A Different Sakura

"The so-called ninja are those who fight using chakra!"

"And I already taught you how to use chakra last week!"

"Does any classmate remember?"

At the first class of the morning at the Ninja Academy, Iruka, who had a scar across the bridge of his nose, planned to review the previously covered lessons with these little brats before starting the lecture.

Iruka swept his gaze across the classroom. Some were playing with their dogs, some were daydreaming, and others were sneaking snacks...

Seeing this, a vein bulged on Iruka's forehead. Just as he was about to lose his temper, a small hand shot up.

"Alright, Sakura, you answer."

Seeing the girl in class raise her hand, Iruka's expression softened considerably.

"Chakra is an energy extracted by combining the physical energy of the body with spiritual energy."

"Paired with Hand Seals, it can be used to..."

Haruno Sakura recited the explanation of chakra with a blank expression.

Since she had already decided to be the top standout, she naturally couldn't afford to miss any opportunity to shine.

Although this didn't match Sakura's original personality, she was giving it her all to get her hands on the Yin Seal.

"Completely correct. Please sit down."

Iruka let Sakura sit, then turned his gaze to the back row of the classroom, barely restraining the urge to hit someone.

"Naruto! Kiba! Choji!"

"Go stand outside the classroom as punishment!"

Haruno Sakura watched all this expressionlessly, pulled out her notebook, and focused on Iruka as he began the morning lecture.

Whenever she encountered a question she didn't understand, she immediately raised her hand to ask, leaving no blind spots in her knowledge.

By the end of the morning, Haruno Sakura looked at her notebook, filled to the brim with notes, and sighed.

The road ahead was long and arduous...

"Hey, Sakura, you seem especially serious today~~"

A wheat-colored head poked over, marveling at the dense content on the notebook.

"When have I ever not been serious?"

Haruno Sakura closed her notebook and looked at Yamanaka Ino, who had leaned in.

"I mean, today, you're especially serious."

Yamanaka Ino spoke with a serious expression.

Suddenly, as if she had discovered something surprising, she stared at Sakura's pink hair, which was casually let down:

"What about the hair tie I gave you before?"

"Wearing it every day is too much trouble, so I didn't put it on."

Haruno Sakura placed her notebook in her desk, took out her lunchbox, and spoke matter-of-factly.

"Eh? I feel like Sakura's a completely different person today."

Yamanaka Ino curiously leaned in close to Haruno Sakura's face, scrutinizing her.

Not only was she not wearing the hair tie, but she also wasn't wearing a skirt. She was simply dressed in a plain black short-sleeve shirt, white ninja pants, and a pair of ninja sandals.

Simple, almost like a boy.

"Is that so?"

Haruno Sakura remained calm and composed, ignoring Ino clinging to her. She only planned to find a quiet place to eat, then practice chakra control techniques somewhere.

After all, she had already refined her chakra, so basic training like Tree Climbing and Water Walking should be on the agenda now.

"Sakura! Wait for me!"

Seeing Sakura walking off alone, Yamanaka Ino quickly chased after her.

Under a large tree at the edge of the training ground, Haruno Sakura sat quietly, eating the love-filled dumplings her mom had packed.

Meanwhile, Yamanaka Ino still clung to her side, chattering away.

Haruno Sakura didn't dislike her. Since she had chosen to accept her fate, she had to embrace it.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out in the distance.

In the shadows, a few academy students were seen pointing and jeering at a blond kid. Then, without a word, a fight broke out.

Unsurprisingly, the Blond Kid got beaten up.

Watching this, Ino beside her couldn't help but speak:

"He's getting picked on again."

Her tone was calm, clearly used to it—this kind of thing happened to him so often it was nothing new.

"Why does everyone have to bully him?"

Haruno Sakura swallowed the food in her mouth and suddenly spoke.

"Eh?"

"Sakura, what's wrong with you today? Asking a question like that?"

Ino looked at her best friend with a puzzled expression.

This kind of situation happened all the time, didn't it? Sakura had seen it plenty of times before.

Today's Sakura was acting really strange...

Gazing at the academy students who were clearly older than Blondie, Haruno Sakura set down her chopsticks and walked over step by step.

After all, he was her future teammate and the future savior—if she could lend a hand, she would...

"Eh? Sakura, what are you doing?"

Ino watched Sakura heading toward that shadowy spot and couldn't help feeling anxious.

What was up with Sakura today?

"Stop it!"

A crisp voice let out a youthful, stern shout.

This drew everyone's attention to Haruno Sakura.

The blond boy lying on the ground also looked over instinctively.

A girl with pink hair stood in the sunlight, righteous and stern as she stared this way.

Her pink hair shimmered almost blindingly in the sun, making the blond boy squint.

"What's this, just a girl."

The lead academy student looked at Haruno Sakura with disdain, his tone flippant and unconcerned.

"Get lost, or we'll beat you up too!"

The other lackeys also glared at Sakura with annoyance.

"I've already told Iruka-sensei that you're bullying someone here."

"If you don't want your parents called, you'd better let him go."

Haruno Sakura's gaze was calm as she looked at these thugs, her fists already clenched.

The small amount of Chakra she had was gathering in her hands.

"Ha?"

"You think that lame excuse is gonna get you to stick up for this kid?"

"Do you even know who he is?"

The other party clearly sneered at Sakura's words and paid them no mind.

With that, he kicked the blond boy on the ground again.

"No matter who he is, bullying him is wrong. It goes against the Hokage's Will of Fire."

Haruno Sakura's pretty brows furrowed together.

"Tch, take her down!"

Seeing Sakura bring up the Will of Fire, the lead academy student's expression soured, and he directly ordered his two underlings to charge at Sakura!

"Watch out! Dodge!"

The blond boy on the ground finally spoke.

Watching the academy students, who were clearly a year or two older, rush at her, Haruno Sakura's expression didn't change at all.

Fighting—she was the best at it!

She let out a soft breath and punched one of them square in the face with her Chakra-infused fist!

Bam!

Completely unexpected to everyone, that academy student flew backward!

He crashed heavily onto the ground!

"Eh?"

Haruno Sakura stared blankly at the scene. Was she really that strong?

"Wow! Sakura, you're amazing!"

At that moment, Ino jumped out and praised Sakura.

"B-Boss, that's the young lady of the Yamanaka clan..."

The other party clearly recognized Ino's identity and spoke hesitantly.

"Tch, lucky break for this kid. Let's go!"