Chapter 41: Sakura vs Ino

Ino watched the screen repeatedly to make sure that what her eyes were seeing was real. To her misfortune, the words marked on the screen were as real as Toru's eyes.

"Looks like it's your turn. Don't worry, I'll cheer you on until I break my oral cords."

With the flattest expression in the world, Toru looked at Ino and spoke. Obviously his words were sarcastic, but Ino didn't take it as if it was sarcasm.

"Ha! I don't need you to do that!"

After hearing some nasty things from Toru, Ino jumped up and landed in the battle arena.

"Good luck, Ino" Hinata said.

Hearing her teammate, Ino turned around and looked at Hinata with a smile.

"Ha~ I still can't believe I have to fight you. Still, I won't show any mercy."

Looking at Sakura, Ino showed a smile full of confidence while crossing her arms proudly.

"Really? Then you should know that I won't show mercy either."

Like Ino, Sakura smiled confidently as she looked at the girl in front of her.

At the same time, Hayate sighed wearily as she prepared to give the fight a start.

"Since the participants are present, it's time to begin."

Sakura and Ino stared into each other's eyes. This fight, it was something the two had been looking forward to for some time.

"Haruno Sakura, Yamanaka Ino.... Begin!"

As quickly as Hayate finished speaking, Ino and Sakura abruptly jumped into the attack.

Only using her fists, Sakura tried to punch Ino in the face, but the blonde-haired girl wasn't going to allow this.

"You can do it Sakura-chan!"

From the top of the battle arena, Naruto's voice was heard.

(Of course I can, something like this is nothing).

Thanks to Naruto's words, a smile formed on Sakura's mouth. This caused the speed of her attacks to increase.

(Although I wish Sasuke was here to see me).

However, even though Naruto was cheering Sakura on with all his might, the only guy on her mind was Sasuke.

(I still appreciate that nice gesture).

As if her personality split in two, inside her mind appeared another Sakura, who simply nodded her head while saying "Naruto is definitely strong, but Sasuke is stronger."

Meanwhile, Ino was having some trouble blocking Sakura's punches. She didn't understand how that girl had become so strong.

"Damn!"

Letting out a shout, Ino stepped back and threw a shuriken. Sakura took it upon herself to block it using another shuriken.

*Clang!

The sound of clashing metal echoed in the battle arena. Everyone was watching attentively, although this fight was somewhat repetitive, as the two girls were just throwing punches as if they didn't want to hurt each other.

The same farce continued for three minutes until, for some reason, Ino slapped Sakura.

(Hm... now I get it)

It didn't take Toru long to realize what was going on between Ino and Sakura. Just like Ino doesn't know anything about Toru, Toru doesn't know anything about Ino, that's just how it is. The two of them, even though they are on the same team are complete strangers.

"Toru-kun...?"

Hinata's eyes fixed on Toru's face. That boy had a grim look on his face, as if he was planning something, though it was quite the opposite.

For him, who knew nothing about Ino, a strange feeling was born in his heart.

"How dare you?"

Sakura touched her cheek, after all the slap she received hurt, it hurt a lot, but not so much as to cause her harm. Still, it was all strange, the way the two were fighting caused discomfort in the onlookers. Sakura realized this, so, with a tired tone of voice, she said:

"Listen, Ino. I'm not going to fight with you because of Sasuke."

Hearing the name of the Uchiha clan boy, Ino opened her eyes as if she was scared. After all she...

(I... forgot about Sasuke)

She couldn't understand. How come I forgot about the boy I like? That question kept repeating in her mind over and over again until she found an answer. She didn't know if it was wrong, possibly she was just imagining things, but that mysterious answer made Ino feel confused.

"I'm no longer the weak girl I was in the past. You're not my goal anymore, Ino. Besides you're not the kind of girl Sasuke likes. I don't think anyone is going to fall in love with you though, so I wish you good luck with that.

She was teasing Ino, as if she had figured out what she was thinking. Even the proud expression on her face and her hand gestures were something that made Ino's blood run hot with anger.

"Stop saying stupid things."

She was obviously angry, but this was something Sakura had wanted to say for a long time. At the same time, she felt a heavy burden from the past disappear.

(She is...)

Ino saw that Sakura was putting her forehead protector where it should go, on her forehead. This caused a small smile to form on her face.

(That's right, complicated things can wait. For now, I must win this fight)

Replicating Sakura's actions, Ino also put the protector on her forehead.

(From now on, this fight is for real).

Looking at each other for a few seconds, Ino and Sakura finally decided it was time to end this charade.

On the other hand, Toru was a little confused. He didn't quite understand what was going on. Ever since he was in the ninja academy, he never looked at anyone, after all the lives of others is something Toru doesn't give a shit about. Konoha might be being destroyed, but Toru wouldn't give a damn as long as his own life wasn't in danger.

