Late November, Konoha Year 60 – Land of Grass
"Let's get this straight first. I agreed to teach you ninjutsu, but if you don't have the aptitude for it, I won't continue. That would only endanger you, understand?" Sakura laid down the condition preemptively for Junko.
In Konoha, potential shinobi were screened through the Ninja Academy. Those deemed unqualified, whether due to innate limitations or personality flaws unsuitable for ninja work, were sent home.
"I understand, Master," Junko replied, her face impassive as she nodded.
"Whoa, don't call me Master!" Sakura quickly protested. "Just think of me as your… friend, maybe? Haha…"
Sakura couldn't bear the weight of that title. She was still studying under Tsunade-sensei herself, far from having graduated. How could she possibly take on a student?
Seeing the hesitation on Junko's face, Sakura explained with a helpless shrug, "I have a master myself, and I'm not qualified to take apprentices yet. Besides, even though I agreed to teach you, you saw my headband—I'm a Konoha ninja. So, for the next couple of days, I'll teach you some basics. If it's clear you have the potential to be a ninja, I'll find a way to take you to Konoha."
She added, "And I already promised Granny Rika I'd look after you. Whether you become a ninja or not, I'll bring you back to Konoha with me."
Granny Rika was gone. Even if Sakura left Junko a large sum of money, a young girl likely couldn't survive alone here, especially given Kusagakure's predatory "mandatory commission" system. Taking Junko back was the simplest solution. As a civilian, not a ninja, the screening process wouldn't be nearly as complicated as Karin's had been.
"I understand… Sakura-senpai." Junko didn't press the issue further. She might be stubborn, but she wasn't inflexible.
"Alright, let's not waste time. Can you find me a pen and paper? I need to write some things down for you," Sakura instructed.
Junko wordlessly went to fetch the writing materials. Watching her quiet demeanor, Sakura sighed again. When they first met, Junko had been so lively and bright, full of curiosity about everything. Sakura would never forget the vibrant sparkle in her eyes back then.
Now, Junko's dark pupils held only indifference and hatred. It was the same with Sasuke after the massacre, Sakura thought sadly. There's nothing I can do about this… Hatred…
Sakura spread her limbs out, lying back on the tatami mat.
Yuichi and his three subordinates had spent days fulfilling numerous "commissions" in Red Leaf Village. Every villager who "hired" them provided good food and wine. After eating and drinking their fill, they still collected hefty payments. Aside from a minor incident on the first day, the villagers had been exceedingly cooperative.
Kusagakure's leadership dispatched teams for these D-rank "commissions" every month or two. Although seventy percent of the earnings had to be turned over to the village, as team leader, Yuichi could extract further compensation from his subordinates.
Three days passed in a blink. Having covered every household in Red Leaf Village and met the village's assigned quota, the four ninja began their journey back to Kusagakure.
"Sensei Yuichi, this trip was truly a great haul!" Sota exclaimed, his face plastered with a grin, though inwardly he wished he could kill the fat pig who skimmed his earnings. "Red Leaf Village is definitely much richer than the other villages in the Land of Grass."
"Hmph… This is just the beginning. There will be plenty more opportunities like this in the future. You'd better perform well," Yuichi replied, squinting towards the path ahead, his words carrying a clear implication.
"Rest assured, Sensei Yuichi! I'll definitely give it my all!" Sota immediately puffed out his chest.
Otoha and Goshi remained relatively silent. Their families were ordinary, unlike Sota's wealthy background, making them reluctant to part with their hard-earned money just to curry favor with Yuichi.
Glancing at the two, Yuichi inwardly scoffed. They just don't get it. Still, he wouldn't push them too hard. He'd already taken a portion of their commission fees; if they didn't want to offer more, so be it. Besides, he wouldn't be leading them for much longer. He'd teach them some ninjutsu just before the team dissolved.
Leading Genin teams was a lucrative assignment in Kusagakure, after all. Teams rotated every few months; no one led the same Genin for years on end.
Suddenly, Yuichi's trained shinobi senses detected someone in the woods ahead. A kunai instantly appeared in his hand as he dropped into a defensive stance, shouting towards the trees, "Come out! I already see you!"
