Chapter 49: Wait for Me
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(Note: Not the Same Sakura as Sakura Haruno )
Utakata couldn't stop thinking about her name, "Sakura."
Sakura was outside the door, gently biting her lip. Three days ago, she had been walking by the river when she saw Utakata kill a group of ninjas with a single move.
Moved by his strength, she decided to rescue him, hoping that he might one day become her teacher. But Sakura didn't know how to ask him.
The days passed, and the sun shone brightly.
Utakata leaned against a tree, watching the birds fly across the sky. Sakura noticed how quiet and distant Utakata always seemed, his demeanor cold and aloof.
Gathering her courage, Sakura nervously pinched the corner of her skirt and said, "Utakata, can you teach me ninjutsu? I want you to be my... teacher!"
The word "teacher" triggered something within Utakata, causing an instinctive rejection. "Don't become a ninja. There's nothing good about it!" he replied, his voice sharp.
Sakura, though disheartened, was persistent. "Will you teach me?" she asked, her voice almost pleading.
Utakata shook his head. "I won't teach you."
Sakura sighed softly, "I understand... You're a ninja, and I'm just a civilian. How could I expect you to do something you don't want to do? But for days, you've been sleeping in my bed while I slept on the floor. You've been eating my food and drinking my water..."
Her words made Utakata's scalp tingle. Quickly, he interrupted her, "Alright, alright! I'll teach you ninjutsu. But remember, I'm only teaching you the techniques. You are not my disciple."
Sakura's face lit up with happiness, causing Utakata to smile slightly despite himself. He didn't know why, but he found it hard to guard himself against her.
The Six-Tails inside Utakata warned, "Utakata, you're getting attached. Once you have feelings, you'll have weaknesses."
"So what if I have a weakness?" Utakata replied in his mind. "I've never been invincible."
From that day on, Utakata began teaching Sakura ninjutsu. Since her chakra nature was water, he focused on teaching her water-based techniques.
It became clear that Sakura had a natural talent for ninjutsu, learning quickly from Utakata's instructions.
As time passed, the bond between them deepened, but neither of them voiced their true feelings.
Utakata enjoyed this quiet, stable life, but he knew it couldn't last forever.
His identity as a Jinchūriki was like a ticking time bomb. He never dared to tell Sakura the truth about who he really was.
One day, their peaceful life was shattered when a group of ninjas suddenly broke into the house.
These ninjas had no forehead protectors, and their methods were strange and brutal. They attacked Sakura, but Utakata used his bubble technique to protect her.
Sakura's old servant, Junpei, cried out, "Master! Take the young lady and leave quickly! I will hold them off!"
Utakata hesitated for a moment before deciding to take Sakura and escape.
But Sakura, her voice trembling, begged, "Please, Utakata, save Junpei. He's old, and I can't bear to leave him like this..."
Utakata didn't want to reveal his full power, especially not in front of Sakura. The ninjas below had special abilities, and without using the Six-Tails' power, defeating them would be difficult.
But seeing the pain in Sakura's eyes, Utakata couldn't bring himself to refuse.
He gently touched her face and said, "Don't be afraid. I'll protect you."
With that, Utakata jumped down from the bubble and confronted the old servant. "Leave this to me," he said, his voice calm but firm.
As he blew a wave of bubbles, a group of ninjas suddenly appeared. Utakata recognized them immediately—it was the Kirigakure Village's ninja chasing team. They still hadn't given up on him.
The ninjas quickly formed seals. "Water Release: Acid Rain Technique!" they shouted, and suddenly, a torrential rain began to fall.
The rain prevented Utakata from using his bubble techniques. The Kirigakure ninjas knew Utakata's abilities well.
At this moment, the four ninjas took off their masks, revealing themselves to be members of the Earth Spider clan. Junpei's eyes widened in shock. "Why?" he asked in disbelief.
One of the Earth Spider ninjas replied coldly, "Old man, enough talk. Tell us where the Forbidden Life Technique is!"
Forbidden Life Technique was the Earth Spider clan's ancestral secret technique. Since the disappearance of their previous leader, Walker, the technique had been lost.
The Earth Spider clan suspected it was hidden within Sakura, a disciple of the warrior. To find it, they had allied themselves with the Kirigakure ninja chasing team.
The Earth Spider clan wanted Sakura, and Kirigakure wanted the Six-Tails.
The acid rain rendered Utakata's bubbles useless, and as ninjutsu rained down on them, he glanced at Sakura, her eyes filled with worry.
Utakata smiled sadly. "Hate me if you must," he thought, "but I won't let her get hurt..."
A black and purple chakra began to envelop Utakata, covering his body like liquid armor. He transformed into a humanoid beast, his eyes glowing red with fury.
In this half-tailed beast form, Utakata unleashed his power, decimating the ninjas in minutes. Blood and limbs littered the ground.
From within a bubble, Sakura watched in horror as Utakata slaughtered their enemies. When the last ninja fell, Utakata waved his hand, and the bubble around Sakura popped, releasing her.
Tears welled up in Sakura's eyes as she looked at Utakata, who was covered in blood. She stepped closer to him, but he backed away.
Sakura reached out, grabbing his hand, and pulled him into a tight embrace. The coldness in Utakata's heart began to melt.
"Aren't you afraid of me?" he asked quietly.
"You are the one I love," Sakura replied, tears streaming down her face. "Why would I be afraid of you?"
Utakata's heart fully thawed. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her close. The blood on his body stained her dress, but Sakura didn't care.
After a moment, Utakata whispered, "Sakura, I can't run anymore. I have to face the Kirigakure ANBU. I'll come back for you once I've settled things."
He leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. Sakura nodded, "Okay."
She didn't understand the significance of a tailed beast or what it meant for a Jinchūriki to face the ANBU. She only wanted to be with Utakata, free from worry.
Utakata took a step back and said, "Wait for me here. I'll return for you."
"I will," Sakura promised.
Under the moonlight, covered in blood, Sakura watched as Utakata walked away. A sense of unease washed over her.
"Utakata!" she called out.
He turned back, "What is it?"
"Promise me you'll come back!" Sakura's voice trembled.
"I promise," Utakata replied, his voice firm.
Not far away, hidden among the trees, a figure with a plant-like head and a face split into black and white halves watched the scene unfold.
"Heh, the Six-Tails Jinchūriki's weakness is his fear of acidic rain," Zetsu whispered to himself.
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