"So, why did it end up like this?"
At a training ground outside Konoha, the lazy Shikamaru hid in the shade of a tree, avoiding the summer sun.
"This is a chance for personal instruction from the creator of the technique! You better not be ungrateful!"
Ino's figure blocked Shikamaru's entire view, hands on her hips glaring at him.
Knowing her teammate's lazy nature all too well, and worried he might run off midway, Ino had no choice but to stick to him like glue.
The Ino-Shika-Cho trio's cooperation had a long history, leaving a formidable reputation throughout the Ninja World.
But in truth, insiders knew the real situation. The team composition of two families specializing in Yin Release and one in Yang Release gave them significant weaknesses in direct confrontation.
Now, the appearance of this new technique could greatly compensate for their shortcomings. To learn this Forbidden Technique with minimal losses, Ino had even swallowed her pride and begged the greatly skilled Sakura for guidance.
For the sake of the two big babies in her team, 'Ino-mom' was breaking her back.
"Shikamaru, you're really being ungrateful here."
Choji, who never left his snacks, wisely moved to Ino's side to avoid being caught in Shikamaru's crossfire.
"Choji, whose side are you on!"
Shikamaru shot a disdainful look at the teammate who had just been on the same side as him.
"Hahaha, you all look quite energetic!"
There was movement in the large tree above them. The pink-haired girl's head popped out from the foliage, greeting them with a smile.
The three responded politely, and then, wasting no time, she began the lesson.
"Here, this is the introduction to the new technique. Take a look!"
Sakura took out three small ninjutsu scrolls and tossed them to Ino, Shikamaru, and Choji.
The scrolls, about the width of a palm, contained only a few sparse lines. It had the taste of 'pretending to teach half a book while truly passing on a single phrase'.
"Ah, that's it?"
Shikamaru widened his eyes, shaking the short scroll in his hand.
'Whose Ninjutsu is recorded in such little detail? What about Chakra Control? The sequence of hand seals? And most importantly, the ratio of Yin-Yang nature transformation?'
Why does the entire scroll, flipped over and over, only reveal the two words 'will' between the lines?
"All potential is innate. Unleashing the power of this technique doesn't require complicated theories or tedious practice. You just need to perceive it and use it!"
Sakura raised a finger, beckoning the Ino-Shika-Cho trio.
"Attack me!"
As soon as the words fell, the three shinobi immediately sprang into action.
Having learned her lesson from previous mental clashes with Sakura, Ino opted not to use Yamanaka secret techniques. Instead, she directly threw three kunai.
Shikamaru and Choji coordinated. Shadows stretched from one's feet, while the other's arm expanded, grabbing toward Sakura.
"First, Observation. All attacks carry will. The requirement of Observation Haki is to extend your sensory 'misconceptions' to capture the will within the enemy's attacks."
Sakura, explaining the theory while dodging their attacks, sidestepped with minimal movement, almost brushing past the kunai Ino threw.
Simultaneously, the tips of her feet lightly tapped the ground, allowing her shadow to gracefully evade the shadow spikes emerging from below. Finally, her entire figure dissipated like an afterimage, passing over Choji's outstretched arm.
"Can't hit?"
Shikamaru frowned, trying again to capture her from various angles with his shadow, even attempting to hide within the dappled tree shadows around them, but to no avail.
"Next, Armament!"
Sakura took a step forward, seemingly passing through space-time to appear abruptly before Choji.
"Huh?"
Choji, shocked, noticed a small sakura-patterned mark on his fist.
Only then did he recall his father once telling him that if you encounter a Flying Thunder God user, you mustn't let them touch you.
But it was too late now, because the girl reflected in his vision had already raised her fist.
"I won't go into detail about hardening and armor. The core of this technique lies in its ability to disperse the Chakra within Jutsu!"
Sakura's tightly clenched fist whistled as it descended, striking Choji's enlarged fist from his Multi-Size Technique.
Boom!
Choji let out a cry as he was sent flying. His arm, its Jutsu already disrupted, rapidly shrank, leaving behind a swollen, purple arm hanging limply.
"Now, I'll start by teaching you Observation first. Are you ready?"
Sakura helped Choji up, infusing Yang Release Chakra transformed into the Mystical Palm Technique to swiftly repair the damaged cells.
Then she turned her head, a shadow akin to a demon's roar enveloping the trembling Shikamaru and Ino.
"Ino first!"
Sakura tilted her head, approaching her friend with a sweet smile. "Don't worry, I'll be quick. You just have to bear with it!"
Ino, like a squirrel fallen into a tiger's mouth, squirmed as she stumbled back and sat down, finally backed against a tree trunk with nowhere left to retreat.
"Noooo—!"
The girl's scream echoed through the entire forest, startling a large flock of birds into fleeing from the treetops.
Several hours later, the sun gradually set.
The dusky yellow glow of twilight scattered through the woods. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio lay scattered on the ground, covered in dust and bruises.
"Alright, a balance of work and rest. That's enough for today!"
Sakura, standing before the three, clapped the dust off her hands and went to pick up Ino on her back.
"Sakura... you devil instructor." Ino on her back let out a whimper like a small animal.
"Hahaha, I told you before I'm very strict!"
Sakura laughed heartily, hitching up Ino's long legs to carry her higher.
"Wai... wait!"
Seeing the two about to leave, Choji, who had lost all strength on the ground, tremblingly raised a hand, calling out to them.
"Please, save us! This is outside the village!"
Shikamaru also mustered all his strength to shout.
"Oh, right. But since it's your first training session, I'll specially take you back today. Next time, if you still can't move, you'll be left outside the village, Ino included!"
Sakura knew the pain of having one's will shattered and didn't push the newcomers too hard. She walked over and scooped them up, one in each hand.
"The treatment difference is too big, isn't it?" Shikamaru protested, his head hanging down, overwhelmed by the sensation of blood rushing to it.
"Otherwise? Should I carry you on my back and have Ino dangled like this?" Sakura lifted Shikamaru higher, showing him the already asleep Ino.
"Tch, you could use shadow clones!"
"Don't wanna. I want to save Chakra."
"... Black-hearted woman!"
"Hahaha!"
…
In the end, she still used shadow clones to send Choji and Shikamaru back to their homes.
Carrying the sweat-drenched Ino, Sakura arrived at the Yamanaka Flower Shop. After greeting Mrs. Yamanaka, who is busy serving customers on the first floor, she entered the living quarters on the second floor.
With her parents away and no one to do chores at home while she worked at the hospital, she had simply turned off the utilities at her own house and come to stay with Ino for a while.
Tossing Ino into the bathroom, Sakura familiarly walked to the dining area to enjoy the dinner Mrs. Yamanaka had prepared for her.
Just as she was eating enthusiastically, a cry for help came from the bathroom. "It hurts!!! Sakura, save me!"
Amused, Sakura put down her chopsticks and headed toward the bathroom.
Sliding open the glass door, she saw the unlucky girl had fallen headfirst into the bathtub. Then, unable to muster strength from the Haki-injured parts of her body, she couldn't get up.
"What kind of play is this? Prioritizing novel positions?"
Seeing her friend's miserable state, Sakura's emerald-green eyes sparkled with laughter.
"Mm, I can't move. You wash me!"
Having completely lost her image in front of her friend, Ino gave up. She spread her hands in a 'deal with it' gesture.
Looking at Ino's increasingly lovely figure, Sakura wiped her nose and swallowed.
"Alright!"