Chapter 21
Chapter 21: Gathering Thoughts
"Uh, when will we get there already?!" Naruto complained, his voice carrying frustration as the small boat bobbed gently on the water. The rower, an old man who had been silently guiding them, barely seemed to notice Naruto's impatience.
Kakashi, sitting at the front of the boat with his book in hand, smiled behind his mask. "Ninja Rule #40: Ninjas must be patient and wait," he said, the words light-hearted but full of truth.
Sasuke, sitting beside Naruto, sighed and lazily poked his hand into the water. It was cold. He frowned as the ripples formed and spread outward.
Sakura, however, was lost in thought. She glanced back at Tazuna, who was also deep in thought, and then turned her attention back to the distance. Her shadow clone was still out there, and it hadn't been dispelled yet.
As she closed her eyes, she felt her clone’s chakra signature moving deeper into the thick forest, farther away from her team. The sensation was growing fainter, and Sakura frowned. What could it be doing out there? Her mind wandered as she wondered what her shadow clone was encountering.
Kakashi, noticing her distracted expression, flashed her a friendly eye-smile from behind his book. He patted her head lightly. "Something on your mind, Sakura?"
Sakura quickly masked her thoughts with a small smile, a bit forced but enough to calm Kakashi’s curiosity. "No, just thinking. It's nothing."
With Sakura's Clone
The forest was eerily quiet, save for the clash of weapons. Sakura's shadow clone stood face-to-face with Zabuza, her chakra scalpel glowing brightly in her hand as she faced off against the notorious rogue ninja.
They had been fighting for over an hour. Each movement was calculated, deadly. Zabuza laughed, enjoying every moment of it. "You’re good," he said, his voice low but filled with excitement. "This... this is what I’ve been waiting for."
The killer intent between them was palpable, both ninja pushing themselves further into the depths of the forest. Sakura’s Sharingan swirled with its three tomoes as she read Zabuza’s movements, anticipating his next strike.
Zabuza lunged forward, his massive sword swinging toward her. The blade grazed her side, cutting across her left hip. Sakura twisted gracefully, her body almost flowing with the motion, and countered with a powerful combination of punches and kicks. She moved silently, her focus unbroken.
"Come on, kid," Zabuza taunted. "Can I at least get a sound, a word, a name?" He twisted his sword menacingly.
Sakura hesitated, feeling the weight of her actions. She was supposed to be silent, as she always was during these battles, but there was something in Zabuza’s voice that made her question her own protocols. Danzo is dead. ROOT is gone. Why am I still holding on to this old training? She glanced at Zabuza, the sharpness of his presence fueling her decision.
"Sakura," she answered briefly, her voice flat but strong.
Zabuza chuckled, clearly amused. "Ha! Fitting. I mean, is your hair even natural?!" He laughed again, but before he could finish his sentence, Sakura vanished, sinking into the earth.
"Oh come on, Sakura! I’m tired of playing whack-a-mole!" Zabuza growled as he scanned the forest.
Sakura’s clone emerged from the ground once more, attacking swiftly, but her mind was already calculating her next move. Should I use ninjutsu? she wondered. My team should be halfway to Tazuna’s house by now. Kakashi will probably sense something soon.
Weaving through hand seals, Sakura formed the Tiger seal, and then—
"Fire Style: Silver Fire Lines!"
A torrent of silvery flames erupted from her mouth, surging forward with incredible heat. Zabuza reacted instantly, his hands moving through seals.
"Water Style: Water Dragon!" he bellowed.
The water dragon collided with Sakura’s flames, canceling out the attack in a clash of steam and smoke that enveloped them both. The mist grew thicker, and Sakura activated her Sharingan to scan the area.
The moment of clarity was short-lived as she found herself facing the tip of Zabuza’s sword, dangerously close to her neck.
"Not bad," Zabuza muttered, his voice tinged with respect. "But the mist is my specialty, kid. You’ve got skill and experience, but this is where the line ends. I’m going after the old man."
Sakura’s voice was calm, detached. "Tazuna, right? My team was hired to protect him. Although, I suspect he lied. Let me guess, Gato hired you?"
Zabuza chuckled darkly. "Seems like you’ve done your homework. So tell me, where’s your team? Why are you alone?"
Sakura stood tall, her eyes unwavering. "They don’t know. I came by myself. I’d rather they not know and I die," she said bluntly, her chakra surging as she began to twist free from his sword lock. Zabuza’s blade cut across her neck, leaving another scar, but she didn’t dispel yet.
Then, before Zabuza could make another move, ice senbon came streaking through the mist, striking Sakura’s left arm. The paralytic poison took hold almost immediately.
Damn it, she thought. Her sensor skills hadn’t even picked up the new arrival. Whoever this ninja was, they had chakra as cold as ice. Must be from the Yuki clan, she deduced.
A masked boy stepped forward, his presence radiating an icy coldness. "Zabuza-sama! We need to retreat. She’s too strong!"
Sakura, still calm despite her condition, spoke up, "Gato has money. That’s why you’re doing this mission. But I have an idea that could benefit all of us. I need Tazuna and my team alive. And, preferably, if they never know about..." She gestured at the destruction around them. "I’ve gathered information on Nami. Nami needs money. Gato’s been bleeding this place dry. Why don’t we end him together? You get the money, Nami gets the money, and you keep quiet about my chakra reserves, my silver chakra, and my Sharingan. Let’s meet in three days."
The clone, her mission complete, disappeared.
Zabuza’s deep, throaty laugh echoed through the mist. "Shadow clone? Clever," he said, his amusement clear.
With Sakura
As Sakura’s team neared Tazuna’s house, her mind was still clouded with the recent events. Her eyes widened, her thoughts racing as the memories of her shadow clone’s actions began to flood her mind. She muttered a quiet ´Fuck´under her breath whining a bit in pain. Kakashi, noticing the sudden change in her expression, raised an eyebrow.
"Something wrong?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.
Sakura blinked rapidly, forcing a smile. "No, no. Just... I’m really thirsty." Damn it , she almost exposed herself!
Kakashi smiled knowingly and rummaged through his pocket, pulling out a can of soda. "Here you go, kid. Hydrating yourself is important."
Sakura gracefully accepted it, her hands slightly trembling. What was I thinking? Making a deal with Zabuza and that unknown ninja? The cold sensation of panic spread through her chest. That new ninja had ice release. Just my luck...
Her mind raced as the group continued on toward Tazuna’s house. She had to keep her focus—there was no turning back now.