Training

While the outside world was in turmoil, Sakura Haruno herself hid deep within the Shikkotsu Forest, recuperating undisturbed.

She spends most of her time enveloped by the Sage Katsuyu, using the Sage's powerful healing abilities to recover from her injuries.

In that battle, having briefly faced the power of the letter, Sakura Haruno's injuries had actually reached her very core.

Fortunately, she herself is a master of healing and Yang Release Chakra, while the Sage Katsuyu's true form is a giant beast that has lived for thousands of years. With its invincible Chakra alone, it can become a medical genius unparalleled throughout history. With its powerful abilities, even if Sakura Haruno only has a brain and a heart left, it has a way to save her!

What about the foundation of the nose?

The Sage Katsuyu can even help Sakura Haruno repair and nourish every single cell, rebuilding her foundation!

Incidentally, it can also help Sakura Haruno heal the deeply hidden injuries she sustained after numerous life-threatening battles.

However, this inevitably prolongs the treatment period considerably.

During the long treatment process, Sakura Haruno was unable to move while fused with the Sage Body. With her eyes wide open and nothing to do, she simply began to rethink her path of cultivation.

This is also an excellent opportunity for Sakura Haruno, who is always busy with various training and missions, to take a break, organize her Chakra system, review her growth, summarize and sort out her experiences, and think about some issues that require a long time to consider.

She should have done this a long time ago.

Unexpectedly, yet logically, Sakura Haruno gained more than she would have through ordinary training, despite not undergoing any actual training.

Water.

Flowing, endlessly regenerating.

Long ago, Sakura Haruno believed that the Nature Transformation of Water Release was "flow," rather than the "pressure" as the mainstream view held.

Even so, this was Jiraiya of the legendary Sannin, while she was still unknown at the time, just an unknown rookie. (Chapter 59)

How proud is Sakura Haruno?

Even though she was still a newcomer, she was 100% confident in her answer, firmly believing that her years of immersion in Water Release techniques would not be swayed by Jiraiya's rebuttal!

At this moment, she was a master of Water Release, brimming with sharpness.

However, as she grew older and gained more experience in combat and training, she gradually realized that the mainstream view was not entirely without merit. Attributing the Nature Transformation of Water Release to "pressure" or even the more unorthodox understandings of "impermanence" and "accommodation" was not unreasonable. In combat, one could use "flow" to shape and guide power, or use "pressure" to increase power. Other methods also had their merits. It was simply a matter of adapting to the situation and not sticking to one particular approach.

It's not about denying one's own answer, nor about abandoning pride, but rather acknowledging and learning from the merits of others, growing from self-centered pride to an inclusive and tolerant attitude.

This is yet another level.

At this point, Sakura Haruno's Water Release was flawless, her training could be considered complete, and she had reached the end of the path laid out for those who came before her. She could be considered a master of Water Release.

I thought I had reached the pinnacle and there was no more room for advancement.

However, after the battle with Pain, Sakura seemed to have gained some insight.

Inside the Katsuyu's body, during the long and tedious recovery period, she pondered deeply.

On the surface, everyone has their own understanding of the Nature Transformation of Water Release techniques, and each person has their own reasoning, which can all be expressed in Water Release Ninjutsu. But in reality, despite the myriad variations, they all stem from the same core. Just like the blind men and the elephant, each person has genuinely come into contact with the existence of the "elephant," but each person has different insights. These insights cannot be wrong, but they can never be the truth.

Flow.

Returning to simplicity, everything originates from "flow".

It's not about the "flow" of water, nor is it as superficial as understood in the first level. Rather, it uses the flow of water as a metaphor for a way of moving Chakra energy.

This is an ineffable understanding, indescribable and inexpressible. If one were to insist on putting it into words, it would require the Hokage world to develop as it did in the previous life, and then several hundred years to come, until mathematics and physics have reached extremely high levels, combining the wisdom of several generations, before a vast array of formulas could be used to describe the characteristics of this Chakra circulation. [Note, see chapter]

For Sakura Haruno, however, such a complicated process was unnecessary. She grasped the concept, and that was that. Just as a cyclist doesn't need to first learn force analysis and moment of inertia, but simply ride a bike, and in a certain moment understands what balance is, she will never forget the feeling of riding a bike for the rest of her life. [Note, see chapter]

All the Nature Transformation of Water Release, though seemingly flashy, are actually extensions and variations derived from this Chakra circulation method that resembles the flow of water.

When the Sage of Six Paths passed Genin Sect and divided the Five Elements Release Techniques, he named Water Release," which has its own profound meaning.

To elaborate further, the so-called Five Elements Release Techniques are actually five ways of utilizing Chakra energy.

The Shape Transformation are self-evident. The Nature Transformation are simply the characteristics of the Release Techniques caused by five different energy movement methods. For example, the true Nature Transformation of Wind Release must be a Chakra circulation mode metaphorically described by the Six Paths using "the blowing of wind and the shearing of hidden things." It can generate a sharp shearing force. Earth Release, Fire Style, and Lightning Release can be deduced in the same way. As for Kekkei Genkai such as Ice Release, they are simply composite circulation modes composed of two single energy circulation modes.

Despite the ever-changing nature of the situation, the ultimate test is a ninja's ability to manipulate energy—that is, Chakra.

The moment she understood all this, a heartfelt joy welled up from the bottom of the girl's heart.

She knew that she had crossed another threshold. Although her combat power hadn't increased on the surface, her potential for growth had actually increased by an immeasurable amount!

