Sakura, who hurt you?

With that, Kakashi offered no further advice. His figure flickered, and he left the forest with the Body Flicker Technique, leaving Team 7 where they were.

Naruto scratched his head and obediently sat off to the side, quietly watching over the unconscious Sasuke and Sakura.

Before long, Sakura slowly opened her eyes and regained consciousness.

The moment she woke, she looked at Sasuke beside her. His face was deathly pale, his brows tightly furrowed, and even unconscious, his expression was full of pain. Her heart softened at once, aching for him.

"Naruto, go get me some water."

"Sure! Right away!"

Naruto immediately nodded, then eagerly turned and ran off.

Only Sakura remained, keeping watch over the unconscious Sasuke alone.

But shortly after Naruto left, three sinister figures quietly emerged from the shadows of the trees.

They were Sound Ninja!

Their eyes were cold as they slowly approached.

Sakura's heart clenched, and she instantly went on guard.

She knew that with Sasuke unconscious and Naruto absent, she stood no chance in a fight.

If she could avoid fighting, she absolutely would.

Sakura made a quick decision. She took out the Heaven and Earth Scrolls she carried and tossed them over, raising a hand to signal her intentions.

"You can take the scrolls."

"You've got what you wanted. There's no need for us to fight."

The three Sound Ninja caught the scrolls and took a look, their faces immediately filling with disappointment.

"Tch, they're the same as ours. What a waste of a trip."

The instant they let their guard down!

Sakura's gaze sharpened, and several shuriken shot out!

They flew fast, coming from tricky angles!

But the three Sound Ninja had been prepared. They immediately raised their hands and blocked every attack.

Their expressions darkened at once, their voices carrying mocking anger.

"Huh? You caught on? Pretty sharp, little girl."

"We were going to ambush you, but you attacked us first?"

Sakura offered no explanation.

She kept throwing shuriken while retreating, trying to buy enough time for Naruto to return.

But the Sound Ninja gave her no chance to stall.

"You're not our target."

One of them immediately broke away, went around Sakura, and charged straight toward Sasuke Uchiha, who lay unconscious on the ground!

Sakura's expression changed drastically. Panic seized her, and she rushed forward to intercept him without hesitation!

But with her stamina running low and close combat already her weakness, she could not stop the three Sound Ninja.

After just a few exchanges.

Thud!

Sakura was knocked hard to the ground!

The three Sound Ninja closed in step by step, cruel smiles on their faces.

They were in no hurry to kill her. Instead, they gathered around the fallen Sakura and began punching and kicking her without restraint.

Like predators toying with their prey, they leisurely savored the pleasure of tormenting the weak.

In the real world, Sakura Haruno was stunned as she watched herself being punched and kicked.

Her eyes widened in disbelief, and she felt both hurt and furious.

Those Sound Ninja were so vicious, not caring at all that she was just a girl.

Beside her, Ino seethed with anger, her brows tightly knitted, deeply upset by what she saw.

Watching her best friend suffer such bullying and beatings in the future made Ino grit her teeth in fury.

Naruto, standing among the crowd, was even more consumed by guilt and frustration.

He clenched his fists, filled with regret.

Why did I have to be the one to fetch water?

Why wasn't I there when Sakura needed someone most?

Watching Sakura on the Sky Screen endure beating after beating and struggle to hold on, Naruto grew angrier and more frustrated with every passing moment.

In his agitation, he lost his head. He turned to glare at Sasuke Uchiha beside him and growled indignantly.

"Sasuke! How can you still be sleeping?!"

"Sakura's being bullied and beaten! And you're still asleep!"

The moment those words left his mouth.

The entire crowd fell deathly silent.

Everyone was dumbfounded.

Even Sasuke himself froze, completely bewildered.

Then every student around them wore a speechless expression.

Was Sasuke asleep?

Orochimaru had placed a Cursed Seal on him, and the excruciating pain had made him pass out!

Couldn't Naruto see that Sasuke's body was still twitching uncontrollably from time to time?

Just watching was enough to imagine how agonizing that bone-deep pain must be!

While everyone was still discussing Naruto's misplaced blame, someone in the crowd suddenly cried out.

"Look! On the Sky Screen! Sasuke looks like he's waking up!"

Everyone immediately looked up, their gazes fixed on the Sky Screen.

A strange mass of chakra suddenly surged from the body of Sasuke, who had been unconscious and convulsing in pain!

Its cold, violent, frenzied aura was deeply unsettling!

The three Sound Ninja beating Sakura abruptly paled. They instinctively backed away, their bodies tense and their faces filled with extreme wariness!

The next second.

Sasuke unsteadily rose from the ground.

His arms and legs hung limp, his body swaying as though he had no bones. His posture was utterly eerie.

Under the three Sound Ninja's terrified, astonished gazes, Sasuke slowly straightened.

His once-black eyes grew deep and icy, and a sinister aura surged around him. His entire demeanor had changed.

Sasuke slowly turned toward Sakura, who lay battered and bruised on the ground, and spoke in a voice devoid of warmth.

"Sakura."

"Who hurt you?"

Before Sakura could shakily explain, Sasuke's icy gaze had already locked onto the three trembling Sound Ninja ahead.

"Was it them?"

The three Sound Ninja were both startled and furious. Though inexplicable fear stirred in their hearts, they trusted in their combined strength and had no fear of a genin who had only just awakened.

"You're just some Konoha brat. Who do you think you're..."

He had barely begun speaking.

Sasuke suddenly vanished!

His sheer speed was impossible to follow with the naked eye!

In the next instant, he appeared beside one of the Sound Ninja and clamped a hand around his arm!

Crack-!!

The sound of shattering bone sent a chill through everyone!

Sasuke gave a vicious yank!

He tore the entire arm clean off!

An agonized scream instantly rang throughout the Forest of Death!

Blood gushed wildly, splattering the ground!

The other two Sound Ninja turned deathly pale. Scared out of their wits, they launched desperate counterattacks!

But with his Cursed Seal activated, Sasuke had descended into a savage frenzy!

In speed, strength, and brutality, he utterly overwhelmed them!

He cared nothing for technique and showed no mercy!

Every punch struck flesh; every attack drew blood!

In just a few seconds!

Flesh flew, severed limbs littered the ground, and bloody scraps scattered everywhere!

The three Sound Ninja did not die immediately, but they were tortured until their bodies were covered in wounds and their bones and tendons were shattered. Their condition was utterly horrific!

The sight of his frenzied brutality and unrestrained violence chilled everyone to the core!

Sakura was completely terrified. She stood frozen in place, trembling all over.

She had seemingly never imagined Sasuke could be so cruel!

When she finally came to her senses, tears streamed down her face, and she cried out in anguish.

"Sasuke! No! Don't do this! This isn't who you are!!"

"Sasuke, snap out of it!"