Winter

"What?" He was stunned, his mind went blank.

"Let's do something weird together." Sakura approached step by step.

"Wait a minute, this shouldn't be happening!" Naruto tried to back away, but bumped into the back of the chair and was pushed into the chair by Sakura.

"Sakura, you..."

Sakura had already stepped forward, standing in front of him, her pale white arm reaching out to grasp Naruto's hand. The warm, damp warmth of his palm was palpable, its touch slightly slippery.

"Now that she has completely hidden herself, I also have the right to use my body." She said this while biting the pale pinky finger of her other hand.

"Remember me well."

Before Naruto could speak, Sakura had already intertwined her fingers with Naruto. Her blue eyes were fixed on him as she opened her lips, licked the tip of his index finger, and then bit down.

A sharp pain shot through his fingertips, and Naruto's pupils dilated sharply, jolting him awake from his reverie.

"I don't think that even if we do it this way, it's not a good approach."

He gently pushed Sakura away, and as if he had never breathed, he took a deep breath, his mind instantly becoming Qingming Festival.

"Don't worry, I won't compete with Ino for first place." Sakura let her arms hang down, a relaxed smile on her face. "I don't like this feeling at all, so you don't need to worry."

"I just wanted to try it out. No one will know. I'll just treat it as practice beforehand."

"That won't do!"

While Naruto's moral compass is somewhat flexible, that only applies to strangers. He's quite sincere with his comrades, and besides, this isn't a matter of whether it's acceptable or not.

Instead, Sakura is now completely going against what she wants.

"Why?" Sakura asked, puzzled. "Do you still care more about her? But she's already hiding away for Sasuke. Are you still going to insist?"

"It has nothing to do with that," he said.

Naruto didn't really care whether Black Sakura would disappear or when. He just considered her Sakura; whether she was pink or black didn't matter, she was just his companion Sakura.

People have troubles because they think too much.

Naruto only needs to cut off all his worries with one stroke. If Sakura wants her life to be more interesting, he should take her to see more interesting things.

Instead of watching her do nothing and letting her continue like this.

In short, as long as Black Sakura can still communicate, the situation is alright. With time, things will gradually improve, and she can be guided towards becoming a normal and reliable companion.

"Why? If you agree, I can help Ino, although I've been too busy with work to see her much lately," Sakura said with a smile.

"But I can make contact with them."

"Really, there's no need," Naruto said, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "It's not that I think your suggestion is outrageous, because I'm not exactly a saint either."

"But this isn't something you can just try out. You're right, all I have to do is agree. I can try it with you without any pressure, and I won't lose anything."

"To be honest, this has nothing to do with Sasuke. Sasuke chose his own path, and I won't go looking for him; I'll let him go. Perhaps that's why Sakura was traumatized and hid away, which allowed you to take control of the body."

"But these are not important, they are two different things. I hope you can live well every day. I don't know if you will disappear, or when you will disappear."

"Before this, you were my most trusted companion. I will always remember you. When I die, I will engrave your name on my tombstone. You will live on forever."

Mayfly live only a day and die at dusk, while humans live only a short hundred years; each has its own way of living.

Sakura stood still, leaning against the edge of the table in silence for a long time. About five minutes later, she raised her head, her eyes crinkling with a smile.

"Good."

Naruto left Konoha Hospital at noon, under the autumn sun.

He stopped at the edge of the hospital wall and sat down wearily against the old wall. Black Sakura was getting increasingly outrageous; he almost lost his Dao heart. Who could withstand this?

But upon closer reflection, Black Sakura is actually quite pitiful. However, he can't say that; everyone has their own destiny.

In short, Sakura's problem has had a good start, and the reorganization of Team Seven should be a natural outcome.

After returning home, Naruto collapsed onto the sofa.

Nine-Tails glanced at him but didn't say anything. It knew Naruto had a few days off; anyway, that guy usually just lay around doing nothing, and it was already used to it.

During this strange holiday, Naruto spent seven days lying down.

Because Team Seven was to be reorganized, Tsunade stopped assigning Naruto any more missions, giving him time to train, since Jiraiya had already returned to the village.

On the rooftop.

"What is Senjutsu?" Naruto asked, yawning.

"Hmm?" Jiraiya put away his binoculars and glanced at him. "Tsunade already told me, but mastering Senjutsu isn't an easy thing."

"We need to lay a solid foundation first before we talk about Senjutsu techniques."

"It's not like I wanted to learn Senjutsu." Naruto poked his nose and said with some disdain, "Lord Tsunade forced me to learn it, or I'd have to go on a mission."

"You little brat, you're so picky about what skills you're learning. Do you know how many people would love to become my Toad Sage's apprentice? And you're still complaining."

