The land around us was completely and utterly destroyed. Ash fell from the sky like black snow, coating the cracked and blistered earth. The air hung heavy with the scent of scorched stone, burnt chakra lingering like smoke that never cleared. The charred earth stretched endlessly, cracked and barren, a once-living world now nothing but ash and sorrow. Blackened trees stood like skeletal remains, their branches reaching toward a sky smothered in gray. Not even the wind dared to move. The world hung silent as the birds had no longer chirped and beasts no longer prowled about, predators and prey alike had vanished. Nature itself had recoiled from the devastation.

Our battle against her raged on for months, though time had begun to blur. Each passing day chipped away at the world beneath our feet and at the resolve in my heart. When I breathed too deeply, the iron tang of decay caught in my throat. With this came my looming fear, a creeping dread that even I, Sekhmet, bearer of goddess power in this mortal form, could not banish: that the Earth would not survive this. Doubt coiled around me like thick clouds of smoke.

My boys...Hamura. Hagoromo. When will you listen? My heart ached, not from the battle wounds, though they throbbed with every pulse, but from the ache of my sons clinging to the hope that their mother, their creator was saveable.

Was I not their mother too? Not just the goddess they revered, but the one who held them as infants, who soothed their cries with lullabies sung beneath moonlight? The one who cradled them in warmth and protected them from the void?

They had yet to decide on the path I had laid before them. They still clung to hope that another way existed. But they refused to accept the cold, bitter truth: Kaguya, your creator... your once-revered mother is beyond redemption. She is no longer the being who birthed you. Whatever she was has been consumed. She is too far gone, twisted, hollowed, and monstrous in ways even I can no longer understand. Her eyes hold no love, only the void. The only way forward is to seal her... to tear the Ten Tails apart, to divide its might into nine beasts. That... is mercy.

I bit my lip until I tasted blood. It was sharp, metallic, and real. My sons, so powerful, yet so maddeningly stubborn, were wasting what little time remained. Each second that passed let the rot spread further. Every moment they hesitated, was another moment the world's odd became less.

I... I was dying. I was already wounded during an attack from many Ōtsutsuki Faction members who had feared my interference. My ribs fractured, my limbs heavy, my divine energy leaking through the wounds on my mortal body. My robes, once pure white, were now shredded and darkened with blood, some of it mine, some of it not. If we keep going like this, I am not sure if I will make it. I had not had time to heal myself before Kaguya came. My strength was waning and I wasn't sure how much longer I could stand. Every breath burned in my lungs. My knees trembled beneath my bloodied robes. My body, once radiant and unshakable, now felt like a fractured statue ready to crumble, but still, I stood.

Their gazes fell upon me, my sons, my legacy, looking at me not as a goddess, but as the mother who raised them. Their eyes, usually so firm and decisive, had softened "Sekhmet, Mother... I think it is time to go with your option. Will you be able to revive the Earth from our colossal damage?" I look to Hagoromo and nod.

"I can... but in the process I will surely perish" I said, my voice hoarse yet resolute, escaping with strength I didn't know I still had. I lifted my hand and Astra answered my call. The axe shimmered into existence with a low hum, its divine steel pulsing with golden light, etched with seals that shimmered like living fire.

Hamura frowned, stepping closer. "Has our mother truly been wounded to that extent? I believe you should use your remaining power to heal yourself. The Earth... it will heal in time."

"No," I said, without pause. "This is not about me. Now is not the time for selfish preservation. You must seal her. Create the beasts. Let my final act be not war... but rebirth. My last gift to you, my sons."

As they performed the sealing, I gathered the last of my divine energy. My soul stretched; ripping, unwinding like golden thread drawn fraying. I felt myself leaving, piece by piece. Yet I stood still, eyes on the scorched land before me. The moment the sealing was done, I raised Astra high, the energy coiled within now blinding, a final bloom of divinity before the end of me. With a cry that echoed across the heavens "Merciful Bloom!".

The impact shook the world. Light surged from Astra's blade, a wave of color and warmth exploding outwards. Where it touched the blackened land, life unfurled. Flowers burst from ash, rivers surged through cracked ground, and trees rose from stumps and animals blinked into being, blinking, stretching, breathing again. The wind returned, cool and alive, and in it, birds sang; tentative at first, then in chorus. The Earth was beautiful again. As it once was. As it should have always been.

