Naruto: Lost In Kishimoto [Book 1]

Chapter Twenty: Fighting the Darkness

Beth POV

My head pounded as I watched the events unfold in front of me. Sakura attacked over and over, not leaving any room for Zaku to counter. I couldn't believe this was Sakura. Her beloved hair, cut. Her expression stern, full of determination and protectiveness.

Zaku was getting frustrated; you could see it on his face. His eyes like spikes digging into Sakura every time she appeared, his teeth clenched together in agitation. At long last Sakura appeared, but this time completely, not some log that she had swapped with before striking. Zaku was shocked when Sakura smashed into his body, slamming him to the ground, biting firmly onto his arm. Zaku yelled out in pain before punching at Sakura over and over, screaming at her to let go.

I felt rage rise up within me as I looked over at Sakura. She was so strong. Her character unwavering, her purpose unmatched. She wouldn't give up, not now that so much was at stake. And so she fought, with everything she had.

"Touch her again and I will murder you." I said darkly, wiping the blood from my face as I arose from the tree trunk that I had been leaning on. Coughing briefly I pushed through the throbbing pain inside my head and took a step towards the fray.

"Oh look who's back on her feet" Kin muttered. Zaku threw Sakura aside, her body staying in an unmoving heap.

"I'd watch yourself." My voice was full of confidence and... rage. I had never felt so angry before. Seeing someone hurt another like this, for no reason other than to challenge another to a brawl. The violence, the cruelty, I couldn't bare it.

"Well then, step right up sweetheart." Zaku said mockingly. Charging towards him I threw a dozen shuriken stars at Zaku, all of which concealed where I was briefly. He deflected the shuriken easily but as my fist slammed into the side of his face, Zaku flew back, landing on the floor.

Running over to Kin, we engaged in a few physical attacks before I planted a forceful kick which slammed into her waist. She flew back across the clearing.

Looking up from the ground, Kin was greeted with Ino, Choji and Shikamaru, standing in front of her. However, I wasn't focused much on their presence. I was focused solely on Zaku.

Zaku regained his footing soon after, jumping right into a solid attack. Blowing a blast of wind towards me, I felt every part of my body yell as dozens of little slices appeared. Blood began to soak my clothing. The cuts were small, almost grazes on the skin, why did they hurt so much? And why was there so much blood?

Zaku laughed as he approached and kicked me backwards, his foot connecting harshly with my pale face. My head hit the ground hard, causing me to feel dizzy for a couple of seconds before realising where Zaku was. His mouth brushed against my ear as he spoke, his words like poison.

"Orochimaru told us about you. I don't think you're all that special. All it takes to bring you down is a small cut." Swinging my fist, it connected with Zaku's face once again and threw him back. Gritting through the pain, I ran towards him, grabbing my sword and focusing whatever chakra I had left. My sword sliced into his shoulder, making him scream horrendously with agony, blood seeping from the new wound. I pushed the sword in further, changing my chakra into a stream of fire that would flood throughout his body.

However, at the last possible moment, Dosu intervened. Soundwaves slammed into my body, screaming inside my ears for a few seconds. Managing to break from my grasp, Zaku pinned me down and grabbed a kunai knife, placing it at my throat.

"What are you going to do now? Call for more of your little friends? Who else you got hiding around here?" His tone was full of smugness. He knew that this was it. He knew that now he could take me down.