When Sakura woke up, she let out a yawn and stretched her arms high above her head. Just then, a familiar ding echoed in her ears.
Startled, she glanced at the floating screen in front of her.
[Talent +1]
[Talent: 2]
That same refreshing sensation from yesterday washed over her, sweeping away her fatigue and filling her with energy. It was an intoxicating feeling—if she could experience this every day, life would be perfect.
A satisfied smile spread across her lips as she stood up, shifting her focus to stretching her legs and hips.
Not long after, Naruto and Sasuke began to stir.
Sasuke barely spared a glance, uninterested. But when Naruto opened his eyes and caught sight of Sakura, his face instantly turned red.
Her movements exposed glimpses of her toned stomach and the smooth curve of her legs—things he normally wouldn't get to see.
With the morning sunlight streaming through the curtains, her silhouette became even more defined, with the shadow of her outline appearing through her clothes, the soft glow emphasizing every contour of her figure.
Naruto felt his throat go dry. His heartbeat quickened as he took in the sight, the mesmerizing way her body moved with every slow, deliberate stretch. He couldn't help but wonder—how could something so simple be so captivating?
Then, just as quickly as it had begun, she stopped.
A strange sense of loss settled in Naruto's chest.
Ahh, so beautiful, so perfect, Sakura-chan… if only she stretched a little longer…
Feeling a gaze on her, Sakura turned around and caught Naruto staring at her with a blank expression.
"Do you like what you see?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"A lot! I really like it!"
The words left his mouth before his brain could catch up. The moment he processed what he had just said, his face turned red.
"You damn pervert! Get out of here! Don't you have training to do?!"
Naruto let out a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his head before making a hasty retreat.
Scoffing, Sakura shook her head and pushed the matter aside. She had no time to waste on a lewd idiot—her training awaited.
Later, after grabbing lunch, she stepped outside only to find Naruto still lingering around, idly wasting time.
Her eyes narrowed. "Why are you still here? Aren't you afraid Sasuke will surpass you?"
"Hehe, I'm not afraid! Because I, Uzumaki Naruto, will definitely become Hokage! That guy Sasuke is just a small obstacle—sooner or later, I'll defeat him!"
Grinning with confidence, he gave Sakura a thumbs-up, instantly reminding her of a certain green-spandex-wearing character from the anime.
"Is that so? Then suit yourself."
Just as she started walking away, Naruto panicked and hurried after her.
"Eh? W-wait a minute, Sakura-chan!"
Quickly catching up, he let out a relieved sigh before blurting out his real reason for following her.
"Sakura-chan, training with that guy is so annoying! Can I train with you today? I promise I won't bother you!"
Sakura rolled her eyes. This guy was too obvious—like an open book. Anyone could see his intentions from a mile away.
But…
Turning her head slightly, she found herself blushing a little.
It was the first time anyone had pursued her so openly and persistently.
Not that she had any feelings for him, but… it was definitely a little exciting.
With a sigh, she reluctantly agreed. "Alright, but if you cause trouble, I won't speak to you for a week. Got it?"
Naruto grinned, hands behind his head, clearly satisfied. Unbeknownst to Sakura, there was another reason behind his actions.
As they walked, Naruto deliberately lagged a few steps behind, his gaze fixed on her back.
His throat tightened, and small droplets of moisture formed in the corners of his eyes.
This feeling... it was familiar.
It reminded him of the rare times he spent with Grandpa Hokage—moments when people didn't look at him with hatred, when he wasn't treated like a monster.
He didn't know what had changed in Sakura, but he was truly happy.
So much so that he accidentally let his thoughts slip.
"Sakura-chan, are we friends?"
She rolled her eyes, not bothering to look back.
"Of course we are, dingus. Why are you even asking such a stupid question?"
"Haha, it's nothing! Nothing at all!"
Naruto's smile was radiant, pure.
And deep in his heart, he made a silent vow—so long as he lived, he would never let anything happen to Sakura-chan, his first friend.
What neither of them knew was that someone else had witnessed the entire exchange.
Kakashi stood nearby, watching in silence. For a moment, he felt dazed—their figures overlapping with two friends from his past, friends he had lost long ago.
"Naruto, Sakura... Turns out my vision really was a bit shallow. I already thought you two were progressing quickly, but this… it's even faster than I expected."
His gaze lingered on Sakura.
"Especially her… Did she finally wake up from that ridiculous fan-girl delusion and start focusing on becoming a real ninja?"
It was very likely.
Although traces of her youthful innocence remained, that was normal for a girl her age. The important thing was the shift in her behavior.
No longer constantly hitting Naruto, eating much more than before to properly fuel her training, and, most importantly, putting in genuine effort to improve herself.
A small smile tugged at Kakashi's lips.
"Minato-sensei… Is this how you felt leading us?"
He glanced up at the sky, letting out a quiet sigh.
How much he missed those days…
Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura… He would train them well. He had to. If that tragedy ever repeated itself, he wasn't sure he'd be able to forgive himself.
With that thought, he formed a hand seal and cast the Shadow Clone Jutsu.
While his students trained, his clone would remain with Tazuna and Tsunami—just in case. If anything happened, he would know immediately.
While everyone busied themselves, far away, in a secret hideout.
A man covered in bandages opened his murderous eyes.
Looking at the ceiling a single thought crossed his mind.
"Soon... I will definitely kill you, copy ninja Kakashi, and your students, I will enjoy butchering them one by one."