Seeing Yuichi's abrupt reaction, the three Genin startled, fumbling for their own kunai and awkwardly mimicking his stance. However, the trembling in their legs betrayed their fear; if a real fight broke out, they'd likely flee.
Yuichi caught their reactions out of the corner of his eye and mentally wrote them off. Cannon fodder, nothing more. Although leading Genin was about making money, discovering promising talent for the village also came with rewards. These three clearly wouldn't earn him any bonuses.
Swish, swish, swish. Several figures darted out from the forest.
"Ah, it's Yuichi-senpai," one of them called out. Though using the honorific, his tone held zero respect.
"Hmph, wondered who it was. Just Shin and Sho," Yuichi sneered, lowering his kunai. "I thought you two were on patrol duty this month. What are you doing out here?"
"We have business to attend to, naturally," Shin replied, pulling out a photograph and showing it to Yuichi. "Have you seen this girl?"
Yuichi glanced at the photo. The girl looked vaguely familiar. He racked his brain but couldn't place her. Handing the photo back to Shin, he answered curtly, "Never seen her." After a moment's thought, he asked, "Who is she?"
Pocketing the photo, Shin answered casually, "A ninja Konoha asked us to help find. They say she went missing in the Land of Grass." He prepared to leave with his team.
Seeing them about to depart, Yuichi suddenly asked, "Is she someone Lord Junichi wants?"
"Hm?" Shin paused, surprised. "You've seen her?"
"No." Yuichi might be ugly and greedy, but he wasn't stupid.
Lord Junichi dispatching so many ninja to "assist" Konoha was suspicious in itself. There had to be significant potential gain for Junichi to be this invested.
"Lord Junichi merely ordered us to cooperate with Konoha's search. We don't know anything else," Shin replied evasively. He had no idea why Junichi truly wanted the girl captured, nor why he'd authorized lethal force against Konoha if necessary.
But that wasn't his problem. Completing this mission meant an A-rank ninjutsu. As for Yuichi's questions, Shin certainly wasn't going to share any details. If Yuichi stumbled upon the girl by chance, the reward wouldn't belong to him and Sho anymore.
Watching Shin, Sho, and their subordinates hastily depart, a cold smirk spread across Yuichi's face. He was certain now – this girl was the one Lord Junichi wanted. Just moments ago, it had clicked; he suddenly remembered where he'd seen her.
It was at the very first house they'd "accepted a commission" from in Red Leaf Village. He'd assumed she was the dead old woman's granddaughter. Turns out she was a Konoha ninja, and badly injured at that.
"You three head back to the village," Yuichi ordered his Genin, his eyes following Shin's retreating group.
"Eh? Sensei Yuichi, aren't you coming with us?" Otoha asked timidly. The earlier scare, though brief, had left her shaken, and she didn't want Yuichi to leave them.
"I don't want to repeat myself," Yuichi said coldly, his gaze freezing the three Genin in place.
Startled by his icy stare, they stood rooted to the spot. By the time they snapped out of it, Yuichi was gone.
"What… what do we do now?" Otoha asked, her voice trembling.
"Let's go. Back to the village together," Goshi said, steeling himself.
Yuichi sprinted across the grasslands. He needed to get back quickly, capture that girl, and deliver her to Lord Junichi. While he didn't know exactly what Junichi had promised Shin and Sho, the size of their team indicated this girl was highly valued.
Hahaha… Shin, Sho, you never would have guessed, would you? Lord Junichi's promised reward is mine!
Cave near Yanluo Bridge
"Jiraiya-sama, these areas have been thoroughly searched. No sign of Haruno Sakura." Hayama Shirakumo pointed to several routes marked on a map spread on the cave floor.
"Nothing from Kusagakure either… cough cough…" Gekko Hayate added, looking as frail and sickly as ever.
"All caves in the vicinity have been checked. No clues," Might Guy reported gruffly.
"Nearby villages and towns have also been canvassed. No one has seen Sakura," Kakashi stated evenly. "However, direct house-to-house searches weren't feasible, so there's a small chance she was missed, though I believe it's unlikely."
Jiraiya sat cross-legged, eyes closed, listening to the reports. When it came to information gathering, he was an absolute expert. Because towns and villages were difficult to search thoroughly without causing friction, Jiraiya himself had personally gathered intel in those areas, leaving the route sweeps to the others. If Sakura had shown her face, he would have found her.
