You're Quite Good

(This book is currently premiering on a certain book site. It should reach chapter 50 there today. Everyone is welcome to go show support and vote!)

"Let the match begin!"

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

As with most ninja duels, Sakura began with a probing attack using shuriken.

Three shuriken flew towards Sakk in a triangle formation.

Simultaneously, Sakura moved forward, formed hand seals, and with two poof sounds, two clones appeared beside her, one on her left and one on her right.

Sakk dodged the three shuriken, his eyes narrowing slightly. That hand seal... it's just a regular clone, right?

In the blink of an eye.

Just as Sakk avoided the shuriken, Sakura's main body channeled chakra to her feet. Bang! Her speed drastically increased, and like a fish leaping out of water, she shot directly in front of Sakk.

"Hmph..."

After all, she's just a female ninja. Attacking directly with a punch... a soft punch like that, what can it do besides tickle?

Sakk's face turned cold, filled with disdain. He had no intention of dodging Sakura's punch. Or rather, what kind of man would dodge attacks from a mere female ninja?

As Sakura's fist approached, Sakk raised his arm to meet it.

Meanwhile, on the sidelines, Tsunade slightly raised an eyebrow and thought, This method of increasing punch power through delicate chakra control... although the technique is extremely crude, but... is this just the little girl's subconscious, instinctive action?

This is quite interesting, this girl called Sakura Haruno that the old man mentioned.

"That guy... haha..." Thinking of the fear he experienced in his memory, dominated by iron fists, Naruto couldn't help but laugh out loud, making Hinata beside him look confused.

The punch landed.

Unexpected, intense pain shot through Sakk's nerves from his arm, and his pupils widened slightly... Bang! He was sent flying backward like a kite with a broken string, rolling a considerable distance on the ground.

Sakura-senpai... no, Sakura slightly raised her head, squinted with a smile, and said softly, "This is the price for underestimating women."

Ino covered her forehead in the stands, sighing, "This forehead-girl is just hopelessly violent!"

"Go, Sakura! Let him see your..." Kiba shouted from the stands. The masked boy Shino calmly reminded him, "I advise you not to say any more, Kiba. If you ask why..." He seemed to recall a bad memory and shuddered, falling silent.

Akamaru trembled on Kiba's head, remembering the terrifying figure of that female demon under the setting sun.

Sasuke, Sasuke.

The longing for you these past few days has been the driving force for me to improve with all my might... Sakura slapped her right fist into her left palm, her expression resolute.

"Tch, that Sakk guy... can he even do anything?" Sound Ninja Kin on the stands pouted, while secretly feeling a hint of schadenfreude. After all, as a female ninja herself, she was often mocked by the arrogant Sakk.

This woman... Bandaged Sound Ninja Dosu watched the fight silently.

Sakk got up from the ground, raised his head, and the rage in his eyes was almost spitting fire.

What a humiliation, what a humiliation!

He raised his left palm—

"Air Cutter!"

The damn woman, I'm going to get serious now!

A fierce gust of wind rushed towards Sakura. Caught off guard, Sakura was directly hit by this invisible impact wave. She cried out in pain and rolled backward, as if her chest and abdomen had been struck by a meteorite. Her internal organs churned, and her skin felt like it was tearing.

Sakura lay on the ground, still catching her breath, when a whistling sound came from behind her head!

Startled, Sakura rolled to the side.

Thud, thud. Two incredibly sharp shuriken embedded themselves in the ground where Sakura had just been.

With one hand, Sakk fiercely grabbed Sakura's long pink hair from behind her head and pulled, applying force.

Sakura cried out in pain. The sensation on her scalp made tears involuntarily well up. Her body involuntarily followed the force of Sakk's grip upward, forcing her to her knees.

He stomped a foot on the damn woman's slender back, and Sakk licked his lips, splitting into a cruel and sinister smile. "This is the consequence of overestimating yourself and trying to resist a man, you slut..."

He tightened his grip on her hair, and Sakura's body trembled from the intense pain.

"This brat..." Tsunade's eyebrows and the corners of her mouth twitched. Her fingers tapped uncontrollably on her arm. Despite her age, she felt indignant hearing Sakk's arrogant remarks.

He aimed his other hand at the back of Sakura's head, gathering chakra towards the vortex in his palm.

