Growing Pains

Sakura Haruno has been feeling troubled lately. It isn't because her relationship with Sasuke has made no progress, nor is it because that annoying Naruto has made her angry; rather, it is the genuine realization that she has become the dead weight of their three-man squad. Sasuke being the top student is one thing, but even the dead-last Naruto is gradually catching up—how could she, an honor student, be happy about that? It is truly heartbreaking that in Sasuke's heart, her status has actually fallen below Naruto's. What she finds even more unacceptable is that she has discovered all of this seems to be the truth.

"Naruto has become stronger, and Sasuke was already amazing to begin with. Only I am left, unable to help with anything!" Sakura Haruno lamented to herself on the balcony. "The Chunin Exams... should I really go? I have absolutely no confidence. Maybe I shouldn't be a burden to Sasuke and Naruto!"

Just as she was struggling with this dilemma, she suddenly heard someone calling her name.

In another area, Hatake Kakashi watched Mizuki, who was busy at work, with a helpless expression.

"With all these barriers, illusion arrays, traps, and sealing formulas, someone who didn't know better would think you were setting up a battlefield."

"Better safe than sorry," Mizuki replied. "I've put in so much effort for your students; you really should be thanking me."

"Is it really necessary to go to such lengths for a preliminary test?"

"For the next generation of the village, we as seniors shouldn't be afraid of a little trouble. Kakashi, where did your sense of responsibility go?" Mizuki had been planning this for a long time and couldn't afford to give up halfway. "Why are you staring at me? Shouldn't you be watching Sasuke and Naruto?"

"I'm relatively confident in their strength," Kakashi said helplessly. "The only one I'm worried about is Sakura, especially since you're the one in charge of the assessment..."

"Finally finished." Having completed his work, Mizuki turned back and asked, "What did you say just now?"

"Nothing. I was just saying Sakura is almost here."

"Your eyesight is truly excellent; I didn't see her at all."

"I'm standing higher up..."

In the distance, two small, slender figures gradually approached; they were exactly the image of Sasuke and Sakura.

"Sasuke-kun, you said you had something to tell me?" Sakura asked uneasily. "But why bring me to a place like this?" It was obvious that the surrounding area was nothing but uninhabited forest.

"It's quiet here, and no one will disturb us. I'll keep it brief: you should withdraw from the Chunin Exams." These merciless words left Sakura Haruno spinning.

Watching from the sidelines, Kakashi frowned. He really dares to spout such nonsense. As expected, he's a bastard with ill intentions.

Just then, taking advantage of Sakura's distracted state, Mizuki hurriedly activated the illusion array. The barrier began to coordinate with the terrain, altering the landscape, while various traps and small-scale sealing arrays began to take effect.

"Sasuke-kun, why do you want me to withdraw?" Sakura asked in surprise. "Could it be that you don't like being with me?"

"No, it's because your strength isn't up to par. Once you withdraw, Naruto and I will invite someone more suitable to join our team for the exams."

"But, will Kakashi-sensei agree?"

"Didn't they say it was voluntary? As long as you withdraw, I'm sure Kakashi-sensei won't have anything to say."

Watching the disguised Sasuke and the conflicted Sakura from outside the field, Mizuki turned to Kakashi and smiled. "It's time for the villain to take the stage. Do you want to make a guest appearance?"

"Forget it," Kakashi flatly refused.

"What a pity. It's truly boring; honestly, I'm worried about your sense of humor."

After saying this, Mizuki performed the Shadow Clone technique. The clone transformed into the appearance of a masked Grass Ninja and charged forward, coordinating with countless kunai from the traps to envelop the two. The sudden turn of events and the inescapable attacks left the pair below with nowhere to run, instantly plunging them into a desperate situation.

"Watch out, get back!" Sasuke shouted, throwing himself over Sakura to shield her. In an instant, Sasuke was riddled with kunai like a hedgehog, looking as if he wouldn't last long.

"Incompetent fools should just get out of this Chunin Exam, or else this is the fate that awaits you," the Shadow Clone didn't forget to deliver a timely taunt.

"So, the real culprit has finally appeared?" Sakura rolled over, pushing the fake Sasuke aside. "A Shadow Clone combined with an illusion—did you think you could easily deceive a Konoha ninja?"

Mizuki, on the sidelines, frowned. Compared to the trap-riddled original, Mizuki felt he had done a very thorough job. As an examiner better at reading people's hearts, he shouldn't have been discovered so easily. However, the general plot remained the same, and minor changes didn't matter.

"Kakashi, look at that. Sakura's insight is truly impressive; she even managed to dismantle the trap."

"After all, she is the top student in theory among the genin, and her chakra control is the best. It's normal for her to show this kind of performance." Kakashi also breathed a sigh of relief. At least she had performed well so far; as long as she didn't do too poorly afterward, he would have a justification and wouldn't have to prevent Sakura from participating in the Chunin Exams.

Since they had been unexpectedly exposed, the Shadow Clone had no choice but to launch a direct assault.

"It seems you have a lot of confidence in yourself, little girl. The Chunin Exams aren't a game like this; everything will become reality. Since you aren't willing to give up, then let me show you what I'm made of."

