Year 63 of Konoha Calendar, on the outskirts of Konoha Village.
Jiraiya stared blankly at the girl before him, utterly dumbfounded.
Sakura now wore a light pink cherry blossom yukata, geta on her feet. With her tall figure and flowing shoulder-length hair, aside from the still-regrettable bust area, the twelve-year-old had completely blossomed into a graceful young woman.
"Sakura, what has Tsunade been feeding you? It's only been a few months since we last saw each other!"
"Nutritional supplements that promote physical growth and development!"
Taking advantage of Jiraiya's complete ignorance of pharmacology, Sakura casually brushed him off.
"But it seems the development isn't quite... complete~"
Jiraiya first looked at Sakura's 160 cm height, then at the still-regrettable area, letting out a soft sigh.
'Without a bosom that could unite hearts, she wouldn't earn the affection of someone like me!'
"This is for combat convenience, convenience for combat, you understand?!"
"Or perhaps, Sensei, do you have a death wish?"
Sakura's smile was exceedingly 'kind', having had her sore spot precisely stepped on.
She formed a hand seal with one hand, and the green Chakra formed the shape of a scalpel at her fingertips.
"Cough, well then, let's hurry back. You must be homesick after being away from the village for so long!"
Skillfully changing the subject, Jiraiya stepped down.
By continuously stomping on the ground to generate reactive force for propulsion, he vanished in a flicker.
If CP Agents could see this, they would be shocked to find that Jiraiya was using none other than one of the Rokushiki, Soru.
"Ah, really now!"
Sakura sighed, leaping into the air in a few steps. Using her Ondo Ondo no Mi's Ability, she created ice, then melted and evaporated it.
It caused a large amount of steam to gather around her shoes, then Sakura instantly transformed into a jet-powered girl, freely soaring through the sky.
She soon overtook Jiraiya, and the two of them rushed towards Konoha Village.
Meanwhile, at the Konoha's Ninja Academy.
Iruka stood on a platform holding a document.
"Starting now, the graduation exam will begin. Those whose names are called, please come to the classroom next door!"
The students below showed expectant expressions, but among them, a girl with light yellow hair anxiously looked around.
"The graduation exam is about to start! Why isn't Sakura back yet!"
Ino clenched her fists in front of her chest.
"First, Uchiha Sasuke!"
Iruka had already started calling names, making Ino even more anxious.
Behind her, Shikamaru patted her shoulder.
"Relax, that Sakura won't miss it. Didn't she promise you?"
Shikamaru's reassurance made Ino take a deep breath. She listened carefully as the names of the examinees were called, one by one, until...
"Next, Haruno Sakura!"
Iruka flipped the list, calling out a name that even surprised himself.
'Wait, wasn't that child out of the village? Why would the Hokage arrange for her to take the graduation exam?'
"Sensei..."
Ino, who was still waiting outside the classroom, was about to go in to explain, but at this moment...
A kunai burning with a Chakra trail was thrown from an extremely far distance. In an instant, it pierced through a desk inside the examination room, landing in the middle of the floor.
Swoosh!
A violent light of Space-Time suddenly bloomed. The pink yukata fluttered without wind, complementing the soft shoulder-length hair. The girl, surrounded by light, gently opened her emerald-green eyes, instantly stunning the entire room!
"Yo, Ino! I'm back!"
Through the classroom door, Sakura flashed a smile at Ino.
"Sakura!"
Ino covered her mouth with both hands, bright light flashing in her blue eyes.
'Thank goodness, she made it just in time.'
'It's been so long since I've seen Sakura. She's so tall now, and so beautiful... I wonder how much she's suffered all these years outside...'
Snap!
Iruka mercilessly closed the door, shattering the young girl's longing outside into pieces.
"We'll settle the cost of damaging public property later!"
"And welcome back, Sakura!"
Iruka glanced at Sakura, revealing a kind-hearted smile. Even though four years had passed without seeing each other, there wasn't the slightest hint of awkwardness in his words.
"Iruka-sensei..."
"Then the exam begins."
"Iruka-sensei, you really deserve to be single!"
