Im Sakura, Rely on Pure Skill

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The pink-haired girl sat silently by the river, gazing at her reflection on the water's surface.

The face that stared back was undeniably cute—a small nose, a delicate mouth, fair skin, and most notably, a pair of emerald green eyes that shone as clearly as gemstones.

Her green eyes and cherry-pink hair made her look like an exquisite doll.

She had been sitting there for a long time now.

Even after a month, she still couldn't believe that this was her reality.

He was a 1.85-meter tall man from the south.

She was a sweet, 1.19-meter-tall lolita.

The same person!

Are you kidding me?

In her previous life, she only used Ninja War Haruno Sakura, where she'd summon a spirit to pull off big moves and combo skills, tearing through enemies with a Super Shadow 3000 score!

She liked playing Ninja Sakura, not becoming Ninja Sakura! This was ridiculous!

Sakura couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness. She picked up a stone from the ground and tossed it into the river.

With a splash, ripples spread across the water, soon settling back into calmness, as if mocking her helplessness.

"Sakura!"

The voice of her new father echoed from a distance.

Sakura turned toward the sound and saw a man with a starfish-like hairstyle waving at her from a nearby bridge.

Haruno Kizashi, her father.

"Coming..." Sakura replied weakly, slowly standing up and walking toward him.

"Sakura, don't go to the river alone next time. What if you fall in?" Haruno Kizashi scolded gently, his eyes empty but sincere.

"Well, if Dad were here, it would be different. After all, Dad can handle anything!" Haruno Kizashi patted his chest proudly, trying to change the subject.

Sakura stared at the ridiculous starfish hair in front of her, suppressing a sigh. "...Yes."

"By the way, Sakura, you seem a bit down lately..."

"...Yes."

"Is it because you didn't sleep well last night?"

".....Yes."

"Do you want Daddy to sing you a nursery rhyme tonight?"

"....Yes."

iii

"Absolutely not!"

Sakura realized what she had said and quickly corrected herself.

"Hahahaha! There's the energetic Sakura I know!"

"You've been so out of sorts lately. Mom's really worried about you," Haruno Kizashi said, laughing as he playfully patted her head.

Sakura looked at the man laughing in front of her and pursed her lips.

She hadn't meant to make them worry... Looking at her delicate hands, she sighed inwardly, gazing at the sunset in the sky with a touch of melancholy.

Goodbye, my second brother...

Goodbye, my "happiness"...

"Mom made your favorite dumplings for dinner tonight."

When Haruno Kizashi noticed her melancholic expression, he immediately tried to cheer her up, pulling funny faces in her direction.

Sakura couldn't help but smile weakly, then reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Then let's go home quickly before Mom gets too anxious."

"Okay!"

"By the way, Sakura, do you want to be lifted up high? You'll be able to see further from Daddy's shoulders!" Haruno Kizashi said with a grin, tapping his not-so-broad shoulders while making exaggerated poses.

"No, thank you," Sakura replied flatly.

"Ah? Why not?" Haruno Kizashi's face fell, and he looked dejected.

Sakura studied the man before her, now fully convinced he was a "daughter slave."

Father and daughter walked along the riverbank, heading toward home.

Sakura glanced at her father, feeling a wave of helplessness wash over her.

Let the past be the past... But if you expect me to be a bootlicker and marry someone, then that's a hard no!

As they walked, a small figure caught her attention.

He seemed to be around the same age, with spiky blond hair and a white short-sleeved shirt adorned with a red swirl pattern.

Sakura barely acknowledged the boy, still in a low mood. "It's that child..."

"Sakura, stay away from him in the future. It's bad luck," Haruno Kizashi warned as they passed the golden-haired "hedgehog."

Sakura looked up, surprised.

"If anything happens to you, Sakura, your mom and I would be really worried."

Seeing his serious expression, Sakura instinctively retorted, "But he's just a child, like me."

"If he were really bad luck, Hokage-sama wouldn't let him stay in the village," she added, brushing off the comment.

"It's just a rumor," Sakura concluded, shaking her head.

Haruno Kizashi didn't argue but thought for a moment before speaking.

"Sakura, you're a compassionate girl."

"But more than that, I just don't want you to get hurt," he said quietly.

Sakura didn't reply, merely offering a non-committal, "I know."

After all, this stepfather meant well, and she couldn't fault him for it.

Night fell.

The pink-haired girl curled up in her bed, staring out the window at the starry sky.

She could feel her chakra gathering, slowly but surely, on her forehead. It almost seemed passive—once there was excess chakra, it would flow directly into the center of her forehead.

Not a single bit was wasted.

Burying her face in the quilt, Haruno Sakura groaned in frustration.

This must be my golden finger for time travel...

Yin Seal: The Art of One Hundred Heroes.

But if the Yin Seal had been formed before I became Tsunade's apprentice at age twelve, how am I supposed to explain this?

Also, why did I enjoy playing Ninja Wars Sakura?

Why not play as Otsutsuki Momoshiki or Otsutsuki Kinshiki? Ninja War Sakura's stronger than both of them!

This is maddening!

Her emerald eyes sparkled as she looked at the stars.

I need to find a way to explain the Yin Seal...

But how?

My brain is about to explode...

How could a six-year-old like me even have the Yin Seal? I must've been interrogated by Konoha's torture department, subjected to one hundred and eight tortures...

Suddenly, the pink-haired girl sat up in bed, a gleam of determination flashing in her eyes.

Study hard! Progress every day!

Become a talented genius! Gain favor with Konoha's high-ranking officials, and then find a way to learn the Yin Seal technique! Damn it, I've been reincarnated as a girl, and now I still have to study hard!