Before the words had even faded, the illusion flared again. Rows of kunai shot forth, sealing all paths of retreat. Immediately following, the ground shimmered with a hazy light, and three Wooden Puppet Samurai rose up, drawing their blades to strike at Sakura Haruno.

Facing attacks from all directions, Sakura ignored them, forming hand seals to dispel the illusion. The kunai passed through her body, leaving her unscathed. The long blades of the two puppets also swept through her, yet failed to inflict even the slightest wound. Just as the third puppet's blade was about to strike her head, Sakura suddenly sensed something was wrong. She hurriedly dodged to the side, but she was still a step too slow, and a lock of her hair drifted down along the edge of the blade.

"Combining reality with illusion—Mizuki, isn't this difficulty level too high for a genin?" Kakashi said with dissatisfaction.

Mizuki replied, "It is indeed too difficult for a newly promoted genin, but for a genin who wants to participate in the Chunin Exams, it is barely acceptable."

"Hmm." Kakashi reluctantly accepted this explanation.

"How about it, little girl? Are you about to reach your limit? Hurry up and withdraw, or next time it won't just be your hair."

"No way. I won't admit defeat to a guy like you who hides his head and shows his tail."

"Meaningless bravado? How naive. Then let me let you experience the cruelty of a ninja."

The array barrier was fully activated, and the Shadow Clone coordinated with the puppets to launch a close-quarters assault. Trapped in a dangerous situation, Sakura Haruno didn't retreat but instead advanced, lunging directly at the Wooden Puppet Samurai. She kicked the puppet, which looked like it was made of shoddy wood, into pieces, then leaped backward to avoid the kunai fired by the Shadow Clone.

"That's enough, Mizuki. Do you want to continue?"

"Let's see it through to the end. The Shadow Clone doesn't have much time left."

Next, with Mizuki's Shadow Clone intentionally holding back, they maintained a stalemate of offense and defense. Finally, the exhausted Sakura Haruno managed to hold out until the Shadow Clone vanished.

Just when even Kakashi thought it was over, the puppet that Sakura had kicked away suddenly restored itself at high speed and swung its blade toward her.

"What's going on? Why hasn't the barrier disappeared?" Kakashi could confirm that the real Mizuki beside him hadn't made a move. With the Shadow Clone gone, there should be no one left to provide chakra to sustain the barrier; everything should have vanished. Seeing the puppet that should have been discarded moving again, Kakashi couldn't help but be shocked. He pulled up his headband, revealing his hidden Sharingan to observe carefully.

"What is that? It's actually not an ordinary puppet?"

Under the insight of the Sharingan, ordinary illusions and concealed truths have nowhere to hide.

"Was it a Shadow Clone using the Transformation Technique? It doesn't quite look like it. To think this was the one sustaining the illusion barrier all along." Kakashi turned his head in surprise and asked, "It seems your goal was to test this thing, you truly are a deep-scheming fellow."

Sakura was seen dodging left and right, but her already exhausted body could no longer hold up. Her body went limp, her foot slipped, and she was slashed by a blade from the puppet-like creature that had caught up to her.

Unable to dodge in time, Sakura could only close her eyes in helplessness.

However, Sakura, who had closed her eyes to await death, did not feel the blade strike her. She opened her eyes to observe, only to see a lock of hair drifting down along the edge of the blade.

Having survived the ordeal, Sakura could no longer support her overdrawn body and collapsed onto the ground.

"I trimmed the hair on your left side just now, and now the right side is cut too. It's finally symmetrical, and your hairstyle looks normal now. My apologies for damaging your meticulously groomed hair." A shrill voice emerged from the puppet's mouth. "To thank you for your dedicated performance, I'll give you this." A scroll was tossed to Sakura Haruno. "However, you should really consider what I said. Without corresponding strength, you will only be a burden to others."

Kakashi looked at Mizuki with a grim expression and said, "You've gone too far, Mizuki."

"Didn't I already provide compensation?" Mizuki shrugged indifferently and then formed hand seals. "Release."

The puppet vanished into a puff of chakra smoke, and the illusion barrier gradually dissipated.

"What did you give Sakura?"

"It's all my recent research results—some sealing techniques, potions, and illusion data. It's very practical and perfectly suited for a ninja like Sakura who is a top student and excels at chakra control."

"Top student?" Although he didn't quite understand the term, it didn't hinder Kakashi from grasping the meaning. "Isn't it too early for her?"

Mizuki shook his head and sighed, "Kakashi, you're being biased. Although she isn't a ninja of your type like Sasuke, nor does she have the innate talent of Naruto, you shouldn't turn a blind eye to Sakura Haruno's talent, should you?"

"Perhaps you're right. I truly am not very good at dealing with this type of female ninja."

"Dealing with?" Mizuki sneered. "It's none of my business anyway. She's your student, not mine; do as you please. I'm going to submit my report, so I'll leave the rest to you."

"This is truly a headache. I already had a bad feeling, but I didn't expect it to be this troublesome." Kakashi felt a splitting headache.