"Very good. I didn't expect you to have such talent in chakra control."
Kakashi nodded slightly, his impression of Sakura—who had always been just an ordinary kunoichi—changing a little.
Originally, Kakashi thought Sakura's potential might only carry her to the level of a Chūnin. But now, it seemed that even Jōnin wasn't out of the question.
"R-Really, Kakashi-sensei?!"
Her heart leapt. Yes! I can finally start catching up to Sasuke! I'm so excited!
Sakura could barely contain her joy.
"You can practice this on your own. Once you've mastered climbing trees, you should move on to walking on water. The principle is the same," Kakashi explained.
"However, since water is a liquid, maintaining your chakra output on its surface is more difficult."
"I understand! Thank you so much, Kakashi-sensei!"
She hesitated, then asked sincerely, "Kakashi-sensei… what direction do you think I should develop in the future?"
Kakashi immediately understood her thoughts. With a faint smile, he replied,
"You don't have to follow in Naruto or Sasuke's footsteps. Your chakra control is excellent—being able to do this on your first try shows real talent. You'd be well-suited to becoming a medical-nin. On a team, a medical-nin's role is vital. When comrades are injured, they can be the difference between life and death."
Sakura's eyes lit up. If I can become a medical-nin, I'll be able to help Sasuke… I won't be a burden anymore.
The immense gap she had felt between herself and the two boys—their overwhelming talent, their rigorous training—suddenly seemed less daunting. Perhaps she finally had her own path forward.
"I'll write you a recommendation," Kakashi continued. "Take it to the hospital and find Takahashi Suzuko. She can begin teaching you medical ninjutsu."
He spoke softly, but his words carried warmth. Though he bore the pressure of guiding two geniuses, Kakashi genuinely hoped Sakura would also find her strength.
Thus, Sakura set out on the path of a medical-nin earlier than she had in the original story.
The next day, when she saw Naruto and Sasuke, a bright smile formed on her face. She had tried water-walking the night before. Though it was harder than tree climbing, she had succeeded.
"Sasuke, Naruto—good morning!"
"Hmm. What's the mission today?" Sasuke replied coolly.
"Kakashi-sensei said we're already familiar with the mission process, so he wants us to accept missions on our own."
"That's convenient!" Naruto grinned. "Kakashi-sensei isn't hiding out at the bookstore again, is he?"
Sakura blinked in confusion, not understanding, but Sasuke—well aware of Naruto's teasing—smirked faintly. He knew Naruto was joking about Kakashi's certain reading habits.
The three of them headed to the mission hall, where they quickly picked out several D-rank assignments. They were all simple, routine tasks, and soon another day had passed.
At the border of the Land of Fire, a different meeting was about to unfold—the rendezvous arranged between Shisui and Orochimaru.
Shisui stood ready, clad in a neat combat uniform and an orange mask marking his rank within the Umbrella Organization.
Among the Umbrella, only one stood at the very top: Naruto.
Naruto appeared in a long, flowing robe of authority. Even with a mask concealing his face, his aura was undeniable. His features carried the same handsomeness as the Fourth Hokage, but now tempered by the air of a leader.
This, however, was not Naruto's true body—only a special shadow clone, crafted with extraordinary precision.
They waited silently until Orochimaru's presence entered Naruto's perception. True to form, the Sannin was punctual.
Orochimaru emerged, his golden, slit-pupiled eyes sweeping over Naruto and Shisui with cold precision. His voice was smooth, almost mocking.
"You must be the higher-ups of this Umbrella Organization."
"Yes—Orochimaru-kakka," Shisui answered, his tone measured. His voice stirred a flicker of recognition in Orochimaru's memory.
"Orochimaru," Naruto spoke firmly, "since we're cooperating, let's not waste time. I already know your abilities. And I have what you want. But tell me—have you considered the three questions I gave you?"
At once, Orochimaru's gaze sharpened, shifting from Shisui to Naruto.
"Oh? So you're the leader of Umbrella?"
His tongue flicked out to wet his lips, excitement glimmering in his serpentine eyes.
"Do you even understand what those questions mean?" Orochimaru asked, his voice filled with hungry curiosity.
Naruto looked up at Orochimaru and said calmly,
"I originally thought you would struggle to grasp it—or fail to see the essence of the problem. I didn't expect you to spend months reflecting on it. That truly surprised me."
"You flatter me," Orochimaru replied, his voice slipping into unexpected honorifics. For once, it wasn't mockery but genuine interest.
"The path of science you spoke of… I find it fascinating."
Naruto's eyes sharpened. So he's hooked.
"If you understand, then I can tell you this much: your assumptions were correct. The world is vast, boundless, and full of mysteries. Perhaps, one day, there will be an opportunity to witness it together."
Naruto knew exactly how to bait Orochimaru—by stoking his insatiable curiosity.
"Hahaha… I look forward to that day."
Excitement flickered across Orochimaru's serpentine face, his pale fingers twitching slightly. Their conversation, steeped in layers of meaning, drifted beyond Shisui's and Kabuto's comprehension.
Then, Shisui suddenly narrowed his eyes. A hint of surprise crossed his face, followed by a playful smile.
Both Naruto and Orochimaru fell silent at the same moment.
Naruto stepped closer. Kabuto's instincts flared; he sensed something wrong.
With a casual motion, Naruto patted Orochimaru's shoulder. Orochimaru instinctively recoiled, alarm flashing in his golden eyes.
"Orochimaru-kakka, it's wrong of you," Naruto said with a smile. "To try and test me with genjutsu."
Orochimaru stiffened. He had indeed cast genjutsu during their exchange—but instead of ensnaring Naruto, he himself had fallen into Naruto's illusion.
"Playing with genjutsu?" Naruto's gaze grew playful. "You're overestimating yourself."
At that cue, Naruto gave Shisui a nod. Slowly, Shisui reached up and removed his mask.
Orochimaru's cold eyes widened. Disbelief surged through him like a tidal wave.
Shisui, clearly satisfied with Orochimaru's reaction, spoke.
"Lord Orochimaru. It's been a long time."
"How… how are you still alive?!" Orochimaru's voice trembled with shock.
Shisui was supposed to be dead. Rumor held that Danzō had killed him. If he had survived, why hadn't he appeared during the Uchiha massacre? For Shisui to stand here now—it shattered Orochimaru's assumptions.
"Using genjutsu against an Uchiha," Shisui said coolly, "is indeed overestimating yourself."
Orochimaru sneered, but his heart boiled with greed.
Ever since his humiliating defeat at Itachi's hands, he had been obsessed with the Sharingan. But there were too few left in the world, and eyes not one's own often carried crippling drawbacks—as Kakashi proved.
Yet with his Living Corpse Reincarnation technique, Orochimaru believed he could avoid those consequences entirely.
His gaze shifted back to Naruto, sharp and probing.
"And you… are you also of the Uchiha Clan?"
Naruto chuckled softly.
"I'm afraid not. And as your future partner, let me give you some advice: the Sharingan isn't as omnipotent as you imagine. Even the Mangekyō. You think it's all-powerful because of Uchiha Itachi. But tell me—do you even realize that your resistance to genjutsu is far below the level your power should allow?"
His words cut into Orochimaru's pride like a blade.
"You overlooked that weakness. That's why you think the Sharingan is insurmountable."
Naruto's tone grew colder.
"Orochimaru—your soul is damaged."
The words pierced Orochimaru's heart like a dagger. For the first time in a long while, doubt and unease rippled through his mind.
...
TN:
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