45: Chapter 45 Physical TrainingWhen Sakura left the study, her cheeks were still burning and her heart was pounding.
Naruto's words, "I will occasionally investigate personally," unsettled her.
There was anticipation, fear, and a faint sense of excitement.
The next day, just as dawn was breaking, Sakura appeared on time at the exclusive training ground behind the Chamber of Commerce.
The location is secluded and surrounded by tall trees, making it an ideal place for clandestine training.
When she arrived, Naruto was already waiting there, casually idly playing with a flexible vine about a meter long and as thick as a thumb.
"You're fairly punctual," Naruto said calmly."Warm up, then show us your recent progress in taijutsu."
Sakura didn't dare to be negligent and immediately began to warm up her body, then practiced a basic set of Konoha Fluid Techniques.
His movements were precise, and his strength was much greater than before, showing the effectiveness of Tsunade's training.
However, in Naruto's eyes, this was far from enough.
"Stop," Naruto interrupted her."All show and no substance.Do you think the enemy on the battlefield will let you get into position before attacking?"
He walked to the center of the field and said, "Now, attack me, in every way you can think of, the goal is to get to me."
Sakura bit her lip, gave a low shout, and charged forward.
The result was as expected.
No matter how she attacks—punching, kicking, or even trying to launch a surprise attack with the chakra scalpel she just learned—Naruto can always easily dodge with minimal movement.
His figure was swift, and the vine would occasionally lightly touch her wrists, knees, or lower backs where she was using the wrong force, bringing a tingling or numb sensation.
"Too slow."
"Incorrect exertion wastes chakra."
Naruto's comments were concise, and he kept correcting people.
A few minutes later, Sakura was panting heavily and drenched in sweat, but she hadn't even managed to touch Naruto's clothes.
A sense of powerless frustration welled up inside me.
Naruto stopped and looked at her."It seems that your desire to become stronger is just talk."
"No!" Sakura suddenly looked up, tears welling in her eyes.
Naruto's voice turned serious, "Then don't give up so easily!"
Sakura pounced again, this time even more fiercely.
However, the flaws are also greater.
"Snap!"
With a crisp sound, the vine precisely targeted the opening.
"Ah!" Sakura cried out in pain, staggering and almost falling.
My long leg stung terribly, and a bright red mark appeared instantly.
She covered her wound, tears welling up in her eyes.
"In battle, even the smallest mistake can be fatal."
Naruto flicked the vine, "Can't you even handle this little bit of pain?"
Sakura bit her lip hard, wiping away her tears, and got into her fighting stance again.
She knew that this was the path she had chosen.
The training that followed turned into one-sided punishment.
"Bang!" — The side kick was off angled and the opponent was hit.
"Snap!" - The blocking action was too slow, and the arm was hit.
"Bang!" - In his dodge, his footwork faltered, and he was hit on the buttocks.
The weapon whistled through the air, precisely striking her weak defenses and causing a searing, burning pain.
Sakura clenched her teeth, trying her best not to cry out, but each time she was hit, she would tremble uncontrollably and let out a suppressed sound from her throat.
Sweat and pain mingled together, making her cheeks flush pink and her breath hot.
Combat skills are quietly enhanced amidst this suffering.
"Remember this instinct to dodge."
Naruto reminded him.(★Heaven's Way★).
Finally, as she once again exhausted herself defending and transformed, she was attacked from behind and collapsed to the ground, panting heavily.
Naruto stopped.
He walked up to her and knelt down.
Sakura tilted her head back, her face covered in sweat, tears, and dust, her eyes unfocused yet possessing a strange, sculpted brilliance.
"That concludes today's lesson." Naruto looked at her disheveled appearance and his tone softened a bit."Remember this feeling of powerlessness.If you want to get rid of it, use your own efforts to repay this pain tenfold or a hundredfold to your future enemies."
He stood up and casually tossed the vine aside."Go back and have Karin treat you.We'll continue at the same time tomorrow."
Upon hearing the name Karin, Sakura's body tensed instantly.
How could she let that new, red-haired woman, whom both the Chairman and Lady Tsunade valued, see her in this wretched state after being whipped?The intense shame almost made her breathless.
"Yes… Naruto-sama…" she replied hoarsely, struggling to stand up, but her legs gave way and she fell back down.
Naruto didn't help her up; he just glanced at her briefly before turning and leaving the training ground.
Sakura sat alone on the cold ground, feeling the burning pain all over her body, her heart filled with mixed emotions.
Humiliation, resentment, and an unprecedentedly clear sense of purpose—she must become stronger, strong enough to earn Naruto's respect, strong enough.to never be outdone by anyone again!
After a while, she finally mustered some strength and limped back to her lodgings.
Sure enough, near the medical room, she encountered Karin, who was walking out carrying a stack of medical scrolls.
Karin was startled when she saw her appearance, especially since red marks could be vaguely seen through her torn training clothes: "Haruno-san?What.what happened to you?Do you need help?"
Sakura's face was burning hot, and she forced herself to straighten her back, even though the movement aggravated the pain and made her mouth twitch: "No need!It's just a minor injury, I can handle it myself!"
After saying that, he rushed back to his room almost as if he were fleeing, and slammed the door shut.
Karin watched her hurried retreating figure, adjusted her glasses, and pondered."Was she.injured during training?She worked so hard."
On the other side, Naruto had just returned to the study in the main house when Hibari appeared silently in front of him.
"President, there's a new development."
"explain."
"Vague intelligence has arrived from the Land of Rain; it seems Akatsuki members are gathering."There are signs, but the purpose is unclear.
Furthermore, Danzo appears to be in private contact with a mysterious organization.
Naruto's gaze sharpened.
"Continue the investigation and find out what Danzo is up to.As for Akatsuki.have Kabuto keep an eye on whether Orochimaru has any new connections with them from the Sound Village."
"yes."
After Hibari left, Naruto walked to the window and looked in the direction of the training ground.Sakura's taijutsu training was just a minor part of his plan.
The important thing is to deal with threats from Konoha, Akatsuki, and even more mysterious forces.
"I used to always think about how to win, but now.I'm thinking, can the process be made more interesting?"
The atmosphere at dinner was somewhat awkward.
Sakura kept her head down, and her eating movements were somewhat stiff, clearly indicating that her injuries were still causing her pain.
Karin seemed to want to talk to her, but she ignored her.
Shuiyue and Tiezhou, arm in arm, were discussing swordsmanship in a boisterous manner.
Tsunade glanced at Sakura, then at the composed Naruto, and seemed to understand something.She then stomped hard on Naruto's foot under the table.
Naruto, without changing his expression, put a piece of meat on her plate: "Eat more, you've been working hard lately, look how thin you've gotten."
Tsunade was so angry she wanted to smash the cup, but seeing Naruto's "what can you do to me?" expression, she ultimately turned her anger into appetite and viciously began to gnaw on the meat.
Shizune, holding Tuntun, watched this "harmonious" scene and sighed silently, "Sigh, today's accounts will pile up until tomorrow again."
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