Best Friend

Body Flicker Technique

A B-rank technique, but an extremely practical one.

It uses a burst of Chakra to instantly accelerate the user.

However, because there's a startup before activation and a recovery after reaching the destination, most ninja only use it for travel.

Few ninja can overcome this startup and recovery to apply it in combat.

Of course, that doesn't mean none exist.

For example, the famous Yellow Flash, Namikaze Minato, could overcome this startup and recovery to use it in actual combat—though after obtaining the Flying Thunder God, the Body Flicker Technique wasn't as effective for him anymore.

And then there's Body Flicker Shisui, who made a name for himself with this utterly ordinary Body Flicker Technique.

His Body Flicker was so fast it could leave dozens of afterimages.

Sakura sat by the river, flipping through the scroll Hiruzen Sarutobi had given her.

Judging from the techniques he'd given her, he clearly wanted to mold her into a relentless combination of speed and power.

And with her foundation in Monstrous Strength, learning the Body Flicker Technique was a cinch—the only difficulty was how to apply it in battle.

If she couldn't overcome that startup and recovery, then for Sakura, this technique would be no different than for any other ninja—only useful for travel.

But if Sakura could succeed in overcoming it, ehem...

Imagine Tsunade with Shisui's speed.

One punch turning Orochimaru into a dead snake.

Sakura sat there by the river, staring at the scroll in her hands, and before she knew it, the sky had darkened.

Physical training had little effect on Sakura at this stage; even Hiruzen Sarutobi himself had said she was too young, her meridians unable to handle a faster flow of Chakra.

She had to take it slow and let herself grow a bit older.

—

"Sakura!"

A familiar voice rang out from a distance.

Sakura looked up and saw a little girl with light yellow hair waving at her from the riverbank.

It was only then that Sakura belatedly realized the day was growing late.

She put away the scroll and walked toward Ino, letting out a light laugh as she spoke:

"What brings my Yamanaka princess to see me today?"

Ino ignored Sakura's teasing, familiarly linking her arm with Sakura's, and spoke with a hint of melancholy:

"Sakura, Sasuke's been ignoring everyone lately, eh?"

Glancing at the troubled Ino, Sakura tilted her head and said:

"Hasn't Sasuke always been like that?"

"Oh, you don't get it. Before, Sasuke at least had that aloof look, but it was totally different from now."

"Now Sasuke's like a block of ice!"

"But that makes him even cooler!"

Watching her love-struck friend beside her, Sakura felt a bit speechless. She chose her words carefully and said:

"Is it possible he just doesn't want to deal with people who pester him?"

If she could help it, Sakura didn't want Ino to get too entangled with Sasuke.

After all, Ino and Sasuke were from completely different worlds.

Though in the end, Ino did let go of Sasuke, while only 'she' herself had thrown herself at him like a fool.

"How could that be?"

"Sasuke's so handsome—he's definitely just annoyed by all the others bothering him, so he ignores everyone!"

Ino immediately refuted Sakura with righteous indignation.

Well, looks are justice.

Sakura could only sigh helplessly at that, but unfortunately, Ino's feelings for Sasuke were destined to go nowhere.

"Eh?"

"I remember Sakura used to like Sasuke a lot too, didn't she?"

"Why did you suddenly stop liking him?"

Ino suddenly remembered something, let go of Sakura, and studied her best friend with a serious expression.

Her beautiful cherry-pink hair, the kind Ino envied, was simply tied into a ponytail. She wore nothing but the simplest black short-sleeved shirt and white ninja pants, with ordinary ninja sandals on her feet.

If there was one thing that represented a girlish heart, it was probably the red headband Ino had given her to show off her forehead, which Sakura now used to tie her hair.

And because she trained so often, Sakura carried an inexplicable... coolness about her.

Yes, a girl actually being described as "handsome" by Ino...

The kind of handsome that's dashing and spirited.

Sakura's pair of Emerald Eyes were full of helplessness as she looked at Ino and spoke:

"That's because Ino likes it."

"I'd never take anything Ino likes."

"Don't worry~~"

Sakura smiled warmly as she patted Ino's head.

"Boo hoo, Sakura's too good!"

"If Sakura were a boy, I'd definitely marry Sakura!"

Ino threw herself into Sakura's arms. When they were little, Ino used to be a bit tomboyish, but now in front of Sakura, she was like a soft girl.

"Yes, yes, yes~~"

"If I were a boy, knowing Ino likes Sasuke this much, I'd definitely get jealous."

Sakura chuckled softly, patting the little girl's back in her arms, speaking in a teasing tone.

"Hehehe, well, if Sakura were a boy, I might actually have to consider whether to pick Sakura or Sasuke."

"But too bad Sakura's a girl~~~"

The Ino in her arms winked playfully at Sakura, then pinched Sakura's nose under her gentle gaze.

"Then if I were a boy, Ino probably wouldn't be hugging me so freely, right?"

Sakura raised a fine eyebrow, and her hands shot straight for Ino's waist.

"Ah!"

Ino yelped in surprise, caught off guard, and then her waist was unbearably ticklish.

She thought about pushing Sakura away, but the difference in their strength was too great.

"Hahahahaha, Sakura~~~so mean!!"

"I'm sorry! Hahahaha!"

"Let me go!!! Hahahahaha!"

Ino laughed until tears came out, losing her balance and dragging Sakura down with her onto the grass by the riverbank.

Looking at Sakura pinned beneath her, Ino's face was flushed—whether from laughing or something else.

"Sakura's bullying me!"

Ino put on a fierce expression as she looked at Sakura, but still made no move to get off her.

"Didn't Ino pinch my nose first?"

Sakura found it amusing to see Ino pretending to be fierce—no matter how tough she acted, she was like a little kitten.

"Eh?"

Hearing Sakura's words, Ino froze for a moment, then argued stubbornly:

"I don't care! Sakura is bullying me!"

"Yes, yes, yes, I'm the one bullying Ino."

Sakura's attitude made Ino feel like she'd punched cotton—no sense of accomplishment at all.

"Hmph, I'm ignoring you!"

"I'm going home!"

Ino climbed off Sakura, turned her head away, and spoke with a tsundere air.

"Then do you want me to pick you up from school tomorrow? Tomorrow afternoon is still liberal arts, so I won't go."

"No!"

"Really not?"

"...Yes."