The Strength of the Weak {A Naruto Fanfiction}

The Strength of the Weak - Chapter 23

I sputter, grabbing his wrists desperately as his jutsu effects wear off. Dosu chuckles darkly, looking back to where Lee was laying and where Sakura was about to be attacked.

"S-Sak-ura...!" I choke out, trying to yell out to her. Before she can react, Kin grabs her by the hair, pulling her around like a rag doll. I growl and kick out my feet, trying to hit Dosu, but to no avail.

Zaku begins to approach the boys, making my eyes go wide.

"N-No! Don't you d-dare touch them! I'll kill you!" I screech, flailing around wildly. Dosu merely sighs at my antics, squeezing my neck harder. I choke on my tongue, tears billowing in my eyes. This is not how it will end...

Suddenly, Sakura pulls out a kunai. Kin sighs, tugging her hair casually.

"You know that won't work on me, right?"

"It's not for you!" Sakura states, ripping the kunai through her hair. My jaw drops at her action, never having suspected that she would have the guts to do that. I'm a girl, and I know I would be devastated if my hair were cut like that.

I begin to see Sakura in a new light... she wasn't the scared, little girl anymore. She grew up and realized that this is the life of a kunoichi. You can't expect everyone to save you. Sometimes, you need to take matters into your own hands... and that's just what she did.

"Get her, Kin!" Dosu demands, not letting go of my neck. Kin, in return, smashes her shoulder into Sakura, but it was too late. That Sakura was a substitution. Aiming for Zaku, Sakura appears to his left, performing hand signs once again.

"You can't keep using the same lame justsu!" Zaku says, throwing a handful of kunai at Sakura, who turned into a log once again. This time, she appears above Zaku, performing hand signs yet again. Zaku sighs and throws another handful of kunai up at her, glancing around for the next place she'll appear.

However, that Sakura wasn't a substitution. That was the real one. Sakura falls down on top of Zaku, shoving her kunai into his arm and biting his wrist. Zaku curses, pummeling her with repeated punches.

'"Stop it! Stop hitting her!" I shriek, slamming my elbow down on the arm holding my neck. Dosu's grip weakens, so I take a kunai and pierce it into his shoulder while I still had the chance. He gasps in pain, dropping me and backing up. I land on one knee, panting to catch my breath yet again.

Screeching with fury, I sprint towards Zaku, tackling him away from Sakura and punching him in the face.

"You bitch!"

He grabs my shoulders, squeezing my curse mark. I stiffen, agony coursing through my veins. With my sudden stillness, Zaku is able to kick me off of him. I roll across the ground, all oxygen having left my throat.

I roll to a stop, my eyes wide and unfaltering. My body is paralyzed with pain, and all I could do was lay there and watch as Sakura is faced with all three Oto ninja.

"You stubborn bi-"

Three figures emerge from the shrubbery, standing protectively in front of Sakura.

"I-Ino?" Sakura whispers, blood dripping down her face. Ino smiles down at Sakura, her eyes briefly flicking to my unmoving body before returning to my teammate.

"I can't let you show me up in front of Sasuke!" Ino claims proudly. Choji, who was dragged in by his scarf, begins shaking in nervousness.

"S-Shouldn't we leave this to them?" he asks, glancing away with sweat dripping down his face.

"Go ahead and leave, fatso."

Choji's expression shifts completely, a shadow looming over his face. Shikamaru sighs, scratching the back of his head.

"What did you just call me?" Choji questions, a dangerous tone underlying in his voice. Zaku smirks and points to himself.

"I said go ahead and leave, fatso."

Choji loses it.

"I'm not fat, I'm big boned!" He cries, chakra sweeping around his body. The rest of us watch on in amazement as he turns into a boulder, aiming straight for Zaku. He uses the air pressure in his palms to stop Choji, although Choji is prepared.

He leaps over the wave of air, back on track to hit Zaku. Dosu, seeing the danger in Choji's jutsu, runs to move his teammate out of the way, but Shikamaru was able to catch him in his Kagemane no Jutsu to trap him.

While Choji and Shikamaru are holding the two male Oto ninja off, Ino uses her Shintenshin no Jutsu on Kin.

"Kin?! What are you doing?" Dosu demands, struggling against Shikamaru's trap. Kin, or Ino, rather, smirks and holds a kunai up to her neck.

"If you give us your scroll and you leave far enough away to where I can't feel your chakra... I'll let your teammate go," Ino threatens darkly. However, Zaku completely disregards the statement, shooting his air pressure straight for Kin's body.

Jumping into action, Choji is able to block most of it, although Ino does take some damage, getting thrown into the tree behind her. After spinning for so long, Choji is forced to release his jutsu, spinning around dizzily.

In the same moment, Shikamaru's jutsu recedes, his limit of 5 minutes coming to an end.

"So... it seems you've run out of time," Dosu muses. Shikamaru scowls, holding Ino's body. They were stuck.

"Hm... this is no good," a voice echoes from the trees. Shifting my view up, I see Neji and Tenten on a branch, gazing at the scene with calculating eyes.

"N-Neji..." I whisper, pushing myself onto my elbows. He glances at me, his eyes narrowing in... anger?

"What happened to you? And what about Lee?" he asks suspiciously, glaring at the Oto ninja.

"Most of my injuries are from the fight before this... there is someone in this exam who isn't supposed to be here. They are way stronger than genin status. As for Lee... those are from these guys."

Neji scoffs, pointing his gaze specifically at Dosu, who was the leader of their group. Struggling to a sitting position, I notice Neji's byakugan activate, although he suddenly points his gaze towards Sasuke.

As I'm about to follow his gaze, I freeze, my curse mark flaring up. Neji brings his gaze back to me, a confused expression on his face.

"Satomi? What is that?"

I can't answer, staring at him unwaveringly with wide eyes as an evil feeling chakra surrounds me. Power surges through my bones... power strong enough to beat this team. But... it doesn't feel right. It feels almost like it's controlling me.

"S-Sasuke?" Sakura whimpers, watching as Sasuke sits up suddenly, the same blank look in his eyes. Suddenly, our curse marks stretch out, moving across our bodies. The power is so overwhelming...

I have to give in.

::

Third Person P.O.V.

Everyone watches as Sasuke stands up walking over next to Sakura with his sharingan activated menacingly. Satomi, however, seemed to be struggling against the curse mark.

"Sakura... who did this to you?" Sasuke asks lowly, glaring at the Oto team before him. Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji had retreated into the bushes shortly after Sasuke and Satomi's power started flaring up.

"Sasuke... your body..." Sakura whispers. Sasuke smirks to himself, the tattoo-like mark traveling even farther.

"It's alright... I feel good. This power the man gave me... it helped me realize who I am. I'm an avenger. To achieve what I desire... I'm willing to sell my soul to the devil."

"Hehehe... now that I'm feeling better... how would you like to have a real battle, Dosu?" Satomi speaks up, body flickering next to Sasuke with a manic look in her eyes. Her sharingan was activated all the way to her Mangekyo stage, taking everyone in the clearing aback.

"Satomi? Please... this isn't you..." Sakura pleads, tears pooling in her emerald eyes. Satomi smirks, glancing up at Dosu with a paralyzing glare.

"Ready to die?"

::