46: Chapter 46 Visitors from KonohaAt dawn the next day, the air on the training ground was still cool.(Please fill in the rest yourself, my hands were shaking while editing.)
Sakura stands inside the circle.
There's a faint sense of anticipation.
"Let's try a different approach today."
Still, dodge.
However, the rules have changed.
Sakura's face turned pale instantly.
This.this is way too difficult!
Before she could protest.
Sakura quickly sidestepped and narrowly avoided the attack.
"The response was acceptable, but not decisive enough."
Naruto commented, flicking his wrist as the branch swept upwards.
Sakura jumped to dodge, but Naruto seemed to have anticipated her movements, and the tree branch suddenly changed direction in mid-air, slashing upwards.
She covered her wound, tears welling up in her eyes.
Sakura bit her lip so hard it almost bled.
...O_o
"My cheeks are so hot they could fry an egg on them."
The next training session.
Fitness Exercise
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Sakura's voice trembled, accompanied by the weakness from the intense training.
She could clearly feel her heart pounding and her blood surging.
Sweating profusely, soaking her clothes, outlining her alluring curves, but also touching those burning wounds.
This feeling was especially pronounced under Naruto's scrutinizing gaze.
He knelt directly on the ground, supporting himself with his hands, panting heavily.
The fabric of her training trousers rubbed against her softest skin, the burning sensation making her eyes mist over.
Naruto walked up to her and looked down at her.
Sakura was covered in sweat, her training clothes almost completely soaked through and clinging tightly to her body.
Her cheeks were rosy, and she exuded a decadent beauty.
"It seems you're hiding something you don't even know yourself."
Naruto gently lifted her chin, and they looked into each other's eyes.
Sakura's pupils dilated, her face flushed red, she couldn't deny it.
"No.no."
Her weak denial only made things worse.
Naruto threw away the branch.
"Training is over for today.Go clean up and then go find Karin."
He paused, then added, "This is an order."
"Let her examine you carefully, those.injuries that aren't easily visible."
These words struck like a thunderclap, leaving Sakura's face filled with tense fear.
Ask Karin to.examine the hidden injuries?She was on the verge of a breakdown.
But she dared not disobey, and could only whisper in a low, buzzing voice, ".Yes, Naruto-sama."
She struggled to her feet, moving awkwardly step by step toward the dormitory, feeling as if an invisible gaze was watching her with every step she took.
An hour later, Sakura, having barely managed to compose herself, walked into the conference room with her head down.
She changed into clean clothes, but Karin's treatment process, which was tinged with sympathy and curiosity, still made her feel extremely uncomfortable.
Especially Karin's last words, "Haruno-san, you.you.look a little swollen.I used some cooling ointment." made her wish she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Naruto sat in the main seat, taking in Sakura's forced composure yet barely concealed embarrassment.
"Everyone's here," Naruto said."Hibari, let's get down to business."
"Yes." Hibari stood up."The Konoha Ino-Shika-Cho squad is expected to arrive at the port of the Land of Waves tomorrow evening."
Sakura suddenly raised her head.
Ino and the others.are they coming so soon?
"Have their mission objectives been confirmed?"
Tsunade asked, glancing at Naruto as well, clearly aware of the tactics used in those previous appeals for help.
"Confirmed."
Hibari nodded."The mission was commissioned by the Federation of Private Merchants of the Land of Waves.They claim that unidentified ninjas have been frequently appearing in the abandoned shipyard area on the southern coast, suspected of engaging in illicit activities, which seriously affects the sense of security of local merchants.They request Konoha to dispatch an elite team to investigate and eliminate them."
Naruto's lips curled slightly."Very good, everything is proceeding according to plan."
The abandoned shipyard on the southern coast is located in a complex area that is easy to set up and is far from the core area of the Chamber of Commerce.
"The mission is classified as Rank B, with generous rewards, enough to attract Asma to lead the team here."
Hibari added, "According to intelligence, the team members are Sarutobi Asuma, Yamanaka Ino, Nara Shikamaru, and Akimichi Choji."
"Class B investigation mission.Ino-Shika-Cho."
Naruto tapped the table lightly with his finger."That's just right.It won't attract too much attention from Konoha, and it will allow us to get up close and personal with these old friends."
He looked at everyone and said, "Tiezhou, pick a few clever, skilled, and clean brothers and go to the abandoned shipyard first thing tomorrow morning to set up some things, make some traces of human activity, but don't leave too many substantial clues, just enough for them to investigate for a day or two."
Tie Zhou nodded steadily: "Understood, Chairman.I will arrange for someone to pretend to make a transaction, leaving behind some blurry footprints and chakra residue, and perhaps accidentally leaving behind some less important items."
"Hibari, you will be personally responsible for monitoring the whereabouts of the Ino-Shika-Cho team after their arrival, and report their movements to me at any time."
"yes."
Naruto finally turned his gaze to Sakura, who was still looking down: "Sakura."
Sakura's body trembled, and she raised her head, her eyes filled with panic.
"Is Ino an old friend of yours?"
Naruto asked calmly, "She's here, aren't you happy?"
"I." Sakura opened her mouth, unsure how to answer.
Happy?Or nervous?Or.afraid that Ino will notice that something is wrong with me right now?
"Relax."
Naruto smiled and said, "As the hosts, we should naturally treat our old friend well when he visits."
"Perhaps you'll still have a chance to.catch up with her."
After the meeting, everyone went their separate ways to fulfill their duties.
Sakura walked at the back, her mind filled with Ino's bright and flamboyant smile, and the hidden scars on her own body.
If Ino found out.she simply couldn't imagine it.
Naruto watched her retreating figure and said to Tsunade, "It seems that Sakura-chan's training needs to be temporarily suspended."
Tsunade crossed her arms and snorted, "You're back from training.""Don't let my assistant get beaten up during training!"
"And what about that blonde girl.what are you going to do with her?"
"Ino?" Naruto looked out the window, where the sea and sky met."The young lady of the Yamanaka family, a rising star of Konoha, and an important business partner of the Chamber of Commerce… She deserves to be received properly, both for public and private reasons."
"Pass down the word that tomorrow evening, in the name of the Chamber of Commerce, a small welcome dinner will be prepared for our friends from Konoha who have traveled from afar."
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