As the charcoal burned steadily in the center of the table, white wisps of smoke curled from the barbecue grill. Thin slices of pork belly sizzled as they cooked, shifting from red and white to a delicious blend of charred brown and crisp gray.
Naruto, who had spent the entire day training, was absolutely starving. He couldn't wait any longer—he grabbed his chopsticks eagerly and declared:
"I'm digging in~!"
He picked up a few sizzling slices of pork belly, dipped them into the prepared sauce, and popped them straight into his mouth.
The savory, smoky flavor of the grilled pork belly exploded on his tongue, rich with the fat's creamy aroma. Naruto couldn't stop himself—he kept eating with enthusiasm.
Barbecue really was the best!
But the deliciousness came at a cost. The freshly grilled pork belly was still scorching hot, and the fat retained its searing temperature. Though it tasted amazing, it also burned the inside of Naruto's mouth.
"Hot—hot hot hot!"
He dropped the chopsticks, grabbed the cup of orange juice in front of him, and chugged it in one go.
The cold, freshly squeezed juice instantly soothed the scorched surfaces of his tongue and mouth. He could feel the pulp burst pleasantly between his teeth, the cool sweetness washing away the pain.
Gulp~
He downed the whole glass in one long swallow.
"Phew… I survived…"
Relief washed over his face.
Sakura, sitting nearby, simply shook her head and sighed.
"No one's going to steal it from you, you know," she said, clearly exasperated. "Why are you eating like that? The human tongue is super sensitive. You're supposed to blow on freshly grilled meat before shoving it into your mouth."
"If you burn your tongue, it'll hurt like hell. And you won't be able to eat hot food for the next three days."
"You wouldn't even be able to eat Ichiraku Ramen."
Naruto's carefree expression stiffened at that. At first, the idea of skipping hot food didn't seem like a big deal—but when Sakura mentioned Ichiraku Ramen, his favorite, his entire body tensed up in horror.
"Uh… maybe I should slow down, then."
He couldn't bear the thought of going three whole days without Ichiraku Ramen. Or even instant noodles. That would be torture.
At that moment, Shizune, seated to Tsunade's right, glanced at Sakura with a bit of curiosity.
"How do you know all that, Sakura?" she asked. "Most shinobi don't pay attention to things like that—even though it's basic medical knowledge."
"Are you planning to learn medical ninjutsu?"
Uchiha Hikaru, who had been quietly thinking about how to ask Tsunade to consider Sakura as a potential disciple, realized he didn't need to worry anymore. Sakura's lecture to Naruto, and Shizune's observation, had already nudged the door open. All he had to do now was let things unfold naturally.
Sakura nodded without hesitation.
"Well, it's not really a secret," she said. "Yeah, I do plan to become a medical ninja."
"After the Chunin Exams, I started reading all kinds of books on medical ninjutsu. With my mom's help, I've been volunteering at Konoha Hospital."
"And Kakashi-sensei once told me I have better chakra control than Naruto or Sasuke. So I thought I'd give it a try—see if I really can become a medical ninja."
"That way, during missions, I won't just slow down Naruto and Sasuke…"
Her voice faltered slightly at the end, and she gave a small, self-deprecating smile.
Tsunade, observing from nearby, noticed the flicker of doubt in Sakura's expression. She stopped chewing her barbecue and took a sip of sake.
So that's the girl Kakashi mentioned? The one with talent in chakra micro-control?
Kakashi wasn't one to give compliments lightly—especially when it came to chakra precision, something he had mastered to perform techniques like the Raikiri. If he saw potential in Sakura, there was likely something real there.
Even after becoming Hokage, Tsunade had never stopped focusing on improving Konoha's medical capabilities. In fact, under her leadership, the Medical Corps had expanded significantly, and much of the research for new medicines came directly from her expertise.
Even Orochimaru, with his deep understanding of the human body, couldn't match her in the medical field.
She was still the undisputed best medical ninja in the world.
"It's a little late to specialize in medical ninjutsu at your age," Tsunade said finally, "but it's not too late. If you're determined, you can succeed."
"Have you read Basic Analysis of the Human Body, Guide to Chakra Micro-Control, and the Beginner's Manual for Medical Ninja? I wrote all of them."
Sakura's eyes widened. Hokage-sama was talking to her directly. Not just the Hokage, but Tsunade, one of the Legendary Sannin—the greatest medical expert in the shinobi world!
She quickly straightened up, answering with a bit of awe.
"Yes, Tsunade-sama! I've already read the three books you mentioned. Right now I'm reading two more that you wrote—Comprehensive Analysis of Medicinal Herbs and The Activation Properties of Human Cells."
"I've also started practicing the most basic healing jutsu—C-Rank level."
"My control isn't perfect yet, but I'll work harder!"
Her voice trembled slightly, a mix of nerves and determination. She wasn't just answering—she was trying to show Tsunade her dedication, hoping for a little guidance.
The opportunity was right in front of her. There was no way she could let it slip by.
Tsunade stopped chewing completely, visibly surprised.
"You finished reading all three of those?" she asked, eyes narrowing slightly. "And you're already using healing jutsu?"
"Did you really study them thoroughly?"
Three questions in a row. Sakura's pulse quickened—but inwardly, she felt encouraged.
Yes! This was working! Her gamble had paid off—she'd caught Lady Tsunade's attention!
She scratched the back of her head, laughing a little awkwardly.
"Yes, Lady Tsunade. Though I'm a little embarrassed to admit it… it did take me nearly a month."
"But I finished all three books—and I've been practicing the C-Rank healing jutsu ever since."
Her voice dimmed a bit at the end, her confidence wavering just slightly.
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