"Hozuki Mangetsu?" Sakura's heart jumped. From the Hozuki clan? That name… why does it sound so familiar? She could only clearly recall Suigetsu Hozuki, Sasuke's teammate; she knew nothing about any others from that clan.
"Answer my questions," Hozuki Mangetsu stated, his gaze fixed intently on Sakura. "If I'm satisfied, I'll let you live."
Threatening violence just to ask some questions… exactly like Mei Terumi, Sakura thought with irritation. Kirigakure ninja really are a different breed.
"Then come and try me!" Sakura shot back provocatively. Having just confronted the terrifying possibility that her entire existence might be part of the Infinite Tsukuyomi, she was feeling thoroughly dejected. Someone picking a fight right now? Perfect timing for her to vent some frustration!
"You seem quite confident in your abilities," Mangetsu observed, surprisingly not attacking immediately. "But before you die, answer my question!" He was somewhat taken aback; his title, "Demon Man of the Hidden Mist," was practically infamous throughout the Land of Water. He had expected compliance, not defiance. Honestly, he hadn't truly intended to kill her – the threat was just a way to bypass pointless arguments. His name alone usually carried significant deterrent power.
"You talk too much nonsense," Sakura spat contemptuously. "Beat me, and I'll tell you whatever you want to know!" Why are Kiri ninja always so long-winded? she fumed silently. Provoke them, and instead of fighting, they just stand there babbling. Mei was like that, and now this Hozuki Mangetsu too!
(She still had plenty of Sage Art chakra stored in her Yin Seal; the fight with Mei hadn't consumed much. She could afford to be a bit reckless for a while. Since the Summoning Technique allowed direct contact with Master Tsunade, she could always ask her Master to send the other Gelel Stone from Konoha once this supply ran out.)
"I don't have time to waste talking," Mangetsu said, his expression hardening, his face suddenly suffused with killing intent. "Did you see two individuals wearing black cloaks adorned with red clouds pass through here? Tell me!"
Sakura blinked, momentarily stunned. Black cloaks with red clouds… Isn't that Itachi and Kisame's attire? What had those two done in Kirigakure to warrant such an intense pursuit? Judging by Mangetsu's presence here, they must have succeeded in whatever their mission was… which meant Sakura had missed her chance to interfere and cause them trouble.
Seeing the brief flicker of recognition on the girl's face, Mangetsu immediately drew a conclusion. "So, you do know them! Looks like you're their accomplice, left behind to cover their retreat! In that case, I have no choice but to capture you!"
With that, Mangetsu reached back, gripping the hilt of the large, bandage-wrapped sword strapped to his back. Visible chakra flowed into the weapon, causing the bandages to burst outwards, scattering in all directions and finally revealing the blade's true form.
Before Sakura stood a weapon shaped like a flounder – Hiramekarei, one of the legendary Seven Swords of the Mist. Gas hissed from the two round holes on its surface as the entire blade began to glow with an intense blue light. Chakra coalesced outside the physical blade, forming a large, flat, circular plane of energy.
"Hiramekarei: Release!"
Gripping both handles firmly, Mangetsu swung the massive sword with tremendous force. The circular plane of chakra shot forward like a cannonball, hurtling towards Sakura with the unstoppable momentum of a thunderbolt.
Watching the terrifyingly powerful chakra construct approach, Sakura instantly activated her Strength of a Hundred Seal. She crossed her arms defensively in front of her face. Dodging means potentially falling into his attack rhythm. Blocking it is the only real option.
Mangetsu smirked coldly as he saw the girl choose to block the attack head-on. It's over. A moment later, however, a flicker of surprise crossed his face.
Enhanced by the potent Sage Art chakra flowing through her, Sakura merely stumbled back a few steps under the impact of Hiramekarei's chakra blast.
"Not bad. It packs some power," Sakura commented, eyeing the strangely shaped greatsword. "If I'm not mistaken, that should be one of the Seven Ninja Swords of the Mist, right?"
"Don't get cocky! That was just a test!" Mangetsu retorted, his expression turning grim. "Did you fools really think you could assassinate the Fourth Mizukage and simply walk away?! Kirigakure has already cast an inescapable net across the land! Surrender quietly!"
Sakura was stunned yet again. They actually attacked Yagura?! But why? Wasn't he under Akatsuki's control? Why would Akatsuki target him? But Mangetsu gave her no time to ponder the inconsistency. With a battle cry, he charged, Hiramekarei now somehow split into two separate blades, one wielded in each hand.
Blue chakra surged violently from the twin blades, significantly extending their effective attack range. Watching Mangetsu wield the massive swords as if they were mere extensions of his arms, Sakura dodged cautiously, wary of getting too close to their sharp edges. They truly live up to their reputation. Mangetsu effortlessly cleaved a nearby boulder in two, demonstrating the swords' incredible sharpness.
