Chapter 5: Hiruzen Sarutobi's Calculations
"Is there something you need me to do, Iruka-sensei?"
Sakura asked reflexively.
"Well, you know Naruto — the boy in our class?"
Iruka looked at the little girl with a gentle expression.
Then he explained what he had in mind.
Naruto was a troublemaker, sure — but whenever he was alone, he became withdrawn. Iruka was worried it might develop into something worse. He was hoping Sakura could spend some time with the boy.
"I know Naruto can be a handful, Sakura, but he's not a bad kid at heart. When it's just him, he's actually very well-behaved."
"And all those rumors going around the village… that's all they are. Rumors."
Iruka watched the girl, who still hadn't responded. He started to worry she'd refuse.
"Why me? Ino and Hinata don't seem to have anything against him either."
Sakura tilted her head, puzzled.
"Well…"
Honestly, Iruka had no idea either. But orders were orders — and these came straight from the Hokage.
As for why not Ino or Hinata… he'd been told nothing about that.
"Because… Sakura… you're… you're just a really kind person! Ahaha… yeah…"
It took him an embarrassingly long time to squeeze out that flimsy excuse.
Sakura stared at him flatly. A reason that weak wouldn't fool a five-year-old, let alone her.
Seeing the girl's utterly unconvinced expression, Iruka laughed nervously and tried to change the subject.
What an impossible assignment. Lord Hokage actually expects me to con a child…
But just as Iruka was floundering, Sakura let out a quiet sigh.
"Fine."
"Wait — you're agreeing?!"
Iruka's face lit up — but before he could celebrate, a small hand thrust itself in front of him.
"What's this, Sakura?"
"Money. You can't show up empty-handed the first time you visit someone."
"Iruka-sensei isn't expecting a broke six-year-old to foot the bill, right?"
!!!
Lord Hokage, what have you done to me…
To complete the Hokage's mission, he now had to pay out of pocket.
With a pained expression, Iruka opened his lucky-cat wallet and reluctantly peeled out three bills, handing them over.
Three hundred ryō?
Sakura examined the money and nodded approvingly.
In this world, three hundred ryō had enough buying power to keep a six-year-old entertained for a full day.
She might even pocket the change.
"So — what was it you came to see me about, Sakura?"
Now that she'd taken the money, Iruka breathed a sigh of relief and asked.
She had come to him first, after all. She must need something.
"Well, Iruka-sensei…"
Sakura sat alone on a rooftop, gazing out at the distance.
Iruka hadn't agreed to her request right away. He'd told her to go home and wait a couple of days for an answer.
She sighed and fished the three hundred ryō out of her pocket.
"Get closer to Naruto."
There was no way that kind of assignment was within Iruka's authority.
This had the Third Hokage — Hiruzen Sarutobi — written all over it, using Iruka as the middleman.
He must have seen what happened yesterday…
Still, this wasn't entirely bad news. It meant she was already on the Hokage's radar ahead of schedule.
But something about this scenario felt… familiar.
Build a bond with the village's most important asset. Grow up together side by side. And then — naturally, inevitably — fall in love, get married, have kids…
This was Minato Namikaze's storyline!
She was after the Yin Seal, and meanwhile that scheming old man was after HER?!
AAARGH!
So annoying!!!
Was she really going to have to sacrifice her dignity for this?!
In the Hokage's office, the Third Hokage peered into his crystal ball at the pink-haired girl, who had suddenly started having a meltdown on top of a random roof.
That child… is certainly unique.
Is she stressed about how to approach Naruto tomorrow?
"Lord Hokage."
"Sakura… she really is a good kid."
Iruka stood before Hiruzen, choosing his words carefully.
"Yes. I know."
Hiruzen nodded.
In the span of a single day, he'd turned the Haruno family inside out.
Clean background. Ordinary family. Sakura's great-grandfather had brought the family to Konoha when the village was first founded — as civilian-born as they came.
They'd produced one or two shinobi over the decades, but nothing remarkable.
Now only Kizashi remained.
And once Sakura grew up and married out… the Haruno line would quietly end.
"She wants to skip grades."
Iruka's words drew a flicker of surprise from Hiruzen.
Skip grades?
A civilian Academy student wanted to skip grades?
"Here's what happened…"
Iruka recounted everything that had occurred during the day.
When he finished, Hiruzen fell silent.
She wanted to skip ahead because classes had nothing left to teach her?
A prodigy, then?
He gazed into the crystal ball at the little girl sitting on the rooftop with her chin in her hand, pink hair fluttering in the evening breeze. He deliberated for a long time.
She was the one he'd specifically chosen to form a bond with Naruto.
Hiruzen had been trying to recreate the story of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki.
But if Sakura skipped ahead, her opportunities to interact with Naruto would drop significantly.
And given Naruto's… disposition, expecting him to keep up with someone talented enough to skip grades was asking a lot.
On the other hand — if he blocked Sakura's advancement, was he really going to let a gem like this sit in a classroom collecting dust?
Hiruzen leaned back in his chair, deep in thought.
"If she wants to skip ahead — give her the chance. Hand her all the study materials for her current year. One month from now, you'll test her privately."
"If she passes, give her the second-year materials. But she stays in your class."
"This continues until she's completed all six years' worth of coursework."
Hiruzen had made his decision.
The Nine-Tails jinchūriki's value to Konoha had always been as a deterrent — far more than as a weapon on the battlefield.
In all of Konoha's history, the village had never once deployed a Tailed Beast in combat.
It had been true in the past. It was true now. And Hiruzen intended to keep it that way.
The First Ninja War had the Second Hokage. The Second War had the White Fang and the Sannin. The Third War had the Yellow Flash.
Investing in the next generation wasn't optional — it was essential.
Sakura Haruno… let's see just how far that talent of yours goes.
Don't disappoint me.