Chapter 14: Mad Dog

Sakura Haruno stared at the book in her hands, The Third Hokage’s Will of Fire, and couldn't help but feel speechless. If she were the one writing it, the content would probably be far more engaging than this hollow rhetoric.

To sum it up in four words: Loyalty to the Hokage, love for the village.  

She tossed the book aside and stretched. After sitting in the classroom all morning, it was about time to get up and move around.

Closing her eyes, she let her mind go blank, preparing herself for training.

Most of her classmates had gone outside to practice shuriken throwing. She could faintly hear Iruka shouting at Naruto in the distance—

Something about reckless shuriken-throwing techniques...

Something about self-invented, high-level jutsu...

Something about not using weird, made-up techniques...

A cool breeze, carrying the earthy scent of rain-soaked ground, drifted through the classroom window, gently ruffling her hair. Suddenly, a chill ran down her spine.

A shadow loomed over her.

Instinctively, Sakura’s emerald eyes snapped open—only to meet a face that could only be described as lifeless, hollow... consumed by despair.

“Sasuke-kun?”

She blinked, taken aback.

Why was Sasuke here?

Shouldn’t he be—

“Sakura Haruno.”

His voice was flat, devoid of emotion.

“Huh? What is it?”

“I want to fight you.”

Sasuke’s gaze was empty.

Overnight, he had lost everything.

His strict father, his gentle mother, and...

That bastard—Uchiha Itachi.

He was too weak. He wasn’t even worth killing.

All for some ridiculous reason—

To test himself?

And in doing so, he had slaughtered them all.

The warmth of family, the illusion of happiness, had shattered like glass.

Everything that once seemed within reach—

Itachi had cut it all down in an instant.

I’m too weak. I’m too weak. I’m not just no match for Uchiha Itachi...  

Even in the academy, Sakura Haruno is always ahead of me.  

“No.”

Sakura answered bluntly.

“I have things to do. I don’t have time to fight you. Besides, if you have time for this, you should go home and—”

She gathered her belongings as she spoke.

So many Uchiha had just died. Right now, Sasuke should be home, handling funeral matters, not randomly challenging her to a meaningless fight.

*BANG!*

A palm slammed down on her desk with a loud boom, cutting her off.

“You… you’re looking down on me too?!”

Sasuke’s face twisted with rage, his eyes burning with madness as he glared at her.

The words go home had completely set him off.

Home?  

What home?!  

He had no home to return to.

Sakura furrowed her brows, suppressing her irritation.

“Sasuke, I think you need to—”

A powerful fist came flying toward her.

Had she not dodged in time, it would have landed square on her face!

Stronger. I need to be stronger. Stronger!  

At that moment, Sasuke was like a rabid beast, attacking her wildly.

If he wanted to kill Uchiha Itachi, he had to keep getting stronger.

And the first obstacle in his way—was Sakura Haruno.

Sakura dodged his attacks, her frown deepening.

“Sasuke, if you don’t stop, I won’t hold back.”

Her words only seemed to fuel his rage.

‘I won’t hold back’?  

Was she implying that she was going easy on him?!

Extreme emotions clouded Sasuke’s mind. He had only one thought—

Defeat her. Defeat her!  

But as Sakura looked at him, the frustration in her heart melted away.

All she felt for him now—was pity.

Like a stray dog abandoned in the rain.

Only, this dog refused to accept reality and had gone mad.

Step by step, she retreated.

Step by step, he advanced.

Until—

Her back met the cold, hard wall.

*THUD.*

A heavy sound echoed in the classroom.

Sasuke’s eyes widened in disbelief.

She had caught his fist.

With a single hand.

No matter how much force he applied, he couldn’t break free.

“Do you see it now?”

“The gap between us.”

Her voice was calm, but those words cut deep.

No matter how he struggled, no matter how hard he tried to pull away, he couldn’t move her.

Sakura was as immovable as stone.

He tried to strike with his free hand—

But before he could, she tightened her grip and pressed down.  

His entire body was forced downward, against his will.

“AAAHHHH!”

Sasuke roared in frustration.

What… what was that look in her eyes?

Was that... pity?

When had he become someone to be pitied?!

“Taking your anger out on others is a pathetic way to cope,” Sakura said, her emerald eyes steady.

“And Sasuke… more than that, I’m your classmate.”

She hesitated for a moment before adding—

“And let’s be honest… you’ve seen it for yourself. You can’t beat me.”

“I accept your challenge.”

“But I won’t fight you like this. Not when you’re acting like a mad dog.”

“Go home, Sasuke.”

She let him go.

And somewhere in that moment, silent tears had begun to fall down Sasuke’s face.

He stood there, saying nothing.

Sakura spared him one last glance before walking past him.

“…Sakura Haruno.”

His voice trembled.

“I will win… one day.”

—

 Hokage’s Office

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a slow drag of his pipe, watching the events unfold through his crystal ball.

He sighed, rubbing his temples.

Uchiha Itachi’s final request before leaving had been more troublesome than expected.

Every Uchiha who awakens the Mangekyō… ends up a madman.  

Uchiha Madara had been like this.

Uchiha Itachi was no different.

At last, Hiruzen understood why his teacher, Tobirama Senju, had kept the Uchiha away from the battlefield, placing them in charge of Konoha’s Police Force instead.

The stronger the Sharingan, the more distorted the mind.

And the Mangekyō… was the worst of all.

Extreme power. Extreme emotions.

If the Uchiha were ever unleashed on the battlefield en masse…

It would be a disaster.

(End of Chapter)