The Third Kazekage

Molding his Iron Sand into an enormous pyramid and prism, Sasori hurls the shapes at Sakura. She falls back on what Tsunade drilled into her, learning to sidestep an assault and predict where it will land, and manages to stay ahead of every strike, a display that leaves Chiyo impressed. With her chakra-boosted blows she knocks the massive forms around the chamber until the entire ceiling caves in.

Recognizing that she can keep deflecting him, Sasori burns through more of the puppet's stored chakra and shapes a huge orb bristling with branching spines. This time Sakura cannot dodge or guard, and although she escapes a mortal wound, the spikes carry Sasori's own poison and slice her, dropping her where she stands. He notes she has three days left, then decides to end it himself, drawing a concealed blade from the puppet, only for Sakura to spring up and smash the entire construct with a single strike. Outside, Team Guy remains locked against their duplicates as the hideout rumbles apart, and Neji warns the others it is collapsing while Lee praises Sakura's resolve.

Far off, Kakashi catches the sound of the cave-in but cannot reach anyone, staying on Naruto's trail as Naruto chases Deidara. A continuity slip appears during Sakura's flashback: she is shown with long hair even though the memory predates her second bout in the Chunin Exams, whereas she had already cropped it short back during her first Exams, long before Tsunade came home to the Leaf. This Shippuden entry belongs to the Kazekage Rescue Mission arc and covers chapters 269 and 270.