However, this time, Sasuke's hand had just lifted when Sakura tightly grabbed hold of it.
Without using chakra, Sasuke's strength was not greater than Sakura's.
In an instant, Sakura forcefully pushed Sasuke to the ground, pressing him down beneath her.
"What now, going to stab yourself again? And after you're done, you still want Naruto to save you? Or do you want me and Karin to save you?"
"Sasuke, I'm sad, I really am sad, but I can't bear to let you go… you can't hurt yourself, wuwuwu…"
Sakura's tears, drop by drop, fell onto Sasuke's cheeks, more and more, until finally her whole body seemed to lose its strength, collapsing right into Sasuke's arms.
Sasuke wrapped his arms around her in return, pulling her close to his ear.
"Sakura, didn't you say we have a daughter, called Sarada? You also said Sarada is already twelve, yet she's never even met her father."
"I promise, if Sarada truly is born, I will be a good father. I won't leave or abandon you. I'll stay with you both…"
Hearing these words, Sakura could no longer hold back. Controlling her strength, she punched Sasuke over and over again.
"Sasuke, you're too awful! You tricked me and Karin both in one go. How could you be so lucky, making two girls give everything for you!"
This question, Sasuke didn't know how to answer either. He chose silence, only holding Sakura tighter, letting her vent in his arms.
After venting for a while, most of the grievance in Sakura's heart dissipated.
In the end, she could only look at Sasuke helplessly.
"Considering the pitiful experiences you've been through, Sasuke, I'll just take it as cheapening myself to you."
Sasuke felt his heart relax, and couldn't help but say, "Sakura, what Naruto said really does work."
Sakura couldn't stop herself from breaking free of Sasuke's arms, standing up.
If not for her lacking the words, a straight-to-the-point "iron man" would have already slipped out.
But then again, wasn't that just Sasuke's personality to begin with?
She really, truly, had no choice left.
'This lifetime of mine, I'll just accept it.'
Suddenly, Sakura carried the air of the Uchiha mistress, turned her head, and walked briskly toward the kitchen.
"Forget it, I'm not talking to you anymore. If I keep talking, you'll anger me to death. I'd better help out. Where's the reason for letting guests cook all by themselves."
Finishing, her figure had already gone far.
Sasuke also stood up. Suddenly, his eyes shifted slightly, looking toward Naruto who had walked into the courtyard.
Naruto smiled, "Sakura… has she forgiven you?"
Sasuke said, "Perhaps she has…"
For a moment, Naruto sighed with emotion, "I used to think I could win Sakura over. But the one she's always liked has been you. Sasuke, take good care of Sakura. We'll always be members of Team Seven."
———
[Night, at Sasuke's House]
Kushina, Hinata, Naruto, Karin, Sakura, and Obito sat around the dining table, enjoying a grand feast.
Naruto had finally eaten his mother's cooking. As he ate, tears fell, wanting to etch the taste of his mother's food deeply into his memory.
But actually, Naruto himself didn't eat much. He kept serving food to Hinata nonstop. Even though Hinata already refused, saying she was full, Naruto kept insisting.
In the end, Hinata ate up the entire table of food that Kushina had thought was far too much and impossible to finish, leaving Kushina dumbfounded.
'So this is why Naruto asked me to cook more dishes.'
'My daughter-in-law's stomach is like a bottomless pit. Who knows if, in the future, Naruto would be able to afford feeding her?'
After dinner, Kushina raised a cup of wine, saying to everyone, "To celebrate the destruction of Konoha, let's drink."
Everyone lifted their glasses and clinked them together.
Obito laughed. "Big sis, you're still too rash. Before destroying Konoha, you should've gathered all the supplies first, otherwise like today with the alcohol, once it's drunk, there's no more."
Kushina suddenly felt awkward. It did seem like Obito was right.
If Konoha hadn't been destroyed, Sasuke and the others could have easily gotten all sorts of supplies straight from the village. Food, clothes, drinks, entertainment.
But now, there was nothing.
She laughed loudly, "Anyway, Sasuke's strong. Running to other places and back again isn't any trouble. Or we could just raid the daimyo's mansion, things there are even better."
Pausing, Kushina suddenly looked at Obito, "I can't help but feel that this kind of survival, for those who aren't asleep, is too lonely. You and that other you wanted to build a paradise for humans, didn't you? How far along is it?"
Obito spread his hands, "Who knows. Maybe the other me is already preparing to awaken a batch of loving couples from the dream world, to ask if they'd be willing to continue their lineage in the real world…"
———
[Konoha, in Tenten's Infinite Tsukuyomi world]
Tenten had just used the Six Paths ninja tools she'd collected to defeat the demi-god of the ninja world who wanted to destroy Konoha, Hanzo the Salamander.
She had become the great hero who saved Konoha. The villagers surrounded her, cheering nonstop. Yet in the midst of all this cheering, she wasn't as happy as she thought she'd be.
Because one day, all of a sudden, she had awakened.
She realized that this world she was in, everything about it was completely at odds with reality.
This was a false dream world, created by the evil Uchiha Obito to deceive her.
In this world, Guy-sensei and Lee still liked wearing green clothes, but no longer the tacky tight suits. Instead, they wore very fashionable vests.
Their bowl-cut hair had also been permed into big waves.
Here, Uzumaki Naruto, no, rather, Namikaze Menma, was no longer carefree and brash, but gentle and rational, like a little sun.
The Fourth Hokage in this world was not Naruto's father Namikaze Minato, but instead Sakura's father, Haruno Kizashi.
Sakura's personality had become boy-crazy, and she was fighting over Namikaze Menma's love with the very assertive young lady Hinata.
Here, Aburame Shino didn't like bugs at all. In fact, he carried insecticide with him.
Here, Kiba didn't love dogs but cats. In fact, he was a hardcore cat-lover.
Here, the Uchiha clan had not been annihilated. Uchiha Sasuke had not defected. He was a playboy, always flirting around.
Here, Neji was thin.
In short, in this place, everything, every familiar companion's personality, had undergone earth-shaking changes. Except…
Tenten couldn't help but look toward the cheering crowd, at that one figure who always seemed calm and steady.
Neji was still the Neji she knew.
He was right there, quietly watching her, his gaze carrying blessings.
But… A trace of gloom flashed through Tenten's eyes.
She clearly remembered, before Infinite Tsukuyomi was activated, Neji had already died before Naruto's eyes, in order to save Hinata.
'This Neji, is fake, is fake, is fake!'
Tenten kept reminding herself again and again: Neji was only something the dream had created, just a tool to numb her.
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