Chapter no.43 Naruto

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Chapter no.43 Enter Sakura Haruno

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The soft glow of dawn crept into Sakura's room, casting a gentle, golden light across her walls. She yawned, rubbing her eyes as she sat up and stretched, feeling the quiet peace of early morning settle over her. On the nightstand beside her bed lay her well-worn diary, its cover decorated with little stickers she'd added over the years. Reaching for it, she flipped to a fresh page, her lips curving into a faint smile as she took a calming breath.

Dear Diary,

Today's my first day with Team 7. I hope Kakashi-sensei won't be late, but I'm going to get there early. Maybe this will be the day I finally get a chance to impress Sasuke-kun…

Sakura's pen hesitated for a moment, her thoughts wandering unbidden to Naruto.

I wonder… was he always like this? she wrote slowly. He's different somehow—quieter, almost distant. He hasn't even tried asking me out once lately…

Her brow furrowed slightly. As much as she'd always brushed off his ridiculous attempts, there was a small, reluctant part of her that had come to expect them. His constant, goofy persistence had been an odd sort of constant in her life—something she could rely on, even if it was annoying.

But now… Now it just feels strange, she continued. Like he's someone else entirely, and that loud, silly Naruto I used to know is gone.

She frowned, tapping the pen against the edge of the page, trying to unravel the knot of confusion in her chest. Somewhere in the back of her mind, a sharp, familiar thought surfaced: Why do you even care, Sakura? It's Naruto. You've spent years wishing he'd leave you alone.

It wasn't a separate voice—not really. It was her, just the sharper, clearer part of herself that often broke through when she doubted. A part she sometimes called Inner Sakura, though she knew it wasn't someone else. It was her, cutting through her own thoughts with blunt logic.

With a quiet sigh, Sakura closed the diary and set it carefully back on her nightstand. She swung her legs off the bed and stood, stretching again as the sounds of the waking village filtered in through her window.

After brushing her pink hair with care and slipping into her usual outfit, Sakura bounded downstairs. The familiar scent of breakfast greeted her, along with the low murmur of her parents' voices drifting from the kitchen.

Her father, Kizashi Haruno, was hunched over the kitchen table, animatedly explaining something as he gestured to a scroll. His dull pink hair stood up in wild spikes, and his booming laugh filled the room. Sakura caught snatches of the conversation—something about "inventory shipments" and "supplier delays."

Her mother, Mebuki, was the opposite of Kizashi's energy. Focused and no-nonsense, she stood by the counter, chopping vegetables with quick, efficient movements. Despite the contrast between her parents, Sakura loved these mornings.

"Morning, Mom! Morning, Dad!"

"There's my girl! Heading out for shinobi business early, huh? Hoping to catch a certain someone's eye, maybe?"

Sakura's cheeks flushed immediately. "D-Dad, it's not like that!"

Keep your nose out of it, Dad! her sharper self grumbled internally, though Sakura kept her face as neutral as possible.

"Ah, young love. Reminds me of when your mom and I started dating."

Without missing a beat in her chopping, Mebuki added, "Just remember, Sakura, the more you focus on yourself, the more others will take notice. Being early and disciplined is good, but don't let it all be for someone else."

Sakura nodded, even as frustration prickled at her edges. Her mother's words were always so pointed, as if Sakura weren't enough just being herself. Every suggestion, every "encouragement" felt like a push toward something tougher, something stronger.

Doesn't she get it? Sakura thought. I don't want to be a warrior princess. I just want to be… me. And maybe catch Sasuke-kun's attention while I'm at it. Is that so hard to understand?

But deep down, Sakura knew her mother wasn't being critical for the sake of it. It was her way of trying to prepare Sakura for the dangers of the shinobi world. Maybe Mebuki didn't have the words to say, I'm scared for you, so she said, Train harder. Maybe that was her version of love.

Still, it was exasperating. Like the time her mother had secretly mixed weight gainer powder into her rice to bulk her up. Sakura had nearly choked on it before spitting it out, declaring dramatically that she was never eating again.

