The Hokage Building
Crisp footsteps echoed through the hall, causing the chatter of the Hokage building staff to instantly freeze. With lightning speed, they returned to their respective stations and began working with meticulous order.
Emerald eyes glanced at the busy workers before turning away, moving with clear purpose toward the second floor. However, a petite figure suddenly burst out from the breakroom at the corner, clutching a steaming hot drink.
"Senior Yamanaka, I just brewed some osmanthus tea! Do you want a taste?"
!!
The staff member named Yamanaka Moto felt as if he'd been struck by lightning. He immediately buried his head into a pile of documents.
You can't see me! You can't see me! You can't see me!
"Uh..."
The petite staffer also seemed to notice something was wrong. Everyone had been laughing and chatting just a moment ago; why was it suddenly silent? Why did everyone look like elite, hardworking models of efficiency?
It was only then that she noticed the gaze of the pink-haired girl resting on her.
"S-Sakura-sama..."
The young clerk wore a woeful expression, looking tense and terrified. She had been recruited as an administrator less than three days ago, but she had already heard of the terror of the person standing before her.
In secret, everyone referred to this pink-haired girl as the "Witch." This confused the young clerk, as Sakura-sama was clearly so beautiful...
Ever since Hiruzen Sarutobi began letting Sakura handle the village's affairs three years ago, she had left scathing annotations on almost every document, decrying her subordinates' incompetence. The fact that she had to be bothered by trivial matters made the entire Konoha administrative system tremble. They lived in constant fear of displeasing this powerhouse.
Consequently, whenever anyone saw those pink locks, they instinctively lost their nerve.
"Mm."
Sakura glanced at the staff member and then ignored her, walking directly to the second floor. Once the pink hair vanished from sight, everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.
"Senior Yamanaka, here." The young clerk handed the osmanthus tea to the man named Yamanaka Moto.
"Kyoko, you almost killed me," Yamanaka whispered, clutching his chest.
"Eh? Was it because of Sakura-sama? She feels quite easy to get along with, though? And she's super pretty!" Kyoko's eyes sparkled.
Yamanaka's mouth twitched as he looked at the starry-eyed girl. Just wait—in a few days, when Sakura-sama truly takes power, Kyoko would learn exactly how terrifying "Sakura-sama" could be.
Pushing open the door to the Hokage's office, the first thing she saw was an old man with hair and a beard as white as snow, hunched over his desk and scrutinizing a document.
"Ah, Sakura is here. Come quickly and help this old man see how to handle this."
Cough, cough...
Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes brightened when he saw her, and he called out with a cheerful greeting. Sakura caught the scent of stale tobacco lingering in the office and knit her brows.
"How many times have I told you? You're at such an old age, yet you never put down that pipe. Do you not want to live a couple more years?"
Hiruzen smiled as he watched the now sixteen-year-old girl grumble while opening the windows. The cold draft from outside brought a chill that made him cough twice. Immediately, a red-and-white coat was draped over his shoulders. Sakura closed the window again and looked at the old man.
"Forget it, let me see."
Without taking no for an answer, she snatched the document from Hiruzen. As her emerald eyes scanned the contents, she could barely suppress the rising flare of anger.
She looked at the haggard little old man before her, then back at the document recording such trivialities.
"Fine. Old man, you go home first. I'll handle these," Sakura said. Looking at the emaciated Hiruzen, her anger softened into a complex emotion, her tone becoming gentle and steady.
"Hehe, then I'll leave it to you, Sakura. This old man is heading back."
Tucking his coat tighter, Hiruzen waved with a smile and slowly walked out of the office. The ANBU hidden in the shadows immediately followed.
The current Hiruzen Sarutobi looked no different from any ordinary old man. Years of political affairs had completely drained his energy, and the old wounds accumulated on the battlefield in his youth had all flared up within these past three years. Even though Sakura used Yang Release to nourish his body periodically, it only treated the symptoms, not the cause. Eventually, the old man simply refused her treatments.
In his words: "Birth, age, sickness, and death are the way of the world. There's no need to dwell on it."
Sakura watched Hiruzen leave, then her gaze fell back onto the document. The anger she had been holding back erupted.
Annotation:Trace the source, investigate the cause, and eliminate the hazard.Hire Water Release and Earth Release shinobi to clear the riverbed. Resolve this within three days. If it isn't solved, bring me your heads!I will personally visit the Nakano River in three days!
The Hokage's seal was then slammed down with force.
As the sun began to set, Sakura sat alone in the Hokage's office. She set down the final document and slowly stood up to look at Konoha bathed in the evening glow.
"Was it always like this when you were Hokage?" Sakura's voice rang out in the empty office.
"Well, how should I put it... since the village hadn't been established for long back then, the administration was relatively clean. There weren't so many trivial matters."
Tobirama Senju, clad in black ANBU robes, appeared beside Sakura. Over the past three years, Sakura had never released the Reanimation Jutsu on him. If she did, the next summoning would require another death row prisoner. Furthermore, during the interim of the release, there was a risk that Orochimaru might summon him again. To be safe, she kept him around.
"Then you had it quite easy." Sakura tidied the desk, preparing to leave.