I collapsed to the ground with a dull, final thud, my vision blurred. In the fading haze of my senses, I saw it. I managed to spot what Kaguya had done as she was being sealed, a hidden contingency, buried beneath the sealing. She plans to return...

'Kaguya, I have seen what you have done. There is no time for me to warn my sons, or stop it from happening. So I vow... that I will reincarnate into that of a willful kunoichi, to stop your mad plans once again. My time in this form has ended. But I will not abandon this world ever.' I think to myself. I pressed my trembling hands together and formed the hand signs, ancient and sacred. The ground pulsed beneath me. The wind curled around my form like a whispering farewell. With the final threads of my power, I condensed my soul, my essence into Astra, binding my consciousness to the sacred weapon. I sank into it willingly, fading into the divine metal, my essence held in stasis. Until one day... someone worthy awakens me. My vision darkened. My heartbeat slowed. The world fell silent around me, and I slept.

Present Time

Team Seven stood before the looming, rusted gates of the Forest of Death, a dense wall of twisted trees stretching endlessly beyond the iron bars. The wind blew low and eerie, carrying strange scents of wet moss, decaying leaves, something coppery and faintly metallic, like blood left too long in the sun. From the dark canopy, cries of unseen creatures echoed sharply. Branches swayed, though the breeze had already stilled, and the whisper of something crawling, something watching, slid like melting ice down Sakura's spine. She clutched her hands together, knuckles white. Her green eyes scanned the forest's shadows as the oppressive silence hung thick around them, only broken by the rustle of leaves and the thud of nervous hearts.

"There's something kind of creepy about this place..." she murmured under her breath, more to herself than anyone else. The words barely left her lips before the air snapped. A sharp, mocking laugh cracked through the silence. Anko Mitarashi stood before them, a crooked grin curling her lips. The jōnin's trench coat fluttered in the breeze, her amber eyes gleaming with wild delight. Her very presence vibrated with danger, like a snake coiled and ready to strike.

"This place is called the Forest of Death," Anko purred, voice laced with mischief. "You'll soon realize why."

Naruto mocks her then follows up with, "Heh, bring it on!"A blur of silver flashed. A line of crimson bloomed across Naruto's cheek. The kunai had sliced him before any of them saw her move and along with it she snipped a strand of hair from a nearby genin. The poor boy flinched after the deed was done, frozen in shock. A stunned silence followed. The wind seemed to hush in respect or fear.

Sakura's stomach twisted as the thick tension settled like fog, heavy and suffocating. She could feel sweat beads at her temple. As the genin backed away from Anko, Sakura instinctively moved aside too, her breath catching. 'What's with that proctor?! She's psycho! And this participant too...' her thoughts spiraled as she took in the fear-stricken faces around her. Anko only grinned wider. She moved on as if nothing happened, her boots crunching over dried twigs and loose stones as she began explaining the exam. Her voice was casual, but beneath it lay an unmistakable current of malice, like she relished what they were about to endure.

The rules were simple. Survive five days in the forest. Retrieve the opposing scroll. Reach the tower. However, the simplicity of it only made the threat clearer. 'All out battle huh?' "So, that means half of the teams will fail for sure." Sakura said softly, her voice firm despite the unease she felt. Her gaze flicked toward her teammates.

Anko tossed a stack of papers their way, the consent forms, flapping like dying birds in the breeze. "If you're too scared to sign, better back out now," she said with a smirk. Sakura took the form in her hands. The paper felt too thin, too fragile. The ink bled at the corners, as if already soaked in sweat. She scanned the lines, acknowledging the dangers, the possibility of injury... even death. Around her, other participants murmured. Some laughed nervously. Others said nothing at all. As the crowd dispersed to sign, the Forest loomed silently behind the gates, breathing... waiting. Sakura tightened her grip on the paper. The birds still didn't sing. The wind had vanished again, but she swore that the forest was watching.

Sakura gripped the consent form tightly, her fingers damp with sweat as she scanned the fine print while walking. The paper crinkled softly in her hands, the ink smudging faintly where her thumb rubbed over it. Her boots crunched against the gravel path, and the distant hum of cicadas buzzed like static in the thickening air.

