After the Five Elements Seal was reversed, Naruto remained unconscious. Sasuke, his chakra nearly exhausted, could no longer use his Sharingan and could only slump wearily on the ground. Of Team 7's three members, Sakura was the only one still able to move freely.
"Teacher Itachi, will you stay here?"
Both of the team's powerhouses had lost their ability to fight, and Sakura had just endured Orochimaru's intimidation. Now, more than anything, she hoped Madara Uchiha would be someone she could rely on in the Forest of Death.
"No. This is your exam. Orochimaru's appearance may have been an unforeseen complication, but now it's your turn to protect Sasuke and Naruto."
With Orochimaru gone, Madara naturally wasn't going to waste his time acting as their bodyguard.
Sakura had played no part at all in the fight against Orochimaru. As their teammate, even if she could do nothing against him, she should at least fulfill her duty to protect her teammates when they were helpless.
For Sakura, the second round of the Chunin Ninja Exams had only truly begun at this moment.
Madara left Team 7's three-person squad without a backward glance. In his mind, Sasuke and Naruto would never die in a place like this. Sakura had to prove her own worth. If someone else killed her, it might even serve as a catalyst for the two boys' growth, and Madara could accept that as well.
"How could you..."
Sakura watched Madara disappear before her eyes. After he left, Sasuke also slipped into unconsciousness, leaving her the only one still awake in the dark, silent Forest of Death.
What should I do?
Looking at her two unconscious teammates, Sakura was momentarily at a loss. Then she reconsidered. Wasn't this precisely the moment when it was her turn to protect Sasuke