Konoha Year 63, outskirts of the village.
Jiraiya stared at the girl in front of him, totally stunned, mouth hanging open.
Sakura was wearing a light-pink cherry-blossom yukata, wooden clogs clicking on the ground. She was tall now, with long, flowing hair down to her shoulders.
At just twelve years old, she already looked like a full-grown young woman—except for her chest, which was still… well, a little disappointing.
"Sakura-chan, what the heck has Tsunade been feeding you? We've only been apart a few months!"
"Special growth nutrients!" Sakura chirped, totally bullshitting him since she knew Jiraiya didn't know squat about medicine.
"But it looks like the growth wasn't all that complete~" Jiraiya teased, glancing from her 5'3" height down to the still-flat zone, letting out a dramatic sigh.
No heart-gathering bosom? Then she'll never win Jiraiya's approval!
---
"I'm built for combat, combat—you get that, right?!" Sakura snapped, smile still sweet but eyes screaming murder.
"Or do you wanna die once, Sensei?"
Her fingers flashed through a hand sign. A glowing green chakra scalpel formed at her fingertips.
"Ahem! Uh, anyway, let's head back! You must be dying to see home after all this time, right?" Jiraiya quickly changed the subject, stomping the ground.
Using the rebound force, he vanished in a blur—Soru, one of the Six Powers. If CP agents saw this, they'd lose their minds.
"Ugh, seriously?!" Sakura groaned.
She leaped into the air, using her Heat-Heat Fruit powers to create ice, melt it, and turn it into steam. In seconds, thick clouds of vapor gathered under her clogs.
Jet Sakura activated. She rocketed through the sky like a missile.
---
She quickly overtook Jiraiya, the two racing toward Konoha—one in the air, one on the ground.
Meanwhile, inside the Ninja Academy…
Iruka stood on the platform, holding the exam roster.
"Graduation exam starts now. When I call your name, head to the next room!"
The students buzzed with excitement, but one blonde girl with light-yellow hair kept looking around nervously.
"The exam's starting—where is Sakura-chan?!"
Ino clasped her hands in front of her chest, practically vibrating with worry.
"First up—Uchiha Sasuke!"
Iruka began calling names, making Ino even more anxious.
Behind her, Shikamaru tapped her shoulder.
"Relax. Sakura's not gonna miss this. She promised you, remember?"
Ino took a deep breath and tried to focus as names flew by… until—
"Next—Haruno Sakura!"
Iruka flipped the page and called out a name that even surprised him.
Wait, isn't that kid out of the village? Why did Lord Hokage schedule her for the exam?
"Teacher, I—"
Ino was about to run in and explain, but right then—
WHOOSH!
A kunai trailing blue chakra flames shot in from miles away, piercing a desk and embedding in the floor with a CLANG.
A burst of light exploded. Pink yukata fluttering in the wind, soft hair dancing, the girl stepped out of the glow and opened her emerald eyes.
The entire room froze.
"Yo, Ino—I'm back!"
Through the open door, Sakura flashed her a grin.
"SAKURA-CHAN!"
Ino's hands flew to her mouth, tears sparkling in her blue eyes.
Thank goodness. She made it.
It's been so long… She's so tall now, so pretty. I wonder how much she's been through out there…
CLICK.
Iruka slammed the door shut without mercy, shattering Ino's heartfelt moment.
"You're paying for that desk later!"
"And… welcome back, Sakura!"
He shot her a warm, big-brother smile. Four years apart, yet it felt like no time had passed.
"Iruka-sensei…"
"Let's begin."
---
"Iruka-sensei, no wonder you can't get a girlfriend!" Sakura grumbled under her breath.
Iruka ignored her and announced the exam: Clone Technique.
"Alright, Clone Jutsu it is!"
Sakura formed the Tiger seal. Her chakra flared up like a volcano.
The sheer heat made the proctors' skin tingle.
"Wait—Sakura, what are you—?!"
Iruka's eyebrow twitched. A traumatic flashback hit him—their entrance exam six years ago.
Not again…
"Wai—"
"Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The room exploded with pink-haired Sakuras. The door, windows—everything was crammed full.
Iruka got pinned to the blackboard by a pile of clones, face covered in chalk dust.
"ENOUGH—YOU PASS!"
Sakura casually dispelled the jutsu.
POOF!
Smoke flooded the room. The three proctors who'd been propped against the wall crashed to the floor.
Just like old times.
They stood up, grumbling, and glared at the smirking girl.
"Take your headband and get out!"
Iruka jabbed a finger at the door. The others marked "PASS" on her sheet.
She was their student, after all—and she'd more than met the requirements.
As for the chaos? Well… genius gets a little leeway.
"Ehehe~"
Sakura stuck out her tongue, grabbed a forehead protector, tied it like a headband, and bolted out.
"SAKURA!"
Ino tackle-hugged her the second she stepped outside, burying her face in Sakura's chest.
"Okay, okay—easy, Ino. I gotta report to the Hokage first, but tonight I'm taking you to South Street for the good stuff!"
Sakura steadied Ino, then her stomach let out a loud GRRRRROWL.
"Pfft—hahaha!" Ino burst out laughing. "You just wanna eat, don't you?"
"Class ends—don't leave without me!"
Sakura patted Ino's back, leaving a tiny cherry-blossom seal on her jacket.
Then—flash—space ripped open and swallowed her in light.
---
Hokage's Office.
Jiraiya was sprawled on the couch, flipping through his new book. Hiruzen Sarutobi puffed smoke like he was trying to fumigate the pervert.
Suddenly—flash—Sakura materialized.
"You're back."
Hiruzen set down his pipe, smiling proudly.
Where Konoha's leaves dance, the fire burns eternal. The flames will light the village and help new buds grow.
Konoha's little sprout… has finally grown.
"Sakura's here, old man. I'm out."
Jiraiya closed his book and stood.
"Sensei, when's your new book coming out? Let me see!"
Sakura snatched it from his hands and started flipping through.
"Hey! The publisher sent that to me! Wanna read it? Buy your own!"
Jiraiya lunged, but Sakura danced around him like a ghost.
"Stingy! It's not gonna kill you to share!"
Watching the master and apprentice bicker in his office, Hiruzen's heart finally settled.
Lord Tobirama… I've failed you.
Konoha's new generation… has grown up weird.
Sakura, oblivious, figured the old man's dead-tree vibe was perfect for her report.
She gave a quick summary of her four years of training, grabbed her official medical ninja ID from Hiruzen, and strolled out satisfied.
---
The sunset painted the streets golden. The breeze carried the warm, familiar scent of Konoha—street food, woodsmoke, home.
Standing on a power line overlooking the village, Sakura took a deep breath and whispered:
"Konoha… I'm back!"