In theory, the Body Flicker Technique (Shunshin no Jutsu) enables the user to instantly accelerate through a special flow of chakra.
But this unique acceleration also causes a brief moment of stiffness before and after the move.
Originally, by using the Heaven's Veil Formation (Tenkai Hōjin), this follow-up stiffness should have been resolved. The result was expected to be a movement so fast that an afterimage would be left behind—just like Uchiha Shisui.
However…
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Sakura's figure darted across the Third Training Ground like a stream of light. Every step she took shattered the ground beneath her, sending up clouds of dust in all directions!
Before the dust could even settle, a small pink figure—like a feral beast wrapped in pink lightning—had already leapt forward again, leaving chaos in her wake!
If there had been a second person at the scene, they would have witnessed a shocking spectacle:
A pink figure rampaging ahead with deafening thunder-like sounds, leaving cracked ground in her path. Dust clouds trailed seven to eight meters behind her, kicked up by her relentless pace.
This kind of explosive, forceful movement style was absolutely unsuited for stealthy ninja combat.
There was nothing silent, hidden, or assassin-like about this.
And yet, Sakura was unbothered.
She let her chakra flow freely, for the first time savoring the exhilarating wind that came with high-speed movement. A delighted smile curled on her lips.
In truth, the combination of the Heaven's Veil Formation and Body Flicker should never have produced such an effect.
The secret ingredient? Monster Strength (Kongōken).
The Heaven's Veil Formation did solve the issue of post-flicker stiffness, but the Body Flicker was still a short-burst acceleration technique—it didn't suit Sakura's battle style.
What she needed was sustained speed. High-speed movement maintained over time, allowing her to use momentum to make her punches fiercer and more devastating.
So she willingly sacrificed part of the Body Flicker's peak speed in exchange for the overwhelming power granted by Monster Strength. The loss in speed was balanced out by the sheer destructive force she gained.
The result?
Sakura had effectively become a high-speed, heavily-armored assault tank.
It didn't matter if it was loud and flashy.
Yes, ninjas were meant to be stealthy assassins. But if you could annihilate everyone who saw you—wasn't that a kind of stealth too?
Perfect.
The only downside was that this technique wasn't usable for daily travel or missions that required discretion. The noise and destruction it created were too noticeable.
But Sakura didn't mind.
Big means strong. Fast means fierce. One punch to crush the enemy—what's there to explain? Strike first, win on momentum!
Right now, she had strength, speed, perception, healing, weapon mastery—she had it all.
Who needs a bicycle when you've got a tank?
In short, Sakura was extremely pleased with her new movement technique.
It was, in a sense, the first jutsu she could truly call her own. With her extraordinary chakra control, she had blended Monster Strength, Body Flicker, and Heaven's Veil into a seamless whole.
Hands on her hips, Sakura could now proudly declare:
"I, Sakura of the Shinobi World War, rely entirely on skill!"
"I'm a technique-type ninja, not some brainless brute!"
Satisfied, she clapped her hands together, but as she turned to look at the freshly restored Third Training Ground, her face stiffened.
The field was a mess—pockmarked and cratered like it had been bombed. The earth, which had just been repaired a few hours ago, now looked like it had been ravaged by war again.
The poor training ground, as fragile as a gentle maiden, had once again been beaten into tears.
Ahem... time to bail…
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Five Days Later—Following Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage
Two days after the arrival of the Fourth Kazekage Rasa, the Third Tsuchikage, Ōnoki of Both Scales, also arrived in Konohagakure.
The short-statured old man looked up at Konoha's main gate with a complex expression, deep in thought.
As a die-hard hardliner, he had always seen Konoha as a dangerous, monstrous force.
He had personally witnessed the reigns of the First through Fourth Hokage. From Hashirama to Tobirama, from Sarutobi to Minato. Now, with the Fourth Hokage sacrificed in the Nine-Tails incident, Sarutobi Hiruzen had taken office again.
Ōnoki had once believed that Konoha would collapse after the Nine-Tails disaster.
But the changes in the shinobi world over the past few years had made him tense once again.
The Land of Earth was poor. The Land of Fire was rich.
Everyone knew this. The Land of Earth had long relied on importing food from the Lands of Grass, Waterfall, and especially Fire.
Now that food prices had soared, the Land of Earth could no longer cope.
In recent years, the Land of Fire had shown slight leniency in pricing. But ultimately, the fate of his people depended on a single decision from the Fire Daimyō or Konoha.
Ōnoki despised this dependence, but he had no choice but to bow his proud head to Konoha.
If he were alone, he'd have resisted until the bitter end, even if it meant another war—just like the three Shinobi World Wars of the past.
But this wasn't about him. If the food supply was cut and he failed to seize Konoha immediately, the consequences for the Land of Earth would be catastrophic.
If the Fire Country had never provided food, he could have hardened his heart and gone to war.
But now?
If he didn't fight, the people might at least survive, even if barely.
If he did, and the war dragged on, it would mean slow death for his entire nation.
Besides, the last three wars had all proven one fact:
Konoha was the hardest bone to chew in the entire shinobi world.
But then, why had the Land of Fire dared raise prices and challenge their dependency?
This was a Konoha that had just suffered a calamity—how could they possibly have the confidence to provoke another war?
Unless…
Unless Konoha had already regained enough strength to survive another world war.
Or perhaps, a new figure had emerged—someone like the legendary White Fang, the Sannin, or the Yellow Flash. A genius who could single-handedly change the tide of battle.
It wasn't that Ōnoki was overly cautious.
It was that this land was just too outrageous.
In the span of a few decades: Hashirama Senju, Madara Uchiha, Tobirama Senju, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Sakumo Hatake, the Sannin, Minato Namikaze…
Each of these should have been once-in-a-generation prodigies. Yet they'd sprouted up like bamboo after the rain.
It was simply absurd.
And Ōnoki didn't dare gamble that Konoha hadn't produced yet another such individual.
That's why, twelve years ago, when one of the legendary Sannin—Orochimaru—had come to him with a proposal, he didn't agree immediately.
This was human nature.
When you have nothing, you dare to risk everything.
But when you're barely holding on to something, you become hesitant—afraid to lose it all.
Because if he failed, Ōnoki would be the one to bear the full price.
"Hey! Old man!"
Just as Ōnoki was lost in thought, a lively voice called out.
A petite girl with short black hair dashed out from the village gates, holding a massive bag of snacks.
"What are you standing there sighing for?"
"Hurry up and get inside already!"
She grinned as she skipped up beside the old man, pulling out a stick of three-color dango and holding it up to his mouth.
"Try it, old man! It's super tasty!"
(End of Chapter)
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