The impact of the Uchiha Clan's head's youngest son's defeat was immense.
After witnessing the shattered training ground, the nickname 'monster' began to quietly circulate within the Academy.
Both children from Ninja Clans and civilian children alike feared the pink-haired girl.
However, a few close friends like Ino and Naruto treated Sakura the same as always, caring for her as usual.
Her time at the academy passed in the calmness of daily routine, and before she knew it, vacation was approaching.
"Sakura, we agreed already… we're going out together during the break."
"You're absolutely not allowed to run off midway to train and then disappear for days!"
Ino placed both her hands on Sakura's arms, forcing her to look at her.
"Ah, I'll try my best."
Sakura let out a small sigh, but...
On the very first day of the break, she completely forgot Ino's words.
This left Ino brimming with resentment at being stood up, though Sakura, who was off training in the forest, temporarily escaped her wrath.
"9997, 9998!"
Sakura swung her wooden sword with force, the violent gusts stirred up by her strength blowing the dead leaves away.
After returning to the Ninja World, her swordsmanship training had become nothing more than simple swings of a wooden blade.
She had even tried ordering weighted equipment at the ninja tools shop, but the shopkeeper refused, saying she was too young.
This left Sakura deeply disappointed, to the point she even considered seeking out a certain strange beast for help.
But after once seeing someone in a green bodysuit walking on his hands down the street, she decided to give up on that idea.
"10000"
Even after swinging the sword ten thousand times, Sakura's hair was only sticky with a little sweat.
'So the swordsmanship training in the One Piece World require heavier weights after all?'
"Forget it, let's try some basic Chakra Training."
Channeling Chakra into her feet to create a faint adhesion, Sakura walked straight up a nearby tree.
Her natural Chakra Control talent hadn't disappeared, even with the surge in Chakra that came from her Giant Royalty's physique.
'It's a shame I don't have Chakra Test Paper, otherwise I could check if I've gained any new affinities.'
Jumping down from the tree, Sakura turned and tried walking on water.
Taking off her shoes and rolling up her pants, she lightly stepped onto the surface.
The river's waves caused the Chakra under her feet that supported her body to fluctuate wildly.
But as long as she maintained the balance between repulsion and attraction, she could stand steadily on the water.
"The hard part is maintaining a constant flow of Chakra while controlling the output, right."
Sakura rubbed her chin, using Observation Haki to carefully sense her body.
The extracted Chakra flowed through her Chakra Pathways, gathering at the soles of her feet, the hardest place to reach.
Maintaining this balance of repulsion and attraction was also a form of multitasking training.
'No wonder Kakashi said in the original work that theoretically, anyone who could learn water walking and tree climbing could learn any type of Ninjutsu.'
But... a flash of inspiration struck Sakura.
'What if I combined swordsmanship training while maintaining the water walking state?'
'Combining the stillness of swordsmanship with the dynamism of Chakra Control... wouldn't that be like honing swordsmanship under combat and disruption conditions?'
Thinking of this, Sakura's eyes lit up. She hurried back to grab her wooden sword and began training.
Splash, splash, splash!
The afternoon quickly passed amidst the sounds of Sakura repeatedly falling into the water and swinging her sword.
Evening.
The soaked Sakura built a campfire at the edge of the woods. Over a dozen fish, gutted and skewered on branches, were stuck around the fire to roast.
Smelling the aroma of the cooking fish, Sakura's thoughts drifted to the Oro Jackson.
'I wonder how Uncle Rayleigh and the others are doing?'
[Notice, the crossing function has not been suspended.]
'Tch, profiteering system.'
[Notice, refuting host's slander. This system's pricing is fair. If the host does not believe it, they can try the system's price comparison function.]
"Heh."
Sakura was angered into laughter by the system's shamelessness, 'This monopoly actually wanted me to compare prices.'
She was about to mock the system further when her Observation Haki suddenly sent a warning.
A powerful, agitated presence abruptly appeared in the forest.
Even though its owner deliberately restrained it, to Sakura, it was like entering a wild beast's cage… impossible to ignore.
'Someone who can give me this feeling, and in Konoha...'
Sakura's emerald-green eyes shifted. She simply called out loudly, "Who's there?!"
"Ouch, ouch, have I accidentally walked this far?"
An old man wearing a red conical hat walked out of the woods, offering Sakura a kindly smile.
"Hokage-sama!"
Sakura casually flipped a roasting fish, remaining casually seated on the ground.
