Terumi Mei instinctively reached out toward the departing Sakura, but at that moment, Kakashi could no longer hold on.
Excessive chakra consumption was an extremely serious matter, one that could even endanger a ninja's life.
Kakashi's eyes rolled back, and he collapsed unconscious to the ground.
This caused Mei, who had intended to rush to help, to abruptly halt her steps.
Kakuzu, watching Sakura relentlessly closing the distance between them with terrifying speed, felt a chill of dread in his heart.
This pink-haired girl…
Glancing around, Kakuzu steeled himself. The purple-masked creature opened its mouth!
Countless wisps of purple mist drifted toward Sakura!
Sakura's expression hardened at the sight.
This wasn't mist—it was a swarm of invisible nano-poisonous insects!
As the nano-insects were about to engulf her, they stopped roughly ten meters away from Sakura, refusing to advance further.
This…
Sakura's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
The life-enhancing evolution brought by Yang Release, combined with the illusory chakra techniques of Yin Release, had created a suppressive domain that successfully blocked the nano-insects!
The overwhelming dominance of her life force instilled fear in the nano-insects, preventing them from taking a single step closer.
Seeing this, Sakura's resolve strengthened.
Even the current Sakura had no intention of physically confronting these nano-insects controlled by Aburame Tone.
If she tried to brute-force her way through…
Well, she'd likely end up dead trying.
Determined, Sakura continued her pursuit of Kakuzu.
But…
Even though the nano-insects instinctively avoided Sakura, this terrifying monster in their eyes, their speed couldn't match hers.
They couldn't escape her fast enough…
Looking at the nano-insects before her, Sakura's lips twitched.
So, I'm scared of them, and they're scared of me…
Moreover, while Kakuzu wasn't a ninja renowned for speed, he wasn't slow either.
As time passed, with Kakuzu fleeing at full speed, he was nearing the border of the Land of Rivers…
Kakuzu's goal was clear.
The Sand Village had lost this war. Even the Kazekage was dead.
The Sand Village couldn't save him. Kakuzu's target was the Land of Rain, bordering the Land of Rivers!
In the Land of Rain, Zetsu's clones were stationed at regular intervals.
If they spotted him fleeing, they would surely report to their leader.
Thus, Kakuzu sought Pain's protection!
Sakura, watching Kakuzu grow ever more distant, felt a surge of frustration.
She had clearly discerned Kakuzu's intentions.
If she couldn't stop Kakuzu, she'd at least destroy the heart of Aburame Tone!
The current Sakura had no interest in facing Pain head-on.
Among Pain's Six Paths, Sakura didn't fear the Animal Path, the Naraka Path, or even the Deva Path.
But the Human Path was another story.
One touch, and she'd be dead.
Not to mention Konan, who was no pushover, and the likely presence of Deidara and Hidan…
Hidan was manageable, but Deidara's C4 Garuda was a real problem.
Another nano-level attack.
Right now, Sakura didn't have the strength to take down the entire Akatsuki.
But once Sasuke achieved his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, Naruto mastered his Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, and she perfected her Sage Mode…
She'd smash Pain's doorstep so hard, even the dog bowl out front wouldn't survive!
She'd scatter their eggs and split their earthworms in half!
Her emerald eyes sharpened with determination. Three shuriken appeared in Sakura's hand!
Yang Release: Monstrous Strength!
Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!
It wasn't that Sakura didn't want to use the Giant Shuriken Technique—she simply didn't have time.
The monstrous strength enhanced by Yang Release made her thrown shuriken move so fast that even Sakura couldn't keep up with their speed. Managing to use the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique under the strain of Yang Release's monstrous strength was already her absolute limit.
With a flick of her wrist, the three shuriken transformed into a torrential black rain, hurtling toward the masked creature spewing nano-insects!
The surrounding trees, merely grazed by the black rain, shattered instantly!
Not just the trees—even the roadside boulders couldn't withstand the shuriken thrown by Sakura, exploding with deafening cracks!
Kakuzu glanced back, his scalp prickling with fear. Without hesitation, he leaped into a nearby river, fleeing toward the Land of Rain!