"I don't care about all that. I'll just pick whichever is easier," Naruto said nonchalantly.

"However, Pervy Sage," Naruto looked up, "You probably don't have much time to spend in the village, so you don't have enough time to teach me anything."

"No, I just came back to supervise you in mastering the Rasengan," Jiraiya said, waving his hand.

"I almost forgot, there's also the Rasengan." Naruto said "Oh," and sat cross-legged on the rooftop. "I haven't practiced it since I came back from Tanzaku Town."

"You brat, don't you have even the slightest bit of shame?" Jiraiya tapped Naruto on the head with his binoculars. "How can someone so lazy become a good ninja?"

"Outstanding? A ninja?" Naruto turned his head, squinting at Jiraiya. "A lecherous ninja, perhaps?"

"No respect for elders!" Jiraiya muttered as he put away his binoculars, glanced longingly at the women's bathhouse, and sighed.

"I won't be staying long. Itachi Uchiha has disappeared without a trace. This time, I only found out about an organization called Akatsuki. As for anything else, I found nothing."

"After this winter, we still have to go out and gather intelligence next spring."

"I see." Naruto yawned, looking slightly bored. "Then let's go find some information, but we shouldn't take too many risks unless absolutely necessary."

Jiraiya didn't take it to heart and laughed.

"I am a sage from Mount Myōboku, how could anything happen to me? I have traveled to various countries for decades without any problems, and I rely on only three things!"

"Drinking and chasing girls, shameless?" Naruto asked casually.

"What nonsense are you talking about? Of course, it's all about being cautious, cautious, and cautious again!" Jiraiya said. "When you're out gathering intelligence, one wrong move could cost you your life."

"Okay." Naruto replied lazily.

The late autumn sun is warm, its intense heat gone. Time turns, flowing like water over the wooden stakes where we practice our daily meditation. It rises again from the steaming heat of the ramen shop, drifting into the distance.

It's already deep winter in the blink of an eye.

The sky was overcast, and it looked like it was going to snow again.

Naruto stood beneath the vermilion walls and green tiles, a layer of snow covering his ankles. He had grown taller and taller, and his face was gradually taking on a youthful air of heroism.

His slightly thin figure stood in the cold wind, wearing a black training uniform, seemingly waiting for someone.

Jiraiya stepped out from the alleyway, walked up to him, and said, "It's getting late. Train early and go back early. I'm leaving the village tomorrow."

The cold wind howled, and the nighttime temperature felt like it could freeze a person into a coffin.

"Why are you in such a hurry to leave?" Naruto asked, puzzled. "The New Year Festival is just around the corner, can't you wait a few more days before you go?"

"What's there to wait for?" Jiraiya looked up at the sky, then reached out and patted the snowflakes off his shoulder, his tone carrying a hint of reproach.

"I'm all alone New Year Festival, there's not much to do. Luckily, the Land of Wind Love Hotel is having a New Year Festival event."

"Pervy Sage, I suspect you went out to have fun." Naruto retorted mercilessly. "Can't even wait for a New Year Festival? You really are a perverted old man."

"New intelligence has emerged from the village: the situation in the Land of Wind is turbulent. That brat Jinchuriki, the Tailed Beast, seems to be losing his position as Kazekage's successor. There appears to be a significant change in circumstances."

Jiraiya's expression turned serious, and he lowered his voice.

"The village leadership wants to help that kid who has a soft Kazekage for Konohagakure succeed as Kazekage, so they sent me to gather intelligence and handle this matter as well. I have to go and take a look."

"This does not equate to interfering in another country's internal affairs." Naruto raised an eyebrow slightly.

"What are you saying? I was just gathering intelligence, I'm completely innocent," Jiraiya retorted. "Gaara becoming Kazekage would benefit the people of both the Land of Wind and the Land of Fire."

"At least it can bring decades or even centuries of peace between the two countries, which is something worth doing."

"This is so boring, but if the Pervy Sage wants to do it, then let him do it." Naruto said, holding his head. "What's this about the meaning of being a ninja? I don't understand at all."

"You really are something," Jiraiya said, Jiraiya his composure and pointing at Naruto laugh, "Do I have to explain to a brat like you where I'm going?"

"The adult world is very dull. You have to carry responsibilities wherever you go, so I won't take you this time."

If Jiraiya wanted to, he could easily have taken Jinchuriki and fled to the Land of Wind alone. After all, given Jiraiya's seniority, he was a master even as an intelligence ninja.

"Suit yourself." Naruto waved his hand. "Then let's have one last training session today. Let the Pervy Sage see what the perfect Rasengan is!"

Besides