The Most Beautiful Blossom

"You'd better give it your all!"

"Don't die. That teacher of yours really won't care whether you live or die."

"Ino, thank you!"

Sakura threw her arms around Ino, deeply moved. When she had been at her most helpless as a child,

Ino had appeared and helped her regain her confidence. And now, she was doing it again, even if the method was a little different!

"Thank me for what?"

"I just don't want to win too easily!"

"Enough!"

"Stop crying already!"

"Don't make me look down on you!"

Ino's expression was a little unnatural, but she still said stubbornly.

Sakura wiped away her tears and smiled at Ino.

"I won't!"

"From now on, I won't cry at the drop of a hat!"

Just as Ino had said, she had dared to risk her life for him. What was this little grievance in comparison?

"Ino, tell me about our teacher!"

"He said his name was Hyuga Tenka. Did you all already know?"

Ino nodded solemnly and spoke to Sakura with great seriousness.

"Sakura, meeting him can be called both your greatest fortune and your greatest misfortune!"

"He's incredibly strong. My dad said even the Hokage wasn't his match!"

Ino whispered this into Sakura's ear, as though she were afraid someone might overhear.

"He... he's that strong?"

Sakura's pupils contracted. Was that teacher, who looked ridiculously young, really such a monster?

Ino nodded and continued.

"There are very few stories about him in Konoha. It's not because they aren't shocking enough—it's because no one dares to talk about them!"

"The first happened nine years ago, the one he told you about today."

"To protect his younger brother, he nearly slaughtered the main family of his clan!"

"The second also happened that same year. To protect his father, he fought the Hokage!"

"Right in front of the Hokage, he cut off the arms of two elders, one after another!"

"The third happened just a few days ago. All the major clans know about it!"

"The moment he returned to Konoha, he directly wiped out an elder's faction and killed that elder!"

"The Hokage knew too, but he didn't say anything. He didn't dare!"

"My dad said that before Tenka left, he even threatened the Hokage. He wanted the Hokage to take action, but the Hokage chose not to!"

"These are secrets among the major clans, so don't tell anyone else!"

Ino spoke with great caution. Everyone knew about this, but their clans had all warned them not to spread it around!

Sakura was stunned as well. This teacher truly had no regard for the law!

"He's so young. How is he so strong?"

"That's what a genius is, I guess!"

"I heard that when he was at the Ninja Academy, he graduated after just one year. Everyone else could only look up to him!"

"And not just him—he has a younger brother too. He was one grade above us and was the undisputed number one at the time!"

"I said you're lucky because if you follow him, you'll grow stronger very quickly!"

"Even if the process might be painful and agonizing, and you might even face life and death!"

"But as long as you endure it, you'll definitely make progress beyond anything you imagined!"

"The misfortune is that he's very cold. Other than his family, everyone else seems like nothing more than lives to him!"

"As long as someone makes him unhappy, he might kill them at any time!"

"You should have seen that for yourselves today!"

Sakura nodded repeatedly. Even now, just thinking about it made her face turn pale.

"Since he said he absolutely wouldn't intervene as long as no enemy above your level appeared!"

"Then that is absolutely true. He genuinely won't care whether you live or die."

"You'll have to face it yourselves. Sakura, I mean it—this is your opportunity!"

"But you have to make up your mind. You need the resolve to die!"

"As long as you have that resolve, you'll definitely be able to grow through this opportunity!"

"I know that because you don't have a clan or good resources, you've never been very confident!"

"Sakura, but this time, those so-called clans of ours are nothing but crap in his eyes!"

"Honestly, my dad may be afraid of him, but if he had the choice, he would absolutely send me to Tenka without hesitation to be taught by him!"

Sakura looked at Ino, her only friend since childhood!

This girl who had protected her all the way—Sakura knew Ino was saying all this because she was afraid Sakura would choose to give up!

"Ino, let's make up!"

"As for Sasuke, we'll compete fairly!"

"Let's not fight over this anymore!"

Ino froze slightly. Looking at Sakura's outstretched hand, she grabbed it and smiled!

"When were we ever not on good terms?"

"Mhm, that's right!"

"We've always been friends!"

"Come on!"

"I'll treat you to a feast. Your hard days start tomorrow, and it won't be so easy to eat like this again!"

"Huh! Ino, you're jealous, aren't you?"

"It'll only be a little hard. I'm not afraid! You'd better work hard too—don't let me surpass you by accident!"

"Like you said, my teacher is really strong!"

"Haha... then I'll wait for you to bloom!"

"Definitely. We'll bloom together and become the most beautiful flowers!"

"By the way, Ino, how did you know what happened to us today?"

"Haha, who do you think I am? I'm Ino!"

Laughing and chatting, the two headed off into the distance together. Sakura had regained her confidence as well!

At the Uchiha Clan Grounds, Sasuke returned and immediately began training without pause. He would not hesitate; every moment, he thought of becoming stronger!

This was an opportunity. He understood that better than anyone, because that man had not stood even the slightest chance in Tenka's hands!

He would not allow himself to lose this opportunity. He put away the pride he had always carried!

As long as Tenka was willing to teach him, he would complete any task given to him, even if it cost him his life!

Compared to Sasuke and Sakura, one utterly determined and the other having wavered repeatedly,

Naruto seemed much more carefree. He only thought about Tenka's words for a short while before tossing them to the back of his mind.

Still, he really was a little afraid of that teacher. In front of him, Naruto did not dare to be as mischievous as before!

Early the next morning, in front of the Hokage Building, Sasuke saw his two teammates!

"You're both here!"

Then he looked at Sakura, and the coldness on his face eased slightly.

"I thought you'd give up!"

"Good!"

For the first time, Sakura faced Sasuke directly. Meeting his gaze, she said with confidence:

"I'll grow stronger!"

"I won't hold you back. I swear it on my life!"

Sasuke looked at her. It was the first time he had seen Sakura so confident, and he nodded!

"Good. Until you catch up, as your teammate, I'll do my best to protect you!"

"Me too, me too! Sakura, I'll protect you too!"

On a distant rooftop, Tenka watched the scene and nodded almost imperceptibly!

With a flash, he appeared before the three of them!

"Very good!"

"I hereby announce that Team 7 has officially been formed!"