"Hey, look who's here! It's the future failure, Billboard Brow." The voice cut through her thoughts like a blade. Sakura froze mid-step, spine stiffening at the too-familiar tone laced with sugar-coated venom. Ino stood a few feet away, one hand cocked on her hip, blonde ponytail bouncing slightly as she tilted her head with faux innocence. Behind her, Shikamaru sighed heavily, muttering something about "troublesome," while Chōji munched slowly on a bag of chips, clearly already tired of the drama. "I thought you went home long ago," Ino added, voice sharp with mocking cheer. "Never imagined you'd still be here."

Sakura turned, flipping her hair over her shoulder with a too-bright smile, her heart thudding as her cheeks flushed with heat. "Oh. Look, it's the ugly Inopig," she said coolly, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. "Jealous, huh?" Her tone was sweet but dripping with venom. She held her head high, pushing confidence into her voice as her stomach twisted with nerves."Starting now, it's five days of survival with Sasuke-kun," she added, clinging to the name like a shield. "There's no reason to go home."

Ino's eye twitched, her painted nails curling into fists. Chōji sighed again. Shikamaru looked like he wanted to lie down right there on the path and disappear. "Ugh, give it up, Sakura! We both know you're too weak to pass this test!" Ino barked, her voice louder now, cracking slightly with frustration.

Sakura flinched, just barely, but straightened her shoulders and shot back, "Yeah right! I could say the same thing about you!" The two glared, their stares crackling like live wires. A tense silence hung between them, thick and electric. Somewhere in the distance, a crow cawed sharply, as if to break the tension, but neither girl moved. Finally, they turned away from each other with stiff movements, anger radiating off both of them like heat from sunbaked stone.

Nearby, Naruto approached Hinata. The breeze shifted, bringing the scent of pine and old leaves. Hinata turned scarlet the moment their eyes met. She opened her mouth, but the words came out in soft, unintelligible murmurs. Her fingers fidgeted with the hem of her jacket, eyes flicking to the side. 'That's Hinata.. weird as always' Naruto thought, brows furrowing as he blinks at her in confusion. He tilts his head, trying to read her, then gives up with a shrug and wanders off to rejoin Sakura and Sasuke.

With the consent forms in hand, the teams began to gather at the stand to retrieve their scrolls in exchange for their consent forms. After each team walks to their designated gates. The late afternoon sun filtered weakly through the canopy, casting jagged shadows across the ground. Anko stood near the gate, her arms crossed, that ever-present smirk stretched across her lips like a dare. Her eyes scanned the teams like a predator surveying prey. The air was still havey, thick with anticipation and the unmistakable scent of soil, sweat, and distant rot.

"I won't lose! Bring it!" Naruto shouted, his voice bursting with energy, fist raised high. Sakura looked over at him, fire igniting in her chest. Ino's words echoed in her head, but she swallowed them down and gave a firm nod. "Right," she said aloud, her Inner popping into her head saying 'Cha! That's right!' The gates creaked open with a groan of the rusted hinges. A blast of cool, humid air rushed out from the forest, smelling of moss, bark, and something vaguely... animalistic. The darkness inside pulsed like a heartbeat, swallowing the light.

Anko stepped aside. "Try not to die too fast." Without hesitation, Team Seven stepped forward. Their feet crossed over the threshold and into the shadows, the oppressive silence of the forest swallowing them whole. Not even the birds dared to sing as the gates slammed shut behind them with a bone-jarring clang. Unknowing of what's to come

Moments passed, the air still. Next a bloodcurdling wail ripped through the forest, slicing the silence like a kunai through paper. It echoed across the trees, bouncing off bark and fading into a lingering hum that made Sakura's skin crawl. Birds scattered in a frenzy above, and the wind shifted, carrying the scream like a curse through the heavy canopy. All of Team Seven whipped their heads toward the sound.

"Wasn't that someone screaming just now? I-Im kind of getting nervous." Sakura asked then stated, her voice trembling. She clutched her hand to her chest, heart thudding like a war drum. A chill swept up her spine.

"I-It was nothing Sakura-Chan. Dattebayo!" Naruto said quickly, trying to mask the nervous tremor in his voice with his usual bravado. He gave a shaky grin, scratching the back of his head then he froze,"Uhh gotta pee!" He bolted to a nearby tree, still clearly in their line of sight.