Sakura sighed at the memory, finishing her light breakfast. She grabbed her ninja pouch from the counter, ready to head out.

"Have a good day, sweetheart!"

"Stay focused!" Mebuki added sharply, her eyes flicking briefly to Sakura's ninja pouch as if scanning it for flaws.

Sakura stepped outside, her frustration melting away as the crisp morning air hit her face. The world felt alive—the bustle of merchants setting up their stalls in the market, the warm sunlight filtering through the trees, and the distant hum of the village beginning its day.

All right, Sakura, she thought, steeling herself as she made her way toward Training Ground 7.

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The soft hum of the morning still lingered in Sakura's mind as she stood at Training Ground 7, waiting for everyone to arrive. The early sunlight bathed the clearing in golden warmth, and she took a deep breath, savoring the quiet.

Do some training—that'll impress Sasuke-kun, she thought, rolling her shoulders and stretching her arms.

Sakura stepped into a basic stance, her mind already running through the forms they had practiced at the academy. She began with simple punches, her movements sharp and precise, gradually flowing into the defensive blocks and sweeps she'd been working to perfect.

Her body moved on autopilot, muscle memory guiding her as her thoughts wandered. He'll see how serious I am. Maybe he'll even comment on how much stronger I've gotten! She imagined Sasuke standing nearby, his arms crossed as he watched her with faint approval.

But the daydream faltered when her form wavered on a kick, and she stumbled slightly. She straightened immediately, her face heating in embarrassment, even though no one was watching yet.

Focus, Sakura! her sharper self chided. What's the point of training if you're just going to daydream the whole time?

Suddenly, the swirl of leaves and a faint flicker of movement broke her focus. She froze mid-punch, turning just in time to see Sasuke step into the clearing, his dark eyes focused on the scroll in his hands.

Her heart leapt, and she instinctively straightened her back, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her face. Flashing her brightest smile, she greeted him in her most cheerful voice. "Hello there, Sasuke-kun!"

Sasuke glanced up for the briefest moment, his expression unreadable, before returning his attention to the scroll.

He never did that in the academy.

She bit her lip, suppressing the silly grin that threatened to spread across her face. For a moment, her confidence soared. But then, like a cold gust of wind, doubt crept in.

Am I… sweaty?

Her smile faltered, and her fingers twitched as she brushed at her hair.

"Be cool, Sakura. Be cool," she muttered under her breath, her nerves building. The thought of Sasuke noticing something embarrassing about her was unbearable.

Before she could stop herself, she made a quick, decisive choice. "I'll be right back!" she announced, spinning on her heel and sprinting away from the training ground.

Sasuke barely glanced up as she ran off, his gaze flicking briefly in her direction before settling back on his scroll. He let out a faint sigh.

At least it's quiet now, he thought, the corners of his mouth twitching ever so slightly.

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An hour later, Sakura sat a few feet away from Naruto, staring blankly ahead as her mind replayed the utterly humiliating episode with Naruto and Kakashi. She clenched her fists, a blush creeping up her face as her inner self chimed in, unimpressed.

Maiden of war? Really? That's so cringe.

Sakura groaned inwardly.

Her thoughts spiraled as she began blaming Naruto for the whole ordeal. One moment, he was acting like the loud, obnoxious boy she'd known in the academy. Then the next, he was… different. Subtler, quieter. Like he was trying to be someone else.

Honestly, she couldn't tell if this was a new character he was playing or if that unpredictability was just who Naruto really was. Her inner voice, sharper and more skeptical, cut in.

Or maybe he just got mad in the academy, and this is still the same old Naruto.

Sakura sighed. That… actually makes sense. Fine, maybe Naruto is just Naruto. But still… where does he get this stuff?

Who cares? her inner self interjected bluntly.

Sakura nodded, shaking the thought away. She had better things to focus on than figuring out Naruto. Much better things. Like catching Sasuke-kun's attention.

Her thoughts drifted until Kakashi's voice cut through, pulling her back to the present.

