Even If They Turned to Ash, Sakura Would Recognize Them!

Hokage's Office

"So that's how it was..."

As Hiruzen Sarutobi listened to Sakura's personal mission report, he could not help stroking the short beard on his chin.

Tazuna had falsely reported the mission rank. Hiruzen had originally intended to casually send someone to deal with him, but Sakura had reserved the mission beforehand, so he let it go.

Now that the mission was complete, Sakura informing Gato in the Land of Waves to dispose of Tazuna was only reasonable.

"All right, I understand."

"Other than that, did you bring back Demon Zabuza's Kubikiribōchō?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was not particularly concerned with Tazuna's fate and instead turned to ask about Zabuza.

He had seen Sakura's abilities for himself. For such a trivial matter, a single word from her was enough.

"I did. I'm planning to contact the Ninja Cat Clan through Sasuke and have the Kubikiribōchō reforged."

"Have this blade made into several standard ninja swords."

"I heard the Ninja Cat Clan's skill at forging ninja tools is second to none."

Sakura rummaged through her Ninja Tool Pouch, pulled out a scroll, and placed it before Hiruzen Sarutobi. As she opened the scroll, Sakura formed a hand seal.

A massive blade, large enough to be called a door panel, appeared on Hiruzen Sarutobi's desk.

The Kubikiribōchō was one of Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swords, a ninja blade said to never break.

It could absorb the iron in human blood and regenerate any damaged portions.

But in Sakura's eyes, aside from never expiring and saving money on repairs, it had practically no advantages. It was one of the worst among the Seven Ninja Swords.

Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at the Kubikiribōchō before him, nodded, and said nothing more. He then sealed the blade back into the scroll.

"Sakura, here is the roster for this Chunin Exams. Take a look."

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled at the efficient Sakura, taking a document from a compartment in his desk and placing it before her.

Sakura gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a helpless look.

Seriously, old man, are you the Hokage or am I the Hokage?

You make me do everything. Why not just step down and let me take over~~~

Even so, Sakura leaned back on the sofa and picked up the document.

"Hmm?"

Sakura's slender brows drew together slightly.

"Did you find something?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi was just about to take a puff from his pipe.

"How many years has this lousy sofa been sitting here? It's so uncomfortable. Replace it tomorrow. Sitting on it is exhausting."

The pink-haired girl lounged sideways on the sofa with one leg crossed over the other, lazily flipping through the document in her hands as she spoke.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's mouth twitched as he watched Sakura treat the Hokage's Office as though it were her own home.

Come to think of it, this sofa had been a fashionable purchase during the Second Hokage's time.

Several decades had passed. It really was getting old.

"Ha ha ha, all right."

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not mind in the slightest.

The people he usually interacted with were either Mitokado Homura, Utatane Koharu, and Shimura Danzō, or people who treated him with absolute reverence.

Having spent so much time with him, Sakura neither caused him headaches like Shimura Danzō and the other two nor acted as deferentially as everyone else.

Looking at her was like seeing Jiraiya and Tsunade when they were children...

While Hiruzen Sarutobi sank into memories of his youth, Sakura's gaze rapidly swept across the document.

The first names on the list were Iwagakure and Sunagakure.

Other than Sunagakure's Kazekage Rasa, his three children, and Baki, the rest were basically all cannon fodder.

The personnel from Iwagakure, however, were worth Sakura's attention.

Iwagakure had sent very few people. Aside from Two-Faced Oonoki and the jonin Kitsuchi, only three teams were participating in this Chunin Exams.

The three Genin of one of those teams were—

Akatsuchi, Kurotsuchi, and Mochitsuki.

Sakura did not know this Mochitsuki, but she knew Akatsuchi and Kurotsuchi.

These two would become Two-Faced Oonoki's Shadow Guard three years later!

He even brought them along to the Six Paths Conference.

Clearly, that old man Oonoki was, just like Hiruzen Sarutobi, here to crush the weak!

Those two were only fourteen now, yet they were at least as strong as Chunin.

Even Special Jonin were a possibility!

Especially that Kurotsuchi!

Sakura would recognize her even if she turned to ashes!

"Achoo!"

The brisk young girl with short black hair and a red ninja outfit sneezed involuntarily.

"What's going on?"

"I've got this feeling someone's cursing me behind my back."

Hearing the girl's words, the exceptionally well-endowed youth beside her, who looked honest and simple-minded, smiled and said, "Could Kurotsuchi have caught a chill while sleeping last night?"

"But it's fine. We're almost at Konoha, and they have the best Medical Ninja in the entire Shinobi World."

Akatsuchi scratched his head, concern appearing on his guileless face as he looked at the black-haired girl.

"Idiot."

"How could I possibly catch a chill?"

The black-haired girl punched Akatsuchi's shoulder in annoyance.

Akatsuchi did not get angry at the girl's carefree behavior. He merely chuckled and said nothing further.

"Alright, stop messing around. We're almost at Konoha."

"Kurotsuchi, Akatsuchi, remember your mission."

The burly man leading the group looked at his daughter.

"Don't worry, Dad."

"Isn't it just beating up all those Genin?"

"I'm great at that!"

At her father's words, Kurotsuchi grinned excitedly and cracked her knuckles.

She was clearly planning to cause a huge stir during these Chunin Exams.

Kitsuchi glanced at his daughter but said no more.

Kurotsuchi had always been lively and restless, and she had been spoiled by the current Tsuchikage—his father, Kurotsuchi's grandfather.

She simply did not take anyone else seriously.

Not only did she possess the Kekkei Genkai of Lava Release, but she had recently learned Old Man's Light-Weight Rock Technique as well. She had become even more lawless.

Combined with Earth Release: Stone Spikes, she could be called one of Iwagakure's tyrants.

"The Chunin Exams?"

Naruto looked at Kakashi with a surprised expression.

"That's right. It's a large-scale joint Chunin Exam involving the Land of Wind and the Land of Earth."

"It's the first of its kind."

Kakashi's exposed eye curved into a crescent as he looked at Blondie before him.

"Huh?!"

As expected, Naruto immediately looked interested.

"When the time comes, not only will the Hokage be there—the Kazekage of Sunagakure and the Tsuchikage of Iwagakure will also appear during the third exam."

Kakashi dropped another bombshell, making Naruto wildly excited.

Sakura stood off to the side speechlessly, watching Kakashi tease the kids.

It was not just Naruto who fell for it; even Sasuke clenched his fists.

These Chunin Exams meant that he would get to see the outstanding peers from the major ninja villages.

He would also be able to test just how far his own strength had progressed.

"Sakura doesn't seem very interested, does she?"

Having said that, Kakashi naturally would not let Sakura off either.

At Kakashi's words, Naruto and Sasuke both turned to look at Sakura.

"Wow."

"How exciting~~~"

The author had originally planned a scene two chapters ago where Naruto and Sasuke were sleeping, and Sasuke woke up, turned over, and accidentally kissed Naruto—but it got censored outright. Seriously, how ridiculous.