"B-Baka!" Sakura yelled, flushing furiously and smacking the back of his head with a clenched fist. "What are you doing in front of a lady?! Go to the grass!"

Naruto yelped and stumbled off behind the bush as instructed. A few moments later, he returned, letting out a contented sigh. "Ahh, much better..." Before he could finish the sentence, Sasuke moves. In a blink, his foot cracks into Naruto's stomach with a powerful kick, sending him skidding back through the dirt. He grunts, stumbling, then twists into a defensive stance.

"H-Hey! What was that for?!" 'Naruto' barks, eyes wide with exaggerated confusion. Sasuke lunges again, his movements fast and precise, more instinct than thought. His fists and feet came like a flurry, the air whistling as it was cleaved by each strike. 'Naruto' dodges, barely keeping up, his foot catching on a root and staggering just slightly.

Sakura stands frozen, her hands hovering near her chest, eyes darting between them in a panic. "S-Sasuke-kun... no matter what he did, you don't have to go that far!" she cries, her voice tinged with desperation. Sasuke doesn't answer. He steps in and slams the imposter to the ground, dirt exploding in a cloud around them.

'Naruto' wheezes. "W-What are you doing all of a sudden?!"

"What you ask?" Sasuke growls, with sharp-eyes and focus. "That's my line, isn't it?" Sakura's breath hitches. She could feel something was wrong, but couldn't grasp it. Her fingers tremble. Sasuke drew a kunai in a smooth, chilling motion, lunging again without hesitation.

"Sasuke-kun!!" Sakura gasps, stunned by the speed and violence. Her feet refuse to move; she doesn't know who to believe.

"It can't be helped!" the 'Naruto' shouts back, deflecting with his own kunai, the clang of metal-on-metal ringing out across the clearing. They clash again, sparks dancing in the air between their blades.

Then, mid-fight, the imposter flips away, graceful but too calculated. His movements were off. That was when Sakura saw it. The moment of hesitation. The wrong posture. The slightly wrong smile. The wrong Naruto.

"Sasuke-kun, please stop!" she begged, hoping, praying, he wasn't just lashing out.

"Look closely at him!" Sasuke shot back, his eyes gleaming with suspicion and certainty. He turned to 'Naruto,' eyes narrowing with razor-sharp focus. "Talk. Where is the real Naruto?!"

The fake flinched. "I... I have no idea what you're even talking about!"

Sasuke stepped forward slowly, his words cutting deeper than his blade. "What happened to the scratch on your face? The one the proctor gave you?" Sakura's heart skipped. Her eyes flicked to the imposter's cheek. Sure enough, clean and unmarked. Sasuke continued coldly, "And your shuriken holster? It's on your left leg. But Naruto is right-handed." He raised his blade and added, "You're even worse at transformation than Naruto, you phony."

With a burst of chakra and a puff of smoke, the ninja's form twisted and changed. The transformation dissolved, revealing a pale, unfamiliar face twisted in irritation. The imposter stood hunched, cracked lips curling in a sly smirk. "Unlucky! You got me," the ninja muttered. "In that case... which one of you has the scroll?" The forest held its breath. Sakura's fingers curled around her kunai, the cool metal biting into her palm as adrenaline surged through her veins. Sasuke tensed, dropping into a defensive stance. Leaves swirled around them, whispering warnings through the wind. "If you listen to me obediently..." the ninja drawled, shifting slightly, "I'll spare your lives."

They didn't move, not an inch. His smirk fell. "I see!" he hissed. "Then I'll resort to force!" He lunged forward, feet barely touching the ground, a blur of motion and killing intent tearing through the trees.

Sasuke's fingers flashed through a blur of hand signs, eyes sharp with precision. "Fire Style: Phoenix Flower Jutsu!" he roared, expelling a flurry of fireballs from his mouth. Each one hissed through the air like angry hornets, glowing embers trailing behind. The heat scorched the bark of nearby trees, filling the air with the acrid stench of burnt wood and smoke. The enemy ninja weaved and twisted between them with eerie agility, his form flickering like a mirage in motion. He leapt skyward, meeting Sasuke mid-air, their kunai clashing in a shower of sparks. Metal rang against metal, and the impact vibrated up Sasuke's arm as he gritted his teeth. The stranger kicked off a branch and lapped across tree limbs, his cloak fluttering like a shadow. Sasuke chased after him without hesitation, leaves blurring past his vision, branches groaning beneath their weight. The forest around them blurred into streaks of brown and green, the rush of wind loud in his ears.

