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Chapter 15: Hokage

Added 2025-04-02 22:03:06 +0000 UTC

Hiruzen Sarutobi stroked his beard as he gazed into the crystal ball, watching the pink-haired little girl inside.

Although Haruno Sakura’s handling of Uchiha Sasuke was somewhat biased, it was more than enough to satisfy Hiruzen.

When dealing with a classmate who had lost control of their emotions, words alone wouldn’t work. The best approach was to subdue them first and then talk them down afterward.

And clearly, it worked.

This... this is the future of Konoha.

Reflecting on the scene he had just witnessed, Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to come to a decision.

—

"Whew..."

Sakura leaned against a thick tree trunk, breathing heavily. Beads of sweat trickled down her cheeks.

The incident with Sasuke hadn’t affected her much—she held no ill will toward him.

He was just a pitiful child, that’s all.

Right now, she had just finished a grueling 30-kilometer endurance run. At only seven years old, she could clearly feel the limits of her body.

If she pushed any further, it would start causing real harm.

"Sakura?"

"What are you doing here?"

A slightly aged yet still powerful voice rang out, filled with curiosity.

The pink-haired girl turned her head and saw a slightly bald old man dressed in casual clothes standing nearby, studying her.

"Hokage-sama?"

Sakura's face showed surprise. She tried to stand up, but her exhausted body had no strength left. Just as she struggled, Hiruzen gently pressed a hand on her shoulder.

"If you're tired, then rest properly."

His eyes were filled with kindness as he looked at the little girl in front of him.

"Yes, Hokage-sama," Sakura responded, pursing her lips. She gazed at the elderly man before her, confusion flickering in her eyes.

"But... why are you here?"

"Hahaha, of course, I came to check on our young genius ninja!"

Hiruzen chuckled, sitting down beside her and patting her head affectionately.

Since Sakura had never hidden her talent, her reputation as a prodigy had already spread. It was no surprise that the Hokage had taken notice.

Hearing his words, Sakura pressed her lips together but didn’t say much.

"What’s wrong?"

Hiruzen looked at her, sensing that something was off. She didn’t seem very happy.

Sakura pointed to the sweat on her face and her nearly limp body.

"The word 'genius' completely erases all my hard work."

"No one sees the effort I put in. They just assume my success comes naturally."

Even though she had deliberately showcased her talent, the truth was that she spent countless late nights studying and trained rigorously every day.

Sure, she had achieved her goal, but she had also paid for it with sweat and exhaustion.

"I see... I overlooked that," Hiruzen said softly. "You’re a hardworking child, Sakura."

His gaze became even gentler.

He had already taken a liking to this child, and now, after hearing her words, he felt a tinge of sympathy for her.

"Then, can I ask why you're working so hard?"

Sakura perked up at his question.

She pointed toward the Hokage building—or rather, toward the Hokage Rock behind it.

Even though it wasn’t visible from here, she still pointed straight at it.

Hiruzen followed her gaze.

"I want to become the first female Hokage!"

"I want to protect my mom, my dad, and the village!"

Hiruzen stared at the little girl in front of him, momentarily stunned.

She already had his admiration, but now, hearing these words—words that sounded so much like those of a certain red-haired, fiery-tempered woman from the past—his heart stirred.

In Sakura, he saw glimpses of others.

She had Tsunade's raw strength, Kushina's ambition, and Minato’s personality…

Hiruzen’s eyes grew misty.

From his angle, he couldn’t see Sakura’s slightly awkward and embarrassed expression.

After all, saying something so bold in front of a sixty-something-year-old man was kind of… embarrassing.

Lying to the old man was just a temporary strategy.

"I see. That’s a wonderful goal."

"Old man Hokage believes in you, Sakura."

Wiping the corner of his eyes, he patted her head with a smile.

"If you ever have any questions or things you don’t understand, you can always come to me."

Then, without another word, he stood up and disappeared from sight.

…Wait.

That’s it?

Sakura blinked, watching the Hokage vanish.

Seriously, old man? You just left like that?

With a sigh, she turned her head—only to notice something left behind where Hiruzen had been sitting.

A scroll.

Holy crap, the old man dropped loot!

Eagerly, Sakura picked it up and unrolled it.

The first two large characters stood out clearly.

*Super Strength!*

To be honest, she was a little disappointed.

But whatever. At least now she could openly use her strength without holding back.

Flipping through the contents, her eyes suddenly lit up.

This wasn’t just about brute force.

Tsunade’s *Super Strength* was a unique taijutsu technique that involved concentrating chakra into a specific part of the body and explosively releasing it.

It required extremely precise chakra control. But because of that, the scroll also contained techniques for better chakra manipulation—more refined and efficient ways to control it.

Even though Sakura had already mastered super strength thanks to her golden finger, she still wasn’t proficient in chakra control.

And for a ninja, chakra control was everything.

Except, of course, for Naruto—who had an absurdly massive chakra reserve.

If she could improve her control, every jutsu would become easier to learn.

And since Hiruzen had said she could go to him if she had any questions…

Hehehe, Hokage-sama, I have *so many* questions!

Carefully tucking the scroll away, Sakura hummed a little tune as she walked home under the setting sun.

🎵 "The vast horizon is my love~~~"

🎵 "Beneath the rolling green hills, flowers bloom bright~~~"

The shimmering lake reflected her lighthearted figure.

By the familiar riverbank, a lone figure sat staring at the water, lost in thought.

"Yo, Naruto! Why are you just sitting there spacing out?"