Observation Haki didn't allow her to see specific images like the Byakugan, but Sakura remembered the auras of those she had come into contact with.
How did Uzumaki Naruto end up here? And next to him... Iruka-sensei?
The one who just rushed past seems to have been Mizuki-sensei, but the one chasing him is unfamiliar...
Did that kid get into some kind of trouble again and get caught by the teachers?
Sakura didn't dwell on it for long—after all, it wasn't her business. She was about to deactivate her Haki and focus on her training when she suddenly sensed Mizuki's surprise attack and Iruka's injury at the same instant.
This doesn't look like a friendly spat between colleagues anymore... Sakura frowned.
Could something like this really happen in such a peaceful village?
After some thought, she decided to go and see. Regardless, they were her teacher and classmate, and she couldn't just sit back and do nothing. Although her strength was still far from restored, with her Observation Haki and barely mastered Rokushiki techniques, Sakura didn't think she was in any real danger.
Leaping onto a branch, she moved with light steps in the direction of the sounds.
Before she reached the spot, she stopped abruptly, as if sensing something.
Only a moment later, a whooshing sound cut through the air, and a shuriken embedded itself in the tree trunk right in front of her.
Sakura looked up. On a nearby branch, the figure of a black-haired young man slowly materialized.
"Who are you?" Sakura's face tensed.
She had been using her Haki constantly, but for some reason, she hadn't noticed his appearance right away. Moreover... his aura was exactly the same as the person who had been chasing Instructor Mizuki.
Except that aura should have been far ahead of her.
A clone?
"It doesn't matter who I am," Yuu sighed lightly.
It was a good thing he had been cautious. As soon as he noticed Sakura, he had immediately sent a clone after Mizuki while he himself stayed behind in case of unforeseen circumstances.
As expected, you could expect anything from a transmigrator.
"What matters is that you shouldn't go any further."
"What's happening over there?" Sakura stared at him.
"Just a farce," Yuu replied. "One that doesn't concern you."
"I think it does concern me," Sakura said, feeling a slight impatience as she sensed the situation over there escalating. "Step aside."
"I can't do that," Yuu shook his head. "How can I let you ruin everything?"
"I see," Sakura took a deep breath.
Although she didn't fully understand what was happening, one thing was clear.
In a situation like this, if someone blocks her path, there is only one choice.
Soru!
In the next instant, she was already above Yuu, delivering a powerful kick toward the back of his head.
Whoosh!
Yuu dodged slightly and, taking advantage of her slowed movement, struck at her waist with the edge of his hand.
However, Sakura's body, as if boneless, twisted into an impossible position, evading the attack, while at the same time, her fingers shot toward his throat with insidious precision.
Boom!
The moment of impact, Yuu's body turned into a log and fell to the ground.
Substitution Jutsu?
"Correct," a hand suddenly shot out from the tree trunk beneath her feet and grabbed her ankle, but Sakura, as if anticipating it, leaped aside.
Yuu's body slowly emerged from behind the trunk.
"Not bad taijutsu," he said, calmly assessing Sakura.
Just as you'd expect from a transmigrator. Observation Haki in battle was a real game-changer. The only problem was that her physical conditioning was too weak. If her body were on par with his, he might not have been able to defeat her in a pure taijutsu fight.
In contrast to the calm Yuu, Sakura was in a much worse mood.
This man is stronger than I thought!
Did I overestimate my own strength?
Feeling the strain on her body, Sakura gritted her teeth.
Just one short use of Soru, and my legs are already at their limit. If only I had a little more time...
Casting aside these useless thoughts, she fixed her gaze on the man before her.
Despite the great difference in strength, there wasn't a shadow of a thought of retreating in her heart. She hadn't backed down even before one of the Four Emperors, Kaido, known as the strongest creature in the world. Let alone now.
"Again!"
Seimei Kikan went into full gear, squeezing every last drop of potential from her weak body. Sakura's figure vanished again, and in the next moment, she was behind Yuu, striking with two fingers that had even turned slightly black.
Yuu dodged instantly, but Sakura's figure, as if predicting it, appeared behind him again.
Yuu quickly formed hand seals, and in the next moment, furious blades of wind exploded around him.
Sakura's pupils constricted, but she didn't retreat. On the contrary, she charged forward. Her body bent like a piece of paper fluttering in the wind, and her "finger pistol" aimed relentlessly at Yuu's vital points.
A crimson flower bloomed. But the strike froze just inches from its target.
"Hey, hey..." Yuu said with a note of helplessness in his voice. "Do you really have to go this far?"
At that moment, Sakura's body was covered in several cuts from the wind blades. Although thanks to Kami-e, most of them were just superficial, she looked quite pathetic.
And all she had to do was retreat to avoid getting injured.
"Is that all..."
Sakura felt she couldn't move. Her Observation Haki told her that the shadow under her opponent's feet had connected with her own.
"What's the point of a fight if you don't put your life on the line?"
Yuu raised an eyebrow.
"I think you're being a bit too radical."
He sat down, crossing his legs, and she synchronously repeated his movement.
"Bullying children isn't a fight for me. You were the one who rushed at me without looking... Anyway, you'll have to sit with me for a bit."
"Shadow Imitation Technique?" Sakura gritted her teeth. "Are you from the Nara clan?"
Even having just returned, she still remembered the signature technique of her classmate, Nara Shikamaru. As far as she knew, only members of the Nara clan could use this technique.
"Care to guess?" Yuu smirked.
This was, of course, one of the System's rewards. He rarely used this secret technique, however, as it was too recognizable.
But in this situation, it was perfect. He was in his past life's form anyway, and the Copying Transformation Technique provided a reliable disguise. Even if Sakura told someone about this, it wouldn't affect him in any way.
He couldn't synchronously perceive what was happening to his shadow clone, but a notification from the System had long since appeared in his field of vision.
[Discovered an ongoing plot scene]
[Check-in at plot scene in progress...]