Still, right now he wanted to know more about Ino. Possibly it's Toru's infinite curiosity to find things out or maybe he feels like a jerk for not knowing anything about his teammates.

(Complicated thoughts again, eh...)

It was ironic, Toru used to think complicated thoughts when he worked on his research and never got tired of it. But now that he was having deeper thoughts, he felt his mind getting more and more worn out. But feeling tired is something that would pass eventually, after all the images in his head always give him something to think about besides his two teammates.

(Hm... I said I was going to cheer her on until my oral cords break, should I do it now?)

Toru thought about a few things, but his moment was ruined when the fight between Ino and Sakura resumed.

Placing her fingers in the form of a cross, Sakura used two clones, one on her right and one on her left.

The three entities went on the attack.

(That doesn't work on me)

Seeing Sakura approaching along with her clones, Ino smiled and threw two kunai.

The weapons collided with two of the clones making them disappear, leaving only the real Sakura.

"Come here!" said Sakura.

So, hearing the words of the girl in front of her, Ino launched into the attack.

Again and again, punches, kicks and clashes of weapons. The two girls were using all their strength to fight.

"This is scary, are fights between women always this wild?"

Watching the fight, Shikamaru looked at his master and spoke. However, his master only sighed as he remembered some things from the past.

"Come on Sakura, you can do it, show Ino that you're strong!"

With each passing second, Naruto was getting more excited. His teammate was fighting with all her might, and this was something that made Naruto proud.

(Shut up already, Naruto! I'm trying to concentrate!)

Sakura's second personality appeared and shouted as she tried to return to the place she came from. However, due to Naruto's distraction, Ino took this opportunity to deliver the first punch to Sakura's abdomen.

"Uhg!"

Unable to defend herself, Sakura rolled on the ground to a stop. She had to admit that Ino was someone strong, both physically and mentally. Though Ino's mental strength was due to Toru's intervention.

(Ino managed to hit her enemy, it's time to deliver the coup de grace, but since she is Ino, I don't think she would think of hitting her enemy while she is weak).

Unlike Ino, Toru is someone who has no mercy when it comes to fighting. His father had no mercy on him when training, now Toru has no mercy on anyone when it comes to fighting, that's how he grew up.

Hinata thought the same thing. She knew that this fight could end if Ino knocked Sakura unconscious, but apparently, that was not going to happen.

"Ahg!"

Taking advantage of her position as a helpless victim, Sakura quickly got up from the ground and punched Ino in the face. The blow was so hard that it knocked Ino to the ground.

The next thing that happened was something strange, at first Sakura approached Ino with the intention of ending the fight, but Ino got up from the ground and while holding the kunai, she pulled out a part of her hair.

(Ino...)

Hinata looked at her teammate with a sad expression on her face. For a girl, hair is everything. So doing something like that must have had some repercussion on Ino.

"You... what the hell are you doing?"

Sakura stopped when she saw what Ino had done.

"You shouldn't have asked that."

Ino looked at the ponytail she had cut off and remembered something.

(Sasuke likes long-haired girls...).

Although it was just a rumor from when they were at the ninja academy, Sakura and Ino took it very seriously and took it upon themselves to grow their hair long so they could fulfill Sasuke's tastes.

It had been a long time. Ino always took good care of her hair and took pride in her beauty. But she still wondered to herself.

(Why did I do that?)

At that moment, many memories flooded Ino's mind. But her moment of reflection was interrupted by Sakura, who teased a little at what she had seen.

"How weird, I was sure you were proud of your hair and how beautiful you looked. Well, only you can obsess over something like that."

Those words were like needles to Ino. After all it was the truth and sometimes the truth hurts.

"How dare you talk to me like that! Oh, that's right. You were always so annoying."

"Are you sure about that, ugly?"

"Did you call me ugly? Haven't you looked in the mirror?! Surely not because your forehead is too big!"

Everyone in the place was at a loss for words to explain what they were seeing. From a fist fight and ninja weapons, they moved on to a verbal brawl where childish insults dominated.

This was too weird and uncomfortable for everything, even Hayate felt as if half of his life disappeared between his fingers because of what he was seeing. On the other hand, Yamato just watched silently while thinking.

(Something happened between the two of them in the past, there's no doubt about that. Now I wonder, how will this be solved).

Feeling that he shouldn't have an opinion on what he was seeing, Yamato crossed his arms and leaned his back against the wall.

"I've had enough of you teasing me!" said Ino as she tossed her cut hair at Sakura. After that, she formed a triangle with her hands and looked at the girl in front of her.

At that moment, Yamato and Toru accepted Ino's defeat. After all, using the mind transfer jutsu on a ninja like Sakura was a ridiculous thing to do.

(Hm... now she's acting on impulse).

Toru sighed as he looked at his teammate. Although he had accepted Ino's defeat, he wanted to see this through to the end.