"Is dodging all you can do? Where did that defiant attitude from earlier go?" Mangetsu taunted, his attacks becoming faster and more relentless.
Sakura felt herself being pinned down, unable to easily create distance. Annoyed by Mangetsu's aggressive pressure, a surge of anger flared within her. Treating me like a sick cat just because the tiger hasn't shown its claws yet? Big mistake.
After evading another powerful slash, Sakura exploded forward with blinding speed, instantly circling around to Mangetsu's flank. Clenching her fist, she poured Sage Art chakra into it, unleashing her enhanced monstrous strength in a devastating punch aimed directly at the flat side of one of the Hiramekarei blades.
Mangetsu felt a majestic, boundless force slam into the sword. The impact traveled up the blade, making the webbing between his thumb and forefinger go numb. Hiramekarei was nearly torn from his grasp. "Hydrification Technique: Powerful Water Arm!" Instantly, Mangetsu's arm swelled to an enormous size, bulging veins standing out starkly against liquefied skin. He managed to maintain his grip on the sword, but the surging, overwhelming power of Sakura's blow sent him careening backward, flying helplessly into the dense forest.
A cacophony of crashing sounds and snapping trees echoed from the woods, followed by silence. A clear path had been carved through the forest along the trajectory Mangetsu had flown, thick trees snapped like twigs by the impact.
Seeing Mangetsu sent flying, the oppressive gloom in Sakura's heart lessened slightly. My full-power Sage Art punch can level a town. Even though that wasn't full strength, amplified by Sage Art chakra, it should be more than enough to give him serious trouble.
Although she'd been mistaken for an Akatsuki accomplice, Sakura didn't bother trying to explain. Explanations would only increase suspicion. ("If you're not their accomplice, how do you know so much?") It was the same reason she hadn't bothered explaining anything to Mei. Believe it or not, suit yourself.
Suddenly, her Sage Art-enhanced senses picked up another presence nearby. Her head snapped towards a thicket of bushes in the jungle. "Come out!" she commanded sharply.
There was a rustling sound from the indicated direction, but no one emerged. Sakura sensed the hidden individual already fleeing rapidly in the opposite direction. She hesitated. Should I pursue? Mei was still trapped in the earth prison here, and Mangetsu was down somewhere nearby.
While she didn't necessarily need to keep Mei captive anymore, she feared what might happen if this newcomer rescued Mei. If Mei and Mangetsu then conferred, Sakura would be definitively labeled as someone harboring ill intentions towards Kirigakure. She'd never be able to clear her name then, not even with ten mouths to speak for her.
She waited a moment longer. Mangetsu still hadn't reappeared. He's either unconscious or setting a trap. Recalling Mangetsu's words – the Fourth Mizukage was dead, meaning the Land of Water was likely leaderless and in chaos – she surmised the fleeing individual was probably another Kiri search operative.
An intense feeling of impending danger washed over Sakura. I need to get out of here, now! If she lingered, Kirigakure ninja would inevitably surround this area soon. And if they discovered Mei imprisoned… Sakura would undoubtedly find herself on Kiri's most wanted list.
Damn that Itachi and Kisame! she cursed silently. Ultimately, this mess was because those two stirred up trouble in Kirigakure, completely derailing her own plans. She had intended to let Mei "cool off" for a few more days, wear down her stubbornness, and then attempt to negotiate. Now, there was clearly no time for that.
Rushing back to the cave, she hastily stuffed some food, medical supplies, and other miscellaneous items into her backpack. She considered burning the remaining evidence of their stay, then remembered with awkward embarrassment that she couldn't use Fire Release.
"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!" Resigned, Sakura used the jutsu to sink the remaining contents of the cave beneath the earth.
Stepping back outside, she approached the earthen box containing Mei and released the jutsu. The walls crumbled away. Sakura moved forward, intending to quickly knock Mei unconscious for transport, but stopped in surprise. Mei was already out cold. Wait… checking her pulse… it's incredibly weak!
The realization hit her. The earthen prison… she'd made the walls thick to ensure soundproofing, which meant the oxygen supply inside had been limited. It was only supposed to be for a short duration, but then the fight with Mangetsu had happened… Mei was suffering from severe oxygen deprivation!
Ah, spit! Stop thinking, save her!
Pinching Mei's nose shut, Sakura took a deep breath, lowered her head, and pressed her lips firmly against Mei's. The unexpected softness of Mei's lips sent a jolt through Sakura. Whoa… this is… my first kiss!
But there was absolutely no time to savor the moment, or even process the thought. Sakura immediately began administering CPR, alternating between chest compressions and rescue breaths. After what felt like an eternity, Mei's breathing finally began to steady and normalize, though she didn't regain consciousness. Not taking any chances, Sakura channeled the Mystic Palm Technique into her for a few moments longer, ensuring her stability. Then, she carefully hefted Mei onto her shoulder and swiftly departed from the cave that had been their reluctant home for over a week.
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