And then, everything went black.
After 'dying,' Jirobo quickly put Sasuke and Sakura inside the barrel while the others prepared to seal it. Quickly placing sealing tags around the barrel, they ensured that nothing from the outside world could interfere with the process. The eerie silence of the forest hung heavy, punctuated only by the hushed whispers of the Sound Ninja as they activated the seals.
"Dark Sealing Method!" they shouted, and right after, black smoke appeared and wrapped around the barrel, engulfing it in a cocoon of ominous energy. On to the next fase, the sealing tags lit up with red letters, letting the smoke slowly die down and sealing the barrel shut.
"Why did you put her in the barrel?! I wanted to kill her, you fatso!" Tayuya shouted, staring frustratedly at the sealed barrel, angry for losing the chance to kill Sakura.
"I gave her my word," Jirobo answered, completely ignoring the 'fatso' comment; his gaze remained unwavering.
"Your word? You've gotten soft! And you too, Sakon! You were seriously going to keep that bitch? This is going to be the death of both of you, assholes!" Tayuya continued yelling, fists clenched in anger.
"Was it wise to put them together? He might kill her," Kidomaru questioned as he stared at the sealed barrel.
"I don't think it will be a problem. He won't kill her," Jirobo said as he stared at his hand. Thinking back, there was a moment when Sasuke slapped his hand off Sakura's shoulder before the process started. It was a small gesture, but it echoed volumes about his unspoken feelings. He had been willing to protect her, even in that dangerous moment. He was certain that Sasuke wouldn't kill Sakura.
"What...don't tell me you have fallen for that bitch?" Tayuya wondered, noticing Jirobo's odd behaviour.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Jirobo snapped back defensively. "I'm just stating what I observed."
Feeling uncomfortable with this sudden question, Jirobo volunteered to carry the barrel first. He grumbled a few unintelligible words under his breath as he hoisted the barrel onto his shoulder, the weight a stark reminder of his commitment to their mission. The other Sound Shinobi exchanged glances, the tension thick in the air as they began their trek deeper into the forest, where Orochimaru awaited their arrival.
XXXXXXXXXX
Meanwhile, a five-man squad was gathered by Shikamaru, including himself, Kiba, Naruto, Choji, and Neji. Although Naruto recommended Shino, he was on a special mission with his father at the time.
They easily managed to catch up with the Sound Four, who had taken a break not only from carrying Sasuke and Sakura but also due to their recent battle. On their way to Orochimaru, they were confronted by two nearby Leaf Ninjas, Raido Namikaze and Genma Shiranui, but eventually defeated them using their cursed seals.
Detecting their presence, Jirobo took the barrel off his back and tossed it to Kidomaru, as it was his turn to carry it. Offering to hold off the pursuing ninjas while the others went ahead, Jirobo prepared to face the Leaf Ninjas head-on.
As he waited for them to arrive, he smirked when he saw only two show up: Choji and Kiba. He easily dodged their attacks and shouted, "You three! You can come down! I know you're there!"
Shikamaru thought this plan would work, but it turned out to be a failure. He nodded to the rest of the team and jumped down along with Naruto and Neji, ready to engage in battle. The atmosphere was charged with tension as they faced off against Jirobo, who towered over them, his formidable presence making it clear that this would not be an easy fight.
"You! Where are Sasuke and Sakura-chan?!" shouted Naruto to Jirobo, fists clenched and blood boiling. He was ready to charge at the enemy, but Shikamaru, always the strategist, raised a hand to signal caution.
"They are far away from here, and that pinky is probably already dead," Jirobo chuckled, his eyes filled with a murderous glint.
"Naruto, Kiba! Wait!" yelled Shikamaru, but it was too late; Naruto and Kiba lunged at Jirobo, angered by his taunting remarks about Sakura.
"You won't get away with this!" Kiba yelled, leading the charge with his fanged fury. As Jirobo prepared for the incoming attacks, he grinned, confident in his strength, easily knocking both of them to the ground.
"He is right! The others' speed has picked up. If we don't finish this fast, we'll lose them," Neji warned the others as he took a step forward, his Byakugan activated.
"Shit!" cursed Naruto as he pushed himself back up, his determination ignited even further by the thought of Sakura and Sasuke getting further away.
After a short series of attacks and getting stuck in a rock prison that drained a significant amount of their chakra, Choji volunteered to stay behind and deal with Jirobo to give the rest of the team a chance to catch up with the other Sound Four members. He gave them Military Rations pills to restore their chakra, which Shikamaru, confident in Choji, accepted.
"Heh, a fatty decided to stay and fight me? What a joke!"
Trying to leave, Jirobo attempted to go after them, but Choji took the first of his three colored pills, the green Spinach Pill, which increased his strength enough to stop Jirobo. Doing so proved sufficient to overpower Jirobo, forcing him to advance his cursed seal to its first level.
XXXXXXXXXXX
"They are still chasing us; why don't you go take care of them?" Sakon asked after noticing they were still being chased and looked at Kidomaru.