Yet, seven days had passed without a single lead. This could only mean Sakura wasn't in the Land of Grass. But Jiraiya had also conducted a cursory search across the border in the Land of Rain. Aside from confirming Hanzo's presence near the border, he'd found nothing else.
Should I push deeper into the Land of Rain? Doing so risked confrontation with Hanzo. It wasn't that Jiraiya feared Hanzo, but the political ramifications were significant. If Hanzo wasn't a factor, infiltration would be simple. But provoking Hanzo might push him towards Iwagakure, shattering the peace that had held for over a decade.
Furthermore, the captured Ame-nin had revealed Amegakure seemed to be undergoing internal strife. A Konoha ninja infiltrating during such turmoil could be twisted by Iwagakure into a pretext for war. Ai…
"Kakashi," Jiraiya called, slowly opening his eyes.
"Yes, Jiraiya-sama."
"Send a message to the Godaime Hokage. Report the situation here and request that Lord Hokage initiate communication with Amegakure." Jiraiya paused. "Everyone else, wait here on standby."
With that, Jiraiya stood up. Asuma seemed to guess his intention. "Jiraiya-sama, what are you planning to do?" he asked quickly.
"I will continue deeper into the Land of Rain. You all stay here. Too many Konoha ninja entering Rain Country now would be unwise, especially with their internal conflict. It could easily spark a war. I don't need to spell that out for you," Jiraiya said, turning and offering them only his back as he walked towards the cave entrance.
The remaining Jonin fell silent. War. A heavy word. They had all experienced it. If their actions triggered another conflict, none of them could bear that responsibility.
Red Leaf Village – Junko's Home
Over the past few days of recuperation, Sakura's body was already seventy to eighty percent healed, recovering much faster than she'd anticipated. The most pleasant surprise was the increase in her chakra capacity. A rough estimate suggested that once fully recovered, her reserves would be more than double what they were before.
Sakura had expected some increase, but not such a dramatic jump. During the battle with Hanzo, she had maintained both Lightning Release Chakra Mode and Creation Rebirth continuously. Using Lightning Release Chakra Mode had increased her reserves in the past.
So, an increase was certain, but this much was unexpected. Could this be… breaking through after hitting rock bottom?
Though she'd been beaten half to death (or perhaps actually died and was revived by unknown means), the benefits were substantial. Chakra capacity had always been a bottleneck for Sakura; this boost addressed a critical need.
As for Junko, Sakura's tests over the past two days tentatively confirmed she possessed the potential to become a ninja. Junko had successfully extracted chakra after only one explanation from Sakura. After two days of practice, she could already perform the basic Three Academy Techniques (Transformation, Clone, Substitution) and the tree-walking exercise.
Technically, Junko had missed the optimal age to start ninja training; she was eleven, whereas most started around six. But age was just a starting line; for those with talent, it was never too late.
Clearly, Junko had talent. Yet, Sakura felt a pang of disappointment. She had almost hoped Junko lacked aptitude, giving Sakura a reason to persuade her to give up. Being a ninja was a deadly profession. Junko had saved her life; leading her down this path felt like repaying kindness with betrayal.
Sakura closed her eyes, silently drawing chakra and channeling it into her Yin Seal. The seal had been completely depleted during the battle and urgently needed replenishing for emergencies. As chakra flowed in, the purple diamond marking reappeared on her forehead.
Slowly opening her eyes, she watched Junko practicing the tree-climbing exercise in the yard. "Junko," Sakura called out, "stop for a moment. There's something I need to tell you."
Junko stopped her practice at Sakura's call, wiped the sweat from her forehead, and came inside. She knelt silently before Sakura.
Although Junko was finally learning the ninjutsu she'd dreamed of, the price had been one she would never have willingly paid. But there was no changing the past. Now, Junko's heart was consumed by hatred. Granny Rika's death and the humiliation inflicted by those four Kusa-nin had forced her to mature overnight.
Looking at the silent girl sitting across from her, Sakura felt a wave of sadness. She longed to see the innocent, carefree Junko she had first met, but knew that was now an impossible wish.