"Today's our first real training day," Kakashi announced, standing lazily with his hands in his pockets. "Here's the plan: we'll go until noon, training each of you individually. After that, you'll get a two-hour rest before we meet some special people, and in the evening… our first mission."

Her breath caught, and her heart raced.

Our first mission!

Her mind immediately conjured a perfect image of the three of them—Team 7—standing tall and triumphant. Sasuke would be calm and heroic as ever, while she dazzled everyone with her cleverness and beauty. Naruto would… also be there. And then, as the sun set on their successful mission, Sasuke would finally look at her and confess his love.

Before her imagination could run further, Kakashi casually created three shadow clones, each one stepping forward and beckoning them to follow.

Sakura blinked, surprised. Wait… those are solid clones. She quickly realized what this meant. He's splitting himself up so he can teach us all individually. That's actually… kind of smart.

Her initial excitement dimmed as another thought crept in. Surely, he's going to personally train Sasuke, right? Maybe me too. After all, I have the best academic scores. That has to count for something.

But then her eyes followed the real Kakashi, and she froze in disbelief. He wandered over to a tree, stretched out under its shade, and laid down. With a casual yawn, he pulled out a familiar orange book and flipped it open.

Sakura's jaw dropped.

Are you kidding me?!

Her hand twitched, almost balling into a fist. She forced herself to take a deep breath, but her thoughts were already bubbling, sharp and unfiltered.

Shānnarō! Lazy bum! I'm standing here, ready to give it my all, and he's just lying there like it's nap time?! What kind of teacher does this?!

Her gaze then flicked to Sasuke. He didn't even bat an eye. His focus remained entirely on his scroll, as if this level of effort—or lack thereof—from Kakashi was exactly what he'd expected.

Of course Sasuke-kun doesn't care, Sakura thought, crossing her arms. He probably doesn't even need Kakashi-sensei's help. He's already so talented. Honestly, Sasuke could probably teach me something more useful than whatever this lazy old man has planned.

But even as she reassured herself, doubt gnawed at the edges of her confidence. What if my clone trainer doesn't actually push me? What if Sasuke's training is more intense, and he gets even further ahead?

The thought lit a fire inside her.

No. I won't let that happen. Lazy teacher or not, I'm going to give this everything I've got.

The Kakashi clone assigned to her waved her forward. "Let's go, Sakura."

Sakura felt a hand on her shoulder, and before she could process what was happening, the world around her twisted into a dizzying blur. Trees, leaves, and streaks of sunlight rushed past in a disorienting whirlwind, her stomach lurching violently with the motion.

The sudden stop hit her like a shockwave, and she stumbled forward, her legs shaky beneath her. Her vision spun, and she barely had time to steady herself before the nausea overwhelmed her. Leaning forward, she emptied her stomach, the sour taste of bile burning her throat. She coughed, spitting to clear the acidic tang from her mouth, her hands trembling as she tried to compose herself.

"W-What… was that?"

"That," Kakashi replied, "was the Shunshin no Jutsu. It's a high-speed travel technique. Hmm… now that I think about it, you're the only one on the team who doesn't know it."

"What? How?"

"Naruto learned it from Iruka, and Sasuke copied it from Naruto."

"Sasuke-kun is amazing."

Kakashi raised a brow at her. "And what about you?"

"What… what do you mean?"

Instead of answering, Kakashi handed her a folder with her name printed neatly on the front. Sakura hesitated, her fingers curling around the edge of the folder as if bracing herself for what she might find. With a deep breath, she opened it.

Her eyes scanned the page, her breath catching as the contents sank in. Line after line of evaluations stared back at her, harsh and unyielding. "F" in taijutsu. "F" in ninjutsu. Only her academic marks stood out, and even they felt hollow in this context.

Her hands trembled as she held the folder, her throat tightening with a painful lump she couldn't swallow.

"What… is this report?"

"It's my assessment of your current level as a ninja."

The words felt heavy, cutting into her pride.

"But… but I'm the top kunoichi in my class."

