Despite it All

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Sakura's POV (Nearby Chakra Anchor - Western River Plains)

Evening

Sakura felt the full weight of the moment settle squarely on her shoulders. Her career thus far as a kunoichi had been one of mediocrity. As a non clan first generation shinobi of her own family she had never had the access, tutelage, or innate talents that many of her peers did. Even Naruto in a similar situation cursed with a tailed beast had shown more promise than her. Not that Sakura truly minded, she had never imagined herself as much of a shinobi anyway. Sakura had mostly become a shinobi due to her fascination with it all. She had wanted to become one of the extraordinary few, to prove to herself she could measure up to them. To prove to herself she was not only not worthless, but valuable…

The exams had tested her faith in herself. Failing to even reach the final portion of the test nor be promoted. Worse yet watching the battles had made it clear she was behind everyone, even her pig of best friend Ino! But her desperate and seemingly conflicted time in Irminsul had provided her something she needed, confidence. Sakura knew she could survive, even thrive here. She knew in combat she could be useful. She was not that same weak girl she had been in the academy!

Sakura wasn't blind to the situation. They were surrounded by a swarm of highly mobile enemies in high numbers supported by a clan boss. Unless they managed to turn the tide quickly this fight had a timer on it. And her and Hinata simply didn't have that much time left, even Kiba had come somewhat worn and battered. Hinata's plan was a good one, Sakura knew the wasp's entire hierarchy was based on their Queen. Assuming she could manage to take it out it would cause chaos within their foes, likely they would flee in order to ensure the survival of the hive. The fear of failing was heavy but Sakura breathed slowly as she gathered her mettle.

Out of the three of them only Kiba and Hinata were truly able to effectively cull the numbers of their countless foes both at long and close range. Hinata with her long range laser, Kaiten, and her gentle fist. Kiba due to his absurd mobility and speed as well as ability to use his entire body as a weapon. Sakura was more suited to using the created opportunity to either disable or outright kill the Queen. She had even managed to make a much more formidable Fenrir to flee on her own before. But that had been against an aware target. Worse yet Sakura wasn't certain she had fully mastered the technique.

Somehow using her chakra to bolster each of her used muscles in bursts with incredible care. Allowed her to strike with absurd strength. Further bolstering that strength with Chakra Scalpels allowed her attack to smash from the outside and wreak havoc from within. But how would Sakura close the distance? Could she use her new strange technique to augment her movements over time instead of burst? Sakura was certain she could do it, but was unsure how long she could maintain it. She would make it work regardless.

"I'm game!" Sakura declared with much more confidence than she truly felt. She had her theory, now she just needed to put it to practice. Sakura squatted down focusing on her chakra throughout her entire body, such concentration it took she slightly trembled. But all the same she felt some sort of determination to fill her all the same, the same feeling she felt when she smashed Fenrir. While Hinata and Kiba prepared themselves for their own roles they missed Sakura's green eyes appearing to glow with confidence. "CHA!" She called out instinctively. Sakura would not hesitate or allow her doubt to hamper her. If she failed it would only be after giving it her all!

"Heh, what I tell you, Hinata? Just like you Sakura hides a hell of a fire within her. When it shows even I find her intimidating. All we gotta do is smash her a path forward!" Kiba cheered excitedly, getting down on all fours as he prepared to go all out. "Just gotta figure it out now!"

"Excellent, I know you will do us well Sakura." Hinata agreed. "It'll take us a moment to create the opening however. They'll likely launch an intense assault first, it seems they are preparing for their own assault. We should defend ourselves and look out to launch an overwhelming counter assault."

"With that many against us that could be a while. We need to hit them hard, fast, something that decimates them as well as cause some panic… by chance Hinata how many lasers can you fire off at once? If you can shoot a bunch I can pick off stragglers. We need something that affects a wide area without impeding Sakura."

"Kiba's on the right track but easier said than done. Fire off multiple pure chakra projectiles over time is costly; she likely couldn't create enough to matter even with clones." Sakura spat out straining with effort as she channeled. "Though… Hinata your chakra beam is designed similarly to a laser. If it has the same properties of it, it would be possible to reflect it entirely, widening its range and reach without losing intensity. We would just need preferably a mirror, multilayer if possible. Does it?"

"I would hope so I designed it after them. When training for the exams I had hoped to cover the weakness to long range battles most Hyuga suffer from. A long reaching laser works well for such. And I think I may have just the thing…" Hinata answered as she began to dig into one of her pouches. She smiled as drew forth a small hand mirror. "This was a gift from the elders to me from birth. An ornate hand mirror passed along the Hyuga for decades. It is said to be the most reflective and pure mirror one can buy. Surely it would work as you assume. Do you think you could react to it in time to reflect on Kiba?"

"Won't lie and pretend it'll be easy, but yeah with some focus and planning it should be doable. But is this really gonna be all that effective? A laser reflecting a couple times sounds tricky, but doesn't sound like enough to me."

"If you were to do our plan at top speed however, the constant changing of angles will make constant reflections from all directions… " Hinata trailed off.

"It'll create a deadly ass laser storm! Or whatever, sounds risky but I'm more than game. Will you be able to keep up though? Alright then we have a plan, ready when you are Sakura!" Kiba decided as he grabbed the mirror, snapping off the handle he tied it to his chest.

"My eyes will not fail you!" Hinata promised.

However Sakura ignored them as her eyes darted up to the wasps above them. They had formed a formation above them each aiming their stinger down at them. A firing line!

"Attack incoming!" Sakura warned, Hinata and Kiba each noticed her concern and flinched at what was sure to be a massive attack. "Get ready I'll handle it! Create the opening!" Sakura assured.

Kiba nodded shooting off with a boom as he hurtled around the air evasively moving away from the end of the stingers. All the while positioning himself for their ploy. Hinata nodded but stood with Sakura all the same, determined to help defend her friend even in peril. She must've been confused about Sakura's plan. Sakura wasn't even certain about it herself.

"Children now! Rain death upon these humans!" The Queen demanded. At her words she and her legion of wasps shot off sprays of stingers. So many filled the sky above them it momentarily darkened the ground below. "DIE PEASANTS!" The Queen seemed to order them as falling death approached.

Hinata gasped in befuddlement, but needed not worry. Sakura roared as she flooded her muscles and even bones with chakra, maintaining control over it all gave Sakura an immediate headache. Heedless she drove her fingers into the earth gripping into it with inhumane ease. With another roar she whipped to her feet ripping the very ground in front of her apart. Sakura lifted up a huge plate of hardened dirt, stone, and even minerals, the assembly of ground was easily the size of a giant boulder, above her head with a grunt of effort.

Hinata jumped back as Kiba vacated the air above her. Sakura spun with her improvised weapon around before she launched it up into the air with ease. The massive fragment piece met the stingers which stabbed into it and spread cracks throughout but failed to shatter it. Sakura smiled with pride at her feat as the mass closed in on the swarm. The Queen raced forward in front of her hive, slashing with her stinger and managing to cut the projectile in half in an attempt to spare the majority. The halves flying past the Queen and still smashing into the wasps at the flanks but missing the main body of the swarm.

Kiba and Hinata smiled excitedly, impressed by her which filled her with glee. Before the two focused and called out in sync. "Collaboration Jutsu: Indiscriminate Wild Beam!" Kiba appeared in the now stinger and debris free sky and blurred back and forth at absurd speeds weaving through the hive with ease, his movements causing loud booms with each change of direction. Some of the wasps attempted to pursue him but were simply too slow to even keep track of him.