Sakura and Medical Ninjutsu

In the Konoha training grounds, a pure black blood-red eye crow dived from high above. The sun cast its shadow onto the dirt, forming a tiny black dot that zipped past.

Sasuke Uchiha stopped his training, lifting his gaze from the grass to the sky. Through the whipping wind and grass, his eyes fixed on the black dot circling above the training grounds, obscuring the sun.

Sasuke, with his lean face, sensed something strange and narrowed his eyes, about to activate his Sharingan.

"Sasuke!" Sakura's voice called from a distance.

The girl, carrying a food box, stood at the edge of the training grounds, waving. The wind in the wilderness blew her long hair, casting a golden halo around her in the sunlight.

"Thanks," Sasuke stepped forward to take the food box, noticing it had two layers. "Is this for him?"

"Yes." Sakura nodded, smiling somewhat awkwardly. "Kakashi-sensei was furious when we got back that day."

"Naruto's been punished with doing twenty D-rank missions alone. Until he completes them, Team Seven can't take on any more missions."

"Kakashi-sensei meant well. If the village found out, that guy would have faced even more severe punishment," Sasuke said while eating a rice ball.

Hearing this, a hint of worry flashed across Sakura's face.

"Kakashi-sensei changed the mission briefing, changing our solo missions to group missions under a Jonin's leadership. Naruto took all the responsibility himself, which is why we didn't get punished too."

"But for some reason, Gato's shipping company mysteriously went bankrupt. Gato apparently owed money he couldn't repay and died himself during a rebellion by rogue ninjas."

"Mm."

Sakura arrived at the street where Naruto was on his mission. She looked around but didn't see him. Looking up, she happened to see Naruto lying on a rooftop, basking in the sun and sleeping.

"Naruto, time to eat."

Hearing her, Naruto flipped over like a carp and jumped down. It was a dilapidated old house near a bamboo forest.

The summer breeze blew gently, rustling the bamboo leaves in the forest.

Behind the house was a low slope covered in short green grass, which looked even more striking and verdant under the sun.

The two sat on the slope eating rice balls. Sakura seemed preoccupied, her expression occasionally drifting as she spoke to Naruto.

"What are you thinking about?" Naruto asked.

"N-nothing," Sakura forced a smile, then her face showed a moment of absentmindedness again.

"Naruto."

"Yeah."

"Why did you become a ninja?" Sakura asked.

"To survive, I guess. Ninjas get paid well, and there are many benefits to being a ninja," Naruto mused. "For someone like me, what else could I do if I didn't become a ninja?"

Sakura was taken aback for a moment, then she apologized.

"It's fine," Naruto waved his hand and took a bite of a rice ball. "Being a ninja is just a job anyway, I never thought about being a ninja forever."

"I really envy you, Naruto," Sakura said with a touch of loneliness.

"Why?"

"Because I feel like I can't help at all. Every time there's danger, it's always you and Sasuke who step forward," Sakura hugged her knees, curling herself up.

"Sometimes I wonder if I'm just not cut out to be a ninja."

"No, that's not it," Naruto looked at Sakura and said, "Sakura, I remember your graduation results were third in the entire academy, right?"

"Mm."

"Then that's it. It proves you have talent for being a ninja, you just haven't found your direction yet."

"Direction?" Sakura looked up at his words.

"Yes, direction," Naruto said confidently. "Team Seven should be the most special team among the Genin classes this year, so you don't need to compare yourself to me and Sasuke."

"The Uchiha Clan has always been the most skilled combat clan. Both Taijutsu and Shurikenjutsu are family traditions."

"And Sasuke's path was determined from the beginning. You know about his eyes? The secret of the Uchiha Clan's Sharingan?"

"What secret about Sasuke-kun?" Sakura was a little taken aback.

She suddenly recalled Sasuke's strange, glowing red eyes in the forest of the Land of Waves, and she couldn't help but feel nervous.

"The Uchiha Clan is a clan of hatred, isn't it?" Naruto said. "He carries an incredible secret. Hatred drives him to constantly become stronger."

"His eyes are a formidable weapon. Perhaps they could even defeat the Hokage."

"Hatred?" Sakura's face turned pale.

"Yeah, so don't overthink it," Naruto tidied up the food box. "Sakura, you also have your own Ninja Way. Just find a path of training that suits you."

"For example, how about Medical Ninjutsu?"

"Why Medical Ninjutsu?" Sakura asked, a little curious.

"Medical Ninjutsu requires a high degree of precision in controlling chakra, doesn't it?" Naruto explained. "Sakura, you have talent in this area, so I think you could try learning Medical Ninjutsu."

"Thank you, Naruto," Sakura said sincerely. "Without you, I would have a hard time..."

"Yeah, we're comrades, aren't we?" Naruto stood up, looking down at the touched Sakura. "Think about it carefully when you get back. I'm going to carry out my mission."

With that, he disappeared from Sakura's sight.

Sakura gazed in the direction Naruto had disappeared, her expression complex. With a sigh, she picked up the food box and left.

Naruto didn't go on any cat-finding or dog-finding missions. Instead, he found another rooftop and lay down to continue sunbathing.

A panel popped up, and Naruto opened the system warehouse with a thought.

Looking at the dazzling array of treasures and cash inside, a satisfied smile spread across Naruto's face. With this money, he wouldn't have to work for a living ever again.

Amidst his joy, Naruto felt a pang of emptiness.

With so much money, why should he still strive so hard?

How should he spend this money? Buying real estate in Konoha would definitely be a loss; in a couple of years, Pain would flatten Konoha with a single "A bag of rice, carried upstairs."

The next step was to break free from Konoha's control and gain autonomy. The Nine-Tails in his belly belonged to Konoha, but it didn't necessarily have to.

Besides, when his cheap old dad, Minato Namikaze, stuffed this fox into his belly, he didn't get his consent. Wasn't this essentially enslaving him to Konoha for seventy years?

On the rooftop, Naruto sat up abruptly with his legs crossed, a jolt of realization hitting him!

Damn it, he couldn't just stay here.

Now that he wasn't short on money, with enough to last ten lifetimes, it would be a waste to be bound to Konoha village as a weapon.

A single tree cannot support itself; a lone hand cannot clap.

To gain power and influence in Konoha village, he needed a clan behind him. After becoming stronger, he needed to branch out and use this money to restore the glory of the Uzumaki Clan, the clan of seals.