Kakashi's gaze was steady. "That may be the case, but tell me—what would happen if you fought Naruto or Sasuke right now? How long would you last? You saw what they were capable of during the bell test. What about you?"

The question hung in the air like a kunai aimed at her chest.

"I…" Sakura hesitated. She couldn't bring herself to say it out loud, but she knew. Sasuke was leagues ahead of her. And Naruto… she couldn't even imagine lasting against him for more than a few seconds.

"I am weak. Huh? Sensei."

Her inner voice, normally brash and quick to retort, stayed quiet this time, offering no snarky remark or sarcastic comeback.

"I see," Kakashi said, his tone softer now, though no less firm. "Acknowledging where you are is the first step to getting stronger, Sakura. It's okay to be weak right now, but staying that way isn't an option if you want to survive as a ninja."

His words stung, but there was a strange clarity in them.

"Yes, sensei."

Kakashi gave her an encouraging nod. "Good. Now, why not use that sharp mind of yours to figure out what you can do to improve, based on the report?"

His words gave her something to hold onto, a spark of direction amidst the sinking despair. She took a shaky breath, forcing herself to focus as she analyzed the report in her mind, picking through her glaring weaknesses and the faint glimmers of strengths.

"Sensei," she asked cautiously, "are there any areas where you rated me higher than Sasuke or Naruto?"

Kakashi's visible eye crinkled in approval. "Good question. Well, for starters, your chakra control is better than both of theirs. You also have a stronger academic foundation and an affinity for genjutsu according to your academy report."

She nodded slowly, though the answers felt bittersweet. Academics and chakra control… that's it? Those don't win fights.

Still, it's something. Build from there. You're not completely hopeless. Figure out how to turn what you're good at into something useful.

But the thought didn't anchor her—it only made her chest tighten further. This couldn't be it. She couldn't accept that the only things she was good at were chakra control and being book smart. Those were basic, foundational skills, not the kind of things that made a shinobi strong or respected. Not the kind of things that would make her stand out.

"No," she said. "That can't be everything. There has to be more."

"Oh? What do you mean, Sakura?"

Her throat felt tight, but she forced herself to push past it. "I… I didn't get to show you anything in the bell test. I know I didn't do much back then, but it doesn't mean I can't do anything." Her voice wavered slightly. "You said I have chakra control, right? Then test me again. Let me prove that I have more to offer. Just… give me another chance."

Kakashi threw a kunai at the ground, the blade landing with a soft thud. Sakura stared at it for a moment before a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"Okay, sensei," she said. "What's the test?"

She looked up, ready for instructions—or maybe even a sparring match—but her breath hitched as she realized Kakashi was gone.

"Huh?!"

A cold voice from behind her made her freeze in place.

"S-Sakura…"

She turned slowly, her breath catching in her throat as her eyes fell on him—Sasuke.

Or rather, what was left of him.

Her knees almost buckled as the sight burned itself into her mind. His skin was pale and streaked with blood, deep cuts crisscrossing his body. One of his arms was completely gone, and his left eye was a hollow, bloody socket. His lifeless gaze bored into her, and dark blood trickled down his cheek in slow, gruesome streams.

Her breath hitched, and she staggered back, her hands flying to her mouth. Her mind screamed in protest, unable to process the horror in front of her.

This isn't real. This can't be real.

"Sasuke-kun…" she whispered, her voice trembling as her heart pounded against her ribs.

Her vision blurred, the nightmare consuming her entirely, and everything went dark.

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[ Personal Note: First off, thanks a ton to all of you for sticking with this story. Seriously, you guys are awesome. Now, if you're interested in supporting me on P treon, let me just say that over there, I post these massive 5k-word chapters. But heads up, if you're jumping to P treon, you'll need to start from Chapter 22, since that's where this chapter lines up with the content there.

To everyone here just reading along, please don't forget to leave a comment! Honestly, your comments make my day, and they let me know you're as invested in this story as I am. So yeah, thanks again, and I hope you have an amazing rest of your day!