The Transmigrator Strikes Again (Happy New Year~)
Sakura only felt a chill shoot from her heels straight to the top of her head.
Almost instinctively, Sakura dropped the Explosive Tag and rapidly formed hand seals. "Ninjutsu: Hidden Mist!"
It was already nearly dawn. Sakura's technique resonated with the morning dew around her, instantly thickening the surrounding mist until visibility became extremely poor.
Sakura clenched her lips tightly with her pearly teeth. Before long, a thread of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth. The pain brought her reason back, weakening her fear and gradually restoring her ability to act.
Should I run now? That was the thought that arose instinctively in Sakura's mind.
No, that wasn't right.
Ordinary enemies wouldn't "kindly" warn their prey after discovering them. They would look for a suitable opportunity and kill them in one blow.
Could it be that attacking directly would make them hesitate, while luring me into fleeing would make it easier for them to strike?
Sakura immediately thought of the traps she had set up.
Compared to the original story, the traps laid by transmigrated Sakura were even more lethal and meticulous. They were highly concealed, making them almost impossible to detect, and all the tools she used were sharper and more deadly, among other things...
No, that wasn't right either.
At most, the traps could only serve as an aid. It would be difficult for them to pose an effective threat to a powerful enemy. But...
Sakura's eyes widened slightly as she suddenly understood. It's Naruto!
After fleeing, Naruto would need to find them again. Moreover, the enemy had previously slipped Naruto a small note, clearly indicating that they had discovered his "secret."
As a Jinchuriki, transmigrated Naruto was obviously far more threatening than the traps. Therefore, what the enemy truly feared was Naruto.
With that thought, Sakura retreated to Sasuke's side once again. She had to hold the line until Naruto returned. It wouldn't take too long.
She stared at Sasuke. At this moment, wisps of black smoke had already begun rising from his body.
"He'll be waking up soon, too," Sakura muttered softly, her eyes constantly sweeping across the surroundings.
In a concealed thicket near the hollow tree.
"We found them... Following Lord Orochimaru's instructions, we'll attack as soon as dawn breaks. Target: Uchiha Sasuke."
Dosu stood in the middle with both sleeves hanging straight down. Beside him, Kin and Zaku watched Sakura's direction with amused expressions.
"Can we kill the other one? Her Mist Technique looks pretty troublesome." Zaku stared at Sakura, a curve forming at the corner of his mouth.
Dosu snorted. "Do you really need to ask?"
Dawn soon arrived.
To maintain a healthy amount of Chakra, Sakura allowed the mist to dissipate slowly. An unmistakable weariness showed in her eyes.
"He still hasn't returned... Could he really have found Orochimaru?" Sakura wondered inwardly as she organized her ninja tools, her gaze fixed straight ahead. "If nothing unexpected happens, the siege against Sasuke should begin soon."
Suddenly, a small, furry figure flashed past. Sakura raised her eyes and calmly threw a kunai to block its path. It was a squirrel, but it was startled and instantly ran off in the opposite direction.
Sakura rose and took two steps forward. In a cold voice, she said, "The probing ends here."
The Sound ninja in the thicket all twitched their eyelids when they heard this.
"Did she notice us?" Surprise showed in Zaku's eyes. But then he saw the pink-haired girl in front of him suddenly yank the thin cord in her hand.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!" In an instant, kunai bearing burning Explosive Tags shot forward like a volley of arrows. The three were startled and immediately scattered to both sides. The moment the kunai neared the thicket, explosions swept across the area.
"Boom!!!"
Rolling smoke filled the area. Accompanied by a teeth-grating sonic boom, a large open space instantly appeared in one spot, with the three of them standing within it. Dosu slipped his hand back into his sleeve and looked at the clear-eyed girl before him with a grotesque grin.
"Wake Uchiha Sasuke up. We want to have a decisive battle with him."
"Sasuke?" Sakura showed no fear. Instead, she revealed a trace of mocking laughter, as though she were the one who had surrounded the three of them.
Then she shouted harshly, "You should first think about how to defeat me. Three dogs at Orochimaru's side, and you dare bark wildly in front of me!"
"Boom!" A violent aura instantly surged around her. With her pink hair fluttering in the wind, she suddenly resembled a victorious female general returning from battle.
Sakura's aura made Dosu realize that her exhausted appearance while guarding Sasuke had been entirely feigned. Her purpose had been to lure someone into taking the bait. At this thought, his expression turned solemn.
"Since that's the case..." Dosu murmured quietly. Suddenly, his body sprang forward. Like a nimble beast, he pounced toward Sakura, his right hand held behind his back as his left hand rolled up the sleeve on his right arm slightly.
It had to be said that Sakura's evaluation of them as "Orochimaru's dogs" had deeply wounded Dosu.
Sakura's figure continued growing larger in his eyes. Strangely, however, the girl before him showed no sign of responding. She merely stared at him with a cold smile.
Is this a trap? Dosu instinctively glanced left and right. At the instant he lost focus, an azure-green figure flashed into existence beside him!
"Konoha, Whirlwind!"
Carrying the forceful power of a whip-like kick, Dosu was sent flying violently to the side. His only exposed eye slowly widened as he stared incredulously at Rock Lee, who had assumed an offensive stance.
"W-Who are you?" Dosu came to his senses, his gaze turning heavy.
"The beautiful azure beast of Konoha, Rock Lee." Lee held one hand behind his back and extended the other forward. His eyes shone brightly, while his watermelon haircut swayed in the breeze, making him appear even cleaner and more dashing.
"Thank you, Lee." Sakura walked over and patted him on the shoulder. Rock Lee immediately flushed red and stammered, "S-Sakura, it was what I should have done. I said I would protect you..."
"Mm. Be careful not to get ambushed."
Sakura hadn't forgotten the fact that the transmigrator had discovered their hiding place. She had been observing the surroundings until just now, but unfortunately, there had been no changes anywhere.
She passed over Dosu, whose eyes were already revealing killing intent, and fixed her gaze on Zaku behind him.
"If I remember correctly, Zaku ruined Lee's Front Lotus after Lee released it. So I only need to tie Zaku down during that period, then I can take Dosu out and create a two-on-two situation." Sakura muttered to herself as she hid behind Lee and began forming hand seals.
At the same time, Dosu watched Lee continuously unwrap the bandages wound around his hands, and a bad feeling immediately rose in his heart. He lunged toward Lee in a single step, moving like thunder.
Lee, however, shifted positions in the blink of an eye. Lowering his center of gravity, he kicked and sent Dosu directly into the air!
Sakura seized the opportunity. As Dosu flew upward, she charged toward the other two and drove her Chakra-wrapped fist toward the ground.
She wanted to create a fissure in the ground and divide the battlefield!
But at that moment, a kunai carrying a white note flew toward Sakura from an unknown direction. She dodged to the side, and the kunai plunged into the ground. The white note attached to it appeared before Sakura's eyes, and she saw two tiny characters written on it:
[Hee hee]
Sakura froze for a moment before abruptly turning toward that direction, but she saw no one.
She was horrified. A terrible thought arose in her mind.
Before you continue