Two and a Half Years

Kakashi was not in a very good mood right now.

He had originally thought that, having weathered a few storms, nothing he faced again would move him too much.

Now, it seemed he might have been wrong.

Because seated before him was a pink-haired little girl sipping tea from a cup.

Honestly, she was kind of cute.

But Kakashi would not be fooled by her appearance.

This pink-haired girl looked harmless enough on the outside, but her heart was definitely dark.

Over the two and a half years since the Third Hokage had taken the child before him as his disciple, Konoha, the Land of Fire, and even the ninja world had undergone considerable changes.

The most obvious change was that grain prices had been driven up to an unprecedented height, while ironware, medicine, and minerals had depreciated at the same time.

And all of this had begun when the Third Hokage took this little girl before him as his disciple.

Even though Kakashi had not wanted to get involved in these matters, he had no choice but to take part now.

Because as grain prices had gradually risen two years ago, many speculators had seized the opportunity to amass enormous wealth, while the Land of Wind, the Land of Earth, and the Land of Lightning had suffered.

They had never produced much grain to begin with and relied entirely on imports from surrounding smaller countries and the Land of Fire.

Their lives were not easy now...

Of course, they could not simply sit still and wait for death. This was a meeting between the Land of Earth and the Land of Fire to discuss cooperation.

Kakashi and several other shinobi needed to serve as bodyguards to ensure the meeting's safety.

Or rather, they were here to protect the pink-haired girl before them.

Sakura sat behind a screen, quietly listening to the meeting on the other side.

She simply ignored Kakashi's scrutinizing gaze from behind her.

This world did not place much importance on economics, which made the effects of her actions all the more apparent.

After all, this was a world where individuals possessed immense power.

Everything was proceeding according to her plans.

Like a puppet on strings—give the strings controlling it a casual tug, and the puppet would perform all sorts of movements.

Still, Sakura did not dare push them too hard, afraid that these simple-minded, brawny fools would simply flip the chessboard.

That would be a complete disaster.

As she quietly listened to the delegation from the Land of Earth outside grow increasingly silent, Sakura understood that everything had been settled.

Konoha

Caw!

A sharp, resounding eagle cry rang through the high skies as a powerful black hawk streaked through the air like an arrow.

It then landed steadily on the windowsill of the Hokage's Office.

The old man in red-and-white ceremonial robes removed the message tube tied to the hawk's talon, took out a slip of paper, and quickly read it.

A hint of relief appeared on Hiruzen Sarutobi's face.

It seemed they could rest for the time being.

They had successfully reached a cooperative agreement with the Land of Earth.

The pressure from the Land of Earth could temporarily be set aside.

For now, they only needed to maintain this balance.

It was all thanks to Sakura...

Otherwise, who knew what Danzo would have made of things.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat in his own seat, leaned back against the chair, and relaxed for once.

Choosing Sakura back then had been a gamble.

But judging from the current situation, he had made the right bet.

Still, he could not relax yet. What mattered more was the future.

When Sakura returned, he should let the child rest as well...

"Mom!"

"I'm back!"

The moment she got home, Sakura kicked off her shoes and shouted into the house.

"You're back, so you're back. Why are you making such a racket?"

Haruno Meiko came out of the house and spoke to her daughter with displeasure.

"Put your shoes away properly. I'm always the one lining them up for you. Honestly, I must owe you something."

"Who knows what kind of person will want a girl like you in the future."

Haruno Meiko looked at the shoes scattered crookedly by her daughter's feet, and a vein throbbed on her forehead.

"No one wants me?"

"Then I won't get married. I'll just stay home."

"You can support me anyway."

Under Haruno Meiko's gaze, Sakura put her shoes in order and spoke indifferently.

"Hey, you child..."

The pink figure dashed into her bedroom, leaving behind only, "I want fish for dinner tonight," before swiftly shutting the door.

Haruno Meiko looked helplessly at Sakura's closed door, muttering to herself, "Has she entered her rebellious phase early?"

Pfft...

Back in her bedroom, Sakura buried her entire body beneath the covers.

One emerald eye watched the two orioles chirping away in the tree outside the window.

Whoosh.

A pencil shot viciously between the two orioles and embedded itself directly in the trunk.

Startled, the two birds each flapped away in a panicked, desperate escape.

I'm already prepared to stay single for the rest of my life. No one is allowed to flaunt their affection in front of me!

Not even birds!

Watching the two birds fly off separately, Sakura revealed a mischievous grin.

Sure enough, when disaster struck, they flew their separate ways.

The ancients truly did not deceive me.

The pink-haired girl buried her face in the bedding and closed her eyes.

Time passed second by second. Her unremarkable chest rose and fell evenly; she had apparently fallen asleep without realizing it.

Sakura had truly been exhausted lately.

Everyone came to her for everything.

"Sakura?"

"Sakura?"

Half-asleep, Sakura was gently shaken awake by Haruno Meiko.

"Mom..."

Sakura looked at Haruno Meiko before her with bleary eyes.

"How did you fall asleep, child? Get up and eat dinner."

Haruno Meiko had no idea what Sakura had been doing lately.

She only felt that after becoming a ninja, Sakura had suddenly become very busy.

But considering that her daughter was the Hokage's disciple, Haruno Meiko did not interfere. She believed the Hokage would guide her daughter well.

"Didn't you say you wanted fish?"

"Mom went out and bought some especially for you~~"

Haruno Meiko rubbed Sakura's soft pink hair, her eyes carrying a trace of tenderness.

"I'll get up now."

Sakura rubbed her forehead.

Then, almost instinctively, she checked.

The Chakra required for the Yin Seal on her forehead had already accumulated more than halfway.

Within two years, that S-rank technique should be able to manifest.

Starting at age six and continuing until two years from now, it would have taken a full six years altogether.

"What are you thinking about?"

Haruno Meiko looked at her daughter sitting on the bed in a daze, puzzled.

Just as Sakura was about to answer, Haruno Yashiro's goofy voice came from the living room.

"Sakura must need Daddy's love and care!"

"Daddy's coming right over!"

The pink-haired girl's mouth twitched. Her emerald eyes showed helplessness as she spoke expressionlessly.

"No, I refuse."

"Huh? How could you~~~"

Haruno Yashiro, who had nearly reached Sakura's bedroom, turned gray and white all over, looking utterly heartbroken.