The Return

Chapter 18

 Poisoned Cherry Blossom

Sakura and Naruto looked down into the ravine. They identified multiple dark chakras, one of which was Sasuke's. Naruto noted that there were three others that seemed familiar as well but he couldn't pinpoint them.

Sakura gazed down at an opening in the rock. She was sure Sasuke was down there, defeating the enemy...but at what cost? She hoped she wasn't too late. She'd seen him fall to the darkness too many times and wasn't sure if she could take it again.

"Sakura, we'll get him back. Even if I have to drag him back to the village as I did at the Final Valley. We won't lose him again." Naruto made a fist and donned Kurama's cloak. A look of fierce determination lit up like a fire in his eyes.

Sakura was about to jump down into the ravine when she felt a strange presence.

"Incoming!" Naruto called.

She jumped back as needles flew towards them. Out of the corner of her eye, she noted that they were laced with poison.

"I won't make the same mistakes as last time" a familiar voice shook her to her core.

She turned slowly and looked down from her tree branch. It was Sasori. "You? But we killed you long ago! You were even brought back with the Reanimation Jutsu but we stopped you again! How can this be?" She thought back to earlier this morning. It couldn't be the poison; she was sure there were no traces. Unless it was an ambush since they were getting closer to the enemy. She calmed her mind, if she attacked, she might end up hurting Naruto. And if it was simply a hallucination, that meant no harm could be done to her physically.

"Heh, you sure are slow" Sasori chuckled. "Have you figured out the secret to my poison yet? I would have thought that a student of a sannin would easily be able to come up with an antidote." He drew one of his fingers back and another round of poisoned needles emerged. Sakura stayed still.

"Look out!" Naruto called.

She jumped back at his voice. So, Naruto could see him too? What was going on?

Take this!" Sasori manipulated his fingers so another wave attacked them.

"Naruto! Be careful, his needles are laced with a deadly poison."

"Yeah, I see them. What the heck is going on? Isn't he that guy from the Akatsuki?" 

"Confused?" Sasori smirked. "Unlike my brother Sho, I am a true master of the poison arts. I don't create mere hallucinations like some amateur. I replicate poisons right down to the jutsu caster. Lord Sasori was quite adept, wouldn't you say?"

"Who are you, really? Show your true face!" Sakura challenged.

"Where's the fun in that? I can't wait to see the look on your face when I kill you in this form." He licked his lips.

"What do you want with Sakura?!" Naruto demanded.

Sasori chuckled. "Well for starters, the end of medical ninjutsu. After all, we can't end the shinobi world if they create an antidote."

"The end of the shinobi world?" Sakura gasped.

"I hate to break it to you pal, but we already stopped that during the Fourth Great Ninja War and we'll do it again if we have to." Naruto made a fist, ready to charge.

"Let's see you try" Sasori smirked, summoning what looked like Pain's chakra receivers. "By the way, I'm sure you're familiar with this poison, Sakura Haruno."

Invisible to the senses, but she knew the rods were laced in that poison. Turning to Naruto she gave a look of fierce determination. "Go help Sasuke. I'll handle this one."