Haruno Sakura's Dream

The vast, mysterious Barrier above Konoha had left Naruto awestruck, but his boundless curiosity soon stirred again.

Who made such an incredible Barrier? Was it Grandpa Third? Naruto's gaze drifted toward the Hokage Building below.

Is Grandpa Third in there now? What does he do at night? Questions kept bubbling up in Naruto's mind.

Then he remembered his current "Ghost" state. No one could detect him. A daring idea took hold.

I'll just take a look! One peek at what Grandpa Third is doing, then I'll come right back! He can't see me anyway!

Naruto acted at once, guiding his weightless Soul Body toward the Hokage Building as silently as a feather.

He carefully avoided the core Rune formations that looked especially dangerous, searching for a "gap" he could slip through.

I'm a soul right now. Maybe these Barriers can't stop me?

He chose the huge window of the Hokage's Office and edged toward it, trying to pass through.

But the instant his spectral fingertip touched the Barrier—

BZZZ!

A piercing hum of energy rang out!

"Crap!" Naruto recoiled in shock and shot backward.

He had never imagined the Barrier would be sensitive enough to detect and react to an incorporeal soul!

Inside the Hokage's Office, Hiruzen Sarutobi was still awake.

He sat behind a desk piled with documents, reviewing paperwork by the dim lamplight as smoke rose slowly from his pipe.

The moment the Barrier was triggered, the pen in his hand stopped dead!

He looked up sharply, his aged but keen eyes snapping toward the window, his expression turning wary.

His powerful senses spread out, probing every inch of space inside and outside the office.

Yet to his eyes and senses, the window was intact, the rest of the Barrier functioned normally, and no one else was in the office.

There was no trace of an intruder, no lingering Chakra, not even the faintest breeze.

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned deeply, confusion and gravity settling over his face.

He trusted his senses completely. Something had touched the Barrier's outermost warning mechanism.

He stood, walked to the window, and carefully inspected it and the surrounding Barrier Runes, but found nothing.

"Was I imagining it?" he murmured. He immediately dismissed the thought. His years as a ninja had taught him to trust his senses.

He returned to his desk and made a discreet hand signal.

Almost the next second, a masked ANBU Ninja appeared soundlessly in the center of the office, kneeling on one knee.

"Lord Hokage?"

"The Barrier fluctuated just now, near the window."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was low and stern. "Send more people to search the area around the Hokage Building. Leave no clue overlooked. And raise the alert level!"

"Yes!" The ANBU Ninja vanished the instant he answered, without asking a question.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat down again and took a deep pull from his pipe, but his sharp gaze kept sweeping the silent night sky beyond the window. Doubt gnawed at him.

What was it? It triggered the Barrier, then vanished without a trace. Could it have been a soul?!

But no one has practiced the Spirit Transformation Technique since Dan Katō died! Unless Danzo has come up with some new trick?

High above the window, Naruto froze in fright, clamping a hand over his "mouth" as several ANBU figures appeared around the Hokage Building below, darting about in a thorough search.

He had barely touched the Barrier, yet he had caused all this trouble!

I'm done for. I was almost caught. Shaken, he dared not linger another second.

While the ANBU were focused on the area below, he fled toward home as fast as he could without looking back.

The next day, a distracted Naruto botched the mission again. This time, Teacher Kakashi even had to pay compensation and apologize in person, leaving Naruto deeply ashamed.

By evening, though, his restless curiosity had returned.

If I can't go to the Hokage Building, I can still check on someone else, right?

The first person who came to mind was, of course, Haruno Sakura.

What's Sakura doing now? She must be asleep. I bet she looks adorable. Naruto lay in bed holding the Sheep Talisman, an expectant smile on his face, and entered the Soul Departure state.

The familiar weightless sensation came over him. Naruto's soul passed through the roof and headed toward the Haruno Household along a route he knew well.

Naruto soon found Sakura's room. As he had before, he passed straight through the wall.

There was no powerful defensive Barrier around Sakura's room, so he drifted inside with ease.

The room was dark, lit only by a sliver of moonlight slipping through the curtains.

Sakura was indeed asleep. Her pink hair lay spread across the pillow, and her breathing was even. She looked to be sleeping soundly.

Then Naruto noticed something unusual.

A small, soft white glow floated just above Sakura's forehead, like a puff of cotton candy.

It pulsed faintly, giving off a peaceful, dreamlike feeling.

"Huh? What's that?" Naruto moved closer.

Curiosity overwhelming him, Naruto cautiously reached his soul toward the soft white light.

In an instant, everything before his eyes changed!

He was no longer in Sakura's dim bedroom. He stood on a sunny riverbank covered in flowers!

The scenery was as beautiful as a fairy tale, and even the air carried a sweet floral scent.

Is this Sakura's dream? Naruto looked around in amazement, fascinated by it all.

Then he saw something that made his heart stop.

Beneath the most beautiful cherry blossom tree nearby stood Haruno Sakura. The person holding her waist tenderly was none other than Sasuke Uchiha!

Sasuke wore stylish clothes and even had a gentle smile Naruto could never imagine seeing in real life. He looked down at Haruno Sakura in his arms.

Haruno Sakura gazed up at Sasuke, her cheeks flushed with happiness and her eyes full of adoration.

"Sasuke-kun, as long as I can stay with you like this forever, I'll be the happiest person in the world," Haruno Sakura said in a voice sweet enough to make Naruto sick.

"Yeah, Sakura. I feel the same way," the dream Sasuke replied tenderly, brushing his fingers through her hair.

The sight struck Naruto like ten thousand Kunai, leaving his heart riddled with wounds!