"Fine by me. This thing is starting to get heavy anyway," answered Kidomaru, tossing the barrel to Sakon. "You carry it. It was your stupid idea to bring the girl along."
Sakon caught it and kept on jumping from tree to tree along with Tayuya, while Kidomaru jumped down and landed heavily on the ground. Preparing for the others to come, he placed a lot of spider web traps around the area.
Noticing that another member of the Sound Four had stayed behind with his Byakugan, Neji warned the others.
"There's a web trap ahead! Tread carefully," he exclaimed, his heart racing as they weaved through the dense foliage.
Seeing it was a waste of time to fight another enemy, Shikamaru ordered them to flank around Kidomaru. They needed to focus on their main goal, and that was to retrieve Sasuke and Sakura.
They suddenly heard a loud explosion that rumbled through the trees. Looking back, they knew exactly where it came from, and Shikamaru, knowing his best friend and teammate, realized the explosion was created by Choji, who was doing his best to slow down Jirobo and buy time for the others. The tension in the air cranked up another notch as everyone exchanged knowing glances, fully aware of the sacrifices Choji was making for their sake.
Turning their focus back to the path in front of them, Neji informed them that they were getting closer to the last two members of the Sound Four, who were still running ahead with the barrel.
"Let's move!" Shikamaru shouted, and they took off, determination fueling their every step.
"Hold on, you guys! I'm coming!" thought Naruto desperately, the image of Sasuke and Sakura driving him forward like a relentless wind pushing him into action.
XXXXXXXXXX
"Damn it!" cursed Tayuya.
"That useless Kidomaru! He probably didn't know that those brats went around him," said Sakon, fuming when he saw the Leaf finally catch up to them.
Frustrated and impatient, Naruto scanned the area, desperate to see any sign of one of his teammates, but he didn't see Sasuke or Sakura anywhere. Anger boiled in his veins as he prepared for their confrontation with Tayuya and Sakon, two of the formidable opponents they had been warned about.
"Where are Sakura and Sasuke?!" Naruto shouted, his voice a battle cry fueled by adrenaline and a fierce protective instinct. He looked back and forth between them and Neji, waiting for anyone to answer.
"Heh, that bitch is probably dead," Tayuya taunted, crossing her arms defiantly. A sharp smirk curled at her lips as she relished the frustration she stirred within Naruto and his friends.
"What?!" Naruto yelled, angered, his fists clenched tightly. This wasn't the first time he had heard someone say that Sakura might be dead. He had had enough of the mockery and knew the time for words was over.
"Calm down, Naruto," Shikamaru interjected, his voice steady amid the chaos. "We need to think this through. Getting reckless won't help us find them."
"They are both sealed inside that barrel together," Neji explained using his Byakugan and pointing at the strange barrel Sakon had been carrying.
"Inside that barrel?" Naruto's voice, laced with confusion and panic, echoed through the forest. "How? Why?! Are they still alive?!"
"They are," Neji replied, his expression intense, "but..."
"What is it?" Naruto demanded impatiently.
"Sasuke's chakra seems to be getting stronger and stronger by the minute."
"Tayuya, you go on ahead," Sakon whispered to her, gauging their opponents carefully. "I'll hold them off."
With no time for argument, Tayuya took the barrel and went ahead, leaping expertly through the treetops, her eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of an ambush. She could still hear Naruto's enraged shouts behind her, a cacophony of determination that only fueled her desire to escape.
Done with this goose chase, Naruto, furious, went after her. "You can't just leave! I won't let you!" he screamed, his voice echoing through the forest, a raw emotion driving his every move.
As Tayuya continued to leap through the trees, she felt a bubbling anger rise within her. How dare these Leaf ninjas think they could interfere in their plans? She had a mission to complete, and nothing would stop her.
"Naruto! Stop!" Shikamaru tried to reason with him, but he knew it was pointless. Neji, seeing it was futile to stop Naruto, told Shikamaru to go on ahead while he and Kiba took care of Sakon.
Sakon, not wanting anyone to pass through him, tried to stop Naruto and Shikamaru but got distracted by Kiba, using his Passing Fang to create an opening for them to go after Tayuya.
Now truly irritated that nothing was going his way and that these little brats were proving to be more of a nuisance than he had anticipated, Sakon decided not to hold back anymore and went straight to activating his cursed seal to level two.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Meanwhile, Naruto and Shikamaru finally caught up to Tayuya, who surprisingly wasn't running anymore. Instead, she was talking to someone, someone she knew and was somehow scared of.
"W-why are you here, Kimimaro?" she stammered, her confidence shaken for the first time as she turned to face the pale, sickly figure that emerged from the shadows. Kimimaro Kaguya, a former member of Orochimaru's elite guard, was known for his deadly bone manipulation techniques and fierce loyalty to his master.
"I was sent to ensure the mission is completed," Kimimaro said, his voice calm and unfazed by the Leaf Ninjas' presence.
"Orochimaru-sama said you were taking too long and gave me an order to bring Sasuke to him," he explained monotonously.
