All characters and story belong to Kohei Horikoshi and Masashi Kishimoto
In a place in the forest of death, Choji, Shikamaru and Ino were discussing their strategy to pass the test after Neji Hyuga decided not to attack them because he considered them pathetic.
"Wow! It's going to be hard to find a group weaker than us," Ino complained, sighing.
"Hey! At least we're not as weak as Bakugo and Sakura's group," Choji said while eating some chips.
"Take that back right now, you idiot!" Ino said, angrily raising her fist.
"But what's wrong with you now?" Choji asked, not understanding.
—Okay, Sakura is pathetic, but I won't let you talk bad about Sasuke or Bakugo! —Ino shouted, threatening him with her index finger.
"Ein? Sasuke may be a genius. But Bakugo? He's the weakest of them all!" Choji replied. Before he could reply, Ino stepped forward.
—What a drag. I can't believe I'm going to agree with Ino. —Shikamaru said with a yawn, remembering their close Shogi duels, although he always ended up beating the blond. —I can't explain it, but there's something about Bakugo that makes me see him as someone formidable. Even despite his limitations with ninjutsu and taijutsu.—Ino nodded, happy with Shikamaru's explanation.
"You too, Shikamaru? Hmm, if you say so... Truth be told, he does look more intimidating with that big sword slung over his back. But who are we after?" Choji asked.
—Hmm... Obviously we should avoid Neji's group and the sand gourd guy's. I have a bad feeling about them, —Shikamaru mused. Choji turned his back on him and headed for the nearest tree, feeling the urge to pee. —Naruto's group is out. They're at Sasuke's level and they have Kiba who's pretty strong. The sound guys seem dangerous, so it's best not to mess with them. Hmm...I don't have a firm opinion on the other groups, so I'd go for one of them. —
"Choji, don't be a pig and stop peeing so close to me!" Ino complained, disgusted.
Choji listened to him and went about fifty meters away from them to pee. After urinating, he pulled up his pants, but before turning around to leave with his companions, he saw in the distance Sasuke, unconscious on the ground, and Sakura and Lee, who were fighting against the sound group.
"Sasuke is unconscious," Choji announced. "And Sakura is fighting. I don't see Bakugo anywhere."
"What did you say?" Ino said, not understanding. Shikamaru and Ino went to where Choji was and saw the same thing he did. "Sakura... That Lee guy is in Neji's group. Do you think he'll be strong enough to defeat those three?" Ino asked Shikamaru worriedly.
"I don't know. Let's sneak up on them for now and hope I can defeat them," Shikamaru replied.
The three of them advanced very slowly until they hid in a bush about 20 meters from the scene of the fight. Meanwhile, the bandage-wearing man named Dosu effortlessly defeated Lee, who was lying unconscious on the ground a few meters from where Sakura was protecting Sasuke's body.
"We should get away from here. Those guys are very strong," Choji said, scared.
"Sasuke and Lee are out cold. And there's no sign of Bakugo," Shikamaru whispered. "Only Sakura remains against those three guys. What do you want us to do, Ino?" he asked.
"Why are you asking me?" Ino said, sweating coldly and without taking her eyes off Sakura.
"Because if we don't do anything, she'll be lost. Does that matter to you? Didn't you used to be good friends?" Shikamaru said. Seeing that more than half a minute had passed without a response from his companion, he asked again. "Ino! What do you want to do?"
"Why do you keep asking me?" Ino said, annoyed, sweating more and more. "We can't go out there. If we do, they'll kill us. You've seen what they did to Lee."
"Mmmm," Shikamaru murmured, half relieved at not facing almost certain death and half disappointed in Ino.
"Even if I wanted to help her, it wouldn't change anything. I'd be in the same situation as her. I can't do anything against those guys," Ino thought, frightened.
Group 10 watched as Sakura threw a pair of kunai at Dosu, but Zaku jumped in the way and returned them with a gust of wind, cutting her wrists. Kin, the girl in the group, stood behind Sakura and threw her to the ground. She immediately grabbed her hair, pulling it out, hurting her in the process. They saw her open her mouth, but couldn't hear anything she was talking to.
"Damn, I can't hear anything!" Ino complained, biting her nails in nervousness.
"We can't get any closer, Ino," Choji reminded her.
"Where have you been, Bakugo? Your team needs you," Ino thought, her body trembling.
At the same time, but focusing on the sound trio and Sakura.
—Aaaaa! —Sakura exclaimed in pain.
—My, my, what shiny hair you have, but... You know what? —Kin said with a sinister smile. —If you spent less time taking care of it and a little more time practicing jutsus, you might not be in this predicament. —Sakura tried to struggle, but it was useless against Kin's grasp.—Zaku, I know it can be fun. Let Miss Beauty watch you kill Sasuke.—
"Why not?" Zaku replied with a cocky smile. "I think it could be fun."
"Don't go near him!" Sakura said furiously. This only made Kin pull her hair further, causing her pain. "AAAAHH!"
