...I'm cold.
It was unbearably cold. I felt nothing but that freezing sensation, as if nothing else existed around me.
...I'm in pain.
The cold of this place wasn't enough to hide my suffering. My whole body seemed to burn with unbearable agony.
...I can't see.
Everything around me was engulfed in darkness. A deep blackness like the void. I realized my eyes were shut, and I couldn't manage to open them.
...I'm breathing.
But with every breath in and out, pain twisted through me. I tried to move my fingers, but even the slightest motion sent violent spasms through my body.
Am I dead ?
As footsteps approached, I slipped back into unconsciousness.
***
The melodic singing of birds brushed against my ears while a gentle warmth caressed my face. Spring had arrived. A fragrant blend of flowers and spices filled my nose as my hands brushed against something soft and smooth. I quickly understood—it was silk sheets.
My ears, now alert from external sounds, picked up the voices of two people entering the room.
"Did you see her hair ?" asked a woman.
"Yes, it's such a strange color," replied another female voice.
As I tried to gather my thoughts and remember where I was, I finally managed to open my eyes—though it was incredibly difficult. Daylight stung my vision, forcing me to raise my arm to shield them until they adjusted. Huh… the pain was gone.
"Oh! She's awake !" one of the women exclaimed, noticing my open eyes.
"We have to call Master Asura! He told us to inform him as soon as she woke up," said the other, before both of them quickly left the room.
I lowered my arm to look straight ahead. The ceiling was painted with a strange image a large tree surrounded by nine eyes. I turned my head and was surprised to see I wasn't in a hospital but in a normal bedroom.
If I remembered correctly, there had been an explosion in my lab. That blast should have killed me. Why was I still alive ? Why wasn't I in a hospital ?
I tried to sit up, but my body felt so heavy I couldn't manage it.
"You're awake ?" said a male voice, cutting short my attempts.
Who is that? From where I was, I couldn't see him. I tried again to sit up, to face the voice, but I couldn't control my body—and that deeply worried me.
Sensing my struggle, he gently approached and placed his arm behind my back, helping me sit. At that moment, my emerald eyes met his striking ebony ones so steady and kind.
I looked at the young man. He seemed about my age. Tall, with a face both delicate and strong. His bronze hair gave off a kind of electric energy. As I kept staring at him, he looked away shyly. His cheeks flushed pink, and he smiled at me… That smile it reminded me of Naruto.
"You have beautiful eyes," he said, clearly flustered.
I stared at him, dumbfounded, before remembering the situation I was in.
"Where am I ? Who are you ?" I asked, confused.
"You're in the village of Kura. I'm Asura. We found you unconscious and severely injured. Who tried to hurt you ?" he asked seriously.
"Injured ?" I asked, touching my arms and finding no trace of any wounds.
Yes, I had been badly. How had I survived such injuries ?
"We treated you. You were in critical condition, but we managed to save you. However, your wounds were so severe they put you in a deep sleep. We thought you might never wake up… never see those beautiful eyes again," he added with a smile.
"How long was I asleep ?"
"Hm… about four months."
"WHAT?!" I exclaimed in shock.
That explained why my body felt so heavy. I'd been bedridden for far too long.
"Asura, right ?"
"Yes, that's me," he replied warmly.
"Thank you…" I said, closing my eyes again.
I was still too weak to stay awake for long. I remained in that room for three weeks. Asura came regularly to check on me. His presence comforted me. He reminded me of Naruto's warmth and innocence.
During those three weeks, I worked to regain my strength so I could move on my own again. I had finally recovered some of my power. I was ready to leave. But where would I go ? I didn't even know where I was.
***
Despite the protests of the two attendants assigned to care for me, I had made up my mind today, I needed to explore. I had to figure out where exactly I was and who the people were who had taken me in. Over the past three weeks, I made sure to hide my true identity from my hosts. I knew that several groups and villages would want me to join them because of my abilities. I had no choice but to conceal my past as a kunoichi.
As I walked through the halls of the large estate, a sharp, piercing noise broke my train of thought. I decided to check it out—those sounds were unmistakable. It had to be a fight, probably involving kunai.
When I reached the source, I saw a man fighting alone against five others. But it didn't seem like he was at a disadvantage quite the opposite. He had the upper hand.
I looked more closely at the young man and noticed a resemblance to Asura. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the Sharingan in his eyes. He stared at his opponents with disdain.
Then Asura stepped in between him and the men being beaten by the Sharingan wielder.
"Indra, that's enough," he said sternly.
Indra ? That name…Indra and Asura—the brothers who were reincarnated as Naruto and Sasuke.
Without realizing it, my legs gave out, and I collapsed to the wooden floor, drawing the attention of everyone nearby.
"Sakura !" Asura called out as he rushed to my side.
He gently helped me up.
"What are you doing out here ? You're still too weak to be walking around," he said, concerned.
But I wasn't listening. My eyes were locked onto Indra's scarlet pupils. I finally understood. I had traveled through time—but how ?
"Sakura ? Are you alright ?" Asura asked, more worried now that I hadn't responded.
I looked away from Indra, who was staring at me in surprise, and turned my attention to Asura.
"Sorry… I just wanted to move around a little…" I muttered, dazed.
"It's alright. I'll take you back to your room," he said as he lifted me in his arms.
I couldn't say anything else. My mind was overflowing with questions.
"Are you sure you're okay ?" Asura asked again, placing me gently on the bed.
"Asura… that man with the red eyes… he's…" I whispered, still in shock.
"Indra. He's my brother," he said seriously.
So I had been right. I was in the past. But how? I remembered manipulating my chakra too intensely, which caused an explosion. I remembered blacking out, then realizing I was gravely wounded. I remembered being on the verge of death—and just before I breathed my last, I regretted that the curse of the brothers had ever existed. That curse had smothered love and fueled the wars that ultimately claimed Naruto and Sasuke's lives. Those were my last memories… before ending up here.
Had I triggered some mechanism that sent me back in time ? Was this the solution I had been searching for to save Naruto and Sasuke ?
My thoughtful gaze landed on Asura, who looked at me with deep concern. He was Hagoromo's younger son. From what I remembered, he had been chosen as the successor of Ninshu, which led Indra to rebel against him. Their conflict had sparked centuries of warfare.
"Sakura… are you sure you're alright ?" Asura asked again.
"I'm fine, Asura. I just overdid it a little," I answered with a weak, fake smile.
"You're sure ?" he asked, skeptical.
"Yes, don't worry. I'll rest a bit more. I'm tired."
"Alright, Sakura. I'll leave you to rest. Just don't push yourself too hard, okay ?"
I only smiled in response. I was determined to change the future and for that, I needed to get close to Indra.
Indra was the key to preventing the bloodshed that would occur generations later. But how ? He seemed so cold and detached from others.
If I remembered correctly, Hagoromo had told us that Indra had been influenced by Zetsu. If I could reach him, if I could get close, I might be able to stop him from falling into darkness. Together, we could destroy Zetsu once and for all.
Yes, that would be my plan. But I would have to be careful not to alert Zetsu. I would need to hide my chakra. From what I remembered of this era, very few people even knew how to use chakra. We were still at the beginning, so most wouldn't notice. But if I got too close to Indra, I would have to be extra careful his Sharingan could sense chakra.
I had no choice. I would have to seal my chakra. For now, it was the only way.