Watching the girl's movements, Tobirama sighed inwardly. He had to admit that while Hiruzen Sarutobi was indecisive, he had dedicated his entire life to this village. He had gone from a vibrant twenty-year-old youth to the haggard old man he was today. He had sat in that chair for a lifetime, imprisoned by this small room for a lifetime.
"By the way."
As Sakura was about to leave, she turned back to look at the white-haired Second Hokage who had accompanied her for three years.
"Is there something else?" Tobirama asked.
"Are you interested in being alive?"
???
Tobirama frowned in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Alive? Was there actually a technique that could resurrect the dead? That would be even more ridiculous than his own Reanimation Jutsu.
"Literally. Being alive," Sakura confirmed, validating his thought.
Tobirama remained silent for a long time, his gaze falling upon the village as it gradually sank into the darkness of night.
"...Forget it. I died long ago. There's no need to linger in a world where I don't belong." He shook his head.
A moment later, Tobirama was left alone in the office. The Second Hokage's gaze lingered on the Konoha he cherished so deeply. Despite his refusal, a sense of loss gnawed at him.
Alive... To live on.To see this village, for which I gave my life, just a little longer...Can I really refuse?
As night fell, Tobirama stood alone amidst the glittering lights of Konoha. His heart, which should have been as still as water, kept echoing Sakura's question: Do you want to be alive?
The Haruno Residence
"I'm home!"
Pushing open the door, Sakura set down the fruit she had bought on the way back. As she was about to take off her shoes, a small figure came pouncing toward her.
"Big Sis! Welcome home!"
A three-year-old child with pink hair and emerald eyes—looking almost exactly like a mini-Sakura—leaped into her arms.
"Ah, it's Mirai! Did you miss me?"
Before she could even get her shoes off, Sakura scooped the little one up. The "little brat" Sakura had once joked about when discussing her inheritance had been born and was growing up healthy and strong.
"Yes! I missed Big Sis super-duper much!" The little girl, Haruno Mirai, hugged Sakura's neck and rubbed her cheek affectionately against Sakura's.
Cradling her little sister with one arm, Sakura kicked her shoes aside and walked into the living room. Mebuki Haruno poked her head out from the kitchen wearing an apron, her temper flaring when she saw the discarded shoes.
"Sakura! Put your shoes away properly!"
Sakura just gave Mebuki a playful grin and pinched Mirai's soft, tender cheek. "I'm playing with Mirai, aren't I? Give me a break, Mom."
Sakura, who had once been so dismissive of the baby in her mother's womb, now had to admit—this was great. Meanwhile, Mebuki, who had decided to have another child in her late thirties, was finally experiencing the true struggles of motherhood. Why had she ever thought having another was a good idea? She spent all day exhausted, only for the "New Save File" to cling to the "Main Character" all day.
"I'll do it!"
Kizashi Haruno dashed out from the inner room, hurried to the entrance to arrange his precious daughter's shoes, and then gave Mebuki a thumbs-up with a flash of his white teeth. Mebuki was speechless. At least she had an obedient husband.
"Mebuki, I'm coming to help!" Before she could speak, Kizashi ran into the kitchen to share the workload. Mebuki could only swallow her anger and start preparing dinner with her husband.
Sakura sat on the sofa, still holding Mirai. She had to admit, a three-year-old human cub was quite cute. That pink, chubby face looked just like a little steamed bun.
"Mirai wants to sleep with Big Sis tonight!" The little pink-head looked up.
"Mm-hm, okay~" The big pink-head immediately agreed. She simply couldn't refuse such a request. The frustration caused by the Konoha administration was completely blown away by the "little pink-head attack."
"Woohoo! Big Sis is the best!" Mirai cheered, burying herself in Sakura's arms again.
Sakura held Mirai and picked up the remote to turn on the TV. Immediately, a familiar yet distant face appeared on the screen: Koyuki Kazahana. The movie they had filmed three years ago was now being broadcast on television.
Looking at Koyuki on the screen, Sakura fell into thought. In a few days, Hiruzen would nominate her as Hokage and send the proposal to the Land of Fire's Daimyo. However, due to Hiruzen's advanced age and difficulty traveling, Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado would likely go in his stead, carrying his letters to the capital.
At the same time, Koyuki Kazahana—as the Daimyo of the Land of Snow and an ally under Konoha's influence—would also send word to the Land of Fire to support Sakura's nomination. Although the power of the Land of Fire and the Land of Snow was vastly unequal, the two Daimyos were technically of equal rank in name. Of course, that was only "in name," but a Land of Snow backed by Konoha was a different story. Even the Land of Fire's Daimyo would have to treat the matter with gravity.
As long as he wasn't a fool, there was no way he would disagree. Since Sakura was the only nominee this time, becoming the Fifth Hokage seemed like a foregone conclusion.
"Wow, this sister is so pretty!" Little Mirai exclaimed, watching the heroic Koyuki on screen. "But of course, not as pretty as Big Sis!"
Mirai turned and spoke sweetly to Sakura.
"Don't call Big Sis pretty; call me 'cool,' okay?" Sakura said, gently flicking Mirai's forehead.
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