Sakura shouted at the top of her lungs toward the sky.
"Nani?!"
Inner Sakura's expression changed instantly. Karin's Yang Release chakra was suppressing her, making it impossible for her to summon as many Sakura clones as she had done last time to confront Sakura directly.
But in essence, Karin was nothing more than a weakling with a combat power of five to her.
So why was Sakura calling out to Karin now?
Inner Sakura couldn't believe that Sakura was unaware of this. Even if Karin were to appear here in person, she would only be a burden.
Or rather, unless someone with strength on par with Kakashi showed up, anyone else would just be cannon fodder!
At that moment, as Sakura's shout echoed, the azure sky suddenly transformed, faint golden light shimmering within it.
Dozens of golden chains shot straight down toward Sakura!
Adamantine Sealing Chains?!
Inner Sakura, recognizing the iconic chains, immediately leaped backward several times to avoid them.
These were the chains that even the full-powered Nine-Tails couldn't break free from. Even she would find them incredibly troublesome to deal with!
The dozens of golden chains converged in front of Sakura, twisting, merging, and solidifying.
A dazzling golden staff appeared before Sakura!
"What is this?!"
Inner Sakura stared in disbelief at the staff forged from the Adamantine Sealing Chains.
"The Adamantine Staff."
Sakura's pale hand gripped the pure golden staff.
Hum~
The staff emitted a crisp, resonant hum.
This was a staff forged from Karin's chakra, entirely crafted from Yang Release chakra!
In a sense, this staff represented Karin's will!
"Impossible!"
"I know everything you know!"
"There was no such step in your plans!"
Inner Sakura's face twisted with rage as she glared at Sakura, who stood not far away.
"Yes, that's right."
Sakura twirled the staff in her hand, her emerald eyes filled with pity as she looked at Inner Sakura.
"If you had used the Sharingan to set a genjutsu trigger in me beforehand, making me forget about this step…"
"The moment I entered this world…"
"The genjutsu would have automatically lifted."
Sakura's tone remained calm as she spoke.
"Now, it seems the effect was unexpectedly good. The moment I stepped into this world…"
"The original 'me' became 'you' and 'me.'"
Inner Sakura's eyes darkened as she stared at Sakura, as if she could see two figures standing behind her.
A black-haired boy with the Sharingan.
A red-haired girl with Yang Release chakra.
Sakura pointed to her head, a slight smirk on her face as she looked at Inner Sakura. Having outmaneuvered her, Sakura couldn't help but feel a bit of satisfaction. She closed one emerald eye and spoke in a slightly playful tone:
"This isn't instinct, you know."
"This is the power of rational thought."
"Hmm, in your words, this is the power of the scabbard."
Though Sakura's playful tone might have seemed like mere cheekiness to an outsider.
Seeing Inner Sakura's dark expression and silence, Sakura decided not to waste any more words. With a slight kick to the end of the staff, the pure golden rod spun rapidly in the air. Gripping it firmly, Sakura charged straight at Inner Sakura!
"You think adding the chakra of a weakling can defeat me?!"
"Wishful thinking!"
Inner Sakura roared, raising her own staff to meet Sakura's charge!
Boom!!
The pink staff and the pure golden staff clashed violently!
An invisible shockwave erupted instantly!
"Even now, after being suppressed by so-called 'weaklings,' you still deny their power?!"
"And Karin isn't a weakling!"
"If you're being suppressed by Karin, doesn't that make you even worse than a weakling?!"
At these words, Inner Sakura's anger flared uncontrollably.
"Are you saying?!"
"I'm inferior to that red octopus?!"
"Don't push it!"
"If it weren't for me, you would've been defeated by the Raikage and taken as his—!"
What the hell?!
Though the words were crude, there was some truth to them. But this guy was way too vulgar!
Bastard!!
"Die!"
"Just die!"
Inner Sakura swung her staff wildly, smashing it toward Sakura with no semblance of technique.
Sakura, while defending herself and counterattacking, stared deeply at her opponent.
Even though Inner Sakura's power had been greatly diminished by the Adamantine Sealing Chains and Yang Release chakra, she had still been able to hold her own against Sakura.
But now, Inner Sakura was fighting like a madwoman.
Had Sakura's words struck a nerve?
Perhaps it was the fact that her so-called instincts had been denied…
But even so, Sakura showed no mercy!
"Extend!"
Both sides kicked off each other, simultaneously thrusting their staffs forward!
Boom!
The two staffs collided head-on!
The distance between Sakura and Inner Sakura rapidly increased as the staffs extended!
Sakura's feet dug into the ground, leaving long trails as she crashed through building after building!
Then, finding a foothold, she anchored herself like an unyielding rock!
"Die!"
Inner Sakura's furious roar echoed from afar!
Sakura, feeling the immense force transmitted through her staff, gritted her teeth and took a step forward!
Crack!
A sharp, metallic sound rang out, piercing the air.
It was the sound of metal breaking!
But it wasn't the pure golden staff!
"Ha!"
Sakura mustered all her strength and took another step forward!
This time, the sound of shattering metal echoed again!
"This round, I win!"
Her emerald eyes shone with unyielding determination!
Sakura charged forward, pink metallic fragments scattering and glittering in the air!
The pink shards left trails of light before dissolving into countless specks of energy that flowed into Sakura's body!
Sakura could feel it—this was her opponent's power!
"Die!"
The pure golden staff transformed into countless chains, instantly binding Inner Sakura!
Sakura's fist slammed into Inner Sakura's stomach with devastating force!
Inner Sakura doubled over from the blow!
The building behind her collapsed in a deafening crash!
"You…!"
Inner Sakura struggled to lift her head, her emerald eyes glaring at Sakura as she clenched her teeth.
"To deny my existence so thoroughly…"
"Just you wait!"
"This time, you win!"
"Next time…"
Before she could finish, her body dissolved into a shower of pink light, which flowed into Sakura's body!
Next time?
Sakura clenched her fist as she surveyed the devastated world.
The outcome will be the same next time.
Inner Sakura is Sakura, but Sakura is not Inner Sakura.
No matter what, as long as Sakura lives, Inner Sakura can never truly disappear.
This much, Sakura understood perfectly.
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