Chapter 32: The Normality of Training
The new bridge in the Land of Waves was ultimately named the Courage Bridge, symbolizing the rebirth of the nation.
After staying in the Land of Waves for three weeks, when it was time to leave, the little boy Inari and Naruto told each other that real men don't cry, then both turned around and cried their eyes out, looking like a complete mess. Sakura teased them about it for a long time.
Because the Decapitating Carving Knife itself had no special properties, Sakura's group left Zabuza's remains and his great sword together in a quiet valley in the Land of Waves. Haku erected an unmarked grave for him. And so, the Demon Zabuza departed without a trace.
Five people had come, and five people were returning. Just like that, Haku embarked on the journey back to Konoha with Sakura and the others. Awaiting her was a new life in Konoha.
Accustomed to following orders and having accepted Zabuza's final command to "live a good life," Haku's future was still very long.
After the long mission outside the village, life returned to the rhythm of the period just after graduation: taking on some low-level missions every week, followed by individual training under Kakashi's guidance.
After the Land of Waves mission, Sasuke's combat power improved by leaps and bounds with a great increase in his chakra control and the awakening of his Sharingan. As a result, he began to eagerly challenge Sakura.
The result was that Sakura lost three matches in a row.
"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"
A giant fireball erupted from Sasuke's mouth, blasting towards Sakura with scorching heat. After a loud bang, as the dust kicked up by the explosion settled, Sakura, standing behind a ball of ice, raised a white flag.
"I surrender, Sasuke!" Sakura said with a grin, an expression as if she were proud to be surrendering.
Sasuke rolled his crimson Sharingan eyes. "Why did you surrender again! Can't you be a little more serious and use your full strength!"
"And let you burn up the ultrapure water I worked so hard to create again?" The time during the graduation test was one thing, but later, during a spar with Sasuke, she had a moment of weakness and took out the ultrapure water to let him have a taste, only for it to be evaporated by one of his Great Fireballs. What was left absorbed a large amount of air and was instantly ruined. Sakura had been heartbroken for a long time. Having learned her lesson, Sakura no longer dared to be so casual during team training.
Not just the ultrapure water, but even the Water Gun Jutsu and the recently practiced wind nature transformation were techniques Sakura wouldn't use in team training. Their power was too great; she could unleash them but not retract them, and it would be difficult for Sasuke to dodge them before he had the three-tomoe Sharingan.
With all her trump cards off the table, Sakura really had no way to deal with the rapidly improving Sasuke. Especially in the last few days, Sasuke had even awakened his two-tomoe Sharingan, greatly enhancing his kinetic vision and reaction speed. Even using Jonin-level taijutsu, Sakura couldn't do anything to him for a while.
As for ninjutsu, ever since witnessing the clone battle between Zabuza and Kakashi, and having taken two heads herself with water clones, Sakura had recently become particularly obsessed with water clone tactics.
However, Sasuke, with his awakened Sharingan, could see through the real and fake clones at a glance. The water clone tactic was completely countered by him. But Sakura was the type of person who was very stubborn and hated to admit defeat. When Sasuke said clones were useless against him, she insisted on using clones to defeat him. As a result, she was dragged into a battle of attrition by Sasuke every time, suffering three consecutive defeats.
After trying all sorts of tricks and tactics, it was still useless. Having reached this record, Sakura finally had to admit defeat. The water clones summoned by a taijutsu-specializing Jonin like Zabuza were taken out in one hit by Sasuke; with her own frontal strength being crushed, no matter how many tricks her water clones played, like not dying immediately after being hit, or being infused with ice nature transformation, she still couldn't beat Sasuke!
The last person who tried a frontal assault with water clones was already buried in the Land of Waves.
Sakura had no intention of being the next.
However, although the water clones were useless against Sasuke, they were still quite effective against ordinary ninja. After all, there weren't many pairs of Sharingan left in the entire world!
Stopping Naruto, who was also eagerly wanting to challenge her, Sakura continued, "Don't be in a hurry. If you want to challenge me, you'll have a chance soon... Naruto, stop fooling around, go challenge Sasuke. I don't have much stamina left!"
Indeed, the Chunin Exams were just around the corner.
Which meant that Orochimaru's Konoha Crush operation was also imminent. Sakura really wanted to report this information to Konoha in advance, but she couldn't say it. Sakura had no way to explain. Who was the source of the information? How did she know that Orochimaru was planning a Konoha Crush operation? Why, out of the tens of thousands of ninja and hundreds of Jonin in all of Konoha, did only you, a single Genin, know such a major piece of intelligence? For such a major event, Konoha would never believe her, a person of low status and little influence.
And the secret of being a transmigrator was one she intended to keep until she was in her grave.
Therefore, it was impossible to let Konoha know about Orochimaru's plan in advance. What Sakura could do was to try to find some key intelligence during the Chunin Exams and then embellish it into the Konoha Crush plan. Only then would it have credibility.
