Yugito Nii Imprisoned by Sakura
Yawning as she sat on a small stool at the tent entrance, Sakura was wrapped in a heavy white military coat. Her messy pink hair stuck out in all directions, and her lifeless emerald-green eyes gazed at the distant ninjas bustling to relocate the camp.
Since the Cloud Village had retreated fifty miles, their forces needed to advance, which meant the entire camp had to be moved as well.
After fighting fiercely for several days, Jiraiya had granted Sakura a few days off to rest.
"Sakura, you wanted to see me?"
A tall figure suddenly appeared, crouching beside her without pretense. He casually pulled a piece of compressed biscuit from his pocket and handed it to her.
Sakura glanced at the brownish-yellow biscuit, which resembled an energy bar, and took it without hesitation.
Crunch.
The hard biscuit cracked under her teeth. As she chewed the grainy snack, she began forming hand seals under Jiraiya's puzzled gaze.
Heavenly Covering Barrier.
Sakura wasn't sure if the barrier would be effective against White Zetsu's possible presence, but it was better to be safe than sorry.
"You try sensing too. See if you can detect anything suspicious."
Though uncertain about her intentions, Jiraiya complied and performed the same technique.
After confirming that there was no one nearby except for the distant ninjas, Sakura finally spoke in a listless tone:
"The mission intel was leaked last time."
Jiraiya's eyes narrowed slightly, and he scanned the area once more before lowering his voice.
"Why didn't you mention this in your mission report?"
Sakura shot him a look of exasperation.
"Our main camp was infiltrated by some unknown entity. Did you really expect me to write that in the report?"
Jiraiya's brow furrowed deeply.
She had a point.
The day after they discussed cutting off the Cloud Village's supply lines, the intel had leaked.
While part of the blame could be attributed to a spy within the Leaf, the sheer absurdity of it couldn't be ignored.
The main camp, surrounded by nearly ten thousand ninjas, had been eavesdropped on?
It was beyond ridiculous.
"Could it be...?"
Jiraiya considered another unsettling possibility—betrayal.
In that meeting, only Jiraiya, Kakashi, Sakura, Hayate Gekko, and a few other border commanders were present.
Jiraiya, Sakura, and Kakashi were beyond suspicion.
Hayate had even played a role in rescuing Sakura's team, making him a less likely suspect.
Sakura chewed the biscuit, propping her chin on her hand.
"From now on, we should set up sensory barriers, soundproof barriers, and sealing barriers during meetings."
As for whether there was a traitor...
The thought gave her a headache.
White Zetsu could perfectly mimic someone's chakra, even fooling the Byakugan.
"You handle it. You're the commander, after all."
Still appearing half-asleep, Sakura mechanically chewed the biscuit in her hand.
"..."
Jiraiya clicked his tongue as he observed the disheveled girl. She no longer resembled a twelve or thirteen-year-old prodigy but looked more like a listless young adult in her early twenties.
Suddenly, as if recalling something, Jiraiya spoke up with a deliberate tone:
"Actually, I have another mission for you."
Sakura's emerald eyes flickered slightly.
"What is it?"
Jiraiya glanced around cautiously before leaning in close and whispering the details.
The previous intel leak had made him paranoid.
As Sakura listened, her frown deepened.
Though they had won the recent battle, many ninjas were now severely injured or disabled. They needed to send the wounded back to the village.
But that wasn't the full story.
The real purpose was Yugito Nii—the Two-Tails Jinchūriki.
As the first Jinchūriki ever captured alive, both Jiraiya and Hiruzen Sarutobi were deeply concerned. Hiruzen had immediately ordered her escort back to the village and specifically assigned Sakura to oversee the mission.
Sakura pursed her lips.
The importance of Yugito Nii was undeniable, and Sakura understood the urgency.
Yugito was completely sealed, her chakra rendered inert by Jiraiya's techniques. Given the security risks and potential rescue attempts by the Cloud Village, it made sense for Sakura to lead the mission.
But...
The fact that the old man had specifically named her for the task was suspicious.
Knowing Hiruzen as she did, Sakura was inclined to believe...
The Monkey King had snitched on her.
After all, what Inner Sakura had said to the enraged Raikage was... beyond outrageous.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was grooming her for Hokage.
The Hokage could be ruthless and bold—but not poisonous. In Hiruzen's eyes, a Hokage was a tree bathed in sunlight. Poison was for others.
Considering that Tsunade was still in the village and hadn't made a move, this mission wasn't just about escorting the Jinchūriki—it was likely also about addressing Inner Sakura.
Sakura glanced at Jiraiya but didn't call him out.
"Where's Yugito?"
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Darkness and Chains
The heavy tent blocked out all light. Yugito was bound by shackles engraved with sealing formulas. Her Cloud ninja attire had been replaced by a plain white garment that offered no concealment for tools.
Suddenly, the tent flap was pulled open, and sunlight poured in, piercing through the oppressive darkness.
Yugito weakly turned toward the light. Severely injured, her chakra sealed, and her food laced with drugs, she was in the weakest state of her life.
A pink-haired girl in full ninja gear entered the tent. Her emerald eyes were devoid of emotion as she gazed at the disheveled woman before her.
Sakura reached out, pinched Yugito's chin, and forced her to look up.
The once arrogant and confident gaze was gone. Now, Yugito's eyes struggled to stay open.
Even Sakura couldn't deny Yugito's beauty. In this state, she exuded a vulnerability that almost invited cruelty.
"Haruno..."
Even without opening her eyes, Yugito recognized the presence before her. That scent, that chakra—she would never forget it.
Before she could finish her sentence, Sakura pressed a white cloth over her mouth and nose.
"Mmm..."
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