During the chaos, Sasuke found the real Naruto, slumped and bound against the trunk of a gnarled tree. Ropes dug into his arms, his head low and blood caked near his temple. Sasuke's eyes widened for just a moment. A single kunai spun from his hand with deadly grace, whistling through the air. It sliced through the ropes and embedded itself into the wood with a dull thunk. Naruto collapsed forward with a grunt, sucking in a breath like it was the first he'd taken in hours. "Damn... took you long enough..." he muttered, barely conscious.

But Sasuke didn't get the chance to reply. Sasuke turned back only to be ambushed with a paper bomb, tucked in the crook of a nearby tree, igniting with blinding light and searing heat. The blast hurled Sasuke forward, debris raining around him in jagged chunks of bark and smoke. Flames licked the underbrush, and the acrid scent of charred earth flooded his nose. He barely twisted mid-air, bracing himself on instinct, when cold steel touched the back of his neck. "I'll kill you if you move. Calmly hand over the scroll." came a voice like a blade dipped in poison. It was the enemy, calm and steady.

Sakura turned sharply at the sound of rustling behind her, and her breath hitched. "Sasuke-Kun!" she screamed, her breath catching like a fist in her throat. The panic sliced through her chest like ice. Before she could react, a blur of orange shot past her, and a kunai spun through the air with a sharp whip, embedding itself in the attacker's wrist with a satisfying thud. Blood burst out in a red arc, and the ninja cried out, clutching his arm as the weapon dropped from his hand with a clatter.

"I won't let you get away," Naruto snarled, his usual lightheartedness gone. His cerulean eyes gleamed with raw focus. Every breath he took was heavy with anger.

Sasuke clicked his tongue, wincing as he twisted his body away from the enemy. 'You're always late Naruto!' thinks Sasuke, bitterly. His eyes flashed crimson, the tomoe spinning to life. Time seemed to slow around him, every movement crisp and clear. In a flash, he slammed his foot into the tree trunk, his chakra pulsing from his sole. The impact cracked bark and launched splinters into the air, creating a diversion. With a burst of speed, he flung a kunai and it whistled through the space where the enemy had just ducked.

Without hesitation, Sasuke vaulted from the branch, the air rushing past his ears. His body twisted midair as he gripped another kunai and drove it into the ninja's shoulder, the blade slicing through fabric and flesh with a muted crunch. Blood spattered across the mossy bark below, the sound of it landing soft and wet. The enemy reeled back with a gasp, eyes wide with shock, clutching at the wound.

"Sasuke-kun!!" Sakura cried again, her voice cracking as she stared at the blood that now painted the forest floor in angry red streaks.

Sasuke landed hard on a thick branch, knees bent, panting. His leg throbbed, blood still trickling from the injury he'd taken earlier. He barely had time to acknowledge the pain. "Don't just stand there, Sakura! No guarantee this guy is alone!" Sasuke yells at her and continues with his lecture "got it? If you let your guard down, you'll really get killed!" She flinched, nodding quickly, gripping her kunai tighter as she looked around, her heartbeat pounding in her ears. Sasuke's Sharingan eyes scanned the trees, their red glow piercing the gloom. Every rustle of a leaf, every shift in the shadows felt like a knife edge at his back

Sakura flinched, her knuckles turning white around her kunai. Her palms were slick with sweat, the leather of her gloves damp and uncomfortable. Around them, the forest breathed: leaves shivered in the growing wind, branches groaned high above, and insects buzzed with a rising pitch, like nature itself was warning them. The sharp tang of blood hung in the air, mingling with the earthy rot of damp soil and decaying underbrush. The wounded enemy grit his teeth with a snarl and vanished in a blur of motion, leaves bursting in his wake. 'He came alone,' Sasuke noted, eyes scanning the tree line, Sharingan spinning faintly. 'That's why he backed off.'

Sakura's chest heaved. Her heart thundered in her ears, drowning out the cicadas. The forest felt suddenly too vast, too alive, and far more dangerous than any training ground. She swallowed hard, the cold stone of realization dropping into her stomach. This wasn't practice. They could really die here.

