Farewell

Although it felt alright to be bumped into by a cute and pretty girl with a baby in her arms, Sakura Haruno still ruthlessly pushed Ino away.

"Could you please stop wiping your snot on me?"

The pink-haired girl's face twitched, and the veins on her forehead bulged slightly.

"I'm going to train, not to die..." Sakura Haruno's tone was a little helpless.

"Based on past experience, the success rate of Senjutsu training is less than ten percent," Sasuke calmly retorted. "In other words, nine out of ten ninjas who attempt Senjutsu will fail. Among those who fail is even the exceptionally talented Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze."

"Of the nine who failed, about four or five never returned to Konoha. This means that the mortality rate for Senjutsu training is as high as 50%!"

Sasuke's expression was very serious.

The staggering death rate made the atmosphere at the farewell scene exceptionally somber.

"Let me give you some advice, Sakura." Sasuke stepped forward and looked at Sakura Haruno's face.

"Um?"

Sakura wore a faint smile. Sasuke's lines sounded strangely familiar.

"Don't die."

Sakura Haruno smiled brightly. The gloomy atmosphere seemed to dissipate in her radiant smile.

Don't worry.

She stepped forward and gently shook Sasuke's hand.

Warm. Powerful.

"I'm not the kind of person who dies easily." She released her grip, looked into Sasuke's eyes, and said earnestly.

Some might think she's overconfident, but Sakura Haruno genuinely believes she won't be one of those fifty percent who never return.

Just like getting into a top-tier university through the national college entrance examination (Gaokao), statistically, there's only a 10% chance. But for a true academic genius, it's an absolute breeze, with a Tsukumo % probability of achieving it. The remaining 0.1% is left to car accidents...

Sakura Haruno was confident.

When it was Hinata's turn, this more open-minded Byakugan girl didn't say a word and simply gave Sakura a big hug.

Even more dramatic than Ino's charge, Sakura Haruno swallowed back all the words she was about to say.

Okay, shut up, hug me, Sakura Haruno thought. It's best to leave everything unsaid.

"Take care of yourself!"

Hinata patted her on the back, speaking heavily.

When Hinata go, Sakura Haruno's face still had a faint blush—no, it must have been from being held too tightly and unable to breathe.

Only Bai's farewell was somewhat normal; he wasn't vicious or domineering, let alone suffocating Sakura Haruno.

As for Kakashi, Tsunade, and the others, they had already said goodbye beforehand and did not come today.

"Well then, I'm off..." Sakura Haruno nodded to each of her friends who were seeing her off.

Then, she quickly Hand Seals, and slammed her palm into the ground. Thin, tadpole-like Summoning Technique symbols instantly extended from her palm as her Chakra circulated, rapidly spreading across the entire training ground.

Bang!

"Secret Technique: Summoning Technique!"

A giant Katsuyu with dark green stripes suddenly appeared on the training field.

"Let's go, Katsuyu," Sakura Haruno said calmly, standing high on the Katsuyu's head.

"Wait a minute! Teacher!"

Just like a scene often seen in movies and TV series, just as the Katsuyu was preparing to reverse its spirit communication back to Shikkotsu Forest, someone suddenly shouted loudly at Sakura Haruno from a street corner in the distance.

Sakura looked closely and saw three people running and shouting in the distance. They were her three students: Konohamaru, Udon, and Moegi.

"Wait a minute." Sakura quickly stopped the Katsuyu's movements, and looked at the three of them running over at top speed, panting heavily, and couldn't help but feel very strange, "I already told you last night, you didn't need to come and see me off... Why did you still come?"

Last night, Sakura Haruno's Team held a dinner to celebrate the fact that three students had simultaneously passed the Chunin Exams.

--At the same time, it was also the farewell dinner for Sakura Haruno's Team.

All good things must come to an end. Team Kakashi (Team 7) disbanded after its members were promoted or went on trips; the same was true for Sakura Haruno's Team. All three students were promoted to Chunin, indicating that the village recognized their growth, which meant that Sakura Haruno no longer needed to lead them in training and missions.

Therefore, Sakura Haruno's Team was disbanded.

The three students were very disappointed upon hearing the news, just like Sasuke and Naruto when they learned that Team 7 was going to disband. Sakura Haruno's Team made an exception and ordered a lot of alcohol. The three students drank non-stop, and while drinking, they pulled Sakura Haruno aside and reminisced for a long time about the team's shared past.

Just like Kakashi back then, in the final moments of Sakura Haruno's Team reuniting, Sakura left each of her students with earnest advice and heartfelt blessings.

The Ninja Academy taught them the basics, Sakura Haruno guided them through the beginnings. If they wanted to advance further, they would need to find a "master" to pass on the torch. This was the path they would have to take in the future.

Although they only spent half a year together, and although the missions that Sakura Haruno's Team experienced were not as exciting as those of Team 7, the feelings and bonds between the teachers and students were just as deep and lasting.

When the dinner party ended, Sakura was only slightly tipsy, her face flushed, while the three students were completely drunk and unconscious.

Sakura Haruno had already told them not to come to see her off; she also knew that they probably wouldn't make it in time for the farewell after their hangover. But Konohamaru and the others still made it.

Sakura jumped down from the Katsuyu's head and landed in front of the three students. Looking at the three of them, who were covered in sweat from their journey, she felt both annoyed by their disobedience and a little touched.

"Sakura-sensei, this is for you!" Before Konohamaru could catch his breath, he pulled a well-packaged box from his pocket and handed it to Sakura Haruno.

"A farewell gift?"

"Yes!" The three nodded in unison. "Teacher, please open it and take a look!"

Sakura Haruno opened the packaging and took out a clean white ceramic cup from the box.

The cup is decorated with four chibi-style figures. Konohamaru stands in front with a large head and a small body, smiling brightly. Behind him stands Sakura Haruno, a head taller than the students, with big green eyes, shoulder-length pink hair, and a smile that she often wears unintentionally, which is very expressive.

There was also a crookedly written sentence above, "Sakura Haruno's Team will always be together!"

Sakura Haruno suddenly didn't know what to do.

Yes, it was all over last night. At this moment, silence speaks louder than words.

She blinked, feeling a slight stinging in her eyes.

"These are cups we made ourselves," Konohamaru said. "I made them using Earth Release!" Moegi added. "I was in charge of the artwork!" And this is Udon. "I baked it using Fire Style!" Konohamaru concluded.

"Thank you." Sakura Haruno put the cup away and placed it in the scroll containing her luggage, saying solemnly, "This gift... I really like it."

"Sakura Haruno's Team will always be together!"

The three students shouted.

The pink-haired girl crouched down slightly and hugged the three students tightly.

"The Sakura Haruno's Team has never disbanded."

Her head nestled against Moegi's, their hair brushing against each other, while she also had her arms around Konohamaru and Udon's shoulders, smiling as she spoke.

"It's time to go."

After a long while, the Katsuyu finally spoke.

"Hmm." Sakura Haruno looked up, her gaze sweeping over the faces of her friends and students. "Well then, goodbye, everyone."

No sooner had the words left her mouth than the Katsuyu activated its Reverse Summoning Technique, taking Sakura Haruno away from Konoha.

Crossing thousands of kilometers and traversing half the planet, the Summoning Technique brought Sakura Haruno to Shikkotsu Forest.

The magnificent scenery that she had seen once before was once again displayed before the girl.

"Is that Sakura Haruno...? I've been waiting for you for so long."

The Sage Katsuyu's voice came from above, loud and clear like thunder in the clouds, booming and stretching, startling the earth.

[Second update.]