Sakura Haruno gazed at Rasa and Gaara lying in the pool of water, about to step forward to collect their bodies, when a surge of golden sand erupted from Gaara's form, enveloping him completely.
Bang!
Gaara, his chest pierced through, vanished right before Sakura's eyes.
Sakura watched the scene unfold without intervening.
Entrusting all of one's remaining chakra to another—this must be a secret technique unique to the Sand ninja.
Just as the sand on Gaara's body was inherited from his mother, Karura.
Clearly, in his final moments, Rasa had chosen the same path as his wife.
To protect Gaara, he had left behind a technique akin to a reverse summoning jutsu on his son's body before dying.
Though it was activated a moment too late.
With his chest pierced, there was no way Gaara could survive.
Unless… Chiyo's Reanimation Jutsu.
A life for a life.
This was why Sakura hadn't stopped Gaara's disappearance.
To Sakura, Gaara was no significant threat, but to Sunagakure, he was vital.
Not just as the One-Tail's Jinchuriki, but because Sunagakure suffered from a severe lack of talented ninja.
Gaara was the future of the Sand Village.
Chiyo would have to weigh this—whether to trade her own life to bring Gaara back.
If Gaara died, it would mean the end of Sunagakure's future prospects, and the One-Tail would perish with him.
Chiyo, on the other hand, was far more troublesome than Gaara.
Using Gaara to eliminate Chiyo…
This way, with the Fourth Kazekage and the Sand elders all dead in a single war, Sunagakure would have no chance of recovery.
Moreover, Sakura was curious to see if Chiyo would act as nobly as she did in the original story.
Especially since she hadn't yet encountered the Scorpion of the Red Sand.
That Reanimation Jutsu, though—Sakura was quite intrigued by it.
Reviving someone already dead was even more absurd than Naruto's Yang chakra.
When Naruto saved Guy from the Gate of Death, Guy still had a faint breath left.
Chiyo's Reanimation Jutsu was true resurrection, and techniques involving life almost always tied back to Yang Release.
At this thought, Sakura couldn't help but scratch her head.
Oh, man, I'm really awful.
Killing their father, scheming against the Sand elder, and now coveting their Reanimation Jutsu.
Was it because of her pink hair?
"What's wrong, Sakura?"
The slug on her shoulder, watching everything unfold, couldn't help but feel puzzled.
One of their spoils of war had just vanished, so why did Sakura seem so unbothered, even flashing a strange smile?
"It's nothing, Lady Katsuyu. I just thought of something amusing."
Sakura stepped forward, approaching Rasa's corpse.
After the Fourth Raikage, the Fourth Kazekage had also fallen by her hand.
Lifting Rasa's body from the water and sealing it into a scroll, Sakura left the scene.
The secrets of Magnet Release now belonged to Konoha.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire!"
A black-masked creature spewed countless small fireballs, surging toward Kakashi and Terumi Mei.
Kakashi dodged the attacks, a flash of crimson glinting in his eye.
Suddenly, the mask on Kakuzu's body twisted violently, then shattered with a crack!
!!
In that instant, a masked creature wielding Wind Release chakra, its heart embedded with Kakuzu's power, darted back into Kakuzu's body. The fallen figure rose once more.
Kakashi, exhausted, stared at the resurrected Kakuzu, breathing heavily.
"Kakashi, are you okay?"
Terumi Mei stepped in front of him, her gaze heavy as she faced the revived Kakuzu.
Five masks, five lives.
Three masks had already been destroyed.
Fire Release, Lightning Release, Water Release—all shattered.
That left the current Wind Release mask and the yet-to-be-revealed nano-poison bugs.
Which meant…
Terumi Mei's eyes locked onto the purple-masked creature lurking behind Kakuzu.
That was the mask that had claimed the heart of Shino's clan member, Torune.
"I'm fine," Kakashi said, panting, his face grim.
Sakura's soldier pills were gone. He'd used Kamui twice, Raikiri three times, and Lightning Tiger twice.
His chakra was nearly depleted.
At this moment, it seemed he'd have to hide behind a woman.
And…
Kakashi instinctively touched the Sharingan… Obito Uchiha's eye.
His vision was starting to blur…
Obito…
This is your eye. Let me atone for you.
Kakashi forced himself to stand, intending to burn through his last reserves of chakra to unleash Kamui once more.
But then, a hand pressed down on his shoulder.
"Rest, Kakashi."
At some point, Sakura had appeared on the battlefield.
"Sakura…"
Seeing the pink-haired ninja, Kakashi realized her fight had already ended.
Sakura had won.
"I can keep going."
Kakashi stubbornly stood, causing Sakura to frown slightly.
This guy…
He's trying to get himself killed.
The deaths of his father, teammates, and teacher had left Kakashi in despair for a decade.
He'd finally pulled himself together, only to learn that the friend who'd given him the Sharingan had betrayed Konoha, and countless Konoha ninja had died at the hands of the organization he'd joined.
It was as if Kakashi had fallen back into that same despair.
Since Obito's betrayal came to light, the pain in Kakashi's heart was something no one could truly understand.
It's probably best not to tell him the Fourth was killed by Obito…
Sakura glanced at Kakashi, deciding she'd later tell Jiraiya and the old man not to mention this to him.
If Kakashi learned that Minato and Kushina died at Obito's hands, even if he wasn't as mad as an Uchiha, he'd likely not fare much better.
On the battlefield, Kakuzu stared at the pink-haired ninja with uncertainty.
Rasa… lost?
"You defeated Rasa and the One-Tail?"
Kakuzu's voice was cold as he addressed Sakura.
One of the Five Kage, the Kazekage, teamed up with a Tailed Beast, and they still couldn't take her down?
"Rasa? He's right here."
Sakura stepped forward, shaking the sealing scroll in her hand.
Kakuzu's expression darkened further.
Not only did she win, but the Kazekage was dead?
Rasa was that weak?
"Hmph. Beating Rasa was just luck," Kakuzu sneered. "Now, I'll kill you myself!"
His tone was menacing, clearly ready to go all out.
One against three: Sakura, Terumi Mei, and Kakashi.
This was the same lineup that had once faced Killer Bee, a perfect Jinchuriki!
"Come on."
Sakura looked at the oblivious Kakuzu, beckoning him with a finger, her face brimming with undisguised mockery.
"Wind Release: Pressure Damage!"
Kakuzu's mask opened wide, unleashing a torrent of raging winds!
The yellow sand, scattered from Sakura's earlier destruction of the One-Tail, whipped through the air!
The battlefield was thrown into chaos by the Wind Release technique!
Seizing the moment, Kakuzu turned and fled without looking back!
Was he joking?
This pink-haired ninja hadn't just killed the Raikage—now the Kazekage and a Tailed Beast had fallen to her!
If Kakuzu didn't run, was he supposed to stay and celebrate New Year's?
At the very least, he knew he couldn't take on the Kazekage and a Tailed Beast combined!
Sakura watched the fleeing Kakuzu, a smirk tugging at her lips.
As expected of the so-called immortal ninja—Kakuzu was certainly keen on self-preservation, not foolish enough to fight one against three.
"Take care of Kakashi. I'm going after him."
With that, Sakura tossed the words to Terumi Mei and charged after Kakuzu.
"Huh?"
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