Chapter Text
Chapter 12: The Shinobi Arc 2
"Mama, mama, look! Her hair is pink!"
"Shh, that's rude! Maybe it's dyed!"
Sakura pulled the hood of her sweatshirt tighter over her head as she walked past a pair of children with their mother. Her sunglasses hid her sharp green eyes, and she kept her movements casual to avoid drawing attention. Her next target was an illegal drug smuggler, but the information her contact provided was frustratingly vague.
For a ninja like Sakura, working with little intel wasn’t new, but for the police of this world? No wonder they couldn’t catch the smugglers. As a ninja, receiving bad or minimal information was normal. Her body felt groggy, her movements not as smooth as she’d like. Despite regular exercise and meditation, she was still far from her full strength. The Tenth-Tails stirred within her, an untapped reservoir of power, but it remained dormant for now.
By sunset, Sakura crouched on the rooftop of an old warehouse near the harbor. Below, the smuggling operation was in full swing. Crates were being unloaded from unmarked trucks by hurried workers, while guards patrolled the perimeter, hands resting on concealed weapons.
Her green eyes scanned the scene, mentally mapping out the warehouse’s layout and noting the weak points in its defenses.
The thought crossed her mind again. It was still jarring not to sense chakra in anyone around her. In this world, she was the anomaly—a shinobi in a society where such powers didn’t exist. Still, she was confident her skills were enough to handle ordinary criminals.
She exhaled softly, tightening her hood, and leaped silently to the ground. Her landing was as quiet as a falling leaf. Moving through the shadows, she approached the side entrance.
Inside, the warehouse was dimly lit, the air thick with the smell of oil and damp wood. Sakura’s suspicions were confirmed: the smugglers were moving packages of drugs disguised as everyday items. She crept closer, her footsteps inaudible.
A guard turned unexpectedly, his gaze sweeping dangerously close to her position. Sakura froze, melting into the shadows with practiced ease. The man muttered something under his breath and walked on.
She continued her approach, slipping behind a stack of crates. Reaching into her pocket, she retrieved a small paper bomb, one of many she had crafted earlier. With a flick of her wrist, she attached it to a support beam and retreated to a safe distance.
The explosion was deafening, and the warehouse erupted into chaos. Smoke filled the air, and the smugglers shouted in panic, scrambling to figure out what had happened. Sakura moved like a wraith through the confusion, taking advantage of the disorder to dismantle their operation.
She disarmed two guards with swift, precise strikes, their weapons clattering uselessly to the ground. One of the smugglers lunged at her with a knife, but Sakura sidestepped gracefully and delivered a spinning kick that sent him crashing into a stack of crates.
Another smuggler tried to flee. Sakura intercepted him in a blur, her movements faster than the human eye could follow. She loomed over him, her sunglasses reflecting his terror-stricken face. With a single punch, she knocked him unconscious.
But she made a mistake.
One of the smugglers had a gun. The moment Sakura turned, the man fired. She forgot that, in exchange for chakra, this world was technologically very advanced. Her blood sputtered everywhere. The pain was normal for her.
Pain erupted in her chest as the bullet lodged itself in her lung. Blood splattered onto the cold warehouse floor, and Sakura fell to her knees, gasping for air. Her vision blurred as she crawled away, leaving a trail of blood behind her. Making hand seals, she placed her green hands on her wound, healing herself. Her Yin seal on her forehead was still restocking itself. Man, what a bad day.
When she came to, a woman was kneeling over her, speaking in a voice that sounded far away. Sakura couldn’t make out the words, her senses dulled by pain and blood loss.
"Konan, we can’t just—"
"Hidan, she’s a kid, damn it! Look at her!"
Her surroundings were a blur. She felt herself being lifted, her body cradled by strong arms. Consciousness slipped away again.
The next time Sakura awoke, she was lying on a worn sofa in a dimly lit room. Her breathing was shallow, the pain in her chest dulled but still present. She turned her head slightly and froze.
A man stood nearby, his long cloak adorned with red clouds.
Her heart stopped.
“Akatsuki?”
Her voice came out as a whisper, her body stiffening instinctively.
The man turned to face her. His piercing eyes and calm demeanor exuded an air of authority. The room was tense, the air thick with the weight of unspoken questions. Sakura’s mind raced. Why are they here? What do they want with me?
She struggled to sit up, her movements slow and deliberate as she prepared herself for whatever might come next.
Akatsuki was a dangerous organization in her past life. Maybe they were similar in this world.
The man in the cloak turned to her with some hand puppet.
"Hello, Tobi is happy you're fine, Tobi saying hello!"
Sakura, taken aback by the bizarre introduction, sighed.
Maybe they are just as harmless as the others in this world.