"Naruto, Karin?"
Seeing the two of them making a racket, Sakura, who had a pack slung over her shoulder, first looked surprised, then overjoyed, before her expression sank.
After the Chunin Ninja Exams, Sakura had realized just how great the gap between her and Sasuke was. To keep up with him, she'd trained even harder and, after discussing it with her teammates Yoru Ichiro and Harukami Satsuki, had thrown herself into a grueling string of missions.
But months of training and missions hadn't brought about any earth-shattering change in her strength. She was still the same girl she'd always been, not changed in the slightest...
Seeing Naruto and Karin again now, and remembering their school days, Sakura felt an indescribable sadness well up inside her. It lingered, refusing to fade.
"Lord Hanfu." Sakura's Jonin Instructor came over and respectfully greeted Hanfu.
Yoru Ichiro and Harukami Satsuki also bowed to Hanfu, their faces full of admiration.
After the Chunin Ninja Exams and the battle against Akatsuki's invasion, Hanfu had become very popular in the village.
Of course, that popularity was mostly among the ninja. When Hanfu had fought, the villagers had all been evacuated to shelters, so they'd had no chance to admire his heroic bearing!
Hanfu didn't recognize these extras, but they were his fans, after all. So he clasped his hands behind his back and nodded with swagger, exuding the bearing of a true powerhouse!
What a show-off... Kakashi silently roasted him.
Then Sakura's Jonin Instructor seemed to recognize Kakashi and hurriedly greeted him too. "Captain Kakashi."
Kakashi, captain of the Konoha Military Police Force and known as the Copy Ninja... Yoru Ichiro and Harukami Satsuki followed suit, bowing to him with excitement.
Kakashi clasped his hands behind his back and nodded with swagger, radiating the authority of the