"D-did you kill Kidomaru?" she asked, scared to hear the answer. Kimimaro remained stoic, his pale face betraying no emotion.
He nodded in confirmation, claiming someone who fell for such a lame trick didn't deserve to work for Orochimaru. Taking the barrel with him, Kimimaro instructed Tayuya to eliminate both Shikamaru and Naruto.
As they could not let Sasuke and Sakura get away, Shikamaru and Naruto rushed towards Tayuya, but Shikamaru pulled back at the last second while Naruto soared over her. Distracted and too focused on stopping Naruto, she was caught off guard. Shikamaru attempted to trap her using his Shadow Possession Jutsu, but Tayuya managed to avoid being caught just in time.
Irritated that she let Naruto pass her, she mocked Shikamaru's leadership, believing he had sacrificed one of his teammates each to defeat one member of the Sound Four just to retrieve Sasuke and Sakura, who willingly left the village.
Shikamaru admitted he regretted that he had to make such a move, but explained that they all would have risked their lives for Sasuke and Sakura, their friends, with or without his order. He also did not believe any of his team members were dead and told Tayuya not to insult them.
Realizing it was better not to underestimate this brat, Tayuya activated her curse seal level two and used her signature Jutsu; the summoning of three giants, whom she controlled with her Demonic Flute.
XXXXXXXXXX
(Let's go to Sasuke and Sakura)
Sakura finally woke up to the sound of Sasuke's faint breathing in her ear. She couldn't see anything; it was pitch black inside the barrel. Her body ached all over, and she couldn't stretch because it was too cramped in the tiny space.
'Where am I?' thought Sakura.
Panic gripped her as memories of what had happened rushed back in vivid flashes—a tracking bug, an ominous barrel, and Sasuke's sacrifice. She realized she was inside the barrel with Sasuke and sighed in relief, thinking Jirobo really did keep his word and that she was, at least, still alive.
'I hope he's okay. He was the nicest one among the four of them,' she thought.
Taking a moment to calm her racing heart, Sakura tried to focus on the most important thing: Sasuke. Shifting to get in a better position, she put her head on his chest and waited for a few seconds, trying to listen to his heartbeat—it was very faint but still there.
"Sasuke-kun?" she whispered, her voice barely escaping her lips. "Can you hear me?"
"Please wake up," she murmured again. "I need you to wake up."
Suddenly feeling some movement beside her, Sakura's heartbeat quickened as she felt Sasuke's body shift within the confines of the barrel. Relief washed over her, but she was still engulfed in anxiety.
"S-Sasuke-kun?! You're alive! Are you okay?!" asked Sakura as she got closer to him, hoping she could see his face in the darkness. The lack of light made it difficult to discern much around her, but the warmth emanating from Sasuke's body gave her comfort. Unbeknownst to her, Sasuke didn't respond but only smirked as the curse mark completely covered his body.
Sakura tried to call his name once again, but let out a sharp yell. Something was digging into her back. She realized that it was Sasuke's hands on her back, grabbing her tightly. Her struggling and yelling caused his hands to dig deeper into Sakura's skin.
"S-Sasuke-kun! You're hurting me!" she yelled as Sasuke's nails dug deeper into her skin, sending a wave of shock through her.
"Sakura, I need power. I need to destroy him!" Sasuke whispered right after pulling her closer to him, his voice edged with a mix of desperation and rage.
For a moment, the weight of his words hung heavy in the air—the promise of power that bordered on madness, all to seek vengeance. As Sasuke's grip tightened, Sakura felt a shiver run down her spine. The warmth of his body, once comforting, morphed into something suffocating.
"S-Sasuke-kun," she whispered softly. His nails dug deeper and deeper until her back started to bleed, but she didn't mind that for the moment; instead, she hugged him tightly and refused to let go of him despite the pain she was in.
XXXXXXXXXXXXX
Kimimaro, who had kept running, leaped into a large area where he finally stopped after feeling some movements coming from the barrel.
'This should be far enough,' he thought, putting the barrel on the ground and stepping away from it.
"Give them back, now!" Naruto yelled. Angered at the Sound Four and Kimimaro, Naruto released some of the Nine-Tails' chakra, managing to pick up his speed to catch up with Kimimaro.
"You are so stubborn," Kimimaro sighed, his voice calm yet unyielding. "It was their decision to go to Orochimaru-sama. There's nothing you can do to bring them back."
"You're lying! They would never!" Naruto defended, his fists shaking with the intensity of his emotions.
Kimimaro smirked when a sudden rattling sound, followed by a big bang, came from somewhere behind him. The seal keeping Sasuke and Sakura inside the barrel dissipated into a cloud of dissipating energy. The force of the release sent waves of dust billowing out, momentarily obscuring the view of the barrel.
When the smoke cleared, Naruto noticed Sasuke standing next to Kimimaro. Happy to see he was okay, Naruto tried to convince Sasuke and Sakura to come back, but his happiness was instantly deflated when he finally noticed Sakura's situation; there she was, unconscious in Sasuke's arms.
~To be continued~
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