—Shut up and stay still. Or else you'll end up dead too, Kin said.
"It's useless. I've disappointed everyone again," Sakura thought, tears in her eyes. "What good am I? Even when they really need me, I can't help anyone. How many times have Sasuke, Bakugo, and even Lee saved me? Why can't I live up to it?" The pinkette's tears fell like rain onto the ground. "Why?"
"Well, let's get to it." Zaku announced, walking slowly over to where Sasuke was lying and taking out his kunai.
Meanwhile, group 10 watched the scene with horror and helplessness.
"This is going to get really ugly for Sasuke," Shikamaru said, his eyes wide open.
"What should I do?" Ino thought, trembling with fear.
On the other hand, Sakura gathered a courage that she didn't even know she had at that moment and took out a kunai from her kunai holder.
"It's useless," Kin said contemptuously. "It won't help you with me."
"It's not for you," Sakura said, her face bordering on madness.
"Huh?" Kin replied without understanding.
Sakura then cut her long hair with the kunai. Kin, who hadn't expected this action, took a step back, still holding Sakura's pink hair. She wasn't the only one surprised; everyone else in the room was stunned.
—Lee, Sasuke, Bakugo… —Sakura thought, determination on her face. —I want to be like you. I too want to be able to protect those I care about. Now that Lee and Sasuke can't fight and I don't know Bakugo's whereabouts, it's time to learn my lesson. I won't give up. Now…—she clenched her fists tightly. —it's my turn to take the initiative. I'll be the one who steps up to protect what I care about!—
—Grrrr. —Zaku cursed, interrupting his path towards Sasuke—Kin, finish her off already!—he ordered.
Kin took out three needles and stuck them into Sakura's side, but before that the pink-haired girl had made some seals and the leaf genin's pierced body transformed into a large trunk.
"He did the kawarimi no jutsu (switch technique)" Kin thought, frustrated with herself.
"You think you're going to fool me with that pathetic ninjutsu?" Zaku thought confidently. He extended his arms, revealing hollow air tubes extending through his hands. "I'm above you. In fact, I'm way above you."
Sakura ran in the direction where Zaku was with two kunais in each hand.
"Kin, get out of my way!" Zaku ordered. Kin did as he was told and took a high leap, standing on a thick tree branch. Sakura threw the four kunai at Zaku. "You're pathetic. Thanks for the gift. Don't mind if I give it back. Zankuha!" (Cutting Waves)—a gust of wind powered by a combination of air pressure and sound erupted from the tubes in her hands.
Sakura did the same seals of the kawarimi no jutsu again so when she was hit by the kunais reflected by Zaku's air, she transformed back into a log.
"What a surprise," Zaku said sarcastically. "Where are you now?" He looked up and saw Sakura, who was in the air doing the same seals again. "Do you really want to keep playing this game? Because I don't feel like it." He threw a couple of kunais at what he thought was going to be a log again, so he didn't realize he had hit the real Sakura, who had protected her vital organs. "Where are you going to appear from?" Zaku said with a smile, looking in all directions. He only realized his mistake when he noticed the touch of the blood falling on his skin due to the severity of the wounds he had inflicted on Sakura. "Oh, no! It was really her!"
Sakura, thanks to the weight of her body and the speed she had acquired from the fall, managed to pierce Zaku's forearm with her kunai until it reached his bone. Despite this, Zaku had much more energy than Sakura and pushed her away with a punch to the face, knocking her to the ground. Before Sakura could get up, Zaku kicked her in the stomach, sending her flying and falling where the unconscious bodies of Lee and Sasuke were.
—YOU ARE A CRAZY FUCKING BITCH! —Zaku yelled, out of his mind. —YOU'RE DEAD! CAN YOU HEAR ME?—He removed the kunai stuck in his arm, wincing in pain. —I WILL KILL YOU AND YOUR TWO LITTLE FRIENDS (referring to Lee and Sasuke) WITH MY MOST POWERFUL JUTSU!—he said, spreading his arms.
Sakura barely sat up, and stood in front of Lee and Sasuke, resembling a mother bear protecting her cubs.
"I'll protect you with my life!" Sakura thought, facing death bravely.
Meanwhile, with group 10.
"Ino, we must act now! Or else all three of them will die!" Shikamaru exclaimed. He watched with concern as his companion stood petrified. "React!"
"I, I..." Ino said, as she was about to act she heard a very familiar voice.
—SPICY-HAIRED BASTARD! —Bakugo shouted from atop a branch. Everyone there who wasn't unconscious turned their faces towards the source of the screams—THE ONLY ONE WHO'S GOING TO DIE HERE IS YOU! AND YOUR TEAMMATES WILL ALSO GET THEIRS IF THEY TOUCH MY BALLS!—He then jumped off the branch and landed in front of Sakura, sticking the large Kubikiribōchō into the ground. —And if she seems crazy to you, it's because you haven't met me pissed off yet...—he whispered the last thing, dripping with hatred and with an unbalanced smile.