The advancement of these three realms can be described as a progressive advancement from "seeing a mountain as a mountain, seeing a mountain as not a mountain, and seeing a mountain as a mountain again."

In contrast, most ninjas don't even have any "level" of understanding. They don't have a deep understanding of Chakra and Release Techniques, they haven't mastered Nature Transformation, and they don't even know what a "mountain" is.

The majority of the rest may remain at the first level for their entire lives, meaning they have some understanding of the nature of commonly used Release Techniques, but not a deep understanding, and are merely parroting what others say.

Those who reach the level of "talent" mostly hover at the threshold of the second realm. They have a deep understanding of the Release Techniques they are good at, and can even create some powerful Release Techniques themselves. However, most of them are obsessed with their own pride, using themselves as a barrier, becoming stagnant and unable to move forward. But once they make a breakthrough, they can often grow rapidly to the level of a grandmaster, reaching the limits that ordinary people can imagine, such as the Second Hokage.

Sasuke's Lightning Release, due to his short training period, is currently somewhere between "seeing a mountain as a mountain" and "seeing a mountain as not a mountain".

The level of Water Release that Sakura Haruno reached is something only a genius of the Six Paths level could achieve, touching upon the truth hidden beneath the surface of things. Throughout the entire river of time, perhaps only the Sage of Six Paths himself, who founded his own school, and Sakura Haruno, an anomaly who has a profound understanding of Water Release Techniques and is backed by the wisdom of six billion people from her previous world, combining the strengths of two worlds, could reach such a level!

As a clone of Sakura Haruno, Sakura Uchiha naturally inherited the original's Water Release techniques.

Although this sparring session limited the application of Monstrous Strength Technique, she had her own ingenious plan to achieve a Monstrous Strength effect!

However, the confident girl was surprised to find that Sasuke wasn't surprised by her moves at all; in fact, he handled them with ease, to the point that—

Bang!

Sakura Uchiha's seemingly inevitable punch was skillfully dodged by Sasuke. The residual force of the punch shattered the wooden target. In the instant they passed each other, the boy smiled slightly and moved forward like a fish, his Kunai extending like a venomous snake!

General!

In the instant the Kunai's cold edge pressed forward, Sasuke flipped his wrist, the Kunai twirling in his hand before turning into a circle facing forward, accurately striking the space between his opponent's third and fourth ribs, right at the heart!

The outcome is decided.

I won.

Sasuke put away his Kunai and looked at the girl with a smile.

Sakura Uchiha winced in pain, screamed, and took a few steps back to her feet. She rubbed her chest and glared angrily at Sasuke: "Damn it! Sasuke, why do you seem to know this move so well?"

Sasuke chuckled.

"Do you think Sakura wouldn't think of any move you can think of?" he laughed. Sakura Uchiha's technique was something Sakura Haruno had used years ago. It simply relied on Sakura's masterful control of the Water Release Nature Transformation "Flow," allowing her to channel and concentrate the power of every muscle in her body in the same direction when she exerted force. When she threw a punch, it wasn't just her arms that were working; her legs, thighs, waist, abdomen, and back muscles were all working simultaneously!

Controlling the flow of power is also a high-level application of Water Release: Nature Transformation.

It's important to know that an average person can only generate a force of one or two hundred kilograms by using their arms alone. However, if all the muscles in the body exert force in the same direction, they can easily generate tens of tons of force!

Superior boxing techniques also emphasize the gathering of the whole body's strength. The so-called power originates from the root. Twisting the waist, hips, and shoulders also gathers the power of the main torso into the fist. In this respect, advanced Taijutsu and advanced Release Techniques lead to the same goal.

"Hmph!"

Sakura Uchiha pouted and glared at Sasuke with resentment.

"Then why did I lose? Even if you've seen this move before, I still have the advantage in terms of strength!"

Sasuke became slightly more serious.

"Taijutsu aren't that simple," he said seriously. "Let me be blunt, your problem isn't whether there's a problem with the abilities you inherited from Sakura, but that you are you, and she is her."

"Although you two are very similar, you are ultimately not Sakura Haruno, neither in body nor in soul."

Everything about her is not a perfect match for you.

"And this difference alone determines the outcome of Taijutsu."

The girl frowned, bit her lip, and pondered silently.

Her serious, thoughtful expression did bear a resemblance to the original character.

Ultimately, the biggest difference between the original and Sakura Uchiha lies in their bodies. The former has undergone long-term training, with every inch of skin, every muscle, every bone, and even every cell Chakra over many years. It is the body of a true top-tier powerhouse. In contrast, Sakura Uchiha, as a clone, is actually just a newborn, and her physical strength is completely incomparable.

If it were Sakura herself who made the move, Sasuke wouldn't have had a chance to dodge that punch. However, Sakura Uchiha's punch lacked a bit of power and momentum, which Sasuke seized upon to win in one move.

With a slight reminder from Sasuke, Sakura Uchiha immediately grasped the subtle difference.

No wonder she never makes me fight hand-to-hand...

"If she were to spar with you, would you still win?" the girl suddenly asked.

"Heh heh." Sasuke smiled slightly, "That depends on the restrictions."

The boy adopted an air of "She's strong, but I'm not weak either, and I have a good chance of winning."

In reality, the only sparring match Sasuke was truly confident in was a pure hand-to-hand combat where no Chakra could be used whatsoever...

Well, the only advantage is that girls have lower initial muscle strength than boys.