However, Konoha had actually already found out about Orochimaru's infiltration during the second exam. They had made some preparations for a possible attack from Orochimaru. The fundamental reason for the huge losses was their lack of strength, not a lack of preparation.
Sakura didn't know how much effect her advance warning would have.
But people are not plants; how can they be emotionless? Having lived in Konoha for over a decade, she had already developed feelings for every flower and blade of grass here, and had a sense of belonging. Of course, she would not just stand by and watch Orochimaru destroy her second home. With Konoha about to face a crisis, she only sought to do her best and have a clear conscience.
To do what was within her ability, and not feel guilty for what she couldn't do. For example, saving the Third Hokage. So many Anbu were present and watched the Third Hokage die in battle. Even Jiraiya, who was in Konoha, couldn't save him. Sakura didn't think her current self could save the Third Hokage.
Let alone saving others, Sakura wasn't even sure if she could survive the second exam herself. The thought of encountering Orochimaru in the Forest of Death made her stomach churn. What was it like to fight one of the Sannin, Orochimaru? Just thinking about it was terrifying. The only good news was that Orochimaru wouldn't kill Sasuke's teammates. Firstly, to let Sasuke advance to the third exam so Orochimaru could inspect his goods as soon as possible. Secondly, Sasuke would need his teammates to take care of him while he was unconscious. After planning for so long, Orochimaru couldn't let Sasuke die by accident.
I'm still too weak. Sakura felt very unwilling!
If she were a recognized Kage-level powerhouse now, then she could just go directly to Lord Hokage and tell him about the Konoha Crush plan. Even if the Hokage didn't believe her, he would treat it with caution. If someone asked where the intelligence came from, she could shut them up with a single sentence: "I have my own sources of information."
So Sakura was now eagerly hoping for a breakthrough in the production of ultrapure water. As long as ultrapure water could be used in large quantities in battle, her combat power would increase several times over!
In the days from the end of the battle with Zabuza to her return to the village, Sakura had been continuously training her wind and ice nature transformations, trying to use chakra nature transformation to help create ultrapure water. Regarding this, she already had a vague idea in her mind. Perhaps by refining the wind nature transformation of chakra to a purer state, she could touch upon the answer to the problem.
One evening, after finishing her training, Sakura dispelled her shadow clone, took out a small iron plate, and held it between her fingertips. She gathered wind-natured chakra, wanting to cut the iron plate, but it still didn't budge.
"Sigh! Still not working!" Sakura sighed wearily.
"Sakura, don't be so impatient. This kind of mentality is actually detrimental to you developing new ideas!" Kakashi comforted Sakura, who had made no progress for some time.
"Hehe, so the almighty genius Miss Sakura gets stumped sometimes too?" Sasuke added with a taunt.
"Yeah, Sakura-chan! Don't be so down!" Naruto also took the opportunity to kick her while she was down, using his max-level taunt ability. "Didn't you say it yourself? Strength and chests are things you can't force!"
A vein instantly popped on Sakura's forehead. What do you mean, chests are things you can't force! I'm just starting to develop now! And I don't care about having a big chest! In terms of strength, I'm much stronger than both of you!
"My original words were 'strength and coolness are things you can't force,' right!" Sakura stared at Naruto with wide, murderous eyes, holding up a chakra sphere in her hand. "Keep talking nonsense and watch out, or I'll smash this Rasengan into your stupid face!"
Kakashi looked at the Wind Style: Rasengan in Sakura's hand, infused with a large amount of wind-natured chakra, and a drop of cold sweat appeared on his forehead.
"Alright, alright, Sakura, put down the Rasengan in your hand and let's talk nicely..." Kakashi said, holding Sakura's wrist. "Also, you've been training all day, where did you get the stamina to use this move?"
Sakura dispelled the Rasengan, and her body went limp, almost falling to the ground. In a moment of impulse, she had used all her remaining stamina on the Rasengan. Although she had recovered most of it, her legs were still a bit weak now.
In any case, after being taunted by them, Sakura also reflected on her own impatient mentality.
Although she had made a major breakthrough in her training in the Land of Waves, the acquisition of Ice Style was a breakthrough based on her years of continuous practice of Water Style and Wind Style. For training, the past six or seven years of down-to-earth practice was the norm. The slow progress after returning to Konoha was just a return to that normality. Haku was still in the isolation and investigation phase recently, so it wasn't appropriate for Sakura to rashly go to her to learn Ice Style. What's more, neither Wind Style nor Ice Style were Sakura's main ninjutsu; she only used them to assist in the development of her water jutsu.
Actually, Sakura had gotten used to having no ideas and no progress in her development back at the Ninja Academy. She had survived the predicament of having no ideas and no guidance back then. Why was she so impatient now that she had a clear goal? It had only been a few days, and she already wanted a new breakthrough in her wind nature transformation training. Wasn't that being too hasty?
Guard against arrogance and impatience, keep your feet on the ground, Sakura recited silently in her heart.
Just then, "Caw—" a long cry came from afar.