"But this ability of mine is only good for healing injuries. It won't help much in improving my strength!" Naruto crossed his legs and sat down, clearly feeling dejected.
"There's no such thing as a useless ability in this world—only people who don't know how to use them properly!" Sakura looked straight into Naruto's eyes and said seriously, "Even if this ability can only heal your own injuries, it's still extremely valuable. Didn't you always say you wanted to protect me? Then you can be our frontline fighter who doesn't have to worry about getting hurt while I play the role of a long-range mage behind you!"
Sakura said jokingly, but Naruto's eyes immediately lit up.
"Yeah, right! I'll stand in front of Sakura then. Sakura just needs to stay safely behind me and do whatever she wants. I'll make sure all the harm gets blocked before it reaches you!"
"Fool, what are you talking about? We're teammates. Even in battle, we should fight together. How could I let you take all the damage alone?" Sakura let go of Naruto's hand and patted his head gently, saying, "You really should get some rest now—just look at the shadows under your eyes. If you keep going like this, you'll end up with raccoon eyes—that definitely won't look good on you!"
Even though Naruto had strong recovery abilities, continuous and relentless training was still taking its toll. Indeed, there was a noticeable shadow beneath his eyes now, evidence of extreme exhaustion.
"Oh, I'll rest right away!" Naruto scratched his head sheepishly, stole a quick glance at Sakura, and softly rested his head on her shoulder. When he saw that Sakura didn't refuse, he finally closed his eyes, wearing a faint smile.
"What a dork!"
Sakura sighed helplessly and slightly adjusted Naruto's position. She leaned back against the large tree, letting Naruto rest his head on her lap before picking up the scroll again and continuing to read.
"I've got some good news for you. Sasuke has more or less grasped Chidori already. Although right now he can only concentrate Lightning Release chakra in his hands while staying in one place, and must maintain full concentration or else the Chidori will dissipate immediately. But given a bit more time for effort, he'll definitely be able to use it effectively."
Kakashi arrived and witnessed this peaceful scene, so he deliberately lowered his voice when speaking. Since the Uchiha massacre, Sasuke had trained like there was no tomorrow—almost recklessly. Without Sakura around to forcibly restrain him and force him to rest, Sasuke might have already collapsed from exhaustion long ago.
"Now that's what I call fate's twisted sense of humor!"
Sakura nodded to show she understood, but inwardly she couldn't help making a comment. Was it fair to say Indra and Asura's grudge truly never fades? Just after Naruto learned Rasengan, Sasuke also mastered Chidori.
However, Naruto and Sasuke share the same attributes as Indra and Asura. Sasuke possesses exceptional talent in Lightning Release, which is also Indra's specialty, and both of them have the same color for their Susanoo. Naruto excels at Rasengan; in some ways, it's a natural inheritance—an ability passed down through bloodline and fate. In ancient times, Asura discovered the ability to create energy spheres while digging a well. Although it wasn't called Rasengan back then, the principle was very similar.
"Thank you, Sakura."
Kakashi blurted out suddenly.
"Uncle Kakashi, you're not going crazy because you've been single too long, are you? Why on earth would you say that now?" Sakura gave Kakashi a look like he was losing it, puzzled by his sudden sentimentality. "Did I do something that moved you without even realizing it?"
"Thank you for taking care of Naruto!" Kakashi gazed at Naruto, whose head was peacefully resting on Sakura's lap as he slept soundly, and a flash of guilt crossed his eyes. "Naruto is my teacher's child, yet I've always buried myself in my own grief, never giving him even a bit of attention!"
"Naruto and I are friends. Taking care of him is only natural. Uncle Kakashi, there's no need to thank me!" Sakura waved her hand dismissively before suddenly adding with teasing sarcasm, "If you really want to thank me, why don't you just go find a girlfriend already? That would make me feel better too!"
"Huh? Why are you always so obsessed with other people's love lives?" Kakashi asked somewhat helplessly.
"I can't help it. I'm just worried you'll stay single forever!" Sakura sighed, then added quickly, "In my opinion, Ayame - nee - san is actually quite nice—gentle, caring, and considerate. She'd be perfect for someone like you who's been single all these years and doesn't know how to take care of himself! Besides, if I'm not mistaken, didn't she like you ever since she was little?"
"Oh come on, that's not true," Kakashi chuckled stiffly. Every time Sakura brought up such topics, it reminded him of his parents pressuring him to get married.
"Pfft, pretending to be indifferent when you clearly enjoy the attention," Sakura rolled her eyes secretly and remarked, "Now I finally understand why you always wear that mask—it's probably hiding that secretly smug face of yours!"
"Just how much do you resent my being single?!" Kakashi groaned, placing a hand on his forehead in exasperation. Despite Sakura being much younger than him, moments like this always left him speechless and unable to counter.
"Uncle Kakashi, I'm saying this because I genuinely care about you. Your Hatake family has always had only one heir per generation. If you don't work hard to have a kid, the Hatake lineage will die out with you! Then Sakumo Hatake would probably rise from the grave and beat you up!"
Sakura spoke with genuine concern. If Kakashi remained lazy and unambitious like in the original story, spending his days loafing around with Guy like a lifeless fish, then the Hatake family line would truly face extinction.
Chapter 86: Kakashi's Ominous Premonition
"Haha, relax, relax! It won't come to that!"
Kakashi smiled, looking rather awkward. Hearing Sakura talk to him like this always gave him a weird sense of unease.
"Never mind, never mind," Sakura waved her hand. "You're all grown up now, Kakashi. You've got to make these choices yourself. I shouldn't say too much—you won't listen anyway!" She wore a look of sadness. "When kids grow up, they don't listen to their moms anymore—you're on your own now!"
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