A Growing Affection

Chapter 96: Useless No More

Sakura planted her foot on the elbow of Kidomaru's severed limb, not  only to keep the two Sound warriors from retrieving it, but also  checking to see if the spider-like shinobi could still feel it. His face  betrayed no reaction to her action. Instead, both Jirobo and Kidomaru  were hanging back warily. She knew they were concerned about her weapon,  but she was still surprised they were not attacking. The medic wondered  if they knew a way her axe could end them. Then she heard a cry, and  realized what was happening.

Tayuya, still rendered mute by Sol's  jutsu, had finally caught up with the female squirrel. Luné tried to  protect his sister, but the flute player struck the albino rodent a  second time with her instrument, and the vacuum technique ended.

Sakura  deduced that the undead men were waiting for their teammate to finish  the summoned animals and rejoin them. Haruno remembered hearing that  ninja squirrels were scouts and trackers, not fighters. Though Sol's  rage had given them momentum, it was now becoming apparent that even  together, the two rodents were not a match for the Sound Ninja.

The  Jonin swung her axe down, almost casually, cutting Kidomaru's arm in  half at the elbow. She had two reasons for the action, and both paid off  as she hoped. Angry and worried, Kidomaru resumed his attack on her. He  quickly spit four spikes at her and then nudged Jirobo forward. She  stopped the silk weapons easily, and watched the two parts of the  severed appendage. Even though they were touching, the upper and lower  arms did not reconnect.

'I thought so,' Sakura suppressed her  smile, 'The pieces can't repair themselves. So they must have some sort  of core that enables the regeneration. It might even be the source of  the jutsu that animates them. Either way, if I can split off that core, I  can beat them.'

She watched them carefully, wishing she had the  Byakugan, 'It is probably the heart or the brain. Either way, I need to  get them to attack.'

She sliced through another lasso expectorated  at her, and then reached down and picked up the lower part of  Kidomaru's arm, placing her foot on the upper part again. She lodged the  head of her axe in the ground, so she could retrieve it quickly when  they reacted. Then she took a pitcher's stance, and threw the limb well  over their head, at the Shishienjin. Neither of the Sound ninjas reacted  like she expected, they just watched passively as the limb sailed past  them. Safe in his tent of deadly fire, Ukon shifted his hands slightly,  and a small oval opened in the barrier. The partial arm sailed through  the opening and landed outside. Kidomaru smirked at her.

"What you thought you could destroy me with the Shishienjin?" he mocked. Sakura shook her head, unconcerned.

"Not  really," she agreed, "But now if you want your other hand back, you'll  need to go get it. And if you do, I'll use the opening to escape."

"And leave your little rodent friends behind?" Jirobo shook his head, thinking he was calling her bluff.

"As  soon as I'm out, Hinata can send them back," the medic countered, "I'm  sure she's still watching what's going on in here. And out there, too.  In fact..."

She caught up the other piece of Kidomaru's arm, and  hurtled it sideways towards the wall between her and her female  teammate. Once again, Ukon opened a small hole in the barrier. But Sakon  was too wrapped up in staring at the Two-Tails cat in morbid curiosity.  The upper part of Kidomaru's middle left limb hit the dominant twin's  Shishienjin, and began to burn in crimson flames.

"No!" the  dismembered shinobi shouted, as the altered flesh vanished in cloud of  ash. He turned to face Sakura again, enraged. But he faltered at her  triumphant look.

"Well, well, well," Tsunade's student almost purred, "It looks like there is something those bodies can't recover from..."

Grabbing her axe and lifting it high, Sakura charged towards them.