Flower of two worlds

15.- Villains (part 2)

Sakura couldn't believe what her eyes were seeing. Was this a dream? Were drugs playing tricks on her mind? The same complexion, the unmistakable cerulean blue color, those characteristic whiskers...

"Sakura-chan" Naruto spoke her name and took a few steps toward her until his body couldn't take it anymore and he collapsed. Sakura rushed to catch him.

Barely, Sakura managed to prevent both of them from falling to the ground. Having him in her arms was more impactful than seeing him; his scent, his warmth, everything was the same. Sakura's heart was pounding. This was real, Naruto WAS in her arms.

"What a beautiful sight" a female voice made its entrance. From the forest emerged a tall and slender woman, with a voluptuous body, hair as black as the night, and grayish eyes that seemed capable of paralyzing anyone with just a glance. She wore a small purple kimono that left nothing to the imagination and held a long, slender pipe in her left hand. "Such cute insects begging to be crushed. Oh, what a pity, some of them are quite handsome," she said as she observed the gathered people.

The porcupine man, who was still throwing spikes at Vlad, asked for help: "Brugma, dear, why don't you help me finish these people off?"

The woman named Brugma slightly wrinkled her nose with disgust, brought the pipe to her mouth, and took a drag. "Why? Something more interesting seems to be happening here," she exhaled smoke from her pipe and then focused her gaze on Sakura.

At that moment, the world disappeared for Sakura because she was absorbed in Naruto. Naruto was in her arms. She couldn't even find the right words to speak. She was feeling an endless array of emotions that she couldn't describe.

"Sakura-chan, I finally found you" Naruto said, breathing heavily.

With her mind barely processing the reality of having him there, Sakura noticed his condition. He was covered in blood and dirt, missing his right arm, and, worst of all, carrying someone on his back.

"What happened?" she asked urgently.

Gathering strength, Naruto let the person he was carrying fall to the ground. Sakura felt the ground shake beneath her feet as she saw that Naruto had placed Kakashi there.

"No, no, no, Naruto, what happened?" she threw herself to the ground next to Kakashi and began to try to heal him, paying special attention to a wound on his neck.

What had happened? She didn't remember that anything bad had happened the last time she communicated with Tsunade through Katsuyu. Up to that point, Naruto and Sasuke were still in a coma, and the investigation was underway to help Naruto and Sasuke with their arms. What happened in such a short time?

Kakashi opened his eyes slightly and, upon seeing his student, smiled with his only visible eye.

"I'm glad to see you well, Sakura."

Under the mask, Kakashi began to cough, and the garment became stained with blood.

"No, no, no, Kakashi-sensei, don't speak, I'll heal you" Sakura spoke urgently, concentrating more healing chakra in her hands, even though her channels began to hurt.

Sakura's eyes filled with tears. What was happening? This had to be a hallucination, or at least she wished to think so, but the smell of blood was unmistakable, the rapid beating of Kakashi's veins under her touch couldn't be mistaken, and the wound on Naruto's arm was exactly the same as the one Tsunade had told her about in her letters.

Kakashi was dying.

"You were an excellent student. I regret not paying more attention to your training; I could have taught you more things," Kakashi said.