They regrouped in silence beneath the shadow of a gnarled, moss-draped tree. The bark was slick with damp green fuzz, and the air beneath the canopy was thick and humid. Sweat trickled down Sakura's temple as she crouched next to the others. The low hum of cicadas was constant, like static crawling along the edges of her skin.

"We need a system," he muttered, his tone low and clipped. "Something to confirm we're really us. No more risks." A simple idea, a password. Something only the real team would know. Sasuke had picked a long password and Naruto blinked in confusion, scratching his head, while Sakura deadpanned beside Sasuke, exasperated. Still, they agreed on that as the password. Once decided, the team pushed forward. Sasuke knelt to retrieve their scroll, his fingers sinking slightly into the damp loam. Mushrooms clustered near the tree roots, and the soil was rich with decay. Just as his hand wrapped around the worn paper

Then, Smack! Naruto stumbled back, his cheek red with blood from an unseen blow. A gust of wind roared suddenly through the forest, howling between branches. The trees groaned and bent as leaves swirled like a blizzard of green and brown. Sakura raised her arm, shielding her eyes as debris bit at her skin.

When the wind died down, the mist thickened, low and white, curling around the trunks like smoke. From its depths, three shadowy forms emerged, silhouettes flickering at the edges of the fog, their outlines blurry against the hanging mist. One of them, the genin who Sakura had earlier thought to be weird and intense, stepped forward, his smile too wide, too still. Something about his aura made the hair on Sakura's arms rise.

Before anyone could speak, Sasuke vanished into the undergrowth with a quiet rustle. He crouched low beneath a thick bush, leaves brushing his face. The scent of crushed grass and cold mud filled his nose. A twig cracked sharply behind him. He spun, kunai raised. "Sakura..." She stumbled to a stop, breathing hard. Her cheeks were flushed and her hands trembled ever so slightly.

"Sasuke-kun," she said, voice shaky, though she stood her ground. She took a small step forward.

"Don't come any closer," he said sharply, the steel in his voice cutting the air. "First, the password." The silence between them trembling like a drawn bowstring. Mist clung to their skin, cool and clammy. Sakura hesitated, then answered confidently. Satisfied, Sasuke exhaled and slowly lowered his weapon.

A second later, branches snapped as Naruto crashed through the trees, panting, clothes scuffed and dirt-smudged. "Guys! Are you okay?!"

Sakura turned quickly. "Naruto! Say the password!" He grinned and recited it without pause. At which Sakura exhaled in relief. Her shoulders dropped, the knots in her chest beginning to unwind, until, Sasuke's kunai flew through the air, slicing cleanly past Naruto's cheek and embedding itself into a tree behind him.

"What are you doing?!" Sakura shrieked, voice cracking in confusion. Naruto's face twitched, his smile faltering for a moment too long.

"This time, it's someone who can dodge my attack, huh?" Sasuke said coldly, stepping in front of Sakura.

Sakura blinked. "But... he said the password..."

Sasuke's eyes gleamed crimson. "Exactly. He said it too perfectly. With no hesitation and no breath. He was eavesdropping before. He knew it."

The false Naruto's grin split wide, skin rippling as it shifted. The transformation melted away like mud in the rain. In his place stood Shiore, the eerie ninja with snake-like eyes and a bone-deep stillness that made Sakura's stomach twist and her blood ran cold. The air around them seemed to drop in temperature, as if even the forest was holding its breath. This person... is too creepy. Where is the real Naruto?! She scanned the area desperately, heart hammering against her ribs. Her eyes scanned the canopy, desperate. The rustle of leaves high above made her head snap back. A crow shrieked in the distance, sharp and echoing, as an omen if she'd ever heard one. Something told her: this was only the beginning.

✨ Author's Note ✨
Hey everyone! Thank you so much for diving into this story. This is a blend of Naruto canon and my own original twist on its deeper lore, with our powerful kunoichi at the heart of it all. I'm so excited to explore this journey with you, and I hope you enjoy the ride as much as I enjoy writing it. Drop your thoughts, theories, or favorite moments! I'd love to hear from you guys and interact! Stay sharp, and remember... nothing is ever as it seems in the ninja world.

– With love,                                                                                                                                                                                 avisulov 

Word Count 4788

EDITED 6/17/25