Fighting is not always a matter of strength—it often demands courage.
When Haruno Sakura stood alone against powerful enemies for the first time, she couldn't rely on hiding behind Naruto or Sasuke. Spiritual growth, the kind born from hardship, wasn't something she could attain by staying in their shadows. A ninja's path depends on teammates and mutual support, yes—but a ninja who only takes from others without becoming someone others can rely on is already halfway to failure.
Zaku Abumi, short-tempered and aggressive, was the first to strike. When Sakura threw a shuriken at him in defiance, he raised both arms and fired waves of pressurized sound with his Decapitating Airwaves (Zankūha) technique. But Sakura, seemingly fragile, evaded each blast by a hair's breadth. Her ability to narrowly dodge enraged Zaku even more. He wasn't just fighting to complete the mission—he was trying to prove himself, both to Orochimaru, whom he revered, and to survive the harsh, unforgiving life in Otogakure. Over time, desperation twists into cruelty.
To Zaku, Sakura's resistance wasn't bravery—it was mockery. His chakra surged, and he released a full-force Zankūha.
"Zankūkyokuha!"
The compressed air blast obliterated the forest ahead, gouging the earth and leveling trees. Zaku laughed, confident he'd destroyed her.
But then, to his disbelief, Sakura stood up again—bruised, trembling, but alive.
"No way..." Zaku muttered, stunned that she'd survived what should have been a fatal attack.
His concentration broke, and suddenly, hands gripped his arms. Chakra flowed into his body—and the scene around him cracked like glass, revealing the real forest floor.
"You awake now, Zaku?" Dosu Kinuta's voice cut through the haze.
"Huh? Was it all a Genjutsu?" Zaku muttered.
Jin, their teammate, scoffed. "Tch. I thought you just had a temper, not a weak brain. You fell into Genjutsu that easily? You're exhausting yourself and us, you idiot. How did Lord Orochimaru even choose you?"
This team, hastily thrown together for the Chunin Exams, lacked any true camaraderie. Jin didn't hesitate to show just how fractured they were.
"What did you say, you ugly witch?" Zaku snarled, voice rising in fury. His pride couldn't handle insults to his abilities—especially when they questioned Orochimaru's trust in him. To Zaku, Orochimaru wasn't just a leader. He was a god.
"Shut it, both of you." Dosu, the reluctant voice of reason, interrupted coldly. "Settle your trash talk after the mission. Right now, our target is Sasuke Uchiha. Focus."
As the three regrouped, ready to finish Sakura off, her heart sank. She had used the illusion to stall them, but alone and outnumbered, there was only so much she could do.
Watching from the treetops nearby were Hyūga Neji, Rock Lee, and Tenten. When the Genjutsu faded, they assumed Sakura's time was up. Hot-blooded Lee clenched his fists, ready to leap in.
"Don't rush in, Lee," Neji said, holding him back.
"What are you talking about, Neji? Sakura's in danger!"
"Not yet," Neji replied, activating his Byakugan. "Sasuke Uchiha is waking up. We might not be needed after all."
"I don't like that chakra..." Tenten murmured. "It feels... off. Cold."
Sakura, clutching a kunai in both hands, stood ready to face the trio once more. But then their gazes shifted—past her.
"Behind me...?"
Sakura turned around, cautious—then stunned. Sasuke stood, awake at last.
"Sasuke-kun...?"
But something was wrong. His usual cool aura had turned dark. Black markings spread from his neck—the Cursed Seal of Heaven. He wasn't emitting strange chakra yet, but the ominous energy clinging to him was undeniable. The cloud-like pattern on his skin looked nothing like a good omen.
The Otogakure trio stiffened. They recognized the seal immediately. This wasn't a cheap experiment like Mizuki's failed enhancements. No—this was the same grade of curse mark given to Orochimaru's elite: the Sound Four, Kimimaro...
There was only one explanation: Orochimaru himself had marked Sasuke.
And if Sasuke bore the same power they were taught to revere, what did that make them?
Zaku's pride cracked. He'd believed himself chosen, special. But now he realized Orochimaru had already found a replacement. It was unbearable.
"Well done, Sakura," Sasuke said, his voice calm but his gaze dark. "Leave the rest to me."
Though the cursed seal surged with power, Sasuke—still himself—hadn't succumbed to its madness. Not yet. He could still recognize friends.
The Sound trio hesitated. Orochimaru's authority loomed over them, but abandoning their mission wasn't an option. Jin attacked first, launching steel needles silently.
But against the Sharingan, stealth was futile.
Sasuke vanished from view, sidestepping her attack with inhuman speed, and appeared beside her in an instant. His fist struck her with brutal force, launching her backward. Jin crashed into a tree, unconscious.