Konoha Training Grounds
"Naruto, his... his chakra is terrifying..." Karin said to Naruto, a worried expression on her face. When she saw Sakura standing still earlier, Karin had rushed forward without thinking. Even though she'd only spent a few days with Sakura, Karin felt like she had rediscovered the feeling of her mother's presence from her childhood.
Naruto also sensed the change in Sasuke's chakra. That chilling feeling was familiar, but he still comforted Karin, "It's okay. Sakura is really strong. You don't need to worry."
Sensing Sasuke's chakra, Naruto knew who that familiar feeling belonged to: Orochimaru. Had Sasuke already been corrupted...? He clenched his fists, staring at Sasuke in the center of the training ground.
"...So this is the power he spoke of. Hahaha... This is the power..." Sasuke, having broken free from the swamp, felt the chakra filling his entire body. He believed that defeating Sakura was no longer a problem.
Sakura watched the laughing Sasuke warily. Suddenly, Sasuke vanished, and a gust of wind came from behind her. In an instant, Sakura was kicked away.
"So fast. The boost from the cursed seal's power seems to be all-encompassing," Sakura thought as she was sent flying.
Seeing Sakura kicked away without being able to retaliate, Sasuke sneered and pressed his attack. Sakura hurriedly adjusted her posture, crossing her arms in front of her, but she was still forced back several meters by Sasuke's powerful kick.
"Hmph, is this all you've got, Sakura?" Sasuke's face was now full of satisfaction; he seemed to be in a very good mood.
And why wouldn't he be? After being suppressed for years, to suddenly turn the tables and become the master, of course, he'd be ecstatic. That was Sasuke's current state.
Looking at his clenched fist, Sasuke closed his eyes to savor the feeling. Just this state alone was on par with his Lightning Release Chakra Mode. Adding that on top... Hmph... Victory at last...
"Hmph, Sasuke, this is the extent of your ambition..." Sakura stood up and formed hand seals.
"Shut up! You can't possibly win against me now..." Sasuke roared, hearing Sakura's taunt.
"Is that so? Now I'm going to show you the difference between borrowed power and power earned through your own hard work. Ninja Art: Creation Rebirth!" Sakura activated the life-force-consuming jutsu that she was reluctant to use.
Sakura had suddenly had an idea. The person who utilized the Lightning Release Chakra Mode the best was the Raikage, but the power of lightning was extremely violent. If not controlled properly, it would damage the body, let alone temper it.
Using lightning release to temper the body required one to possess an incredibly strong physique to adapt to the lightning's power, ultimately resulting in formidable strength. However, introducing lightning release without a strong physique would cause harm to oneself.
That's why Sakura only used the Lightning Release Chakra Mode very superficially. But if she activated Creation Rebirth and then used a large amount of lightning-natured chakra, the side effects of the Lightning Release Chakra Mode would be negligible.
Of course, Sakura wasn't planning on making this a regular technique. That would be playing a joke on her own lifespan. She was just using it temporarily for now, and she would look for ways to develop a better method of using it in the future.
Blue arcs of electricity flickered around Sakura's body as she became enveloped in lightning-natured chakra. Her hair, affected by the electricity, floated involuntarily in the air.
"This feeling... It hurts..." Sakura moved her body. Her speed and strength had increased many times over compared to before, but the lightning was simultaneously destroying and rapidly repairing her body due to Creation Rebirth. This constant cycle caused a persistent pain that stimulated her nerves.
Sasuke, seeing Sakura's appearance, knew he couldn't wait any longer. He couldn't let this hard-earned chance to vent his frustrations slip away. Enhanced by the Lightning Release Chakra, Sasuke charged at Sakura and kicked out again.
"Hmph," Sakura snorted coldly at the approaching Sasuke. She grabbed Sasuke's leg with her left hand, then pulled him backward. Her right hand clenched into a fist, and she punched. Sasuke flew backward even faster than he had come.
Because the lightning stimulated her body and her nerve cells, Sasuke's speed appeared incredibly slow to Sakura. Without waiting for Sasuke to get up, Sakura took the initiative and rushed forward, unleashing a barrage of punches on him. Sasuke was completely powerless to resist.
Sakura was now employing a strategy of inflicting a thousand points of damage on the enemy while taking eight hundred herself. Every time she punched Sasuke, Sakura's arm endured unbearable pain. She couldn't use her monstrous strength; in this state, using it would definitely cripple Sasuke.
But even her current strength was more than Sasuke could handle. Sasuke wanted to escape this predicament, but he was helpless. He could only flail under Sakura's iron fists.
In fact, Sakura and Sasuke's fight didn't resemble a ninja battle at all. Sakura's strength had been forcibly boosted, and she didn't have any ninjutsu that matched her current power level. Therefore, she could only rely on brute force. Sasuke could use ninjutsu, but it wouldn't have any effect on Sakura because he couldn't keep up with her speed.
Enduring the excruciating pain in her arms, Sakura lifted the bruised and battered Sasuke. The cursed seal had already receded, and Sasuke stared at Sakura with empty, lifeless eyes.
Seeing Sasuke's vacant eyes, Sakura stopped hitting him. She deactivated her Lightning Release Mode, and only then did she deactivate Creation Rebirth. Her floating pink hair fell back down.
She looked around and saw Naruto and Karin staring in stunned silence. Seeing her look at them, Naruto unconsciously took a step back.
"Karin, come over here for a moment," Sakura beckoned to Karin.
Karin and Naruto hesitantly walked over. Seeing Sasuke's miserable state, Naruto gulped. He hadn't expected the battle to be so intense. Even when Sasuke had used Chidori, Naruto hadn't reacted much, since Sasuke had also used it during the Chunin Exams. But seeing Sasuke like this, Naruto was a little worried.
"Sakura-chan... Sasuke... Is he... Is he alright...?" Naruto asked, stammering slightly.
"He's fine. He won't die. He's just a little shaken up," Sakura replied. Then she said to Karin, "Put your hand on mine. I'm going to heal Sasuke. Pay close attention to this jutsu."
Sakura was using the Healing Jutsu, which all medical-nin were familiar with. This jutsu didn't require extremely precise skill. Karin's sensory abilities were very strong, so having her personally feel the chakra flow and changes of this jutsu would speed up her learning process.
Whether Karin wanted to learn medical ninjutsu or not, Sakura was determined to teach her. Sakura's ambition didn't lie in medical ninjutsu, and the future Allied Shinobi Forces would likely be short of a highly skilled medical-nin. So, she needed to find a replacement for herself.
"Naruto, carry Sasuke to the hospital in a bit. I'm a little tired. I need to go to sleep," Sakura said. She felt extremely mentally exhausted, and Creation Rebirth couldn't heal mental fatigue.
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