Published at 23rd of September 2024 4:01 pm

Chapter 156 Sakura's Silent Resolve: 4 Bonds in the Storm

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The valley fell silent for a moment as Sasuke stood between Sakura and the advancing rogue shinobi. His presence was electric, his single eye focused on the enemies ahead. Sakura’s heart raced with relief, but also with the knowledge that this battle was far from over.

Sasuke’s cold gaze swept over the approaching group before he spoke, his voice low but clear. “Leave this to me.”

“Sasuke…” Sakura began, but before she could protest, he shot forward in a blur, faster than her eyes could track.

In the blink of an eye, Sasuke was among the enemy, his sword flashing as he moved with deadly precision. The first rogue shinobi didn’t even have time to react before Sasuke cut them down, his movements fluid and efficient. He was like a storm, his power overwhelming, and in moments, several enemies lay unconscious or worse on the ground.

Sakura could only watch in awe as her husband fought. Even after all these years, his strength and skill were unparalleled. But she knew this battle wasn’t one he could fight alone.

“Sai, Hana, Takeshi!” Sakura called, snapping back to reality. “We need to cover him!”

Sai nodded, summoning a flock of ink birds to harry the remaining enemies. Takeshi and Hana, invigorated by Sasuke’s sudden appearance, leaped into action. Takeshi launched a barrage of kunai, forcing the rogues to scatter, while Hana formed hand seals, unleashing a powerful water-style jutsu that swept through the battlefield, knocking several of the enemies off balance.

Sakura’s own chakra surged as she joined the fray. Her fists glowed with vibrant energy as she launched herself at the remaining shinobi, striking with precision and force. The ground shattered beneath her blows, and the enemies who tried to stand against her quickly found themselves overwhelmed by her raw strength.

As the battle raged on, it became clear that the tide had turned. The rogue shinobi, once confident and organized, were now struggling to maintain their ground. But even as they fell back, Sakura couldn’t shake the feeling that something was still wrong. Where was Sora, the leader of this group? He had disappeared during the ambush, and the question of why still burned in her mind.

Just as the last rogue shinobi collapsed under the weight of the combined assault, Sasuke flicked the blood from his sword and turned to Sakura.

“He’s not here,” Sasuke said, his voice calm but laced with frustration. “The leader — he’s hiding.”

“I know,” Sakura replied, her eyes scanning the surrounding cliffs. “This was just a distraction.”

Suddenly, a slow clap echoed through the valley. Sora stepped out from the shadows, standing on a high ledge above them. His smile was as sinister as ever, his eyes glinting with amusement.

“Impressive,” he called down. “You two are quite the team. I see why you were feared during the war.”

Sakura’s blood boiled. “This isn’t a game, Sora! What do you want?”

Sora chuckled, the sound grating against her nerves. “What I want is simple. Revenge. Not just for Orochimaru, but for all the lives that were ruined by your village, by your team. You see, Sakura, your strength is your weakness. You care too much. And that’s what I’ll exploit.”

With a flick of his wrist, Sora unleashed a barrage of kunai, each one wrapped in explosive tags. They rained down toward the group, forcing everyone to scatter.

“Sasuke!” Sakura shouted, knowing he’d be ready.

In an instant, Sasuke’s Rinnegan activated, and space distorted around them. He teleported Sakura, Sai, and the genin out of the path of the explosions, reappearing on a higher ledge across the valley.

The ground below erupted in fire and debris, sending shockwaves through the cliffs. But Sora remained unscathed, watching them from his perch, his grin widening.

“Enough of this,” Sasuke growled, ready to teleport again to confront the rogue leader directly.

But before he could move, Sakura placed a hand on his arm, stopping him.

“Sasuke, wait,” she said quietly. “He’s not just trying to fight us. He’s trying to get inside our heads. Let me handle this.”

Sasuke hesitated, his dark eyes meeting hers. For a brief moment, there was silence between them, the unspoken understanding that had always connected them in battle. He gave a small nod.

“Be careful.”

Sakura turned back toward Sora, her heart steadying. She took a deep breath, channeling her chakra into her fists as she prepared to confront the rogue leader.

Sora raised an eyebrow, amused. “You’re going to face me alone? Brave, but foolish.”

“I’m not alone,” Sakura replied, her voice calm but resolute. “I have my team. And I’m stronger than you think.”

Without another word, she leaped toward him, the force of her jump cracking the stone beneath her feet. Sora’s eyes widened, clearly surprised by her speed. As she closed the distance between them, Sora formed a series of hand seals, summoning a wall of earth to block her path.

But Sakura didn’t slow down. With a single punch, she shattered the earth wall, her chakra-infused fist sending chunks of rock flying in every direction. Sora barely had time to react before she was on him.

He tried to dodge, but Sakura’s years of training had honed her reflexes to perfection. She landed a solid punch to his side, sending him crashing into the rock face behind him. The impact reverberated through the valley, and for a moment, everything was still.

Sakura stood over Sora, her chest heaving as she caught her breath. But as the dust cleared, she realized that Sora was laughing.

“Is that all you’ve got?” he wheezed, his voice thick with pain but still filled with mockery. “I thought you were stronger than this.”

Sakura’s eyes narrowed. Something was wrong. Sora shouldn’t have been able to take that punch and still be conscious. His chakra was fluctuating, but there was something else — something darker.

“Sai, now!” she shouted.

From the shadows, Sai’s ink creatures shot forward, wrapping themselves around Sora and binding him tightly. He struggled, but the ink snakes held firm, preventing him from forming any more seals.

“You’re not getting away this time,” Sakura said, her voice cold as she approached him.

But Sora’s smile didn’t fade. Instead, it grew wider, more twisted. “You still don’t understand, do you? This was never about defeating you. It was about showing you the truth.”

Before Sakura could react, Sora’s body began to dissolve into black smoke, his form dissipating into the wind. It was a clone.

The real Sora was nowhere to be found.

“Damn it!” Sakura cursed, realizing she had been outplayed. But as she stood there, the words he had left behind echoed in her mind. The truth? What truth?

Sasuke appeared beside her, his face hard as he scanned the surroundings. “He’s gone.”

Sakura’s fists clenched. She had underestimated him, and now he was free, with whatever twisted plan he had in motion. But as she looked around at her team — at Sasuke, Sai, and the young genin who had fought so bravely — she felt a renewed determination.

Sora had made one mistake: he had underestimated her resolve.

“We’ll find him,” Sakura said quietly, her voice filled with conviction. “And we’ll stop whatever he’s planning.”

As they gathered their things and prepared to head back to the village, the wind whispered through the valley, carrying with it the promise of more battles to come. But for now, they had each other — and that was enough.

Still, deep down, Sakura knew this was only the beginning.

And she was ready.

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