Crimson Ties

Chapter 9

Itachi made sure everyone had everything they needed before heading for The Thunder Rogues hideout. He wanted to be sure that no mistakes would be made. This battle was not going to be easy. The one he worried most for was Sakura. She wasn't weak and could care for herself but he also had a strong feeling to protect her even at the cost of his life. 

   A few hours after preparing and gathering all of their items, they headed for the hideout. 

   "Everyone be on alert. We will have to split up but one team will be down a person and that can be risky. You will all have to watch each others backs. I want Sakura, Shikamaru, myself, and Ino one on team. I will not risk putting to many medics on a team of three. Neji, Shisui, and Hinata you will all be the other team. Be sure to help each other. I will have no fatalities on the mission, am I clear?" Itachi asked. 

   They all nodded their head in agreement and rushed for the hideout. Shisui's team  would enter the back entrance and prevent anyone from escaping the building. Itachi's would take the front and hopefully hit them hard enough to bunch together. 

  They reached the building and separated to their positions. 

   "Sakura, go to that door. When I signal you, I want you to hit that thing as hard as you can. If you injure people inside that is better for us. Shisui is going to blow the back entrance. This is going to cause mayhem and people will be running to escape. Take them down." Itachi commanded. 

  Sakura nodded and leaped to the door. She gather chakra into her fist and prepared to strike. Itachi placed his fingers by his mouth and whistled as hard as he could. Sakura instantly punched the door, sending it flying in the building. She heard the explosion of the back entrance and she leaped to the side to take out the people running out. 

  Itachi had been correct. Four men ran out of the building screaming. Sakura gather four kunai in her hands and threw them. Each one collided with a mans neck and dropped them to the ground. No further attacks would be needed on them, they would bleed out anyway. 

   Itachi threw his hand up and signaled the group to head in the building. Itachi went in first and the rest went in after him. Itachi stopped at an hallway that lead down two different paths. 

  "Ino and Shikamaru, go left. Sakura and I will go right. Watch each others backs." Itachi  commanded. 

  They both nodded and took the left hallway. Itachi looked at Sakura and began heading down the right hallway. Any enemy could jump out at any moment. This was no time to be distracted. 

  "Well, well, look here. We have some intruders. You have come to the wrong place Konoha brats. We were expecting you, especially you pinkie. We saw you close to the base last night didn't we?" A man said from the shadows. 

  Itachi activated his sharingan and located the exact spot the man stood. 

  "Show yourself. This whole bulding is crawling with our ninja. Either surrender to us or be killed, there is no other way." Itachi commanded. 

  The guy chuckled and and stepped from the shadows. Sakura gasped from the sight of him. 

  

  "Itachi! I healed that man in the village, I recognize that scar!" 

  Shisui grunted as his enemy punched him in the chest. These guys were more of a pain than initially expected. 

   "Earth Style, Bedrock coffin!"

   Shisui gasped as giant pieces of the ground closed in on him. He was trapped. 

   "Shisui!" Ino yelled out. 

   Ino glared at the man and faced him. 

   "Mind Trasfer Jutsu!"

   

    

  Itachi glared at the man infront of him. 

  "Yes Pinkie, it's me. Nice little trick we played huh? We knew that village would some day ask for help and we wanted to make sure we could track their movements. " The man said. 

  Itachi sighed and pulled his katana. 

   The man smirked as Itachi readied himself for battle. Sakura stood there dumbfounded over this man. He had blended in so well within the village, she never even suspected him. That was all apart of their plan. 

  Sakura's blood boiled at the sound of their plan. Tricking everyone to keep an eye on the ninjas. 

   "How could you? Why were you even attacking the village?" Sakura asked. 

   "Because we can. We, as ninjas, are exponentially stronger than those in the village. They can't fight back so they are easy targets for us. We differ between all different villages across the land." The man said. 

    "Boss are you alright? We heard explosions!" A voice yelled from deeper in the cave. 

   The man smirked again and closed in on Itachi. Sakura watched as the man drew a sword and launched himself to Itachi. 

   'You are stronger than this Sakura. Do not cry. Protect him!'

  Sakura's eyes gleamed with rage as her chakra spread through out her limbs. She launched herself to the man and hit his torso as hard as she could.