The masked creature, used by Kakuzu to slow Sakura down and control the nano-insects, was obliterated under the onslaught of the black rain!
Seeing this, Sakura finally stopped.
At this moment, she was only a step away from the Land of Rain.
Frowning at the nano-insects still devouring everything around her, Sakura's expression darkened.
Though the mother body of the nano-insects was destroyed, their reproduction rate was terrifyingly fast. If left unchecked, this area would become a barren wasteland.
Countless civilians would die as a result.
Sakura wasn't a saint, but she wasn't a villain either. If she could deal with these insects, she wouldn't mind putting in the effort.
Fine. She'd call Terumi Mei over to clean them up bit by bit…
With one last glance toward the Land of Rain, Sakura turned and left without looking back.
Just wait.
I will be back!
Konohagakure
Hokage Tower
Hokage's Office
Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at the report in his hand, his furrowed brows relaxing as a deep sense of satisfaction filled his heart.
The Fourth Kazekage, dead!
Following the Fourth Raikage, yet another Fourth Kage had fallen to Sakura's hands!
As expected of his prized disciple!
Let the entire ninja world see that his students weren't just about gambling, drinking, and debauchery!
They could also carry Konoha's banner!
With this thought, Hiruzen pulled a sheet of letter paper from his desk and began writing swiftly.
Once finished, he retrieved a small scroll from a drawer and placed both items into a message tube.
"Someone, come!"
At Hiruzen's command, an ANBU operative appeared instantly before him.
"Send this to the front lines in the Land of Whirlpools using our fastest ninja hawk."
"And immediately dispatch Namashiro Raidō, Tatami Iwashi, and Shiranui Genma to the Land of Rivers battlefield!"
"Yes, sir!"
As the ANBU departed, Hiruzen gazed out at the village he had watched over for decades.
The Kazekage was dead, and the One-Tail Jinchuriki had fallen. The Sand Village had no strength left to continue this war.
That left only one opponent…
A faint smile curled at the corners of Hiruzen's lips.
The clouds of war that had loomed over him for days seemed to dissipate.
In fact, the day Sakura arrived at the Land of Rivers front, the Land of Water had already made its move.
To support the Sand Village's war effort, the prepared Mist Village had sent troops that had landed in the Land of Whirlpools.
Tsunade had already led two thousand ninja to intercept the Mist forces.
Initially, Hiruzen had planned to reassign ninja from the Land of Frost battlefield to bolster Tsunade's forces.
But now, that was unnecessary.
In Hiruzen's eyes, Sakura, having mastered Yang Release ninjutsu, was unrivaled in the ninja world.
Though the war with the Sand Village in the Land of Rivers wasn't over, victory was already within reach.
He would send Sakura to the Land of Whirlpools battlefield immediately.
It wasn't that Hiruzen underestimated the Mist Village—Terumi Mei's intelligence had already revealed their situation.
Years of the Bloody Mist policy had driven countless elite ninja to defect.
Among them were Kisame Hoshigaki and Zabuza Momochi.
Now, even the dual-bloodline Terumi Mei had left the Mist Village.
The current Mist Village was a toothless tiger, propped up only by the Fourth Mizukage and the elusive Six-Tails Jinchuriki.
Unfortunately for them…
The one leading this Mist force was none other than the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi!
With the Fourth Raikage and Fourth Kazekage already dead by Sakura's hands, Hiruzen had an idea.
Or rather, an ambition!
Kill the Fourth Mizukage!
Let three Fourth Kages fall to his beloved disciple's hands!
The ninja sent to the Land of Rivers battlefield—Namashiro Raidō, Tatami Iwashi, and Shiranui Genma—were all part of the Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze's Flying Thunder God team.
The ninja hawk would carry the Flying Thunder God coordinates to the Land of Whirlpools.
The moment the Flying Thunder God team arrived in the Land of Rivers, they would use the Flying Thunder God Formation to teleport Sakura to the Land of Whirlpools battlefield!
She would arrive in an instant!
And kill the Fourth Mizukage!
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