For someone accustomed to the free life of a pirate, being under the strict military organization of Konoha was already hard enough.
If she now had to force smiles for these leaders as well, she might as well be killed.
"Haha, no need to be so formal. Just call me Grandpa."
"Sakura-chan, are you training? How diligent."
Hiruzen asked rhetorically, walking over to sit by the campfire.
"Yeah, Grandpa Hokage."
Sakura went along with it, not standing on ceremony with him.
Then, Hiruzen's stomach suddenly growled. He looked at Sakura with hopeful eyes.
'Huh? What's this old man up to? Don't try to scam me! I don't even have enough fish for myself!'
"Here!"
[Heh!]
"Mm, Sakura-chan is truly a kind child."
Hiruzen accepted a roasted fish, took a bite, and his aged eyes immediately lit up with a sharp gleam.
The roasting technique was something Sakura had learned at sea from Sunbell. She had also found spices around the forest to maximize the fish's flavor.
After finishing one, Hiruzen wanted to try another.
But a pink blur flashed by, swiftly devouring all dozen or so fish.
"Old man, that's going too far!"
The girl, cheeks bulging and still chewing on fish bones, glared at him with dead fish eyes.
"...Hahahaha!"
Hiruzen was taken aback, then burst into hearty laughter.
It had been who knows how many years since someone dared to treat him with such casualness.
He suddenly realized that the girl before him seemed different from other children... no, different from everyone in Konoha.
Perhaps his disciple who was traveling abroad might have some common topics with this child.
"Sakura-chan, why do you train so hard? Do you have some ideal?"
Hiruzen, who had been paying close attention to Sakura's growth, directly asked about her thoughts.
"Huh? Do you even need to ask that? Of course, it's to fight against all sorts of strong opponents!"
The battle maniac Sakura showed an excited expression, though her stuffed mouth ruined the atmosphere, making the girl look somewhat cute instead.
"Sakura-chan, you are really different from other children. Students your age all want to become Hokage."
Hiruzen sighed lightly, picking up a piece of wood and tossing it into the fire.
"Since so many people want to be Hokage, they won't be short of me, right?"
Sakura used a long branch to poke the fire, making it burn brighter.
"But you are the strongest among them."
"Does the strongest have to become Hokage?"
"The strongest can better protect everyone."
At this, Sakura looked surprised at Hiruzen. The two stared at each other, old eyes meeting young.
'Judging by this old fox's demeanor, if I didn't reveal some of my bottom line today, he would cling to me.'
Sakura sighed softly, putting away her casualness and nonchalant attitude.
An indescribable spirit rose from her, and black lightning crackled in the void.
"Just because I'm stronger than them, must I protect them? I don't think so."
Hiruzen was about to speak but was stopped by Sakura raising her hand.
"My strength doesn't come from them! The ones who have shown me kindness are my parents, so I will protect them."
"My parents have benefited from Konoha's blessings, living here for generations. So, while protecting them, I will also protect this place."
"But! If someone tries to blackmail me in the name of righteousness... then who knows what I might do!"
The roaring Conqueror's Haki shook all things in the Ninja World for the first time. Even though young, as a King, Sakura still declared her rebellious will to this world.
Dark lightning soared, stirring up a massive storm.
Hiruzen looked stunned at the phenomenon before him and the girl who made her will the only sound in this world, unable to speak for a long time.
"Is that so... That's good, that's good."
After a long while, Hiruzen's aged and hoarse voice finally sounded.
He stood up, pulled two scrolls from his sleeve, and tossed them to Sakura.
"It's getting late. Sakura-chan, while training, you should also pay attention to your health. Balance work and rest."
After speaking, Hiruzen exploded and vanished into thin air.
'I didn't expect there would be an unexpected gain.'
Seeing Hiruzen leave, Sakura eagerly checked the scrolls.
Both scrolls recorded D-rank ninjutsu: one was the Mist Servant Technique, the other was Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique.
Both were Genjutsu widely circulated within Konoha.
'It seemed that old fox had been spying on my Chakra training and deduced suitable Ninjutsu for me?'
'As expected of the one known as the Professor. Even with his old age, his eyesight hasn't deteriorated at all.'
Just as Sakura was about to put the scrolls away, the system suddenly sent a notification.
[Notice, detected Ninjutsu: Mist Servant Technique, Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique. Acquire?]
Seeing the prompt, Sakura looked back in confusion.
'Wait, what did you say?'