But at this moment, Sakura, holding a kunai, swiftly reached towards the back of her own head...

"Forehead-girl..." Ino couldn't help but cover her mouth, her eyes wide with shock.

I heard Sasuke likes girls with long hair.

Does that mean we'll be rivals from now on?

Ino pig, Sasuke is mine, don't even think about it!

Sigh, what should I do? I wasn't assigned to the same team as Sasuke...

But I won't give up, because I...

Snip.

Pink strands of hair drifted through the air.

Sakura's determined gaze never wavered.

I've never felt this strongly before... Sasuke is watching me right now!

Gathering chakra in her legs, Sakura aimed the kunai she'd used to cut her hair behind her and pushed off!

Ching! The sound of kunai piercing flesh.

Sakk let out a scream as Sakura's kunai deeply embedded itself below his clavicle, lodging between bone and flesh. A dizzying wave of pain surged through his mind, making his vision blur.

He stumbled backward repeatedly, blood gushing from the wound.

"This child, Sakura... Don't underestimate her," Kurenai Yuhi murmured with a slight smile from the stands. "Sakura, show them the results of your hard work..."

Without any hesitation, just as she had at the start, Sakura flung her hands forward, sending a volley of shuriken towards Sakk.

Simultaneously, she formed hand seals as she threw the shuriken, and two clones charged at Sakk from either side.

Just like before, she suddenly channeled chakra to the soles of her feet and dashed rapidly towards Sakk.

"Damn you, woman! Stop being so arrogant!" Sakk was furious. He forcefully yanked the kunai lodged below his clavicle. Enduring the intense pain and unable to stop the bleeding, he raised his hands menacingly and snarled, "Just die! Great Air Cutter!!"

Sakura had already leaped in front of Sakk, just as she had before.

But...

BOOM, BOOM, BOOM! Violent gusts of wind, like a storm, instantly erupted from the wind tunnels in Sakk's palms, hitting the close-range Sakura with full force!

"You think you can use the same trick again?! Die!"

Sakk roared, veins bulging, his chakra madly fueling the storm. The storm's range and power surged once more, distorting the very air and kicking up dust across the arena.

After the storm subsided, Sakk's eyes scanned the area. Sakura was nowhere to be seen. Instead, standing before him was Sakk himself!

"Gak-gak..." The "Sakk" in front of Sakk cackled strangely, its face contorting and shattering.

Damn it! Genjutsu! When?!

Sakk roared internally, frantically pushing his chakra in an attempt to break free from the genjutsu.

But at that moment, Sakura attacked from another direction!

Her right fist was loaded with power! Under her practiced control, chakra flowed through her muscles in a unique way!

The fire in her eyes burned so intensely! Her fighting spirit was so resolute! Her determination was so unwavering!

"This is the final punch, you bastard!!!"

Some of the Jonin watching nodded. Did she use genjutsu under the cover of clones, lulling her opponent with the same tactic?

An incredibly powerful, straightforward punch, accompanied by Sakura's roar, landed squarely on Sakk's face!

The match was decided.

"Hah... Hah... Hah..."

Sakura maintained her right fist's lowered position, her knees slightly bent as she gasped for breath, exhaustion evident. But her eyes were filled with joy. She could barely suppress the urge, turning her head towards the person she longed to see—

Sasuke was impatiently pushing Naruto's hand away, seemingly arguing about something, while Hinata was cautiously mediating beside them.

He didn't see me...

Sakura's emerald eyes dimmed.

Sakura walked down the stairs towards the second-floor viewing platform, her mood dejected.

After all this effort, this is the result...

"Sakura?"

She looked up sharply, unable to believe her eyes. Sakura stared blankly at Sasuke, who had appeared at the top of the stairs. He had his usual cold, stern expression... and he was looking at her.

"Sasuke..." Sakura murmured.

Sasuke ignored her reaction and awkwardly said, "You were good." Then, just as awkwardly, he turned and left, without any hesitation, as if he had merely completed a task.

But that was enough, truly... Sakura fought back tears, but a foolish smile spread across her face uncontrollably.

"What are you doing? Why did you make me talk to that girl?" Sasuke returned to Hinata and Naruto, feeling annoyed and speechless. What's gotten into Naruto? Does he look like the type of person who would do something like that?

Just then, the next match appeared on the electronic screen:

『Temari vs. Shino Aburame』