Under Sakura's resentful gaze, Iruka announced the graduation exam content: the Clone Technique.
"Alright, the Clone Technique, right?"
Sakura formed the Ram hand seal with her hands, the chakra rings around her body roaring as they surged upwards.
The intense heat brought by the boiling Chakra even made the skin of several Chunin teachers in the exam room sting and itch.
"Wait, Sakura, what are you trying to do?!"
Iruka's eyebrows twitched, suddenly recalling their first meeting during the entrance exam.
'That was really a memory not worth looking back on... but has it really been six years?'
'No, now is not the time to reminisce about that!'
"Wait..."
"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!"
Bang! Bang! Bang....
The entire classroom instantly swelled. The windows and doors were crammed full of cherry-pink shadow clones.
Inside the classroom, Iruka was pinned against the blackboard by the crowd of people, his face covered in chalk dust.
"Enough... you pass...ed!"
After hearing Iruka's words, Sakura leisurely dispelled the technique.
Bang!
All the shadow clones exploded simultaneously, smoke filling the entire classroom.
The three examiners who had been pinned against the wall instantly lost their support and crashed onto the classroom floor.
Just like the entrance exam years ago, the several examiners got up with exasperated expressions, looking at the mischievous girl before them.
"Take your forehead protector and get out!"
Iruka pointed forcefully towards the door. The others also marked [Pass] on Sakura's report card.
After all, this was their student, and the exam requirements had been perfectly met.
As for the minor flaws in the process... let's just say a genius's little whims are tolerated everywhere.
"Ehehe!"
Sticking out her tongue, Sakura stepped forward, took a forehead protector, tied it around her forehead as a headband, and then ran out of the classroom.
"Sakura!"
Ino, waiting outside, saw Sakura come out and immediately pounced on her, burying herself happily in Sakura's embrace.
"Alright, Ino, I need to go report to Hokage-sama. I'll take you to South Street for something delicious tonight!"
Sakura held Ino by the arms, helping her stand steady, while her own stomach let out a loud gurgle.
"Pfft... Hahaha." Ino laughed at her appearance, "Seems like you're the one who wants to go eat."
"Don't leave after school! Wait for me to pick you up!"
Sakura patted Ino, leaving a cherry blossom-shaped mark on her.
Then, there was another soft sound of Space-Time being torn apart, and Sakura was engulfed in the flash.
…
On the other end, in the Hokage's office.
Jiraiya was casually lying on the sofa, reading his new book. Hiruzen exhaled large clouds of smoke, seemingly trying to choke this unruly disciple to death right there.
But suddenly, residual light descended and Sakura's figure flickered into existence.
"Back already?"
Looking at the girl before him, Hiruzen put down his pipe, smiling with satisfaction.
'Where tree leaves dance, one shall find flames. The fire's shadow will illuminate the village, and once again tree leaves shall bud anew.'
The budding leaf of Konoha has finally grown up.
"Sakura's here, old man? In that case, I'll take my leave."
Jiraiya closed his book, stood up, and prepared to leave.
"Jiraiya-sensei, when did you send your manuscript out? Let me have a look!"
Distracted, Sakura snatched the book from Jiraiya's hands and began flipping through it herself.
"Hey! That's the copy the publisher sent me! If you want to read it, go buy your own!"
Jiraiya was furious, trying to grab the book back, but despite his frantic efforts, he couldn't catch the agile Haruno Sakura.
"Stingy! Letting me read it won't hurt anything!"
Watching this master and disciple roughhousing in his office, Hiruzen's suspended heart finally died.
'Tobirama-sensei, I have failed you.'
'The new generation of Konoha... they've grown up crooked!!!'
Sakura, of course, was unaware of Hiruzen's inner turmoil. She simply felt his withered-wood-like state was suitable for a report.
She briefly summarized her four years of training outside, received a Medical-Nin's certification number from Hiruzen, and walked out of the office in satisfaction.
The setting sun cast its light. A breeze carrying the unique lively atmosphere of Konoha's streets casually drifted past Sakura.
The girl took a deep breath of the scent of home. Standing on a power pole overlooking the entire village, she whispered softly:
"Konoha, I'm back!"